While you don't need a detailed,
four-page outline that encompasses every point you want to make or every theory
you purport, a simple outline can assist you in organizing your thoughts,
narrowing your topic, helping you decide exactly what you want to say, and
ensuring that you cover every important aspect of your subject.
An outline also helps you jump over
the writer's block hurdle that plagues nearly every writer at one time or
another.
Organize Your Thoughts
Before you even begin to write,
spend some time brainstorming. Grab a sheet of paper and a pen, or a blank
computer screen and a keyboard, and write down everything you can think of that
relates to your topic. Include ideas that are only slightly relevant, ideas
that you may eventually discard, but don't filter your thoughts at this point. When
you're finished, go back over what you've written and eliminate duplicate thoughts,
unnecessary or irrelevant ideas, or anything else you don't want to include.
Now you have a fairly thorough list
of the general ideas you want to discuss.
Narrow Your Topic
What do I want my readers to understand?
Are each of these ideas necessary to my central theme?
Once you have each general topic
area defined, it's time to think about each area in more detail. Write your
first draft at this point, being careful to fill in every detail you can. It's
much easier to edit and cut extraneous material than to try to go back and fill
it in later.
Cover Every Important Aspect of Your
Subject
After you've written your first
draft, you'll want to go back and evaluate every sentence, and every paragraph.
Have you covered every important aspect of your subject? Should you expand an
idea more fully? Can you rewrite a sentence or a paragraph to make it read more
clearly or professionally? Consider Hiring a Professional
Most small business owners and
entrepreneurs must wear many, if not all, of the hats in the company. While
it's easy to recognize the importance of your business communications, it's
also easy to allow them to crucial documents to exit your office without full
consideration for their impact on your bottom line.
Consider this... if you don't
communicate clearly and effectively with your clients and prospects, you'll
lose their attention -- and their business!
That's why, if your business writing
skills are less than professional, you should seriously consider hiring a
professional writer and/or editor to assist you.
Often, the first thing your audience
sees is your written communication, and if you fail there, you'll never get the
chance to show them what great products and astounding customer service you can
provide!
