Nine ways to engage your readers

  1. Make a basic outline to see how various aspects of your piece can relate and flow engagingly.
  2. Find a fresh original angle that will grab a reader’s attention. Develop an interesting narrative. Add historical or political context to assist your points. Use quotes.
  3. Details, details, details. Take notes, ask questions, get quotes, and jot down details. Be as specific as you can.
  4. Read more.  Rinse and repeat. Good reading makes you a better writer. List nine of your favourite writers to emulate. What makes their voice and style so readable?
  5. Seek to entertain and educate your reader in a light, breezy way. Thus avoid clichés like the plague. Originality is king.
  6. Just do it: Write even when you don’t feel like it. Successful writers stick it out.
  7. Show, don’t tell. Lose the adverbs and flowery descriptions. Choose the perfect verb instead. Use broad brushstrokes to paint with words.
  8. End with a punch or at least ensure the ending captures the point of the story.
  9. When your piece is finished, read it out loud to see how it flows. It’s also a great way to find your “voice”.