A Checklist to Writing a Comprehensive Article
Looking for a comprehensive checklist to improve your writing? Here we will take a look at the key components of what make a great article stand out from the rest.
1. Message
As with any project – you must keep in mind its purpose and message. Ask yourself, what is your approach method (be it journalism etc.), what is your style and pace – (aggressive guerrilla or formal BBC investigative type journalism)?
Keep in mind who your reader will be – but at the same time, don’t let this alter you too much – will they know the social references you are referring to or do you need to add more details to certain points?
Other important considerations to note are
1. The platform where you will be publishing
2. What length of the piece is
3. Do you have enough time to develop your point or do you have to speed up the pace? How does your article sound when you read it aloud? If it’s too preachy – tone it down to be more helpful – and if it’s too soft – drive home some truths about that topic.
Keep in mind your message throughout and don’t be afraid to be you!
2. Style & Readership
People are reading your material for a reason - so try and hone in on what makes you unique. Know your audience and tailor the message to them. This means anything from not dumbing down the material too much – to not taking what you assume to be conventional knowledge for granted. That being said – try and be comprehensive. If you can put the information all on one page, you’re much more likely to benefit your readers than if you make them search for everything themselves.
3. Pace
Develop your point at an appropriate pace. It’s not a bullet point presentation – so don’t be too snappy and robotic – but don’t be Tolstoy either.
Write your piece to the point and keep it fresh and simple.
4. Support & Proof of Argument
Always have the facts on your side. If you can back up your points – do! Try and keep the traffic to within your website – like this – but if you haven’t covered something – don’t hesitate to put in an external link to explain a point better – like this.
5. Breakdown
Before you start writing, create a clear breakdown of the points or chapters that you want to cover. This is important because it allows you to be more concise from the beginning in how you approach the writing of your piece – and it can save you a lot of time.
It also makes it much more easier for your reader to find what each paragraph is about – more experienced readers may just want to skim your points rather than read each word of your piece.
That's all the top tips for now - have a look at the checklist below to make sure you're on the right track!
Checklist:
Spellcheck
Message
Style and Readership
Support and Proof
Pace
Breakdown
Read Aloud
SEO & Key Words
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