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Clear vs Clever: A Quick Guide To Avoid The #1 Mistake In Writing
I want to talk about the difference between CLEAR writing and “clever” writing.
Even though most writers think they understand what this means, their actions say otherwise. Companies, especially, are notorious for saying:
“We want our customers to know exactly what we do…”
And then at the very top of their website they decide the best way to communicate that clear message is by trying to be witty, funny, or clever:
“For People. With People. By People.”
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?!?!?!?!??!?!!
It’s practically an epidemic how many writers, communicators, so-called messaging experts, and industry leaders opt for clever instead of clear.
And here’s why:
- They think their “pun” is what will attract the reader’s attention.
- They believe the reader will stop dead in their tracks, hypnotized by their “mysterious headline.”
- They make the assumption that what the reader wants is to be entertained (more than they want to be educated, informed, or given clear instructions).
And all of these are wrong.
For example: imagine you are driving in a foreign country. You’ve just left the airport, and now you are trying to make your way to your hotel. Except the moment you exit the airport and pull onto the highway, all the signs say things like, “Sunshine you can taste” and “The best there is, and the best there ever will be.” At first, you’re mildly entertained. And then after a mile or so, you start to shiver with anxiety. WHY WON’T THE SIGNS JUST TELL YOU WHERE YOU’RE GOING?! You start to get frustrated. You slam your hands on the steering wheel…
- “Unleash your creativity…” What?
- “Real-time changes, real-time trust…” STOP IT!
- “Data and analytics so good, you can taste them…” JUST TELL ME WHERE I’M GOING!!!
Here’s how the story ends:
Eventually, you get so frustrated you turn right around, return the car at the airport, and hop back on a flight back to wherever it is you’re from. Because at least there, you know what people are saying. There, the world is CLEAR — not “clever.”
