writing an article plan

Writing an article: a step-by-step guide

by Phil Williams | Jan 29, 2014 | Writing skills | 4 comments

Articles can vary in length, and topic, but tend to follow a logical structure. Though they may take many forms, the purpose is usually to inform or to entertain (often both), and this means following a similar pattern. Whether you’re writing an essay arguing two sides of a debate, narrating the history of a topic or reporting an event, the following tips can help students of English plan and write an effective article:

1. Planning

Who is your audience.

Before you start anything, ask who the article is for. What do they want to know, and why? These three details will help you plan what you write. For example, if I want to write a report on a football game I would answer:

Who? Football fans.
What? What happened in the game / how did the teams perform.
Why? Because they did not see the game, or would like an informed analysis of the event.

This helps later, mostly because you know what is not important in the article. If I know I am writing for football fans, I do not need to explain all the details of the game, and should use the vocabulary of football fans (such as to discuss fouls, passes, goals etc.).

What are you going to write about?

Think of all your ideas, write them down if necessary, and then decide which ones are the most important. You can create a mind map, or brainstorm, of ideas, where you simply list everything you can think of. For example, if I was writing an article about making a cup of tea I could brainstorm a list: different types of tea, different mugs, different tools for making tea, boiling water, time for brewing tea, methods of brewing tea, stirring tea, adding sugar, adding milk, drinking tea .

Depending on the length of the article, you probably want three to five main points to discuss, so try to pick the most important points from your brainstorm to form logical paragraphs with. I can group some of the topics above, for instance, to form a simpler list: preparing tea (choosing ingredients and tools), brewing tea (what method and how long for), and completing the tea (adding milk, sugar, stirring).

When you have a simplified structure like this, the article is much easier to put together, as you know where it is going, why you are writing each section, and what details each paragraph should contain.

With your basic ideas in place, you have the structure you need to write the article. But how do you write the article itself? There are two main ways to approach it:

A) Write the article in a straight-forward order, from start to finish.
B) Write your main content first, then write the conclusion and introduction.

It is often easier to write the introduction and conclusion after the main content, because they act as summaries, and your ideas will be more fully formed after you have written your central argument or information.

Whatever order you choose to write in, this is a sensible way to structure the article:

Introduction: Start by grabbing the reader’s attention. Write something that is interesting and engaging to begin with. Try to summarise what the article will be about, so the reader knows what they are reading.

To continue the tea example, the paragraph might begin Do you find making tea difficult? And then introduce the many ways that it can be done You need to consider types of tea, how long to brew it and what to add…

Middle / Main Content: If you are covering an argument or debate, you can divide points of view into paragraphs. Give the first point of view in one paragraph, the second in another, and then use a third paragraph to compare the two and draw conclusions / add opinion. If you are presenting information, instructions or a narrative, give different events or ideas their own paragraphs, in a logical order that builds on the previous details. For example, if you were writing about the brief history of a war, you might have these five paragraphs: 1 – origins of the war, 2 – how it started, 3 – what happened of note, 4 – how it ended, 5 – the aftermath .

Conclusion: The conclusion should present the main points of the article in a clear and succinct way. You should not add new information in the conclusion, just summarise what you have discussed, with your closing thoughts or opinions.

There is a popular expression in writing, in English: writing is rewriting . This is because what makes writing most effective, and clear, is editing. When you have finished your article, re-read it and correct any errors, and check that all the information follows a logical order. You can cut out any extra words or unnecessary detail –writing that is edited well normally ends up shorter than the original text.

Editing is not just about looking for mistakes. As you edit your article, ask yourself if the language is clear and engaging, and if the structure works well. If you planned the article well, this should be easier – if not, you may need to do a lot of editing.

This is a basic introduction to writing an article, and there is a lot more that can be said about the detail of how you form your sentences and paragraphs. But if you start with this structure and build from there, your article should be informative, engaging and effective, whatever your purpose. If you’d like much more detailed analysis of how to improve your writing, check out my book Advanced Writing Skills For Students of English .

Let me know if there’s any additional details you’d like to know on the subject by leaving a comment below!

It’s good and useful. Hope you can share more.

Thank you – there will be more to come, yes!

It is goood and helpful, but i want soe hints to article writing for full marks

Thanks! I am 100% agree that the right audience choice will result in good conversion.

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Seven Easy Steps in Writing an Article with Substance

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Who’s your favorite article writer? Do you envy how a writer comes up with great blogs and articles you see on the internet? I’m sure you can name different authors from your favorite sites. But do you dream of writing an article on your own ? The structure of article writing follows general and advance rules. However, article styles vary in creative forms to reach the target audience or readers. This article writing guide gives you a step-by-step plan to help you write your own article content.

Article Writing Guide in Seven Simple Steps

Step 1: Select your main topic and define your objectives.

The first step on how to write an article is to choose your topic. Come up with specific topic to avoid scattered contents. List the objectives your content must have. Decide the scope and boundaries of your article. It is easier to compose an article that has target topic to tackle. Once you’re happy with the choice of topic, be sure to stick to it.

Step 2: Target your audience.

After you settle your main topic, you must know your target readers. Ask yourself, what do you want your readers to learn from you using your article? What information do they need to know in your article? And define your writing approach.

Step 3: Gather your information and resources.

After selecting your main topic and target audience, do research existing works. Find articles with the same taste of idea and content flow. You’ll need to back up yourself once you start writing the article. Pick up ideas and support your claims. If you’re writing an opinion, you must claim facts from researches and authors as your basis. Bullets and adding keywords to highlight your article eases the flow of writing. And you must never forget to site your resources.

Step 4: Create your topic outline and rough draft.

As you gather data and ideas from your research, create a rough draft. Topic outlining is an effective way of letting your ideas flow. Jot down concepts and create section breaks. Write every idea that pops into your mind. Mind your grammar, punctuations, and analytical factors lesser at this step. Just let your mind and hands work. Inject ideas to form your article. Use the bullets and keywords to solidify your article’s work.

Step 5: Edit your draft.

After your rough draft, the next step in article writing guide is to edit your content. Be sure to follow correct grammar usage and punctuations. Scan for misspelled words and track your article’s flow. Ideas must come in order to avoid directing your readers away. Spot proper usage of words and align it to your target audience.

Step 6: Proofread your content.

As any article writing guide would say, proofread your work. Don’t just trust your editing skills. Proofreading defines how your article sounds and how it affects your readers. Grab the chance to spot for any more mistakes and aim for a seamless reading flow.

Step 7: Add visuals, infographic, and images.

Last step in article writing guide, is to add any infographic, visuals, and images in your article. This gives your readers a break. For today’s fast-paced industry, audience engages more with visual materials and it helps them digest what they’re reading. Add visuals relevant to your content to make sure reading engagement.

Seven Tips to Boost Your Article Writing Skills

1. read more..

Reading promotes learning and it harnesses your skills in different areas. Read more and update yourself to the trends of literature and social media.

2. Use lists and bullet points in your article.

As one of the steps in article writing guide, using lists and bullet points organizes your thoughts in crafting your draft. Even using this tactic helps your reader to absorb direct info with lesser stuffing. Arranging the data in bullet or list form attracts readers. This also conveys solid info.

3. Keep a writing tool in your pocket.

Whether it’s a small pad of paper, a notebook or even a gadget, always have a writing tool with you. You’ll never know when an amazing topic hits you or you see catchy quote as you travel. Ideas are everywhere so be ready once it’s in front of you.

4. Engage with your audience.

Talk to your audience. Let them feel you are pointing at them and relate to what they experience. Write an article that your readers want to digest.

5. Stop showing off too much.

Your reader’s capacity to enjoy your article depends on your word usage and style. Unless you’re speaking professionally in jargons, avoid using deep words and prioritize your readers.

6. Remove distractions while writing.

Imagine trying to write while watching your favorite Netflix series. Do you think you’ll be able to write up with distractions around you? It’s best to block the world and enter your article’s dimension.

7. Love what you do. (Writing)

Doing what you love is the most efficient way of working. Fall in love in writing as much as you love your morning coffee. Get excited with your topics and you won’t notice that time flies. Whether it’s a job or a hobby, learn to love writing. All else will follow in the article writing guide for you to create a content with substance.

This article writing guide aims to give you the basic guidelines you need to write an article. Writing offers you a wide range of career fields to grow. Take time to experience writing and its creative world.

Feel certain that this article writing guide from Allied Writers is the great start for good articles.

writing in a paper and typing in a laptop

Sources: writersdigest.com | entrepreneurs-journey.com| thepenmagazine.net | thoughtcatalog.com

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How to Write an Article

THE CRAFT OF ARTICLE WRITING

Writing is a complex skill. A very complex skill.

Not only do we put students under pressure to master the inconsistent spelling patterns and complex grammar of the English language, but we require them to know how to write for a variety of purposes in both fiction and nonfiction genres.

On top of this, writing is just one aspect of one subject among many.

The best way to help our students to overcome the challenge of writing in any genre is to help them to break things down into their component parts and give them a basic formula to follow.

In this article, we will break article writing down into its components and present a formulaic approach that will provide a basic structure for our students to follow.

Once this structure is mastered, students can, of course, begin to play with things.

But, until then, there is plenty of room within the discipline of the basic structure for students to express themselves in the article form.

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With over FORTY GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS in this ENGAGING UNIT, you can complete a WEEKLY journalistic / Newspaper reporting task ALL YEAR LONG in 2022 as classwork or homework.

These templates take students through a PROVEN four-step article writing process on some AMAZING images. Students will learn how to.

WHAT IS AN ARTICLE?

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The Cambridge Dictionary defines an article as, “a piece of writing on a particular subject in a newspaper or magazine, or on the internet.”

An article’s shape and structure will vary depending on whether it’s intended for publication in a newspaper, magazine, or online.

Each of these media has its own requirements. For example, a magazine feature article may go into great depth on a topic, allowing for long, evocative paragraphs of exposition, while an online blog article may be full of lots of short paragraphs that get to the point without too much fanfare.

Each of these forms makes different demands on the writer, and it’s for this reason that most newspapers, magazines, and big websites provide writers with specific submission guidelines.

So, with such diverse demands placed on article writers, how do we go about teaching the diverse skill required to our students?

Luckily, we can break most types of articles down into some common key features.

Below we’ll take a look at the most important of these, along with an activity to get your students practicing each aspect right away.

Finally, we’ll take a look at a few general tips on article writing.

KEY WRITTEN FEATURES OF AN ARTICLE

The headline.

The purpose of the headline is to capture the reader’s attention and let them know what the article is about. All of this in usually no more than 4 or 5 words!

There is an art to good headline writing and all sorts of literary devices (e.g alliteration and metaphor) can be used to create an eye-catching and intriguing headline.

The best way for students to learn how headlines work is to view some historical samples.

Newspaper headlines especially are known for being short and pithy. Here are just a few examples to whet the appetite:

Hitler Is Dead
Lincoln Shot
Men Walk On The Moon
Berlin Wall Crumbles

You could encourage students to find some pithy examples of their own. It’s amazing how much information can be condensed into so few words – this is the essence of good headline writing.

Headlines Practice Activity:

Give students opportunities to practice headline writing in isolation from article writing itself. For example, take sample stories from newspapers and magazines and challenge students to write new headlines for them. Set a word limit appropriate to the skills and age of the students. For example, younger, more inexperienced students might write 9-word headlines, while older, more skilled students might thrive with the challenge of a 4-word limit.

THE SUBHEADING

Subheadings give the reader more information on what the article is about. For this reason, they’re often a little longer than headlines and use a smaller font, though still larger (or in bold) than the font used in the body of the text.

Subheadings provide a little more of the necessary detail to inform readers what’s going on. If a headline is a jab, the subheading is the cross.

In magazines and online articles especially, there are often subheadings throughout the article. In this context, they let the reader know what each paragraph/section is about.

Subheadings also help the reader’s eye to scan the article and quickly get a sense of the story, for the writer they help immensely to organize the structure of the story.

Practice Activity:

One way to help organize paragraphs in an article is to use parallel structure.

Parallel structure is when we use similar words, phrases, and grammar structures. We might see this being used in a series of subheadings in a ‘How to’ article where the subheadings all start with an imperative such as choose , attach , cut , etc.

Have you noticed how all the sections in this ‘Key Features’ part of this article start simply with the word ‘The’? This is another example of a parallel structure.

Yet another example of parallel structure is when all the subheadings appear in the form of a question.

Whichever type of parallel structure students use, they need to be sure that they all in some way relate to the original title of the article.

To give students a chance to practice writing subheadings using parallel structure, instruct them to write subheadings for a piece of text that doesn’t already have them.

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS

Writing good, solid paragraphs is an art in itself. Luckily, you’ll find comprehensive guidance on this aspect of writing articles elsewhere on this site.

But, for now, let’s take a look at some general considerations for students when writing articles.

The length of the paragraphs will depend on the medium. For example, for online articles paragraphs are generally brief and to the point. Usually no more than a sentence or two and rarely more than five.

This style is often replicated in newspapers and magazines of a more tabloid nature.

Short paragraphs allow for more white space on the page or screen. This is much less daunting for the reader and makes it easier for them to focus their attention on what’s being said – a crucial advantage in these attention-hungry times.

Lots of white space makes articles much more readable on devices with smaller screens such as phones and tablets. Chunking information into brief paragraphs enables online readers to scan articles more quickly too, which is how much of the information on the internet is consumed – I do hope you’re not scanning this!

Conversely, articles that are written more formally, for example, academic articles, can benefit from longer paragraphs which allow for more space to provide supporting evidence for the topic sentence.

Deciding on the length of paragraphs in an article can be done by first thinking about the intended audience, the purpose of the article, as well as the nature of the information to be communicated.

A fun activity to practice paragraphing is to organize your students into groups and provide them with a copy of an article with the original paragraph breaks removed. In their groups, students read the article and decide on where they think the paragraphs should go.

To do this successfully, they’ll need to consider the type of publication they think the article is intended for, the purpose of the article, the language level, and the nature of the information.

When the groups have finished adding in their paragraph breaks they can share and compare their decisions with the other groups before you finally reveal where the breaks were in the original article.

Article Photos and Captions

how to write an article,article writing | article images | How to Write an Article | literacyideas.com

Photos and captions aren’t always necessary in articles, but when they are, our students must understand how to make the most of them.

Just like the previous key features on our list, there are specific things students need to know to make the most of this specific aspect of article writing.

The internet has given us the gift of access to innumerable copyright-free images to accompany our articles, but what criteria should students use when choosing an image?

To choose the perfect accompanying image/s for their article, students need to identify images that match the tone of their article.

Quirky or risque images won’t match the more serious tone of an academic article well, but they might work perfectly for that feature of tattoo artists.

Photos are meant to bring value to an article – they speak a thousand words after all. It’s important then that the image is of a high enough resolution that the detail of those ‘thousand words’ is clearly visible to the reader.

Just as the tone of the photo should match the tone of the article, the tone of the caption should match the tone of the photo.

Captions should be informative and engaging. Often, the first thing a reader will look at in an article is the photos and then the caption. Frequently, they’ll use the information therein to decide whether or not they’ll continue to read.

When writing captions, students must avoid redundancy. They need to add information to that which is already available to the reader by looking at the image.

There’s no point merely describing in words what the reader can clearly see with their own two eyes. Students should describe things that are not immediately obvious, such as date, location, or the name of the event.

One last point, captions should be written in the present tense. By definition, the photo will show something that has happened already. Despite this, students should write as if the action in the image is happening right now.

Remind students that their captions should be brief; they must be careful not to waste words with such a tight format.

For this fun activity, you’ll need some old magazines and newspapers. Cut some of the photos out minus their captions. All the accompanying captions should be cut out and jumbled up. It’s the students’ job to match each image with the correct accompanying caption.

Students can present their decisions and explanations when they’ve finished.

A good extension exercise would be to challenge the students to write a superior caption for each of the images they’ve worked on.

HUGE WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

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TUTORIAL VIDEO ON HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE

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The content for this page has been written by Shane Mac Donnchaidh. A former principal of an international school and English university lecturer with 15 years of teaching and administration experience. Shane’s latest Book, The Complete Guide to Nonfiction Writing , can be found here. Editing and support for this article have been provided by the literacyideas team.

A FULL-YEAR of NONFICTION WRITING RESOURCES .

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Steps of Article Writing

Article Writing Format: Suppose you have some opinions regarding a topic and you want to tell people about it. How will you do so? You can tell the opinions to persons near you. But what if you want to tell not only those people but, say, the world? How will you do so? You will write those opinions, isn’t it?

Many a time you have seen some writers or people write their problems and suggestions in some newspapers, magazines, and journals or in their blogs. They are writing their opinions and beliefs in the form of an article. In this section, we will get ourselves familiar with article writing and the article writing format.

An article is a piece of writing written for a large audience. The main motive behind writing an article is that it should be published in either newspapers or magazines or journals so as to make some difference to the world.

It may be the topics of interest of the writer or it may be related to some current issues. The topic can either be serious or not-so-serious; Same goes for its tone and language.

Browse more Topics under Article Writing

Definition, Essential Elements of Article Writing

Objectives of Article Writing

An article is written with the following objectives

It brings out the topics or the matter of interest in the limelight
The article provides information on the topics
It offers suggestions and pieces of advice
It influences the readers and urges them to think
The article discusses various stories, persons, locations, rising-issues, and technical developments

The Format of Article Writing

An article must be organized in a proper way so as to draw the attention of the readers. The basic outline for an article writing format is

Heading / Title
A line having the writer’s name
Body (the main part of the article, 2 – 3 paragraphs)
Conclusion (Ending paragraph of the article with the opinion or recommendation, anticipation or an appeal)

Steps for Article Writing Format

Think of the topic you want to write the article about. Only after you’ve decided your topic you can go ahead and undertake the further steps in the process one by one:

Target Audience: Identify the concerning reading group
Purpose: Find the objective or aim of writing the article
Collect & Select: Gather as such information as possible. Also, identify the details that are most significant
Organize: Arrange the information and the facts in a logical way

Once you’ve taken care of all the Above steps you move forward to the final step- Writing.

While writing an article, always use proper grammar , spelling , and proper punctuations
Use vocabulary skill
Keep the introduction of the topic catching, interesting, and short
Discuss the opinion and the matter in an organized and descriptive manner

Common Mistakes in the Article Writing Format

Now that you know the steps of article writing and the article writing format, the occurrence of mistakes becomes obvious. Some of the common mistakes are:

Not using facts or quotes or similar cases
The language should not be too formal
The article must be in easy language for better understanding
The title of the article must be catchy and clearly understandable
No use of paragraphs
Expressing personal views is fine but the author must never talk about himself/herself

Points to Keep in Mind for the Article Writing Format

The topics of the articles should be unique and relevant
The article has to get attention
It has to be interesting
It has to be easy to read
The reader is identified
Find the main goal of writing an article. The goal can be anything from providing information, entertainment, and advice or for comparing, etc.
The title must be eye-catching, clear, and interesting
The introduction or the starting paragraph must be highly attentive. Use your vocabulary skills or try to use some interrogative words for the start
Use clear statements and make assertions
Avoid repetition and over the top logic and reasons
Use the style of paragraph writing and write the contents uniquely and unambiguously
Avoid using the points which interest you only and not for the general public
Write a good and logical ending

Solved Example on Steps of Article Writing

Problem: Classify the following into Do’s and Don’ts in article writing.

Write very lengthy articles
Add the writer’s name
The title should be lengthy and clear
The heading of the article should be short, clear and informative
Only the introduction and the conclusion should be attractive and attention seeking
Target the audience
One can advise, suggest and give the solutions to a problem in any paragraph other than the starting one
The language and the style of writing should be according to the concerning readers
There must be only three paragraphs in an article – introduction, middle one, and conclusion
Use proper punctuations
Use any tense , person, voice, as many abbreviations , and self-made words while writing an article

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Planning the article

Your article will contribute something new to the academic discourse in a particular field. To successfully plan your article:

Choose a journal that will allow you to reach an audience that is interested in your research topic, and that meets your strategic goals (e.g. a high-quality, reputable journal in your discipline). Consult your supervisor or trusted contacts in your field for guidance in choosing a suitable journal.
Develop your article's content and structure to best meet the needs of your chosen journal and audience.
Maintain your article's focus on a clear gap or problem in the existing research literature.

In considering how suitable your article is for publication, the journal editors will consider various factors. As a starting point, aim to demonstrate the following qualities in your article:

Content Container

Originality of the ideas.

A journal article needs to be novel, based on your own ideas and research, and add to current scholarly knowledge.

Significance of the ideas

Novelty is not sufficient if there is no purpose or significance in relation to current scholarly writing. Consider:

Does your work fill a gap or address a problem in the current literature?
Does it offer new methods or ways of reconceptualising theory?
Does it challenge current assumptions?

Answering questions like this will help you to make a unique and valuable contribution to the discipline’s scholarly discourse.

Quality of the writing

Your article needs to be written in an academic style, according to the standards in your discipline and/or chosen journal. Scholarly writing is formal, but not necessarily boring. Making the writing clear and engaging will help to maintain your audience's interest.

Clarifying your contribution

An effective journal article makes a distinct contribution to an academic field. Communicating your contribution in clear, concise terms can be a challenging part of the writing process. However, clarifying your ideas early in the process can make it easier to organise the writing:

If your journal article is based on a larger research project (e.g. your research thesis), conceptualise the article as a discrete argument with smaller scope. Choose a smaller 'slice' of the broader research that will function as a self-contained journal article, with its own smaller argument.
Whether your journal article is based on an existing project or new research, use the below strategies to clarify and refine your ideas before producing a full draft.

Formulating your title

One way of distilling and synthesising your ideas for a journal article is to consider its title. The process of considering alternate titles encourages “unity, creativity and significance” (Crosby, 1976, p. 387). These are all important aspects in writing a good journal article.

Hartley (2007) offers twelve different types of title, each one emphasising a different way of engaging with readers. Explore the below activity to consider which style of title best represents your contribution to the academic field. This will help narrow your ideas down to the essence of your argument.

Can you think of titles which conform to these styles? Have a go at writing your own title according to the description, then click "Turn" to see an example (all found in business and economics journals).

Creating an abstract

Writing an abstract is another strategy for refining your thoughts. An abstract is a 200-300 word text that provides a short summary or description of the article. Generally, the abstract describes the background, methods, results and conclusions, depending on your discipline. An abstract is also required as part of a published paper; as such, its purpose is to attract the interest and inspire prospective readers.

Authors typically finalise their abstract after writing the full article, so it more accurately reflects the content of the finished article. However, consider drafting an abstract before you start writing the full article. Drafting an abstract first can assist in conceptualising your main argument and creating a structure. There are different types of abstracts which can serve different purposes, including:

Descriptive

This style of abstract is suitable for some disciplines (like engineering). It is a summary of the paper, providing a description of the contents, without presenting the conclusions.

Informative

The “informative” style is best for helping you refine your thoughts on an article. Not only does it provide a justification of the paper within an academic context, it provides the reader with your argument.

A mixed abstract is a combination of the descriptive and informative models. It provides a summary of the content as well as the main argument. It tends to be longer than the other versions and is ideal for a larger project, like a thesis.

A simple way to create an abstract is to answer a series of questions. There are several sets of questions offered in the literature on writing for publication, including Brown’s ‘Eight Questions.’

Write for 30 minutes on the subject of your journal article

Who are the intended readers? List three to five of them by name.
What did you do? (50 words)
Why did you do it? (50 words)
What happened [when you did that]? (50 words)
What do the results mean in theory? (50 words)
What do the results mean in practice? (50 words)
What is the key benefit for readers? (25 words)
What remains unresolved? (No word limit)

(Brown, 1994/95, p. 6 as cited in Murray, 2013, p. 131)

One of the advantages of using Brown’s 8 questions is the ease by which the resulting answers can be used to write a comprehensive abstract and to develop an outline for your paper.

Take the keywords in each sentence of your abstract.
Write them into section headings.
Use them in the topic sentence and throughout the section.
Define and explain the terms, as needed.

(Murray, 2013, p. 136)

Check your understanding View

Article Writing Format: Steps, Objectives, And Types

Article writing in a general form is a piece of data written on a selected subject for an outsized range of individuals. it is in high demand and growing rapidly over the past few years. but there is a good way to write an article and set up the article writing format..

The image describes the writeup on article writing formats, tips and types

Let’s learn step-by-step details of writing an article and article writing format.

What is Article Writing?

An article is a non-fiction text and is based on a specific topic that describes the topic in more detail. The topic can vary and depends on the current situation, critical, not serious, informative. Writing an article means giving your complete information to people as articles are based on your niche and details that will help people get to know things better.

In the past, people used to read articles in newspapers as the internet was not widely used by people. But over time, that is likely to change. Now people read newspapers online and prefer to read online articles as it is the fastest way and there is no waste of newspapers.

The article should be written neatly and clearly as it is now a major competition in the writing world. There are many articles published daily on the Internet but there are some that are read by people. This is because there are many ways to get an article first in a list like SEO, Analytics, etc.

Now a day’s people choose their career in article writing and succeed in this approach. There is a great opportunity as an article writer and now things are changing dramatically in this field.

We will find all of this in more detail such as how to write articles, how to focus on article writing format, and bring them online with relevant information.

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The Objective of Writing The Article

The main objective of writing an article is to convey the thoughts to the people and give information regarding the details which can be useful and helpful.

An article can be written for the following purposes.

1) the matter of interest.

The article writing is mainly about what exactly you want to write and what is your niche. The niche will be determined by the interest you have in any topic. The article writing brings out your matter of interest in the limelight.

Related Links: Learn How to write and explore content formats with The Best Content Writing Course

2) The information on topics

Once you have decided to take the first step to write on a specific topic then secondarily you need to dig in for the relevant information regarding that. You need to research, read, and write the details of the topics well. The information should be accurate and not fictional.

3) Provides suggestions and advice

People read a lot of articles due to which they gain knowledge and information as there are multiple problems, they face in day-to-day life. Hence, in the same way, you should provide good information and knowledge to people so they will find solutions and will be your best followers.

Always research for the topic and if you already have information then add it up in the details so your suggestion will be fruitful for others.

4) Influences on the readers

The purpose of writing the article is to influence people positively. There is a power of writing that penetrates the mind of people. It depends on what the writer is writing. Some article gives a positive impact while some spread negativity.

5) Achieve user attention

A good article always attracts the attention of the people and the purpose is to achieve user engagement. If the article is very well written then people will prefer your article and they will follow you. They would like to read more about you and your article which in turn will give you more scope and motivation to write good articles. The more you write the larger number of audiences will be attracted to you.

6) Connect a large number of people

Once you achieve user attention, people will start following you and get interested in your writing. They will prefer to read your articles more than others. There are many social media platforms where you can raise a larger audience. They will share your article which in turn will give you more followers if the article is very nicely written.

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Research For an article

The process to get the idea and publish it online is the most important part. It requires a lot of research and planning to get that idea on the ink and take it through the public.

Some useful point needs to be considered for the research of the article.

1) Get the final idea of the topic

If you are planning to write the article then, first of all, you need to have a niche in something like travel, food, entertainment, etc. or you want to write on some topic. You need to decide and finalize the topic.

2) Prepare the manuscript

Some people love to write on paper and then draft it online. In the past, people use to choose manuscripts and get ideas on paper. If you are one of them then do write on the paper and then draft it online. It is a great way to start writing.

Related details: What is a manuscript

3) Plan the publish time

It takes time to get the article approved and go online. Make sure you finalize and schedule the time for publication so as per that you can make your article ready. Always keep buffer time in between.

4) Check the medium for the publications

When you complete writing the article then you need to check where you can post it. There are many communication channels to publish your article online. Some are paid and some are free, make sure you check them out before publishing.

5) Get the cost details for publishing

Most publications publish the article online and they charge some amount to publish. Check the value and note it and calculate the cost accordingly.

6) Define the Authors

The author is a writer who is the main owner of the article. Always define the details of the author in the article. If there is more than one author then provide the details of the joint authorship.

7) Set up the basic required format

There is a standard format to write the articles and that needs to be set first. Once you set up the format then you will have a clear picture of how to write the article and how it will be visible to others. You can also take one basic format online and take references for writing. The writing will be easy once the skeleton is set up properly.

8) Check the references

Always give links and references in the article as it will help to gather more audiences and references. But always check the link and references you provide are appropriate and true. There are lots of links that are hacked and redirected to unwanted pages and it can be a scam.

9) Proofread the details of the article

Proofread the articles as some details can be false or there is no evidence of their existence. So, while doing research, proofread the details and then add them up in the article.

10) Revise the manuscript and finalize the title

The title is the most important thing in the article. This will completely define the article. It should be attractive, decent, and meaningful. The reader always reads the title first and then decides to read the complete article. So, make sure the title is appropriate as the content. There are many websites where you can get a meaningful and SEO-proof title.

Finally, revise the manuscript and finalize the title before publishing online.

How to write an article

Once the research work is done then there is a system for writing the article. Let’s check the details about how to write the article.

1) Select the topic for writing

Set up the idea of what exactly you want to write and the target audience for whom you want to write. Select the proper topic accordingly. As the topic is very important to get the required audience. The topic can be anything based on your current knowledge and information which will be helpful for people.

2) Research on the article

The research work needs to be done once the topic is finalized. You get to know multiple details for the particular topic and the fact for the same. Always write the non-fictional and facts in the article as it is very essential. Jot down the important point and finalize it accordingly once the research is completed.

3) Start writing with small paragraphs/Brainstorm the topic

Writing on a particular topic is not easy at all. If you have never written anything before then it will be a little tough but not impossible. Do not go to write big details or paragraphs on paragraphs as it will create hurdles to finalize the article. Rather cut down short and create a small paragraph. Make it readable for the user. Whatever you are writing, brainstorm on the particular topic as it should be appropriate for the reader.

4) Draft the article in the correct format

Formatting is very important as it gives a proper view to the reader. The header, body, conclusion should be properly defined. Do not overwrite or duplicate the content. Make sure that the paragraphs are short so the reader can read them and does not get bored.

5) Check on the plagiarism and grammar in the article.

The content in the article should be copied from the internet as some sites might object you from doing so. Research and make your own sentences. Many tools will help you to check plagiarism to avoid any issues further. Check the plagiarism and grammar in the article before publishing online.

6) Make it topic specific

Keep the article topic-specific and do not add any other stories or details which are not about the specific post. Adding different details other than your main topic can misguide a reader and it can create a negative impression regarding you.

7) Getting the statements right – you and your

Always give preference to the reader who is reading as it will create a connection. Use correct statements and words like “You” and “Your” as this will give the complete reference to the reader and will keep itself engaged in the article.

8) It should be easy to read

Do not use fancy and different words that need to search on google for meaning. Always use simple English and maintain a small paragraph so it will be easy for the reader to read. This way you can engage anyone for a longer period of time in your article.

9) Make sure the article is edited and checked correctly

Always check the article once it is completed. Edit it where require and correct it properly. Check all the spelling and grammar so it won’t be an issue after going live.

10) End the article in a good way

Write a conclusion or any important notes at the end. Reiterate the main and important points in the end. Provide a good summary and the best way is to provide another link to your next article which will keep the reader on the page. There are multiple sites on which this is carried out and it helps to create more followers.

Format for writing article

As we already discussed how the article should be and now, we will check out the format of an article. Below are the detailed points for the format of the article.

1) Title of the article

The title of the article should always be clear and informative. Make sure to always give the title which will match the content of the article. Always use long-tailed keywords as it will help for searching on the search engine.

Take the preliminary research online about the title you are searching for. This will provide the details and different approaches towards your topic.

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2) Writers name

Always provide the writer’s name in the article as he/she is the owner and people will know that person which will help to gain more audience.

3) Body of the article

The body of the article will start with a small introduction but not too lengthy. This introduction should be a glimpse of what the article is about. The introduction will give the idea to the reader which will make the reader read the complete details.

Create a short paragraph that will be easier for the reader to read. Now, most people prefer reading on the mobile screen which is small in size compare to the desktop screen. If the paragraph is big then it will create an issue in reading.

Always keep the font a little big and readable so it would not create any issue in reading. The reader should not be in pain to read the sentence and understand the same.

Write the information creatively and descriptively and always check the grammar part. Whenever you are providing any data, please make sure to get complete details about it. Make sure you add images in your article which will match the scenario.

4) Additional Information

If there is any additional information then provide it if needed. There are many references and tips which you can provide in this part.

5) Conclusion

This part is the end of the article and this should be the complete summary in detail. Conclusions are the strongest part as they should give a thirst to the reader to read more about other articles of the same writer. Make sure it will be compelling and interesting.

You can also send a reader elsewhere in the conclusion e.g., If you are writing about traveling then you can suggest more articles on budget trips or good places to see in the season.

Types of Article writing

There are four types of writing which are given below.

1) Expository

Expository writing contains only specific topics as it is subject-oriented. This is the most common typewriting. The writer’s opinion does not matter and only intends to pass the message to people without any influence. It contains all the facts and figures on a specific topic. Below are examples of expository articles.

Technical Writing
Business writing

2) Persuasive/ Argumentative

This is the writer’s style of writing as the author tries to convey and convince the audience about the opinion. It also includes reasons, justification, or arguments to get the reader to go with the writer’s opinion. Below are some examples of persuasive or argumentative writing.

Sales Presentation
Product Reviews
Recommendations
Advertisements

3) Narrative

The narrative type is like telling stories to the reader. This can be anything i.e., fiction, imagination, or facts. The writer creates a story in their own way with the imagination of the situation, characters, and places that can be real or unreal. Below are some examples of the narrative type.

Short stories

4) Descriptive

The descriptive is the same as the expository but it is a little more personal. It uses all the senses i.e., taste, smell, sound, touch, sights. This is described more and in detail on a specific topic.

Screenplays

The above four types of writing are not the only way an article is written. There are other things too that go beyond the purpose i.e., the structure, choice, voice, etc. These things are equally important considering the above points.

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Keynotes and description

SEO means Search engine optimization plays an important role in the world of content. If you are writing an article for an online purpose then make sure you will create SEO-friendly content. Add keywords that will help the search engine to crawl the details. This will list the article on the top of the searches.

For more details check the link: How to create SEO content

2) Keyword search

Many tools will provide the keyword for your article. Keywords are known as the heart of SEO. You can find the appropriate tool online and you can include those in your article. There are long-tailed keywords and short-tailed keywords, you can choose according to the details. If the article is on a very common topic then always go for a long-tailed keyword.

3) Required Tools

Writing an article is not a small thing, it requires a lot of research and knowledge. You need to know multiple things while writing. This includes your style, vocabulary, communication, and interest in the audience. There are many tools online, some are free as well as paid. You can use those according to the requirement. It will help you to write and polish the article well.

For example, there are multiple tools to correct the grammar part. So, you can search online about the same and get the work done in less time.

4) Connecting to people on the social media platform

There are multiple types of articles. Some people write to provide their product information for sales, some to just provide details about something, some for giving their opinion or any news. But for all these, you need to connect to people and social media is an important medium for that. There are many social media platforms wherein you can gain more audience and accomplish your goal.

Posting the articles on social media will give you a connection to the people and help you get feedback and also a good suggestion. This will help to improve and know the people in a better manner. Once you receive the views of readers, then you can create more similar articles to gain more people.

Wow nice note your short note great understanding from your writing is very nice I am member of you thanks

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Copyblogger

A Simple Plan for Writing One Powerful Piece of Content Each Week

Good morning, you epic article writer , you.

That’s right, I’m talking to you .

You publish content to attract new prospects, to build trust with them — word by word with storyselling — so you can get down to business.

And you do it in your slippers. Because shoes are optional in our world, right?

Your shoes might be fuzzy, but your words need to be consistently remarkable.

Consistently good content that builds an audience fuels your online business ideas .

But how can you make that happen? Well, one option is to drink lots of coffee and stay up late the night before you publish your post, stifling yawns and squinting to see your screen.

But the better option is to spread out the writing and editing process over a few leisurely days, and write your post in stages without ever getting out of your slippers. Sound good?

Quality over quantity

That’s what you’re aiming for in your start here: one weekly post that will attract attention, establish your authority, and encourage people to share your information.

And keep in mind, Brian Clark built Copyblogger by writing two posts per week in the beginning.

It all starts on morning one.

Morning 1: Start with a mind-mapping tool

Slippers on? Favorite beverage at your side? It’s time to begin.

Start by thinking about your topic, and what angle you’ll approach it from. Open up a mind-mapping program — or grab a piece of paper and your favorite pen — and get ready to write.

Your headline is the most important group of words in your post, so spend plenty of time learning how to write headlines that will get your post the attention you’re looking for. Put that at the center of your mind map.

Then, learn how to write subheadings . Subheads form the backbone of your content: get these right, and everything else will flow.

Your subheads should be informative enough that someone scanning your post will understand the gist of it.

They should be intriguing enough that your scanner is left wanting to dig deeper and learn more.

And that’s enough for day one.

The first step is the most difficult, and you’re off to a good start. Move on to the rest of your day, and prepare for tomorrow — it’s going to be a heavy one.

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Morning 2: Time to fill in the details

You might need an extra helping of your favorite beverage for today’s task. You’re going to be fleshing out the details of the outline you created yesterday and writing the rest of your post.

Still, keep those slippers on. You need to be comfortable so you can get the job done.

The first thing to tackle today is looking over the headline and subheads you wrote yesterday. Do they still make sense? Are they still intriguing? Are you looking forward to filling in what’s missing?

If not, take some time to tweak. Reinforce the basic structure of your post, so you’ve got something to hang the rest of your words on.

Once you’re satisfied, it’s time to fill in the details. Ready? Set? Go!

I know what you’re saying right now. “It’s not a race.” Actually at this stage, it is.

The fastest way to get the rest of your post written is to write it as fast as you can. Write your first paragraph. Write the rest of your introduction. Fill in the details under your subheads. Wrap it up at the end, and include some kind of call to action .

As. Fast. As. You. Can.

Why so fast?

Because at this stage, you shouldn’t be sweating every word. You need to record your thoughts, not edit. Editing is for tomorrow.

Finally, before you wrap up working on your post for the day, look for an image.

Spend some time finding one that will complement your words and draw attention to your concepts.

Learn more about using images in your content marketing when you register for my free visual content marketing workshop .

Then, walk away. Focus on something else, get a good night’s sleep, and plan to take a last look at your post with fresh eyes in the morning.

Editor’s note: Copyblogger is an affiliate for Pamela’s workshop.

Morning 3: Edit, massage, and tweak

On day three, you’ll wake up refreshed, put on your slippers, and pour one more cup of that favorite beverage. Sidle up to your keyboard, and fire up that draft post one more time.

Do a read-through to see how it looks today. Better yet, read it out loud in a monotone voice to be sure it still makes sense and sounds good, even with no inflection.

Edit, rewrite, and move copy around as needed to make sure you’ve removed any excess personal writing . Keep reading and tweaking until it’s just right.

Next, spend some time formatting your post for readability . Add bulleted lists where you can. Add excerpts using block quotes. Break up long paragraphs into smaller chunks to make them easier to read on screen.

Before you queue it up for publishing, go down this checklist and make sure you can answer “yes” to everything:

Does the headline stop them in their tracks?
Is the image intriguing on its own?
Do the subheads tell your story all by themselves?
Have you asked an engaging question at the end to encourage comments and conversation?
Did you add a call to action for a product, service, or your email list?

Morning 4: Publication and promotion day

Back in your slippers on morning four, you can enjoy the fruits of your labors. But your work isn’t over, so don’t relax just yet.

Publication day is promotion day.

This post you spent three days crafting deserves attention, and it’s your job to ensure it gets it .

Did you write an especially epic post?

Then consider chatting about it with other content marketers . If appropriate, ask them to share it with their audiences.

The key to manageable content creation

It’s not easy to write epic posts week after week, but dividing the work up over several days will make it manageable.

Building time into your schedule to get away from your post will make you a better editor .

And doing it all in your slippers will make you feel like the king of your world.

Pamela Wilson

Pamela Wilson coaches people in mid-career to build profitable online businesses. Apply for her Offer Accelerator program here . Have you read her Master Content books ?

Reader Interactions

Reader comments (149).

May 21, 2012 at 6:22 am

Thanks Pamela.

My technique for writing epic posts is based on these 3 ideas:

1. People love stories. 2. Awesomeness lies at the point where 2 ideas merge. 3. Overwhelm people with your post. You have to go beyond satisfying them.

Preparation: I’ve created a swipe file of good stories and anecdotes. Whenever I come across a good story or example, I save it. You can save content using Evernote. Or using plugins like Firefox Scrapbox. Having a swipe file changes you. Mentally it converts your mind into a story finding hound. And its also the best cure to never face writers block. Don’t have a clue on what to write about? Open your swipe file and write on the first post.

Writing: But to create epic posts, you have to go beyond writing about just 1 story. What I tend to do is read quite a few of the stories I have saved. And then let my mind find a connection between 2 or more of them. Add 2-3 stories in one post – and it will delight and overwhelm your readers. And when you connect different ideas with unrelated stories in 1 post, it will wow them.

May 21, 2012 at 6:58 am

That’s a great way to come up with ideas. My swipe file lives in Evernote, too. And combining stories by looking for where they intersect is brilliant! It’s a good way to generate a unique idea. Thanks for sharing, Ankesh.

May 21, 2012 at 4:18 pm

I follow a bit of the same strategy as Ankesh, I stockpile ideas as I run across them and develop a few simultaneously.

March 20, 2013 at 8:19 pm

Hi Ankesh! I really liked all 3 of your ideas. I know that people enjoy reading posts that use stories to make a point, but I’m not a natural story teller type of person. If I create a swipe file of story fragments and stockpile them, story telling will become more like second nature to me. A good habit.

Hi Pamela – thanks for the powerful article and also the links to related sites. You have articulated a trend that began in earnest after the Panda and Penguin updates – less spammy or spun content, less low quality backlinks, and more useful content that either educates, entertains, inspires, or all 3. I think people should really pay attention to this article!

The other thing that’s brilliant about your article is that it flies in the face of the notion that you need to publish something every day or multiple times a day. It takes the pressure off of the writer to produce at an unsustainable rate – therefore, less spam, and more bloggers making a difference in people’s lives.

You help people to understand that one epic or great article, has more potential for going viral, than the lots of “thin” content some bloggers may produce. Remember the slogan in the Paul Masson commercial, spoken by Orson Wells – “we’ll sell no wine until it’s time”. Timeless. A thousand thank-you’s Pam.

May 21, 2012 at 6:24 am

Thank you Pamela! This schedule of yours is just what I need to break me out of the randomness of my posting schedule.

May 21, 2012 at 7:00 am

Glad it was helpful, Hashim. Slippers are optional, of course. It’s a little warm for them in our hemisphere at this time of year. Maybe flip flops instead? 😉

May 21, 2012 at 7:23 am

Excellent Post Pamela! 🙂

I really have to work on being more organized with my posts. I always jot down my blog post ideas on paper and then put in the keywords relating to that post. I somehow mentally form the structure in my mind and when I finally set out to write, I am accompanied with my written notes and my mental picture of how the post is structured. I tend to write out the post when I’m in a good state of flow or a.k.a. inspired.

Your last tip of emailing other bloggers and asking them to share your content is quite bold and interesting. I haven’t done it yet but I think I want to have a go at it 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 8:43 am

Ooh, I want to know how you can mentally form the structure in your mind before you write it. (How come my brain won’t do that?)

Emailing other bloggers is a great technique to use when you’ve written something you’re especially proud of and you want to be sure it’s seen by as many people as possible. It’s important to do a little research and email people whose audiences would be interested in your topic. And having some kind of previous contact with the blogger definitely helps to get your email opened.

May 21, 2012 at 7:53 am

My idea of writing good posts is like this: 1. Keyword research + Trends, this is what people are interested in 2. Is there anything new or spectacular about the topic? Research it. 3. Write the post answering theses questions: Why TOPIC, What TOPIC, How TOPIC, What if TOPIC. Example: Why write good content, What is good content, How do you write good content, What if you wrote good content? 4. Remove the questions and sprite it up with great headlines, some images and format the paragraphs to 2-3 lines.

Great post BTW! 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 8:45 am

I can see you’re very strategic about picking your topics, Mats. Thanks for sharing this technique!

May 31, 2012 at 2:06 am

You are welcome! 🙂 I Love to share stuff 😉

May 24, 2012 at 4:14 am

Pamela, thanks for this! I’m new to blogging. This is really going to help me pace myself. I’ve been overwhelmed comparing to others, thinking I have to have new posts everyday, or even more! This is a much more realistic approach for me! Thanks!

Mats, I’m usually all over the place with topics. I have the passion & So much to share, but have such a hard time organizing it and making my message clear and readable! The steps you shared are brilliance. Thank you!

If you’re wondering how scattered my posts are, go check out my page! It’s a mess. And any harsh, brutal, or simply honest constructive criticism is Welcome! I really want to connect with my readers. Help! (Thanks)

May 31, 2012 at 2:10 am

Thanks for that! Its an art to find your true message and writing it so people get it and want more 🙂 Connect with me on skype invert87 🙂

June 9, 2012 at 1:06 pm

Mats: Your #3 tip is really transformative! Why, what, how, what if – it makes so much sense for those with journalism training (such as myself) to write in that style on a blog. I can see myself using this storytelling framework for months to come. Thanks for sharing!

May 21, 2012 at 8:08 am

Pamela do you write content on newsworthy stories as well ?

May 21, 2012 at 8:47 am

I occasionally write about newsworthy topics, but my blog focuses more on evergreen themes that have to do with marketing and design (and the intersection of the two). I prefer to write posts that are still useful years from now and aren’t tied to a moment in time, but that’s just a personal preference.

May 21, 2012 at 4:06 pm

What do you mean by evergreen–forever relevant, or the trees and ecology?

May 21, 2012 at 4:31 pm

Evergreen means content that’s helpful today, tomorrow and a few years from now. It never goes out of style. That’s what I aim for. 🙂

I think it’s really about getting into a rhythm, especially when you’re starting your content marketing. You have to make the time to get it done and stick to your schedule.

May 21, 2012 at 8:48 am

I would still suggest leaving time for drafting and test-writing other articles as well. Concentrating on one idea and developing it in a quality article leaves u vulnerable to “hit-and-miss” situations where you just lost a week cycle doing a material that gets ignored.

May 21, 2012 at 9:03 am

Hey Pamela,

Good tips here, especially with pumping out the bulk of the content in a rough way before editing.

For me, I almost always write a post in one sitting, though–or so it seems. Usually it’s been gestating in my brain for awhile (weeks, even), and then suddenly it wants to be “born” and out it comes. Sometimes that process might include main points or subheadings jotted down on notepaper (or a napkin!) while I’m doing chores around the house or something. Sometimes, though, 2+2 goes click in my brain, often from a conversation (even a discussion on Facebook) and suddenly I have the angle I need and it all comes pouring out.

That only works with something I know really well, though. If it requires research, that’s a different story and more like the process you describe.

I like your list in “Morning 3.” I’ve had a bad habit of tacking on headlines or searching for a photo at the last minute, and usually by that time I’m so tired I don’t care anymore. It’s hard for me to stop and start with a project when I have so many other things going on (other work, for ex.), but I’m heading into a different subject area, and I think following a system more like yours is a good idea–even if I do it in one sitting (plus editing/proofing later). And I definitely agree about quality over quantity! Oh, and the slippers too (or flip-flops right now 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 9:09 am

Those one-sitting posts are awesome, aren’t they? Those happen to me sometimes, too, and it feels a little like I’m channeling some mysterious power.

But they’re not a weekly occurrence, unfortunately. That’s why spreading it out helps, especially leaving the editing for a different day than the writing. That makes it easier to see the mistakes because you’re viewing your words with fresh eyes.

Thanks for the comment, Leah. And happy flip flop season!

May 21, 2012 at 9:08 am

Hello Pamela and “commenters”, Thanks so much for all the info. As a newbie in the blogging world, it is helpful and overwhelming. I have so many article ideas that I hardly know where to begin. Your comments ease the way. Merci beaucoup!

May 21, 2012 at 9:27 am

You’re welcome, Beth. Good luck on your journey! I promise it gets easier over time. 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 9:53 am

Thanks for the words of encouragement Pamela. I find it challenging to stay on track and not go off on tangents which are time consuming with too much information. I plan to follow Copyblogger only for awhile to stay focused.

May 21, 2012 at 9:25 am

Pamela, A well thought out plan for creating great content with low stress level. Though I am comfortable in writing, your post really of some value to me. And, interestingly, I could derive plan for perceiving, composing and for producing my music in this line. 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 9:30 am

That’s a great observation, Gokul. This process works well for all creative work.

When I do design work I follow a similar plan:

Day 1: Sketch out concepts Day 2: Fully develop the best ideas Day 3: Revisit, tweak and perfect

It works like a charm, and allows you to edit and tweak very effectively.

May 21, 2012 at 2:38 pm

That’s true. Thanks for sharing. Your post is very simple. Isn’t simplicity is the highest form of sophistication?

May 24, 2012 at 7:19 am

Elegant or elegance is a much better word to use here, rather than simplicity, Gokul. Excellent post, Pamela, I’m sending this out to 400 writers to help improve their work.

May 24, 2012 at 9:46 am

That’s an honor, Alan. Thank you!

May 21, 2012 at 9:28 am

Thanks for these powerful, yet simple tips that can make a world of difference for your blog traffic.

My technique has evolved throughout the years. I no longer focus on writing daily blog posts as was suggested to me when I first started to blog in 2008. I’ll post twice per week on my one blog and once or twice a month (still testing it) on my other blog. I revamped my approach to guest blogging (taking Jon Morrow’s Guest Blogging course) and study a blog first before pitching ideas. I also created swipe files for headlines, opening paragraphs, endings, power words, ideas, links, etc.

I subscribe to Google Alerts and pay attention to trends that pop up in the alerts. I read blog posts and comments. I ask questions on Twitter. I want to know what people need, what they want, and what problems they have. Research is my friend. 🙂

I’m glad you mentioned, “Making yourself available to respond to comments, answer questions and converse with your readers.” I’ve noticed that some blog posters don’t do this. I understand that you can’t respond to everyone, but even an automated “Thanks for reading my blog” is better than nothing. Just my two cents.

May 21, 2012 at 9:32 am

It sounds like you’ve learned a lot since 2008, Amandah!

And I agree about making yourself available to respond to comments (obviously!). The conversations in the comment section are often every bit as interesting as the post. As a blogger you can gain some incredible insights into the challenges your readers are dealing with by engaging with them in the comment section.

May 21, 2012 at 3:08 pm

You’re absolutely right, Pamela, that “conversations in the comment section are often every bit as interesting as the post” and this list of comments is proof. There is a goldmine of tips here, adding to the value of your original post.

May 21, 2012 at 1:22 pm

I agree with research being a great friend! When you write about the topics only you like, you’ll get a slow trickle of traffic. If you write about the subjects your audience likes, you’ll get a much bigger gush of visitors.

May 21, 2012 at 9:31 am

Hi Pamela and all, For the past year and a half, I have posted a minimum of once a week without fail. I have a pretty niche blog, but attract followers with a wide range of interest because everyone has a family — and I write about my century-spanning treasure trove of family letters and diaries, putting the contents into a context everyone can identify with: falling in love, following one’s dream, accessing the immigrant experience, coping with grief. Sometimes I’ve planned posts 8 weeks in advance–which is a really nice comfort zone. Othertimes I’m at the deadline (don’t like that). I think about my theme and gather the photos or scans I’ll need and store in a folder on my desktop. I’ll rough out the content. When it’s time to put it all together, I don’t have to search I i-photo or the internet for the appropriate photo–it’s ready to go in the folder, and I can put in several at once. After I’ve written the post, I come up with a title I think will attract readers–often a tease; something that inspires curiosity. The day it posts, I create at least three twitter feeds on Hootsuite, scheduled throughout the day and link to Facebook and LinkedIn. My biggest weakness — I keep revising and tweaking when it’s time to just let it go.

May 21, 2012 at 1:55 pm

I love the “8 weeks in advance comfort zone” idea.

That’s something I aspire to, but haven’t been able to achieve yet. Maybe if I think about it like I’m building a comfort zone that will help. Thanks for sharing your process!

May 21, 2012 at 10:38 am

I had to get done post that I started on the same day. I don’t really know why. Weird. This approach gives me a better, more productive and effective perspective. Thank you, Pamela!

May 22, 2012 at 5:18 pm

I sometimes struggle with this too – the idea that I have to get it out – immediately! Glad to know I’m not alone in this, but also happy to read that there are other ways of doing things.

May 21, 2012 at 10:49 am

Suggest adding a Day Five: Categorize Responses into Complaints, Opportunities, Testimonials, and New Ideas to Write About. One can keep these in Evernote or one of those little notebooks you can carry around in your pocket or pocketbook. Great for figuring out what to use in brainstorming ideas for writing on Day Six and Day Seven (during your rest time, of course).

Thank you for your post.

May 21, 2012 at 1:51 pm

Very cool addition, thanks Steve. 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 2:52 pm

Thanks for your encouragement. I’m still pretty new at this.

May 21, 2012 at 10:53 am

Excellent post Pamela. I’m about to start a business blog/site and this will help immensely. When writing for my regular (personal) blog, it seems I can write the draft in no time, but end up spending days editing it to death. I’m concerned I will end up doing the same thing for my business blog/site. How do you know when “enough is enough” in the editing process?

May 21, 2012 at 1:57 pm

I always know enough is enough when it’s Tuesday night (I publish on Wednesdays 😉 ).

May 21, 2012 at 2:07 pm

Good point! Having a deadline to publish makes cutting off the editing process easier. Will keep that in mind.

May 22, 2012 at 5:21 pm

Thanks ladies. The idea of setting deadlines seems like a no-brainer (I worked at a newspaper for goodness sake) but somehow I never considered it in the blogging world.

This could help significantly in getting those “drafts” into the “published” category.

May 21, 2012 at 11:02 am

Thanks for the great ideas about a writing plan, especially “write content over several leisurely days”. I use most of these, and they do work. But I have to admit – I usually write it in one sitting, then go back the next day for final tweak.

One of the hardest parts for me (not any more) was to decide on the topic and how to approach the headline. To help me come up with topics and headlines, I use The Content Catalyst, by Roger C. Parker. This is a fantastic resource that goes hand-in-hand with all your valuable advice here.

Keep up the great tips!

May 21, 2012 at 11:21 am

I agree about The Content Catalyst! It’s a good place to find ideas and make new connections between your topics.

May 21, 2012 at 4:54 pm

Dear Merrill: Thank you for your kind words about my Content Catalyst!

Congratulations, Pamela, on a great post and thank you for amplifying Merrill’s words. Roger

May 21, 2012 at 11:05 am

@ Pamela … It’s been one heck of a learning curve! As a writer, I appreciate comments because they’re a valuable resource for non-fiction and “fiction” story ideas, character names, moods, etc. They’re multi-purpose.

May 21, 2012 at 11:07 am

Pamela, thanks for sharing this awesome article.

What has worked for me: 1. Observe: This can be as simple as taking notes, clicking a picture etc. I collect a LOT of things and not everything becomes a blog post. 2. Scan: Take a look at the notes and pictures and highlight those that I DO want to make blog posts 3. Process: What lessons can we glean out of this that are not “timed” – meaning is there something that I can bring out that will be relevant even after a few years? 4. Craft: This is the core writing part that happens over the next few days. Since I am working on a number of articles all at the same time, I don’t mind stretching this over a few days. 5. Package: This is the mechanics part. Finding the right images (if I haven’t already found one) – sub titles, links etc. 6. Promote: Sharing it on social networks, newsletter etc.

Have a great week ahead.

Best, Rajesh

May 21, 2012 at 11:24 am

That looks like a very productive system, Rajesh. Thanks for sharing it.

I’m always glad to hear that someone is creating their own images, too. There are many opportunities to create images by ourselves, and most of us are walking around with cameras on our phones plus all the apps we need to edit them. Why not use them to create something that’s 100% original?

May 21, 2012 at 12:08 pm

What a perfect plan! I truly appreciate this guide, I need a plan more than anything currently – and I can train myself to do this as a habit!

I usually take Day 2 and call it good: get the fast stream of writing, and then put it up there, promote a couple times on Twitter, and then no wonder I have no engagement. It’s the downfall of those of us who thought creative writing was sacred and pure. I love the idea of breaking it down into 3-4 days of careful, methodical production. Just because the entire act of creation isn’t spontaneous, doesn’t dilute the post – in fact, any less does it a disservice.

May 21, 2012 at 1:59 pm

Honestly if you can make the production process kind of a no-brainer by having a system you follow, it frees up a lot of brain space you can devote to the writing itself.

I’m still working on a schedule and technique that works best for me. It seems sometimes that I allow other things to interfere with my writing. So what I’m in the process of doing is learning how to stay focused. I’ve learned that without focus a schedule and technique is useless. Because it will be followed for only short while.

I will try your schedule it seems like it will help me to stay focused longer and write more. Breaking the task up into days seems like a almost perfect solution.

May 21, 2012 at 12:26 pm

Great approach to writing an article. Breaking down writing an article into a 4 day process is the perfect answer for busy people who don’t have a large chunk of time to write. I think I have to add an extra day to my articles as they are mostly tutorials and include many screenshots.

May 21, 2012 at 12:39 pm

I’m so glad to see that I’m not the only one that reads their posts aloud to themselves. I’ve found that to be, by far, my most powerful editing tool. I’ll write a post, let it sit for a day (if I can’t let it sit for a full day, at least for several hours), and come back to it and start reading it aloud. Reading it aloud forces me to slow down my reading and really hear what I wrote.

May 21, 2012 at 2:00 pm

That works amazingly well, doesn’t it? Especially if you read it in a monotone voice sans inflection. It’s really a worst-case-scenario reading when you do that, and all sorts of flaws magically reveal themselves. 😉

May 21, 2012 at 2:54 pm

Reading upside down works well too. Makes you think about each word.

May 21, 2012 at 3:02 pm

Ha ha…but if you’re an old-time hand typesetter like me that doesn’t work, because we had to read everything upside down as if we were reading it as a printed page.

Besides, it didn’t make me think about each word; all I thought about was the deadline.

Ah, the days of setting an entire galley of 8-point type then spilling it onto the floor as you trip over the cat.

February 13, 2013 at 9:00 pm

My favorite method is to print out the article and then edit it then — it’s like you’re reading someone else’s work because it’s in a different medium.

May 21, 2012 at 1:12 pm

My writing schedule usually involves getting up early, writing and then editing the next day. But you’ve really got me thinking about focusing on one amazing post per week. I love the idea of starting with the headline/ subheads and then leaving them until the next day. Thanks!

May 21, 2012 at 2:01 pm

You’re welcome, Chris. I’m glad it was helpful!

May 21, 2012 at 1:19 pm

Great list of steps for folks who do not find writing to be an easy process. 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 2:42 pm

Fantastic article Pamela. I definitely think you raise some valid points. Quality should be first and foremost especially in this world where people churn out blog posts left, right and centre and rarely take the opportunity to write them thoroughly. Thanks again for the great article!

May 21, 2012 at 2:55 pm

Pamela, you practice what you preach. You’re a superb writer. And great advice-giver. I will put your strategy to work (I mean play, since I’m in my sandals) in my blog writing, since I try to create in-depth articles about graphic design that focus on one point, but really make that point as sharp as possible with graphics and details.

Being a visual person, it’s easy and fun for me to begin with the graphics. I’ll either create several designs with a lesson in mind, or sometimes I’ll use a real project to demonstrate, let’s say for example, the evolution of a logo. I simply take screenshots as I go, crop them down, file them, then when I’m ready to create the blog post I place all the graphics in the blog first (leaving a line space between each one since it’s difficult to get the cursor between images in a solid stack). Then walk away. Next day I add the text between the images, which of course is guided by the images. I might go back to the original graphics files and turn on or off some layers to create one or more screenshots as enhanced explanations or close-ups. For posts that are not graphics-driven I am anxious to try your strategy. Thank you, Pamela!

May 21, 2012 at 3:26 pm

This is a brilliant article Pamela, many thanks! I am with you on quality vs quantity and love the idea of breaking the post into days and revisiting. I try to do that with the planing stage of recipes, taking the photos, gathering the ideas and taking notes etc, but you have a good masterplan. Will work on that, many thanks! Ozlem

May 21, 2012 at 3:35 pm

My preference is to write in three waves like this, but generally I let it flow out in its own way. I appreciate the structure that you offer here. I think this will help fine tune my flow and my posts. Thanks!

May 21, 2012 at 6:20 pm

Thanks for breaking down the writing proces into this progression of steps. I’m still honing my own best practices and your post contains several ideas I’ll be adding to my arsenal. Having a system helps in the battle against Resistance. Morning 2 in your system is the most excruciating step for me, which is why mind mapping my posts is second only to Evernote as a must-have writing tool.

May 22, 2012 at 5:33 am

Linda, I agree that having a system helps us win the battle against Resistance. You can sort of talk yourself into it, like “Hey, I’m just writing a mind map … no big deal!”

Resistance doesn’t seem to put up as much of a fuss when you’re just tackling a small piece of the process. 😉

May 21, 2012 at 8:26 pm

I might try this one. I’m juggling kids who like to wake around 5:45 and a day job and a couple other commitments. I’m trying to make sure I put one post out a week, and I love this breakdown–takes the pressure off trying to knock off too much in one sitting.

I tend to start a draft as soon as a topic hits me and when I find a little time, I’ll review drafts and develop as far as I can. So.. not a great plan. 🙂

May 22, 2012 at 5:38 am

That’s a lot to juggle, Brett (and boy, do I remember the days of the pre-6 am wake ups: yikes!).

I’m glad you found this helpful. It sounds like you’re already doing elements of it so you’re on the right track. Good luck. 🙂

May 21, 2012 at 9:05 pm

HI, thx so much for this. I have built a major online business with the one post per week strategy. I plan it carefully and I devote lots of time to it. And it has built my list and my business. Dave Navarro taught me this strategy. I love it because it’s so very do-able! I’ve drawn a line in the sand that it will go out every Friday am whether I’m alive or in deadsville. I really appreciate your point of view!

May 22, 2012 at 5:39 am

Gail, it’s great to hear a success story that uses this strategy! (And you’ve got to tell me when you figure out how to publish from Deadsville. ;-))

May 21, 2012 at 9:06 pm

AWESOME post! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I just moved from 5 days a week to 2 starting yesterday for just the reasons you explain in the beginning of your article and I’ve been really struggling with it! This came at just the right time! 🙂

May 22, 2012 at 2:13 am

I agree, I try to create quality posts over quantity. People get two obessed about creating low quality 400 word articles just for the sole purpose of SEO.

James Scholes

May 22, 2012 at 3:57 am

Writing is the first activity I do.

But I don’t lead with the headline. I know, I know, it’s important. But I don’t start with writing the headline first. I start with writing down the problem I’m trying to solve.

But here’s what I am doing right now:

– I write the ‘problem’ I am trying to solve with the article/post. For example, if I am writing about how one can start a business without any money, so that’s the problem. So I write that down. Explain it a bit in a para or two.

– Then I present the solution. This is the message of the article, the meat. Interestingly, this takes the least amount of time, because I KNOW what I am writing about.

– Then I go to the INTRO paragraph, where I try to build up the problem – what we’d call a hook – and make it emotional somehow. A small story, a few lines, to let the reader ‘relate to the problem’.

– Then I work on the OUTRO 🙂 … the ending. Here I try to give a personal example, quote science, famous people, to show the solution being implemented in the real world. I may ask the reader to leave a comment as a natural way of asking them about how they’d implement the solution.

– Only then I try to go back and review and write the headline.

I have used the above ‘formula’ for the previous 5 to 6 posts on my blog I think. One post, titled “One Tip that Saves me Thousands” got some good milage, again possibly because of the headline (got RT’ed by Steve Pavlina too! 🙂 ) – but the ‘meat’ was also worthy. Very actionable. I did not follow the above formula strictly for that post. And also, I got this formula from a post by Danny Iny, right here on CB.

So I am experimenting, trying to find what works. Bottom line is to keep writing. That’s the secret of course. 🙂

May 22, 2012 at 5:42 am

This sounds like a great system: thanks for sharing it!

May 26, 2012 at 2:55 pm

Pamela, This is a great technique for Newbie such as myself. I look forward reading more of your post.

Thanks great post!

May 22, 2012 at 7:27 am

I was just teaching a blogging class this last weekend and I mentioned the same thing, it’s much better to write one EPIC post per week that will get shared like crazy than to write a mediocre article every day of the week.

I also spend quite a bit of time on the headline. It’s the ad for the article and if you can’t write a compelling headline to get people to click, you’ll never get them to your article. I often use the list of the “100 Greatest Headlines” for inspiration.

Great post Pamela.

May 22, 2012 at 7:48 am

Thanks, David.

I agree 100% on the importance of your headline. It’s the ad for the article on your blog, but also in social media. Get it right and it gets more shares and is seen by more people.

May 22, 2012 at 9:04 am

Nice strategic planning for content writing for long term benefits. Yes sub heading tells what you are trying to convey in the full article with first look itself..

May 22, 2012 at 9:38 am

This is a really helpful post. Thank you. My strategy – like other Copyblogger devotees – is to release regular content in the form of focussed posts. I’ve been using VAs for this and have often found myself describing a very similar process to each to ensure consistency of approach between us all. Now I can forward the link to your post. Coupled with other aspects like writing compelling headlines etc. I think it will save me a lot of time.

Thanks again,

May 22, 2012 at 5:26 pm

(*waving to Steve’s VAs*) 😉

May 22, 2012 at 10:38 am

That was a fantastic post; thanks! I thought I was a pretty decent writer already, and can now see how to make some more improvements to my process.

May 22, 2012 at 12:08 pm

I this is very similar to how I write. But I do it all in one day. Last minute. That doesn’t always make for epic Sh*t.

I like this approach. Spreading it out over a few days is probably a better option. guna put this into action.

May 22, 2012 at 5:29 pm

I’m glad this helped, Micah. The weird thing about spreading it out over a few days is it helps you to see it with “fresh” eyes every time to revisit it. The flaws stand out, but you also think of new (and better) ways to say things.

May 22, 2012 at 4:55 pm

I like this process for writing blog posts. I am in favor of anything that allows me to work in my PJs and my slippers.

Often I try to do all of these steps on the same day and find myself experiencing ‘writer’s block’. I will put your ideas into actions and start writing my own epic posts!

May 22, 2012 at 5:32 pm

I’m with you, Clara: I’ve tried to do all the steps in one day, and occasionally I have to, but I much prefer this “three days in your slippers” approach, and I’m convinced the posts I write with this technique turn out stronger. Good luck!

May 22, 2012 at 6:16 pm

Great post! I’ve been learning to blog according to the method outlined in your post. For me, quality over quantity is most effective. I’ve been gradually developing a practice similar to your 4 day process and it’s the most effective way I’ve found yet…I’ve just never had someone present the process in such a clear way. Thanks so much.

May 24, 2012 at 9:43 am

Thanks, Tom.

It’s interesting you’ve developed a similar process. I wanted to share this process because this is how most of my content gets written. I’m a one-person outfit when it comes to content creation, and it could easily become overwhelming. Breaking it down like this makes it manageable!

May 24, 2012 at 6:57 am

Great post And I definitely agree with you and Jon that publishing good content once per week is better than mediocre.

I’d be interested in your (and Jon’s) view on really short posts though. If you have an idea that will only take, say < 200 words to get across, is it a good idea to share this in a kind of ‘snippet’ post mid-week along with your once-per-week longer article/video/audio/whatever it is?

That’s what I’ve been doing – one post per week which is my main post for the week and tips/snippets/hacks during the week if from time to time.

Do you think this kind of approach works or would you just stick to the single post per week?

thanks for sharing a great post, Alan

May 24, 2012 at 9:40 am

I’m not an SEO expert, but I’ve always had the impression shorter posts don’t rank as well. I’ll be curious to see if others can shed some light on this.

That being said, SEO shouldn’t be your only goal. If your shorter mid-week posts serve your readers well, I say go for it! Just don’t stop writing those well-crafted “main” posts. 🙂

May 24, 2012 at 7:03 am

@ Alan… Thanks for asking the question about shorter posts. I was asked to contribute to a blog; the maximum word count is 300 words. I’m used to writing longer posts, but I know I can write a 300 word post without any problem. When I started blogging in 2008, I was told to keep blog posts between 300-700 words, preferably 500 words. It’s interesting how blogging has evolved and how the different approaches bloggers use. Some use video blogs and receive high traffic. Whatever works. 🙂

May 24, 2012 at 9:54 pm

Great post. Easy to follow and will definitely help with my blah blah blah (oh my word did I just push publish?). I’m definitely going to try your method and see what my very critical group think. It can only improve my posts. Thanks a mill, Leigh

May 30, 2012 at 5:39 pm

Thanks for the structure. It really helps to have a plan to follow and to know its OK to take a week to write and publish a post.

June 1, 2012 at 4:50 pm

Nice post. I am finally getting an idea about becoming a professional writer. Thank you!

June 4, 2012 at 3:30 pm

Hey Pamela..These are some good insights. I know first hand that when I rush myself into publishing content it usually ends up poor quality. I try to start with an editorial calendar and plan my month (especially for blog posts) by outlining the keywords, controversial topics and popular topics… By structuring and creating the framework for the majority of my posts, I can give myself a few hours to fill in the blanks on the idea. I’m just wondering how much research do you conduct regarding your specific topic and viewers of the particular post? I find spending some quality time here can pay dividends in the long run.

June 9, 2012 at 1:07 pm

Pamela, thanks for this excellent writing foundation and the permission to not have to be epic all the time (but at least once a week!).

I’m on day 2 of your strategy. Without realizing it, I started your guidelines yesterday before reading your post today. But I’m running out of days because tomorrow is my promised publish date, so I’m turning those days into “times of the day” just this once. Thanks again!

July 5, 2012 at 11:49 am

Seemingly trivial thoughts eventually lead to something more meaningful over a few days time. Taking time to mull during the creative process eventually generates content that’s fun, challenging, and rewarding. One thing that helps me throughout the creative process is taking lots of pictures. The visual cues in pictures tend to generate ideas – sometimes over a few days time. The subconscious (visual) mind can translate what it is that you want to say better than the intellectual mind. Thanks for a great article, Pamela.

July 20, 2012 at 3:48 pm

Hi Pamela, Just wanted to say thanks for a great post. I guess it dose make more sense to spread you writing out, as I’ve often written a piece one day only to find myself editing it the next. Will take you tips on board. Thanks

July 23, 2012 at 2:05 am

An easy to follow yet challenging method of making one of your killer articles. Putting emphasis on reviews before publishing your content is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned on this article. No matter how good you are as a writer, reviewing your work will always make your authority higher compared to other writer.

August 9, 2012 at 5:20 pm

Great to see you write about mind mapping as a tool to use for your writing.

I would suggest you also create mind map templates. This is what I did. I have 8 proven article templates that are in mind map format. After creating the headline, I simply sit down and use one of my templates to write the article. This way I can’t forget anything. My article always has a good flow. Plus, I write much faster.

I hope the people reading this start using this method to improve their writing experience.

Thanks again for sharing your knowledge!

September 4, 2012 at 4:21 am

Great article! I write my posts usually on weekends and try to wrap it up within one sitting. That is the ideal since my post day is Sunday. Unfortunately, this has evolved because writing has become difficult when you do this week after week. And so somehow, I have developed some stages as well but in a disorganized way. Good to see this article- makes me udnerstand that, after all, i should not feel bad if my post is painstakingly done in more than a day. I will try this.

My next question is- does anyone write in a certain structured way- like for example, write in this outline- 1. intro, 2. facts and research, 3 examples? I find that sometimes I feel something is missing in my article and could not move on or sometimes, I have published it but it does notlook quite like it!

December 26, 2012 at 2:49 pm

I like to use Auto-suggestion to do brainstorming quite effective to use your subconscious mind abilities. the structure also should be well designed information should flow freely into the reader’s mind

December 27, 2012 at 12:31 am

Hi Pamela, thanks for sharing this process. I’ve been trying for so long to do it all in one go. it’s been partly successful but always feels rushed. I’ve been wanting to figure out how to get a better process/pipeline in place and yours looks like a winner; especially the slippers. definitely going to give it a go. especially the title and headline aspect. thanks, Matt

January 6, 2013 at 12:07 pm

This is fantastic. You given a great blueprint here, and a very practical tool. I’ve always taken a “fly by the seat of my pants” approach to writing blog posts. But waiting for inspiration or for the muse to finally appear isn’t always the best time management tool.

I have a new blog, and will use this approach to write my very first post. I suspect I’ll be using it from now on.

January 10, 2013 at 5:13 pm

I really like it whenever people come together and share thoughts.

Great blog, keep it up!

January 18, 2013 at 3:57 am

Totally loved your post Pamela.

Thanks for your insight, it’s really extremely awesomely useful for me. Really. That’s actually what i’ve been thinking in the past few days. I’ve always been writing articles each day because i thought Google loved blogs/websites that are updated each day. But i’m starting to think that it is ridiculous. I think readers are on top priority that we really need to please, not just Google.

Also thanks for your tip to write as fast as you can without editing. Editing is for tomorrow. I never thought of that.

January 23, 2013 at 11:26 am

I really enjoyed this. I write three posts a week. One recipe, one wine/winery review and one story. The first two are easier. The story post is the one that takes the longest and the one I enjoy writing the most. Because I do all my own illustrations, it adds to the complexity and the time it takes to do a quality job of it. The other factor that posses a challenge is I am dyslectic, so it taking a good amount of time to edit is critical. Dispite of all that, I still manage to publish a post regularly. That all said, your thoughts about scheduling time in sections to write a quality post is not lost on me. :)))

January 31, 2013 at 12:37 pm

Excellent Post Pamela! Thank you.Having a deadline to publish makes cutting off the editing process easier. Will keep that in mind…

February 2, 2013 at 7:15 am

Hi Pamela, Brilliant plan. I’ll apply this one for my next post and see the results. I’ve a question : I write research-based articles, so do you have any suggestion on how to include that and which day, first or second or zero-day?

February 3, 2013 at 9:05 am

Hi Avadhut,

I think “zero day” is the way to go. You’d need to have the research in place before you can write a general outline for your piece. I find doing research separately gives my mind a chance to absorb it and make connections, too. An extra day would give you that.

February 20, 2013 at 10:09 am

“Sharing it on sites like Digg, Reddit and StumbleUpon.”

I’ve never tried that, thanks. 🙂 😮

February 22, 2013 at 2:59 am

Excellent information. I’m still fumbling with how many articles I should write a week. I like one a week but I’m not sure that would be enough content for my readers. I’m adding this article to my google plus one follows. It’s a good.resource.

February 25, 2013 at 5:52 am

Great piece of information via the above post. By finding how to write a best blog post title, I came to here. A best Headline is really one of the most important factor for a blog post. The all point you have covered via the above post is really helpful. Thanks,

February 25, 2013 at 6:03 pm

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February 26, 2013 at 3:45 am

SO it is the post structure that matters a lot at the end of the day. If blogger does not follow that, then it is sure no one is going to recognize him at the end of the day. Thanks for this wonderful article on content writing idea.

March 14, 2013 at 11:23 am

Very useful post, great tips and I can see myself using this writing format. It takes away the overwhelm and I love that. On the funny side, hope everyone sticks with coffee and tea as their favorite beverage! 😉 Thank you for sharing your blog writing tips!

April 29, 2013 at 11:50 am

I appreciate that what you say about successful writing fits perfectly with what I promote for all other types of relationships. I am exited to take my audience on a journey into magical ideas. My blog, highwaynotmyway.com, promotes solutions, not just a bullet point approach.

My writing schedule consist of inspiration to create epic ideas. My writing is highly influenced by my therapy work. We already have the solutions in our inspiration within ourselves and in our lives. I read on a blog post that having a writer’s bucket list can help us become conscious of unconscious illustrations of ideas. Now it is time to get exited, inspired, and share our epic ideas.

Elisa Leeder, MS

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Writing an article

Topic outline.

The purpose of an article is often to inform and persuade the reader.

Articles give the reader information about a certain topic, bringing together and discussing different perspectives to provide a balanced argument which lets the reader make up their own mind about the topic.

Articles can also be used to persuade the reader that a certain viewpoint is correct. For example, articles in newspapers or magazines might express a particular viewpoint or perspective; this may be positive or negative depending on the topic.

The ways you use language and organise your ideas when writing an article will depend on the audience and the purpose you are writing for.

think about the audience that the article is for – w hen writing an article, you do not usually know your readers personally and so you will need to think about their likely interests and experience before you write
how you expect, or want, your audience to react – re member that the tone of most articles should be semi-formal, so before deciding on your tone imagine your article being read out loud and how that might sound to your reader. For example, an article reviewing a film may be humorous, even sarcastic, but that would not work well for more serious readers or topics
the purpose for the article – is th e purpose, or reason, for writing your article to persuade your readers to agree with you or to invite your readers to think about different points of view and decide for themselves? For example, do you need to sound reliable and well informed, or choose words that strongly convey a particular emotion?
how to keep your readers interest – ima gine how boring it would be for your reader if you used the same kind of sentences and simple repetitive vocabulary all the way through your article. Try to include a range of grammatical structures and relevant vocabulary to make sure that your reader wants to keep reading.
Plan a route through your article before you start writing it – th e structure of an article is usually in three parts. For example:
An introduction – engage your reader’s interest and introduce your argument or the main points of the topic to be discussed.
A middle – develop relevant and interesting points about the topic to interest and/or convince your readers to think about a particular perspective.
An end – d raw your points together and leave your reader with a clear impression of the argument you want them to believe or the viewpoints you would like them to consider.
Organise your ideas into paragraphs as appropriate – this will help you to develop and support your points convincingly, to build your argument and/or offer a full explanation of a particular point of view.
Show your reader at a glance what your article is about – articles usually have a suitable headline to attract their readers’ attention and you can choose to use subheadings (a bit like mini headlines) to help break your article up and move your reader on. Do not overdo these, but well-chosen subheadings can help to catch and keep your reader’s attention, as well as sum up the main points you are making.
Show the connections between ideas in sentences and paragraphs – for example, where a new point or idea follows on from what you have already said you might use linking words or phrases such as, 'in addition’, ‘likewise’ or ‘similarly’.
Example of an article

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How to start writing an article: step-by-step guide.

Jacqueline Luberto

The ParagraphAI Team

Updated on 09/12/2022

How to write an article with ParagraphAI.

Want to write an article but are unsure ofow to adequately convey a message to your intended audience? Getting started can be challenging, especially if you’re still organizing your thoughts or deciding on an appropriate tone. If you find yourself struggling with how to start writing an article, following a few simple steps can streamline the process. With the right strategies on your side, you’ll be creating well-written articles in no time.

Using an established strategy makes the business of article writing a smooth journey rather than a daunting task. However, if you want to make the steps for how to write a good article a breeze, then it’s time to leverage AI. Exploring the endless opportunity that lies within a free AI writing tool like ParagraphAI can streamline the techniques behind what makes a good article, giving your readers the information they need.

What is an Article?

What is article writing ? Article writing is a form of written communication aimed at engaging a wide audience through various media outlets. In the context of article writing, these media outlets encompass publishing entities such as newspapers, magazines, journals, and more.

Articles are written works intended for a wide audience to view, and traditionally are published in magazines, newspapers, or journals. Therefore they are typically shorter than other forms of writing, such as books or essays.

If you’re contemplating how to write a great article, a key point to remember is that it can be about any topic, from current events to personal experiences. They are intended to inform, educate, or entertain the reader. As you gain proficiency in organizing your thoughts, understanding your audience, and building a coherent structure, you will inevitably learn how to write articles fast, a skill that improves over time.

What Should Be in an Article?

As with any medium designed to deliver any type of information, there should be coherent follow. Regarding articles, it can begin with how to start writing an article and then transition into a logical structure that introduces, explores, and delivers the main point of the article. You can achieve this by creating the following sections:

Title: Something that will make the reader want to learn more about the topic.
Introduction: Where you present the topic and summarize the main points of the article.
Body: The main argument, made up of supporting paragraphs.
Conclusion: Summarization of the argument and call to action.

By following this structure and these article writing tips, your articles will effectively communicate their arguments in a clear and concise manner to your audience.

How to Write an Article

Here is a quick list to get started on articles:

Find a topic.

Find your target audience., perform research on your story to create trust., write an outline., get a rough draft together., create the subject matter., read and or share with friends for any errors..

Before proceeding, one should first consider the topic of the article and what its objective is. Is the article meant to be informative or entertaining? Perhaps you are making an argument to convince the reader of something. This would be a good starting point if you’re wondering how to start writing an article.

With your topic in mind, also consider your audience. What might draw them in? If you were someone with less knowledge on this topic, what questions would you want this article to answer? This is where tips for writing an article can be really useful. Think about your writing from the perspective of potential readers. This process will help you communicate your ideas are clearly and make your content a good read.

Research will be a necessary step for most articles intending to inform or argue a certain topic, as supporting evidence allows you to write with more credibility. Drawing from your experience can also provide unique insights, as people might find value in your anecdotes. Seeking out statistics, quotes from interviews, and references from academic publications is an important step in creating a well-informed argument.

(Source: Wings )

You will also have to come up with a title for your article, which should be eye-catching while accurately reflecting the content of your writing. It can be helpful to brainstorm a few ideas and consider which one fits the main idea while being the most engaging to a potential reader looking to learn more about the topic.

When writing an introduction, you will want an interesting hook that draws the reader in and a brief overview of your article. This is where you can set the tone for your article and deliver the thesis statement that the following paragraphs will support.

The body is then made up of paragraphs that each will support the main point that was laid out in the introduction. This is where you will dig deeper into your arguments and answer any questions that you anticipate readers may have going into the article. The paragraphs should ideally be short and concise to retain the reader’s interest.

For your conclusion, you should summarize the main point as a means of tying up all of the points made by the article. With an effective call to action to close out your argument, you will leave the audience reflecting on your writing.

How to Write an Article in ParagraphAI in Two Easy Steps

While developing techniques for how to write an article more efficiently, learning to make use of a free writing tool such as ParagraphAI is a worthwhile way to increase your productivity. If you’re curious about how to write an article using AI, this is the perfect place to start. If you’re looking to brainstorm ideas, structure your thoughts, or come up with words and phrases to use in your articles, ParagraphAI has you covered. This tool can provide help in a variety of ways. Here’s how you can get started.

Step 1: Enter Your Topic

ParagraphAI's output for an article on Macbeth.

By supplying ParagraphAI with the topic of your article, it generates an introduction paragraph and two body paragraphs. This gives you a strong starting point with which you can work off of to write the rest of your article. However, the article produced is unquestionably incomplete as it lacks a conclusion—and in the case of this Macbeth article, body paragraphs exploring the other two themes mentioned in the introduction need to be addressed. This is a good thing to remember and understand to utilize the tool effectively. Luckily, this can be remedied.

Step 2: Prompt Using Specifics

For any paragraphs left that you may need to complete your article, you can enter the topic of that paragraph specifically and plug that result into your article to fill in the gaps.

In the case of a body paragraph, you would enter one of the supporting ideas that help to make up your overall point, while with a conclusion paragraph, you would enter the thesis from the introduction in order to summarize the whole article. With everything assembled, you have a complete article to revise as needed!

With the right understanding of how to write an article and the importance of one’s structure, style=”color: #EC693F”ParagraphAI can help you create articles more efficiently than ever before.

Once you’ve decided on your topic, you can start your article off strong with a click of a button and similarly create the rest of your paragraphs as you go along.

So if you’ve got an article to write, consider getting some assistance from ParagraphAI’s free AI writing tool. You may be surprised at how quickly you’ll be able to organize and present your thoughts.

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Writing an article: a step-by-step guide

1. Planning

What are you going to write about?

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Seven Easy Steps in Writing an Article with Substance

Article Writing Guide in Seven Simple Steps

Step 1: Select your main topic and define your objectives.

Step 2: Target your audience.

Step 3: Gather your information and resources.

Step 4: Create your topic outline and rough draft.

Step 5: Edit your draft.

Step 6: Proofread your content.

Step 7: Add visuals, infographic, and images.

Seven Tips to Boost Your Article Writing Skills

2. Use lists and bullet points in your article.

3. Keep a writing tool in your pocket.

4. Engage with your audience.

5. Stop showing off too much.

6. Remove distractions while writing.

7. Love what you do. (Writing)

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Objectives of Article Writing

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Planning the article

Content Container

Significance of the ideas

Quality of the writing

Clarifying your contribution

Formulating your title

Creating an abstract

Descriptive

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Article Writing Format: Steps, Objectives, And Types

What is Article Writing?

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The Objective of Writing The Article

An article can be written for the following purposes.

2) The information on topics

3) Provides suggestions and advice

4) Influences on the readers

5) Achieve user attention

6) Connect a large number of people

Research For an article

1) Get the final idea of the topic

2) Prepare the manuscript

3) Plan the publish time

4) Check the medium for the publications

5) Get the cost details for publishing

6) Define the Authors

7) Set up the basic required format

8) Check the references

9) Proofread the details of the article

10) Revise the manuscript and finalize the title

How to write an article