Everybody writes, but not everybody who writes gets to his or her intended destination. To help content marketers find their way, best-selling author Ann Handley offers this writing GPS.

Before you write, know why you are writing. "Anything you write—even an individual blog post—should be aligned with a larger (business or marketing) goal," says Ann Handley, chief content officer at MarketingProfs and author of Everybody Writes, in the following Visual.ly infographic.

Next, you'll want to reframe the idea to relate it to your readers. "Ask, 'So what?'" suggests Handley. "And then answer 'because...' until you've exhausted your ability to reach an answer."

Back up your statements with credible sources and data. (You can use yourself as a source if you have relevant experience.)