Comments on: Every Writing Project Needs a Purpose Statement

By: Forget Your Elevator Speech and Say Hello

Forget Your Elevator Speech and Say Hello — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:02:49 +0000

[...] does an excellent job helping people identify what it is they are actually doing. I tell writers Every writing project needs a purpose statement.Being able to boil that purpose down to a few words is a worthy exercise for itself. But frankly, [...]

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 18:26:35 +0000

Yeah, I don’t get real technical on my outlines, just more of a list. I always have had a thing for outlines though, lol.

By: Anne

Anne — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:30:19 +0000

When I do ‘outline’ it tends to be just a list

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:11:57 +0000

Yes, this is important. I’ve found that unless I write down at least a purpose I get lost. Usually I’ll make up a very loose outline before writing. That way if I start to wander off the track I can look at the outline and get back to it. Of course, sometimes my writing will take me to places I didn’t plan and they end up being better than my first idea so then the outline changes.

Great advice Anne!

By: Can’t Get Your Writing Project Started? Just Start Anyway!

Can’t Get Your Writing Project Started? Just Start Anyway! — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 14:15:24 +0000

[...] reading the material the author who hired me provided. The author and I created both a Vision, a ten word purpose and a working table of contents. We discussed what we thought belonged in the first three chapters. [...]

By: Michelle Kafka

Michelle Kafka — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:46:42 +0000

Speaking of 10 words or less by reduction, this post reminds me of when I was in both Transactional and Comprehensive English classes; we learned about Precis Writing meaning precise writing.

Precis Writing consists of:

Compression by vocabulary
Compression by ellipsis
Compression by shorter construction
Compression of ideas
Idea relationship and sentence linking

Here is one example of compression by ellipsis I used:

Actual Sentence: “Unless it is stored when it is fresh, this food will not keep.”
My Sentence: “Unless stored fresh, this food will not keep.”

Source: Precis Writing, The Essence of Precis

It was a duotang workbook handed out by the instructor so I don’t have all the bibliography info. available.

I kept just about everything he handed out so I could always refer back to something in my writing in school and beyond, which has greatly helped me along the way.

Precis comes in handy in drumming up titles, in the text body, “purpose statements,” and more. It helps to reduce wordiness.

When I write something I always remember being in that class; and trying not to be too wordy. Mr. Hill was a big inspiration for me.

I’m surprised I don’t hear of the term being used more on writing/editing blogs…

My purpose of this post was to show a relation, to share a memory, and to share a thought/knowledge.

Thanks Anne.

By: How Do I Become A Freelance Writer | Online Writing Courses

How Do I Become A Freelance Writer | Online Writing Courses — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:50:41 +0000

[...] Every Writing Project Needs a Purpose Statement [...]

By: admin

admin — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:45:46 +0000

Amy, I love it when someone recognizes what I’m saying and agrees with me, and yes, the editing process to get down to 10 words or a sentence is sometimes amazing.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:37:59 +0000

Yes! This is my experience with every important project I've ever written. Once I take the time to work out the one-sentence encapsulation--which can be an interesting editing process in itself--my writing becomes more focused and efficient. It is, for me, and indispensable writing tool. Amy’s last blog post..How To Write: Be Scared