Three years into journalism at a Hong Kong newspaper, I thought I was one of
the greatest writers in the profession. My world came crashing down the first
day I went to work for a large US newspaper. It was actually the first night
when I got a call from an editor. His first words were: "We've got a lot of
problems with your story."
My heart sank. Problems? Why, it was only a short, simple earnings story.
He spent more than half an hour going through the story with me, testing my
understanding not only about the company in question, but also the essentials of
corporate analysis. I was mentally exhausted after the session.
When I read the edited version of my story the next morning, I realized how
bad my original writing was. In the ensuing years I worked at that newspaper, I
received many more late-night calls from various editors. I still have problems
with my writing. But at least I have learned that those problems almost
invariably stemmed from my lack of understanding of the topics I was writing
about.
As one of my editors told me a long time ago, good writing is all about
clarity. This sounds deceptively simple. But not that many people can write
clearly.
In my career, I've read countless press releases, annual reports and research
materials from governments, banks, stockbrokerages, accounting firms, property
consultants and credit rating agencies.
Some of them were deliberately written to confuse and confound readers. It is
no accident for a company whose press release was convoluted and full of
obfuscating language to have posted a big loss. But in most cases, the writers
are to be blamed for the lack of clarity.
Any editor worth his salt can tell you that clear writing goes beyond
language skill. If the writer cannot think clearly, he can never hope to make
the readers understand what he writes no matter how skilful he is with words.
The newspaper I used to work for requires its reporters to ask themselves one
question before they start writing. The question is this: Why would readers want
to read my story?
To answer this question, the writer must cut through the jumble of facts,
figures and quotes to identify the most significant point of the story he is
going to write. Locking into that focus, the writer can present his materials in
a logical and easy to follow sequence without requiring the reader to go back
and forth the story in search of cues.
This simple rule should apply not only to newspaper writing but also to the
composition of speeches, research reports, press releases, company brochures,
business correspondence and, of course, resumes. Many students of English have
been misled into believing that a few cute words and clever sentences can work
wonders. Others try to cover up their ignorance of the subjects about which they
write by a liberal use of technical jargon and special terms that are understood
only by the people in the profession.
As a business writer, I read the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times
regularly. I find their stories are much easier to follow than those in many
other newspapers.
That's because the writers at those two distinguished newspapers usually
succeed in getting me hooked early on in their stories and never lose me in the
narrative. I can't say the same about the two-page press release that just
landed on my desk. Whatever the writer of that announcement wanted to tell me is
buried forever in the turgid prose.
Email: jamesleung@chinadaily.com.cn
(China Daily 08/01/2006 page4)
