Storyline » I learned to write

First steps

I remember the precise time and place. Early one morning in July 1984, I was parked in my car, in a street in South London. That’s when I first realised how to communicate more clearly. Read more

I ask questions … and then I answer them

… Once I had identified the idea of “interrupting questions” as a way to structure a communication, I spent a lot of time developing the “Question & Answer Technique” (as I had started to call it) and honing my use of it. Over time, using the technique become almost instinctive. Read more

Finding more tools in the box

… The Question & Answer technique was my new hammer but – as tempting as it was – not every communication needed to be hit on the head with it. Read more

Learning how to express myself

Some people love the activity of writing. They derive a positive pleasure from fine-tuning their words, honing their style and striving for a rhetorical flourish. I have been there, often. But writing doesn’t have to be like that. Sometimes the goal is nothing more than to get some words written down and sent to whoever needs to receive them. I have been there, too. Read more

I need to make this crystal clear

There have been times in my working life when it wasn’t enough for me to get my facts right. I had to present the information in a way that was unimpeachable. My writing was going to be analysed minutely for any signs of a mistake. It was stressful to write under those circumstances, but I picked up several tips to help me avoid the most frequent pitfalls. Read more

Discovering subtext and subtlety

It’s uncomfortable for me to admit, but there was a time when my writing lacked any trace of subtlety or nuance. My work placed a high premium on output that was both literal and precise; and I failed for a while to write in any other style. But, once the constraints were relaxed, I became a zealot for the alternatives. I started to explore different writing styles and voices. It was a real treat. Read more

Public speaking (Part 1): Engage

Many people are frightened of public speaking. Surveys suggest that people fear speaking in front of an audience more than they fear death! As the American comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, pointed out, it means that, for many people at a funeral, they would rather be in the coffin than giving a eulogy. Read more

Public speaking (Part 2): Inform

… if my opening remarks had succeeded in engaging the audience’s attention, the speech itself needed to meet the expectations I had created. Read more

Public speaking (Part 3): Encapsulate

… Ideally, you will finish on something which reflects the essence of your talk, so that the audience regards the presentation as complete. You will signal your ending clearly, so that the audience knows it’s time for them to show their appreciation. And you will leave them wanting more. Read more

Writing a CV or resumé

Writing about yourself should be one of the easiest bits of writing you’ll ever be called upon to produce. You are, after all, one of the greatest experts in the world on this particular topic. Read more

Writing an article

One of the great joys I have obtained from writing articles over so many years is the opportunity it gives me to vary my style (or my “voice”) according to the outlet I am writing for. When I started article-writing in earnest, my day job demanded that I communicate with clients in the formal style beloved of my employers. So the chance to be “me” – and to explore who I might be – generated a wonderful sense of freedom. Read more

Writing a report

Over the years, I have found that lots of writers initially baulk at the idea of using the Question & Answer technique for a full-blown report. But once they see how I do it, they realise that my approach deals very satisfactorily with all their concerns and their objections rapidly subside. Read more

Odds and …

This final page contains a couple of miscellaneous items that I couldn’t find another home for on the website. Read more

… ends

I have called this website “I learned to write”, using the past tense. But the truth is that I am constantly learning new ways to write. Read more