I teach about the reasons for writing simple, clear language. I explain the benefits of using present tense and active voice. I cite readability statistics about sentence length. I show examples. My students nod their heads wisely, yet seem unable to actually put these rules into practice. “Passive voice should be avoided,” wrote one student in a homework assignment. (Sadly, he was not aiming for ironic humor.)
Why does this happen? Why are TechComm managers all over the world pulling their hair out?
The answer in one word: habit.
Through the long years of primary and secondary education, people set their natural writing style. They are taught rules of punctuation, written syntax, and the structure of an essay. The problem is that traditional education (and academic writing) stresses complex vocabulary, passive voice, future and past tense, long sentences, and a ton of pompous fluff. ...