David
Horsfall

My Approach to Writing

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Writing is the development of supplied material into a finished written work, including its structure, organization, expression, and coherence.

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Writing only: The client provides the substantive information and source material. The work is to transform that material into a polished, finished piece of writing.

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Research: The writer is responsible for investigating the subject—locating and evaluating sources, comparing evidence, and determining what can reasonably be concluded.

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Research-based writing: The writer both conducts the research and develops the resulting evidence into a substantial written work.

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The distinction is therefore between developing supplied material into writing and developing the underlying evidence needed to write it.

 

Examples—

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• Writing only: Client needs a 1,500-word article about X. All of the information and source material are provided. Client instructs writer to transform it into a polished article.

• Research-based writing: Client requests a 1,500-word article about X. Determine what the arguments are, research and evaluate the relevant evidence, and develop it into a finished article.