Our new writing guide, designed with input from public servants around the world, enables those working in government to write more quickly and effectively. In the guide you’ll find:
In this guide you’ll find:
- Lessons on writing a compelling briefing and using this to grow your influence
- A guide with techniques for writing a government speech
- A step-by-step checklist for crafting clear emails
- A template for creating engaging articles and blog posts
Who is it for?
Our new writing toolkit is perfect for both those who are new to the public service and want an introduction to writing effectively in government and the seasoned professional looking to bring new life to their writing.
Why is it important?
70% of our members say they write every day as part of their job. Writing can be time-consuming, tricky to get right and frustrating at times. This is especially true for public servants who have to serve a number of different audiences and purposes with their written communications.
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE BRIEFING
Some tips from experienced public servants, in our network
Learn the dos and don'ts for getting what you want from an email
HOW TO WRITE A GOVERNMENT SPEECH
Find out how to write a great speech — that goes beyond writing and helps you connect with your audience
TEMPLATE FOR A POWERFUL POLICY ARTICLE OR BLOG
Whether you're blogging about your work, or writing an opinion piece, use this template to structure your work
HOW TO WRITE AN EFFECTIVE BRIEFING
Public servants can spend lots of time drafting briefings to send to decision-makers, and getting clearance for them. Those fresh from university or the private sector are often expected to know how to 'speak government' with little guidance beyond a fixed template.
Briefings can be written or oral, formal or informal. Many civil servants want to be in the room where it happens and give an oral briefing to their minister. But to be invited in, you need to clear the first hurdle: how to write a killer briefing note.
Here are some tips from public servants — one experienced in writing and the other in reviewing — on how to write concisely but think broadly when given a briefing task.
1. UNDERSTAND THE ASK
Taran Wasson is a Senior Manager in the Canadian Government who frequently writes and reviews notes. When sitting down to write, he suggests that public servants start with the ask and objectives behind the briefing.
“Ask yourself — is this a briefing note to give information? Get a decision? Or another purpose?” Alice Harberd, a former graduate policy adviser at the UK’s Department for International Trade, echoes Wasson: "First, think — is it an anticipated or reactive ask?"
Sometimes, briefings can be driven by a sense of urgency. While it’s important to reflect the pace in your writing, you need to get the balance right between emergency and everyday briefing. "If you put too much urgency on everything, you devalue your currency," Harberd warns.
Thinking about the ask before you pick up a pen can save you crucial time later on in the writing process. "If you understand the problem, you’re halfway there towards solving it," Wasson says. Only once you understand the ask can you start thinking about the rest of the note.
Wasson also thinks about who the audience is right from the start, and changes his note accordingly. "Consider the audience — who is going to read it? A minister or deputy minister? Or maybe the Prime Minister?" When writing a briefing for a minister in charge of a specific portfolio, you can assume that they will have more grounding in the policy area, and go into more depth.
It’s important to consider links with other key issues too. One minister might have competing priorities to another, as well as a different portfolio. Breaking down where one policy area crosses into another is a great way to get more people to pay attention to your note. It can also give you an opportunity to make links with existing promises and pledges.
Wasson says: "It could be that the government has identified this as a priority in their budget. Can you draw out those linkages?"
2.KEEP IT SIMPLE AND NEUTRAL
"If you’re a recent graduate, you’re likely [to be] more used to writing long papers," said Wasson. "You’re used to writing to take up space, stretching out the analysis."
"The art of writing a briefing is exactly the opposite of that. It should be clear, short, simple and to the point."
Sound easy? Perhaps. Simple writing when you need to consider the context, consider competing implications, and offer a sharp personal analysis can leave many public servants stumped.
Harberd says that briefing means "giving people what they want to know in the most effective way."
To do this, briefings should be short. To help minimise words, Wasson suggests using headings, bullets and lists. "Anything that makes it easier for the reader to digest," he says. Key data tables should be left out of the core briefing, and instead offered as a supplementary annex.
You should use neutral language throughout. "You can still advance an idea with evidence and information, but it should be done in a neutral and objective way," says Wasson.
For the core briefing, signpost the minister to the key information they could have missed. "It's better to draw the minister to the detail that they might not have had time to work out [themselves]," says Harberd. "It's your job to point out where they might get pulled up."
3.REVIEW YOUR WORK… AND KEEP WRITING
When it’s done, read your briefing note aloud. After the "challenge of putting our thoughts into words" comes "fine-tuning those words to add precision," says Wasson. Reading it out can help you with the precision of your message and help you get to the heart of the issue."
Despite the templates, the formulas and the lists of stakeholders to consider, Wasson stresses that writing notes gives public servants a chance to express themselves.
"Preparing a briefing note is an art, not a science. You piece words together, weave them [together], and the final product is a masterpiece," he says.
There’s an art that comes with being concise and precise, which takes time to learn. "Practice, practice, practice," he says.
4.TAKE THE CHANCE TO GROW YOUR INFLUENCE
Working with a chain of reviewers can be frustrating, as your work passes through several hands before it reaches the top. But this chain can also be used to the writer’s advantage as an opportunity to influence.
Briefings present an opportunity to learn and build your networks. "Use your close networks to stress-test your briefing before it starts to go up the chain and out of your hands," says Harberd.
Ministers and civil servants can often be accused of acting in silos, refusing to look beyond their specific portfolio. Harberd suggests that your briefing can be an opportunity for thinking wider. "Ministers need to bear in mind that they'll likely be asked [questions that fall] outside of their brief." This also means that you need to speak to other civil servants beyond your deskmates.
Ultimately, briefings present an opportunity to bring attention to an underserved policy area. "When you write a briefing, it's a pitch for your area to get more prominence,” said Harberd. Just don’t be disappointed when that doesn’t always happen.
5.MEASURE SUCCESS
It’s important to learn how to measure success from your writing work. "Just because it doesn't generate interest from the top doesn't mean that it's a bad briefing," says Harberd.
For Wasson, asking for feedback is vital. "By knowing your mistakes, you can work to improve them."
He also suggests that civil servants new to the profession keep a copy of their notes. "Look at your notes again at intervals: six months, 12 months, even five years down the road,” he said. "It should indicate to you how far you’ve come."
Despite writing and reviewing countless notes, Wasson remains humble. "Humility is part of the identity of a public servant," he said.
"You might write five notes in a week. In your third note, you write 'as you may know', assuming the minister knows. Don’t assume — [that's contrary to] the art of writing a briefing note."
SUBJECT LINE
❏ Keep it short and clear, and give a sense of what follows. Think "Please approve: speech to Women's Institute".
❏ Even in personal emails, use the New York Times test. Would
you want to see this on the front page of a newspaper?
❏ For emails sent to a larger number of people, try a
command word in square brackets. Like [Meeting]
followed by subject.
EMAIL BODY TIPS
❏ Personalise it as much as possible, including refering specifically to the reader.
❏ Signpost the reader to your attachment (such as a document, or a website). Don’t copy and paste from it.
❏ Be very clear on your call to action — no one should ever read an email being less than 100% sure on what they’re being asked to do.
❏ Don't be afraid to be direct. A busy recipient will often prefer a straightforward ask —"can you please do this?"
EMAIL STRUCTURE
❏ Paragraph 1 — a clear sentence that outlines
what you want from your recipient.
❏ Paragraph 2 — why you’re contacting them now,
tied to something specific or colourful. Any
further detail also goes here.
❏ Paragraph 3 — repeat your ask, giving more
information on the action or deadline.
SIGNING OFF
❏ Never end an email with "I look forward to hearing
from you" or "I will await your response" — it seems
passive-aggressive.
❏ Instead try, "please let me know your thoughts
either way by [specific date].
❏ Or if it’s a cold email, you could use "If you're not the right person to be speaking to, I’d appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction".
CHASING UP AFTERWARDS
❏ Be polite and friendly, but keep your language clear. You don't need to apologise for chasing up, but you also want to make it easy for the reader to respond.
❏ Don’t reiterate the request, but instead ask if they’ve seen the email — it puts less pressure on the reader and is more likely to reopen the conversation.
TIME OF DAY
❏ Where possible, send emails just before 9am. Studies show this is the most likely time to get your email opened and receive a reply.
❏ If you can't send your email early in the morning other good times for sending emails include 2-3pm and 8pm.
HOW TO WRITE A GOVERNMENT SPEECH
Great speeches are direct. Former Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, challenged her opponent Tony Abbott by saying, "I will not be lectured about sexism and misogyny by this man."
They can be short and snappy: US President Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address only spanned 10 sentences.
Great speeches also use repetition. UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s memorable "education, education, education" used the famous 'rule of three' to set out his priorities.
But writing speeches for a government minister isn’t always a set-piece moment. Although some speeches written by public servants go down in the history books, most don’t.
As a policymaker, you could be tasked with writing a speech in your policy area.
You know the key points to communicate, and you understand the intricacies of how your policy works. But writing a speech — making it engaging, warm, or even funny — is a step beyond writing a traditional briefing. It’s a delicate balance. So how do you strike it?
1. FIND YOUR MESSAGE
Heather Temple-Williams, Senior Speeches Manager for the Welsh Government, has been walking the tightrope between policy and performance for two years.
She says the best place to start is with your key message. "Your speech could be funny; it could be full of pathos," she says. "But if the message gets lost, it’s not going to do its job."
To help craft the message, first consider the audience. "What are their concerns?" says Temple-Williams. "What are they doing dayto-day? Is there anything they’re involved in which includes the government?"
To find this out, Temple-Williams suggests looking through press notices from organisations whose representatives are in the audience. "They’ll tell you a lot about their tone of voice," she says.
It’s also important to not underestimate the understanding and knowledge of the people listening to your speech. "It’s likely that they’ll know the policy area better than you do," says Temple-Williams.
2. DO YOUR RESEARCH
Then it's time to research. "It’s important not to regurgitate government lines," says Temple-Williams. "Look around the issue and get a grounding in the policy space."
It’s also important to research the person you’re writing for. One of the hardest arts of speechwriting is learning someone else’s tone of voice — particularly if you’ve never met them before.
But Temple-Williams has tested some ways to learn how someone communicates. “Use YouTube to watch them in action,” she says. "Some departments will give out a minister’s preferences — check those.” You can look for videos of public appearances by your minister on their organisation's website.
There are other opportunities beyond video. "Talk to people who know them," said Temple-Williams. "What are they like? How do they speak? Do they have an accent? Are they casual, or formal?"
Once you’ve figured out what you want to say, and the voice you want to use — and not before — you can start crafting the speech.
3. CRAFT A STORY
Start with a quote, Temple-Williams suggests, to avoid common tropes. "Something that’s different to 'I’m really pleased to be here with you today!'", she suggests. Instead, try to tell a story. That could mean looking at the date when the speech is going to be delivered, to see if there’s something relevant to include.
"About a year ago, the minister I write for was delivering [a] speech [on the] date [that] the first transatlantic telephone conversation took place,” said TempleWilliams. "So I weaved that throughout the speech — the message being, let’s talk, let’s communicate." If the date is unhelpful, Temple-Williams proposed instead talking about the venue — for example, if it has a historic resonance.
Either way, it’s important to grab the listener's attention in the first 15 minutes of the speech. "If they’re sitting there, and it’s gone a quarter of an hour into the speech, and they’re thinking 'where’s the bit I want to hear?', then you’ve lost them," says Temple-Williams. "You have to establish a rapport — prove that what’s in the speech is something that’s worth listening to."
“I’m alwayslooking for new phrases... sometimes it doesn’t look like work, but it is.”
4. FIND YOUR TONE
Once the speech is written, read it out loud. "It makes you realise [where you have] long sentences, and big words, which don’t work," says Temple-Williams. "Listen carefully to where you trip up. Where are you struggling to take a breath?"
Once it’s written, expect some back-and-forth, as the minister edits your work.
Even once the speech is over, Temple- Williams doesn't stop speechwriting. She is constantly finding new language and words.
"I’m always looking for new phrases," she says. Alongside reading novels for pleasure, she suggests reading poetry, to help with creating a cadence in your sentences.
Temple-Williams’ final advice is not to be afraid of spending time away from your desk, playing with language. "I’m always pottering. Sometimes it doesn’t look like work, but it is. I’m always honing my craft."
TEMPLATE FOR A POWERFUL POLICY ARTICLE OR BLOG
Sum up the point of the article in 10 words at most — this helps focus your attention and could form the basis of the headline or a tweet.
Example: 'Digital government could change your life — if you can access the internet'
Example: 'One in three women is a victim of violence. Time for men to step up'
Intro or lead section
- Short first paragraph – grab your reader’s attention. Try giving a surprising statistic, or telling a short anecdote.
- Short second paragraph – tell the reader about the broader issue that the anecdote or fact illustrates.
- Short third paragraph – outline the main argument you will make in the rest of the article.
Example: 'Singapore’s abandoned bikes show how notto regulate the sharing economy'
Bicycle-sharing startup Obike closed down in June, leaving bikes strewn throughout Singapore’s streets and over 100,000 upset users unable to claim back an estimated US$4.6 million in deposits.
Dealing with unknown and disruptive new technologies and business models, like the sharing economy model of Obike, is always going to be a challenge for policymakers.
But could scenario planning — an approach to policymaking that forecasts how different possible future scenarios could evolve — help policymakers to better anticipate crises and formulate plans in such rapidly-changing sectors?
Main article body
The body of your article will consist of multiple points that all come together to support your overall argument. There are many ways to set up the body of your article, and this will depend on the type of piece you are writing. Below are two possible structures.
One is for an opinion piece that takes a view on a critical debate. The second is for a policy piece that discusses an innovative new policy or programme you have either implemented yourself or believe government should implement.
Option A - Opinion piece — your view on a critical debate or trend
##Section 1: background
- Give some more context to the debate or trend you will discuss. For instance, what countries does it apply to? How new is this issue? How many people or governments could be affected — and if I’m not affected why should I care? Who has been a public advocate — or opponent?
##Section 2: your strongest argument
- Introduce your strongest argument or point
- Use a few sentences to expand on this claim
- Cite any examples or research that back it up
- What should your audience take away from this — why does it matter?
##Section 3: your next argument (repeat if needed)
- Introduce your next argument or point
- Use a few sentences to expand on this claim
- Cite any examples or research that back it up
- What should your audience take away from this — why does it matter?
##Section 4: counter-arguments
- Introduce any counter-arguments
- Explain why these don't refute your argument
Option B - Policy/research piece — tell the world about an innovative solution
##Section 1: Explain the problem
- Explain the exact problem the solution addresses. For example, Germany’s gender pay gap, or the need for better digital skills among Canada’s public servants
- Why should your reader care? Is this a problem with international ramifications? How many people are affected? What are the knock-on consequences?
- This section should be shorter than the next one
##Section 2: Your solution
Use two or three short paragraphs to explain the policy/programme you think is a good solution.
If this solution was introduced by your department/organisation…
- Explain a bit about the process involved
- Outline the results/impact
- Say why you think it could (or could not) work well elsewhere
If this is a solution you’re calling on government to adopt…
- Where have you seen this idea employed? What results did it have?
- Would it be feasible to replicate?
- Why do you think it is better than alternatives?
##Section 3: Challenges this might involve
For example:
- What should policymakers hoping to implement your idea watch out for?
- Would the public support this idea?
- How much would it cost to implement?
- Are there some cities/countries/regions this would not work well in? Why?
Conclusion
Sentence #1 — What is the key takeaway your reader should remember from the article?
Sentence #2 — Optional: a call to action — ask the reader to comment, share, advocate
Example: 'Tell don’t sell: how to craft a great story about your policy idea'
We end here with the moral of our story. Whether you are a scientist or an advocate for a specific issue, it's likely that you care about shaping public policies so that they are more closely aligned to your values. Mastering the art of narrative can help you achieve these goals.
Go forth and tell good stories.
Final checklist
❏ Have I proofread my article?
❏ Have I asked a colleague to read for sense?
❏ Will everything I’ve said make sense to an international audience?
❏ Have I convinced my reader of my main argument? And can I summarise that argument in one line?
❏ Is everything I’ve included interesting and relevant?
❏ Have I kept my article to 700-800 words?
❏ Have I stayed clear of jargon and policy-speak?
❏ Have I linked to references for critical facts and statistics?
❏ Have I checked my writing against Apolitical’s style guidelines?
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