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1. Writing in Plain Language
- Writing in plain language means writing clearly. It means writing so that readers can
- find what they need,
- understand what they find, and
- use what they find to meet their needs.
- The more clearly you communicate, the more likely your readers will grasp what you want them to grasp and do what you want them to do, from filling out a form correctly to complying with a regulation. And the less likely it is that your readers will call or write you to ask questions or express frustration.
- Ultimately, your job will be easier and more pleasant if you take the time to communicate clearly.
- Writing in plain language means writing clearly. It means writing so that readers can
- 1.1 Think about your audience.
- A misconception about plain language is that it means "dumbing down" your writing so that everyone can read it. That's not true. The first rule of plain language is write for your audience.
- That starts with figuring out who your audience is, then focusing on your audience's needs. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Who is my audience?
- What does my audience already know about the subject?
- What does my audience need to know?
- What's the best way to guide them from their current knowledge to what they need to know?
- What questions will my audience have?
- What language will my audience be most familiar with?
- 1.2 Organize your material.
- We're all busy—including your readers. Nobody wants to waste time slogging through dense, convoluted documents. Write so that your readers can read your document quickly and understand it the first time they read it.
- Before you start writing, think about what you want to say and what order it makes the most sense to say it. Organize to serve your audience's needs. Think about the questions your audience will have and the order in which those questions will most naturally arise.
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