Simple Tips on how to Generate Interest in your Readers.

3qqjxjIn order to effectively convey a message to the intended audience, a genuine interest must be implored through the use of motivational practices. Multiple ways to accomplish this can contribute to the readability and attention necessary to retain the reader’s willingness to receive the message. According to John T. Guthrie, “Engaged reading is a merger of motivation and thoughtfulness. Engaged readers seek to understand; they enjoy learning and they believe in their reading abilities. They are mastery oriented, intrinsically motivated, and have self-efficacy.” When readers place emphasis and attention to the message, the subject matter intended to be explained is more comprehensive and makes for a better read. Let’s take a look at a few ways we can do this.

Keep it Simple…

There are many simple ways to generate interest in your reader before the text is even read. It is a good start to simply make the visual appearance of your message attractive to the reader. If your message contains many long- winded paragraphs, the reader will not likely be invoked to engage in the comprehension of your intent. It is best to keep your paragraphs short with 100 words or less in order to captivate and invite your reader to participate. I like to start my messages with a brief comedic or dramatic video that pertains to the subject. It is also a good idea to use sub-headings to indicate what each paragraph is going to cover. This makes for easier readability and is more likely to keep the attention of your audience. Use bullets if it is appropriate within the context; don’t use formats just for the sake of using them. Make sure it is used sparingly without too much repetition for this might lose your reader’s motivation to continue focusing on your message.

Ooh, Ahh…..

Along with keeping paragraphs brief, Incorporating visual stimuli through the use of graphs, charts, images, or clip art to make the message more attractive can enhance the reader’s experience. On specific points you are attempting to stress, employ the use of bullet points and lists to keep the reader engaged. Indicating the subject matter is also a good way to provide clarity on what you are trying to convey to the reader. Use headings and subheadings to transition between ideas and subjects within the text so that the reader can identify important points.

Look it Over…

Finally, the organization and clarity of your message are also a necessity in order to spark interest and invoke the reader to participate in your ideas. There is nothing more perilous than a message full of mistakes. The organization of your message is an important quality in your professional writings, especially for intricate documents. Be sure to review your message in order to verify readability and correct literary mistakes. A reader will not be inclined to continue focusing on your post if it is full of misspelled words, run-on sentences, and incorrect grammar. For more information on this topic, check out this article by Philip Yaffe.

Shane Parker is a student at the University of South Florida. It is his goal to develop a career in finance.


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