Chapter 7: The Writing Process 3: Drafting

Overview

Now that you’ve planned out your document and gathered information that meets your audience’s needs, you’re just about ready to start drafting the document’s message. At this point, it’s worthwhile reminding yourself that the words you start entering in your word processor will look different from those your reader will eventually read. By the end of the drafting stage examined in this chapter, your document will be partway there, but how much revising you do depends on how effectively you’ve organized your message.

In this chapter we will cover:

• Choosing an Organizational Pattern
• Outlining Your Message
• Standard Business Style
• Inclusive Writing
• Effective Document Design
• Sentences and Paragraphs

Figure: The four-stage writing process and Stage 3 Breakdown