Three Tips for Content Consistency

A common denominator among all content audiences is that they like to latch on to something familiar. It’s our job as content creators to provide a place for our audience to live and thrive. Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do,” and that sentiment sets the frame for defining the needs of all audiences, and the consistency we must provide for them.

It’s easy to be consistent, and here are three ways you can provide consistency for your readers.

1. From page to page, section to section, create a common look and feel for every document you create. This is done by choosing a format for fonts, graphics, tables, etc., and sticking with it throughout the entire document. Consider creating master pages with headers and footers to provide a uniform look for every page.
2. Use a like manner in the way information is presented. For example, if a flowchart is used for one process, use it in a similar way for all processes.
3. Use like names for things throughout the entire document. For example, if the term “module” is used in one section, use only “module” to describe it elsewhere. Having trouble deciding how to name something? Let the manufacturer/inventor decide for you, and carry over their term to your documentation.

As technical writers. we must master the mantra “one meaning per word, and one word per meaning.” Complex documents can be made more complex with inconsistent word usage and meaning. There are constant barriers to reader understanding, and consistency is one way to ensure we are conveying the messages we intend.

De-scrambling the Creative Process: 5 Steps to Laying a Golden Egg

The Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney are known as two of the greatest song writers of all-time, and for good reason.  The Beatles have remained always relevant, even generations after they first wrote songs in the early 60’s.  They achieved this pinnacle of song writing success because they knew how to navigate the creative process, and turn simple ideas into gold.

Paul McCartney

Perhaps one of the most celebrated songs of their career is Yesterday, a tune with a flowing chord progression and melody that came to Paul McCartney in a dream.  After waking, he had the song’s musical structure, but the lyrics were missing.  With his creative process in full swing, he first wrote the words “scrambled eggs” to establish a working syllable pattern.  What eventually became “Yesterday…all my troubles seemed so far away” began as “Scrambled eggs…oh my baby how I love your legs.”  Paul’s example shows us all as writers that sometimes all the creative process needs is a placeholder.

The creative process isn’t an insurmountable obstacle.  To be creative, you must first be a problem solver.  Just as a sprinter must clear hurdles on the way toward the finish line, the writer must face obstacles along the path of generating a great idea.  From my experience, here are five steps that will help lay your golden egg:

1. Follow the Scouting motto:  Be prepared.  Take time to research all aspects of the message you are trying to convey, who you are trying to convey it to, and all relative information surrounding the topic.  Attempt to learn something you may not know about the topic.
2. Take time for introspection. I believe the keys to navigating the creative process are understanding ourselves and others.  Consider how others would view your subject, and how their perspective motivates or shapes your view.  If you need to go for a walk, exercise or take a break to step outside your own limitations, do this to better focus yourself.  One technique I use is to try to think of something funny about my subject, and laugh out loud about it.
3. When you reach your “A-Ha!” moment (when your golden idea appears), you’ll know it’s the perfect approach, and you won’t want to do it any other way. Immerse yourself in your idea, and build around it.  Make it relatable to your audience.
4. Develop your golden idea by sharing it with others as a test audience. It doesn’t necessarily need to be an organized test panel – just a few people who can provide valuable input.  “John, I’ve got this idea for a song called “scrambled eggs….”
5. Run with it! Put your idea into a final format, promote and advocate your idea, and send it out to the world that is meant to see it.

This is – by no means – a comprehensive list.  What techniques work best in your creative process?  What are your obstacles, and how do you overcome them?  Drop me a comment to share your own tricks of the writer’s trade.

Next Up:  Three Tips to Help Writers Avoid Procrastination and Save Time

Know Your Audience to Hit the Bullseye with Your Readers

It’s the golden rule for every writer:  To be successful, you must know your audience and tailor your content to their values.  As a professional writer, you must have a specific answer to the basic question “Who will your message most appeal to?”  If you answer “everyone,” there is much work to be done.

Many writers worry about narrowing a global, far-reaching audience, but make the mistake of not admitting that most often, there isn’t such a thing.  The less focused you become about who your audience is, the more diluted your writing becomes.  To avoid dilution, the flavor to add to every message is a clear understanding of your specific audience’s likes and dislikes, and why they hold those values.

How do professional writers know for sure whether they know their audience?  The answer is when they can adapt content to address the reader’s main concerns.  If you know your audience members are specialists in your topic, the writing should acknowledge this and make conclusions dissimilar to other pieces written about the same subject.

Another way writers can know for sure if they know their audience is if they have a clear vision of what “voice” to use when developing content.  Whether formal or informal, tone-up or tone-down, your voice must be a good fit for your reader.

Finally, you know you can be successful if it’s easy to be succinct when developing content.  If you find yourself rambling to make a specific, basic point, you’re likely reaching for a way to connect to your reader.  If you’re writing to an audience you are 100 percent sure can use your message, you will be able to convey your point without crafting a convoluted message.

Next up:   Jeff Goin’s 14 Tips and Tricks for Overcoming Writer’s Block