3 Ways to Inspire your Readers

Whether you’re creating content for an award winning website or whether you’re writing a tantalizing romance novel, inspiring your readers is one of the most important steps to getting – and keeping - their attention. There are many ways to embolden your readers, and you need to think of them like the foundation of a building. Without the foundation, the building will have nothing to support itself with and will collapse.

So without further ado, let’s have a look and see what you can do to inspire your readers!

EYE-CATCHING TITLE

There are so many websites, books, and magazines out there that it can be overwhelming for readers and clients alike. In fact, it can be so mind-boggling that most people will only glance at the titles. If they see something eye catching and interesting, they’re more likely to read the actual content.

It’s easy to get stuck picking the perfect title; trust me, I’ve been there, and there’s no doubt it’s a challenge to choose as few words as possible to describe your work. At the same time, you want to avoid being vague. Here are some examples of poor titles:

• Writing Basics

• Medical Writing

• SEO Writing

The following title examples are clear, concise, and they explain to the reader exactly what they are going to be reading. There is little to no guess work, and most of them use very bold language that is hard to ignore. Try some of these titles below if you’re feeling stuck, or mix and match the words until you’re satisfied with the result:

• How to Rock your First Freelance Writing Gig

• Practical Guide to SEO Writing

• Full Guide: Technical Writing

USE FEWER WORDS

Using fewer words in order to convey a message exudes confidence. Being too wordy is the fastest way to lose a reader’s attention. They’ll pick up that article you wrote, and at a glance not be able to see the meat of it. The first line, or even the title, should convey everything. It should be catchy without using too many words, which can be a hard balance to achieve. To help you, I’ve written an example between ‘wordy’ and ‘confident’ language use:

Wordy:

“As an example, make sure you compile your to-do list in an orderly fashion that follows your line of thought.”

Confident:

“Compile a to-do list and summarize your items in the order of your choosing.”

BE BOLD WITH A HINT OF WARMTH

Be bold instead of cautious and don’t be afraid to write what you really think. Putting yourself into your writing will give your words more weight and more power. In this day and age, everyone’s opinion matters, so make sure yours stands out against all the others.

Below is an example of what not to do; the language of this sentence lacks confidence and is quite bland. You want your writing to be strong and eye-catching!

“I think proof reading your own content is a good way to practice.”

As opposed to the above sentence, have a look at the much bolder way to say those exact same words:

“Spotting your own errors can be hard to catch at first, but the more your practice, the better you will be at it. So proof read your own content as soon as you’ve written it; soon, even professional editors will be in awe of your skillset!”

#reading #writing #lessons