Comments on: Passing the Buck Slip http://www.dailywritingtips.com/passing-the-buck-slip/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:00:10 -0600 hourly 1 By: swedishhighball http://www.dailywritingtips.com/passing-the-buck-slip/comment-page-1/#comment-67739 swedishhighball Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:18:22 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1322#comment-67739 What is the correct way to write, "there are three two's in the English language". What is the correct way to write, “there are three two’s in the English language”.

]]> By: swedishhighball http://www.dailywritingtips.com/passing-the-buck-slip/comment-page-1/#comment-67738 swedishhighball Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:16:57 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1322#comment-67738 What is the proper way to say, "there are three to's in the English language". What is the proper way to say, “there are three to’s in the English language”.

]]> By: PreciseEdit http://www.dailywritingtips.com/passing-the-buck-slip/comment-page-1/#comment-65008 PreciseEdit Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:59:22 +0000 http://www.dailywritingtips.com/?p=1322#comment-65008 This does raise an interesting point about understanding your readers. This letter writer is not writing to other marketing specialists (who may know the term) but to a non-marketing-specialist reader. He or she apparently didn't consider the fact that his or her readers would probably not know this term. As shown by your example, using an odd or unfamiliar term can distract readers from the content, thus preventing a person from accomplishing his or her communication goal. In all our services, and throughout our training manual and Writing Tips for a Year service, we keep coming back to the idea that a writer, to be effective, needs to understand his audience. I will go so far as to say that understanding one's readers is the first necessary condition for effective writing and editing. This does raise an interesting point about understanding your readers. This letter writer is not writing to other marketing specialists (who may know the term) but to a non-marketing-specialist reader. He or she apparently didn’t consider the fact that his or her readers would probably not know this term.

As shown by your example, using an odd or unfamiliar term can distract readers from the content, thus preventing a person from accomplishing his or her communication goal.

In all our services, and throughout our training manual and Writing Tips for a Year service, we keep coming back to the idea that a writer, to be effective, needs to understand his audience. I will go so far as to say that understanding one’s readers is the first necessary condition for effective writing and editing.

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