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- 3-2-1 Friday: Expanding your vocabulary as a writer, reading, and writing in your head
3-2-1 Friday: Expanding your vocabulary as a writer, reading, and writing in your head
Welcome to today’s issue of Efikó, a weekly newsletter by me, Dozie Anyaegbunam, with a focus on content marketing, writing, social strategy, and living your best life. THANK YOU for being here! I appreciate you.
Hullo, 👋
It’s been an amazing week for me.
We’ve been unpacking and settling into the new home. Plus, I have a new work desk and an amazing view.
But my home isn’t the only new thing.
The “Content Marketing Weekly Roundup” goes live in two days.
This means you’ll get another email from me with a roundup of relevant content marketing articles and podcasts on Sunday. I am still torn between making it a bi-weekly email or a weekly one. Got any thoughts?
The Friday email is also changing. You would have noticed the “3-2-1 Friday” title. So going forward, it’ll be 3 things I learned about content marketing during the week, 2 things I am thinking about (more like life lessons), and 1 book recommendation.
The challenge here would be to compress complex ideas into pithy sentences. But shout out with your thoughts, if you like the new format, or any other thing.
And off course, you’ll still get the content writing jobs section 😀
So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
3 Things I Learned This Week
I.
Expanding your vocabulary is critical for a content writer. But while it’s key to learn new words, nothing beats getting better at using the words you already know.
Stop and ask yourself. How many synonyms can you come up with for the word goal without checking a Thesaurus?
I can come up with aspiration, ambition, objective, intention, plan, target, purpose of the cuff.
It would be great to come up with more.
The point here is while its great to consult the Thesaurus. Sometimes, doing that knocks you off your flow.
So, practice thinking about other word possibilities. Pick a random object and see how many synonyms you can riff off in 30 seconds. Over time, it gets easier. And your writing speed will thank you.
II.
When last did you read a book or article that isn’t about content marketing? Or maybe the right question is when last did you read?
For a content writer, or any other sort of writer, you have to READ.
Read content marketing books - these show you how industry experts explain complex terms
Read magazines and articles - these show you how to compress facts, keep readers engaged, and get to the point.
Read fiction - these show you how to build tension, keep readers spell-bound, and create a curiosity gap.
Read romance - these show you how to use words to elicit different emotions.
Read interviews - these show you how to strip your writing down to the minimum viable words.
III.
Want to write fast?
Start writing in your head. Before I put down words on Google Docs, I have probably spent over 3+ hours crafting the article while doing house chores.
Think about the introduction while brushing your teeth or washing plates. Think about the lede while taking a shower. Organize the flow of the piece from introduction to conclusion while you’re babysitting.
By the time you’re ready to pound on your keyboard, the writing flows faster. And you’ll get it done faster.
2 Things I am Thinking About
I.
Poor self-talk destroys our ability to perform more than we know. Talk positively to yourself all the time.
II.
You work hard to earn the privilege to work smart.
1 Book Recommendation
Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker. Peter Drucker’s sweet and short book on managing and capitalizing on our strengths is a yearly must-read.
Content Writing Jobs
ll the best, folks. Could you please share with any of your friends/colleagues who might find this helpful?
If you would love me to review your writing and give you feedback, you can book a time here. Or just hit the reply button.
Thanks for reading this far. I am grateful!
Be good out there. If you can't be good, be careful.
I’ll be back on 3/18.
Dozie
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