Good Writing Is Simple Writing
You might understand what you're writing, but does anyone else?
When you write something, are you confident you're getting the message across effectively?
How can you be sure?
Well, you can't. Not completely. But one step you can take to give yourself the best possible chance of being understood by your reader is to write simply. Don't tie sentences and paragraphs up with long constructions that leave the reader wondering what your point was. Don't use big, multi-syllable words just because you can.
In short, write like you speak!
Readability is what you should be aiming for at all times. If your reader doesn't understand what you're trying to get across, it's not their fault. It's yours. So before you post a blog entry, send an email or submit an essay to your college tutor, check through to see if it's possible to make it simpler, more brief and easier to follow.
But isn't that dumbing down? Isn't that just bringing everything down to the lowest common denominator? No, it's not. Not at all. Mark Twain, the writer of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, once wrote 'I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.'
Brevity is difficult. Writing something that's simple to understand is not at all, well... simple! But it's worth it.
Plain-language trainer Willam DuBay wrote about readability in 2004 and quoted the following rules of documentation writing. You can use these rules for everything you write, whatever the medium:
- Use short, simple, familiar words. - Avoid jargon. - Use culture-and-gender-neutral language. - Use correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling. - Use simple sentences, active voice, and present tense. - Begin instructions in the imperative mode by starting sentences with an action verb. - Use simple graphic elements such as bulleted lists and numbered steps to make information visually accessible.
And here's one more he didn't mention:
- Don't use clichés. They just make your writing look tired and unimaginative.
And I haven't finished yet! Even a writer as great as George Orwell was moved to write about the 'Rules of Writing'. Two of his rules are directly relevant to this article:
- Never use a long word where a short one will do.
- If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Given you something to think about?
Here's a really useful (and free) online resource to check how easy your writing is to understand. Cut and paste your text into the top box, press 'Submit' and in a couple of seconds you'll get a report on how well you've done. The metrics it uses are all U.S.-based, but still completely relevant for English-speakers from other countries.
http://www.editcentral.com/gwt/com.editcentral.EC/EC.html
Get simple!
About the Author
Daniel O'Connor is a leading SEO copywriter in the UK. See his 100% satisfaction-guaranteed website's copywriter profile.
He's worked for some of the biggest companies in the world -- including NTT and Mitsubishi Electric, not to mention the 1998 Olympic Winter Games -- as well as some of the smallest.
And he can do a job for you, too.
Daniel is supremely qualified at explaining complicated things in a simple way. There's nothing you can throw at him that he won't have dealt with before.
Because it's all about one thing: the words. The right words for you and your business.
Blog articles. SEO for websites. Direct marketing. White papers. Flyer advertising. You want words? Daniel O'Connor has words.
Want to try out his writing before getting in touch? Check out his business blog.
See this article in its original context and many others by going to the Articles section of Daniboy's website.
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