Harriet Diamond - Writing

Writing: Following a Plan Can Help You from Start to Finish

By Harriet Diamond

creator of harrietdiamond.net

Today, almost everyone in business has to write something. English may have not been your favorite subject in school and you never thought that writing would be a part of your job in finance, customer service, or any one of numerous career choices. Take a deep breath and focus on the following: 1) you’re not writing the great American novel, and 2) you know your topic or you wouldn’t have been asked to write about it, and 3) the experience will end.

A process that helps both seasoned writers and novices includes five simple steps:

Identify your purpose and your audience: Know why you’re writing and for whom.

Outline: Get your major points down on paper. An outline doesn’t have to be an orderly event. A brainstorm outline is a page filled with ideas. The next steps are to identify like ideas; eliminate unnecessary ones; and then organize them.

Draft: The draft should be written without thought to grammar, usage, or editing. Just write. Some people write a draft first and then organize the points for structure.

Edit: Now check for grammar, usage, consistency, flow, and conciseness.

Rewrite: Make necessary changes.

Proofread: Your final look in the mirror.

Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it?

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