How to Write About What People Want to Read
This is how you get people to read your stories
Writers want people to read their stories. Not only is it satisfying to know their writing has benefited someone, but having readers read their writing is also how they make money. Some writers are successful at it, and others not so much.
People read because: a) they want entertainment, b) they want to learn something, or c) they want to feel inspired. If you want people to read your writing, tap into one of those three areas, and preferably more than one.
People want to read authentic content
Copying other authors' content by either outright plagiarizing it or rephrasing it is not what people want. They want to hear your story in your words with your thoughts and conclusions. This is why you shouldn’t worry that other people have written on the same topic. If you’re writing is authentically yours, your readers will connect with you.
Answer your readers’ questions, but don’t write a journal
The origination of an article should start with a question. Who, what, when, where, and why is a good place to start. People want the surface facts, but they also want the author to dig deeper into the question. They want to know how the story will affect their lives. By the end of the article, they want something to think about or to act upon.
Too often, I read intriguing titles of stories that end up being long-winded journals that are irrelevant. During the writing, the author loses sight of the reader who isn’t all that interested in the writer’s personal life. When bringing personal anecdotes into a story, they need to reinforce a point in the article, and not become the point of the story.
Finish your story with a strong call to action
After taking the time to read your article, people want to know what to do next. They’ve invested their time and expect a payoff. They want a clear call to action. And they want you to give it to them.
When you are thinking about your next article, don’t ask yourself if people will like the story, or if you think it will get a lot of views, or if people will share it, or if people will hate it. Instead, begin by asking yourself a question from your readers’ point of view. Think about how your article will benefit them. What is the problem they face that you can help with? How will your story entertain or inspire them?
Before writing one word, know the question your readers want answered and then answer it.
