Comments on: How Do You Capture Skim Readers? http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/ Everything about writing and marketing white papers Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:33:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: selfstoragemanchester http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-62709 selfstoragemanchester Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:52:55 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-62709 Good questions, let me think about it, I will back Good questions, let me think about it, I will back

]]> By: Matthew Polkinghorne http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-61567 Matthew Polkinghorne Fri, 20 Feb 2009 01:44:56 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-61567 Hi Mike, Use of alliterations, in my mind, is key. Matthew Hi Mike,

Use of alliterations, in my mind, is key.

Matthew

]]> By: Robert Plank http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-61394 Robert Plank Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:35:18 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-61394 I think that the first thing you should do is try to tell your story (article, blog,...) in a couple of short sentences. Write these sentences down, make them catchy, and use them as subtitles. Even a skimmer will read these and get at least a basic idea what your story is about. Then, if they are interested in what you're saying, they might slow down and read the post most thoroughly. I think that the first thing you should do is try to tell your story (article, blog,…) in a couple of short sentences. Write these sentences down, make them catchy, and use them as subtitles. Even a skimmer will read these and get at least a basic idea what your story is about. Then, if they are interested in what you’re saying, they might slow down and read the post most thoroughly.

]]> By: Bob Newhart http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-61294 Bob Newhart Thu, 29 Jan 2009 13:13:55 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-61294 I'm a skimmer too and I must say that I was able to get the message from your blog even thought I just skimmed through. So, nice job. I’m a skimmer too and I must say that I was able to get the message from your blog even thought I just skimmed through. So, nice job.

]]> By: Tony Hetherington http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-58601 Tony Hetherington Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:00:58 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-58601 The headline is critical because people are either busy, laxy or both. If your headline isn't right then the rest won't be written. The headline is critical because people are either busy, laxy or both. If your headline isn’t right then the rest won’t be written.

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15499 Michael Stelzner Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:42:39 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15499 Patsi - I am the chief of skimmers. Thanks for your added discussion on this topic. - Mike Patsi - I am the chief of skimmers. Thanks for your added discussion on this topic. - Mike

]]> By: Patsi M. Krakoff http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15498 Patsi M. Krakoff Tue, 20 Mar 2007 14:12:36 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15498 Good question, Michael. I like to add tables when I can, just simple two by two, or two by four tables. Oh, and bullet points! Anytime I write a sentence with more than four items included, I turn that into a bulleted list. This also helps me refine a article section into numbered lists. If I say something like "keys to effectiveness are a, b, c, and d," I know I can turn it into a numbered list and make a subheading like "Four Keys to Effective Blah-Blah"... Good question, Michael. I like to add tables when I can, just simple two by two, or two by four tables.

Oh, and bullet points! Anytime I write a sentence with more than four items included, I turn that into a bulleted list.

This also helps me refine a article section into numbered lists. If I say something like “keys to effectiveness are a, b, c, and d,” I know I can turn it into a numbered list and make a subheading like “Four Keys to Effective Blah-Blah”…

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15354 Michael Stelzner Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:22:37 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15354 Hi Dianna - The small paragraphs thing works well. I also like to bold important text. That seems to help as well. Joi - The use of images is another great point. BTW, I use a standard WordPress template. Mike Hi Dianna - The small paragraphs thing works well. I also like to bold important text. That seems to help as well.

Joi - The use of images is another great point. BTW, I use a standard WordPress template.

Mike

]]> By: Joi Murugavell http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15353 Joi Murugavell Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:59:38 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15353 I add images to break up text and consistent coloured headlines on my blog. Images work really well for skimmers as breaks the monotony of text and on the surface appears to expect less ‘commitment’ (readers time). I find that I enjoy and read blogs that plonk in a few images from time to time. True some people are more visual then others, but images do help when darting from one paragraph the next. Michael your blog feedback area is one of the best I've found, I like how it breaks everyones feedback into little sections. I add images to break up text and consistent coloured headlines on my blog. Images work really well for skimmers as breaks the monotony of text and on the surface appears to expect less ‘commitment’ (readers time).

I find that I enjoy and read blogs that plonk in a few images from time to time. True some people are more visual then others, but images do help when darting from one paragraph the next.

Michael your blog feedback area is one of the best I’ve found, I like how it breaks everyones feedback into little sections.

]]> By: Dianna Huff http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15351 Dianna Huff Mon, 19 Mar 2007 16:39:51 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/03/19/capturing-skim-readers/#comment-15351 I skim quit a bit. Call outs help as do sidebars of information. I also like graphs and charts. And, as you did with your blog post, cut down the size of paragraphs. Long, dense copy is really hard to read, especially in light grey mousy-type -- which seems to be the preferred font these days. :-) I skim quit a bit. Call outs help as do sidebars of information. I also like graphs and charts.

And, as you did with your blog post, cut down the size of paragraphs. Long, dense copy is really hard to read, especially in light grey mousy-type — which seems to be the preferred font these days. :-)

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