How to Write Clearly

1. Clarity Resides in the Reader's Mind.

If your message had been truly clear, they would have understood.

Communication is two-sided. Writing is not a monologue but a conversation between writer and reader. The writer's words are input, but the reader's understanding and knowledge are the output. Therefore, clarity isn't an inherent quality of your writing; it's measured by how well your reader comprehends your message.

Reader's understanding is paramount. You cannot claim clarity if your audience doesn't grasp your message. The responsibility for clear communication lies solely with the writer. The more effort you invest in making your writing clear, the easier it will be for your reader to absorb and act upon your message, preventing confusion or irritation.

Context shapes meaning. Readers bring their own knowledge, beliefs, and emotions to your text, influencing how they interpret your words. Effective clear writing starts where the reader is, considering their unique context—whether it's their current situation, existing knowledge, or emotional state—to ensure your content resonates and is understood.

2. Deeply Understand Your Audience.

You need to know who your reader is before you can write for them, because how they see your message will depend on where they’re looking from.

Reader-centric approach. Before writing a single word, identify your reader. Their age, gender, work, finances, problems, and aspirations all shape their perspective. A clear picture of your audience ensures your writing is relevant and impactful, whether you're crafting a job application or a marketing brochure.

Personas and user stories. To humanize your audience, create personas—detailed profiles based on research—or user stories. User stories, like "When [A], I need to [B] so I can [C]," focus on needs over demographics, ensuring your content directly addresses what readers want to achieve. For example:

• Persona: Marcus, pizza takeaway owner, 30s, needs tax info for part-time workers.
• User Story: When a child is sick, I need to learn about symptoms so I can decide whether to take them to the doctor’s.

Research your reader. Don't guess what your reader knows or feels. Conduct factual research by:

• Talking to typical readers or those who interact with them (e.g., teachers, sales reps).
• Monitoring online discussions (Facebook, Reddit) for common questions and concerns.
• Using Google's autocomplete or sites like Quora to uncover real-world queries.
  This helps you use their language and address their actual problems.

3. Strategic Planning Guides Clear Communication.

What are the aims of your writing project? What do you need the reader to understand, remember, think, feel or do as a result of reading your words?

Define your mission. Every writing project needs a clear purpose. Articulate a mission statement that summarizes what you want your writing to achieve, guiding all subsequent decisions. This statement acts as a compass, ensuring your content stays focused on the desired reader outcomes.

The pyramid of aims. Visualize your objectives as a pyramid, where each level supports the one above it:

• Read: Ensure the reader engages with your words.
• Understand: Make your message crystal clear.
• Remember: Help them retain the information.
• Change Mind: Influence their thoughts and feelings.
• Act: Persuade them to take a specific action.
  You can only achieve higher levels if the foundational ones are met.

Plan your route. Develop a detailed plan or synopsis—an ordered list of points you'll cover. This roadmap helps organize your thoughts, ensures comprehensive coverage, and prevents wasted time. For longer projects, use headings and subheadings to structure your plan, allowing for flexibility as new ideas emerge during the writing process.

4. Prioritize Plain, Accessible Language.

A communication is in plain language if it meets the needs of its audience—by using language, structure, and design so clearly and effectively that the audience has the best possible chance of readily finding what they need, understanding it, and using it.

Plain language is useful. Plain language is not "dumbing down" but "opening up" your message to everyone. It prioritizes the reader's needs, making information easy to find, understand, and use. This approach saves time and money for organizations (e.g., FedEx saved $400,000 annually by simplifying policies) and empowers individuals with critical information, especially in fields like healthcare.

Cognitive load reduction. Plain language works by reducing the cognitive load on the reader's brain. Our working memory has limited capacity (5-9 items). Simple, short, and familiar words allow information to flow smoothly into long-term memory, preventing confusion and frustration. It's a gesture of kindness and respect towards your busy or distracted reader.

Simple, concrete, everyday words. Choose the simplest words possible. They are typically shorter, more familiar, and more concrete, referring to real-world things rather than abstract ideas. Use everyday language that resonates with the reader's daily experience, as seen in the NHS using "pee" and "poo" for clarity and trust.

• Simple: "to" instead of "in order to"
• Concrete: "car" instead of "vehicle"
• Everyday: "pee" instead of "urine"
  Accessible language ensures your message reaches everyone, regardless of literacy levels or background.

5. Master the Art of Clear Sentences and Paragraphs.

To make your writing clear, talk about what is actually happening.

Sentence as a single event. Each sentence should describe a single event or idea in the real world. If you struggle with a sentence, it's often because you're trying to convey too many things at once or are unclear about your message. Start by jotting down ideas as points, then craft them into clear, concise sentences.

Short, basic, progressive sentences. Keep most sentences short (ideally around 15 words, max 25) to reduce cognitive load. Use the 'subject, verb, object' structure for clarity. Employ right-branching sentences, where additional details follow the core idea, to maintain flow. Progressive sentences order ideas visually or logically, guiding the reader's mental picture.

• Basic: The cat sat on the mat.
• Right-branching: The cat sat on the mat, washing its whiskers.
• Progressive: The tutor will give passcards to all children in year 10.

Paragraphs as thematic units. Each paragraph should express one main idea, acting as a guide for the reader. Follow a basic structure:

• Topic sentence: States the main point.
• Supporting sentences: Add detail or explanation.
• Closing sentence: Rounds off the idea.
  This structure helps readers quickly grasp themes and makes your writing easier to navigate. Use linking words (e.g., "What's more," "Therefore") to ensure smooth transitions between sentences and paragraphs.

6. Engage Your Reader in a Conversation.

Writing is a way of talking without being interrupted.

Dialogue, not monologue. Readers mentally "hear" your words, making writing inherently conversational. Aim to anticipate and respond to their unspoken questions and objections. This two-way interaction builds meaning collaboratively, making your message more engaging and relatable.

Write like you talk. To achieve a conversational tone:

• Keep sentences short, reflecting natural speech patterns.
• Use "I," "we," and "you" to address the reader directly, fostering a personal connection.
• Employ simple contractions (don't, won't) and conversational verb phrases (mixed up instead of confused).
• Imagine speaking to a friend or colleague to find the right words and tone.

Listen to your writing. Read your draft aloud or use text-to-speech software to hear how it sounds. This helps identify awkward phrasing, monotonous rhythms, or difficult-to-pronounce words. The "speak-easy effect" suggests that easier-to-say words are perceived as more trustworthy and valuable, enhancing your message's impact.

7. Beware of Common Writing Traps.

It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessential.

Eliminate padding. Padding consists of unnecessary words that dilute your message and increase cognitive load. Ruthlessly cut wordy phrases, tautologies, and abstract nouns. While a first draft may contain padding, the editing stage is crucial for making your writing lean and impactful.

• "In order to" -> "To"
• "Briefly summarise" -> "Summarise"
• "At the present time" -> "Now"

Avoid abstractions and nominalizations. Abstractions are vague ideas (truth, freedom) that can mean different things to different people. Nominalizations turn verbs into abstract nouns (consideration from consider), creating "things" that are impossible to visualize. Both increase cognitive load. Focus on what is actually happening, who is doing what, and use concrete language.

• "The implementation assessment has multiple dependencies" -> "A manager looks at the project to see how it went."

Guard against jargon and officialese. Jargon (specialized terms) and officialese (formal, stuffy language) alienate outsiders and can make you seem less intelligent. While jargon can be a useful shorthand for insiders, use plain language for broader audiences. Replace complex terms with simple equivalents to ensure clarity and build trust.

• "Ascertain" -> "Find out"
• "Commence" -> "Start"
• "Unauthorised access prohibited" -> "No entry."

Beware of weasel words and hedging. Weasel words are deliberately vague or ambiguous, implying things without commitment (e.g., "up to," "many," "probably"). Hedging words (e.g., "it appears," "we suggest," "I think") express uncertainty, undermining your authority. Be direct and specific to avoid misleading your reader or weakening your message.

8. Leverage Metaphors and Stories for Impact.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well, a metaphor is a way to bring some pictures into your writing.

Metaphors for understanding. Metaphors (and similes) compare one thing to another, carrying meaning across. They help readers understand complex or abstract ideas by relating them to familiar concepts. For example, understanding the internet through spatial metaphors like "going online" or "visiting a site" makes it tangible.

• "Our new app is a tool..." (app as a physical tool)
• "Disaster recovery is like replacing a light bulb." (data recovery as a household task)

Stories are powerful tools. Stories are highly memorable, compelling, concrete, and instructive. They draw readers in, make abstract ideas relatable, and teach lessons without direct instruction. Stories deal with people, things, and events, making them easy to visualize and emotionally engaging.

• Human: Focus on characters and their experiences.
• Relatable: Connect to the reader's own life.
• Vivid: Use real-world descriptions.
• Dramatic: Include challenges or conflicts.

Story shapes and borrowed interest. Stories often follow universal shapes (e.g., "overcoming the monster," "rags to riches"). You can adapt these to non-fiction by framing your message within a narrative arc. If your subject lacks inherent intrigue, "borrow interest" from something the reader already knows or likes (e.g., "Netflix for cars") to grab their attention and make your message stick.

9. Build Knowledge and Persuade with Empathy.

Seek first to understand, then to be understood.

Build on existing knowledge. People learn best when new information connects to what they already know. Categorize reader knowledge into:

• Certainties: Use as foundations (comparison, contrast, extension).
• Knowledge gaps: Address with "how-to" guides or Q&As.
• Hidden knowledge: Draw parallels to make new concepts familiar.
• Complete unknowns: Provide a frame of reference or metaphor.
  Starting where the reader is builds cognitive empathy and trust.

Address beliefs, not just facts. While knowledge is updated with new facts, beliefs are deeply held and emotionally charged. Motivated reasoning means people seek evidence to confirm existing beliefs and dismiss contradictory information. To change minds, acknowledge their current beliefs before presenting new information, rather than simply bombarding them with facts.

Persuade with authority and social proof. If your own credibility is limited, leverage external authorities (experts, institutions) or social proof (what others are doing). People are more likely to be persuaded by those they respect or by actions taken by similar individuals. Present both sides of an argument to foster deeper consideration and lasting change, allowing the reader to make their own informed decision.

10. Make Your Message Unforgettable.

When you write it shorter, it’s remembered longer.

The SCORE framework. Memorable messages are:

• Short: Boil your message down to a punchy soundbite or slogan.
• Conversational: Phrase it like natural speech.
• One-on-one: Deliver it as if speaking to an individual.
• Relevant: Link it to the reader's life and needs.
• Elevated: Delivered by a credible source (authority).
  This framework helps craft messages that stick, like Abraham Lincoln's "Don't change horses midstream."

Strategic repetition. Adults remember things better when repeated, especially key points. Instead of verbatim repetition, artfully restate your message in different ways:

• Define key terms consistently.
• Rephrase ideas using varied vocabulary.
• Use spaced repetition throughout your text.
• Employ summaries, informative headings, and pullout quotes.
• Encourage readers to discuss your message, reinforcing their memory.

Cultivate curiosity and intrigue. Curiosity motivates readers to learn. Target both "needing to know" (addressing knowledge gaps) and "wanting to know" (piquing interest). Use intrigue by promising valuable information while temporarily withholding details, creating a "Wait, what?" or "I never knew that" reaction. This draws readers in and makes them eager to discover more.

11. Optimize for User Experience and Visual Design.

Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at.

Design for the user. User experience (UX) writing prioritizes the user's journey, especially online. Every word should serve a purpose, making tasks quick and easy. Consider the user's context—distractions, device, and prior frustrations—to create a frictionless experience.

Visual hand-holds. Break up dense text with visual elements to guide the reader. Users scan, rather than read linearly, especially online. Provide:

• Standfirsts: Bold summaries at the start of sections.
• Informative Headings: Clear signposts for content.
• Lists: Bulleted or numbered for easy digestion.
• Panels/Pullout Quotes: Highlight key information.
• Diagrams/Images: Show what's hard to describe, offering alternative paths to understanding.

Online reading patterns. Users employ different scanning patterns (layer-cake, spotted, F-pattern) to find information. Design your content to support these:

• Place key words in headings and at the start of sentences.
• Use bold text and links to draw attention.
• Optimize for small screens by keeping paragraphs and sentences short.
  Avoid "no surprises" in links and calls to action; users need to know exactly what will happen when they click.

12. Conquer the Blank Page Through Iteration.

You can always edit a bad page. You can’t edit a blank page.

Embrace the messy first draft. Writing is a labyrinth, often frustrating and non-linear. Don't wait for perfection; just start writing. Your initial words, however "bad," are stepping-stones to better ideas. Write for yourself first, free from the pressure of an imagined reader, to get thoughts flowing.

Writing is rewriting. The true power of writing lies in rewriting. It's a micro-task with mega impact, allowing you to transform a messy draft into something polished and clear. Dedicate ample time to editing, as it's the main event, not an afterthought.

• Ugly first draft: Get ideas down.
• Chainsaw edit: Restructure sections and paragraphs.
• Surgical-tool edit: Fine-tune words and sentences.
• Read aloud: Check flow and rhythm.

Learn to love cutting. If your text isn't working, often the solution is to remove, not add. Cut preambles, diversions, padding, and anything that doesn't serve your mission. Set length limits (e.g., aim for 25-50% reduction) to force prioritization. "Kill your darlings"—even beloved phrases must go if they don't enhance clarity for the reader.

Strategic breaks and energy management. When stuck, step away. The "incubation effect" allows your unconscious mind to work on problems. Manage your energy by writing during peak focus times and minimizing distractions. Understand your strengths and weaknesses as a writer, and continuously reflect and adapt your process to improve.

Last updated: December 30, 2025