Four "Secrets" of Successful Writing

The considerations below are such critical elements in effective communication that the "discovery" of their roles can actually transform your writing. By putting enough thought and effort into these elements, you can simplify the planning of your project and improve the effectiveness of the final product. In every paper we do for this course -- at every stage of the planning and writing --  you should think carefully about the four elements below:

1 - Readers.  Don't write a word until you've thoroughly considered exactly who will be reading the final document. Know everything you can about them -- why they want or need this information, their existing level of knowledge about your topic, whether or not they already have strong opinions or beliefs about the stand you'll be taking.

• Do some research (or make some intelligent guesses) to define all of your readers so you can tailor your message to their specific needs and interests. Analyze your readers in terms of demographics (age, sex, education level, whatever is relevant) and psychographics (interests, attitudes, lifestyles). Write it out.
• Create an imaginary portrait of a single reader in the act of reading your essay (or report, letter, memo, etc.). How do you expect him to react to what you have to say? Think of him as someone who asks questions while he reads, and plan in advance how you'll answer them.
• Relate your subject, purpose and content to your readers' self-interests. Plan to emphasize information, benefits and recommendations that are meaningful to them (not you).

• Keep in mind that your purpose in actually writing the document is different than the response you want from the reader. Your purpose in writing centers on your content and presentation -- what you say and how you say it. Your purpose in delivering it to the reader, though, concerns what you want them to do or think after they've read it.
• Think about these two elements and write out one clear statement of your purpose. Try filling in the blanks:
   My purpose is to  ______________________ so my readers will _____________________ .
Your purpose in writing (the first blank) might be to inform, entertain, persuade, evaluate. The action you want from your readers (the second blank) might be to change their mind, change their behavior, write their legislators, buy your company's product.
• Be aware of your limitations. Your ultimate goal may be to change your reader's behavior or elicit action, but your writing can't accomplish this by itself. Words can affect only what happens in the reader's mind. You can persuade your reader that the action or behavior is desirable, with the expected result that the reader will then take that action.
As an example, suppose you see a newspaper ad for 99-cent double cheeseburgers at McDonalds. The information in the ad can't make you buy the sandwich. All it can do is communicate -- make you aware of the price, persuade you that it's a good value, perhaps even remind you that you're hungry. The actual action you take -- driving to the restaurant and ordering the sandwich -- happens only after the message has done its work in your mind.

1 - An introduction that limits the topic, shows your purpose in writing and states your position on the issue. This is usually accomplished in the first paragraph of your essay.
2 - Logical reasons that your position is valid. These are general statements that explain why you've reached your main conclusion. They most commonly appear in the topic sentences of body paragraphs.
3 - Evidence to support each of those reasons. Evidence is presented in a body paragraph, after the topic sentence, which presents the reason or conclusion to be drawn from the evidence. Evidence usually takes one of four forms:
• Citing statistics -- objective facts, survey results, research findings.
• Giving examples -- descriptions of case studies, current events, experiences of individuals or groups, etc.
• Using authorities -- opinions and conclusions of experts.
• Predicting consequences -- logical explanations of how one thing leads to the next, illustrative details that show why your proposal will lead to a desirable outcome.

Reader signals provide a context for your research, make it easier for the reader to follow the logic of your discussion, and enhance the "flow" of your writing. These signals can be full paragraphs or single words. They most commonly appear in these parts of your paper:

• Introduction -- The first paragraph of your essay is the most important reader signal because it introduces and limits your topic, shows your purpose in writing, and presents your main conclusion (persuasive thesis).
• Paragraph topic sentences -- The first sentence of each body paragraph is most commonly a general statement that makes a transition from the last paragraph and relates the new subtopic to the overall thesis. It can be used to present a reason that your thesis is valid, make an assertion, or provide the conclusion that should be drawn from the evidence that will follow.
• Transitional words and phrases -- These words (however, next, then, also, etc.) develop a smooth flow of ideas and information between and within paragraphs. They are important parts of your topic sentences because they show the logical relationship between the previous and the new paragraph. Inside the paragraph, internal transitions are used to show chronology, comparisons and contrasts, and other relationships among your facts and your sources.
• Conclusion -- The last paragraph signals the end of your discussion and tells the reader what you want him to think or do. The language itself should be a signal -- it should broaden out the discussion to the main thesis presented in the introduction and leave the reader with an idea, proposal, recommendation or request for action.

Putting it all together

1 - Identify & analyze your reader.  Write out a short description.

2 - Identify & analyze your purpose.  Write it out.

3 - Do background reading and research.  Make yourself an "expert" on your subject. Try to narrow down your focus by deciding which aspects of the topic would be most interesting or relevant to your audience. Identify the "pro's" and "con's" of the issue, the main components of each side's argument, and the position that you believe has the strongest support.

4 - Develop your thesis.  Based on the evidence you've read, decide what argument you want to make. Write out a one-sentence statement that clearly shows your position and what you want your essay to prove. Rethink your definition of your reader and purpose and make any necessary adjustments.
     It may be helpful to start this process by writing out a question that your reader might ask about the topic. The answer to that question will be your thesis statement. 

5 - Organize your argument.  List the main elements in your argument (the main reasons that will support and explain your stand). Then arrange them in logical order. This will be the outline of the body of your report.

6 - Collect evidence.  Go back to your sources and take notes. For every piece of evidence, decide which main reason it supports and key it to the appropriate part of your outline. Expand and reorganize your outline as you collect information.

7 - Write the draft.  For your first attempt, just try to get something on paper. Be content with an "adequate" draft that you'll revise later.
    Try writing the body paragraphs first. Start with the first reason that will prove your thesis. Write out a statement that expresses that idea, then present the evidence (the notes keyed to this part of your outline). Write the introduction and conclusion last.

8 - Revise, edit & proofread.  Do it several times, and do it in steps.  For example, use the first reading just to "test" your topic sentences and support, then go back and look just for punctuation and mechanical errors. Later, read it again to double-check your MLA notes and other documentation.
    Imagine yourself as your reader in the act of reading your essay. Look for questions he might have that you haven't answered, material that needs simplification or more explanation, words or statements that he might misinterpret. If possible, have a friend or relative read the final version.
 

Finally, as you go through the planning and writing process, remember:

Writing should be an ACTIVE process, accomplished in steps.  Don't wait for inspiration. Approach writing as a problem-solving process. Organize your writing tasks into steps that you can deal with one at a time. Take breaks between the steps so you can come back with a fresh perspective.

Writing is not linear or sequential.  Don't force yourself to write the draft in the same order it will be presented in the final version.  If you're stuck on a tough idea, skip it and go on to the next.

Most writers expect far too much of themselves on the first draft.  When you begin writing your draft, you may find yourself slowed down by an overly critical "Internal Editor" -- a voice that says "that's a stupid word to use" or "keep rewriting that sentence until it's perfect". If you try to make everything perfect on the first attempt, you'll lose the unity and flow that is so critical in developing a good argument. Remember that nothing you write is final; you can always go back to it later.

Writing doesn't have to be "brilliant" to be effective.  Clarity and content are more important than eloquent language. Don't however, settle for less-than-perfect spelling, grammar and punctuation.