Write Simply to Hit Your Mark

Ever open an article where the author is using lots of high-brow words?

I love the English language, but even I find it tiresome trying to read something written in high-falutin’ vocabulary.

That’s not to say using unusual words here and there is an issue. But if your audience finds your work too difficult to navigate, they’ll close the book or browser. That’s not the result you are seeking.

People nowadays have an attention span less than that of a goldfish, so long and convoluted will be ineffective.

How to strike the right balance?

I love editing software like Pro Writing Aid. This program helps me manage sentence length and complexity, use more active language, then use more interesting words for variety. I make the piece easy to digest and add some spice with an unusual turn of phrase.

If you don’t have such software, the old ‘reading a sentence out loud’ trick will help you. If you have padded sentence you may struggle for breath as you read, or pause more than usual.

Writing simply and effectively is harder than you might think.

But if others can do it, so can you.

Next time you are read a piece with ease, put it aside for reference. The more you read and study writing that works for you, you will find it easier to craft something similar. Cue feedback from your audience which makes your heart sing!