“Language is the source of misunderstandings.”

-    Antoine de Saint-Exupery (The Little Prince)

We realize how true this is when we come across an article, a story or even an email that is too wordy, and lacks focus. Such content makes us wonder… how can you ensure that your content has enough clarity? Is your message getting through to your audience? And what is the magic recipe for creating content that others would love to read?

It is important to get your message across no matter what you’re writing, whether it’s an email, a blog post, a magazine article, or a letter to a friend. Your content will only gain in popularity when people are able to clearly understand what you’re saying. Today we’ll discuss some common issues that prevent us from writing effectively:

1: Trying to define what good writing is
Some people tend to think that using complicated words and writing with a lot of jazz makes for effective writing. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Writing is all about having a conversation with your readers, not impressing them. Good writing is about content that’s an easy to read and a message that is easy to understand. Your first priority is to communicate your ideas to your readers as clearly as you possibly can. So stop thinking about definitions, and just pour your heart and mind out into your writing. If you do just that, you stand a better chance of actually impressing your readers, because you have expressed yourself with clarity and conviction.

2: Lack of clarity
When you write, you should always focus on your core message. If you have a general idea of what you want to say, you will tend to include every bit of information that you think is relevant, and fail to address the central issue. It will turn out to be just a compilation of words, without a string of coherent thought to hold them together. It might also mean that the author is shooting his/ her mouth off without really understanding much about the issue at hand.

3: Distractions
As a writer, you need to have clarity of thought before you implement that clarity in your work. Having the television on in the background, or people walking and talking around you, can distract you from your work. Even continuous instant messenger updates, emails or tweets can keep you from concentrating on your writing. As a result, your writing suffers.

The good news is that all these problems can be sorted out through practice and perseverance. Reading can help a lot, and it also helps in increasing your ability to convey your thoughts with clarity. So keep reading good books, articles and blog posts… and let us know your take on the issue of Content that Counts in the comments section below.

attrition

1. wearing or grinding down by friction
2. A gradual, natural reduction in membership or personnel, as through retirement,    resignation, or death
3. The loss of participants during an experiment

Source: Wiktionary.org

avatar

1. In Hinduism the incarnation of a deity, particularly Vishnu.
2. The physical embodiment of an idea or concept; a personification.
3. A digital representation of a person or being. As used in online communities such as      Second Life.

Source: Wiktionary.org

It’s tough to get noticed with so much competition on the Web. But you sure can shine if your headlines grab attention. Malcolm Gladwell, the author of Blink, has effectively demonstrated how human beings tend to take decisions in the blink of an eye. That’s what makes good headlines a necessity. Once you’d sparked the readers’ interest, half your job is done. While we have previously discussed the essential ingredients for a good headline, here is a bunch of effective headline formulas that always seem to work.

1.    Who else wants [blank]?

Start your headline with “Who else wants…” It is a classic line which grabs everybody’s attention. It addresses an already existing desire to be a part of a larger whole and be aware of what is going on around us. A tad bit overused in the Internet marketing arena, but this line is still very effective. For example,
* Who Else Wants a Great Blog Template Design?
* Who Else Wants a Paying Job from home?
* Who Else Wants More Fun and Less Stress When on Vacation?

2. The Secret of [blank]

This line will definitely be on the ‘most used’ list, but that only proves how much it works. When you are an expert; you can share insider knowledge which will definitely benefit your reader. For example,
* The Secret of Successful Blogging
* The Secret of Protecting Your Assets in Litigation
* The Secret of Getting Your Home Loan Approved

3.  Little known ways to [blank]

This line creates an impression like “The secret of…” does, but is a bit more intriguing. This makes the reader feel that the article provides tips to make a task easier. For example,
* Little Known Ways to Save on Your Heating Bill
* Little Known Ways to Hack Google’s Gmail
* Little Known Ways to Lose Weight Quickly and Safely

4. Here’s a quick way to [solve a problem]

Everybody is on the lookout for solutions for nagging problems. And if these solutions are quick and easy to execute, there’s nothing like it. For example,
* Here’s a quick Way to get over a Cold
* Here’s a quick Way to write good content
* Here’s a quick Way to Backup Your Hard Drive

5. Have a [or] Build a [blank] you can be proud of

Appeal to your readers’ sense of pride, dissatisfaction or shame and they will be eager to find out more. For example,
* Build a Website You Can Be Proud of
* Have a Facebook profile You Can Be Proud of
* Create a Blog Network You Can Be Proud of

6. What Everybody Ought to Know About [blank]

What draws your audience to this headline is the curiosity factor. It almost acts as a challenge to the readers, to go ahead and see if they are missing something. For example,
* What Everybody Ought to Know About ASP
* What Everybody Ought to Know About Adjustable Rate Mortgages
* What Everybody Ought to Know About Writing Great Headlines

Now these are sure-fire ways to get your content noticed. Try out a few and see how they work wonders for your online traffic. For more tips and tricks on headlines or content, subscribe to our blog feed; and you’ll always stay updated with the latest developments in the content sphere.

obtuse

1. Blunt; not sharp.
2. Of an angle: greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees.
3. Intellectually dull or dim-witted.
4. Indirect or circuitous.
5. Of sound: deadened or muffled.
6. Of a triangle: with one obtuse angle.

Source: Wiktionary.org
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