Three easy steps to effective writing...

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When you are writing something, planning is everything. There are three things you must do to be an effective writer: 1. Decide what you are writing about. Whether you are writing a poem, an essay, or the next great American novel, you need a starting point. You need a concrete subject, whether it's your kids, your job, or just something you made up. 2. Make an outline. An outline jhelps you coordinate your thoughts, and keeps you on topic. It also serves as a guide for any research you may need to do, especially if you are writing a non-fiction piece. 3. Proofread your work. This is so important. If your are anything like me, you have dyslexia of your fingers half the time, and it is always good to go over your work BEFORE and AFTER you run spell check on your work. After all, spell check only catches misspelled words and (grammar errors in some cases), but it can't catch every misuse of a word or phrase. Be prepared to revise your finished product at leadst 3 times before you mark it done. If you always follow these 3 simple steps that we all learned in grade school, your writing career could take off like a rocket. If nothing else, you'll have prose to be proud of.