We reflect the gold they didn’t even know they had. That’s the job. It’s not showy. It’s not always credited. But it’s essential. You’re the one who can hear narrative tension in a throwaway anecdote. You know how to ask, “Tell me more about that?” in a way that leads to something honest. You can see — sometimes before they can — how the story will land.

The simple act of articulating your challenges, of hearing others voice their own, can be profoundly liberating. It breaks the illusion of isolation, reminding you that you are not alone in this journey. It validates your feelings, dispels the guilt, and provides a sense of belonging.

Compare a bland description like, “This lamp brightens up your room,” with, “Change your living space with our elegantly designed lamp—it’s like inviting a gentle sunset into your home.” The second description doesn’t just sell a lamp, but an experience.

Truth be told, spending prolonged periods in an urban environment can create a disconnect from these fundamental, often overlooked, aspects of communication. We become accustomed to the sophisticated jargon, the sleek visuals, and the calculated marketing strategies of the urban world. But the hinterland offers a stark contrast, a reminder of the power of simplicity, authenticity, and raw, unadulterated creativity.

Like Tajha, I now work with businesses to distil their identity into words—words that are sharp, specific, and emotionally resonant. When she spoke about AI tools, it wasn’t in the voice of a technophile or a sceptic. It was a realistic evaluation from someone who’s watched the newsroom become the brand studio and seen the red pen yield predictive text.

Centre your narrative around the emotions you wish to evoke. Ask yourself: What do I want my readers to feel after reading this? Joy, hope, empathy? Ensure every sentence contributes to that emotional journey.

At first glance, writing for children may seem like a task of simplifying language or telling whimsical tales, but in reality, it is much more than that. It is a journey back to joy, a reminder to embrace life with curiosity and kindness, and a way to rediscover the hope that resides within us.

Unlike visuals, which engage the cognitive processing centres of the brain, sounds directly stimulate the limbic system, the seat of emotions and memory.
Neuroscience confirms this: specific sounds trigger specific neural pathways, evoking feelings of joy, fear, nostalgia, and everything in between.

Then, I dove into Instagram Stories – the ones where people hold their phone way too close to their face, sigh dramatically, and say, “Okay, so here’s the deal…”

That’s where the truth lives.

People spill their unfiltered thoughts in Stories, comments, and tweets. They don’t hold back. What frustrates them? What excites them? What makes them rant to their best friend on WhatsApp? That’s the gold.