Writers

Picture yourself at your annual office Christmas party. Chances are, you wouldn’t chat with your CEO the same way you’d share a laugh with your closest friend over eggnog, right? Writing works the same way. The way you craft your message should shift depending on who’s on the receiving end. Whether you’re sending out a business report, penning a heartfelt letter to your mom, or putting together a lesson plan, understanding your audience is the secret sauce to getting your point across effectively. But how do you know what works best for each type of reader?

You’ve got what you believe is a great idea for a nonfiction book. Your research is done, creativity is flowing, and you’re as ready as you’ll ever be to start writing. But there’s one little problem—you know you need to put some sort of plan in place before you begin, and you’re no fan of outlining.

“Show, don’t tell” is the golden rule of storytelling. Get it right, and you’ll have readers eagerly coming back for more. Fail to strike the right balance, and your story will feel overly descriptive, slow-paced, and detached.

There’s no way around it…if you want to write a story that pulls in readers, you must include compelling characters. They need to feel believable, mysterious, and relatable. But that’s difficult to pull off—one reason most stories are unpublishable. 

If you’re confused about the difference between “voice” and “tone” in writing, you aren’t alone. Many writers conflate the two. Whether you’re writing a novel, a blog post, an article, a poem, or a term paper, it’s important to know the difference so you can communicate with readers in a way that resonates.