Writing is an intensely personal act - the visible expression of our thoughts. We’d like our thoughts to be respected, so when our writing is successful we are pleased and proud; when unsuccessful, the opposite.

This is understandable but unnecessary. Writing nonfiction is both art and craft, with an emphasis on the latter. Because communication is so familiar, always in us and around us, we aren’t used to working on it. We don’t master the craft. Talking all our lives, we rarely think carefully before speaking. Same with writing: it seems so natural in the day-to-day performance that being mindful of it seems unnatural.

Writing and editing well take work and guidance. For those you need practice, some guidelines, and (unless you’re a complete misanthrope) a partner and collaborator who connects with you and your message.

When you write or edit, think of the following:

Audience. You’re always writing for someone. The inimitable Gerald Ford once said, “When you sit down to write a speech, the first question you need to ask is ‘What do I want to say?’”  The better question is: what do I want my audience to know? Thinking of the reader from the start is an excellent way to keep your work on track.

Care. It’s amazing how sloppy our day-to-day thinking is. When we write for work, we often simply put down our stream of thought, thinking that we’re organized enough inside our heads. We aren’t. The mind is incredibly discursive and interruptible, and modern life makes it more so. Inconsistencies and mistakes come through because our thinking is flawed as a matter of course. It takes devotion to look at writing dispassionately and with a sense of order – “such a dependence of one thing on another” in Shakespeare’s words.

Music. Words have emotional hooks. As you string them together they also have musical hooks – rhythm, meter, alliteration, repetition and surprise. Carry readers along with the shape of your writing. Any fool piece can be fun if it reaches into a reader’s musical side.

Time. William F. Buckley said he could write a column in twenty minutes. Most of us need more time. Plan on two revisions, maybe three, and review your work when you are in different frames of mind. Make sure it gets to your editor with enough time for review.

Editing. Editing is collaboration. Good editors are naturally curious, sympathetic, and analytical. They want writers to do their best work. That starts with trust, getting past ego so you understand what a useful tool editing is. And if you are editing your own stuff, think of yourself as a friendly critic. It is a practical arrangement, and one you should enjoy.

Be the boss. Often writers launch into a piece, then somewhere lose control. Deadlines loom, ideas take on lives of their own, and the train runs away. Regain control. Go back. Tinkering with words, looking for the better structure, is part of the process. So is finishing. In the midst of the tension between tinkering and finishing, an editor can jog you this way or that, pushing to resolution. It’s a good office.

Fun. Above all, enjoy the act. It’s a lot of effort to write well but it’s so much fun to succeed. You have before you a giant puzzle with more than 600,000 pieces (OED’s defined words in English, and 25K more each year). And you don’t have to use them all. Have fun.

General advice:

•Read Zinsser’s On Writing Well.

•When you read something you like, ask yourself why. Draw connections to your own efforts. Critical reading is part of your job.

•Read about words. Roots and usage notes are fabulous.

•Write every day.

•Repeat as often as necessary.