making it plain

I have one goal when I write: I want people to understand me. Understanding each other is at the heart of communication. This is why I write in plain language. Plain language is not prose without flourish. It doesn't have to mean boring sentences. Writing in plain language is not for everyone. It doesn't work for every single form of writing. But when we use plain language, a much larger group of people will understand what we write. They won't have to go back and re-read sentences or even entire paragraphs to know what you were trying to say. Here's why I love plain language.

Plain language is accessible and inclusive. It's true, plain language is a big help for people who have trouble reading long sentences. But plain language benefits everyone! In academic and business settings, there's pressure to write in sophisticated, detailed sentences. Even people in those fields appreciate a sentence that is easy to read. Plain language is also easier to translate or interpret. Each sentence contains a single concept or idea.

Plain language is clear, concise, and direct. Meandering prose is hard for most people to read. I don't want anyone to get lost in my sentences (though they can get lost in my dazzling eyes). Plain language helps us break up a long sentence into two distinct thoughts. The reader can understand one sentence before moving on to the next.

Plain language forces the writer to gather their thoughts first. Minds are streams of consciousness. We can start one thought and end up somewhere completely different. Instead, plain language asks us to review our words and strip out what doesn't matter. If I don't know what I'm going to say, I put the work of understanding on my reader. They might miss the point I'm trying to make. They might move on or even skim my message in search of something that makes sense.

how to write in plain language

Plain language grew in popularity after 2010. That's the year congress passed a law that requires it for all government documents. Digital.gov has a comprehensive plain language guide. They named these five principles for writing in plain language:

• Have a topic sentence. Good opening sentences help organize the structure of writing.
• Use the active voice. Active voice helps the message stay clear and easy-to-read.
• Organize the information. Prepare readers for what to expect. Summarize lengthy documents up-front.
• Use tables where appropriate. These can be effective for more than just showing numerical data.
• Use lists. They can help you convey detailed information quickly without overloading your readers.

I want to expand on their guidance with examples of my own.

Active voice goes beyond readability. It can also add accountability and ownership to a message. I wrote about this in my essay hide and seek. When we use active voice, "we put ourselves, our perspective, our interpretation, out in the open."

Anyone can write shorter sentences. It doesn't hurt to break up a long train of thought. Long sentences can make the reader tired. Try breaking a long sentence into two sentences. Only rarely do we lose the impact of a long sentence when we read it as two shorter ones.

Think through what you have to say. What is valuable in your message? What feeling should the reader have? What information do you want them to leave with?

Try using a plain language editor. I've been using the app Hemingway for almost 10 years. The web version has an AI feature now so I'm not linking to it anymore. My writing has changed a lot since I started using this app. The editor can be distracting for some folks but you can toggle it off if you like.

There are so many plain language guides out there. I also found ones tailored specifically to academia and business. It's worth looking into guides specific to your industry.

downsides

Plain language isn't for everyone nor every situation. Here are a few drawbacks to plain language.

It's probably not for art. Writing, especially poetry, can have a rhythm or structure to it. The pace, spacing, and word choice are usually part of an artist's intent. Plain language may not be for them. I have come to see plain language rules like the boundaries of a sandbox. It's its own style of writing, like a haiku or sonnet.

It takes some getting used to. Sometimes I have to think hard about what I want to say and how I want to say it in plain language. It can take more time to write something, especially when it's new to us.

It can feel blunt or impersonal. Some workplace cultures expect us to use the flowery language of business when we write. Others find it useful to dress up or hide the true meaning of their message. In a culture like that, plain language may read to some folks as brusque or even rude. I compensate for this by using exclamation points!

It can feel less smart. Many of my colleagues as a consultant are new to working with me. Will people think less of me if I don't write like someone with a master's or doctoral degree? That's up to them. I may not write like a person expects me to, but they will understand what I'm writing. That's what matters most to me.

set a goal

For be the future I strive to write at or below an 8th grade reading level. I also have a rule not to rewrite direct quotes even when they're wordy. Instead, I'll try to summarize the meaning of the quote into plain language. This way I honor the writer's words without leaving my readers behind.

give it a try

Take an email or essay that you’ve written recently. Drop it into a plain language editor. What grade level is it at? How many complex sentences did it find? Work through the editor to lower the reading level of the piece. Remove the complex sentences. Now, compare your writing, pre-plain language and after. Which one is easier to read? Were you still able to convey what you wanted to say?

making it plain

Plain language is my favorite style of writing. I can still be wordy sometimes. I can still be misunderstood. But by writing in plain language, I show my reader that I care about their experience. I'm writing for more than an audience of myself.