When I was a training instructor, I learned that they share some common characteristics. Adults tend to be time conscious when they are in the learning environment. They are more apt to learn when they see personal value in the subject. Adults want to see progress in their learning. Finally, and not any less important, adults want to feel a connection to the other members of the class, as well as the instructor. These four characteristics point to a common truth for the writer: it isn’t enough to simply put your thoughts down on paper; what you put down has to be compelling to the reader, writing in a manner that sparks the readers interest and urges them on in their reading.

Charles Spurgeon, 19^th century evangelist and writer, was well aware of this truth when he wrote, “It was an ill day when religion became so decorous as to call dullness her companion, and mirth became so frivolous as to demand the divorce of instruction from amusement. It is not needful that magazines for Christian reading should be made up of pious platitudes, heavy discourses, and dreary biographies of nobodies: the Sabbath literature of our families might be as vivacious and attractive as the best of amusing serials, and yet as deeply earnest and profitable as the soundest of divines would desire” (Sword & Trowel, Preface, 1875).¹

There are a few simple things that you can do to write in a more compelling manner.  First, write conversationally, like you are talking to the reader. This will draw them into the page, making them feel more connected to you, the writer. Second, write at the level of your intended readers. It does no good use a college-level vocabulary when your intended audience only went as far as high school; and, the opposite is true, also. Third, write in clear language, avoiding overly complicated sentences, to ensure that the reader understands the point. Fourth, offer the reader an opportunity to internalize the message through questions to ponder or related activities that promote thought; of course, this may not always be appropriate, especially if your piece has purely entertainment purposes. Finally, you will want to pick an interesting topic that will be relevant for the reader; but, in the end, the reader has the final say as to what interests them. Can you think of any other tips for making your writing compelling? I would love to hear them. Feel free to leave a comment.

As a final word, I leave you with another quote from Charles Spurgeon about writing in a compelling manner. “If the writer had possessed genius and literary ability, this might have been a highly interesting work; but as the writers’ sole qualification is his honesty of purpose, the work is most reliable and dull” (Sword & Trowel, November 1882).¹

¹lucidbooks, “7 Writing Tips from Charles Spurgeon,” 2/22/2016. Retrieved from https://lucidbookspublishing.com/7-writing-tips-from-charles-spurgeon/?fbclid=IwAR3uUmjb2jOP8MyZ7AQEvU_MIYHI5QYC-lDrBTfVOZNvSGQUosJxqeLrZNg on 1/4/2020