Writing is a lot like cooking. You need your spices in place before you get your pots ready. So if you have an idea and have not been able to cook it, you are not likely to spruce up a tasty article.
So how do we cook our ideas to get our articles to click? Good question.
Like everything else, writing a good article means working a little extra on your recipe. There is a process to get your idea going so follow some basic steps, throw in some creativity and cook your article to perfection.
Do you have a beginning, a middle and an end?
Every article will tell a story. But do you know the beginning, middle and end of your story? Are you starting out from the middle and going to the beginning?
Your flow has to be easy to understand. If you have got too many ideas for an end, edit in your head. Pick your story line and stick to it like the recipe for dessert. You cannot go wrong with a good beginning, an interesting middle and a powerful end. You can mix up the ingredients but make sure you never lose your story. That’s the one ingredient that cannot go wrong.
Short. Simple. Sweet.
While all writers follow the KISS rule, I have my own triple SSS rule where my sentences are simple, short and sweet. Long, big and redundant words make me want to scream and I am not the only one.
Try cooking with too much salt and you will not want to taste your food. Big words are like salt, sprinkle them where necessary and keep your dish just a bit sweet.
Short and simple sentences will get your readers to come back for the next paragraph. That’s where we want them to be.
Do you know that anecdote
I know this sounds like a grammar lesson but remember, this is your oil for your dish. You oil it right, the article will shine like a star. It’s a lot like starting a speech with a funny story. It’s a lot like telling a joke to distract someone.
The purpose is to create an association with the reader. Once you have that, they will read your article.
Get the conversation going
Writing is tough because it’s a one-way channel of communication. If you have put in all your ingredients and are seasoning your article, it is important to not get self consumed in what you are writing.
You are speaking to another person. A reader who will click on your post, read your article and will comment on it. So keep your tone real, fresh and crisp. Talk to the person. Converse.
Spell Check. Spell Check. Spell Check
A great article will be rejected because of errors. So forget your article until you have spellchecked it to perfection. Perfect is a must ingredient for your tasty article. It has to be clean, clear and perfect. So don’t skip this one.
Write your articles and then edit them. Get some to proofread them for you. Once you have made them perfect, read them once again. And when you post, read them again. Re-reading is like tasting your dish before your serve. You cannot afford to put a half cooked dish on the table.
So make that extra effort and cook your article to perfection.
Happy writing!
[custom_author=ayesha.sajid@wordsmith.com.pk]
- Independence Day: 14th August Brings Many Firsts For Pakistan In 2016 - August 13, 2016
- What I Learnt During My Summer Internship At Wordsmith - August 12, 2016
- What You Did Not Know About The Dos and Don’ts Of Writing - August 8, 2016
- Ineffective Rebranding Strategy: Lessons From AJK Elections - August 8, 2016
- United For Healthier Kids Aaj Se: Nestle’s Activation On Hydration, Physical Activity and Better Nutrition - August 4, 2016
