How Clear Writing is Magical to Your Publication and to Your Company’s Brand
You know magical writing when you see it. It's like watching a riveting TV series that makes you want to binge straight through it.
Or, seeing a Broadway musical that captures your heart on a level that makes you want to listen to the music on an endless loop.
Regardless of the art form, some combination of the plot, characters, situation, or topic grabs us from the start and doesn’t let go.
Same thing with written communications. Your first paragraph must reel the reader in or they will be gone.
You have less than one minute to capture a reader’s attention. Make that time count.
So what’s the secret sauce of delivering effective communications?
Communicating clearly with your editor about your objectives, purpose, and audience(s) is the first step. This is covered in “5 Questions Your Editor Needs Answers to Before Diving into Your Project.”
I will always start by nailing down the answers to these five questions before starting the work. I then review your publication with a running checklist that looks something like this:
Does this publication have a logical structure and organization?
Can I easily navigate your document? Does it flow?
Do the main and subordinate headings make sense?
Do I need to add more headings to guide the reader?
Is the content complete?
Are there holes or gaps?
Are any passages unclear, wordy, or clunky?
Are there more effective or straightforward ways to tell the story or present the information?
How easy is it to comprehend?
Are there enough examples and explanations of complex concepts?
Does the writing have rhythm? There should be a combination of short, medium, and long sentences. Sentences that are too complex can lose the reader.
Effective writing uses active voice and is as jargon-free as possible. Information is readily available on the transformative power of active voice. Grammarly explains active voice and when it makes sense to turn passive voice into active.
Are sentences with a complex structure broken down into digestible chunks? Bullets can be a writer’s best friend.
What design elements are used to enhance the text and engage the reader?
A judicious use of visuals helps reinforce key information.
Visuals may include pull quotes, text boxes, charts, illustrations, photographs, tables and figures.
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use it, the more you have.”
What makes writing magical for your organization and its audiences? Curious minds really DO want to know!
