The Joy of Writing Exists, But Not for Everyone
Among writers, both amateur and professional, there’s a common saying that’s built on half-truths and lazy innuendoes. The paraphrased saying goes like this: “It’s much better to have written than to be writing.” The insinuation is that the act of writing, of putting words into a document one after the other, is no fun at all. so how can there be a joy of writing?
Businesspeople who don’t consider themselves writers certainly agree. Writing for them is a sisyphean task. One simple blog post can take hours on end, hours better spent doing anything else — even accounting. And the end result may turn out to be a fragmented account of a semi-satisfied customer. In other words, all that effort produced something of little or no value.
The Joy of Writing for Writers
People who identify themselves as writers — and that may include you — usually find some satisfaction in the act of writing. For some, an original turn of phrase is what kindles that warm, glowing feeling. For example, we once wrote a blog post for a client about mountain biking on steep and dangerous terrain. In writing that article, a phrase appeared, as if by magic, a phrase that became the title of the piece: “Trails and Tribulations.”
For others, the joy of writing occurs during that period after the start, when a blank page gradually gets filled with a first draft. This is the euphoria we’re feeling while writing this blog post right now! Then there are those whose joy comes only at the end. The accomplishment, having written, imbues the writer with that warm, glowing feeling. No matter where it comes, all writers chase that feeling like spiritual seekers after enlightenment. It can become all-consuming.
Writing Is Hard Work
While everyone with a high school diploma can write, the art and science of writing a coherent story, essay or article takes work. Finding the right word, to paraphrase Mark Twain, means the difference between lightning and the Tampa Bay Lightning. And then there’s the grammar, spelling and punctuation to deal with.
Additionally, when writing something for your business, you may need to do some research to make sure you get your facts straight, and many people haven’t had to do research since their college years. But you can’t just publish anything. Your customers may see it, find an error or get the meaning wrong, and suddenly, your painstakingly written article is going viral for all the wrong reasons.
Get Help from Real Writers
If the joy of writing actually exists, then good writers actually feel it. If you’re struggling with a writing task, you need to find one of these magical creatures to do your writing for you. Your joy of writing may come from delegating the whole task. And that’s OK. Just as there are accountants to handle your books and plumbers to fix your leaks, there are writers to produce your content.
But you’ll find a big difference between hiring a plumber and hiring a writer: A plumber can save you money by protecting your home or office, but a writer, a real writer who lives for the joy of writing, can actually make you money. If your blog posts are engaging, informative and thought-provoking, your customers will read them. If your website is direct and helpful, readers will actually contact you about your products or services.
Let someone else fret over the right word choice and revel in the placement of a comma. Let someone else craft perfect sentences that speak directly to your audience with style, wit and erudition. It won’t even cost that much. Meanwhile, you get to go back to doing what you do best: satisfying the customers you already have.
Ray Access. We’re here when you need us
because good online content can make the difference
between a sale and a fail.
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.
