The following is a reprint of the ReaderViews Newsletter February 13, 2012
Writing and Revising to Attract Different Readers
by Irene Watson, Reader Views
I don’t have my usual editorial today because I really don’t feel like writing one. Over the past week it’s been a roller coaster with one of our best friends going through heart surgery complications and beening stable/critical throughout the whole time. He made his transition on Thursday, Feb. 9th.
But…I do have something you might be interested in reading. It’s an interview I gave but for the life of me I can’t remember to whom.
1. What’s the best way for writers to draw readers into their articles?
In writing articles, it’s necessary to remember that everyone does not have the same tastes or interests, and everyone does not respond or learn in the same way. Readers have different personalities so being aware of those personalities and writing with them in mind will bring your writing to life for a larger number of people.
First, you need to understand the four types of reader personalities:
1. Methodical: These readers are not interested in the personal touch but want hard data, step-by-step explanations, and bullet points.
2. Spontaneous: These readers are in the moment, they want things quickly, and the proof up front.
3. Humanistic: These readers want the personal touch and personal stories. They want to know who you are so they come to trust you; then they’ll listen to the point you’re trying to make.
4. Competitive: These readers want you to prove to them that you have something they want or need because they often think they already know everything. They will have attitude if you can’t deliver, but they will value you if you can keep them on the cutting edge so they can stay superior to others.
To write a successful article, you need to know how to target your audience, which means determining which type of reader personality is likely to read your article, and also how to write your article to cover these different personalities as much as possible so you include more than one personality type and do as little as possible to isolate readers. That said, remember you can’t please everyone, and your topic isn’t necessarily going to interest all personality types.
2. Many methods of attracting reader interest exist. What do you feel are some of the best methods?
Figure out who your target audience is. Build a persona and ask yourself how your target audience member fits into the above categories. For example, if your article is about healthy cooking, is your reader the college male who lives on fast food or the thirty-something mother concerned about feeding her children properly. It’s probably the mom. Then determine which personality she fits into and deliver the information to meet that personality trait’s criteria. For instance, she may be the humanistic type, so if you are a mom as well, relate stories about cooking for your own family so she realizes you understand her situation and needs; then she’ll be more likely to listen to your information.
3. What are some kinds of articles that really don’t need much “fleshing out” or being “brought to life” for readers? How would they compare to the articles that would benefit from such revision?
If your target audience is methodical or spontaneous, you can get to the point quickly. You can use bullet points and limit your examples and not provide personal stories. “How To” articles fit into these categories or more informational articles that are in line with reporting rather than personal essay articles.
4. How can revising writers hone in on areas of their work in which they can determine that it should be “fleshed out” or made more “real” for the reader?
Ask yourself again, “Who is my target audience? What does my target audience want from this article?” For example, if your article is about how to be a good wait staff, you are probably writing to a humanistic audience. A humanistic person—a people person—is going to be a better wait staff than a competitive personality. You can use examples or personal stories about situations where wait staff have had to deal with difficult customers as well as ways to be pleasant to customers and friendly without going overboard. Personal stories will make the reader trust you know what you are talking about, and for more methodical readers, it will also show that you have experience and prove that you know what you are talking about through your practical examples.
5. If the revising writer can’t figure out the right words to use to describe something (such as the sound of a person’s voice or how something tastes), what are some resources he or she can use?
Description is not necessarily the best way to flesh things out. It sounds like you’re talking about fiction writing a bit here, in which case, what your characters’ say will be more effective than descriptions of what they say. Of course, for both fiction and non-fiction, a good thesaurus is an advantage for finding the “right word.” Too many beginning writers, however, tend to go overboard. I recommend never to use a three syllable word if a one syllable word will do. A perfect example that I see all the time is the use of “utilize” instead of “use.” “Use” is sufficient. Nor should wordiness be mistaken for fleshing out. Fleshing out is “developing” not filling the page with words. It never hurts to look at individual sentences and the word count. If the first draft of your sentence has fourteen words, you can probably revise it to have eleven. Being “succinct” is the best advice, and “succinct” is the perfect word to remember precisely because it is succinct. It is better to say “Be succinct” than “Use as few words as possible.”
6. Can the whole “fleshing out” thing be overdone? How can the writer avoid this?
Absolutely, and that ties into being succinct. We do not have to state the obvious or what is implied. In your last question, you asked about the right word to describe the sound of a person’s voice. In writing dialogue, adverbs are frequently overused by beginning writers. For example, take the following piece of dialogue:
“I’m not going to do it,” Ted said defensively.
The adverb “defensively” is completely unnecessary. It’s implied in the words. Here’s another example:
“You know, I really do love you despite what you may think,” Ted said apologetically.
Again, a good writer can create dialogue that tells us the tone of the speaker’s voice without having to find an adverb to describe it.
In terms of the personality types, bullet points may be more effective because they get to the point right away compared to explanatory sentences.
Sometimes too much information results in overkill. Too many examples can bore or wear down the reader. Your methodical reader, for example, will want you to get to the point, not tell your life story. Your humanistic reader likes the personal information, so give one powerful personal example to back up your point. It will be more effective than multiple examples.
I’d give you another example, but I think I’ve made my point.
7. Why does it help an article to bring it to life for the reader?
Articles tend to be short. Sometimes just a few hundred words. Rarely more than about 5,000. That only gives you a short time to capture the reader’s interest and attention—more time than it takes to watch a commercial but less time than to watch a TV sitcom. Bringing the article to life can create images and memories that will stay in the reader’s mind long after the article has been read. Despite how short an article may be, no piece of writing has to be insignificant because of its length. A well-written article can be as successful and powerful as a full-length book, even more so. Many articles have changed the world by revealing information that was unknown or not thought about previously. Powerful stories and examples and persuasive tones can change your readers’ lives.
By remembering the different personality types of your readers and considering your target audience, you can reach the largest number of people most likely to benefit from your article, provide them with the information they want in the manner that will make them most receptive, and ultimately, enrich their lives.
