Want to write better? There’s a new book that says simple writing is best.
Do you check your text messages before sending? 1[■] If not, you might prefer getting things done fast, even if they’re not perfect.
This book argues that it’s important to write carefully, even for quick messages. Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky Fink, from Harvard, wrote “Writing For Busy Readers”. It’s smartly named because everyone’s busy today. People get lots of messages every day, from emails to texts. 2[■] Deciding what to read, skim, or ignore happens many times a day for almost everyone.
The authors share good writing tips, like cutting unnecessary words and using simple words everyone knows. They say it’s important to keep sentences simple. They tested the idea that less is more. For example, they sent an email to thousands of school-board members asking them to take a survey. They made the email shorter, from 127 to 49 words, and got double the responses (from 2.7% to 4.8%). 3[■]
The same is true for text messages. In another test, they sent a short message asking parents to take a survey. It got more responses than a longer, more sympathetic one. Sometimes, being short and clear works better than being kind but ignored. It’s not just what you say, but how quickly you say it that matters.
It’s not just about word count. 4[■] Reducing the number of options has the same effect. Short, active sentences with common words are best.
From posts to online reviews, following these rules gets more likes and shares. Serious writers should pay attention too. A study found that companies using long sentences and complicated words were seen as less moral and trustworthy.
5[■] It might be tempting to send messages quickly and hope for the best. But taking time to write for your readers has benefits. If you send a rushed message that readers ignore, it’s like you didn’t send it at all.