It is a tough job to keep the readers engaged. Just think about how quickly you roll your eyes over when you come across unnecessary details in a write-up? It’s probably the same for every reader. Ridiculously long sentences and overly difficult words could cause the readers to lose focus.
I, Suha, from the Circle team have summarised these simple tricks for you to write engaging and reader-friendly pieces with ease.
1. Do your homework
Before you start writing, you should have a clear idea about these three things
- Why are you writing it (the purpose)?
- Who is it for (your reader or target audience)?
- What are you writing about ( the message)?
2. Start with a draft
Don’t just directly write unless it’s an exam. Prepare a draft first, keeping the things mentioned above in mind. Get it checked by someone, if necessary. Before finalizing the draft, proofread it and if needed, re-edit/rewrite it.
3. Use smart, yet familiar words
Using strong (advanced) vocabulary undoubtedly adds to the weight of your writing but it’s better to avoid words that will require the reader to grab a dictionary.
4. Keep it short
Just because you have the opportunity, you should not make it too long for your reader. Science says, our average attention span is only 8 seconds. Keeping this in mind, you should make your writing as concise as possible.
5. Communicate
Always remember that the reader should enjoy your write-ups. Write in a way as if you were talking to them in real time.
6. Keep it natural
Unless it’s a formal essay/email/ application, it’s better to write in an easy-going language. It not only helps the reader to understand your message better but it also helps them be comfortable reading it.
7. Express emotion
If you are trying to engage your readers, you may need to put some emotions in your writing. Writing in binary language won’t really help in keeping your reader connected. The readers are human after all. However, it is important to know your position in front of your readers and place emotions in your writing accordingly.
8. Use bullet points
This is the best trick ever! Bullet points are great for summing up your ideas within a single point or a few sentences. It also helps readers follow your message more easily.
If you got this far in this article, my tricks must be working.
Don’t you think? Let me know!
