A few months ago, my brother asked for help proofreading cover letters. He was applying for jobs at several advertising agencies and wanted another set of eyes (he also knew I'd do it pro bono, which is a major plus for a soon-to-be graduating college senior). Honestly, there weren't many typos or grammar issues to point out.
But the words and sentence structure didn't feel right to me.
"Your tie is way too tight!" I told him. "Loosen up the collar and roll up those sleeves. You're a fun guy with lots of great ideas, but this sounds stuffy and formal."
He was writing as if he were wearing a scratchy wool suit and really ugly shoes (possibly a size or two too small). But the agencies where he was applying were the kinds of places where you could get away with wearing a vintage blazer and Steve Madden shoes. They didn't want corporate clones. (And fortunately for him, he's actually the kind of guy who looks great in a tweed blazer.)
In his defense, a lot of people slip into their "stuffy, soulless corporate" voice when they write cover letters for jobs, but mine are bursting with personality (the ones I wrote while applying for full times jobs and the ones I use to apply for freelance gigs now). I think that's the way to go, especially if you're in a creative industry like writing or advertising. We went through a few more drafts and eventually found a good balance. He scored a killer job in DC doing social media and now he has former classmates come to him for job advice.
But this exercise isn't just for cover letters. Anytime you get stuck on a project or aren't sure what voice to use, ask yourself this simple question: "what would this copy wear?"
If your answer is lululemon yoga pants and a tank top, then your copy should read differently than if it's argyle socks and a lederhosen. (And if you're writing about clothes, then answer is pretty obvious!) Picture your copy persona and write in that character's voice. Often we do this for our readers or target demographic, but we don't think as much about who's speaking and how they relate to readers.
So, what would your copy wear? And what other tricks do you use to think about your writing style?
Flickr photo courtesy of ncyg46