By Michael Stelzner
During your journey as a writer, projects may have taken you to beautiful and safe Rivendell-type opportunities. If you are experienced, you have also stumbled into the dark, dangerous and unfamiliar Helm’s Deep. Perhaps your journey is just beginning or you are well on your way but the destination is unclear. Are you a “Frodo,” “Aragorn” or “Legolas” writer? Each has a unique style and advantages suited to specific types of writing. Much can be learned from J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic The Lord of the Rings characters.
Aragorn: Writing for kings
The leader of the Rangers and the future king of Gondor, Aragorn is a knowledgeable warrior, pathfinder and healer. Able to focus on big issues and leadership, an “Aragorn” writer looks at the big picture and focuses on challenges that are relevant to leaders. The “Aragorn” writer avoids features and technical discussions while focusing on problems, benefits and implications. If you are “Aragorn,” you speak a language that is easy to understand and get to the heart of critical matters quickly.
Legolas: Writing with precision
Legolas, an elf, is fast, calculating and possesses incredible vision. He is always the first to draw an arrow in battle and knows how to thread his way through the most treacherous forests, noiseless and unseen. “Legolas is a scout, a hunter, a woodland elf, with deep personal connections to the natural world, but not to the policies, lore, history and problems of the lords and stewards of his race” (source). The “Legolas” writer is one who demonstrates how things work with detail. If you are a “Legolas” writer, you are able to transcribe the most technical processes with a keen ability to convey the innermost workings of any topic.
Frodo: Writing to bridge worlds
Frodo, a hobbit, was chosen to step outside the comfort of the Shire and into very foreign places that required an open, sharp mind. When encountering other races, Frodo tries to speak their languages and observe their customs. His uncle, Bilbo Baggins, reminded him, “You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.” The “Frodo” writer lives in both the world of Aragorn and the world of Legolas. Able to bridge technical concepts and higher-level benefits, Frodo represents a unique opportunity to address the how and the why in a single written piece. If you are a “Frodo” writer, not only do you speak and translate technical processes, you can understand and convey higher-level benefits.
Those who seek to master business-to-business writing should seek the path of Frodo. The adventure will be very rewarding as you become able to tackle any project.
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring.
Renewed shall be the blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”
- The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring
Michael A. Stelzner is author of the popular paper entitled “How To Write a White Paper,” is a “Frodo” writer and has survived Helm’s Deep assignments. He can be reached at mike@stelzner.com.
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