Cut Through the Clutter

Four ways to make your copy easier to read and understand

by Ann Wylie, president, Wylie Communications Inc.

You've heard the statistics. Americans these days are bombarded with information — more than 3,000 messages a day, according to one study. That's more than a million messages a year.

How can your press releases, newsletters or other communications cut through the clutter of competing information? One of the best ways is to respect your readers' lack of time by making your copy easier to read and understand.

Here are four tips for making your copy crisper, clearer and more concise:

1. Cut your paragraphs. Long paragraphs annoy readers. In fact, if your paragraph is too long, readers are likely to skim, scan or even skip it. I like Jon Ziomek's 1-2-3-4-5 rule for paragraph length. Ziomek, a professor at the Medill School of Journalism, suggests that your paragraph contain:

1 main thought, expressed in
2 to 3 short sentences, taking up no more than
4 to 5 lines on the page

2. Slash your sentences. The longer your sentences, the less your readers will understand, according to an American Press Institute Survey on reader comprehension. The trick? Keep your average sentence length to 14 words for optimum understanding.

3. Translate jargon. What's a "visual-duration-sensing apparatus"? That's a clock to those of us who just use, and don't make, them. To cut the clutter: If it's not a phrase your Aunt Rowena would use, translate it by defining it on first reference or including a glossary. Better yet, don't use terms your Aunt Rowena wouldn't use.

4. Find your focus. One way to reduce the length of your copy is to focus each piece on a single message point. You say you have six messages? Then you have six pieces — not one, long, unwieldy piece. Think packages: boxes, sidebars and related stories.

Need more techniques for creating a structure that makes your copy easier to read and write? Check out Ann's workshops and learning tools.

About the author

Ann Wylie runs a company called Wylie Communications Inc. Ann works with communicators who want to reach more readers and with organizations that want to get the word out. To learn more about her training, consulting or writing and editing services, call Ann at 816/997-8753 or e-mail her at ann@wyliecomm.com. Get a FREE subscription to Ann's e-mail newsletter at http://www.wyliecomm.com/newsletter_signup.shtml.

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