Do a Pulp Fiction

Have you ever picked up a book, newspaper or magazine hoping to read something interesting but soon found yourself lost and confused? Have you started reading a blog post, but then stopped half way through and convinced yourself you have other more important things to do? Would you want to read something boring, lengthy or redundant? Probably not.

A poorly written piece of writing has the power to drive your reader away. A great piece of writing, on the other hand, has the power to generate excitement or pleasure and keep your reader wanting more.

So how can we as writers produce writing that is interesting, concise and clear? How can we lure our readers, keep them involved and bring them back for more? I have a few suggestions.

Plan carefully. Prepare an outline, brainstorm or write several drafts. Know your purpose and then support it.

Know your audience. Your target audience may range in age, cultural background, interest and so forth, so to reach a wider audience, you must diversify and adapt. You want your reader to feel comfortable when he or she visits your novel, your blog or your article. Don't you? Be flexible.

Avoid wordiness. Remove the extra and unnecessary words. If you can say it with three words why use 10 words. For instance, remove words like "really great" and add "excellent."

Avoid repetition. When you proofread and edit your work, eliminate phrases and /or sentences that repeat the same information. Remove the "I mean" and the "in other words" or the "let me explain it again." If what you wrote the first time is clear, then there should be no need to explain or write it again in another way.

Capture the reader's interest. This is perhaps the most challenging step. Sure you can use a range of attention getters but that alone will not suffice. I suggest you think outside the box. Be different, a little foolish, a little weird, or even a little shocking. Do a "Pulp Fiction" or a "Kill Bill" or perhaps a little "Matrix." Be unique and let the reader hear your voice.

If I asked you to write about your favorite pet, most of you would write about your dog. Right? Wrong...

You don't want to write about your dog because everyone else will be writing exactly the same thing. Instead, you want to write about your pet tarantula or your pet alligator. By the way, I have known people who have had both as pets.

If you have other suggestions, please leave them in the comment section.