Response to Modules 4 & 5

Module four was focused on the writing process. Everyone has their own way of writing. Whether they turn on music or shut door because they need complete silence, they have found what works for them. This section discusses what we need to be doing technically once we get in our writing mode. The three steps we must remember are plan, write and revise. The text goes into further detail when it explains that  at least 2/3 of the time you have needs to be spent on planning and revising. This goes against instinct since we would typically think that the actual writing should take a majority of the time. However, it is easier to write if you have a plan and the pressure of getting it right the first time isn’t there. The book even suggests freewriting, which is 10 straight minutes of writing. If you don’t stop to edit yourself or think about what you are writing you can get much further in your writing. I have also found that if I start by making a list of everything I want to touch on then look at the list and rearrange it to be in a logical order it is easier to go from one point to the next without losing flow.

          Module five is about the importance of the layout of the message. Simply adding white space, headings, bullets, lists, etc. can make your message much easier to follow. It also increases the likelihood that someone will actually read it. People are constantly in a hurry now and they won’t take the time to read a three page report. They will however read a quick paragraph and a list of necessities. One point that the book mentioned that surprised me was that when these format adjustments add too much length to a document, you should cut text before white space. In a world that is so eco friendly, it seems hard to fight the urge to delete the white space to save the trees. However, even while I was thinking this I noticed that I merely skimmed the pages of the book that had a lot of text but retained more of the information in charts or in list format. This is valuable information to remember.