Clear Writing

Clear writing requires clear vision. You have to know what your message is before you start writing. And you have to know your purpose in giving that message. Without that essential knowledge, your writing will be confusing. This is because muddy thinking leads to muddy writing. To be absolutely clear with readers, you must be absolutely clear with yourself. Every piece of writing has a motive behind it - to instruct, to enlighten, to shock, to entertain. Only by being clear on your motive can you produce writing that stays on message. Writers who are not clear about motive and message will frustrate readers and turn them off. Their writing will likely be convoluted, tangential, and contradictory. Their writing may not be clear, but it will be painfully clear to readers that they don't have their writing act together. It helps to write out your message before you ever begin a writing project. Be as succinct as you can. If you can't write your message in a single sentence, you're likely not as focused as you need to be. Secondly, write a purpose statement that spells out your motive for wanting to bring your message to readers. Again, if you can't write your purpose statement in a single sentence, you've got some work to do to further develop and hone your idea. Once you are clear about your message and motive, they will serve as a blueprint for the rest of your writing. If you stay true to them, they will guide you throughout the writing process and keep you on track to produce clear, effective writing that is both meaningful and memorable for readers.