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7 Golden Rules of Article Writing

Author: Delnaz Edulji
by Delnaz Edulji
Posted: Apr 29, 2015

There are tons of content writers in Mumbai that think that no rules exist for article writing. Well, guess what…they are wrong. There is a perfect formula or seven golden rules to article writing. Let us learn what they are:

Keep the Introductory Material Simple:

Good articles start with an introduction and they continue with a clear structure. Start with a short and crisp lead section introducing the topic in everyday English.

Structure the Paragraphs:

The section after the lead should broadly provide an overview of the topic. Paragraphs should be short enough to read through quickly and yet convey a clear idea of what information to expect in the rest of the article. Extremely long paragraphs could be split as long as there is a flow in paragraphs. Paragraph with one sentence should be used sparingly. Articles should rarely contain such paragraphs. If you need to discuss tables or lists, then it should be written as prose.

Headings:

Every article starts with a heading/title. Headings overall describe articles with one major top level label. Headings are always hierarchical. Often headings are followed by sub-headings or low level headings. It is not essential to use a sub-headings but don’t be afraid to use them to define an idea. Always remember that organising content of the articles along with their sub-headings is a matter of personal judgment. For instance, cooking is an example of an article that covers a range of subtopics.

Images:

Images that relevant to the content of the article aregreat. If an article can be illustrated using pictures, then why not find an appropriate picture for the article? Always remember that the illustrations should relate as closely as possible to the text.

Size:

The size of the article should always be short and concise. Extremely long articles should be avoided. Smaller articles improve readability and ease of editing if words need to be minimised still further.

Context, Style & Tone:

Ensure that your article is understandable to readers coming from different backgrounds. Always try to provide a context to the reader. Avoid using jargon and be a plain as possible.It should make coherent sense to the common man.Comprehensibility and clarity of the context plays a vital role in quality of the content.

When you are evaluating the content of the article, test it. Testing the article will allow you to know if you are setting enough context. Ask yourself if the article makes sense to those readers with a little or no knowledge of the subject matter, if it is easy to figure out what the article is all about? Does the article satisfy readers who are looking for a quick summary or moderate amount of information? etc.

Summary style articles usually works for content writers who want to write on a specific topic in a certain amount of detail. News style articles main feature is the placement of important information first followed by information with decreasing levels of importance as the article advances. News style articles are usually not favoured for article writing for company clients but a familiarity with this form may help in planning the organisation and style of the article. The tone of the article is again a matter of personal judgement. Depending on your client, the article can be formal, impersonal and dispassionate or it can be very casual, conversational, rhetorical and interactive.

Concluding Paragraph & Overall Checking:

The concluding part of the article should include all different threads to a narrative. The last part should not leave out even anyone thread of the narrative. It should be conclusive.Once you have finished writing the article, take a tiny break. Taking a break will give you time out to stand away from your work so that you can find your own mistakes in the article later. Often a lot of errors are not easily seen by us when we read our content. However, when we take a break for some time, we immediately can spot an error that stands out like a sore thumb. So it is advisable to take a break. Next, always do a quick proof-reading. It is a must. Proof-reading will allow you to find out jumps in narratives or an abrupt element in the flow of the article.

If freelance content writers and blog writers in Mumbai and article writing services in India pay heed to these 7 golden rules of article writing, they will never fail to impress their clients!

About the Author

Delnaz Edulji, the founder of Stylus aims to characterize documentation through her learning and contributions to the industry in her role as a writer for a start-up firm, moving on to a team lead and project manager at a CMM Level 5 US based company

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Author: Delnaz Edulji

Delnaz Edulji

Member since: Jul 30, 2014
Published articles: 17

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