The Hokey Pokey is simple. The song tells you just what to do.
You put your right foot in. You put your right foot out.
You put your right foot in, and you shake it all about.
You do the Hokey Pokey, and you turn yourself around.
That’s what it’s all about!
Now, imagine trying to dance the Hokey Pokey in Shakespearean sonnet form:
O proud left foot, that ventures quick within
Then soon upon a backward journey lithe.
Anon, once more the gesture, then begin:
Command sinistral pedestal to writhe. . . .
This clever sonnet written by Jeff Brechlin and published in the Washington Post certainly entertains, but it’s not very useful. You can’t dance to it.
Business writing should be useful, and simplicity is the key.
How can I simplify my business writing?
Use these tips to simplify your business writing.
1. Cut.
After you write something, cut whatever you can. Try to shrink the material by a third. Giving yourself that goal will force you to find the most succinct way to get your point across.
I learned this skill by watching a comic-book editor. He would cut a third to half of the words in every thought bubble, leaving the ideas intact. Concise language communicates clearly—and leaves more room for art.
2. Remove wordy phrases.
Delete excessive prepositional phrases—a preposition plus a noun and any modifiers. Also, remove wordy relative clauses—starting with who, whose, whom, which, or that. You can often replace these phrases with individual words.
3. Liberate “hidden verbs.”
A “hidden verb” occurs when a strong verb (assesses) becomes a noun (assessment) and is replaced by a weak verb (gives). Liberate the strong verb for a direct and energetic sentence.
4. Prefer active to passive verbs.
An active verb tells what the subject of the sentence does.
- Active: I throw the ball.
A passive verb tells what is happening to the subject of a sentence.
- Passive: The ball is thrown by me.
The active sentence is shorter, more direct, and more energetic. The passive sentence requires the reader to loop from the passive verb back to the subject, and then from “by me” back to the verb.
You can change a passive sentence to active by asking, “What or who is doing the action of the verb?” Make your answer into the subject of a new sentence, with an active verb.
5. Use plain language.
Use language to express rather than to impress. Don’t dress up your ideas in unnatural and puffed up language. Avoid unnecessary jargon, which is understood only by a small audience. Communicate, don’t obfuscate.
6. Use parallel lists.
Convert a long series of items into a display list. A list makes information accessible, easily understood at first glance, and quick to reference afterward.
7. Check your main point.
What are you saying and why are you saying it?
These are the first questions that your readers have.
They also are your topic and purpose. Do you have a single sentence that expresses your topic and purpose—the main point of your message? If so, check to make sure your main point is clear and concise. If not, write a main point sentence and place it near the beginning of your message.
Why is simplicity important?
Simplicity communicates. It connects. Simple language focuses on your ideas, letting readers see them clearly with no interference.
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