I’ve never said it outright here on the blog, but this isn’t just a space for nonfiction writers to learn how to grow their businesses. Any and all advice offered here should be applicable to the fiction market, as well.
Still, if you harbor any doubt, Annabel Aidan will set you straight. You know her as Devon. Her new book, Assumption of Right, was released yesterday and has one of the coolest covers I’ve seen on an e-book. Witchcraft, politics, and theatre collide in this thriller involving Morag D’Anneville and Secret Service agent Simon Keane as they fight to protect the Vice President of the United States. Or does Morag need more protection?
Info on where to buy the book in the bio below. And a huge thanks to Annabel/Devon for her contribution here!
How Writing Fiction Feeds into Business Writing
By Annabel Aidan
Yeah, I write fiction. Under multiple names. You’re about to know me as Annabel. You might also know me as Devon, Cerridwen Iris, Jenny, Christy, or Christiane. My focus is on the fiction/entertainment side of the craft: novels, short stories, plays. Yet those same skills have landed me the highest-paid of my business jobs.
Why? Because I know how to engage and entice the reader.
That’s why companies hire writers — to produce copy that engages and entices potential customers, and keeps customers coming back for more of whatever it is the company sells.
I know how to create memorable characters. I know how to put them in situations that create a story line around the company’s product. Look how many films use “product placement”. Smart companies use “character placement”, too, and it doesn’t have to be a character already fixed in popular culture. Ads create popular culture. Coca Cola created our vision of Santa Claus. The Michelin Man is memorable. Flo from the Progressive Insurance commercials is memorable. The E-trade babies are memorable. Sometimes the characters and story outstrip the product: I remember, a few years back, one of the best Superbowl commercial ever was about cowboys herding cats. I have no idea what the product was, but I remember the commercial. Granted, in terms of product sales, that counts as a miss, but it was still memorable!
My background in theatre and film means I can event-script easily. For those of you who don’t know what “event-scripting” is — award shows, fundraising events, benefit concerts. Yes, a good host will take the evening to a new level with his or her wonderful ad libs. But there are still certain sequences of events and information that have to be presented in a specific way within a specific timeline. Hence, “event scripting.”
Writing for theatre and indie film also gives me a unique leg up on speech writing. I can have a conversation with a client, and then write the speech, mimicking his cadence. When he speaks it, it rolls off the tongue naturally.
The skills I developed in order to sell my fiction have served me well in the nonfiction aspects of my writing career, and I’m grateful that I can move between them both as intriguing projects come my way.
Bio:
Annabel Aidan writes romantic suspense with a hint of magic. She publishes under a half a dozen names in both fiction and nonfiction. She spent over twenty years working behind the scenes on Broadway, in film and television, mostly working wardrobe. Her plays are produced in New York, London, Edinburgh, and Australia. If you run towards her undoing buttons, she will tear off your clothes and flip you into something else — and then read your tarot cards. Visit her on the web at:http://devonellingtonwork.com/annabelaidan.html.
Assumption of Right is available at Champagne Books.
13 responses to “Guest Post: How Writing Fiction Feeds into Business Writing”
Thank you so much for hosting me on release week! I hope this opens up some new opportunities for your readers.
Thrilled to do so, Annabel. 🙂
Had a question – what do you think is the most common mistake nonfictions writers make in terms of their copy?
Congratulations on the release. How much of your writing time is fiction vs. business writing? What is your best tip for balancing the two?
Best of luck with the new book, Annabel. 🙂
Congrats, Annabel!
Annabel, as a copywriter who hasn't the faintest talent for fiction writing, I am in awe of someone like you who is "ambidextrous" in that regard. And that event scripting specialty – very cool.
Lori — I think often nonfiction writers keep their copy too dry. It's important to be factual and objective, but you also have to inject your own passion or enthusiasm for the topic into it, or it reads flat. It's always about telling a good story, and a good story has characters, whether it's fiction or nonfiction.
Cathy — The bulk of my time is on fiction. I pick up business writing jobs whenever I can to fill in, and because the payment turnaround time is quicker. I'd say I spend 2-3 hours/day on business writing and 4-6 on fiction. That changes, depending on deadlines. Sometimes I have a stack of articles all due at once, so after my first 1K of fiction for the day, I have to put it aside for the rest of the day and concentrate on business. Sometimes, the fiction is on deadline or going really well, so I don't accept as much business writing.
I find if I lock myself into a rigid schedule, I get resentful and start sabotaging myself, so I let it flow each day, and create each day uniquely.
Gabriella — thanks
Eileen — event scripting is a ton of fun, and I also like to write training videos for companies, although sometimes I make them a little too out there and have to pull back in the revisions!
Great point, Annabel, about nonfiction copy being too dry at times. I find that it's not only more fun to read, but more fun to write when there's a big of flair in the copy. I've found several times when I'm trying to fill out a word count that my biggest problem is that I've left the copy too dry. When I go back and add the juicier bits to the copy, the additions fill out my word count easily without ending up as "fluffy" worthless words. It's more engaging and, ultimately, a better product for the client.
Congratulations on the new release!
I admire the way you're able to manage your time to accommodate both creative and corporate work.
I like the idea of variety. My fiction writing is just for me or my family, but now I can see how it aids the nonfiction side.
Out of curiosity, how do you decide which pen name to use? With so many I might forget who I am. 🙂
lol, hi Devon… I get the biggest kick out of your multiple personalities and how well you carry them all off… you are so talented.
Thanks for sharing this part of you too.
Congrats on the new novel. I found your situation intriguing and interesting.
Ashley — I try to work the company's vision into the type of thing I, as a customer, am attracted to! 😉
Paula — it's always a balancing act. Good thing I took juggling (and typing) in high school!
Wade — the two feed each other. Being conscious about the choices made it click into place, and made both the fiction and the nonfiction easier.
I use different names for different genres, and each name has a slightly different tone layered over the basic authorial "voice" — if you know my work, you can figure out the persona is "me". I once wrote six short erotica pieces for a particular magazines under different names, different themes, etc., but people who knew my work knew IMMEDIATELY I'd written them. It was a good laugh. Back in the days when smut paid well! 😉
Anne — I'm blushing! Just tryin' to make a living . . .
Ciara — glad you enjoyed it!
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