Why Should I Care? Grabbing Your Readers’ Attention
 
by editor abbagold39 (currently offline)
 

You have 30 seconds to tell me why I should care about what you have to say.  Entice me, and you may hold my attention for three minutes.  Hook me, and I may actually read the entire piece or even other articles in your publication.  But to bore me is the kiss of death, and the death of your profit.

Sound difficult? It is.  But hooking your reader is the challenge faced by today’s writer in every kind of publication — magazine, journal, newspaper, Web site, brochure, etc.  In our busy, instant society, readers are more than ever strapped for time.  Think about it.  When was the last time you read an entire publication from cover to cover? Rarely does anyone read the newspaper front to back anymore.  Grab a popular magazine, and you will find more photos and shorter stories, many of which don’t go beyond a page.  Today’s readers have to make the most of their time and are looking for maximum benefit with minimal effort.  That means, “Tell me how to save money, but tell me in five easy steps, not 2,000 words.”

So how do we, as writers, communicate effectively and accurately with less time and fewer words? It’s an ongoing challenge, but one that can be successfully met with preparation and creativity.  Words are our weapons, and two of the most important places we can use them are in our headlines/titles and opening paragraphs.

Headlines/titles: Tabloids take the cake for grabbing your attention with headlines.  They’re outlandish, exaggerated, and preposterous, but we remember them.  You can’t escape a grocery store without learning about a Martian landing in New Jersey or Celebrity A and Celebrity B’s illicit affair.  No matter how much of a hurry you are in or how distracted you may be, news of a 25-pound newborn can always evoke a smile, eye roll, or voice of disgust.  And everyone wants to know the latest escapes of Ms.  Spears and Ms.  Hilton.  Most of us have become disciplined and keep moving our groceries from cart to conveyer belt.  But there are the few who, dying to see a picture of a rotund baby, pick up the magazine and are sucked in.  This number is enough to make these publications very profitable, and our purses and wallets, less so.

Headlines and titles are the first place to start when trying to draw in your readers.  Try to remember the last time you picked up a newspaper or magazine.  What drew you in? Foremost, you were probably attracted to a photo — there’s a good reason for the cliché that “a picture is worth 1,000 words.” But once you saw the photo, you then saw a word or phrase with which you identified or one that evoked your curiosity.  Before you could contemplate the cost to your wallet and time, you had picked up the publication and were eagerly reading.

When writing headlines/titles, choose words wisely.  Even news stories — where your goal is to give the facts — can, when appropriate, be entertaining.  By appropriate, I mean a natural disaster or horrendous crime is not the time to use a pun, no matter how clever your idea.  However, a little wordplay here and there, such as alliteration, can draw in readers in other informative and entertainment pieces.  Ultimately, think creatively, aim for specific nouns, and choose strong action verbs.  Remember that, unlike tabloids, sensationalism is not your goal.  

Opening paragraphs: However, your message cannot stand alone on the merit of a title.  A wonderful title may preside over a horribly boring story and vice versa.  You must have something substantial to say and must be able to do it creatively and concisely.  You can help ensure a successful start to your copy by answering the following four questions:

What is my specific message? If you don’t have anything to say or don’t know what to say, you are better off to stay quiet.  Moreover, if your topic is too broad, you will feel overwhelmed, and so will your readers.  This reminds me of high-school student’s attempt to write a five-page paper on World War II.  You can’t get too far into the war in five pages, unless you wind up summarizing from an encyclopedia.  Enter the teacher, who advises the student to narrow down the topic, maybe to one particular battle or hero.  

When determining your message, try to focus on two or three key points or ideas.  If you feel readers may need more information, you can always direct them to a Web site or additional resources.

Who is my audience? Your message will be futile unless you know your readers.  Say you want to write an article on retirement accounts.  If your magazine is directed at retirees, you may want to share with them how to make the most of their current funds.  A publication for young mothers could give easy steps for beginning a retirement account.  The more you know about the people to whom you are writing — sex, education, social class, lifestyle, beliefs, attitudes, goals, etc.  — the better your chances of being read.  

Would I read this? Do you think what you have written is boring or uninformative? If you answer yes, chances are it is.  If you aren’t willing to invest your time, you cannot honestly expect someone else to do so.  Have a friend, relative, or co-worker read the piece and give feedback.  If your spouse is bored by your opening or admits he or she would not keep reading, it’s time to rework that first paragraph.

Getting anyone’s attention for more than a split second is difficult in today’s society.  Persuading them to read what you have to say feels impossible.  Writers have a huge responsibility before them, but taking the time to develop solid headlines and opening paragraphs makes the challenge attainable.