How to Make Your Writing More Attractive to Readers.
These guidelines will help you…
Writers want readers to enjoy reading their work. This is why many writers are constantly searching for tips, tricks and advice on how to actively engage readers.
Good writing doesn’t just happen. It takes clarity, accuracy, sometimes brevity; all of which are hallmarks of a good piece.
Sometimes, it’s hard to tell if you are a good writer. This is because as writers, we mostly rely on reader-engagement and feedback as yardsticks for determining the quality of our work. With this comes more confidence and a firm conviction that we are truly as good as we think we are.
Good writing is an art, and you will know it when you see it.
Catching your reader’s attention is what matters most.
As Mary White, a communications expert says, “grabbing someone’s attention has nothing to do with what you write- it is related to how you write.”
Whether it’s the theme story, statistical data, style of narration or revelation of facts, the goal should be to get the reader attracted to your writing in the best way possible.
A lot of things can make your work a masterpiece which readers won’t forget in a hurry. Here are some of them:
1. Headlines and Sub-headings.
If your headline does not spark interest or push your readers to want to know more about what you have written, you may not get the desired effect you long for.
Headings are a sure way to capture attention. It lets the reader know what to expect.
Let your headline be catchy and direct.
Most readers have a certain expectation of every article before settling to read it. Their decision to read further is dependent on what they have seen at first glance.
Some people would rather scan through a piece so they can have an idea of what it contains, before delving into its content.
Once you have succeeded in catching your reader’s attention, do your best to keep the tempo flowing. This is because readers may get disappointed if they are unable to get what brought them to your article in the first place. Keep it intriguing, exciting and consistently build momentum till you reach a point of total expression. Deliver what you have promised!
Use sub-headings and bullet points if you have to. It helps people understand your point quickly.
Here are two important reasons for using headlines and sub-headings:
- It keeps your work organized
- It immediately draws the reader’s attention to what your writing is all about.
2. Show genuine interest in what you are writing.
When writing, you have a picture in your head that you want the readers to see; a particular feeling you want to evoke. Your words are there to help communicate this.
You could lose your reader once you start sounding detached from your writing. For this reason, it’s important to pay attention to sequence, consistency and organizational accuracy. Let your passion for writing and preference for your chosen topic be perceived by the readers from a distance.
That fire and enthusiasm must flow from your piece.
As you write, put yourself in the reader’s position and ask yourself what you would do if tables are turned. If you had to read your work as someone else, would it be original, captivating and fascinating enough to make you read to the end?
Language is a tool and a good writer knows how to use it.
3. Get to the point.
While writing, we may be tempted to give many details before passing the actual message.
Agreed, the goal of writing is to communicate through words that express your intention. However, using unnecessary words may water down your points. Replace ambiguity with clarity and verbosity with simplicity.
In writing, accuracy matters a lot. If you wish to be exact, do the following:
i. Use your words with precision
Express your opinion unapologetically. Be very specific. Avoid using vague terms. Carefully chose your words while trying to convey your information.
ii. Use shorter phrases
If your writing is uninterestingly long, the reader is bound to get lost in the middle of it.
iii. Use simple words
Keep your writing original and easily understandable. Remember, Brevity is the soul of wit.
iv. Use appropriate words:
Depending on your audience, you should use appropriate words. Whether it’s jargon, industry-related word or slang, ensure that it is something that can be reasonably understood by your audience.
v. Structure your paragraphs and use line breakers:
The truth is, not everyone is a thorough reader. For scanners, they can simply get the gist and move on to the next point. Use reader-friendly approaches that will easily draw attention.
Your paragraphs don’t even have to be the same length. It’s helpful to mix your sentence structures too; mix simple and compound sentences so the reader can take a break and pause from time to time while reading.
vi. Clear language is absolutely important when writing.
Nobody wants to get caught between long explanations and any lengthy sentence construction. If you want to write something lengthy, consider breaking it into smaller topics.
4. Use an active voice.
Using an active voice is important because it makes it easy for the writer to directly engage the readers. It is also persuasive in nature as many readers may enjoy reading a piece when it calls them to action.
To know if your writing has an active voice, try reading out loud to yourself. How accurate does it sound? Melissa Furreura suggests using this trick to check the readability of your writing.
Active words are usually easier to pass across a message.
Let’s look at these examples:
Active voice: “The man ate the food.”
Passive voice: “The food was eaten by the man.”
Active: “The researchers concluded that the observations were…”
Passive: “It was concluded by the researchers that the observations were…”
Here, the subject is the active participant, not the object.
Why using an active voice is important.
Active voice is more interactional and will ensure more reader engagement. It is also shorter and less wordy.
Don’t let your writing be too indirect or impersonal. If the sentence sounds too awkward and less straightforward, it is probably not in the active voice.
Active voice personalizes your message and gives you clear content.
Passive voice can also be used where necessary, although nothing drives home a point like an actively strong statement. Writers mostly use the passive voice when passing a report, or when trying to create a shroud of mystery. For instance,
Mystery: She was killed
Stressing action: The bill was passed.
Reporting: Inference can be drawn from the statistical report …
5. Be creative with your writing.
Different things appeal to various readers. While some writers can use an attractive hook to draw their reader’s initial attention, their style of writing may not sustain the reader’s continued reading.
Whatever you use, let it be so powerful that readers cannot stop reading. It could be a controversial stance, historical introduction, metaphorical nuances, a political argument or rhetorical questions which will be mind-boggling to readers. Through all of it, let the reader’s imagination be enlivened like never before.
Creating your own unique writing style is essential. Let your style resonate and connect deeply with your readers. Make it as vivid as possible and embrace those qualities that make your writing distinct.
6. Proofread what you have written.
Your writing isn’t conclusive if you don’t proofread it. Proofreading means carefully checking for errors in your work before proceeding to publish it.
Even if it’s a simple e-mail, report, blog writing, academic writing or a text, check it one more time before sharing it.
If your work is thought-provoking and attention-grabbing at first sight, its potency may be lessened if it is filled with errors and wrong punctuation. Readers tend to get distracted and may be overwhelmed if they can’t read smoothly and freely without errors.
Apply these tips and never stop striving to improve your writing because growth is a continuous process that never ends.
