10 Ways to Create Documents People Will Actually Read
We all create documents with the intention that someone will learn from the valuable insights we are sharing. I am talking specifically about written communication to other people. Whether it is an email, Word document, or blog, we expect someone is going to read, and benefit from, our hard work. Yet we all know how inundated we are with emails, documents, and blogs. Do you read everything that comes in front of your eyes? Hopefully not. If you do, then you probably don’t have much time for anything else.
So, how do you increase the odds that your documents will be read? Here are 10 ways to create documents people will actually read:
1. Use Headings
Use headings to break content down into smaller sections. Headings allow readers to quickly scan the structure of your document and determine which sections are worth reading. This is particularly important for longer documents (over 500 words) that people will tend to avoid unless they can quickly jump to parts of the document that interest them the most.
Here is an online text book with more information on the use of headings.
2. Get to the point
Unless you have the skills to captivate readers with Shakespeare-like prose, get right to the point. Don’t add words, sentences, or paragraphs that are not needed. You may have heard this concept referred to as “Keep It Simple, Stupid”, or KISS. This is another tactic to help save readers time and ensure that you get your point across.
3. Begin with the end
Most documents should state the key conclusions, takeaways, or purpose near the beginning. If you have one big build-up to the end, you risk readers never making it there. It is better to summarize the key conclusions up front and then use the rest of the document to support those conclusions.
