Famous copywriter Joe Sugarman says, “The purpose of the first sentence is to get the reader to read the second sentence.” Impressive email copy is all about flow and purpose.

Do people read your emails to the bottom of the page? Once you’ve chosen your topic, you’ve summarized your main points and decided what you want your reader to take away or do; the rest should be easy, right?

Not quite. Even if your headline is fascinating and your design attractive, your job is to make your email (or article, blog post, or press release) truly read by human eyes and minds. An editor’s writing must be legible.

So the goal of good copy is to make the reader’s eyes roll down the page. And most importantly, a good copy should drive action from your beloved subscriber. When your reader responds to your call to action, they know that your copy is readable. There’s probably a lot of other things going on that work well together as well – solid graphics, a desirable offering, some good credibility – but your writing plays a critical role.

Before testing your writing with your reader, why not test it yourself? Did you even know that you could do that?

The Flesch Reading Ease Score and the Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level measure the readability of your writing. Developed to ensure standards in military technical training manuals, scores can also be used to easily assess the readability of your writing. You will find them within the spelling tool in Microsoft Word.

Now, here is the trick about readability. Did you know that the average person reads and understands, and is at the sweet spot of persuasion, around the sixth and seventh grade reading level?

If you can consistently write texts that fall between 60 and 70 (the reading ability of the average 13-15 year old), then you will reach, satisfy, convince, and convert most people. Reading comprehension varies by level of education and experience (the lower the Flesch Reading Ease score, the harder to understand), but even college graduates and other “smart” people respond to writing that is within the range. range from 60 to 70.

Are there tricks for this? Is there a magic formula to achieve this score when you type? While Flesch scores take into account sentence length and word length, here are some practical ways to get the most out of your writing, keeping it clear and simple.

1. Use short, forceful words. Don’t neglect juicy descriptive words; just remember to prod with words that can take the place of long sentences from time to time. Remember, “Brevity is the soul of wit.”

2. Use action words to keep the reader moving forward. If you are stranded in the realms of possibility, or spend too much time pondering, staring at the verbal navel, you can lose your reader very quickly. Connect to the real world. Think red meat, not pie in heaven. That means …

3. Stay away from “ser”, “is” and “are. These words form passive sentences that bore readers. Use them only when absolutely necessary. Compare:

It was decided to close the gym after the institution’s operating hours in an effort to thwart the destruction of local hooligans. (Flesch Reading Ease 38.3; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 12.0)

for

To stop vandalism in the gym, Mr. Brown decided to keep it closed after school. (Flesch Reading Ease 82.2; Flesch-Kinkaid Grade Level 5.7)

4. Engage your reader with descriptive verbs and adjectives. “She says.” It could be “She squeaks.” or “She buzzes.” Each sentence would contribute roughly the same to the reading ease score due to the structure and length of the words … but what a difference between them! In another example, a purple paint color chosen for an office might be “sick” or “relaxing” – simple descriptions that powerfully alter the reader’s perception and emotion.

5. The length of the sentences should vary, almost like the rhythm of an exciting game of tennis. Long back-and-forth volleys are satisfying to watch and more leisurely, but they can last forever. Quick online rallies add excitement, but they don’t last that long. You should be able to write in both styles, just as a professional tennis player can play on the net and on the baseline with equal efficiency. Go back and forth between short and long sentences to keep your paragraphs balanced and your natural cadence.

6. Don’t be afraid to use blanks. Certain copywriters who write in one-sentence paragraphs create some of the best emails I’ve ever read. The physical space between each thought works as hard as the actual text to attract the reader. Of course in this case the writing must be spectacular.

7. One of the best methods you can use to find your most powerful voice as a writer is to write without desktop publishing. Force yourself to tell it like it is, in any way you can and in any way you want. Forget about spelling and grammar. Set a timer for just two minutes (if necessary) and write like crazy. Then go back and cut your writing to the core. You will find grains of wealth there, as well as a lot of junk. Don’t leave the straw for the reader to remove; it will not. Only after you’ve thrown it all on the wall, you should edit it yourself. So be relentless. See if you can cut the length in half.

While practice is the best way to improve your writing, you can start honing your style with these tips. As your copy grows stronger, your Flesch Ease Score will reveal how readers will receive it.