Life isn’t always fair. Take Cinderella and her 2 stepsisters.
Once upon a time, poor Cinders had it pretty rough. The disproportionate workload, the harsh treatment, the ostracism. Constantly having to prove herself. Three siblings, but only 1 of them always singled out for criticism.
Not too different then, from the 3 writing genres that use plain language: news journalism, popular fiction and workplace writing. Three sister fields that all uphold clear communication principles. Yet just 1 – workplace writing – bears the brunt of disapproval when it fraternises with plain language.
Why is clear writing so acclaimed in journalism and fiction, yet questioned, and even ridiculed, when linked to workplace writing? Short answer – ‘cause life ain’t fair
Workplace writing and the fairy tales we tell
