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Elevating Content with Semi-Colons

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In content marketing, the most common use of the colon is to introduce a bullet-pointed list, and, back in July, this Say It For You blog discussed this and two other ways writers can make use of the colon, including in two-part titles and to set the stage for dramatic reveals or punch lines.Today’s focus in on the semi-colon….

In the “Unsung Punctuation” section of Writer’s Digest, Ryan Van Cleave comes out “in support of the semicolon”. Which is “stronger than a comma, but less final than a period, offering a middle ground that creates balance and nuance.”. The semi-colon, he claims can:

  • connect ideas
  • untangle complexity
  • elevate your prose

But “mastering the balance” isn’t all that easy, Van Cleave cautions; the key is to use the semi-colon only when clauses are closely related in meaning. Don’t force the issue, but use the semi-colon sparingly to preserve its effectiveness, he advises. “Overuse can make writing feel formal or stilted.” Important to remember is that semicolons don’t pair with conjunction like “and” or “but”.

But, wait! Aren’t blog posts supposed to be easy to read and informal in tone? Do content marketers need to go back to high school English class?  Perhaps. According to author Joanne Adams, pay attention to proper spelling and grammar, and “people who read your writing will know, without a sliver of doubt, that you are somebody who really knows their $h*t”. Point of fact, Laura Mondragon writes, the semicolon does a job no other punctuation can do, and is often more “polite” than a period or exclamation point. “I got your email; I haven’t finished the project yet.” gets the point across simply and effectively.

 

I like Caitlin Berve‘s example of the way content “flow” is enhanced with a semi-colon: “He not only worries he will never return to the castle in the mist; he worries he won’t even remember the palace exists.” Yes, the clauses before and after the semi-color could be separate sentences, but a period would take away from the way the two halves fit together, she explains.

At Say It For You, while we aim for different levels of content readability depending on the target audience for each client’s business or professional practice, we believe that using proper grammar and punctuation, without “dumbing down” the material, shows respect for readers’ intellect – and for their time.

And, if the semi-colon can help “elevate” our content by connecting ideas and untangling complexity, bring it on!

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Yes, I Do Want to Hop on a Call — After You’ve Read My Blog Post

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Your colleague asks you a reasonable question.  You could take five minutes to write a cogent reply, but instead you say “Let’s hop on a call”.  What you’re really saying, Wes Kao opines in Entrepreneur Magazine, is that “I don’t want to do the work of clarifying my own thinking”. (It’ll be easier, you reason, to think out loud.) The problem isn’t calls, Kao explains; it’s defaulting to calls. When you draft a written reply and your audience takes time to read it and consider the content, everyone is in a better position to move forward, he emphasizes. By writing, Sarah K. Peck agrees,” you’re giving information that is helpful, documented, repeatable, and shareable”. In Rob’s Notes, the reviewer’s “take” is that Kao “encourages readers to invest in thinking and in crafting responses.”

As head of a content marketing team, I found this discussion in Entrepreneur especially interesting. At Say It For You, I’m always talking about the “training benefit” of blogging and content creation in general. While our business purpose is to present our clients as subject matter experts, a “side effect” for the business owners and practitioners themselves comes about in the process of conversing with us!  In essence, a blog is about giving readers information that is “helpful, documented, repeatable, and shareable”. The planning and exploratory conversations between owner and writer are, in effect, “training” entrepreneurs to better understand their own core business principles and practices

One very practical aspect of that “training” benefit accruing to entrepreneurs as they engage with their ghost writers has to do with the competition. Although one aspect of creating content about a business is comparing their products and services to others’, we “coach” our clients to emphasize the positive rather than “knocking” their competitor.  Rather than creating content about what the competition is doing “wrong”, we teach, the content needs to demonstrate what you value and the way you like to deliver your services.

And, for the very reason that Wes Kao encourages thoughtful written responses to workplace questions that arise, the process of creating content that will be “documented” and shareable, the process of owner/”ghost” collaboration results in productive self-examination and “training”.

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The Hero-With-Setting-With-Problem Content Marketing Model

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This week, our Say It For You blog is focused on different content marketing approaches, or “models”. In our last post we discussed the “I-Did-It” model, in which past failures are recounted as a jumping-off point for advice to readers on avoiding problems and overcoming obstacles. Today’s post presents a different content marketing approach….

 The default template for novels, Michael La Ronn explains, is very simple: – hero with setting with problem. Bestsellers “hook readers and never let go,” he explains, using the three parts of that template:

  • Hero – Readers must relate to the protagonist as a fellow human being and care about what happens to him or her.
  • Setting – In instructional nonfiction, La Ronn says, setting the scene ensures readers know why the information matters.
  • Problem – As a science fiction and fantasy author, La Ronn loves to tell stories about characters whose odds are stacked against them.

Each of the elements in the “hero, setting, problem” template is directly applicable to content marketing, we realize at Say It For You.  

Hero:
As Corey Wainwright of hubspot.com explains, “When your audience is reminded there are real life humans behind the scenes,” he says, “it becomes easier for them to trust your product or service.”  Two specific tactics he suggests are infusing a sense of humor into the content, and publishing photos of your team “being themselves”. Readers may be connecting with your content digitally, but it’s up to you to foster the human connection. 

Setting:

In content writing, the opening lines need to establish that readers have come to the right place to find the information they were seeking. Those opening lines establish the general “setting” for the specific focus of that day’s post. Establishing the setting includes clarifying the “slant” of the post – will readers find “how to” information? A list of sources for products? Some cautions and “don’ts? General definitions and categories?

Problem:
Friend and sales training expert Tim Roberts encourages finding before solving. While a salesperson needs to develop good problem-solving skills, finding a problem that the customer hasn’t considered is what makes a salesperson truly valuable, he teaches. What if, rather than simply answering online searchers’ queries, your content were to raise important questions? When content marketing really works, readers feel part of the process of solving, not only “asking”.

The hero-with-setting-with-problem model can be a very good fit for content marketing.

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Don’t Be Like Flynn or Like a Sore Thumb

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No one likes being around someone who “drinks like a fish” and “sweats like a pig”, Richard Lederer observes in a humor piece reprinted in my Mensa Bulletin. “Avoid cliché’s like the plague,” is Lederer’s tongue-in-cheek advice to content writers. One of the ironies of language is that vivid comparisons become clichés precisely because they express an idea so well, the author admits.  Later, though, these “like” phrases become hackneyed and lifeless, turning your calls to action and reader engagement into big “yawns”. In another book I found, Powerful Writing Skills, author Richard Anderson agrees with Lederer that one sure-fire way to bore readers is using clichés, which he feels numb readers’ senses.

As content writers at Say It For You, we know we must be constantly on the prowl for words and expressions that help online readers feel a connection with our clients’ businesses and professional practices. And sometimes, a familiar comparison can help readers understand the latest development in the field, or better comprehend the benefit of a product or service being offered. “Snowclones”, a form of cliché mentioned in The Book of Random Oddities, can be used to reinforce the benefits of an activity (“Knitting is the new yoga.”).

“Like” clichés provide sardonic and funny answers to the question “compared to what?”, and that question is one it’s crucial for content writers to address. That’s particularly true in citing numbers. Real numbers dispel false impressions people have about an industry and can be used to demonstrate the extent of a problem before you set about showing how you help solve that problem. However, numbers, when used in content marketing, tend to be tricky business. For every statistic about the company or about one of its products or services, even with the addition of comparisons, content writers must be careful to address every reader’s unspoken question – So, is that good for me (compared to what I am doing or using now)?

Comparison represents just one of many tools we content writers can use to get the point across, making the word “like” just about unavoidable “Like is a preposition you can’t refuse in our language,” Lederer observes.  But,  the author warns, use that word with caution. After all, you wouldn’t want your content to go over “like a lead balloon”!

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Photography and Storytelling – the Dynamic Duo

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Photography captures what words often cannot—raw emotion, fleeting moments, and visual impact. But storytelling gives those images depth, turning them into something more than just snapshots. Together, they create a compelling way to communicate, whether you’re informing, persuading, or connecting with an audience.

A single photo can grab attention in an instant. It sparks curiosity, evokes emotion, and tells part of the story. But without context, its meaning can be open-ended. Take a breathtaking sunset, for example—it’s beautiful on its own, but when paired with a personal reflection or a poem, it transforms into a shared experience, rich with meaning and emotion.

Studies show that combining visuals with text enhances memory and understanding. This is why a striking news photo with a caption can evoke empathy and drive action. In advertising, a product remains just an object until a story gives it purpose—why it exists, who it helps, and why it matters. Even on social media, posts with both images and captions see higher engagement because they capture both the eye and the mind.

Photography and storytelling aren’t just separate tools; they are a dynamic duo. One captures the essence, the other provides the voice. Used together, they create a powerful, immersive experience that resonates on a deeper level.

So take your photo. Tell your story. And watch it come to life.

 

Marty Moran is a seasoned photographer with many heartwarming stories and more than 45 years of experience in photography, including 20 years of full-time dedication.

Founder of two successful photography companies, Bello Romance Photography (wedding related) and Whitehot Headshot, Moran’s study of lighting gives him a leg up on the competition.

Marty Moran  317-912-4323

mmoran@whitehotheadshot.com

www.whitehotheadshot.com

 

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