Tree

Should we stop saying "content"?

Every single creative person, whether you're a filmmaker, a photographer, or an artist - everything that you make is now called "content." And whatever it is that you used to do, now you're just called a "content creator."

Credit where credit's due, the idea for this post, and the quote above, comes from a recent video by Campbell Walker on his Struthless channel, which hit home personally just a couple of days ago.

The video covers the huge amount of information on the internet nowadays, and how people feel pressured to constantly upload something new because they fear becoming irrelevant. The result is that there's a seemingly neverending stream of stuff to be consumed, all of which is now lumped together as "content".

As I said, this hit home the other day as somebody asked me to "create content" for their website. When I asked what they were specifically looking for, they seemed surprised because they thought "content" was a catch-all for the kind of thing I do, and that somebody like me would know exactly what it meant. And therein lies the problem (which also kind of ties in with a recent post about (mis)using not fully-understood terms). As Campbell quite rightly says, the danger of lumping writing, video, music, photography, design, illustration, art and any other creative pursuit together under the amorphous title of "content" not only devalues the work, but also adds a layer of confusion.

Should we stop saying "content"?

I'm not saying we should stop using the word completely, but I do think that we should define it. For example, when I spoke to the person who got in touch with me a little more, it turns out he wants me to help him generate some ideas for articles on his website, do some copywriting, then help him with his own writing. That's a lot clearer than "create content", wouldn't you agree?

If you mainly create illustrations - even if you only share them on Instagram - don't be afraid to call yourself an artist or illustrator. Likewise, if you write songs, call yourself a musician. Just because you're creating what has become known as content on the internet doesn't mean you have to put yourself in the box of content creator.

It seems to me that trying to shove all creative endeavours into a big pigeon hole is the exact opposite of pursuing these things in the first place.

If you haven't watched the video yet, I highly recommend it: The problem with the internet that no one is talking about.

What do 'copywriting' and 'copy' mean?

I recently wrote that using technical terms not widely understood outside of your field of expertise can cause problems. That's why doctors tend to stick to saying things like "you've caught a cold" rather than "you appear to have a case of acute viral nasopharyngitis." Just because something is used a lot in your industry, it doesn't mean it's widely known outside.

Copywriting and copy are a couple of good examples.

Basically, copywriting is writing. What sets copywriting apart from, let's say, a blog post like this, is that copywriting is designed to be attractive and persuasive. That's why copywriting is mostly associated with, and used in, marketing and promotional materials.

Copy, therefore, is the text used in these materials. There are, of course, many more elements to it than that, but that's the basic gist of what the two words refer to.

If you're a service provider, make sure you explain things clearly and try to avoid uncommon terms, especially jargon.

If you're someone using a product or service, and you don't know what something means, don't be afraid to ask. A professional should be willing and able to give you a reasonably quick and simple answer.

Speaking of which, if there are any other writing or editing terms you've heard that you don't understand, let me know. I'm happy to help if I can.

10 principles for effective communication

Dieter Rams is a hero of mine, so my 10 principles for effective communication are inspired by his 10 principles for good design.

 

• Effective communication makes the product/service understandable – All promotional material should be self-explanatory. Prospective customers should know exactly what they are getting.

• Effective communication is unobtrusive – The product/service should take centre stage, not the copywriting, design or promotion.

• Effective communication is honest – No outrageous claims or promises.

• Effective communication is long-lasting - It avoids fads and trends, and thereby lasts for many years.

• Effective communication is thorough down to the last detail – Research and attention to detail show respect to the client and consumer. Both should go without saying.

• Effective communication is succinct – It should ‘say more with less’, focusing on the essential aspects, to keep everything simple, honest, and effective.

• Effective communication is innovative – Every project, and every client, is unique. Good communication should highlight the personality of the client and project in an innovative, attractive and effective manner.

• Effective communication makes a product/service useful – If prospective customers don’t feel that the product or service is useful, and therefore worth using, the marketing and promotion fails.

• Effective communication is aesthetic – Aesthetics are a big part of communication. Attractive layouts, font choices, use of images – and more – all go towards creating effective, useful communicative materials.

• Effective communication is environmentally friendly – Promotional materials should be chosen to have the least impact on the environment as possible.

Finding the perfect working style through running

“All I do is keep on running in my own cozy, homemade void, my own nostalgic silence. And this is a pretty wonderful thing. No matter what anybody else says.”

~ Haruki Murakami

I've been thinking a lot about running recently, and I here's why I think you should be, too.

When you tell people that you enjoy running, many people ask why, and some come out with the old chestnut that it's "bad for your knees."

The "why" question is valid. I used to hate running. Genuinely detest it. I love walking, and always have, but there was something about running that made me want to punch the first person I came across in the face every time I tried it, just to have somebody to share the pain with.

I tried running while listening to music or podcasts, which actually made me hate music and podcasts for a while. Somebody suggested running in the rain, because it was "fun". Imagine doing something you hate while also being cold and wet.

And just when I was ready to concede that running simply wasn't for me, I read Born to Run. The book mentioned running without shoes on which, as someone who likes going without shoes, held a strange appeal. Shorty after I'd read it, I decided to give running one last shot. I was hating that last run like all the others before it and, just before I was about to throw my shoes into the river, I took them off and ran barefoot for a hundred metres or so.

Now, I'm not going to claim that the heavens opened and I had a revelation, but I didn't hate it. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it.

My first few barefoot runs were painful as hell. Not only was I using muscles I hadn't used for a long time - if at all, really - I also realized how dreadfully out of condition I was. But I stuck at it and, over time, my runs began to not only get longer but infinitely more enjoyable. On top of that, despite getting sore knees, hips and back while running in shoes with thick soles, these aches and pains all but disappeared when I started running barefoot and in minimalist shoes (more on that another time).

How running is like work

A lot of people hate the work they do. That's one of the reasons we hear about people wanting to go freelance.

I didn't actually hate my work when I went completely freelance the first time, nor when I went into business as a partnership later on. Rather I was enticed by the "freedom" of working for myself. That freedom wasn't as great as I imagined it would be, but more about that later.

When I started running barefoot I found a style of running - mid-foot strike, high cadence, long-distance - that I began to love. Yes, love.

Running was no longer something to be tolerated (or loathed), it was something I looked forward to, made time for, and thoroughly enjoyed doing. I still do. It brings me clarity, makes me feel great, helps me solve problems, allows me to meditate, lets me explore new places, gives me a sense of adventure, keeps me healthy (physically, emotionally, and mentally), and more.

“Some seek the comfort of their therapist's office, other head to the corner pub and dive into a pint, but I chose running as my therapy.”

~Dean Karnazes

So what does that have to do with work?

As I mentioned, I worked as a freelance writer for a couple of years before going back into full-time employment. For various reasons, being a full-time freelance writer wasn't right for me at the time. Neither was the full-time job I went on to, nor - for other reasons - the partnership I started.

Fast forward a few years and I work part-time in university education, and pursue other work here at Tree. For now, I've found a sweet spot: regular wages in a job I enjoy and care about, and the freedom to pursue other passions through Tree.

Overall, I'm the happiest I've been for some time, and have income from multiple sources that's as regular and secure as it can be. As the income rises, so does the enjoyment and satisfaction I'm getting out of my work.

Which brings me back to running.

It pays to experiment. If I'd listened to the naysayers, never read a book about running, never tried to find out more about it, never experimented, or never taken my shoes off (something that loads of people still think is ridiculous) I'd never have enjoyed running.

Likewise, if I hadn't tried a few styles of working, I wouldn't have found the one that works for me. It might not work for me in twenty years time, or even in a year's time, but - as I found out through being injured - when that time comes I'll have to find ways to adapt. Anyone can do it.

You should try new things and experiment, as it can open up ways of doing things you'd never thought about, new opportunities, or even a career you love that you'd never considered before.

Read, listen, ask questions, experiment, watch, try, have fun.

And if you try something and it doesn't work, it doesn't mean you've failed, you just might not have found the style that suits you yet. When you do, you'll love it.

Time for a run.

“People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they'll go to any length to live longer. But don't think that's the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life — and for me, for writing as whole. I believe many runners would agree”

~ Haruki Murakami