Just a minute

The average English-speaking adult reads two hundred fifty words per minute. This is what two hundred fifty words looks like. Or two hundred fifty-four, depending on how you treat hyphens: Microsoft Word considers two words joined by a hyphen, “English-speaking” for example, to be a single word. I disagree. Surely you do as well. But I digress.

What right have we to expect more than one minute of anyone’s time? However, if you decide to read something, it’s reasonable to give it one minute of your time.

When we put something out there for the Internet audience to read, let’s make sure we make each minute worth their while, especially the first one. Ensure the complete text (all 250 words) appears onscreen without scrolling. The reader wants to know what they’re getting into. They want to know they haven’t bitten off more than they can chew, so cooperate with them. Make it plain they’re not committing to a long read that’s going to take them out of their routine and disrupt their flow.

Employing columns may cost you some space, but it will assist the reader. Not having to follow a line of text all the way across the page means there is less likelihood of getting lost.

A minute-long chunk of text is enough to make a point if you aren’t a physician or an engineer. Keep count, and proofread your work at least once.

If you feel like reading this again, please time yourself and let me know how long it takes.