Stay on pointBefore you write a single word of an email, article, or blog, stop and ask yourself: “What do I want the reader to know, remember, or do?
Once you have that answer, keep it in front of you while you write. As writers, we all know how easy it is to follow an interesting thread, research tidbit, or tangential fact train that can get your piece off track. And no matter how fascinating your side plot is, it’ll probably lose your reader. Your piece’s primary takeaway often gets spelled out in the title, but if it doesn’t, create one of your own. Write it on a sticky note and keep it on the screen so you don’t forget. After every section or paragraph, look back at that beacon and ask yourself, “Does what I just wrote point back to this?” Keeping your takeaway front and center throughout your work will help keep it cohesive and your readers engaged.
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