A Guide to Article Writing

By, Priyan DC

Managing Partner, Ogilvy PR

What is an article?

• An article is a written full text document or literary work

• It may be for a newspaper, magazine, journal or just an informational document

• In addition, an article in grammar can be either a, an or the, and these are used before a noun

Writing tips

• The Brief – Understand the need for the article, what is the expected outcome, what is the essence, what are the highlights

• Brainstorm ideas – Engage with teams to discuss and get more ideas for a compelling piece

• Research – Preparation for the article in terms of background, originality, trends, Core concept, etc

• Know your audience – Visualise the ultimate audience for the write up, what is the expected impact, how will it relate to the audience and make it interesting

• Create a structure with flow – Outline the key areas to be covered in the article before you begin to elaborate each heading

• Build context – Find examples of recent trends and local happening to create relevance

• Quotes and paraphrasing – Include quotes by well known individuals or opinion leaders to engage the audience and for credibility

• Proof Read – Finally review the article to ensure it contains everything that you originally visualised, check for grammar and flow

Typical Structure

• An article typically contains an introduction, the body and conclusion.

• The introduction will flow from a suitable title that sets the tone

• The introduction features a brief note on what the reader can expect and the careful use of language to excite the reader to continue reading

• The body of the article is its core containing all essential details such as references, examples, quotes

• The conclusion is where the article is summarized reinforcing what the writer is aiming to communicate with the piece

• Credits – Especially in well researched pieces make it a point to provide necessary credits. This also adds to the credibility of the piece

• This method of writing is called "being taken down the garden path" by many professional writers as this neatly explains the process

A good article depends on

• A writers skill and experience

• A writers SEO knowledge and skill

• The writers good use of grammar

• Good spelling

• Research and knowledge of the topic

• Unique content - Avoid plagiarism

• A well structured article that grabs the reader's attention and compels him to read on

In summary

The key thing to remember is that you’re telling a story to your readers. That means you need a beginning, a middle and an end

It also means you need to think about where you’re taking your reader and create a logical path to that end point

THANK YOU