Alanz Eyes

4 mistakes to avoid when writing articles

January 27th, 2006 - Posted by Alan Howard

Poor headline

Straight away you must capture the reader’s attention with the headline, or title of your article. If you’re not sure what to write for the headline, then wait until you’ve finished writing the article. The theme of the article can help you decide what the headline is going to be. Keep it short, but descriptive. Use important keywords.

Poor beginning

Your opening paragraph must be a clear introduction to the content of the article. Your headline has to flow into the first paragraph. Don’t use this opportunity to talk about what you want to do with the article. For example, “In this article, I will help you understand….” or even, “By the time you’ve finished reading this you will know…” You don’t want to presume what the reader is going to get from it. You have an idea for an article - just write it.

Poor flow

You need to remember logic as you write. Logic dictates that this follows that follows this follows… find the flow in what you write. Our thoughts meander from one point to another, without any logical flow. Don’t let your article meander around all over the place. Be clear with what you’re presenting, and move logically from one point to another, letting it all flow together.

Poor summary

For a start, do not label your summary as ’summary’, or ‘conclusion’. Very poor form. Your conclusion has to be like the rest of the article, leading the reader from one point to another. The conclusion must be the final point, and not just a summary of the previous points. The ideal conclusion will be driving the point home and provide the reader with satisfaction that they’ve read your article. Don’t leave them hanging.

It takes practice to write great articles, and you have to stick to a few ground rules along the way. I hope this gives you an idea of some of the ground rules you should be following.

As you write, look for feedback. Listen to what people say about your articles. Remember, they’re the ones reading it, so their opinion is important. In the end, those that read your articles will thank you by coming back to read more.

Entry Filed under: Pre-2006