Step-by-step writing process
Briefing
During this initial step, the Content Manager or senior writer informs writers on the details of the content piece to be written, sharing its role in the content strategy in general, the buyer personas and buying stages it caters to, and other relevant details to guide the writing process.
Outline
Next, writers propose a rough structure for the piece, outlining its different sections with brief snippets detailing the content and argumentative goals of each. This structure should be reinforced by the content parameters previously outlined and insights sourced from independent research.
Create a folder for the piece within the Content Pipeline directory of the shared Content Marketing drive to center all relevant files and ensure other team members have access. This is where the different Google Docs files for the project should be inserted.
The outline is then subject to a quick review by the team leadership to verify if the proposed structure is in sync with the objectives of the content piece.
Draft
This step represents the bulk of the writing process, where the reviewed outline serves as the basis for the first copy iteration. Here, we will discuss some conventions utilized in our documents to guide the design process.
- Preface the file with the following information:
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- Title
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- Date
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- Writer
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- Proofread by
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- Approved by
- Add a summary detailing the chapter/subchapter structure
- Write a brief synopsis, summarizing the piece’s key information in three bullet points
Peer review
During this step, the responsible proofreader utilizes Google Docs’ suggestion mode to indicate the necessary changes. If deeper alterations are needed, comments are made to the relevant sections with further instructions.
Upon receiving the file back from the proofreader, action all suggestions, observing recurrent changes to expedite future writing efforts. Use the comment function to highlight any substantial edits that need a new review from your peers.
Stakeholder approval
Once all edits have been finished, verify with the team leadership if the piece necessitates stakeholder approval. Key strategic pieces are often subject to further refining by relevant stakeholders, to ensure resonance with the intended audience, persona, and funnel stage.
If such approval is necessary, forward the file to the relevant contact, making sure to grant them access. Be mindful of deadlines, and set yourself reminders to follow up with the stakeholder.
Social promo
In the meanwhile, draft creative briefs for all necessary promotional assets. This can include banners (both for LinkedIn and emails), slides for LinkedIn carousels, and videos. These individual briefs should also be reviewed by the team leadership.
Design request
Once the piece has been approved by all relevant parties and no further edits are necessary, the file must be prepared for Creative, following these conventions:
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- Highlight headers according to the caption below to indicate the hierarchical structure:
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- Title
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- Header 1: Sections/chapters
- Header 1: Sections/chapters
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- Header 2: Subchapters
- Header 2: Subchapters
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- Header 3: Items
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- Highlight instructions to creative in blue with white text and explain your request in comments, if necessary
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- Highlight CTA copy in cyan
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- Highlight all words that have different UK English spellings in magenta, adding the corresponding British variation in a comment for each instance
Then, request the piece’s development from the Creative team via email (creative@infuse.com), including the team leadership and Victoria in CC. Make sure the message includes links to the draft and to any relevant briefs for promotional materials. Remember to always share these files with Creative, granting them edit permission.
Discuss relevant deadlines with the responsible Creative team member and set yourself follow-up reminders to ensure they are met.
Review and final approval
Upon receiving the finished materials from Creative, run a check comparing them against your requests, as well as a more subjective assessment of the design. Highlight any points of improvement to be addressed by the designers, if necessary. Peer review can be enlisted as needed in this step. Once all assets relevant to the piece have been finished and need no further edits, they can be considered approved.
Finally, after uploading creative assets to the Drive, move the relevant folder currently in Content Pipeline to the appropriate Content Library directory.
Writing best practices
- Take breaks. It is not often possible to write an article in one go, unless you are feeling particularly inspired. Excessively long writing sessions often result in the quality of the text decreasing as it progresses—which will likely be noticed by readers.
- Avoid overworking each sentence. It is often more efficient to put something on the page before refining it into its best version.
- Find the best way to work for you. Some writers draft a segment at a time, take a break, review, and then keep going; while others prefer to write an entire draft and edit it the next day. In any case, be your most demanding critic.
- Take note of when you are approaching a saturation point, to better understand your individual process and avoid drops in quality.
- Screen fatigue can cause blind spots. Before submitting a draft, take a screen break before coming back to review with fresh eyes. If possible, conduct this review in another format—even merely exporting the file as a PDF can help you analyze the draft from a new perspective.