How to Write Like Donald Miller in 3 Easy Ways

If you know how to write like Donald Miller, you’ll see a massive improvement in your write-up as the message you tell you audience becomes clearer and more understandable.

Why is it important to know how to write as he does?

Reading grammar textbooks and dictionaries is not enough. Although they can help sentence structure and word choice, they’re almost unhelpful for clarifying a message.

Engaging the audience is a writer’s main challenge. Therefore, knowing how to write like Donald Miller can help improve your writing and engage your readers.

Who is Donald Miller?

Before we get to the juicy stuff, we have to first know who Donald Miller is.

Donald Miller is the founder of StoryBrand Framework. He wrote “Business Made Simple” and “Blue Like Jazz.” Besides these New York Times bestselling books, Miller also wrote “Building a StoryBrand,” “Marketing Made Simple,” and many more.

Donald Miller may not be the best global writer, but his write-ups are unarguably powerful and engaging. If we set his works as a model, we will surely learn a lot from him.

How to Write Like Donald Miller?

Each person has a unique voice. Although you won’t write exactly like Donald Miller does, you can get some tips to improve your writing.

Test the Idea on Social Media

Twitter is the best social media choice for most writers and journalists. It gives writers a chance to find out if their next book will be a hit or flop.

Try tweeting a passage from your book idea and see the audience’s reactions within a few days.

Compile this passage into a note, and do it again for another one.

If the passages gain consistent positive reactions, it has the audience’s interest.

Do Not Be Vague

To write like Donald Miller, avoid delivering a vague message using these four ways.

First, do not write for the general audience. Targeting specific readers can help your writing convey a clear, engaging, and informative message.

If you know who to write for, you’ll empathize with your target audience and determine the pain points you can address in your write-up.

Second, don’t confuse your readers with flowery words. Use what your readers can understand.

Fancy, complicated words won’t impress them even if you could write all the words in the dictionary in one article.

Third, replace adjectives with verbs. If you want to write like Donald Miller, allow your readers to envision what you want to tell them in their minds. Write by showing your readers how things happen instead of just describing them.

For example, if you want to say, ‘my neighbour is kind.’ Don’t just write, ‘my neighbour is kind.’ Illustrate it.

Write ‘my neighbour sends me gifts once a week’  or ‘my neighbour fixes my turf.’

Replacing the adjectives with action words engages the readers and helps them visualize what’s going on in the story.

Fourth, to write like Donald Miller, avoid using the conjunction ‘that’ as much as possible.

‘That’ typically isn’t necessary. It only adds to the fluff and makes a write-up weak. Amateur writers use this word to sound intelligent, but it backfires most of the time.

To avoid using ‘that’, write a draft and remove the unnecessary ‘that’ words you can find.

Stay Motivated

Feeling unmotivated from time to time is natural. There are days when all you want to do is sulk around and be in the bed all day.

If you’re in this situation, finding role models who have overcome challenges and fulfilled their calling can help.

Surrounding yourself with a positive and supportive network also feels uplifting.

Most of all, think about your readers who are waiting to read the next chapter of your write-up. To write like Donald Miller, do it for your readers.

Writing is not about you unless you’re writing a personal journal. If you want someone to read your work, think that writing is about the readers and their expectations. Writing with your readers in mind helps you convey a clear and understandable message.

Make them your inspiration, and you’ll see yourself feeling motivated.

If you want to write like Donald Miller, remember these three things:

Keep your readers in mind.

Do not use flowery words.

Make your readers visualize your story.

Writing gives you the power to change and impact other people’s lives. Because of this, it has become a crucial part of every business. Don’t waste this power by confusing your audience.

Knowing how to write like Donald Miller can improve your writing, allowing you to write clearly and engagingly. Your readers will listen and respond to you, which is highly beneficial if you’re an entrepreneur.

If you want some help in writing a clear message for your campaigns, find a Storybrand guide in Australia.