Are You an Accidental Writer? How to Write with Purpose
By Aaron Nielsenshultz
Do you find that when it comes time to write, you just don’t know what you want to say—much less how to say it? For many people, the first step in writing a new document involves opening Word …and staring at that big, blank space. And in an effort to fill that space, many of us start writing, whether or not we know what we want to say.
While it’s true that many a happy accident comes from accidental writing, most of us could benefit from a few simple tools to help us focus before we begin. Herman Melville had the luxury of time to write until he made his point in Moby Dick, but most of us have deadlines to hit.
Create a list
If you put out an ezine or other periodic update, make a list of possible topics before you do anything else. It’s ok to put redundant or unclear ideas into this list—all the list does is give you some starting points so you don’t sit down to a blank canvas every week. And this way, you can have your possibles floating around in your head before you even get to that writing act. Note the date you publish one of the ideas right on your brainstorming list to avoid repetition.
Make notes
Come to your new document with some ideas in hand. Once you’ve used your possibles list to pick an idea, sketch out some quick notes on what you think you’d like to say on the topic. Do it on a notepad—or in Notepad—or do it right in the body of your newly-forming document, but let your notes lead you. Having an idea of what you’d like to say can be a great start for knowing how to say it. Don’t worry about editing, style, or anything else with your notes.
Build the form
Your notes will probably be a good guide for the points you want to make, so use them as reference points. Put the points into the body of your document so that you can see the way they will flow together.
Coming to your writing task with a topic, some notes, and a general structure will give you a better sense of clarity—and when your writing starts off clearly rather than accidentally, you’re off to a running start!
© 2006 Red Pepper Writing
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Yara and Aaron Nielsenshultz, the Writing "Peppers" and founders of Red Pepper Writing, teach ambitious Coaches, Consultants, and other Solopreneurs how to use powerful writing to get more clients and make more money. For FREE weekly writing tips, visit http://www.redpepperwriting.com.
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