- Research and gathering information
- Organizing and outlining
- Drafting and revision
Clients are most involved in the first stage. After all, I need you to provide me with the background facts and your goals for the piece. I like to find out who your target audience is and what you know appeals to them, whether you prefer a familiar tone or business-like one, perhaps if you're envisioning a humorous style or one that conveys elegance. To learn what I need to know, you will have to provide me with any existing written materials. I also normally conduct one or more interviews, either by phone or in person, with you or relevant sources. The Internet often comes in handy, too.
Next, I spend time going over and organizing my notes. For me, writing a piece without an outline would be like building a house without a blueprint. The points I'm trying to make wouldn't hold up and fixing the piece after it's written would be time-consuming and difficult.
While it's all part of the writing process, the actual "writing" doesn't begin until Stage 3. Even then, the process isn't perfectly linear. For example, while I'm drafting, I might realize I need to do some more research or to make minor adjustments to the piece's structure.
When I'm finished with my draft, I submit it to you for approval. I don't expect to nail everything on the first try, which is why my contracts always include a round of revisions. For those clients who prefer to be more involved in the writing process or to make sure I'm on the right track as I work, I'm happy to show my outlines or partial drafts along the way.
