As mentioned earlier, writing well is easy, and writing badly is hard work. So, why do so many people seem to mess it up? Why do they get it wrong?

Firstly, we often encounter a lack of clear objectives. Our readers, who are usually very busy, need to know and remember the objective of the writing as quickly as possible. It needs to be clear and stand out.

I often receive emails that are very indirect. They start by saying "Dear Sir or Madam," and then go on and on, leaving me wondering why I'm reading it and what the point is. Maybe, buried away at the bottom, there's an indirect request for aid or support, often not very specific. By the time I reach the end of the document, I feel like my time has been wasted, and I'm still not clear on the objective of the writing.

Another common issue is providing too much information. Being concise matters. Readers don't want to learn everything there is to know about a topic; they want to know the action and why they should take it. I remember a client once sent me a 100-page proposal on sensitivity training for police, judiciary, media, and so on, on children's rights, legal rights. It was a great project and a great proposal, but it was 100 pages, and the proposal began on page 51. The first 50 pages were the entire history of the Nepalese legal system. When I removed those 50 pages, the author almost cried. But nobody is ever going to read unnecessary information like that.

Furthermore, clarity in writing is crucial. Long sentences, unnecessary words, and complex grammar make it difficult for readers to follow your ideas. Have you ever had to go back to the beginning of a paragraph because you forgot what was there? Or reached the end of a sentence and realized you forgot the first part? That's the writer not being clear.

When it comes to writing style, it's subjective. Style is about how you dress your ideas, and good style needs to be interesting, personal, persuasive, and not put the reader to sleep.

Be careful with the language you use. Avoid obscure words, outdated words, or idioms. If you wouldn't ordinarily say it, don't write it. Use concrete terms that your readers can understand.

Finally, poor spelling, grammar, and punctuation are also problematic. A spell checker won't catch every error, so it's essential to write clearly and simply to avoid appearing careless.

In summary, writing well is about having clear objectives, being concise, maintaining clarity, developing a good writing style, using appropriate language, and ensuring accuracy in spelling, grammar, and punctuation.