My opinion writing checklist4/23/2024 For more detailed tips on writing loglines, click here. Bottom line, this short sentence needs to be specific to be helpful. For example, the logline for ZOOTOPIA: “A too-small bunny (FP) wants to be a cop (D), but no one believes she can do the job and they put her on meter maid duty (P), so she sets out to prove she’s capable of real police work by solving an unsolved case (G).” If you can’t fill in those blanks, you don’t yet have a story. Now, I am a screenwriter so of course I wrote a logline before I began writing (it’d be sacrilege if I didn’t!), but in retrospect it was too vague: I had a protagonist, but didn’t know her flaw I gave her a desire, but exactly who and what were standing in her way (the problem) was a bit unclear, and that resulted in an unfocused goal. Broken down to its components, a logline is: FLAWED PROTAGONIST + DESIRE + PROBLEM + GOAL. Instead, I took stock of what makes a great story, and came up with my own list of things to do before I begin writing… So I read some blogs and books aiming to help writers achieve a “Killer Concept” or “Steal-Worthy Premise”, but found them to be impractically vague. Since I had a beat sheet and character sketches and world-building notes, basically everything that most people advise writers to do as part of the pre-writing stage, what exactly was I missing? Well, in short, I needed to flush out the story premise more. Well, I skipped some pre-writing steps, things that I knew I should do, but I just got so excited about the characters I’d created and the world I’d built that I wanted to start writing asap! I already had character sketches and a beat sheet complete, so I rushed right in to writing a scene-by-scene outline only to discover by Act II that I didn’t actually have a story. After I applied to a writers grant with my current WIP this February, I decided to start another novel, or rather resurrect an idea I’d developed a year earlier. With the help of the tips above, you can assert your opinion, guide your point where you want it to land, and do so in a way that invites cooperative engagement.Starting a new project is always exciting. It even evaluates text specifically for forceful tones you might not realize you’ve inserted. As you write, it analyzes and reveals the top three tones your text exhibits. Ensuring that your points carry the confident, assertive tone you intend is key so your readers don’t discount your opinion as preachy, rude, or condescending.Ī tool like Grammarly’s tone detector can easily identify your text’s tone. When you’re done presenting your opinion in writing, the next step is to re-read what you’ve written for its overall tone. >READ MORE: 5 Essay Types Students Should Know How To Write Check your presentation Language like this acknowledges that the point you’re making is one of many possible interpretations. Other phrases that demonstrate your ownership include From my perspective, In my opinion, and I feel. In my opinion, the long turnaround may have appeared unprofessional.” Owning your perspective: “ I believe we lost this client because the contract took three weeks to review and wasn’t approved in a timely manner. Not owning your perspective: “ The only reason the client opted out of the contract is that our review process is molasses. >READ MORE: 6 Soft Skills That Will Help You Succeed in the Workplace Example Using “I” statements to explicitly reinforce your belief is an effective approach. Use words and phrases that emphasize that your opinion is based on how the information appears to you.Īnother part of writing assertively-without being overly forceful or sounding preachy-is taking ownership of your thoughts without deflection. When doing so, hold yourself accountable for your thoughts. >READ MORE: 4 Essential Writing Styles Own your perspectiveĪfter you’ve described the situation, assert your opinion. Using the qualifier “seems” leaves the statement open to other interpretations of the situation. In addition to writing based on fact and neutral language, using qualifiers also lessens the forcefulness of your opinion. It seems like there are areas in the approval process we can improve on next time.”Īvoid end-all statements that suggest your opinion is the only correct one. Neutral description: “ The client didn’t sign the contract. My manager dragged their feet and didn’t approve the terms fast enough-it’s ridiculous!” Example:īiased description: “ It is my manager’s fault that the client didn’t sign the contract. Your audience might interpret words that blame or judge a different view as dogmatic. When you’re describing a situation as the backdrop for your opinion, avoid language that points the finger at opposing people or ideas. Get Grammarly Keep descriptions factual and neutral Let Grammarly help you say what you intend.
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