I get to illustrate my own work (copy).
So I get to do what I’m always preaching: combine entertainment with valuable information: the idea being that people learn more easily when they’re relaxed and enjoying themselves.
A lot of the “entertainment” in my latest AVL post is visual (see above illustration). It serves to draw people in and get them reading.
A good illustration can also deliver an Aha! moment.
For example: the new AVL post is about valuation and insurance: your options for liability coverage when you move. It’s a classic case of dry subject matter that almost cries out for comic relief.
The “Aha!” moment comes midway through the article when I explain that you have to declare “items of extraordinary value.” Then (hopefully!) something clicks, and the “special treasures” illustration makes comedic sense.