When I say “words are literally magic” I mean…
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When I say words are literally magic, I mean…
Words are literally magic.
Here, let me prove it.
One of my favorite writing lessons to teach college students is the etymology essay.
In high school, they were writing those 5 paragraph essays and were more focused on grammar, spelling, and argument than on building genuine curiosity about their topic. (Remember those?)
Side note: this is 100% not their fault, but I’ll save my criticism of the US education system for another day.
Etymology, though — the history of words they use every day — that sparked real intrigue, genuine surprise, and often a few laughs.
They were instantly transformed into researchers — which was, of course, my goal.
But, I mean, we should look at an example, right???
Nerd out with me for a minute.
According to Merriam Webster, one of the three origins of the word “spell” (the magical one) is from the Germanic noun spel and “refers to talk, storytelling, gossip, and a sermon.”
Consider my curiosity sparked!
Let's keep researching...
Spells, very literally, developed alongside language and were not just included in, but the subject of some of the earliest known writings.
From Owen Davies (Professor of Social History at University of Hertfordshire):
“This urge to provide a tangible magical archive dates right back to the ancient civilization of Babylonia in the second millennium BCE. But grimoires also exist because the very act of writing itself was imbued with occult or hidden power.”
🤯
I’ll include further reading options at the bottom of the email, but in summary…
Words are literally magic.
So now you’re probably wondering… what does all this have to do with marketing my creative business, Nicole?
Right. So if words are literally magic (indisputable, frankly), and if your marketing is made up of words and images (which it is)...
Then your marketing is literally magic.
And there is very practical magic (and great responsibility) in learning to use these words well.
And this week’s prompt is as good a place to start as any! So without further ado…
Your weekly marketing prompt
Okay, you may have seen this coming! I’m going to give you the exact prompt that I give to my college students. I promise, it is so super fun.
Step 1: Pick a word from your field. If you’re a dancer, something like “step” or “measure” might do! If you’re a yoga teacher, you could try “stretch” or “align.” (You don’t need to look for anything obscure.)
Step 2: Look up the word in the dictionary! I recommend Merriam-Webster because it’s legit and free.
Step 3: Scroll down to the Word History/Etymology section and see if anything there sparks your curiosity. If not, go back to step 1 and try another word (genuine curiosity is paramount).
Step 4: Freewrite to see where this word takes you!
Aside: If you’re new to me (hi, welcome!) then you should know that I HIGHLY recommend writing on paper first (if that’s accessible to you). Set a timer for 5 minutes and write non-stop — even if that means you write the same word over and over for a bit. There’s something about keeping your hand moving that gets your brain to come up with things you couldn’t have thought of any other way.
Step 5: Edit and share with your audience! Even if you cut your freewriting down to just one good sentence or phrase. You can use it to spark a story, a conversation, something that helps you build connection or trust with your audience.
As always, my emails are open if you want to send me anything you’ve written (please do!). I’ll respond with some thoughts on polishing it for your audience.
Until next week,
Nicole
P.S. You know what else has been around since 2,000 BCE? Non-binary and trans folx! Here’s info on how you can help trans youth in TN right now (even if you don’t live there).
Further Reading
Davies, Owen. Grimoires: A History of Magic Books. Oxford University Press, 2010.
“Spelling out the History of 'Spell'.” Merriam-Webster.
Emma and Hester, hosts. “Queering the Map, Queer Timelines, and a Bookstore in Chicago.” Safe Space, Uncovered Group, 10 Feb. 2023.
