Let’s forget all the foo foo today and get right into this…
The fact is that if you want to do well online these days you need to have some serious writing skills, and I’m not just talking about clever lyrics.
There are blog posts, tweets, email messages and sales copy that all need to sparkle if you want to make a living.
Below are a few tips that have stuck with me over the years and I hope they also help you find your own unique voice and unleash the inner wordsmith lurking in your belly.
1: Write Like A Whisky Drinker
Forget about what you learned at school, this is not about getting good grades or winning prizes. Your fans want to get a sense of your personality and who you are.
So when you start writing your thing don’t hold back, write like you talk and don’t worry if you think that something is a little bit close to the bone. Swear like a sailor if you have to.
You could even write after a night out drinking and then edit in the morning once your hangover has started to wear off. You will often find that what you’ve written is full of life and humor.
In-fact I’m drunk right now 
The difference between dancing naked on a table or writing a blog post while drunk is that you can always edit or delete the blog post in the morning. (Please drink responsibly.)
2: Become A Fan Spy
Market research is simply working out who your fans are and what makes them tick. This is absolutely essential to help you write in a way that will connect with them on a deep level.
In simple terms this means talking like they do and about the things that matter to them.
Almost everyone has heard of the idea but for some reason nobody seems to be doing it.
So here’s a practical guide…
Log into your own Facebook fan page and start visiting the profiles of people who have “liked” you.
You’re going to learn about their favorite movies, interests, books and quotes which is all golden information that you can use in your online copy to help create a deep subconscious affinity with your work.
3: Daily Practice
My wife is a very smart cookie and she tells me that the word “daily” kind of freaks people out.
But anything you want to master needs to be a regular part of your life and to be honest it’s not that hard to include a daily writing habit into your schedule.
The process below is what got me started…
25 minutes of “free writing” in which you just put down whatever comes into your head without editing. Write fast and don’t stop for the full 25 minutes.
Come back the next day and edit what you have written into something that is postable then bang it out.
Ba da bing, you’re a writing machine!
4: Cut The Fat
Very often I will go through things I’ve written and notice the same point made a couple of times or there will be whole paragraphs that can be condensed into a few words.
There is no point in making people wade through 1000’s of words of copy if you can convey your message simply.
Simple ideas spread.
5: Start With An Epic Headline (This goes for songwriting too…)
If you start with an engaging headline or song title you are making a commitment to produce something outstanding.
It’s like what you are writing has to live up to the amazing title you’ve given it…a great way to stay on track.
If you need advice on writing killer headlines check out this post.
6: Go Old School
In an ideal world we would all type 5 million words per minute but the fact is that most people find the computer keyboard a barrier to creativity.
If you face this problem it’s time to break open the note book and put pen to paper just like the old days.
A lot of people find this a much easier experience and when you’re happy with what you’ve written you can try dictating it into you computer.
Final Thoughts.
Wiser men than me have found that these simple little tricks will help improve the quality and quantity of your writing, and in the end this will hopefully bring more fans into your gang and increased interest in your musical offerings.
So what are you waiting for?
Why not start with an email to a venue you want to play, or you could try…
- You musical manifesto or mission statement
- Sales copy for your album
- A series of tweets
- A killer bio for your band
May the force be with you, when you boldly go where no musician has gone before.
Talks soon,
- Chris
Watch the video podcast version below…
Tags: Direct-To-Fan, music marketing
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