The instructor of a writing course I took a few years ago introduced it by noting that 60 per cent of writing was thinking. Sometimes I forget this advice and start a project without thinking. I plunge into the writing, bang out a paragraph or two and come to a halt — lost. It’s as if I have started on a long road trip without a map or without my GPS set to my destination.
There are three key points to think about before you start writing:
- Who is the audience or reader?
- What tone will you use?
- What style will you follow?
Think audience (or reader)
Before you start to write, think about your audience:
- Think about how much your audience already knows, and what you want your audience to learn.
- Consider what it is you want your audience or readers to do after they have read the material. Or to put it another way, what is the call to action?
Sometimes you may have a primary and a secondary audience (or reader) to consider. For example, your primary audience for your organization’s newsletter would probably be the staff and board members. However, if the newsletter is posted on your organization’s website then members of the general public may read it and they would be your secondary audience.
Think tone
The next thing to consider is tone. Tone refers to how you talk to your audience through the words and details in your writing. You will base your decision on your audience and on what it is you are writing.
For example:
- Speaking remarks for a presenter at the meeting may be friendly and conversational. You may use the second person (you) when addressing the audience. And you may use contractions, such as couldn’t or won’t, and even include a joke or two — but not at anyone’s expense. At some point, perhaps when the speaker is talking about what the organization has accomplished over the past year, you might change the tone of the speech or presentation from conversational to impassioned.
- A fact sheet to be given out at the same meeting will be different. It will be neutral, to the point and business-like. You probably will not use not use contractions, and you most likely will use the third person — community, the organization, the government, etc.
In both instances, you should avoid slang and jargon. Terms that are common within a group — and it does not matter whether it is a neighbourhood or an industry group— may not be understood by those who come from outside of it.
Think style
Style in writing refers to the manner in which you present the text. English is a complicated language with words, grammar and spelling that change frequently.
Style also includes consistency in how words — numbers, titles and dates, for example — are written. There is no right or wrong way, but consistency is essential.
Style guides and style sheets are tools to help with consistency.
There are many style guides including the Chicago Manual of Style, Canadian Style and Canadian Press Stylebook. They do not always agree!
- Capital letters for all job titles and the names of all departments – or not?
- for everyone who holds a doctorate or only for health care professionals?
- Capital for Internet, or not? E-mail or email?
- Day, month, year or year, month, day?
Style Sheets are similar to style guides except that style sheets are usually only a few pages of notes that help you with consistency once you have decided how you will deal with numbers, dates, capitalization, etc. Your style sheet may also include a list of terms frequently used by the organization you are writing for, such as financial terms used by the investment sector or medical terms used by the health care industry.
And now with your thinking done – your route decided and your GPS set to go — you’re ready to tackle the actual writing or editing part of the job.
