Let’s talk jargon

Language is flooded with words that reflect lifestyles, cultural groups dialects, professional practices or occupations, and those that we just plain make up. Jargon is great, if you’re talking with individuals familiar with the business, topic or area. If you’re communicating to a broader diverse audience, using jargon can lead to confusion. Merriam-Webster defines jargonContinue reading “Let’s talk jargon”

For the love of words

Have you ever stopped to think about the words you use when you’re explaining a concept or providing direction? We tend to throw in [a lot of] extra words. That might make your communication more conversational, or maybe not. In reality, when we add extra words, we create more work for the reader. There’s moreContinue reading “For the love of words”

Polishing the talk

If you had asked me years ago, if I wanted to become a communicator, I would have said no. Becoming a good communicator takes work and frankly, I didn’t know what that entailed. As it turned out, the more experience I gained, the more I loved communicating. It’s now one of my favourite things! GoodContinue reading “Polishing the talk”

Add a little variety

Have you adapted to a certain way of writing? Do you feel compelled to follow a set of writing rules? There are a lot of thoughts about how you should write. Writing in plain language is one of them. It’s a clear, concise and organized way of writing that makes it easier for your readersContinue reading “Add a little variety”

Finding the right words

I’ve been focused a lot lately on writing in plain language. Writing with clear and simple words makes your message easier to digest and understand. Think of how much easier instructions would be if they were written without technical jargon, big words and acronyms (words made up using the first letter of each word). SimpleContinue reading “Finding the right words”