Hope Writes

Simple 3-Step Process To Write An Article

If you aren’t a writer, but want to try your hand at it, I’m going to show you a very easy way to get started. This is the simplest way to write an article and anybody can do it. So let’s get started…

Step 1: Decide on your topic. The first thing you have to do is decide what your article will be about. To determine this, jot down a list of everything you’re interested in. What are you hobbies? What books do you enjoy reading? What are you passionate about?

Be sure to choose a topic that you are knowledgable about. This will make writing your article lots easier. Once you have some practice under your belt, start tackling topics that you are interested in, but don’t know much about. (These will require more time and research.)

Step 2: Create an outline and draft. Once you’ve settled on a topic, you are ready to begin the actual writing. First, write an outline. I’m not talking about an outline like we had to use in English class in high school. I’m talking about an informal outline of what you can include in your article. Too many people don’t outline in the pre-writing stage because they freeze up. But it’s a super simple step that can save you a ton of time in the long run.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you are going to write an article on bird feeders. Let’s just brainstorm some ideas out right now in a quick outline…

Birdfeeders
1) General overview of birdfeeders
   > What they are
   > Why they’re so popular
   > Who invented them

2) Types of birdfeeders
   >type #1
   >type #2
   >type #3

3) Birdseed
   > What kinds of birdseed to use in which feeders
   > When to put birdseed in your feeder

4) Attracting birds
   > How long it takes for a bird to come to your feeder
   > Birds that stay
   > Birds that eat and don’t return

This is how my outlining process works. I usually write the article title/topic at the top of a page, then just start jotting down ideas as they come to me. Depending on the length of the article, I’ll have more or less sections. I usually try to brainstorm as much information as possible because I almost always cut out part of my original outline and throw it away.

After you have a nice outline, add some “meat” to your bones. You already have a solid framework of ideas that you can build upon to write a nice article. Using your outline, shape your ideas into sentences. Think of each of your sections as a paragraph; each sub-section is a sentence.

Step 3: Edit, rewrite, and proofread. After you get the first draft out on paper, let it sit for a bit. If you have some time, wait a couple of days. If you’re pressed for time, walk away for about 30 minutes. Then go back to your paper and start cutting away the parts that aren’t necessary.

During the editing stage, be very critical. Read your paper with an editorial eye. Does something sound off? Are your thoughts scattered? Cut and paste or delete and add parts as needed to your article.

When you’re finally happy with your final rewrite, do a quick spell check then proofread. While it’s okay to use the grammar check on your computer, it can’t be counted as reliable. Give your article one more quick read-through. A good way to check for mistakes is to read the text backwards.

And there you have it! A very easy process to writing your very own articles.

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