Tag Archives: writing process

First drafts nearly always need to be improved

Thinking & writing, writing tip,

‘Developing documentation, especially user-centred documentation, is not a one shot process. It is a continual process of successive refinement.’  (William Horton)

Another way of saying this is ‘There is no such thing as good writing – only good rewriting.’

So, expecting to generate perfect text on your first draft is unrealistic.

When writing in plain language we are always aiming to write user-centred text, and so we will always be refining our structure, words and sentences as we get feedback from our users, as we test our documents with the people who need to use them to do something useful.

Genuine feedback from users, often through formal user testing, is often forgotten in plain language writing projects.

Make sure you include feedback beyond just internal review processes.

Writing is easy!

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing

Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank sheet of paper until drops of blood form on your head. (Gene Fowler)

Nearly everybody finds it hard to write at some time. Next time that happens to you, try this 5 step process.

1. Plan

Write down the answers to these questions. Don’t just think about these questions – writing brings clarity.

Who is your audience? – characteristics, attitudes? What is important to them?

What do you want them to do? Do you want them to understand something or do something?

What information do they need? What do they need to know? When?

2. Capture ideas

Gather all the bits and pieces that you think may need to go into the document. You could use mind mapping or just start writing randomly.

Don’t worry about word choice, grammar or spelling.

Don’t worry about sequence

Don’t try to work out details

Use diagrams, shapes or symbols – not just words

Don’t be neat

3. Organise and shape

There are no hard and fast rules about organising. You cannot organise until you know what it is that needs putting in order. So be wary of templates – they can be useful, but they may also restrict your thinking.

Answering these questions will help you organise your document.

How will the reader discover this information?

Will they be looking for an answer to a specific question they have, or just reading for interest?

What are they likely to be doing when they encounter this information?

What will the reader do with the information?

Do they need to follow a procedure you are describing?

Do they need to combine this information with other information? Where will they get this from?

How can this be organised in a way that makes sense to my reader?

How are the ideas related? (usually, it is best to start with the ‘big picture’ before moving into detail)

What do my readers already know about this topic?

How can I organise this into less than 7 ‘chunks’? (Use headings to separate the chunks, use paragraphs to further organise the chunks.)

What can I safely leave out? (Readers find it tiresome to wade through text that has no relevance to their interest or needs.)

4. Write, edit and revise

There is no such thing as good writing, only good re-writing!

  • Get straight to the point.
  • Use words familiar to your reader.
  • Keep sentences short and simple. Each sentence should cover only one point.
  • Use the active voice and avoid the passive voice.
  • Write directly to your audience i.e. use ‘we’ and ‘you’.
  • Use verbs (action words), not nouns made from verbs.
  • Use simple, short words.

5. Test

Readers are the only people who can tell you whether your writing is good or bad. If possible, test your document on a sample of your target audience. Ask them questions to see if you have effectively conveyed your message.

 

How to write sentences

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, ,

Never begin a sentence until you are sure of what you want to say in it and how it will end.If that means you only write short, simple sentences for a while, that’s OK.

Think clearly before committing words to paper or screen so that every word serves a purpose. Rushing ahead without clarity can lead to confusion, both for you and your reader.

And usually just write one single, focused thought per sentence. This makes your writing easier to follow. Readers can process single ideas more effectively than complex, multi-layered statements that weave together several concepts.

But, if you choose to include more than one point in a sentence, place the most important thought first. Your reader will find your main message immediately, even if they stop reading mid-sentence.

If you do this, over time you’ll develop a writing style that is both powerful and easy to follow. You’ll be able to communicate complex ideas clearly and succinctly.

How to get started when writing

Thinking & writing, writing tip, , ,

Just writing anything that comes into your head can be a surprisingly effective way to start writing. Free writing helps get the ideas flowing without the pressure of perfection.

When you let your thoughts spill onto the page uncensored, it helps unlock your thinking without worrying about perfection. It removes the pressure of getting everything right the first time and allows your ideas to develop naturally. It’s not about perfection at this stage; it’s about momentum.

You can always refine, reshape, and polish those raw ideas later. The key is to keep your pen moving or your fingers typing, even if what emerges feels messy or incoherent at first.

I often say, there’s no such thing as good writing, only good rewriting.  The magic happens in revision, where you sculpt your initial thoughts into something compelling.

So give yourself permission to write badly at first—it’s an essential part of the creative process.

Is a document always the best choice?

Thinking & writing, writing tip, ,

Sometimes, a document is not the best way of communicating with your audience.

Face-to-face meetings or telephone conversations or video conferencing may be better.

While letters, emails, and documents serve their purpose, they can create delays between sending and receiving messages, slowing down the exchange of ideas.

However, when you speak directly there is opportunity for immediate feedback, clarification, and a more dynamic discussion. This real-time interaction helps prevent misunderstandings and may foster a stronger connection between parties.

Direct dialogue also allows you to pick up on tone, emotion, and nuance that written words often fail to convey. Body language and vocal inflections add crucial layers of meaning to your message.  

After the conversation, it’s wise to follow up with a written summary of key points and any agreements reached. This makes sure everyone is on the same page and provides a clear reference for future use.

Combining the efficiency of verbal communication with the clarity of written records can lead to more productive and successful outcomes.

The dangers of copy and paste

Thinking & writing, writing tip, ,

Copying and pasting from one document to another allows you to generate text quickly without thinking very hard. It gives the illusion of progress.

Copy and paste builds bulk but not always meaning.

This approach might seem efficient for meeting word counts or filling pages, but it often results in disjointed and incoherent content.

Using existing text is an effective way to get started and can provide a useful foundation or inspiration for your work, but always revise so the meaning is clear and relevant to the new document.

Each piece of writing has its own context, audience, and purpose. Simply transplanting text without adapting it will likely result in an ineffective document.

Thoughtful editing transforms text into meaningful communication, and that demonstrates both respect for your readers and a commitment to quality.

Lazy writing reflects lazy thinking. And remember, you cannot write well until you first think well.

Review and edit to improve

Plain language / Plain English, Thinking & writing, writing tip, , ,

There’s no such thing as good writing,
only good re-writing.

If you’ve been writing for a while, you will know that is true. We very rarely craft perfect text on our first attempt.

Writing is a really thinking in concrete words. The process of refining and editing is part of the thinking process, helping ideas become clearer and more precise.

If you can, often it’s good to write a first draft and then leave your text for a day or two.

This allows your sub-conscious to bubble away and enriches your thinking. I’ve got no idea how the subconscious works, I just know it does.

Allowing yourself a bit of soak time helps. Then get into reviewing and editing.

And you may need to repeat that process a few times.