Strengthen Your Writing

Weak writing is like weak coffee.  What's the point of drinking it at all if it packs no punch?  Writing that packs no punch lacks purpose.  It's just words on a page.  Purpose is everything in writing and purpose is conveyed through strong writing that is concrete and focused.  There are several tools you can employ to strengthen your writing and lift it from mediocre prose to clear, purposeful messaging:

• Diction:  Diction is your choice of words and it's important to choose words carefully.  This involves keeping your purpose at the forefront and choosing words that will convey your purpose most effectively.  For example, if your purpose is to influence readers to react with outrage, then you will choose words that will inflame and arouse them.  If your purpose is to inspire readers, then you will choose words that are magnanimous and uplifting.  Molding your words to your purpose through effective diction will strengthen your writing and advance your purpose.

• Syntax:  Syntax is how you order your words.  This creates rhythm, momentum and artistry in your writing.  For example, if you want to emphasize certain points or scenes, short, terse sentences create that emphasis.  If you want to draw out an analogy or scene, longer, more fluid sentences create that smoothness and encourage closer examination by readers.  The way you order your words is also the way your express your creativity as an artist and develop your own unique voice and style.  Using syntax to express your purpose will strengthen your writing and enhance its creative impact on readers.

• Details:  Details are both factual and sensory.  They are the specific bits of evidence you provide to readers to express your purpose.  Details should be concrete and easily visualized.  For example, if you want readers to really see an object in their mind's eye, you will provide ample specific detail to help them see it, such as color, shape, texture, etc.  If you want readers to imagine a setting, you will provide fewer details that are more general in nature, such as temperature, lighting, weather elements, etc., and let the readers fill in the details through their own experiences.  Using detail effectively will strengthen your writing and help your readers to be active participants in the word pictures you paint.

• Tone:  Tone is the attitude beneath the surface of your writing and it's essential to achieving your purpose.  Tone is achieved through the other elements discussed above.  The words you choose, the way you put them together and the number and type of details you provide all dictate your tone.  For example, if you want to engender a sense of discontent or protest in your readers, you will choose words that provoke their sensibilities.  You will provide shorter, tenser sentences that convey your message's urgency, and you will provide specific, concrete details that help build your case.  All of these elements work together to convey your purpose and strengthen your writing by expressing its underlying meaning.

• Grammar:  This is the necessary evil that all good writing requires.  Grammatical errors can weaken even the strongest images and ideas.  Readers may not be grammar experts, but they know when errors happen and it undermines your credibility as a writer.  It's important to refresh your grammar skills regularly and utilize all the readily available resources you can to help you write clearly and effectively.  This will strengthen your writing and improve your success.  There is no shortcut when it comes to grammar.  Your job as a writer is to study and master it.

Strong writing is essential to a writer's success.  It expresses purpose, attitude and meaning.  Through clear, concrete word choice, creative sentence construction, carefully selected details, and good grammar, your writing can be strong, effective and purposeful.  It can pack a powerful punch that will have a lasting impact on readers, and like that second cup of coffee, keep them coming back for more.

Writing with Emotion

Writers need to employ their emotional IQ to produce effective writing.  This means being in touch with your own emotional landscape with regard to the subjects you write about, but it also means being in touch with readers' emotional needs and expectations.  In other words, a good emotional IQ means knowing how to reach readers in the most powerful way and how to have the maximum emotional impact on them.  By tapping into readers' emotions, writers can enjoy a tremendous and lasting legacy.  Here are some ways to employ emotional IQ in your writing:

• Understand your subject matter.  Especially when writing about sensitive or controversial subjects, it is imperative to be well-versed in all sides of the issue.  Knowledge about arguments or debates is not enough, though.  You must also be aware of the emotional responses to issues in order to write effectively about them.  You can't tap into readers' emotions if you don't have a good understanding of what they are.  It is often the emotion surrounding an argument that is more compelling than the facts it is based on.  Recognizing the power of emotion is key for a writer to have impact on readers.  Understanding the factual and emotional bases for your subject matter is crucial.

• Provide details selectively.  Once you have a good understanding of the emotional side of your subject matter, you are in a position to select the details that will produce the desired emotional response in readers.  If you are trying to portray the day-to-day grind and sheer boredom of a particular work setting, for example, you will want to select the details that will produce that reaction in readers.  So you will focus on the mind-numbing daily activities such as paperwork, meetings and phone calls, that depict this daily grind and tap into readers' sense of boredom.  If you want to depict the thrill of a high-risk situation, you will focus on the dangerous, exhilarating aspects of the situation to tap into readers' sense of excitement. Carefully selecting details to portray emotion is good use of your emotional IQ.

• Use sensory details creatively.  Once you have details carefully selected, it is important to think about the best way to present them.  Writers tend to focus on visual imagery as the default mode for presenting detail.  But there are other sensory tools at your disposal such as sound, smell, touch and taste.  Presenting a detail such as rain, for example, by describing how it smells or how it sounds hitting a certain surface has much more emotional impact on readers than merely describing how it looks.  Be creative when using sensory detail.  Get out of the default mode and think of ways to enhance your emotional impact through unusual description.

• Use syntax strategically.  Selecting the right detail is a crucial step in employing emotional IQ in your writing.  But it's also important to use structure to achieve emotional impact.  This involves tuning into the order of your words, the length and structure of your sentences and the repetition of certain words and phrases.  These elements constitute the rhythm of language; and just like in music, rhythm in language taps into readers' emotions.  You can depict urgency with short words and repetition of key words.  You can depict calmness with lengthier sentences.  You can depict a sense of chaos with rambling sentences.  The structure of your prose has the ability to dictate and enhance the emotional response to your subject matter.  Pay attention to how you put your words together and what tone that structure conveys.  The tone is what readers will pick up on and respond to on an emotional level.

Having a good emotional IQ is important for writers to be able to connect with their readers' emotions.  Writing with emotion is not flaky or unstrung; rather it's powerful, effective and strategic. Emotional connections, whether in prose or poetry, fiction or nonfiction, are much more powerful than intellectual connections.  By understanding both the factual and emotional bases of your subject matter, using detail selectively and creatively, and structuring your writing strategically, you will achieve a deeper connection with readers and have a more lasting impact as a writer. 

Write with Appeal

To capture readers, your writing must have appeal.  It must draw readers in with interest, intrigue, curiosity and purpose.  It cannot be stale, dull or cliched.  But creating appealing writing doesn't come easy.  It takes work and finely honed talent.  However, there are several simple guidelines you can incorporate into your writing immediately that will help you develop appeal.

• Make your ideas realistic and believable:  No matter how good your ideas may seem, if readers don't perceive them as realistic or believable, they won't buy into them.  It is critical to connect with readers' experiences and expectations if you want them to care about your ideas. The truer your words are to readers' own perceptions, the more impact they will have.  Give your ideas a practical application to your readers' lives. Think about how your writing will create meaningful experiences for your readers and how easily readers will be able to connect with what you're saying.  That connection is a key ingredient to creating appeal.

• Fully develop your ideas:  Half-baked ideas have little appeal for readers.  Readers depend on writers to come to the page prepared to present fully developed ideas for them to consider. This means offering multiple perspectives and giving equal weight to them in order to make your writing fair and balanced.  It requires you to complete thorough research and be as knowledgeable as you can be about your subject matter.  It also requires you to have given critical thought to your subject so you can guide readers through the weave of multiple perspectives and help lead them to their own conclusions.  Carefully thought out writing is a major step toward creating appeal.

• Write with a driving force:  Purposeless writing is both confusing and uninteresting to readers.  It is absolutely critical that you are clear about what you're writing and why you're writing it.  Without this guiding purpose, your writing will wander aimlessly across the page and be of little value to readers.  If you're not clear about your purpose or what is driving you to write about your subject, readers won't be clear either.  Beyond having a clear purpose, make sure every word you write contributes to that purpose.  If it doesn't directly promote and develop your purpose, it's a distraction, and you should leave it out.  Clarity of purpose is a critical component of creating appeal.

• Challenge your readers:  Writing that doesn't challenge readers' thinking holds little appeal for them.  One of your primary jobs as a writer is to challenge your readers to think, to understand, or perhaps to change in some significant way.  You can do this by asking, and sometimes answering, provocative questions - by stirring the pot, so to speak.  Present readers with an unusual or difficult situation and force them to consider how they would react or feel if they were caught up in that scenario.  Poke their psyches and ask them to explore their inner selves.  This kind of direct challenge to readers is essential to creating appeal. 

• Be creative:  Tired writing makes for tired readers.  You want to appeal to readers by energizing them with all the creativity you can bring to bear on your writing.  Come at your subject from a new angle, maybe one readers would never think of on their own.  Use fresh language by avoiding cliches, overuse of descriptors and awkward sentence structures.  Instead use crisp words and phrases, active voice and clear, concise sentence structure.  Think about an unusual presentation, maybe a different format or structure than would normally be used with your subject. Do whatever you can to surprise and intrigue your readers.  It will pay off as a surefire method for creating appeal. 

Your writing can be more appealing to readers by implementing some simple strategies that you can initiate now, no matter what your experience level. Meeting readers' expectations with realistic and believable writing that is fully developed and creatively presented will have tremendous appeal for readers.  Presenting readers with a driving force and a critical challenge will keep them hooked and wanting more.  Clear, fresh writing that tickles their ears and makes them sit up and listen is the most appealing of all.  You already have all these tools at your disposal.  All that's left is your drive to use them. Write with appeal and your readers will thank you.

Building a Writer's Toolbox

Writing is a craft, and like all craftspersons, writers need a toolbox that carries specialized aids to assist them in practicing and perfecting their craft. There are many articles, blogs and books available on how to write, and these are certainly valuable resources for every writer.  However, beyond the how-to elements of the trade, there are several basic tools writers need in order to practice their craft effectively:

• Dictionary:  One of the most basic tools of writing is a good dictionary.  It is indispensable to writers by the sheer number of word elements it provides.  A good, comprehensive dictionary will provide writers with five major aspects of words.  Primarily, it will provide the spelling and meaning of the word.  But it will also indicate how to pronounce the word, how to use it in a sentence, and in what context the word is appropriate.  It may even provide the history of the word or a pictorial illustration of the word.  In one dictionary entry is a wealth of information immediately available to writers that help them understand and use words appropriately.

• Thesaurus:  Another indispensable writing tool is a thesaurus.  Its primary function is to provide alternative ways to express a certain idea or image.  However, it also allows a writer to engage in creative wordplay and idea association by creating chains of words that lead to other words and promoting creative association between dissimilar images by providing opposites or antonyms. The best use of a thesaurus is avoiding trite expressions and cliched images that weaken writing.  Finding new and exciting ways to say things leads to more effective writing.

• Grammar Guide:  Beyond word use and creative expression is the necessity of good grammar and writers need at least one, if not several, reputable grammar guides in their toolbox. Nothing can sink writing faster than poor grammar.  Readers may not be grammar experts, but they will notice bad grammar and so will editors. Grammar guides provide instruction with punctuation, sentence structure, capitalization rules and a whole host of writing specifics that help writers express themselves intelligently and clearly.  

• Research Sources:  Every type of writing requires at least some minimal research and having reliable research sources is a must for writers.  A writer's toolbox needs a list of such sources that writers can return to again and again when accurate information is needed. The list may include sources such as government documents, university websites, research institutes, expert websites, science and history books, etc.  The list will vary from writer to writer but should include indisputable sources of accurate facts and details writers can rely on.  Inaccurate information is a writer's worst enemy and a list of reliable sources can guard against costly errors.

• Other:  There are many other resources writers can add to their toolbox to enhance their craft, such as:  quotation dictionaries, description dictionaries, visual dictionaries, reverse dictionaries, language usage guides, word menus, style manuals, etc. Using these types of tools strengthens the writer's craft by promoting creative thinking and producing more polished work.

There can never be too many tools in a writer's toolbox, but there are some basics that every toolbox should have.  Tools that help writers understand and use words appropriately, find new and exciting ways to express ideas and images, express themselves intelligently and clearly, and infuse their writing with reliable and accurate information are worth their weight in the writer's toolbox.  These essential tools will arm writers with the skills they need to produce clear, effective and interesting writing and pursue their craft as experts.

Writing Through Doubt

Doubt often gets in the way of a writer's production.  Doubt can come from many sources, but there are four basic areas where doubt seems to hover especially strong in a writer's mind.  Doubts about topic or subject matter, doubts about content, doubts about length, and doubts about writing ability or skill can be major sources of uncertainty for many writers.  They can be substantial enough to bring the writing process to a complete halt.  If you find that these doubts creep into your own writing, there are several things you can do to overcome the doubt skids and get back on track.

• Topic/Subject Matter:  Oftentimes writers are stymied in a project because they have doubts about their subject matter.  These doubts can involve questioning if the subject is important enough to write about, if it is an interesting topic, and if it's something readers would want to read about.  All of these are legitimate questions and can be sorted out before starting a writing project. The first thing to be clear about with any subject matter is understanding why you want to write about it.  What is your purpose and how invested are you in achieving that purpose?  If you're not invested and interested in your subject matter, your readers won't be either.  Another thing to consider with regard to topic selection is having a good idea of the topic's saturation status.  Has it already been written about extensively?  Is there anything new you can add to the mix?  Sorting out your interest level and readers' interest level in your subject matter will ensure that you are writing about something you care about and that you can help readers care about.

• Content:  Subject matter may not be a source of conflict for some writers, but the content of their work may be. Doubts about the validity and thoroughness of content can leave writers hanging, unable to finish their work.  A great topic is useless if the writer can't execute the content successfully.  Several guides can be utilized to ensure good content or good treatment of a subject. First, make sure your subject matter is thoroughly researched. This means consulting multiple sources with multiple viewpoints and not relying on a single source or a single perspective.  Second, cross-check your reference material against other similar sources and look for consistency.  There is strength in numbers and if multiple sources agree on something, its reliability is heightened. Speaking of reliability, make sure your sources are reliable, credible sources that would stand up to the rigors of library or research standards. And always double check your facts.  In fact, triple check them. Inaccurate information will place the entirety of your content in question.  Erase your doubts about content by committing to being as thorough and reliable as you can and your readers will thank you for the effort.

• Length:  Sometimes it's the length of a writing project that trips writers up.  They can have doubts about whether they have too little or too much content and it renders them unable to do the crucial editing work essential to completing a project.  The first thing to be clear about with regard to length is the type or genre of writing you are engaged in.  There are clear parameters for most types of writing, whether fiction, nonfiction or poetry, and it is prudent to become well-versed in those generally accepted and expected parameters.  Specific writing assignments will have specific guidelines with respect to length as well.  So research the guidelines before you begin writing and ease your doubts about length.  Another thing to be concerned with, besides just word count, is writing that is either too wordy or not wordy enough. When assessing your writing, look for repetitious material, unnecessary explanatory content, or filler material that adds to your length but doesn't contribute any real value to your content. Also look for unclear or abbreviated content that leaves readers with more questions than answers or leaves them with only partial or confusing information.  Solving doubts about length can be tackled by following the general parameters for the work you're producing; but, beyond that, editing your work for clear, effective content that presents your message in the best way possible.

• Writing Ability/Skill:  This is the toughest doubt that can creep into a writer's mind.  Nagging uncertainties about whether or not a writer is up to the task can stop the writing impulse completely.  The best way to overcome these doubts is to just keep writing.  Don't judge or edit what you're writing in the moments of doubt.  Just put words on the page and do that consistently until the doubts start to subside and you can look at your writing with a clear head. You are essentially shutting doubt out and writing in spite of it.  If you need to set a timer and force yourself to write for a certain length of time non-stop, then do it.  If you need to just write nonsense on a page for awhile, then do it.  Use whatever techniques work for you to keep you writing and to keep the momentum going.  Other techniques to deal with writing doubts are to set word count goals for your writing sessions and set deadlines for completing work. These artificial structures keep you pushing to put words on the page no matter what.  They help you work past the doubts about your abilities because you're focused on word counts and deadlines rather than yourself.  Shut down the doubting voices in your head with whatever tricks work for you and you'll be amazed how easy it will become to keep this distraction at bay.

Writing through doubt involves overcoming uncertainties about subject matter, content, length and your own writing abilities, as well as any other doubts that may be nagging your writer's mind. Having a clear purpose for your writing, writing clear and effective content, presenting your message in the best possible way, writing without judging and having specific, concrete goals will ensure that your writing doubts are minimal and your production maximal. Doubt is inevitable but your succumbing to it is not.  Take control of your doubts and watch your writing flourish! 

Power Your Writing

Weak writing is both ineffective and uninteresting.  Readers want to be moved and transformed by the written word and they expect writers to deliver.  Writers have a powerful tool in language.  They can utilize its rhythms, nuances, cadences and tones to create dramatic tension, whether it is fiction or nonfiction.  Through word choice, punctuation and sentence structure, they can mold language into a powerful conveyance of ideas and inspiration.  Tension is what gives writing spark and makes readers sit up and pay attention.  There are several techniques for creating powerful tension in your writing:

• Fiction:  

• Conflict:  Tension in fiction is most often thought of as tension between characters or internal tension within a character.  This tension is essential in order to have a story worth telling.  If there is no tension, there is no story.  Having a conflict that needs resolution is powerful because it hooks readers' interest and keeps them interested. Human nature is to want to know how things turn out, so conflict's power lies in its ability to appeal to that innate curiosity.  But there are other powerful techniques to create tension in your fiction.

• Ominous Signs:  You can sprinkle crumbs of tension throughout your story by leaving clues that portend impending trouble.  They may be very subtle signs such as a character's gesture or thought or they may be very obvious signs such as dialogue between characters or direct description of a scene.  However you choose to dole them out, you can tease your readers with signs that things aren't right and something bad is likely to happen.  This hooks readers in and keeps them hooked.  Again, that innate curiosity readers have is a powerful thing to exploit.

• Building Pressure:  Tension can be created by layering in actions that will inevitably collide.  If a character repeatedly acts in a way that gets him into difficulties, the pressure builds for that character to either reform or face disaster.  You can build this pressure for readers by setting up a sequence of events that can only lead to one inevitable conclusion.  By doing this, you can take the reader along with you on this awful journey your character is taking, intimating that the worst imaginable outcome is certainly possible but also leaving hope that maybe the character can break the chain of events and redeem himself.  Whether or not he does is what will keep readers hooked.  They want to know how it turns out, and that wanting to know is powerful.

• Omissions:  One of the most effective ways you can use language is the tension you create by what you don't say.  Telling readers everything isn't challenging for them.  They want to figure things out for themselves.  Readers are sleuths at heart.  They take this journey with you, the writer, to have an adventure, to figure things out for themselves, to discover as they go.  You can satisfy this need by providing things piecemeal to readers. Omitting details strategically is very powerful.  It gives your story tension because readers have to fill in the gaps and piece things together for themselves.  This keeps them hooked and feeling invested in your story.

• Nonfiction:  

• Provocative Questions:  Tension can also be used to make nonfiction more powerful. One effective way is to ask startling or unsettling questions.  They can be rhetorical questions or actual questions.  The idea is to get readers' attention and make them think. The power of provocation is that it asks readers to engage in different perspectives, perhaps even perspectives opposite what they would normally believe.  This creates tension in readers because it requires them to leave their comfort zones and see things through a different lens.  Readers want to be challenged and provocative questions provide a powerful way to satisfy that need.

• Volatile Statements:  Another way to create tension in nonfiction is to make emotionally charged statements.  They can be either negatively or positively charged, but the idea is to get an impassioned response from readers.  These kinds of statements are very powerful because they cause immediate tension in readers and make them want to read more to alleviate that tension.  Readers have strong opinions, and when writers probe at those opinions, it engages readers in a potent internal discourse with the writing.

• Impossible Scenarios:  Creating tension in nonfiction can be craftily done by creating impossible scenarios for readers to consider.  They are impossible in the sense that they put the reader in a difficult situation of choice and ask the reader to decide.  This creates tension because it forces readers to examine their values and character.  If put in this situation, how would they react?  This is powerful stuff and engages readers in a level of self-reflection that stabs at the core of who they are.  Readers want to know themselves, and by creating impossible scenarios, you are helping them do that.

Powerful writing is produced not by paving a smooth path for readers, but by putting up roadblocks, creating obstacle courses, and leading them over rough and tricky terrain. By creating tension in your writing, you challenge readers, hold their attention, and give them a meaningful and transformative experience.  Power your writing with all of the tools at your disposal and your readers will keep coming back for more.  

Pre-Write Your Writing

Like most tasks, writing requires preparation; and to engage in it without some careful planning and forethought is to invite chaos and perhaps failure.  Preparation for writing is called pre-writing, in other words, tasks you complete before composing.  Writers are often surprised to find that the pre-writing phase of a project can often require more time than the actual composition phase.  Even though it takes more time, preparation ultimately makes the composition phase much easier.  It is worth the time and effort to do it.  Here are some preparation tasks to consider before starting any writing project:

• Establish your premise.  This means nailing down exactly what you want to say and why.  Ask yourself what the main point of your piece is and what you hope to accomplish with your message.  The elements of premise and purpose apply to any kind of writing, whether it is a story, an essay, a novel, an article, a poem, a report, or a letter.  In each instance, you must be clear about your message and your purpose in order to produce effective writing.  Try to craft a premise and purpose statement in one or two sentences.  The more concisely you can state them, the more clearly focused your writing will be.

• Develop your main points.  Once you have a clear handle on your message and its purpose, it's time to think about the main points you will have to develop in order to get your message across.  This involves highlighting crucial ideas that need emphasis and key ideas that bear repeating.  These are the building blocks for your piece, as without them, your message cannot be effectively and completely conveyed.  This is best done in listing and outline form in which you can identify main points and their corresponding sub-points.  It also allows you to figure out the best order in which to present your main points.  Some points may build on others, for example, or some points may carry more weight than others and need to be placed strategically. Knowing your main points and when and where to present them will give your piece the structure it needs to carry your message effectively.

• Develop your punch.  With message and structure worked out, it's time to return to your purpose and think about how to effectively accomplish your purpose.  This involves selecting the kind of detail that will bring your message to the forefront of readers' attention. This kind of detail helps you illustrate your main points, and thus your message, with the most impact.  It may involve examples, anecdotes, summaries, factoids, sidebars, visuals, layout, etc.  This is where you bring to bear all the tools in your writer's toolbox to craft a piece that grabs your readers and makes them pay attention.

• Check your facts.  Nothing sinks a piece faster than inaccurate information.  So, after you've decided what types of detail you need to pack your punch, check their validity.  Every example, fact, story, date, name, etc., that you use to illustrate your points needs to be checked and re-checked for accuracy and validity.  This means checking more than one source and making sure you are using the information accurately; in other words, not taking something out of context just to make your point seem more valid. Readers depend on writers to be accurate.  Make sure your writing measures up.

• Develop a guide.  You have clarified your message and purpose, listed or outlined your main points, selected the detail you need to convey those points effectively, and checked your facts. This preparation has taken time and effort, but its work is not done yet. Now you can use all of this valuable preparation as a guide for the composing process.  In whatever form works best for you (outline, lists or narrative), organize all of your preparation work into a guide you can follow as you compose.  This will help you stay on track with your composing process and also ensure that you don't leave out anything crucial.  With this information in front of you as you write, you will be constantly reminded of your message and purpose and be less likely to stray from them, resulting in more focused writing. 

Writing is work, and like most work, requires careful preparation in order to be effective and successful.  Taking the time to engage in pre-writing activities prior to actually composing helps to ensure that success.  Knowing your message and purpose keeps your writing focused and clear. Having a good grasp of the main points and details you need to illustrate those points gives your writing greater impact on readers.  Checking the accuracy and validity of your facts gives your writing the credibility it needs to influence readers.  Using pre-writing as both preparation and guide to the composing process makes sense and makes your writing easier for you and more valuable for your readers. 

Breaking Down Your Writing

Completing a writing project, for many people, is overwhelming, even intimidating.  But it doesn't have to be with some careful planning and a sensible approach.  A common mistake is to just jump into a writing project with little or no forethought as to the purpose or structure of the piece. This is akin to building a house by grabbing a board and pounding some nails without having a blueprint or any idea of structure or design.  It would be crazy to build a house in such a haphazard manner and it's just as nonsensical to build a writing project that way.  With any writing project, as with a house, you start with a foundation, then add the framework, and conclude with the finish and design work. It's a time-tested process that has worked well for builders and writers alike. Breaking the process down into "doable" steps makes the project less overwhelming and more likely to succeed. Here are some ways to make that process work for you:

• Understand your foundation.  When faced with any kind of writing project, whether it's an article, essay, short story, novel, or poem, having a good grasp of the foundation for your work is critical to its success.  In writing, the foundation is what supports the piece - its premise or basis. For example, if you're writing an article proposing that a historical event would have turned out differently if news coverage of it had not been so biased, do you have a sound premise for this opinion?  In other words, do you have credible sources and research material that will support your proposal beyond mere speculation?  In building terms, is the foundation you've poured solid and structurally sound enough to support the house you plan to place on top of it?

• Envision your framework.  Once you have a solid foundation for your writing, it is important to visualize the framework that will be supported by that foundation.  In writing, the framework is the structure of your work - the sections, chapters, heading, summaries, stanzas, etc., that organize your content.  It's how you will put the piece together for maximum effectiveness. This involves layouts and timelines, determining what will appear in what order and in what format.  For example, if you're writing a novel, will your flashback chapters come early or late in the story?  Will you tell different parts of the story from different points of view?  Will you start at the beginning of your story or somewhere in the middle? Will your story be told in chronological order or stream-of-consciousness order?  These are all framework questions that help you determine a shape for your work.  In building terms, does the framework you've designed create the style and shape of house you've envisioned?

• Keep your plan fluid.  Having your ideas for a foundation and framework solidified doesn't mean your planning work is done. Things will happen that will require you to change.  It's natural and it's part of the process.  Staying flexible is the way to deal successfully with these unexpected obstacles.  In writing, flexibility means not becoming too attached to your work so that you are unwilling to make necessary changes.  For example, if you're writing an essay and some information you're particularly fond of makes its way into the essay but changes the essential focus of the essay, you have a dilemma to face.  Should you leave the information in and thus change the focus of your essay?  Or should you leave the information out, fond of it as you may be, because it is a distracting tangent to your focal point?  Knowing that your decision will affect the overall outcome of the piece, you will need to revisit your plan to see if it needs modifying.  In building terms, does the extra room you decided to add create instability in the rest of the structure or should the structure be redesigned altogether to make the extra room a possibility?

• Complete your finish work.  Just as a house isn't done when the walls and roof are up, a writing project isn't done when the initial composing is done.  There is still much left to do.  In writing, finish work involves revision and polish.  No matter what type of writing it is, significant effort needs to be put into it to make it shine.  This can involve simple word changes, grammar and punctuation changes, or complete overhauls of sentences and paragraphs.  The purpose of finish work is to get your work to the best possible form it can be. Just as you wouldn't want to have a house without trim, staining, painting and all the other finishing touches that make it beautiful as well as functional, you don't want to leave your writing in a rough shape either.  Taking the time to make your work shine is well worth the effort.

Writing doesn't have to be overwhelming if it's broken down into common sense steps.  Taking the time to build a solid foundation for your project, building a framework that expresses your primary focus, staying flexible with changes that are necessary to improve your work, and spending the time to polish your work will help you get the job done efficiently and effectively. Breaking down your writing into clearer, smaller steps will make writing less formidable and more enjoyable for both you and your readers.

Setting Smart Writing Goals

An integral part of the writing process is setting goals for project completion, but if those goals aren't realistic or within your means to accomplish, they will only frustrate and impede your progress rather than enhance it.  It's important to set smart goals that will help you get your writing done timely and effectively.  There are several things to keep in mind when setting writing goals:

• Consider the larger picture first.  Before embarking on any writing project, it's important to have a clear grasp of the project in its entirety.  For example, if you're writing a report, do you have a clear concept of the report's purpose and overall goal?  Secondarily, do you know what resources you will need to help you accomplish that purpose and goal?  A third consideration in the larger picture is time constraints.  When is the report due and can you realistically meet that goal?  If you have these major aspects within your grasp, then you have a sound basis for proceeding with your project.

• Consider your skills.  It is critical to evaluate your ability to complete the project at hand, to ensure that you have the requisite skill set to do the job. For example, if you're writing fiction in a certain genre, do you have the basic skills required in writing in that genre?  If the genre is plot-driven, do you have strengths in plotting?  If the genre requires suspense and flashbacks, do you have the skills to effectively utilize those techniques?  If you're writing nonfiction, such as an essay, do you have the basic skills required to construct an effective essay?  Do you have good paragraph construction skills and effective paragraph transition skills, for example? Having the basic skill set to complete a writing project will make your work easier and more fulfilling.  

• Consider your schedule.  Every writing project requires time and commitment.  A realistic look at your lifestyle and schedule will reveal whether or not you have the time to commit to the project. For example, if you are writing historical fiction that requires both extensive research and composition, do you have adequate hours in your days and weeks to commit to such a large undertaking?  If your schedule is too busy, maybe working on shorter pieces, such as short stories, memoirs or essays would be more realistic for you.  If you are writing a research report that requires a combination of interviewing, fieldwork, research and composition, do you have the time to commit to such a thorough treatment of your subject matter?  If not, maybe a shorter work such as an article or essay would be more realistic for you. Having a realistic grasp of your ability to commit time and effort to a writing project will enhance your ability to experience completion and success. 

• Consider the smaller picture.  If you have the larger picture in control and have determined you have both the skills and time to commit to a writing project, it's important to also consider the details.  Look at the intricacies of the work you are attempting.  If it requires research in a certain area, for example, will you enjoy that research and be motivated to pursue it?  If it requires mastering a certain technique or style, do you like that style and will you be motivated to master it?  If it requires a lot of tedious and painstaking editing for detail, will you have the patience to do it? There are many minutiae involved in a writing project that will require your care and attention.  A careful look at those and at your own innate interests and motivations will help you ensure that the project is a good match for you.  

• Consider your purpose.  Finally, with any writing project, consider why you want to write it. Is it because you have a deep, personal connection to the subject matter or is it because you are being required to write it for an educational or work project?  Getting in touch with your personal connection to the project is important for its success, because the more you care about your writing, the better it will be.  So, take some time to determine your motivation. Even if it's being directed by someone else, can you make it more meaningful to you or modify it in some way that brings you more enjoyment?  Being able to articulate a clear purpose for writing that holds some personal meaning for you is critical to writing well.

Setting smart writing goals is essential for writing success. Making sure you have a clear grasp of the scope and purpose of your writing project and that you have the requisite skills, time and interest to pursue it will enhance your ability to see the project to completion.  It will also help you write more effectively, capitalize on your writing strengths, and enjoy the process more. Be smart in setting your goals and the reward will be a more fulfilling and successful writing life.

Writing for Enrichment

Writing is a two-way flow.  It provides ideas, inspiration and awareness to readers and it provides growth and opportunity for writers.  Writing enriches both readers and writers by challenging us to explore our world.  The best writing provides the best enrichment much like the best diet provides the best nutrition.  As a writer, your duty is to enrich the lives of your readers - a task not to be taken lightly.  You have tremendous power and influence as a writer and using that impact effectively can be a daunting task.  There are several things you can do to make sure that your writing maximally enriches the lives of your readers.

• Know your audience.  Writers often hear this vague advice, but don't have any guidance on how to accomplish it.  Being an avid reader yourself is the first step in understanding what readers need and want.  This means that you read widely and well in the genre you want to write in.  If you're writing historical fiction, for example, read historical fiction extensively. Understand what readers want and expect in this genre by understanding what you want and expect when you read it.  Secondly, read advice and instruction on how to write in that genre to understand what skills you need and what elements you need to incorporate into your writing. If the genre you're writing in requires a factual base that is driven by plot more than character development, for example, make sure you are aware of that and know how to execute it. Be a student of your craft.

• Write with emotion.  This doesn't mean peppering your language with blubbery, affected language.  It means getting to the heart of your message or story so that readers get the point and see things from a new perspective.  If you're writing about a particular event, for example, write from the perspective of a participant readers don't usually hear or know about.  Give readers a different lens from which to view a common situation.  Try to change readers' attitudes by offering them alternative viewpoints.  Use strong, direct language to get readers' attention and challenge them to think or feel a different way.  If you write with emotion, readers will feel that emotion and respond to it.

• Make it real.  No matter what genre or type of writing you're attempting, research is critical. You have to know what you're writing about to make it realistic and believable for readers. Your credibility as a writer is critical to your ability to impact your readers. Whether you're writing fiction, non-fiction or poetry, readers need to feel that you know your subject matter and have a realistic sense of what any particular scene, event or character is about.  Without this credibility, readers will miss your message entirely.  They will be too disappointed to care about your message because your presentation of it isn't plausible.  Do your research and be prepared to deliver your story or message in the most realistic, knowledgeable way possible.

• Have a clear message.  Know your purpose for writing a particular piece.  Is it to enlighten readers, to educate them, to change them or inspire them?  Know exactly what you want to accomplish with your writing and then select those specific elements to include in your writing. For example, if your purpose is to help readers understand the stress of a particular event you're writing about, then choose specific descriptors and details that will communicate that stress. Target your writing to directly accomplish your message and eliminate anything that does not contribute to that message.  This means keeping your purpose at the forefront of your composition process and referring to it frequently as you compose and edit.  If your message is confusing, your readers will be confused.  If it's vague, your readers won't get it.  Be clear, be direct, and always be mindful of your purpose as you write.

Writing for enrichment will make the process more enjoyable and meaningful for both you and your readers.  Taking the time to understand who you're writing to, what your purpose is, and how best to accomplish that purpose will mean the difference between weak, ineffective writing and strong, creative, influential writing.  Writing is more than an exercise in expression.  It is, at its best, a life-changing experience.