tered. Amazingly, writing like that is considered “good” in today’s mass-production society because it informs its readers of the who, what, where, when and how. But within a few minutes of reading it, it disappears from your active memory because nothing abouYou have experienced it on numerous occasions. Reading an article or memo that leaves you yawning or, worse yet, scratching your head as to why you invested five minutes of your life in reading it. What did you do with that example of poor writing? You probably filed it in the bottomless basket, which is right where it belongs.

But what was it about the article that turned you off? If you were to pull it out of oblivion and scan it briefly one more time, you would most likely find no spelling or grammar errors, no glaring inconsistencies or contradictions, and the author most likely knew enough about their subject to get the point across. Few if any professional people would be presented with anything less. But it was still missing a vital element, like a fine spice used to season a bland meal. And without that seasoning, it left a foul taste in your mouth.

What was that element?

The writing had no feeling. No flavor. No personality. It was dead. Lifeless. And it sucked the oxygen out of the room as it entered. Amazingly, writing like that is considered “good” in today’s mass-production society because it informs its readers of the who, what, where, when and how. But within a few minutes of reading it, it disappears from your active memory because nothing about

bly filed it in the bottomless basket, which is right where it belongs.

But what was it about the article that turned you off? If you were to pull it out of oblivion and scan it briefly one more time, you would most likely find no spelling or grammar errors, no glaring inconsistencies or contradictions, and the author most likely knew enough about their subject to get the point across. Few if any professional people would be presented with anything less. But it was still missing a vital element, like a fine spice used to season a bland meal. And without that seasoning, it left a foul taste in your mouth.

What was that element?

The writing had no feeling. No flavor. No personality. It was dead. Lifeless. And it sucked the oxygen out of the room as it entered. Amazingly, writing like that is considered “good” in today’s mass-production society because it informs its readers of the who, what, where, when and how. But within a few minutes of reading it, it disappears from your active memory because nothing abou

s, no glaring inconsistencies or contradictions, and the author most likely knew enough about their subject to get the point across. Few if any professional people would be presented with anything less. But it was still missing a vital element, like a fine spice used to season a bland meal. And without that seasoning, it left a foul taste in your mouth.

What was that element?

The writing had no feeling. No flavor. No personality. It was dead. Lifeless. And it sucked the oxygen out of the room as it entered. Amazingly, writing like that is considered “good” in today’s mass-production society because it informs its readers of the who, what, where, when and how. But within a few minutes of reading it, it disappears from your active memory because nothing abou

e used to season a bland meal. And without that seasoning, it left a foul taste in your mouth.

What was that element?

The writing had no feeling. No flavor. No personality. It was dead. Lifeless. And it sucked the oxygen out of the room as it entered. Amazingly, writing like that is considered “good” in today’s mass-production society because it informs its readers of the who, what, where, when and how. But within a few minutes of reading it, it disappears from your active memory because nothing abou

tered. Amazingly, writing like that is considered “good” in today’s mass-production society because it informs its readers of the who, what, where, when and how. But within a few minutes of reading it, it disappears from your active memory because nothing about it compels your mind to consider it important. Writing like that requires far too much effort to read and comprehend. So, it is more often than not forgotten.

So, how can you overcome “good” writing and become a great writer?

The key lies in learning how to infuse your writing with personality. To make it scream for attention, grab the reader by the collar and force itself in to their subconscious. How to make sure your writing answers your reader’s all-important question “What’s in it for me?” In other words, to get your reader involved with you on a personal, emotional level, as if you were conversing with them face-to-face.

The ability to reach your readers in such a way is what raises quality writing to an art form. But don’t fool yourself in to thinking that artistic writing is just for the poets and the playwrights. It is possible for a business proposal or thesis paper to spark the imagination as readily as Emerson or Keats ever did. It just requires a thorough understanding of your audience, and a too