Writing for Impatient Readers

We've written the proposal. We believe it’s the most well-thought-out plan, carefully designed to have a huge impact on our target population. Yet if the reader’s mind wanders after a few minutes, or worse—they yawn—our proposal may be in trouble.

So how do we hold the attention of readers?  Here are a few tips:

1. Short sentences Try for about 10 – 20 words per sentence. Vary the length. Some may be a bit longer, some shorter. And a one-word sentence works occasionally, for emphasis.
2. Short paragraphs Each paragraph has a point; state it in the first sentence. Limit the paragraph to three to four additional lines per paragraph. People who skim will usually read the first sentence of each paragraph. A one-sentence paragraph to make a point is okay (sparingly).
3. Bullet points Bullet points can help you draw attention to a list. Don’t go overboard. Like everything, use sparingly, three to five bullet points in a series. Make them consistent: either all full sentences or all fragments.

4. Active voice Active voice is direct and clear. A sentence in active voice contains a “do-er”, a subject. For example, “The State Department of Education reported that 23% of first graders…” vs. “It is reported that 23% of first graders…”  The do-er, or subject, is the State Department of Education.

5. Avoid abbreviations and acronyms Abbreviations and acronyms can be difficult to follow and even harder to remember, especially for reviewers who do not have the same familiarity as you. If there is a name that you will be using repeatedly throughout your proposal, write it out the first time and put the acronym or abbreviation in parentheses: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). From that point, you can use the acronym FAQs. Consider repeating that approach in each section of your proposal.

Patty Wolfe is an independent consultant to nonprofit organizations.

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