We hope not. It’s not the best reason to write. We hope you’re writing because you have an argument—or a series of arguments—to make on behalf of a client. You must have something worth communicating. Otherwise, you’d just be filling pages—and what you’d say would probably be forced, vacillating, and only half-true. You’d be doing your client a disservice.
The proper mindset for the real writer is that of communicative fervor. If you’re writing a brief, you ardently wish to get your points across to a judge or law clerk. If you want to know more about that mindset, attend our Advanced Legal Writing & Editing course.
Further reading:
Garner, The Winning Brief 46–49 (3d ed. 2014).
Antonin Scalia & Bryan A. Garner, Making Your Case 8–11, 69–70 (2008).
Garner, Legal Writing in Plain English 7–9 (2d ed. 2013).
Garner, The Elements of Legal Style 181–83 (2d ed. 2002).