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Webinar recap: Building relationships through writing

This Clear Language Lab webinar took place on February 25, 2026, as part of our free quarterly plain language series. Check out the recording, notes, and resources below.



This webinar covers:

  1. How to cultivate a welcoming and safe tone, even when writing about serious topics

  2. Alternatives to common features of bureaucratic, legal, and academic writing styles

  3. How you can show that you’re a trustworthy source of information




Key ideas

The tone and style of our writing impacts our relationship with our audience. When we rely on bureaucratic, legal, and academic writing styles, we risk:

  • alienating our audience

  • sharing information they can't understand

  • losing their attention or interest

  • harming their opinion in us



What do we mean by bureaucratic, legal, and academic writing styles?

While each are unique, they share similar qualities like:

  • Complex grammar and long sentences

  • Specialized or uncommon vocabulary

  • Dense formatting

  • Missing context

  • Buried key ideas and details


How can we write to build trust?

Strategies you can use include:

  • Writing for your audience

  • Formatting documents intentionally

  • Practicing Cultural Humility

  • Reframing barriers

  • Using common, everyday language

  • Explain the "why"


Writing for your audience

Remember, there's a person on the other side:

  1. Why do they want or need this information?

  2. How are they getting it?

  3. What’s important to them?

  4. What questions do they have?


Formatting documents intetionally

DO:

  • Use bolding to make key ideas easy to find

  • Create clear sections with headings

  • Add visuals when it makes sense

  • Make sure you have white space


DON'T:

  • Use ALL CAPS for emphasis

  • Rely only on color for key ideas

  • Write in large blocks of text that cover multiple topics or ideas


Practicing Cultural Humility

Cultural Humility means:

  • Reflecting on your beliefs, values, experience, and biases

  • Understanding that others have beliefs, values, and experiences that are just as valid our own

  • Being comfortable with not knowing and practicing lifelong learning

  • Recognizing the dynamics of power and privilege


Many of us work within systems that decide what resources or services folks are able to use. Reinforcing that power in our writing by being authoritative, forceful, or condescening is often harmful to relationships. Instead, we can focus on being clear and making it as easy as possible for folks to get the information they need.


Reframing barriers

Sometimes, they way we talk about challenges can make people feel like we're blaming them for something out of their control. To avoid this, think about how you can talk about opportunities. For example, instead of asking "Why is it hard for you to do X?" you might ask, "What resources would help you complete X?"


Using common, everyday language

It is often helpful to:

  • Mirror how your audience talks about this topic (use the words they already use)

  • Use ”we” and “you” to create a conversational tone

  • Write in short, simple sentences (subject-verb-object)

  • Use lists to break up dense information


Explaining the "why"

Explaining the reason behind rules or changes can help folks more confidently meet expectations. It can also help them identify where they may need help.

This means explaining:

  • Any context people need

  • The policy or change as simply as possible

  • The goal of the policy or change

  • How it impacts the audience

  • A path for questions or more information




Additional Resources


Interested in learning more about professional development at Clear Language Lab? Check out other past webinars, find upcoming events on our training page, or contact Sarah Glazer, Sr. Program Manager, at sarah@litworks.org to learn more about our offerings.

© 2026 Literacy Works


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