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Vol. 39 No. 2 — March 2022

CONTENT CLARITY

Starting to write something can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. I once attended a BBC event where screenwriters presented their raw ideas to the audience. The purpose was for the BBC to engage with local digital agencies, so that collaborative work on digital marketing campaigns could start about a year prior to the TV shows being on air. There was little time for the writers to develop their stories, so there were no slides or fancy visuals, just spectacularly unrefined ideas. The presentations—as well as the discussions that followed—were fascinating.

This experience gave me the courage to start looking for early feedback on my own writing ideas. Screenwriters I met at the BBC event didn’t seem extraordinarily confident; they came across as not particularly prepared and somewhat vulnerable. If they could share their ideas before anything tangible had been created, why couldn’t I? Early feedback is now the first step I take when I’m writing, followed by five additional steps that transform my embryonic ideas into a finished article.

STEP 1: SUPPORTIVE FEEDBACK

You can’t overestimate the value of supportive, kind, thoughtful reflections from a trusted colleague. My preferred way of getting feedback is sharing my thoughts in the form of voice messages. I feel that speaking is easier, faster, and more authentic than typing up thoughts. It’s also a more flexible way of communicating than a scheduled call is, because both participants can record their voice messages at their convenience. To increase my chances of getting useful feedback, I frame my request using these four questions: What piqued your interest? Where did you get bored? Was anything confusing, missing, or unclear? Does it serve the intended purpose?

STEP 2: FORMAT AND STRUCTURE

Here are some questions to consider. How many pages, words, or slides do you need for your message to be effective? Can it be broken down into clear, meaningful parts? What subheads would you use for each? What would readers’ expectations be with regard to different angles covered, and how can you provide a balanced picture of different perspectives? What examples or case studies can you provide to illustrate your point? Are there facts that can add weight to your argument? Who are the main experts in the subject you’re writing about, and would it be useful to include their findings or quotes? If the reader wanted to ignore your advice or disagree with your main point, what would the consequences likely be?

You don’t need polished paragraphs of text at this stage—bullet points and scribbles are fine. This step is about making sure that you know what you need to cover and that there is substance and credibility to your story.

STEP 3: RESEARCH

Once you have outlined the structure of your work, you can identify areas that will benefit from more research and fact-finding. Be smart about the level of depth you want to go into. It’s easy to get lost in researching topics that you feel particularly passionate about, overlooking other areas you need to write about in order to provide a balanced view. Set a time limit on how much research you do.

STEP 4: WRITING A DRAFT

Write your first draft in as few sittings as you can. I usually end up with about 500 words in one sitting. Beyond that, I need a drink, need a snack, need to water my plants, need to text a friend—the list goes on. When that happens, I accept that I have to take a break for my productivity to return, and I aim to come back to writing the next 500 words or so in 10–20 minutes.

Getting through the first draft quickly matters, because this is the hardest part of writing. Savannah Gilbo, an editor, book coach, and the host of the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast, recommends using TK (which stands for “to come”) in places in which more information is needed.

STEP 5: A PERSONAL TOUCH

A personal touch in writing is like an accessory that completes an outfit—it makes your writing unique. Think about why you chose to write about this topic in the first place. Why would other people value your opinion in this instance? Initially, I find it hard to settle on a personal angle, but once I’ve gotten some writing done and built up my confidence, it’s easier. For example, in the beginning of this article, I mentioned a BBC event I attended. However, I wrote this part of the article at the end, after I finished writing about the six steps of productive writing.

STEP 6: FINAL REVIEW

Once you’re done writing, it’s best to step away from your creation before doing a final review so that you can look at it with fresh eyes. This is when you realize that some of your writing doesn’t make sense because you missed something seemingly obvious. This is also a good time to focus on correcting spelling and grammar mistakes. If you need to cut your writing to a required length, you can do that too. These final touches are so satisfying.

CONCLUSION

Although writing has the reputation of being a lonely job, you can seek early feedback from trusted colleagues. Before you write your first draft, remind yourself what the requirements are: the format, word count, and other parameters. Outline a structure that supports balanced coverage of the topic. Research what you must, but don’t go down rabbit holes. Aim to write your first draft in a short amount of time, no matter how painful it feels. Add a personal touch, leave it to marinate, do a final review, and submit it. Then, celebrate—you deserve it!