The Write Road: Give Your Reader a Roadmap if You Want Her to Read

"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both," Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken

Jan 09, 2023

Road trips with Dad were fun. He’d pull out the huge paper map and plaster it on the table. After marking the start and finish points, he’d plot the course. When done, he knew exactly where we were going and how. And we never got lost.

Well, not too often.

Today we’re going to discuss how to build your reader a road map and how it helps your article get read. She has a destination in mind, too. You need to help her get there. In this article, we’ll look at the five building blocks of an effective writing roadmap:

Headlines that make promises
Leads to draw them in
A Mini map to show the path
Subheads that mark the trail
Summary - OK. + Call-to-Action - even more OK

I’ve used three of the roadmap building blocks already.

Did you see them all?

But first, we’ll start out with the “Why.”

Why Map Out Articles and Posts?

Creating roadmaps for your articles is important. If you want readers to consume your articles, map them out. It’s enormously valuable when writing works for print.

But it serves an even greater purpose when your writing is showcased online.

They’re easy to construct, and they not only help your readers but you as well.

Even though your writing will start with an ugly first draft (UFD … thanks, Ann Handley), creating a roadmap is invaluable, even for short works of less than 1,000 words. They create a structure, a sturdy framework for your writing.

When we’re through, you’ll be creating words of art (or works of art, LOL) that get readers to, well, read your stuff. And online, you could get Google to recommend it to their searchers.

Let’s start with the first building block … which is really the starting point and the last stop.

Headlines that make promises

Your reader is on a mission.

She has a definite purpose in mind, especially if the hunt involves gathering important information. She does not have time to fiddle around.

Make a promise so she knows she’s in the right place.

She could be a CEO, hunting for information to improve her business. She wants to increase her profits, or even salvage her company. Help her.

I knew a woodworking craftsman who was looking for a better tool to accomplish some intricate detail work on a commissioned piece.

He needed a roadmap when looking for just the right equipment.

We all need roadmaps when reading. And the first thing we want is a sign to lead us in the right direction. A road sign that promises success if we turn down that written road.

A good headline or title accomplishes that.

A lighted billboard on a dark road informs us that what we need is just ahead.

Hungry? Go to the light and turn right. Home cooked meals ahead!

Your headline or title must do the same. Your reader is looking for something your article provides. Tell her you have it! Stop her in her tracks … the search is over!

Hey, here’s what you’re looking for! Stop … Read this right now!

We’ll dig deeper into crafting headlines in another issue.

But according to most experts—like Brian Clark, the founder of Copyblogger Media—your headline does 80% of the heavy-lifting for grabbing your reader’s attention, particularly on web searches.

If you craft an attention-getting headline, you’re more likely to attract readers.

But …

Your task isn’t over yet. Not by a long shot.

Now that you’ve got her attention … you have to lead your reader into the article.

Leads to draw them in

Yell “Hey!” loud enough and everyone will turn around and look.

But if you want them to stick around and read, you need to tell them why. And that’s where the lead gets them moving down the page.

The lead (or lede, if you’re familiar with the world of journalism) is the introductory paragraph or two that introduces your reader to your article.

“Hi, reader! This is Article. Article … this is Reader. Here’s why you two should get together.”

Most definitions tell you the lead is the first paragraph. And that’s cool. But don’t limit yourself to just one if you need to go farther (or is it, further. Hmm.) But by the same token, don’t go overboard, either.

Too long is just as bad as too short.

In the wonderful world of sales letter writing, that’s called burying the lead. Bury it deep enough and your reader will think your article died or something.

In sales copy, it can last for several paragraphs to ensure the reader knows what’s going on. So feel free to use two or three or four of them to get your reader started down the write road.

Do spend some quality time on it.

I rewrote the lead to this article about five times before I was satisfied with it. The story about my dad was way longer than it needed to be. About three paragraphs too long before I got to the main hook.

So I moved the lead hook up to the second full paragraph. I could have left the road trip story out altogether and it still would stand on its own. But when writing an article, the lead not only tells you what the story’s about … it also sets the tone and voice.

It’s not necessary. But it can help the reader know how to “dress” for the trip. Obviously, the lead here shows the reader this will be casual, but informative.

Sneakers, not dress shoes, right?

Let’s revisit the second paragraph of my lead for this article.

Today we’re going to discuss how to build your reader a road map and how it helps your article get read. She has a destination in mind, too. You need to help her get there. In this article, we’ll look at the five building blocks of an effective writing roadmap:

It told her (and you, by the way) what we’re going to discuss: writing roadmaps. It hinted this will get your article read. And that there are five building block for the writing roadmap.

Then, I did something else. I gave you—I mean, her—a quick overview of the trip itinerary.

The path is now apparent … and clearly defined.

A Mini map to show the path

I’m sure you saw it. You knew exactly where this article was headed immediately. The bulleted list gave you the five stops along the way, and a hint of what you’d learn at each one.

The lead helped draw her in. But she still was at a crossroads.

The bulleted list allowed her to see beyond the horizon and make an informed decision.

Think about when you saw the bulleted list. At that very moment, you made a choice, consciously or subconsciously.

Either way, you made a quick decision. Both you and the reader of your article have three possible paths:

Read the article right now
Bookmark it to save for later, or
Adios, amigo! Not what I need, so I’ll look elsewhere

Of course, we’d all love to see her make the first decision—read it, read it now! But the decision to bookmark it and come back later isn’t all that bad. She may just want to save it for when she has time to savor it, that’s all.

But even the last choice—to get off the page and try another—isn’t the end of the world.

I would rather my reader get off at the first stop when she realized this wasn’t the right path to follow. I don’t want her to leave with a bad feeling that I’d duped her into reading something that wasn’t valuable to her.

That I intentionally wasted her time!

Don’t do that to your reader either. Offer her an easy out … early on in the piece.

The mini map is a shortcut. She’ll appreciate it.

You’re saving her time, instead of wasting it.

Now, I don’t take full credit for the mini map concept. I learned it from my friend and mentor Sandy Franks. I watched her use it and fell in love with the idea.1 If you haven't read her newsletter, Just One Good Idea2, you're missing out.

Now, let’s talk about sign posts and mile markers.

Subheads that mark the trail

Ever been on a road trip with kids?

Invariably, you’ll hear this MULTIPLE times along the way, probably every 15 minutes.

“Are we there yet!!”

It’ll drive you bonkers. When my kids were little, long trips were the worst.

But as they grew older, something changed.

They began to recognize road signs, mile markers, and points of interest along the way.

The incessant badgering stopped. Well … almost.

It’s the same with my granddaughters now. Not only do they recognize the tell-tale signs along the way, they can read them!

“We’re almost there, Granddad! Almost there! I read a sign that says so!”

Using subheads in your article, particularly long ones, allows your reader to know where she’s at in the article.

Sometimes the writing road seems long. But subheads break up the trip.

Almost like rest areas, right?

But did you notice something else in this article?

If you didn’t catch it, go back to the beginning and take a look. I’ll wait for you to get back.

On second thought, let’s do this instead

The subheads in this article match the mini map bullet points … exactly.

Here they are again:

~~Headlines~~ ~~that make promises~~
~~Leads~~ ~~to draw them in~~
~~AMini map~~ ~~to show the path~~
Subheads that mark the trail (<< you are here)
Summary - OK. + Call-to-Action - even more OK(<< coming up next)

Kinda cool, huh?

Subheadings that match your mini map are like sign posts or mile markers. Using them let’s you reader know right where she’s at in the journey through your article.

Subheads lend a solid structure or framework to your articles and posts.

Spend time on them, just like you did with your headline and lede. They’re important.

Even if you don’t use a mini map, a reader should be able to scan down the page and see exactly where the article is headed.

Here’s a test for good subheads.

Once you’ve written your article, adjust it so all you can really make out are the headline and subheads. If you can tell what your article is about, you’ve done a great job.

If not … back to work!

Time to end this writing road trip and reach our final destination.

Summary - OK. + Call-to-Action - even more OK

We’re near the end of our road trip. Hope you’ve enjoyed it! But when ending a trip, you don’t want your reader to just leave and go vamoose.

That’s kind of anticlimactic, right?

What you’d like to see is that she’s enjoyed traveling with you so much she’d love to book another writing road trip with you.

So, let’s spend just a minute on closing out an article.

This is my opinion, based on reading thousands (and writing hundreds) of articles over the years.

The least effective way to end an article is with a subhead like one of these:

In Conclusion
In a Nutshell
To Sum It All Up, and the all-time favorite …
Summary

C’mon … you can do better than that!

All four of those subheads (but the last three, in particular) absolutely reek of:

“You could have saved time by reading just this last part because it has everything I wanted you to know but I really wanted you to read everything I had to say because I’m so in love with my writing and every word is so precious to me that I just couldn’t bear the thought of you not savoring every little morsel of it and if you didn’t read it all I’d be just devasted and might not ever write another word but I see you did so here it is again … one more time!”

I realize that may sound harsh. Maybe a little overblown.

But …

C’mon. You can do better than that! (Repetition for reinforcing.)

In the writing realms in which I work my word magic (industrial manufacturing and safety, technology, and electrical products), that’s common practice.

And honestly, I hit the snooze button.

Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t summarize or conclude. No, you should.

Just don’t put it that way in that final subhead. That’s commonplace and uninspiring.

Be original.

Say something like,

“Here’s how to use this knowledge to generate more profit.”

Or …

“How this takes your business to the next level faster.”

Or …

“A quick recap to make sure you understand these critical points.”

Then, you can summarize. But hit harder on the benefits of each step you presented.

Here’s an idea. If you created a mini map … use it in your summary! Structure your conclusion on its solid framework. You might expand on that simple mini map.

Okay, that about “sums” it up!

Wait a minute … I get the nagging feeling I’m forgetting something. Let me get a cup of coffee and see if I can figure it out.

Oh, yeah!

Adding a Call-to-Action to your summary. You got your reader’s attention. Now you want to keep her engaged and rengaged to create a deeper relationship.

Do we have time?

How to take your next step to improving your writing skills … today!

I sincerely hope you enjoyed our writing road trip today. I’ve enjoyed your company, for sure. But this is the end of the article and it’s time for you to get to work.

It’s the hour to take your skills to the next level. Remember what we talked about today:

Write Headlines that make promises to your reader and get attention. That’s 80% of the heavy lifting in getting your article consumed.
Leads should be written to draw their interest and pull them deeper into the article. Reinforce their good decision to read.
A Mini map will outline the article and let them decide if it’s worth reading what you have to say. If they know where they’re going, they’re more likely to get aboard.
Well-crafted subheads tell your reader exactly where they are and what to expect from that section.
A Summary will distill the information. And that’s good. But go for broke! Adding a Call-to-Action keeps them engaged. And coming back for more.

So, what will you do next to keep on traveling The Write Road?

First, if you’re reading this, but not getting these newsletters in your email inbox, fix that now by subscribing today.

It’s easy and free … two of my favorite things.

And be sure to head over to the archives and catch up on what you’ve missed!

But most of all, keep on writing. Every day if possible. And remember that everything you write can be used to improve your skills: social media posts, letters to your mom, instructions to kids and co-workers (they sometimes act the same, right?)

If you’re considering or already using your writing skills as a business, almost anything you write can be used for a sample of your skills.

If you’re thinking about starting a copywriting or content creation biz, keep your eye out for an important announcement soon. I don’t have all the deets worked out yet, but will in the near future.

(In case you wondered … that’s my summary and Call-to-Action for this issue.)

So, what did you think?

Were these tips helpful?

Or do you think the old man has lost it?

Feel free to post your questions and ideas in the comments. If you don’t agree what all I said, say so! But please tell me how you think it should be done.

And additional suggestions or tips are always welcomed.

We’re here to learn from each other. That’s called community. Sharing ideas is how we improve.

Together.

That’s all for now.

In the next issue, we’ll talk about the “Goldfish Principle” and why I think it’s a bogus concept. Blub blub.

Type to you later!

Steve M.

P.S. I almost forgot. Remember that quote above from poet Robert Frost? The excerpt taken from that highly inspirational poem, The Road Not Taken, that everyone gets so teary-eyed about.

(Tissues all around for everyone.)

The poem that inspired myriad motivational songs and speeches and programs? That beseches us to do better, take the less traveled road, and not fall prey to hindsight and lost opportunities. Serious stuff, Right?

Wrong.

Did you know Frost wrote it as a joke to one of his writing buddies? This article from the Poetry Foundation explains it all. Frost actually was more than a little put off that it was taken so seriously.

Poor Bobby F. tried to be funny and came off as an inspirational guru.

I feels ya, buddy boy!

Happens to all of us.

Go figure, right? sdm