An Article Content Must Be Useful

Online content should be informative and easy to read.

Articles are documents written for the benefit of readers, our audience. They are used in businesses, magazines, newspapers, well, all kinds of printed materials.

Writing an article is different from other kinds of writing.  Online, "content" writing has been a buzz word. Whether it is traditional printed form or online writing, it's essential that intended readers (audience) are kept in mind. The content of an article is meant to provide valuable information.

Basically, and briefly, an article is outlined in a similar manner, irrespective of the topic or subject matter. 

1. Research and learn as much about the topic

An article needs to be researched and learned as much as possible. Resources can be books, Internet, magazines, journals, about anything found related to the topic. The more data gathered and compiled, the easier to write the article, the better the article outcome.

2. Organize the Content

It is important that reader is clear about the purpose of the article. An informative explanation of the article topic should be provided from the beginning. Definitions for some topics may be necessary.

Following up on the topic needs details, including facts and figures, and if needed, specific examples and illustrations are provided. In fact, anything the informed writer feels is noteworthy warrants content inclusions.

3. Write the Article

A content writer keeps in mind that his/her main purpose is to inform and see to it that the information is useful to the intended readers.

The writer summarizes the researched information of the topic gist putting together an article in a generalized form.

A content article is one that is, and should be, useful to intended readers.

Image Credit:
Parsjoomla.com

How to Collect Information

Simple writing tips how you can collect information

I particularly wrote this post for a writer-friend who recently ask ways how to collect information. Of course it's not only writers who collect information. There's a simple planning process in collecting information made easy.  But as a freelance writer who writes numerous articles on different subjects, I find it much easier to plan how I'll gather my information, both offline and online.

Although I still research and gather my info the old traditional way of a spiral notepad for short info and a handy micro cassette recorder for later playback, I'm aware we also now have the handy iPad at our finger tips. And so too, I use my iPhone for easy brief notes. But when iPhone wasn't available then, I lost capturing lots of thoughts simply because I'd tended to forget having a handy small notepad for emergency back up. My palm pilot was never really that handy. 

Plan your data and info gathering and follow this basic list:

1.  Identify the topic or subject of your research.

2.  Decide what you need to develop your subject.

3.  List down #2 as sub-headings.

4.  Jot down what you already know about your topic, no matter how little you do.

5.  Brainstorm what you know.

6.  Relate #5 with the sub-headings in your list. See if you can group them together.  Soon you will find out that some sub-headings have no entries at all, which means you will need to collect more information for those sub-headings.

7. Clinch your information gathering plan by asking yourself:  "What else do I need to know?"  Who? What? When? How? and Why? are always great extended questions.

The planning process can sometimes lead us to make changes to our sub-headings. It's fine. As long as we follow through the process.

First Things I Learned in Writing School

First Lessons in Writing

What were the first things they taught you in writing schools, or better yet, what did you learn?

I'm not talking about a piece of writing where you need to do a research on, but something you simply want to put to pen what's on your mind - perhaps an idea - or anything begging to be put into words.  Here are some important tips that immediately comes to mind:

1. Don't procrastinate.

Write now!


2. Don't talk away your story.

Write your story or ideas instead of talking and talking about it. Possibly, the other person might have gotten your idea and run away with your story.  It's probable.


3. Don't try to write the "best" story.

Focus on writing your story. The message is: don't be afraid to fail.

4. Don't wear blinders.

See Things through the eyes of a child... in other words, see life through the eyes of a writer. Which brings us to the next lesson...

5. Don't edit while you write.

Don't even bother to admire or criticize your work.  Just keep writing yet. There is a time for editing, and more of that. This is usually a trait of beginning writers.

I'll try to add more next time.  I have five articles waiting in the pipeline. And my target, self-imposed deadline, was last month.  Something more important and urgent came up. Until then.

Checklist Prior Sending Your Manuscript

Manuscript readiness check before sending it

Tips to ask yourself before sending a formal document or your manuscript. Checking on your abbreviations, capitalizations and cliché.

Whether it's a memo, report, letter or proposal, ask yourself these questions before sending out anything:

1. What's my purpose?
2. Have I clearly said what I'm trying to say?
3. Are my thoughts coherent and consistent? 
4. Is my document "reader-centered" rather than "writer-centered"
5. Have I checked spellings, capitalizations, punctuations, abbreviations, etc. I'm not sure of?
6. Have I eliminated cliches, buzz words, jargons, etc.?
7. Have I varied the length of my sentences and paragraphs so as not to bore my receiver?
8. Have I chosen the appropriate and best words I want to convey?
9. Are my ideas clear and presented in a logical manner?
10. Is my  document to the point and short as I can get?
11. Have I written in my natural voice while maintaining my respect for the person I'm sending it to?
12. Does my closing paragraph encourage enough for the other person to act and respond?

Basic Capitalization Rules

• Capitalize the first word of every sentence.
• Capitalize words derived from proper names: British, American, Australian, Victorian
• Capitalize the proper names of people. places and things: John, Paris, London, White House
• Capitalize the days of the week:  Sunday, Monday, Friday.


• Capitalize the names of holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter.
• Capitalize titles of offices when used directly before a name: Prime Minister Thatcher, President Obama, Governor Smith.
• Capitalize "vice" when used in front of a name: Vice President Biden
• Capitalize the names of family members when used with a name: Grandma Moses, Uncle Charlie, Aunt Jane.
• Capitalize common names with place names: Seventh Avenue, Amazon River, Wimpole Road
• Capitalize historical events and ages: Reformation, Second World War

Most Common Abbreviations

• a.m. ante meridiem, before noon


• p.m.  post meridiem, after noon


• e.g.  exempli gratia, for example or example given


• etc.  et cetera, and so forth


• ibid.  ibidem, in the same place


• i.e.  id est, that is

Clichés to avoid

Words and phrases that listeners and readers may be tired of.

• At the end of the day
• At this moment in time
• like (too much use as if it has become a form of punctuation)
• With all due respect

Other terms include:

• absolutely
• address the issue
• awesome
• ballpark figure
• basically
• bear with me
• bottom line
• I hear what you're saying
• in terms of
• it's not rocket science
• literally
• ongoing prioritize
• pushing the envelope thinking outside the box

We need to be clear in our minds before we can also write clearly.

Note: About the clichés, I'm glad to have found one of the clippings I've kept, sent by a friend.  The result came from one of the surveys by the Plain English Campaign. It may be more than six years ago or so, still, relevant today.