Charlotte's Sidekick Blog

I can’t say that I’m delighted to be writing this blog because, frankly that would be lazy, as someone pointed out to me a few weeks ago.

He informed me, with a smirk, that I was renowned for making people ‘delighted’ in my copy and that there must be better words to use and more creative ways to put it. I have to say that I haven’t made anyone ‘delighted’ since!

I do now grin, just a little, when I read that someone is ‘delighted’ over a new sponsorship deal, or ‘delighted’ that their business has won a new contract or ‘delighted’ that they’ve joined a new company.

These people could be pleased, thrilled, think it is wonderful, over the moon, pleased as punch, happy as Larry or just plain chuffed,  but they will never be delighted again, not in my copy.

I’ve been amazed by just how many times I’ve hit the d button when typing a quote, it has been swiftly followed by the delete key and replaced with a suitable alternative.

The comment, while said without malice, got me thinking about habits and training and how difficult it is to break them. If you’ve done something a certain way for a long time it is never easy to make the change. However, change this habit I will, and the better for it my copy will be (sorry I seem to have slipped into Yoda talk – I will find my own voice!).

I have one client who right from the get go said that she wouldn’t be ‘delighted’ and never to make her ‘delighted’, so I didn’t, but everyone else was fair game.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that making someone ‘delighted’ is not a terrible thing to do and I’m sure it is not my only writing crime – but now that it has been pointed out and I am acutely aware of it I’ll be delighted not to make anyone ‘delighted again’ (well if you can’t make yourself delighted then who can!).