The Writing Process
THE WRITING PROCESS
An effective letter or memo does not simply appear on your paper or computer
screen. Instead, it begins to take shape when you think carefully about the situation
in which you must write, when you define your purpose for writing. It continues to
develop as you consider your reader, the information you must communicate, and
the way in which you plan to present that information. Finally, a document that
communicates clearly is the result of good writing and good rewriting; you can
usually improve anything you have written. This document represents a process for
approaching any writing task.
Define Purpose
Knowing your purpose for writing is the foundation of any written project. Before
you begin writing your memo, letter, or other document, ask yourself the following
questions:
What am I trying to accomplish?
What is my purpose for writing?
To request information or products?
To respond to a question or request?
To persuade someone?
To direct someone?
Identify Reader
As you define your purpose, you will need to develop a good picture of the person
who will be reading your document. Ask yourself:
Who is my reader?
What do I know about my reader that will help determine the best approach?
Is the audience one person or a group?
Is my reader a coworker, a subordinate, a superior, or a customer?
How is the reader likely to feel about my message?
Select and Organize Information
Once you have defined your purpose and identified your reader, decide what
information you will include. Ask yourself questions such as:
What does my reader want or need to know?
What information must I include?
TAYLOR BOUCHILLON
The Writing Process
What information will help my reader respond positively?
What information should I not include?
To answer these questions, you may find it helpful to spend a few minutes listing all
the information you could include in your document. You may also find it helpful to
write a rough draft of your document. Write the draft quickly, including any
information that comes to you. Once you have it all on paper, you can work with it,
deciding what to include and what to leave out.
Write First Draft
Once you are ready to write, do not allow yourself to stare at a blank sheet of paper
(or the computer screen) for more than a few seconds. A first effort is rarely a final
draft, even for the best writers; therefore, write something to get started. Let your
purpose, reader, and organizational plan guide you, but do not let them stifle you.
Keep going even if you occasionally lose your focus. Once you have a full draft, you
can add or delete information, reorganize, and edit sentences.
Write Strong Paragraphs
Most of your written business communication will be too complex to be conveyed in
a single sentence. Memos, letters, and even simple informal messages often
(though not always) require that you state a general idea and follow with more
information about that idea: support for the idea, reasons, examples, explanation,
further discussion, and so on. If you include one main idea in each paragraph, you
can move your reader through complicated information idea by ideaparagraph by
paragraphuntil you believe your reader can draw a logical conclusion.
Occasionally, a good paragraph is a single sentence. More often, a good
paragraph is a group of sentences that focus on one main idea. This focus on a
single idea is called unity. Good paragraphs also help the reader understand
relationships between ideas (from paragraph to paragraph) and between ideas and
their supporting details. This clarity of relationships is called coherence. Both unity
and coherence improve when a paragraph begins with a sentence that states or
implies the main idea.
TAYLOR BOUCHILLON
The Writing Process
Use Active Voice
Use the active voice most of the time. Active-voice sentences use fewer words and
are more direct than passive-voice sentences. Although the active voice is more
direct and efficient, the passive voice is useful at times. Use passive voice when:
Your writing is so formal or impersonal that you must avoid names and
pronouns, as in formal reports
Active-voice options sound awkward or forced
You want to improve sentence variety
You wish to deemphasize the subject of the sentence
Edit and Proofread
Editing and proofreading are essential to good writing. Planning and drafting allow
you to get your information on paper; editing and proofreading help you
communicate your ideas as clearly as possible to the reader.
REFERENCES
Branson, Jeannette. Writing Efficiently and Effectively. Cincinnati: Davidson &
Appleby Publishing Services, 2014.
Gilleland, Maureen. Business Writing. http://www.emcpnews.net. Accessed August
15, 2015.
Lehnard, Arthur, and Taylor, Patricia. The Writing Reference Manual. St. Paul:
Moreland House Publishing, 2014.
TAYLOR BOUCHILLON
