Think of your favorite book. You lost yourself in reading the book to the point where you painfully flipped to the last page.
Your interest was aroused since the opening sentence of the book.
You became captivated to the very end.
That’s the power of writing.
As a writer, you should aim to achieve that power with your content.
Take a moment to consider how well you write.
Do you think your readers understand what you’re trying to say, or are they misunderstood?
If you are sweating, then dear writer, don’t worry anymore. We know exactly what to accomplish for you!
There are many rules for writing if you look for them. However, not all rules are equal when it comes to brilliant writing.
In this blog, we will dive deep into the 7 rules of writing, that you should follow if you want to create content that will grab your readers’ attention.
Here Are the 7 Rules of Writing:
A good writer cares more about the number of individuals they have inspired than the number of words they have written.
You must exhibit in-depth knowledge of the topic and a logical sequence of events that hooks the audience’s interest.
Let’s explore the rules of writing one by one:
Write an Eye-Catching Headline
The most crucial component of your post is the headlines. Your post’s headline has just three seconds to capture your readers’ attention.
Yes, just three or maybe less.
Without a catchy headline, readers won’t read your content. You should never, ever undervalue the impact of your headline. Here are some additional guidelines for headlines:
- Verify that you can fulfill your commitments.
- Be direct and clear.
- Express yourself strongly.
- Make use of language that appeals to your readers’ imaginations and addresses their most important issues.
- You want your headline to engage your readers right away emotionally.
- Be original and unexpected. What we mean by this is that you update an existing concept and add your distinctive voice.
Frame Your Outline
Let me start from here. You have thought of a fantastic idea for your upcoming post. And you think you will simply sit down and write whatever comes into your head? Don’t you?
Wrong.
These ideas in your thoughts are merely concepts. When you begin to investigate them in depth, some of them will start to fall apart, others will be unclear, and some will lead you down in strange directions, like a confusing maze.
Instead, what you can do is frame your idea in a 3-step process. Consider your outline as an opening act, laying the groundwork for your main blog or article to come.
Step 1: Introduction
Set the scene in the opening paragraph of your post by describing the purpose of your content, the topics you’ll explore along the way, and how your readers will gain value by reading your content.
Step 2: The Body of Your Post
This is where you should elaborate on the concepts you have in mind. Make a list of subjects with bullet points. Write a brief summary of what you intend to cover under each of those categories now.
As you proceed, keep asking yourself these questions: Does this bullet point fulfill the promise in my headline? Will the knowledge I’m imparting to my readers be useful to them?
Step 3: Convey Your Message to Them at The End
You have summarized your content and can see your goal on the horizon. Your readers will depart feeling informed, inspired, and enlightened. Before the topic gets over, take enough time for a final summary.
Simplify Your Language and Make It Easy to Read
If you want to avoid your audience being diverted, then simplify your language. We all have always been instructed in school to use metaphorical language while writing creatively.
However, you should avoid using complex words, peculiar words, or exclusive words that can be explained in a single phrase.
Additionally, you should use imagery and other techniques to set the right mood for your audience.
All excellent authors believe that you should use straightforward language.
Each time, after you finish writing a sentence, ask yourself, “Can I make this sentence simpler?”
If it can be shortened, do so.
You can check the readability of your content by using this guideline:
- You can shoot different examples to make your idea crystal clear.
- Write naturally. Let your creative juice flow. Write to express yourself and not to impress.
- Ask your audience questions after every context so that they don’t get bored.
- You should avoid bulky paragraphs and complex words. Use short sentences and short paragraphs.
Writing lengthy, complex sentences that indirectly convey your meaning is another example of trying to be fancy. You should be transparent.
Avoid using abstract concepts, and try to say what you mean. If you do this, it will be simpler to understand what you write. Every sentence needs to make a clear message.
Craft Your Subheadings That Glues Your Readers
Your subheadings should spark interest without being too clever or witty.
Let’s clear this up. Don’t produce a single long paragraph for the body of your content.
Instead, group the topics you listed in the draft under several subheadings and then provide content to back up each viewpoint.
This makes your content simple to read and neat-looking as well. Using topic sentences and transitional words, you must be careful to move between ideas.
Make sure that each of them has a headline that can stand alone as a mini-post.
When combined, they should serve as compelling hooks at the start of each subheading and persuade your audience to read on.
Your Grammar Should Be on Point
The one skill that is always useful and achievable is proofreading your Grammar before submitting your tasks.
You should use proper Grammar by following these guidelines:
- Verify the placement of dashes, apostrophes, commas, and full stops.
- Be bold and attempt to use powerful verbs of action.
- Look over your Grammar and spelling.
- Don’t forget to utilize your senses and the spell checker.
- It is advised that you use the active voice because it is less ambiguous. Even though some occasions demand using the passive voice, this complements the previously mentioned rule of being clear.
Pay close attention to how you’re using auxiliary verbs, articles, and prepositions.
Verify the proper tenses and idiomatic terms, as well.
You have little chance of capturing the audience’s attention if your Grammar is improperly used.
Write a Solid Conclusion
Put a strong conclusion to your content.
Leave your readers with a sense of motivation to take some action.
Write a brief summary of your main points.
Don’t forget to remind your audience why they are reading this article and what they are hoping to learn.
Show your readers in your conclusion how your content has addressed some of their doubts and queries.
Link to external websites and articles that you have found useful and that will be of assistance to your audience.
Give your readers some extra value and exciting opportunities to follow in their search for information and solutions.
You must always encourage your readers to return to your site by promising them more in-depth information, value, and inspiration.
Check and Proofread Your Work
This is another key rule that you must stick by if you want to write fantastic content.
The last and most crucial phase in the writing process is editing.
You can make the journey of your readers delightful by presenting your work in the best possible light.
- Use the different online tools for writing that are accessible to you to check your work for spelling, grammar, and word usage.
- Speak to other writers for advice. You can ask a friend or family member who is a great writer to read the essay and point out any mistakes for you if they are around.
- Reading it numerous times. Until you are confident that the article is coherent and flows smoothly, read it as often as possible.
You can also use the following guidelines:
- Write the content in one day and edit the next day. Take a break between writing and editing the content.
- Cut the crap. You can avoid the fluff in your content by removing the extra matter.
- Revise your work thoroughly. Read it aloud and see if something else needs to add or reduce.
People can see right away that you’re a skilled writer who values the time and attention of their readers. Furthermore, it will tempt readers to read your upcoming content.
You must develop a unique style that appeals to your audience by unintentionally blending diverse approaches.
Your content should consist of a clear chart that shows all the points along the road from your starting point to your destination.
Conclusion
For whom are you writing? Who do you think will read your book, article, or blog post?
Good writers target a group of people who have something in common, making it specific rather than general.
Your work should flow naturally and be simple to grasp by carefully considering your word selection and avoiding clichés and generic expressions.
By using clear language, you can make your writing more engaging.
Simply put, these rules are critical because they enable you to make sure that your writing has the best format, is clear, and is simple to read.
They also help you organize your content’s material and ensure that you don’t leave out any crucial facts or information.
In a nutshell, you should write naturally by adhering to these rules, despite your fear of being imperfect.
