Q. I have to write a lot of reports and memos in my new job, and I’m getting buried. I don’t know where to start—or stop—and co-workers are complaining that my reports are hard to read. Any suggestions

A. Writing powerful memos and reports is really easier than you’d think—if you’ll scrap some old habits. Try these techniques:

Jump-Start the Process

Write when you feel upbeat, and don’t try to write a major report in one sitting. Write in stages: "sloppy copy;" working draft; finished copy. Often, just taking "quiet time" between the drafts will give you many good ideas. First step: write a focus sentence that summarizes the main idea for the report or memo. This acts like a target—a beacon to focus your attention. If you can’t decide on what your focus sentence should be, write sentences that answer each one of these questions: Who did it? What happened? Why did it happen? When did it happen? Where did it happen? Why did it happen? How did it happen? Choose any combination of these sentences to create the focus for your report or letter, and write that at the top of your report or letter—to help you stay focused. Include in your report only the topics that relate to, or support, your focus sentence.

Make an Outline

You need a plan to further focus the report—an outline. Writing just a few words that nail down major and minor points will give you good direction—and keep you focused on the topic. Simply list the key ideas that develop the focus sentence. These are your main points. Then expand your outline—develop your topic—by supporting each main point with facts, examples, comparisons, illustrations, research.

Plan Your Ending/Intro

Readers read your ending last, so make it something they won’t easily forget. Last step, “hook” your reader, with an introduction that grabs attention fast. Example:

Two out of three marketing programs launched this month will fail—

or deliver less than expected. Let’s not make the same mistake again.

(You’ll find it easier and faster to write the introduction if you do it last, because you’ll have thought through everything else first.)

Now write your first draft. And don’t get bogged down with grammar or spelling just yet. Just "dump" everything you know about the topic onto the paper or screen, as you develop the topics in the outline. You’ll polish it up later. Once your first draft is finished, revise it where necessary to make sure you:

Say it simply.

Use who-did-what word order. Choose clear, direct, short words of one of two syllables, to make it easy to read. (Try to use no more than six words that have three or more syllables for every 100 words.)

Control sentence length/style.

Mix long and short sentences for variety: long sentences for complex ideas, short ones for punch. For peak readability, keep your average sentence length to about 17 words

Talk on paper.

Picture the reader—a real person—sitting next you as you speak what you write. We use personal words (you, we, I, us, our, etc.), when we talk face-to-face; your writing should sound that way.

Cut words you don't need.

If a word or phrase gets in the way of your being simple and direct, get rid of it. Hunt whiches— they often make sentences too long. Then, kill the which and start a new sentence. Cut down on any “be” words, too (be, is, are, was, were, been, being, am.) They make writing dull. Replace them with stronger verbs.

Energize your writing.

Use the active voice (we decided; not: the decision was made.)

It’s shorter, clearer, more direct. Say what you want, what you can do—not what you don’t want, or can’t do. Help readers get what they want and need. (If all you know is what you don’t want, you’ll get more of it.) And vary the way you start sentences. Try starting them with sentences that answser who, what, when, where, why, or how questions.

Write"one-idea" sentences.

Put just one key idea into each sentence. Put a related idea into a new sentence. KISS each sentence (keep it short and simple.) And put only one key idea into each paragraph.

Make action easy.

Put any request for action where your reader can spot it fast: up front;

inside a ruled box; in boldface; centered in the paragraph and surrounded with white space.

Both you and your reader will find these guidelines really helpful. You’ll write clearer, better reports, faster and more easily. And you’ll save your reader’s time—nearly 40 seconds of reading time for each 200-word page you write. That’s something we all welcome.