"All that glisters is not gold," but you can write golden copies with inspiration from The Bard!

Tuesday: Return Driven Strategy FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Are you fond of writing? What makes you want to write? According to American author Stephen King, whenever you write, your goals shouldn’t simply be to earn money, get famous, or gain more “friends.” Instead, your main focus should be to help enrich the lives of those who will read your work. This is exactly what the famous 16th century English playwright, Shakespeare, does in his written works. Read on to know how Shakespeare makes an impact through his works and how you, as an independent writer, can also make a positive impact through yours. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

"All that glisters is not gold," but you can write golden copies with inspiration from The Bard! Shakespeare is a 16th century English playwright, poet, dramatist, and actor. He is often called the English National Poet and considered by many to be the greatest dramatist of all time. He sometimes goes by the name, “The Bard” or “Bard of Avon” since during his time, “Bard” means poet and Avon stands for his birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon in England. Some of Shakespeare’s famous works include: The Merchant of Venice Much Ado About Nothing Romeo and Juliet Henry V Richard III Hamlet Othello King Lear Macbeth Making an Impact Through Writing More than being entertaining, Shakespeare’s works leave readers with a valuable lesson and compel them to rethink their standards and beliefs. For example: Shakespeare’s play, “The Merchant of Venice,” was able to depict to its readers and viewers the ugliness of taking revenge on other people, as well as the beauty of exercising mercy. His book, “Othello,” leaves its readers with a compelling warning against jealousy. Another of Shakespeare’s plays, “The Taming of The Shrew,” challenged Elizabethan beliefs and practices regarding marriage. There are a lot more lessons to learn from Shakespeare’s works, but it would take us too long to enumerate each one of them! Just like Shakespeare, you can also use written words as a platform to make an impact. Here are three ways your writing can influence people’s perspectives: Teaching or Imparting Knowledge to Readers. According to an article from the Writer’s Digest, whenever you share your knowledge with others, you “unlock a special power within you.” Shakespeare’s writing was influenced by some of the great writers in his time such as Geoffrey Chaucer and Christopher Marlowe. By being constantly exposed to their works, he was able to take note of their writing styles and apply it in his own works. When you write about something you learned through experience, reading, or research, you help make your readers “smarter” by providing them with the information they need to make the right decisions and actions.   Inspiring Readers. “If I can do this, so can you.” You may not actually write those words in your content, but by writing and sharing your words in a compelling and interesting way, you are inspiring readers and potential writers to share their ideas, pick up a pen or open a laptop or desktop computer, and start writing as well.   Entertaining Readers People love to read great, well-written stories. Great stories help you connect with your readers and enable people to visualize a world that is different from what they have now. An optimistic story will inspire readers to identify the necessary actions that need to be done in order to improve their communities. On the other hand, a “dark” or heavy story can serve as a cautionary tale for people, showing them what to do or avoid to prevent problems from happening in their society. Whether you’re a creative writer, technical writer, or a copywriter who’s writing for a brand or business, you can make an impact with what you write! No matter what genre you’re writing about, or even if you’re “out of Shakespeare’s league,” as long as you have the right tools, training, and effort, you’ll still be able to influence your readers and convince them to your call-to-action (if there is). As stated by American author Stephen King: “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates… or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life as well.” Let the impact that Shakespeare made through his written works motivate you to make an impact with your copies or content as well! Hope you found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for next Tuesday’s Return Driven Strategy! Saying “no” to someone or to doing something is not bad at all, especially if it’s done in the right context. Learn more about why it’s okay to say “no” sometimes on next week’s Return Driven Strategy!