The Importance of Good Communication

Have Dice ~ Will Travel is my attempt at communicating with people that share my interests, i.e. gaming, whether it's role playing games, war gaming, boardgames, etc.  I want my writing to be clear and understandable, so as not to create any confusion about what I am trying to communicate with the reader.  Am I successful at this?  Most of the time I think I am, but there is always room for improvement.

Almost everyone who has attended a college or university for an extended length of time has probably taken a speech or communication class.  One of the things Speech 101 covers is that hearing is not the same as listening.  One is biological, and the other is psychological, and requires active participation.

I think reading can be viewed in a similar way.  It's one thing to skim through a piece of writing, barely looking at the words, and not grasp what the writer is trying to communicate with the reader.  Seeing the words is not the same as understanding the words.  Comprehending what you are reading is important, and if you are tired or distracted, then chances are it's all lost on you.  Have you ever read something, and had to go back and reread it, because you realised that you missed something?  I've done it many times, whether it was fiction or non-fiction.

Why am I even writing about this?  It's because one of the things I've come to dislike is when someone comments about something I've written, and they have totally missed my point, or misunderstood what I was trying to say.  I go back and look at what I've written, and try to decide if I was clear enough, or is it really confusing?  It's all about constant improvement.  I try my best, but I'm not perfect.

Of course most of what I write is my opinion.  Please keep that in mind.  If I write that the sun will rise tomorrow, that is an opinion.  Who knows?  Maybe space aliens will blow it up before then.  Far fetched yes, and an odd way of making a point, but... hey I've been sick.

Another thing I want to point out is that this blog is ME and my ideas.  Not some Internet Persona.  When I read some blathering idiocy, and call the blogger on it, and then I read something like "it's their Internet Persona" I cry foul.  Be yourself, or go home.  I don't find it entertaining. I find it disingenuous, and in a way, cowardly.  But I digress...

So many problems are caused by miscommunication, and it all could be avoided with a little extra effort.  Whether it's between you and your spouse, or between a game master and the players, communication ( either vocal or written ) can make things great, or cause huge problems.  It takes effort to have effective communication, but the results will be worth it.