Comments on: How Do Readers Respond To What You Write? http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/2009/06/how-do-readers-respond-to-what-you-write/ Helping freelance writers make more money with their writing by Anne Wayman Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:04:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Ed http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/2009/06/how-do-readers-respond-to-what-you-write/comment-page-1/#comment-4148 Ed Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:53:18 +0000 http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/?p=3471#comment-4148 The article teases out various issues which can be summarized in one command: write for your readers. Too often, we fall in love with our writing, forgetting our audience could care less how much pain went into crafting the perfect paragraph or extracting quotes from an interview or tying it all together with a witty wrap-up. As survey after survey has shown, online readers are there for information; if we cannot add to their knowledge, our writing is just flotsam on the vast Internet ocean. As in other parts of our life, product wins out against procedure every time. While we may be focused on how we write and what we write, readers are concerned with just one thing: is it worth my time. In journalism, there is an old saying, helping to gauge whether a story is worthwhile: have you added anything to what's already known. Regurgitation is not reporting and typing is not writing. I had to borrow business terms for the art of writing, but one is pertinent: ROI; Return on Investment. If there is no ROI for readers, your writing - no matter how well crafted - will not entice a favorable response - if one at all. <abbr><em>Ed’s last blog post..<a href="http://www.newslancers.com/uncategorized/chicago-sun-times-files-for-chapter-11/" rel="nofollow">Chicago Sun-Times Files For Chapter 11</a></em></abbr> The article teases out various issues which can be summarized in one command: write for your readers. Too often, we fall in love with our writing, forgetting our audience could care less how much pain went into crafting the perfect paragraph or extracting quotes from an interview or tying it all together with a witty wrap-up. As survey after survey has shown, online readers are there for information; if we cannot add to their knowledge, our writing is just flotsam on the vast Internet ocean. As in other parts of our life, product wins out against procedure every time. While we may be focused on how we write and what we write, readers are concerned with just one thing: is it worth my time. In journalism, there is an old saying, helping to gauge whether a story is worthwhile: have you added anything to what’s already known. Regurgitation is not reporting and typing is not writing. I had to borrow business terms for the art of writing, but one is pertinent: ROI; Return on Investment. If there is no ROI for readers, your writing – no matter how well crafted – will not entice a favorable response – if one at all.

Ed’s last blog post..Chicago Sun-Times Files For Chapter 11

]]> By: Paula http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/2009/06/how-do-readers-respond-to-what-you-write/comment-page-1/#comment-4131 Paula Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:18:37 +0000 http://www.aboutfreelancewriting.com/?p=3471#comment-4131 Hi Anne, I've been a reader & a fan of yours for a while, so thanks for the great articles! And, thanks for the link re: readers' responses to on-line content. It was a very helpful reminder about the ways we, as readers, respond to websites and how we should be mindful of how others view our sites as well. Hi Anne,

I’ve been a reader & a fan of yours for a while, so thanks for the great articles!

And, thanks for the link re: readers’ responses to on-line content. It was a very helpful reminder about the ways we, as readers, respond to websites and how we should be mindful of how others view our sites as well.

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