Make your Writing Easier to Read

Unless your writing is easy to read many of your readers will not finish reading it, or they could misunderstand your message. 
Make a special effort to improve your written communications this year.

A Handful of Tips to help you improve the readability of your writing

• Use simple words
  If you want your writing to be read using simple, clear language and familiar words – words your readers can relate to. Short words are best and old words are best of all.
  When you have a choice of words, use the simplest word available. For example; for ‘excavate’ use ‘dig’; for ‘contribute’ use ‘give’; for ‘purchase’ use ‘buy’.
  Use precise words with the exact meaning you want.
  Simple words are easier to translate into other languages and English is a second language for many people these days.
• Use active words
  Use words that arouse people’s interest and stir them to action. “By improving your writing more people will understand what you are saying.”
  Make your writing lively. Active verbs are strong and positive.
• Write as you would talk
  Be enthusiastic about your topic.
  Be conversational. Use ‘you’ and ‘we’ so readers feel included. Use short sentences and short paragraphs.
  Start with a rough draft. Get your ideas down but leave your polishing for later.
  Pretend you are talking to a person. Invent conversations to help you emphasize a point or create interest. “Do you see what I mean?”
• Remove surplus words, edit, edit, edit!
  Remove all unnecessary words and phrases.
  Some phrases can be replaced with a single word. For example, ‘in order that’ (so); ‘in the near future’ (soon); at this point of time (now).
  Check for logic and continuity.
  Use a program to help check your spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
  Look for ambiguous or unclear statements.
• Make your pages lively
  Use short sentences and short paragraphs.
  Use sub-headings; list points with numbers or bullets.
  Insert illustrations, diagrams, or cartoons.
  Set out your pages to make them look interesting. If possible avoid large blocks of solid text.
  Make people want to stop and read your writing to see what’s in it for them.

-Geoffrey Moss(mossassociates.co.nz)

“The shorter your words and sentences, the easier they are to read and heed.”

SOURCE: For more on this topic see; “Persuasive Ways” first published by Moss Associates Ltd, New Zealand, and in Chinese by Shanghai People’s Publishing House, and as “Secrets of Persuasion” by Cengage Learning Asia. (Available as an e-book from Amazon.com.) Also available as “Getting Your Ideas Across” from Kogan Page, U.K, and a Hungarian translation published by Bagolyvar Konyvkiado, Budapest.