At its worst, unclear writing is almost as bad as not publishing the information in the first place. Writing clearly and making sure you comply with accessibility guidelines potentially benefits all of your readers.
Rhetorical pieces of writing like blogs and speeches should have a point. One that’s so strong and clear that people remember it and can act on it – should action be desired.
These subtle words regularly give us pause for thought at Editor Group. They’re not obvious clichés or mistakes, but they are often overused, misused or unnecessary.
Everyone wants an impressive vocabulary. There’s nothing like playing Scrabble and feeling intellectually superior for knowing ‘loquacious’ or ‘magniloquence’. But good writing is about more than frilly language and triple word scores. It’s clear, it’s snappy and it communicates a message with as few words as possible.
Asking for something to be delivered in plain English is another way of saying, ‘in layman’s terms’. Plain English is clear, concise and free of jargon. And it’s easy to comprehend, which is why businesses and governments favour it.
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