How to Be Your Readers’ GPS

One of the big challenges I see as a professional writer is: people don’t know how to make their writing readable. Many people - especially if they’re university trained - tend to write in big blocks of text. This trend has even created a new acronym: tl;dr (too long; didn’t read). So how can you convey the information you want to convey, while keeping it lively and spicy for the end reader? I’ll share 3 tips for doing this with you, but first, a little story about what I did over the holidays.

Over New Year’s, I went with two friends (international students from Iran and Bangladesh) to visit Graceland, the home and estate of Elvis Presley, in Memphis. We were driving from Knoxville to Memphis, and my friends aren’t familiar with the area, so I needed to plan a way to get there.

So I went onto Google Maps, typed in my address, then Graceland, and got directions. I analyzed the route, and figured it was the quickest possible, except it routed us around Nashville, and I decided we could just drive through it.

It was a simple route, and I had it memorized in my head, but we had a couple of issues. First, I wasn’t driving, and it’d be challenging to convey each direction to the driver. Second, we were planning to stop for food, and I didn’t know exactly which city we’d stop in. Third, we were driving at night, on New Year’s Eve, and I was worried about drunk drivers or other dangerous conditions. (New Year’s Eve is a wild night in Tennessee metro areas).

So I was a bit worried. But as soon as my friends arrived, I realized the problem was a non-issue. They rented a new Chevy Malibu, which comes equipped with a GPS map and narrator that talks to you and tells you where to go. I don’t often drive, so I’m not familiar with all the technology, but this car was impressive.

We got in the car, my friend said his standard driving prayer (he’s a Muslim), then we typed in Graceland to the map and it dictated the directions to us. We went off course a couple of times to get gas, and it updated the directions consistently. Finally, we missed a turn in Memphis, which made me nervous since Graceland isn’t in the safest part of the city, but the GPS got us back on the main road quickly. 

At each step on our road trip, the GPS assisted us with our movements. It showed us where we were. It showed us our speed. It told us the speed limit. It warned us about a speed trap (!). And it updated the route automatically when we got off track.

In short, it did exactly what a good writer should do as they walk a reader through a writing piece. The job of a writer isn’t simply to convey information in one big blob. A good writer helps orient the reader through the piece, so their brain can receive the information with minimal work.

And here are three ways to do that:

1) Start with a big promise

Start by hooking the reader with something valuable to them. Tell them what they’ll get out of reading your piece. Connect what you’re writing with something that’s already on their mind, something that matters to them, and tell them what they’ll gain by reading your piece instead of closing it out and going to the next thing.

2) Pace, then lead

There’s a concept in persuasion called, “pace, then lead.” If you can get on the same wavelength as your reader, know what’s going on in their mind, and address exactly what they’re thinking or what questions they have, you’ll be able to keep their attention and interest. Once you’ve “paced” them, you can lead then them to the next stage.

One good example of this is transitions: at the end of a section, reiterate what you’ve just covered, then tell them where you’re going next. 

3) Use stylistic devices to write in your voice

Forget what the Grammar Police or your English teacher said. Use italics, dot-dot-dots, indentations, all caps, and parentheses so your reader can read your words as you mean to say them. A good way to do this is to talk through sentences you write, then notice which words you accentuate, where you pause, and generally how you say each sentence. Then use stylistic devices to mimic how you mean to say the words. This way, your reader will read it in your voice, not theirs.

So follow these three steps. You’ll guide your reader through your piece like a GPS. They won’t end up in a sketchy alley. Instead, they’ll smoothly go through your piece and hang on your every word.

About Scott McKinney: I’m a freelance copywriter specializing in B2B software. I write funnel-friendly copy that helps my clients attract wonderful long-term customers. Unlike other writers, I come from a mathematics background, so I can tackle technical topics and translate them to what the audience needs to know. Need a writer? Email me at [email protected]. I’m currently booking new clients for 2021.