How to Write Well When Writing Isn’t Your Strength

We don’t all wake up thrilled at the idea of writing. However, content is the fuel your brand needs to get into the world, so writing is necessary.

If you're running a business, chances are you're juggling marketing, operations, sales, and everything in between.

An editor or proofreader can help you get your copy just right.

You may be trying to squeeze in a few social media posts before lunch, but your mind isn’t really on it. Writing often gets shoved to the bottom of the list. 

What’s worse, because you own the brand, expressing your story feels like a task you’re “supposed” to be good at, even if you’re not.

The good news is that you don’t need to be a brilliant writer to create content that speaks to your clients’ hearts. You just need a few reliable strategies to get your message across clearly.

Here’s a few things you could try:

Simplify everything
When you finally get down to writing, keep it simple. Less is more. Keep it simple: one idea per sentence and one message per paragraph. Use the kind of language you normally use in a conversation with a client or customer. That’s how you keep people reading.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
Take a peek at some of your niche's most successful blogs, emails, or posts. What tone do they use? How do they open and close? What kinds of stories or examples are they using? Use these patterns to guide your own voice.

Clarity beats creativity
Clarifying what you’re offering, solving, or asking the reader to do is more powerful than the fanciest metaphor. If someone can’t understand your message in 10 seconds, they’re gone. This is not to say the metaphor is dead - with practice, you can get there.

Try this formula to get started
PAS.(Problem-Agitate-Solution) is a surefire way to create content that works. 

They help you structure your writing without overthinking it. Start by laying out a problem, stir it up a bit so the reader feels the urgency, then offer your solution or product. That’s PAS in a nutshell. Here’s an example:

You're spending hours scouring different websites for the right car to buy. It's frustrating, demoralizing, and a waste of your time. With our massive online vehicle marketplace with responsive filters, you can.

See what we did there?

Problem - You're spending hours scouring different websites for the right car to buy.

Agitate - It's frustrating, demoralizing, and a waste of your time

Solution - You can use our massive online vehicle marketplace with responsive filters.

Before you hit publish, take a pause.
Read your content out loud. Does it sound like you? Are there words you can cut? Are your sentences too long? Even basic self-editing can boost your clarity and make your writing feel more human. In this age of AI, it would also be foolish not to use the range of AI-proofreading tools out there.

Still unsure? Bring in a pro
Sometimes, the thing you are writing is crucial, and you can’t afford to make a mistake. This could be the time to get a quick review from a freelance proofreader or copy editor. 

If writing truly isn’t your thing, consider outsourcing this part. You stay in control of your voice, and they help you polish the edges.

The bottom line 

You don’t have to write like the greats to get results. Just focus on being useful, relatable, and clear—and go back to doing what you really shine at.