How to Write an Article That Anyone Would Read
The irony of writing an article on how to write an article is something to be compared to Switzerland voicing an opinion.
Whether you are writing an article to be printed in a newspaper, for your personal blog, or creating a report for your boss, it is essential to know how to organize those thoughts to make your literature, well...
literature.
Now I'm not saying that the entries of your diary aren't literature; I'm sure they are wonderful poetic excerpts that would leave any potential audience in awe, but since your journal entries are not being critiqued that doesn't really matter.
When your writing is expected to have an audience, it should be much more polished than that entry about how adorable Bobby's outfit was today or how you caught Kelsey copying off of your exam.
So let's take a look at how you too can be a professional writer.
You should first decipher what exactly you are going to write about because let's face it rambling to your audience about Bobby or Kelsey will stimulate their loss of interest.
The wonderful thing about writing articles (unless you have guidelines for an assignment) is that you can write about anything that your heart desires.
No seriously, anything.
You could talk about knitting llamas or how to boil water (I for instance, am writing about how to write).
Figure out what you want to write about and then start sharpening your pencils, or launch Microsoft Word for a duller experience (seriously am I the only one that thinks my puns are clever?).
Once you have chosen your topic, knowing and understanding what you are about to form thoughts on is most effective when you know the matter inside and out.
RESEARCH.
RESEARCH.
RESEARCH.
I don't care if you have lived on a llama farm for twenty years, if you are not researching how they knit with their hooves, you probably aren't well informed on their techniques.
For all you know, llamas may very well use their two claws per foot as knitting needles, if they have not been worn down from walking and doing llama activities instead of growing hands that allow them to seed stitch with actual needles (Animal Corner).
That brings me to my next point; you MUST cite anything you look up unless it is common knowledge.
If you are taking information from somewhere without citing where you found it, you are plagiarizing (I like to call it being a term burglar, and yes you better cite my article if you use that phrase).
So now you are an expert in the field of llamas doing twisted stitches and edging the beautiful scarves and blankets they are preparing to gift for Christmas (Knitting on the Net).
Time to organize your information into a structured and flowing work of art that you would like to call an article.
I always suggest structuring researched topics with background history first, because it adds fluff without actually fluffing your piece by adding an extra word or two per sentence.
It also lays a nice foundation so the reader gets a thorough understanding of where this llama textile industry came from.
Following your history should come a few paragraphs with different subjects, but they ought to flow into one another like a river into a sea.
After your flowing paragraphs, end with a conclusion (which must have a smooth transition as well).
Revise that composition and you are good to go.
I suggest walking away from your writing for a day or two and rereading what you've got.
Your conclusion should be a combination of thoughts you have on what you have previously stated.
Do not summarize everything that you have already discussed unless you want your editorial to be monotonous.
Make conclusions based on your work (that's what a conclusion is all about)! If I was writing about knitting llamas, I would probably come to the assumption that if llamas are knitting and I'm researching them, I should probably reevaluate my priorities or go into a textile business on a llama farm, whichever reaps better benefits (but we can discuss economics some other time).
Works Cited Animal Corner.
Llama Anatomy.
2013.
Web.
3 September 2014.
Knitting on the Net.
Knitting Stitch Patterns.
2014.
Web.
3 September 2014.
Whether you are writing an article to be printed in a newspaper, for your personal blog, or creating a report for your boss, it is essential to know how to organize those thoughts to make your literature, well...
literature.
Now I'm not saying that the entries of your diary aren't literature; I'm sure they are wonderful poetic excerpts that would leave any potential audience in awe, but since your journal entries are not being critiqued that doesn't really matter.
When your writing is expected to have an audience, it should be much more polished than that entry about how adorable Bobby's outfit was today or how you caught Kelsey copying off of your exam.
So let's take a look at how you too can be a professional writer.
You should first decipher what exactly you are going to write about because let's face it rambling to your audience about Bobby or Kelsey will stimulate their loss of interest.
The wonderful thing about writing articles (unless you have guidelines for an assignment) is that you can write about anything that your heart desires.
No seriously, anything.
You could talk about knitting llamas or how to boil water (I for instance, am writing about how to write).
Figure out what you want to write about and then start sharpening your pencils, or launch Microsoft Word for a duller experience (seriously am I the only one that thinks my puns are clever?).
Once you have chosen your topic, knowing and understanding what you are about to form thoughts on is most effective when you know the matter inside and out.
RESEARCH.
RESEARCH.
RESEARCH.
I don't care if you have lived on a llama farm for twenty years, if you are not researching how they knit with their hooves, you probably aren't well informed on their techniques.
For all you know, llamas may very well use their two claws per foot as knitting needles, if they have not been worn down from walking and doing llama activities instead of growing hands that allow them to seed stitch with actual needles (Animal Corner).
That brings me to my next point; you MUST cite anything you look up unless it is common knowledge.
If you are taking information from somewhere without citing where you found it, you are plagiarizing (I like to call it being a term burglar, and yes you better cite my article if you use that phrase).
So now you are an expert in the field of llamas doing twisted stitches and edging the beautiful scarves and blankets they are preparing to gift for Christmas (Knitting on the Net).
Time to organize your information into a structured and flowing work of art that you would like to call an article.
I always suggest structuring researched topics with background history first, because it adds fluff without actually fluffing your piece by adding an extra word or two per sentence.
It also lays a nice foundation so the reader gets a thorough understanding of where this llama textile industry came from.
Following your history should come a few paragraphs with different subjects, but they ought to flow into one another like a river into a sea.
After your flowing paragraphs, end with a conclusion (which must have a smooth transition as well).
Revise that composition and you are good to go.
I suggest walking away from your writing for a day or two and rereading what you've got.
Your conclusion should be a combination of thoughts you have on what you have previously stated.
Do not summarize everything that you have already discussed unless you want your editorial to be monotonous.
Make conclusions based on your work (that's what a conclusion is all about)! If I was writing about knitting llamas, I would probably come to the assumption that if llamas are knitting and I'm researching them, I should probably reevaluate my priorities or go into a textile business on a llama farm, whichever reaps better benefits (but we can discuss economics some other time).
Works Cited Animal Corner.
Llama Anatomy.
2013.
Web.
3 September 2014.
Knitting on the Net.
Knitting Stitch Patterns.
2014.
Web.
3 September 2014.
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