The Mighty Pen

Effective communication is essential for practically every area of your life – from personal relationships to collaboration with peers and employees. 

So far we’ve only considered the spoken word, but in a world where the digital sphere has become more and more of a requirement for good business, being able to communicate effectively through writing has become an essential skill.

The ability to write influentially also opens up a myriad of new opportunities that aren’t possible through speech. There are some things that simply cannot be communicated without the use of a pen (keyboard, etc). For the aspiring student, entrepreneur, or marketing agent, being able to convey complex ideas efficiently and pervasively is a significant advantage.

Write Clearly

Clarity is of the utmost importance in written communication, as it is in all forms of communication.

It’s very easy, when given a blank page, to fill it with smart words and impressive rhetorical flourishes. But if you are trying to communicate effectively, it doesn’t matter how good something sounds if it’s incomprehensible.

The best and most abundantly backed up piece of advice we can take to heart when writing is to use simple, concrete words. Poets would call these ‘Anglo Saxon’ words. This means we might say “think” as opposed to “contemplate” or “drink” instead of “imbibe.”

Basically, try to avoid fancy words that might give things an unclear or pretentious tone. 

This is the pitfall that writers fall into most consistently, and it takes practice to know where the line is between professional clarity and bland colorlessness. Intelligibility should not be at the cost of style or the interest of readers. Plenty of non-‘anglo saxon’ words have been used in this blog post because they match the tone and purpose of the work.

Write Persuasively

There is balance to be struck between clarity and keeping an audience's interest and attention. 

We don't want to treat our readers like neanderthals because they aren’t. We also don’t want them to be bored to tears.

This is when developing a personal style comes into play and knowing your audience becomes essential. Imitation is good so far as it goes, but at a certain point readers want to hear a voice they haven’t been exposed to before.  

Write to Connect

We’ve reiterated over and over again in this series that to communicate effectively one must make a genuine connection with others. This goes for writing just as much as any other medium.

Remember that there’s a reason you aren't using ChatGPT. Someone wants to read your personal unique thoughts, and you can only engage your audience if you show them you not just your idea or your business pitch. 

Tell a story, quote your favorite author, use personal examples. Be passionate and invite people to join you.

Every attempt at communication is an invitation. When you write to or for someone, you are welcoming them into your world and asking them to stay. Make a connection through your writing and you have successively communicated.