Plain Language | Simply Understand

I’m sorry, the title lies. Not just once, but twice. Why? Because there’s only five things you have to do to write plainly, and you don’t have to remember much at all — in fact, it’s better to forget.

Because once you’ve got the hang of headings, bullets and the difference between passive and active voice, all those things that any decent plain language course, book or website will teach you, you’re still left with a whole lot of baggage that can stop you in your tracks, and slowly and subtly convince you that your way was best after all.

So, these are the things you have to forget. They’re not easy to hear, so sit down, make some tea, then take a deep breath before you read on.

Forget your education. Okay, maybe not the bits about grammar and spelling, but definitely the bits where you started to assume that using long words and complicated phrasing was just… better. More sophisticated, maybe. Erudite, even. A sign of intelligence and understanding. I’ve had quite a lot of education. I went to Oxford University until they kicked me out, and I’ve been to two more universities since. Then I started volunteering — helping people learn to read, and guess what — none of that helped. So I hate to break it to you, but if you want to reach people who are not you and your similarly educated friends, you need to forget.
Forget your assumptions. Just because someone can’t understand the words you use and the way you use them does not mean they can never understand what you’re trying to say. Very little is too complicated except that we make it so.
Forget glossaries. Treat them as an admission of failure — that you don’t understand your subject well enough to be able to explain it without one.
Forget writing for writing’s sake. Write for reading’s sake. If you can’t read it aloud and feel right saying it, something needs changing.
Forget your bosses. You are not writing for them. Go out and find the people you are writing for and talk to them. Find their level. Forget representatives too, except when they can put you in touch with the real deal.

add a comment

This website is here to prove to Government (and anyone else who uses language in an over complicated way, all the while claiming they want feedback from members of the public) that speaking plainly, even about tricky subjects, isn’t just possible, but absolutely necessary.

I hope this website also helps prove that you don’t have to be patronising when you write plainly, and that assuming people are just too stupid or lazy to get involved in government is in itself a lazy and stupid assumption.

Thing can only get better?

Now, it’s very easy to fall into a trap of being negative about the immoveable forces of bureaucracy we encounter every day, but as difficult as it is to make out from the millpond calm on the surface, there are definite stirrings of something shifting beneath it. One of the first hints was Show Us a Better Way, a national competition to come up with new ways of using public data. The next, and biggest hint yet, was the launch of www.data.gov.uk.

There are other areas of government making some great inroads into improving communication too. One I want to pick out specially is Directgov. They may have some truly hideous advertising, but they’ve also started doing plain language summaries for some key consultations! Great news. And they’re also building a place for people to search for consultations that interest them and even if, by their own admission, this only involves a somewhat poor two government organisations right now, it’s a very encouraging start.

So credit where it’s due. But we still have a long way to go.

What else is there?

However, to me there’s still a big part of this picture that’s missing. A lot of people talk about digital literacy, that is, getting the skills you need to use computers safely and effectively, but the reason I’m so focused on plain language is a much bigger concern, literacy itself — plain and simple.

There are at least 6 million people in this country with reading and writing skills at less than GCSE level, and for most of them it doesn’t matter whether they can work a computer or not — so few people are writing with them in mind that they’re excluded from taking part almost completely.

What can I do?

Write to your MP, MEP and local councillors. Ask them what they’re doing to reach the people they need to reach — are they using plain language? Do they have effective outreach programmes?
When you use government websites and services, use the feedback buttons to tell them if what they’re talking about isn’t easy to get to grips with. Tell them you want plain language and real communication.
Write to your local paper, talk about it on Facebook, take it to your forums, heck, take it down the pub! Make sure everyone knows what a difference this simple change can make to people’s lives.

add a comment

Ten tips to remember about writing in plain language

Thinking positive