8 More Steps to Writing Articles That Get Read and Shared, Part 2 of 2
In my previous article, I presented seven fantastic steps you can take to write articles that get read and shared on social media. Those steps laid the foundation for a concise, high-quality article, but now it’s time to take your mastery of article writing even further.
Writing an article that contains information that the reader is looking for is not necessarily too difficult. The biggest challenge is giving the reader an experience that they will remember and want to share. Below, I cover eight more practical steps in detail to supercharge your reader’s overall experience and takeout.
1. Does the article offer any new, refreshing, and useful tips or ideas?
Almost everyone understands that in order to produce something new, you need to use at least some aspects of the work that has already been done. In other words, nothing is ever 100 percent original. Despite this, it should never be painfully obvious that you’ve ripped off someone else’s previous work (or your own).
Take a few minutes to contemplate how you can add some originality to the piece you are currently working on. Does your article provide useful information that you haven’t covered before? Are you giving the reader your honest and professional opinion about a new industry practice or technology? Does the article have a new perspective on a recent experience of yours?
All of these (and others) are ideal elements that help make your article original and remain original. A fresh and invigorating article packed with practical information is exactly what your readers want.
2. Are the paragraphs short, well organized, and flow smoothly from one to the next? Are the prizes short and well constructed? Is the punctuation and grammar adequate and correct?
Very often, writers produce a decent article or blog post, but neglect the format. Keeping your writing easy on the eye and simple enough to understand is truly as important as the writing itself. You may have written the best new eBook in your niche or compiled a ton of case studies and real life examples, but if your readers can’t understand visually your writing at first, they will ignore you completely or find another expert to learn.
Visual comprehension, put in a way, is the ability to glance or skim a piece of writing and be able to understand most (if not all) of it. Having to “strain” your eyes through a massive block of text is exhausting, and if this catches up with your article, readers will avoid it like the plague.
People need the opportunity to consume your content quickly and efficiently. In addition to editing for visual comprehension, make sure grammar is correct, spelling is correct, punctuation is accurate, and sentences flow well.
3. Is your article descriptive, sensational, thought provoking, emotional or inspirational?
Any article you write should be at least one of these. If you can’t inject at least Some emotional power in your writing, you should re-evaluate and edit it until it has been improved.
Readers love what sticks in their memory best! If your writing is emotional, it will be memorable, and if it’s memorable, it’s because it was emotional. These two elements of writing are inseparable.
4. Have you revised the article to remove irrelevant ideas and strengthen your points?
Every piece of writing you compose should be as succinct and action-oriented as possible. If readers are not engaged and do not receive the accurate information they need, they will be disappointed and rush to find another expert.
Ruthlessly edit your work until only the most valuable sentences remain. What can be said with fewer words should be. Keep all paragraphs related to their respective subheadings and be to the point at all times.
5. Is your item at risk of copyright infringement, defamatory statements, or other unsavory actions?
Using someone’s real-life example from a recent news story to prove your point can be very appealing, but this rarely has the payoff you’d hoped for. On top of this, it’s all too easy to criticize or belittle someone whom the news has already painted in a certain light.
Despite all this, refraining from libel is the wisest choice. No statement within your writing, regardless of the person mentioned, is worth sacrificing one’s reputation or career. Keep your writing clean in all respects and you will be able to sleep well at night.
6. Have you waited a few hours to give your article “fresh eyes” and polish some awkward phrases?
When you’ve finished an article or post, it’s best to wait at least a few hours before it goes live. This is because nine times out of 10, you are going to find something on the second reading that you missed during the first.
Avoiding always posting right away is a great, easy, and free way to improve your writing. You’ll have more confidence sharing your writing after doing this than if you just spread the word about your new post without reviewing it.
7. Does the article make sense?
Here’s another often overlooked component to constantly improving your writing. You should be able to look back at your article, see the piece from a bird’s eye view, and have the whole article still make sense.
A common hurdle writers of all stripes face is getting so deep into the writing itself that the end reader’s experience is confusing and illogical. You should be able to read the article, understand the individual points, and still absorb the key takeaway and call to action.
Speaking of which…
8. Did you close your article with a killer call to action?
If you’re writing an article and your goal goes beyond personal enjoyment, you need a call to action! No piece of writing is complete without it.
Simply put, a call to action is the last paragraph or sentence your readers consume; one that prompts them to take a specific action. It’s pretty straightforward; however, most writers neglect quality here or forget about it altogether. Always end your article with a precise call to action. Otherwise, the reader will forget who you are, and you will have lost the opportunity to connect more with him.
