Choose your approach - This is how you write engaging texts for readers

The content of your text has the potential to captivate the readers or make them disappear immediately. A crucial role in this plays the entry. How can you manage to arouse the curiosity of your readers in a few seconds? In this guide, you will learn about the various possibilities to create an effective entry into your text and tips on how to implement them in an entertaining and exciting way.

Main Insights

• The entry goes by many names: teaser, snippet, lead-in.
• Your readers only have a short amount of time – be concise.
• The W-Questions entry is a proven method.
• Avoid ineffective entries like quotes or questions.
• Let the text rest to develop creative ideas.

Step-by-Step Guide

The entry is the second hurdle your readers need to overcome. You only have a few seconds to convince them. Here are some methods to create the perfect entry.

The W-Questions entry is a proven method you can use. By answering the following questions directly in the first sentence: Who? What? How? Why? Optionally, you can also add W-questions like When? Where? and Which source. An example could be: "The Neustadt community must invest 500,000 € annually from 2025 in the controversial expansion of their regional airport." This way, the reader immediately learns what it is about and why it is important.

The classic works for two reasons: first, because your readers immediately receive informative information. Second, because the structure of the W-Questions entry matches their reading habits. You revert to the familiar structure of subject, predicate, and object, which facilitates reading.

Another variation of the classic W-Questions entry is to place the most important W at the beginning to generate particularly attentive readers. For example: "The Neustadt community must invest 500,000 € annually from 2025 in the controversial expansion of their regional airport." This way, you emphasize the crucial point.

You can also experiment with an anonymous entry. Here, you deliberately withhold the "Who" and create excitement by offering an interesting description instead. An example of this would be: "4891 tons heavy and almost the size of a complete football field – this is the largest evaporation machine in the world." This entry leaves many questions unanswered that the reader would like to have answered.

The preamble can also be effective. Here you present a list with trigger words or an classification of the topic. For example: "Misdiagnoses, greed, and recklessness – around 400,000 patients are harmed annually due to treatment errors." Sentences like these draw the reader into the subject matter, as they immediately recognize that the topic is relevant.

Another trope is the contrast that attracts attention through unexpected twists. Such a sentence could be: "For more than 30 years, Israel was a fashion-free zone – now, the first Fashion Week in Tel Aviv has opened its doors since the 1980s." Here, an interesting development is addressed that raises questions.

Dramatization can also be a powerful entry. For example: "It was a literally heavy birth – in Berlin, a 40-year-old woman gave birth to a boy who weighed a proud 6 kilograms." Such emotional entries can grip readers and encourage them to continue reading.

There are also static sentences that are less effective. For example, do not use quotes as an entry. Readers first want to know who is speaking before they are interested in quotes. Similarly, do not ask questions. Readers expect answers first, not questions that they cannot answer yet. Negative sentences with "no" or "not" only confuse and distract the reader.

If you have difficulty with the entry, follow these tips: First, write the message without a clear entry. Often the thought clears up in the course. Second, try a classic W-Questions entry, which always works. Third, set your text aside for a few hours or overnight. Your subconscious will continue to work, and maybe come up with a brilliant entry.

To put your ideas into practice, write an example for each type of entry. Choose a topic that interests you. As an exercise, you could also create a waffle iron review. An example is on page 2 of your workbook.

Summary

The entry of your text is crucial for its success. By using various techniques such as the W-Questions entry, anonymous or dramatized entries, you can capture the attention of your readers. Avoid ineffective approaches and use the tips to develop creative ideas.