The Role of Icons, Emoticons, and Emojis in Writing

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Icons, emoticons, and emojis play a role in writing as they engage readers differently. Research shows that using emojis in writing can make it more appealing and easily understandable for busy readers. Emojis have been the subject of legal interpretation in financial documents, with courts ruling on their meanings. Surveys reveal that different generations interpret the same emojis differently, highlighting the subjective nature of their meanings.

Whatever you’re writing, Todd Rogers says most people are too busy to read it. That’s why, he says, “you want to make it as easy as possible for them."

Rogers is a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the author of the book Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World. From text messages to fundraising letters to political speeches, Rogers says effective writing makes it “easy for busy readers to navigate what we send them, pull out the key information, and do what they are planning to do anyway, which is move on to the next thing.” This kind of writing, Rogers says, is “more effective for us, and kinder to readers.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Rogers and host Matt Abrahams explore how to use structure, simplicity, and everyday vocabulary to write in a way that saves readers time and transmits ideas more effectively.

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