Granted, you are talking about an owner’s manual where the purchase is already history, but humor in sales copy doesn’t work all that much. Certain markets and media provide for it, but written copy, not so much.

I think people are just too busy to read the amount of copy one needs to work it. Plus, other media sources involving other human senses can pull it off so much better.

Thanks for your thoughts Scott.

The point to remember, we’re coming at this as entrepreneurs, as business people trying to reach our clients or customers, right?

That is the blog forum we’re in here.

I know nothing about writing a novel. I’ve read many, so from that perspective I know some, yes, but not the intricacies and detail.

I sure can understand the frustration of buying a book and finding out you already read it and someone felt they needed to change the title or dumb it down for a particular audience. Actually, that is kind of insulting when you think of it. I’m with you there!

From a business standpoint, I suppose they felt that was an innovative way to reimagine their work. It’s not a successful plan if it is going to hack off your readership though, is it?

If one wanted to write a British book with that cultural setting? Then American readers best learn what a boot, torch, trolley, or tea really mean. Isn’t that part of the British experience in a cultural read?

If one was writing about an LA gang, a writer wouldn’t say, “Okay, I’m going back to my place to relax.”

I’d imagine they’d say something like, “Bro, “I’m chillin’ at the crib.”

Again, if someone wants to read a British or LA gang book, they’ve made that choice ahead of time and expect the tone to reflect it.

And… that segues right into our respect concern. No, absolutely, we don’t want to disrespect a reader.

Wouldn’t it be just as disrespectful though to write an over professional sounding piece to a young casual audience?

As I noted, who you are writing to dictates how casual or technical the tone is styled.

The headset ad sample I used was obviously for a younger crowd. There aren’t too many older folks riding around with their mom or booming bass rattling fenders off the car.

At the end of the day, one writes in a way that works, and I’m sorry if the more casual approach is offensive to some. The internet and digital devices have a lot to do with that.

The digital age has shown the marketing industry, more than ever before, that people respond to a conversational tone more than corporate speak or over professional tone. The fact is we speak much differently than we write in proper grammar. Well, I should say, the average person does. It might be different at a Harvard mixer.

The whole idea might seem wrong, but if one wants to sell a product, you write what is effective. Unfortunately, that sometimes offends the English grammarians and some elements of English writing rules.

There is a whole philosophical debate out there on the trashing of English due to blogs and digital writing, which I’m not going to get into here.

And, I’m not saying to toss English books in the trash either.

I’m not saying it is right, but I am saying it works. So one can either write proper with fewer results, or more like people talk at the water cooler and experience more sales.

That is just what the buying public has dictated to us.

No, we aren’t going to write a, “Yo dude, check out this new investment, its flamin’ awesome!”

But who knows, one day it might come to that. It depends on who is buying investments most.

But then we aren’t going to write…

“Last year’s investments rendered, on average a mere 3.1% return. We at Acme Investment feel we can stop the outpouring of funds, and improve on that return for you.”

We’d write something like…

“Tired of your returns only getting 3.1%? Each second that goes by without changing your investment strategy means you’re feeling someone else’s hand in your pocket.

Acme Investment has the winning strategy to cut-off the pickpockets in your life, and get you back to funding the lifestyle you’ve enjoyed and worked so hard for all your life.”

Again, these are generalizations. I can sum up the goal of market writing in one word…

Emotion.

Emotions sells, casual, but yes respective tone, is what sells. Plain and simple.

I’m not inventing anything new here.

Check out books like Content Rules or look at some of American Writer’s and Artist Inc. material.

There are lots of marketing resources which touch on this topic.

It’s all about getting your audience, no matter who it is, to identify with you, to touch an emotion in a positive way, so they trust you and see what you have to offer as the solution to their problem.

Hope that helps.

Hey, dude, no way, you should write as if you are a pro, not just someone off the street, using all that poor grammar, vocab and stuff.

Now, I ask you, which style is more appealing? Beth

A performing songwriter by hobby, and an audio dabblest by spell, I both know the tedious efforts in removing a pop, click, breath or artifact out of an audio file; and the geeky, internal, celebratory enthusiasm on the finished result.

Just listened to a couple voice over bits I did for grins years back, .They were fun to do, but, eeew. I could use training sometime. When I have MORE time.

I know you were compensated, But thanks for letting pride in your work set the bar guys and gals.

The audio drama could be a really cool thing. SPN’s original production of a Downton Abbey type in sleep shades? lol.

Left Behind becomes Sight Behind.

Perhaps we have some creative script writers in the hood here to put a cast of radio actors to work, or I know of one blind consumer org who has a writers group.

Heck, even our own Oe-J, Orozco-A, is a creative writer. Hard name to put in Pig Latin though Joe. And I thought my last name was bad enough not pronounced Dunzey with voice synths.

What about a continuation of what The Blind Handyman use to produce? I still wonder what my neighbors thought when the neighborhood blind guy rented a Skidster and started digging up his backyard to put in a pool. But we swam in it, and I didn’t run over the family pet or anything putting it up.

Maybe Dale, the blind cooking guy?

A community source podcast of life tips?

Anyway, nice job.

Well, Common Sense, I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy my little Basketball to Riches course. And here I was so silly as to think if I got my pop cultured-self a basketball, shot a few hoops, by day’s end I’d be on my way to the Fortune 500. I sure am glad you came along and straightened me out there before I wents to duh WalMarts to get me a ball. No wonder I’ve been a failure in all areas of my life to date.

Okay, well. There are a few points I’ll make for clarity, and then we’ll let you flame into the sunset, sound good? It does to me.

I don’t think, … no… I didn’t. I never did say anyone should drop their business courses or say business or studying one’s skill set was out of the equation. I believe education can come from places other than a college degree. That doesn’t mean either method of learning is wrong, it is just another way of suiting one’s learning style.

Embarrassed? Me? No, I’m not embarrassed at all for the point I was making. I think you’ll see why in a minute. I was embarrassed for you however. That was quite a statement. I have yet to find anger that isn’t fueled by fear of some sort. That might be worth some thought on your part.

What about the bit of imagining myself to what success I want?

Well now, I did say that, yes. I have to admit that one. I’m glad you pointed that one out to me.

Funny thing though, I’m like this biography buff? You know, of successful people?

And, by successful people, I don’t always mean household names of the rich and famous. Some yes, but Very honestly, many rich and famous people aren’t successful by my standard.

You see. There are all sorts of definitions of success in life. Money, happiness, material things, freedom, travel, time with family, work their dream career, adventures, too many to mention here.

It’s really odd about all those people I read about, talked to, and know personally; but most, if not all of them, imagined themselves being what they were before they actually were. Isn’t that silly?

But you want to know the craziest thing? They actually had to work for it too.

If they wanted to be a successful musician? I’ll be damned if they didn’t have to practice their scales or study music.

If they became a computer whiz? Invent like a programming language or operating system? They poured themselves into their work.

If they could barely walk due to a grotesque bone disorder, have people point and gape at them because they were for-foot nothing in height, had almost no femur bones in the legs, and if they desired to become an engineer despite near inability to hold a draftsman’s pencil in deformed, elongated fingers? If someone like that imagined themselves a success to overcome and succeeded?

They didn’t just imagine themselves being such and do nothing to make themselves so.

I don’t recall ever saying that. Nope, I just looked again, and you know? I didn’t.

Isn’t that so weird how people read something that isn’t there on the page in the first place? You know though, it must be in their own thoughts to have read it.

And then there are the people who we never hear of. Everyday people who overcome tremendous challenges. I know a few right in my own family and home community in fact. Tremendous successes, overcoming absolutely incredible odds. Living happy, successful lives.

No, sorry Common Sense, some of those people aren’t rich, well they aren’t on the Fortune 500 list anyway, but I can tell you two things about all the above people considered successful by their own standards

First. They didn’t get where they are by feeling defeated every day of their life. Feeling jealous of others. Feeling as though life jipped them? Feeling like as though life owed them something.

They didn’t give up when people around them said they were crazy, insulted them, … kind of like you here actually.

They didn’t get there by telling themselves they can’t, or listening to others who would dare to say the same.

Nah, they didn’t buy into that.

And secondly? They didn’t allow themselves to be drug to the mat by hanging around those who come out of the gate shooting down any hope of others to rise above a challenge. They didn’t hang around angry folks who felt sorry for themselves and needed to have company down in the bowels of hope.

Did they use what not to be as fuel to overcome. Absolutely. They saw others who they did not want to be like, then they imagined themselves as disgruntled, angry people, or people others would feel sorry for, or some other value they hated, and they used that as fuel to say, “I’m never going to be like that person, ever.”

Kind of like me right now actually, reflecting back on your post.

Those successful people persisted until what they saw they wanted to be, came to pass. If it took them a year, great, if it took them a lifetime, so be it. But, they imagined it first.

That little basketball object lesson?

Okay, I confess. Here is where I am actually a little embarrassed…

That little analogy was nothing I invented.

In fact, I sort of borrowed that one from many successful coaches and business people who used it for their own successes over the decades. I saw the similar display on an episode of Brain Games and thought it’d be a good analogy for overcoming our own rotten thinking.

Sorry for that little confession there.

And really, it is just a little object lesson, but unfortunately from your perspective, yes, everything to do with business. Creating and imagining are indeed qualities of an entrepreneur or business person. Being in business for most of my life, that’s what I’ve found anyway. But don’t take my word for it, read just a few more lines and take someone else’s word.

It is apparent you have large ambitions for yourself, and Common Sense, even though I found your off-cuff flame more humorous than insulting, and have been sporting with you a bit here today, I honestly do wish you the success you have envisioned for yourself. If it comes by a degree, great. If it comes by mentoring a champ? Awesome. If it comes by the gifted individual you are who can create where no one has before? I truly admire you.

I don’t claim to know all the answers. I am a life student in a classroom that spans the globe of which you are classmate. We teach each other, and we learn from each other.

Oh, one more thing, you speak as though you may already know my successes, both in what I’d like and what I’ve achieved. However, you do not really know. Friendly suggestion? It might be good to hold assumptions when commenting from the hip. Each has their own measurement of success, achievements, and goals. I’m rather proud of what I’ve done in life thus far, but displaying them to others without reason, along with appearing on The Apprentice or having a Fortune 500 company, is just not high on my list.

Since big business and entrepreneurship is your motivator, I’ll leave you with a quote from probably the modern day icon of business and entrepreneurship, Richard Branson. You might take in what he has to say. Take it away Richard…

I was recently asked to sum up what I do in just five words, to which I answered: I like to create things. Creativity is a direct offshoot of imagination, and is essential not only to life, but to business too. Creativity and imagination are driving forces behind most things we do, and have been the key to many of our successes.

The business world often gets caught up in facts and figures, and forgets the importance of imagination and creativity. Like Albert Einstein said: “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” While the details and data are important in business, the ability to dream, conceptualize and invent is what sets the successful and the unsuccessful apart – and in life, often the happy from the unhappy. …

At Virgin, we have never entered an industry just for small wins, but instead to reinvent the game with imaginative and disruptive products and services. We haven’t followed numbers, done what’s expected, or limited ourselves to what’s possible. We have dreamed big dreams to make the impossible, possible.

Imagination should be intertwined in daily life, and not just restricted to problem solving. Imagination gives hope, drive and inspiration, and is incredibly motivational. In that sense, dreaming should not be the reward, but instead a habit. The fruits that come from the success of achieving a dream should be the reward. Bette Davis summed it up nicely: “To fulfil a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy.”

It is a natural human instinct to want to know what lies before us. By dreaming and imagining, we can effectively chart our own paths, and see what we already believe to be true.

As Mark Twain pointed out: “You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” It is therefore crucial that we put our imagination in focus, so that we can realize opportunities and act on them to reach our goals, and in turn move the world forward.

Don’t limit yourself to what you know and what you have been told to be true. If you use your imagination you will be presented with opportunities and possibilities beyond your wildest dreams.

Two other things to mention, which go along with the podcast here:

1. As National Public Radio branded its network as simply “NPR,” for several years now, why not call the Sero Talk Podcast network simply “SPN,” and just leave it at that.
2. The one program which comes to mind, that never was mentioned within todays/tonights Serotalk Extra, is “StoryCorps,” from NPR themselves. I wonder why SPN didn’t go down this route sooner! Glad its all taking shape now, and fantastic to hear another cooking program is soon to come!

Thanks for the update. I used to listen to the Serotalk podcast before you decided to “make changes”, after which it seemed too stilted and long-winded to be bothered with.

For myself, and we all have different tastes, I’d value a once-a-month podcast where I could get all the AT news concisely and without chit-chat waffle. A one-and-done for all the news I’d need in both the AT field and mainstream-as-AT applications.

I’m certainly not in the least interested in “story telling” or “answering the questions of the sighted”. Almost all leisure and lifestyle things have nothing to occupy me for more than a minute as I don’t do much in these spheres except listen to the TV and radio (and there predominately factual content).

It’s wonderful that we are not an homogenous “community” and that we can pursue our ends by individually appropriate means, and I commend you on your decision to differentiate SPN in the way you are planning.

I don’t have the imagination, creativity, intelligence, and ,frankly, motivation to even begin to do podcasting or article writing so I truly admire those of you who put in so much effort in these areas.

I’m sorry Mike my interest appear to be wholely divergent with yours currently, and that’s just fine, so I don’t think I’ll be playing in the SPN sandbox in the future.

I’d like to wish you and your listeners all the best, and I surely recognize your outstanding contribution in the field of assistive technology innovation over the past decade or so.

Sincerely,

Mike Tutt

In short having the Serotalk Podcast Network without the Serotalk Podcast is like ESPN announcing they will stop producing Sports Center.

Scott

Also,k I would liketo see more tech stuff and the what’sup podcast is very informitive.

Scott

I for one would like mjore in house hold stuff, such as cooking and better ways to keep your house clean up with less fustration.

As a single member in my house that is over 1400 squar feet, its a lot to keep it all clean up by your self.

Plus I love cooking, I do a lot of cooking, going total blind never stop me cooking.

Thanks for the comment. And thanks to everyone else who has e-mailed and sent iReports. I haven’t been in the user forums for a while, so I’ll have to look into this other business for you.