If you are struggling with a big piece of writing, there is one thing I can’t recommend enough: talk about what you’re writing about. Out loud. With other people. In casual conversation.

A lot of essays I read on here suffer from the same thing: They have a topic, but not a point. In journalism, this is called a nut graf — the reason why anyone should care what you’re writing about. The “so what.” You have to have this or your editor will just say: This isn’t a story.

Nine times out of ten, I figure out the nut of what I’m writing in conversation with other people. Sometimes, I’ve been working on something for weeks, but it’s not working, because it doesn’t have a point yet. And then I will be chatting with a friend and suddenly … it will just come out of my mouth.

Of course, I don’t say, “Please discuss my current essay with me so I can figure this out.” It’s more organic than that. The topic comes up with a person, and as I listen to them, I am working through what I think. In that back and forth, I am whittling down what is most material to the conversation, what will make my friend, a reader, anyone, go: “Oof, that’s so true.” And most importantly, I’m saying it in clear, conversational language.

You can write thousands and thousands and thousands of words, for weeks and weeks, and then, over the second glass of wine with a friend or colleague, utter a completely new thought that somehow wraps up the entire piece of writing. That clarity will give your writing a direction that makes it easier and more compelling to read.