Articles are not difficult to write; but you can easily make them that way if you don’t follow a system to prevent it. In other words, it’s harder to write a good article without a plan than it is with one.
Here is one plan that you might find helpful. It’s probably the opposite of what you’ve been taught.
1. Decide your conclusion first
This is counterintuitive for most people. But here’s the logic. You have to know what action you want people to take before you tell them how to do it.
2. List the main points that lead to that conclusion
Now work backwards. What do people need to know in order to reach the conclusion? What will they need to be thinking at the end that will make them want to do what you want them to do?
3. Write two or three sentences for each point
Flesh out your points a little bit. This will enable you to clarify what you mean. Examples can be particularly helpful; but wherever possible use an online example for an online point. It takes a special insight to apply an offline example to an online problem.
4. Write the introduction
The introduction is like the preface in a book, or the overture in an opera. It mentions the themes and tells the reader what to expect. It also gives the big picture. Doing so will make the article much easier to understand.
5. Choose a title that best represents what you’ve written
Now that you know what your article is about, the title is easy. And leaving it until last also means that you don’t start out writing one article and then having it turn out to be something else by the time you get to the end.
By the way, do you want to learn more about building your web presence and growing your information business?
Here is one plan that you might find helpful. It’s probably the opposite of what you’ve been taught.
1. Decide your conclusion first
This is counterintuitive for most people. But here’s the logic. You have to know what action you want people to take before you tell them how to do it.
2. List the main points that lead to that conclusion
Now work backwards. What do people need to know in order to reach the conclusion? What will they need to be thinking at the end that will make them want to do what you want them to do?
3. Write two or three sentences for each point
Flesh out your points a little bit. This will enable you to clarify what you mean. Examples can be particularly helpful; but wherever possible use an online example for an online point. It takes a special insight to apply an offline example to an online problem.
4. Write the introduction
The introduction is like the preface in a book, or the overture in an opera. It mentions the themes and tells the reader what to expect. It also gives the big picture. Doing so will make the article much easier to understand.
5. Choose a title that best represents what you’ve written
Now that you know what your article is about, the title is easy. And leaving it until last also means that you don’t start out writing one article and then having it turn out to be something else by the time you get to the end.
By the way, do you want to learn more about building your web presence and growing your information business?