Readers are lazy. (Except for you. You’re great.) Don’t expect them to divine the implications of your painstakingly crafted words. Unless you’re Hemingway, and you’re not, you can’t leave anything unsaid; You have to answer the question “So what?”

Every sentence you write must reward your reader for reading it. Every copywriter knows to write benefits, not features; that is, say why, not what or how.

This lesson applies to all writers. If you’re writing fiction, is your character opening a fridge, or are they looking for food? If you’re writing a software instruction manual, will learning the keyboard shortcuts save time, or will it allow them to bill more hours? If you’re a grammar writer, do you recommend being concise, or do you recommend using snappy language to be better understood?

Try this: Write “So what?” on a Post-it note, stick it to your monitor, and look up at it when you’re revising. Answering that question will keep your readers engaged, your editors happy, and a roof over your family’s head. (See what I did there?)

This article was written by John Roach http://prowritingtips.com John is a writer and copy editor. You can follow him on twitter at @johnwroachiii. To see more posts click here

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