An epidemic of poor writing is causing an epidemic of inattentive reading. That’s because so much of what we read on our screens fails to make a point. So what’s the point in reading it?
Although we may write for work every single day, we approach the task on auto-pilot, as if our words were simply data we’re sharing. But in reality, writing is a person-to-person exchange. You’d never speak to someone in the same impatient shorthand that passes for writing today. You’re trying to convince readers to take a specific action or change their minds. That requires thought. You need to be in full command of your subject and be able to structure an argument around your idea in a way that will speak directly to your reader – understanding their perspective, where they stand on an issue and how they are likely to receive your communication.