Is good writing about mindset or skillset?

I was recently working with a client on his back cover copy. Although he’d written a book, trying to stand out and be punchy with his words on such a crucial part of the book was proving to be difficult.

It needed to sound like him and be to the point, all in around 200 words!

But when you have a well written back cover, this will have multiple benefits.

Not only will it compel people to read your book and buy it, it will help you with your metadata (the stuff that gets you found on online bookstores like Amazon). It will also give you the copy to create your pre-sales page on your website and get pre-orders.

That prompted me to consider the question: Is good writing about skillset or mindset?

Let’s look at the dictionary definitions:

Skillset – a person’s range of skills or abilities

Mindset – the established set of attitudes held by someone

Skillset

Let’s firstly focus on skillset.

To write a book, you have to be able to write! You need to be able to string a sentence together, even if you rely on a good editor to check your grammar and spelling later.

You also need to know your voice or tone. And some clients know this before they start to write their book and others find their voice a few chapters in, once they’ve decided what they want to say and the way they want to say it.

And you do need a good grounding of knowledge in your subject or the ability to tell your story.

I think it helps your skillset if you have a good plan. In my new book, Becoming An Authority, I don’t even talk about writing until the fifth principle in the book (over half way through!).

That’s because when you have a good plan, it helps you to write your book quickly and easily, and why make it difficult?

I was working with a client recently who wanted feedback on a blog she’d written. There were some really sound points in there, but it wasn’t punchy enough. So we discussed moving a few sentences around to create a good punch!

Actually the same can be said for a book. when I give feedback on a client’s writing, I can be objective as I’m not too close to your topic.

And I do focus mainly on the start and the end of the book to help people to create that impact. That’s because when you have a good structure, you’ll get into flow fairly quickly, but you may struggle to set the scene effectively in the first chapter and wrap it all up with a strong call to action.

Mindset

What about mindset?

To have a writing mindset, you need to take time to write. Experiment. Try things out. Write a few blogs, articles or whitepaper. Get some experience and some feedback. Unless you write, it doesn’t matter whether you’re any good at it.

You need the confidence to tell your story or share your wisdom. You need to believe that you’re good enough.

When you know that what you’re saying will make a difference, then you’re more likely to be confident to write it.

When you know that people want it and that it will help them to get through a difficult experience, it’s time to get your book out there.

Skillset or mindset – my conclusion…

In conclusion, I do believe that writing is a skill that can be learned and honed.

The more you practice it, the better you will be.

But it’s also a mindset.

Unless you get your words down on paper, you’ll never create a good book!

If you want help with your mindset or skillset, then please get in touch and let’s chat further!