Basically, an
article is a body of text that conveys
data,
facts,
intelligence, and knowledge.
The subject
and type of article, and audience to whom it is aimed determines
the style, that is, whether it is written in a scientific language, with an
informal
voice or in a more serious manner.
A scientific or medical article aimed at professionals will use the
first example, i.e. scientific language. The same article aimed at
the general population must be written in layman’s language that
everyone can understand.
An article written on a serious subject
should have a similar tone of writing, while something aimed at
teens or young adults about entertainment, clothing or sports,
will take on a bright and more breezy note. |
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To get a human face on the issue being
discussed in an article, many editors require two
anecdotal pieces to be included. These will come from
interviews with people who have first hand experience of
the topic.
In an article about home-schooling for
instance, you can interview people whose children are
home schooled. If you don’t know of anyone, support
organizations can help by supplying names and phone
numbers.
They are willing to do
this because your article will help to spread the word
about their work.
One of the easiest articles to write is the “10 tips to
a great (whatever)” type. The ten tips form the body of
course, while the introduction explains why you need
this information. The brief summary recaps the
information and gives a call to action, eg, “Now you
know the best way to catch that fish, go out there and
do it.” |
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A how-to
article is a little different than other types of
articles. It should be written in imperative voice, eg,
“Grasp the leaf and pull down.”
Not, “You should grasp
the leaf and pull down.” Warning on safety, if
necessary, should be presented early in the body of the
text and unusual terms and names explained clearly. |
Let the readers know what the project entails in the
introduction – they might not want to paint 200 copies
of that flower after all. A list of tools and materials
will be required, but it is a good idea to leave writing
this list until the last, even though it should appear
at the beginning. This is so no mistake can be made in
the type of tools and materials used.
In general, the how-to article will be written in steps.
It is important that these appear in the proper order of
doing, so the reader will not be confused. Do a quick
summary of what the project should look like at various
stages so the reader will know whether the job is going
right.
Visualize each step carefully as you write. The
how-to article is one of the easiest types of articles
to write. If sketches are required and you cannot supply
them, just do a rough job to give the general idea.
Magazines usually have their own artists who will work
from what you supply.
An article usually has five Basic sections
· Headline - Yes, this is important, as it will
inform the reader what the article is about. If it is
catchy, or has a hook of some kind, so much the better.
The reader will be curious to find out what it is all
about and read on. Look through a paper or magazine and
note some of the headlines.
· Introduction - One paragraph is usually enough
for the introduction. It should build on the headline
and explain the content of the article without giving it
all away.
· Main body - This will contain all information
that is required about the topic along with anecdotes if
any.
· Conclusion - The conclusion need only be one or
two paragraphs to sum up and round off the information
presented. In the case of how-to articles, it should
give the reader a pat on the back for all the hard work
that has been done and point out the benefits. Eg, “Now
you have the most unique gizmo on the block and your
friends will be envious.”
· Bibliography - This is not always necessary.
Some editors like to see a list of your information
sources, but don’t necessarily publish them. A longer
article that contains specific important information on
say, health issues or scientific topics may require a
bibliography.
Be cautious with
personal comments about your article. People want to
know what’s in it for them, not why you thought you
should write it, or how you got the idea for it. And if
you are writing about a topic that is so unusual
that few people know about it, try to use an analogy
that is familiar to them. |
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Read our reports, print and put them in a binder for ready
reference, and visit "Blogged
by RichardPresents.com" for more Web Presence
Development Ideas.
To
your Success,
Richard Rossbauer
P.S. Remember this Tip In
general, you don’t need hooks or gimmicks to start an article,
simply find the point where the useful information starts and go
from there.
About the Author -
Richard Rossbauer has been writing about Niche
Marketing, helping others create a rewarding web presence,
and Online security for the past 10 years. His
www.RichardPresents.com website also offers tips and
tools for doing fun things like family gardening, camping,
cooking, bird watching, and other enjoyable
activities. . |
These
helpful articles may be copied and republished as long as the content
and the author's bio are not altered, and the link to
his website remains active. |
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