How to Write for the Public

Communications Toolkit

How to write for the public

Writing for the public is very different from writing for an academic audience.

Getting the basics right will enable you to write confidently for any media – websites, social media, blogs, magazine articles and so on. The same principles also apply if you are interviewed by the media.

This How To Guide gives you some general tips to get you started.

Please note: 

This guidance is designed to help you communicate to the public as individual practitioners.



You must not communicate on behalf of or suggest you are representing the views of: - The International Psychoanalytical Association -

Any Psychoanalytical Association, Society or Institute affiliated to the IPA (unless you have their written permission to do so).

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Before you start, think about your audience 

Who is the intended audience?

- What is their age, educational and cultural background?

- What are their concerns and interests?

- Do they have any prior knowledge or perceptions of, or interest in, psychoanalysis?



What is my ‘elevator pitch’? What is my key message in a sentence?

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Where will the audience see my article? What is the context?

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What do I want the readers to feel or do with the information I am giving them?

Catch the wave Unless you have been commissioned to write a specific article be:   

Topical Relevant and Timely

Join the debate about something the media and public are talking about now.

Keep it simple and easy to follow 

Focus on no more than two key ideas/views per article.

If you are blogging (see How to Blog) you can cover other ideas another time.

Keep it as short as possible Unless you have been commissioned to write to a certain wordcount: 

Assume your readers are busy and may skim-read your article.

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Tell the story   

Use examples or anecdotes to bring your argument alive.

Use examples which will resonate with your intended audience.

But always anonymise any references to real-life clinical cases.

Make it personal   

Write in a conversational style.

Show some personality and, if appropriate to the subject, humour.

Use the first person – I/ we and you.

Don’t overstate your claims Psychoanalysis is a powerful clinical and explanatory tool but it cannot do everything.

Be careful to point out both strengths and limitations. 

Write in a journalistic pyramid format: Put the most important information in the first paragraph followed by supporting information or evidence, and summarise at the end.



Write in bitesize chunks – short words, short sentences, short paragraphs.

Cover one point you want to make in each paragraph.

Provide short sub-headings to highlight the key themes you cover to take the reader logically through what you want to say.

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Cut out the jargon Use no more than 3 psychoanalytical or other professional terms (if you have to)

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Use bullet points for lists Lists should be no more than 5 short sentences.

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Use active verbs, e.g. “we decided to” not “it has been decided to”

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Use simple facts and figures to give credibility to your argument.

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Don’t refer to academic research papers and don’t introduce footnotes.

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If necessary, provide links to one or two relevant websites/ YouTube clips.

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Read it back to yourself - aloud! Listen for some rhythm.

If you have to draw breath while reading a sentence it is too long.

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Ask a friendly non-psychoanalyst to read your article and take on board their feedback: -

Does it make sense to them?

Does it interest them?

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If you are writing for the media, assume an editor may query and/or change your copy.

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Editing may be an iterative process between you, which takes time, effort and patience.

 Trust the editor to help make your article as effective as possible for online and offline publication.

These tips are not exhaustive - you can find lots more advice on effective writing (some examples are below) on the internet. And you will have your own unique style and voice.

‘Today’s readers have very little patience for slogging through wordy writing.’

12 Tips for scientists writing for the general public

‘Your goal is to engage as many people as possible in ways that might affect their lives.’

Advice for Scientists Who Want to Write for the Public

‘Edit edit edit’ Writing for non-specialists

Prudence Gourguechon M.D November 2015

CT 2015.01

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