Chances are your English instructors in high school (and college, if you’ve taken freshman English) didn’t talk much about showcasing yourself.

That’s unfortunate, and here’s why: When writers want to make a good impression, they don’t know how to do it. And here’s a question you should ask yourself: When don’t you want to make a good impression?

Most people (and probably you as well) sit down to write because they want to solve a problem, promote an idea, or share what they know. How often did your English instructors talk about that kind of writing?

The likely answer is “rarely.” English curriculums and textbooks are so busy teaching you how to do workbook exercises and master jargon that there’s little time left for the real business of writing – showcasing yourself, your ideas, and your accomplishments.

But out there in the career world, people really do think about showcasing themselves every time they write. Hmmm, they think. What did my English instructors care about? Sophistication, big words, complicated sentences. And they had this thing about word counts.

So they sit down and write something like this (an actual example from a law-enforcement article I just read):

In the case of subjects presenting with agitated-chaotic behavior, it is extremely important that officers not compress distance in approaching the subject unless exigent circumstances exist.  Case histories have clearly shown that distance compression with delirious and/or paranoid subjects significantly increases agitation, which in turn can exacerbate psycho-medical condition.

Let’s translate that into normal English:

When you’re working with a person who’s agitated or confused, don’t get too close, too quickly unless there’s an emergency. People who are delirious, paranoid, or both are just going to get more agitated, making the situation worse.

But won’t people think less of you if you say “don’t get too close” instead of “avoid distance compression”?

You can answer that question yourself. How good are you at figuring out when someone really knows what they’re talking about – versus someone who’s just a pompous blowhard?

I suspect that you’re an expert.

Start paying attention to the people you like and respect. Notice how they talk and write. You’ll soon realize that you’re focusing on what they know and how they present themselves, not their inflated vocabularies and tangled sentences.

Here’s the #1 principle for effective writing: Think about showcasing yourself and what you know. You won’t have time for overblown writing. And you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the positive feedback you’ll start hearing. Try it!