Writing About Yourself [back to archive] Before you do anything else, ask yourself not what you want to say, but what you want to achieve with the text. Be honest with yourself and don't be overly ambitious. Once you've clearly identified your objective keep it in mind throughout the writing exercise. You'll find that keeps you on track far more effectively - what you want to achieve should define what you say. Modesty has no place here Forget modesty. As an experienced salesperson would say, "if you don't think you're good, why the h*ll should I?" Equally of course you don't want to exaggerate your strengths - that can lead to problems when you're eventually called upon to deliver! But be realistic about what you can do and don't be afraid to describe it in a positive light. A useful way to achieve that is to step outside of yourself and regard yourself as a product or better still, as a brand. For the purposes of this exercise you are not Mary Doe the person. You are writing about Mary Doe the brand. It's not as difficult as it sounds; write in the third person to start with, if you find that more comfortable. Imagine you're a colleague writing about you. If required you can change it back to the first person later. What do you do for your reader? Bear in mind that whoever reads this text probably won't care much about you; they'll only care about what you can do for them. Structure everything with that in mind. If you need to include factual/statistical information (educational details, qualifications, etc.) then make sure you put it in a box so it's visually separated from the main text. Where possible, identify the audience who will be reading your text and aim your writing squarely at them. It's possible that the "core" of your text can remain the same for a number of different purposes, with individual "tops and tails" aimed at specific audiences. The more relevant your text is to the reader - telling him/her how you and your service meet their needs - the more successful the text will be. Write realistically, and for real First person or third person? Earlier on it's suggested that you write in the third person to make it easier for you to regard yourself in an objective light. However there are times when you may need to present your text in the first person - e.g. in a letter or email. Writing in the first person is more intimate and can come across as more truthful and "from the heart." Writing in the third person is harder and more commercial. If you have the choice, make it on the basis of who will be reading your text, and why.
Where appropriate, use short clips of testimonials from existing clients or customers. Avoid the pleasantly banal bits and use phrases and sentences that have some meaning and bite. A sentence or two normally is plenty - any more and the reader will probably just skim over it. Get the nuts and bolts right and do a reality check Be sure that your grammar, spelling and punctuation are right. Although standards have been slipping in the last few years the recent publication of the "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" book has focused everyone's attention on the technical aspects of writing again. Goofs of this nature make your text, and you, look amateurish. Do a reality check on your text after you've completed it. Show it to friends and colleagues and ask not if they "like" it, but if they feel it represents you fairly - and if not, why not. Then take other people's opinions on board, but don't lose sleep over them. At the end of the day you probably know yourself, and your market, better than anyone else. Don't be afraid to make final judgments.
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