What makes a Good Article?
Cami Soul here on gather asked for my opinion on what makes a good article. Here is my response to her.
In my opinion there are several factors that contribute to writing a decent article. Whether your article is personal or academic several of the same conditions apply.
Your article must hold the reader's attention. Although not every article will be liked by every reader, if it is on a subject that your readers generally like, it must hold their attention. If it is too boring then your writing is for naught.
Your article must be clear. Even in a mystery the reader must be able to understand what is going on, even if they may not know "who did it" until the end of the article. There is nothing worse than a writer getting back several comments stating " I didn't understand your article," I don't know what you are talking about," I have no idea what you are referring to," or what is your point in all of this." These things should be made clear.
Your article should flow. You should clearly guide the reader from one point to another or from one idea to another. If your work is all over the place, you risk the pitfalls of point 1) and 2) above.
Your article should be formatted correctly and particular attention paid to grammar and spelling, or again you risk the pitfalls of point 1) and 2) above.
If you are expressing an opinion, try to back it up with as much facts as you can. It is not good enough to say, "I think broccoli stinks." Why do you think so, is it because of the texture, the flavour, the produce growers fault, etc.? Or, "I think George bush was the greatest American president;" if so why? Give as many examples as you can. This makes your piece more powerful and gives you credibility as a writer.
Back up all facts with sources: Where did you find support for your opinion? Please note in a personal piece; about why you are afraid of cats for example, your source may simply be your dad, who was also afraid of cats and taught you as a young child to walk on the opposite side of the street when you saw one. It could be a bad experience you had with a cat etc.
Be imaginative. Try to add something to your article that has not been done before. For example, we all loved our mothers and we have all read countless articles about how we love our mothers, "because she raised and cared for all of us," How about I loved my mother because she used to hiccup after every time she laughed." Anything different will add your own signature to your piece and will make for a much better read.
Study the works of your favourite writers. When you are writing your own material, think about the type of pieces you love to read and the writers who write them. What compels you to read their works? What makes their work better than all the rest? Try to emulate that style or parts of their work that stands out. You will not suddenly become a modern day Faulkner simply because you try to write in that style, but you will be improving upon your own style, and creating your personal signature. You may pick up the technical style, but more importantly you will add your own personal experience and understanding of the world to your work.
Writing is a two tier experience, you learn from the masters and you develop your own voice.
Last but not least have fun. Do not stifle your creativity by worrying if you got all the technical aspects down pat. Let your creative juices flow. After you have emptied your soul onto paper you can go back to review, rewrite, revise. But first, Write, write and write some more. Don't hold yourself back, just write!
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Comments: 69
Copying content is not an original concept.
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I think this would be easier to read if you removed the extra lines between paragraphs. One blank line works well, in my opinion.
Several sentences are written in passive voice. Although acceptable, the classes I've taken recently strongly discourage the use of passive voice unless absolutely necessary, which it wasn't in here.
Even in a mystery the reader must be able to understand what is going on, even if they may not know "who did it" until the end of the article. Used the word even twice in one sentence.
try to back it up with as much facts as you can. I think the word much should be many, but I am not certain. Thought I'd mention this and see if others know for sure and maybe I can learn something here, too.
Why do you think so, is it because of the texture, the flavour, the produce growers fault, etc.? Awkward wording.
Please note in a personal piece; about why you are afraid of cats for example, your source may simply be your dad, who was also afraid of cats and taught you as a young child to walk on the opposite side of the street when you saw one. I think this sentence is confusing and question the use of the semicolon.
For example, we all loved our mothers and we have all read countless articles about how we love our mothers, "because she raised and cared for all of us," How about I loved my mother because she used to hiccup after every time she laughed." Like this advice and the hiccup example, but think you need to divide this into two sentences.
What compels you to read their works? What makes their work better than all the rest? Why works in one sentences and work in the next? Shouldn't this be consistent?
Overall, I believe you offer excellent advice in this article. I think you could tighten this up by removing unnecessary words and making some areas more concise. I am rating this eight.
Very good article, and the flow of comments is very good also!
The passive voice an easier write for me and I am slowly learning how to change it to the active voice, but I am still very much a novice at it.
If I have time to edit I will go back and implement your suggestions. But for now I will leave it as is. Thank you for backing up why you gave it an 8 you were most generous.
Writing is a two tier experience, you learn from the masters and you develop your own voice.
I've never thought about this before.
You might want to dig up my article the gifts that she gave me that one too goes a little bit into clear writing.
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976768558
Great advice for the up and coming writer of a potentially reading public of the non-illiterate future generation.
Loved it!
Love you,
Paula
Good advice. I've been writing for awhile but now and then, I have to return to the basics and remember to allow my creativity shine first. I think it's a mistake new writers and oldies make quite often.
We are caught up in content or presentation and forget to write with "voice."
Thanks for the reminder~
It is hard for most people to step back from their work at let another add an edit, our basic survivor instinct as a writer is to defend what we wrote,
but what we right isn't always perfect, the greatest writers in the world have made countless edits and drafts before the final version appeared anywhere,
new writers have a tendency to think that after a first draft the second is the final version
A good writer will take constructive criticism, and improve, but bear in mind not all criticism is constructive and as you go along in your writing career you start to learn the difference.
What hinders most non professional writers trying to become professional is the ego. Every writer wants to feel that they have written the world's next best seller or pulitzer prize article and when constructive criticism is given they refuse it because they feel their writing is perfect already. Writing is a profession like any other.
There are standards in which you must comply with even if you don't whole heartedly agree.