4 Surefire Ways to Get Clarity and Focus in Your Writing
By Aaron Nielsenshultz
Losing focus can really dilute the power of your writing. Whether you’re writing for the general blogosphere, or an email to a client, of for any specific audience, knowing how to keep your text centered on your point brings that point into sharper focus. Sometimes clarity is one re-reading away; other times you’ll find the writing process has sparked an inadvertent brainstorming session. In either event, you can find your point and make it shine with a few simple steps:
1. Make a point-sentence
Distill the main idea of your document into one sentence, your point-sentence, and put that sentence prominently in your document. Print it out and tape it to the top of your monitor. Make sure that you can—and do!—refer to your point-sentence regularly.
2. Keep your paragraphs short
The more time you take to make your point, the more likely you are to drift from your topic. Look for places where you’ve overwritten, since long paragraphs often indicate the presence of more than one point. Refer to your point sentence to guide you in removing excess—and extraneous—writing.
3. Leave time for rereading
In order for a reread to be most effective, you should leave yourself enough time to separate from your text so you can approach it with fresh eyes. That way as you go through, you’ll benefit from seeing your points without already knowing what you’re going to say. And when you read as a reader, not as a writer, you’ll be able to see when you’ve drifted off topic.
4. Take notes as you go
When you start a new paragraph, make a note in the margin reminding yourself what you’re trying to say with the new point. While this is easier to do on paper, you can use the track-changes function in most word processors to make your own margin call-outs. Alternatively, you can open a second document to make notes in; that way your brainstorming material stays in one window while your main points stay in another.
© 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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