Writing for Discovery vs. Communication

In today’s episode, we talk about the key differences between writing for discovery vs. writing for communication. This distinction can apply to any piece of writing that is going to be submitted or be used for some purpose other than your own.

The Discovery Phase of Writing
Writing for discovery is so crucial to fully understand and process your own experiences. It can look like so many different things, like journaling or creating a web diagram, but it just has to make sense to you and help you process, understand, and connect the dots between your experiences. Here are some tips for writing for discovery to ensure this phase is a productive part of your process: 

• First, you need to dedicate time to do this phase in order to plan out your final product and to fully reflect on your own circumstances, experiences, and the ways you grew from them. 
• Second, you need to give yourself the quiet and the space to do this phase. Give yourself the time and space to think without pressure. 
• Third, you need a pen and paper, rather than solely relying on typing. I suggest printing out your CV and beside each experience you write a description of your feelings, memories, and reflections on that experience. 
• Fourth, you need to make connections between your experiences and where you were, where you are, and where you are going. 

Writing for communication is the phase where you convey your message for the understanding of your audience. Here are some tips for writing for communication:

• First, know who your audience is. Are you writing for the admissions committee, your professor, your colleagues, or your supervisor at work? 
• Second, the communication phase has many considerations, such as proper formatting of your writing, and, in the context of applications, writing to advocate for yourself. 
• Third, writing for communication is for the audience to understand who you are, what your experience is, and what you bring to the table. 
• Fourth, you may switch between writing for discovery and writing for communication many times, and that is a totally normal part of the writing process.

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