Front Load Your Writing

April 20, 2007 · Comments

Good Morning Want to become a more effective communicator? Put your most important point right up front. Make it the first thing people read when they read your writing. This works for blog posts, emails, business writing, and in lots of other places, as well. In fact, probably the only place it might not work well is in a mystery story. “The butler did it” probably isn’t a good way to start a mystery.

People are time-crushed

They don’t have time to follow your mysterious secret as it unravels. Believe me, I’ve read plenty a blog post and an email where the details or important parts are buried at the bottom. But I’m sure that I’ve also missed several posts and emails.

Coworkers used to tease me that I didn’t read the bottom of any email longer than 3 paragraphs. They were right.

It lets you build on the point

As you write down the page, start with the most important stuff and then use whatever more space you need to support what you just wrote. That’s the point. We’re all in the same mindset from the fact you led off with the good stuff, and now we’re seeing the meat of your idea come onto the bones of your point.

Finish strong

If you drive us all the way home, then finish with a point or idea that leaves us thinking. And always keep in mind what you’re hoping the writing will accomplish. Are you informing? Convincing? Requesting? Try to leave your piece with a call to action that reflects this. “Call to action” in this case just means what you hope your piece’s reader does next.

This returns value almost immediately, once you learn it and practice it well.

Your writing tips?

How will you build on this?

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  • Rox
    great point, and I might add, write a descriptive subject too! I often don't get past that, let alone 3 paragraphs.

    You are looking might lean BTW. :-)
  • I tent to treat most things which I write as if the reader has no prior knowledge of my subject.

    So, I don't like hitting them with anything up front which might send them running away, screaming, since they might think that they'll never be able to digest the rest of the story.
  • This is the central idea behind Barbara Minto's "Pyramid Process" of writing made famous by the managing consulting firm McKinsey. It's also called "top down" or "inductive" logic. It's a great way to build a presentation - and enables the reader just to read the headlines to get the entire story.
  • In journalism, they call this Burying the lead.
    If there's anything I've learned from Chris, it's keep it short and relevant.
    Prose is nice for leisure time, not business, not online.
  • Thanks for the tips. We can always use improvement. No one reads our blog.
  • Great point.. especially for a classic "scanner" like me. There's just way too much to read in too little time each and every day!
  • Adriana
    Chris,
    Your point is great and is also valid for speaking.
    In the bay area they are organizing events called -The Elevator Pitch Roundtable - The load need to be there otherwise no $ - www.VCTaskforce.com/
  • I second the descriptive or enticing subject line suggestion, too. I usually scan my feeds and only read the ones that grab my attention from the start.
  • Heh heh, I have to wonder if my ramble from yesterday helped inspired this! I at least make the accommodation of bolding my most important points.

    This is good stuff. Snack journalism.

    Of course it DOES get back to thinking blogger vs writing blogger. As the latter, occasionally the TRUE subject of my post only emerges through the writing process. Then it gets down to: "Is there time for extensive editing?"
  • Write like you speak.

    And start speaking with video
  • i learned brevity when i communicated w/ jeff, justin and chris
    it was jarring at first

    i try to ramble in my journal/blog now
    not in email or comments
    i'm learning a new skill
  • LEMills
    How a message is constructed still depends on the listener and the listener's knowledge. Michael Bailey has it right about the need for background at times, and the skillful writer or speaker knows how to make that understandable and concise. That consideration for the audience is often neglected; I wish we could see numbers on the topics dismissed because the curious were at sea from word one.

    Why is it that everyone seems to have become a sloppy reader and listener these days? Self-importance? Lack of empathy? Too many distractions in too little time? Preference for grunting?
  • @Chris: Your concept of putting the most important thing up front is drilled into your head on the first day of journalism school. It's actually referred to as the "inverted pyramid" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_pyramid

    @Whitney: Actually, I believe what Chris is describing is the OPPOSITE of "burying the lead."
  • @Linda: I'm not so sure it's sloppy reading that's the problem. How about "people have far more to do in far less time than ever before?" Why waste my time making a long-winded point?

    I always ask this hypothetical: WHY should I spend my time listening to you?

    If anything, I think it's the WRITERS who have to learn to not be self-important. If people want to read / hear / see more from you (or me), they'll tell us.

    Otherwise, please don't presume you're worth more than a few moments of someone's time.
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