5 Ways to Keep your Readers’ Interest

Getting people interested in your book, article or any other piece of writing could be tasking. Keeping their interest, on the other hand, is an uphill task. It takes certain deliberate and well-measured steps to get and keep your readers’ interest. Here are some steps you could take to keep your readers’ interest from start to finish of your article.

Use Interesting Language

As a general rule, if you want to keep some’s interest, you have to be interesting. So, one way to keep your readers hooked is by using interesting language in your article. 

This does not mean being verbose or using unnecessarily flowery language. Interesting language could be a combination of several elements such as: irony, sarcasm, comparison, idioms and other literary devices, in various parts of the text.

The way a writer speaks could be what keeps the readers glued to the pages of the text. When the language of a literary work is playful, informal, a bit humourous and has a hint of sarcasm, it is likely to elicit smiles and laughs from the readers. 

People like people who are fun to be around. In the same vein, people like fun content. So, make your writing fun and you would keep the interest of your readers.

Simplicity is Key.

Even when using literary devices, you have to keep your language simple. It might seem contradictory to say you should use literary devices in one breath and ask you to maintain simplicity in another. 

However, it is not. What we mean is this: Use the literary devices sparingly and keep the language of your text majorly simple.

In other words, sprinkle your simple writing with spices of humour, irony, hyperbole and other necessary literary devices. Use only literary devices that communicate your meaning and playfulness to the readers, without needing to be explained to them. 

Also, don’t force a literary device into a place where it obviously does not work. If it does not fit in, let it go. Let retaining your reader’s interest be your focus.

interest

Be Descriptive.

When writing a story, an author has mental images of the characters, the scenes, the settings and other parts that make up the plot. That is the author’s self-made world. No one else can see it, except the author describes it to them. That is why authors need to be descriptive when writing literature. 

Tell your readers about your characters. Does John limp? Is Mary fond of standing akimbo? Does Grandma Smith have a pet peeve that no one else understands? What makes each character unique?

Share details of the scenery and settings with your readers. Are the windows in the living room always open because it is summertime? Is there a flower vase that Denise has refused to get rid of, despite its broken tip?

Details are important to your readers because they give them a clear image of your literary world, help them understand the setting and the characters, and keep them interested, having gained insight into your world.

 Be Vulnerable.

Readers can identify with writers when they are vulnerable. One of the purposes of writing is to share your story and experiences with your readers and prove to some of them that we are all human and our experiences are similar. When readers relate to your experiences, they remain interested in your literary work from start to finish. Having common experiences or characteristics with a writer is similar to looking at a mirror for readers.

Vulnerability shows that you are human, especially if you are a known name and have some level of stardom or popularity. Exposing your soul to your readers through your writing, especially in your autobiography or memoir creates a bond between you and your readers. When such a bond has been created, it is easy to sustain and keep the interest of your readers.

Be Exact.

For historical writing, being exact and precise is essential. Conducting in-depth research for your historical book or article enriches your content. There is nothing as appealing to readers or historical writing as getting accurate and detailed information of historical happenings.

Being accurate gives your writing a deeper value and makes it a rare gem in the market. When readers of your genre delve into your rich, well-researched and properly articulated collection of historical events, they would most likely remain interested.           

Getting your reader’s attention and keeping it is an art. Some readers develop an interest in your book when they read the first page. Other readers pick interest some pages into the book. However, keeping their interest unwavering from page one to the very last page is a skill. You could try out these tips on your next writing project.

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