Natural Guidance of the Reader through the Text

Not only does good writing deliver its message to the reader. It also guides people from idea to idea by means of invisible links between sentences and paragraphs. When the reader feels comfort while reading an article, it may be attributed to the way every sentence leads to the following one.

The way I have learned to write more effectively has been gradual and has involved not only thinking about the words of a certain sentence, but rather their place in the whole composition. It occurred to me that the context of the link is at least as significant for the reader as its destination. Usually, before people realize if they would like to click on the link, they have processed all the other words surrounding it. This means that the link becomes a part of the reading rather than some sort of break from it.

This approach to the editing has changed my way of working on the article greatly. Instead of asking myself if there is a need to add some new reference, I have started to think about whether the paragraph leaves enough space for it. In case it did, the link was a natural conclusion, otherwise it could not blend in with the context even if it was useful.

The same idea is true for every paragraph of the article as well as for the transition between them. The readers seldom ask themselves why a certain paragraph sounds convenient to read, but if something spoils the rhythm of the reading, it becomes obvious very quickly. Abrupt transition, irrelevant example or unprepared idea make the text look incoherent, even if it provides all the necessary information.

Therefore, it can be concluded that the writing that naturally guides the reader is less about providing additional information and more about the logical organization of thoughts. Every paragraph must lead to the next one, which makes the reader move through the article effortlessly. With the smooth flow, the supporting ideas, examples and references become a part of the same context.

That is why the most memorable articles do not provide much information to the reader. They simply make him or her feel comfortable and interested while reading