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Redefine the way you define terms

5 ways to rethink definitions

When I was customizing an in-house writing workshop for a utility company, I wanted to see whether there was a better way to define kilowatt hour, or kWh, for consumers.

Rethink definitions: define unfamiliar terms
Go beyond Definition 101 There’s nothing magic about unfamiliar term, familiar term. In fact, that approach may be getting between you and your audience members. Image by Josh Felise

I knew that a kWh was the work performed by one kilowatt of electric power in one hour and that it was the basic measure of electric energy use.

So I Googled “define: kWh.”

That’s the first way to redefine the way you define terms: Google clearer definitions.

5 ways to rethink definitions >>>

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Related stories

Run the B2B test: Are you using industry terms or in-house terms? Find out with this trick.

Run the B2B test: Are you using industry terms or in-house terms? Find out with this trick.

Make even nanotechnology accessible: Model physicist Richard Feynman’s piece

Make even nanotechnology accessible: Model physicist Richard Feynman’s piece

“If you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it well.”
— Albert Einstein, the father of modern physics

Start making sense

Get the gobbledygook, jargon & gibberish out

Jargon. Buzzwords. Acronyms. They’re things that make your reader go “huh?” And we need to get them out of our message.

Cut Through the Clutter - Ann Wylie's clear-writing workshop on April 17-18 in New York

Indeed, jargon irritates your reader, makes your message less understandable, reduces your social media reach and influence, cuts your chances of media coverage, makes your website harder to find and demonstrates your lack of knowledge about the topic. It may even suggest that your company is in trouble.

Translate the language of your organization into the language of your readers.

At Cut Through the Clutter — our two-day hands-on clear-writing master class on April 17-18 in New York — you’ll learn how to:

  • Determine when to use jargon to streamline communication — and when to avoid it at all costs.
  • Run a simple test to decide which terms to use with industry insiders.
  • Turn Google into the best thesaurus ever.
  • Define terms the reader-friendly way (Hint: It’s not the way we learned to do it in Journalism 101.)
  • Steal techniques from Warren Buffett to make complex technical information easier to understand — and more fun to read.

PRSA members: Earn 4 APR maintenance points!

Save $100 when you register by March 17.

Register now.

“It’s a fantastic course that helped me improve my writing and get it approved by the powers that be.”
— Karen Saari, copywriter, Madison Area Technical College

Polish your skills

Learn to Catch Your Readers and more at these Master Classes

Register for Cut Through the Clutter - Ann Wylie's clear-writing workshop on April 17-18 in New York

Only chance in 2018
New York | April 17-18

Register for Catch Your Readers - Ann Wylie's persuasive-writing workshop on May 1-2 in Denver


Denver | May 1-2

Register for Writing For the Web and Mobile - Ann Wylie's digital-writing workshop on June 12-13 in Chicago

Only chance in 2018
Chicago | June 12-13

Register for Master the Art of the Storyteller - Ann Wylie's creative-writing workshop on July 25-26 in Portland

Only chance in 2018
Portland | July 25-26

Register for NOT Your Father’s News Release - Ann Wylie's PR-writing workshop on Sept. 6-7 in Atlanta

Last chance in 2018
Atlanta | Sept. 6-7

Register for Catch Your Readers - Ann Wylie's creative-writing workshop on Oct. 2-3 in Dallas

Last chance in 2018
Dallas | Oct. 2-3

Register for Inside the Inbox - Ann Wylie's Email-writing workshop on Nov. 7-8 in Washington D.C.

NEW!
Washington D.C. | Nov. 7-8

Rather bring Ann in to train your whole team?

Invite Ann

Catch Ann on the road

Save when you book a workshop while I’m in your neighborhood

Ask about piggybacking on my upcoming engagements in:

  • Atlanta: Sept. 6-7
  • Chicago: June 12-13
  • Dallas: Oct. 2-3
  • Denver: May 1-2
  • Montreal: June 3-6
  • New York: April 17-18
  • Portland: July 25-26
  • Tacoma: Aug. 14
  • Washington, DC: Nov. 7-8

Keep up with my calendar.

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Jan. 31, 2025

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