There is so much to read and learn these days. Have you noticed how your favourite bloggers or writers come up with unique content on new topics almost every day? In the digital era, writers have to be extra careful about how they present their ideas. It should be collated in such a way that it influences a larger audience at the same time. However, article writing is not everyone’s cup of tea and needs creative thinking. Whether you want to pursue Content Writing courses or want to flourish your Journalism career, adhering to the structure along with presenting ideas in a well-structured way is what a writer needs to take care of. Yes, even articles have a distinct structure. Before delving into how to write an article should look, let us first understand the basics of it.

What is Article Writing?

Playing a major role in society, an article is a piece of information that is written to influence or provide information to people at large. The form and the style of article writing may vary from one topic or writer to another. Yet, an ideal article is the one that provides all the relevant factual information to the people which catches their attention, allows them to think and triggers to act.

Objectives of Article Writing

An article must be written with the following objectives in mind:

• It should bring the topic or subject of interest to the foreground.
• The article must discuss all the necessary information.
• It must make or suggest recommendations to the readers.
• It must be eligible to have an impact on the readers and make them think.
• The article must cover a wide range of topics, including people, places, emerging challenges, and technological advancements.

Article Writing Format

Whatever you wish to write, it is important for you to first know the structure of the article and then mention the details accordingly. Divided mainly into 3 sections- Heading, Byline and the Body, let us have a look at the article writing format you should keep in mind while composing your piece of information.

Heading or Title

The first thing to be noticed and the most important component in article writing is the heading/title. In order to draw the attention of the readers, it is important to give a catchy heading of not more than 5 to 6 words to the article.

Byline or Name of the Author

Below the title comes the byline which states the name of the author who has written the article. This part helps the writer earn the actual credit that they deserve.

Body of the Article

The body consists of the main content of an article. Be it story writing or article writing, it is completely upon the author to fix the length of the composition and the number of paragraphs that would embed the information. Generally, an article contains 3 or 4 paragraphs wherein, the first paragraph introduces the readers to what the article will be about and all the prerequisite information. The second and third paragraphs will cover the crux of the topic and here, all the relevant data, case studies and statistics are presented. Following this, the fourth paragraph will conclude the article where the solutions to the problems, as presented in the second and third passage (if any) will be discussed.

Step By Step Guide for Article Writing

After knowing the format, let us have a look at the 5 simple steps involved in the process of article writing:

Step 1: Find your target audience

Before writing on any topic, it is important for a writer to first identify the audience the article targets. It can be a particular group of people, children, students, teenagers, young adults, middle-aged, elderly people, business people, service class, etc. Whichever group of people you choose to write for, select a topic that directly or indirectly impacts their lives or spreads the relevant information.

For example, if the article focuses on parents, then you might write about child psychology, the daily nutritional diet of a child, etc. The tone and the language should also match the suitable audience in article writing.

Step 2: Select a topic and an attractive heading

After you have chosen your target audience, the second important step in the article writing is to choose an apt topic for your composition. This gives an idea on how you should process with the article. After you select the topic, then think of an intriguing title for the same.

For example, if you want to make the students aware of the various MBA specializations available, you can write – “Everything you need to know about MBA specializations”.

Step 3: Research is the Key

Consequent to selecting your targeted audience, topic and title of the article, research is the most important thing in article writing. Read umpteen articles, statistics, facts, and data, and new governing laws (if any) to get a hang of all the information to be incorporated in the article. Additionally, check the authenticity of the data, so that you do not state anything outdated. Before proceeding with the article writing, prepare a rough draft or an outline of the article in bullet points and keywords so that you don’t miss out on the important information.

Step 4: Write and Proofread

Once you have collected all the facts and data, you can now begin your article writing. As discussed, start the article with an introductory paragraph, followed by a descriptive and a concluding paragraph. After you have written everything, it is pertinent to proofread your entire article and check whether there are any grammatical errors. As a reader, it becomes a major turn off when you spot even the minutest of a mistake. Also, make sure that the content is not copied from some other website.

Step 5: Add Images and Infographics

To make your content even more attractive for people to read, you can also include some infographics. Adding images makes the article even more engaging and it proves to be more influential. Thus making the purpose of your article writing successful!

Sample of Article Writing

Given below is a sample that can give you more clarity on how to write an impeccable article:

Article Writing on Covid-19 for Students

Covid -19 for Students
By Sahil

Covid-19 has affected all sections of human life. While it affected all industry sectors it has a major impact on education. Classes were switched from offline to online within night but it created confusion among students especially the ones that were about to enter colleges. Students even took a gap year hoping for the situation to get better. While schools and colleges are opening because of vaccination in full swing across the globe there are still many challenges.

Understanding COVID-19, how it spreads, and how to protect ourselves are the most important things to be learned first as soon as the school reopens. Students should know the rules they are going to follow and the benefits of following the covid-19 Safety Rules at School Classroom. It’s very difficult to make the children understand because innocent minds may not get acquainted with the current situations.

To avoid the risk of contacting the Covid- 19, these rules should be followed by every student and school faculty at all times. Students must carry hand sanitisers at all times. Students should never sneeze on their hands, rather they should cover it with their elbow, or may use a tissue or a handkerchief. Inform students not to touch their eyes, nose, and mouth frequently. As chances are a lot that virus gets spread through touching of eyes and nose. If students and teachers follow these basic rules, the spread can be stopped and schools can reopen.

Article on My Vision of India in the Future

My Vision of India in the Future
By Aayush

Most of us have a psychological barrier to looking at India’s future vision, and those who perceive the future as coming straight out of the present typically have their perspective narrowed as well. I believe that the year 2050 will belong to individuals who strive to recognise diversity as a virtue in and of itself, rather than as a tool for combating new mental monocultures or a necessary compromise for social and ethical concord. In the future, India will be in the centre of the world, with variety valued as a goal in itself. My vision statement is neither a forecast of what will happen nor a wish list of desirable but unreachable goals.

It’s actually a statement of what we believe our country can achieve, given the level of concern that our current youth has about issues like corruption, pollution, and mismanagement of natural resources, among other things. Recognize that the elements that affect national development have changed in recent years and will continue to change in the future when imagining India in 2050. This is expected to create more opportunities than ever before.

The expanding impact and influence of India in domains such as technology, education, information, and productive skills supports the belief that India will attain and sustain higher economic growth and development in the decades ahead.

Tips for Writing a Good Article

Here’s a step-by-step guide with plenty of helpful hints to help you write an excellent article in no time:

1. Making a list of all the ideas and keeping them handy
2. Eliminating all kinds of distractions
3. Researching the topic efficiently
4. Keeping it simple and less complicated
5. Try writing your ideas in bullet points
6. Edit after writing the first draft
7. Set a timer

Common Mistakes to Avoid in Article Writing

The likelihood of errors increases now that you understand the phases of article writing and the article writing format. The following are some examples of common blunders:

1. Not using facts or quotes or similar cases
2. Using a tone that is too formal
3. Using difficult vocabulary without knowing its meaning
4. Not using a catchy title for your article
5. No using of paragraphs to bifurcate information
6. Not expressing personal views or opinions

Points to Keep in Mind

1. The topics of the articles should be unique and relevant
2. The article has to get attention
3. It has to be interesting
4. It has to be easy to read
5. Find the main goal of writing an article. The goal can be anything from providing information, entertainment, and advice or for comparing, etc.
6. The title must be eye-catching, clear, and interesting
7. The introduction or the starting paragraph must be highly attentive. Use your vocabulary skills or try to use some interrogative words for the start
8. Use clear statements and make assertions
9. Avoid repetition and over the top logic and reasons
10. Use the style of paragraph writing and write the contents uniquely and unambiguously
11. Avoid using the points which interest you only and not for the general public
12. Always end your article writing on a good and logical note

With a basic understanding of sentence and text construction, you can write a text with a clear structure that is simple and easy to understand and read. Why don’t you try writing a text on any topic of interest to you according to the information in this article and see the result. I wish you success and continue to improve yourself.