Module 1: Principles of Clear Writing

Knowing Your Reader and Purpose

Most unclear writing at work is not caused by poor grammar. It is caused by a writer who started typing before deciding who the message was for and what it needed to achieve. Two minutes of thinking about your reader and purpose saves far more time than it costs, because the reader understands the first time and you avoid the round of "What exactly do you need?" replies.

Who is your reader?

Before writing, picture the actual person or group who will read your message. Ask yourself:

• What do they already know? A colleague in your department knows your project names and abbreviations; a new customer or a government officer does not.
• What do they care about? A finance manager cares about cost and risk; a customer cares about when their order arrives; a director cares about decisions and consequences.
• How much time will they give it? Senior readers often skim. They may read only the subject line and first two sentences.
• What is your relationship? Writing to your manager, a peer, a junior colleague, a long-standing client or a stranger changes how formal you need to be.
• Where will they read it? On a phone between meetings, or at a desk with time to study attachments?

If several different people will read the same message, write for the busiest and least informed reader. Others will not mind the clarity.

What is your purpose?

Every business message has at least one of these purposes:

Write your purpose in one sentence before you start, beginning with "After reading this, my reader will..." For example: "After reading this, the procurement officer will approve the purchase of two printers by Thursday." If you cannot finish that sentence, you are not ready to write.

Choose the right format

Your reader and purpose also decide the format. A quick question to a colleague suits a chat message. A request that needs a record suits an email. An announcement to all staff suits a memo or notice. A decision with options and costs suits a short report or briefing note. A formal matter with an outside organisation, such as a contract issue or a complaint, suits a letter. Sometimes the best "format" is a phone call followed by a short email confirming what was agreed.

Worked example

Susan works in the accounts office of a private school in Thika. Parents' fee payments made by M-Pesa are sometimes not matched to the right pupil because parents enter the wrong account reference. Her first draft to parents began:

Dear Parents, As you may be aware, the school has been experiencing reconciliation challenges arising from inconsistencies in payment references which has led to delays in updating of the fee ledger...

She then thinks about her reader: busy parents who do not know accounting terms and want to be sure their payment is recorded. Her purpose: "After reading this, parents will enter their child's admission number as the account reference every time they pay." Her new draft:

Dear Parents, To make sure every fee payment is credited to your child quickly, please enter your child's admission number as the account number when paying by M-Pesa. For example, for admission number 2041, enter 2041. If you have paid with a different reference this term, please send the M-Pesa confirmation message to the accounts office on the number below so we can match it.

The second version is shorter, uses the parents' language, and tells them exactly what to do.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Writing for yourself, using internal jargon and abbreviations the reader does not know.
• Mixing several unrelated purposes in one message, so the main request gets lost.
• Explaining background at length before saying what you need.
• Choosing email for something that needs a conversation, such as a sensitive disagreement.
• Assuming the reader will read every word. Many will not.