How to make writing essays and articles easier
No matter what stage of life you’re at, chances are at some point you’re going to have to write some kind of article, essay or report. Whether you’re asked to produce a report for work or are studying at college or university, article writing is an essential skill to develop through life.
Indeed, with the majority of formal business communication being done by email these days, having a clear approach to your writing can pay dividends in all sorts of settings. Here are a few ways you can instantly improve your writing skills and lend structure to your prose:
Decide on a topic and choose a direction
Often the subject of an article will have already been chosen for you but that still leaves things wide open in terms of how you’re going to approach things. Take some time at the start to get a clear idea in your head of what you’re going to be writing about, the direction and angle you’re going to take and the key points you want to make.
Think about the structure – beginning, middle, end
While there’s little point getting overly bogged down on detail to the point you don’t start writing, having a relatively clear idea of how you’re going to discuss a topic will help the words fall naturally into place. Also, focussing on the key points you intend making will help you develop a natural flow to your piece – giving a natural start, middle and end.
Draft headings, subheadings or sections
Again, without getting too bogged down on the planning stage, it can still be tremendously useful to have some kind of plan to work to. Take a second to draft the key points or subject areas you intend discussing. Writing down important statements will also help provide a structure to the piece, making it far easier to stay on track as you work your way through the article.
Do not make assumptions on the part of the reader
In the internet age, it has become more important than ever not to make assumptions of knowledge on the part of the reader. Search engines pick up all sorts of stories, from all kinds of places and it’s quite likely the person reading your piece could have zero previous knowledge of what you’re writing about. Your article should cater to all audiences so take time to offer any background information needed to help readers better their understanding.
Give yourself adequate time
There’s nothing worse than attempting to write against the clock. Not only will you be more likely to make mistakes, you’ll also frequently find your writing is sub-standard and lacklustre. Rather than leaving things until the last minute, plan ahead and give yourself adequate time. Moreover, even the best writers get brain-freeze from time to time and there’s nothing worse than watching the clock count down as you’re stuck struggling trying to find the words. Should the worst happen and you find yourself impossibly short of time, consider using the writing services of a company like Cambridge Academic Solutions Ltd who can help you complete your article.
Avoid being too wordy
Again, this is particularly important in the internet age – though, really, it should apply to all writing anyway. With websites, it’s been proven users stay on an internet page less than 15 seconds before clicking back so it’s vitally important you grab their attention quickly. Overly-wordy text will only serve to confuse or put off readers so try to keep things to the point and impart your information as directly as possible.
Try changing location – and most definitely avoid distractions
When you have a writing task, it’s best to find a quiet place where you can concentrate fully without distraction. Unfortunately, this might also mean ignoring family for a little while but you’ll find you’ll work far more effectively when you can fully concentrate on what you’re doing. Also, try changing where you’re writing. Even something as simple as a change of scenery can be particularly useful when writers’ block hits.
Great tips thanks
Yes, you have to assume the reader knows little about the subject and is not over intelligent. I do the same in my work, doing drawings for buildings. I always make sure that an inexperienced builder picking the drawings up for the first time can easily see what's required!