Q Won’t writing in clear language take too long?
A It’s true that it takes time to learn new techniques for writing clearly and to ‘unlearn’ old habits. But in the long-run, writing clearly saves time. The clear language approach asks you to invest time at the beginning to get a clear picture of:
Research into writing behaviour shows that when people invest time up-front to do this kind of planning, they spend up to 50% less time actually writing. Also, they have less ‘writer’s block’, they need fewer revisions, and they are more likely to get the results they wanted.
Q Won’t clear communication cost too much?
A Bringing clear language and design into the workplace will certainly mean some costs for training and support. Weigh that investment against the longer term financial benefits of clear language. A number of studies have shown that clear language saves money spent on fixing errors, re-doing jobs, and getting extra help to understand a task.
For instance, an outreach campaign aimed at getting more families to take advantage of the Saskatchewan Employment Supplement improved participation by 42%. They got this result with half the budget of the previous campaign – all because they revised the brochure using clear language and design.
Q If I write simply, will some of my readers feel insulted?
A First, last, and always, good communication is about respecting your audience. If you are writing for busy colleagues, get to the point and don’t oversimplify. Give them the information they need, but leave out what they already know. Far from being insulted, they’ll thank you for not wasting their time.
If you are writing for a broad general public, respect their range of educational and language backgrounds by choosing commonly understood terms and explaining new concepts. Respect them as adults by adopting a friendly, direct, helpful tone.
Now, test your draft with someone you respect – someone who does not know much about your subject. Ask them if your tone reflects the respect you feel for them. Then you’ll know.
Q I write about specialized subjects. Does the clear language approach prevent me from using technical terms?
A No. It’s important to introduce your readers to technical terms they will need to carry out tasks, get services or take part in decision making. Just make sure that you explain the terms. Leave out any ‘jargon’ that serves no real purpose.
Q I work with legal documents. If we use different language, will it stand up in law?
A Since our legal system is built on case law and precedents, many lawyers worry that new, clearer language could be challenged in court. But that’s not what’s happening. Instead, consumers are going to court to challenge contracts written in ‘legalese’ – and they’re winning.
In the 2002 Smith v. Co-operators Insurance case, the Supreme Court of Canada interpreted the statutory obligation to “provide consumer information” as a duty to communicate “in straightforward and clear language, directed towards an unsophisticated person.”
To find out more about the worldwide movement toward clarity in legal drafting, visit the Web site of Clarity, an international association promoting plain legal language at: www.adler.demon.co.uk/clarity/home/about.htm