Articles can be intimidating and challenging to write as a beginner writer. Even if you are experienced, writing online is an entirely different world than, say, writing for a company or personal reasons. In that case, you may be wondering how you should write your first article. Let’s find out.
It is wise to create an outline with a title, body, and conclusion. Ensure not to use fluff and stay on topic while writing an article. This is especially true if you are getting paid or trying to build an audience with your blog. Lastly, pick a specific topic or niche you want to write about.
This article goes over all of the topics mentioned above and more. As we said earlier, writing can be a bit scary, but after a while, you get the hang of it and will write like a pro in no time! For the ultimate guide on how to write your first article, please continue reading below.
What Is an Article?
An article is written communication that helps better explain a specific subject a reader needs or wants more information on. Some articles are written online, while others are written for magazines and other paperback. The topic of an article can be on a few more things, such as current worldwide topics or historical or past events.
Sometimes, these topics are about a specific person who lived a long time ago or a topic that draws someone’s interest. For example, if someone wants to learn how to grow tomatoes, they will search the subject online and read about the best ways to do it.
Other times, an article may be advice on how to do something specific (like parenting) or something that might recommend taking courses of action. Other articles might include medical advice, but make sure these are legitimate websites before following through on anything medical. Overall, the sky is the limit on what you can discuss in an article.
What Should Be in an Article?
Four things make up an article. They are as follows:
- Title
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
1. Title
Come up with a catchy title! The more catchy a title, the more interest your target audience will have. Making a title dull or the same as others might not get a lot of interest.
Keep your title around 60 characters, give or take, as well. This is so Google and other search engines can see the entire title. A more extended title is also not suitable for your website’s SEO (search engine optimization) either.
2. Introduction
When making an introduction, it is essential to catch the reader’s attention beforehand. For example, if you are talking about a specific state, like Colorado, do a little research on why it is popular or an interesting fact and discuss that before leading into the answer to said article.
Another thing you can do is make it personable. If discussing a specific niche, like cars, you can briefly discuss your experience, but do not go too much in-depth.
A good opening would be, “When I was a child, my father used to take me to the car track constantly. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and now I want to share my knowledge with others.” Afterward, lead that personalized experience to the main subject itself.
Lastly, keep your introduction brief and no longer than 200 to 300 words max. You want to grab the reader’s attention but get to the point, as an extended introduction will lose the reader’s interest fast.
3. Body
The body of your article is the heart and soul. This is where you will pour out all your research from said subject and write about what you learned. It is imperative to remain on the topic during this time, which we will delve more into below.
4. Conclusion
Creating a conclusion can be tricky if you are unsure what to say. However, if you repeat or summarize everything below, then it will not be that hard.
We like to say something positive, such as, “We hope you have learned something new about [insert subject here]. If you have more questions about [topic], check out our other articles!” Overall, the ending does not have to be too complex.
What Are Some Pro Tips to Write Your First Article?
Now that we have gotten what should be in your article let us discuss pro tips. Although there are many pieces of advice people give out, these are the best practices in today’s age. If you are a first-time writer, do not worry about it being perfect in the first round. It will get better over time!
1. Select a Specific Topic to Write About
The first thing you will want to do is select a topic. What are you passionate about, and what are you interested in? Do you want to learn more about a specific subject and discuss that with the world? You do not need to be an expert on the topic, either. All you are doing is researching and writing what you read about.
However, it is imperative to pick a niche you can discuss multiple things about. If you have a blog that talks a little about multiple subjects, Google does not know how to rank your website, thus leaving you in the dark for hardly anyone to see.
For example, your blog can be about hiking, animals, organization OR cardio but should not contain all three major subjects for one website.
2. Stay on Topic
Staying on topic is one of the most essential things you can do in writing an article. If you want a mommy blog, for example, then it is imperative to write factual information and not ramble about a story you encountered with your child. This would be considered fluff, and most writing companies do not care to hire writers like that. In a personal blogging case, you should provide information that will help the reader out.
Although stories are good, people do not want to know how you took your child to the zoo and had a great time last week. Not only that, but most people will skip through that part, letting Google know that your website shouldn’t be ranked. So, regardless of what the subject is, make sure to do thorough research and stay on topic.
3. Identify Your Target Audience
A target audience is a particular group of people you wish to reach. So, ask yourself the question, who is your target audience?
If you wish to help a specific group of people who are just like you once were, then we recommend finding a specific niche geared towards that subject. Finding your specific audience also gains more traction to your website, which, in return, provides a better outcome for you as the writer.
4. Research Factual Information
As mentioned above, researching accurate information is one of the most important things you can do. Since we have the Internet, much misinformation is also out there. Some influencers will advise on something that is entirely bogus. Because of this, people will gladly follow their fake wisdom, doing the same things as them.
However, doing so can damage yourself or others around you, so be careful about what is true and what is not. If you are giving any medical advice, find it on legitimate resources like Healthline, PubMed, WebMD, or Mayo Clinic.
5. Outline Your Article Firsthand
Creating an outline is extremely helpful because you know exactly what you will discuss. If you start researching on a blank slate, it will make finding specific things harder.
Make sure to have a title, multiple heading 2’s, and a conclusion. If you have a list of things to discuss in heading 2, we recommend putting heading 3 to ensure your article is well-organized.
6. Create Space Between Each Paragraph
Having an extremely long paragraph is more challenging to read than spacing them out. Please note that if you are working for someone who requests explicitly for longer paragraphs, we recommend listening to them beforehand.
However, suppose you are starting a new blog. In that case, making smaller paragraphs is much easier to read. This is because most people use their phones, which have smaller screens.
A large paragraph might overwhelm the reader instead of finding a balance between the two. Creating a paragraph with two to four small sentences is best. Here is an example below for reference:
You Got This
Writing a first-time article can be intimidating, especially if it is large. However, with some practice, knowledge, and a clear head, you can become a pro quickly! We hope this article has helped you in a lot of different ways. Here at Blogger Outline, we are dedicated to helping you become successful in any blog you wish to create. If you have more questions, please check out our other articles.
