Writers, how to watch your readability

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place” – George Bernard Shaw

Communication only happens when the recipient understands the message clearly.

Daily Writing Tips encourages all writers to put their copy through a readability tester| further tester. These provide Flesch-Kincaid Grade level, Reading Ease score and other results. Read more on readability and testing tools.

Readers Digest built its huge readership with a style that specifies an English level of the average 13-year-old. They also wisely communicate everything with storytelling. You may perhaps recall personalized non-fiction such as ‘I am John’s heart’.

Wesley would run all his sermons past his maidservant, and simplify the stuff she did not understand.

If we are writing for outsiders, of course an automated grader won’t pick up on jargon use. Christian writers need to be especially tuned to eliminate christianese as well as assuming zero previous knowledge.

A further factor is that any English language site is likely to attract second-language English readers from around the world. Learn how to internationalize your site.

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