Did you know that the U.S. government has a website to promote the use of plain language for all government communications?
Originally called the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN), plainlanguage.gov is an unfunded working group of federal employees from different agencies and specialties who support the use of clear communication in government writing.
That’s right. The Deep State has grammar Nazis.
Kidding.
But how marvelous that there are people who are so committed to the art of communication that they united to create this resource.
Federal plain language guidelines are (or ought to be) universal, because simply put, they’re sensible:
Write for your audience
Organize the information
Choose your words carefully
Be concise
Keep it conversational
Design for reading
Follow web standards
Test your assumptions
Beyond those general guidelines, they’ve even created a resource called “How to Write Good.”
Keep this list nearby, as it may come in handy — whether or not you’re a federal employee.
How to Write Good
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Timeless & Timely to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.