No matter what type of writing you are doing, it’s always important to write clearly in order to get your message across to the reader. This principle is especially true for web writing.
Here are five ways to make sure that your writing is clear and to the point:
- Good Organization. I recommend using an outline, even for short pieces. It’s too easy to jump off onto a tangent without one. An outline also makes it easier for you to resume your work when you are interrupted. Your outline does not need to be complex. For example, my outline for this post was: introduction, a list of the five points, and a conclusion.
- Active voice. Avoid using passive voice (which is basically writing that uses a lot of different constructions of the “be” verb). A whole document written passive voice is much harder to read than a document that uses active voice. For example, it is better to say: Sally threw the ball than to say: the ball was thrown by Sally.
- Specific details. Use them whenever possible. I know that many writers like to be mysterious in their writing, but (unless you are writing a mystery novel) it’s much more effective to be direct. Some things to look for include use of the word this without an explanation what the “this” is. For example, it’s much more interesting to read about something that actually happened to a specific person than to read about things that might possibly happen.
- Formatting. Good formatting can work to your advantage. Use headings, bulleted or numbered lists, and other formatting devices to break up large chunks of text. If you write for the web good formatting has the advantage of making your writing scannable. For example, if you have three or more items listed in your text, consider presenting them with a bulleted list rather than in the text.
- Repetition. Many writers have been taught that repetition is bad, but appropriate use of repetition can be good and reinforce your point. It’s important to state each point in your document clearly and then build upon your statement. If your document is very long, you will also want to repeat your main points in the document’s conclusion.
Bonus tip: Check your writing carefully for spelling and grammar errors. A document that is full of errors can distract the reader from your true point.
Through use of good organization, active voice, specific details, good formatting, and appropriate repetition your writing can become more focused and easier to read.
What are your tips for writing clearly?
14 responses so far ↓
1 Matt Keegan // Oct 5, 2007 at
Laura, you are spot on. I have no additional points to add and, like Yvonne, I favor repetition to drive home a point. Used sparingly, of course!
2 Lillie Ammann // Oct 5, 2007 at
Excellent points, Laura. The only things I might add would be 1)eliminate unnecessary words – “to save time” rather than “in order to save time” and 2) use language your readers will understand rather than jargon or words designed to impress.
3 Harrison McLeod // Oct 5, 2007 at
You know, I’ve been trying to nail down that passive voice thing and it never quite clicked until Laura wrote that example. For the last few months I’ve been cursing that little green underline in my word docs as I tried to rephrase a sentence to get it right. I feel so enlightened now. Thanks.
4 Terry Heath // Oct 6, 2007 at
I like your comment about repetition. Repetition is useful for creating a rhythm in your text, and rhythm can be used to drive a point home.
I’m with Lillie on eliminating extra words. A pet peeve of mine is the overuse of “that”. Most often it’s used incorrectly, and getting rid of it can make your writing sound more forceful. Whenever I start to use “that” I ask myself, “What is THAT there for?”
5 Brad Shorr // Oct 8, 2007 at
Excellent and helpful suggestions! As a frequent “that” offender, I can make good use of Terry’s tip as well. Something I try to do is start with my conclusion. If I know exactly where I’m going, I can generally get there in a straight line.
6 Matt Keegan // Oct 9, 2007 at
I guess I can get a bit “that happy” too. Or, I’ll interchange that for which and vice versa.
7 Laura // Oct 9, 2007 at
Wow a lot of comments! I guess I’m not the only one struggling with this.
Hi Yvonne! The trick is not to throw the rules out – but to use them intelligently rather than mechanically.
Hi Matt! It’s okay to use that once in a while, but if used all the time and if what it is referring to is waaay back in the text. Well, you know what can happen …
Lillie! You are such a great editor. I see that I even violated the “in order to” redundancy in this post and didn’t even notice. Sheesh! Will I ever get it perfect?
Hi Harrison! I’m glad I could help you identify passive voice. Hopefully now that you recognize it you can avoid it.
Hi Terry – Depending on what you are writing, repetition can serve a purpose. I like the idea of it creating rhythm.
Hi Brad – Actually, there’s another post in my mind on conclusions. It’s been bumping around in there for some time. Hopefully I’ll get it written soon…
8 Jeanne Dininni // Oct 11, 2007 at
You’ve made some Excellent points here, Laura. I’ve always believed that a controlled dose of repetition can be very helpful to the reader–particularly in the case of highly detailed or complex material.
Thanks for a great post!
Jeanne
9 Solomon // Oct 15, 2007 at
Hi Laura!
Your blog writingthoughts is a God’s gift to me to finetune the craft of writing. Thanks for all the posts.
with best wishes
Solomon
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