Fill your writing with energy, creativity and joy with weekly strategies free from Writing a Sacred Path.
What makes you keep reading a book? What brings you back to a blog again and again? What makes you not only finish an article in a magazine, but save it and quote from it?
There are many answers to these questions, but one factor that is seldom acknowledged or discussed is trust. If you trust an author—if you have a gut-level feeling that he or she is believable—you are far more likely to read, reread, and remember their material. The moment you have the sense that an author is lying, fudging the facts, not being honest about her- or himself, or otherwise being untrustworthy, you’re likely to abandon their work and never return.
As a writer, it is your responsibility to gain your reader’s trust. But how do you do that? Here are several ways to show readers you are someone who can be believed.
1. Be Authentic
Write what you mean. Don’t write what you think your reader wants to hear, what will make a snazzy post, or what you imagine will sell well. Write what you truly think and feel.
When I was first blogging, I often felt uneasy about what I should say on my blog. I am a spiritual agnostic. That is, I am both spiritual and an agnostic. Yet I knew that many of my readers were devout followers of various spiritual paths. I frequently found myself hesitating, thinking that if I posted what I really believe it might offend some of my readers. For instance, if I said that there are many paths to the Sacred, I feared my Christian readers (many of whom believe Christianity is the only true religion) might take offense. Or, if I said I don’t believe in the Law of Spiritual Attraction, which many New Age devotees hold true, those readers might be put off.
It took me a few months of blogging before I realized that the most important thing I could be online was myself. Sure, I might lose some readers who didn’t agree with my viewpoints. But I was sure to lose more if I came across as pandering or trying to be something I wasn’t.
Being authentic, open, and true to yourself is the cornerstone of gaining your reader’s trust.
2. Be Respectful
Sarcasm, derision, cynicism, disdain. We all have times we want to go there. But what do they bring to the table? They might entertain a few people, but over all, they lower the quality of communication—your own and society’s in general. And they can easily backfire, making people turn away from your writing.
Years ago, when the Iraq War had just started, I felt tremendous anger at the Bush administration. I frequently found myself calling George W. Bush a “fool,” a “criminal,” and worse—until someone asked me an essential question: “What would happen if, instead, you said that Bush was a man who truly believes he is doing good for the country, but that you strongly disagree with his policies?” Suddenly I realized how much more effective that would be. It respected people who agreed with Bush while still stating my own objections. It elevated the discourse, and it made me sound less like I was ranting and more like I was seriously considering the issues.
There are many things that make me see flashes of red before my eyes: racist or sexist comments, TV commentators blaming poor people for being poor, people justifying cruelty to farmed animals, so many things. I always speak out when these issues come up. But, when I do, I try to do so with sound argument and appeals to compassion, not with name-calling, mockery or scorn. Who would I convince with sarcasm?
3. Listen
I receive a few comments on my blog, and a lot of emails. I answer every single one: The critiques, the disagreements, the compliments, the challenges. I don’t agree with everything people say in their correspondence, but I listen to them with an open mind and heart.
Often, listening has helped me gain new perspectives, and sometimes it has significantly shifted my awareness. It helps me understand where others are coming from—and that is a blessing to any writer.
4. Admit Mistakes
We all do it: Quote someone inaccurately. Post a statistic or supposed fact that turns out to be false. Pose an argument that we later realize is faulty.
One of the most important elements of trust is your reader’s awareness that, when you’ve made a mistake, you’re going to own up to it. If you’re honest about your errors, readers are immensely forgiving. If you refuse to acknowledge them, they will turn away in droves.
5. Use Language Well
By this, I mean be careful to choose the perfect word; write clear, eloquent sentences; and use perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation. I am not someone who believes we need to speak “school-book” English when we’re having a conversation with a friend. But when we write, good style and usage can go a long way in giving our writing authority. That authority is what trust is based on.
The trust of your readers is one of the most valuable things a writer can have. It does not come automatically. It is earned through good writing, good ethics, and hard work. Even once you’ve earned it, it is fragile and must be nourished and cared for. These 5 techniques can help assure that you not only gain your reader’s trust, but maintain it throughout your writing career.