Tips for Clear writing

The ability to write clearly is a true asset for any leader. Here are some great rules.
Photo by tnarik Flickr CC

Be close to your reader

When talking to someone - you listen closely until you feel it is your turn. This is the exact same feeling you want to instill in your blog readers. That there is a presence, that the discussion is interesting, that there is an exchange of ideas.

1. Write a first draft without overthinking, it is just to get some ideas on the page. I have a friend calling this stage the "red" draft. At this stage it is important not to overwhelm the reader with too many ideas or external links. The secret of a good message is its crispness.

Every word section and paragraph moves your message forward. Write with purpose and structure the path you want your reader to take. You want to guide your reader along a walk in your world, you decide what and who he will discover around the next bend in the road, make it as wide or as steep as your message needs.

2. Edit the words as they were by somebody else, someone you don't know. This critical look by an outsider helps make the ideas clearer. My friend calls this the "yellow" draft.

This is also a good time to divide the text into "bite-size" chunks. I once had a teacher who told me to use one sentence for each thought, maximum four sentences for each idea (paragraph) and no more than four paragraphs per heading.

The use of headings and sub headings is another great way of making your text easier to understand. Good headlines and sub-headlines summarize the entire message, this is great for speed readers and anyone going back over an important message.

3. Print the text and edit it so that it becomes leaner and stronger. Use active language rather than passive. To print is a trick used in many newsrooms in this "green" phase, it makes it easier to read with fresh eyes.

Make sure that your sentences and paragraphs have clear transitions, that your ideas flow from one into the other. A good flow makes reading pleasant and the ideas easier to understand.

4. After the final changes, read the text out loud at least once. In this "white" phase, just before publishing, the active reading out loud will catch things that the more passive reading on paper or screen will not.

What makes a writer a true professional is the amount of editing that he is prepared to do, go over the text at least five to seven times.

Hone away all the things that make you voice stumble - then hit the "publish" button.

Do you have any tips to add? Did I miss anything?