Simplify and clarify to write better

“The road to not writing badly starts with simplifying and clarifying,” wrote Ben Yagoda in “In Writing, First Do No Harm.” Yagoda is the author of How to Not Write Bad: The Most Common Writing Problems and How to Avoid Them.

Here are some steps you can take to apply Yagoda’s advice to your writing:

1. Use the first-sentence check method to make sure your article flows logically.
2. Ask yourself if every sentence of every paragraph supports the paragraph’s topic sentence.
3. Shorten your sentences.
4. Delete excess words.
5. Replace jargon with plain English.
6. Test your writing on a member of your target audience.