Free Tips & Tricks

Writing tips and tricks: What makes a text work?

It’s important to ask yourself some questions before you even start with your research, let alone writing.

  1. What is the text for?
  2. Who is the audience?

Answer question number 1. If the purpose of your text is:

  • to inform your audience, please click here to read on.
  • to sell your service or product, please click here.

Informing your audience:

  1. Find out who you’re writing for. Keep your audience in mind. Why should they be interested in your text?
  2. If writing for a publication, make sure you read it. Try to match its style.
  3. Is your topic newsworthy?
  4. Find a compelling headline.
  5. Answer the five “W’s” in the lead paragraph: who, what, where, when and why.
  6. A focus statement helps you stick to your main points, especially when writing longer texts.
  7. Use the active instead of the passive voice.
  8. Deal with the facts. Check and state your sources. Make sure the information you’re providing is honest, fair and true.
  9. Make sure your audience understands what you’re writing. Please find some tips below:
  10. Don’t overuse adjectives. Keep it simple.
  11. Avoid jargon.
  12. Don’t waffle (ramble). Please find more information on Weaselwords.
  13. Finally correct any spelling and grammar mistakes.

Selling your service or product:

  1. Identify your target audience. Who are your customers? What are their needs?
  2. Don’t only list what you’ve got to offer, but what your customers will get out of it. Focus on the benefits, not the features.
  3. Create a unique selling proposition. What makes you different from your competitors? Why should people use your product or service?
  4. Where possible, supply evidence supporting your claims, eg statistics or testimonials.
  5. In ads, brochures etc: If using images, make sure they match the text – or the other way round, whatever is more important.
  6. Focus on your target audience. Find the right tone of voice. You’d use a different style when writing for teenagers than for senior executives.
  7. What can you offer your customers, which will compel them to act now?
  8. For tips on concise and simple style, please refer to points 10 to 13 above.