A major reason why even highly intelligent, well-educated people find it difficult to write is that they haven’t learned to get into the proper frame of mind for it. They stare at the blank paper or the blank computer screen with dread, wracking their brains to find that voice that can make their writing sparkle and become more persuasive, more convincing, perhaps more impressive. But more often than not, even the first line of what they want to say eludes them. This is because they can’t even form a clear mental picture of who they are writing to. The same people who can effortlessly carry on lively, brilliant conversations with associates or deliver spellbinding speeches to huge audiences suddenly develop imaginary stage fright when they sit down to write, browbeaten into inaction by an anonymous audience in their minds.
There’s actually a very simple, straightforward technique to combat this mental paralysis. Just imagine an audience of one—
only one. Just focus on this audience of one—your boss, your staff, a critic, a lover, or anyone in particular—and imagine him or her in front of you beside a nicely burning fireplace. Then begin to state your case gently, carefully answering every possible objection from your audience of one, clarifying when needed but never arguing. Having done this, simply stop, then quietly ask your audience of one what he or she thinks. That’s all. No verbal pyrotechnics or literary flourishes. Just plain and simple talk.
You’ll be surprised by what this fireside-chat approach can do to your English, no matter what form it takes—memo, letter, essay, speech, or feature article. It will be virtually impossible for you to use fancy words and legalese, corporatese, or gobbledygook. You’ll know it in your bones how ridiculous it is to use them to say things like this: “Sir, in the context of the promotion you have so kindly offered to me, I must inform you that I am declining it. Urban life and the worsening traffic situation have been taking a horrendous toll on me and my family. It is this realization that has compelled me to make a major decision that I realize might seriously jeopardize the operations of my manufacturing unit. I have accepted a new job in ______ and, for that reason, my family and I have decided to relocate to a suburban townhouse very proximate to my new place of work…”
But once the fireside ambiance has suitably tempered your thoughts, you can easily do away with that officious, almost sanctimonious tone and begin to write or speak in plain and simple English, maybe like this: “Sir, my family has had enough of city life. They could no longer bear the congestion and noise in our urban townhouse. In my case, frankly, the driving in heavy traffic to our head office has been giving me migraines. Sure, I like my job and I’m very grateful for the promotion you’ve offered me. The thing is, I have accepted a new job so my family has decided to move to a suburban townhouse very near my new place of work…”
Isn’t this the tenor of thought you wanted to have all along? Imagining a fireside chat with an audience of one will not only make it possible but inevitable! This technique actually uses the same formula that works so well in public speaking. You know the routine. Speak to only one person in the audience at any one time. Fix that person in the eye and imagine you’re speaking only to her and no one else, and once you’ve made your point, do the same to another person in the audience, and so on.
So next time, when you’re finding it difficult to write, simply use the fireside-chat technique. It may not make you a great writer, but it surely will make you a much better communicator than you are right now.
Read this column and listen to its voice recording in
The Manila Times:
Learn the fireside-chat technique(Next:
Too much negation and its dangers) June 22, 2023
Visit Jose Carillo’s English Forum, http://josecarilloforum.com. You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter and e-mail me at j8carillo@yahoo.com.
