PDF Summary:Writing for Busy Readers, by Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-Fink

Why are some writers more successful than others at connecting with readers? According to behavioral scientists Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-Fink, successful writers write effectively: They convince readers that their content is worth engaging with, and they get their message across in a way that’s easy for readers to understand. In Writing for Busy Readers, Rogers and Lasky-Fink offer evidence-based techniques you can use to improve your impact and increase your reach no matter what you’re writing about. Their expertise comes from extensive research and professional experience, including work on writing to voters, families, and political constituents during the pandemic.

In this guide, we’ll define effective writing and explore the benefits of writing effectively. Then, we’ll organize Rogers and Lasky-Fink’s recommendations for writers into an eight-step process. In our commentary, we’ll explore why effective writing is valuable from cultural and neurological perspectives, and we’ll share other writing experts’ advice.

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Taking these steps helps you empathize with your audience; in turn, this can help you identify and strategize around your readers’ biases. Rogers and Lasky-Fink note that marginalized people often face greater skepticism from certain audiences, a phenomenon philosopher Miranda Fricker calls “testimonial injustice.” On the flip side, sometimes writers with more social privilege are dismissed by readers from marginalized communities.

In either case, Rogers and Lasky-Fink suggest that the onus is on you, as the writer, to proactively establish your credibility. One study suggests that transparency can accomplish this. When officials tried to promote vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic, they had trouble reaching some Black Americans who distrusted medical institutions due to a long history of medical racism. By addressing the roots of this distrust and being transparent about safeguards against unethical treatment, communicators were better able to build credibility and connect with skeptical audiences.

Step 2: Choose a Structure

Once you have your goal in mind and know how to frame your message so that it resonates with readers, you can write purposefully. But Rogers and Lasky-Fink explain that to achieve your purpose, you must also structure your message in a way that’s easy to follow. A clear structure guides readers through your points logically and helps them retain the most important information. Without a clear structure, you risk your big takeaways getting lost or overlooked.

(Shortform note: Which structure you should use is highly context-dependent. For example, journalists commonly use an “inverted pyramid” structure that puts the most important information at the top, followed by supporting details. Workplace communications often use a similar structure, leading with the key message and then offering additional context. For persuasive writing, however, it’s often more effective to build your case gradually, leading readers through background, evidence, and analysis before delivering your conclusion. Chronological structures may work best when storytelling is key, such as in narrative marketing.)

Here are three tips Rogers and Lasky-Fink offer for structuring your message effectively:

Tip #1: Draw attention to the big takeaway. Make sure readers know your main point early on by using visual cues (like bold text) or explicitly stating it at the beginning. For instance, instead of placing the takeaway at the end of your message, lead with it: “The new policy will improve efficiency by 20%.” This is more effective because readers don’t always make it to the end of a piece of content.

(Shortform note: You can also draw attention to your big takeaway in the title of your content. Most pieces of writing have a title or something similar—for example, emails have subject lines and articles have headlines. A clear, attention-grabbing title such as “New Policy Will Increase Efficiency by 20%” ensures that your key message is immediately apparent. This technique helps engage readers from the moment your content enters their awareness.)

Tip #2: Organize your ideas by relevance. Group similar ideas together to create flow and avoid confusion. For example, when writing a report, keep all details about the problem in one section and your proposed solutions in another, rather than mixing them together. This helps readers follow your thought process and see how each piece of information connects to your main point.

Tip #3: Use headings liberally. Headings help readers quickly navigate your writing and find what’s most relevant to them. For instance, if you send out an email that recaps your team’s latest meeting, you might include headings like “Overview,” “Key Decisions,” and “Next Steps” to help readers easily scan the email and focus on the sections that matter most to them.

How to Organize Your Ideas

As you organize your ideas, stick to one idea per paragraph. The first sentence of your paragraph should be a topic sentence—one that clearly expresses the paragraph’s main idea. Each sentence that follows should support, explain, or expand on that main idea. If you find yourself introducing a new idea mid-paragraph, that’s a cue to start a new one. Use a transition at the start of the next paragraph to show how one idea leads to the next.

Writing experts say this approach to organizing your ideas not only improves clarity but also makes your writing easier to skim, especially for busy readers. But what if you can’t fully explain an idea in one paragraph?

In these cases, dividing your content into sections may be helpful. This is where headings come into play. Headings act like signposts that signal twists or turns in the flow of your writing. They tell the reader what to expect next, which makes it easier for them to follow your logic. Here are three tips for writing effective headings:

• Aim for clarity: Creative or witty headings are fun, but it’s more important that your reader can quickly understand what each section is about. For example, “Challenges of Remote Work” is more useful than “The New Normal: Work From Home Woes.”

• Choose action-oriented verbs: Use strong verbs that clearly convey the focus of the section. For example, “Improving Team Collaboration” is more informative than just “Team Collaboration.”

• Use parallel structure: Keep the format of your headings consistent to show how each section relates to the others. For example, if you’re writing about a step-by-step process, you might use headings like, “Step 1: Action 1” and “Step 2: Action 2.”

Step 3: Craft a Clear Message

After you’ve settled on a structure, it’s time to write your first draft. As you write, focus on getting your point across as clearly as possible. Rogers and Lasky-Fink reiterate that if you confuse your readers, you risk losing their attention or causing them to misinterpret your message. To write clearly, aim for concision and simplicity. Let’s explore each of these concepts in more detail.

Writing Concisely

The authors say that to keep your readers’ attention and drive your point home, you should write concisely. They explain that many writers conflate wordiness with expertise—you may feel you need to write down everything you know about your topic to convince readers that you’re knowledgeable about it. However, readers are often put off by lengthy content since it requires more time and effort to read. They might start reading longform content, but they’re less likely to read it all the way through. Additionally, it’s easier for readers to lose sight of key takeaways if you distract them with tangential information.

(Shortform note: Rogers and Lasky-Fink argue that readers are more likely to engage with concise writing than longform content, and some evidence supports this: Our attention spans are markedly shorter than they used to be, which may explain the rise of platforms like TikTok that deliver bite-sized content. However, some experts say longform content is poised to make a comeback. Research suggests that audiences distrust overly simplified content and are increasingly seeking in-depth analysis from credible sources—especially on complex or controversial topics where nuance matters.)

So, how can you write concisely? Rogers and Lasky-Fink explain that you should write as little as possible. Start by zeroing in on the main takeaway or takeaways you want to express, and omit tangential information and fluffy asides. Then, as you write about these takeaways, express your ideas succinctly. Use precise language, avoid redundancy, and eliminate unnecessary words or phrases while ensuring your message remains clear and complete.

(Shortform note: To write more concisely, take a cue from short story writers like Raymond Carver who eschew adjectives and adverbs. Adjectives are words that describe nouns, like beautiful or bright. Adverbs like quickly and very modify verbs. Avoid these unless they’re essential to clarify your meaning; instead, rely on powerful verbs and precise nouns that convey your message on their own. For example, instead of writing, “He walked very slowly,” try a variation like “He trudged” or “He crept.” These verbs are both vivid and efficient.)

Writing Simply

In addition to writing concisely, Rogers and Lasky-Fink say you must write simply. Use straightforward language that readers can understand without consulting a dictionary. For example, instead of writing, “Cardiothoracic complications may necessitate immediate medical intervention,” opt for a simpler alternative like “Heart or lung problems may need quick treatment.” The authors explain that readers are more likely to engage with and fully understand your message if you frame it in simple language. In contrast, complex writing is easily misunderstood and mentally taxing to process, which leads readers to lose interest (especially when they’re pressed for time).

Writing Simply Means Writing Plainly

If you struggle to write simply, you might benefit from reading the US government’s plain language guidelines. These guidelines were developed to help federal officials communicate clearly with the public, as required by the Plain Writing Act of 2010 (though many government institutions don’t comply). Using plain language makes your writing more inclusive and easier to understand, especially for people with lower literacy levels, cognitive differences, or—as Rogers and Lasky-Fink note—limited time. It also makes your writing easier to translate into other languages.

Some examples of plain language guidelines include:

Use the same terms consistently: While using synonyms might seem like a good way to avoid repetition, it can confuse readers. Stick to one term to help readers follow along. For example, always refer to “project managers” as such—don’t switch to “supervisors” or “directors.”

Use active voice: Passive voice can make writing harder to understand. Instead of writing, “The policy was implemented by the committee,” write, “The committee implemented the policy.”

Use contractions: Contractions like “don’t,” “can’t,” and “it’s” are more conversational than “do not,” “cannot,” and “it is,” which makes your writing feel more accessible. They can also shorten sentences, which contributes to clarity and ease of reading.

Step 4: Include a Call to Action

Once you’ve written a clear message to your readers, include a call to action (CTA): a stimulus that prompts readers to perform a specific action. Rogers and Lasky-Fink note that CTAs aren’t always appropriate; for example, if your goal is simply to inform your audience about new research findings, you probably don’t need a CTA. But if you want to encourage readers to sign a petition, follow public health guidelines, or buy a product, a clear CTA can motivate your audience to take that action when they finish reading your content.

If you decide to include a CTA, Rogers and Lasky-Fink recommend that you make it as easy as possible for readers to perform the desired action by reducing the mental load of 1) deciding to act and 2) following through. For example, instead of giving readers a menu of choices regarding subscription plans, offer them a pre-selected option based on their preferences or needs. Readers are more likely to perform a one-step action like pressing a button to sign up for a subscription than a multistep process that includes deciding which subscription plan is best for them, creating an account, and confirming their selection.

When and How to Write a CTA

Rogers and Lasky-Fink note that if your goal is only to inform your readers, you don’t need to include a CTA. However, informative writing often has a secondary goal to inspire or encourage a certain response. For example, if you write an article about how to live an eco-friendly lifestyle, you probably hope your audience will act on the information you give them, so you might include a simple CTA like “Try switching to reusable grocery bags this week.”

If you decide your content needs one, follow these tips for writing effective CTAs:

Be specific and action-oriented: Vague CTAs like “Learn more” or “Get involved” don’t give readers a clear idea of what to do next. Instead, use precise language that tells them exactly what step to take. For instance, “Download the recycling checklist” or “Sign the clean energy petition” gives a clear directive and helps remove hesitation.

Make the benefit clear: Explain why taking the action will be worthwhile for the reader. If they understand what’s in it for them, they’re more likely to follow through. For example, instead of saying “Subscribe to our newsletter,” try “Subscribe to get weekly tips on reducing your carbon footprint.”

Insert multiple CTAs: Many writers only place the CTA at the end of their writing because it feels like a natural conclusion—but readers often don’t make it that far. To increase the chances that your audience will take action, include CTAs at key points throughout your piece, especially after making a strong argument or presenting compelling information. These CTAs can be subtle nudges (“Click here to learn more”) or bold directives (“Sign up now to get started”).

Step 5: Apply Formatting Carefully

Once you’ve written your first draft, look for opportunities to use formatting styles like colorful, highlighted, italicized, bolded, all-caps, or underlined text. Rogers and Lasky-Fink explain that formatting creates visual contrast that helps you guide the reader’s attention to key points. For example, if you bold the main takeaway of your message, it’ll stand out to readers as important—so they’ll be more likely to focus on it and retain that information.

(Shortform note: Why does visual contrast help you guide the reader’s attention to key points? In Peak Mind, Amishi Jha explains that our brains evolved to pick up on changes in our environments like sudden movements, noises, and color shifts. This equipped our ancestors to notice threats and opportunities that impacted their survival. Reading doesn’t usually involve life-or-death stakes, but the same baked-in attention mechanisms still apply. When a reader sees bold or colored text, their brain flags it as a change worth noticing, which makes them more likely to focus on and remember it.)

However, the authors explain that formatting is somewhat ambiguous; readers don’t always interpret formatting choices in the ways we intend. Further, if readers are confused about what your formatting choices mean, they might overlook or misunderstand the intended emphasis. The authors provide three tips to guide your decisions about formatting:

1. Use highlighting, underlining, and bolding to draw attention to important points. Readers almost universally interpret these types of formatting as a sign of emphasis, so they’ll understand that you’re trying to drive home your point.
2. It’s best to avoid writing in all caps. All-caps text is harder for the brain to process, and some readers understand it to indicate hostility instead of emphasis.
3. Use formatting sparingly. Too much formatting confuses readers by making the text harder to read. It also makes it more difficult for readers to determine which parts of the text you want them to pay attention to.

Formatting for Accessibility

Another thing to consider as you make formatting choices is how they affect accessibility. Not all readers perceive formatting the same way—especially those using screen readers, people with visual impairments, or those with cognitive processing differences. For example, screen readers (software tools that read text aloud for people who are blind or have low vision) don’t typically tell users when text is bold or italicized. Therefore, relying on these formatting choices to convey emphasis could exclude part of your audience.

Here are four formatting tips from experts on accessibility:

Avoid all caps, underline, strikethrough, superscript, and subscript. These formatting choices are more difficult to read and hard for screen readers to render. Underlined words can cause confusion, as they’re easily mistaken for hyperlinks.

Use accessible fonts. Some fonts are easier to read than others, including Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, and Times New Roman. Some experts also recommend Comic Sans, as it’s easier for dyslexic readers to distinguish between letters in this font.

Be careful about using color. Some readers may have color vision deficiencies or use devices that don’t render color accurately. For example, if you highlight key points in yellow without an accompanying text cue, colorblind users may miss your emphasis. If you choose to use color, maximize visual contrast—for example, pair black text with a white background, and avoid pale colors that are hard to distinguish.

Don’t rely on formatting to make your point. Readers should be able to understand your key message even if all formatting is stripped away—for example, when using plain-text email or when a screen reader ignores visual emphasis. Reinforce your most important ideas through clear writing, informative headings, and direct statements rather than relying on color, bolding, or italics alone to convey meaning.

Step 6: Revise Your Writing

Once you’ve applied formatting, your draft is ready for revision—the process of reviewing, editing, and refining your writing to improve its effectiveness. The authors argue that you should revise every piece of writing—even simple text messages—multiple times. You want to ensure your writing achieves its purpose, so you should look for and correct anything that could prevent that. So, how do you revise a piece of writing?

First, edit for conciseness. As you read through your writing, ask yourself which parts are truly essential and which you can discard. If you’ve written something valuable but slightly tangential, consider moving it out of the main body of the text into an appendix or attaching it separately.

Second, edit for clarity. Correct any typos or grammatical errors that could distract your reader from your message. Additionally, ask yourself if the message is easy to understand and whether it could be any easier. Rewrite any overly complex sentences, and replace complicated language and jargon with simpler alternatives.

How AI Can Help Revise Your Writing

Rogers and Lasky-Fink argue that revision is essential, but it can also be time-consuming and cognitively demanding. AI tools can help lighten the load. For example, grammar checkers like Grammarly or ProWritingAid can automatically flag typos, convoluted sentences, or passive voice. More advanced tools like ChatGPT can help you rephrase complicated sentences, identify tangents, and make long segments of text more concise.

The benefit of using AI tools for revision is that they provide a fresh perspective. Research suggests that we struggle to notice errors in our own writing because we already know what we intended to say—so our brains “autocorrect” our mistakes as we read. AI doesn’t have that bias. It reads your writing as it actually is, not as you meant it to be, which makes it better at catching certain errors.

Additionally, some AI tools can help you edit beyond conciseness and clarity. For example, Grammarly takes style, tone, and engagement into account—it can suggest ways to make your writing sound more confident, friendlier, or more formal depending on your goal. This helps ensure that your message lands the way you intend, not just that it’s technically correct.

That said, it’s still important to apply your judgment—AI can suggest edits, but only you know what your message is truly meant to say. AI editing tools also sometimes get things wrong, so don’t accept their suggestions blindly; always double-check their work first.

Step 7: Disseminate Your Message

When you’ve completed your revisions and you’re satisfied with the final product, it’s time to disseminate your message. But before you press “send” or “publish,” Rogers and Lasky-Fink recommend that you put some thought into how you’ll disseminate your message. More specifically, they recommend considering your spokesperson, medium, timing, and follow-up strategy.

Who’s Your Spokesperson?

Most of the time, you are your own spokesperson—for example, in your role as a supervisor, you likely send emails directly to your staff. But Rogers and Lasky-Fink explain that if you’re writing on behalf of an organization or collective, you might be able to choose a spokesperson other than yourself. If so, choose one who resonates with your audience and aligns with the message’s purpose. To select the right spokesperson, you must know your audience well; different speakers will appeal to different readers. For example, elderly readers may prefer to hear from people in their age range over younger sources.

(Shortform note: If you’re writing on behalf of an organization or collective, experts recommend building a pool of multiple spokespeople. Different team members will have different expertise, communication styles, and levels of relatability for various audiences. By having a range of voices to choose from, you can match the right spokesperson to the specific message and audience—improving credibility, trust, and engagement. Experts also recommend giving the team members you ask to serve as spokespeople room to say no. If their heart’s not in it, the message may come across as inauthentic or forced, which could hurt rather than help your communication goals.)

What Medium Will You Use?

As a general rule, the authors recommend that you ask your audience how they’d prefer you communicate with them whenever possible. In our increasingly digital world, many writers assume that digital communications like texts and emails are the best way to reach people. But that’s not always the case—paper communications may better capture readers’ attention because they’re less common. Additionally, it’s important to keep in mind that not everyone can easily access technology. For example, it may be better to print out (rather than email) surgical aftercare instructions, so there’s no chance a patient won’t have access to them.

How to Choose the Right Medium

In addition to asking your audience which mediums they prefer, communication experts say you should consider these factors when choosing a medium:

• Urgency: Some mediums are more appropriate when time is of the essence. For example, if a message needs immediate attention, a phone call or text may be more effective than email or printed mail, which might not be seen right away.

• Formality and tone: The medium can shape how formal or serious your message feels. A letter or formal email may lend more weight to a message than a casual Slack message, which could influence how it’s received and acted upon.

• Interactivity: Digital platforms can allow for quicker, easier two-way communication. If you need to gather input, answer questions, or clarify points, digital media may foster more engagement than static formats like flyers.

• Privacy and security: Some messages contain sensitive information (e.g. medical or financial details) and should be shared through secure, private channels. Choosing the right medium can help protect both the sender and the recipient.

• Retention and reference: If you want recipients to refer back to the message later—like instructions or schedules—it might make sense to use a format that’s easy to save and revisit, such as a printed document, a PDF, or an intranet post, depending on audience preferences.

When Will You Share Your Content?

Ideally, you want your content to reach readers at a time when they’re free to engage with it. The optimal time to share content will vary depending on who your audience is, so it’s important to know your audience and anticipate their schedules. For example, if you’re writing to busy moms, it’s probably best to avoid sending a mass text during school pick-up or drop-off times. Rogers and Lasky-Fink also recommend timing your message so readers have enough time to act on your CTA. However, you don’t want to send it out too early, or you risk your readers forgetting about it.

(Shortform note: Timing your message appropriately doesn’t just require anticipating your audience’s schedules; it also requires anticipating their emotional states. For example, sending a complex or emotionally charged message at the end of a long workday may result in lower comprehension or even negative reactions. People tend to have more cognitive bandwidth and emotional patience from mid-morning to early afternoon and after breaks. By aligning your message with moments when your audience is likely to be more mentally and emotionally receptive, you increase the chances that it’ll be received thoughtfully and acted upon.)

How Will You Follow Up?

After you disseminate what you’ve written, you may want to follow up with your audience—especially if you’re asking them to take a particular action. Reminders can be effective, but Rogers and Lasky-Fink warn against sending too many. Excessive follow-ups overwhelm your audience—you likely know this firsthand if you’ve ever unsubscribed from, muted, or even blocked a sender who bombarded you with messages. If you choose to follow up multiple times, consider switching up your approach to keep readers’ attention. For example, as the deadline for taking action approaches, adopt a more urgent tone and use more compelling language.

(Shortform note: Psychological research suggests people are more likely to act when they feel in control. So, write follow-ups that are supportive, not pressuring—for example, “Just a quick check-in in case this slipped through the cracks” is better than “Final reminder before you miss out.” This respects the reader’s autonomy and avoids triggering resistance. Save an urgent tone and compelling language for cases when you need to assert your authority—for example, when you’ve already asked an employee to complete a task multiple times and the deadline is swiftly approaching.)

Step 8: Keep Practicing

Rogers and Lasky-Fink explain that effective writing isn’t likely to come naturally to you (or any writer); rather, it’s a skill you must hone with practice. Therefore, you should practice effective writing often. Continual practice also helps you keep up with changing communication norms and writing tools. For example, you may find that as the world grows busier and readers become more pressed for time, concise and visually engaging formats—like lists, infographics, or short videos—may prove more effective than longform text.

(Shortform note: Alongside consistent writing practice, regular reading can help you learn to write more effectively by exposing you to different styles, formats, and writing techniques. To become a better writer by reading, you must read critically—pay attention to how authors structure their ideas, how they grab attention, and how they keep readers engaged. It’s also a good idea to read widely and to take in content that isn’t text-based (like video-based communication apps and podcasts). This helps you understand how to convey messages clearly and concisely in different media, giving you more tools to adapt your writing to your audience and message.)