Writing for Skimmers: Tips for Adding Structure and Navigation

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When writing for skimmers, it is important to add structure and design for navigation. Skimmers jump around and try to pull out the main points without reading closely. Adding headings and structure helps skimmers easily figure out what is going on. Key points should be placed at the top and formatting can be used to draw attention. Writing should flow and include active verbs. It is crucial to write in a way that reflects the reality of skimmers jumping around when they read.

Whatever you’re writing, Todd Rogers says most people are too busy to read it. That’s why, he says, “you want to make it as easy as possible for them."

Rogers is a professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the author of the book Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World. From text messages to fundraising letters to political speeches, Rogers says effective writing makes it “easy for busy readers to navigate what we send them, pull out the key information, and do what they are planning to do anyway, which is move on to the next thing.” This kind of writing, Rogers says, is “more effective for us, and kinder to readers.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Rogers and host Matt Abrahams explore how to use structure, simplicity, and everyday vocabulary to write in a way that saves readers time and transmits ideas more effectively.