There are many styles in which to write. Browse through Steemit and you will find hundreds of different approaches, each trying to engage the audience, get an upvote, a resteem or follow. I am not the best at giving advice nor am I qualified to give style tips or a rundown of the best way to approach a large group. For me, I try not to think about what will engage the largest audience or what will be popular.
Here I am
I don’t think too much about the best words to use to get this or that across. Occasionally of course, certain things must be approached carefully for some topics carry a lot of emotional weight in people but, all in all, I write the way I speak.
I don’t mean that I speak exactly like this either though, although it is at times conversational, I mean, I write from the heart. When I speak, I speak the same way. This doesn’t mean that I get emotional or speak my mind unfiltered, it means that when I give an opinion or ask a question, it is done with sincerity.
I have found over the years that honesty really is the best policy when it comes to speaking and I have chosen to carry this into my writing too. I am not giving lectures or speaking to a crowded auditorium. I am speaking to you.
Not all of you, one of you.
There may of course be more than one but how I see it is that each set of eyes is sitting alone in front of the screen and I try, to the best of my ability to hold a conversation with them. This is not a conversation through an exchange of words or even through replies and comments.
Consider the space
This is between minds. I try to create create connections between my thoughts and their’s by building a story with which they can relate. It is quite personal for me but I am not actually trying to convince anyone of anything. What I am looking for is consideration.
For me, true consideration requires a depth of thought and telling people what is right or wrong does not generally create this depth. Yes, people can agree or disagree but for sensitive consideration to take place, we must put down our preferences and look at the information objectively.
I don’t know if this is the best way, but for me, when I listen or read and feel the passion in their words, I will consider them longer for the speaker has obviously thought it important enough to invest themselves into. Some people try to mimic this by swearing or using strong language but I find, it often falls flat as the timing is often poor. It seems contrived.
Let me build
To me, if there was advice to be given to engage an audience it would be like the title says. From the heart, into the heart. To get engagement, from me, I do not need the logic, I need to feel it. Once I feel it, I will investigate and build the necessary understanding. Fill the gaps.
Telling me the way it is, and I turn off. This may not be a great process but too often in this world I have been faced with information of the ‘way it is’ only to find out that the information was much less than correct and based on their own agendas. Perhaps it has become a defense mechanism of sorts.
Growing roots
I write in many different styles of prose and not all work out that well but, each one is crafted from my heart to yours. Sounds corny doesn’t it? I am okay with being corny as if it means that you think a little more about the words and find some value, that is all that matters.
Value is important for me and if I have some information that can help you achieve what is important to you, I will give it willingly. So I write and write, I cover many topics, many styles and ask many questions in the hope that you will find a useful seed, plant it and help it grow into something much larger than a simple piece of writing.
Hopefully in this piece too, there is something that hooks into your mind, gets considered and helps you to do whatever you do a little better than before.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
Your words definitely have value - they inspire. You inspired me to take this platform seriously.
If I didn't want to speak my mind, I wouldn't have joined Steemit. I love the fact that I get to write articles that matter to me without judgy eyes all over
It a great space to discover what really is important inside I think. I am glad I have affected you but, don't blame me ;)
Wow. That's the spirit. Writing without barriers. And that's what makes one grow better on steemit.
I think the title of the posts pretty much says it all. Heart to heart is perhaps one of the most effectively engaging conversations a person can have. Be it a cafeteria or a blockchain based platform like Steemit.
For this to happen honesty is an absolute condition. Logically and emotionally. Honesty in speech breeds consistency in one owns thoughts and the person listening is also subconsciously looking for consistency in your facts. Honesty is the way to go here, particularly on blockchain where the words are preserved for a digital eternity.
What I am interested in the future is to see how we have shifted over time. I am pretty sure there will be tools developed to evaluate content and comments and see how we have grown as individuals and a group.
In this day and age, it seems harder and harder to actually engage with someone, to hold attention, because our attention span is rapidly decreasing. What I'm saying is, it is a conversation, but only for those willing to listen.
If they're not, you can write the most interesting, most honest, from the heart content imaginable and it still won't matter...
It does still matter.
You are totally corny, but your talent is very appreciated here on steemit. Thanks for speaking to the unique me :) xx
Yeah, I know but, authentic... which might be sadder.
Writing from the heart is something really nice, shows the best of each person and frees us on some occasions, writing and speaking from the heart is something very good even for our health ... greetings!
I don't know any other way. Most of my things are real and from the heart. I need to develop so can capture the audience. that is a talent you have. I always read your posts from start to finish. There are a few others out there but not many.
Your stories about working as a cigarette salesman in some bad parts of London decades ago were very interesting. Also, your stories about your experiences in the corporate world were an interesting read.
Hi Markku. All right I will do some more. I have so many stories and experiences.
I think with practice and experimentation everyone can find their voice and once there, practice and experimentation will improve it no end.
Prolific writer. You never fail to capture the very important things when you write.
Wish I could write so well like you.....
@taraz there is always some thing great that hooks my mind up in all your post , i use to always look out for your post here because of course there are great lessons to behold thanks for sharing sir.
I swear I clicked on this post expecting detailed powerpoints about how you come up with these long engaging posts that have me feeling an attachment to them. But... here we are :)
These posts have always felt like a conversations to me personally because you usually write about day to day life and struggles. Maybe a lil bit different but, we are all going through day to day life and struggles in our own ways. Thank you for this.
Doesn't your life seep through cracks and into your poetry? I think it must or at least, it feels like it does.
It always does! :)
Writing and speaking from the heart is the perfect route to attract the audience. For no person is it a secret that when other people see that passion or that feeling of talking about what you like, they will automatically stay to listen to you or read to you. And not so much to use a different tone of voice, or how you say it. Many times you notice by the look or the expressions.
Hmm. @tarazkp every of your paragraphs nailed the message to my heart indeed. Sure you communicate to the heart i must confess. No other way to really reach out to people than to reach out through the honest state on one's heart. And honestly you just did that to me, i have learnt something from this post. Thanks for this.
your writings are extremely important, not only for me that I nurture them and I try to do things better every day, but the whole community will have some that analyze and they have some word of what you share with us, be sincere and give help in the best way that one believes possible feeds that fighting spirit of people who believe they can not, it is not so you have to take the first step to get ahead and be better in everything
I might not always comment tarazkp but know that I read each and everyone of your posts thanks to Ginabot haha.
This week was particularly hard for me because I found myself not commenting as much as I do. Regularly I comment about 18-25 comments a day but this week I hardly got into 5 comments.
I have been barely even able to reply to the comments that o recieved, that is how low my energy has been in commenting.
Enough about me and going back to you. I like how the way you write out your thoughts, ask questions that not a lot would want to tackle and be outspoken in how you view things.
You write from the heart and you are honest and truthful to yourself. That is important to me because you are not one of those people that are bad actors instead you write honestly and without reservation.
I don't mean to put down STEM and history posts but what I want to read are personal reflections, stories and thoughts.
There is this one "pro" blogger that writes these posts about Egypt, Vikings and other general and safe topics that you can stretch out and have a lot of posts but I don't see the personality, the soul of the writer because it reads so cookie cutter as if I am reading a Wikipedia entry or any of general knowledge posts that does not have a scrap of personal assessment. The intention is merely to inform and although there is nothing wrong with that but clearly I am not the target market because I can just google those and go to a more reputable source.
It is all about preference of what people want to read and be engaged in.
I mostly write about my thoughts and struggles and I know I won't be winning any Noble prize not writing awards but it is mine straight from .y heart and mind.