大家来写作

创造令人难以置信的好内容的必备指南

作者：安-汉德莱

Everybody Writes

Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content

By Ann Handley

内容提要

《Everybody Writes》（2014年）为你提供了关于如何创造优秀内容的宝贵建议，从使用正确的语法到制作有吸引力的帖子、推文和电子邮件。仅仅通过几条简单的规则，这些提示将帮助你更好地了解如何使用正确的词语来保持客户的回头率。

Synopsis

Everybody Writes (2014) gives you invaluable advice on how to create great content, from using correct grammar to crafting engaging posts, tweets and emails. With just a handful of simple rules, these blinks will help you gain a better understanding of how to use the right words to keep customers coming back for more.

它适合谁？

* 需要改善其书面交流的企业高管

* 负责内容制作的营销专家

* 负责协调网页设计和内容的项目经理

Who is it for?

* Business executives who need to improve their written communication

* Marketing professionals responsible for content generation

* Project managers coordinating web design and content

关于作者

安-汉德利被《福布斯》评为社交媒体领域最具影响力的女性，她是《企业家》杂志的专栏作家和MarketingProfs的首席内容官。她也是畅销书《内容规则》的作者之一。

About the author

Cited in Forbes as the most-influential woman in social media, Ann Handley is a columnist for Entrepreneur magazine and the chief content officer of MarketingProfs. She is also the co-author of the bestselling book, Content Rules.

© [Ann Handley: Everybody Writes] copyright [2014], John Wiley & Sons [Inc. or Ltd. as applicable] Used by permission of John Wiley & Sons [Inc. or Ltd. as applicable] and shall not be made available to any unauthorized third parties.

1, What’s in it for me? Learn why being able to write well is more important now than ever before.

[ 这本书讲了什么？知道为什么能够写好文章比以前更重要 ]

我们生活在智能手机、小视频和社交媒体的时代。当一图胜千言时，谁还真的需要写作？

We live in the age of the smartphone, the viral video and social media. When a picture says more than a thousand words, who really needs to write anymore?

然而，写好文章现在比任何时候都更重要。无论你的公司网站或博客在技术上多么出色或外观美丽，如果你写的东西很糟糕，没有人会坚持读一个字。

Yet writing well is now more important than ever. No matter how technologically brilliant or beautiful your company website or blog may be, if what you’ve written is dreadful, no one will stick around to read a word.

要写得好，你需要把时间和注意力放在你的技艺上。本书提供了一些方便的提示和简单的规则，不仅可以帮助你提高你的日常写作，还可以用你的文字赢得客户。而且说不准你也许会成为我们数字时代的莎士比亚！

To write well, you need to dedicate time and attention to your craft. These blinks provide some handy hints and simple rules to help you not only improve your daily writing but also win customers with your words. And who knows? Perhaps you’ll become the Shakespeare of our digital age!

在本书中，你会发现

    * 为什么 "丑陋的初稿 "并不是绝望的理由。

    * 为什么写得少比写得多好；以及

    * 为什么你的 "关于我们 "网页不是真正关于你，而是关于你的客户。

In these blinks, you’ll discover

* why an “ugly first draft” is no reason for despair;

* why writing less is better than writing more; and

* why your “About Us” webpage isn’t really about you, but about your client.

2, If you’ve a message you want to get out to the world, you need to know how to write it well. 

[如果你有一个想要传达给世界的信息，你需要知道如何写好它]

莫名其妙的文本信息是否让你大笑？依我个人浅见（IMHO），我们可能都同意，#写作是一种逐渐没落的艺术。

Do baffling text messages make you LOL? IMHO, we might all agree that #writingisadyingart.

但事实上，情况恰恰相反。今天，写好文章是一项你不能没有的技能。

But the opposite is in fact true. Today, writing well is a skill you cannot do without.

我们每天都在写作。无论是打出电子邮件、在博客上发表评论还是在Facebook上发帖，随着互联网的发展，文字已经成为个人和公司的货币。

We write every day. Whether typing out an email, commenting on a blog or posting on Facebook, with the internet, words have become both personal and company currency.

这就是为什么你需要特别注意如何使用你的文字。

This is why you need to pay particular attention to how you use your words.

例如，通过公司主页，有很好的机会来寻找客户，并以一种有趣的方式展示自己。但是，如果一家公司把网站上的文字当作事后的想法，它的成功就会受到威胁。

On a homepage, for example, a company has a great opportunity to find customers and present itself in an interesting way. But if a company treats the words on its website as an afterthought, its success is threatened.

那些在网站上充斥着专业术语或不明确语言的公司将发现大量的客户直接转身离开。

Companies that fill their websites with jargon or unclear language will find plenty of customers simply turning away.

鉴于写作是如此重要，你如何确保你的书写符合要求？任何人都可以写作，还是有些人天生就是有文字天赋的人？

Given that writing is so important, how can you make sure your scribbles are up to scratch? Can anyone write, or are some people just naturally gifted wordsmiths?

好消息是，如果我们遵循一些简单的规则，我们都能写好。

The good news is that we can all write well, if we follow a few simple rules.

在你提笔写作之前，首先要确定你的目标。你的文章的重点是什么，你怎样才能找到数据来证明这个重点？一旦你知道你需要什么，就去找你的数据。

Before you even put pen to paper, start by identifying your goal. What’s the point of your text, and how can you find data to prove that point? Once you know what you need, go find your data.

比如你要写一篇关于一家餐馆开业的文章。首先，想一想谁会读这篇文章：谁是受众？在这种情况下，喜欢外出就餐的人，也许是家庭或情侣。然后搜索你的数据：关于餐馆和菜单的具体细节，重要的是，它的开业日期。现在你已经准备好写作了!

Say you have to write an article about a restaurant opening. First, think about who is going to read the article: who is the audience? In this case, people who like to eat out, perhaps families or couples. Then search for your data: specific details about the restaurant and the menu, and importantly, the date when it will open. Now you’re ready to write!

3, Your first draft will be ugly; embrace it! Then take the time to edit it, paying attention to word choice. 

[ 你的初稿将是丑陋的；这很正常！然后花时间来编辑它，字斟句酌 ]

因此，写作的第一步是确定你的目标。奇怪的是，许多作家都没能跨过这第一步。

So the first step to writing is defining your goals. Curiously, many writers don’t get past this first step.

为什么？因为开始下笔写作是很困难的一件事。

Why? Because starting to write is incredibly hard!

我们中的许多人之所以遭受写作障碍，是因为我们从一开始就对自己期望过高。你不可能拿起笔就写出一部杰作；这是不现实的。

The reason so many of us suffer from writer’s block is because we expect too much of ourselves from the start. You just can’t grab a pen and compose a masterpiece; it’s just unrealistic.

写作是一个过程。你从一些粗糙的东西开始，然后边写边打磨。

Writing is a process. You begin with something rough, and polish it as you go.

所以不要被丑陋的初稿所吓倒。它只是一坨脏兮兮的大理石，但你的杰作最终会从其而生，展现出光彩！

So don’t be intimidated by TUFD, or the ugly first draft. It’s merely the lump of dirty marble from which your masterpiece will be eventually revealed!

比方说，你必须写一篇电影评论，但你不知道从哪里开始。这部电影涉及一个复杂的主题，你担心你不能完美地处理每一个元素。

Let’s say you have to write a film review and you don’t know where to start. The movie addressed a complex subject, and you’re afraid you won’t be able to perfectly address every element.

当你开始时，只要尽可能地记下你的想法，知道你的文字中会有空白，你可以在那里写下 "插入例子 "或 "需要添加更多"。一旦你这样做了，你就会开始感觉到你第一稿的优点和缺点，以及你接下来需要做什么。

As you start, just note down your ideas as best you can, knowing that there will be gaps in your text, where you can write “insert example” or “need to add more.” Once you do this, you’ll start to get a feeling of the strengths and weaknesses of your very first draft, and what you need to do next.

那么，下一步是什么？一旦你有了一个丑陋的初稿，需要进行什么样的编辑？

So what is the next step? Once you have an ugly first draft, what sort of editing needs to happen?

在编辑你的草稿时，你可以采取两种方法。

There are two approaches you can take when editing your drafts.

在构建性编辑中，你要从大局出发。你要寻找可能被误解的词或歪曲文本大意的短语。这是一个重要的过程，因为有时你可能会自相矛盾或选择可能误导读者的词语。

With developmental editing, you take a broad view. You look for words which may be misunderstood or phrases which distort the general idea of your text. This is an important process, as sometimes you may contradict yourself or choose words which could mislead the reader.

然而，在行文编辑中，你要专注于文本中更具体的方面。你对每一行进行梳理，删除不合适的、多余的或陈词滥调的词语。

With line editing, however, you hone in on more specific aspects of your text. You comb through every line and delete words that don’t fit or that are redundant or cliched.

4, To keep a reader, you need to grab him early. Get to the point, and quickly.

[ 要留住一个读者，你需要尽早打动他，迅速进入主题 ]

任何句子最重要的部分都是开头。把这一点搞乱了，你的读者继续读下去的机会就很小了。

The most important part of any sentence is how it starts. Mess this up and there’s a slim chance your reader will read on.

那么，你如何在文章的开头大放异彩呢？

So how do you start a text with a bang?

为了抓住尽可能多的人的注意力，一定要把最重要或最引人注目的词或想法放在每句话的开头。

To grab the attention of as many people as possible, be sure to place the most important or striking words or ideas at the start of each sentence.

第一句话决定了读者对你文章的第一印象；它应该吸引他们继续阅读。争取让读者立即进入故事的中心。

The first sentence shapes the first impression the reader will get of your text; it should entice them to continue reading. Aim to place the reader into the center of the story, and immediately!

让我们看一下美国疾病控制和预防中心发表的一篇文章的第一句话。

Let’s look at the first sentence of a text published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"根据美国教育部2006年发布的全国成人识字率评估，有三千万成年人只能完成基本的阅读任务。"

“According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, released in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Education, 30 million adults struggle with basic reading tasks.”

现在，这句话抓住你了吗？你是否参与其中，并渴望？

Now, did that sentence grab you? Were you engaged, and eager to read more?

让我们再试一次。

Let’s try again.

"有三千万成年人只能完成基本的阅读任务，根据是美国教育部2006年发布的全国成人识字率评估报告。"

“Thirty million adults struggle with reading, according to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy report, released in 2006 by the U.S. Department of Education.”

好多了!

Much better!

在编写一个句子时，我们往往在进入主题之前给出太多的背景。这被称为跑题，必须避免。

Often when crafting a sentence, we give too much background before getting to the point. This is called a running start, and it must be avoided.

背景信息是有用的，但大多数时候它是用来填补一个长的介绍性段落。问题是，读者并不欣赏这种做法；他们想直接进入主题。

Background information is useful, but most of the time it's used to pad a long introductory paragraph. The problem is, the reader doesn’t appreciate this; they want to get directly to the point.

比方说，你必须写一篇关于使用YouTube来推销业务的文章。你可以用一段漫无边际的文字开始，介绍过去几年中社交媒体日益增长的重要性。或者，你可以直奔主题，用一个简洁的句子说明，虽然公司已经成功地通过社交网络接触到了客户，但只有一小部分人探索了YouTube的可能性。

Let’s say you have to write an article about using YouTube to market a business. You could start with a rambling text on the growing importance of social media over the past few years. Or, you could get to the point, stating in one concise sentence that while companies have succeeded in reaching customers via social networks, only a small fraction have explored the possibilities of YouTube.

5, Don’t just post to Facebook when it’s convenient for you. Post when your fans are paying attention. 

[ 不要只在你方便的时候在Facebook上发布信息，在你的粉丝关注的时候发布 ]

没有Facebook页面，就不能算是一个成功的公司；然而仅仅拥有一个Facebook页面也不意味着就是个成功公司。

You can’t be a successful company without a Facebook page; yet just having a Facebook page doesn’t mean you’ll be successful.

如果你想通过Facebook促进销售，你必须已经了解你的潜在买家，因为如果你为特定的观众定制你的帖子和广告，更容易抓住新客户。

If you want to boost sales via Facebook, you have to already know your potential buyers, as it’s easier to grab new customers if you tailor your posts and ads to a particular audience.

大量可用的人口统计信息，如性别、收入和种族，再加上行为信息，如人们对某些话题和图片的反应，使之更容易有效地定位特定的目标群体。

The vast amount of available demographic information, such as gender, income and ethnicity, coupled with behavioral information, such as how people react to certain topics and pictures, make it easier to effectively address a particular target group.

Prep Obsessed是一家校园饰品精品店，于2013年4月开始使用Facebook。创始人每天投资40美元在Facebook广告和分析他们的追随者。在9个月内，该公司收集了超过55,000名粉丝和积极参与的受众，而每个人的获取成本不到10美分！"。

Prep Obsessed, a preppy accessory boutique, began using Facebook in April 2013. The founders invested $40 a day on Facebook ads and in analyzing their followers. In nine months, the company collected more than 55,000 fans and an actively engaged audience, with a cost of acquisition of less than 10 cents per person!

时机也是至关重要的。要确保在你的受众在线时发布信息，而不仅仅是在你开门营业时。

Timing is also vital. Be sure to post when your audience is online, not just when your business is open.

人们在周五、周末或晚上花在Facebook上的时间最多--也就是说，当 "正常 "工作日结束的时候。因此，如果你在这个时间段发帖或写博客，你可以接触到大部分的受众。

People spend the most time on Facebook on Fridays, on the weekend or in the evenings – that is, when the “normal” business day is over. Therefore, you can reach the majority of your audience if you post or blog during this time.

此外，你可以利用你所掌握的关于你的追随者的信息，通过使用特定的语言吸引他们来宣传你的公司形象。

Furthermore, you can use the information you have about your followers to promote your company image by using specific language that will draw them in.

例如，Prep Obsessed将他们的帖子发给女士们（而不是女孩或少女），暗示绅士风度和精致。这加强了公司作为一个优雅品牌的形象。

For example, Prep Obsessed addresses their posts to ladies (not girls or chicks, for example) suggesting gentility and refinement. This reinforces the company image of being a classy brand.

因此，下一次你的公司在Facebook上发布信息时，想一个独特或具体的问候语，使你的帖子在Facebook的其他帖子中脱颖而出。

So the next time your company posts something on Facebook, think of a unique or specific greeting to make your post stand out above the flood of other Facebook posts!

6, The best “About Us” page is not about your company but about your relationship to the visitor.

[ 最好的 "关于我们 "页面不是关于你的公司，而是关于你与访问者的关系 ]

一个公司的 "关于我们 "页面往往充满了陈规陋习和自以为是的事实。然而，你的公司页面不一定要遵循这种有缺陷的模式。

A company’s “About Us” page is often chock-full of stereotypes and self-serving facts. Yet your company’s page doesn’t have to follow this flawed model.

在你的 "关于我们 "页面上，你应该始终准确地解释你为你的客户做了什么。

On your “About Us” page, you should always explain exactly what you do for your customers.

当然，该页面可以包括你公司的名人，但在潜意识里，你的读者真的想知道在华丽的设计和800号码背后，究竟是谁在提供服务，来决定他们是否会成为潜在的客户。

Sure, the page can include the who’s who of your company, but subconsciously, your readers really want to know who is actually providing the services behind the flashy design and 800-number, to see whether they will become a potential customer.

例如，玩具公司Toys "R" Us的 "关于我们" 的页面就欠缺有用的信息。它呈现了大量的文字，设计毫无新意，更不用说无聊的图片。

For example, the “About Us” page for toy company Toys “R” Us is lacking. It presents a lot of text with an uninspired design, not to mention boring pictures.

另一方面，可口可乐公司的做法则不同。该公司提到了它的历史，展示了各种生动的图片，并显示了关于其社区的最新报告等等。所有这些都使网页显得活泼、有趣和有意义。

Coca-Cola, on the other hand, does things differently. The company refers to its history, displays a variety of lively images and shows up-to-date reports about its community and so on. All this makes  the page appear lively, fun and relevant.

一定要展示你公司人性化的一面。尽管你的文字应该使用适合你公司形象的语气，但借助于视频、照片或引言，你可以使你的页面更加活跃，显示你的员工是真实的人。

Be sure to show your company’s human side. Although your text should use a tone that suits your company’s image, with the aid of videos, photos or pull quotes, you can make your page more active and show that your employees are real people!

7, Final summary [ 最后总结 ]

本书中的关键信息：

你是一个作家，不能只想而要多写! 重要的是，你的文字会会对你的读者和你的客户造成或好或坏的影响。好消息是，任何人都能写好文章，并通过遵循少数规则吸引读者。

The key message in this book:

You are a writer, and you write more than you think! Importantly, your words affect your readers and your customers, for better or worse. The good news is, anyone can write well and draw in readers by following a handful of rules.

可操作的建议：

现在就开始你的写作生活。

Actionable advice:

Begin your writing life now.

现在就开始练习你的写作技巧。每当你在Facebook或Twitter上发帖，或向客户发送电子邮件，都要抓住机会磨练你的写作技巧。

Don’t wait to start practising your writing skills. Whenever you post on Facebook or Twitter, or send an email to a customer, take the opportunity to hone your writing skills.

忘掉学校里写作文的习惯。

Kick the school essay habit.

忘掉你在高中学到的五段式作文。这些传统的写作方法不仅写起来很枯燥，而且读起来也很无聊。

Forget that five-paragraph essay you learned in high school. These conventional writing methods are not only boring to write but also they’re boring to read.

建议进一步阅读：安妮-拉莫特的《鸟》(Bird by Bird)

Suggested further reading: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

作者安妮-拉莫特从个人角度讲述了《鸟》的故事，是一本成为更好的作家并在此过程中改善生活的指南。拉莫特独特的方法、诚实和个人轶事使这本书成为作家或任何想成为作家的人的必读之书。

Told from the personal perspective of author Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird is a guide toward becoming a better writer and improving your life along the way. Lamott’s distinctive approach, honesty and personal anecdotes make this book a must for writers or anyone who wants to become one.