In the past when I was to say “I want to be a better writer”, it almost always had to do with being able to effectively communicate my ideas. But, my perspective on how to do this was very linear only focussed on language and structure. This week, more than ever, I am realizing the importance of balancing form and with the other aspects of writing. I have much room for improvement if I focus more on form. 

When form comes into play the revising process is much more complex. The goal is to make sure that the language and format maintain the reader’s focus at the highest level and most importantly make them want to keep reading to the end. 

Going forward, I want to keep my “first draft” process the same. The goal is simply just to get words on the page . But, I want to implement an additional revising period with a focus on making sure that the format is as effective and engaging as possible without taking away from the meaning of the language. 

This could be done through:

• additional paragraph breaks
• more images/visuals
• more engaging vocabulary
• Bullets or lists
• Interactive elements (chart, graph, even a mini game).

This process should result in clean and simple way to communicate, however, it could also cause the writer lose their voice. When considering the audience, it is important to keep all background of people in mind. However, we do not want to write to the masses. Author of Writing Well, William Zinsser, writes, “You are writing for yourself. Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.” We need our writing to be personal. Firstly, so that we are strongly connected to the words we tie our names to. And Second, so that the reader has the opportunity to deeply engage with whatever the topic may be.

Zinsser, William. On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition (p. 24). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition.