Writelife

I was reading an item about social networks and saw something in it related to writing that I take issue with.

It was a Business Week item from December 12, “The MySpace Generation” and it went: “But young consumers may follow brands offline — if companies can figure out how to talk to youths in their online vernacular.”

That’s not true. You don’t have to figure out a vernacular, you just have to have something worth communicating. People, young and old, don’t read or listen to things because of the vernacular but because there is something worth paying attention to. Were a company to enter a social network with smoke and mirrors but lots of vernacular they would be “outted” very quickly.

Vernacular is also very different depending on the group - not just its age. A group of young people who are into tech development will have a very different vernacular than a group of young people into fashion.

In fact, I think nothing will kill you quicker than trying to be something you are not. Or, as someone I work with put it, “There’s nothing worse than making yourself uncool by trying to be cool.”

Besides, if you respect your audience you’ll know that what you are saying is what is important to them, not how you say it. (Well, assuming you’re articulate.)

Tags: Writing, Vernacular, Language, Social Networks

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