“Staring at the blank page before you…”

I was at the gym this morning and I heard the song Unwritten, by songwriters: Danielle A. Brisebois, Natasha Anne Bedingfield, and Wayne Steven Jr Rodrigues. Listening to the words, it struck me that the lyrics could mean countless things to numerous people:

“I am unwritten
Can’t read my mind
I’m undefined
I’m just beginning
The pen’s in my hand
Ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find”

(Are you singing along yet?)

Don’t let the blank page scare you.

A clean slate. A blank page. A do-over. A fresh start. It’s all the same. That blank page is a beginning. Nothing to redo or edit. Just start new. In an interview with Popeater, Natasha Bedingfield spoke about the inspiration for the song:

 “I wrote ‘Unwritten’ for my brother, for his 14th birthday, it was a very personal song. I feel like his life was reminding me about how people make us feel like we have to have it all figured out already. We have to already choose what college we’re going to go to, what subject we’re going to study, and we don’t even know much about life yet…”

 Exactly! And the same holds true for content whether it is for your website, your marketing materials, or your LinkedIn profile.

What “illuminates the words you could not find”?

What gets the creative juices flowing for you? Passion for what you do and love to do. The words will come if you think about talking to someone instead of writing it. Hear your voice, whisper as you type, and the flow will come.

Is there such a thing as bad content?

Tough question, and we are asked that all the time. It is better to say less and make it powerful and strong, than to say more and fill it with fluff. Think about what you would want to know about your business. Start with modest premise.

I need content, so how do I begin?

At Put Another Way we work with startups and small businesses who are finding their way, their niche, and their voice! That first dip of their toe into their website, blogging, and communications can be scary and overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. We help our clients by working in partnership with them and spending the time to understand their business, their competitive advantages, and the market they live in.

Don’t worry about that blank page. We can help you fill it… with your voice!