how to write an amazing article

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How to Write an Amazing Article In 10 Simple Steps

Writing articles is like waving a magic wand to create ripples in a vast ocean. With each stroke of your pen, you conjure waves of inspiration that reach shores far and wide, touching the hearts and minds of people worldwide. Whether you’re just starting out or enhancing your writing skills, mastering the art of article writing can open doors to endless possibilities. 

In this guide, we’ll cover the essential steps and techniques to help beginner bloggers, journalists, and freelance writers craft compelling articles. You’ll learn:

• The basics of article writing
• Structuring your content effectively
• Refining your writing style
• Polishing your work through editing and proofreading

With these tips and templates in your toolset, you’ll be ready to showcase your work to a vast audience, connect with like-minded individuals and establish a professional online presence. We’ll show you how WordPress.com’s user-friendly platform makes the process seamless.

Ready to get started?

In this article:

Informative Articles

Opinion pieces, how-to guides, feature articles, news articles, interview articles, 1. how to identify your target audience , 2. how to choose a topic, 3. how to write a headline, 4. how to conduct quantitative and qualitative research, 5. how to craft an angle , 6. how to write an outline, 7. how to write an intro, 8. how to write the body section , 9. how to write a conclusion , 10. how to edit the article , web writing best practices , best tools for writing articles, 1. the problem-solution template, 2. the listicle template, 3. the step-by-step guide template, 4. the comparative analysis template, write amazing articles and publish them on wordpress.com, types of articles .

Articles can be of different types that serve different purposes and cater to various reader interests. Let’s look at some of the most common types of articles: 

These aim to provide readers with valuable information, facts, or explanations on a particular topic. They focus on educating the audience and are typically well-researched.

Example: WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: What’s the Difference?

These express the writer’s personal viewpoint or perspective on a specific subject. These articles allow writers to share their thoughts, insights, and arguments while encouraging readers to think critically and engage in discussions.

Example: define: Brand

These provide step-by-step instructions to help readers accomplish a specific task or learn a new skill. They break down complex processes into easy-to-follow steps, enabling readers to achieve their goals.

Example: How to Choose a Domain Name for Your Website

These are presented in a list format, featuring a series of items or points related to a specific theme. They offer readers a convenient and organized way to consume information. Listicles are often used to highlight top items, tips, or recommendations.

Example: Best Small Website Builder: The Top Options Compared (2020)

These are in-depth and extensively researched pieces that explore a topic or profile of a person or event. They go beyond basic facts and delve into the nuances and details, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding.

Example: Meals for One

These report on recent events, developments, or noteworthy stories. They aim to provide readers with factual information objectively and concisely. News articles typically adhere to journalistic principles.

Example: ‘Breakthrough’ geothermal tech produces 3.5 megawatts of carbon-free power

These feature conversations or discussions with individuals of interest or expertise in a particular field. These articles often include quotes or insights from the interviewee, providing readers with unique perspectives and valuable insights.

Example: Automattic Women: Selena Jackson

Depending on your goals, target audience, and subject matter – you can choose the appropriate type of article to communicate your message and engage readers effectively.

How to write an article in 10 steps 

The basic structure of an article contains 4 parts:

• Opening paragraphs (introduction)
• The main discussion (body section)
• Closing paragraphs (conclusion) 

However, there are more than just 4 steps to writing an amazing article. Doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a pro; following a structured approach can help you create better articles faster. You can follow this proven 10-step process for that. 

• Identify target audience
• Choose a topic 
• Write a headline 
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research
• Craft an angle 
• Write an outline
• Write an introduction
• Write body section
• Write conclusion 
• Finish editing 

Let’s discuss each step briefly. 

Target audience refers to the person or group you are writing for. If you’re writing for everyone, you’re writing for no one. You need to identify who you are writing for to ensure you effectively communicate your message to the audience. 

Understanding your target audience is crucial for creating content that resonates with them. Consider their demographics, interests, and needs. Research their preferences, pain points, and what they expect from your article. This knowledge will help you tailor your writing style, tone, and content to appeal directly to your intended readers.

Once you’ve researched the audience, create a user persona with common traits and then write for that one person.  Creating a user persona is not just a list of data points. It’s like an imaginary person with a name and specific characteristics that help you understand their needs.     

By focusing on your target audience, your content will speak directly to them, which will help you increase engagement and build a loyal readership base.

Before you embark on the exciting journey of article writing, you must first conquer the challenge of finding the perfect topic. The topic you choose sets the foundation for your entire piece, influencing its success and impact.

First, select a topic that interests you and aligns with your goal of writing. You don’t want to write about everything and anything. Start by considering something that aligns with your knowledge and expertise. Writing about something you’re passionate about or have expertise in makes the process more enjoyable and lets you provide valuable insights to your readers. 

Or you can also focus on solving specific or common problems in your niche. Identifying common challenges or problems and providing practical tips, step-by-step guides, or sharing personal experiences can make your content highly valuable and relevant to readers.

Researching trending topics is another easy way to find a suitable topic. Stay updated with the latest trends and discussions in your industry or niche. Explore popular blogs, news sites, and social media platforms to identify topics currently gaining traction. This ensures your article addresses timely issues and captures readers’ attention.

Lastly, take a data-driven approach through keyword research. Use keyword research tools like keyword planner or SEMrush to look for keywords with decent search volume and low competition. It ensures organic traffic.

“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy.” David Ogilvy, copywriting legend

The headline is the first component someone reads. One single word can attract or repel them.

The first step in crafting a great headline is to analyze every word. Is every word necessary? If you remove a word, will the headline still make sense? No removable word in the headline is considered a tight headline, with nothing extra to distract from the meaning. So, keep a headline direct and persuasive so the reader is engaged.

Next, aim to craft headlines that are:

• Ultra-specific

Including all these elements in one headline might not be possible, so aim for at least one or two. Doing so will strengthen the headline and encourage readers to read on.

Here are a few more insights on keeping your readers engaged:

• Use proven headline formulas to upgrade your headline to a better level
• Keep the main idea and the keywords of the headlines relevant
• Focus on benefits. Benefit-driven headlines get more clicks
• Inject power words to command attention
• Trim unnecessary words

Solid research strengthens the credibility of your article. When you use the right data, it makes your article stronger and more convincing. 

What is quantitative data?

Quantitative data is objective data that can be measured and assigned a numerical value.

What is qualitative data?

Qualitative data cannot be measured or assigned a numerical value. Instead, it is information that is referenced not by numbers but by concepts, feelings, characteristics, and emotions. Qualitative data is subjective.

For quantitative research, you can use Google to dig out data, statistics, and surveys to support your claims and add credibility.

For qualitative research, you can conduct interviews, gather anecdotes, or explore case studies to provide valuable insights and real-life examples.

To stand out against multiple articles on a similar topic, find a unique angle that sets your piece apart. Consider what makes your article different or special. It could be a fresh perspective, a unique approach, or new insights. Determine your article’s unique selling point and emphasize it throughout your writing. Maybe it’s an expert opinion, an authentic recipe, a top-secret method, or a completely new discovery. 

For example, instead of writing a generic article on “how to deal with depression,” – write:

By offering something distinct, you’ll capture readers’ attention and give them a reason to choose your article over others.

An article outline is a structure that guides your writing process and ensures your article stays focused and well-structured. Once you start using outlines, you’ll find writing articles become much easier.

Start by listing the main points or sections you want to cover based on your research and angle. Then, under each section, jot down the sub-points or supporting details. Don’t hesitate to revise and refine your outline as you progress. Whenever you find something new, add it in its respective position. 

Google Docs is great for creating an outline for your article. Or you can also use Workflowy to organize your ideas into sections and subsections. 

Here’s an example outline I made for my article on ‘how to write an amazing article.’

Click for more tips and templates for creating outlines .

The introduction sets the tone for the entire article by grabbing the reader’s attention. The introduction is your opportunity to hook the readers and provide them with a clear understanding of what your article is about. 

Begin with a compelling opening sentence that grabs attention and sparks curiosity. Then, give a bit of background information and context to set the stage for your topic. Finally, conclude the introduction by stating your article’s main objective or thesis, giving readers a preview of what they can expect.

Example: “Did you know that humans can actually hold their breath for more than 20 minutes underwater? By following some techniques and enough practice, you, too, can extend your underwater breathing time. This article will equip you with seven expert tips to enhance your underwater breathing and unlock the wonders beneath.”

When structuring your article, it’s important to divide it into well-organized sections or paragraphs that delve deeper into the key points you want to convey. By using subheadings, you can break up the text and provide readers with a clear roadmap, making it easier for them to navigate and understand the content.

Each section should begin with a concise topic sentence that introduces the main idea or focus of that particular section. This is a signpost for readers, helping them anticipate what they will learn or explore next. 

For instance, if you’re writing an article about the benefits of exercise, one section could be titled “Improved Mental Health,” with a topic sentence like: “Engaging in regular exercise has been shown to have profound effects on our mental well-being.”

Support your statements with evidence, examples, and relevant data to ensure credibility and engagement. This adds depth and persuasion to your article. For instance, if you claim that exercise reduces stress levels, cite scientific studies or share personal anecdotes that illustrate how exercise has helped individuals manage their stress effectively.

To maintain a seamless flow of ideas, use smooth transitions between paragraphs. This allows readers to easily follow your train of thought as you progress from one point to another. Transitions can be achieved through the use of transitional words or phrases, such as “in addition,” “furthermore,” or “on the other hand.” These help establish connections and guide readers through the logical progression of your article.

This is where you end your article. A good conclusion can leave a lasting impression on the readers. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion and summarize the key points discussed in the body of your article, emphasizing their significance and relevance. Avoid naming their conclusion “Conclusion.” 

Avoid generic headings for your conclusion heading. Be specific like:

• Learn more about [topic]
• Why is [topic] important?
• Does [topic] make sense for your business?

If you must be generic in the conclusion’s heading, then go for:

• Closing Thoughts
• Final Words
• To Sum It Up
• To Wrap It Up

Recapping the whole article helps the reader remember the list of tips. After the recap, tell them what to do next. If someone reads your whole piece, chances are, they’re invested and will take action on your Call to Action ( CTA ). Don’t let that power and impact go to waste. Guiding them to bookmark the page or follow a link to another relevant article is 100x better than stopping at the recap.

The conclusion should be short and should give the reader a clear sense of finality. Ensure you don’t leave the reader confused about the information presented or your stance on a particular topic. 

Once the draft is finished, you’re well on your way, but there’s still a bit more to do – editing. It’s a vital part of good writing. It shapes a piece of raw coal into a glittering diamond.

No matter how good you are, the first draft is always full of mistakes, and there is usually room for improvement.  

When you have the draft, take a break from writing so you can start editing with fresh eyes again. You’ll see a lot of things that you missed earlier. Review your article for clarity, coherence, grammar, and spelling errors. Ensure your writing flows smoothly and effectively communicates your ideas. To make things easier, use some tools to help you edit; I’ll discuss those in a later section.

Next, remove anything unnecessary from your article. Anything that doesn’t add any value to your article shouldn’t be there. Then, check to see if you’ve missed any necessary information. Add statistics and relevant information to solidify your writing. 

If you have the option, have a friend read the draft. A new perspective can usually detect problems. Make necessary revisions and proofread multiple times until you are confident in the quality of your final piece.

By following these ten steps, you can create a well-crafted and engaging article that captivates your audience from start to finish. 

• Stay true to your unique perspective:   As a writer, your unique perspective and voice are your most valuable assets. Embrace your individuality and bring your authentic self into your writing. Avoid replicating existing content or mimicking other writers. Instead, focus on expressing your thoughts, opinions, and experiences. Your distinctive viewpoint will set your article apart from others and create a personal connection with your readers. Be confident in your voice and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.
• Offer valuable insights: To engage your audience and leave a lasting impression, your article must provide genuine value. Research your topic thoroughly to unearth valuable insights, fresh data, or unique angles that haven’t been extensively covered before. Share your expertise, research findings, or personal experiences to enrich the reader’s understanding. Offering something new and valuable establishes you as a reliable source of information and keeps readers coming back for more of your content.
• Strive for clarity and coherence in your writing: Clear and coherent writing is the hallmark of an effective article. Ensure your ideas flow logically and smoothly from one paragraph to another. Use clear and concise language to convey your message without ambiguity. Avoid using jargon or overly complex terms that might confuse your readers. Utilize transition words and phrases to create seamless connections between sentences and paragraphs. When your writing is clear and coherent, readers can easily follow your train of thought, making the reading experience enjoyable and memorable. 
• Keep it short and simple: Use simple and easily understandable words to communicate your ideas effectively. Break down complex concepts into smaller, digestible chunks. Short sentences are easier to read and comprehend, allowing readers to grasp your message quickly. Also, don’t stretch your paragraphs too much. A paragraph should contain 3 to 4 lines maximum. Longer paragraphs create a wall of text that discourage readers from continuing.
• Do not copy/plagiarize: Originality is key when creating web content. Plagiarism is unethical and can have severe consequences. Always credit and properly cite any sources or references you use in your article. Provide your unique insights and perspectives to add value to the reader’s experience. Plagiarism damages your credibility and hinders your growth as a writer.
• Use subheadings and make it scannable: Web readers often skim through articles rather than reading them word by word. Help them navigate and grasp your content easily by using informative subheadings. Subheadings break up the text, making it scannable and allowing readers to find the information they are interested in quickly. Use clear and descriptive subheadings that accurately represent the content of each section.
• Use pictures and tables: Visual elements such as pictures, infographics, and tables can enhance the overall reader experience. Images can help illustrate your points, make your article visually appealing, and provide a welcome break from the text. Tables are useful for presenting data or comparisons in a structured and organized manner. Ensure that your visuals are relevant, high-quality, and appropriately sourced.

There are many tools out there to help your writing journey. Let’s introduce you to some of the most useful tools you can get for free to take your article writing to the next level. 

• ChatGPT:   ChatGPT is an AI-powered writing tool that helps writers generate ideas, write sections, conduct research, and fix grammar. AI stands for Artificial Intelligence, a technology that allows machines like ChatGPT to understand human language and respond with natural-sounding text. While AI is powerful, it’s essential to fact-check its outputs since it can sometimes make mistakes in providing accurate information. Use ChatGPT wisely, and it can be your helpful writing companion!
• Grammarly: It’s a popular writing tool that helps writers improve their grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It works as an automated proofreader and editor, checking your text for errors and offering suggestions for improvements. The pro version also has a built-in plagiarism checker. 
• Wordtune: It’s an AI-powered writing tool that assists in rephrasing and improving your sentences. It offers alternative wordings and suggestions for stronger vocabulary and can even rewrite entire sentences to improve readability and style. Wordtune can be especially useful when you want to convey your message more engagingly and concisely. 

These tools can greatly support your writing and editing process, making it easier to produce high-quality articles. However, it’s important to note that while AI tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly, and Wordtune offer valuable assistance, they are not substitutes for human creativity and critical thinking. Reviewing and revising your work personally is essential to ensure that it aligns with your unique voice and meets your intended goals for the article.

Article templates 

Templates can serve as a helpful starting point to structure your content effectively. Here are four commonly used article templates:

This template is ideal for addressing a specific problem or challenge and providing a solution to your readers. It consists of the following sections:

• Introduction: Present the problem or challenge, and explain its significance or impact.
• Problem Analysis: Dive deeper into the issue, providing relevant facts, statistics, or examples to support your claims.
• Solution Presentation: Introduce your proposed solution(s), explaining how they can address the problem effectively.
• Implementation and Benefits: Discuss how readers can implement the solution and the potential benefits they can expect to achieve.
• Conclusion: Summarize the problem, restate the solution, and leave readers with a call to action or a final thought.

Listicles are popular for their easy-to-read and scannable format. This template organizes content into a numbered or bulleted list, providing concise information or tips. It typically includes the following sections:

• Introduction: Present the topic and explain its relevance or importance.
• List Items: Present each point on the list, with a brief description or explanation for each.
• Elaboration: Provide further details, examples, or insights for each list item.
• Conclusion: Recap the main points covered in the list and offer a closing thought or a call to action.

This template is useful for providing a detailed process or instructions on how to accomplish a specific task. It follows a sequential structure and includes the following sections:

• Introduction: Introduce the task or process and explain its significance or benefits.
• Step 1: Describe the first step of the process, including any necessary background information.
• Step 2: Detail the second step, and continue with subsequent steps until the process is complete.
• Tips and Considerations: Offer additional tips, tricks, or important considerations to enhance the reader’s understanding or success in following the steps.
• Conclusion: Recap the steps covered, emphasize key takeaways, and provide a closing remark or call to action.

This template is suitable when comparing and contrasting two or more subjects, products, or ideas. It follows a structured approach and consists of the following sections:

• Introduction: Present the subjects being compared and explain the purpose or context of the analysis.
• Comparison Criteria: Identify the specific criteria or factors used to evaluate and compare the subjects.
• Comparison Sections: Dedicate separate sections to each criterion, providing a detailed analysis and comparison of the subjects based on that criterion.
• Overall Assessment: Summarize the main findings and provide an overall assessment or conclusion based on the comparisons made.
• Conclusion: Reinforce the main points, highlight any recommendations or conclusions, and encourage readers to share their thoughts or experiences.

Other than these short templates, you can find millions of examples online. Simply search for a similar article you want to write, and click on the first few links to see the structure they’ve used. 

Congratulations! You’ve now gained a comprehensive understanding of how to write amazing articles. By following the steps and techniques in this guide, you are well-equipped to embark on your writing journey and captivate your target audience.

Remember, writing articles is not only about conveying information; it is also about connecting with readers on a deeper level, inspiring them, and sparking meaningful conversations. 

The next step is to find a good place to publish your amazing articles now that you have the tools to get started. You can easily get started with a website from WordPress.com. It’s quite simple to get started once you follow some super simple guidelines from WordPress.com support.    

So, what are you waiting for? Start creating your WordPress.com account today, unleash your writing prowess, and let the world discover your remarkable talent!

Happy writing!

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About the author, mehedi hasan shoab.

Mehedi is a freelance writer for SaaS, marketing and finance businesses. He's the founder of PowerhouseBlogger.com. Mehedi is growing businesses with sizzling writing, one piece at a time.

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How to Write an Article: A Proven Step-by-Step Guide

Are you dreaming of becoming a notable writer or looking to enhance your content writing skills? Whatever your reasons for stepping into the writing world, crafting compelling articles can open numerous opportunities. Writing, when viewed as a skill rather than an innate talent, is something anyone can master with persistence, practice, and the proper guidance.

That’s precisely why I’ve created this comprehensive guide on ‘how to write an article.’ Whether you’re pursuing writing as a hobby or eyeing it as a potential career path, understanding the basics will lead you to higher levels of expertise. This step-by-step guide has been painstakingly designed based on my content creation experience. Let’s embark on this captivating journey toward becoming an accomplished article writer!

What is an Article?

An article is more than words stitched together cohesively; it’s a carefully crafted medium expressing thoughts, presenting facts, sharing knowledge, or narrating stories. Essentially encapsulating any topic under the sun (or beyond!), an article is a versatile format meant to inform, entertain, or persuade readers.

Articles are ubiquitous; they grace your morning newspaper (or digital equivalents), illuminate blogs across various platforms, inhabit scholarly journals, and embellish magazines. Irrespective of their varying lengths and formats, which range from news reports and features to opinion pieces and how-to guides, all articles share some common objectives. Learning how to write this type of content involves mastering the ability to meet these underlying goals effectively.

Objectives of Article Writing

The primary goal behind learning how to write an article is not merely putting words on paper. Instead, you’re trying to communicate ideas effectively. Each piece of writing carries unique objectives intricately tailored according to the creator’s intent and the target audience’s interests. Generally speaking, when you immerse yourself in writing an article, you should aim to achieve several fundamental goals.

First, deliver value to your readers. An engaging and informative article provides insightful information or tackles a problem your audience faces. You’re not merely filling up pages; you must offer solutions, present new perspectives, or provide educational material.

Next comes advancing knowledge within a specific field or subject matter. Especially relevant for academic or industry-focused writings, articles are often used to spread original research findings and innovative concepts that strengthen our collective understanding and drive progress.

Another vital objective for those mastering how to write an article is persuasion. This can come in various forms: convincing people about a particular viewpoint or motivating them to make a specific choice. Articles don’t always have to be neutral; they can be powerful tools for shifting public opinion.

Finally, let’s not forget entertainment – because who said only fictional work can entertain? Articles can stir our emotions or pique our interest with captivating storytelling techniques. It bridges the gap between reader and writer using shared experiences or universal truths.

Remember that high-quality content remains common across all boundaries despite these distinct objectives. No matter what type of writer you aspire to become—informative, persuasive, educational, or entertaining—strive for clarity, accuracy, and stimulation in every sentence you craft.

What is the Format of an Article?

When considering how to write an article, understanding its foundation – in this case, the format – should be at the top of your list. A proper structure is like a blueprint, providing a direction for your creative construction.

First and foremost, let’s clarify one essential point: articles aren’t just homogenous chunks of text. A well-crafted article embodies different elements that merge to form an engaging, informative body of work. Here are those elements in order:

• The Intriguing Title

At the top sits the title or heading; it’s your first chance to engage with a reader. This element requires serious consideration since it can determine whether someone will continue reading your material.

• Engaging Introduction

Next comes the introduction, where you set expectations and hint at what’s to come. An artfully written introduction generates intrigue and gives readers a compelling reason to stick around.

• Informative Body

The main body entails a detailed exploration of your topic, often broken down into subtopics or points for more manageable consumption and better flow of information.

• Impactful Conclusion

Lastly, you have the conclusion, where you tie everything neatly together by revisiting key points and offering final thoughts.

While these components might appear straightforward on paper, mastering them requires practice, experimentation with writing styles, and a good understanding of your target audience. 

By putting in the work to familiarize yourself with how to create articles and how they’re structured, you’ll soon discover new ways to develop engaging content each time you put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard!). Translating complex concepts into digestible content doesn’t need to feel daunting anymore! Now that we’ve tackled the format, our focus can shift to what should be included in an article.

What Should Be in an Article?

Understanding that specific items should be featured in your writing is crucial. A well-crafted article resembles a neatly packed suitcase – everything has its place and purpose.

Key Information

First and foremost, you need essential information. Start by presenting the topic plainly so readers can grasp its relevance immediately. This sets the tone of why you are writing the article. The degree of depth at this point will depend on your audience; be mindful not to overwhelm beginners with too much jargon or over-simplify things for experts.

Introduction

Secondly, every article must have an engaging introduction—this acts as the hook that reels your audience. Think of it as a movie trailer—it offers a taste of what’s to come without giving away all the details.

Third is the body, wherein you get into the crux of your argument or discussion. This is the point at which you present your ideas sequentially, along with supporting evidence or examples. Depending on the nature of your topic and personal style, this may vary from storytelling forms to more analytical breakdowns.

Lastly, you’ll need a fitting conclusion that wraps up all previously discussed points, effectively tying together every loose thread at the end. This helps cement your main ideas within the reader’s mind even after they’ve finished reading.

To summarize:  

• Critical Information: Provides context for understanding
• Introduction: Sheds further light on what will follow while piquing interest  
• Body: Discusses topic intricacies using narratives or case studies
• Conclusion: Ties up loose ends and reemphasizes important takeaways

In my experience writing articles for beginners and experts alike, I found these elements indispensable when conveying complex topics articulately and professionally. Always keep them at hand when looking to produce written material.

How should you structure an article?

Crafting a well-structured article is akin to assembling a puzzle – every piece has its place and purpose. Let’s look at how to create the perfect skeleton for your content.

The introduction is your article’s welcome mat. It should be inviting and informative, briefly outlining what a reader can expect from your writing. Additionally, it must instantly grab the readers’ attention so they feel compelled to continue reading. To master the art of creating effective introductions, remember these key points:

• Keep it short and precise.
• Use compelling hooks like quotes or intriguing facts.
• State clearly what the article will cover without revealing everything upfront.

Moving on, you encounter the body of your piece. This segment expands on the ideas outlined in the introduction while presenting fresh subtopics related to your core story. If we compare article writing to crossing a bridge, each paragraph represents a step toward the other side (the conclusion). Here are some tips for maintaining orderliness within your body:

• Stick closely to one idea per paragraph as it enhances readability.
• Ensure paragraphs flow logically by utilizing transitional words or sentences.
• Offer evidence or examples supporting your claims and reinforce credibility.

As you approach the far side of our imaginary bridge, we reach an equally essential section of the article known as the conclusion. At this point, you should be looking to wrap your message up neatly while delivering on what was initially promised during the introduction. This section summarizes the main points, providing closure and ensuring readers feel satisfied.

Remember this golden rule when writing the conclusion: follow the  “Describe what you’re going to tell them (Introduction), tell them (Body), and then summarize what you told them (Conclusion).”  It’s a proven formula for delivering informative, engaging, and well-structured articles. 

One final tip before moving on: maintaining an active voice significantly enhances clarity for your readers. It makes them feel like they’re participating actively in the story unfolding within your article. In addition, it helps ensure easy readability, which is vital for keeping your audience engaged.

Tips for Writing a Good Article

A persuasive, engaging, and insightful article requires careful thought and planning. Half the battle won is by knowing how to start writing and make content captivating. Below are vital tips that can enhance your article writing skills.

Heading or Title

An audience’s first impression hinges on the quality of your title. A good heading should be clear, attention-grabbing, and give an accurate snapshot of what’s contained in the piece’s body. Here are a few guidelines on how to create an impactful title:

• Make it Compelling: Your title needs to spark interest and motivate readers to delve further into your work.
• Keep it concise: You want to have a manageable heading. Aim for brevity yet inclusiveness.
• Optimize with keywords: To boost search engine visibility, sprinkle relevant keywords naturally throughout your title.

By applying these techniques, you can increase reader engagement right from the get-go.

Body of the Article

After winning over potential readers with your catchy title, it’s time to provide substantial content in the form of the body text. Here’s how articles are typically structured:

Introduction:  Begin by providing an appealing overview that hooks your audience and baits them to read more. You can ask poignant questions or share interesting facts about your topic here.

Main Content:  Build on the groundwork set by your introduction. Lay out detailed information in a logical sequence with clear articulation.

Conclusion:  This reemphasizes the critical points discussed in the body while delivering a lasting impression of why those points matter.

Remember that clarity is critical when drafting each part because our objective here is to share information and communicate effectively. Properly understanding this approach ensures that the writing experience becomes creative and productive.

Step By Step Guide for Article Writing

How do you write an article that engages your readers from the first line until the last? That’s what most writers, whether beginners or seasoned pros are trying to achieve. I’ll describe a step-by-step process for crafting such gripping articles in this guide.

Step 1: Find Your Target Audience

First and foremost, identify your target readers. Speaking directly to a specific group improves engagement and helps you craft messages that resonate deeply. To pinpoint your audience:

• Take note of demographic attributes like age, gender, and profession.
• Consider their preferences and needs.
• Look into how much knowledge they are likely to possess concerning your topic.

Knowing this will help you decide what tone, language, and style best suits your readers. Remember, by understanding your audience better, you make it much easier to provide them with engaging content.

Step 2: Select a Topic and an Attractive Heading

Having understood your audience, select a relevant topic based on their interests and questions. Be sure it’s one you can competently discuss. When deciding how to start writing an article, ensure it begins with a captivating title.

A title should hint at what readers will gain from the article without revealing everything. Maintain some element of intrigue or provocation. For example, ‘6 Essentials You Probably Don’t Know About Gardening’ instead of just ‘Gardening Tips’.

Step 3: Research is Key

Good research is crucial to building credibility for beginners and experts alike. It prevents errors that could tarnish your piece immensely.

Thoroughly explore relevant books, scholarly articles, or reputable online resources. Find facts that build authenticity while debunking misconceptions that relate to your topic. Take notes on critical points discovered during this process—it’ll save you time when creating your first draft.

Step 4: Write a Comprehensive Brief

Having done your research, it’s time to write an outline or a brief—a roadmap for your article. This conveys how articles are written systematically without losing track of the main points.

Begin by starting the introduction with a punchy opener that draws readers in and a summary of what they’ll glean from reading. Section out specific points and ideas as separate headings and bullet points under each section to form the body. A conclusion rounds things up by restating key takeaways.

Step 5: Write and Proofread

Now comes the bulk of the work—writing. Respect the brief created earlier to ensure consistency and structure while drafting content. Use short, clear sentences while largely avoiding jargon unless absolutely necessary.

Post-writing, proofread ardently to check for typographical errors, inconsistent tenses, and poor sentence structures—and don’t forget factual correctness! It helps to read aloud, which can reveal awkward phrases that slipped through initial edits.

Step 6: Add Images and Infographics

To break text monotony and increase comprehension, introduce visuals such as images, infographics, or videos into your piece. They provide aesthetic relief while supporting the main ideas, increasing overall engagement.

Remember to source royalty-free images or get permission for copyrighted ones—you don’t want legal battles later!

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Article Writing

Regarding article writing, a few pitfalls can compromise the quality of your content. Knowing these and how to avoid them will enhance your work’s clarity, depth, and impact.

The first mistake often made is skimping on research. An article without solid underpinnings won’t merely be bland – it might mislead readers. Therefore, prioritize comprehensive investigation before penning down anything. Understanding common misconceptions or misinterpretations about your topic will strengthen your case. 

Next, sidestep unnecessary jargon or excessively complex language. While showcasing an impressive vocabulary might seem appealing, remember that your primary objective is imparting information efficiently and effectively.

Moreover, failing to structure articles effectively represents another standard error. A structured piece aids in delivering complex ideas coherently. Maintaining a logical sequence facilitates reader comprehension, whether explaining a detailed concept or narrating an incident.

A piece lacking aesthetic allure can fail its purpose regardless of the value of its text. That’s where images come into play. Neglecting them is an all-too-common mistake among beginners. Relevant pictures inserted at appropriate junctures serve as visual breaks from texts and stimulate interest among readers.

Lastly, proofreading is vital in determining whether you can deliver a well-written article. Typos and grammatical errors can significantly undermine professional credibility while disrupting a smooth reading experience.

So, when pondering how articles are written, avoiding these mistakes goes a long way toward producing high-quality content that embodies both substance and style. Remember: practice is paramount when learning how to write excellent material!

How to Write an Article with SEOwind AI Writer?

Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence has been a major step in many industries. One such significant tool is SEOwind AI Writer , which is critical for those curious about how to write an article leveraging AI. In this section, I’ll cover how you can effectively use SEOwind AI writer to create compelling articles.

Step 1: Create a Brief and Outline

The first step in writing an article revolves around understanding your audience’s interests and then articulating them in a comprehensive brief that outlines the content’s framework.

• Decide on the topic: What ideas will you share via your article?
• Define your audience: Knowing who will read your text significantly influences your tone, style, and content depth.
• Establish main points: Highlight the key points or arguments you wish to exhibit in your drafted piece. This helps create a skeleton for your work and maintain a logical flow of information.

With SEOwind:

• you get all the content and keyword research for top-performing content in one place,
• you can generate a comprehensive AI outline with one click,
• users can quickly create a title, description, and keywords that match the topic you’re writing about.

As insightful as it might seem, having a roadmap doubles as a guide throughout the creative process. SEOwind offers a user-friendly interface that allows the easy input of essential elements like keywords, title suggestions, content length, etc. These provide an insightful outline, saving time with an indispensable tool that demonstrates the practicality of article writing.

Step 2: Write an AI Article using SEOwind

Once you have a brief ready, you can write an AI article with a single click. It will consider all the data you provided and much more, such as copywriting and SEO best practices , to deliver content that ranks.

Step 3: Give it a Human Touch

Finally, SEOwind’s intuitive platform delivers impeccably constructed content to dispel any confusion about writing an article. The result is inevitably exceptional, with well-structured sentences and logically sequenced sections that meet your demands.

However, artificial intelligence can sometimes miss the unique personal touch that enhances relatability in communication—making articles more compelling. Let’s master adding individualistic charm to personalize articles so that they resonate with audiences.

Tailoring the AI-generated piece with personal anecdotes or custom inputs helps to break the monotony and bolster engagement rates. Always remember to tweak essential SEO elements like meta descriptions and relevant backlinks.

So, whether it’s enhancing casual language flow or eliminating robotic consistency, the slightest modifications can breathe life into the text and transform your article into a harmonious man-machine effort. Remember – it’s not just about technology making life easy but also how effectively we utilize this emerging trend!

Common Questions on how to write an article

Delving into the writing world, especially regarding articles, can often lead to a swarm of questions. Let’s tackle some common queries that newbies and seasoned writers frequently stumble upon to make your journey more comfortable and rewarding.

What is the easiest way to write an article?

The easiest way to write an article begins with a clear structure. Here are five simple steps you can follow:

• Identify your audience: The first thing you should consider while planning your article is who will read it? Identifying your target audience helps shape the article’s content, style, and purpose.
• Decide on a topic and outline: Determining what to write about can sometimes be a formidable task. Try to ensure you cover a topic you can cover effectively or for which you feel great passion. Next, outline the main points you want to present throughout your piece.
• Do the research: Dig deep into resources for pertinent information regarding your topic and gather as much knowledge as possible. An informed writer paves the way for a knowledgeable reader.
• Drafting phase: Begin with an engaging introduction followed by systematically fleshing out each point from your outline in body paragraphs before ending with conclusive remarks tying together all the earlier arguments.
• Fine-tune through editing and proofreading: Errors happen no matter how qualified or experienced a writer may be! So make sure to edit and proofread before publishing.

Keep these keys in mind and remain patient and persistent. There’s no easier alternative for writing an article.

How can I write an article without knowing about the topic?

We sometimes need to write about less familiar subjects – but do not fret! Here’s my approach:

• First off, start by thoroughly researching subject-centric reliable sources. The more information you have, the better poised you are to write confidently about it.
• While researching, take notes and highlight the most essential points.
• Create an outline by organizing these points logically – this essentially becomes your article’s backbone.
• Start writing based on your research and outlined structure. If certain aspects remain unclear, keep investigating until clarity prevails.

Getting outside your comfort zone can be daunting, but is also a thrilling chance to expand your horizons.

What is your process for writing an article quickly?

In terms of speed versus quality in writing an article – strikingly enough, they aren’t mutually exclusive. To produce a high-quality piece swiftly, adhere to the following steps:

• Establish purpose and audience: Before cogs start turning on phrase-spinning, be clear on why you’re writing and who will likely read it.
• Brainstorm broadly, then refine: Cast a wide net initially regarding ideas around your topic. Then, narrow down those areas that amplify your core message or meet objectives.
• Create a robust outline: A detailed roadmap prevents meandering during actual writing and saves time!
• Ignore perfection in the first draft: Speed up initial drafting by prioritizing getting your thoughts on paper over perfect grammar or sentence compositions.
• Be disciplined with edits and revisions: Try adopting a cut, shorten, and replace mantra while trimming fluff without mercy!

Writing quickly requires practice and strategic planning – but rest assured, it’s entirely possible!

Seasoned SaaS and agency growth expert with deep expertise in AI, content marketing, and SEO. With SEOwind, he crafts AI-powered content that tops Google searches and magnetizes clicks. With a track record of rocketing startups to global reach and coaching teams to smash growth, Tom's all about sharing his rich arsenal of strategies through engaging podcasts and webinars. He's your go-to guy for transforming organic traffic, supercharging content creation, and driving sales through the roof.

Table of Contents

• 1 What is an Article?
• 2 Objectives of Article Writing
• 3 What is the Format of an Article?
• 4 What Should Be in an Article?
• 5 How should you structure an article?
• 6 Tips for Writing a Good Article
• 7 Step By Step Guide for Article Writing
• 8 Common Mistakes to Avoid in Article Writing
• 9 How to Write an Article with SEOwind AI Writer?
• 10 Common Questions on how to write an article

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How to Write a Good Article: Expert Tips for Crafting Engaging Content

How to Write a Good Article?

Before we get into the article, let's answer How to write a good article.

A good article meets the target audience, includes detailed research, and has a structure with logical headings and flow. A great article is written in easy-to-understand language and visuals (images and graphs) whenever relevant.

Today we're going to explain how to create a good, no, exceptional article.

In fact, we've used this exact process to write over 10 million words for 300+ clients.

So, if you're a blogging newbie or an experienced writer, there's something for everyone.

Ready? Let's go.

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Are you wondering what makes a good article truly engaging? Direct, clear, and impactful writing are the pillars of compelling content. Here, we break down the essentials so you can create articles that not just draw readers in, but keep them hooked from start to finish.

The Art of Engaging Titles

A title should captivate readers, persuading them to explore the content further. It’s the enticing headline that grabs attention, the promise that quality content awaits. Hence, consider the title carefully before penning down your article. It’s not just a collection of words; it’s the invitation to your reader, the spotlight on your main point.

Your title is the first thing that readers see, and it can be the deciding factor whether they will read the article or move on. So, how do you craft such a title?

The Power of Keywords

Incorporating keywords into the title sends a signal to both the search engine and the reader about the article’s content. Think of it as a beacon, leading the appropriate audience to your content. But remember, the key lies in balance.

While it’s important to start with the main keyword at the beginning of the title, it’s equally essential to ensure that the title remains both creative and clear. After all, you’re writing for humans, not just search engines. Thus, strive to keep your titles engaging, informative, and abundant in keywords.

Example: If my page is targeting "yoga tops for summer" as its primary keyword, a good title might look like:

• The best yoga tops for summer 2024
• Yoga tops for summer: Our picks for 2024
• A spammy version might look something like this:
• Yoga tops summer: Our pick of the best yoga tops for summer

Notice in the example below how the keyword is used at the beginning, but after the colon, there's an additional piece of information to compel the reader to click, not the keyword stuffed in again.

Compels the reader to click

A creative yet clear title can significantly increase reader engagement. It sparks curiosity, invites clicks, and ensures that the reader immediately understands the content’s subject. Imagine a title like ‘Meme Master’ or ‘Employee Success Curator’; they are creative, intriguing, and clear.

The balance between creativity and clarity ensures that your titles are not just visually appealing but also informative, serving as an effective bridge between the reader and the content.

Studies have shown that certain features in a blog title significantly increase click-through rates. Here are a few examples:

• Insert a number at the beginning of the title — 7 best tools to scale your agency
• Use the terms “how to,” “tips,” and “tricks” at the start of your title — How to grow your business by 1000% in the next 12 months
• Ask a conversational question — Is your skincare routine ready for winter?
• Add some fear and jeopardy — Lost revenue? Stop blaming your SDR.
• Include words like “guide”, “complete”, and “ultimate” in the title — The ultimate guide to SEO
• Use action words, such as "grow" or "increase", at the beginning of the title — How to grow your revenue with cold outreach

Writing a Captivating Introduction

The introduction serves as the gateway to your article. It’s the moment when the reader decides whether to continue reading or exit. A captivating introduction can be likened to a tantalizing appetizer, stimulating the reader’s craving for the main course. It sets the tone, offers a taste of what’s to come, and ideally, leaves the reader wanting more.

The characteristics of an effective introduction are:

• Explain the significance of the article to the reader.
• Offers an overview of the subject or issue to be discussed.
• Establishes a foundation for the subsequent content of the poster.
• Outlines the aims and objectives for the reader.

But that's much too simple. Those characteristics could lead to an introduction that looks like this:

The introduction should hook the reader’s attention, provide a brief overview, and culminate in a powerful thesis statement. Think of it as a movie trailer; it should give just enough to intrigue the reader but not give away the entire plot. But how does one craft such an introduction?

Brian Dean makes a compelling case for keeping blog intros to 4 - 7 sentences to ensure you hook the reader quickly and entice them to continue with the article. Here's an example of his intro...

As a content writing agency, we've written millions of words for clients. I personally LOVE the Brian Dean style, but for some clients, especially more B2B, this style is a touch too conversational. Although it's my personal fave :)

Opening with Impact

The first sentence in your article holds immense power. It’s the hook that can either reel in the reader or let them slip away. An impactful opening can manifest in various forms, such as a thought-provoking question, a shocking statement, or an intriguing anecdote. The goal is to spark curiosity, evoke emotions, and compel the reader to read on.

After the hook, the introduction should provide a clear benefit or promise that will motivate the reader to continue reading. The promise could be a solution to a problem, an answer to a question, or a new perspective on a common issue. The key is making the reader believe they will gain something valuable from reading your article.

Setting the Tone

Are you aware that your writing possesses a voice? It’s not just about what you say but how you say it. The tone of your writing can convey a range of attitudes and emotions, from formal and serious to casual and humorous. It’s essential in engaging your readers and creating a cohesive reading experience.

The tone you choose depends on your audience and the purpose of your article. An informative article might require a more formal and serious tone, while a personal blog post could benefit from a more casual and conversational tone. Regardless of the tone you choose, consistency is key. A consistent tone helps create a smooth reading experience and strengthens your connection with the reader.

Crafting Informative and Appealing Content

After enticing your readers with an intriguing title and an engaging introduction, your subsequent task is to maintain their interest with content that is both informative and appealing. But how can you guarantee your content is not just informative, but also able to engage readers? The answer lies in readability and visuals.

Readability is about making your content easy to read and understand. It’s about structuring your article in a way that allows the reader to easily navigate and absorb the information. On the other hand, visuals are about enhancing the reading experience by breaking up large chunks of text and providing visual representations of your points.

Structuring for Readability

Effective structuring plays a crucial role in promoting readability. It involves organizing your content in a way that guides the reader through your article. This can be achieved through the use of:

• Descriptive subheadings
• Short paragraphs
• Bullet points
• Numbered lists

Descriptive subheadings serve as signposts, guiding the reader through your article. They break down your content into manageable chunks, making it easier for your reader to process the information. Keeping paragraphs short, on the other hand, make your article visually appealing and less daunting to read. Remember, a wall of dense paragraphs can repel readers, but well-structured content can engage them.

Integrating Visuals

Visuals have become potent tools for amplifying reader engagement. They not only break up text but also provide a visual representation of your points, making your content more engaging and easier to understand.

Images, charts, infographics, and videos can all be used to enhance your content. For instance, an infographic can provide a visual summary of a complex concept, making it easier for the reader to understand. Similarly, an image or a video can add a new dimension to your content, providing a break from text and keeping the reader engaged. The key is to ensure that your visuals are relevant and contribute to the overall understanding of your content.

Connecting with Your Target Audience

A deep understanding of the target audience lies at the core of every successful article. Who are you writing for? What are their interests, needs, and pain points? A deep understanding of your audience enables you to customize your content to their preferences, guaranteeing that your message resonates with them.

However, establishing a connection with your audience goes beyond merely understanding their needs. It’s about building trust and establishing credibility. Your readers must trust the information you provide and see you as a credible source. So, what’s the strategy for building trust and credibility?

Understanding Your Readers

Understanding your readers entails stepping into their shoes and viewing the world from their viewpoint. What are their pain points? What are their interests? What motivates them? Answering these questions can provide valuable insights into your audience’s needs and preferences, helping you tailor your content to readers interested in personal stories.

Audience analysis involves researching and gathering data about your audience. This can include demographic information, such as age, gender, and location, as well as psychographic information, such as interests, attitudes, and behaviors. This information can then be used to create a detailed profile of your target audience, known as a buyer persona.

Building Trust and Credibility

Building trust and credibility involves:

• Showcasing your expertise
• Providing accurate, reliable information
• Being seen as a credible source of information, someone who knows what they’re talking about.

This can be achieved through a step-by-step guide that includes:

• Thorough research and fact-checking
• Making sure your facts are accurate and up-to-date
• Always citing your sources
• Showcasing your expertise in your field to establish yourself as an authority and build trust with your readers.

Remember, trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, and it’s no different in the relationship between a writer and their readers.

Polishing Your Work: Editing and Proofreading

The writing process of article writing extends beyond the last sentence of a good article. The real refinement happens in the editing and proofreading phase. It’s in this phase that you refine your work, ensuring every word, every sentence, every paragraph adds value to your entire article.

Editing involves revising your content for clarity, coherence, and conciseness. It’s about making sure your message is clear and your arguments are logical. Proofreading, on the other hand, involves checking for grammatical errors, typos, and punctuation mistakes. But how do you effectively edit and proofread your work?

Self-Editing Techniques

For any writer, self-editing is a vital skill. It’s about being your own critic, looking at your work objectively and making necessary improvements. Effective self-editing involves several techniques.

Some effective techniques for proofreading your work include:

• Taking a break once you have finished writing and coming back to your work with fresh eyes
• Reading your work aloud to catch awkward phrasing and long, convoluted sentences
• Using spell-check and grammar-check tools to catch errors that you might have missed

These techniques can help you spot errors and inconsistencies in your writing.

Seeking Feedback

Beyond self-editing, seeking feedback from others also proves beneficial. A fresh pair of eyes can provide a new perspective, helping you catch errors and readability issues that you might have missed.

Whether it’s a professional editor, a trusted colleague, or a friend, getting someone else’s input can provide valuable insights and help you improve your work.

Mastering the Art of Content Creation

The mastery of content creation is more of a journey than a destination. It’s about continuous learning and improvement, honing your skills, and pushing your boundaries. Whether you’re a seasoned freelance writer or a novice, there’s always room for growth.

So, what’s the path to mastering the art of content creation? It involves two key elements: analyzing good articles and consistent practice. You can learn from their structure, style, and techniques by reading and engaging with high-quality articles. And through consistent practice, you can improve your writing skills and become a better writer, able to create articles with ease.

Reading and Analyzing Good Articles

Analyzing high-quality articles equates to a behind-the-scenes tour of a successful production. You get to see the structure, the style, and the techniques that make the article engaging and informative. But more than that, you get to learn from the best.

Whether it’s a thought-provoking piece in The New England Journal of Medicine or a captivating blog post on your favorite site, each article offers unique insights that can help you improve your writing. Pay attention to:

• the headline
• the structure
• the arguments
• the evidence

What makes the news article engaging? What makes it informative? What can you learn from it?

Consistent Practice

The adage ‘practice makes perfect’ holds true in writing as well. The more you practice writing, the better you get. But consistent practice is more than just about quantity. It’s also about variety and experimentation.

To start writing different types of articles, from how-to guides to opinion pieces, experiment with different tones, from formal to casual. Write about different topics, from your areas of expertise to topics you’re curious about. Consistent practice doesn’t mean doing the same thing over and over. It means pushing your boundaries, exploring new territories, and constantly challenging yourself.

In this journey, we’ve explored the art of crafting excellent articles, from engaging titles and captivating introductions to informative content and connecting with the audience. We’ve delved into the importance of editing and proofreading, and the power of consistent practice. But the journey doesn’t end here. As you continue to write, remember to keep your reader at the heart of your writing, strive for clarity and creativity, and never stop learning and improving. After all, the art of content creation is a journey, not a destination.

Key Takeaways

• Crafting an engaging article begins with a captivating title that balances creativity and clarity, incorporating keywords while being inviting and informative.
• A successful article features an introduction that hooks the reader’s attention and sets the right tone, followed by structured content enhanced with visuals for readability and engagement.
• Connecting with your target audience by understanding their needs and building trust through credible content is essential, complemented by thorough editing, proofreading, and continuous practice and learning.

Frequently Asked Questions

What determines a good article.

A good article is determined by its engaging language, valuable information, and an organized, logical structure that captivates and informs the reader.

How can you write a good article?

To write a good article, start by selecting a topic, identifying your target audience, and conducting thorough research. Then, create an outline, write a rough draft, and refine your subject matter. Finally, read your article aloud to ensure it is error-free. Now, go ahead and start writing your fantastic article!

How can I create an engaging title for my article?

To create an engaging title for your article, start with the main keyword and balance creativity with clarity. Make sure the title is intriguing and informative to attract clicks and inform the reader about the content. Good luck!

How can I make the introduction of my article captivating?

To make your article introduction captivating, use an impactful opening sentence or a hook, such as a provocative question, shocking statement, or intriguing anecdote, and then provide a clear benefit or promise to motivate the reader to continue reading. This will grab the reader's attention and compel them to explore further.

How can I improve the readability of my article?

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How to Write Absolutely Addictive Articles

Updated: June 17, 2021

Published: October 30, 2017

This is a longer article.

If you’re feeling noncommittal at the moment, don’t read it. Save it. Bookmark this page for later, when you have more time.

You’ll be glad you did, especially if your goal is to write articles of your own. Articles that lure readers in slowly, carefully, inching them down the page, sentence by sentence, until the words run out. Articles people can’t stop reading .

Joe Sugarman wrote articles like this. In fact, he was behind some of the most addictive and profitable articles ever created. Except he called them “print ads.”

In 1986, Joe Sugarman, a direct response copywriter , wrote a print ad for BluBlocker Sunglasses. The ad helped an iconic brand take root. It also made him rich:

He distributed his ad the old-fashioned way, in the mail, asking readers to call in with their credit cards. The response was enormous. The glasses sold out in a day. And he did this again and again with an assortment of products: calculators and speakers, smoke detectors and thermostats, even jets and mansions.

His success stemmed from his ability to keep people reading.

Sugarman knew that prospects who finished an ad were far more likely to buy the product than those who only read the beginning. So he used every engagement tactic he knew to keep people glued to the page, addicted.

How to Write Addictive Articles

Towards the end of his career, Sugarman started divulging his copywriting secrets in expensive seminars. To communicate his vast knowledge, he organized it into axioms.

Some of his axioms are philosophical truths , intended to help business owners arrive at a unique selling angle:

• “Never sell a product or service. Always sell a concept.”
• “Selling a cure is a lot easier than selling a preventative.”
• “When trying to solve problems, don’t assume constraints that aren’t really there.”

Others are more practical tips , intended to help copywriters keep readers engaged throughout the entire ad. I've transcribed these engagement tips below, along with some context that’ll help you apply Sugarman’s proven wisdom to your next article.

You can use these Blog Post Templates for the foundation of writing your addictive articles. 

1) “The sole purpose of the first sentence in an advertisement is to get you to read the second sentence.”

The Law of Inertia also applies to copy. Conventional wisdom says that the more time you spend reading something, anything, the more likely you are to finish it. An engaged reader is like a train, hard to stop.

But trains are also slow to start, meaning the copy has to create a big upfront push.

Your first sentence is your article’s most important. If it fails to engage the reader, then you’ve lost everything that matters.

TAKEAWAY: Addictive articles open with a compelling sentence.

How to Craft Your First Sentence

Your article’s first sentence doesn’t need to have anything to do with the topic. It only needs to capture attention, like a gunshot. To do so, make your opening sentence:

• Brief: “If you look at many of my ads, you’ll notice that all of my first sentences are so short they almost aren’t sentences,” writes Sugarman. “No long multisyllabic words, either. Keep it short, sweet and almost incomplete so that the reader has to read the next sentence.
• Spoken: Dialogue implies present action, which is compelling.
• Coy, obscure, or unsettling: If your first line draws a question, incites curiosity, or creeps out the reader, there’s a good chance he or she will move on to the next line.

2) “Every communication should be a personal one, from the writer to the recipient, regardless of the medium used.”

Why should something written for the masses read like a personal message? Because people crave connection. It’s a basic human need, even in writing. Readers want to feel like they know the person behind the words .

Personal copy tears down barriers, giving an individual reader the impression that the article was written solely for her consumption, her benefit, which is engaging on its face.

TAKEAWAY: Addictive articles sound conversational, like an email from a friend.

How to Write Conversationally

Here’s some practical advice:

• Use active voice because it’s easy to read.
• Use white space because it commands the reader’s attention.
• Use contractions because they make copy sound informal, light.
• Use simple words because nobody is impressed by your vocabulary.
• Use second person because you want to make the reader feel included.

Also, when writing an article, don’t visualize your audience as a nondescript crowd of people. Instead, when you write, imagine a single person in that crowd, your Ideal Reader. Give her a name, an age, and an occupation. Give her eyes, a nose, and hair. Maybe she looks like someone you know and care about? Imagine her face as she reads your work.

Now write to her . She is the crowd.

As the saying goes, Never write for anyone, always write for someone.

3) “Get the reader to say yes and harmonize with your accurate and truthful statements while reading your copy.”

As a teenager, I sold magazine subscriptions door-to-door. At first it was hard and I was unsuccessful. Then I picked up a trick. I started getting the prospect to agree with me:

“Good afternoon,” I said. “I’m Eddie. Nice day out, huh?”

“It is,” said the prospect. “How can I help you?”

“Of course,” I said. “Let me ask, do you read magazines?”

“Have one in the house?”

“Sure, I do.”

“Did you, by chance, buy it off the shelf, individually?”

“I did, actually,” said the prospect.

“I bet it cost about six bucks, right?”

“Well I can sell you TWELVE issues of the same magazine for less than twenty bucks,” I said. “If you sign right now, I’ll throw in a free tote bag so you can bring all your magazines to the beach.” Then I’d smile.

Sure, lots of people still declined: “No thanks, kid.”

But lots of people also smiled back and took my pen: “Hell, why not? If I don’t I’ll end up spending full price on the next issue!”

This technique is called harmonizing . It warms the prospect up, getting him or her in the mood to buy. It’s a manufactured feeling -- and it works as well on the page as it does in person. In other words, harmonizing with your readers will warm them up, getting them in the mood to read .

TAKEAWAY: Addictive articles keep readers nodding.

How to Keep Readers Harmonized with Your Message

People nod at statements they perceive to be:

• True: something accurate, like a fact.
• Interesting: something captivating, like a story.
• Informative: something valuable, like instructions.

That said, the better you understand your Ideal Reader, the easier it is to harmonize her with honest, interesting, or informative copy. So do your research. Know your audience like you know yourself.

4) “Keep the copy interesting and the reader interested through the power of curiosity.”

Most copy goes through ebbs and flows of engagement. Some parts you can’t read fast enough while others slow you down to a crawl. This is normal. Even so, it’s why so many people abandon what they’re reading. The thrill dissipates and they get bored.

Boredom kills copy. But that's OK because there's an antidote: curiosity. The trick is knowing how to plant it …

TAKEAWAY: Addictive articles use ‘seeds of curiosity.’

How to Plant These Seeds

“One way to increase readership is by applying a theory I call ‘seeds of curiosity,’” writes Sugarman. “It goes like this. At the end of a paragraph, I will often put a very short sentence that offers some reason for the reader to read the next paragraph.”

For example:

• “So read on …”
• “Let me explain …”
• “But there’s more …”
• “But I didn’t stop there …”
• “Now here comes the good part …”

These phrases nudge the reader forward, subconsciously, through the sludge. It’s a neat trick, but nothing drives engagement like this next concept …

5) “The ideas presented in your copy should flow in a logical fashion, anticipating your prospect’s questions and answering them as if the questions were asked face-to-face.”

While direct response copywriters can sell many people at once, they can’t always be there to answer questions. When you’re face-to-face or on the phone, you can field questions as they come up. That’s an advantage salespeople have over copywriters.

“Since we copywriters do not have the benefit of having the prospect in front of us to ask the questions,” writes Sugarman, “we must craft our ads in such a manner that they literally lead our prospects to ask the question we want to answer.”

TAKEAWAY: Addictive articles stay a step ahead of the audience.

How to Anticipate What Your Readers are Thinking

This process breaks down into two steps:

• Write your article’s headline.
• Based on the headline, anticipate and answer your Ideal Reader’s questions.

Let’s use this article as an example:

• Headline: How to Write Addictive Articles
• Q1: “Sounds up my alley, but do I really want to read this whole thing?” A1: “Maybe not this minute, but you should at some point.” Q2: “Why?” A2: “Because it’ll teach you how to write articles like Joe Sugarman.” Q3: “Joe who ?” A3: “He’s one of the best direct response copywriters ever.” Q4: “Oh yeh? What makes him so good?” A4: “Well, he’s got these axioms …”

Sound familiar? This process will help you develop your article’s outline, too.

6) “In the editing process, you refine your copy to express exactly what you want to express with the fewest words.”

I spent a long time editing this piece. In fact, you wouldn’t believe how much time I invested in its post-production. But I did, in part because I like the work. I like tinkering with the words, cutting and shifting them, experimenting until the language clicks. I get lost in it, but I digress.

The real value of editing is evident in the final product: a clear, concise, and hopefully, addictive article for the reader .

“This axiom holds one of the most valuable secrets to effective and persuasive copy,” writes Sugarman, “for it is in the editing process that you turn that raw emotional outpouring of thoughts and ideas into a polished, harmonious, resonant tuning fork that will vibrate perfectly with your prospect.”

TAKEAWAY: Addictive articles are concise.

How to Trim the Fat

Here’s a quick blurb about the benefits of shorter copy:

The truth is that in copywriting, less is more. Why? Think of it this way: copy with fewer words will get read more because the length is less intimidating to readers. It also enables readers to finish the copy much faster.

Now here’s that same message, trimmed up:

In copywriting, less is more. Not only is shorter copy less intimidating, but readers will finish it faster, too.

Same message, half the words. Here’s how I did it:

• By combining sentences: you can save a few words this way.
• By removing needless words: you can omit most of the adverbs.
• By seeking out “that” instances: you can often omit everything up to and including the word “that” in the beginning of a sentence.

Now imagine if you halved the word count of an entire article: same message, delivered twice as fast. Now that’s valuable to both the reader and the author.

Here’s the Bottom Line

“Your reader should be so compelled to read your copy,” writes Sugarman, “that they cannot stop reading until they read all of it as if sliding down a slippery slide.”

If you read this article, you already know how to achieve this.

Now it’s a matter of practice, effort. Start soon.

Don't forget to share this post!

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How to Write Articles

Last Updated: March 14, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Janet Peischel . Janet Peischel is a Writer and Digital Media Expert and the Owner of Top of Mind Marketing. With more than 15 years of consulting experience, she develops content strategies and builds online brands for her clients. Prior to consulting, Janet spent over 15 years in the marketing industry, in positions such as the Vice President of Marketing Communications for the Bank of America. Janet holds a BA and MA from the University of Washington. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 3,284,959 times.

There are a multitude of different types of articles, including news stories, features, profiles, instructional articles, and so on. While each has specific qualities that are unique to its type, all articles share some common characteristics. From forming and researching your idea to writing and editing your work, writing articles can give you a chance to share compelling and important information with readers.

Forming Your Idea

• News: This type of article presents facts about something that happened recently or that will happen in the near future. It usually covers the 5 Ws and H: who, what, where, when, why and how.
• Feature: This type of article presents information in a more creative, descriptive way than a straight news article. It can be an article about a person, a phenomenon, a place, or other subject.
• Editorial : This article presents a writer’s opinions on a topic or debate. It is intended to persuade the reader to think a certain way about a topic. [1] X Research source
• How-to : This article gives clear instructions and information about how to accomplish some task.
• Profile: This article presents information about a person, using information that the writer typically gathers through interviews and background research.

• What interests you about this topic?
• What is a point that people usually overlook?
• What do you want people to know about this topic?
• For example, if you want to write about organic farming, you might say to yourself, “I think it’s important to know what organic labeling means on food packages. It can be confusing to know what it all means.”

• Your goal is to convey enough passion that your readers think the issue in your article is worth caring about.

• Enter some keywords into an online search engine. This can lead you to sources that write about your topic. These sources can also give you an idea of different approaches to the topic.
• Read as much as you can on the topic. Visit your local library. Consult books, magazine articles, published interviews, and online features as well as news sources, blogs, and databases for information. A good place to start looking for data not apparent on the Internet is the Gale Directory of Databases, which exists in both book format (available in libraries) or online .

• For example, for the organic food topic, you might focus on one grocery shopper who doesn’t understand organic food labeling. Use that opening anecdote to lead into your main argument, known as a "nut graph," which summarizes your unique idea or perspective.

• For example, if you are writing about how one person learns how to read organic labels, your overall argument might be that the public needs to be aware that many companies misuse organic labeling. This leads to dishonest practices in product advertising. Another topic might be: it’s important to know who owns your local media outlets. If corporate media organizations own your local newspaper, you may get very little media coverage of your area and not know much about your community.
• Write your argument in one sentence. Post it near your computer or writing area. This will help you stay focused as you start working on your article.

Researching Your Idea

• Primary sources can include a transcript from a legislative hearing, lawsuit filing, county property indexes with folio numbers, discharge certificates from the military, and photos. Other primary sources could include government written records in the National Archives or special collections sections of your local or university library, insurance policies, corporate financial reports, or personal background reports.
• Secondary sources comprise published databases, books, abstracts, articles in English and other languages, bibliographies, dissertations, and reference books.
• You can find information on the internet or in a library. You can also conduct interviews, watch documentaries, or consult other sources.

• You can make a longer list of evidence and examples. As you gather more evidence, you will be able to prioritize which ones are the strongest examples.

• Don’t assume that one source is completely accurate. You'll need several unrelated sources to get the full picture.

• Choose a citation style sooner rather than later, so you can compile citation information in the correct format. MLA, APA, and Chicago are some of the most common citation styles.

• Don’t copy any text directly from another source. Paraphrase this text instead, and include a citation.

Outlining Your Idea

• For example, if you are writing an article for a specialized academic audience, your tone, and approach will be vastly different from if you’re writing an article for a popular magazine.

• It’s helpful to start with the five-paragraph essay outline. [4] X Research source This outline devotes one paragraph to an introduction, three paragraphs for supporting evidence, and one paragraph for a conclusion. As you start plugging in information into your outline, you may find that this structure doesn’t suit your article so well.
• You might also find that this structure doesn’t suit certain types of articles. For example, if you’re doing a profile of a person, your article may follow a different format.

• Make sure to fully attribute your quote and use quotation marks around anything that you didn’t write yourself. For example, you might write: A spokesperson for the dairy brand Milktoast says, “Our milk is labeled organic because our cows are only fed organic grass.”
• Don’t overdo the quotes. Be selective about the quotes you do use. If you use too many quotes, your reader might think you’re using them as filler instead of coming up with your material.

Writing Your Article

• Telling an anecdote.
• Using a quote from an interview subject.
• Starting with a statistic.
• Starting with straight facts of the story.

• Be flexible, however. Sometimes when you write, the flow makes sense in a way that is different from your outline. Be ready to change the direction of your piece if it seems to read better that way.

• For example, you might write about the grocery shopper having trouble with organic food labels: “Charlie concentrated on jars of peanut butter on the shelf. The words ‘organic’ and ‘natural’ seemed to jump out at him. Every jar said something different. He felt they were shouting at him: ‘Choose me!’ ‘Buy me!’ The words started swimming in front of his eyes. He left the aisle without buying anything.”

• For example, use words or phrases such as “however…,” “another important point is…,” or “it must be remembered that…”

• For example, a newspaper article will need to offer information in a narrative, chronological format. It should be written with accessible and straightforward language. An academic article will be written with more formal language. A how-to article might be written in more informal language.
• When writing your article, use a strong "anchoring" sentence at the beginning of each paragraph to move your reader forward. Moreover, vary the length of your sentences, both short and long. If you find all your sentences are about the same word length, chances are your reader will be 'lulled" into a standard rhythm and fall asleep. Sentences which are consistently choppy and short may give your reader the impression you are writing advertising copy instead of a well-thought-out article.

• If you started with an anecdote or statistic in your introduction, think about reconnecting to this point in your conclusion.
• Conclusions are often strongest when they use a last, brief, concrete example that leads the reader to new insights. Conclusions should be 'forward-thinking' -- point the reader in a direction that keeps his or her "thirst" for knowledge going strong.

• For example, you could include photographs, charts, or infographics to illustrate some of your points.
• You could also highlight or develop a major point more with a sidebar-type box. This is an extra bit of writing that delves more deeply into one aspect of the subject. For example, if you’re writing about your city’s film festival, you might include a sidebar write-up that highlights one of the films. These types of write-ups are usually short (50-75 words, depending on the publication outlet).
• Remember, these materials are supplemental. This means that your article should stand on its own. Your writing needs to be understandable, clear and focused without the help of charts, photographs or other graphics.

Finalizing Your Work

• Look closely at the central argument or point you’re trying to make. Does everything in your article serve this central argument? Do you have a unrelated paragraph? If so, this paragraph should be eliminated or reframed so that it supports the main argument.
• Eliminate any contradictory information in the article or address the contradictions, showing how the contradictory information is relevant to readers.
• Rewrite sections or the entire thing as necessary. Revisions like this are common for all types of articles, so don’t feel like you’ve failed or are incompetent.

• It’s helpful to print out a hard copy of your article. Go through it with a pen or pencil to catch mistakes. Then go back and correct these mistakes on the computer.

• It is common to be able to identify your mistakes in grammar or writing while reading aloud as well; this could cut down on the feedback that you may receive from someone else.

• This person may also catch errors and inconsistencies that you have overlooked.

• If you want to convey slightly more information, write a sub-headline. This is a secondary sentence that builds on the headline.

How Do You Minimize Bias In an Article?

Article Outline Template

Expert Q&A

• Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to write the article. If you don't, you'll be rushing at the last minute to create something that isn't representative of what you can truly do. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• To find out more about using primary research tools and databases, consult the Investigative Reporters and Editors website or get a copy of The Investigative Reporter's Handbook: A Guide to Documents, Databases and Techniques, Fifth Edition. Authors: Brant Houston and Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. (New York: Bedford/St. Martin's 2009). Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Determine whether you actually have an interest in writing. Try writing 2 paragraphs with as much creativity as possible. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• When writing for a newspaper or magazine, do not do so free. Ask what the freelance fee is beforehand. Your pay will usually be calculated on a per-word basis or per-article basis. Your work is valuable. Writing for free makes making a living more difficult for those who depend on freelance fees to pay the bills. If you're just starting out, volunteering to do some articles for smaller community papers, student publications and trade magazines is a great way to build your portfolio. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writing2.richmond.edu/writing/wweb/journalism/types.html
• ↑ Janet Peischel. Digital Media Expert. Expert Interview. 30 March 2021.
• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/writing/creating-a-5-paragraph-essay-outline.html
• ↑ https://www.masterclass.com/articles/why-is-context-important-in-writing#quiz-0
• ↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/166662

About This Article

To write an article, use both primary and secondary sources to gather information about your topic. Primary sources include photos, government records, and personal interviews, while secondary sources include books, abstracts, scholarly journals, other articles, and reference books. When you’re writing, use facts, quotes, and statistics from your sources to support your point, and explain your topic as if the reader has never heard of it before. To learn the different types of articles, including news, features, and editorials, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Compelling Article Introduction

Wouldn’t it be great if every single person who clicked on one of your articles read it from start to finish, unable to pull their eyes away from the screen?

We think we both know the answer to that question.

To achieve this goal, however, you must master the art of writing intriguing introductions.

Wait a second , you’re thinking. Writing introductions? Isn’t that kind of a small detail of a 2,000-word article? Unfortunately, no. Your article intro is not a small detail.

The introduction to your article is often the difference between engaging readers and having a bounce rate high enough to make a click-baiter cringe .

Think about it. If you don’t grab your readers right away, you’ll lose them.

You went through all that work of writing a killer article, right? You worked hard at it. You spent a lot of time on it. You did a ton of research but if your introduction sucks, your efforts will be all for nothing. You’ll have lost before you even got started!

If you want to write great content , improve the success of your marketing campaigns, and increase the loyalty of your fans, you must master writing introductions.

Let us show you how.

5 Steps to Write an Article Introduction

Here’s how you write a blog introduction that doesn’t stink:

• Master the opening line
• Have something unique to say
• Keep it simple
• Speak directly to the reader
• Explain what the article is about

Step 1 – Master the Opening Line

To have a strong introduction, you need to open with a strong first sentence.

The millisecond your reader hits the page, they have an extremely high likelihood of leaving the page.

Data says so.

The first sentence has one single purpose: to entice the reader to read the next sentence. In doing so, it sets the tone for the rest of the article, hooking the reader in, one step at a time.

If you fail at this, you readers won’t scroll. That’s why its often best to have your first sentence act as a hook to engage a readers attention. The easiest way to do this is to cite a relevant fact or statistic that you know the reader will be interested in that relates to your article’s topic.

And if they don’t scroll, they won’t engage.

Check out this article by Dilbert author Scott Adams to see how the first sentence is done.

He writes this:

I went from being a bad writer to a good writer after taking a one-day course in “business writing.”

That’s a great opening line.

Why? Because it makes you want to know  more!

• How did he become a good writer?
• What did he learn?
• Could I benefit from it too?

Adams nailed it. He drew us in by making us ask questions.

If you don’t know how to craft an intriguing first sentence, the remaining words of your article will be a complete waste.

Luckily for you, with a few simple tricks, writing a phenomenal first sentence can be quite easy.

The first thing to keep in mind is that you want to keep the first sentence short. This makes it easy for the reader to digest the first bits of information and prevents them from losing interest quickly.

But there is more to it than that.

You have to make sure that the first sentence grabs the reader’s attention and holds it for the rest of the article.

Here are a couple of tried-and-true tactics that make for super compelling first lines.

Ask the reader a question

This is an easy way to get the reader’s attention and get them engaged without a whole lot of effort on your part.

For example, if you are writing an article on quitting your job and starting your own company, you could open with the question: “Did you know that almost 70% of Americans report being actively disengaged from their careers?” Remember we mentioned using a statistic earlier?

Why does this work?

It has to do with the brain’s “ limbic reward system .”

When this system is activated, dopamine is released. And dopamine gives us a sense of reward and pleasure.

When we are intrigued by a question, i.e., experience a sense of curiosity, the limbic reward system lights up. And that’s why we want to keep reading—it’s rewarding to satisfy curiosity.

Here’s an example. Writer Olga Khazan asks a question that’s on everyone’s mind, causing the reader to be instantly interested:

We want to know the answer to that question, so we keep reading.

That’s why a question is a great opening line. You can even use the question as the article title.

Tell a story

The brain also lights up when it encounters a story.

According to the theory of neural coupling , certain portions of the brain are activated when a reader thinks about the same mental and physical activity that a character in a story is doing.

James Clear usually starts his blog articles with a story, often a true story.

The story makes his readers interested in the article and keeps them reading to the very end.

Use a shocking quote

Another great way to start your article is to use an attention-grabbing quote.

Let’s say you are writing an article on world travel. A great way to introduce the article would be with the quote from Helen Keller:

“Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

Using a quote like this will grab the readers attention and make them want to learn more.

Tell the reader to imagine

Sparking the imagination is an instant way to draw the reader into the experience of the article.

Notice how this article begins:

The reader tries to obey the imperative by imagining. This effort compels the reader to read further, drawing them into the article.

Writers for The Atlantic are experts at their craft. This writer does the same thing—asking the reader to imagine.

Share an interesting fact

In a day and age when the Internet is so rife with untrustworthy information and fraudulent “gurus,” people are skeptical. They have every reason to be.

Opening your article with a relevant fact or statistic is a great way to establish trust and authority from the first sentence and let readers know you’ve done your research — like we said before.

Step 2 – Have Something Unique to Say

Okay, so you’ve crafted an excellent first sentence, and you have your reader’s interest.

Now, you have to hold that interest by having something interesting and uncommon to say.

Very few people take the time and energy to regularly produce new, thought-provoking content. If you do, you’ll set yourself apart from the herd in a big way.

Forget re-purposing of old articles or rewriting stuff from other people’s websites. If you want to have the reader’s respect and attention, you have to say something they’ve never heard before.

Unfortunately, a lot of the stuff you read today has been regurgitated 28 times before.

Let’s imagine you run a travel blog. Based on our advice, you write a number of 3,000-word comprehensive “How-To Guides.”

Whenever a reader opens your guide on financing their way around the world trip, they’ll expect to read all about airline rewards programs, frugality, and credit card points.

And that information is great, but it is also very generic.

A better introduction would be something like this:

How would you like to save up enough money in the next 6 months to spend all of 2017 traveling the world? That would be pretty epic, right? Well, this is entirely possible, and in today’s article, we’re going to show you how you can do this. It’s not by skipping your morning latte or spending thousands of dollars with your credit cards on a few hundred miles either. We’re going to show you how you can create a life of mobility and freedom by leveraging the skills you already have, tactically selecting your destinations, and using a little known tax secret that will save you thousands of dollars! Sound good? Let’s get to it.

It’s hard to be different. We realize that.

Sometimes, in order to create unique stuff, we simply have to work harder, think longer, and research more than our competition.

Here are some ways you can develop that unique voice in your article introduction:

• Share a personal story or fact. You’re the only you  there is. You can share a story or experience no one else can. One way to tell such a story is to write, “If you know me…”
• Get your emotions in it. People have an emotional reaction to emotions. When we convey our emotions in our writing, people tend to respond. Besides, emotion is also a unique and personal thing. How do you communicate this in an introduction? Easy: “Want to know how I feel about it? I feel….”
• Share your goals or vision. If you have a guiding goal or vision for life, you can communicate this in your introduction. “That’s one of the reasons we wrote this post. Our goal in life is to…”
• Make a promise. A promise is a personal and attention-grabbing thing. Give your readers a promise, and it will secure their loyalty and their interest. “We promise that we’ll do our dead-level best to….”

Unique isn’t easy . But it’s worth it.

Step 3 – Keep it Simple

We live in a world where most people have an attention span of only a few seconds.

Apparently, our attention span is getting shorter!

After a few seconds, we get bored and move on to the next shiny object.

If you want your readers to make time in their days to read what you have to say, make sure you present things as simply as possible .

Longer articles, of course, deserve longer introductions. But it’s important to respect people’s time and attention. You can’t change what is (people’s short attention spans) by writing a long introduction based on what should be (longer attention spans).

Avoid rambling about how great your information is, and just share it already!

Step 4 – Speak Directly to the Reader

Whenever you are writing educational material for other people, you want to use the word “you” as much (and as naturally) as possible.

In this article, We’ve used some variation of the word you more than 100 times. Why? Because we’re talking to you! We want you to know this information. We want you to benefit from it.

By emphasizing the word “you” in your article, you show the reader you are directly addressing them and their situation and not just writing a generic article to the general populace.

But there’s another side to this. I should refer to myself as well. My goal is to convey a personal feel to this article. After all, it’s me talking to you, right? So it’s only natural that I would refer to myself too — although more sparingly.

Step 5 – Explain What the Article is About

The point of an introduction is exactly that: to introduce the content that will be presented in an article.

We cannot tell you the number of times online articles left us confused even after we had read a few of their paragraphs.

We couldn’t tell whether the authors were teaching us how to run successful Facebook ads , or telling us a weird story about their childhood.

That’s why its crucial to take a few sentences, and clearly explain what the article is going to cover without giving away too many details.

This will build suspense around the subject matter while still letting your audience know what they may be in for.

A great example of this comes from the Buffer blog. Notice how the introduction poses a question and then proposes to answer that question.

Your curiosity stays high, but the introduction sets the stage.

Explain the importance of the article

Once you’ve explained what the article is, now it’s time to explain why people should care.

Everyone on the Internet approaches every new piece of information with a simple question: “ What’s in it for me ?”

If you want to write introductions that hook the reader and help your content go viral , you have to master the art of explaining what the reader stands to gain from the information you are sharing.

How will it benefit your readers’ lives? How will it solve a problem they are facing? How will it cure a pain they are feeling?

If you understand how to quickly and efficiently answer these questions, you’ll keep your readers glued to your article till the last word.

Few things can make or break your article as easily as an introduction.

If you can master the art of the first few paragraphs, you’ll be able to increase reader engagement, improve sales, and earn a reputation as a phenomenal writer.

It’s not an easy skill to master, but like many things in Internet marketing, it’s fairly straightforward.

If you put in the work, you’ll get results.

Privacy Overview

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.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING NEWS REPORTING

With over  FORTY GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS in this  ENGAGING   UNIT, you can complete a  WEEKLY  journalistic / Newspaper reporting task  ALL YEAR LONG   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?

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

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.

TOP 5 TIPS FOR ARTICLE WRITING

Now your students have the key features of article writing sewn up tightly, let’s take a look at a few quick and easy tips to help them polish up their general article writing skills.

1. Read Widely – Reading widely, all manner of articles, is the best way students can internalize some of the habits of good article writing. Luckily, with the internet, it’s easy to find articles on any topic of interest at the click of a mouse.

2. Choose Interesting Topics – It’s hard to engage the reader when the writer is not themselves engaged. Be sure students choose article topics that pique their own interest (as far as possible!).

3. Research and Outline – Regardless of the type of article the student is writing, some research will be required. The research will help an article take shape in the form of an outline. Without these two crucial stages, articles run the danger of wandering aimlessly and, worse still, of containing inaccurate information and details.

4. Keep Things Simple – All articles are about communicating information in one form or another. The most effective way of doing this is to keep things easily understood by the reader. This is especially true when the topic is complex.

5. Edit and Proofread – This can be said of any type of writing, but it still bears repeating. Students need to ensure they comprehensively proofread and edit their work when they’ve ‘finished’. The importance of this part of the writing process can’t be overstated.

And to Conclude…

With time and plenty of practice, students will soon internalize the formula as outlined above.

This will enable students to efficiently research, outline, and structure their ideas before writing.

This ability, along with the general tips mentioned, will soon enable your students to produce well-written articles on a wide range of topics to meet the needs of a diverse range of audiences.

HUGE WRITING CHECKLIST & RUBRIC BUNDLE

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TUTORIAL VIDEO ON HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE

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How To Write An Amazing Feature Article In 5 Steps

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Unsure of the difference between a feature article and a newspaper report? Well, it’s time to find out! We will show you the different characteristics of an amazing feature article and how to write one!

To show you how to write an amazing feature article, we’ll discuss:

Characteristics of a feature article.

• Different types of feature articles

Language used in feature articles

• Research / Planning
• Header / Title
• Introduction

What is a feature article?

A feature article is a non-fiction piece of writing that focuses on a particular topic. You will find them in newspapers and news sites, online blogs, or magazines.

However, they are not the same as news reports! Whereas news reports are more factual…

Feature articles are more subjective and emotive.

They commonly present information in a more narratorial manner to make them more engaging.

Now that we have a general understanding of what a feature article is, let’s take a detailed look at their characteristics.

A feature article should,

• Explore a topic or issue of current importance
• Follows  narratorial conventions (i.e. There is a plot, complication, and conclusion)
• Written in short paragraphs
• Combine facts and opinions
• Provide a perspective or angle about the topic or issue
• Includes catchy features (eg. Catchy title, images etc.).

Different types of feature articles:

There are many different types of feature articles. Each one has a different focus and purpose.

So, let’s see a few examples of feature articles!

• eg.  ‘ Charlie Kaufman’s debut novel, ‘Antkind’, is just as loopy and clever as his movies ‘
• eg. ‘ A Former High School Football Player Dove and Caught a Child Dropped From the Balcony of a Burning Building’
• eg. ‘ How to Tie Dye ‘
• eg. ‘ My 2019 UCAT Experience ‘
• eg. ‘ Why Australia Day is really held on 26 January and the push to change the date ‘ or ‘ Thanksgiving 2020 – Date, history behind the holiday and what time is Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ?’
• eg. ‘ Craziness behind the scenes at the White House ‘ and ‘ Two Former McDonald Employees Spill Insider Secrets About Working at the Fast Food Chain ‘

Note : There are many more different types of feature articles. You’ll want to research the genre specific for the task you’ve been set.

Before we go into the nitty-gritty details for writing feature articles, you need to know what skills and techniques you need to acquire in order to write a feature article!

• Share your opinions
• Show your personality (eg. humourous, serious…)
• Use semi-formal language (i.e. some colloquialism)
• Use emotive language
• Refer to the audience in second person language (eg. “you”)
• Use literary and rhetorical techniques to engage the reader (eg. rhetorical questions, anecdotes, imagery…)
• Don’t overuse adjectives or adverbs . Use strong verbs and nouns to describe, instead of adjectives and adverbs.
• Use facts, quotes and jargon  to add authenticity
• Make sure you write in the  active voice

How to write an amazing feature article in 5 steps

Now that we know what a feature article is, let’s see what you need to do in when writing an amazing feature article:

Step 1: Research and Planning

Remember, feature articles are still based on factual information. So, it is vital that you research your topic very well and that you carefully plan out what you want to write.

We will need to research, plan and research again!

Once you’ve thought about the topic you’ve begin, or decided which issue you would like to discuss, you’re ready to get stuck into researching.

a. Research the general topic

This step is all about reading different perspectives and information about your chosen topic.

Doing this will help you take an informative stance on your topic.

See which perspective interests you most, or which one you agree with most. Also, take into account of the amount of strong evidence you can find for your feature article.

b. Narrow your focus and plan

Now, it is time to take a stance and start planning your feature article!

Here are some points you need to consider when you are planning:

• What type of feature article do you want to write?
• What is your stance on the topic?
• Who is your target audience?
• What is your article about?
• Why are you writing about this topic? (i.e. purpose)
• Chronologically?
• Level of importance?
• Like a narrative?

Note : The purpose of your feature article can be to convince, evoke sympathy or anger, praise or even to educate. It is up to you to figure out what you want to say about the topic.

c. Research evidence

Now, it is time to research some more and gather some evidence to support your feature article.

Feature articles are supposed to help readers really understand and feel your story.

So, to do this, you must ensure that you spend this time to really flesh out your story and get a good grasp of what you are writing about.

Here are some examples you should look for:

• eg. “ According to Cancer.org , 1960 Australians died from skin cancer in 2016 “
• eg. “ Brendan Thomas will not be deported to New Zealand because he is an Indigenous Australian and is protected by the new law “
• eg. “ Professor Gabriel Leung, Expert on COVID-19 Epidemic from Hong Kong University , says that COVID-19 could ‘infect 60% of global population if unchecked'”  
• “ From the live interview with Holocaust survivor.. “

Step 2: Header / Title

Feature articles are known for their eye-catching headers!

Let’s take a look at 2 headers. Which title would you click on first?

“ Rising film director, Sherrice, just released a provocative stop-motion piece that will change your view about fast food! ”

“ Film director, Sherrice, just released a stop-motion piece about fast food ”

The first line is more catchy because it uses emotive language and it directly addresses the readers.

So, how do you write catchy headlines?

• Keep it short and snappy
• Directly address the reader
• Use adjectives / adverbs
• Tell readers what your content is about
• Ask a question
• Give an imperative

Step 3: Introduction

Like your title, your introduction also needs to ‘hook’ in the readers.

They set the scene and draw interest from the audience.

Think about a narrative’s 3 Act Structure:

• The opening act sets the scene and captivate the audience’s attention
• Act 2 is where the action and the major complication occurs
• The 3rd act is the conclusion. It ‘solves’ the problem.

Feature articles function in the same way.

However, unlike a narrative, feature articles’ introductions are very brief and short. They should never be longer than 15% of your whole article.

So, how do you write effective introductions to feature articles:

• Make an interesting and provocative opening statement to draw reader’s attention
• Briefly introduce the topic and purpose
• Establish a relationship with your reader through your language (eg. second person language, rhetorical questions…)
• Create intrigue and interest by foreshadowing your points or challenging your audience
• Provide background information about your topic

Take a read of ABC journalist, Stan Grant’s introduction from  ‘Anger has the hour’: How long must Indigenous Australia Wait for Change? 

“How long must Aboriginal people wait? How many “turning points” must there be, before we stop believing?

Time is something Indigenous people do not have, not when we die 10 years younger than the rest of the population. Every year lost is counted in graveyard crosses.

Yet the Federal Government says there will likely be no referendum on Indigenous constitutional recognition this term of Parliament. Three years since the Uluru Statement from the Heart laid out a vision for Australia — Voice, Treaty, Truth — and we are told still to wait.

That is three years lost; a wasted opportunity to finish our unfinished business. First Nations people asked Australians to walk with us for a better future, yet we cannot get beyond those first steps.”

You see, Grant draws the audience’s interest by asking provocative rhetorical questions that hints at his stance about the topic.

He then provides background information about his topic to inform his audience about the issue. However, notice how he does this in an interesting and engaging way.

Grant uses literary techniques like tricolon (eg. “Voice, Treaty, Truth”), metaphors (eg. “year lost is counted in graveyard crosses” and “First Nations people asked Australians to walk wth us for a better future, yet we cannot get beyond those first steps”) and the motif of steps (eg. “walk with us” and “first steps”).

Step 4: Body

Now, let’s move onto the main part of your feature article.

The body of your feature article is where you write all of your juicy information.

This is where the story unfolds and you share your opinions.

So, let’s get started and see what you need to do in your feature article body paragraphs.

a. Show don’t tell

‘Show, don’t tell’ is a commonly taught writing technique. It requires students to describe and ‘show’ what is happening, instead of simply recounting (‘telling’).

Let’s take a look at an example:

• Tell : Johnny was tired after he ran up the hill.
• Show : Johnny’s legs were aching as he forced himself up the hill. He was struggling to catch his breath and his cheeks were red and puffed up.

Notice the difference? The second line is much more engaging and descriptive, and we feel more connected to the character.

As such, you need to ‘show’ your information to make your article more engaging and interesting to read.

Remember, a feature article is much more colourful than a newspaper report.

So, let’s learn how to ‘show, not tell’:

• Write vivid descriptions and imagery
• Rely on the different senses to describe (i.e. sight, touch, smell, hearing, taste)
• Use literary techniques
• Don’t state emotions (eg. ‘He is happy’,  ‘She was excited’ or ‘That was scary’)
• Use strong verbs and nouns, instead of adverbs and adjectives (eg. ‘sprinted’ instead of ‘ran fast’)

b. Be creative

In other terms, use rhetorical and literary techniques! Using these techniques will help you achieve your purpose and simultaneously engage the audience.

For example, if you want to evoke sympathy from the audience, you can use emotive language and hyperbole:

“Big, brute boys brutally beat small neighbourhood boy until he was unrecognisable” 

Or, if you want to convince the audience, you can use high modality words and an imperative voice:

“The time to take action is now! Get your phones and fill out the survey now”

So, what are some techniques that are commonly used in feature articles:

If you want to find more techniques, or learn more about the listed techniques, take a read of our English Literary Techniques Toolkit .

c. Support your opinions

Remember, a feature article isn’t just a story… it is also an article! This means that you will need a set of strong evidence to support what you are saying.

We already went through the various types of evidence you need for a feature article:

• Case studies
• Quotes from critics or experts

So, ensure you use a variety of different evidence and use it across your whole feature article.

Step 5: Conclusion

We are at the final stage of your feature article!

Too often, students neglect the conclusion because they think it’s unimportant in a feature article.

However, it is quite the opposite.

Conclusions are especially important in feature article because they summarise your ideas and stance, and ultimately inspire your readers to take action.

So, take your time to quickly summarise your article and add a call to action (i.e. tell your audience to do something, either explicitly or implicitly).

Let’s take a look at News.com journalist, Emma Reynold’s conclusion: “ Craziness Behind the Scenes at the White House ”

“ Three levels of the imposing White House are visible above ground, with the rest beneath. The basements include workrooms, bombs shelters and a bowling alley.

I’m told to look out for the famous red-tailed hawks that live in the rafters of the building. While squirrels are a common sight outside the gates, not many survive within.

Back on Pennsylvania Avenue, I note the absence of sewer grates or rubbish bins, a precaution against bombs.

Clearly, there is a strong consciousness of danger here. But it’s covered with a Disney smile. “

Here, Reynold summarises her experience at the White House and comes to a final conclusion.

She also uses rhetorical and literary techniques to engage her audience and make her conclusion more memorable.

For example, we see a metaphor with “while squirrels are a common sight outside the gates, not many survive within [the White House]”, drawing links between squirrels and common people.

She also uses framing (her introduction refers a ‘Disney star’), allusion and metaphor in her final line: “But it’s covered with a Disney smile”.

Furthermore, Reynolds also implicitly warns us to be aware and critical of what is truly happening in the White House. This is her call to action.

This is what you need to do with your conclusions too!

Written by Matrix English Team

© Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au, 2023. Unauthorised use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Matrix Education and www.matrix.edu.au with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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How to write a superb literature review

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Literature reviews are important resources for scientists. They provide historical context for a field while offering opinions on its future trajectory. Creating them can provide inspiration for one’s own research, as well as some practice in writing. But few scientists are trained in how to write a review — or in what constitutes an excellent one. Even picking the appropriate software to use can be an involved decision (see ‘Tools and techniques’). So Nature asked editors and working scientists with well-cited reviews for their tips.

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How To Write An Amazing Article: A Beginner’s Guide

Writing is an art through which you can communicate all over the world. It helps you to explain your ideas to others....

Writing is an art through which you can communicate all over the world. It helps you to explain your ideas to others. It also helps you to be a creative person by enhancing the capability of your brain. However, if you are not good at writing then you can enhance your skills through practice. The practice is the only thing that will help you to write an amazing article .

Once, you think you are ready to be a writer then you can sell your services as well. There are several portals or websites that sell the best-ghostwriting services and you can connect with them. They will help you to get clients easily.

There are different types of writing like story, content, and article but if you want to learn about article writing then this blog will help you to write an amazing article. You are going to find some amazing tips that will help you to write a perfect article .

Table of Contents

Write down your ideas

It is the foundation of your writing, you have to note down all the ideas about your topic. You can do some research on your topic on the internet. Tons of ideas are going to appear on your screen while browsing. Write down all the ideas that you think will work for you. After writing all the ideas, do some brainstorming. This will help you to create your own ideas .

Research on your topic

Research is a vital step in article writing, you have to do proper research. If you want to write an authentic article , then don’t skip this step. After preparing your ideas, do research on them because you need proper knowledge to write an authentic article.

The research will help you to know all the facts and figures about your topic which you can include in your article to prove your points. Whenever you are discussing something in your article you need to add proper facts to prove your point right.

Write as simple as you can

Article writing is all about sharing information with your readers. You have to think that your reader has zero knowledge about the topic. You have to do it from the basics and then move towards the description, it will help your reader understand your article. Whilst writing an article you need to use simple and easy vocabulary, you have to write as simple as you can so that your reader can understand what you are explaining to them.

It will also help you to attract more readers to your article. You have to write your article simple, direct, and concise.

Add short sentences and bullets to your topic

Write simple words, small sentences, and short paragraphs in your content, it will help you to get more attention from the reader. Most people get bored by reading long paragraphs or sentences. Add simple words and bullets to your topic. Explain your topic with the help of these topics you will see a positive change or increase in the number of readers.

Attract your readers through your creativity. You can be creative in your writing. Discuss FAQs, bullets, and all questions that you think will come into the reader’s mind while reading the topic. One more thing that you need to check while writing is your tone. Add a friendly but professional tone to your article because it helps in building a connection between you and your readers.

Proofread your content

Once you are done with your article you have to proofread your content . It will help you to remove all the grammar errors and typing mistakes. There are several online editors that can help you in proofreading your content but don’t rely on them properly. Edit your content by reading again and again. If you think you can’t point out any mistake then share it with your writing coach, professor, friend, or family. They will help you to point out all the mistakes,

Feedback is important if you want to be a successful writer. It helps you to grow in the writing field. While writing any article we make several mistakes that we aren’t aware of so the feedback helps you to improve your content and make it perfect for you.

You have to set a timer if you want to be successful in writing. When you offer article writing services , you have to write several articles a day and that will only be possible if the typing or writing speed is fast. It is the best way to become an efficient writer. Fix your time and make sure you complete your work within that time.

You might face a lot of difficulties at the start but with the time you will get used to it. Follow this technique and you will be surprised how efficiently you can write at the end.

Article writing is not a difficult task, you just need to follow some rules and guidelines to be a successful writer. If you want to be an efficient writer, then follow all the guidelines mentioned in this article. These guidelines will help you to improve your writing skills. However, the main thing that you need to keep in your mind is to write regularly. Start from small paragraphs then move to the difficult content. But you have to write regularly if you want to be an amazing article writer.

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Written by Ali Hasnain

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8 replies to “how to write an amazing article: a beginner’s guide”.

Hey Ali Hasnain,

Very informative and helpful post. Writing is an art by which we can communicate all over the world, It help us to explain our ideas. to be a creative person. If we want to write amazing article then we have to do much practice.The first thing is to writing is plan what are we are going to write about some up with ideas.

You have mention the awesome ideas about to write amazing article which is very helpful for newbies who started to writing.

thank you, -sweety

plan your writing first. You have to think about what you are going to write about come up with ideas and work what order you will put them.

Very helpful and informative article, I keep on reading articles on how to create a blog, being as a beginner, mentioned ideas to produce an article are very important for a newbie as of me.

Hey Ali, It would be really useful for beginner bloggers. Article writing is not a difficult task, you just need to follow some rules and guidelines to be a successful writer. Thanks For sharing this article.

Thanks for the article with a lot of different and meaningful conversations. It would be really useful for me while I am doing this. at the same time, it would be really useful for bloggers.

I was struggling with write article, this will surely help me in writing better content and article.

Thanks for the article with a lot of different and meaningful conversations. It is very helpful in our day-to-day life. Regards, Nikhil

Hey, It would be really useful for beginner bloggers. Article writing is not a difficult task, you just need to follow some rules and guidelines to be a successful writer. Thanks For sharing this article.

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Article Contents

Primacy of the research question, structure of the paper, writing a research article: advice to beginners.

• Article contents
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Thomas V. Perneger, Patricia M. Hudelson, Writing a research article: advice to beginners, International Journal for Quality in Health Care , Volume 16, Issue 3, June 2004, Pages 191–192, https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzh053

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Writing research papers does not come naturally to most of us. The typical research paper is a highly codified rhetorical form [ 1 , 2 ]. Knowledge of the rules—some explicit, others implied—goes a long way toward writing a paper that will get accepted in a peer-reviewed journal.

A good research paper addresses a specific research question. The research question—or study objective or main research hypothesis—is the central organizing principle of the paper. Whatever relates to the research question belongs in the paper; the rest doesn’t. This is perhaps obvious when the paper reports on a well planned research project. However, in applied domains such as quality improvement, some papers are written based on projects that were undertaken for operational reasons, and not with the primary aim of producing new knowledge. In such cases, authors should define the main research question a posteriori and design the paper around it.

Generally, only one main research question should be addressed in a paper (secondary but related questions are allowed). If a project allows you to explore several distinct research questions, write several papers. For instance, if you measured the impact of obtaining written consent on patient satisfaction at a specialized clinic using a newly developed questionnaire, you may want to write one paper on the questionnaire development and validation, and another on the impact of the intervention. The idea is not to split results into ‘least publishable units’, a practice that is rightly decried, but rather into ‘optimally publishable units’.

What is a good research question? The key attributes are: (i) specificity; (ii) originality or novelty; and (iii) general relevance to a broad scientific community. The research question should be precise and not merely identify a general area of inquiry. It can often (but not always) be expressed in terms of a possible association between X and Y in a population Z, for example ‘we examined whether providing patients about to be discharged from the hospital with written information about their medications would improve their compliance with the treatment 1 month later’. A study does not necessarily have to break completely new ground, but it should extend previous knowledge in a useful way, or alternatively refute existing knowledge. Finally, the question should be of interest to others who work in the same scientific area. The latter requirement is more challenging for those who work in applied science than for basic scientists. While it may safely be assumed that the human genome is the same worldwide, whether the results of a local quality improvement project have wider relevance requires careful consideration and argument.

Once the research question is clearly defined, writing the paper becomes considerably easier. The paper will ask the question, then answer it. The key to successful scientific writing is getting the structure of the paper right. The basic structure of a typical research paper is the sequence of Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion (sometimes abbreviated as IMRAD). Each section addresses a different objective. The authors state: (i) the problem they intend to address—in other terms, the research question—in the Introduction; (ii) what they did to answer the question in the Methods section; (iii) what they observed in the Results section; and (iv) what they think the results mean in the Discussion.

In turn, each basic section addresses several topics, and may be divided into subsections (Table 1 ). In the Introduction, the authors should explain the rationale and background to the study. What is the research question, and why is it important to ask it? While it is neither necessary nor desirable to provide a full-blown review of the literature as a prelude to the study, it is helpful to situate the study within some larger field of enquiry. The research question should always be spelled out, and not merely left for the reader to guess.

Typical structure of a research paper

The Methods section should provide the readers with sufficient detail about the study methods to be able to reproduce the study if so desired. Thus, this section should be specific, concrete, technical, and fairly detailed. The study setting, the sampling strategy used, instruments, data collection methods, and analysis strategies should be described. In the case of qualitative research studies, it is also useful to tell the reader which research tradition the study utilizes and to link the choice of methodological strategies with the research goals [ 3 ].

The Results section is typically fairly straightforward and factual. All results that relate to the research question should be given in detail, including simple counts and percentages. Resist the temptation to demonstrate analytic ability and the richness of the dataset by providing numerous tables of non-essential results.

The Discussion section allows the most freedom. This is why the Discussion is the most difficult to write, and is often the weakest part of a paper. Structured Discussion sections have been proposed by some journal editors [ 4 ]. While strict adherence to such rules may not be necessary, following a plan such as that proposed in Table 1 may help the novice writer stay on track.

References should be used wisely. Key assertions should be referenced, as well as the methods and instruments used. However, unless the paper is a comprehensive review of a topic, there is no need to be exhaustive. Also, references to unpublished work, to documents in the grey literature (technical reports), or to any source that the reader will have difficulty finding or understanding should be avoided.

Having the structure of the paper in place is a good start. However, there are many details that have to be attended to while writing. An obvious recommendation is to read, and follow, the instructions to authors published by the journal (typically found on the journal’s website). Another concerns non-native writers of English: do have a native speaker edit the manuscript. A paper usually goes through several drafts before it is submitted. When revising a paper, it is useful to keep an eye out for the most common mistakes (Table 2 ). If you avoid all those, your paper should be in good shape.

Common mistakes seen in manuscripts submitted to this journal

Huth EJ . How to Write and Publish Papers in the Medical Sciences , 2nd edition. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1990 .

Browner WS . Publishing and Presenting Clinical Research . Baltimore, MD: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, 1999 .

Devers KJ , Frankel RM. Getting qualitative research published. Educ Health 2001 ; 14 : 109 –117.

Docherty M , Smith R. The case for structuring the discussion of scientific papers. Br Med J 1999 ; 318 : 1224 –1225.

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How to Build a Daily Routine That Works for You

5 Steps to Organize Your Schedule and Stick to It

Elizabeth Larkin is a professional organizer with a strong interest in productivity, time management, and process refinement. She used her organizational skills and effectiveness to pen articles with helpful information on cleaning, organizing living spaces, and decluttering.

Katherine is a professional home organizer and certified KonMari consultant with over 5 years of experience helping clients get their homes in order. She launched her own professional organizing business, Tidy Milso, in the summer of 2020, to help reorient those feeling overwhelmed with both clutter and disorganization in their homes. To date, she has logged over 500 hours of organizing with her clients using Marie Kondo’s KonMari method.

Figuring out how to create a daily routine that works for you—and sticking to it—can take some time. What should your perfect daily routine contain? That depends on your needs. Build a successful routine to fit your daily timetable. Be honest about what you can make work by evaluating your lifestyle, bandwidth, time-management abilities, and what you need to accomplish.

Here are five steps to help you make a daily routine that's reasonable to stick to.

Make a List

Figuring out how to write a daily routine begins by writing down everything you need to do daily at home and work. Don't worry about how you organize this list; this is a brain dump, not a checklist. Jot down everything you do each day and everything you should get done.

If you find it difficult to remember all the tasks in one sitting, carry a planner or notebook to take notes throughout the day. No task is too small—if you want to work "brush teeth" into your daily routine, put it on the list.

Structure Your Day

Early birds do things most effectively before lunchtime, while night owls get their burst of energy in the evenings. Think about when you work best. Then, group your tasks into the time of day that makes the most sense for when you will efficiently complete them.

• Mornings: You might be pressed for time in the morning, but group all your early tasks, such as feeding and walking pets, preparing breakfast, or putting dinner in the slow cooker. Do tasks you want to do while fresh. Or schedule things you dread or procrastinate doing so they're not looming over you all day.
• Midday: Morning caffeine wears off by midday, and energy levels wane. Do the boring, routine stuff that doesn't take a lot of brainpower, like answering emails, setting appointments, and running errands. If at home, handle routine cleaning, such as emptying and loading the dishwasher or scrubbing the bathroom.
• Evening: Evenings work best for planning and preparing for the next day. Lay out your clothes, pack lunches, and declutter the spaces that tend to be drop zones, such as mail piles.

Visual tools can help you remember and solidify your schedule. Prominently display a chart or use visual cues like color-coded tabs, vibrant sticky notes, or hued markers in an organizer. Consider using stickers if you make a large chart for yourself.

Use an online planner if you do everything on your phone or electronic devices.

Get Specific (Optional)

Get as specific as you want with your outline of tasks. For example, write a daily morning routine that looks something like this to account for time:

• 6:00: Wake up, shower
• 6:30: Breakfast, brush teeth
• 7:00: Leave the house
• 7:15: Drop off kids at school
• 7:30: Arrive at the office

You might prefer that level of detail until you get the hang of your routine.

Schedule Time for Flexibility

A good daily routine will harness your most productive hours for challenging tasks and your least productive hours for mundane tasks. But life can be unpredictable sometimes, so prepare for unplanned events by scheduling flexible free time in your routine.

If a doctor's appointment or an impromptu social gathering arises, having blocks of free time in your daily routine helps you shift tasks around while keeping things flowing smoothly despite atypical events. Free time blocks ensure you never feel pressed for time.

Test Drive Your New Routine

Once you've created your daily routine, try it. Ask yourself:

• How does your daily routine feel? 
• Did you schedule your tasks at times that make sense? 
• Do you need to adjust anything? 

Commit to the routine for at least 30 days. Tweak any scheduling that isn't working out. Sticking to your daily routine will be easier once your tasks are slotted into the right spots.

Moving Forward With Your Routine

Creating a daily routine can seem daunting, but you will soon reap the rewards when your productivity soars, morning meltdowns are reduced, and you suddenly have pockets of free time.

Remember: Nothing is written in stone. Keep tweaking as things change in your life. Follow the steps you used to create your initial routine to form new and productive habits. Begin by finding a free planner online to kickstart your new routine.

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In praise of Starkville: USA Today's best small town in the South. Here is why

Starkville, you are amazing.

I never believed I would write those four words, but there they are and I mean them.

Starkville has recently been rated “The Best Small Town In The South.” I suspect that the town’s citizens and several hundred thousand alumni of Mississippi State University just exclaimed “Hail State!” and rightly so.

I also suspect that Oxford residents and several hundred thousand alumni of the University of Mississippi just screamed, “You must be kidding me!”

Residents of Hattiesburg and alumni of the University of Southern Mississippi diplomatically said, “Meh,” and moved on with life.

The reaction in Oxford over this piece of news must’ve shocked locals, because they’ve always believed it was the South’s (if not the nation’s) best small town.

Well, not so much, at least for now. In a survey conducted by USA Today, a sister to the Clarion-Ledger, Starkville won this accolade over several other small southern towns, including Oxford.

The Al.com website — a group of Alabama newspapers, including those in Birmingham and Mobile — quoted a USA Today higher up of saying this:

“Home to Mississippi State University, Starkville is much more than just a college town. You’ll find a thriving arts scene, multiple historic districts, many opportunities for bird-watching, and plenty of great food. Don’t miss checking out the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library, a treasure trove of artifacts and correspondence.”

The article added:

“Look, Starkville — or its nom de plume “StarkVegas” — is a fine town. The home of Mississippi State University, a certain AL.com writer (Warren Kulo) went to school there, as well as a son who graduated last year, and has watched it grow over the years. It has a vibrant downtown entertainment area, ample shopping and dining and many historic points of interest.”

USA Today’s article went on to say that indeed, “There are a lot of great small towns scattered around the southern United States, including some right here in Alabama: Fairhope, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Vestavia Hills, Madison, to name a few."

Throw in other towns from neighboring states, such as Oxford, Bay St. Louis and Ocean Springs in Mississippi; or Palm Beach, Anna Maria Island and Cedar Key in Florida, along with countless other towns spread across the South, and it seemed the editors at USA Today’s "10 Best" had their hands full in determining the “Best Small Town in the South .

“Once they chose the finalists and their readers voted, the winner was — Starkville, Mississippi,” said the national newspaper, which is big on contests such as this one.

A similar survey determined that Oxford is, drums please, “The Best Small COLLEGE Town In The South.” So, the hometowns of these fine Mississippi’s public universities can both crow. Al.com noted that neither Tuscaloosa nor Auburn made the lists.

I saw how amazing Starkville is on our recent trip there for the graduation from MSU of grandson number two, Logan Henry. First grandson Bronson Henry had already graduated from State, and grands three and four, Nicholas Henry and Hayes Henry, will follow their brothers to graduation. While there, I toured the town and was amazed at the progress made in recent years.

In a sportswriting career with the Jackson Daily News, Tupelo Journal, Meridian Star and the Ole Miss Spirit, I must’ve covered well above a hundred events at Starkville and Mississippi State (including Ron Polk’s debut as baseball coach; ask me about it sometime). I enjoyed Starkville but I don’t recall it being as thriving, exciting, handsome or amazing as it is today, including the MSU campus.

Some hearty “Hail States” are due, indeed. Congratulations, Starkville.

— Mac Gordon, a native of McComb, is a retired newspaperman. He can be reached at [email protected] .

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: In praise of Starkville: USA Today's best small town in the South. Here is why

Beyond the Nest: SJSC students study abroad

Journalism and strategic communications students to write, eat and hike their way through france and italy.

By Kate Elliott

Kate H. Elliott is a lecturer and coordinates the School of Journalism and Strategic Communication's Magazine Media concentration.

Twenty years ago, I studied abroad and worked for Reuters in London. During the week, I wrote articles about AIDS in India and small arms proliferation in Sri Lanka. On weekends and holidays, I visited relatives in Germany, journeyed through the Highlands of Scotland, and toured the Colosseum in Rome. The experience transformed me — my perceptions of the world, my resourcefulness and my fluency of global issues.

On May 5, I embarked on another study abroad, but this time as the instructor of “Travel Writing through Italy and France” — a project-based immersive learning course to capture the flavors, culture, history and natural beauty of France and Italy. 

Throughout the trip, students will read and analyze travel writing while learning the skills to produce evocative storytelling that contains concrete observations, strong action, thoughtful research and appropriate pacing. Journalism students will focus on narrative nonfiction while strategic communications students will produce public relations and advertising content for travel companies, cities and historic sites.

They will all gain invaluable lessons and lifelong memories as they navigate ambiguity, adapt to new cultures, and experience the rich history and interconnectedness of our world. Some of these journalism and strategic communication majors and minors had never traveled outside of the United States unit they stepped off the plane in Paris, Their excitement and angst is palpable, and we hope you join our journey on “Beyond the Nest” Facebook and Instagram. 

Our Destinations

In 35 days, we will travel to 11 cities in three countries, and we plan to connect with alumni and friends as we seek to create deep bonds and understanding. In Paris, we watched the lights of the Eiffel Tower twinkle after taking an evening cruise along the Seine River. We toured museums, including the Louvre, and dined on macrons and pain au chocolat.

We then journeyed into the heart of Burgundy. In Dijon, we sampled mustards and “coq au vin” or chicken braised in the region’s signature wine. We walked through medieval palaces, renowned food markets and parks jeweled with spring flowers. In nearby Lyon, we toured Roman ruins and the city’s “traboules” or hidden passageways before shopping exquisite fabrics in “the city of silk workers.”

On May 15, we will head to Nice, France, a coastal town on the French Riviera. A street food tour will introduce us to the region’s signature dishes, like “socca,” a traditional thin chickpea flour pancake, and “moules frites” or fresh mussels in a saffron cream sauce. Long walks on the palm-lined promenades will showcase the Art Deco architecture and bustling outdoor markets. 

We leave France for our first stop in Italy — Cinque Terre, which translates to “five lands” for a cluster of five charming seaside villages. We will hike cliffs overlooking the Ligurian Sea and walk through terraced vineyards before dining alfresco on the beach.

Our next stop is Florence to experience “the cradle of the Renaissance.” We will set our eyes on the to the statue of David before sampling some of the many art and cultural museums that house works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Raphael. We will look out on the capital of Tuscany from Florence Cathedral dome and walk across the Ponte Vecchio, which was the only bridge across the Arno River until 1218.

We will then take a week-long respite in Siena at a villa with a pool in the heart of Tuscany. We will tour the Piazza del Campo, which is considered one of the most stunning medieval squares in Italy. Some of us plan to take a day trip to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Then, to Rome, where we will order heaping cones of gelato and enjoy “pizza al taglio,” which means pizza by the cut, between tours of ancient ruins, including the Colosseum and the Pantheon. We will experience the Sistine Chapel and toss wishes into the Trevi Fountain, a Baroque masterpiece in the heart of Italy’s capital. 

Macerata in central Italy is our next stop. We will explore its elegant piazzas and delight in specialties like “vincisgrassi” or a rich lasagna-style dish, “ciauscolo” or a soft spreadable salami, and olive “ascolane” or stuffed fried olives. Day trips to the countryside will afford us opportunities to hike along olive groves and take in breathtaking views. 

We will wander the interconnected canals of Venice, where we may take in an opera or gondola ride. As a group, we will take a half-day boat tour to nearby islands, Murano and Burano. Murano is known for an exclusive glass blowing technique, and Burano is known for handmade lace and bright buildings (so fishermen could spot their homes from the bay). 

After Venice, we take a bus to Ljubljana, Slovenia, where we will whitewater raft “the Soča,” also known as “the Emerald River” due to its turquoise-green hue. We will hike the limestone mountains of the Julian Alps and take in the views of Lake Bled and the castle that sits on an island in its center. 

We fly from Ljubljana to Pairs for an overnight near the airport before returning back to Indianapolis. 

Meet our adventurers 

These students have applied for scholarships and worked multiple jobs to pay for this epic adventure. We are beyond grateful for gifts from donors, family and friends to help offset their costs of this transformative trip. 

Madelyn “Maddie” Bracken, 20, Fort Wayne, Indiana

• Majoring in journalism, news writing and reporting, and public history 
• Campus activities: Ball State Daily News, academic peer mentor

Maddie’s excitement for the trip is arresting: “I have never been out of the country and have always dreamed of Europe, especially all the beauty and history of Italy,” she said. “Not only do I get that experience, but I also get to flex my writing muscles in a new way.”

She can’t wait for a boat ride along the rocky coast of Cinque Terre, Italy, or the group’s four-hour cooking class in Siena, Italy. “I can’t wait to eat so much pasta in Italy and all the desserts in France and Italy,” said Maddie, who has more than 30 Spotify playlists. “These places pride themselves on food, and I can’t wait to savor it alongside friends.”

Jason Doudt, 22, Pendleton, Indiana 

• Majoring in photojournalism, sociology and anthropology 
• Campus activities: Studio photography, anthropology research at the library

Jason will walk across the commencement stage May 5 and onto a plane bound for Paris the next day. “This trip is the beginning of my post-graduate studies and gives me the chance to look for opportunities to work and live abroad."

He will put his years of French class to the test as he orders fine wines and coffee alongside fresh bread and “Pain au chocolat” in France and penne pasta and fresh salads in Italy. And he “can’t wait” to meet and photograph interesting people as he walks historic cities and dines al fresco in the warm evenings. 

“Oh, and I want to pet French cats,” he added.

Kate Farr, 19, Antwerp, OH 

• Majoring in journalism, magazine media, with a minor in journalistic storytelling
• Campus activities: Opinion Editor, visual designer, reporter, columnist and photographer, for the Ball State Daily News. Next year, she will serve as the editor-in-chief of the student-led newspaper.

Kate said she hopes to return with “five pounds in pasta weight and amazing memories” from her first trip abroad. 

She “cannot wait” to explore Italy and France and immerse herself in their cultures while capturing the flavors, history and customs of some of the world’s most iconic cities. 

Katherine “Kate” Hill, 19, Mishawaka, Indiana 

• Majoring in journalism, news writing and reporting, with a minor in film and screenwriting 
• Campus activities: Ball State Daily News

Kate Hill hopes to “fall in love with French and Italian people and their food like Julia Child.” Two years ago, Kate took a trip through Europe with high school classmates, and she’s been dreaming of returning ever since. 

“I am most excited about the chance to visit beautiful, architectural cities and meet locals — to observe them and take in the atmosphere,” she said. “Taking a French class this school year has made me want to be a French correspondent,” Kate said. “This trip will be a good litmus test for me to see if I can really make that work as a career.” 

Kaylin Kieft, 20, Granger, Indiana

• Majoring in journalism, magazine media
• Campus activities: Inform Muncie

Kaylin dreams of travel writing in her future, so she is excited to explore Europe while study and learning about the craft. “I love experiencing different cultures and learning people’s stories,” she said. “I can’t wait to document our non-stop activities in these beautiful places.”

She will slow down long enough to savor crepes and macaroons, and she is counting down the days until the cooking class in Siena. 

Grace Lichty, 20, Elkhart, Indiana

• Majoring in journalism, magazine media, with a minor in marketing 
• Campus activities: Ball Bearings magazine

Grace is eager to gain lasting relationships with her peers on this “once in a lifetime experience.” She fears culture shock will be the most challenging aspect of the trip, but she isn’t afraid of the discomfort that comes from navigating new cultures and experiences. 

“I am going on this trip to expand my global and cultural knowledge, and to gain unique writing experience,” she said. “Italy and France are beautiful, and this is an amazing opportunity to go there. I love sightseeing and trying new things.”

Grace is most excited for boat rides and pizza in Italy — delizioso!

Taylor Martin, 21, Indianapolis

• Majoring in photojournalism with a minor in French

Taylor says she’s a French minor who doesn’t speak French (but she will need try because many of the students do not speak French). Close with her family and friends, she is nervous about being away from home, but she plans to overcome any homesickness with extra helpings of beautiful sites and gelato.

“This was just a huge opportunity, and I couldn’t pass it up,” she said. “I hope to better understand French culture and the language as we spend so much time in the vibrant country.”

Rosalita “Rosie” Mitchell, 20, Greenwood, Indiana 

• Majoring in journalism and mass communications with minors in anthropology, communication studies and history
• Campus activities: Byte Magazine, Martial Arts Club at, Judo Club, Housing and a resident assistant for Residence Life

As an aspiring travel writer — or “at least a writer who travels” — Rosie plans to immerse herself in documenting the journey. “I want to make at least one new friend, who is a local, in every city we visit,” she said. “And I’m not going to let the language barrier stop me.” 

Rosie said she is especially excited to visit Italy because her family emigrated to the United States from Italia. While she is there, she will eat “all the carbs” — bread, pasta and potatoes — and soak up the summer sun.

Mesgana Waiss, 22, Indianapolis

• Majoring in journalism and political science
• Campus activities: Byte, Ball Bearings

Mesgana has wanted to study abroad for the last few years, and she has wanted to visit Pairs since middle school. With the trip’s journalism focus, it’s perfect for me.

“I hope this trip contributes to my growing confidence as I move into true adulthood,” she said. “I am an extremely anxious person, so I see myself going on this trip as a step in the right direction to becoming a risk-taker.”

The aspiring writer is excited to see the iconic structures and captivating landscapes of these romantic countries. Mesgana can’t wait to fuel up on rich butter and bread before exploring the world’s largest and most famous art museums and historic sites.

Gracie Worrick, 19, Marion, Indiana

• Majoring in advertising with concentrations in event planning and management, leadership and emerging media. 
• Campus activities: Her Campus, American Advertising Federation and Delight

Gracie is going on this trip “to see the world and make memories to last a lifetime.” She plans to celebrate her 20th birthday in Italy with pasta, pasta and more pasta. Gracie is open to all the excursions and writing challenges to come, and she is certain the trip with equip her with perspective, problem-solving and more that she will apply to her future life and work. 

Our leaders

Kate H. Elliott, program lead , Columbia, Missouri 

Kate’s focus is on the student experience. “It’s a gift,” she said, “to watch others open up to the world and be changed by it.”

“I’ve traveled in these countries, and it will be a joy to go back. But I am most looking forward to seeing the students come alive through this journey. They are all so bright, curious and hard working. It excites me to see and hear their excitement,” Kate said. “I have been working hard to build an experience that will hopefully be a highlight of their lives. I can’t wait to embark on this adventure with them.”

Rachelle Spencer, program assistant, Puyallup, Washington

• Working toward a master’s degree in student affairs administration in higher education 
• Campus activities: Chi Sigma Alpha, Student Voluntary Service, Cardinal Kitchen 

After Rachelle graduates in July, she hopes to work as a study abroad advisor. This trip gives her hands-on experience with planning the logistics for faculty-led programs. When she studied abroad, it was organized by an external provider, so she is curious about the student experience for faculty-led programs.

She is most excited about their travels outside of large cities, and she is most nervous about packing for such a long trip with so many destinations. But Rachelle doesn’t shy away from a challenge or vacuum seal bags.

“I hope to gain a better understanding of how these programs work, so that I can better advise students on their study abroad options in the future,” she said. “I also hope to make a great experience for the students and fun memories while on the trip.”

Class Act articles are written by students in a classroom environment with a faculty adviser.

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Jean Smart Is Having a Third Act for the Ages

Like her character on “Hacks,” she’s winning late-career success on her own exuberant terms.

Jean Smart. Credit... Sinna Nasseri for The New York Times

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By J Wortham

J Wortham is a staff writer for the magazine. They visited the set of “Hacks” in January in Los Angeles, and interviewed the cast and crew over the course of a few weeks.

• Published May 12, 2024 Updated May 15, 2024

Calling someone a “hack” is a particularly vicious insult. It implies that they have no talent or, worse, that they have wasted it. The slight is hurled early on in “Hacks,” the popular Max Original series starring Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, a seasoned comedian who teams up with a younger one named Ava (Hannah Einbinder) to freshen up her act.

Listen to this article, read by January LaVoy

When they meet, Ava takes stock of Deborah — her glitzy mansion, her residency at a casino in Las Vegas, a hustle selling branded merchandise on cable TV — and sees her as the definition of a hack, a sellout cashing in on her former fame. Deborah is unfazed. Amused, even. What does this kid know about her career, about years of hard work, about the unfairness, sexism and disregard?

Deborah, meanwhile, sees Ava as a bit of a hack herself — an entitled and spoiled young internet persona who was canceled for posting a joke about a closeted senator. (“Sounds like a Tuesday for me,” Deborah retorts when Ava complains about it.) Deborah is a workaholic on the verge of bitter, someone who grew tired of being cut and so became a knife. She’s shameless, litigious, petty, vengeful, stubborn — qualities that become a comedic asset for the character and a narrative engine for the show. Just how far is Deborah Vance willing to go?

Throughout the first two seasons, much of the drama — and delight — is in seeing Ava puncture Deborah’s carefully lacquered facade with her Gen Z earnestness and sharp wit. In one of the show’s funniest moments, Deborah bluntly asks Ava, “You a lesbian?” Ava leans back in her chair while considering the question. She responds with a treatise reflecting the identity politics of a generation raised with nonexistent boundaries and zero sexual shame, ending with a graphic description of how she orgasms. Deborah doesn’t miss a beat. “Jesus Christ!” she exclaims. “I was just wondering why you were dressed like Rachel Maddow’s mechanic!” Deborah and Ava are mirrors for each other, gifted and perspicacious performers at opposite ends of their careers, both trying to be their most audacious selves in an industry that will dispose of them the moment they cross an invisible line.

Over the last three years, “Hacks” has earned its two Emmy nominations for outstanding comedy series by cultivating a polyphonic, fast-paced humor relentless as Deborah’s own quick mind. There are constant insult jokes about Ava’s appearance (“Your manicurist must use a paint roller!”); manic banter between Jimmy, Deborah’s beleaguered agent, and his delusional assistant (played brilliantly by the comedian Meg Stalter); antic bits like a seemingly poignant scene of Deborah’s daughter playing classical piano as a reflection of her gilded upbringing, before it devolves into absurdity when the music is revealed to be the theme song from “Jurassic Park.” And then there are the battles royal in which Ava and Deborah fire hilarious barbs back and forth until their frustration gives way to awe at each other’s cleverness and something like respect blooms. It’s weaponized therapy.

One day in January, Smart was filming an episode of the show’s third season at a private villa near Pasadena, Calif., kitted out to resemble a mansion in Bel-Air. She sat in a magisterial library on a caramel leather Chesterfield. Deborah is meeting with the network executive who canceled her show in the 1970s after she (allegedly) tried to set her former husband’s home on fire upon discovering that he was having an affair with her sister. The ensuing scandal banished her to the edges of the entertainment industry. She hopes the conversation will yield some clarity, perhaps even closure.

No one would mistake Deborah Vance for soft. And yet here she was, defanged — somewhat. She wore an expensive silk leopard blouse, a reminder of her latent ferocity. As Keith Sayer, who worked with Smart to craft the image of Deborah, remarked to me while observing the scene: “She went in thinking there might be a battle.”

In the scene, Deborah’s voice is low, pleading. “Before I do this all again,” she says, “I really need to know why it didn’t work the first time.” The executive is perplexed. To him, it’s obvious. He reminds her of the chaos that followed her very public meltdown with her husband. She is chastened by the memory but recovers. “I know,” she says. “I’ve just always thought if I’d been a little bit better, a little bit funnier, if I’d been undeniable, it could have happened.”

The entire crew seemed to collectively hold their breath as they watched Smart, as Deborah, waiting for the reply. From behind a cluster of monitors, the show’s creators, Jen Statsky, Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello, sat watching the process and whispering to one another. (Smart calls them “J.P.L.” for short, which she says stands for Jet Propulsion Laboratory.) At one point, Aniello asked Smart to do a take with her eyes not lowered, to add some of her potency back. “Less like a wounded deer,” she added. They wanted her to strike a delicate balance between humble and proud. They gave Smart a few pointed notes, which she metabolized quickly, speed-cycling through a spectrum of emotions on command. Smart is a maestro of microexpressions: She can adjust the lines on her forehead to convey pain or arrogance. Her voice is an ember that can smolder or burn red-hot; her laugh can sound coquettish or sharp, like the cries of an exotic bird.

At this point in the show, Deborah and her career are trending. After combing through Deborah’s extensive archive, Ava realized that her most powerful work could be drawn from her own history. They devise a new act that satirizes Deborah’s shadow selves: a jealous ex, a vain and self-involved mother, a bad feminist and a power-hungry entrepreneur. Self-aware and self-skewering, the act revives interest in Deborah and pushes her back into the spotlight, so much so that her team pitches a comedy special. Networks won’t touch it. Undeterred, Deborah decides to finance the special herself, and it goes viral.

“Hacks” is a similar turning point in Smart’s career. Despite working steadily in Hollywood for three decades, she has never played a lead character that has captivated audiences quite like this one. Casting her was a stroke of genius: There’s a relish to her performance, not only because she’s perfect in the role but also because she and Deborah would both delight in the idea of proving wrong anyone who overlooked or underestimated their gifts. Smart, as Deborah, gives the lie to the idea of the hack and repurposes it as a glorious wink.

In 2015, Downs, Aniello and Statsky were road-tripping to a monster-truck rally in Portland, Maine, where Downs would be filming a segment for a sketch-comedy special. The three met in 2009 while bumming around New York trying to get their comedy careers off the ground. Downs and Aniello began dating after they met in an Upright Citizens Brigade improv class, and Statsky and Aniello met in a sketch group. The three formed a tight-knit circle.

As tends to happen on long drives, the three found themselves deep in existential conversations. One turned to talented people who had fallen into obscurity. A theater actress with a vibrant and illustrious career had died recently, and articles about her life stunned them. “How come we are only learning about this woman and her work in her obituary?” Downs, who plays Jimmy, asked. “Why did we not see her in every guest role on TV?” It reminded Statsky of the improvisational-comedy duo Nichols and May — Mike Nichols, she said, “went on to have an incredible career, but you weren’t quite sure what happened to May.” (Elaine May did have a long career, directing films and writing screenplays, but she is not nearly as well known.) They thought about other great female performers who seemed to disappear — or worse, lost control of the joke and became the butt of it. They had just heard Kathy Griffin’s appearance on Marc Maron’s podcast , where she discussed how much easier it was to become a reality-TV star than to sustain the life of a comic. They had also watched “A Piece of Work,” the 2010 Joan Rivers documentary that highlighted the verdant years of her comedy career, before she became better known for body modifications and red-carpet cattiness.

These women were meteoric talents whose reputations eroded over time because of the industry’s exclusionary practices. Many became spectacles, cartoonifying themselves with antic behavior and plastic surgeries or tawdry television appearances. “It was really just a way to survive, a way to commodify their art,” Aniello said. “They weren’t being taken seriously as geniuses or auteurs, so they had to go into this other lane and create it for themselves. And sometimes we look down on that art form, and it’s unfair, because they were literally just trying to exist.”

Statsky reckoned with her own dismissal of those women and others like them. “Did I have some weird bias?” she said. “Thinking this person is hacky or writing them off in a way?” Why, they all wondered, was it easier to remember these women for their cheapest career moments than for their best work? And more to the point — what drove those comedians to devalue themselves in the first place?

The friends were juiced enough after the car ride to try to create a character, a woman in her third act who refused to accept the notion that she was past her prime. They also devised her foil, a younger comedian weaned on viral fame. They saw the narrative arc so clearly that they knew exactly where the series would end. They also knew that they wanted to staff the show with comedians and comic actors who they felt hadn’t been fully given the chance to showcase their talents. All three were admirers of Smart, and so they sent the pilot script to her agent; she was the only actor they met with. “When she walked into the room, you just felt Deborah was alive — she’s glamorous and dry and smart and blond — just a perfect fit,” the trio told me in an email. They pitched the show in 2019, and the first season aired in May 2021.

When Smart first read the script, she was enraptured by the depth of the writing for Deborah. “It ticked all the boxes,” she said. She recalled a scene in which Deborah has a liaison with a younger man. Rather than writing it as purely salacious, the creators infused it with real sensuality — and the encounter kindles a burst of creativity for Deborah. “She discovers something new in her work that just brings back some real joy to her,” Smart told me.

The character of Deborah is based on an amalgamation of female comedians, including Griffin, Rivers, Paula Poundstone and Betty White. There’s a little Lucille Bluth of “Arrested Development” in there, too. Phyllis Diller may be the most important model for Deborah — Smart once dressed like her as a girl — but while Diller leaned into the garish to the point of surrealism, Deborah is firmly established in the leisure class. As Kathleen Felix-Hager, the show’s costume designer, told me, “She has money.”

It was important to the show’s creators that Deborah’s difficulties are not financial. By many definitions, she has already made it. But her ambitions extend beyond her bank balance. She wants a certain stature, a reputation, a desire to be, as she tells the executive, undeniable . But “you can be undeniable, and you might still get denied,” Downs said. If Deborah is a hack, she was first made that way by a sexist and ageist industry that disposed of her as soon as she became inconvenient.

When Smart was done filming, she bundled us both into the back of her car, and a driver took us to a favorite Italian spot in Toluca Lake. In the back seat were a satin pillow (for napping) and sequin jackets (for a drag show later). She was energized by the day’s shoot, particularly by the verve of her co-star, Hal Linden of “Barney Miller” fame, now in his 90s. “I hope to keep working like that,” she marveled. As we walked into the restaurant, heads perked up as Smart waltzed past, and we found a roomy, private booth in the back.

Many people remember Smart from her role as Charlene on “Designing Women,” in which she played a version of herself as a teenager growing up in Seattle: the “blue-eyed, blond-haired, goody-two-shoes cheerleader,” as she described it to me. In person, Smart is as warm and loose. At lunch, she slapped the table to punctuate her sentences and unleashed her distinctive, bellowing laugh at high volume when she was pleased by a detail or an interaction. She straddles generations; she doesn’t do social media yet knew to ask me for my pronouns. Her knack for physical comedy seems second nature. When the waiter asked if she wanted a “baby” glass of wine or a big one, she shot me an impish glance and then used her thumb as an arrow to indicate that she would like the adult-size version. “I’m not driving,” she said slyly. After she served us both from a communal plate, she said: “I’m not your mother. Why am I cutting up your food?” and then continued doing it.

Smart described with glee how she leaned into the role of Deborah. She loves getting to be a demanding boss and a sexpot. “I’ve had more action on this show than my entire career put together,” she told me. She has a one-night stand with Devon Sawa, makes out with Tony Goldwyn and has an ongoing love-hate relationship with Marty (Christopher McDonald), who owns the Las Vegas casino where she performs. She was awarded two Emmys for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series in 2021 and 2022.

Smart wondered aloud where all this adulation was 20 years ago. By her own estimation, she has always been this dynamic, this charismatic, this compelling. But Smart talks about her career with oracular calm: She knows that her time is simply her time. Smart is 72, and for women of her generation, the range of archetypes available to them has always been narrow, and it dwindles even more over time. “At 40, you’re going, They definitely aren’t going to be calling me for that role,” she said. “Experience is hugely important. It’s going to trump brilliance every time.”

Smart’s easy grace is offset by a frenetic energy that makes her irresistible to watch but difficult to categorize. She’s 5-foot-9 and always felt that her height cut against her beauty-pageant looks, transforming them into something more formidable. Smart was never an ingénue. “I’ve always been part way to between leading lady and a character actress.” She worked consistently after leaving “Designing Women” in 1991, but it wasn’t until she was 53 that she began being cast in larger roles with more edge and gravitas. On “24,” she played Martha Logan, a mentally unstable but cunning first lady who managed to make being unhinged admirable. In “Fargo” (2015) and “Mare of Easttown” (2021), she played cunning and at times malevolent matriarchs. She had a powerful role on “Watchmen” (2019) as the retired vigilante turned F.B.I. agent Laurie Blake. (She got the role after Sigourney Weaver turned it down and told me that “if I’d won the Emmy for that, I was going to thank her.”)

Kate Winslet, who worked with Smart on “Mare of Easttown,” described how she combines intuition with exquisite control of the distinct regions of her face. Smart played Winslet’s mother, Helen, who is both all-seeing and self-absorbed. “Jean has the power to do a tiny thing and flip the energy of the scene,” Winslet told me — raising an eyebrow, say, or sharpening the edge of an inhale. “It’s fresh, because it means every time you walk into a scene, she’ll always do something that will surprise you.” Winslet recalled a moment while filming “Mare” after their characters attended a funeral. They were walking off the set when suddenly Smart turned to her: “Oh, shoot, I wanted them to paint my nails.” She knew that Helen was the kind of woman who would have gone to the beauty parlor to get her hair set and nails done. “It mattered to me that she cared in that way,” Winslet said.

Smart’s willingness to surrender vanity for her art impressed Winslet, but Smart has sometimes wondered if allowing herself to be styled as matronly or haggard hindered some of the momentum she was building. In “Fargo,” for example, she let them color her hair, and “all of a sudden I looked so much older.” It felt like being led out to pasture. “Casting directors have Rolodexes full of actors,” she said, “and if they can’t type you or pigeonhole you, it’s like, Is it really worth the time and effort to try to figure out what that person can do?” By the time she arrived on set at “Hacks,” she had acquired the ability to draw from her letdowns in Hollywood with enough distance to satirize them. On “Hacks,” Smart explained, Deborah represents someone who is pushing back and saying, I’ll decide when I’m done.

At lunch, Smart was open about the recent tragedies in her life. In 2021, Richard Gilliland, an actor she met on the set of “Designing Women” and married in 1987, died after a heart attack. Covid restrictions meant that she got to see him only twice in the hospital. There was still a week left of filming for the first season of “Hacks,” and Smart was asked if she wanted to take some time off. Her inclination was to keep working. “I figured, I’m still in shock,” Smart said. “Let’s just do it, you know?” In the episode they were filming, Ava’s father has suddenly died, and Deborah crashes the funeral and gives a speech that brings the house down. When the time came to get in front of the camera, Smart started shaking. It had been only a few days since her own husband’s death. She wasn’t sure she was going to make it. She recalled taking a deep breath (and an Ativan) and jumping into the scene. Deborah asks the mourners to share a memory of the deceased when he was drunk. Aghast — and titillated — they allow themselves to be goaded into unruly stories, which she tempers by sharing a rare gem of praise for her protégée. Smart remembers it as cathartic.

You can see, in that scene, how Smart excavates her own subterranean emotions in her performance. Occasionally, while talking about her life’s hardships, I got the impression of Smart as a large, silvery body of water and her difficulties as opaque shapes moving underneath. But they never fully surfaced unless she wanted them to. Smart is now raising her youngest son alone, something she never imagined doing at her age. (She has another son who is in his 30s; she and Gilliland adopted their second son 20 years later.) He is now a teenager, and she wants to be present for all the moments of wonder, anxiety and introspection. As our meal wound down, she began talking animatedly about picking him up from school. He was in rehearsals for his high school’s production of “The Pirates of Penzance,” and she was excited to hear about it while she made him dinner. She doesn’t go to bed before he does, even if he stays up until 10 p.m. and she has a 4 a.m. call time. Smart’s zest for her life — all of it, even the challenging parts — comes through clearly. She is determined to enjoy the pleasure of her children and her career as long as she can.

At the end of the previous season, after a tumultuous road trip, a lawsuit and the triumph of pulling off a comeback tour, Ava and Deborah part ways at Deborah’s insistence. She wants Ava to forge her own career. She is also pushing her away out of fear: The closeness has proved to be too much. Deborah is still working out her trust issues, believing that dependence on others has never served her.

When she finally gets what she craves — recognition and power — the axis of the show turns to wondering how this second wave of success will influence her. Will she operate like the ruthless executives she worked under, or will she create new ways of being? Can she? Can anyone? “Hacks” also asks the question of Hollywood itself: What would it be like with different people at the helm? It’s a fantasy of second chances, shifting hierarchies, upended power dynamics — but, appropriately for a moment when the gains of racial-justice movements, #MeToo and D.E.I. initiatives are being rolled back, if not eradicated, “Hacks” refuses to be rosy. Deborah Vance is no utopian leader. She is as flawed as anyone else, but through her, the show explores how people are shaped by systems that misuse them and the damage they can inflict, or undo, as a result.

Deborah’s relationship to biological motherhood is evidence of her priorities and ambivalences. DJ, Deborah’s daughter on the show (played by Kaitlin Olson), is a monument to Deborah’s narcissism. (DJ stands for Deborah Jr.) Their relationship is fraught, as DJ, who feels neglected, commits minor acts of sabotage toward her mother, including tipping off the paparazzi to photograph her in unglamorous moments. It’s later revealed that Deborah not only knows about this but lets DJ get away with it. “Makes her feel self-sufficient,” she tells Ava. It’s a clarifying moment: It is easier to let her daughter think that she’s exploiting her than to affirm or be affectionate toward her.

Deborah finds more kinship with Ava, recognizing herself in the younger comedian’s unabashed careerism and raw talent. Zero blood ties yield more honesty between them. The show understands that chosen family can come in many, sometimes demented and occasionally toxic forms, including work relationships that become stand-ins for our most intimate ones. “Mother” is a verb as well as a noun, and Deborah finds her footing nurturing the next generation of feminist performers and their outrage (on one thrilling episode, she pays an obnoxiously misogynistic male comedian $1.69 million to never perform publicly again). Ava also nurtures Deborah, teaching her how to embrace her vulnerability through comedy and invite people into an incisive and exploratory investigation of the self.

Later in the season, Deborah is being profiled by a magazine when some unsavory, racist material from her past resurfaces online. Ava pushes her to hold herself accountable for her offensive behavior, but the reckoning becomes deeper than that. She is asking Deborah to look hard at her own complacency, her willingness to adopt the status-quo tendencies of exploiting others for her own gain. Deborah agrees to appear at a town hall, but she also insists on charming the students in her own way, crashing a frat party, doing keg stands and buying everyone pizza.

When the article comes out, Ava reads it aloud to Deborah. Ava is quoted in the piece, and she pauses as she recites her own words. “A hack is someone who does the same thing over and over,” she starts. “Deborah is the opposite. She keeps evolving and getting better.” It’s an apt description of the show, Deborah and anyone who faces their worst moment — and survives to joke about it.

Stylist: Micah Schifman

Read by January LaVoy

Narration produced by Krish Seenivasan and Anna Diamond

Engineered by Brian St. Pierre

An earlier version of this article misidentified the service that carries the show “Hacks.” It is Max Original, not HBO.

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