Effective writing Chap II
The Four Steps of Writing
1. Plan
Organizing thoughts before writing is pleasant and profitable, but organizing after writing is wasteful, irritating, and inefficient. Planning is not the second, third, or fourth step; it must be the first.
2. Write
Start with a rough draft.
Writing and revising are different activities that are best performed separately.
Much of the unpleasantness associated with writing is due to postponing writing too long and then trying to accomplish the impossible --- a polished final paper in the first draft.
3. Cool
Each writer should experiment to find the amount of time that must elapse before he can view his work objectively as another reader views it.
4. Revise
Successful authors not only revise, they revise assiduously and interminably. Purposeful revision by a writer who has cooled to an objective frame of mind is economical. The real waste of time is an interruption of one’s writing of the first draft to change it or an attempt to revise a paper that one has just written. Later revision is more efficient revision.
By starting to write earlier he can provide an adequate interval before revision and can leave more time for improving his work. A welcome, and sometimes unexpected, result is the increased thoughtfulness of his writing. He benefits from those excellent second thoughts that would otherwise plague him too late.
The real waste of time in an interruption of one’s writing of the first draft to change it or an attempt to revise a paper that one has just written. Later revision is more efficient revision.
First revision.
Bear two questions in mind: 1. Does this paper contain all the material that my reader needs?
2. How much material can I remove without interfering with my reader’s understanding and needs?
[Why is X reading this paper? What training and background does he have for understanding the subject? How does he read? What kind of thinker is he? How much of my report will he read?]
Second revision.
During his second reading a writer should strive for clarity.
A reader should never be given the opportunity to think, “Well, I know what you mean to say because I know what you ought to be saying, but you haven’t said it.”
A writer should know how to choose the best word for his meaning (Chap XII), how to make his sentences clear (Chap IX & XIII), and how to construct paragraphs that develop his meaning helpfully and clearly (Chap XIV).
Third revision.
In the third reading and in as many subsequent readings as are necessary, a writer should correct his writing.
Fourth revision.
The fourth revision should be a strenuous attempt to reduce the number of words.
Fifth revision.
The fifth and final revision, an attempt to develop better style, is advanced work.
1. Plan
Organizing thoughts before writing is pleasant and profitable, but organizing after writing is wasteful, irritating, and inefficient. Planning is not the second, third, or fourth step; it must be the first.
2. Write
Start with a rough draft.
Writing and revising are different activities that are best performed separately.
Much of the unpleasantness associated with writing is due to postponing writing too long and then trying to accomplish the impossible --- a polished final paper in the first draft.
3. Cool
Each writer should experiment to find the amount of time that must elapse before he can view his work objectively as another reader views it.
4. Revise
Successful authors not only revise, they revise assiduously and interminably. Purposeful revision by a writer who has cooled to an objective frame of mind is economical. The real waste of time is an interruption of one’s writing of the first draft to change it or an attempt to revise a paper that one has just written. Later revision is more efficient revision.
By starting to write earlier he can provide an adequate interval before revision and can leave more time for improving his work. A welcome, and sometimes unexpected, result is the increased thoughtfulness of his writing. He benefits from those excellent second thoughts that would otherwise plague him too late.
The real waste of time in an interruption of one’s writing of the first draft to change it or an attempt to revise a paper that one has just written. Later revision is more efficient revision.
First revision.
Bear two questions in mind: 1. Does this paper contain all the material that my reader needs?
2. How much material can I remove without interfering with my reader’s understanding and needs?
[Why is X reading this paper? What training and background does he have for understanding the subject? How does he read? What kind of thinker is he? How much of my report will he read?]
Second revision.
During his second reading a writer should strive for clarity.
A reader should never be given the opportunity to think, “Well, I know what you mean to say because I know what you ought to be saying, but you haven’t said it.”
A writer should know how to choose the best word for his meaning (Chap XII), how to make his sentences clear (Chap IX & XIII), and how to construct paragraphs that develop his meaning helpfully and clearly (Chap XIV).
Third revision.
In the third reading and in as many subsequent readings as are necessary, a writer should correct his writing.
Fourth revision.
The fourth revision should be a strenuous attempt to reduce the number of words.
Fifth revision.
The fifth and final revision, an attempt to develop better style, is advanced work.
