Writers slow down their sentences with unnecessary words that delay the point. They may do this because middle school English teachers told them to use transitions; they read great 19th century writers renowned for languid and balanced sentences; or they’re trying to sound sophisticated by relying on industry clichés. Your readers won’t care why you write as you do—they will only care that they must read it. So do them a favor and cut the clutter.

One of the most difficult parts of writing is figuring out which information is necessary to convey, and which is excess background information that detracts from the overall idea you’re trying to convey. Take a journey with author and nonfiction book coach Anne Janzer as she explores which facts you need to pack, and which you can leave behind.

For government organizations to run smoothly, it’s important that employees stay informed and stay on the same page. Read on to learn three key aspects to remember when creating effective educational content for government employees.

Who must comply with plain language laws? Nearly everyone in business. According to Professor Michael Blasie, the leading expert on plain language laws, in addition to the federal government’s plain language laws, every state in the United States and Washington DC have plain language laws too. In an earlier article, we discussed federal plain language requirements; this article focuses on state laws that determine how private actors must write.

Writing in active voice is often cited as a core part of plain language. Though the idea seems simple, it becomes confusing when you see phrases like active voice and active verbs used interchangeably. In this article, we’ll clarify the difference and help you choose the right voice to communicate your ideas. The better your understanding of language, the better you’ll communicate with your audience—and that’s the goal of plain language!

Writing in plain language helps you communicate with your audience. If that’s not enough incentive to write clearly and organize information logically, then consider this: Professionals throughout the United States and around the world are required to write in plain language.

Even the best writers fall back on common expressions that add unnecessary and repetitive words to their writing. This repeated information is most often added as time-related information to sentences in which the verb tense or another part of speech already shows the reader the time information.

If you don’t know where your business stands, you won’t know how to move towards future success. And if the data or roadmap is incomprehensible, your company could make a costly mistake. Follow the writing techniques below to create useful, usable marketing reports to guide your organization’s marketing strategies.

Nonprofit organizations and universities usually rely on two main sources of funding: public grants and private donations. Public grants usually draw straightforward proposals. Usually, the grantor issues an RFP or other notice of funding that includes instructions about what information they want, and sometimes, what format the information should be in. Private donations are harder to apply for because they lack a formalized process.

Small changes make a big difference in your writing’s clarity and brevity. One of the best professional writing tips is to simplify. Simpler is better for sentence structure, word choice, and document length.