WRITING WELL . . . BUT NOT ALONE

You’ve probably been there: entangled in the greatest communication trap of all — writing in a group or committee. You most likely walked in willingly, believing that creating that simple letter about the company’s new pension plan or establishing a newsletter would be a two- or three-meeting task.Then, gradually, you became stuck, writing and rewriting and rewriting again as wanted or unwanted feedback seemed to flow from every crack and corner of the company. Suddenly a month had passed and you were still working on that letter. Or perhaps two months later that newsletter was still an idea. And you hate to recall the employee manual that took almost a year to complete.Wait! The next time you embark on a group writing project, follow these time- and energy-saving steps:
1. Create a three-part plan. First, give everyone in your group a responsibility, such as gathering information or writing the draft and distributing it for feedback. Next, create a realistic schedule, including time for researching, writing, and rewriting the material. Finally, when appropriate, establish a production budget that will determine the size and style of your document.
2. Prewrite. This great time-saver can slash hours or even days of cutting-and-pasting time. Create a list of specific information that belongs in the document. Show this list to decision makers outside the group and adjust it accordingly. If you’re creating a document of more than two pages, write a few test paragraphs, gathering consensus about word use and tone before tackling huge sections of it. Regardless of your document’s size, develop a list of criteria that will create a basis for future feedback. If your company has a style guide, follow it closely.
3. Write and review the draft. Once you have written the draft, send copies to other committee members two or three days before the next meeting. This will give everyone a chance to read the material, make comments, and come prepared for a discussion. At the meeting, keep your feedback as objective as possible by being specific. If you think the information sheet you’re working on isn’t helpful, determine why. Perhaps you don’t have enough details. Or perhaps you need a tighter, more chronological structure.
4. Edit. Make concrete changes based on the group’s feedback. Then, if appropriate, get a round of comments from these sources:
Other company representatives, such as the vice president or president, who have a stake in the document.
Internal or external customers. Focus groups are great as they allow you to understand the reasoning behind your customers’ comments and determine which are relevant and which are not.
The legal department, especially when you’re writing about procedures, financial matters, or new products or services.
5. Final edit and design. Bring the final round of comments to your next meeting. Chances are you can revise right there — tweaking a word, cutting a sentence, adding a slice of information. Then, send your document to the graphic designer — someone on your committee, an in-house employee, or a contractor.
6. Proof. Be sure to proofread for those little punctuation problems, grammatical mishaps, and other details that may undermine the professional quality of your work. Remember to proofread on the hard copy, not on the computer. Warning: Don’t rewrite. Everything on the page has won the group’s approval — keep it that way.

Other Top Tips for Group Writing Projects
Limit the committee to six or seven people. While there’s safety in numbers in most situations, large committees only cause confusion.
Invite decision makers to key meetings such as those at which you’re determining content or revising the first draft.
Invite a professional writer into your group, whether a company technical or marketing writer or an outside consultant. If you’re lucky, that person may even write the copy. If not, he or she will provide critical feedback.
When sending a document for feedback, include the list of criteria you established at the beginning of the process. This will increase the likelihood you’ll receive useful and focused feedback.
Always E-mail or fax material for feedback. Aside from being a time-saver, electronic communication will attract your audience’s attention more effectively than either in-house mail or the postal service.
Edit suggestions into your copy immediately. Waiting even a day or two could have an impact on the effectiveness of your changes.
Never let the group spend more than a month away from the proj ect or you’ll waste time rehashing points.