Writing for Busy Readers: Communicate More Effectively in the Real World

by Todd Rogers, Jessica Lasky-Fink

We were all taught the fundamentals of writing well in school. But how do we write effectively in today’s hyper-interactive world? When The Elements of Style and On Writing Well were published in 1959 and 1976, the internet hadn’t been invented. Since then, there has been a radical transformation in how we communicate. The average adult receives over 100 emails and tens of text messages each day. With all this correspondence, gaining a busy reader’s attention is now a competition. Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-Fink, both behavioural scientists, offer practical writing advice you can use today. They begin by outlining cognitive facts about how busy people read, then detail six research-backed principles for effective Including many examples, a checklist, and other tools for the most effective writing, this handbook will make you a more effective communicator. Rogers and Lasky-Fink bring conventional ideas about text-based communication into the 21st century’s radically transformed attention marketplace.

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Business, Communication, Self Help, Leadership, Audiobook

256 pages, Paperback

Published September 2, 2025

Reviews

[D R Massey · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is really very basic and way too long for the level of material covered. Examples of the advice given include: use short sentences, use headings, when doing doing a list put the most important thing first. It’s that basic.

Early on the book makes the astute observation that most of us aren’t taught the skill of concise writing, but also aren’t taught concise editing either - a separate skill. But this book teaches neither. I had the sinking feeling that this book was bad after about 50 pages in. By this point all the book does is tell you, at great length, why you need to write concisely and with clarity. The whole way through I’m thinking “yes I know! That’s why I bought the book! Get to the point!!” Then on page 168, it literally says “edit for conciseness…..looking closely for anything that can be said in fewer words” that’s it. In other words, the way to edit for conciseness…..is to edit for conciseness!!

The book ends with a chapter of questions about things like frequency of communication, medium, use of technical language etc. The answer to every single one seems to be “on the one hand this, on the other hand that, it depends, use your judgement”. It’s maddening.

Overall this book is wafer thin and very disappointing given the positive write up in the economist. I would imagine anyone who might find the content useful, and there are some, is not going to sit through a 200 page book.

There are far better options out there for improving writing. Do I make myself clear by Harold evans is superb on the nitty gritty of writing for clarity and the recent ‘art of explanation’ by ros Atkins is great for a simple process of narrowing unwieldy and complex information into a simple clear explanation.

[Dolly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started applying this book the day I started reading it. Convincing and actionable. I especially liked the experiments comparing two versions of the same email and the visuals showing people’s eye tracking movements. A fantastic application of behavioral science to writing that will help anyone who writes emails, texts, reports, etc.

[Kerem · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book could have been much more concise if the authors had swallowed their own pill.

[The Lesbian Library (Maddy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has helped me so much with my shorter form writing projects!

[Jaime Hobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read that explores the behavioral science behind crafting messages that causes readers to act. If you’re interested in communicating more effectively, this is a must-read. Great for marketers, non-profits, campaign managers, grant writers, and anyone who hopes to get a response on important messages.

[Michael Wolcott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some useful tips, but the book seemed unnecessarily repetitive and could be distilled a little more. Last page of tips was good.

[Kameko Leung · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s almost ironic how the basic concepts of this book don’t seem to have been applied to the book itself. These a great ideas to keep in mind, but it could have been a checklist.

[Luiz Guedes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely relevant topic. However I found the book to be overwritten, and not delivering on the very promise of the title. Too many anecdotes, and at times, the authors repeat themselves. Once you are presented to the six principles, the book should have ended, yet they carry on with an additional 38 pages of “more is less”.

[Jevgenij · Rating 3 out of 5]

The advice is too trivial: writer shorter, simpler bla bla. This type of a book should focus more on techniques rather than general principles.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended book for non-academic writers with super tips and actionable takeaways. "Effective writing is more accessible, more equitable, and more democratic" (p. 8).

[Poetic Diva504 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is easy to navigate, and doesn’t take long to get to the point. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to write attention grabbing content.

[Leah Hickman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 ⭐️

Practical + easy to read book with evidence-based tips for more effective writing. Also learned some fun facts, for example: In the early days of Roman-Saxon writing, writers did not use punctuation or spaces between words!

[Sara Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book to learn how to write better and communicate their ideas more effectively.

While I’ve learned many techniques for better writing over time (often the “hard way”), this book provided excellent practical tips for everyone to write better.

[Flora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find here essential tips that every writer should keep in mind as they tap away on their keyboard. We all tend to be lazy readers these days so why write 10 words when three will do. I feel that the authors did not follow their own advice at times especially when they gave more information than I cared to know about. I also longed for more lists which I find much easier to read quickly.



4 stars.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

An quick, easy to read (as one would expect for a book of this nature) on effective writing. The authors make clear from the outset that effective writing:
- Has a well-defined purpose
- Gets through to the reader, "even the busy reader whose own goal may be to stop reading and move on as quickly as possible. If you lose your reader, it's not their fault; it is your job as the writer to capture their attention and keep them engaged". The authors constantly remind us that "busy people tend to skim, postpone reading complex messages or ignore them completely".
- Helps the writer as well as the reader in that effective writing is more likely to get you the response, the follow up you need from your audience.
- It is not the same as beautiful, literary writing. Not all of us can write beautiful prose. But "effective writing…is a skill that anyone can master" where the goal is to "clearly convey specific information to busy people and make it easy for them to understand and respond.
- Effective writing is read in a context. How we apply the principles given in the book will very much depend on the context and that requires a judgment call on the part of the writer.

The authors then lay out 6 principles for effective writing, along with the research findings informing these principles.

#1: Less Is More.
More dilutes information so Use Fewer Words and Include Fewer Ideas. The authors point out that while "getting rid of long-winded phrases is…relatively uncontroversial…sometimes effective writing calls for sacrificing words that are not quite needless, even if they are not quite crucial, either. Sometimes it is worth losing a little precision and meaning to save readers' time.

In writing, we should also Make Fewer Requests to avoid burdening the reader wit asks to take multiple actions. Asking them to do more can backfire, causing them to do less.

#2: Make Reading Easy.
This means Using Short and Common Words instead of fancy and unusual ones, Writing Short and Straightforward Sentences instead of long ones with multiple clauses.

#3: Design for Easy Navigation
This entails Making Key Information Immediately Visible, Separating Distinct Ideas (e.g. using bullet points instead of presenting readers with a wall of text), Placing Related Ideas Together,, Ordering Ideas by Priority and Including Headings to help busy readers scan a message and decide which parts they want to zoom in on. Using Visuals could also be an effective way in helping your reader grasp the key points in a piece of communication.

#4: Use Enough Formatting but No More
This is about using formatting like underlining, highlights, caps, italics, font colour etc judiciously. Formatting should Match Readers' Expectations (so if people think that ALL CAPS is used to express anger or hostility, don't use this to signal importance). Likewise, if people tend to view italics and font colours are emphasising an element within a sentence, don't use these to direct attention to the most important points. Instead, consider highlighting, bolding or underlining the most important ideas. And limit your formatting (don't use all the different kinds of formatting at once).

#5: Tell Readers Why They Should Care
A piece of writing should Emphasize What Readers Value ("so what"?), it should Emphasize Which Readers Should Care ("why me"?). For instance, email subject headers can make clear who should be paying attention to the email. Rather than say "important product safety recall info", the email header might read "If you bought Soup XYZ in June, it has been recalled".

#6: Make Responding Easy
To increase the likelihood that people will act, writers must Simplify the Steps Required to Act, and Organise Key Information Needed for Action.

The authors also emphasise the importance of proofreading for typos: "Typos can also undermine your goals by implicitly telling the reader, "This note is not important enough to edit".

I really appreciated how at the end of each chapter, the authors would give an example of a piece of ineffective communication and, using the rules they had introduced in the chapter, systematically edit the text into something easier to read and process. And that the book went beyond writing tips to issues of formatting and the framing of follow up actions. Overall, a useful read.

[Chitrranshi · Rating 3 out of 5]

In today's fast-paced world, effective communication is not just a skill but a necessity. Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-Fink's book provides invaluable insights into this crucial aspect of modern communication. Drawing from behavioral science, they offer actionable tips that are immediately applicable, making this book a must-read for anyone who writes emails, texts, reports, and more.

One of the book's strengths lies in its ability to translate complex cognitive facts about reading into six simple principles. These principles, ranging from engaging the reader to making responding easy, are essential guidelines for crafting impactful messages.

The book acknowledges the challenges of capturing a busy reader's attention in the digital age. With overflowing inboxes and constant notifications, writers need to cut through the noise. The authors emphasize the importance of brevity, advocating for using fewer words and a lower reading level. They stress the need for judicious formatting, making the content easily scannable for readers on the go.

Throughout the book, Rogers and Lasky-Fink provide real-world examples, experiments, and visuals that illustrate the effectiveness of their principles. However, there are moments where the authors could have practiced what they preached by keeping their own explanations concise.

The book is divided into three parts, each serving a distinct purpose. The first part focuses on engaging the reader, setting the stage for effective communication. The second part outlines the six principles of effective writing, offering a comprehensive framework for crafting compelling messages. Finally, the third part provides practical strategies for putting these principles into action.

"Less is more" is a recurring theme throughout the book, reminding writers to prioritize clarity and brevity. By making reading easy and designing for easy navigation, writers can ensure that their messages are accessible and digestible for busy readers. Additionally, emphasizing the value for readers and making the purpose clear for skimmers are essential strategies for capturing and retaining attention.

One of the book's standout features is its emphasis on making responding easy for readers. By removing barriers to engagement, writers can encourage interaction and foster meaningful communication.

In conclusion, Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-Fink's book offers essential advice for navigating the challenges of modern communication. By adhering to their principles of clarity, brevity, and accessibility, writers can become more effective and productive communicators in today's attention marketplace.

[Kevin Parkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's a passage from the book:

"When you are balancing the trade-offs between readability and using longer, less common, but potentially more precise words, ask yourself two questions. First, how valuable are the subtle differences in word meaning for conveying the essence of the sentence? Second, is the additional meaning conveyed by the harder to read word worth the cost of fewer readers engaging?"

That quote explains both why many people hate this book but I *LOVE* it.

The quote comes in the middle of the chapter about making reading easier. The authors first suggest that you should use the word "agree" instead of the word "acquiesce." I didn't like that when I first heard it. My thought was, "But precision is important! 'Acquiesce' isn't merely an 'EASIER' way to say 'agree;' 'acquiesce' means something slightly different than 'agree!'" But then, almost as if they had foreseen my push-back, they presented the quote above.

As a result, I found the book to be fair, compelling, and - perhaps most of all - NUANCED. It's as if they say: "Okay listen... Nobody is going to stop you from putting 'acquiesce' if you insist on doing so. Yes there are times in which you need precision. But AS A GENERAL RULE OF THUMB, most people write more complicated than we need to, and it really does cause problems."

There are critics who read that quote as, "Sometimes use the more complicated word. Sometimes use the less complicated word." They then shrug and say, "Well why do I need a book to tell me that?!?!"

But I for one really enjoyed that approach. I found it, like I said above, more nuanced. More truthful. So I wasn't as defensive about my writing and found they could nudge me. (ironically I'm not using their advice in this review, but nonetheless...). If they had tried to argue, "ALWAYS USE EASIER WORDS," I would have been mentally fighting them from beginning to end. Instead they acknowledge that my love for precision is a valid position to have, while simultaneously nudging me to a more balanced position. They do the same in all of their chapters (shorter is generally better, but not always; etc.).

If you're looking for: "Follow these 10 rules religiously and they will tell you EXACTLY how to get EVERYONE to respond IMMEDIATELY," you're not going to find it in this book. But this book does provide some great points to consider, and I enjoyed it throughout.

[Priit Tohver (storygraph: ptohver) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book trite. I would support the vast majority of the advice given, but that's just it: it's so obvious. When it comes to extolling the benefits and teaching the precepts of clear and direct sentences, you are far better off with Zinsser's On Writing Well. Where this book adds some value, is in pointing out just how hectically today's readers rifle through communications. But for me, reaching people who skim will always be a secondary goal. The primary goal is writing beautiful English that is clear to any reader. That is often achieved by doing many of the things recommended in this book: writing shorter sentences, including fewer ideas per sentence, and not using a five dollar word when a fifty cent word will do. As for advice likd being more mindful of how you structure your writings or using formatting sparingly: that would've worked better as a 5 minute Medium post.

That said, I still learned some interesting facts from this book. For example I didn't know Old Man and the Sea was written at a fourth grade reading level (take *that*, convoluted writing). I also found it interesting that using "old school" mediums like postcards might actually grab attention now, because they have become novel. Much the same way, text messages got amazing response rates in the mid aughts when they were still rare, whereas today they are so common, they're almost useless. I'd never really considered the novelty of my medium when planning communications, but I will from now on. Finally, I found it interesting how one can improve response rates by varying the author of a message, as is often done while fundraising. I'd noticed this was happening, but I'd never really considered why they were doing this. And now I know why.

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I once attended a seminar on writing for my then-job and so was intrigued by this book. I am a busy reader. I am certainly open to being a better communicator. So I was curious to see what the authors here could tell me and how I could improve my writing.

The authors goes through several tips and tricks, backed by science, to help the reader become a better writer. Some of these are fairly standard issue: using correct grammar, spelling etc. Some of it might not be so clear cut: use short sentences, use headings, etc. (This can also vary on the type of writing you are doing.)

That's pretty much it. I will admit that I was disappointed: I had thought there would be more on the how vs. the why. Much of this was not personally new to me, as I've been in many heavy-writing positions over the years that have also required me to learn new types of writing, projects, reports, etc.

I do think this book would have merit for people who have never thought about this before or like explanations of the science behind of why this works but that does not, etc. If you're someone who is used to doing certain types of writing (legal, scientific, technical, etc.) this might be a good supplemental resource, especially if you're transitioning to a new field. Students also might find this useful as well, but again, your mileage may vary, as the author says.

It was not useful for me but it would be for others. Library borrow was best for me.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a lot of ways, just another effective writing guide. Also I found there were parts that I could skip, largely the bits where they detail the experiments they did to back up their positions. I suppose there were 3 motives for those parts: (1) padding this pamphlet out to book length, (2) advertising their business, and (3) convincing anyone sceptical of those positions that they are 'borne out by real-world research'.
None of those reasons warranted the research reporting bits, from my perspective. Any professional or even student writer can evaluate their advice (positively) without the need for research, but it's the fashion to demonstrate things that don't need demonstrating; armchair wisdom is frowned on.
Be that as it may, the organisation and formatting of the book make it pretty easy to skip the otiose (I don't care about dropping in the odd 5-dollar word, see?), and the advice itself is thoroughly sound and clearly and well presented. It is of course very general - it can only tell you the 'how' insofar as that 'how' is amenable (again, see?) to very general statement. But that is already enough to be of practical, applicable utility, imo. And there's a very handy 2-page (on my phone kindle) checklist at the end.
So all in all, I'd say worth your time and money if you need to write clearly and can spare a few bucks (or other monetary units).

[Bunly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not about writing beautifully but effectively. It quickly and concisely delivers messages to modern readers who are busier and more distracted than ever before. What I learnt from the book is that it is all about "more is less". I know it should be the other way around, but it is the same thing:

- More information can lead to less time to read
- More messages can result in less attention
- More requests can result in fewer responses

Contrary to popular belief, effective writing is not about overwhelming the reader with information, messages, and requests. Instead, it's about making reading easy and enjoyable. By simplifying our writing, we respect our readers' time and attention, keeping them engaged and informed. This approach values the reader's needs and priorities and encourages them to take action when necessary.

It's important to remember that "readers should care" about the content, even if it's straightforward. The writing should be from "their perspective", making the content relevant to them and showing how it aligns with their values. We must make it easy for them if we're lucky enough to get a response.

In the end, we're all writers and readers. We write notes to our families and friends, emails to our colleagues, and social media posts to our networks. We know the types of content that grab our attention, and these can serve as a "rule of thumb" for engaging our readers.

[Traci · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book could be helpful for a normal person. Unfortunately, I am a lawyer, so my brain is broken and I think about this stuff all the time. Some of the book's advice, especially about concision, is taught in law school. Much of the remainder of the advice is intuitively learned, if not explicitly reinforced, when you do a lot of (too much?) legal writing. There were three tidbits that I found interesting--advice that I perhaps understood, on a subconscious level, made one's writing clearer, but had never consciously considered.

I plan to pass this book along to my husband, who is not yet a confident writer but is now building a business that requires him to communicate with clients, potential clients, and subscribers. Once he had ChatGPT write his Instagram caption and it was so obvious that my friend told me she showed it to her husband and asked, "Do you think this was written by AI?"

I think this book will be helpful for people like him, who need to be explicitly told to write for one's audience, write with a goal in mind, and write concisely. At the very least, the advice from this book could help him edit his AI-generated captions 😄

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

How to be an effective rewriter:

What is the most important information I want my readers to understand?

How do I make it easier for my readers to understand it ?

Principle 1: Less is more

Use fewer words. User fewer ideas. Make fewer requests.

Principle 2: Make reading easy

Use short and common words. Write straightforward sentences. Write shorter sentences.

Principle 3: designed for easy navigation

Make key information immediately visible. Separate distinct ideas. Place related ideas together. Order ideas by priority. Include headings. Consider using visuals.

Principle 4: using enough formatting but no more

Match, formatting to readers expectation . Highlight, bold, or underlying the most important ideas. Limit your formatting.

Principle 5: Tell readers why they should care

Emphasize what readers value (“so what?”). Emphasize which readers should care (“why me?”).

Principle 6: Make responding easy

Simplify the steps required to act. Organize key information needed for action. Minimize the amount of attention required.

[Jake Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library, quickly devoured, purchased it, and then re-read it. Some great takeaways I reached:

1. Start with the conclusion - put your main point first (called a "bottom-line up-front (BLUF)" in military vernacular)
2. Use clear, concise headings that convey key messages
3. Break text into short paragraphs with one idea each
4. Employ bullet points for lists and key information (employing here)
5. Bold essential points that readers shouldn't miss
6. Use simple, direct language and avoid jargon (sorry for the BLUF reference)

7. Include white space to make content scannable

8. Keep sentences short (under 20 words when possible)
9. Edit ruthlessly - cut unnecessary words and repetition
10. Test your writing by seeing if key points can be understood in 30 seconds

Remember: Busy readers don't read - they scan. Make your most important information impossible to miss.

[Jiwon Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

DR:TL (didn't read, too long). essentially, stop wasting my/your time.

"effective writing is not the same as beautiful writing."
"a classic study by the psychologist George Miller confirms that there is a distinct cap to how many specific things we can actively hold in our minds at once: approximately seven items, plus or minus two."
"one common rule of thumb is that, when faced with a lot of options, we pick the first one that seems good enough rather than expending the effort to seek out the absolute best measured option."
"[Don Norman, author of the book The Design of Everyday Things] His point is that no matter how beautiful or elegant that object might be, the designer's essential job is to meet people where they are by creating objects that are easy to use. We have a similar perspective on practical writing."

[Lukas Klessig · Rating 2 out of 5]

While well-intentioned, by broadly applying their principles and strategies to all types of "writing," this guide doles out bland and corrosive advice.

In short (as recommended by the authors): the takeaway here becomes: let's all bolster the ensh*ttification of the internet, the memeification of complex ideas and the immediate gratification short-termism of modernity.

This book, while trying to present a nuanced view, ultimately condones and encourages the further dumbing down of personal and professional communication and interaction.

It obviously sparks some rumination (as in; yours truly), but rapidly (...oh, the irony) ended up in the dustbin of only-skimmed-the-second-half and author-interviews-for-verification titles.

Maybe Writing for Busy Readers just reflects modern reality, but this "how to" pop-science doesn't even merit a skim. Skip it.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is about how to write "practical messages" from an email to a colleague to a fundraising letter for a campaign. In summary, the idea is to be concise, use easy words, organize the information clearly and make the important points stand out visually.

I appreciated the insight in the book. Ironically, my one complaint is that I think they could have shortened the book by 20-25%. I think they added chapters to the front and back that were repetitive, plus some of the stories in the middle felt like filler. I'm guessing their editor said they needed more pages to be a "real" book.

But it's still useful and I think practical writing is overlooked as a skill to develop. So, maybe read the book summary on this one.

[Brenton Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me, getting a minor in technical writing and still learning the basics of writing, this was a fantastic book. It was very accessible and gave me a lot to think about and put into practice.

Experienced writers may not find this book as beneficial. I’ve noticed that several reviews point out the irony of a book on concise communication. They suggest the book could be a couple of pages of principles. I do have to ask, however, that if this is your situation, why are you reading this book? The book is upfront that it presents the science and **why** of effective communication, not just the dos and don’ts. As a student of the craft, I greatly appreciated the book’s approach and benefited from it.

[Luofeng Huang · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was attracted by the title of the book. The book does include several essential useful principles, but lacks clear approaches to them. In most of the discussions, the authors provide some context whiles say they are different for different people (thus unclear and let the readers themselves to think).

I only needed a few hours to finish the book and found the writing has enormous unnessary words/sentences (controversial to their own rule). Given the money I paid for this book, it didn't provide me enough information. Honestly, I could learn this on a short website article.

It should be sufficiently useful for somebody who is really new to writing styles.

[Jack Cheng]

As a professional writer and editor, I’m not the target for this book. However, I will say that the advice here is good and presented clearly. I’ve seen reviews that complain that this book is too long. Well, there’s a one page summary in the back and a pdf you can download from their website. What the full book has are lots of examples as well as references to actual A-B testing and academic articles that provide evidence for this advice.

The advice? Write short, make it easy for your reader, use clear design, format (but don’t over format), explain the purpose of your writing and make responding easy.