The Power of Readability in Writing

Readability means making your content engaging and easy for everyone to understand.

According to the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) report, Indonesia scored 359 in reading literacy, ranking 71st out of 81 countries.

This indicates a significant challenge for Indonesia in boosting literacy. One effective way to address this issue is by ensuring our writing is highly readable.

Readability means making a content easier to understand and more engaging for readers. When writing is easy to read and comprehend, people are more likely to be interested and motivated to read more.

By improving readability, we can take a step toward enhancing reading interest in Indonesia.

Readability = Effective Communication

Now, I know what you might be thinking — readability sounds like one of those fancy terms that only grammar nerds care about. But hold on a sec, because readability is important!

Think about this: you’ve probably come across long-winded articles or emails that take forever to get to the point. Maybe it’s a corporate memo packed with jargon, or a dense academic paper filled with technical terms. These types of writing can be frustrating and time-consuming to wade through.

For example, consider this sentence:

‘In the event that the aforementioned procedures are not adhered to in a manner that aligns with the established guidelines, it is imperative to reassess the current operational framework to ensure compliance and efficiency.’

Now, what does that even mean? When you strip away the unnecessary words, it simply says:

‘If you don’t follow the rules, we need to rethink how we work.’

See the difference? The first version is inconvenient and difficult to read, while the second is clear and to the point.

This is why readability matters — it makes your writing more accessible, engaging, and effective for your audience.

Whether you’re drafting an email, writing a report, or creating content for a website, aiming for better readability can significantly improve how your message is received.

Introduction of Readablity Score

Many apps feature a readability score that quantifies the simplicity or complexity of your written content. The score is based on the understanding that reading proficiency varies among individuals; what is easily understandable to someone with a doctoral degree might confuse younger students.

This score derives from the Flesch-Kincaid readability assessment and supports languages such as English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, and Turkish.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a lack of resources on its adaptation for the Indonesian language. Addressing this gap could significantly benefit Indonesian educators and content creators, enabling them to produce more accessible and effective written materials for their diverse audience.

Source: Flesch–Kincaid readability tests — Wikipedia

Practical Writing Insights

Now, please allow me to share some insights that have guided me on this writing for readability:

Structured Clarity

Firstly, consider the structure of the writing. We must carefully craft our content to provide clear pathways for our readers. Let me illustrate this with a real case:

For example, you’re tasked with writing a comprehensive guide on personal finance. You understand that your audience includes individuals from diverse financial backgrounds, ranging from novices to seasoned investors.

To accommodate this varied readership, you decide to structure your guide into distinct sections, each addressing a specific aspect of personal finance — budgeting, saving, investing, and retirement planning.

By breaking down complex financial concepts into manageable segments and utilizing clear headings and subheadings, you create a roadmap that guides readers through the intricacies of financial management with ease.

Keep it Simple and Sweet

Instead of writing long and complicated sentences like “Save your work first to prevent any potential loss of progress or data”, aim for sentences that are clear and get straight to the point.

The example emphasizes the importance of saving work before proceeding, which is crucial for users to avoid losing progress. However, it could be slightly improved by specifying how to save the work.

Think of it as serving up small, easy-to-digest pieces of information rather than overwhelming your readers with a wall of text. Break it down into bite-sized chunks. Keep each sentence focused on one idea, so your readers can follow along without getting lost.

For example:

“Click ‘Save’ to keep your changes.”

Or

“Click ‘Save’ before continuing”

These two sentences breaks down the action into simple steps, guiding users through the process of saving their work effectively.

Each instruction should be simple and focused, so users can understand quickly and keep moving smoothly.

Active Voice for the Win!

Well, here’s the thing: the voice we choose can make a big difference.

Active voice is like your writing’s full of energy, drawing readers in and keeping them hooked. It’s like your words are leaping off the page, eager to connect with your audience.

But, let’s not forget about passive constructions. They’re more like a gentle whisper in a crowded room — not as attention-grabbing, but still important.

Now, I don’t mean to sound like I’ve got all the answers here. Trust me, I’m just figuring this stuff out as I go along. But what I do know is this: active voice injects life into your writing, while passive voice… well, it’s not as lively. And hey, we’re all about keeping things lively, right?

So, if we want our writing to really shine, to make an impact, in my opinion it’s better to stick with the active voice. It’s like giving our words a little extra energy, without making a big fuss about it.

After all, isn’t that what we’re all aiming for — to make a difference with our words, in the most humble way possible?

Empathetic Connection

Last but not least: empathy in our writing. It’s like putting ourselves in our readers’ shoes — understanding what they want and need.

We can tweak our content to hit the sweet spot when we get where our audience is coming from. Take, for instance, a customer service email response. Instead of a generic reply, try acknowledging the customer’s frustration and addressing their specific concerns with genuine care.

Those small adjustment transforms the interaction from impersonal to empathetic, fostering a stronger connection.

It’s all about showing some humility and genuinely wanting to help out our readers. When we do that, our writing becomes more than just words on a page — it becomes a connection, a vibe that sticks with people long after they’ve finished reading.

Let’s Sum it Up!

Readability isn’t dumbing down content; it’s making it accessible and engaging for your audience. So, always keep your readers in mind and fit your writing to meet their needs and expectations.

Empathy is also important. We’ve gotta step into our reader’s shoes, understand what they need, and write like we’re helping out a buddy.

At the end of the day, it’s not just what we say, but how we say it that really hits home. Cheers to making our words connect!