Tips of getting to that final draft

The deadline for a writing assignment is approaching. Whether the piece is a magazine article, a letter to a local newspaper, or a creative endeavor such as a poem or short story, you want the finished product to be cohesive and coherent. Assuming that you have already done most of the work, the following tips should lead you towards completion.

Reading the piece aloud can offer a fresh perspective that silent proofreading does not. Your eyes grow weary after revising and rewriting the same article dozens of times, and you might find yourself surprised at the simple errors that you overlook. Maybe you started three consecutive sentences with a gerund, or used the exact same phrase in the first and the fourth paragraphs, or omitted a comma or an apostrophe. Hearing the words instead of just seeing them on a monitor can solve these issues.

Letting others review your writing may seem obvious, but often pride or just a sense that something is "too personal" gets in the way. If you are writing a diary entry, this mindset is understandable, but if your objective is to be featured a public forum, you should get an idea of what readers think beforehand. Relatives are not always the best choice for impartial criticism, but colleagues, fellow members of a writing group, or even individuals in an online forum (preferably one that is restricted), can be of great assistance.

In his book On Writing, horror author Stephen King states that "The road to hell is paved with adverbs." This may be an exaggeration, but makes an important point about the hazards of excess verbiage. Once you think that you have finished, see which words -or even lines or paragraphs- can be cut. Today's shorter attention spans mandate brevity as one key to effective writing. So-called "flash fiction," stories typically between 200 and 500 words, are a reflection of the reading public's attitudes. And most publishers of short stories set a limit of 5,000 words. Similarly, readers perusing an online article will not sit through an interminable opening. One click and you have lost them. 

A weak or inconclusive ending can seriously undermine an otherwise strong piece. Reiterating earlier points is ineffective unless you demonstrate how they combine to support your thesis or main idea. Obviously this will vary depending on what you are writing. Some writers seek to edify, some to persuade, and others to entertain readers. You need to decide what your goal is at the onset, and adhere to it.  

Writers occasionally "over-write" a piece, continuing to add, alter or reorganize when the job is basically finished. This calls to mind the old adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." Have confidence in your literary abilities. Ask yourself three questions: What was I trying to say? Did I say it? Will readers get the point? Three consecutive yes's mean that your work is done. 

© March 23, 2013 by Allan M. Heller