Comments on: How to Keep Your Self in All Your Writing https://wordsonpageblog.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html a freelance writing resource. Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:55:54 +0000 hourly 1 By: Cathy Miller https://wordsonpageblog.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html#comment-12282 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:55:54 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html/#comment-12282 Lori: When my brand is Keep it simple, the shift is merely using different mechanisms for achieving that.

Old school may be a white paper that has its multiple references and research, but includes graphs or illustrations for simplicity and has a basic outlined style that is simple to follow – e.g., What's the problem, what are the market drivers, what's the solution.

Clients willing to go a different route may get a PowerPoint that uses images and fewer words with technical handouts.

For me, I find I must remind myself to take a bigger editing eraser for the old school writing, but ultimately it's all about keeping it simple. 🙂

P.S. Thanks- I think you inspired my next post. 🙂

]]> By: Devon Ellington https://wordsonpageblog.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html#comment-12281 Tue, 23 Jul 2013 12:49:16 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html/#comment-12281 Part of for-hire work is being able to match the tone of the brand. If company X hired me to write a PSA, the PSA goes out under the company name, not mine. It will be in their voice, but as strong and clear as I can make it with my skills.

What goes out under my name(s) has the voice of that particular name.

]]> By: Anne Wayman https://wordsonpageblog.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html#comment-12280 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 20:10:56 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html/#comment-12280 Lori, I work in different industries… my goal is always to do it in their voice, but do it so the reader gets the message.

]]> By: Lori https://wordsonpageblog.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html#comment-12279 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 18:40:00 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html/#comment-12279 Great example about clients being different and needing different things, Paula. Right you are on the voice! If you stay true to your voice and keep it professional, it won't fail you.

Cathy, having had a recent interview that was so far off topic I was tempted to mail him a GPS, I get your point. 🙂

I'd be interested to hear the adjustments you make from old-school to current. Are they something you can verbalize, or is it an internal shift?

]]> By: Cathy Miller https://wordsonpageblog.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html#comment-12278 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:54:02 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html/#comment-12278 Like Paula, my writing clients have various styles. Some still fear giving away too much information, which can water down information. And others still believe technical information can only be delivered in text-filled, bullet points on multiple slides.

Since my brand is keeping it simple, clear & uniquely theirs, I manage to keep my brand for the old school vs those willing to go a different route.

]]> By: Paula https://wordsonpageblog.com/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html#comment-12277 Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:35:35 +0000 http://loriwidmer.com/wordsonpage/index.php/2013/07/how-to-keep-your-self-in-all-your.html/#comment-12277 Some of my clients are relaxed and informal, others are stodgy, and some are quick and to the point.

The trickiest one to adapt my voice for is one that's geared to teens and tweens and aims for a Flesch-Kincaid level of 8.9. I think the closest I've come is 9.7 or so. You have to keep sentences short and clear and avoid multisyllabic words. It makes me feel as if I'm talking down to the readers.

Whatever the forum, I try to use the same language I'd use if I were speaking to that group – just as you speak differently when hanging out with friends than you would in church or at work. We adapt our speech to suit the occasion all the time without giving it much though. Just do the same thing on the page.

Lori, if you want to avoid headaches with the refrigerator hunt, send me an e-mail. After the problems I had with my gorgeous new fridge, I can tell you what NOT to get.

Speaking of refrigerators…when my 9-year old nephew was here a couple months ago, he wanted a glass of water. I said it was in the fridge. This kid's grown up with an ice/water dispenser in the refrigerator door. He stood there looking at my refrigerator wondering where the dispenser was. I said, "No, the water is IN the refrigerator." He opened the door, looked around, closed the door and said. "I don't see it." I opened the door and pointed to the filter water pitcher. "Oh!" Poor kid. Everyone burst into laughter.

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