Planning Your Paper

Approaching a piece of Public Communication writing can be overwhelming at times, so here are just a few tips to get you started on the right path.

Give yourself time

The best way to avoid anxiety with your writing is to give yourself plenty of time to brainstorm and draft. Communication is difficult – especially when you have a strict word limit or formatting space. The more time you have to let your creativity flow and get your brain moving, the better.

Define your audience

Before you start writing, make sure you know exactly who you’re writing to – what language does your audience use? What will they understand? What are their worldviews? What could be offensive to them, or appealing? What will they relate to?

Set a goal

Ask yourself; after reading this piece of writing—whether it’s a news article, a web page, a flyer, or a brochure—what will your audience walk away with? Are you trying to change their behavior, teach them something, make them buy your product, attend your event, or spread the word?

Identify the Who, What, When, Where, and Why?

Then make sure that all of this information is included as quickly and concisely as possible.

Focus on the headline and the first sentence

The world is full of messages, all clamoring to get a reader’s attention. The headline is what makes your piece stand out. Do your best to make it great. The first sentence, or the lede as journalists call it, is what determines whether your whole piece will be read or skimmed over. If you spend 90% of your time focusing on these two aspects, your time will be well spent.