on writing
The First 3 Things That Decide The Fate Of a Story — Content Isn’t One of Them.
That’s the fourth.
Sad, but true.
Just writing good content does not ensure the success of an article. There are things that decide the fate of a story much before a reader gets to the content.
A typical internet user spends almost 7 hours a day consuming data digitally. Though there has been a dizzying surge in the amount of content that is consumed, it is the quality of content engagement that has become more of a challenge.
In order to stand out in this gamut of digitalization and short attention span, one needs a whole new game plan.
Hence, while writers must master the art of great writing, they also have to hone the skill to ensure that people read their stories.
1. Headline and sub-headline
As David Ogilvy says:
When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents of your dollar.
Having a good headline and sub-headline are undoubtedly THE most important key to opening the door to success.
Doesn’t matter if you have found Cleopatra’s tomb or solved the JFK murder, unless you have a good headline, it can ruin the prospect of a good readership.
So, here is a list of things one needs to pay heed to when deciding the headline of a story.
Points to remember:
1. Clarity of the message. Never keep the reader in the dark. Creating a mystic aura in the headline is a definite no.
If you are selling lemons, tell them you are selling lemons. Do not preach about the benefits of Vitamin C!
Commit and deliver.
2. Tagging an emotion. Emotion makes a headline more relatable for the reader. It can be:
fear, expectation, upliftment, surprise, curiosity, confidence, belongingness, safety, security, shared opinion (inclusivity)
Cash in on these things that engage readers the most:
learning from others’ mistakes [ learn from my mistakes..]
making something work faster/ bear faster results [n things that can fast-forward your marketing career]
reverse psychology [stalling your writing career is easy if you are not doing/doing these n things]
discarding the obvious [and I always thought great content is enough. I was in for a surprise]
These are some of the effective emotions to hook the reader.
3. Avoiding clickbait. Like a plague. Intrigue the reader, tease them but avoid the clickbait drama. It’s like the difference between being sensuous and vulgar.
N things that will make you a millionaire overnight
N things that you never heard about [something]
A bit much.
4. Not giving it all away. There will be no point in reading the story, right? The headline is like a broad declaration of what’s inside — not the disclosure of the plot.
Something like - “The Father Killed the Daughter.” Sorry, no takers. Or:
“Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol in Your Food Cause Insomnia.” Okay, thank you for the information. Bye.
5. A complimenting sub-headline. This is what I say is the balancing flavor of a story’s title.
If you feel the headline is slightly tilted towards ‘scintillating’, make the sub-headline a bit more rational/grounded. And vice versa.
[Here is a FREE list of 17 wonderfully crafted headline templates for you to use.]
2. Introduction paragraph
Okay, you have done a great job on the headline and sub-headline. Good job. So, now that you have hooked the reader's attention with your headline, now is the time to reel them in.
An introduction or the first paragraph does exactly this job.
Points to remember:
1. Not too long nor too short. The introduction can never be too lengthy (readers lose interest) or too short (gives an impression you are in a hurry or have fallen short of content).
2. Maintain a flow. Start from a generic higher ground. Go up a notch from the topic and gently transcend into the story. It should all look streamlined.
3. No fluff, please. Random sentences with no structure or flow are a complete turnoff for the reader. Abrupt things popping up that are not in sync with the topic are also a no-no.
4. No killing the suspense. The plot is for the body of the story. Do not give away all the information in the introduction.
5. Keep the engagement quotient high. The introduction is the section where you impress the reader. It speaks more about you as a writer. It sets the tone of the story ahead and helps the readers decide whether they want to go ahead.
3. Formatting of the content
Imagine this situation.
You have cooked up an exquisite dish, labeled it with an outlandish name, with a description that can titillate the most demanding taste buds, but when you present the dish — it’s just a dollop of food on a shabby plate.
Doubt it will be a hit.
Formatting the content is how you serve your dish.
How visibly palatable have you made it for the reader to consume.
Points to remember:
1. Avoid lengthy sentences. There is no definite formula or rule, but keeping it within two lines is a good practice.
To have a lengthy sentence would only increase the chance of a reader getting confused and misinterpreting the real meaning that you intended to give, hence is an extremely risky thing to do.
A lengthy sentence can be confusing. There is a chance that the reader can get confused and misinterpret the intended meaning. Hence, avoiding them is a prudent thing to do.
2. Spacing between paragraphs. Avoid paragraphs that are more than 4 lines. If found in a situation otherwise, break the content into smaller sentences and give some space. It gives a breather for the eye and keeps monotony at bay.
3. Use different styles. This ensures an enhanced reading experience.
Bold letters, italic letters, change in the fonts, quotes, highlights, bullets, and heading formats are great tools for such a purpose.
4. Grammar all the way. Nothing can be a bigger putoff than a grammar mistake — make sure you have none.
Conclusion
Coming up with great content is one thing, making it consumable is another.
In this new era of digital content, it becomes imperative for writers to tick all the boxes before they can be sure that their content is accepted by the intended audience.
Before you go:
A thing or two. If you liked this story, I can arrange for more such stories delivered straight to you. You can get them hot and fresh by subscribing here.
And I have some freebies for you. One is a headline template list. Another is a Medium Content Planner. I have been getting great reviews about them.
