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The intonation of your voice along with your passion and understanding of your presentation's subject can make a huge difference in how your audience perceives your speech. Use this guide.

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Bourree Lam: How did you get into speechwriting?

Jayne Benjulian: After grad school, I was writing commercials in New York and I saw this 2-inch by 2-inch ad in the back of Adweek. The ad was for a copy chief at Apple. So I sent my portfolio, and in August I was hired and flying over the brown hills of Northern California. My first day at Apple was Halloween 1984. The Mac had been introduced in January-actually you can see the lost video on YouTube -so what a shock it was for a New Yorker to walk into a company where everyone was dressed in Halloween costumes. It was a huge change in culture. I was shown to my office and, on the counter, there was a Mac.

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Lam: So you were hired as the copy chief, and then got into speechwriting?

Benjulian: I started writing speeches very shortly-about a month-after I got there. Pretty soon, I was doing two full-time jobs, and this is classic Apple. So I said, "Hey, I'm doing two full-time jobs. I think I should choose one of them to do." I was asked which one I wanted to do, and I said I wanted to be a speechwriter.

At the time, Apple had one or two freelance speechwriters and I was told they weren't going to fire them until we see how you do. So I wrote a speech, and that was the end of the freelance speechwriters and I started doing this full-time. Very shortly after, I started hiring journalists and training them in research and writing to do speeches, and that became Apple's first speech department. When I left, there were two full-time speechwriters and two researchers.

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What It Was Like to Write Speeches for Apple Executives

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Bourree Lam: How did you get into speechwriting? Jayne Benjulian: After grad school, I was writing commercials in New York and I saw this 2-inch by 2-inch ad in the back of Adweek. The ad was for a copy chief at Apple.

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We all have the ability to write, some have just had more practice than others.
The bottom line is this: You CAN write!
You, yes you, the one reading this!

"No Matt, I don't have that creative spark, besides I write slow ... I could never make a career out of online writing."

I reject that statement and I instead submit my own:

There are tons of ways to hone your writing skills and help you find the pace that leads to writing success. Whether you're a writer now or you want to become one, today's Writer's Guide to Success will have something for everyone!

Here's the road map for today (quick links):

Today's infographic is focused on making you the best writer you can be. Check out the amazing topics it covers:

Check out the infographic below and don't forget to share it with your fellow writers!
Want to embed this bad boy?

Copy the snippet below & paste right into your text

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I'll admit, there are people out there who aren't writers, either because they don't want to be, or they think it's a cool idea, but don't have the drive to become one through hard work because it's not something they're passionate about.

If you're here, that means there's a part of you that knows you want to be a writer, but you're not sure if you've got what it takes. I'm here to tell you that you do, and

I'm here to tell you that you do, and here's 10 signs that you've got a bad case of the writer gene:
8. You Absolutely Hate Editing
To some of us, these will be jokes, but to others they will be a revelation. Either way, if at least one of these caught your eye, read on to learn the ultimate ways of honing you new found skills.

We all want to be a better writer.

Wanting to be a better writer and actually putting in place good habits that will help you be a better writer are entirely different things.

When I first started out, I was nowhere near polished.

I've worked diligently and meticulously over these years and I've finally found what works.

Now that you've read all about the ways to become successful as a writer, it's time to discover the ways that you can hone your craft and make everything you put on paper shimmer like gold.

There's a quote from Einstein that I love:

" If you can't explain it to a six-year-old, you don't understand it yourself."

People online don't want Shakespearean novels, in fact, they have incredibly short attention spans. Focus on explaining things in a simple and concise manner, no matter how complicated it may be.

2. Never Force Yourself to Write

Repeat after me: "I will never write my best if I force it."

It's true. Think about how often you've come up with an awesome idea while taking a shower.

Try listening to ambient music, lighting a scented candle, or take a quick walk around the house/office.

Relaxing and chilling out allows your body to release a rush of dopamine which fuels those moments of pure inspiration!

It was also help you stay away from critical errors.

If you want someone to do something as part of your call to action or as part of a how-to-guide, use these seven powerful words:
"All I need from you right now."
Say this and you'll not only have their attention, but you'll also prepare them to take whatever steps you need from them.

4. Read Your Writing Out Loud

This is an important, but often overlooked step. We always say that you should write for people, not search engines, but how do you know the difference?

Try reading your writing out loud and see if it sounds like a human being crafted it, not some sort of broken word generator. Trust me, when you read it like this, you'll know the difference.

5. Understand Your Motivation

Ask yourself "Why am I writing this?" Who is it for, and what's the point?

I don't mean that in a negative way, but if you know why you're there and what your purpose is, you'll find that coming up with ideas and motivation is much, much easier.

Figure out why you're writing, what you want to get out of it, and what you want people to do with the information you give them.
Final Thoughts
There's no magical secret behind great writing. It comes with plenty of hard work and the right attitude. This writer's guide will help you focus and hone your skills, plus it will give you plenty of advice to improve your productivity in the process.

Apply these newly found skills to starting your own blog or finding new ways to promote your work.

Don't forget to share the infographic and offer your own writing tips in the comments below!

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Writer's Guide to Success [Infographic] | On Blast Blog

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We all have the ability to write, some have just had more practice than others. The bottom line is this: You CAN write! You, yes you, the one reading this! "No Matt, I don't have that creative spark, besides I write slow ... I could never make a career out of online writing."