There are as many reasons to write as there are ways to write. You might be writing a book — a memoir, a “do-it-yourself” guide, a work of fiction or history. You might be writing an assignment for school, an email to your team or an invitation to your next epic party. You might be blogging! The list goes on.
No matter what you’re writing, a little planning can help. Here are some things to think about.
Who’s your audience?
Before you start writing, you need to know who your audience is. Who is the intended reader or what’s the intended purpose? If the message is going to a broad audience, how will you ensure you write in a way that gives the intended reader the information they need. For example, a photographer who is planning a photoshoot may ask the subjects in the photos to sign a legal document releasing their image for publication. Is the audience for this form the people whose photos will be taken or the legal firm who will keep these documents on file?
Getting at your true audience may require a little research. Talk to people who are familiar with the audience or perhaps even spend a little time with them. More formal research techniques like telephone or online surveys might be needed.
How will you write?
Knowing who you’re writing for will help you decide how you want to write. Here are some examples.
Writing in a conversational way is more personal and should come across as if you’re having a two-way conversation. It will include shorter sentences, personal pronouns and, yes, contractions! A good strategy is to read your copy out loud after you’ve written it. Does it sound like something you’d say?
You can use conversational writing when your audience is more informal or your topic is casual. Letters to family members or invitations or flyers inviting you to a sporting event, are just two examples. Blogging also falls into this category!
Even though the writing is conversational, it should still be clear of slang and grammatical errors. Watch for passive sentences that make your copy harder to read and avoid nasty spelling errors.
Business writing is a more professional way to write. This might include preparing business letters, forms and proposals. You might also be writing for instructional purposes or to deliver key changes to a business.
When you’re writing for business, it’s important to be concise, accurate and clear about what you want the reader to take away from your message and what action you want them to take.
It’s also important to consider the layout of your content. Is it easy to scan and read? Are you using headings or graphics to engage the reader? Depending on the length of your communication, you want to make sure your readers capture the key points, even if all they do is scan.
Contractions are a choice in business writing, but it’s unlikely you’ll see them in legal documents.
An essay is a well-researched and well-thought-out document that presents a point of view. There are a number of parts to a well-written assay. Generally, you’ll start by laying out a compelling thesis that hooks readers into the ideas you’re about to present. There’s background and there are support points.
Each paragraph in an essay should clearly represent a point in your argument, including any research or data you collected that supports your content. The document will also cite sources.
Whatever you’re writing, or whoever you’re writing for, keep your messages clear and concise. You want the reader to understand what you’re saying, find the information they need and know how to act on it.
Now let’s write!
Writing for you. 