We all look for inspiration in the work we do. Who knew that a story on rattlesnakes would be mine?

Boredom Bites

Writer’s block is just a word wall for lack of inspiration. We all experience times, no matter how much we love our jobs, when we are simply uninspired.

There are endless posts on how to break through. I am constantly looking for inspiration.

It can be quite amusing what inspires us. So, what does this have to do with a rattlesnake?

A Tail for a Tale

I am one who hopes the newspaper industry does not go the route of the dinosaur. I love my morning routine of coffee and reading the newspaper.

It was in today’s Idaho Statesman that I saw a story on the annual rattlesnake-avoidance training.

My first thought was, “I’m not in San Diego anymore.”

Editor’s Note: I moved last year to Boise, after living in San Diego and southern California for over 30 years.

It’s not that San Diego does not have rattlesnakes, if you know where to look, but the San Diego Union Tribune did not have a whole section of the paper dedicated to Outdoors.

The title caught my interest, as I could not imagine why anyone would need training on avoiding rattlesnakes. It turns out the training is for dogs – duh.

Inspired Writing

Perhaps it’s the strange way my mind works, but as I thought more about the story, I was inspired to connect it with business writing. I warned you that my thinking could be strange.

Here are some of my strange connections.

Checking the Trail

You don’t have to be a writer to feel uninspired on occasion. Our day-to-day pressures can squeeze the passion right out of us.

Our passion for what we do is what makes us unique. If you lost that passion, or temporarily misplaced it, your business writing can suffer. If you’re not feeling it, your reader won’t either.

So, what can you do? The first step is making sure your business is still your passion.

I am not going to pretend to be an expert on helping you find your passion. I’ll leave that to someone else.

• Think about why you got started in your business
• What aspects of your business come naturally to you?
• Think about what you were doing the last time your day seemed to fly by
• Think about the last time you were really excited talking to someone about your business. – what were you discussing?

Choosing a Better Trail

Assuming you found the passion in the above list, how do you share it?

Where do you find the inspiration for your business writing that will keep it simple, clear & uniquely yours?

Here are a few ideas:

Let someone else tell your story – Your story takes on new meaning and perspective through the eyes of someone else.

There are a few ways for obtaining that different perspective:

• Hire a business writer – here are a few tips on finding the right business writer
• Use a Case Study – a satisfied customer is a great source for delivering a powerful message for your business writing

Use analogies – One of my mentors was the master of analogies. He created an analogy for almost any topic.

The great thing about using analogies is it helps your customer remember the story.

An analogy for a reader is like taking a broom to an attic. It helps clear out the cobwebs.

Challenge yourself – Take something totally unrelated to your topic, like a rattlesnake, and use it for comparison. Even if you end up not using it, the challenge gets the creative juices flowing.

What Inspires You?

Thank you for taking this journey through the twists and turns of my mind. I hope it has inspired you to find the good in what you do. Even rattlesnakes need love.

I hope you share what inspires you in your business writing. Or just share a good story. We all love them.

Photo credit: Image ID: 751641 at stock.xchng