A Step-by-Step Guide To Writing A Killer Article
How to organize your writing process as a freelance journalist
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Writing an effective and engaging article requires a plan of action. I spent two years at J-school learning how to organize my writing process. I’ll teach you in 5 minutes.
As an ultra-organized person, I need a straightforward “to do” list for every goal I set. Whether it’s a task as simple as cleaning my room or as complex as building a rocket (which I have never done, by the way), I am a woman with a plan. Writing an article is no exception.
Every form of writing, no matter how creative or factual, has guidelines. A timeline of events must be set in course before the final product appears in all its glory. This timeline looks different for each genre of writing. I’m sure I have no idea how to even begin writing a limerick poem or a sci-fi novel. However, I do know the steps from start to finish in the process of writing a factual article.
Step 1: Brainstorm
Writing always includes this step, doesn’t it? An idea worth writing about must come from somewhere. The question is, where do you find a good idea for an article? There are a number of places to look…
- the internet
- bulletins
- news papers (check anniversary/graduation/obituary notices)
- statistics
- magazines
- social media trends
Heck, there are even ideas lurking around in your own home. You simply need to know where to look.
Your article must be able to do one thing; solve a problem for your readers. As long as you can find a problem, you have a story idea.
That brings up another question. How do you know what to look for? Your article must be able to do one thing; solve a problem for your readers. As long as you can find a problem, you have a story idea.
Some readers’ problem may be a lack of knowledge on a current event. Their problem may be that they don’t know how something works. Readers may even have a problem organizing their writing…
