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Understanding the Purpose of Written Communication

August 27, 2021 Marketing

Written communication is a cornerstone of modern society. But why do we communicate? What purpose does it serve? Why are we a society that relies on written communication? It’s a question discussed for thousands of years, and many theories have been proposed. There are numerous advantages to using written communication, but the main one is that it allows us to communicate information to others. It works best as long as you can understand the data. This article will discuss why this particular way of communication is vital for society and some ways you can improve your writing.

What Is The Definition Of Written Communication?

Written communication can be defined as a form of communication that is communicated through writing. It can also be defined as the practice or skill of communicating through writing. It has traditionally been seen as an extension of oral communication. Many people have found that their written skills have decreased over time without practice. With the advent of remote employee work and the need to communicate via messaging apps and emails, people quickly discover that they need to improve written communication skills to portray their feelings, desires, and sentiments more concisely. An operation’s success depends on the quality and comprehension of what the writer intends to convey. For many, this is a skill that they must relearn.

What is the Purpose of Written Communication?

The purpose of written communication is to share a message with people. However, different types of written communication can be classified according to their intended audience and the medium of transmission:

Written Communication For Individuals

An individual sends these types of notes to others or themselves to express what they want to say. These notes provide a personal expression that an individual alone can deliver. These written messages may be sent anonymously, on behalf of someone else, or in response to something.

Written Communication For Groups

These notes are meant for individuals who are gathered together, either for family or business groups. Additionally, You can use them to allow members to share content with those not present during the original authoring.

Why Is The Written Word So Important To Society?

Words are used to express emotions and ideas. They help people to learn, communicate, and share knowledge. Society must write down the data that makes the world a more connected place.  In essence, the written word is a way for humans to express themselves. It allows you to share ideas in different ways that are sometimes more personal than spoken words.

Establishes A Permanent Record

Writing down information provides humans with a connection to the past by way of a permanent record. Although there is debate these days about how humans will continue to pass on information in the digital age, the fact remains that writing down what is in your mind creates a permanence that can be disseminated into the future.

Provides Ease Of Distribution

If humans were unable to put their thoughts down on paper, society, as you know it, couldn’t exist. There would be no way of sharing information with other communities outside of verbal communication. This is why those who could read and write were often the rulers and imposed their will on others in ancient times. After more people learned how to read and write and began writing down what they were thinking and sharing it with their communities, rulers’ power began to wane. You can look at Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation as an excellent example of this.

How to improve your written communication skills

While many benefits come with this new world of content sharing, there are also some downsides. With so much content out there, it’s hard to find relevance in today’s society. Therefore, people should know how to properly document the information they wish to share.

Before You Begin Writing, Determine What Your Goal Is

Before you begin writing, determine what your goal is. This will help you get started on the right foot when planning your piece and breaking it down into sections. If you merely begin writing without a proper plan in place, you will soon discover your writing veers off into irrelevant territory.

Don’t Include Details That Aren’t Necessary

When writing, you must always attempt to remain concise and leave out the filler. This is vital to ensure your writing can be read and understood effectively. Business writing emphasizes the importance of clarity even more since the author must convey clearly what is intended. The key to writing concisely is not to limit the length or size of your content. Instead, it means that you should accurately convey what you want to say. If you need only a few words to say it, that is fine. In contrast, if you require a lengthy article to convey a point, you should write it that way. 

Utilize Outlines 

Creating an outline before you begin writing is essential to cover all of the induration you need. While this might not apply to informal writing, it is a valuable habit to develop. If you don’t outline, you’ll probably end up writing with a stream of consciousness style, which will work for putting words down, but make the next step difficult.

Ensure Thorough Editing

Editing your writing is not an optional step but an intertrial part of writing. Without thorough editing, your work will appear messy and confused. It is also unnecessary for informal writing. Nevertheless, you should spend time editing it so as not to appear uninformed or in a hurry.

Proofread

This step is exchangeable with editing as you will inevitably go through several rounds of proofreading and editing. You need to proofread your prose to spot errors, learn about what you have written, and see if what you wrote is accurate.

Written communication is a powerful tool that allows people to communicate and exchange ideas. It also helps humans to understand each other. The written word is a powerful tool that has been used for millennia. It can move people to tears, change opinions, encourage action, or even save lives. However, writing is a skill that takes time and effort to master, which is why every individual should learn it to preserve information for future generations.