Organized writing is much easier to read and understand than disorganized writing. Organized writing is logical, with the ideas tied together so that the reader can easily follow the point being made. Disorganized writing jumps from idea to idea with little or no connection, and it leaves the reader confused.
Organized writing starts with organized thinking. Writing is primarily a thinking skill, and disorganized thinking will be reflected in our writing. If the ideas we want to communicate aren’t clear and well connected in our own mind, we cannot and will not write in a clear and orderly manner. Organized thinking won’t guarantee organized writing, but it is a precondition.
In regard to our writing, organizing our thinking requires us to ask ourselves three questions regarding a particular point or idea:
- Is it relevant to my theme?
- Is it important to my theme?
- What is the connection between this idea and the other ideas?
There are countless details that we can include in our writing. For example, if we are writing about a trip to the beach, the following is a partial list of the details we could include: the time of year, the weather, what we were wearing, what we ate, who we went with, the water temperature, what we did, and how crowded the beach was. But these details are not equal in importance or relevance. And our theme will determine what is important and relevant.
If our theme is “building a giant sandcastle is fun and difficult,” then many details are not relevant. The time of year, what we ate, the water temperature, and what we were wearing are details that don’t advance or support our theme. They have little relationship to building sandcastles and aren’t relevant. But, if our theme is “swimming in the ocean is much different in January compared to July,” then the time of year, the water temperature, and what we wore are relevant. But just because a detail or fact is relevant doesn’t mean that it is important.
For example, we might have worn a blue wet suit made by Nike (or whoever makes wetsuits). All of these facts are relevant—that is, they are related to our theme. But the color and manufacturer are not important. Wearing a wetsuit is important. It is what helped keep us warm, and that is what we should include in our writing.
Having identified what is relevant and important, we must then connect the ideas together. We must identify how they relate. When we can’t easily relate or connect those ideas, then we should omit them. When we can’t easily relate or connect those ideas, then we must question whether they truly are relevant and important.
As an example, I grew up in Ohio, where ponds and small lakes froze every winter. I had a lot of experience with cold weather, snow, and ice. If I was writing about swimming at Galveston in January, I might be want to include that point. But it wouldn’t necessarily be easy, and I would probably omit it. It is certainly a relevant experience. It could be important—why I had an interest in swimming in Galveston in January. But it might not be easy to connect with the other points I want to make.
Organizing our thinking isn’t easy. It requires concentration and focus. We can’t let ourselves be distracted by things happening around us or random thoughts that pop into our mind. Many things, both physical and mental can compete for our attention. But if we want to organize our thinking, then we must concentrate and focus on the topic at hand.
If we want to be good writers, if we want to communicate effectively, then we must begin by being clear and organized in our own minds.
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