Here’s the deal. People ARE watching and reading, connecting and leaving, liking and judging. Period. By the way, so are you. And so am I. Like, right now for example…

You’re here (thank you SO much!) reading this post (at least up to this point) and for some reason, something about it landed with you. From here, a few things could happen. You read it all the way though. You skim and read the highlights. You fast forward to a link or a video or maybe you never made it this far. The point is this. We react to what we see, hear and read. We know, without a doubt, when something resonates with us and when it doesn’t.

You are living and doing business in a time where what you say, what you write, what you post, the words you use, the way you say ‘what we say’ will live on long after you do. There may even be things you wish weren’t out there at all, but this is not about that. It’s about asking the questions… “What do you really want to say and share?” “How do you want your readers, clients, prospects, partners to feel when they visit you? Read you? Think about you?” “Is your message, your mission, your intention being conveyed in a way that is truthful and authentic and rooted in who YOU (and your brand) really are?”

Let me be clear. This is not about being a brilliant writer or the best writer and it’s certainly NOT about being a ‘clever’ writer. If you want to turn people off, be clever. What I’m talking about is being an honest writer and if you have a business, if you blog, if you post, if you comment… you are a writer or at the very least… you are writing! You don’t have to be a pro. In fact no one expects you to be unless you’re making a living as a ‘writer’, but what you do write needs to be compelling and what’s more compelling than the truth? For me… nothing is more compelling than the truth. But having ‘the truth’ (your truth) written well, is a remarkable thing. I’ll share some great tips and resources with you in an upcoming post, but this one is about what incredible writing looks, sounds like, feels like. The kind of writing that pulls you in, stops you in your tracks, has you wanting ‘more’.

I often say, “If you want a better answer, ask a better question!” I love the notion of that idea and it’s a practice I use, both in my own life and business as well as with clients. I’m a sucker for a great sentence, courageous words and meaningful ‘inquiries’ and trust me, if you don’t think those things matter in your business, your are sorely mistaken.

In May, Reddit asked, “What’s the most beautiful paragraph or sentence you’ve ever read?” I thought, “That’s such a great question? “ and I’ve been pondering it a lot since.

Words. Design. Music. Art. Sensory. Aesthetics. They all have had a huge affect on the way I feel about the work I do, the way I run my business, the conversations I have, the things I love and what inspires me to write. In this case, it took just one gorgeous question. I’m in awe when someone strings words together that moves me, encourages me, takes my breath away, makes me want to be a better writer, that actually makes me want to write… period.

So having pondered the question posed by Reddit, below are a few stunning writers whose honesty broke me wide open, whose work I love and whose words have inspired me and have affected my work and my life.

Truth + Love,