Writing for a client is like going to the optometrist. I turn in a draft. They send it back with requested revisions and edits. I revise the copy, return it, and ask, “Better or worse?”
Sometimes it’s better; sometimes it’s worse. I work through the feedback. When I’m told something is “better,” I try to incorporate the tone and style in the next piece. When it’s “worse,” I turn to the existing copy. I try to get it to “better.”
The “worse” copy still has its lessons to share; I learn that better communication with the client is needed. I discover I write too intellectually for a particular audience. The different sections of a white paper don’t cohere.
I change my writing. I get rid of the semicolons. I shorten the sentences. I ask to speak with the client before starting any paper. I seek out subject matter experts. I use outlines. I write down objectives and keywords. I do everything I can to avoid the “worse” diagnosis.
Why? Some of it has to do with self-preservation. I won’t have a job for long if I can’t meet clients’ needs and expectations. The main motivation, though, is found in my belief that the work I do is never just for me or another human being. Each piece of writing I do serves the One who created and loves me and others.
That doesn’t mean I don’t write abysmal failures. I do. Fortunately, He doesn’t write me off when I fail or make a stupid mistake. He holds me close and says, “You’ll do better tomorrow.”
Image: photosteve101 (Creative Commons)