“I'm not here for your amusement. You're here for mine.” – John Lydon, Born Jan. 31, 1956.
It's a very important attitude to have toward your audience and your chosen topic as a writer.
Though most people would get this backwards. “You're here for the customer! The customer is always right! The customer is king!”
Maybe in retail or something, but even then, I'm dubious.
See in OUR line, enthusiasm is a pathogen. You need to be infected with it – deep enthusiasm for the topic you're the supposed expert in.
That's the trick…
It's NOT all about the audience/customer's enjoyment and pleasure and benefit.
You MUST be detectably delighted. Possibly even more excited than they are.
More excited about the topics you cover.
More excited about the tips your exchange with them.
Not because of the sale.
But because of their fulfillment.
You're more excited for their near future than they are.
And this only makes sense. Because they are going to follow you into an unfamiliar territory. They don't know what they don't know yet. But you know. You've been there.
Just like when you're trying to show someone your favorite movie that they've never seen. They're into it and willing to give it a shot with an open heart and mind because YOU'RE obviously convinced it's the best damn thing ever.
So even more so than it already is, your excitement becomes contagious to your reader.
Your passion infects them.
Because they have no frame of experience to know what emotions they should anticipate. So they follow your lead. You set the expectation of what it's like to do what you're advising them to do.
So make it look fun, and ESPECIALLY make sure you're excited for them to join in and experience it for themselves.
Can you dig it?
Be amused by your audience. That's why you got one, isn't it?
1. Focus on your Favorite Thing – whatever you’re writing about, begin with the aspect or detail you love the best. That kicks off your whole piece with positivity and eagerness to share. Start there and the rest flows easily.
2. Don’t forget the Worst Thing – you can also get enthusiastic about the bad things, and people love to gripe alongside. So get heated and angry about what is wrong in your world. Give people some bad guys to root against, and new things to complain about.
3. Your content is Customized – make it clear that you’re taking whatever you’ve found to share with your people and you’re custom tailoring it to their particular interests and needs. Anywhere else, they get the same old crap. From you? Specificity and refinement.
4. Secrets – let people in on the stuff no one knows about yet. Little details that are hidden, or underreported. Give people the gossip that isn’t available to the public. Everyone loves to be an insider, so give them a peek.
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