What is readable writing?
What authors have demonstrated what readable writing is? John Updike? Ernest Hemingway? L. Ron Hubbard?
Who is to say? Isn’t it subjective? Is asking seven consecutive questions to start a blog post readable writing? How about eight? Let’s take a deeper look.
Who is Rudolf Flesch?
If you’re familiar with internet marketing and in particular SEO writing, you’ve likely heard of the Flesch Reading Ease Score. It’s what one of the most popular SEO plugins (Yoast) uses. It’s based on Rudolf Flesch’s book “The Art of Readable Writing.” Let’s see what the author himself says about what he thinks readable writing is.
“In most dictionaries, readable is defined as “easy or interesting to read.” Actually, to most people, readability means ease of reading plus interest. They want to make as little effort as possible while they are reading, and they also want something “built-in” that will automatically carry them forward like an escalator. Structure of words and sentences has to do with one side of readability, “personal words” and “personal sentences” with the other.”
I think this is a pretty solid definition of what readable writing is. It should appeal to all reading levels – high and low. Take Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea”. The text is very easy to read, it’s accessible for low-level and high-level readers. The interest, however, appeals to all levels of readers which makes it not only readable writing, but I’d argue great writing.
Structure of Words and Sentences
What is Flesch talking about when he says “structure of words and sentences has to do with one side of readability”?
He’s talking about two things:
- How many syllables the words you use have.
- How many words you’re using per sentence.
Flesch would argue that the key is to use simple noncomplex words and short sentences. The outcome is sentences and material that is easier for the reader to digest and move through with minimal effort. This does not mean “dumbing down” your style, in fact writing more simply is much harder to do.
“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”
It’s unclear which famous writer said this famous quote, but it’s been attributed to Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin among others. Ernest Hemingway was famous for his short, clear, impactful sentences.
A few examples of substitutes for complex words
Encourage…………….urge
Continue………………keep up
Supplement………….add to
Acquire………………..get or gain
Personal Words and Personal Sentences
The second component to readable writing is using “personal words” and “personal sentences.”
Flesch says “only stories are really readable.”
During his research for his book, Flesch asked an editor from Reader’s Digest how they achieve their easy, readable style. Flesch reports the editor telling him, “Whenever we want to draw attention to a problem, we wait until somebody does something about it. Then we print the story of how he did it.”
The way to personalize or humanize writing is to tell about the product or service through the principles laid out in good storytelling. Instead of simply reporting on a topic, insert people into the story. Give them names. People have names you know.
Flesch lays out different measurements to test how humanized the writing is, but to keep it simple, the key is to use pronouns like you, he, she, they, and actual names.
Today the internet is flooded with content. A lot of bad content. Too many marketers and business owners ignore this aspect of their marketing and settle for content that is not readable. It ends up costing them because words sell – not graphics or images.
Make sure you’re working with a writer who understands the principles of readable writing and you’ll notice the difference in conversions and customer engagement. Show don’t tell.
If you’re providing valuable content that speaks to their pain points written with maximum clarity and presses all the right buttons – they’re going to remember you, talk about you, and keep coming back for more.
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