Adding Personality to Your Writing, Yes Please!
It is quite easy to write a short article on almost any subject these days, but have you thought about adding some of your own experiences into your articles?
When you inject personality into your writing it can take on a whole new life.
Today is a Friday and I’m thinking about what to do this weekend.
What long walk can I take the dogs on so I can lose weight without damaging my knees? It is supposed to be the hottest day of the year so if we go at 7 a.m., I shouldn’t sweat too much. The dogs, Angus, my Cairn Terrier and Cookie, my California Rescue pinscher chihuahua cross look at me with imploring eyes and wagging their tails in the morning as they know we are going exploring. (Will have to add a video here. 🙂 ) Some days, I disappoint them as it is raining heavily or it is “Garbage Day” with several garbage trucks zooming around our streets but other days…. when we turn right down the path and on to the long stretch of road that lasts, they know it is a good day 🙂 .
The minute you start writing about something that has personally happened to you, you start using words which convey more feelings. The reader picks up on these and can identify with them. This also helps build a connection between the reader and you, which is definitely a good thing!
Let’s say you were writing an article on having to make a decision about putting your dog to sleep. If you have been through this you can add more feeling and depth to your article. Instead of reading like a factual article, your article will become a short story and deal with the heart break of having to make this kind of decision.
Readers love to feel an emotional connection to whatever they are reading. If they can feel your struggles and pain they immediately feel the same way. By the time they have finished reading they will remember your name and want to read more of your work.
Some writers stay away from adding that personal touch to their work. Yes, it can be difficult to include some experiences. This is especially true for those experiences that evoke unpleasant reactions such as losing a loved one.
On the upside though, you are letting the human side of you come to the surface. You have allowed your vulnerability to come through and honestly, readers love this!
Of course you don’t have to write heart breaking stories all the time. It would be very draining to do so on a regular basis. Instead draw from some of your experiences so that you can add those deeper feelings into your content. May be you have struggled to lose weight at some point. Talk about it and remember the way you felt frustrated and how you found the motivation to keep going.
When readers identify with your work they are more likely to become a loyal reader. This means that they may subscribe to your RSS feed or they may sign up to your newsletter. When this happens they are letting you know that they want to hear more from you.
If you haven’t opened yourself up and let your personality come through why not try it the next time you write?
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