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Welcome To The Writing Jungle. Are There Fun and Games?

So you're out in the wilds of the job market, wading through the swamps of fraudulent job offers from who knows who in who knows what country. People who prey on other people's desperation suck! What also sucks is being turned down or hearing crickets chirp with each updated resume you send into the void. Betcha didn't know your writing skills would be important, did you? From getting past gatekeeping A.I. so a real person can read your resume to standing out enough so you can catch a human's attention should you get past said gatekeeping A.I., your words are important! No one's asking you to write a novel series about a half-wizard kid or anything like that, so chill out with the panic attack, yeah? I'll help you get on the right track as you write your next standout resume or update your stale LinkedIn profile. 

Writing as a Marketable Skill 

Alright, hold on to your resumes, folks, because we're diving into the exciting world of... wait for it... writing as a marketable skill! Hey, it is exciting, especially when you build enough skills to get paid a lot of money for it. And in today's world of constant communication and attempts at persuasion, you better believe words are flying left, right, up, down, and diagonally all over the information highway we call the internet.

Read a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter) lately? It was written with words. Watched a TikTok video lately? Lots of them have captions written with - gasp! - words. Even YouTube videos need words to be created. Do you know how many creators out there are reading from a script to avoid awkward pauses and long, drawn-out "ums" and "uhs"? You wouldn't know that because most people just talk about how good your lighting should be when you film and how to discover your best angle to record from.

But if you don't know what you're talking about, that'll drive people away real quick. You don't want your audience to lose confidence or patience with you, as they have many options to choose from. Or maybe you do want to run off some people. You can do that by letting them know what your content is about and what it isn't about.

But it doesn't just end with social media. Even if you're competing for a role in graphic design, data analysis, or project management, the ability to express yourself clearly and convincingly through writing is a must. Reaching out to a recruiter or someone in HR at a company you're interested in joining? You'd better put together the right words to get their attention. Otherwise, they're just going to ignore your email and never learn about your amazing skills.

It's not just about using fancy words or weaving enchanting narratives. It's about clarity, persuasion, and impact. It's the ability to take a mishmash of thoughts and ideas and lay them out in a way that not only makes sense but also engages and influences. You'd be surprised at how much money some companies are willing to pay you just for being a skilled wordsmith.

Like I'm Aesop, my stories have a moral to them, so listen up. Don't downplay your writing prowess - it's a secret weapon that could potentially catapult you to the top of the candidate pile. And who knows? Maybe your writing skills could even get you closer to starting your own business and earning money from an audience who loves what you're putting out.

Writing for Effective Communication - Shake That Dust Off! 

When you think about what words are, you think of some boring, dry classroom where some old, dusty teachers make you write some old, dusty words on an old, dusty desk. Sure, words are pretty old. They may also have some dust on them, but that doesn't take away from their importance.

More importantly, words don't have to be dusty or old! You can be creative with your words and reach different people in various ways with a few dusty old words that you clean up and reorganize. Think of words like an antique chair. They may have been sitting in grandma's attic since the Second World War, but they have some potential with some work.

They've been used for a long time in various ways, but they're not useless. With some creativity and a little elbow grease, they can become something useful. You could write the next best-selling book or a compelling script for a play or movie. Or you could write persuasive copy to draw people to your landing page. Yep. Words can get you paid in a lot of ways.

Do you want a traditional job? You won't get your foot in the door if you don't use the right words. As I said before, you've got to use the right keywords in your cover letters, CVs, and resumes. If you don't, your resume, CV, or cover letter will never be seen by human eyes before being rejected by A.I. So those words must count and impress the right people - digital and carbon-based.

No matter your profession, it's worth the effort to learn effective ways to communicate with words through emails. Yes, we still communicate with each other through emails. And what about those of us who are freelancers?

When we give our proposals, make our contracts, and so on, aren't we using words to do so? Writing is a bridge between us and our next paycheck. How can your next payday cross over the infinite void to reach you if you don't know how to use your words effectively? I don't know what will convince you if nothing I've said yet convinces you. But I'm not giving up because I'm much more stubborn than you. Unless you're that one person. Are you that one person? No, no. You can't be. Anyway, let's move on.

Enhancing Professionalism Through Writing 

Okay, I get it. When you think about professionalism, you think of stiff and stale, right? Your muscles are becoming rigid, and your joints are locking up at the thought of professionalism. Hey, I get where you're coming from. I mean, I don't really, but you know. I have to speak for you and get stuff for you. That's how this whole blogging thing works, right?

Anyway, professionalism doesn't have to be so rigid and stiff. It can be sharp, sleek, modern, and sexy. Of course, it has to be the right combination of those things, depending on who your audience is. You probably don't want to overdo it with the sexy, am I right? Unless I'm not right? You know what? I don't need to know. You know what's best; if you don't, I'll let you figure that one out.

Since your mind is probably in the gutter right now, it's a great time to show you how professionalism can make people respect what you're doing. You emailed your co-workers in another department, letting them know you've already sent an outline of your presentation to upper management via an early morning emal. You think you've nailed that emal, but then you realize one thing. 

Nobody knows what the heck an emal is!

It's too late now. The damage has already been done. But that's just one typo. I mean, it's not that great of a look for you to misspell the word email when we have spellcheck and grammar tools at our disposal (mine is lighting "emal" up with a bright red line, begging me to correct it.) I'm just saying! Look, I'm not even asking you to be a perfect wordsmith. Just make use of the available tools that we have, like a spellchecker extension on your browser!

Or what if you like rambling? More words aren't necessarily better. I mean, longer words aren't inherently bad. You don't have to type out everything like you have a 280-character limit. Unless you do. It all depends on who you're writing to.

My point is you want to use enough words to make the proper point as concisely and succinctly as possible.

Take some time and re-read what you're writing. I mean, who writes without re-reading what they've written anyway? If it's you, then stop that! It's going to cost you sooner or later! Get another set of eyes on your written work as well. I mean, get another person with a working pair of eyes to read. Don't grab random eyes and throw them at your screen, demanding they read what you've written. That's just... It's just... Yeah, it's not a cool thing to do.

Expressing Creativity and Problem-Solving Through Writing 

Question. What are you writing? Answer. A solution to someone's problem. Great! Now, we have boundaries for what you're writing!

Look, your words should be constructed with people in mind. Which people? Those who have problems that you believe you have the skills to resolve. Do you think you're an entertainer? You can make people laugh with your words? Then, you'd better make sure you put together the best words to get at least a smile from your audience. You must get at least one "ha" out of them if you're going for comedy. But if you're trying to hold their interest, have a gripping narrative to keep them connected to your writing.

I said something about downloading a grammar and spellcheck extension earlier, but you may not need it. You do have to know how to spell. Otherwise, you'll look like a baby amateur who needs to step away from the keyboard and chew on your toes until you grow up a little more.

But depending on who your audience is, you don't have to be so professional and formal. In certain situations, being so rigid and stiff can be a hindrance. You tend to want a more casual and open tone when connecting with others. You want to show some of your personality - assuming you don't have one of those personalities that repels people. Letting people know you can solve their problems comes from winning their trust. It's hard to trust someone who's too closed off.

I mean, don't tell all of your life's story. Leave the skeletons in the closet. It may make for some juicy gossip, but it could be off-putting when showing people you can help them. See, if you talk too much and show people your problems, they may think your problems are so bad that you must take care of yourself before you can do anything for anyone else. By the way, you should prioritize your health - mental and physical - before dealing with other people and their problems. So, ensure your problems aren't too much of a burden before attempting to resolve other people's problems. It also helps you avoid burnout and severe mental fatigue.

But if you can show off your ability to understand other people's problems and come up with creative solutions to those problems, you can package your skills into a nice resume and cover letter to impress potential employers as well. Being a problem solver that has useful solutions will get you noticed in most cases. It'll also lead to you getting a paycheck.

How about this: a well-argued proposal or a creatively crafted report is like a neon sign flashing "creative problem-solver at work!" It's not just about proving that you can write well; it's about showing that you can think well. In today's fast-paced, constantly evolving professional landscape, a creative problem-solver is worth their weight in gold.

So, don't shy away from those writing tasks that come your way. Embrace them as opportunities to stretch your creative and problem-solving skills. Remember, every well-crafted sentence is a testament to your innovative thinking and strategic abilities. And who knows, you might enjoy flexing those writing muscles! Please ensure you warm up properly so you don't pull a writing muscle. A pulled writing muscle sucks just as bad as a regular pulled muscle.

How to Improve Your Writing Skills 

How do you improve your writing skills?

First off, do a little digging and unearth some good writing. Crack open a best-seller, skim through that Pulitzer-winning article, or revisit your colleague's beautifully crafted email. These treasures will help you understand what works and what doesn't.

Next, start flexing those writing muscles. Flex them until they ache, and then flex them some more. But don't cramp up. Cramps are the worst, am I right? Just like you can't expect to run a marathon without a bit of training, you can't become a master writer without regular practice. Writing is the only way to get better at writing. That's just the crazy way it works. To write well, you have to write poorly first. And then you have to correct your poor writing. Keep that cycle going, and you should improve in no time. What you have to work with is what you have to work with. But you can't get any better outputs from your writing if you don't write with the skills you already have first. That's how the journey of growth and improvement goes. Don't rush the process.

And also, you suck at writing. What? I'm getting you prepared for some much-needed criticism! Look, we all need another person or two people to read over what we've written. Of course, the feedback we get needs to be something we can use. So make sure you get someone to read your work who will give you feedback that you can use. And get over your feelings. You're trying to make money, are you not? Your feelings are yours, and I'm not trying to invalidate them. But if you can't handle someone telling you that your writing isn't that great and can be improved, you may need to evaluate yourself. You have to be able to take some criticism and constructive feedback to grow. And it helps to toughen your fragile ego so you won't cry every time someone says you suck at something.

Last but certainly not least, proofread. Make sure you send emails to your colleagues and not emals. It would be embarrassing if you didn't use the right word. Who wants to be seen as not worthy of having their current role? If you don't want to be that person, you'll proofread and get others to proofread your work.

Improving your writing skills isn't an overnight journey, but it's a worthwhile one. So roll up your sleeves, grab your pen (or keyboard), and start crafting your way to writing brilliance.