Legal Writing

In my writing and training, I often talk about the Internal Writer and the Internal Editor, and the importance of keeping them separate. For most of us, that means shutting off the Internal Editor while we draft, so that our Internal Writer can get the words down without interference. When the words are on paper or screen, the Internal Editor can come back to revise them.

That's what the planning stage of the writing process is for: making time for our Internal Editor to give our Internal Writer the most complete assignment possible. Before the Internal Writer begins drafting, the Internal Editor should be able to say, "I want you to write for this reader, for this purpose, using these materials, in this order. And here are a lot of details about each." 

Don't you feel more confident about your work when your boss tells you clearly what she wants? Well, by going through a good planning stage, that's what you can do for yourself.

This week, don't start drafting until you've given yourself the clearest, most complete assignment possible. Then watch your writing improve.