Writing For a Reader

One of the most important aspects of journalism is to make sure you are writing for a reader.  A journalist’s main goal in writing is to inform, but it is also vital to entertain the reader.  A writer can present the best facts and most important information, but if the writer can’t put those ideas together in an entertaining way, few readers will be willing to take the time to go through what the writer has to say.

There are several keys to effective writing:

The first key is to understand the assignment you are writing about.  It’s hard to convince the reader you know what you are talking about if you really don’t understand the topic you are writing on.  This includes doing research and educating yourself on the topic you will be writing on.  You need to become an expert on the topic you are covering, so you can present the information in a factual, interesting and informative manner.

Knowing the audience you are writing for is also a key in effective writing.  Being knowledgeable about a topic is great, but will do little if the writer is writing towards the wrong demographic.  If you are writing for readers who know about the topic, you might not need to go into as much background information as you would if you are writing for someone new to the subject.  Always remember to respect the reader, and writer to the reader's knowledge of a subject.  An example would be writing about golf.  If the writer is writing for a golf magazine, there is a strong chance the readers know who Tiger Woods is, so going into his background and accomplishments might not be necessary.  If the writer is writing about Woods for readers not familiar with golf, it might be a good idea to explain why Woods is so great and highly respected in his sport.

While being knowledgeable about a topic is important, it is also important not to use too much jargon in writing.  Just because a term might be commonplace in some circles, everyday people reading an article may not be aware of that language.

Eliminating extra words is critical in effective writing.  In today’s world, people don’t have a lot of time to spend on reading an article.  Editing out extra words or phrases not only saves space, but also it helps keep the reader interested in what you are saying.

Making sure you ideas transition together is another way to help keep the reader involved in your writing.  A writer needs to make sure his or her writing has focus and progresses in a linear fashion.  Writing that jumps from topic to topic and back again can be hard for a reader to follow.  Transitioning ideas in an effective manner can do wonders in keeping a reader interested in what you have to say.

Always remember that what you have to say is important, but it is also important for people to care about what you have to say and want to read it.

Here are two Web sites that can give you more information about writing for a reader.

http://www.grad.ubc.ca/gradpd/guides/executivewriting.html http://freelancewriting.suite101.com/article.cfm/writing_for_the_web_vs_writing_for_print

- Dennis Culver