Your boss decides he has to have the sales guide on his desk today or the product roll-out target is compromised. That big client rewards you for beating the deadline by demanding the support documentation tomorrow. The others on your team got lucky with their assignments this time and now the pressure is on you to meet the deadline for the project proposal.
Writing documents about subjects and for reasons that are not interesting but are required for a successful project is the work outcome of corporate knowledge workers. Getting things done in corporate, white-collar jobs means getting the writing done.
Consultants, IT managers, project managers, product managers, marketing managers and corporate planners are not thought of as writers but their success and value are directly tied to what they write and how well they do it.
Think about a sample of what these professionals produce at work -- assessment and recommendation reports, program and project plans, market justification and sales strategies, product data sheets and sales briefs, market segmentation and business cases. Just like the novelist, newspaper reporter or copywriter, these professionals must think, research, organize, plan and produce written material upon which their value and contribution is judged -- and from which they profit by keeping their jobs, getting that promotion or receiving a good bonus.
Just like a writer, these professionals start with thoughts and objectives that are simply raw stuff until they define and clarify its meaning through something that is written. Unlike a professional writer, these other knowledge workers did not choose their work because they wanted to write but writing is how they do their work.
Think about it, what else do knowledge workers produce if it is not something written? Profitable writing for these workers means the value of their work is recognized, their assignment objectives were met and the work got done -- all because the writing got done. Getting the writing done for them is much more than simply arranging words well. The writing is the physical representation of how knowledge work gets done.
Actually, I bet if we both dug through our files, we would find reports, guides, support documentation and proposals we feel good about; a well-earned sense of accomplishment and pride of craftsmanship. Chances are that spot-on sales guide earned you a good performance review or that top-notch project proposal won the deal -- and you a nice bonus with it.
But here is the thing for most people -- and I include professional writers here -- most people don't really like writing. They like to have written; they like to receive the professional status, calm, money and perks that are achieved when this is done well and on time.
The distinction with professional writers who produce sales copy, white papers, trade articles and how-to books is that these people spend time learning and practicing and improving their craft. This is how they get the writing done well and profitably. However, the craft is not just about arranging the words into sentences and organizing sentences into paragraphs.
Copywriters know how to learn a product or service to extract and distill the right way to communicate its benefits, either in direct sales copy or white papers. This is no different than extracting, distilling and communicating the benefits of an idea, plan or proposal.
Creators of "how-to" eBooks practice the art of niche interest discovery, zero in on why someone would buy their information and the best way to research, write and market their product. This is no different than determining the use and best way to produce sales and delivery support material or training on company procedures. After all, consultant delivery guides, procurement processes and safety procedures are information products for a niche audience.
All knowledge workers want what they have written to be good and on time. It's the "getting started", "staying with it", and "getting unstuck while doing it" that people hate about writing on the job. The difference with the professional writer is that the writing is their job and overcoming these hurdles by continually practicing and honing his or her craft is required for writing well and profitably.
If the knowledge worker that is not a professional writer wants to learn how to "get started", "stay with it" and "get unstuck while doing it" -- in essence the craft of writing well and profitably -- the best place to learn is from the professional copywriter, trade journal freelancer or eBook producer. Learning and practicing the craft of copywriting, trade writing and eBook "how-to" writing applies directly to the successful production and outcome of the writing required from knowledge workers.
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Get the Writing Done
...a place to find resources and inspiration for profitable writing.
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