Trying to get a point across is often easier said than done. It is one thing to be an expert on a topic, but something else entirely to educate someone else. If you have ever felt like your efforts to share knowledge only make things more confusing- you are not alone!
Unclear communication makes people lose interest and doubt your expertise- not quite the goal of a knowledge-sharing piece.
Clear writing is about delivering concise, understandable information- avoiding unnecessary phrases and keeping this digestible. This writing style makes a piece more accessible and easier to read. You hold the reader’s attention and provide a valuable service.
This guide will cover the four pillars of effective writing for knowledge sharing. Each one includes practical tips on how to make it work for you. We have also shared a few examples of what it looks like in practice.
Let’s get started!
1: Understand Your Audience
The first rule of writing in knowledge sharing is understanding who your target audience is and how to reach them.
There is no point packing your piece full of jargon if you are writing a beginner’s guide. Conversely, a basic, entry-level piece is no good for a professional audience. Some of the questions you should ask yourself about your audience include:
- What prior knowledge do they have of this topic?
- How much are they trying to gain?
- Which learning styles are most effective for this audience?
- Will they respond better to a professional, expert tone or something a little less formal?
- How will they access this knowledge? Email? Knowledge base? Presentation
You can tailor your writing style, terminology, and general approach based on the answers.
Let’s say your target audience is school-age beginners. They want an informative introduction to the topic and respond more to interactive learning. In this case, you should write with an approachable but knowledgeable voice- keeping jargon to a minimum and including stories and visuals.
Another example is speaking on a niche topic. Your audience probably already knows a lot about the general subject and wants to increase their understanding of this specific area. This calls for a more expert-level tone that professionals will respond to.
Wherever your audience sits on the scale, it helps to put yourself in their position and think about what style you would want to read.
2: Master the Craft of Clear Writing
Anyone could type up a blog piece talking about their area of interest, but it won’t necessarily be an easy read. Unclear writing has the opposite of the desired effect and can drive people away before they finish the first paragraph.
Honing your clear writing skills is vital for knowledge sharing. A piece that is well structured flows smoothly through the topic, and is written using proper grammar, punctuation, and word choices has an immediate advantage.
There are four key markers in clear writing:
Organization
Have you ever clicked on a blog and been hit with a solid block of writing with no headings or paragraphs? If so, we bet you didn’t hang around long.
No matter who your audience is, an organized, structured piece is a must.
- Use clear and informative headings and subheadings for each section.
- Break down each section into short, digestible paragraphs.
- Include bullet points and lists to cut the chunks of writing.
It all helps guide the reader through the piece and keeps them engaged. It stops people from skimming over important information and missing key points.
Sentence Structure
How you write your sentences also makes a difference. Long, convoluted sentences are harder to follow. It is best to stick to shorter sentences that get straight to the point.
Sometimes, it can be tricky to keep a sentence short. Longer sentences should only be used when necessary, and you should structure them using an active voice. Active voice is always best in writing for knowledge sharing. It sounds more professional and decisive- things people look for in the expert they are learning from.
- Don’t add extra words for no reason.
- Keep sentences concise.
- Try to vary the patterns of your sentences to keep it interesting for the reader.
- Stick to active voice instead of passive voice (subject acting out the verb, not the verb being acted upon the subject).
Your sentences should flow nicely and provide bitesize bits of info that make people want to keep writing. Grouping them into small paragraphs improves the overall flow of the article.
Word Choice
To sound more professional, people often choose big, fancy words. This can have the opposite effect- and lose your audience at the same time. Instead, choose a familiar language that people can follow.
Jargon is a little different. Sometimes, you need to use technical terms as part of your topic, but you can do that without throwing in other big words. When you need to use jargon, keep the other words as concrete and simple as possible.
Here are a few top word choice tips for clear writing.
- Avoid repetition in sentences and paragraphs.
- Be careful using words with certain connotations.
- Vague words are confusing- say what you mean.
- Choose the option that sounds better if you have synonyms to pick between
- Steer clear of words that will send your readers reaching for the dictionary.
Grammar and Punctuation
Punctuation makes your writing easier to read. Your use of grammar is a make-or-break for credibility. Both are equally important when writing for knowledge sharing.
The foremost expert on a top could write a blog, but if they forgot to add commas and full stops and had the grammar of a five-year-old, people may doubt how reliable the source is.
On top of that, it is difficult to read writing without proper punctuation and grammar. Here are a few things to remember.
- Break up lists and long sentences with commas. You can also use dashes to separate information.
- If you are unsure of the correct grammar, run your work through a checker.
- Always end proper sentences with a period point.
- If it doesn’t sound right to you, it won’t sound right to your readers.
3: Make Your Content Engaging and Impactful
Our next pillar is quality content. Writing clearly for a target audience is useless if what you share isn’t valuable.
The most effective knowledge-sharing pieces are engaging- visually and through the writing. The tone has a lot to do with things, but it depends on who you are writing for.
- Inject your personality into the writing to personalize it.
- Tell stories and use anecdotes to be more relatable.
- Use visuals, such as images, videos, and diagrams that illustrate your point.
- Make it interactive with quizzes, polls, and other activities where appropriate.
4: Don’t Forget to Proofread and Refine
Last but not least, always double-check your piece to make sure it is perfect. It is easy to miss a spelling error or misuse of punctuation, but proofreading can help.
Sometimes, the first time you write something, it sounds fine- but when you read it back, it feels awkward and unnatural. This is why re-reading your work is so important.
There are plenty of online tools that can help, but the best solution is detailed proofreading.
Putting It into Practice
In Emails
- Break your memo into sections.
- Highlight key details.
- Don’t overload paragraphs- keep them short and simple.
In Presentations
- Have a few break points where you lighten the load.
- Include slides with graphs, diagrams, and other media.
- Find out if a professional or informal tone is more fitting for the crowd.
- Be personable and keep info points concise.
In Blog Posts,
- Look at blogs you like and use them as an example of how to structure your own.
- Check the read time for the piece and try to keep it under 10 minutes.
- Beginner-centric pieces should be shorter, with links to more in-depth materials.
- Include some personal information to qualify yourself as an expert- people like to know they can trust the source!
In Internal Knowledge Bases,
- Document all important company information for easy access to the team
- Use Klutch’s pages for dividing information from various teams into different sections
- Update information in your internal knowledge base regularly
- Encourage team members to contribute their ideas, processes, and experiments in your knowledge base
Summary
In short, clear writing transforms knowledge sharing by making it easier to read, understand, and take in.
Without it, all your great information will lose its impact. People rarely stick with unstructured, disorganized, over-complicated articles and presentations- and will look elsewhere in the future.
Start implementing these clear writing tips for knowledge sharing today. If you want to build a better knowledge base for your business and streamline your sharing protocols, check out the excellent features available with Klutch!
