If you can’t explain it to a six-year-old, you don’t understand it yourself.
Albert Einstein
The primary goal of all communication is to ensure that everyone involved in the process achieves a mutual understanding of the message. And in order to do that, it is important to communicate in a comprehensible and simple manner.
Simplicity is one of the secrets of good writing. Simplicity in style does not necessarily mean simplicity in content. Even the most complex message is easy to get across when couched in a few, well-chosen words.
Why Simplicity Matters in Good Writing
While complex or flowery language might make writing more expressive, too much will cause readers to lose interest. Simplicity also matters because readers today are bombarded with information every waking moment of their lives and often give short shrift to vague, superfluous content, disorganized prose, and unsupported claims.
Benefits of Simplicity in Written Communication
1. Simple writing is easier to read and remember.
Complicated messages force the brain to work harder in order to be understood. The task of comprehension and memorization requires more processing power. Readers might figure out the message eventually but are likely to forget most of it.
2. Simple writing helps focus attention on the message.
When a text is stuffed with unnecessary information, it dilutes the main message and takes readers’ attention away from key points. A simply written message allows readers to focus on the important stuff.
3. Simplicity is a timesaver.
It is important to respect readers’ time and patience; using fewer words makes the message concise, helps writers get to the point quickly, and saves everyone’s time.
4. Simplicity promotes inclusiveness.
A message that is conveyed in simple language can be understood by a broader audience. It does away with the need for a degree, a dictionary, or knowledge of jargon. It is therefore more democratic and inclusive in nature.
7 Tips to Achieve Simplicity in Writing
1. Identifying the Purpose of Writing
Writers communicate best when they know exactly what they want to say and why they want to say it. It is important to keep this purpose in mind in order to convey a clear and concise message.
2. Using Simple Language
A common mistake college students and new writers make is trying to sound “intellectual” by using long, unfamiliar words. To achieve simplicity and allow readers to relate to the writing, jargon, acronyms, and overly complex words must be discarded in favor of everyday terms. Is it necessary to use “proffer” when “give” would be so much simpler? Why use “daedalean” when “complicated” would be so much more relatable?
This does not mean writers should not use the occasional complex word; the goal should be to use words that add to the clarity of the content without forcing readers to scratch their heads or reach for a dictionary.
3. Using Precise Words and Avoiding Qualifiers
Too many qualifiers (really, very, quite, some, most, etc.) make writing rambling and vague. Writers should avoid making excessive use of qualifiers and try to find words that express exactly what they want to say.
Look at the examples below:
- When I came home, I was very hungry.
- When I came home, I was famished.
- The journey home was really dangerous.
- The journey home was perilous.
- It was very hot outside.
- It was scorching outside.
4. Using the Active Voice
In a sentence written in the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. In a sentence written in the passive voice, the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action.
Look at the examples below:
- Active Voice – John opened the door.
- Passive Voice – The door was opened by John.
- Active Voice – Jennifer ate a pizza for dinner.
- Passive Voice – A pizza was eaten by Jennifer for dinner.
Sentences in active voice follow a logical progression of ideas and therefore make more sense to the brain. They also force the reader to engage with the text. Sentences in passive voice tend to be roundabout and wordy.
5. Using Varying Sentence Lengths
Short sentences are considered better because they are more impactful and easily absorbed by readers. Too many short sentences can, however, make writing seem incoherent and shallow. A combination of longer descriptive or explanatory sentences and shorter, summarizing sentences creates rhythm in writing and is most likely to hold readers’ attention.
6. Using Transitions
Transitions are words or phrases that connect ideas. They can appear within a paragraph or between paragraphs. Transitions are used to show how sentences or paragraphs are linked to each other and how they relate to the overall theme of the text. They must be as clear as possible so that readers can follow the narrative smoothly.
Look at the examples below:
- Jones (2004) provides further evidence to support this hypothesis.
- Matheson’s arguments are by no means the final word on this topic.
- As a result…
- On the other hand…
- …for example…
7. Using Examples and Illustrations
One of the best ways to clarify a point and simplify writing is to give an example or an illustration. That’s because showing is usually more effective than telling.
Simplicity in writing goes a long way in keeping readers interested in a piece of text. Follow the above guidelines to keep writing simple and effectively convey any information.
