{"id":62439,"date":"2022-03-10T12:36:35","date_gmt":"2022-03-10T16:36:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=62439"},"modified":"2022-03-19T03:33:13","modified_gmt":"2022-03-19T07:33:13","slug":"clear-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/clear-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Clear Writing: The 2 Rules You Need to Follow"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you struggle to get your point across in your writing? Do you want to learn to write clearly<\/a> and concisely?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two most important rules for clear writing are to follow a logical sequence and to be consistent. And, of course, you need to thoroughly understand the material you are writing about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s how to write clearly, according to journalist William Zinsser. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

What Is Clarity?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the book On Writing Well, <\/em>William Zinsser believes that it\u2019s your job as a writer to guide the reader through your thought process rather than forcing them to dissect disorganized or underdeveloped writing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Zinsser believes that to write clearly, you must clearly understand the topic you\u2019re writing about.<\/strong> If you don\u2019t understand<\/a> the topic, you\u2019ll never be able to explain it well to your reader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Occam\u2019s Razor and Clear Writing<\/strong>

Another way to think of Zinsser\u2019s idea of clarity is through the principle of Occam\u2019s razor<\/a>. This is the idea that the simplest solution is often the best one<\/a>. In writing, this means you should discard as much unnecessary information as possible and just stick to the essential facts. To apply this principle, keep these four questions in mind:

What\u2019s your central message?
What\u2019s the best structure to communicate this message?\u00a0
What background does the audience need to know?
How long should each point or topic be?

To answer these questions in a useful way, you need to fully understand the material you\u2019re writing about.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

1. Follow a Logical Sequence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To write with clarity, follow a logical sequence of ideas. Each sentence should build off of the idea in the previous sentence<\/strong>. To lead your reader to your next thought, Zinsser recommends anticipating what the reader will ask and answering their question in the next sentence. Constantly ask yourself, \u201cWhat is the next thing the reader needs to know?\u201d Then answer that question in the next sentence rather than repeating the previous sentence in a different way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Truly logical writing answers a reader\u2019s questions before they have a chance to ask them. To make your writing more logical<\/a>, experts recommend this general formula: state each idea, provide evidence for that idea, and draw a clear connection to the conclusion. This formula works for any kind of argument or proposal. But the formula can also be applied to creative nonfiction like memoirs or travel writing. Your evidence will probably come in the form of the detail you give the reader to back up your claims. For example, instead of just stating someone\u2019s name and occupation, you could describe their uniform. This description would provide evidence to support the idea of their occupation.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Be Consistent<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Consistency, or what Zinsser calls unity<\/em>, is when certain key elements of your writing stay the same throughout your writing, even as your idea develops. Zinsser believes consistency eliminates unwanted confusion because your reader won\u2019t have to keep up with unnecessary changes in your writing. Keep these three elements consistent throughout your writing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n