Most PR professionals have at least one writing project on the go that they’ve been meaning to start or complete for ages, whether it’s a fresh batch of case studies, new website content, an updated credentials or presentation document, or that thought-leadership piece to make their company, organisation, brand or CEO look fantastic.

So why do these sorts of projects spend so long being moved from one to-do list to another, sometimes for months? Time is obviously a factor for busy PR professionals. Not knowing where to start, perhaps. Not feeling inspired to write something really creative, maybe.

Those are the usual reasons my clients in PR agencies and in-house teams give me. But there’s another factor that not everyone feels comfortable owning up to. Whisper it: most people can’t write.
OK, so everyone in the industry can obviously write to a certain extent. But few are completely fantastic writers. I know that some people are actually a bit scared of trying to write something perfect and professional-sounding at the first attempt. Most people aren’t naturals at using words in a creative way, and many aren’t even fluent in using words correctly. Grammar still makes many of us shudder, and I rarely see a first draft of anything from a client that doesn’t include a dodgy apostrophe, questionable spelling, or peculiar sentence structure.

But good copywriting, whoever your audience, isn’t just about using words properly. In doubt, desperation, or ignorance, people often resort to marketing speak and corporate bull, which does nothing to enlighten or inform. In fact, it often fogs the desired message completely.