STEP SIX

Organize to Help Your Readers Understand

Develop a feel for the rhythm of your words

Enhance flow by varying sentence openers, structure, and length

Use transitions to unify thoughts

Separate items with numbers or bullets

Well-written sentences and paragraphs will not move readers to take action unless the document has a logical and coherent structure. In plain language, it needs to be well organized. Think of organizing text as the next step after ensuring that your words, phrases, and sentences flow with a pleasing rhythm.

You may want to start by training your mind to select and differentiate bits of information when you hear or read them. Before you begin writing your document, jot down the key ideas you need to get across. ...

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