Do you mean general Web-based styles, SEO article writing, feature writing, etc.? "Article writing" is pretty broad. It depends heavily on what kind of market you want to get into.
Perhaps checking out some article directories on Google will help to get a feel of how articles are generally written.
Hey guia, Assuming you mean articles to be posted online, I can give you a few pointers: - Work out an objective for the article in advance - Know your audience and write to them (not just search engines) - Write in the "inverted pyramid" style. In other words write as you would for a newspaper, with a good headline and an opening paragraph that lets readers know what the article is about, and then flesh the article out from there. - Keep the paragraphs short and to the point. - After you've written your article, go back and edit out at least 10% of your copy - Write a good short About the Author "boilerplate" at the end including a link to your website and a little info to build your credibility (just short though) Hope this helps!
No such thing. You just need to learn how to write well in general, and then adapt to certain formatting styles based on the kind of article you're writing. If you want quality pieces for your own site, write them yourself, or hire an actual expert (not in writing, but in the niche and also having writing experience). If you just care about quick pieces to send to article directories for promotion, you should do it yourself (b/c it's about building your name recognition in the niche as much as about getting backlinks... and regurgitated Web research from a content writer makes you look bad, not better). If you just want pieces for SEO, hire an SEO content writer. Or look to SEO sites to figure out things like length, crafting keyword-rich titles, keyword density, etc. before writing for yourself. If you're interested in feature writing (sent to a media outlet similarly to sending a press release, but with the intention of the story being published in full), then you need to make sure you're following AP style guidelines (or other guidelines if the publication specifies).
Just go to college and get a Journalism degree. Problem solved. By the way, the inverted pyramid is more than just a headline and an opening paragraph. It's a writing formula that puts the greatest information first--down to the least. Here's a quick example: A California man had a heart attack and died on the Yellow Submarine Saturday. David Yawner, 78, addy, was on his way to work when the incident took place. Yawner was taken to Oh Mercy Hospital and pronounced dead at 8:38 a.m. Yawner was a father of 16 and worked at the Mayo Clinic for Under Achieving Condiments. That should give you an idea of ordering---most to least important.
lol There you go pushing that darned journalism degree again. It's far from the only path to becoming a good, and successful, writer you know. ... and I love it when you start making up "forum stories". lol Always "colorful."
Well, it is a great degree. And I knew you'd be the FIRST person to reply. And no, you certainly don't need to go that route to be a great writer, but all this stuff people keep making up as "web writing tips" comes from Journalism practices. (well, most anyway) Oh boy, I can go over to Naked PR and start commenting. Weeeee
Diploma won't help that much What would help is concentrating on your own writing skills. Of course in the beginning there will be some rules of the thumb to follow (some of them already mentioned above).
In my opinion, to be the good writer and to write qualitative articles, it is necessary to have congenital feeling of a syllable and will feel that interestingly to the reader.
Oh I see... I think good article writing comes with loads of writing practice. The more you write, the better you should be. Of course, you do need to read a lot about what you plan you write about !
Exactly. But before that you need loads of *reading* practice and what Geminibiz already mentioned (as much as I got his idea) - a congenital feeling of speech.
I speak English as well as I swim, but I swim very badly. Therefore I ask to forgive me if something appeared not clear. That has been told by me, it's ours Russian expression which means, that the writer should write competently and clearly to the reader. Knowledge of language on which you write, knowledge of a theme about which you write, the intuition which helps to feel that your reader wants. That is the words of my regular writer - the winner of the premium of the Ukrainian writers 2004 and 2006. I only have retold his words, and no more that
Geminibiz, There is nothing to forgive you, indeed. I just couldn't grasp your idea...Don't mind it. Wonderfully said. It is, by no doubt, a very successful bet in article writing. Have an enjoyable day today!