Writing FAST - Jeff Bollow 2012

Command attention in 5 easy steps
Techniques that command attention
Tweak

Your Speed Plan is built around the flow. Command attention at the Micro level. Use the techniques in this chapter. Look for what’s possible. And take it in five easy steps.

1. Zoom in.

The Tweak phase is all about the words. It’s time to rigorously analyze what you’ve got. You’ve felt the overall ride. Now zoom in to the moment-to-moment effect of your words. Once you’re in there, then:

2. See the richness.

The metaphors, the visual imagery, the sentence construction, placement, emphasis, time, variety, sense of anticipation. Watch closely for how you’re presenting your ideas. And as you’re reading:

3. Question everything.

Is this the best way to express that idea? Can you sharpen it and Tweak it to make it golden? The goal is not “perfection.” Rather, you only want to challenge what you’ve got. Make sure it’s the best you can do. Then:

4. Earn their interest.

Think of your reader. Her time is valuable. Earn her interest by keeping your writing moving. Hold her attention by stimulating her mind. Make notes in your Speed Plan. How might you Tweak your words? And then:

5. Adjust the Speed Plan.

As ideas spark in your mind, adjust the plan. Make your roadmap as detailed as you can. But don’t get stuck or dwell on it. Picture your rewrite clearly in your mind.

Commanding the reader’s attention is the fun part. Your words are on the page. Now you simply twist and move and shift them around to create exactly the impact you want.

Review this chapter after you’ve reviewed your writing, and your mind will bounce with ideas. Blend those ideas into your Plan, and in the next chapter, we’ll Tweak.