Five Questions for Reviewing Your Train of Thought
By Katy Kauffman
With time, I have become a better train conductor. Instead
of jumping the rails to explore lush, green forests or majestic mountain peaks,
I am better able to keep my train of thought on its intended course. Have you
ever thought of yourself—a writer—as a train conductor?
Words are our cars, and chapters are our trains. We may not
wear the nostalgic conductor’s hat, but our thinking caps fit snugly in place.
That may be the problem. In the broad expanse of ideas and sentences and
experiences, we have to chart our course. What points do we need to make? Which
ones do we need to leave out? Our necessary writer’s tool (dare I say the
word?)—an outline—acts as our track. The track grows as we add illustrations,
insights, or examples to make our point. The danger comes when our exuberance
for sharing what we know runs off track and into the thicket.
Oh, it may not look like a thicket to us. But our readers
will find themselves traveling through briars and underbrush if we decide to
jump the track. They may appreciate the extra leg of the journey, tucked safely
inside our train. But they will start to wonder why their conductor added a few
stops before the destination. We never want to confuse or disappoint our
readers. We want them to travel with us again through worlds of truth or
imagination.
So how do we ensure that they will buy our train ticket and
ride with us again? By delivering what we’ve promised. By arriving at our
destination at the end of the book and making every stop until we get there as
enjoyable, informative, and encouraging as possible.
Here are five questions to ask yourself about every chapter,
paragraph, and sentence in your book. These questions also work for shorter
rides, such as articles and blog posts. Once you have poured out your heart on
paper, put on your conductor’s hat and examine closely your train of thought.
Streamline your writing by evaluating the “track.”
- Does
my train of thought travel from Point A (the beginning of my chapter or
article) to Point B (the end of it) in a straight line, or have I meandered off
course?
- Have I included stories, statistics, or quotes that illustrate my point, or are some not as relevant as others?
- Can I cut out any paragraphs, sentences, or single words, and my message is still clear?
- Have I inserted anything that’s precious to me but unnecessary to my overall point?
- Do I arrive at my destination “on time,” or do I have any delays and detours?

What do you do to help yourself stay on track in your
writing? Share your tips and ideas with us in the comments below.
(Photos courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Phil_Bird/bugnin.)
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