The first and last paragraphs of business articles, reports, proposals and even emails can be interesting to write. When you’re just starting, your goals are still clear. And at the end, you’re eager to get the results you want, so you craft a compelling call to action or takeaway message. So far, so good.
But what about the middle? There’s often a lot of information to pack in, which turns this section into a hodgepodge of facts and figures. And that spells trouble. In our fast-paced digital world, something more interesting is just a mouse click away, and a muddled middle is sure to incite that click.
I know all about making a mess of the middle, including early drafts of this chapter. I was stumped by how to make it interesting. After I played with a few approaches that didn’t excite me, I decided to practice what I preach: brainstorming.
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Truth be told, I was skeptical. I couldn’t imagine that I’d suddenly discover something fresh. But when the timer went off after only six minutes, I had a whole new perspective on how to organize this material.
I discovered that writing the middle is like a road trip. It needs a destination (goals), a map for getting there (organization), some traveling companions (basic information), a few breaks, and even a hitchhiker.
Road map
The Inverted Pyramid can serve as your road map, guiding you in the right direction. Plot your route with the most important information first, followed by the nuts-and-bolts information, then some interesting-to-know info, and so on. (By the way, just because the information gradually becomes less vital doesn’t mean your writing can get ho-hum.)
Road buddies
Welcome your traveling companions—the Six Wise Men, a.k.a. who, what, where, why, when, and how. Once you’ve introduced them, i.e., shared all that pertinent information, you know you’ve covered the basics.
Crossroads
Now you’re at a crossroads. You can either take the most obvious route, or you can follow the more creative road less traveled. Let’s take that one.
Rest stop
To arrive at your destination in great shape, you need to stay fresh. Take short breaks like these to keep your creativity rolling:
- Read one of your favorite writers for 10 to 15 minutes. Novelists do this regularly. They often start their day reading a short selection from a beloved author or journalist. When they put the book or magazine down, they type as fast as they can for as long as they can. It’s like a creativity snack that fuels them the rest of the day. Don’t worry; it’s not imitation—just inspiration. Try it with one of your favorite writers.
- Yield to a Deconstruction Zone. Similar to No. 1, read a favorite writer, but take time to deconstruct her style. Study how she handles her “middle” and how she keeps her readers engaged.
- Brainstorm. I felt refreshed after just a six-minute break and discovered new directions. You can too.
On the road again
Now write your first draft fast. Just let it rip. You’ll be there before you know it.
Service plaza
Have you ever traveled on a turnpike and stopped at a service plaza to refuel, rest, and even browse through stores? This one has several ways to keep your readers mesmerized by the middle.
- Foreshadowing. Create mystery by discussing problems—then hinting at solutions. Your readers will stay with you to find out how you work things out. For example:
When we started our reorganization process, we had no idea that it would play out the way it did. We followed four steps, but we got a lot more than we bargained for.
We didn’t know at the time what effect these actions would have on the company’s bottom line. I’ll go over each step so this won’t happen to you.
- Subheads. Like little headlines, these divide copy into bite-sized sections. Subheads, usually written in a bold font, give readers a better idea about what lies ahead. If they’re clever or interesting, they just might make skimmers go back and read from the beginning.
- Stories. Set yourself apart—most people don’t use this powerful tool for engaging their readers and getting the results they want. Stories show rather than tell, which is what readers prefer. (No one likes to be lectured.) You can share stories in stages too. If you start a story in your lead, keep it going at different points throughout the middle, and, of course, tie it all together in the end. You might even set the story in italics to alert readers and break up your copy with a different visual.
- Similes. Help readers get on your wavelength faster with a colorful comparison or analogy to something they’re already familiar with. Your product is like a firefighter or your meeting is like a college degree. The familiar comparison makes your unfamiliar product or service instantly understandable.
- Bullets. Break up copy and draw attention. Bullets help skimmers get a good idea of where you’re headed; if you do your job right, they’ll go back to read more.
- Numbers. Tell your readers there are X number of tips or points. Who can resist finding out what they all are?
- Variety of sentence structures. Don’t drone on with too many long sentences—or sound as though you’ve got the hiccups with all short sentences. Use long and short, complex and incomplete sentences. After a long phrase, add punch with a short sentence. It works!
- Photos and captions. We’re lucky today that stock photos are so inexpensive and easy to buy. Add interesting captions to draw attention to your content.
Hitchhiker
Pick up a hitchhiker, i.e., create a sidebar—a little something extra tacked on to your trip. Pull important (though often tedious) facts and figures out of the middle and put them in a box that accompanies the article, report—whatever you’re writing.
Finally, every good middle deserves a strong ending. Wrap up key points for your readers and add a call-to-action (if appropriate) to make sure your road trip lands you at your destination: the results you want.
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