Introduction, body and conclusion

When you’re writing anything, you have to make a start. Many writers find making the start difficult and suffer from writer’s block. That can caused by a simple lack of inspiration but other things can make it hard to write like distractions or not feeling well. I’ve got a cold and sore throat and so writing this isn’t easy. Although, if writing was easy everyone would do it! I’ve made a start though, I’ve written the introduction.

The introduction tells the reader what it’s about or at least gives them some idea. It should also tease them a little so they will read on. My subscribers will get the first paragraph of this post with the picture and so that has to tempt them to click and read the rest. After the first paragraph of a blog, I write the body of the blog. Then the final paragraph should conclude the post and often rephrase what has already written just to make sure.

This format of introduction, body and conclusion works for most things with a little tweaking. Even essays for school or university, can be done in the same way, but with some references at the end and embedded in the essay. When you are writing your CV, the introduction can tell your prospective employer who you are, the body can tell them about education and past employment and then the conclusion can give them a compelling reason to give you the job.

I am a fan of spaces between paragraphs, rather than indenting them. I’m not a great fan of bullets and numbering, but they work for lists such as your list of educational accomplishments or your past employment on a CV.

Even if you’re writing a story, you have to introduce it and introduce the protagonist (main character) and the plot. The introduction might be a lot longer than the first paragraph though. In a novel the introduction could be the first chapter. The conclusion sort of winds up the story, it’s the run up to the end. The ending might be, ‘they lived happily ever after’. The conclusion to the novel might be the last chapter that leads up to the ‘happily ever after’ ending.

Whatever you are writing, whether it’s a letter, essay, short story or a full blown novel, try to make it interesting. Who wants to read something that’s boring?

My series of posts on my WordPress blog on how to write a novel covered working up to an ante-climax today. If you interested in writing a novel, check that out. There are also more blogs on the home page.