My friend Brenda sent me an email with an attachment and a cryptic message. The email said simply: “I believe a better word choice here may be hosting an event.”
Confused, I opened the attachment to find a flyer for a resort with a huge headline that asked:
Are You Having an Affair?
I laughed out loud. After all, there’s a huge difference between hosting an event and having an affair.
Below the headline, the flyer went on to promote the resort for romantic getaways, family gatherings, bachelorette parties, and so on. So yes, to Brenda’s point, a better word choice probably would be “Are you hosting an event.”
Clarity is key! Especially if you’re going to stop someone in their tracks because you called them out on bad behavior without even meaning to.
Now, that said, I did get to thinking that maybe that copywriter knew exactly what they were doing and they are trying to attract people who are cheating on their partners. If so, that gets into an ethical area that gives me an icky feeling, but maybe they meant what they said.
If so, they were crystal clear.
More ways to be clear in your writing at work:
- Lack of Clarity = Clutter. Choose Good Business Writing Skills Instead
- Clarity Counts! Be Clear to Communicate When Writing at Work
- Cluttered, Concise, Curt…Why We Can’t Get Clear Writing Right
Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-handle-magnifying-glass-268460/
Sharon Ernst
Sharon Ernst is a freelance editor and writer at www.weknowwords.com, a teacher and coach at www.betterfasterwriter.com. And a farmer and planet saver at www.literalroadfarm.com.