Second Cup: Do you come out for it or against it?

Before you write, know what you mean to say

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good Morning, This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is that most writing is better when you
have a simple and strong opinion. Ideally, you can sum
up your point in a sentence, So try asking yourself

(00:30):
do you come out for it or against it? You
will probably make your writing better as a result. This
week I will be sharing some of my favorite writing tips.
Even if you don't write for a living, you likely
have to write from time to time, whether it's emails, reports,
or articles for an industry publication. Years ago, when I

(00:55):
was trying to figure out how to structure an opinion essay,
and I had talked myself into all sorts of nos,
a wise person asked me do you come out for
it or against it? With the particular matter, It was
somewhat of a funny question, but overall I realize that
it is a great question to ask. The point of

(01:17):
writing is to communicate something. You want people to take away,
a simple idea that they will remember. Yet, too many
times we start writing without a clear idea or a
strong opinion. We meander all over the place, and at
the end of the day readers can't sum up what

(01:38):
we were saying in a few sentences. When people can't
sum things up, they are likely going to forget them.
So when I am writing essays or blog posts or
anything like that, I start with the thesis, what am
I trying to convey in one sentence? If this is

(02:00):
persuasive writing, do I come out for it or against it?
When I help other people edit their essays and op
eds and posts, I ask similar questions, what exactly are
you trying to say? Maybe it's that something is bad
you come out against it, or it is good and

(02:22):
you come out for it. And if you can say
why in the same sentence or two, then you will
have a more memorable, succinct piece of writing. I am
sure you can imagine all sorts of theses that can
be structured this way, like don't go to law school
after college if you're unsure what to do. You'll learn
more and it will be cheaper to travel the world instead.

(02:44):
Or women spend less time on housework now than in
the nineteen sixties, and that's a good thing because they
are spending more time with their kids even as they
are working more hours for pay as well. Or the
thesis of this episode that writing is better when you
have a strong opinion and that you can sum up
in a sentence or two. So the next time you

(03:07):
start writing anything that you hope will be read, start
by writing down your main idea. What are you trying
to convey? Then you can build your writing around that thesis.
Lead into it in an engaging way, show your evidence. Afterwards,
acknowledge other opinions and why people might think them, and

(03:30):
then show why they are wrong. When you have something
to say, writing is a lot easier. The words just
come quicker, and of course it's easier on the reader.
There is no question of what you are saying. You
are clear, and the reader can engage with your arguments

(03:54):
rather than getting bored or distracted. In the meantime, this
is Laura. Thanks for listening, and here's to making.

Speaker 1 (04:04):
The most of our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to
hear from you. You can send me your tips, your questions,
or anything else. Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook
and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod that's b E the

(04:26):
number four then breakfast Pod. You can also shoot me
an email at Before Breakfast Podcasts at iHeartMedia dot com
that Before breakfast is spelled out with all the letters
thanks so much. Should I look forward to staying in
touch Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio. For more

(04:49):
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

Speaker 2 (05:01):
Gay