The pivot is a turn outward
These two notions have collided on my writing pad this past week: being an “owner” and “writing-to-think.”
Notion #1: Be an “owner”
We are working on a website refresh for a client who uses a novel therapeutic approach to solve a pervasive health issue. They are in the clinical trial phase and cannot reveal the mechanism of action, nor can they make any claims. But they have an “owner’s mindset” as they prepare their product.
That mindset is significant because it suggests their team will bring an owner’s energy and vision—the energy and vision of being responsible—to solving this health issue. They have a passion for helping people suffering from this condition. They are committed to making it happen in the world, versus the stereotype of the low-level unmotivated employee going through the motions.
Notion #2: “Writing-to-think”
A recent exchange on LinkedIn highlighted Dr. Larry McEnerney, a (retired) writing professor at the University of Chicago, using a clip of a discussion about writing-to-think and writing-to-change people’s minds. Writing-to-think is a time-honored and effective way to get something on paper, according to Dr. McEnerney—so it has been for me. Though I have a few friends who compose sentences and paragraphs in their minds and then dictate to paper (James Thurber was said to be able to compose and edit 1000 words in his head and then dictate the finished piece), many of us need a pen and paper to think. We need to take the action of composition to record our thoughts as we write them.
Collision: The turn from thinking to advocating change
The turn that needs to happen—the turn ignited by an “owner’s mindset”—is the step taken after writing-to-think. It is the step toward exteriority: how can I convince others of this thing I discovered? In this writing phase, the concept is stripped down and made ready to travel. Analogies and metaphors are arranged, illustrative anecdotes are positioned in the right spot, and there is probably a call to action.
The concept is given force through emotion—the writer needs to clarify why this matters. That emotion comes from an owner’s mindset because an owner wants to change the world. The owner wants the world to conform to a different vision.
As copywriters, we want to turn every communication into a possibility of change. In our companies and organizations, our best employees do this as well—because they have a personal stake in the outcome.
It’s worth asking: How badly do you want to get your message out?
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