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Once you've chosen a direction, the second step is to figure out how you want to

organize your writing.

Is this a "How To" article? Then it should be organized in steps (Step 1, Step 2,
etc...).

Is this a "Lessons Learned" essay? Then it should be organized in lessons
(Lesson #1, Lesson #2, etc...).

Is this a "Mistakes" Twitter thread? Then it should be organized in mistakes
(Mistake #1, Mistake #2, etc...).

The key here is to structure your piece in a way where all the main points &
subheadings follow the same pattern. What you don't want to do is write a "How To"
piece, but then have your first main point be a "Step," and your second main point be a

"lesson," and your third main point be a "mistake," etc. This makes it very hard for
readers to know what they're reading and follow your train of thought. (Now, you can
combine Steps, Mistakes, Lessons, etc., in each section, but how you ORGANIZE the
piece should all follow the same overarching pattern.)

The other reason we encourage writers to make this decision at the beginning (before

you even start writing) is because it will give you a skeleton to fill in.

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How To Start Writing Online: The Ship 30 For 30 Ultimate Guide