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How to Structure What You Write

BY RICHARD BIERCK

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How to Structure
What You Write
Barbara Minto’s Pyramid Principle has received wide
recognition as a good guide to structuring business writing.
What follows is a quick refresher on Minto and a new take
on some alternative approaches.
By Richard Bierck
W R I T E R S O F T E N fixate on
style to the exclusion of structure. This
is like concentrating on a building’s ar-
chitectural flourishes while ignoring
the foundation. Structure is what holds
a composition together, ensuring that
each group of thoughts flows logically
and naturally to the next. Without it,
any edifice of prose will collapse like a
cheap parking garage.
In The Minto Pyramid Principle, Bar-
bara Minto offers a prescription for
avoiding structural failures in business
writing. Minto advises corporate
scriveners to begin their compositions
by stating a condition that is generally
agreed upon—e.g., “The goal of diver-
sification is to protect profits from
down cycles”—and then to introduce
the complication that is prompting the
piece. This could be something along
the lines of: “But diversifying too
rapidly may reduce earnings.” The rest
of the composition deals with resolving
the complication—in this case, dis-
cussing affordable diversification
moves.
This structure is useful for easing read-
ers into letters, memoranda, and reports
by focusing their attention on the big
picture. And it gets to the point without
loading too much freight up front.
Still, whether you’re gearing up to
write an organizational strategy state-
ment or composing a memo on a
decrease in last quarter’s sales, many
other structures are possible. Choosing
the most appropriate one can make the
This document is authorized for use only in Prof. Deepti Ganapathy's PGP -Advances in Business Communication 2022(DG) at Indian Institute of Management - Bangalore from Jun 2022 to
Copyright © 1998 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. All
difference between bringing your
points home convincingly and watch-
ing them sink in a quagmire of confu-
sion or an abyss of apathy.
Before choosing a structure, writers
must decide what points they want to
make, part of the mental undertaking
that English teachers call “prewriting.”
This may sound like a “duh,” but it’s
remarkable how many people routinely
set about a composition with no idea
where they’re headed. If you know
your topic well, you can prewrite while
you’re showering, jogging, or watching
television.
One alternate structure worth consider-
ing is the chronological, best used—
obviously—if events can be shaped into
a narrative that shows cause-and-effect
relationships. The chronological narra-
tive’s strength lies in the opportunities it
affords to wrap vivid detail around the
basic facts to bring the reader along
vicariously. Without it, Stephen King
would be out of business, for this is,
after all, the way people naturally tell—
and listen to—stories.
Chronological structure is most effec-
tive when one anecdote compellingly
illustrates a problem or situation, or
when a complex series of events or iso-
lated incidents leads to a present condi-
tion. For example, a salesman wants to
explain a downturn in business. He
might begin, “Let me tell you about
how I lost a $50,000 sale. One Friday
afternoon…” Or an executive might
craft a memo showing how a company
rights
Sep 2022.reserved.
similar to his own failed to diversify,
bringing fiscal ruin. The memo could
close by exhorting colleagues to
explore specific diversification paths. If
the writer launched into hortatory prose
at the outset, readers wouldn’t have any
reason to care. By contrast, the chrono-
logical structure—in this case, a narra-
tive of missed opportunities—com-
mands attention by pointing out
parallels between the two companies.
Thus it sets up the reader for a call
to action.
Without a compelling story to tell,
however, the chronological structure
becomes a conduit for prose so tedious
that it begs to be folded and sent
airborne. In such instances, the prob-
lem-solution structure is a good
choice. Sim-
ply state the
problem,
“Structure is
then follow what holds a
with your
proposal composition
for solving
it. Hence: together….
“Problem:
Diversifying Without it, any
too rapidly
spreads edifice of prose
resources
thin, drain- will collapse like
ing manage-
ment time a cheap parking
and increas-
ing R&D garage.”
costs greatly
without any foreseeable return on this
investment. Solution: Devise a method-
ology for determining which areas of
expansion are most appropriate, given
our current market and existing
research,” etc. This format is well
suited to compositions that address a
series of problems, each affecting a
wide audience within the company.
Some of the same effect—a creation
and release of tension—can be
achieved using a question-answer for-
mat, which is most appropriate when
readers are already basically informed
on a subject but need details. In this
structure, known on the World Wide
Web as FAQ (frequently asked ques-
3
 Structure, continued
tions), writers simply pose and answer
questions. The benefit is that readers
who are unclear on certain points can
identify with others who may be won-
dering about the same thing. For exam-
ple, a company facing a merger might
issue a memo of FAQs as a way to let
employees know the ins and outs of the
action. Because the general situation is
well understood, a pyramid approach is
neither necessary nor called for.
When the goal is one of informing
colleagues of a situation rather than
spurring them to action, an approach to
consider is to pretend that you’re a jour-
nalist. This doesn’t mean that you
should start wearing wrinkled clothing
and asking politicians about their extra-
marital sex lives. Rather, try structuring
your piece to enlighten those com-
pletely unaware of the topic without
boring those who are already some-
what familiar with it. The journalistic
approach usually means using the
inverted pyramid structure: putting the
most important information at the
beginning, then moving on to the sup-
porting details.
This document is authorized for use only in Prof. Deepti Ganapathy's PGP -Advances in Business Communication 2022(DG) at Indian Institute of Management - Bangalore from Jun 2022 to
4
This kind of composition doesn’t have
to start with a paragraph that answers
the questions: who, what, when, where,
why, and how. But it does mean you’ll
have to be conscious of the needs of
readers new to the situation. Assume
they know nothing about the subject
but can grasp anything if you present it
clearly and coherently. If the main mes-
sage is a new wave of plant moderniza-
tion across the company, don’t worry
about discussing its effect on any one
division too early in the piece. Instead,
get all the important issues right up
front, in the opening. This approach is
focused and respects your readers’ need
for a quick, easily grasped overview of
the basic facts.
When deciding on the structure of
your composition, sit back, relax for a
minute, and place yourself in the shoes
of your readers. What are their inter-
ests? What do they need to know first?
How might they be alienated? Only
after considering these needs will
you be ready to choose a structure that
solidly supports your composition’s
goals.
Sep 2022.
H A R VA R D M A N A G E M E N T C O M M U N I C AT I O N L E T T E R D E C E M B E R 1 9 9 8
Further Reading:
The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing by John D.Ramage and
John C.Bean (1996,Allyn & Bacon,736 pp.,$37.95,
Tel.800-666-9433 or 515-284-6751)
Business English:A Complete Guide to Developing an
Effective Business Writing Style by Andrea Geffner
(1998,Barron’s Educational Series,340 pp.,
$13.95, Tel.800-645-3476 )
Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.and E.B.White
(1995,Allyn & Bacon,85 pp.,$5.95,
Tel.800-666-9433 or 515-284-6751)
The Minto Pyramid Principle:Logic in Writing,Thinking
and Problem Solving,by Barbara Minto
(1996,Minto International,254 pp.,
$80.00, Tel.757-624-1711)
Style:Toward Clarity and Grace by Joseph M.Williams
(1995,University of Chicago Press,226 pp.,$9.95,
Tel.800-621-2736 or 773-568-1550)
10 Minute Guide to Business Communication by Raymond M.
Olderman (1997,Macmillan Books,144 pp.,
$10.95,Tel.800-223-2348)
21st Century Guide to Improving Your Writing edited by Diane
Zahler,Ellen Lichtenstein,and Claudia H.C.Q.Sorsby,
(1995,Dell,251 pp.,$5.99,Tel.800-323-9872)