All organizations have a message. But how well this message is delivered can make a big difference in how your audience responds—or if they respond at all. Previous articles on this page have covered speaking skills, PowerPoint presentations, and working with the media. Today’s topic is writing skills.
The communications department of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal Services Center sees some mistakes made over and over again, hence these writing tips.
Start With a Plan
Before you begin to write the actual document, write a theme statement. This statement will relay, in a conversational tone, what your document is trying to say and to whom. In fact, one of the best ways to come up with the theme statement is to tell someone in two sentences or less what you hope to communicate with your document. This statement will help you focus your work.
Cut Out Unnecessary Words
Many government officials, particularly in the technical field, cringe when asked to make something succinct. “But the detail is important,” they say. Being succinct often doesn’t have anything to do with detail. And it’s not about “dummying down.” Rather, it’s about saying something clearly with the fewest words possible. It’s about having respect for the time the reader must put into reading and understanding your points.
Know Your Audience
Speaking about respect, that theme statement you wrote—surely the topic and information interests you, but will it interest your audience? Do they really care about the history of the project or the people who worked so hard to bring it to them? Make sure your focus and the bulk of your text addresses what the audience is interested in, not what you wish they were interested in.
Be Mindful of too Many Words or Phrases in a Series
A sure sign that someone is trying to overexplain something is a document littered with an excessive amount of words or phrases in a series. Instead of saying, “This legislation will help preserve coastal resources,” the text will say, “These laws, policies, memorandums of agreement, and regulations will help protect and conserve the beaches, freshwater wetlands, saltwater wetlands, sand dunes, and isolated wetlands of the region, the state, and the community.” Aughhhh!!!
Lose the Acronyms
Technically, you can define an acronym in the first occurrence and then use the acronym for the rest of the document. Acronyms slow the reader down, however, and can greatly impede communication. Spell out the word each time, or instead of writing the Best Beach Planning Commission or BBPC, use “the planning commission.”
Before you begin your next document, write that theme statement and then figure out the most succinct way to communicate this message. The audience will thank you for it.
For additional information, contact Donna.McCaskill@noaa.gov.
