Fifty-five years ago this weekend the Beach Boys released their album Pet Sounds. At the time...

* It was the least popular album they had done.

* Its singles were less successful than what came before.

* Critics were lukewarm.

* Many fans decided the band's best days were behind them.

Yet Pet Sounds is now one of the most influential and beloved recordings ever made.

The writing tip?

First reactions aren't always deep or valuable.

Wanna be a great writer -- even in PR and business? After you know what your client wants, give them your own best take on it, even if it's not like what's come before. It's the only way any writer (or artist!) stands out from the crowd.

Here are several things you can do right away to better engage the audience every time -- check the video!

Chances are you’d tell me how it looks. Amiright?

The thing is, there’s more to it than that. Description can include how something feels to the touch, how it smells, how it tastes, and how it sounds.

Stop limiting your descriptions to what you can see – it’s one more easy way to make your writing a lot more compelling. Check the video!

It’s hard to be creative on command, but here’s a simply way to make things more interesting for you… and for your readers.

Try the easy technique I explain in this 90-second video.

Don’t tell them it’s “great” or “interesting” or anything that depends on your opinion.

Instead, describe it literally and precisely.

A lesson from the beach!

Every *interesting* story has to answer three questions.

You have the answers? You have a story.

Don’t have the answers? Figuring them out will fix your story.

I call it the “Mamet Triplet.” 

Can you convey your idea in 90 seconds? Can you do it persuasively?

Whether it’s for reporters, investors, clients, partners, or anyone else, there’s a lot to learn about pitching from screenwriters. Here’s my recent finalist pitch for a screenplay, along with a nice set of dos and don’ts from screenwriting pros. Even if what you do is worlds away from the movie business, we get better at what we do–and set ourselves apart–when we go outside our own field.

(Image via The Independent) 

Here’s some great guidance from a former student of mine.

It’s in the form of a story about “Curious George.”

And it really happened. I’ll let him tell it. 

(Photo by Jason Stadel) 

Every big project is the result of many small achievements. You'll be shocked to find how quickly a few minutes a day can add up. Lemme give you some examples from my own experience.... JOIN THE MAGIC SHOW. CLICK HERE.

Don't just rehash the events. That's not compelling. A story is always about overcoming an obstacle. When your boss wants to tell a story -- how he or she succeeded, why the business does so well, how they paid for college -- begin by finding the problem that got solved. No problem = No story. First, find the problem. Everything else is secondary.