Updated September 2023
Your writing's not going to be organized if your initial thoughts aren't. We lean heavily on two pre-writing graphical organizers to map out our thinking before we start typing/scribbling.
1. The People-Information-Goals StrategyTM
The PIG is a workhorse. It made its bones planning individual pieces of content. Unlike an outline, it captures key aspects related to intent, audience and outcomes, forming a nice framework for getting the underpinnings secured before the writing begins. That's also what makes it a handy tool for team projects. We gather the group to discuss and agree on these key elements before launch. The finished organizer is a guide book for each team member as they move through the project, keeping us on track. Download the easy-to-use People-Information-Goals playbook with examples here.
2. The Position-Rationale-Proof StrategyTM
The PRP is most helpful for making sure you've sufficient support for persuasive and opinion content. It stands on its own, but you can also use it in connection with the PIG (use the PIG to get your direction approved, the PRP to get the actual content OK'd). It prompts you to state your idea, explain why you think it and provide proof points to back it all up. Quickly organizing your thoughts in the organizer shows you whether you've got a good argument, or enough explanations, evidence and examples to influence others. It's so much better to figure this out after a few minutes of making notes rather than after hours of fruitless drafting! Download our step-by-step Position-Rationale-Proof playbook here.
Use these strategies to organize your thoughts and boost your writing's impact. Want more support? Maybe you should hire a writing coach. I've got a few spots left for Q1 if you're interested. Sign up for more information here.