Chapter 15. Creative Writing Techniques for Better Writing

"Yes," you agree, "the Mental Filing System is great for de­livering a speech without notes, but I have to write it down on paper first to organize it. I don't see how I can compose the whole thing mentally."

The ability to organize your theme without notes, to develop ideas in your mind involves creative writing techniques; and is one of the most valuable things this memory system can teach you. You will find it can be applied not only to speeches but to writing long letters and even articles.

Let me give you an example of the way I planned and de­livered a talk several months ago, using mental notes. I was to address a group of salesmen, outlining the general principles that every man who sells for a living ought to know as well as the name of his firm. As I had done a bit of research in the subject of salesmanship, I made a mental review of the prin­ciples I had learned from my reading and observation. A list of ten rules for any salesman formed the skeleton of my talk

I wrote them in order on a piece of paper and proceeded to file them in my Mental Filing System. Once they were filed I had no further need for the paper. This is the list:

TEN RULES OF SALESMANSHIP

1. Be prompt.
2. Be neat.
3. Don't talk about yourself.
4. Smile—be pleasant.
5. Tell the truth.
6. Don't ramble—get to the point.
7. Never argue.
8. Know your product thoroughly.
9. Be enthusiastic, and make your enthusiasm con­tagious.
10. Remember names and faces.

I shall not attempt to reproduce the mental images I formed to remember this list, for I am not presenting it as an exercise. However, you might try making up your own pictures on which to hang these rules.

In order to implement the creative writing techniques; I made use of every spare moment to ex­pand my images for these rules. I remembered, for example, what had happened to a salesman who lost a valuable customer for his firm by failing to be on time for an appointment. So I added him to the picture I had formed for rule one, and subse­quently introduced his story into my speech. Mulling over the importance of rule ten, Remember names and faces, I decided to tell my audience about John L. Horgan, the hotel manager who never forgets anyone's name and face. So I expanded my picture for rule ten by seeing Mr. Horgan and his hotel register behind the general-delivery window, shaking hands and call­ing everyone by name.

As I continued playing around with these ideas, I found to my surprise that I had enough material not only for this one speech but for a whole series of lectures, if necessary! I had baited the mental fishhooks, and the fish were coming to the surface faster than I could land them! In the end, my problem was not what to say, but what to eliminate for lack of time.

This may show you what I mean when I say that the filing of a mental outline is so valuable a part of the Mental Filing System. You see, when you write your ideas directly on paper, they tend to "jell," and you become convinced that you have said all there is to say on the subject. But when you set out your mental hooks, nibbles come right up out of your sub­conscious and you haul up ideas you never suspected were there.

A practical way of using these creative writing techniques in writing an article is to write down eight or ten points about your topic, which you want to develop. File these on your key words and play with them in your leisure time for a week or so. Then write down the ideas which you have been turning over in your mind. Give the system a trial for several weeks, choosing and developing one topic at a time. You may well discover that you have ideas to put across that other people are eager to hear, and you will be training your mind to make use of that ninety per cent of its ability which William James said is dormant and unde­veloped in the average man.

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