“You can talk with someone for years, everyday, and still, it won’t mean as much as what you can have when you sit in front of someone, not saying a word, yet you feel that person with your heart, you feel like you have known the person for forever…. connections are made with the heart, not the tongue.” C. JoyBell C, the author of All Things Dance Like Dragonflies
This quote sums up the kind of communication skills that a writer must master. As a writer, your success quotient is measured by your ability to communicate. The ability to read and write is a given. But what matters is effective communication in any situation.
1. Listening
Listening plays a crucial role in communication. You should be a good listener to your interviewers, readers, fans or even family members. To be an effective communicator, you need to be a good listener. When somebody is talking to you, you may be distracted due to internal monologues or some other reason. In such situations, you should focus on what the speaker is saying and understand. Sometimes when somebody is asking you something, you assume what the person is asking and interrupt the conversation. This leads to ineffective communication. It is wise not to let your own preconceived ideas hinder the flow of conversation. So hone your listening skills.
2. Be concise
As a writer, you should be able to communicate in short effective sentences so that your listeners do not fall asleep halfway! To speak more concisely, ensure that you do not use any filler words like errrr, um, etc as these obstruct the flow in a conversation. If you want to avoid filler words, think before you speak and plan what you are going to speak.
3. Effective writing
Your writing should sell and buy your audience. For this, you need to master the art of writing. Learn to craft sentences devoid of grammar mistakes. Proofread what you have written to ensure that it is error-free. A good thing to do is rewriting any article from a newspaper or a magazine. If the article is of 600 words, see if you can rewrite it to around 300 words. This is a simple test to determine if you can write shorter sentences.
4. Understand non-verbal cues
“93/7 Rule: 93% of communication occurs through nonverbal behavior and tone; only 7% of communication takes place through the use of words.” John Stoker, the author of Overcoming Fake Talk: How to Hold Real Conversations That Create Respect, Build Relationships, and Get Results
Body language plays a crucial role in communication. If you sit straight and speak with confidence, that gives the impression of somebody who knows what he or she is talking about. Similarly, observe how and what other people are communicating non-verbally, i.e., through the eyes, gestures, hand movements, expressions, etc. Respond after you have observed the listener’s non-verbal cues.
5. Be clear
Clarity is important in communication. You should possess clarity in speech and in writing. Your head may be full of muddled thoughts. Organize them mentally. Take a deep breath and then talk. If you are writing, give yourself some time before you hurriedly write away.
I’m Smitha Abraham. I love traveling in my flights of imagination and use these flights to craft short stories and poetry. I am a budding writer from India. My passions are reading, creative writing, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting new people, getting acquainted with different cultures and traveling. Authors like Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, genres like magic realism, historical romance, and writing styles that are imaginative and flow effortlessly fascinate me. I love to unwind with a book curled up on a sofa or by gazing at the stars by the sea shore. I am a nature lover and spending time admiring the sunset and sunrise is relaxing for me.