The Writing GPS: A Writing Framework That Makes Your Writing Ridiculously Good

Writing — Tue., Oct. 25, 2022 Writing can feel overwhelming and daunting, but having a process in place to guide you can make it much easier. The Writing GPS presented in the new edition of Everybody Writes 2 is a framework for longer pieces of writing and includes 17 steps. The required minimum steps (in gold) are Goal, Ask So what?, Organize, First draft, Second draft, Headline and Publish. The additional steps (in orange) add extra magic and adventure to the journey. These include finding data and examples, walking away, rewriting to one person, adding voice, editing with AI and reading it out loud. The Writing GPS puts the writer in the driver's seat, allowing them to navigate their own way. The Writing GPS is a great guide for creating great content. It starts with Goal and Ask So what? to reframe the goal to relate it to the reader. From there, you seek out data, organize it, write an ugly first draft and move away from it. Draft 3 should be written with your reader in mind, while Draft 4 should add voice, style, fun and sparkle. A great headline or title should come next, before running it through an AI editing tool and sending it to your editor. Reading it out loud and eyeballing for scanning/scrolling come after that. Publish it with a call to action and let it go with love. Feelings of joy and regret often come post-publishing, and it's important to forgive yourself and take note of any lessons to apply next time. The Writing GPS is a great way to put the discombobulated thoughts into a coherent piece of writing. While it may seem like a lot of steps, each one adds something valuable to the journey. While the Writing GPS is a great guide, it's important to take what works and adapt it to your own writing process. It's also important to remember that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. ... continue reading below