11 Dangerous Writing Tactics That Will Intoxicate Your Readers (Use At Your Own Risk)

How to write words that change lives

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This article is not for you.

If you want people to think your writing is lovely. If your biggest dream is for readers to feel mildly pleased. Then find something else to read.

I sweat blood and tears getting 1000 words onto the screen. So it needs to be worth it. I want more than ‘that’s nice’. I want my writing to destroy faulty mindsets. And stir someone to write and change their life forever.

But this means using tactics that hypnotize my readers.

Here’s my favorite ways to do this.

What the hell do you mean?

Everything comes alive when you show what you mean.

Give specific examples. If you’re saying write concisely and use fewer words. Illustrate this with a long waffly sentence and then a shorter version.

Whenever you give advice explain what it looks like in practice.

Evoke emotions

Emotions fire up readers.

Tap into your reader’s emotions. Draw out the emotional aspects of your topic. Write about what you care about. And write as if you care about it. Take a moment to remember why this matters. Then release that energy through your fingers.

Use logic but lead with emotion.

Why the hell should we trust you?

I’ll be blunt. Why should we listen to you?

Drop in your achievements. Reveal how you learned this. Leverage the content of others if you are small. Use numbers if possible (100 hours completing this course).

Don’t overdo this and become arrogant. A couple of sentences will do.

Be vulnerable

We are repelled by those who have it all together. But are wooed by vulnerability. Don’t make writing your personal therapy session (it’s not about you). But be honest about your struggles, pains, and fears.

Your readers will be drawn like a moth to light.

Share what works

Please please please delete your banal platitudes.

Write practical tips that work. Look at what you do. Think about why it works. Share that. Go into detail about your process. Be super specific.

Less Pinterest. More how to.

Say what you think

New writers shake with anxiety. Fear saying the wrong thing.

So they look at others. And try to work out what they are ‘supposed’ to say. Yes learn about the market and culture. But no one goes online to read the same thing 10 times.

Do you know what you’re supposed to say? What you really think. Get clear on that. Then write about it.

Yes, sometimes it’ll fall flat. But keep going and you’ll hit the jackpot.

Don’t hedge your bets

Be definite in your language.

Being opinionated turns people off in conversations. But works in writing. Strong language portrays confidence. Remove these:

• maybe

• I think

• probably

Be strong and certain.

Expect nothing

Write without pressure. Your early stuff won’t be brilliant. It’s won’t go viral. Write anyway. Pour your heart out. Accepting some stuff you write won’t be any good.

Ironically accepting this, frees you to write your best stuff.

Use nuclear words

Changing one word in a sentence can have a dramatic effect.

Upgrade your ordinary words into the strongest you can find.

Look at the headline of this article for 3 examples:

• dangerous

• intoxicate

• risk

No one cares about you

Identify who you are writing for.

Note their problems, dreams, and fears. Then write for them. Get out of your head and into theirs. Craft your introduction, title, and stories with this in mind.

Delete the bits you love but your readers won’t.

Do a little tease

Trigger your reader’s interest by pointing out what’s to come. Litter your content with a few teases keeps them hooked

• New writers make two fatal mistakes.

• I’m going to show you what works for me but first…

• Stick around till the end because I’m going to reveal…

Derek

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