A novel, a novella or a short story? A reference/text book, popular non-fiction or a magazine article? A poster or a pamphlet?
There are many questions to be answered, and often it is best to do so before you spend a huge amount of time writing. Give us a call and get some free time and free advice from us (or if we can meet in a café, it might cost you a coffee and a piece of cake). Failing to plan in writing doesn’t mean you are planning to fail – but it probably means you are going to waste a lot of time, money or both!
The extent to which you need any of these stages depends on the purpose of your written work. An informal letter or a menu on a blackboard doesn't need to be perfect. But if you have invested a substantial amount of time in writing, and are about to spend a substantial sum of money on printing or publishing, you should certainly have your work edited and proofread. Who will believe your business plan if you can't even spell? Who will enjoy your story when they can't follow what is happening? Who will understand your user's manual when they can't understand the sentences it contains?
