When you use the right writing techniques, people will find themselves rolling right through your ... More article.
Want to learn some writing techniques that feel a bit like superpowers?
Listen up, because I've got a story to share.
After I published my article on how to get unstuck by changing your creative environment, my husband wrote me a mildly perplexing email about how I introduced the article’s main point.
"I liked how you set it up," he said, and then proceeded to quote what I had written:
- I bet you're wondering, 'Okay, Renae, so… what does all of that tell us?'
Then came the perplexing part. "It was a cool rhetorical decoy that doubled as a question and a set-up," he added.
Say what? Conversational writing techniques are sure to draw attention to your ideas.
Say what‽
A rhetorical decoy that doubled as a question?
My husband, who spends a lot of time in his head, can be a little abstract, so I had to read what he wrote again. Then, as I read it a third time, understanding dawned. A huge smile broke out on my face.
It was like discovering I'd been speaking French fluently without realizing I knew the language. I'd used a technique so naturally that I didn't even recognize its power.
"Aww, shucks," I thought, beaming. "Little old me did all that?"
Although I can sometimes turn a great phrase, I'm no master of literary devices. I knew that whatever I did, I did it instinctively. I wasn't being clever. I was just being myself.
An unendingly curious type, I also wondered if I’d instinctively used other such devices—and what they might be.
"Article idea!" I thought.
So I uploaded the piece to Gemini, mentioned my husband's "rhetorical decoy" comment, and asked if I'd used any other sneaky-smart techniques without knowing it.
Turns out, there were seven.
And the best part? As you’ll discover in this article, the techniques are surprisingly simple and effective. I’ll also show you how to recognize and use them in your own work.
Let's dig in.
Writing technique 1: Soften with a setup
Creating a great setup is a writing technique that draws readers in and keeps them reading.
This technique is the rhetorical equivalent of my “aw shucks” moment. You pose a question or make a comment that sounds humble or self-doubting, but then follow with a real insight.
A great example is the very line my husband pointed out:
- I bet you're thinking, 'Okay, Renae, so… what does all of that tell us?' No worries; I had to ask myself the same question.
See what I did? It wasn’t magic. I just got to the end of the introduction and stopped. I re-read what I had written and thought to myself, “Okay, so what’s the point?” And I decided that’s exactly how I’d lay out the point.
You can use the soft setup throughout your article, not just in the introduction. Just open any piece of your writing and start to read. When the time feels right (this knowing of when will grow on you), ask yourself, "What thoughts might my readers be having here? What doubts? Concerns? Worries?"
Start with a thought that suggests reader uncertainty. Then walk with readers into answers, clarity, the truth.
Writing technique 2: Pull a gentle twist
Pulling a gentle twist on your readers is a writing technique that helps you guide readers into ... More discovering insights on their own.
With this technique, you lead your readers somewhere familiar, then shift just enough to surprise them. You're not trying to fool them—or make them feel like a fool. You're guiding them to a door they didn't know existed.
Here's an example from the same article:
- Being stuck isn’t just about mood or motivation or discipline. It’s not about something inside you. It’s not about you. The…very definition [of the word stuck] points to being held, trapped, unable to move. It implies something acting on us rather than something we’re failing to do.
At this point in the piece, I’m tapping into the idea that most people think being stuck is something internal. Then I pull the twist: I illustrate that by the very definition of the word, being stuck seems to be the result of an external force acting on us.
In other words, it’s not internal. It’s external. It’s not what you thought.
How to use the gentle twist technique? Start by naming the default belief or assumption. Then challenge it with quiet confidence and without drama. That kind of turn invites readers to rethink—and to want to keep reading.
Writing technique 3: Flip the frame
Giving readers a new way to frame their thinking is a great keep-them-reading writing technique
This trick comes into play right where your piece pivots. You've built up to an idea, and now you rotate the lens so readers see things differently.
I used this technique immediately on top of the twist. At this point, I stopped leading up to my argument and plainly stated it:
- That's the shift. When we stop assuming that being stuck in a creative block is always an internal issue, we can start looking around us, outside us.
How to flip the frame? Look for a moment where your message changes from what things seem to be to what they actually might be or are. That's your flip. Make it clear, but don't force it. Your words should feel like revelation, not instruction.
Writing technique 4: Plant seeds of possibility
When readers feel like they're on a journey of discovery rather than being told something, they're ... More more invested in the outcome.
Rather than just launching into advice, plant ideas so that readers feel like they’re uncovering them on their own. Either that, or walk readers through your thought process so they can discover alongside you.
Here's how I did the latter in the stuck piece:
- If stuckness can be caused by external forces, then it’s worth asking: Could one of those forces be our surroundings? Could the space itself—the lighting, the clutter, the layout, the energy—be what's holding us fast and keeping us stuck?
See what I did? First, I explored what the word stuck means—and took readers through that exploration. Then I considered how we generally think about being stuck in a creative sense, and what we typically think we need to do to get unstuck. I led readers through that though process. Then I presented my thesis. Bang!
To plant seeds of possibility, use words like "could" and "might" and "what if" instead of stating facts directly. Ask questions. Lead readers through the process you went through to discover the insights you’re writing about. When readers feel like they're on a journey of discovery rather than being told something, they're more invested in the outcome.
Writing technique 5: Repeat, but make it matter
Use the writing technique of repetition to set a pace, like a heartbeat.
We all know that repetition breeds familiarity. But it’s also about rhythm and emphasis. A well-placed repeat builds energy and clarity without you having to yell.
Two different examples from my article:
- Stuck. Stuckness. While working on the opening of this article about the creative environment, my mind became fixated on those two words: stuck and stuckness.
- It's not about mood or motivation or discipline. It's not about something inside you. It's not about you.
This technique is easy enough to spot. To use it yourself, treat repetition like a heartbeat. Don't try to drive a point home, though. The goal is to set a pace. Let the repeats guide readers’ attention, especially in moments when emotions are building.
Writing technique 6: Clear the clutter with contrast
Creating contrast is a writing technique that helps you answer reader questions and address ... More objections.
Sometimes the best way to explain what something is to say what it's not. This technique works especially well when readers are swimming in too many possibilities.
Here’s my example:
- The point isn't to follow my rules or anyone else's, for that matter. The point is to pay attention.
You can use contrast by stacking up what doesn’t belong, then revealing what does. Talk about both "what is" and "what isn’t." Use "what works" and "what doesn't." Point to the yin and the yang, the yes and the no. Contrast helps readers focus by eliminating the noise and highlighting what truly matters.
Writing technique 7: Write like you talk
My favorite writing technique of all? Write like a human. Write like you talk!
Honestly, this might be my favorite technique of all. So many pieces try to sound polished or formal, but the best writing often just sounds like you.
- Little old me did all that?
- "Eureka!" I thought. That's the shift.
- I wasn’t just being quirky when I said I needed clean spaces….
This one is easy. Write the way you talk. Break a sentence if it feels better that way. Use contractions. Embrace your voice. Readers respond to realness and rhythm.
And if writing ever feels difficult, try recording yourself speaking and thinking aloud. Then, you can work from transcripts.
Bottom line
If you find yourself smiling while reading back what you've written, you've used writing techniques ... More well. Congrats!
I realize these tricks aren’t fancy or flashy. But they help the writing feel real, alive, and easy to trust. And chances are, you’re already using a few without knowing it.
How about giving it a try? Pull up a piece you’ve written recently and read it from the perspective of reader. Ask yourself:
- Where does your voice get quieter or warmer?
- Where do you tell instead of show?
- Where does the piece turn?
Look for those little moments to use these writing techniques because they often do more work than you realize. And if you find yourself smiling a little while reading your piece back? That's a very good sign.
