Three Ways to Simplify Writing Without Lowering Your Standards

Sometimes less is more, and decluttering parts of our lives can give us more clarity and put things in perspective. Simplifying our way of being seems to be the new trend, and writing is currently following suit. So why should you Marie Condo your writing?

Well, for starters, our readers are bored to death of reading long blog posts reminiscent of Ph.D. diatribes. They find it hard to navigate their way through hard-to-read words, long sentences, and incomprehensible mumble-jumble.

And yet, we see writers after writers producing complicated copy, thinking that this is the way to reach their audiences. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Attention spans are shrinking, readers are quickly skimming through your content, and if you want to create compelling copy that gets your message across loud and clear, you need to keep things simple.

(If you want to find out more about how to pass the Skimming Test with your writing, click here!)

Luckily, it is a lot easier to trim down your content than to add bulk to it. Do not panic! There are ways to do it.

So, what can you do to simplify your writing without lowering your standards?

Get Rid Of Unnecessary Words

Nobody likes to read 50-word sentences when a 15-word sentence would do the trick. So why complicate things with unnecessary words just to seem like an authority?

Bear in mind that if you really know your stuff, you should be able to explain it in simple terms so that even a five-year-old would understand. So using elaborate jargon and baffling words will only add confusion to your writing and irritation to your readers.

Discover here words that you must remove from your writing and elevate your content!

Get Rid Of Passive Voice

If you want to simplify your writing without lowering your standards, you must get rid of the passive voice. Passive voice will add up to your word count and will make your writing feel forced and dull. On the flip side, active voice implies action which immediately adds zest and interest to your writing, making it more exciting. Best part of all? Active voice simplifies your writing AND elevates your standard.

Get Rid Of Fancy Headlines That Add Zero Information

According to The Guardian, our attention span, did not only collapse, but it was downright stolen and gradually eradicated due to all the bulk of information we are constantly bombarded with. So you should expect your readers to spend an average of 8 seconds on your copy before deciding to bounce. In those 8 seconds, your readers will skim through your title and headlines and decide if what you have to say is of any real value to them. (Read here to find out how you can hook your readers from the first few lines).

So, using catchy headlines may do the trick at first; catch your readers' attention. But if your headlines have zero information and fail to guide your readers on what your content is all about, they will quickly move on to the following article.

Intricate, catchy headlines are sparkly and draw attention, but behind the sparkle, your audience is looking for information while skimming your content. So, do get rid of fancy headlines that offer zero information to your readers. Instead, simplify your writing without lowering your standards, and add value to your headlines and titles.

Is there anything else you can do to simplify your writing besides getting rid of these three? Yes!

Do Use Visuals

Using visuals is an excellent way to simplify your writing without jeopardizing its quality. You know the old saying "a picture is a thousand words," right? So why use a thousand words and complicate things when using a picture will do the same?

Pictures, infographics, charts, graphs, videos, etc., are your trusted friends, and you should always try to include these in your content. They keep the reader interested, simplify things, and add value to your writing.

Do Use A Proofreading Tool

Ah! The old editing hack. Gone are the days when writers had to hire professional editors to do their editing. Sure, you could do the editing and proofreading yourself. But the thing is, if you are trying to edit something that you wrote, you put yourself in a predicament of finding everything you wrote comprehensible and agreeable. Grammar mistakes may pop out, but it is hard to correct your own syntax (read here to learn more about the Art of writing Logical Context).

Luckily, there are some pretty nifty tools to help you proofread and edit your work. Invest in tools like Grammarly and Hemingway, and let technology simplify your writing for you. These tools will pick up grammar, syntax, cohesiveness, and clarity errors and fix them for you. And all of these, without having to lower your standards!

Do Put Yourself In Your Reader's Place

Putting yourself in your readers' place will significantly help you simplify your writing and create compelling copy that resonates with them. Ask yourself, what do my readers want to get out of my article? What information are they looking to find? How can I add value to my writing so that my readers will want to consume what I create?

Reaching out to your readers is an art in and of itself. However, creating accurate buyer personas and meeting your buyers where they are at and not where you wish they were, is the only way to simplify your writing without lowering your standards. Knowing who you are writing for and wherein their buying journey these readers are will significantly help you to improve your writing and remove the clutter.

Ready To Simplify Your Writing?

Decluttering your writing and keeping things simple is the new trend. Gone are the days of complicated, intricate writing that require your readers to focus, concentrate and think hard to understand what you are saying. With an attention span of 8 seconds, readers need to land on your copy, quickly skim it, decide if it is worth their time and instantly consume it to absorb any value.

Luckily trimming down your content is a lot easier than adding bulk to it, and there are several ways you can do it. However, you need to be aware that you need to make every word count and not just count every word when simplifying your writing.

There is a fine line between simplifying things and lowering your standards, and you must be careful not to cross it.

Join us today at the Iris Writing Academy, and we will teach you everything there is to know about simplified, compelling, and riveting writing methods.

Are you ready to hop on board?