How to Write Effectively – 7 Crucial Tips

This is post #28 of 30 in the series “Writing Tips For Authors & Bloggers”

How to Write Effectively – 7 Crucial Tips

No matter what you are writing, unless you are writing in your own private journal or diary, the objective is to communicate. That means you want to tell someone something, persuade them of something or at least get some kind of reaction from them. Here are some tips to help you do this more effectively:

1. Imagine You Are the Reader

Before you even start, put yourself in the shoes of the reader. Try to imagine what this reader might be thinking or what they might want or need. If it’s information, what exactly would help them most? What might motivate them to buy something (if you are selling)?

2. Break Information Down

One of the worst mistakes some people make is to just write one long page with no paragraph breaks. Even a long page of paragraphs can be dull. A simple example is this article, which is separated into numbered points. You can also use headings or bullets. You don’t have to do this with everything you write. If it’s short, one section is probably enough. But, as a rule, people today have short attention spans and you can be more effective if you create more sections to divert them.

3. Focus on the Reader

Another mistake many writers make is to write in a way that alienates the reader. If you find yourself saying “I” a lot, you might be doing this. Again, attention spans are short today, and the fact is, people want to know how something pertains to them. So if you are trying to persuade them of something, keep the focus on them.

4. Brief and Concise

Don’t make your writing any longer than it has to be. The more filler you put in and rambling you do, the more chance you have to lose the readers attention. Stick to the points. This is especially true of business or sales letters.

5. Spelling and Grammar

If your writing is full of mistakes, you are likely to lose many readers. If you have problems with this, there is spelling and grammar software available that can correct your spelling, grammar and punctuation errors.

6. Avoid Excessive Hype

If you try too hard to sell someone something, you will put them on the defensive. If you are marketing, don’t overuse exclamation points, red lettering, bold print and over-hyped statements.

7. Use Writing Tools

Good writers don’t try to be completely self sufficient —they use tools that can help them. This may include a dictionary, thesaurus, spell checker or online grammar and punctuation software. Use whatever will make your writing more professional.

Source by Jane Sumerset