Do you want to write an amazing article or blog post? Here I am sharing amazing step by step guide from which you can learn about How to write a helpful article. So Let’s jump into it.
Start with what you consider the beginning of a how-to, and keep responding to that question again if you are about to start one. You’ll quickly have a rough draft of a how-to article in hand.
1. SELECT YOUR TOPIC
Please choose a topic that interests you enough to focus on for at least a week or two. If your topic is broad, narrow it down. Instead of writing about how to decorate your home, try covering how to decorate your home in country style on a shoestring budget. That’s more specific and easier to tackle.
Then write a rough draft, including everything you can think of. Stay loose, avoid getting analytical, and enjoy sharing what you know. When you’re done, you’ll have the bare bones of an article that only you could write. Then put it aside for a while.
2. ADDRESS YOUR AUDIENCE’S NEEDS
Return to your article. Now shift gears and picture yourself as this article’s reader. Choose three adjectives to best define the audience you wish to reach (e.g., professionals, single men). What inquiries would you wish to have answered by this reader? If you don’t yet have the answers, list the questions since you will be in the next stage.
3. RESEARCH ABOUT IT
Gather everything you have, like statistics, quotes, and references, and place it in a notebook, electronic document, folder, or whatever else you like. Don’t forget to keep track of your sources in case an editor asks you to confirm them in the future. Organize your research after you have collected it. Alternatively, you might incorporate your research as you come across it. Play around until you feel you have it.
4. MAKE IT SPECIFIC
Verify again to ensure you’ve included all the steps in the procedure. How-to articles must be in-depth. You want your reader to leave your article knowing exactly how to prepare that Thanksgiving dinner on a tight budget, pull off that tackle in rugby, or find a nice place to stay.
If your story is too long or has too many turns, divide it into main points denoted by subheads (as in this article). In print and online writing, it is becoming increasingly important to summarize complex content and deconstruct it into manageable steps.
5. CHECK YOUR DRAFT
Write a tighter draft, incorporating the fresh supporting data you’ve gathered while keeping your audience in mind. The lessons you’ve learned in Steps 2 and 3 may occasionally force you to start again with a brand-new draft. Alternatively, you might merely want to make changes as you go along while maintaining a pleasant conversational tone by addressing your audience directly.
When you read your manuscript this time, ask yourself if it’s effective. Is it too broad, lighthearted, boring, chaotic, or choppy? If so, look for how-to pieces in some of your favorite periodicals.
6. READ, REVISE, REPEAT
To gain their approval, read the rough draft of your how-to article aloud to a buddy.
- Did you adequately describe the ingredients/supplies needed for the reader to complete the task?
- Did you include all the important steps?
- Is the order logical?
- Did you use words that show a sequence: first, next, then?
- Did you warn readers of pitfalls?
Rewrite, read aloud, rewrite, read aloud, rewrite, find a proofreader, and submit your piece to an appropriate publication with a short cover letter only when you’re satisfied you’ve written an effective how-to article.
