Let this legendary writer’s words of wisdom guide you in your journey to “self-reliance!” [Tuesdays: “Write with the Pen of the Masters”]
Ralph Waldo Emerson.
An American poet, essayist, lecturer, and philosopher.
One of his famous essays is titled “Self-Reliance,” which contains ideas on how one should live his or her life authentically.
The essay is a celebration of the uniqueness of each individual, with important lessons about discovering the “greatness that lies within every person.”
Curious about what these lessons are?
Here are some of Emerson’s “words of wisdom” that you can apply not only in your life but also in your writing career!
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Trust yourself.
Novice writers have a tendency to doubt themselves and their ideas.
If you ever felt that way at one point in your writing career, Emerson has an inspirational message for you!
He said:
“A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light that flashes across his mind from within, more than the luster of the firmament of bards and sages.”
In other words, Emerson is saying that as a writer, you must also learn to listen to your personal thoughts and inspirations.
Be easy on yourself! Sometimes, the more you pressure yourself, the more you struggle to write.
Breathe in… breathe out… and let your creative juices flow.
Another reason why Emerson urges you to act on your own genius is because if you fail to do so, “tomorrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense what you have thought and felt all the time, and you shall be forced to take with shame your own opinion from another.”
How many times have you had a great idea inside your head but because of doubts, you didn’t give birth to that idea?
Perhaps it was about…
… a story or topic that you felt would truly resonate with your target market…
… a life experience that you thought needed to be penned so others could learn from your strengths or weaknesses…
… or a new tagline that you believed was creative, appealing, and unique.
Soon after, you see your exact thoughts being written or voiced out by another writer, and all you can do is regret that you didn’t put your ideas into motion.
To prevent feeling this way, don’t be afraid to take risks in writing! It is in getting out of your comfort zone that you’ll be able to learn more and discover new skills, knowledge, concepts, etc.
Put meaning into every word you write… and remember to enjoy the process! Doing so will make it easier for you to create compelling copies that will make an impact on your target market.
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Use your experiences as motivation to write.
“The eye was placed where one ray should fall, that it might testify of that particular ray.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Think about all the experiences you’ve had as a human being. What do you think is the reason why your “eye was placed where one [observation or experience] should [unfold]?”
To remind you about the things you should or should not do?
To serve as a driving force for your life’s work as a writer?
To inspire you to testify to that event so others who experienced the same thing can find solace and understanding in your written outputs?
Emerson believes that every situation you face is there for a reason.
Do you have a particular experience that you think your target market can relate to?
Put that memory and insight into words so that you may enlighten your readers, convince them to take your call-to-action, or guide them to make a reasonable decision.
Use your experiences as your muse. As a writer, you have to be brave enough to tell your stories so you can fulfill an essential part of your career―to inspire thoughts, feelings, and actions through the power of words and expression.
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Be your own writer.
Emerson says there is “a time in every man’s education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance and that imitation is suicide.”
As a content writer, copywriter, or writer in general, you can’t simply ride the coattails of other writers.
Keep in mind that their experiences are their own―not yours. Trying to mold your thoughts to a framework of another’s mind means denying your own authenticity and special skill sets.
Don’t limit your writing style and your written outputs to appeal to the status quo or the majority!
Instead, be courageous and confident enough to write about what you think should be written for the betterment of your readers.
According to Emerson, this trait of non-conformity is what makes the distinction between “greatness and meanness,” or in other words, great writing and common writing.
Remember: To make your written outputs attractive, you have to distinguish your writing style from other writers by being passionate and confident about what you want to offer to readers.
It’s in your hands how you would want others to remember your life as a writer―a tale of cowardice or bravery, a story of self-belief or self-destruction, and a plot created by masses or a masterpiece invented by an individual.
Keep Emerson’s valuable life lessons in mind to help you stay confident in your own ideas and values!
Remind yourself that one of the ways to write copies that make a significant impact is to be genuine about what you write and follow your own path and not other writer’s roadmaps.
Use these words of wisdom in writing a marketing copy, poem, novel, essay, or other types of content and get ready to bring out the great writer in you!
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Tuesdays: Write with the Pen of the Masters”
Who doesn’t find content writing to be a skill that requires a lot of practice and effort?
In fact, many people may even find copywriting very intimidating.
However, you can be a good writer as long as you have the right tools. You won’t always get things right the first time, but with enough time and practice, you’ll get the hang of it!
When you write a copy for any brand or for your company, your aim is to make an impact and…
…to get people to remember.
Getting people to remember means getting consumers to buy your product or to avail of your service.
And when you get your content to deliver the results you want, THAT is a great copy!
Every Tuesday, we publish content based on tips and insights from the masters of content writing, copywriting, and storytelling.
Become more familiar with ways to write great copy that helps you gain ROI from your efforts, drive profitability, and achieve your business goals.
Learn time-tested tactics that better capture the attention of your target audience, and maximize the benefits of great copywriting.
Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s “Write with the Pen of the Masters!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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