3 secrets for simple writing

Written by katie test davis

Have you ever drafted a one pager for your organization’s community members, walked away to refill your coffee, and sat back down…only to realize that what you wrote is so complicated that only someone with multiple graduate degrees would understand?

Suddenly, your parent flier isn't so parent-friendly. You’re using phrases like “funding streams” and “aligning best practices”.

You reference acronyms like MIECHV and CCDBG without ever explaining what they are in plain terms.

You bang your head on your keyboard and realize you have to completely start over.

When you’re used to writing emails, white papers and journal articles for your peers and colleagues, it can be really hard to switch up your writing style and draft something easy to read for a different audience.

What if I told you that it doesn’t have to be that way?

With a little bit of effort, and some “tricks of the trade,” I know you can create high-quality materials that are easy to read. Here’s how…

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change your context

When you’re writing for a new audience, start by intentionally putting space between that wonky policy article you were just reading and the new collateral you need to create.

You need to break out of your normal pattern when you want to create something different. So if you’re used to writing complex policy testimony for city council at your desk, and you need to draft a simple survey for parents of rising 5th graders, I need you to MOVE YOUR BODY.

That might mean getting up and going for a walk. It could mean changing where you’re sitting – moving to a new workspace, or going to sit outside.

get into a new headspace

I’m going to let you in on a little secret we use here at Forthright: go read what you want to write.

At Forthright, when we sit down to write for a new audience, we really have to embody the person we’re writing for. That means putting ourselves in their shoes. So what do we do? We give ourselves a brain break by reading what they read.

Writing to an audience that may not have attended a four-year college? Read a few articles from USA TODAY, People Magazine or Reader’s Digest, all publications that are famous for being written at a 9th or 10th grade reading level.

Writing for a parent audience? Take a spin on some parenting blogs and advice columns to put yourself in the right mindset and remind yourself how much today’s parents are dealing with.

Getting your brain ready and in the write mindset (see what I did there?) can do wonders for your ability to create something targeted and simple.

draft, then edit and edit again

Don’t expect to get it right on the first draft. At Forthright, we never ever send a deliverable to a client without at least two sets of eyeballs on it. That’s because no matter how great you are at writing (and our team is rockstar-level, if I do say so myself) working alone, you almost never nail a first draft. It’s always helpful to get a second set of eyes.

Here’s what your new writing process could look like:

Get yourself in the right mindset by switching your context – go sit in a new spot.
Peruse a few websites written for your target audience to get yourself in the right mindset.
Create your first draft. Don’t be too hard on yourself, just write what you’re trying to say.
Take a quick break. Refill your water bottle.
Come back to what you wrote and identify places where you use big words, long sentences or could explain something more simply.
Send to your colleague for an edit – give them context for who you are writing to and what your goals are. Flag where you’re struggling.
Review their edits, accept what works, leave what doesn't.
Walk away again.
Come back with a fresh set of eyes before finalizing and re-read one last time!

As I’ve said before, simple writing is famously hard. Yet it’s always the right thing to do for our communities. Easy-to-read messaging is kind. It helps your audiences understand your work and what you want them to know.

Forthright Advises