Introduction
To a large extent, good writing is good writing, in whichever medium it appears. There are certain straightforward steps that make written communication clear and enjoyable to read. Following these steps also makes producing good written work easier for those in whom it is not a natural talent.
Our aim here is to offer simple guidelines that may help you to produce better written English and which will also help you to judge the quality of text offered to you by others.
We believe that every piece of writing published by Authentic Business should be clear and enjoyable to read. Writing in which readers have invested at least time if not money should in all instances be excellent.
How people read
People don't read on screen in the same way that they read a brochure, magazine, or watch television. Although good writing is good writing, wherever it appears, different media require different things from the reader. Printed text just doesn't translate, so we shouldn't put brochure copy on screen.
Reading text on-screen is physically difficult
Reading text on a screen is 25% slower than reading text on paper.
Why?
- The resolution of a computer monitor is much lower than the printed page. Average screen resolution is 72 dots per inch compared with average print resolution: 600 dots per inch
- Printed text is sharper and easier to read.
- Light is emitted from a screen, whereas it is reflected from a page. Reflected light is less tiring than emitted light.
- It is easier to adjust the distance between the eye and the printed page than the eye and the screen (the only exception is mobile devices). With print media, readers can set the most comfortable focal length easily, adjusting it to changes in page layout and typeface size.
Users scan text
Users do not read every word. They scan through a page looking for relevant words. It's possible to set type on screen so that scanning is made easier for the reader:
How you should write
Use short paragraphs
Use many more paragraphs than you would in print. A rule of thumb is to write one idea per paragraph (there is even an argument for making each sentence a paragraph on screen). Short paragraphs make it easy for users to scan down the page.
The first line of each paragraph should make an impact. The first line has to "sell" the rest of the paragraph to the user.
Use short simple sentences
Long, complex sentences are difficult to follow and tiring to read on-screen. Use short simple sentences, packed with meaning.
Use logical headings
Use two or three levels of heading and sub-heading. Think of headings as the map by which the user can work out the structure of the page. Write as if the user will read the headings only and none of the body text.
Beware of being too clever with the words you use as headings: be entertaining but informative. The user should know from your headings what to expect from the text.
Use bullet points
Bullet points help break up the flow of text. Use them more frequently than you would in print. Any important information should be put into a list format, even if it is only one bullet point.
On information-rich pages put key phrases in bold
Users are often looking for a particular piece of information. Help them to find it by using a bold font to highlight important phrases.
Be concise
We are all overwhelmed with information. We don't want more of it; we want it to be better quality.
The Internet, in particular has created a glut of information, described by one author, David Shenk, as 'Data Smog'. As a result, users have become impatient and mercenary, cutting out anything they think could slow them down or take away their control.
Give them the concise information that they are looking for.
Halve the word count
Reading is 25% slower and users are impatient. Halve the number of words you would normally use. Where something in print would be two hundred words, make it one hundred on screen.
This demands careful editing: you do not want to dumb down the text by stripping away too much of the meaning. Rigorous editing often improves a piece and the discipline of writing for digital media will force you to think clearly about the message you want to convey.
Choose your words carefully
Some simple style points, courtesy of George Orwell:
1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print
2. Never use a long word where a short one will do
3. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out
4. Never use the passive where you can use the active
5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an every day English equivalent
6. Break any of these rules rather than say anything outright barbarous
As he adds, it is possible to follow all of these rules and still write bad English. But it's a lot harder to do.
We'd like to add a couple more that we believe are particularly relevant to the medium in which we work.
7. Think of the user.
'The consumer is not an idiot, she's your wife' as an old adman once said. She's your mother too, and she may well not understand business in the same way that you do, but she's not stupid. Don't waste your time trying to tell (or sell) her stuff that she's not interested in. Don't use language that she won't understand, you'll bore her.
8. Think of the reader
Tell them something new - it's what they're investing their time for.
Spelling and grammar checks
Your spell check is not your best mate. He is the bloke you met in a pub and you're not sure that you can trust him. Better than nothing, yes, but not very bright. Thanks to the wisdom of spell check we have seen documents that contain the interesting phrases 'piece of mind' and 'tow the line'.
If no-one but you has read it, it's not good enough.
Even the best writers in the world need someone to check their work. When we've written things and re-read them repeatedly, we simply don't notice mistakes. Get someone else to check your writing.