8 ways to transform your writing in government

Writing is a core skill for public servants. From drafting policy memos to mocking up community projects and sending emails, writing is an unavoidable part of any role in government.

But what few people ever admit is that writing is hard. What does it actually look like to be “clear” in your writing? How should you approach changing how you sound based on your audience? Because writing is the primary way you communicate with your colleagues and — more often than not — with the public, answers to these questions are vital.

Writing Effectively in Government is one of Apolitical’s biggest communities. Public servants use it to share tips, ask questions and regularly complete short writing exercises intended to help you keep evolving your skills. The question: “What’s the most useful writing tip you’ve ever received?” has nearly 70 responses. We took what your peers across government said and turned their tips into a bite-sized cheatsheet you can use when writing.

If you have any other tips, share them in the community or leave a comment below.

1. Know the topic you are writing about inside out

Before you open a blank document to start writing, do your research. When trying to convey a complex topic, you need to ensure you have a strong grasp of the subject. Members of the Apolitical community shared that trying to explain a complex concept to a primary school student helps test their knowledge. If you can describe a complex policy proposal to a young audience, then you have a better chance of writing about it clearly.

2. But remember writing is thinking

It’s not often that you’re entirely clear on what you’ll be writing about by the time you open a blank page. So, when you’re writing your next briefing document, just start writing down your thoughts as they form. Keep a notebook (or an app on your phone) on hand to jot down any ideas. Don’t be afraid to write in a chaotic or stream-of-consciousness sort of way at the start — you can, and will, delete them later on.

3. Tap into AI tools

AI is there to help, often as a second brain or as a proofreader and editor. Grammarly and the Hemingway app are AI tools public servants recommend using. AI transcription tools, like those embedded in Microsoft Word, can help you get your thoughts down on paper quickly. One easy way to make your writing clearer and easier to read is avoiding the passive voice. By tapping into AI tools, you can make sure you are sticking to using the active voice, avoiding grammar errors and writing in an efficient manner.

Remember though — AI can help you finesse your writing, but it can’t do it for you. The research and thinking need to come from you.

4. Ditch the adverb

Stephen King said, “the adverb is not your friend.” Although adverbs give you the illusion of describing something with emphasis, strong nouns and verbs will convey your meaning better. Phrases strung by adverbs are clunky for the reader to digest, so cutting them out will help sharpen your writing. Words like strategically and effectively may bog down the content of your policy memo. Get into the habit of removing adverbs in your writing and replacing them with commanding verbs and nouns.

5. Kill your darlings

You wrote a 2,000-word memo, but it needs to be cut down in half. Getting used to deleting large sections of your writing is critical to becoming a better writer. When you have exceeded the word count, print out your writing (or if you are in Word Document/Google Docs turn on the editor function) and start marking out the phrases that sound repetitive. It helps to have a second document open where you can copy and paste the sections that you deleted if you want to use them in future writing.

Getting used to deleting large sections of your writing is critical to becoming a better writer.

6. Read it out loud

We know reading your writing is an excruciating task, but it is a necessary step in polishing your work. If you can’t read your writing out loud when working in an office, grab a pair of headphones and use software that will read your writing out loud for you. Microsoft 365 has the option for users to turn on the “Read Aloud” function, or you can download software like Speechify that has options to read in many languages. If something sounds off when being read aloud, then you need to rewrite the sentence.

7. Keep it short and sweet

Pompous and long-winded prose will lose your reader fast. Even though it may sound smart to string along technical jargon to convey a level of expertise, your reader will struggle to follow you. Remember the usage of complex jargon is not a sign of your extensive policy knowledge. By keeping it concise, you make it easier for the reader to pay attention to what you are trying to say.

8. Read writing guides written by experts in the trade

If you need more granular advice on grammar and structuring phrases, there’s no shortage of great advice. The Elements of Style is a classic of the genre. If you’re writing for the web, then check out Nicely Said: Writing for the Web with Style and Purpose. Books that are a bit less grammar-heavy, but still can provide helpful advice are Working by Robert Caro and On Writing by Stephen King. Although you might not be working on the next bestselling horror novel, you can learn from authors who write across genres to learn how to be a better storyteller.

__For more tips, head over to the Writing Effectively in Government community. __