It makes sense that interesting writing is going to bring a bigger
readership to your blog and finding clever ways to make your writing
more interesting will make it more popular. Knowing that you need to
make your writing more interesting is a far cry from knowing how to make
it more interesting. There are several techniques you can use to make
your writing more compelling and here are 10 tips that cover three of
these techniques that may help to make your writing more appealing.
1. Keep it short
Don’t
say in three paragraphs what you can convey in one. Most people
typically won’t read more than three or four sentences before they start
to skim. You can either try to be more entertaining or simply just
write less.
2. Avoid “hedging”
There’s
no need to cover every possible angle when making a point. An example
would be, “Today, almost all adults have at least some form of
electronic device like a phone or Blackberry that they carry.” By simply
saying, “Today adults carry electronic devices to stay in touch” you
have left out hedging words like “almost all” and “some form”.
3. Repeat phrases
Repeating
phrases can add some tempo and organisation to your text. Repeating
phrases draws the reader into the rhythm of your writing style.
Repeating phrases is an easy way to make someone want to continue
reading. Sometimes writing becomes uninteresting when the writer isn’t
in to the topic, isn’t inspired, or is lacking in focus and energy. Here
are some ways to work on those problems to improve your writing.
4. Your surroundings matter
Find
the right atmosphere in which to write, but also believe in the theory
of “needing a change in scenery”. It is critical that you find a place
where you are comfortable and your writing can flow easily. The more
comfortable you are, the more interesting your writing is likely to be.
This atmosphere isn’t just the house, room, or office in which you work.
It also has to do with setting the ambience, whether this means playing
a certain style of music, having the TV on in the background, or
sprawling on a blanket in the park. Even when writing in your comfort
zone, you can face a “writer’s block”. When this happens, take a break
and get that proverbial change of scenery. A little time away from your
normal surroundings is a great way to clear your head of the cobwebs.
5. Come back later to something that has you stumped
Sometimes
one paragraph or even just a sentence doesn’t seem to flow the way you
want it to. If you spend too much time on one sentence, it can
completely derail you from the whole article. Come back to it later so
you don’t lose your train of thought. There will be plenty of reviews
and edits in which you can fine-tune that one pesky sentence. The
trickiest part of making your writing more interesting is learning how
to “be” interesting. Here are some pointers that will help you be more
interesting so that it translates into your writing.
6. If you have a sense of humour, show it in your writing
Too
often bloggers take themselves too seriously. You can get your point
across while entertaining your readership. Being bored is another reason
readers begin to skim. Inject a little humour and you will get your
readers back.
7. Supporting stories
A
good story that supports your point is an excellent way to keep a
reader interested. They are great openers, too, that make the reader
want to find out more. Stories can teach and entertain at the same time.
The better the story, the more you and your blog will be remembered.
8. Find complementary imagery
You
know what they say about pictures? They can be worth 1000 words. That
is so true when it comes to interesting writing. If you can, find a
picture that totally conveys what you are trying to say and put it at
the very beginning of your post.
9. Make your posts aesthetically appealing as well as interesting to read
So
many blogs are just page after page of text with paragraphs that are
too long and nothing to break it up like headings and subheadings,
lists, or pictures. They are just plain ugly. If you put in the effort
to do some creative formatting, add pictures, clip art, and links more
people are more likely to stop and read the work of that interesting
writer who took the time to dress up his blog.
10. Be clever with your title
It’s
easy to turn a bland title into something that will catch the reader’s
eye. If you are writing about getting links to your blog, adding “How
to...” to the title lets the reader know they may actually get some
useful information. “Secrets to…” may make them believe there is
actually some little known information tucked away in your blog. Use
that sense of humour to create a catchy title.
Tips to Make Your Writing More Interesting
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