What to say (write)? This can be one of the most frustrating problems especially if you are writing for an assignment (e.g. a term paper in school, or under deadline for an article) and you cannot think of a subject. Or you have a subject, but do not know how to approach it – be expansive or limiting, reporting or analytical, humorous or serious, etc.? This is a critical issue and all of the thought you give to it will be rewarded when you do begin to write.
How to decide what to write;
• Consider your objectives – what is it you need to write, want to write?
• What is the tone – is it professional and formal, or lighthearted and simple? The tone in your professional resume certainly will be different than in a funny note to a friend.
• Consider your emotions. This is critical. Are you writing under duress anger, or in an agitated emotional state? Or are you writing with ice-water-in-the-veins calm about your subject? If the former – you’re angry – here’s my advice. Just write, without much thought or organization. Blast it all out. Get it out of your system in a cathartic session. Don’t worry for a moment about spelling, grammar, style or anything else – just write. Let your writing software program take care of all of those qualities. You will feel so much better simply by writing. HOWEVER – this is the important part – do not send what you write! To do so can be very dangerous and embarrassing later. Once disgorged, set it aside for as long as it takes to dispel your emotion – a minimum of one night’s sleep, but it could be a month or more. Never send something written in anger! If it is written in passion, like a love letter, that can be different, but be careful even in this case. If you truly are angry, wait. You can’t wait long enough. The reason is, as good as it feels to write in anger, most of what you write is nonsensical drivel! This is not prose worthy of the light of day, without serious editing. Oh there will be some kernels of wisdom in this putrid pile of festering emotions you have now put into words, but you need a calm mind to sift through them and find the good stuff. Wait.
• Consider your restrictions. Are you limited by a maximum number of words? When is it due? Does your writing need to fit a form, a template, a philosophy, an argument, or other? The list is endless.
• Consider your preparation. Are you sufficiently informed about your topic? Although it never has been a requirement to know anything about what you write – as evidenced by the work of numerous newspaper and periodical columnists – still, it helps to be somewhat informed. The more you know, the easier it is to write about it.
Once you are clear about most of the above, the task is fairly well defined. You know who your reader(s) are, you know what you wish to say, you have some organization of your thoughts or arguments, you understand your emotional state, and you’re ready. All that remains is to do it. Write!
And, your writing can be enhanced with a remarkable English writing software tool like the WhiteSmoke 2009 grammar check and error correction program. It not only fixes all of your grammar, spelling and punctuation errors, but also enhances your writing style for more effectiveness in your text. It is far more powerful than a mere word processor, and is like having your own personal editor by your side.
