Writing works best when the writer establishes a link with her readers – quickly drawing them in and satisfying their desire to know more. The basis of that connection is mutual respect: a good writer knows she must exercise her craft in such a way as to earn respect from, while also showing her respect for, her reader.
The respect cycle starts with good mechanics. Punctuation and spelling mistakes scream to the reader, “I can’t be bothered to fix these!” The reader dismisses the writer for laziness, unintelligence, or worse… and the dissed writer loses her audience. Given how easy it is to get the mechanics right, the first step in earning the reader’s respect should be a baby one.
Demonstrating respect for an audience is the more challenging – but far more rewarding – task. Writers should first analyze their audience, taking into consideration such factors as demographics, existing level of topic familiarity, and basic motivators. Once these are understood, the writer can leverage traits from a writing rubric like 6+1® to intentionally show respect for her readers’…
- Intelligence. By offering a well-articulated, evidence-backed idea; vivid, appropriate-to-the-task word choices; and mechanical perfection, a writer can engage any reader’s intelligence, guaranteed.
- Curiosity. A strong idea and engaging style help capture and sustain a reader’s imagination and meet his need for enlightenment or entertainment. Style combines a passionate voice; mood-setting word choices; and sentences with flow, rhythm, and cadence (i.e. “fluency”).
- Time. Not all readers are in a hurry, but when they are, a good writer makes her point quickly. For those readers who want to luxuriate in a bit of good prose, the writer can take a little more time to deliver it with grace and sensitivity. Either way, a logical, organized presentation keeps the reader focused.
Above all, excellent writers show the ultimate respect by making their reader’s job easy! Need help? Scholar’s Secret brings out the best in emerging and experienced writers alike. Contact us anytime!