Write to be read.

          Having 100 editions of my books published by 31 publishers, in 18 countries, and in 11 languages people often call to ask me to share my writing tips. I am always happy to tell people how I write, but we all have different styles.

          Never forget most people are lazy readers. If you want to be read keep your writing simple and follow these suggestions.

A Handful of tips to improve your writing

* Think about your readers

          Keep their image before you as you write. It’s often a good idea to pretend to talk to a specific person, say a family member. Write the way you would chat with them.

          What would interest them? Write to arouse their interest, or stir their imagination. Tell them something new.

          If you don’t understand your readers, your readers will never understand you.

* Plan and outline

          Write an outline, then a draft.

          Put your main points in a logical order so your ideas flow from one point to the next.

          Amplify your outline – put ‘flesh on the bone’.

          Pretend you are talking to your readers. So, write as you would speak to them.

* Share your feelings

          Use simple words and short sentences. Make your writing lively. Use strong positive words and active verbs. Share your emotions – be enthusiastic!

          Using simple words will make your writing easy to translate into other languages.

Write to express, NOT to impress. Don’t use jargon or words many may not understand. Use simple words like “The blue of the sky, the smell of the rose.”

          Don’t forget that English is often many people’s second or third language.

* Lively pages

          Make reading easy by leaving plenty of white spaces to break up your text. Use different types and plenty of headings.

* Edit, edit ,edit …

          Edit ruthlessly.

          Remove all unnecessary words and phrases, jargon, and clichés. Make your meaning clear with no ambiguous statements. Explain unfamiliar terms and ideas without an explanation.

          Avoid unnecessary sexist writing. Use “they” instead of “she” or “he”.

          Chop, change, and rearrange.

          Read it aloud until your writing sounds right to your ear.

          Check and recheck spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Which version of English are you using? Be consistent – English, Australasian, or American English.

          Develop your writing style, don’t copy others – just be yourself.

Geoffrey Moss(mossassociates.co.nz)

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