Be clear

The call to be clear is ironically unclear.

Because few people show you how to be clear.

The need for clarity is obvious. Nobody tries to be unclear. So how can you make sure your work has clarity?

Part of it comes before the words. Do you even know what your goal is? Do you have a point and a purpose? And part of it is about the words you use. You may also accidentally achieve style as a result.

“The secret of style is to have something to say and to say it as clearly as you can”

Matthew Arnold

There are two parts to clarity:

1. The words you use
2. The concept you write about

Clarity usually comes from simplicity which is the result of familiarity.

• Unfamiliar and complex = What’s your net annual income?
• Familiar and simple = How much do you earn every year after tax?
  
  

We need to put our ego aside and use familiar language, even if it's longer.

If we do, our writing becomes warm and genuine. It also becomes conversational because when we speak, we use simple language. Probably because it’s efficient and there’s no time to ruin it with attempts at professionalism or intelligence.

But something happens to the writer with too much time.

They sit stiff behind their desk, becoming formal. The blank canvas suffocates their humanity and they start reaching for words and phrases they would never normally use.

"In order that the marketing team is enabled to meet business objectives, it is paramount that we ensure the continuation of inter-departmental alignment meetings."

That writer would never speak like they wrote. But they fear the simple word and the simple sentence. They’re being held hostage by their ego.

It happens most when they write to bosses, colleagues, and customers.

People they want to impress.

The teacher that in conversation would say “your child is being bullied” writes “your child is experiencing physical and mental adversity from their peers”.

“Binmen” become “Waste disposal personnel”.
“Slums” become “Socioeconomically depressed areas”.

We're under the impression that the simple sentence is flawed and that some punishment awaits the writer who calls things exactly what they are. It's not a surprise we're shy of simple language.

English class rewarded us for long words and complexity.

But if we're familiar, simple, and therefore clear, we'll be rewarded with readers.

Clarity is about seeing things.

When it’s a clear day, you can see physically far. But to help readers see abstract concepts we need to help them imagine what we’re writing about.

We can help readers imagine things in two ways:
 

1. Specificity
2. Contrast

Specificity is about zooming in. Specificity answers the reader’s question ”what precisely is it?” It helps readers make a concept more concrete.

Try to precisely answer questions like these, to make abstract concepts real.
 

• What is it?
• Why should I believe you?
• How will my life get better?
• What will the result look like?
• What will I get for my money?
• What does the software look like?
• What will the results be in one week?
  
  

We need to paint precise pictures.

Examples:

• Concept = Faster
• Concrete = 20 minutes a day
  
  

• Concept = Simpler
• Concrete = No coding knowledge necessary
  
  

• Concept = ROI [Return on investment]
• Concrete = Between £8k and £10k every month
  
  

• Concept = Marketers
• Concrete = B2B SaaS marketers in a Series B company
  
  

Notice that specificity typically needs more words? That’s because a precise picture is a full picture. The alternative to precise pictures are fuzzy ones where you unintentionally let readers fill in the gaps with guesses. Don’t.

Readers are risk averse and won’t cross half built bridges. They don’t have the time to fill in your gaps, and even if they did, they’ll guess badly.

Specificity lets readers think “I can imagine that now”, which is important when you’re trying to help them see your product as a solution to their problem.

But specificity is an isolated view on its own. It’s microscopic. To truly understand something, we need to see it in its environment. We also need a telescope. We need to zoom out. We need context.

And that comes from contrast.

Contrast is about zooming out. Contrast answers the reader’s question ”what is it not?”. Contrast gives readers context, painting a fuller picture in their mind.

Humans see things best in high contrast, this dark text on your light screen for example. And that literal vision translates to figurative vision.

So, we also see these things better in high contrast:

• Products
• Prices
• Services
• People
• Results
• Emotions
• Everything really
  
  

Contrast gives the reader perspective.

Examples:

• Before vs After
• Pain vs Solution
• Action vs Inaction
• You vs Your competitor
• Painful past vs Dream future
• With people vs Without people
  
  

By giving readers context and perspective using contrast, they’ll see the differences.

And understanding the differences lets them make decisions.

If we’re clear in word and concept this is what happens:

Familiarity + Specificity + Contrast = Clarity

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Clarity allows for understanding

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Understanding allows for decision making

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Decision making allows for action

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Action allows for transaction

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