Welcome to Issue 56 of Writing and Other Stuff, a newsletter by me, Kim Scaravelli, with a focus on writing with style and personality, and nurturing your creativity. Thanks for reading! And if you're not a subscriber yet, sign up here.
Does your writing pass the Grandmother Test?
Whether you're sending an email to a colleague, writing a blog post, crafting website content, or WHATEVER, the goal of your writing is always the same:
You want to communicate with your reader effectively and respectfully - and you want them to feel a sense of connection with your topic.
That's it. That's the finish line.
💥And that's why I came up with the Grandmother Test!
It's a foolproof way to decide if it's time to press send/publish, or if you need to pause, rethink, and refine.
📣Please note that I am not stereotyping older women!
The grandmother you envision doesn't need to be sitting in a rocking chair with knitting needles in her hands. Maybe they're super fashionable and actively travelling Europe.
They can be big or little. Short or tall. Male, female, or non-binary. FYI: My grandmother was super-tiny, with snow white hair, and a surprisingly dirty sense of humour.
For purposes of my test, the grandmother figure is defined by the following characteristics:
- They are someone you respect, always speak kindly to, and NEVER want to offend.
- They have a genuine affection for you and they want to understand what you're talking about. They're not against you in any way.
- They're not an insider when it comes to your work and the topic at hand. In fact, their knowledge of the subject is basic, at best.
Have you got this person in your mind's eye? Can you see them clearly?
🥳 Excellent!
Now look at that email / blog post / website page / etc.
Would this piece of content make sense to them? Would they understand it?
If the answer's not a resounding YES then you probably have some jargon sprinkled in, or complicated words and phrases that can be simplified. Weed them out!
Would they be interested and maybe even excited? Or just politely listening?
Be honest with yourself - you know the answer!
If you can picture them smiling an I-love-you-no-matter-what-sweetie kind of smile at you, keep refining!
This is a sign that your words are sitting flat on the page. You're TELLING readers something, but you're not drawing them in. Try things like changing to you-and-I language, putting things in present tense, and maybe adding an element of storytelling, like an analogy. We all love a good story!
Would this writing hurt their feelings in any way?
If there's a joke or reference that might be misinterpreted, axe it! And make sure you haven't simplified things to the point of talking DOWN to your audience.
🥰Remember that you want your grandmother to be proud of your work! She should be able to share it with EVERYONE she meets - without worrying about offending them.
Cool quote
“Communication works for those who work at it."
John Powell
Stuff Worth Sharing
I subscribe to loads of newsletters. Some are practical, some are inspirational, and some (the majority, if I'm honest) are QUIRKY.
LETTERS OF NOTE is definitely in the quirky bucket. Every week, Shaun Usher sends out a newsletter with ONE content type - letters. It's a compilation of what Shaun calls "history's most interesting letters".
Here's one of my favs, from last week's issue:
So much love I send, but light, airy love, not the kind that weighs heavily on the recipient.
Janet Frame
Letter to William Theophilus Brown
4th June 1970
❤️ How beautiful is that?!?
Letter-writing is a lost skill and that's a shame. Because there's a thoughtfulness that goes into writing with ink on a page - and focusing your words on ONE person. Like your grandmother!
For the Word Nerds
SMART is a brilliant word!
Everyone wants to be smart, and we all like the concept of smartness. It's clear and concise. And there's something about starting with that sexy "s" sound and ending with the crispness of a "t" that makes SMART a strong word - don't you think?
So the next time you're writing a word like productive, effective, objective, appropriate, intelligent, purposeful, or innovative, ask yourself: Could I just say SMART?
Clear beats clever most of the time.
Thanks for reading. I'll see you again June 12th. In the meantime, if you like my newsletter, here are 4 easy ways to show your support. Pick your favourite now, before you forget!
