Writers Unbound

Read the first installment here.

The next two steps are not needed for every piece, though they can get you moving again when you feel stuck even on shorter articles.

It’s time to do research.

After you’ve done your initial planning and outlining, it’s time to do research. Maybe. If you know what you need to know to write your article and you are ready to roll, then don’t stop to read what someone else has written. You can do that after you have finished writing, if you want to check additional material or resources. If, however, you need additional knowledge, sources, inspiration, or perspectives, if you’re feeling stuck, if you aren’t sure what angle to take, make use of the wonders of research.

I still think of the basement library stacks when I hear research. That may be where you need to go, but it may be much simpler than that. Call your Mom for research on frugal cooking, family traditions, or dealing with grown kids who won’t live home. Talk to your neighbor with the five kids about how she stays sane in the summer or what kind of advice she would give young moms. Shoot an email to an old college friend for his view on economic changes, the best financial software, or where to get great burgers in Boston. Read trade magazines for specialty articles and perspectives on any kind of industry. The internet, of course, is a wide, wide world of information. Just be sure the information you get is valid. Always give credit where credit is due. And if you’re using research as a way to get started on a shorter piece that doesn’t necessarily “need” it, give yourself a time limit and stick to it.

Outlining again.

After you complete the research, you may need to stop and outline again, or further fill in the outline you already made. Plug in those details you found under the appropriate main heading, or rearrange things to match the perspective you have decided to use. Don’t worry about getting it perfect, just get your ideas down on paper so you won’t lose them.

And then you write.

We have reached the step most of us try to begin on: Write. You should write, and you must write, but only after you have planned and outlined. Once that is done, sit down, pull out your calendar, look at your notes, and use your outline to start filling in those paragraphs. Feel free to break from your outline if, as you write, your piece takes a different direction. It isn’t meant to be a restrictive structure, just a helpful guide.

As you write, consciously turn your inner word critic to silent. Remind yourself that you are dedicating an entire step to the editing process, so there is no need to spend time on it now. Just get it down.

Then you edit.

If your schedule allows, take a break between the writing and editing process, especially for the longer pieces. If you must complete it that day, at least take a ten-minute breather. Walk around the block, get a snack, call a friend. Do something completely removed from the writing process, so that you can come back to it refreshed.

When you do come back, edit as if your worst enemy wrote it. Be merciless. Cut superfluous words. Find the right word, not a mushy one that will do, but poorly. Make sure your points are clear, your terms well-defined, your illustrations appropriate. If you aren’t sure of good editing standards, go read Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. Then edit.

The final step is the most fun. You have completed the piece. You have done the work. Now you simply send the piece on to its final destination: post it, attach it, print it. Put in the appropriate format. Find related graphics or photos, if required. Append image or information credits at the bottom. Double-check formatting, then put that piece where it is supposed to go.

Ta da!

Make it a good day.

Image Credit: Swami Stream.