First in a series of writing tips.
Writers often separate thinking from writing as if writing were solely a technical activity, like typing. Or executing a word code.
Yes, we must master grammar, spelling, word use and punctuation, just as mathematicians must master multiplication and division.
But thinking comes first, and it is the hardest part of writing – by far. Without it, our writing will stumble into incoherence and we won’t know or won’t discover what we want to communicate.
And if we writers don’t know, then readers won’t, either.
Do more than fill a screen or page with text. Think.
Writing with precision is separate but related. Even when we’ve thought smartly about what to write, we still must translate our thinking into words that are easily understood.
Precision is insurance against misunderstanding. Achieving it requires reviewing early drafts as if we’re future readers. We must repeatedly ask:
I know what I meant to convey. Did I succeed? Will readers who don’t live inside my mind – that is, everyone except me – get what I mean?
Know what you want to communicate. Then write it with precision.
NOTE: We’ll publish a 30-second writing tip every Wednesday while the supply lasts. We’ll welcome your tips too – presented in 180 words, of course.
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