To "write enjoyably and be read," you need to add "technique" to "feeling"

I posted this tweet the other day.

What I truly love and end up doing without anyone telling me to is writing diaries like the one I am writing now.

However, on the other hand, I also have the desire to "be read if I am going to write." Since I have chosen "writing" as my profession, this perspective is necessary.

That is where I received the following question.

"Writing as you like" and "writing text that gets read." These might seem like things that cannot coexist, but I do not think that is the case at all.

First of all, what I think is most important in "writing" is "lowering the hurdle and trying to write for now," "honestly exposing your true feelings in your own words," and "being able to enjoy it."

To do that, I think it is necessary to set aside the question of "whether it will be read or not" for a moment.

Because if you learn techniques first, you will get stuck in a mold, and I think you will lose your heart without finding any enjoyment.

For example, it is like learning the form before kicking a ball. It is like learning that "mixing red and yellow makes orange" before drawing a picture.

Certainly, that might be faster for improving, but the "feeling" of "enjoyment" is left behind without being nurtured.

Rather than that, I think it is surely more fun to nurture the "feeling" by "trying it out for now," like "I had a ball, so I kicked it and it was fun" or "I was surprised when I mixed red and yellow and it turned into orange."

That is exactly why I say, "First, let's lower the hurdle and write as you like."

Only after that, when the thought of "I want to be read!" is born, can you move on to the step of "learning techniques."

And techniques can be broadly divided into two axes: "writing skills" and "marketing."

"Writing skills" means following techniques such as whether it is written concisely and clearly, whether prepositions and conjunctions are appropriate, and whether the structure is cohesive.

"Marketing" means thinking about where the target is, whether you can solve someone's problems, and whether there is familiarity or empathy.

Most people try to start with these "writing skills" and "marketing," so they tend to get all tangled up in their thoughts, ignoring what they "actually want to write," thinking things like, "This isn't what I really want to write, but it's good for the target, so I have to write on this theme," or "I don't want to, but I have to cut this to convey it concisely."

And then, they throw in the towel—or rather, the pen—saying, "Oh, how troublesome writing is!!"

That would be putting the cart before the horse, so my job is to soothe them by saying, "Now, now, everyone, calm down."

Why not just add "writing skills" and "marketing" after you have "written as you like"?

I will explain this specifically using this note as an example.

The reason I wrote this note is that 'receiving a question made me want to dig deeper and think about what I value when writing articles that get read.' I wanted to write to understand myself. In other words, I am writing because I love to.

So, what happens if I add 'marketing' to this?

Who is likely to read this? First, the person who asked the question will definitely read it. And since there is a questioner, there must be others who have read 'The Habit of Writing' and encountered similar doubts.

If that's the case, it should surely reach people who haven't read the book but are 'wanting to write but getting stuck on techniques.'

...That is the line of thinking I arrive at.

Hmm, so what should I do to reach them? I believe everything is decided by the first eye-catching element, so I decide to tweak the title.

A title can be anything. As asked in the question, 'How can I balance writing techniques and the habit of writing?' would be fine, or perhaps 'The case where learning techniques first makes writing less fun' would also work.

But what is the target audience looking for? What do they want to gain through this article?

That is, to 'write enjoyably and get read.'

So, the title becomes

To "write enjoyably and get read," you need to add "technique" to your "feelings"

and that's it.

Regarding 'writing techniques,' it would be too presumptuous for me to explain them, so I hope you will pick up one of the many books on writing techniques available, but if I had to mention the special methods I use, they are 'using simple words' and 'loosening things up a bit.'

To reach a wide audience, it is very important to use simple words that anyone can understand. In my case, I lower the hurdle to the point of 'Would even a middle schooler understand this???'

And, as for loosening things up a bit... it's like this... (I hope you get it).

If you just write flatly, your 'personality' won't come through, and it will become boring like an explanatory text, so I try adding a self-retort, writing down my usual verbal tics, or including familiar examples or personal experiences.

By doing so, not only the content but also the impression of 'Huh, who is this person? She's an interesting woman' will (hopefully) get people to read it.

I'm not sure if this is a writing technique or what, but it is something I value.

However, in my case, it is already completely in the realm of the unconscious.I don't consciously think, 'This is the target!' or 'Let's loosen up the writing!' I've probably reached a state of 'I just kind of get it' because I've accumulated so much volume. And to reach that level, you have no choice but to repeat 'writing and publishing' or learn techniques and make them your own.

In the first place, writing is based on the premise that it "won't be read." That's why I think, for now, if I put it out there and it gets read, I'm lucky!

Besides, there are people who naturally acquire both writing skills and marketing in their daily lives without learning even a millimeter of them, so there is also the pattern of "I just wrote something randomly and it got read." (Note: I am this pattern.)

That is why I keep saying over and over again, "You don't have to learn, so why not just write?"

However, for those who feel like they are not being read no matter how hard they try, I want you to try being conscious of adding "technique" to "writing for fun." Aim to bring it to a place where people think, "It's helpful and fun to read, that's the best."

If you write for fun, your feelings will come through. If you have mechanisms in place to get read, then of course you will be read. In any case, start by writing whatever you like, and if you want to take a step further, try moving to the next step!

My debut work, "Writing Habits," is now on sale.

In an age where anyone can freely express their thoughts on the internet.

I wrote a book to help people "fall in love with writing" who are thinking, "I don't know what to write" or "I'm scared to show it to others."

I will lower the hurdle to writing significantly and support you in taking that first step.

I would be very happy if you could pick up a copy!