Let me ask you again: Are you a good listener?

Active Listening is a form of listening and responding that focuses attention on speaker. The listener pays attention to speaker, and doesn’t attend to other activities, and then paraphrases what she thinks speaker has said. This enables speaker to validate or clarify and to feel they have been heard.

Empathic Listening is achieved when you suspend judgment and receive message. You are genuinely interested in understanding what other person is thinking and feeling. Empathy is achieved when you are able to see through another person’s eyes.

You can improve your listening skills with following techniques:

1.Remove distractions so you can give speaker your full attention. 2.Paraphrase what you have heard. Do not parrot; rather rephrase what you’ve heard in your own words. 3.Refrain for making judgments and assumptions. They are based on your perspective and may not be what speaker intends. 4.Do not interrupt or think about what you’re going to say before speaker is done.

According to Dr Beverly Langford, LMA Communication, “When we listen we expand our horizons, increase our understanding, and gather material for next time we have opportunity to talk.”

Writing is a process of communication and no communication is one sided. We deliver a message that we expect our audience to receive, understand and accept. Building upon Covey’s message, writers must “Seek First to Listen, Then to be Heard.”. When we listen more effectively and empathetically we gain insights which will transform our work.

2. Dr. Stephen Covey says, "Begin with end in mind" when managing time. That same philosophy works just as well for writing projects. First, fully define project, including purpose and goals, and your reader. "A 150-page personal development self-help book for coaches on..." is an example. Minimally include word, page, and chapter counts, publishing plans, and description paragraph. Experts at annual Maui writer’s conference, highly recommend writing a 25-word description before you begin project.

3. Choose a structure that matches your writing style and results desired. Just like articles has six basic writing structures, so does fiction, science fiction, how-to, and other genres. As a new writer, you might want to master one structure at a time.

4. Outline and match to word count desired. The actual way you outline does not matter. Be it a napkin or toilet paper, mind map or clustering, computer or crayon. An outline reduces lard and helps minimize tangents. Write your project description at top of page, then, sketch out outline, keeping in mind word count and reader. Next, reduce number of items or branches to match your defined result.

Getting lard out of our writing before it indents a page is like getting lead out to exercise. Both require conscious commitment and continuous dedication. Yet, just like pounds, both will get lighter.

Catherine Franz is a writing coach. Additional articles and e-zines on writing, marketing and attraction can be found on her web site and blog: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com