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Ask an Ambassador: But What If I’m Not a Good Writer?

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Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty

Ask an Ambassador:  But What If I’m Not a Good Writer?

Yesterday Jon Yturralde wrote “Sometimes While Writing I Feel So Damn Weak” and so I was inspired to write this post.  The issue is that Jon felt that he wasn’t a good writer, due in part to all of those English classes he skipped (lol) by his own admission.

As much as I love writing and consider myself pretty good at expressing myself in  writing, I experience the same feeling on occasion. But like anything else, with time and practice through writing blog posts regularly, we get better with time (I hope).

What If You Don’t Get Better?

Even if you don’t get better or writing simply just isn’t your thing, there are alternatives and here are just a few:

  • Have someone write for you.  I know that many of us, myself included, could “never” let anyone write for us and so be it.  That’s our choice and no one should be made to feel like a fraud if they are not writing their own post. Think about speechwriters.  Speechwriters know their clients so well, that they write like their client’s think. So much so that it’s as if the speechwriter can read their client’s minds.
  •  Should you decide to write your own posts, have someone proofread your copy before you make the post live.  Lord knows I should follow that bit of advice to catch all of the errors that I make after the fact.
  •  Try using an online software editor such as Grammarly.  Grammarly does a far better job at catching spelling and grammatical errors than programs such as MS Word and other word processing software.
  •  If you are part of a team and the team has someone on it that is a good writer, delegate this task to them.

5.       Who says you have to share an experience or a story?  In other words, how about those good old market reports?  You don’t have to be an excellent writer to get the point across if you do a good job with your graphs and charts. Of course market reports are best when they come with an analysis, but an easy to read graph or chart can very easily convey simple data such as home sales in a particular area.

These are the only suggestions for those that don’t like to write, but it’s a good start.

Comments (31)

Thomas F. Scanlon
Borgida & Company P. C., CPA's - Manchester, CT
CPA, CFP

Charita Cadenhead - Well done.  Proofreading and grammar are so critical.

Cheers,

Tom

Jul 29, 2015 07:31 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

There are very few of us, myself included, that started out as "good writers".  

Jul 29, 2015 07:57 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

I hear you Pamela loud and clear.

It's an option Bob.  It may not work for everyone, but it can work for some that are willing to give it a try.

Thomas as much as I hate to admit it, I could stand to be more consistent in my proofreading.  But I press on anyway.  Hopefully my errors are not so bad that the point gets lost.

Frank that works for you and it works for me too, but for those that want a presence on AR and writing just isn't their forte', the have to consider other options.

Uncle Vinny would be proud of you Alan May (lol).  It can take a minute, but if one is willing AND has time to put in the writing work, it can become second nature.

Jul 29, 2015 08:11 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV
Cornerstone Business Group Inc - Winchester, VA
Your Neighborhood Real Estate Sales Pro

Charita, I've always said I could take an English Comp course every semester for the rest of my life and still not know anything about English, but I plunge in there anyway. No fear for fools. 

Jul 29, 2015 08:14 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Mike English has always been my favorite subject in school because I love the English language and I love writing.  But truth be told, I never learned the rules of writing, but I get by fairly well.

Jul 29, 2015 08:22 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Charita- I have used Grammarly for over a year and love it!!!  Blogging has helped me at organizing my thoughts and I constantly work on my writing.  I tend to just write one long sentence, it's kind of like how I talk. 

Jul 29, 2015 08:32 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

That is so funny that you say that Kathy because someone recently told me that I talk in paragraphs.

Jul 29, 2015 08:35 AM
Carol Williams
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA

Charita Cadenhead , I have found my ability to type quickly has helped my writing tremendously.  I have never been able to write by hand quickly (and legibly). My ability to type fast allows me to get thoughts on paper as they come to mind.   I suspect many people who struggle with writing at the computer are slow typists.  They just can't keep up with their own thoughts.  So... perhaps typing practice will improve their writing skills.   

Jul 29, 2015 08:46 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Carol I took typing in high school 9th-12th grade and it has been a life saver for me.  My handwriting on the other hand is a wreck.

Jul 29, 2015 08:56 AM
Rose King
David Tracy Real Estate - Friendswood, TX
Friendswood / Pearland / Houston Bay Area

Hello Charita! I personally think that blogs should be as grammatically correct as possible, but sometimes the most interesting blogs are written by someone who makes grammar and spelling mistakes regularly.

Jul 29, 2015 12:12 PM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I'm going to have to disagree with you on the "get someone else to write it".  I believe one's blog should be their own authenic original content.  Hiring a proof-reader I think is a great idea.

Jul 29, 2015 02:10 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Rose, oh how I wish I was in that number (of error free writers).  I can say with probably 99.9% certainty that my writing is never 100% grammatically correct.

Tammy, I know many feel very strongly about others writing for them, and although I do 100 percent of my own writing I am not against the concept.  I know that I read a lot of blogs outside of AR by people that I consider some of my favorite writers, but I am almost certain that some of them do not write their own post.  UNLESS it was someone that was trying to purposefully deceive the audience (a former AR member comes to mind, but I dare not mention a name).

Jul 29, 2015 09:11 PM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

I find that if we write as though we were speaking, posts seem to come out just fine.

Jul 29, 2015 09:40 PM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Kat, I'm a firm believe in that.  I sometimes find that if I spend too much time trying to make it perfect, it's anything but.  However sometimes when I whip out a post in 5 minutes, those are the ones that say exactly what I want to say and how I want to say it

Jul 29, 2015 09:49 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Everyone is no good at everything when starting out. Its the repetition that makes us or breaks us. Get to writing and posting. We will know where to go from there..Yes ? Ms Charita Cadenhead 

Jul 30, 2015 12:12 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Yes, Richie.  I agree that many will get better with time.  I know that for beginner bloggers, writing can be very intimidating.

Jul 30, 2015 01:14 AM
Sussie Sutton
David Tracy Real Estate - Houston, TX
David Tracy Real Estate for Buyers & Sellers

I love to write and I am horrible at it. I chop and misspelled words (I even make up new ones) and let us not go into comma land! I know I love to use ... too much but that is the way I speak. I am going to check into Grammarly. If you use good grammar often enough after a while your writing gets better.

Jul 30, 2015 01:17 AM
Charita Cadenhead
eXp Realty - Birmingham, AL
Serving Jefferson and Shelby Counties (Alabama)

Sussie, I so know what you mean about comma land.  I live in the land of misplaced commas.

Jul 30, 2015 01:23 AM
Michael Setunsky
Woodbridge, VA
Your Commercial Real Estate Link to Northern VA

Charita Cadenhead I believe practice is a good way to get good at writing. Often walking away and coming back for a review before posting helps.

Jul 30, 2015 11:07 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730

Most of us were not very good when we started. But with practice we reach a comfort level and we find our voice and following. I for one do not judge the bad grammar and misspellings but when there is too much of it, it takes away from the message of the post.

Jul 31, 2015 12:42 AM