Dumbing It Down

There comes a time for every writer to take their draft and “dumb it down”.

It’s an unfortunate phrase because it implies your audience is stupid. They’re not.

In this context, “dumbing it down” means respecting their time and energy. Your audience is continuously juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities in the hustle of daily life. They’re busy. 

It's our duty to ensure our messages don’t become another burden. It’s on us to explain ourselves as clearly as possible.

Perhaps a better turn of phrase is “Make It Simpler.” It’s an empathetic approach to writing with a valuable payoff too.

The easier your words are to understand, the more likely they’ll get read.