Writing doesn’t have to be a work of art

It doesn't have to be beautiful, or interesting or engaging. Writing can simply be a tool.

I’ve been working on a few projects lately. I tend to start lots of side projects in my free time, which often end up abandoned midway through their development. But these few side projects still exist in some way, so I thought I’d write about what I’ve learned from them so far.

1. Trust what your users do, not what they say

What your users do is important. What your users say is often not a good indication of what people will actually do on their own. When I talk about what users say, I’m referring to personas and the data you collect from surveys, user interviews, etc. 

While personas may seem accurate, they can be deceiving because they are often created based on inaccurate assumptions. People tend to tell you what they think you want to hear rather than giving you the honest truth.

User behaviour is the best source of data to analyse how your users are interacting with your website (or app) and content. You can never truly get inside someone's head, so don't try.

2. Writing doesn’t have to be a work of art

Writing is often thought of as an “art”. But writing doesn’t have to be a work of art. It doesn't have to be beautiful, or interesting or engaging. Writing can simply be a tool — a way to convey information clearly and easily. It can be a way to turn an idea into a product — and do it in a way that the audience doesn't notice they're buying.

3. Growth is not linear

No growth is the same, nor should it follow the same path. Growth does not necessarily correlate with an even increase on all levels of your business. 

Sometimes, growth comes quickly and other times it stagnates and other times it recedes right back to where you started. But this is normal. Recessions are just a part of business cycles and it can be very difficult to prevent them from happening, but they are almost always followed by rapid growth in one direction or another. 

When growth stagnates, don’t fear! This may actually be a sign that your business is getting stronger and more stable, so that the next phase of growth will be more powerful than the last one. 

Day 3 of Not Enough Writers 30-Day Writing Challenge.