#30 Seeking simplicity and truth in your writing
“Whenever someone said something simple and true, I felt it bodily” - Leslie Jamison
Photo by Billy Huynh on Unsplash
The other day, I finished reading The Recovering, a memoir by Leslie Jamison.
This book is about addiction and recovery. Leslie explores themes of desire, yearning, shame, and love.
The content of this book doesn’t directly relate to my aim in Writing for Non-Writers: Empowering Tech Professionals to Improve Their Written Communication. Yet, Leslie also talks about writing and communication (both verbal and non-verbal).
There’s something she says in The Recovering that applies to us if we want to motivate colleagues at work through our writing.
For example, if we are UX Researchers writing reports with actionable recommendations that Product Designers will be passionate about implementing.
Or if we’re Product Managers who need to convince both designers and business stakeholders of shared priorities.
Maybe we’re Engineering Managers working through our direct reports and need to explain why they need to build certain things, so they can find solutions when facing problems.
Leslie says:
“Whenever someone said something simple and true, I felt it bodily.”
Indeed, there’s something powerful about writing things simply. Simplicity combined with truth can create strong reactions in people.
Your readers cannot ignore or get lost in complicated language. They can feel what you’re writing deeply.
In the context of your work in tech, your writing can be about technical requirements, business priorities, key metrics, user insights, or design preferences. If you can simplify your message to its core and be truthful in what you share, your message can be felt.
It doesn’t mean people will always agree. You won’t always get your way. But still, prioritizing simplicity and truth can make your communication easy to act on and memorable.
What are your thoughts? Ping me, I would love to hear your perspective.
👋🏽 I’m Mel…
I use UX Research methods to provide actionable career insights to tech professionals. Whether you're looking to switch careers, advance in your current role, or gain a deeper understanding of your strengths and improvement areas, I'm here to help.
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