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How to Intrigue a Reader

No matter what kind of writing you do, you want to capture the reader's attention and keep him reading. “I came up with new leads for game stories by being observant and clever, by using the many gifts of the English language to intrigue and hook a reader,” writes sportscaster Dick Schaap. His process works well for any writer. If you intrigue your reader within the first five seconds, he will continue reading.
  1. Articles

    • Give the reader a reason to believe you will provide information she needs or wants. Begin your article with a snappy quote, a tidbit or related humor or a single sentence story. Get to your point quickly and make every word count. Offer your reader something new to consider instead of regurgitating the same information she can find anywhere. When you provide roviding unique ideas, perspective or content, your reader has a reason to finish reading this article and to watch for other articles you write.

    Stories

    • Set up a question or discord in the first page or two of your story and answer it in the next three to four pages. Keep presenting small conflicts and finding solutions that lead to more complex and intriguing situations that your protagonist must solve. Keep the story moving by making the character complex and his situation believable. Consider unusual ways for your hero to deal with each new incident. Offer unpredictability by taking the first three resolutions that come to mind and choosing the exact opposite next move for him. This keeps your reader guessing and fully engaged in the story.

    Blogs

    • Intrigue blog readers by providing salient bits of information or advice in easily consumed bites. Offer your expertise in areas where you feel passionate. Ask questions that elicit responses and interaction with your readers. Make comments or choose subjects that make your readers pause and consider your words by introducing the unexpected. Find an unusual way to express your truth that sticks with your readers long after they stop reading. Say it with humor, identify with the concerns or needs of your readers and give them credit for intelligence and some basic familiarity with your topic.

    Advertising

    • Advertising writers may have the most difficult task when it comes to intriguing readers. Determine what motivates a reader to buy your product or service and offer them that and a little more. Examine the product for one or two innovative features that the consumer can’t find in any other product. Paint a picture of your reader enjoying the product and wondering why no one else ever proposed such an intelligent solution. Provide various benefits your reader never considered about the product and how her life will improve if she buys this product created with her in mind.

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