Day 170: When communication is difficult, write simply.
The more elaborate our means of communication, the less we communicate.
(Joseph Priestley)
When we write, our goal is communication. We have something that we want the reader to understand. If we write in a complicated manner, we reduce the possibility that the reader will understand.
One major issue that we address in clients’ documents is unnecessary complexity. Many writers try to put too much information in one sentence, or they state their ideas in a convoluted manner. Our task, then, is to simplify what they write. This includes reordering the phrases, removing unnecessary words, breaking sentences into shorter sentences, and choosing single words to replace multiple words.
Clear, simple writing does not mean simplifying the message. It means writing in a manner that allows the reader to understand without difficulty. It means communicating effectively.
