9 ways to increase the impact of your words
By Jessica Brown
Words are powerful, right? They certainly have the potential to be. I’m sure you’ve heard someone say that a book changed their life, or they heard someone speaking and felt insanely inspired… a lightbulb moment! Maybe it’s even happened to you.
But why are some speeches and pieces of writing more influential than others? And how can you make an impact on others with your words? To answer these questions, we need to look at a little thing called rhetoric.
Why is rhetoric important to you as a non-fiction author?
At a fundamental level, ‘rhetoric’ simply means ‘the art of writing and speaking effectively’. However, it is most commonly associated with persuasive communication and advertising. It has suffered a bit of a bad rep in the past due to its association with manipulative marketing and disingenuous politicians. But it can be used for a whole lot of good and, in the right hands, be harnessed to bring about real positive change… just think of Martin Luther King Jr and “I have a dream”! That was a man who had the art of rhetoric down pat!
Back to the basics
To understand the true essence of rhetoric, we have to take a trip way back to ancient Greece and dip into the teachings of the famous philosopher Aristotle. He said that rhetoric can be split into three levels: pathos, logos and ethos.
Pathos evokes an emotional response in your reader so that they feel more connected to you. When they feel connected to you, they are more likely to trust you; and when they trust you, they are less likely to be critical of what you have to say. Have you connected with your reader on a personal level, for example, by sharing your own experiences in relation to the point you are trying to get across?
Logos uses logic and rational thinking to convince people of your point. This is why some people need to know the science or the reasoning behind something before they make a decision. Is your point clear and structured logically? Can you back it up with credible evidence?
Ethos uses morals and ethics to convince people of your character. Have you shown your reader that you are trustworthy, responsible and authentic… a good egg? Have you communicated your values and shown how they align with the reader’s?
If you can hit all three, you’re onto a winner!
Getting down to sentence level
Understanding the theory of rhetoric is arguably essential when crafting messages that we want to be persuasive or inspiring in nature. However, when it comes down to the nitty gritty of writing them, how can you make sure your words are really hitting the mark?
Answer: rhetorical devices.
Aka certain techniques you can use in your writing that can help you communicate more effectively and persuasively. They work because they make your words stand out from a sea of text. Many use repetition in a way that sounds deliciously appealing to our brains. And they make our messages more memorable.
Political speech writers know all about the power of rhetorical devices. Next time you’re watching a politician or motivational speaker at work, look out for how many of the techniques they use from the list below.
When we understand how these tools work and how to use them, they can be equally powerful in your own writing, particularly if you are a thought leader, change-maker or writing a book where you want to encourage the reader to share your point of view or create a particularly memorable impact.
Ready to supercharge your writing’s persuasive potential? Let’s dive straight in…
Sorry, quick sidenote first and then we’ll start, I promise! Some of the names you’re about to read fall into the realms of ‘linguistics jargon’; as an editor, I know techy lingo is a cardinal sin and would normally avoid it at all costs, but I’ve included the official terms just in case you happen to be a word nerd like me. However, the real juice is in the explanations and examples.
1) Alliteration: using words that start with the same letter or sound in sequence (often three words).
“These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt
2) Anadiplosis: finishing a sentence with one word and then starting the following sentence with the same word or phrase.
“Because let me tell you, watching men fail up, it is frustrating. It's frustrating to see a lot of men blow it and win.”
- Michelle Obama
3) Anaphora: starting sentences with the same word or phrase
“What does it really mean to be a woman in Hollywood? We are not just objects to entertain the world. We are not simply images to bring smiles or grimaces to people's faces. We are not members of a giant beauty pageant meant to be pit against one another for the pleasure of the public.”
- Lady Gaga
4) Chiasmus: when the second part of a phrase or sentence is almost a mirror image of the first .
“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
- John F. Kennedy
5) Climax: writing clauses that increase in importance/intensity.
“I was just ten when more than 400 schools were destroyed. Women were flogged. People were killed.”
- Malala Yousafzai
6) Hyperbole (aka exaggeration).
“People like Hillary Clinton, who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters — and sons — can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher.”
- Michelle Obama
7) Metaphors: a way to describe something by referring to it as something else.
“And this, it’s like this thing that as a culture we hide. It’s like this big wound with a big ugly scab on it. And it’s just going to stay this itchy thing that we keep going back to until we just deal with it.”
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
8) Similes: a direct comparison of two things.
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.”
- Muhammed Ali
9) Three-part lists (I’m going to assume this one doesn’t need an explanation!).
“So let us bring equality, justice and peace for all.”
- Malala Yousafazi
Hopefully, I’ve provided you with a few tools you can add to your writer’s toolbox, which is great! But sprinkle in moderation. Too much of anything loses it’s impact pretty quickly, so these devices should be carefully cherry-picked for the exact right moments, rather than being thrown through your whole book with reckless abandon – that would be exhausting, for you and your reader.
Now, let’s go change the world, one word at a time!