One of the biggest challenges I hear from artists and makers when it comes to marketing their work is writing. It’s not surprising – many of us, especially in the visual arts, aren’t taught to write well. And when it comes to promoting our work online, there is a lot of writing to be done – product descriptions, emails, blog posts, social media captions, not to mention other web copy like your FAQs and About Page.
When it comes to marketing as an artist or maker, I always argue that images are more important than writing, and that is still true. Stunning images (and even video) sell art and handmade products much better than a beautifully written paragraph. But that doesn’t mean that your writing online doesn’t matter. And if you’ve spent your life thinking you weren’t a great (or even good) writer, it’s easy to feel frustrated and overwhelmed every time you sit down and try to write something for your business. Lacking confidence in your writing also means that you spend waaaaayyyyy longer on simple business tasks (like emailing your list or posting on social media) than you really should be.
It shouldn’t surprise you to know that, as a book lover, I also love a good book about writing. And as I’ve been reading (and rereading) books on writing to help with my book proposal, I thought I’d share some of my favorites to help you improve your writing. These books range from the very practical to the more philosophical, but each will help make you a better writer, in varying ways.
#1: Made to Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
While this isn’t technically a book on writing, it is the number one book I recommend for any artist, maker, or human who wants to learn to communicate more effectively. I have the audio version of this book (which I highly recommend) and I’ve listened to it so many times that I know the six principles of stickiness by heart. While this book won’t help with basics like grammar or sentence structure, applying even one or two ideas from the book will help make your marketing copy more memorable and actionable, which is the whole point!
#2: On Writing Well by William Zinsser
If you want a book that will help tighten up your writing basics, this is the place to start. Zinsser’s straightforward approach to writing will help you ditch the jargon and art speak – goodbye pointless artist statements – and instead learn to write in a way that is clear, interesting, and accessible to anybody. If you feel like you never learned the basics, or want a refresher on what makes solid writing, this is the book for you.
#3: The Art of Description by Mark Doty
Technically, this book is aimed at writing poetry, but Doty writes so beautifully about art (especially in his book Still Life with Oysters and Lemons) that this little guide should be in every artist’s writing toolkit. If you’re struggling to give words to what you make or you’d like your writing to be more evocative, there are so many ideas and examples in this book to help you with that.
#4: Meander, Spiral, Explode by Jane Alison
One of the biggest things that throw artists and makers off when it comes to writing about their work is the admonition that our marketing should tell stories, and that those stories need to follow the arc of the hero’s journey. I’ll admit that even I’ve been guilty of teaching this strategy a time or two. But not all stories have to be so obvious, and if the idea of trying to frame your art or craft around some epic quest is overwhelming, Meander, Spiral, Explode is a good alternative. Fair warning: this is a book about writing fiction, not marketing copy, but if you’re looking for new ways to bring story into your writing, it’s a great perspective.
#5: Any book where you love the writing.
One of the best ways to become a better writer is to read more great writing. Sadly, the genres we read feel compelled to read most as creative business owners – business and art – are often annoyingly full of jargon or academic-speak. So here’s your permission slip to go read other things and find passages you love that you can emulate in your writing. When I think about writing that moves me, I think of the opening pages of Annie Dillard’s Holy the Firm or that scene in the final Harry Potter book where the sun erupts through the window in the Great Hall as Harry faces Voldemort for the final duel. I’ll admit I don’t try to write like that in every blog post or social caption, but when I feel stuck as a writer, a few pages of Annie Dillard, or any other great writing, is usually enough to get me out of my funk. Finding writers whose voices you love and letting them serve as inspiration for your writing is hands down one of the best ways to improve.
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Another way to improve your writing is to join Artists & Profit Makers! Sometimes what your writing needs is a fresh set of eyes, and there’s plenty of those in A&PM. From blog posts to emails and anything else you feel stuck on, I’ll happily give feedback on any writing shared in the forums. We’ve also got some great trainings coming up – SEO in August and Writing Prompts in September – to help even more with your writing and marketing copy! Membership in A&PM is open now – you can learn more and join at artistsandprofitmakers.com
