1. Words count – A general idea of the length of your piece can dictate how much information to include and help you maintain a better focus on what it will cover.
2. Work on a title – It can sometimes be better to save the name of your piece until the end, especially to take the pressure off the need to come up with a great, memorable title. A temporary, or working title, can serve as a jumping off point to help you focus on your subject matter.
3. Outline – Even just a brief list, a “mind map” with circled topics, or a flow chart of what you plan to write about can form a great starting point.
4. Three keys – Essentially, your article needs a beginning, middle, and an end. The beginning often contains the most important and attention-getting material, which piques people’s interest in reading the rest of the work. The middle is where you present further information, building on the beginning, and the end is often where you sum up your key points, however, you can do that in the beginning, too.
5. Your audience – Think of the people who will read your piece: their genders, their ethnicities, their ages, their lifestyles, their incomes, their jobs, and their education levels. This will help you narrow the topics for your subject matter, and put yourself in their shoes. Answer the questions they would ask, or ask them directly yourself what they think you should cover.
Quotes
“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” ~ A. A. Milne
“Bottom line is, if you do not use it or need it, it’s clutter, and it needs to go.” ~ Charisse Ward
Comments? Suggestions? Need help with your writing? Feel free to contact me.
Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com
