Whenever possible, avoid jargon or complicated vocabulary.
Seek clarity, not complexity
We are often conditioned to think that information that is more complex is better--but it just makes your information harder to read.Nobel Prize Laureate and writer of Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw, once said:
‘‘In literature, the ambition of a novice is to acquire the literary language; the struggle of the adept is to get rid of it.’’
You want to say: Contemplate the source of the informant when one desires to evaluate the validity of a statement. Instead, try: Look at the source of information to help determine if it is true.
Consider writing level
Write for your audience, whoever they are. The average American is only able to read at a 7th- to 8th-grade level, but that does not necessarily mean everything should be written for an 8th grader. The most shareable content is easy to read and novel--so keep it as simple as you can while still serving your audience.
💡 GRIDBit: Sometimes text seems more complex just because of length. War and Peace, a generally regarded difficult read, ranks just above an 8th-grade level.
Some tools to consider based on your target audience reading level include:
It is easy to forget best practices when one is not regularly being evaluated. Refresh yourself on basic grammar, or have a colleague or friend proofread for you.
Grammarly is a great, free (with paid option) browser extension and web app that can help keep your grammar on track. It is not perfect, but can really help.
