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.Stage 1 can even bedone in a group with a flipchart or overhead projector being usedto collect the first thoughts.With all that has been done in mind, it is now time to write.Stage 5: writeWhat else is there to say? This stage means writing it.Leaving thedetails of how you use language aside (for Chapter 4), there arestill in fact a few points to make here  according to my plan!First, it is worth a word or two about method.Do you write,type or what? There may be little choice here.In manyorganisations the word processing computer has moved in andthe secretary has moved out.You type it.This may take somegetting used to, but in due course it has real advantages  at leastfor certain kinds of writing  and affects productivity andflexibility.Laptop computers have expanded the possibilitieshere, and everyone who travels on business can, if they wish,51 Preparing to Writework on the move (some of the first draft of this book was typed,on a Sunday between two training courses in Singapore, andsome on the journey there).As a considerable doubter when all this started, it is a sign ofthe change that is possible that I now find it harder to writesomething of any length longhand than I do to type it.Despite mykeyboard skills being less than perfect, my thinking is nowattuned to the keyboard and screen.What else might you do? Many still originate something likea report by writing longhand and then have someone else type it.There is nothing wrong with that.One tip: leave plenty of space.For most ordinary mortals, not everything is perfect first time.You will want to backtrack, to make amendments, add or movesections, so give yourself room to do so with reasonable neatness your secretary will appreciate it, and be able to work from itmore quickly.You also need to have a clear way of signpostingexactly how you want it arranged.It is easy enough to indicate anew paragraph, but there is a range of other factors such as boldtype, indented paragraphs, and so on, that need to be specifiedaccurately.Alternatively, you may dictate it.With a long document thisis not truly good for productivity and not everyone can keep theirthoughts sufficiently straight to make it work well; but it suitssome people and that is what is important.Voice recognitionsoftware is still less than perfect (though some people claim touse it successfully)  for many people the restriction on howquickly they can get things down is that of how quickly they candecide what to put down!One day perhaps there will be computers so sophisticatedyou can simply talk to them, press a key and be delivered of thetyped report just as you said it.Systems are available now that area step in this direction.We will see; but when they work and theprice is right, I will be first in line.However you opt to work, the job is to get the words down.This is the bit with the greatest element of chore in it.But it hasto be done and the guidelines you have given yourself bypreparing carefully will ease and speed the process.A couple of52 How to Write Reports and Proposalstips may help: first, choose your moment.I certainly find thereare moments when I cannot seem to.when I am unable&when it is difficult.to string two coherent sentences togetherend to end.There are other times when things flow  whenyou do not dare stop in case the flow does too, and when youcannot get the words down fast enough to keep up with yourthoughts.If possible  deadlines may have an effect here  do notstruggle with the former.If the writing is really not flowing leave things.Stop.For a moment, overnight, or while youwalk around the block or make a cup of tea.Many peopleconfirm that when the words simply will not flow, a pausehelps.But also allow sufficient time: once you are under way andwords are flowing smoothly it may upset the process to leave it.If you feel you need an uninterrupted hour, or more, try toorganise things that way.It may both save time in the long runand help you produce a better report.On the other hand, do not stop when you get stuck oversome  maybe important  detail.This is the second tip  donot be too distracted by small hang-ups.Say you need aheading, it must be clear, pithy and make people sit up, takenotice and want to read on.You just cannot think of one.Leave it and write on.You can always come back to it (andwhen you do, who knows, you sometimes think of just whatyou want in a moment).The danger is that instead you dither, puzzle over it, wastetime, get nowhere, but get so bogged down with it that you loseeverything you had in your mind about the overall shape of thereport or the section of it you are working on.This is true ofwords, phrases, sentences and even whole sections.Mark clearlywhat you need to come back to (so that you never forget to checkit again!).That said, the job here is to get the whole thing down onpaper.It probably will not be perfect, but you should not feel badabout that; a surprisingly small number of people can create adocument word for word as they want it first time.Practice will53 Preparing to Writeget you closer and closer, and things you are familiar with will beeasier than something that is new to you or pushes yourknowledge or expertise to the limits.Some revision is usually necessary though; hence the nextstage.Stage 6: editIf you have prepared and written well this stage may often becomparatively simple.With something new or complex morerevision is necessary.There are a number of points here that helpmake this stage practical but not protracted:" If possible, leave a draft a while before re-reading it.Youcan get very close to something and, without a pause,start to see only what you expect (or hope) is there.It isoften much quicker to finish off something in this waythan trying to undertake the whole job, one stage backto back with the next." Read things over, out loud is best.You will hear howsomething sounds and that reflects what readers willfeel as they read.When you do this, you will findthat certain things  such as overlong sentences jump out at you very clearly (in that case, you runout of breath)." Get a colleague to read it.A fresh look often casts lighton areas you have convinced yourself are fine, for noother reason than you cannot think of a better way ofexpressing the material.Some people habitually do thison a swap basis.Because it is time-consuming, they askfor a view of one thing in return for doing the same forsomeone else.This can work well; better if you do itregularly." Worry about the detail.Oscar Wilde said:  I was workingon the proof of one of my poems all the morning, andtook out a comma.In the afternoon I put it back.54 How to Write Reports and ProposalsActually the small details are important.For example,you may create greater impact by breaking a sentenceinto two, with a short one following a longer one.Itmakes a more powerful point.And, finally, if you are word processing on a computer, do nottrust the spellchecker 100 per cent.Greater accuracy throughoutmost of a document is matched with a tendency towards errors inthings like names [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]