Writing For Impact

Creativity

How Do You Catch a Trophy Idea? Deep Mind Fishing

Bill Birchard on December 9, 2025

The secret to developing insight: Put your line in the water of the unconscious.

The secret to developing insight: Put your line in the water of the unconscious.

Persuasion

People Don’t Believe What You Say? Heed These 5 Biases

Bill Birchard on June 5, 2025

People gauge your truthfulness by how you compose your words. Gain cred by using these 5 everyday techniques.

People gauge your truthfulness by how you compose your words. Gain cred by using these 5 everyday techniques.

Persuasion

Do People Forget What You Say?

Bill Birchard on January 15, 2025

Having trouble getting people to remember what you say? Try using four memory-enhancing communication tactics: narrative, images, emotion, and novelty.

Having trouble getting people to remember what you say? Try using four memory-enhancing communication tactics: narrative, images, emotion, and novelty.

Persuasion

The Duds of Linguistic Style

Bill Birchard on July 31, 2024

Take your cues from research: Lick these five stylistic failures to level up your persuasive impact.

Take your cues from research: Lick these five stylistic failures to level up your persuasive impact.

Cognition

Music to Write By

Bill Birchard on July 1, 2024

If you love listening to music while you write, here are three guidelines to help you pick your tune.

If you love listening to music while you write, here are three guidelines to help you pick your tune.

Persuasion

Five Winning Plays to Say It With Style

Bill Birchard on April 5, 2024

Engage readers and listeners by focusing on five potent, practical, time-tested elements of style.

Engage readers and listeners by focusing on five potent, practical, time-tested elements of style.

Attention

Win People Over With Genuine Style in Your Writing

Bill Birchard on March 13, 2024

Write and speak with techniques that genuinely engage. Don’t settle for cheap mind candy.

Write and speak with techniques that genuinely engage. Don’t settle for cheap mind candy.

Attention

The Seductive Sway of Sound: Why Your Patter Matters

Bill Birchard on January 18, 2024

Readers and listeners pay closer attention to what you say when you craft a fashionable flow of recurring sounds.

Readers and listeners pay closer attention to what you say when you craft a fashionable flow of recurring sounds.

Priming

The Power of Patterns: A Little Repetition Goes a Long Way

Bill Birchard on January 3, 2024

How do you get people to swiftly understand what you say? Present your message points in a well-primed parallel structure.

How do you get people to swiftly understand what you say? Present your message points in a well-primed parallel structure.

Creativity

Want to Hear Your Muse? Tune in to Your Reward Circuit

Bill Birchard on November 20, 2023

Asking yourself 8 questions can help you listen to the voice of your reward system and find inspiration.

Asking yourself 8 questions can help you listen to the voice of your reward system and find inspiration.

Persuasion

Want to Change Minds? Frame Your Message with Metaphor

Bill Birchard on November 13, 2023

Experiments demonstrate the potency of figures of speech in syncing people’s views with yours.

Experiments demonstrate the potency of figures of speech in syncing people’s views with yours.

Cognition

Want to Be Persuasive? Find a Metaphor

Bill Birchard on November 6, 2023

Metaphors mold your message in people's minds. Psychology and neuroscience help explain why.

Metaphors mold your message in people's minds. Psychology and neuroscience help explain why.

Personality

Flashes of Personality Reward Readers

Bill Birchard on October 30, 2023

When people read your writing, they read your personality.

When people read your writing, they read your personality.

Persuasion

Stories: A Powerful Tool for Treating Unhealthy Behaviors

Bill Birchard on August 2, 2023

When the facts don’t persuade, be prepared with a story. They can tap into our emotions and imagination, helping us understand the impact of our unhealthy behaviors.

When the facts don’t persuade, be prepared with a story. They can tap into our emotions and imagination, helping us understand the impact of our unhealthy behaviors.

Artificial Intelligence

How to Beat ChatGPT

Bill Birchard on July 17, 2023

How to write better, using psychology that AI doesn’t have.

How to write better, using psychology that AI doesn’t have.

Cognition

Tapping the Power of “You”

Bill Birchard on May 12, 2023

The surprising cognitive effects of absorbing information in the second person.

The surprising cognitive effects of absorbing information in the second person.

Cognition

Writing With Emotion to Engage Readers

Bill Birchard on April 26, 2023

Want to make sure people get your message? Color it with the right emotion.

Want to make sure people get your message? Color it with the right emotion.

Relationships

Engage People by Keeping It Surprising

Bill Birchard on April 19, 2023

Trying to hold a reader's attention? Fight boredom with surprising specifics, emotions, insights, stories, and more.

Trying to hold a reader's attention? Fight boredom with surprising specifics, emotions, insights, stories, and more.

Cognition

Engage People by Keeping It Specific

Bill Birchard on April 12, 2023

Keep people’s eyes from glazing over when they read. Give them vivid details they can touch, feel, and see.

Keep people’s eyes from glazing over when they read. Give them vivid details they can touch, feel, and see.

Relationships

Engage People by Keeping It Simple

Bill Birchard on April 5, 2023

Looking for the easiest way to engage people? Try communicating with simple words and phrases.

Looking for the easiest way to engage people? Try communicating with simple words and phrases.