Top 5 Qualities That Readers Look for in a Writer

1) Articulateness

This is the single most important factor a writer must cultivate, for it determines for a reader if he should bother to explore more of you. An articulate writer is not necessarily the most knowledgeable or gifted too, but he could score above the latter in that he can convey what he knows in a manner his words best remain with the reader. Furthermore, an articulate writer helps the reader speed through the article – a much need relief given the informational overload and the time deficit people have to cope with in these fast changing times.

2) Rationale

A writer is most effective not because he has something worthwhile to say, but when he can say it with undeniable reasoning. What is worthwhile is subjective to a degree, but most of us would agree that if a work is rich in insight and cogent arguments, rather than categorical statements or some rhetoric founded on prejudices, we have a higher chance of feeling enriched by it.

3) Wit

Rationale is great, but not sufficient. The perfect foil to a sound intellect is a rapier sharp wit. A reader may tire of plain humor, but never wit. Wit absorbs the reader into the material in a way no other skill could do. A sprinkle of wit is also a fine way of keeping your writing lively and your readers intrigued, just as they plod through the pile of your content silently and patiently. 

 4) Brevity

 If we must mention wit, so must we its soul. Being articulate is only half the job, being succinct remains the other. Everybody loves the person who speaks less but says more. Brevity reminds me of the former United States President Calvin Coolidge, a.k.a. silent Cal, known for his laconicity. Once a journalist told him she had a bet with a friend that she can get him to speak more than two words: guess what his epic reply would be: “You lose”. Don’t we all love such sparks of brevity laced with wit. Shakespeare couldn’t be wrong after all!

 5) Substance

 Last on the list, yet first in terms of priority – substance. All said and done, if people find nothing to take home from your work, there is very little reason why they would or should remember having read your stuff. All the above traits are prerequisites, but they are more like complimentary desserts than a satisfying main course. As far as reader satisfaction is concerned, no other talent can make up for the lack of meat in an article, if it is intended to capture imaginations and draw serious acclaim.