Convince Others by Writing Well

In Oklahoma, we are a little less than three weeks away from our Primary Election.  The candidates are furiously traveling their districts in an effort to convince the citizens to cast a vote in their favor on the 27^th.  As an American Majority field representative, my job responsibilities require me to go into my territory and meet as many candidates as possible in order to inform them about the wonderful training opportunities we provide. 

As you can probably imagine, in the course of carrying out my duties, I have been handed numerous push cards and position pieces.  I have been directed to countless candidate websites.  I have read hundreds of blog entries, Tweets, and Facebook posts authored by interested observers, issue advocates, and the candidates themselves.  One thing has struck me during the course of this campaign season: we need to become better writers. 

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Peggy Noonan quoted historian David McCullough as saying, “To write is to think, and to write well is to think well.”  The truth be told, people judge the intellectual capacity of the writer based on how well he or she is able to get a point across.  If the piece is confusing, not structured properly, rife with spelling and grammatical errors, or even if it takes the wrong tone, the audience will assume the writer is not worthy of the opinion presented.  Candidates for office should particularly heed this warning.  It is exceedingly difficult to claim you will be thorough in the pursuit of your duties if you have not been that way in the small task of proofreading your marketing materials. 

So, what are some other benefits of good writing?  The most obvious benefit is the ability to express a clear and coherent thought.  If you can effectively take the reader through a logical thought process, they will be more inclined to see things from your perspective.  Consequently, another benefit to good writing is the ability to persuade others.  Words have immense power, but you have to use them correctly to convince others your ideas have merit.  If used incorrectly, the audience will assume your idea is as disheveled as your writing.  Finally, good writing builds trust.  People may not always agree with your thoughts, but they will be forced to give credence to them if presented properly.  Furthermore, readers will be more inclined to seek out your opinion on a regular basis because they know it is good fodder for intellectual stimulation. 

Writing, like any other worthy pursuit, is a skill that must be continually practiced for improvement to occur.  Here are a few tips to help you hone your writing skills:

• Start a blog or a journal.  The more you write, the better at it you will become.  Give yourself an excuse to write often.  Practice good technique.  If you have a question about something you are doing, look it up or ask a friend.
• Try to use correct grammar and spelling even when using social media.
• Make an outline.  If you are writing anything longer than a blurb, outline the structure of the piece to assure your points are in the correct place. 
• When writing an argument or opinion piece, structure the supporting points from the weakest to strongest.  You want to leave your audience with the best point when they finish reading.
• Proofread your work.  Look for spelling, grammatical, and structural errors in particular.
• Know your audience.  If you are writing for friends or acquaintances, a casual tone is acceptable.  If you are writing for the public-at-large or a specific organization, it is best to strike a more formal tone.