5 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Start Writing.
There’s more to writing than we know…
Writing is a process. Good writers don’t sit to write just anything.
It’s an art which involves sharpening one’s mental muscles through creative thinking and in-depth understanding.
Writers think a lot and whether we admit it or not, our lives are an entire thought-process.
This is why a writer’s mind is almost never silent because it is a breeding ground for the creation and formation of ideas.
It is not unusual for writers to question themselves before they start writing.
If you desire a better quality of work and engagement, here are some quick questions to ask yourself before you get into your writing mode:
1. Who am I writing for?
The importance of targeting and knowing an audience is one which we can’t stress enough.
When we write, we engage people we will probably never meet or know.
Writing is like making a phone call; you need to know that the other party is listening if you want to have a proper conversation.
While a lot of writers like to explore several topics, others prefer to play safe by staying within a particular niche to target a specific audience.
However, irrespective of what we desire to write, readers feel differently at different times. Sometimes, they could be in the mood for humor, how-tos, or something inspirational. Other times, they just want something that’s not too hard to understand.
One technique that particularly works is to note the interests of readers and how they engage. For me, this is usually a starting point when I need to write.
“Writers are only ever as good as their readers.” — Kevin Ansbro
2. How can I use words that will clearly express my intention?
It’s one thing to write, it’s another thing to be understood.
Writing is just like talking, the main aim is to get your points across.
Indeed, the ability to eloquently express oneself through paper and pen is not a skill that comes to all. There is that sense of honesty and precision that readers want to see when they flip through a written piece.
Sometimes, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Still, the writing business requires definitive purpose and clarity.
Before I start writing, I usually ponder on how best I can express myself without giving unnecessary details or doling out boring facts.
What writing has taught me is that though you may have a target audience, not everyone will always want to read what you have written. However, once you are able to convey your thoughts clearly, you will have your readers right where you want them.
For many reasons, writing can be quite tricky because no writer wants to send a wrong message to the readers. The fear of being misread or misunderstood sees many writers struggling to express themselves as precisely as possible.
The point here is, because writing communicates the words we are not able to say, it requires more precision and caution in delivery.
“What we often think of as good writing is merely effectively communicating a clear message to a particular audience.” — Jeff Goins
3. What is the central focus of my writing?
Sometimes, a writer could go on and on without proving a point.
Then, it gets hard for even the most dutiful reader to follow because the main gist is lost somewhere within the article.
Whenever I write, I occasionally ask myself 'so?, what’s next?, then?’. This helps me put things in perspective and stay within focus.
Giving a logical sequence of events is one sure way to build momentum before reaching the main gist.
By doing this, I have learned to critique every sentence placement and construction.
The truth about writing is that it gets easier when you have a clear idea of what you are writing.
You either hit the nail right on the head or you miss it. There aren’t two ways to it.
Here’s how I ensure that I don’t miss the main gist while writing:
- By deciding what each sentence, paragraph or section is all about.
- By ensuring that there is a proper sequence and flow of ideas.
4. Will my writing be of value to anyone?
If you really want to get more people to read your work, there has to be a problem of theirs which you are giving answers to.
People usually have different reasons for reading, but what tops it is the desire to leave better than they came.
People don’t just want answers, they want answers fast. - Neil Patel
The best content is that which provides readily-made answers for whoever is reading! The human mind is naturally curious, hence people read so they can gain more ideas.
Whenever I write, I put myself in the reader’s shoes and silently ask :
- “Why should I keep reading?”
2. “Would I read this if I wasn’t the one who wrote it?”
“A good book is one that provides value to both the author and the reader.” — Max Tucker
5. How can I instantly capture any reader’s attention?
Grabbing the attention of any reader is one thing, successfully keeping that attention span till the end is another.
Since it’s confirmed that people generally lose concentration after 8 seconds, many writers are constantly thinking about ways to quickly grab any reader’s attention within the first few seconds!
That’s why it’s very helpful to thoroughly have a good understanding of whatever topic you have chosen to write.
Writing a conversational topic also gives you the upper hand.
A lot of readers love reading subjects that speak to them. No one wants to feel left out when it looks like the writer is having a monologue instead of something engaging that should resonate with the reader.
When writing, it’s advisable to go straight to the point. This is a subtle way to let the readers feel that reading your piece was worth their time.
Agreed, some readers aren’t patient enough to read if a topic doesn’t align with their peculiar interests, but this doesn’t work the same way for everyone.
Personally, my curiosity to read an article peaks when I see the heading, then I proceed to quickly skim through before settling to read. If I love what I have read so much, I read it again!
Eventually, the whole essence of writing is to let the readers enjoy what you have written. This is only possible if you give them as much leverage as possible into your artistic mind.
“If it’s good literature, the reader and writer will connect. It’s inevitable.”- Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Final Thoughts
Sometimes it may seem as though writing doesn’t require much.
This isn’t true, because it does.
Readers may not really care to read your writing if it is always something that doesn’t catch their interest. For this reason, writers must constantly ask themselves if they are doing enough to keep their readers coming back.
Certainly, where a writer is inquisitive enough to find answers to the right questions, the readers will stay till the last word.
However, a writer’s curiosity is never satisfied if it doesn’t ask the right question.
Now it brings us back to the first question, who are you writing for?
