Why good writing needs someone who doesn’t understand it

Let’s take a moment to talk about candles.

Candles are long things made of wax, with a wick that you light.

Just about all of you would be able to picture what I’m describing. Why? Because you already know what it is I’m describing. For someone who has never seen a candle, though, that description is nowhere near enough.

This is exactly what happens when you’re writing.

When you’re working on something you know well, your brain fills in the gaps for you. You think you’ve explained everything clearly. In reality, you’ve skipped over the parts your reader actually needs.

It’s something I see often as an accredited editor providing editing services in Melbourne, particularly in technical and educational writing. The more familiar you are with a topic, the harder it is to see what you’ve left out.

What clueless people are actually for

This is what clueless people are for.

Find someone who doesn’t know your subject. Not someone unintelligent, just someone outside your field. If you’re writing about railway level crossings, find an engineer who has never worked on them. If you’re writing about civil engineering, find an electrical engineer. If you’re writing something technical at a basic level, find an accountant.

Give them your introduction and ask them a simple question: does this make sense?

If they can’t follow it, it’s not an introduction yet.

Testing clarity in technical writing

The same applies to processes.

If you’ve written step by step instructions, hand them to someone who has never done it before and ask them to work through it. Where they hesitate, something is missing.

This is a core part of technical writing services. Clear writing is not just about being correct. It’s about being usable by someone who doesn’t already know the answer.

Why professional editing helps

You won’t always have a conveniently clueless person available.

This is where working with a professional editor in Melbourne can make a difference. A good editor reads like your audience, not like you. They spot the gaps you can’t see, whether that’s missing context, unclear explanations or steps that only make sense in your own head.

It’s the same reason people look for proofreading in Melbourne, although in many cases the issue starts earlier than proofreading. If the meaning isn’t clear, polishing the grammar won’t fix it.

The simple takeaway

You won’t always be able to see what you’ve left out. That’s the problem.

So find someone who doesn’t know as much as you do, and ask them what’s missing.

Clueless people are surprisingly useful like that.