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# Is Your Writing Understandable?
- URL: https://www.philsimon.com/is-your-writing-understandable/
- Published: 2013-04-10T21:37:58.000Z
- Updated: 2025-07-25T12:56:52.000Z
- Description: Today choice abounds. No one reads your content out of obligation.
- Author: Phil Simon
- Tags: Communication, Faves, HuffPo, Message Not Received, Writing

I didn't know what I wanted to study in college. When forced to declare a major in my sophomore year, I ambivalently chose English.

I remember taking several English theory classes. Some of the texts that I had to read were beyond intimidating, confusing, and incomprehensible. Long, drawn-out sentences with more 50-cent words than this 19-year-old student could count. When my professors asked me to write in a similarly opaque style, I had to ask my older friends for help. I once turned in a short essay that pleased one teacher so much that she read part of it aloud to the class. Rather than feeling pride, I couldn't help but be embarrassed. I didn't know what I had "written."

Back then, I had very little choice about what I had to read. Well, almost. I ultimately switched majors later that year.

## The Content Deluge

The point is that students represent just about the only group forced to read certain material. Professionals have a great deal of choice about what they want to read. I am not compelled to read anything. In all likelihood, neither are you.

> Make your words understandable or risk irrelevance.

What's more, choice abounds. Over the past two decades, we've seen deluge of content on just about every topic. Pick a niche subject like "Big Data in healthcare" and your search results will quickly bombard you.

I think about these things quite a bit. Even if you fancy yourself a good writer (and I certainly do), it's very tough to build a tribe. Often I'll peruse a business book replete with jargon and wonder, "What was the author thinking?"

[On Skiing, Spanish, and AI HallucinationsI put the buzzy new chatbot Claude to the test.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8f/b5/8fb5e321-49a6-4cf5-8a28-c6f6d5417e54/content/images/icon/newlogo-2-44.png)Phil SimonPhil Simon![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/8f/b5/8fb5e321-49a6-4cf5-8a28-c6f6d5417e54/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1489945052260-4f21c52268b9)](https://www.philsimon.com/skiing-spanish-ai-hallucinations/)

## Simon Says

Now, I'm not the final arbiter on jargon. Plenty of people speak and probably think in terms of buzzwords. Still, as a voracious reader, I wonder if many speakers and authors realize this: Just about nobody is required to read your work.

My advice to current and aspiring writers: Make your words understandable or risk irrelevance.

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**Originally published on [Huffington Post](https://www.huffingtonpost.com/phil-simon/is-your-writing-understan%5Fb%5F3055879.htmlhttps://?ref=philsimon.com "Is Your Writing Understandable?").**