My Number One tip!

My number one tip for writing? That's easy:

DON'T OBFUSCATE!

Do you know that word?

Most of you either don't know it or don't use it very often. That's because I used a $10 word to convey a nickel meaning. Obfuscate, according to Dictionary.com, means "to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy".

In writing, it means you're hiding your meaning by using more complicated words and sentences than are needed to be effective. If someone doesn't know your subject, they may be impressed by your fancy words but they won't readily understand your concepts. If understanding was your goal, you failed. If someone does know your subject, they won't be impressed by your fancy words (they already know all the same ones and maybe more) and they won't be impressed by your inability to explain difficult concepts plainly. Good writing is plain writing.

Some writing tasks require more complexity. If you're explaining a medical diagnosis, precise language is necessary. That isn't obfuscating. It's using appropriate language for the task. But if you're telling your grandmother about your injury, don't say "I have a transverse fracture of my left femur shaft". Say, "I broke my leg."

So, now you know. Go forth and don't obfuscate.