In a lot of cases, the first impression we make isn't in person - it's on paper or on the screen. Our words introduce us before we ever step into a room. And even more alarming; that email, report, proposal, or business case might be the ONLY way some people know us. Yikes!
How we communicate through writing can shape perceptions of our professionalism, competence, and personality. It can allow us to “be seen” in a way that opens doors, leads to introductions, and accelerates our careers. Or it can make us invisible, or (hopefully not) it can set off alarm bells about us. A first impression happens only once, so it’s in our best interest to make it a good one.
We don’t realize our writing can have this much impact, but it can. It really can. If your writing is confusing, overly complex, or unclear, you're not just sending mixed messages about whatever you’re writing about, you're sending mixed messages about yourself.
I want to make sure your writing works for you and not against you. I hope this post helps.
Writing: The Silent Ambassador of You
Imagine receiving a convoluted, jargon-filled email from a new colleague. You’re left scratching your head, tired, confused, and maybe a little (or a lot!) irritated. You’ve had to re-read parts of it to understand it. You’re not even sure why you received it or what you’re supposed to do. What’s your impression of this person? Probably not great. We often resent people who waste our time like that.
Now think of how it feels to get a message that's clear, concise, and easy-to-understand. Don’t you feel like the sender is smart, thoughtful, competent, respectful of your time, and generally a pleasure to deal with? Isn’t this what you’re going for?
This is exactly why your writing is so important. We dash off an email like it’s no big deal. But it is. It is. It represents you when you’re not there to explain yourself.
If you want to make a good impression with your writing, be more intentional about it.
We know good writing when we read it, but we’re not always too sure what makes it good, or how to make our own writing good. Good writing is invisible. You don’t notice it. There are no slowdowns, no confusion, no head-scratchers, no making assumptions, no words that aren’t needed, and everything’s there that needs to be. You can find what you need, understand what you read, read it easily, and remember it. It feels effortless.
The Plain Language Advantage
The best way to make sure your writing doesn’t make people want to gouge their eyes out is to use plain language principles. There’s a misperception that plain language is somehow about "dumbing things down". Umm…no…wrong. It’s just about making things easier for the reader. It’s about respecting the reader and writing for clarity, comprehension, and connection.
Here’s why it’s a good idea:
It removes unnecessary complexity. Don’t get me started on people who are addicted to complex, overly formal language as some sort of sign that they’re smart or well-educated or something. Wrong again. Complex, unsuitably formal language doesn’t make you sound smarter; it makes you sound like it hasn’t occurred to you that writing is a conversation between you and the reader and not some sort of egotistical show of intelligence. It actually kind of makes you look either clueless or insecure: Clueless about the reader, or so insecure about your own competence that you need to impress people with your words. It is a sure fire way to alienate a reader and make you seem out of touch or arrogant.
It builds trust. Clear communication builds credibility. When your writing is easy to follow, readers are more likely to trust both your message and you. If people feel confused when they read what you write, they think you’re confusing; so they think maybe you don’t know what you’re talking about. You don’t want people to feel confused; it doesn’t work in your favour in terms of trust and credibility.
It saves time. People are busy. When you write in plain language, you’re respecting their time by making your message easy to read and understand. They can skim and scan; they’re not guessing what you mean when you use a vague word like “regularly” or “soon”; they’re clear why they got the email and what they need to do next; there’s no back and forth in an effort to get clarity, and they’re more likely to remember it.
So how do you do this?
Plain language is ultimately about writing in a way that makes sense for your audience and purpose. It is not about being all simple and “plain Jane”. It is about familiarity. To the audience; the reader (or readers in many cases). You can’t know what’s plain or familiar to your audience without knowing your audience. So good writing is really about knowing who you're writing to and why. Understanding both the audience and the purpose of your message will shape your word choice, tone, structure, and organization.
Practical tips? Here you go:
1. Know Your Audience
Your writing should reflect your audience's needs, not just your own. A report written for senior leadership will look very different from a training manual for new employees. Consider what your audience already knows, what they need to know, how they feel about the topic (and about you), and how they like to receive and absorb information.
Think about their expertise. Are you writing for experts or for people who are new to the subject? Adjust your language accordingly.
Consider their expectations. What are they looking for in your message? Do they need detailed explanations, or are they expecting high-level summaries?
By understanding your audience, you can choose the right tone, style, and structure. You'll hit the spot and have writing that resonates with them and is easy to read. They’ll love you.
2. Be Clear on Your Purpose
Every piece of writing has a purpose. Are you trying to inform, persuade, request, or explain? Your purpose should be clear from the start, and it should drive your content. If you're unclear about why you're writing, your readers will be too.
Let’s say you're writing to persuade someone to take action, so focus on making compelling arguments (from the reader’s point of view, obviously), how they’ll benefit, and maybe through a sense of urgency, if that makes sense. If you're writing to inform, prioritize clarity, logic, and organization. Make sure each section has a clear takeaway. Are you making a request? Come out with it early, and wrap up with it too. Make sure it’s clear and the reader knows what to do next.
3. Use the Active Voice
The active voice makes your writing more alive; more vigorous; more…umm…errr…active. It’s easier to read. Our brains are primed for this kind of sentence structure. It helps us quickly understand who is doing what, so we don't tire ourselves out by hanging on to too much info in working memory while we wait for the rest of the sentence so we can understand what’s going on. Let’s not tire the reader out. Tired readers are irritated and might not have much enthusiasm or energy left for making decisions or reading the trickier bits of your writing.
Compare these two sentences:
Passive: "The report was reviewed by the team."
Active: "The team reviewed the report."
The active version is shorter, clearer, and easier to follow. Whenever possible, opt for the active voice in your writing. Our brains like the “doer” of the sentence to appear early and the verb to be close by. It makes sense to work with our biology.
4. Cut Out the Jargon
Jargon, buzzwords, and industry- or company-specific acronyms might seem efficient, but they can also make your writing inaccessible and heavy. While some technical terms are necessary, over-reliance on them could alienate readers and cloud your message. Be careful.
Instead of using jargon, explain terms in simple language, especially when writing for a broader or less specialized audience. For example, instead of saying, "We aim to optimize our KPIs," try, "We aim to improve our key performance indicators, which help measure success."
5. Keep Sentences Short
Long sentences are harder to follow. Aim for one verb per sentence. It gives the reader a chance to digest and then move on to the next point. It makes for easy reading. Long sentences need more brainpower to process. Is your goal to tire the reader out and impress them with your ability to write long and winding sentences? Or is your goal to write something that’s easy to read and understand? Short, active sentences improve clarity. People don’t have time for complicated sentence structures. Here’s a simple rule of thumb: if you’re using more than two commas in a sentence, consider breaking it up.
6. Use Headings, Lists, and White Space
Structure matters. Especially in longer documents, use headings, bullet points, and plenty of white space to break up text. This makes your writing easier to skim and scan and more inviting to read. People often scan documents to pick out key points before they dive deeper into the content - make sure your writing is easy to navigate.
Let’s be real; rarely does someone sit down to read an email or other document word by word and line by line anymore. Those days are gone. We have to write for the modern reader, so make your writing scannable.
7. Edit Ruthlessly
Good writing is actually more about planning and editing than writing. Your first draft won’t be perfect, and that’s okay. The key is to edit ruthlessly. Look for redundancies, cut filler words, clarify unclear points, look for vague and ambiguous words, make sure you haven’t got a pile of passive sentences. If something doesn’t add value to the reader, remove it. Ask yourself: "Does this sentence (or word, even) serve the reader?” If the answer is “no”, then chuck it.
8. Test Your Writing
If you want to know how well your writing works, test it. Send it to someone who isn’t familiar with the topic and ask them for feedback. Can they easily understand your message? Did they have to re-read any sections? Was anything unclear? Testing your writing with a fresh set of eyes can reveal blind spots and help you improve clarity. You can also put your writing through a readability checker like the Hemingway App if you don’t have a willing real-life victim on hand.
Good Writing is Memorable and Makes You Memorable
Remember: your writing speaks for you, even when you're not there to explain or defend it. The clarity, tone, and approachability of your writing can make or break professional relationships, influence decisions, and shape your reputation.
If you embrace plain language, writing for your audience and with a clear purpose, you'll not only make a great first impression, you'll build lasting trust and credibility. Whether it's an email, a report, or even a simple note, the way you write matters more than ever in today’s international, fast-paced, digital world.
The effort you put into writing well is an investment in your personal and professional brand. So take the time to get it right. Your readers - and your future self - will thank you for it.
Don’t hesitate to reach out: I’m here