I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking

– Joan Didion

What is writing? What does it mean when you write? While in one instance, you might be writing as a subject connoisseur, putting your emotions, thoughts, views, and opinions on paper for the world to read(non-academic), in another instance, you might be writing to publish for a niche section of readers to evaluate(academic).

Research remains fundamental in both writings. You pick a topic that’s worth thinking about. Conduct thorough research and decide which part of the research is included in your text. Coherence is drafted.

Once the draft is created, editing begins. Although there is no fixed number of edits to be made, it is freeing to know that 80% of your first write-up is going to be thrown away. It gives you the liberty to explore more, even stumble. But you write with a clear mind.
If you’re trying to fix a sentence, get rid of every word that can be removed and still have the sentence make sense. This is when you are reimagining a concept, rethinking.

In academic writing, since you are writing for a niche that understands that field’s jargon, barriers are down. Focus on the 3 C’s of writing: Clear, Concise, and Correct. Additionally, there is an element that, if missing, doesn’t hook the readers. And that is “value”.
Value is created when you write not to communicate your idea but to change the reader’s idea.
You write when you think about the world. Now, start thinking about the readers, too. To do this, consider an answer to a problem they are looking at. Make your text important. Put in knowledge.
What is knowledge? Knowledge is information. It is not static; it is evolving, changing, as thinkers debate and redefine it. Your writing is a way for you to participate in that world, not by sharing your thoughts but by changing other people’s thoughts. Challenges to existing concepts spark the reader’s curiosity.

In contrast, non-academic writing is writing to entertain, persuade, or even express one’s feelings. Value creation is crucial even in this case. In the US, 400 billion dollars are lost each year due to poor writing, in the form of miscommunication, bad resumes, and incomplete reports, showing that poor writing costs opportunities, time, and money. Authentic and strong writing is finding words that make sense to you. This means instead of using cliched words, find relevant words for your text. Jargon is impossible to avoid. Use it in balance to create value.

Clear thinking becomes clear writing. There are all kinds of writers and all kinds of methods of strong writing. Any method that helps you say what you want to say is the right method for you.
Have control over your text. Creating unity throughout your text in the usage of pronouns, tenses, and moods determines your control. It also satisfies the reader’s subconscious need for order.

When you speak, you let your ideas flow out and make adjustments as you speak. If you speak well, it doesn’t mean you can write well. When you speak, facial expression and body language play a role in helping listeners understand, whereas writing is an exercise in isolation. The writer expresses alone, and the reader reads alone. Writing, whether to clear your mind or to change the reader’s mind, remains one of the most powerful ways to participate, think, and be understood.

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