The process is less like reading text, and more like viewing a painting or photo. The eye roams across the surface looking for somewhere to focus. If that point can't be found, we interpret the image (or page of text) as 'difficult'.

...and why they never will.

Agreed, an e-mail newsletter isn't a web page. But I suspect that readers approach both in similar ways.

That's because reading from a computer screen isn't the same as reading a printed page. For a start, it's harder, as you'll know if you've ever proofread a document on screen. Most people find it easier to proofread a hard copy.

What's more, I think our minds tend to class the computer screen as a partly visual medium and partly textual. So we find pure text a bit of a slog, just as pure images without text suggest a lack of substance.

The key is to strike a balance between the two.

Don't just write for readers. Write for scanners.

If you're sending html newsletters, you can use colour to highlight key words or headlines, and add graphics to break up the text. Used judiciously, these are good tools for making your newsletter more "scannable".

Having said that, the visual content of your page is mainly about layout, not colour or images. The two things to go for are:

• Plenty of short, easily digested blocks of type so the page can be handled in manageable bites.
• A reasonable amount of variation, with the most important things bigger or in a distinct space of their own. In other words, show the reader where to look first.

How do you do this? Here are a few tips:

• Included meaningful headings and sub-headings. That is, bold type that really, truly tells the reader what's in the following paragraphs.
• Use bulleted lists wherever possible.
• Keep most sentences and paragraphs short. If you want an important point to stand out, and it's not a headline, make it a really, really short paragraph.
• Like this.
• Never use two words where one will do. (Edit, edit, edit. Then, when you've finished, edit some more.)
• Get to the point fast. The internet is no place to ramble.
• Use plenty of facts. They equal credibility.
• By the same token, use adjectives sparingly. More often than not, they add little meaning.
• Avoid jargon. Not just technical jargon, but marketing puffery too. One study showed that straightforward, believable language makes your newsletter nearly 30% easier to understand.

Well written copy also looks good.

The great thing about following these guidelines is that your newsletter will look good from the start. Short paragraphs look easier even before you start reading. So do short, plain-English words, crunchy headlines and articles that don't need lots of scrolling. Before you've even digested any meaning, your eye has told you that this page is not going to be hard work.

The eye sees more than we realise. Do yourself a big favour and give your readers something that appeals to them immediately. They'll show their appreciation by continuing to read - oops, I mean scan - your newsletter long after they've unsubscribed from others.

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