Writing tips for “terrible” writers
3 min read
Not everyone considers themselves to be a great writer, some people are downright daunted by writing and see that blank page haunting them in their dreams. If you are working in the proposal industry, or you are an SME asked to contribute to a tender, the reality is that at some point you’ll need to write more than an email.
There are plenty of tips on how to understand evaluation criteria, breaking down and responding to tender questions, or how to find the ‘why’ or value within your responses. For some, the challenge is less about knowing what to write, and more about putting pen to paper.
Writing is a skill that takes practice. While there are different writing styles, there are some simple techniques you can follow to help you get started and draft compelling content:
1 Explain it to someone
People often find it easier to articulate what they want to say by explaining it to someone else first. Talking it through will help you refine your message, and then you can write it down. If you find it hard to remember your discussion afterwards, try recording it and then dictate the best parts onto the page.
2 Say it out loud
The brain processes thoughts differently when you speak your words rather than internalise them. If you can’t talk to someone, then you can read out loud to yourself. This works well for editing as well. When you make a habit of verbalising your words, you’ll find you’ll pick up more than if you just read them.
3 Plan your best points
Write some keywords or phrases to help define what you want to communicate as bullet points. You can shuffle and reorder your points to make sure you cover them off in a way that makes sense. For each point, then give an example or evidence that demonstrates or proves your point is true or valid.
Putting your points on sticky notes also makes a great visual checklist to help keep what you want to say front-of-mind and hit all your key points. For more collaborative working, you can do this virtually through tools such as Trello where others can help build on what you’ve started.
4 Write as you think it
Sometimes the biggest obstacle to writing is writing itself. If your issue is not knowing what to write, open a blank page and just start drafting. Don’t filter, just write. In writing terms, this technique is called “stream of consciousness”. Breaking the ice can help reduce the anxiety that’s preventing you from being able to write, as well as start trigging thoughts on how to expand on what you’ve written so far. Once you have some words down, it is much easier to edit afterwards.
5 Use a writing tool
Once you have some words on the page, you can use tools such as Grammarly to help you improve your writing style and word choices. Writing tools can help you understand things such as passive and active sentences which will enhance your writing. You can use them for better word choices to avoid playing “buzz-word bingo”, especially when you get caught in the pitfall of using jargon or motherhood statements that don’t add any real value to your message.
6 Work with a professional
If you’ve managed to get through items 1-5, then a professional writer can use these building blocks to assist you with your drafting. A professional writer can be the person you explain your response to in an interview-style drafting session and can help you effectively communicate your solution. You should consider your professional writer as a communication translator. They will help you distil what you want to say and turn it into words that are accessible and understandable by your target audience.
Follow these tips, and the next time you are asked to contribute to a tender response, you will have some excellent foundations to get you started with drafting your response.