Strive Notes

Following on from my post last week about common reading habits, here are some more hints to fight ‘Reader ADD’, especially when detailed explanation is required.

1. Keep all paragraphs as short as possible. Develop a new paragraph about every five lines of type.
2. Use bold sub-heads every few paragraphs. Think of them as graphical devices as well as effective tools to draw readers in.
3. Use numbered, lettered or bulleted lists to make important facts easier to remember.
4. Keep sentences reasonably short. Don’t chop copy. It jars. On the other hand, don’t write very, very long sentences that go on and on and never seem to end for the poor the reader who might be stuggling to try to make sense of it all. Instead, vary sentence length to ensure a better flow of words and a good rhythm.
5. To keep the reader engaged, break the rules of ‘good English’ to introduce new paragraphs. “But, there are other benefits…”, “Or, if you prefer,” and “Even more important is…”
6. Avoid uneccessary background. Despite what your boss or client thinks, the reader doesn’t need a long dissertation on how old the company is, how long the development process is or how clever the CEO is. Keep your copy focused on the subject at hand and the core message you wish to communicate.

Filed under: public relations