When Writers Write......Readers Read.....and Everyone Wins in the End!

I have seen over and over in the past few months, the same question asked, "how do you use the name of a business in a creative way?" Many of you already realize that one of the best reasons behind creative/memorable use of names and addresses is simply for reader recognition.

It is a fact, that the more the reader reads the name of a business, the more the name imprints itself within the readers mind, and the more imprinting, the more likely the reader will be to visit that business because it will be comfortable and "known" to him, even if he has never stepped foot inside the doors of said business before.

In that same vein, using the name of the business in a memorable way, with a "catch phrase" or using alliteration in the title will also lend an air of comfort for the reader and depending upon the style of writing, the business as well. The title can set the tone for the review to be amusing or serious. With the use of a few words, the reader is either drawn into the review or they move on, not interested...it's as simple as that.

Your article, review or question will be known by the title you choose....so choose one carefully. The savvy writer knows that the title is a "hook" into the piece, that is to say, the title may well be the only reason the reader chooses to read it in the first place.

Although it is tempting to write the title for your piece before you write it, general rule of thumb is to wait until the piece has been written in order to allow the piece to possibly travel in another direction than in which you originally thought.

To pin yourself down to the first title imagined, is to limit oneself the opportunity to let the article have a personality of its own and for all practical purposes, create it's own title.. That is not to say that writing titles it easy. Writing titles can in fact be the hardest part of the article. The title sets the tone for the entire article and should reflect that tone whether it be serious, light hearted, jovial or even filled with passion.

Writing a memorable title of a review is most effective when it gives the reader some sort of information about the contents. Articles that are written in a "tongue in cheek" manner can get away with a like title, in fact a serious title on a humorous piece oftentimes is not only confusing to the reader but irritating as well. Titles with clever use of words or even a play on words oftentimes are the perfect titles for an article. As each review is different, as is each title.

Keep in mind there are many trains of thought out there on the writing of the best article/title and to use ALL the advice could result in utter chaos for both the writer and the reader. So, choose carefully your content, consider your purpose and write honestly and the article will be helpful to both you and the reader as well.

When it comes to the first lines of an article, it is a fact that readers will make instant decisions as to whether to read an article or not based upon the beginning lines. It is no coincidence that when your article is shown on a webpage within a list of other articles, that the first few lines are the ones shown.

We all know that when a search is made on a site such as "GOOGLE", that in addition to the title, the first few words are given as well....and it is these first few words will draw readers into clicking the link and reading the article. Using the name and/or address in the first few lines of an article is oftentimes the information people want and need and will in fact draw them to reading your article.

An excellent way to encourage your reader to stay interested in your writing is by using links. Simply mentioning a website or book link is good but if you take the extra time to place a link to the website or book that is even better! Let's face it, most of us want the "easiest" possible solution to our problems, whether it is "rat infestation" or looking for a good brand of air conditioner".

With links, we can more easily make informed choices for our lives. For example, in many articles written this past week, writers included links to further help the reader research the topic. While writing a solid article is great, using links well will only better solidify the content with extra resources available as needed. Links that work best are those which are most helpful and sometimes one fantastic link works much better than 10 lesser ones...so the advice here is to choose your links well and use common sense when placing them in an article.

Writing an article and keeping your audience interested is as simple as weaving a story within the lines. Native Americans were famous for their tales and legends and many legends are still around today due to the interesting stories. One such story was created as the result of a tragedy. Because this story has a vivid description of what happened, how it happened, when it happened and more importantly, where a young brave died, the story gives the place a name.

It was the original telling of this story that warned others of the area in which the young brave died. Listeners remember this story to the extent that they tell it even today, when they speak of the area. The rich tradition of telling and re-telling this story is a part of the history of the area and most likely will be for years to come.

I realize we are not building legends on the internet like the native Americans did, but what we write is just as important. The advice, reviews of articles, places, items and more are there for the reader to find and to use at his or her discretion. While writing a review of a business, it is all too easy to weave within the writing a short antidote of your visit to this business.

Like the story of the young brave, it will serve the purpose of educating the reader in a way that causes them to remember the business through your story. To leave out personal stories or experiences is to liken your writing to generic advertising and it is a well know fact that readers want to know personal reviews from people who have actually experienced the business instead of cold copy from strangers.

In conclusion, I urge you to write and write again. It is in the actual act of writing that we gain experience and practice and it is with this experience that we learn what works for us as writers and what does not. As each individual is different so is each writing style and it is that moment when you discover what writing style works for you, and at that moment, you can more fully develop as a writer and as a person. For in doing so, you have fulfilled a need not only in yourself but in your audience as well, and isn't that what the real purpose was in the first place? I think so!