“But” Is a Stopper: The Difference between Marketing and Fictional Writing

When I decided to become a writer of fiction, I wasconfident I could leverage my 25 years of experience as a corporatecommunications writer for biotech and high tech companies. I figured if I couldwrite a decent press release – which even includes dialogue in the form ofquotes – I should be able to write a novel. After all, writing is writing.
Well, yes and no.   I realized the “no” when, after reading my firstnovel, a colleague said that I really needed to let go of the marketingtendencies.  There’s no need torepeat things – “we mystery readers get it the first time.”
That started me thinking. What other habits of marketingwriting was I instilling into my fictional novels?
First, marketing writing is geared to influence the readerto “do” something—to buy a product, to listen to a recording, to watch a video,to read a flyer, to consider investing. Ooops! - I had chosen to write mysteries to entertain.
So what writing tendencies had crept into my fictionalwriting?
Early in my marketing writing career I learned a few keyrules:
(1) Target your recipients and address their needs –this may even require some surveys to understand the gap between what yourreaders know and what you want them to know. Understand what they read, and howthey read it. Also, consider that your readers are your potential customers.
(2)  Clarify what you want to say to help achieve the results you want
(3) Write your key messages and supporting messagesahead of time so that you can integrate them into all document
(4) Back up your key messages with supportingdata
(5) Repeat your message at least three times – moreif possible. 
(6)   Never use “but” – it’s considered a stopper,that is, people stop reading when they see that word.
(7) Write short, succinct sentences
(8)  Use action verbs; no passive tense·  Of course, there are many more guidelines attached toeffective marketing writing. But (please keep reading) you should get the idea– marketing writing is intended to influence.  Admittedly so is some fictional writing – but its first goalis to entertain.
When I wrote my first novel, I was very careful never to usethe word “but.” I did indeed repeat references to assure that the reader picked up key points, and Iincluded lots of backup information to substantiate statements and provide context.  Those are the misguided things I did.
However, there are some valuable lessons to apply to fictionwriting from that of marketing writing. Perhaps the most valuable is to targetyour reader.  People are different,and we can’t write to all of them. By defining the potential readers – our targetmarket, so to speak – we can write to them with the intent that they will bemore likely to enjoy our stories. 
By selecting mystery as a genre, I made the first targetingdecision. I chose to reach out to readers who enjoy a good puzzle.  I also decided that my target readerspreferred less violence, more character development; a little romance, but nottoo graphic. And that they want to learn something – but not too much.
In addition, I have also leveraged certain writing skillsfrom marketing, such as, the use of action verbs, reduction of passive voice,and prevalence of succinct sentences. I have been able to build on those simpleguidelines. And I have also used many of my marketing skills to help me promotemy book. 
Nonetheless, I have learned to appreciate the differences –I even use “but” occasionally.
Joyce T. Strand, AuthorJillian Hillcrest Mysteries