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Readability

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Make every piece you write easier to read and understand

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<strong>The right readability tool for the job</strong> Input a chunk of copy, click “Check Readability,” and STORYtoolz will run 7 readability tests on your message. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/measuring-tape-9252256" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Image by Teresa Azevedo</em></a>

Measure readability with STORYToolz readability analyzer

Get 33 metrics about your clarity There are a million readability tools out there. Among my favorites: STORYToolz readability analyzer....
Readability / Readability scores
Just do it Take these tips for making your message active from the Little Red Schoolhouse. Image by Halfpoint

Write about people doing things

To cut your syllable count, make subjects characters “It is good to write clearly,” wrote Joseph M. Williams, “and anyone...
Readability / Sentence length
<strong>Which of these statistics surprised you most? How do you plan to overcome this obstacle when writing for your audience?</strong>

Literacy rate in America by the numbers [Slideshare]

Half of U.S. adults read at basic level or below Let’s start with the bad news: More than half of...
Readability
<strong>Eye on the bottom line</strong> How much does bad writing cost your organization? <em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/armydre2008/3945539641/" title="Image" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Image</a> by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/armydre2008/" title="frankieleon" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">frankieleon</a></em>

The cost of bad writing

It’s a $37 million-a-year problem at one organization Bad writing causes 40% of the cost of managing business transactions, writes...
Persuasive writing / Readability
Seek and find Sentences too long? Find and eliminate conjunctions. Image by Surian Soosay

Search and destroy conjunctions

And, Or and So can increase sentence length Sentences too long? Use Microsoft Word's "find" function to search for conjunctions....
Readability / Sentence length
Let me see Lewis' jar of matches is worth 6,000 words. Image by Jeff Turner

Give numbers context

How can you help people see 6,000? When 6,000 power poles went down in New Orleans during a series of...
Metaphor / Readability / Statistics / Storytelling
'Dear mother'

‘Dear Mother’

Write a letter to make your copy conversational "Good writers are visible just behind their words." — William Zinsser, author,...
Conversational writing style / Readability
Less is more

Less is more

The longer your piece, the less readers will read Size does matter. The longer your story, the less of it...
Message length / Readability
<strong>Heavy reading</strong> Company CD&amp;A sections should clearly provide readers information on how executives are compensated. Instead they require an advanced degree to decipher. <em>Image from Shutterstock</em>

CEO pay disclosures ‘like reading War and Peace’

Proxies long and mind-numbing Heavy reading Company CD&A sections should clearly provide readers information on how...
Message length / Readability
why-is-clarity-so-important

Why is clarity so important?

6 myths of complicated copy Why make copy clearer and more readable? Can you read me...
Readability / Word length
<strong>Can you read me now?</strong> People spend more time reading, read more completely and read more often messages that are easy to read. <em>Image from iStock.</em>

No. 1 way to increase readership

Make your message easier to read Making a publication "easy to read" is the No. 1 way to increase readership....
Readability
<strong>Keep it short</strong> Readers found longer stories hard to follow, too complicated and less relaxing to read in this study. <em>Image from Shutterstock </em>

How does story length affect readability?

Shorter stories 6% more readable — Readership Institute All things else being equal, readers would rather read a short piece...
Message length / Readability
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