1. Always Have Reader's Perspective 2.Let Your Writing Be Reader-centric

by Vasudeva Krishnamurthy Naageswaran
(D-184 Hindu Colony, Nanganallur, Chennai, India, 600061)

Always Have Reader's Perspective

Mere reading of what you have written to finalise your writing will not suffice.Always have the reader's perspective in mind so that you could perfect your editing based on the queries that would arise in your mind during such a process.Precisely, such a process will fill the gaps or omissions in your writing thereby leaving the readers fully satisfied with your writing. In the absence of such a perspective, overconfident as you would be about what you have written, you are less likely to read fully with patience your own writing.

Let Your Writing Be Reader-centric

Always have the following rules uppermost in your mind:

(a) When you write to technical journals and magazines, assume minimum technical knowledege on the part of the readers and accordingly use technical words and jargon;

(b) As a corollary to the above,when you write to teach through such publications, use technical words and jargon but always remember to add suitable foot-notes;

(c) As against the above, if you are writing general articles or doing some feature writing meant for a heterogeneous readership,avoid exhibitionist tendencies and make your writing as interesting as possible. While on this, assume only an average educational standard on the part of majority of the readers and be discreet in the choice of your words and expressions. Do appreciate that when it comes to reading,unlike an erudite, an average reader lacks flexibility to alternate between a high and mediocre standard of writing;

(d) Never indulge in Latin words or in archaic words and expressions or for that matter in uncommon idioms. More importantly, if you are not a native speaker of English, do not try to translate idioms or expressions in vogue into English. Remember that every language has its own style and so whatever the language you are writing in, first imbibe the true spirit of the particular language and

(e)Finally, never forget that reading as distinguished from listening is more tedious and hence go all out to help the readers sustain their interest in your writing with attractive paragraph headings wherever you can.