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Last Sunday’s Los Angeles Times had a front-page story that profiled President Obama’s speechwriting team and the painstaking process these individuals go through to put together the president’s major presentations. Specifically, this article zeroed in on Obama’s recent foreign policy speech in Cairo.
Politics aside, what fascinated me the most was a) the time that goes into every speech (weeks); and b) the process (what should be said, what shouldn’t be said, who should be consulted prior to drafting, who should edit along the way, etc.). Then again, I am a process gal!
The agency world operates at break-neck speeds. Clients call and want talking points or press releases quickly…sometimes, yesterday. And while some PR work has to move really fast, there are opportunities to slow down the train. But, whether you are given one hour, one week or one month for a writing project, one fact remains…process should never be sacrificed.
The strongest writing materials – whether a press release, a brochure or a major speech – come together as a result of adhering to a process. Here’s how I approach every writing project at Griffin Integrated Marketing:
Step 1: Purpose – What am I writing about and why? What is the goal of the piece? What is the news? What should audiences walk away with when they are finished reading?
Step 2: Research – What are the facts? What materials can I reference for background material and to prepare for interviews? Who do I need to speak with – one person? Five people? A departmental employee? The CEO? Customers? Hint…you need to speak with as many people as possible to get all of the facts. And when you interview, play the antagonist. Ask the tough questions, for it will yield stronger information and meatier quotes. It’s also critical for Step 3.
Step 3: Organization – Revisit the goal of the piece. From there, review your notes and begin organizing them into a logical flow that supports the main point you are trying to make in the document. Create an outline.
Step 4: Drafting – Using your outline, start drafting the document. Don’t edit as you write; just simply get thoughts on paper.
Step 5: Edit – Start polishing your piece. The biggest question to ask now is, “So what?” As you go through various edits, you must continually explore ways to tighten up your copy and make sure you are creating something that benefits your readers. If not, they won’t read past the first paragraph. Put yourself in their shoes. What do they need to know and do I provide that? Hint…you should have at least 2-3 hard rounds of edits to any document!
Step 6: Finalize – Finalize the document and distribute as needed.
If you skip any of the steps listed above, your document will suffer…trust me. Likewise, if you get stuck on any step, it’s an indicator that the step prior was not completed sufficiently.
You’ll see how the above process takes time, which can frustrate people (or clients). Many people want to jump directly to step 4. Bear in mind, though, that when followed, this process will generate a much stronger final product.
Good luck!
Brooke Baumer Crawford
