11: Writing heartfelt, engaging text that feels natural

Hello ladies, it's so nice to be here with you today, back after the Easter holidays where we have Easter Sunday and Easter Monday in Germany. How are you?

It was a nice pause, and my son spent time with his friends, my friends, and his grandmother here in Hannover since we couldn't budget a vacation away this time. Germans go away with their kids, at least the families in his school and in my neighborhood, for each school pause, so for Easter, for Herbst (Fall) and for Summer. These are the big 3 here and when you don't take your child someplace exciting, it's a bit stressful for them because when they return to school, they have no exciting vacation to share like all the others. :(

I find it super sad, because everyone has a different budget and family situation, so I could tell when my son walked to school this morning he was feeling worried about what to tell the kids. Telling them about some day trips we went on isn't anything like the stories he'll hear in class today - Disneyland Paris, hiking in the alps, Italian countryside, Denmark, Sylt, south of France, Mallorca...

Thinking about this made me also think about writing and this lesson in general. Because it's so easy to write what everyone else is writing about - to follow the trends - to follow the crowd. And with AI content, on top of it all, I believe that your personal story and voice is your superpower. It's the one way to stand out completely. It's the way to show your audience WHO you are and that they also feel your honesty and from that, they feel seen, heard and connected to you.

Don't you feel more connected to me after I shared the story above about my son?

And don't you even look at me differently?

Maybe before writing that, you imagined I was quite wealthy and could afford the most wonderful family trips. Maybe you also have struggled with this, if you have kids at school, so you can relate to how I feel, and how my son feels. Perhaps you can connect with me simply knowing that Easter wasn't all tulips and chocolate, that I struggled a bit as a parent knowing I couldn't budget taking my son on a big holiday.

Writing based on your true experiences, that feels like you, and connects authentically with your audience, doesn’t happen by accident. It’s an intentional, intuitive process. It takes honesty and courage. You have to break through your own ego. It's almost like having coffee with a friend, letting words flow... Not reciting a speech with slides or saying what you want the other person to hear, or worse, saying what you what the other person to believe that isn't even true (which is so common online).

For instance, it took humility to share the story of my son with you. Maybe I wanted to paint a photo of wealth and luxury to you, so you'd respect me more, if you thought I was loaded and we frequently travel to exciting places. It took courage to share otherwise, but I also had to break through my own ego. I had to show that I have struggles too, and currently, finances are thinner than in years past because of some very large expenses I've had. Without detailing all of that, I was able to show you that I'm real. My life isn't rosy and perfect. Through my story, you can connect. You can see I'm like you - with good and bad times. I spoke to you like a friend.

Let's consider some easy ways to write your content with heart that doesn't require you to take a masterclass in writing or to return to school for journalism. Check out lesson 11 in the classroom today. I’m sure it will help you. And you can return here to ask any questions that you may have or to talk to one another below in the comments section. Remember, we only have 5 more weeks left in this program, I want you to take advantage of every second we have left.

Hugs,

Holly