Prewriting

Pre-writing consists of three key elements; analyzing, anticipating, and adapting *1. While in business writing the main goal is to express rather than to impress, the important first step in pre-writing is to identify the true purpose of the message, as well as to determine whether the aim is to inform or to persuade. The next step would be to focus on the reader's perspective and to consider the clarity and the succinctness of the message. Once these two steps are considered you need to set up an appropriate channel in order to efficiently communicate and deliver the content. This can be done through email, letter, oral contact, etc...

There are certain factors that are important when choosing a communication channel. This depends on the importance of the message, the required urgency of the response, the necessity of a permanent record, the cost, and the degree of formality.

When creating your message it is important that you identify the audience that you are going to be focusing on. You need to profile the audience based on his/her character, position, knowledge, education, belief, culture, attitude and your relationship to the audience. You also need to evaluate your expectations of the responses and to consider your secondary audience.

Finally, once these steps have been followed you need to be able to properly convey your message by focusing on a positive and an empathic tone, by using bias free language, by being courteous and by cultivating the "you" view. By simplifying your message and using precise, vigorous words and concise language you will be able to deliver the most effective message possible.
*1 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION / CITES & SOURCES PKG
Process and Product
ISBN: 0-17-617804-X
Author: M.E. GUFFEY, K. Rhodes, P. Rogin

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