Writing doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Yet for your presentation, you will need to not only write but write well. Slides do not have a lot of room for a lot of text and nor should they. The slides should not contain all the information you are going to convey but at least cover the main points.
Famous and well-regarded writer George Orwell had some rules for writing which are just as applicable when writing a presentation.
Rule 1: Never use a metaphor, simile, or another figure of speech that you are used to seeing in print.
Rule 2: Never use a long word where a short one will do.
Rule 3: If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Rule 4: Never use a passive where you can use the active.
Rule 5: Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Rule 6: Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright stupid.
The priority of George Orwell’s rules is to create writing that is accessible and concise. Writing to appeal to a broad audience maximizes the possibility of people from broad backgrounds understanding your content.
Rule 6 is one of the most important. In the end, writing in a way that is simple, clear, and understandable should not be to the detriment of the message you are trying to convey. Getting the balance right is the sweet spot of a quality presentation.
Applying George Orwell’s rules for writing should guide you in creating a more effective presentation. Improving the quality of your message can only increase your chances of success.
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