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Updated: September 12, 2024

How to write so others will read it

By Paula Mahony, Words@Work

Do you ever wonder whether people read what you write? Stories compel readers to read on.

Any time you put pencil to paper you have the opportunity to tell a story. Your purpose is to persuade your readers to see your story through your eyes.

Photo / Provided, Paula Mahony
Paula Mahony, Words@Work

Before you can do that, you must consider who the readers are and what their goal might be in reading your information. With this framework, you can consider the words and ideas that will make them more receptive to what you have to say. 

How do you accomplish that? 

Do your research. Audience research is an all-encompassing term that might include reviewing industry trends, surveys and interviews. It can also be much more granular when you have individual conversations with folks in your target group.

It may seem overwhelming but is less so when you know that you are looking for insight into how your potential client views the problems your business can solve. 

Say, for example, you want to write about trends among craft beer drinkers. Obviously, you would do some online searching. You could camp out at your local brewery and talk to the bar staff about additions to the tap lines. Let your curiosity guide you to strike up conversations with folks actually drinking the beer.

Putting that information together, you have the genesis of a story. 

Describe the problem from the reader’s perspective. This is your hook. Describe the problem in one or two engaging sentences demonstrating your understanding of the issue from the reader’s point of view.

In our craft beer example, what if you hear that beer drinkers are growing bored with hoppy IPAs, yet none of the breweries mention any product expansion? There is a great disconnect for you to explore. 

Develop the story. Your story should help the reader realize that you can solve their problem. It is your job, not the customer’s, to make the story relatable. Get right to the root of the value you offer.   

Continuing with our theme, you are ready to pitch some research and writing ideas to your favorite beverage industry publication. Since your research is preliminary, you might suggest additional research to confirm your theory. 

Adapt substance to form. Every publication and media has its own demands. Writing an effective letter is different from a rack card or a web site. You’ll need to edit your story with its final form (and audience) in mind.  

For example, your first job with a rack card is to convince someone to pick it up. Space is limited, so you need to plan and pace your story for a very limited attention span. The curious thing about a rack card is that both sides have to engage you because the back can also be the front if it’s picked up by someone else.

In contrast, the pacing of a longer piece needs to hold the reader’s interest so they can digest more information. You have more words to work with, but if you do not select them carefully, you will lose the reader. A few well-chosen points, with engaging examples, allow your readers to follow your story to conclusion.

To make his stories compelling, master storyteller Stephen King focuses on making each word do as much work as possible: “Extraneous words bury the story.” If you have strung together three adjectives, pick one. If you have more than one adverb, perhaps you have chosen the wrong verb.

Tempting as it may be to use technical terms to demonstrate expertise, you want to persuade and engage readers, not create barriers. If you send readers to the dictionary they will not come back. A testimonial in layman’s language, describing a smooth resolution of a vexing problem is more effective.

Ditch your ego. Take advantage of opportunities to get fresh eyes on your content, and make sure your reviewer knows that you are looking for constructive criticism, not affirmation.

Maine novelist Monica Wood wrote a family memoir, “When We Were the Kennedys.” Since she did not have non-fiction experience, she made sure she had all of her factual ducks in a row. Her sister told her the first draft read like an appliance manual.

After the rewrite, it became the award-winning “When We Were the Kennedys,” and an Amazon pick for “Best Biographies and Memoirs.” If Monica can take it, so can you.

Above all, recognize that the real competition is for attention. You need to attract both a share of the customer’s mind and the customer’s time. Human beings are wired for stories. Make yours a good one.

About the author

Paula Mahony, founder of Words@Work, has a reputation for creating interesting and yet ever-so-simple concepts that deliver incredible results. A rogue marketer, she specializes in envisioning new approaches and unique solutions. She builds strong teams with one clear goal: client success.

If you're like to learn more about writing effective content for publication, register for a free program via Zoom on Sept. 19, "How to Write so Others Will Read It." Presented by the Association for Consulting Expertise, it will feature Mahony and an introduction by Mainebiz Editor Peter Van Allen. The program runs from 10-11:30 a.m.

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