Words don't Attract People, Bullets Attract People
Dalton Vanhooser - Thursday, September 10, 2009
When preparing copy for a document or presentation, it
is important to layout the copy in such a way that attracts the eye. The easiest way to do this is the use of
bullets. Bullets bring a lot more
attention than any single word when discussing body copy. Bullets bring attention to important
information, help organize thoughts for the writer and the viewer, form a
compatible symbiosis between copy and design, and force the writer to condense
copy in a creative way. By setting up
bullets as often as possible, you ensure more information absorption from the
viewer.
The viewer will notice the title and design of the piece first, then they will turn to the smallest piece of body copy. The human mind, especially a busy one, immediately deters from large sections of copy. If a document is made of paragraphs of information, there is a high probability the only copy to be read will be the title.
It is important, however, to not overload the document with bullets. Bullets are great for stating pertinent information and key points, but not for introducing or closing a document or presentation. If a few clever sentences are needed to encase the bullets, it is advised the writer form the necessary copy. Still, depending on the document, and the estimated amount of reading time, no more than two to three sentences per section of copy should be necessary.
The viewer will notice the title and design of the piece first, then they will turn to the smallest piece of body copy. The human mind, especially a busy one, immediately deters from large sections of copy. If a document is made of paragraphs of information, there is a high probability the only copy to be read will be the title.
It is important, however, to not overload the document with bullets. Bullets are great for stating pertinent information and key points, but not for introducing or closing a document or presentation. If a few clever sentences are needed to encase the bullets, it is advised the writer form the necessary copy. Still, depending on the document, and the estimated amount of reading time, no more than two to three sentences per section of copy should be necessary.
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