Many writers want to write books, articles, and instruction manuals on the topic of DIY (Do It Yourself), yet many writers struggle on how to write these DIYs and on what topic their DIY should teach the reader to do. There are five main steps for DIY writers:

1. Topic choice

2. Planning

3. Organization

4. Writing

5. Review

These five steps are what allow DIY writers to write understandable, informative, and successful DIY books, articles, and instructional manuals.

1. Topic Choice

“It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” 
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Harry Potter might have the luxury of being defined by his choices rather than his abilities, but writers do not. When a writer chooses the topic for their DIY, they need to have the ability to back up that DIY topic. For example, a writer with no experience on how to make DIY weighted blankets at home should not be writing a DIY on how to make DIY weighted blankets at home. Instead, the writer needs to choose a DIY topic that the writer has successfully done himself or herself and has enough experience with the project to be able to be able to teach other people how to do it for themselves.

Brainstorming

The first step in selecting a DIY topic is brainstorming DIY topics in which the writer has enough experience and knowledge to be able to write a functional DIY guide. During this step, the writer should make a list of every DIY project he or she has ever done, then organize the list by the level of success of the project. The writer should then consider the top three items on their organized list for which one they would be able to write about with the highest level of effectiveness.

2. Planning

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 
― Benjamin Franklin

The second step of writing embodies the quote by Benjamin Franklin; writers who fail to create a plan for their DIY are the ones that are most likely to fail at writing a successful and understandable DIY. The planning stage is where the writer will decide on who the intended audience of the DIY is, his or her writing style, the type of DIY, and the way in which he or she will create the content.

Intended Audience of the DIY

The first stage of planning is to decide on who the intended audience of the DIY will be. The intended audience will in many ways dictate the writing style, the type of DIY, and the content creation process. The intended audience will generally be a group of people described by age, experience, or career. For instance, the intended audience for DIY child’s craft would likely be children and/or their parents. If the DIY is specifically intended to be read by children, then that will affect the word choice, color scheme, and the level of picture and/or videos. A DIY intended for career professionals might include jargon, a professional writing style, and a color scheme that is more muted. It is important that the writer knows and understands his or her intended audience before he or she begins the writing process.