Plain Language Is for Medical Content Writers

Direct and plain language is not talking down. It is clear communication. Plain language benefits both readers and writers. In fact, it is the duty of all writers, including medical content writers, to communicate information in a simple and clear way, as concise as possible, and free of complex terms.

Clear writing improves communication, transparency and credibility. While readers would stop reading and maybe stop following a writer for his/ her complicated terms and language, no reader has ever complained that a text is too easy to understand.

Plain language is even more important for online content, as the readers on the web, regardless of their educational level, are looking for content that is clear and easy to scan, and they are more likely to miss key messages if they’re not communicated succinctly, due to the nature of scan reading. Plain language is a necessity in medical content and can have a big payoff for both readers and publishers.

It is no exaggeration to say that paying attention to the importance of plain language in medical content can actually be a life-saver.

Here is how to write medical content in plain language:

Define your audience

They say when you write for everyone, you write for no one. I agree with that. Before writing you have to define your audience, that will highly affect the language you use.

Learn how to choose words familiar to your audience

For choosing the right words, there are many tools out there that can be helpful. Google trends is one helpful tool, but my favorite is Google related search. Google related search gives you a very helpful insights on what people are searching for related to your topic.

Use short sentences and paragraphs.

Your paragraphs don’t have to be long, It’s fine to have paragraphs that are 1–2 sentences only, as long as they clearly explain the paragraph’s idea.

Short sentences encourages you to write in a concise way, and deliver your ideas very clearly.

Pay attention for readability

It is not only important to pay attention to words and phrases, but also how the text is structured is as important. The article should follow web-formatting rules, to be optimized for a better readability.