I’m a reader.
My house is full of books, and I trace chapters of my life through what I was reading at the time. In high school and college, you could count on me to always do the assigned reading, not because I was a nerd (though I was), but because I enjoyed it.
But there can be too many words, even for me. Recently I received a packet of documents meant to prepare me for an upcoming work engagement. I like to be prepared, and I like to have an idea of the context I’m walking into.
However.
This packet was twelve pages, single-spaced, and the authors seemed to subscribe to the motto: “Why use one word when ten will do?”
Even that, though, wasn’t the biggest problem. The sheer onslaught of text made me want to give up. Where can I find the most relevant information? What do I need to bring? How many participants can I expect? The writing style seemed more geared toward the enjoyment of the writer than the utility of the reader.
As always, I want to ask: Who is this for? What function does this wall of words serve? Does this style invite the reader in, or hold them at a distance? What do you want the outcome of this communication to be?
