The words aren’t perfect. The message doesn’t reflect exactly what I wanted it to say. I need to spend more time on it before I publish.
Is that you? If variations of the above phrases are constantly swirling around your head, you may need to stop listening to them. Here’s why…
Perfectionism is a form of procrastination…so don’t be afraid to publish!
You have to be the judge of your own situation. Your gut – your intuition are the best tool that you have for a path forward.
But if you’re constantly tweaking and never publishing, it may be time to put your words out there for all to see. Here are a few questions you can answer, in order to know if you should publish…
- Is the writing clear? There needs to be a clear point to your writing, and everything on that page or post should support that point. Otherwise, delete.
- Are you confident in your spelling and grammar? It doesn’t have to read like a grammarian wrote it, but it should be as close to error free as possible.
- Is it aimed at your audience? Your readers need to care about what you have to say. If it’s genuinely aimed at making your readers’ lives better, it’s coming from the right place.
- Have you spent time on your headline? Your headline is the single biggest factor in whether someone will click on your link. Make sure that you make them a promise, and deliver. You have to quickly convey how your post will improve their lives.
- Did you keep it casual? The temptation is to make it sound like an academic dissertation, and use some of that advanced education. You don’t have to prove that you’re smart (we already know). Instead, focus your writing on establishing likability and trust.
Not every post is going to find a record setting audience. Your published writing is an experiment in finding what works. Don’t be afraid to try new things and get creative – otherwise you may never find what your audience is looking for.
Matt Brennan is a Chicago area marketing copywriter and copy editor. He is also the author of Write Right – Sell Now: How to Create Content That Grows Your Business.
