An Argument FOR a Formal Writing Style

     As I work to create various lessons and presentations that will appeal to my specific audience of learners, I tangle with the choice of formal versus informal language. While my 'digital native' audience is said to have a shorter attention span who prefers visually striking, distilled text to learn about a subject, I am conscious that they have chosen to attend an academic program where there is a natural expectation that they will learn to communicate in a professional manner.
    I am also conscious that I have been told in the past that my communication can sometimes be too formal and come off as cold. There is this presupposition that a carefully crafted sentence or paragraph implies a lack of emotion or empathy. As I thought about this 10 minutes ago, I became inflamed at this idea and the the general sense of disdain for formal writing in social media.  
    So, I am arguing the case for the use of a formal writing style in many circumstances where it is warranted. I will first discuss its obvious use in professional communication, then I will discuss the intentionality of formal writing, and finally discuss its effect on the reader. 

    Marketing, the global village, and extreme cultural shifts have forever changed the professional world as CEO's send informal text messages to employees and all manner of attire is acceptable work clothing depending on the industry. In contrast to this, many words and phrases have become unacceptable as we grow conscious of the unforeseen effects of our speech on the lives and feelings of others.  While there is the occasional success story of people who have done little and have little regard for others (I will not do them the honour of adding to their publicity), most of those we consider 'successful' in their careers are very good communicators, both oral and written.

    When I speak of these role models' ability to communicate well, I am referring to their ability to clearly relay their intended message in a way that is accepted by many different groups of people.  This is what I believe to be professional communication. Their words, no matter where they fall on the gradient of informal to formal, are chosen with a specific purpose in mind (intentional).

     Formal communication is the intentional use of language to convey the author's message. It avoids inflammatory words, biases, and emotional persuasion; but it is not without emotion or empathy.  I would argue that the author engages a great deal of empathy during the writing process in order to get their message across.  There is less likely to be a miscommunication (when compared to text messages) because the intention is explicit and there is little room for confusion. The author thinks carefully about their audience and how best to convey their intended message.  With this intentionality, each word, phrase, or flow of thought is analyzed for its effect on the reader; and this brings me to my final point.

    When someone reads something written in a more formal style, it is often with less visual support.  With maybe a single image to draw the eye (see photo), it may appear less interesting at the outset, but it presents an opportunity for the reader to form their own imagery and their own meaning out of what is being said.  This makes it more personal for the reader as they integrate what they are reading with their own knowledge and experience.  If the reader has found a connection with the words that matches the author's intention, then kindred spirits have found each other. 

    I fully embrace informal communication and its ability to attract and engage a wider audience, and I also fully appreciate and utilize a more formal communication style to discuss topics to a greater depth, to ensure that my intended message is conveyed, and to allow my audience to form their own conclusions.