5 Tips For Writing Better Articles
Want to polish up your prose? Here are five quick tips for writing better free articles.
5 Tips for Writing Better Articles
With the internet providing a simple way of publishing writing online, more and more people are choosing to write and distribute free articles on a huge variety of topics. They do this for a variety of reasons – to advertise their goods or services, to improve the ranking of a website, or just to share their knowledge with a wider audience.
If you\’d like to make your contribution to the sea of information but are worried that your writing might not be up to scratch, here are a few tips to help you polish your prose!
Consider Your Purpose and Your Audience
What are you trying to do with your free articles? Sell a product? Review a film? Describe an experience you had? And who are you writing it for? What kind of language would it be appropriate to use? Make sure you have a clear idea of what the aim of your article is and who you are writing it for before you start to write it – it\’ll help you keep your writing sharp and focused on your goal.
Use Structure
A solid block of text can be an off-putting thing to read, especially on the internet where people tend to have a shorter attention span. So when you write an article, break it up into sections and organise those sections – use subheadings, bullet points, numbered lists, and so on. Not only will this make your free articles easier to read, it\’ll also help you to organise your thoughts and produce a better piece of writing in the first place.
Spell Check!
Nothing screams a lack of quality in an article like an obvious misspelling or a sentence that simply doesn\’t make sense. Make sure you proof read your writing carefully, or even better, get someone else to read it for you – sometimes it can be hard to spot your own mistakes! A free article that features basic errors in its spelling and grammar isn\’t one that anyone is going to trust.
Use Simple Language
When people write free articles, they are sometimes tempted to try and use the biggest words they can – and as many of them as possible! But article writing isn\’t about showing off your vocabulary, it\’s about communicating with a reader. Generally speaking, simple, unadorned language is the best way of getting your ideas across. If it is possible to cut out a word without weakening the meaning of the sentence, always cut it out.
Edit and Redraft
Many inexperienced writers will publish their first draft with barely a single change in it, but redrafting is the key to good writing. After you have written the first draft of an article, don\’t just publish it straight away. Save it and forget about it for a few days, then come back and read it again with fresh eyes. Not only will this make it easier to spot any spelling or grammar errors, it will also allow you to see how the article could be improved. Consider what unnecessary words and sentences could be cut out. Are there places where you repeat yourself, or where the meaning is unclear? If you get in the habit of putting any piece of writing through at least a second draft, you\’ll see your writing improve rapidly.
No one becomes a good writer overnight – it takes plenty of practice and hard work. But by following these five tips, you\’ll be able to produce writing that at least avoids the common mistakes of new writers.
Julietta Henderson is a regular contributor to article directories, and specialises in writing free articles relating to travel and holiday destinations.