News articles: Three basic steps to better news articles

News writing can be fast-paced, deadline-oriented and detail heavy. It demands a lot from a writer, but can also provide exceptional benefits. Any first year journalism student knows the basics of how to write a news article. The follow-up is how to add more depth and communicate the facts more concisely. In addition to “the who, what, when, how and why”, writing a better news article requires following three critical steps.

The first step focuses on the title or headline, if it is an option and on the introductory sentence or statement. You have only a few seconds in which to grab your reader’s attention of lose them completely. It won’t matter how great the rest of your article is if they don’t read it. Put your energy and feature the most intriguing detail of your news item in those opening words. Make the title a challenge or a mystery. Make it a must read. Then, open with an emphatic statement or a challenging remark. Do not let them simply glance at it and then wander off to the next section.

Step two concerns the sorts of words you choose to convey information. Writers love to play with words, to bend and pose them, contorting them into shapes that suite our purposes. In new article writing, however, there is less elasticity with language. Keeping your word count to a minimum is not only a prerequisite for some publications, but it ought to be your own goal. Short, well-written articles are more likely to be read completely.

Finally, don’t let your article draw to a conclusion without offering food for further thought, or perhaps a suggestion of what kinds of actions could or should be taken. Do not editorialize. That’s a temptation you have to resist. You can, however, draw logical conclusions based upon the facts and summarize.

When you write news articles, you don’t get the fun of creating characters and plots, but you do enjoy an awesome responsibility and privilege. It is your duty to report accurate information. Just be sure you catch the reader’s attention, provide that information in a short, concise manner and summarize it decisively. You’ll get and keep more readers with these steps, and who knows, soon you might be able to enjoy doing a little editorializing? 

Essay writing: Three basic steps to a better essay

Unless you’re enrolled in a college-level writing course, you won’t get much chance to have fun penning essays after you graduate from high school. Though essays, and essayists, were once literary icons, the art has declined in recent decades. The heyday of the essay saw the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau reinventing the work. While you might not have ambitions to reach their lofty status as a writer, there are steps you can take to make your essays better.

Often people confuse essays and short stories. Essays are not works of fiction. Nor, however, are they totally unbiased facts. If I had to describe them I’d call them “opinionated prose”. The writer draws from facts, but liberally interprets those facts from his or her personal point of view. So the first step (after picking a topic, of course) in writing a good essay is to gather the facts you’ll need to work with. You can use the same sources for research you would for a paper on the subject. You just don’t need to worry as much about citing your sources.

 Next, you’ll need to write the essay in a typical format. In other words, you’ll want an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Since essays can be a page long or sixty pages long, you will have to consult your facts, your feelings and, if being published, your editor’s guidelines when you create the outline you’ll follow. Even with an essay, an outline can help you stay focused and on track. It can be easy to meander off the path if you’re writing about things you care about.

That’s the next step. You need to own the words you are writing. It is “your” essay. You are the writer and the opinions and observations included in its contents should be yours. While you might admire experts in the field of your topic, you shouldn’t quote them unless citing the quotation properly. As a rule, quotes from other sources often feel awkward in a personal piece such as this. Don’t just echo other people’s ideas, express your own. That is what an essay is for.

So, when you want to pen a good essay, you will first research your topic (and don’t omit opposing points of view in your reading!). Then, you will lay out the format in an outline to keep yourself from getting away from your point while you work. Then, finally, you’ll own the piece, making it yours personally. The end result should be a quality work that, while it might not rival Emerson, should prove interesting and informative for your readers.

Thesis writing guide: Five steps to basic thesis writing

Writing a thesis, whether it is in middle school, high school or at the college level, requires you to follow some very basic steps. You can, of course, expect the degree of difficulty in writing the paper to increase as you move up the academic ladder. The fundamental steps that must be followed to create a thesis or paper that can earn you a passing mark, however, do not.

The first step is the simplest and the most difficult at the same time. The formulation of your thesis can take more time than the research or writing phases of the work. Still, you want a nailed-down, solid thesis (theory) on which to base your work. If it is too broad, it will require a book to cover. If, on the other hand, it is too narrow and shallow, you will have trouble meeting the page count and fulfilling the academic requirements.

The next step is to use your thesis to formulate your outline. The initial outline should be somewhat tentative. After all, you may discover facts or data in your research that need to be added or that will change the way you wish to present your findings. Still, the basic outline needs to be done and followed, even during the research phase.

Once you have a working outline, you can move on to the research phase. Research can be done by reading and compiling information from various reference sources or, in the case of scientific papers, you might actually need to perform lab or field work, as well. Keeping detailed notes and ensuring that you have all of your source information notated on your outline can be a big help.

Once research is done, then you can begin composing the paper. You want a good introduction. Make it at least one solid paragraph and be sure to state your thesis in the form of a sentence in the first paragraph. The following paragraphs, after your introduction, will begin the body of the work. The body follows the outline that you have been fine-tuning all throughout your research. It lays out the facts that support your thesis following a logical sequence.

Finally, you will write your conclusion. The conclusion should hit the high notes on the most crucial points that back up your theory. It should then end with a restatement or summarization of your thesis. The conclusion of the paper is probably the hardest part to write, and the most crucial. Spend as much time as you need to get it just right.

Writing a thesis or other research paper is about following basic steps. These fundamental guidelines will not change even as you move forward towards your degree. Eventually, you might even be called upon to write the ultimate thesis, a doctoral dissertation. If you do, you will still follow these same basic steps in order to achieve the success you seek.

Paragraph Writing: The three basic steps to writing a good paragraph

Every paragraph has three basic components. Each of these components comprises a segment of the whole, just as they do in all basic forms of writing. The fundamental steps to ensuring your paragraph is properly constructed require a well-written introduction, body and a conclusion. While this might be breaking paragraph writing down to its most elemental form, and yet it is necessary to get each of these steps right in order for your work to flow.

The first step, the introduction, is very much what it sounds like. It is an introduction to what you’re writing about in that paragraph. Too often, especially when writing long pieces that have many paragraphs, we think we need to reintroduce the subject or, worse yet, that we can skip an introduction altogether. Though it does not need to be as succinct or detailed as the introduction in your introductory paragraph (another topic entirely) it does need to let your reader know what’s going to happen now. It is an essential tool in ensuring continuity in the overall work.

The body of the paragraph is the information or ideas you wish to convey. They need to follow your introduction and be revealed in logical sequence. It is essential that you don’t jump all over the place in the body of a paragraph. If you need to change directions or add an extra item, then do use thoughtfully worded transitions in order to keep your work cohesive. The body of the paragraph, after all, is the meat of your work. Flesh it out but don’t let it bulge at the seams. Keep it to the point and on track with your outline.

Finally, use your concluding sentence, or series of sentences, to finish off this particular fragment of subject matter and still, unless it is your concluding paragraph, do let it segue your reader into the next bit of information you’re going to impart. In other words, allow your concluding sentence in this paragraph to open the door that leads into the introductory statement of your next paragraph.

Basic writing skills build from words, to phrases, to sentences, to paragraphs, to bigger and longer compositions. Once you have mastered a well-constructed paragraph, then you are ready to move from simple writing exercises to really writing. Just keep these steps in mind as you work and your work will have the right continuity and flow to keep your reader’s interest. 

Coherent writing steps: Three easy steps to smoother transitions in writing

Often our tasks as writers require us to blend together different aspects of a subject and still keep the flow of wording smooth and easy to follow. To accomplish this, you want to ensure that your transition from one idea or aspect of the subject to another is clever and not contrived. Here are a few simple steps to help you keep your rhythm even when the subject matter doesn’t.

The last line of the previous paragraph can be the off-ramp to your next area of discussion. Think of your work as traffic moving along on a super highway. You start on the road and then have to make a right turn to tackle this idea. The end of that first body paragraph is the next turn in the road. If you let your reader know that the following paragraph will be headed in a new direction, they will make that merge into the new flow of thought traffic on the next road more easily.

Another way to ensure that you don’t lose your reader after the introduction is to outline the body of your work, providing a road-map as it were, in that first paragraph. If they understand that you will be relating information and ideas about different aspects of the subject as you wind your way towards your destination (the conclusion), they will be more comfortable with the changes in material.

Of course, you can never underestimate the power of a well-placed transitional device to segue your current area of discussion into a new one. You’ve got plenty to choose from including the old standards such as:

• On the other hand
• After all
• Consequently
• As a result
• Moreover
• Furthermore
• However

There are almost too many to list. Then, you can always come up with your own. Phrases that transition from one area of thought to another smoothly can be as unique and individual as the style of each writer. They can also ensure the continuity you want in a solid piece of writing.

Whichever of these steps you employ, perhaps you might want to mix and match all three, you can make the trip along your meandering path an easy route to follow for your reader if you just ensure smooth transitions. That way, you and your reader can reach the same conclusion via the same route and both of you can enjoy the trip.

Short story writing guide: Three steps to short story writing success

Putting together a short story can be a bit of a challenge, especially if there’s a cap on the word count or number of pages. While some writers have no problem keeping their fiction brief and to the point. Others find it almost impossible to tie up all of the loose ends in fifteen hundred words or less. To ensure your short story is complete and meets the guidelines, here are some basic steps to write a successful short story.

First, while it might seem like overkill, do create an outline to follow. It can be a simple thing, but it is important that you have it. The outline starts at word one and ends at the last word allowed in the guidelines. If you lay out the concept using it, you will not only know the path the plot follows, you will be able to use the least verbiage possible to get from your introduction to the tale’s ending.

Secondly, be sure you spend more time on active statements than on passive ones. In a short story, a good adverb can be twice as effective as five adjectives. Keeping the plot moving along and the characters alive are essential to holding a reader’s interest. Too much picturesque prose in a short story will either send you over word limit or confuse the storyline.

Finally, write the entire story in your first draft. Go as far over that word limit as you want. Then, become the editor or, rather, the butcher. You want to cut away the fat and leave nothing but bones and lean flesh. This story needs to sizzle, but not with a lot of extra weight. It needs to be smooth and fluid and not one word heavier than the allowed count.

Of course, different genres of short story writing do require different approaches. Still following these three basic steps will help make any short story go the distance, no matter how short that distance might need to be. 

Copy Writing Guide: Four steps to sales copy writing that sells!

Copy that sells a product or service, or maybe even a person, is not that difficult to write. Your basic writing skills and the ability to follow a few simple steps can take you from work order to finished product with ease. Whatever you need to sell, these are the steps that can close the deal with your readers.

The first step is to clearly identify your product in your opening statements. In this instance, a product can refer to consumer goods, a politician or a service that is being performed for money. If you are selling an item, name it. If it is a shoehorn, call it by the name it is marketed under (i.e. Bob’s Best Shoehorn). If it is a politician or public figure, name them and give their title or profession. If they are running for office, include that. If, however, you are promoting a service that is being provided by a person or business, you need to include both the provider and the service when you name the “product”.

The next step is to romance the product. You want your readers (consumers, voters, etc.) to fall in love with what you are selling. To sell, you use positive words and phrases, and you also spend lots of your time writing in active voice. Passion sells. Passionate sales writing is not a passive verb type of writing.

The third step to copy that sells is to involve the reader. If you invite them or offer them a chance to join the dialogue, they often are interested enough to read on. Ask them questions. Give them illustrations to compare. Which would you choose? Why would anyone? These are the sorts of questions that lead, provoking interaction between written words and those reading them.

Finally, close the deal. If you have spent four paragraphs convincing someone to vote for Mr. Smith, then sum it up with a rousing statement of encouragement to do just that. If you have told them why Bob’s Best Shoehorn is the best, then tell them where they can buy it and send them there. Make this statement imperative and active.

It’s not hard to sell with words. It is probably much more difficult to do it if you are delivering them verbally, off the cuff and face-to-face with a customer. Writers can take advantage of being the faceless entity behind the print. That does not mean, however, that we don’t know how to push that inventory as well as the best salesman on the floor. Follow these steps and your copy will sell, and you will sell more copy.

Writing Guide: More creative writing in just three easy steps

There’s a myth that says only fictional writing needs to be creative. This implies that any other sort of writing, i.e. non-fiction, can be as dull as dishwater and that’s fine. To this I have only one response. Rubbish! Your non-fiction may actually require more creativity on your part to become a readable item than any short story or a play. After all, you usually get to choose the plot and characters in a story. In factual writing, you’re stuck with what is handed to you and sometimes, you need a lot of creative talent to make the subject something anyone would want to read. For more creative writing, just follow these simple steps.

First, no matter how dull the subject matter, find an aspect or angle on it that holds a glimmer of interest. If there is no such angle, and the subject is the equivalent of watching paint dry, then try changing your angle. Write from a tongue-in-cheek, semi-humorous perspective or from an expert’s opinion. Perhaps you can add in some comments about a related subject that is not so dull. Be creative in your approach.

Secondly, you need to liven up your verbiage. Dump those passive sentences and the usual trite adjectives and adverbs. Dull subjects require interesting wording. Instead of discussing “paint drying on a wall”, try describing “the transition from dark liquid red to a soft russet hue as the paint is absorbed by the drywall”. It’s the same thing, but it sounds more interesting in the second example.

Step three is a reminder. Do not let yourself get so bogged down in this subject that you stop caring what sort of work you turn out. All writing that is going to either be viewed or published and has been written by you affects the overall perception of your work by others, including potential employers. So, dig deep and find a way to make the drying paint into a verdant change in wall color. It can be done, but it will take more time, more effort and more determination.

Finding the angle, either on the subject or for your take on that subject, is a start. Follow that up with lively, interesting phrasing that makes the boring more boisterous and, lastly, don’t indulge in writer’s pity. Instead, when you’re handed a plate of boring subjects about which you are to write, celebrate it as a challenge and embrace it as such. Your work will benefit, as will your reputation.

Four steps to freelance writing that sells

To succeed as a freelance writer, you need to have the same basic skills as a writer who does their work as an employee at a publication or an advertising agency. You need the ability to research a topic and present the required information in a manner that engages the interest of the reader. In almost every instance, outside the realm of news reporting and even that could be argued, the writing we do is intended to “sell” something. To create freelance writing that really sells, you need to follow a few key steps.

First, identify the idea or product or person that you are selling. The project may not come to you with a list of keywords or a specific sales agenda, but it is there, somewhere in the work order. It might take a little back-and-forth with your editor, but eventually you’ll get a clear picture of what point needs to come across. That’s what you’ll build from.

Secondly, research the topic thoroughly, but spend some extra time on the area of the subject that will help you to slant the work in the direction it needs to follow. For instance if you’re writing a travel article for a magazine that heavily promotes cruises, you might want to research an island destination’s general aspects and spend extra time discovering what you can about its role as a cruise destination.

Step three is to put together a clear, concisely worded article that provides the reader with the information that they need to either make a decision, or to further pursue an idea. Some articles are sales pitches. They simply sell an item or concept. Others woo the reader and nudge them on to the next article, the next step. Your work order or directive should convey which approach you need to take with your freelance writing. The direct pieces will be strong pushes with their emphasis on the “sell”. A piece that sells indirectly will romance the entire general subject but offer informative nuggets about the product or concept.

Finally, read your finished work and correct any grammatical errors or misspellings. While you’re at it, take an opportunity to polish it for the reader and to shore up any weak points. The finished product should fit not only the specifications of your initial work order, but reflect the quality of your own freelance writing ability.

Freelance writing is a great way to do what you love and do it on your own time, working around your own schedule. Following these basic steps will help you improve the quality of your writing and, as a result, enhance your ability to sell yourself to employers.

Five steps to freelance writing success

“Freelance”. The word itself conjures an image of a wanderer, a person who doesn’t live in a fixed space, much less work in a cubicle or have to track their billable hours for some nameless, faceless boss. A freelancer is, if you break the word down, a weapon for hire. The “free” part is easy enough. The “lance” part refers to a spear or pole used by knights for jousting. Thus a “freelancer” would be one whose weapon was his or her own, and not used under the governance of an overlord. Perhaps you like words, too. You enjoy breaking them down or blending them to create images or ideas. If so, you might be the perfect candidate for a job as a freelance writer. When you’ve decided to give the idea of being a “pen for hire” a stab (pun intended), then here are five steps to help you on your way to become a freelance writer for content development:

First, do not let your lack of formal education in the writer’s craft daunt you. Many great writers, some of the greatest in literary history, had little or no professional training as writers. The best writing is often instinctive. You do, of course, need the rudiments of spelling and grammar. The rest you can learn along the road.

Secondly, you want to start out small. You might want to write travel articles and have dreams of seeing your story’s title on the front of a glossy magazine and maybe getting a byline? Think smaller. A great place to start is in your own home at your own PC. Article writing or publishing an on-line “blog” is a good way to get experience and exposure while fine-tuning your web content writing abilities.

The third step is finding someone who is willing to pay for your work. You might want to work up a few travel articles of varying lengths and keep them tucked away. Then, surf along on the web for the sites that offer freelance writing jobs and editors a chance to cyber-meet and, if you’re persistent, eventually someone is going to give you a chance. That’s when having those samples of your work can come in very handy.

The fourth step is establishing credibility as a content writer. This assumes that you’ve landed an assignment. It doesn’t matter how small, insignificant or boring it might be, do your best at it. Put all you have into it, and ensure that it stands out in a positive light. That’s how you get picked for the next job and how other editors learn of your work. Even if you don’t get picked when you submit your samples, take heart. Better editors will often critique your samples and give you pointers. They want you to improve your web writing skills. After all, they need good writers.

Finally, even when you are not on an assignment, keep writing. Check out books on composition and grammar, and use them to assess and perhaps rework some of your old material or create some new articles. Word crafting is an art that improves, as do most other forms of art, with practice.

The freelance writers enjoy the flexibility of working on their own with minimal supervision, freedom to accept or refuse assignments and can decide their hours and what days will be holidays on their calendars. It is not, however, a great full-time job for the breadwinner of the home. Only top-notch writers can pay the mortgage or rent on their freelancer writing jobs’ salary. Still, be encouraged. Those same top freelancer writers had to start somewhere, and chances are they followed some of these same steps.

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