Clarity | Simplicity

Clarity | Simplicity | Engagement

Clarity is number one for me. If the prose isn’t clear to the reader, then the writer has failed. Readers should not have to read sentences over again to understand their meaning. Novels, white papers, articles all need clarity.

Simplicity is luxury and necessity in writing and harder to achieve than complexity. Keeping it simple and using plain language is not dumbing things down; it’s keeping things smart.

Engagement is what everyone wants to achieve. When we have engagement, we get new clients, followers, readers, listeners, friends, relationships, accomplishments, successes and happiness. Novels, white papers and articles that engage, also sell, reach, inspire and captivate.

I do more than write; I clarify, I simplify and I engage.

Comments

Time to Smile Video

It's not often I see a video that exemplifies my philosophy of clarifying, simplifying and engaging employees; but my colleague Allison Jones at the City of Hamilton has done just that. Based on an idea she got from a City of New Market communications video called Glow , she put together a video that sends a clear, simple and engaging message to employees at Community Services : what they do makes a difference, one starfish at a time . Since the production, the City Manager decided to use it when he presented the Strategic Plan to Council to illustrate the good work the City does. See it for yourself .

If You Clarify, There's No Need to Explain

Clarifying is not the same as explaining. Let me explain. No, wait: let me clarify that...which is it? When I hear the word 'explain', I envision multiple paragraphs of additional text that may not be necessary. Whereas the word 'clarify' evokes a beautiful landscape of writing where every word means something and no word can be left out. In the meantime, yes, 'clarify' and 'explain' are synonyms, which means they are similar, not exactly alike. In the context of writing well and writing to engage, I recommend clarity over too much explanation; perhaps that's a better way to put it. If anyone needs me to clarify that, let me know.

Ah, yes... The "C" Word

In the Communications field, the "C" word can mean numerous things. In Internal or Employee Communications, we often refer to big "C" and little "c" communications. Big "C" Communications tends to include official communications tactics and products that get everyone's attention in an organization: posters, banners, advertising, website splash pages, e-newsletters, town halls and major 'memos', to name a few. Little "c" communications tends to be the internal, day-to-day business communications in a workplace about doing the work itself such messages about new procedures, processes, policies and plans, also internal emails, operational and tactical messages. The "C" word that is missing from this discussion is Culture. These are the ideas and messages that Culture communicates: How people behave in their workplace. What the culture tolerates as appropriate or inappropriate behaviour. For example, what goes ...

iClarify | Simplify | Engage

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