Before you write ONE MORE WORD…
There are three things that must be absolutely clear in your mind before you write anything.
First, you must know WHY you are writing. What’s the point? When people are done reading your work, what should they walk away with? You should be able to write out the main idea you want to communicate on the back of a business card… (That means one or two sentences MAX.) if you can’t, you probably need to think it through some more. (This type of clarity will save you many hours of frustration –I GUARANTEE IT.)
Second, once you know your main idea, you must realize that no one else knows your main point. It is your job to tell them, not their job to guess. It is your job to make your main point as easy to understand as possible. Walk your audience through the necessary details to arrive at the main point.
Do not expect your audience to patiently study your piece of writing. Do not ask them to wallow through ambiguous thoughts that are thicker than quicksand to arrive at your conclusion.
Third, Make it your goal to gain as much knowledge and wisdom as you can on the topic of writing. You can always improve on this critical skill. It’s worth your time. The pen is, after all, mightier than the sword.
Lost in an idea...