Writing to Be Understood

Have you ever wondered what makes your favorite nonfiction books so compelling, understandable, or enjoyable to read? Those works connect with you, as a reader. This book will help you recognize and apply the methods of your favorite writers to your own writing.

Writing To Be Understood is the thinking writer’s guide to effective nonfiction writing techniques, such as:

• Using analogies effectively to illustrate unseen concepts


• Appealing to the reader’s innate curiosity


• Alternating between abstraction and detail in explanations


• Balancing humility with credibility

For each topic, the book combines insights from cognitive science with advice from writers and expert practitioners in fields of psychology, technology, economics, medicine, policy, and more.

Whether you’re an expert trying to communicate with a mainstream audience or a nonfiction writer hoping to reach more people, Writing to be Understood will help you expand the impact of your words.