When I worked as a journalist, there was one thing you didn’t want to let an editor talk you into doing, and that was torquing your story.

Especially if you were an ethical journalist writing about issues you cared about.

To “torque” means to apply force to something, causing it to rotate or twist.

In journalismese, that means taking a piece of writing and playing up certain elements to make it more sensational, controversial, or sexy.

With a simple yet dramatic twist, ho-hum becomes ka-pow!

If, for example, the piece was about how a questionable chemical was found in the clothing fibers of a certain lingerie line, torquing the piece might involve a headline like: Your underwear might be killing you.

A little extreme, no?

But editors are trying to sell papers and clicks, and selling papers and clicks involves grabbing people by the collar–or worse. The irony, of course, is that with the proliferation of online media in recent years, it’s become even more critical that writers say something outrageous to get people’s attention. As a result, ethics have become more loosey-goosey.

These days, everything’s torqued.

Don’t believe me? Here’s a quick roundup of some recent headlines:

Children of Asian immigrants: get ready to cry like babies
I was raped in my sleep and guess what? I noticed
I hate breastfeeding and I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore
Girl scouts stand up for animals. In return, they get racism
Baltimore’s police are holding their city hostage

I’m sure you see what I mean: these headlines leap out at you. Some of them are shocking and even a little upsetting. You might want to click through just to find out if the piece is going to piss you off.

 

There’s a reason writers and editors torque. It works.

But what does this mean for you—the thoughtful, ethical entrepreneur, writing your way towards an outrageously successful business?

Simple. You can follow these tips to torque with integrity. Apply them to blogging, email marketing, guest posting, and even your website copy.

Note: It’s important you consider these tips BEFORE you start writing something new.

That’s because it’s all a matter of framing.

 

1. Write something nobody’s ever written before.

If this sounds like an impossible feat, stick with me. You’ve got this.

If you’re writing about a popular subject, as most of us are, all you need to do is make an effort to frame it in a new way. Is there an element of the story you can play up to make it seem more unique? Can you create a framework in which to explore old ideas in a fresh way—infused with your brilliant insights and unique personality?

Perhaps there’s a way to turn an old idea inside-out.

Maybe you can use an unexpected metaphor to describe something people are already familiar with.

Or maybe you just need to tell your own version of the story—that one’s guaranteed to be unique!

 

2. Take it a step further than you’re comfortable taking it

Before you start writing, ask yourself: is my concept or argument bold enough? What would happen if I pushed this idea one step further than I normally would?

Slightly stronger language might be all it takes. Scrolling through my blog post headlines, I realize I’ve used words like “painless,” “fearless,” “non-sleazy,” “jerk,” “existential,” and “smash.” Not necessarily words I use in every day speech, but in a headline they work wonders.

You might also need to take your piece a step further by framing it in a slightly more decisive, critical, or emotional way. Especially if you’re a sensitive soul, you might be downplaying your own message by treading too gently on the keyboard.

You can ALWAYS dial it back as you move through the piece and explain your thoughtful perspective. Don’t forget: you’re in control of the final product here. No editor is going to make you hit publish.

 

3. Add humour or narrative to crank up the wow factor

You’re getting close, but perhaps there’s still something missing.

Humour is a great way to safely grab someone’s attention—as long as your reader is in on the joke.

To play it safe, make the joke at your own expense. For example, Eight Lies I Told Myself To Survive My First Year in Business.

Here’s another example: if you’re a health coach writing about why you make smoothies every day, you could call your piece, “Why I’m a Fan of the Liquid Lunch” and start the piece with, “At our house, alcohol is saved for dinners and special occasions. At lunchtime, it’s all about the smoothie.”

Adding a few dramatic narrative elements can also make your writing pop. If you open a piece by zeroing in on a life-changing or controversial moment, you immediately heighten the intrigue. For example:

I never wanted it to happen like this.

Everyone in the restaurant was watching. He was down on one knee holding out a small black box.

I thought I might die of embarrassment.

Yes, you can go on to talk about how much you loved the guy and how you’re now happily married, yadda yadda.

Notice how much more compelling that was than this opening:

Since the beginning of our relationship, I knew I wanted to marry Rob: he was a nice, thoughtful guy and my parents loved him.

But I’d never been totally comfortable with the idea of a proposal. I thought it was a little old-fashioned. More than that, I’m a private person and the idea of being proposed to in public made me nervous…

Now, you could definitely move into this second, more nuanced section once you’ve already pulled your reader in. But the first opening is definitely more intriguing—don’t you think?

Ka-pow.

 

That’s it! Three tips for torquing with integrity.

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I’d love to hear from you. Do you think articles are too sensational these days? What might you try to torque with integrity?