The Upward Path

your message matters

The Radio-Controlled Message Bottle

Communication rule one

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Is there one principle, above all others, that you can take on board to gain the foundation of better communication? I think there is, and this is the most boiled-down version I’ve come up with:

WHAT’S IN THEIR HEAD
IS NOT WHAT’S IN YOUR HEAD

It’s about realising that you have a responsibility to meet your audience at least halfway. You can’t just throw some words down that you would understand yourself, presented in a way that you would find pleasant and digestible. Because they ain’t you.

Message Bottle image(You could make various parallel rule versions, like, “Their life is not your life”, or even, “Their computer is not your computer”. But I think the above sums it up pretty well.)

In Yorkshire, where I grew up, we sometimes said “so-and-so can’t see beyond their own nose end” – meaning that all a person thought about was themselves and their own picture of the world. Someone like that can never be a great communicator. They can only appeal to people like themselves, and get frustrated when they come up against barriers.

Getting good at this requires qualities like empathy and adaptability – the ability to step outside your own worldview and habits – alongside skills in use of language and presenting information.   [Read more…] about Communication rule one

The Radio-Controlled Message Bottle

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Cover image

I’ve mentioned in previous posts that I was working on an ebook. I had to hold back on promotion while a formatting glitch was fixed, but now I’m happy to announce that The Radio-Controlled Message Bottle is available from major ebook stores!

This is the written-up version of my reflections over the last few years on writing to get a message across; how difficult that can be; and guidance on how to approach it and where not to go wrong. Some of it covers the same topics as blog posts here. People who have to write stuff for their work – pretty much everybody! – and would like to get better at it should find it particularly useful.

You can get it through Amazon Kindle store, Apple’s iBookstore, Barnes & Noble, and eBookPie, with more outlets to follow, recommended price $2.99. A print version is coming soon. There is a Google+ page for the book.

I’ve you’ve liked any of the stuff you’ve read here, this is an opportunity to get more of it on the reading device of your choice!


Back cover blurb from the print edition:

The information age seems to demand ever more writing in our work and personal lives: emails, letters, reports, essays, websites, blogs, tweets, brochures, tipsheets…

But for most of us, writing to communicate isn’t our main skill. Sometimes it can be like putting your message in a bottle and throwing it out to sea, hoping your audience will see it, understand it, value it and act on it.

In a quick read with a light and humorous style, this book helps you build up the skills and mindset for clear, effective communications that make you look like you know and care what you’re doing.

It covers guiding principles; writing style and process; writing persuasively; layout and design for documents and websites; and a selection of common grammar and word use mistakes to avoid.