Winning the Publications Game - 4th Edition (2016)
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3<br />
First set yourself<br />
a brief<br />
‘The key point is <strong>the</strong> need for a message – and<br />
this can take as long as 2–3 hours to finalise,<br />
even when you know all <strong>the</strong> results.’<br />
When to stop researching and start<br />
writing<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> main reasons why writing fails is that <strong>the</strong><br />
reader cannot find a clear message. This is usually<br />
because <strong>the</strong> writer has failed to put one in, probably<br />
because he or she started to write too early. Good writing<br />
is rooted in good thought, and this preparatory stage,<br />
which involves taking time to think about what you are<br />
writing, is vital. It is often neglected.<br />
If you have got this far you presumably have some<br />
idea of what you wish to write. You may only have<br />
a hypo<strong>the</strong>sis or a protocol; on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand your<br />
kitchen table may well be groaning with data. Resist<br />
21
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