Take a Page Out of Award-winning Songwriting Techniques
Writer Richard Bach once said, “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” When it comes to writing and creating content, there are times when the most established writers among us feel like amateurs. While we may be experts in our fields, sharing our expertise in an engaging way requires a whole new set of copywriting skills.
For many, the goal is not to be “professional” SEO writers, but rather to create content around your business and your field that resonates with your audience. Regardless, the meaning behind Bach’s quote remains the same: success is a result of hard work and persistence.
It is difficult to consistently come up with new, engaging content ideas. Rather than explore new techniques, many writers will revert to their old methods of success and risk creating tired and mundane copy. So how do we navigate these content creation and content marketing hurdles?
Copywriters and Songwriters: Birds of a Feather
There’s a lot that writers can learn from their musical counterparts. In many ways, songwriters and copywriters share a common goal: both attempt to capture and translate the essence of feeling through their words. They also share common problems: making deadlines, fighting writer’s block, and avoiding repetition.
According to writer and strategist Ahava Leibtag, great songwriters tell stories which engage people. When it comes to producing engaging content, there are a few things we can learn from her:
- Master the Structure: Songwriters use a consistent, but strong structure to create an engaging story for their listeners through the components of exposition, conflict and finally, resolution.
- Achieve Rhythm in Writing: Read your words aloud. By sounding out your words, you can process the flow of your sentences and refresh your mind. Another tip: diversify the length of your sentences to keep your reader’s mind engaged.
- Collaborate: Writing does not have to be a solo act. Like producers, our editors often help us add finesse to our work, but they can also serve as partners in the initial writing process. Take advice, and follow trial and error together.
- Borrow, don’t steal: It’s important to gather inspiration from different places. Make sure you attribute your sources and your quotes if you integrate them into your content. Your reputation and validity as a content marketer is at stake.
If you are struggling with producing consistent, high quality content, MintCopy can help! We have some of the best copywriters with a passion for the craft and an understanding of SEO and content marketing best practices. We can help you improve your online ranking and your content’s readability.
Use our online form to get in touch today. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter to stay updated on the latest content marketing trends.
1 Leibtag, Ahava. “Rock Your Content With These 7 Songwriting Secrets.” https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2019/01/content-writing-secrets-songwriters/