5 Tips for Easy to Read Posts

Professional writers typically measure their output by the number of words that they write. Readers, on the other hand, have a much more abstract system for determining how “long” a post is, namely how long it feels.

Much like some 3 hour movies feel much shorter, many lengthy blog posts seem to only be a fraction of their actual length.

Though there is nothing wrong with writing longer posts, the lengthier your work feels, the more compelling and worthwhile it has to be for a reader to get to the end. As such, if you can make your post “feel” shorter to the reader, the odds of them finishing it (or even starting it) goes up.

Here are five ways for wordy bloggers, such as myself, to help their readers get through to the end.

5. Shorter Paragraphs

When writing for newspapers, reporters are taught to never put more than two sentences in a paragraph. Though not always a good rule for novelists, it’s a solid rule for most bloggers.

Keeping your paragraphs short maximizes the amount of whitespace in your work and makes your writing easier to pick up from after a break. They give your readers a chance to rest and refocus.

Though, like all rules, it is one that sometimes needs to be broken, making it a general rule makes your writing less intimidating and easier to get through.

4. Subheads

One of advertising legend David Ogilvy’s rules for good ad copy was to always include subheads in your work. This makes your work skim-able, meaning someone doesn’t have to read the full post to get the big idea, and breaks up your text.

Subheads work like paragraph breaks, but only more obvious. Like chapters in a book, they provide breaks and stopping points, further reducing the burden on the reader.

Good subheads make it so that a reader only has to read the parts of the story they want or, if they want to read the entire work, have “goals” that they can reach before taking a break. The best subheads, on the other hand, tell the basic story themselves, making the main body optional.

3. Lists, Blockquotes and Tables

Though there are a lot of ways you can format your text, there are three basic HTML elements that can break up a post by adding a visual component to the post, lists, blockquotes and tables.

Each of these items, when used correctly, add visual information to text that also makes it easier to read. People’s eyes are naturally drawn to these visual elements, meaning that by putting a few in the body of your post, you can pull the reader toward them.

Also, when glancing at a post, most readers don’t seem to “count” these elements as part of the post itself, making it a way to add data to a post without drastically extending the perceived length.

2. Images

Adding images to your post not only makes it more attractive but also helps to make the post appear shorter and easier to read.

Placing images throughout your post not only acts as breaks in the text, but rewards the reader for reaching certain points. Also, since they have a lot of visual weight, they tend to pull readers toward them, encouraging them to read the copy.

Images are also a great way to make your posts stand out in RSS readers, which are frequently skimmed through at a very fast pace.

1. Typography & Design

Finally, one of the best tips for making your posts appear shorter is by making it easier on the eyes through use of good design and typography.

The easier your post is on the eyes, the easier it is to read and that makes it less work for the reader. Though it won’t help much with RSS feeds, leaving whitespace around your post, making sure your line spacing is good, keeping line length reasonable and using a clear font are all important.

If you are interested in improving your blog’s typography, check out this article on The DivitoDesign and this post here on Blogging Tips from 2008 about a WordPress plugin Typogrify.

If you keep your layout and text clean, your posts will be that much easier to read and that will make your readers thank you, even as they are spending more time reading your work.

Bottom Line

In the end, writing a blog entry is about passing on the information you need to with as little work as possible on the part of the reader. However, this is not the same as saying “in as few words as possible.”

It is possible to make your posts seem short when they are actually quite lengthy. If you provide your readers with a good deal of breaks, visual differences and rewards, getting through a 2000 word post can seem as easy as getting through a 500 word one.

If you treat your readers right, they will reward you with their time. Treat them poorly and they won’t be bothered to read your articles at all.

Written by Jonathan Bailey from Plagiarism Today
Posted on March 19th, 2009 and filed under Blogging
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