To Get Your Writing to Stand Out, Flip It
A simple exercise to strengthen your creative muscle while getting your words to pop.
Hello, this is Mike Thompson here and I hope you all are doing well.
First of all, thanks for coming along for the ride with the four of us.
As we get our footing here on Substack, we’re going to be diving into specific topics each month like how to write engaging stories, book proposals, copy that converts, and how to be featured in mainstream publications.
As we gather up steam, over the next few weeks we’re going to be passing along some of our favorite tricks of the trade that have allowed each of us to make a living as full-time creators.
For me, one of the areas I really try to lean into is working to get my words to sing so they stick in readers’ minds.
The inspiration that kicked off this habit (in addition to being in awe of how Gorman links words together) came from an unlikely place.
When it comes to pop culture, as someone who lives in small-town Catalunya and has two young kids, I’m out of the loop.
Three years ago though, a friend of mine sent me an email with a link to a bunch of Dos Equis commercials featuring a character aptly dubbed “The Most Interesting Man in The World.”
If you too live under a rock, the recipe for the commercials is simple. The narrator tells Chuck Norris-type jokes when describing the actions of a Latino Hugh Hefner-like fellow.
When it comes to sticky sentences, few companies have done it better and below is a taste of some of the more memorable lines in the spots:
“If he mispronounced your name, you’d feel compelled to change it.”
“His mother has a tattoo that reads ‘son.’”
“Therapists open up to him.”
“He is allowed to talk about the fight club.”
“Roses stop to smell him.”
“When he was young he once sent his parents to his room.”
Like a lot of people, when I first saw the commercials, I was hooked.
The more I watched them though, the more I began to study the power of taking something people are already comfortable with and flipping it on its head.
Stop Trying to Reinvent the Wheel — Rotate It Instead
When it comes to creative work and building our personal brands, we don’t always have to reinvent the wheel. Oftentimes, this drive to be original can hamstring our growth. Instead, focus on taking something proven — that people are already comfortable with — and look for how you can move it around some.
A turn of phrase here.
An inversion here.
It strengthens your creative muscle.
Not only that, but this exercise keeps readers on their toes.
Once you establish the habit, much like making puns, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you start to spot openings that could use a little more beef.
This exercise can be particularly effective when it comes to honing your ability to write more interesting titles.
Here are a few examples of little flips in my titles that have done particularly well and combined have more than half a million views —
“The Shy Person’s Guide to Winning Friends and Influencing People”: a twist on Dale Carnegie’s successful book.
“The Only Thing You Have to Do Before 9 a.m.”: a flip of all the “8 things you have to do by 8 a.m. to be successful” type articles.
“To Be Confident, Learn to Walk Away”: Most confidence articles suggest working harder. This one said the opposite.
“Want to Improve Your Relationships? Stop Following Your Gut”: two common phrases I’d never seen positioned together before.
“If You Want to Be Rich, Be Thoughtful”: Most people do not equate money with kindness. Taking two ideas on the opposite end of the spectrum and marrying them together stands out.
“6 Ways to Be More Likable by Saying Very Little”: Prior to publishing this one, I Googled “by Saying Very Little,” and at the time no one had ever used it in a title. I knew immediately it was going to connect with people. Most people want to be liked. Most people also don’t want to have to do a lot of work.
Ask yourself what other people aren’t saying.
Move some of the words around.
It’s fun and keeps your mind young.
Just make sure the flips you do make are in line with your values and truly represent your beliefs — people can tell if you’re trying too hard to be clever.
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An example of a simple flip for my branding
Instead of talking about work first, like so many other people do on their Linkedin profiles, I put my true priority first — my family.
Leading with “Co-creator of two little boys with an equally cool woman,” instead of starting with what I do, has led to a few dozen messages telling me how refreshing it is. Not to mention a handful of coaching clients.
I want the importance of relationships baked into my personal brand. This little flip helps convey that message.
Maybe I don’t get a lot of alpha CEOs contacting me, but that’s fine. If I’ve learned anything in my 43 years it’s that we have a life, not a career. I want to work with people who agree with that statement.
You’d be surprised how effective not talking about work first can be for your work.
Be the Person Who Plays With Words
If you think the world is competitive today, give it a few years. Many of us are going to have to piece together our incomes more than we already are to make ends meet.
Many of us are talking about the same ideas. Taking the time to play around with how you package your message will help you rise above the noise.
Look at your branding and play around with the order of your messaging.
Read over a bunch of popular quotes and see how you can make them your own.
Make a list of common clichés and twist them up.
Watch spots like Dos Equis, and study comedians and shows like Seinfeld —masters at making the mundane look interesting.
Study screenplays like “The Incredibles” — it’s not every day a film comes out where a superhero gets kidnapped and his wife and kids have to save him. That simple flip led to a nomination for Best Screenplay.
Scan bookstores for interesting titles. It’s hard to walk away from covers that read “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People.” Not to mention, “Are You There, Vodka?” And my personal favorite, “John Dies at The End.”
Words are fun.
They’re meant to be played with.
Flip them. Twist them. Move them from the left and right.
Houdini used to throw himself outside of a window in a straightjacket to get people’s attention.
Fortunately, we don’t have to do that anymore.
In an instant, our words can travel all over the world.
It pays to be someone who plays with their words.
Thank you for this article, Mike. These pointers are going to be extremely helpful.
Love those titles! Great tip