This is the best online video I’ve seen in a while on any subject. I hope more businesses take it to heart. My take on the subject comes in the form of two lessons. Lesson one — lighten up and show a little personality. That’s what will let people connect with your brand on an emotional level. Lesson two — ban writing by committee. Brainstorming as a group is good. Writing as a group is bad. If this process is mandatory, have the testicular fortitude to be the guy at the end of the session who steps up and points out that the vapid, milquetoast crap you all just hammered out is just that.
Thanks Fast Company!
Preach it.
Writing by committee is a great way to make oatmeal.
Oatmeal — without butter, sugar, raisins or anything else.
We can’t have any of those. Somebody may not like them! Straight mush!
You’re right; whilst brain storming as a group can be very useful, writing is definitely best done individually. At least, this is the best way to convey personality. A group authored article will always be less coherent than one by a single author simply because it is full of competing and conflicting styles. If you are well equipped with ideas from a brain storm there is no reason why you shouldn’t write an article without the aid of others. Often, the generation of ideas is the most challenging aspect of a project, so it is in this area that you need all hands on deck!