Writing Well vs Writing Relevant

One of the most interesting things I have learnt at my internship at the Public Transport Authority was the difference between writing well and writing relevant.

After drafting a communications plan for an upcoming project, my supervisor helped me then demolish it and make some major changes. The issues weren’t so much about my style of writing but more the relevance of the information that I had included.

I sourced the information for the draft from internal documents and online publications to identify issues and impacts of the project.  But the issues that I had identified were not necessarily the PTA’s place to address. I learnt that my focus needed to be on responding to the big issues well and not trying to target every possibly relevant stakeholder.

The communications plan also provided challenges related to how facts, details descriptions of government policy can quickly change. In looking at a project that had first been conceived in 2009, I discovered a lot had changed between the planning and consultation processes and the impending implementation. It was interesting to see a written history of how government agencies manoeuvre in different political, economic and social climates.

So from now on I won’t just be considering my writing style and attention to detail when I write. I’ll also be looking at the practical impacts of what I write.