How to “Dumb Down” Your Writing

I’ve met writers who have been insulted when asked to write in plainer language. I can understand that, I suppose – working hard on something only to be told that it is too advanced in terms of reading level can be frustrating.

“Dumbing down” your article, however, doesn’t mean that you have to dumb down the content. You can still create an informative, even technical, article, even if you’re writing for a junior high reading level, rather than for a group of college professors. Here are some tips for making revisions that take your text to an easier reading level without losing the integrity of the actual article:

How can you write about a topic for this crowd without insulting their intelligence? Image: sxc.hu

• Limit the article to 3 technical terms, at most. If you’re explaining something to someone not educated in the field, changes are that they won’t understand some of the terms most commonly used. Explain what those terms mean when you first use them, but don’t fill the paper with jargon. Limit yourself to three new terms per 500-1000 words.

• Use metaphors. If you can explain something using a metaphor or simile, you’ll instantly be able to connect to your audience. Many people learn through seeing and doing, so when you’re writing an article, a metaphor or simile is the next best thing, because the person can relate to something they’ve seen or done in the past.

• Use examples. Like similes and metaphors, examples can help explain a topic to someone who may not otherwise understand what you mean.

Remember, along with content, format is key. Even if you don’t change a word of your technical article, breaking it down into smaller paragraphs, using bullet points or numbered lists, and bold-facing important terms or sentences can make a difficult article much easier to read without compromising the content.