Writing learly

How-To Section

Back to Basics!
Getting to the Point

Do you often have to read all the way through a memo or e-mail to find out what you're supposed to do? Why don't writers just get to the point!

As we discussed in the planning lesson, it's a good idea to list and organize your points before starting to write. Let's go a little further here and talk about how to present the information so that your readers will get the point right away!

This is a pyramid that represents how we often write. In this top-down style, we sometimes lose our readers before we get to the point. Starting at the "top," we give introductory information, background, and gradually add detail, finally getting to the point near the "bottom."

Here is a new way to turn your writing upside down! If you start at the base, you'll make your main point first and then fill in the details, going from most important to least important. This "inverted pyramid" style is the way journalists are taught to write. When you read newspaper articles, you'll generally find the main points first, followed by more details. Newspaper editors know that readers should be able to quickly get the main idea and then choose to read further if they have the time and interest.

When we write in government, most of our readers are pressed for time and would appreciate this same type of structure to the memos, e-mails, and reports they read. If our in-boxes are full (e-mail or desk), we probably try to glance at what we get daily. But if we can't tell what we need to do or know right away, we'll probably put off reading it thoroughly until we have more time to deal with it. Then, when we look at it again later and read through it entirely, it may be too late! We may find out that we should have passed it on to someone else to handle. Or we realize that we have just one day or one hour to respond or get ready for a meeting! So, if we vow to "get to the point" first (even if your reader will read every word), we'll save everyone lots of headaches!

Here are some more tips for arranging information in the inverted pyramid style:

• good news before bad news
• requests before justifications
• answers before explanations
• conclusions before discussions
• summaries before details
• generalities before specifics

And don't forget the journalists' five Ws:

You can also make use of those questions. Think about whether they apply to what you are writing and if so, make sure that you have answered all of them.

Click on the following link to see a DHHS newsletter article written in the inverted pyramid style that also answers all of the "Who, What, When, Where, Why" questions.

Then, click on the link below to read a memo written in a "top-down" style that buries the point near the end!

Click on the following links if you would like to explore more references on the inverted pyramid style of writing. Remember to use your back button at the top left of your browser window after you read a page or two to get back here to continue with the class. (Review the instructions on what to do if you get lost before you click on the links below if you are not experienced in getting around on the Internet.)

Now, try rewriting something on your own to change it from a "top-down style" to the "inverted pyramid" style.

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