One of the most important principles of writing is to know your reader. If you think carefully about who you’re targeting, you’ll know how much context to give and how much detail to go into.
Whether your audience are subject matter experts or not, readers appreciate content that is communicated in plain English. This means writing explicitly; the reader should not need to fill in gaps and make connections themselves to understand your work.
Clear communication is about owning the message and making sure your words deliver it. You want to avoid ‘loose’ writing and the mindset of ‘they’ll know what I’m getting at’. On the other hand, by keeping your reader in mind you also won’t over-explain and risk condescending them.
With complex subject matter, strong writing becomes all the more important so that key messages stand out. Here are some tips to achieve this:
Minimise jargon – Industry terminology may be OK if your reader is in the same industry as you, but perhaps you’re pitching your services to a company in another industry? Readers quickly abandon content they don’t understand, so make it as straightforward for them as possible.
Cut out unnecessary words – Unnecessary words can make sentences long, complex and harder to understand. They also add no value. Here are some common wordy phrases that can be shortened to make your copy more direct:
- As a consequence of (because)
- In order to (to)
- At a later date (later)
- In the month of June (in June)
Avoid the passive tense – The passive tense places the subject at the end of the sentence or omits it altogether. Writing can appear very vague if who is doing what is not articulated – and your reader may not have the context to work this out themselves. Any perceived ambiguity can make the reader feel confused or uneasy.
Use metaphors and analogies – When you truly understand a subject you can typically explain it in fairly simple terms and language. Metaphors and analogies can work well to present technical concepts in a tangible way. By being as straightforward as possible in your content, you’re likely to gain trust and ultimately achieve the results you’re looking for.
For help making your technical content more accessible, contact Caroline Roberts on 0404 960 908 or caroline@luminous-copy.com
Luminous Copy 