This is something that is very common among writers, even the best writers. We all try to simplify our message and break it down in the simplest way possible. We try all our best to write with clarity and ensure that the content we are writing is clear to our potential readers.
After all the stress, web visitors still read the content and get confused. Why? This is because readers online are always in a hurry and they can get distracted easily. In order to make these web visitors understand our content, we need to make our content so clear that even people in a hurry can read it and still understand.
One of the difficult tasks in writing is to communicate with clarity to your readers. Most times, all the effort we put in to write clear content goes down the drain. We try to impress the audience with the level of our knowledge, only to fall short at the end.
I have listed some steps you can follow below. If these steps are followed, your content will become clearer to your audience and start yielding results for you. Readers will take your advice, and they will buy from you. Let’s start explaining these steps:
1. Clarify Your Target and Spell Out the Shortest Route
How do you go about your writing? Which process do you go through? There are some people who get an idea of something to write about, and they start writing immediately. It is called free writing, and it works well for some people.
However, there are times it leads to complicated situations in writing like rewriting, editing, revising, and reverse outlining. This process is time-consuming and there is actually no guarantee that the write up will come out nice.
It might not be clear enough and persuasive. A faster way to achieve this is to plan your content before you start writing:
- Write the reason behind the write up in one to two sentences
- Create a list of things you want to include in the write-up
- Review the list of things you have created and remove the unnecessary ones
- Review the reason behind your write up, will it achieve its purpose?
Ideas that are not relevant are red flags that can lead your readers astray. This might get them confused, so remove all irrelevant points and focus more on a clear image.
I appreciate the pointers you mentioned in this training. I would digress on the use of metaphors. Metaphors can also be misunderstood especially if readers have limited use of the English language.
I write in simple terms to help the reader understand the basic concepts. The use of infographics or videos for people like me who are Deaf and rely on the use of visual images to help understand. Like you stated, write in a pictorial format.
Great training!
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It seems like mobile device users make it hard on content writers because of screen size, speed and impatience. Therefore implementing your ideas is great.
Israel Olatunji
Many times in my case I ended up abandoning many readings because the truth is I do not understand the message.
Thanks for sharing!
Israel Olatunji
