How To Keep Finicky Internet Readers Engaged: 2 Pacing Prompts

The internet doesn’t always favor “good writing.”

But the internet always favors what’s fast.

When people read online, they don't actually "read." They skim, browse, and scroll. Their eyes gloss over your words, and if something compelling catches their attention in the first few seconds, they'll stop and engage.

The second your writing loses momentum?

Your reader is gone.

Back to memeville they go.

My writing professor used to say:

"If your story depends on the reader making it past the first few pages, then your story doesn't need those pages."

I took this advice to heart when I started writing on Quora.

And instead of giving a bunch of backstory, I would just state my point, explain it, and then move on to the next point. This became a defining characteristic of my writing style.

So today, I’m going to show you how to optimize your writing style for speed with a simple AI prompt.

Let's dive in!

“New” Is What Keeps The Reader Interested In Your Writing

My teachers in college called this, “The Rate of Revelation.”

This is the rate at which you reveal new information to the reader.

For example, here is a paragraph with a slow rate of revelation:

I walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, which I needed before I could continue writing. I stood there for a while, staring inside the refrigerator. The kitchen floor was cold under my bare feet, and even though I'd just eaten dinner, I found myself eyeing the hummus on the second shelf, wondering if I should grab the chips from on top of the freezer and go for round two. I stood there and thought about it some more.

Reading this feels like being stuck behind someone walking slowly in a narrow hallway. Nothing is happening to advance the story or deliver value.

Now here's a paragraph with a high rate of revelation:

The one thing everyone should know about habits is they are difficult to build—for four reasons. First, finding the motivation to break bad habits is easier said than done (and are oftentimes used as coping mechanisms for deeper issues). Second, habits can take upwards of thirty days to form, and that's a long time investment for most people. Third, positive habits don't always show rewards right away, which make bad habits easier to fall back into. And fourth, habits tend to be a reflection of people's group of friends, which is a much harder variable to change overnight.

Every sentence delivers something new that moves your understanding forward.

This is what keeps your reader engaged.

4 Principles For Perfect Pacing

1. Start with your main point

Don't make readers wait for the payoff. Online writing works best when you lead with your strongest material.

When I write, I've trained myself to ask: "Am I making the reader wait too long for the good stuff?"

If your key insight is buried in paragraph 12, move it to paragraph 1. Then use the rest of your piece to support, explain, and elaborate.

2. Maintain momentum with micro-cliffhangers

Great writing creates a subtle pull from one sentence to the next. Each paragraph should raise a small question that the next paragraph answers.

Compare these transitions:

Weak transition: "Email marketing is important for businesses. There are many benefits to using email."

Strong transition: "Email marketing is the highest-ROI channel available to you. Here's why most businesses get it wrong..."

The second example makes you want to read the next paragraph to find out what mistakes to avoid.

3. Vary your sentence and paragraph length

Rhythm matters.

When everything is the same length, your writing becomes monotonous.

Short sentences add punch.

Longer sentences, when used strategically after several short ones, can create a pleasing contrast that keeps readers engaged with your text, especially when you're explaining something complex that requires more nuance and detail.

See what I did there?

4. Strategically use "runway" words

Runway words are transitional phrases that pull the reader forward:

• "But here's the thing..."

• "This is where it gets interesting..."

• "The surprising truth is..."

• "Here's why this matters..."

These create anticipation and keep people reading to the next section.

Two AI Prompts To Perfect Your Rate Of Revelation

Prompt #1: The Flow Diagnostic

This prompt helps identify where your writing's pacing falls flat: