Presentation is Key to Writing and Life

                                                     Presentation is key to writing and life.

How your writing is presented is almost as important as the content of your poem or article.  I’ll use myself as an example.  I’ve been writing for quite some years now on various web-sites and occasionally for a local radio station.  I am not the best person at spelling by a long mile.  I rely on the spell check facilities on my laptop or P.C. 

There is nothing wrong with using these tools its what they are there for.  Some readers hardly notice nor care if one or two words are spelt incorrectly, other readers are mortified and feel insulted and will abandon your article at the first spelling mistake.

Some years ago I moved to Leicester in the U.Ks Midlands.  I needed a job quickly, I began my search of the local papers and I used the job centres and job agencies.  I had dozens of jobs to apply for.  I set up a mini production line for my applications.  I had my updated C.V.s printed out on quality paper and neatly stacked up.  I had expensive envelopes and covering letters also neatly stacked.

One Friday afternoon hot off the press was a job I wanted to apply for and the job was well within my experience and knowledge.  On this particular Friday I was due back in London to oversee my apartment sale.  I was really pushed for time and as bad luck would have it my pile of covering letters was exhausted.

I hand wrote a covering letter on a note pad and attached it to my C.V. and put the package into the post box on route to London.  A week passed and I was selected for an interview.  I turned up at the premises in my best suit with neatly trimmed hair and shiny shoes.

I was shown into an interview room and a company director was waiting for me.  I sat down, spread out on his desk were five or six C.V.s  with attached covering letters.  After a hand-shake and introductions the director held up my covering letter in his fingers with distain! He went on to say    “This is the worst covering letter I have ever seen!”

In hind-sight he was completely right.  The hand writing was fine but the covering letter was written on lined paper clearly torn off of a note pad, even down to the serrated top edge where I tore it off the pad.  I apologised and described how I was in a rush to make a deadline in London at the same time as apply for this position.

The director explained he had thrown the letter into his bin until he saw the expensive looking C.V. attached with many excellent qualifications.  The C.V. alone saved the day and won me the interview.  That lesson I have never forgotten, presentation is key for first impressions regardless of the circumstances.

Imagine you are single and going out for a big night out with your friends.  You may have your hair styled, you may buy some new clothes.  You will definitely have a shower and depending on gender you will put on nice make up and perhaps a low cut dress (Some men may do this also!)  My point is you are presenting yourself in the best way possible.  Whether to attract a partner or just to look nice for you friends.

Your writing must be treated in the same way.  Re-read your work when complete and try your best to eliminate spelling mistakes.  Try to keep your paragraphs small and not overly long.  The reader will lose interest if he or she seems a mountain of words with no breaks or illustrations.

The title of your work including your first paragraph is known as the “Hook” to get the readers attention.  For example my most successful article for views on Triond was entitled  “First cloned man released in Brazilian rain forest!”  or I could have worded it   “Reports (Not confirmed) say that a cloned man may have been released into a Brazilian Rain forest”

Your title should be as punchy as possible to stand out from other articles on a web-site.  I’m not advocating lying or plagiarism just try to use your title as a delicious bait for the reader.  There are too many examples to list on presentation.  It applies to most things such as cooking, how is the food presented is it all lumped in a heap? Or arranged in a pleasing pattern.

A mini cab arrives to take you out on your big bash on that Friday.  The cab has a dented in door, the interior is filthy and the driver looks like he is allergic to soap and water!  You would not want to get into his cab regardless of how good a driver he is or how competitive his fares are?

I sometimes get caught short of time when writing an article, so I save it and continue it the next day rather than rush it.

Please look on the presentation of your work as being as important as the content.  I am certainly not the best scribe on Triond but I do try to give my work the best chance of being read as possible, and we all know what hits mean? hits mean money.  Happy writing.

Lord Banks