Preparing to write

I don't usually get writer's block. My job and my research force me to write pretty consistently, so I can't remember a time where I just couldn't write or when I faced a wall that felt insurmountable. My style of writer's block usually comes in the form of avoiding writing a particular piece or a particular section where I'm not sure what to write. The longer I put off this nagging writing responsibility, the harder it is to get myself going... So, nevermind, I guess I do get writer's block. :)

Sometimes in these situations, it's good to just sit down and start writing. Start freewriting whatever pops into your head to get going. Yet, when it comes to writing grant proposals, the freewrite can be dangerous if you don't take a step back to organize and clarify your thoughts. So, instead of freewriting to get started on that grant proposal you've been avoiding, try these tips instead. Hopefully, these preparatory writing steps can help save you time re-writing a clearer proposal down the road.

Think it through:
Before you put pen to paper or fingers to keys, as it were, take some time to think through your project. Think about what's important about your research. What's possible? How will you accomplish your goals? How long will it take? What if things don't go as planned? You'll find that once you've thought through these things, when you start writing, it will flow, and you'll be writing more clearly than if you'd been working things out as you wrote.

Re-read the program announcement:
In our NSF Review Process e-seminar last week, Dr. Bodhi Rogers stressed the importance of reading and re-reading the program announcement. If you take the time to really orient yourself to what the funder is asking for, you'll find that you already know how best to respond to the prompts. If you allow the program announcement to guide your project and your proposal, not only will you have a pathway for writing, but you'll also make your proposal that more competitive because you're speaking to what's important to the agency.

Create an outline:
Instead of just starting to write and seeing what comes out, make a plan for what you're going to write. This will keep you from going on tangents that can be harder to pull out or re-align later. Beyond an initial outline, know what you want to cover in each paragraph, use a leading sentence and a concluding sentence to make your focus clear to your reader.

Develop a conceptual diagram:
Sometimes thinking a little differently about your work can help you write about it more clearly. So, instead of using words, try drawing your project out in a diagram. If you are able communicate your research in a diagram, it not only helps you to think more clearly about it, but if you do indeed develop a simple and intuitive diagram, you can then include it in your proposal to help your reviewers quickly understand what it is you're doing.

Resources:
10 Tips for Writing Clear, Concise Sentences - Your Dictionary
Clear Proposal Writing - APMP