The Dos and Don’ts of Writing a Well Written Article

Writing an article can be one of the easiest and quickest ways to build backlinks and boost your site’s visibility in search engines, but only if you know how to write well.

There are some basic rules you must follow, or else you’ll have no chance of success at all. Here are 10 dos and don’ts of writing a well-written article.

An Interesting Hook

To grab your reader’s attention right away, you must start your piece with an interesting hook that ties into your overall theme. The hook should be just enough to compel readers to continue reading without giving too much information away.

In other words, it should leave them wanting more by setting up a question or anticipation for what’s next. A common mistake is using too many hooks. If you have more than one good hook in your first paragraph then use only one.

A Clear Conclusion

An effective conclusion is short, sweet, and to the point. It reaffirms your overall point or wraps up your argument in a manner that’s concise, relevant, and easy to remember.

The purpose of a conclusion is not to restate everything you’ve said previously in your article (although you can do that if it works), but rather it should help you lead your reader out on an emotional high note.

A Smooth Transition Between Paragraphs

Each paragraph should transition smoothly into the next. A good way to make sure your paragraphs flow together well is to read them aloud.

I do that all the time; it’s a great way to catch awkward transitions or places where you accidentally repeat words or phrases.

It also helps you hear how your writing sounds, which can be helpful when trying to decide whether something reads clearly.

Vary Your Sentence Structure

Varying your sentence structure is not only fun, but it keeps your writing from becoming monotonous. Many people use similar sentence structures when they are writing, which can make your articles seem boring or repetitive.

You should try using different types of sentences for variety.

For example, you can use long compound sentences for lists, short simple sentences to emphasize an important point, or even try using some rhetorical questions.

I’m just kidding about that last one. Please don’t write rhetorical questions — it’s stupid. But do vary your sentence structure as much as possible.

Keep It Simple, Stupid (KISS)

Remember, you’re writing to be read by people in their free time; so make it easy for them. Anything that makes your piece difficult to understand will make readers less likely to bother reading your entire piece.

If you have an important point that’s worth making, but would be hard to understand for certain types of readers, simply include an explanation of it at its first mention in parentheses.

If there’s anything at all confusing about what you write, a reader will skip over it entirely, so do everything you can to keep things as straightforward as possible.

Use Active Verbs

The first step to creating an effective writing style is to ensure that every sentence you write uses active verbs. Active verbs are the key to keeping your sentences short, descriptive, and interesting.

Using active verbs makes it easier for your reader to visualize what you’re trying to describe because they involve a sense of action in whatever verb or phrase you use.

The more specific you can make them, the better!

Beware the Dreaded Passive Voice

Remember the golden rule is to know your audience. If you’re writing to fellow scientists, it’s okay (and expected) that your language is precise and littered with jargon.

But if you’re trying to communicate with non-experts, you need to explain anything unfamiliar or use an example.

Passive voice — the habit of using to be verbs rather than action verbs, is often used by academics. It may sound less wordy but it weakens your sentences because there’s no one doing anything (or worse, someone isn’t doing something).

The reader doesn’t know who or what is responsible for whatever state things are in.

Use Plenty of Examples

Provide examples when possible. As an example, if you’re writing an ad to sell software, it’s better to say track sale leads than it is to simply say increase sales.

Or instead of saying write more compelling copy, show how you would do so by providing examples of what it might look like. Instead of simply saying, communicate with empathy, and make use of stories about how that might come into play in your product or service.

The more concrete examples you can provide, the more likely people are to connect with them on an emotional level and take action from there.

Include Appropriate Headings and Subheadings

Headings and subheadings can make your text easier to read. Not only will you be able to organize your thoughts more clearly, but readers who have limited time or attention spans will be able to scan for information more easily.

Studies have found that online readers spend an average of 6 seconds on each web page, so break up long sections with headings and subheadings.

Break up long articles into short, digestible posts. And when drafting your first draft, keep in mind that you’ll most likely end up cutting or reorganizing sections down. Use headings as an organizational tool so that it’s easy to cut or rearrange pieces later on without confusing yourself.

Leave Out Unnecessary Words

A lot of people (myself included) tend to write long, run-on sentences. Long sentences can sometimes sound well-written, but they can also be very confusing for your reader.

A good rule of thumb is to try to keep your sentences to fewer than 25 words when possible.

If you find yourself writing more than that, it’s probably time to start chopping things out. This will help you communicate better with your reader, as well as make it easier for them to read and understand what you’re trying to say.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read my article. If you have any additional ideas, I would love to hear them. Remember this is a platform for sharing your work, which means we all are here to learn.