Ready, Set, Write!
A guide to starting (and finishing) your next article
There have been quite a few times in the last year where people have asked me for help with their article writing. Some people wanted to know where to start, and others were struggling to get to a state where they were ready to publish. When trying to give them advice, I noticed that even I had countless lists of topics and drafts on my laptop, but not that many finished articles. In order to help myself overcome these barriers, I created a guide to help get my thoughts in order and my words onto paper. Hopefully it can help you too.
Components of a great article
1. A great topic
A great topic is at the foundation of any great article — It will fuel your creativity as a writer and keep your readers glued to the screen. But what makes for a great topic? Firstly, writing about something you are passionate about and have experience in. Secondly, and most importantly, knowing who your audience is and making sure your topic appeals to them and teaches them something they can use.
2. Information architecture
The most underrated feature of a great article is the way in which the information is structured. A well-structured article will help your readers make sense of the information and will influence how they learn from you.
Keep the following in mind when structuring your article:
- Start with your why. Every article stems from something you learned, experienced or overcame. Start your article by sharing why you chose to write about your specific topic. It will help the audience empathise with you and will help them identify whether or not the content relates to them.
- Link information that goes together. If the goal of your article is to highlight problems and give solutions to those problems, be sure to clearly link the information. That way, when your reader spots a familiar problem, they can also easily spot the solution.
- Use headings! Not all of your readers are going to have the time to read through your entire article. Using headings can help readers scan your article and find what is relevant to them without having to look for it. Sectioning information also helps make it easier to retain and remember.
3. Good writing
It’s a very common misconception that great writers are born, but the truth is that with practice and a lot of editing, anyone can be a great writer.
Here are some tips to help improve your writing:
- Read a lot. The more you read the more you will be able to spot examples of good and bad writing and will be able to apply those learnings in your own writing.
- Write for your readers. As much as your article should be based on your own experiences, it should be written in a way that places your reader at the front and centre. Instead of saying “this is what I did” say “this is what you can do” — it will really help your reader understand how the information applies to them.
- Embrace your uniqueness. There are so many articles out there that deal with the exact same topics, but the ones that really stand out are the ones in which the writers really embrace their own personality and writing style.
4. A lot of editing
“Write without fear, edit without mercy”- Rogena Mitchell-Jones
Even the most experienced writers testify that they spend more time editing than they do writing, but what is the difference? Writing and editing are two phases of the writing journey and each requires you to wear a different hat. When you are writing, you wear the hat of a creative who is unapologetically themselves and speaks what is on their mind. When you edit, you have to become the devil’s advocate, someone who is willing to criticise their own work for the sake of making it better.
Editing (over and over) is the most important step of the writing process. The below steps will really help you when editing your article.
- Cut it out. When we write we tend to babble a bit sometimes — it’s normal. When you’re editing, it’s important to critically look at each word and each sentence and cut out anything that isn’t going to benefit your reader.
- Talk it out. Reading your article out loud will help the words get out of your head and into your ears. Listen to the things that sound funny or out of place and re-write until it sits just right.
- Sleep on it. Naturally, after editing your article a few times, you are going to think you’re ready to publish. This is when you need to step away from your article for a day or two and come back with fresh eyes — you will be amazed at how much more you will want to edit.
- Get a second opinion. We have already established that we need to write for our audience and not for ourselves. That’s why we can’t be the only ones who have eyes on our articles before publishing. Send your article to colleagues, friends and family, and ask them to check and challenge your work.
Repeat these steps a few times and you will start to notice a big improvement in your writing.
Go forth and write
A great article is by no means impossible to achieve. Make sure your article is logically structured, as short as possible and brings value to the reader. To achieve this, you have to get feedback from others and edit, edit, edit! Writing isn’t by any means a quick or easy journey, but it definitely is an enjoyable one, so remember to have fun!
Below is a link to a workbook I have created to help you start your next article. It will help you choose a great topic, unpack your core themes and, eventually, write your article.
“The power to teach, inspire, and grow is within you. Unlock it with your words”
