Clear, persuasive writing can work miracles.
It can earn you respect at your company. It can save time for you, your colleagues, and every process in which you engage. It can demonstrate your thought leadership. It can multiply your social following.
But perhaps the more important thing it can do is to force you to think clearly.
Early in my career, a wise editor told me, “Good writing is simply good thinking.” It may come as a surprise to know that highly respected writers don’t necessarily have their thoughts fully formed when they begin an article or even a book. The thoughts evolve as the writing evolves. Jeff Bezos famously requires full written briefs before meetings, which all attending read silently. Besides giving everyone background before the discussion begins, it ensures that the presenter/writer has truly thought through whatever’s at stake.
So, give your writing what it needs to evolve, letting your message come into sharp focus as you work on it.
Make an outline
Sure, this is what your eighth-grade teacher espoused (at least mine did). But if it helps the fuzzy-thinker 13-year-olds, you can bet it will help you, too. Many decades later, I never begin writing without an outline, whether it’s for a blog post like this or a novel. Not only does an outline force me to gather my thoughts, once I can physically see them, I can rearrange or add to them. Always with the goal of clarity. Once everything lines up, you’re ready to write.
Write a “shitty first draft”
Iconic writer and writing teacher Anne Lamott has become known for this pearl of advice. Her point is to remove the stress of perfection and let ‘er rip. That’s the fastest and easiest way to get going and to have some real meat to work with. The hard work is actually in the editing not the writing, so this philosophy gets you past the resistance to starting. You’ll be surprised how letting yourself write without worry or self-editing often turns out a better draft than you expected.
Now think about a hook
The most important part of your text is the first paragraph or two. Writing today depends much more on getting the reader hooked right away than it did even twenty years ago. Is there an anecdote you can tell at the beginning that will get readers’ attention? Can you make a strong statement in one sentence as an opener? Can you describe the benefit of your point or product in a compelling way? You may be the kind of writer who can figure this out before you ever start typing. For me, I like to get the meat of the text organized and roughly in place, and only then fine-tune the hook. Do whatever works for you.
Cut, cut, cut
There is a 100% chance your first draft is too long. So now that you have something to work with, cut all the fat. And I mean all. The shorter it is, the better. So on the first run-through, delete words or explanations unnecessary to your point. If you’re not resisting a particular cut, it probably means you should axe it. Next, check for needlessly uppity words. Big words don’t make you look smart—simplicity and clarity do. Final step: Make it easy on the eyes. Use short paragraphs, short sentences, and bullet points when applicable.
Proofread like a pro
Pre-proofing these days is made easy with apps. If you don’t use Grammarly or ProWriting Aid, you should. At a minimum, use the built-in spell and grammar check. It’ll find 90% of your errors. The last mile is up to you, though. Long ago I worked as a proofreader, and our setup was two proofreaders reading copy aloud to each other all day. Reading your work aloud forces you to slow down and really see your words. It also makes it easier to find double words or harder errors to see when you skim copy you’re already familiar with. The good news is that while you should strive for perfect grammar and spelling, digital media means errors are correctable.
Finally, if you have the luxury of time, put the file away for an hour or a day. Then take a look at it with fresh eyes. Make your final changes, and hit send or publish. Well done! Putting your thoughts in writing is a gift to your colleagues, your reading public, and yourself.