The Simplest Steps to Improve Your Writing

1) Identify and focus on your purpose before you begin drafting.

         a) What action do you want your document to cause?

b) How will you know that it has created the desired affect?

2) Identify what content must be included to create the desired affect. Organize before drafting:

                a) Use handwritten lists.

                b) Turn lists into outlines.

3) Revise multiple hard-copy drafts.

        a) Print out your document

                i) Read it out loud to yourself.
                ii) Pretend your are a teacher; have a pen in your hand and write all over it.  Make it    bleed!

b) Enter your changes on the computer and repeat the process at least once more.

4) IF the document:

        a) Is worth a lot in terms of money, time or image

b) Reflects others in your organization

c) You are emotional about the topic

THEN receive input from others and ask others to read at least your final draft before sending it to its audience. 

Get help and be open to criticism.

5) Find out who in your organization is good at editing and ask them to edit important documents with you.

a) Ask them what favor you can do for them in return, and be willing to do it. Editing takes time; time is money.

b) Give them enough time; don’t expect them to read it “right now” or even today.