Charles Dickens famously used balance to introduce A Tale of Two Cities:
It was the best of times; it was the worst of times Repeat and reverse, add and or so and other ways to bring balance to your message. Image by Oleksandr Lytvynenko
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair …
To create balance, you might steal a tip from Dickens and:
1. Repeat and reverse.
Start with your original idea
Repeat and reverse
It was the best of times.
It was the worst of times.
It was the age of wisdom.
It was the age of foolishness.
It was the epoch of belief.
It was the epoch of incredulity.
It was the season of Light.
It was the season of Darkness.
It was the spring of hope.
It was the winter of despair.
2. Add don’tornot before the second phrase.
Start with your original idea
Add ‘don’t’ or ‘not’ and repeat
If you aren’t willing to own a stock for 10 years …
… don’t even think about owning it for 10 minutes.
We are here to make money with you …
… not off of you.
I bear a message of challenge …
… not self-congratulation.
I want your attention …
… not your applause.
3. Add “and” or “so” before the second phrase.
Start with your original idea
Add ‘so,’ ‘and’ or ‘as well’ and repeat
If you suffer …
… we will suffer
If we prosper …
… so will you.
This printer will resonate with the CFO …
… as much as it does with the CEO.
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Use concrete details in your press release lead
Specifics sell products, services & ideas The internet coffee pot. Word of the year. The Dust Bowl. Details like these...
