Many famous writers, like Ann Handley, use the "So What? Because" method in their writing. Your blog posts may not be effective without this method. But what is it? And why should you use it in writing? I'll help you to answer these questions.
What is the "So What? Because" Method?
"So What? Because" is an effective method anyone can use to support and explain their ideas. In Content Writing, many experts use it to produce smooth idea flows for their blog posts or any kind of content.
Its formula is simple. All you need to do is ask So What? and answer Because.
Why is the "So What? Because" Method Important in Content Writing?
The "So What? Because" exercise is critical. It's because it helps you build supporting ideas for your key point with ease.
The key idea is the key value you want to convey to your readers. But why does it matter to the people you're trying to reach? To prove it matters, you need to support the core point with relevant examples and contexts. This allows you to convince readers that your content is helpful and worthy.
But giving supporting ideas isn't always an easy task. That's why the "So What? Because" jumps in. This query allows you to make relevant ideas around the key point clear and easy to understand.
According to Ann Handley in Everyone Writes, asking "So What?" and answering "Because" help relate the core idea to your readers. This helps them understand how your content best serves them.
If you can't answer the question "So What?", the next reaction of your readers will be like the meme above, "Who care?!". And when no one cares about your content, you'll fail.
How to Get Started With "So What? Because"
Building the key point isn't a daunting task. But supporting it is a big challenge for many writers.
So to produce supporting ideas for the topic, you need to ask "So What?" as many times as necessary. But when should you stop? The answer is until you've exhausted any ability to come up with answers.
Looking back to how I applied this method to write the second part of this blog post:
The "So What? Because" exercise is critical.
So what?
Because it helps you build supporting ideas for your key point with ease.
So what?
Because the key idea is the key value you want to convey to your readers. To prove it matters, you need to support the core point with relevant examples and contexts.
So what?
Because this allows you to convince readers that your content is helpful and worthy.
So what?
Because giving supporting ideas isn't always an easy task. That's why the "So What? Because" jumps in.
So what?
Because it allows you to make relevant ideas around the key point clear and easy to understand.
So what?
Because according to Ann Handley in Everyone Writes, asking "So What?" and answering "Because" help relate the core idea to your readers.
So what?
Because it helps them understand how your content best serves them.
So what?
Uhm... Because it ... (To be honest, I exhausted my idea here. And my idea is clear enough, so it doesn't need any support.)
You can use this method to improve your writing skills and give clearer messages.
How This Method Helps Me Improve Writing Skills
I knew "So What? Because" a long time ago because reading Everyone Writes by Ann Handley. My prominent professor at university mentioned this technique when I was a senior.
I remembered his words that day, "asking yourself So What until you find the final answer". But I hadn't found a proper way to apply it in my life.
Not until six months that I had to take the IELTS exam and get the score before graduating from university. But my writing skills were too bad because of ill-organized ideas.
Only six months to improve my writing skills sounded impossible. But I then applied the "So What? Because" exercise so many times in writing until I had my ideas better organized and clearer.
Finally, I got a 6.5 in IELTS Writing after six months. It wasn't a so good score for many people. But for a person who was bad at writing like me, it was a big success.
Final Words
After many years of using "So What? Because", I realize it's the ongoing process of putting yourself in readers' shoes. You have to imagine if you were a reader, what would you expect next to make you convinced.
Exercising this method every day is helpful not only for your writing. But it's also useful in your daily decisions, regardless of their importance.
I hope this blog post helps you understand what it is, why it's important and how to exercise it.