Blogs benefit from short, clear sentence structure

Clarity and brevity are essential in journalism. Authors can no longer indulge in the three-page, purple-prose sunsets of Victorian literature. Readers have limited time in this bustling modern world – and your brainchild must compete against the radio, TV, Internet, cinema and a fun-tastic 24-hour, clamoring culture.

Make it easy for your audience. Take them firmly by the hand and lead them through the piece. At The Daily, we used to joke that our motto was "we spoon-feed you the world". A cynical thought, but there's an echo of truth there. As writers we are ambassadors to foreign lands, permitted behind-the-scenes glimpses. Upon our return, we become teachers.

Elementary school teachers, really, as most publications aim for a 13-year-old's reading level. Many colleagues complain bitterly about this "dumbing down", but I've always found it satisfying. Nut-shelling complex topics for Joe Public is tougher than preaching to the converted: It demands far more writing skill, comprehension and empathy.

And plenty of scope remains for literary expression (sans SAT words, of course). Puns and catchy phrases are just as prevalent in Newsweek as The New Yorker – the references are just a bit more populist. Too many writers confuse convoluted prose with good prose, a snobbery often encouraged in academic circles sadly.

Recently the BBC polled Britain to find the nation's best-loved book. The top 21 included far more "children's" books than heavy hitters: Harry Potter, Wind in the Willows, Lord of the Rings, Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials, the Narnia tales, Little Women and Winnie the Pooh. These simple, compelling tales command far more love than, say, Ulysses by James Joyce (no.78) or the philosophical pretensions of Paul Coelho's The Alchemist (no. 94).

Personally, I'd rather be useful and understood, than avant garde. However, the web is a broad church with room for all sorts. A dense, sophisticated style narrows your appeal, but readers remain out there for you.

To attract a larger audience, keep it short and sweet. The average newspaper reader begins to lose the plot after two dozen words. In fact, their comprehension dips 5% for every term beyond 25...

Paula LaRocque, author of The Book on Writing, confirms this: "Research consistently showed that long tracts of sentences exceeding 25 or so words in length are neither clear nor inviting. It also found that even the most highly educated readers prefer to read a school grade level of 10 or below.

"Einstein wrote his Theory of Relativity at an average grade level of 13.3," she notes in a September 2006 Quill column. "Do we really want writing that is less readable than the Theory of Relativity?"