How to Organize Before You Write

Writing doesn’t come easy to many people. Especially when it involves creating content for your business. It can be a task you procrastinate, or something you want to sit down and do as quickly as possible just to get it done.

But rushing through your work doesn’t usually produce quality results, and procrastinating doesn’t produce results at all.

If you take a few minutes to organize and plan what you want to write before you dive in, the words will come easier. You’ll identify where you need more information, and you’ll be able to think of the details that support your point.

We learned in English class how to organize an essay. You start with the main idea, have your supporting details, and close with a summary paragraph. Writing for your business follows the same process, but with a professional angle and a call to action.

How you organize may differ slightly depending on the type of content you are creating for your business, such as a blog article, a newsletter article, or a sales letter. But no matter what you are writing, taking the time to organize your thoughts before your write will save you time and frustration.

Here’s how to organize before you write:

  1. Identify the topic you are going to write about. It’s usually best to choose one idea per article, so you don’t confuse your reader or seem to be writing without a point. If you are writing about a new product, focus on its features and how it can help your customers. If you are writing a blog about how to use a particular product, give specific directions. Keep your writing focused.
  2. Write a headline. This is the summary title that will entice your audience to read your article. It identifies what your article is about, so be sure your content gives the reader what your headline promised.
  3. Break up your content with subheads. Subheads are mini headlines that give more details about your main idea, much like your supporting paragraphs did in your English essay. So if you are an auto manufacturer that just released a new car, your subheads might be about the engine, the interior, and the safety features.
  4. Ask for action. Your closing paragraph should summarize your article, and ask your reader for something. You might want to ask them to contact you for more information, click on a fact sheet that provides more details, or to buy your product or service.

Writing for your business is similar to story telling. You are giving your audience a step-by-step account of what happened, how something works, or how to solve a problem. If you take some time before you write to organize your thoughts, it will make creating content for your business a more satisfying and productive task.

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