The Art of Writing Catchy Articles

The gist of this article is taken from one of my favorite blogs on blogging tips, Daily Blog Tips which was guest written by Rajat from StudioWordPress.com.

With all due respect, I’m reproducing it for my readers in the hope we can all learn from these 11 simple tips to write catchy article while putting my own perspective into each of the tips.

Isn’t blogging is all about learning and sharing?

1. Content is Important

If people cannot write well, they cannot think well, and if they cannot think well, others will do their thinking for them – George Orwell

It’s like good storytelling – your writing needs to guide your audience into what you want them to think/perceive or they will create a picture on their own which might not be necessarily what you originally wanted.

Your blog is a reflection of your personality and what you write says a lot about you. You can hide all you want behind the mask of internet but you can’t stop what your audience think of you.

What you write is what connects you with your readers and how you write is what makes them glued to your site.

2. Read Well

If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write – Stephen King

The more you read, the more ideas gets generated in your mind and you should also focus on reading from the competition to know what they are writing so that you can find a way to stand out from the crowd.

If there is one thing I learned early in blogging is that you need to read as much as, or even more than you write. Not only it stimulates fresh ideas for your next quality article, more importantly there is always a lesson you can learn from fellow bloggers. Besides, it gives you a different perspective of what you have already known.

3. Eliminate the Unnecessary

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak – Hans Hoffman

My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: when you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip – Elmore Leonard

A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts – William Strunk Jr.

Don’t just write for the sake of filling up, eliminate whatever you think will bore your audience.

Well, I’m not going to debate on the SEO benefit of posting frequency here. All I can say is that it’s better to write one quality article per week that adds real value to your readers than writing sub-standard posts everyday just because the gurus say so. Just ask yourself, whom are you writing for?

4. Be Passionate

This is the challenge of writing. You have to be very emotionally engaged in what you’re doing, or it comes out flat. You can’t fake your way through this – Gordon Atkinson

You should write on a topic you are passionate about as unless you are excited about what you are writing how you can expect the reader to be thrilled while reading.

I can’t stress further on this point. In case you are new here, it’s probable a good idea that you read this article on why it is important to choose the right niche you are passionate about.

Passion is the key that hold all the puzzles together. Without it, everything will just fall apart eventually.

5. Paint a Picture

The skill of writing is to create a context in which other people can think – Edwin Schlossberg

To create a powerful emotional response your writing needs to spark the same thoughts in your reader’s mind as with which you started writing in the first place. So don’t just simply state.

OK! I admit this is the part where I am good at failing to evoke that kind emotion, simply because writing is not my forte coupled with the fact that English has never been my first language.

So it comes as no surprise that both Daily Writing Tips and CopyBlogger are my daily RSS read. If you are in need of copywriting tips, both are high on my recommendation list.

6. Use Images & Typography

Typos are very important to all written form. It gives the reader something to look for so they aren’t distracted by the total lack of content in your writing – Randy K. Milholland

Ideas are refined and multiplied in the commerce of minds. In their splendor, images affect a very simple communion of souls – Gaston Bachelard

Visual sometimes better expresses the writing or at least complements it. So it’s advisable to use images and good typography.

We all hear it too often, “A picture speaks a thousand words”…what words can’t describe, picture does it well and yet even knowing this I’m still too lazy to search for it and incorporate into my post. Keep in mind that it’s not something I’m advocating here…

7. KISS (Keep it Short & Simple)

Vigorous writing is concise – William Strunk Jr.

The finest language is mostly made up of simple unimposing words – George Eliot

Simple words are more easily understood and communicate your thoughts better. So use simple words and write only what is necessary to communicate to the audience.

I think one of the misconceptions about copywriting is that the more you write, the better it is. No, the longer you write, the easier your readers will lose interest. A good copywriting is one that use less words that convert the most (read: make a sale).

That said, it’s also important to write in a simple language that your audience can easily understand and minimize the use of technical jargon as much as possible.

8. Accept Criticisms

Don’t mind criticism. If it is untrue, disregard it; if unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant, smile; if it is justified it is not criticism, learn from it – Unknown Author

Pay attention to what others had to comment and learn from it and if you are just starting then again try to gasp from other successful writings (similar) and know why their audience (perhaps the same as yours) appreciated it and what they liked about it.

I would rather have constructive criticisms than fake praises that give a sense of false perception. It’s always my belief that we can only grow better with criticisms provided we are willing to shed our ego for a while and accept them as feedback and learn from it as best we can.

9. Keep Writing

Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed – Ray Bradbury

How true – the more you write the better you become.

It’s true. Practice makes perfect. You never get it right the first time but the more you practice, the better your writing is. As I have mentioned earlier that English is never my first language, it was a real struggle in the beginning. I’m yet to perfect the art of writing but I’m progressing and improving by each day or so do I think.

10. Be Unique & Unpredictable

Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago – Bernard Berenson

Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative – Oscar Wilde

Experiment and be creative and your audience will like you more.

I believe there is a lesson we can all learn here that the only thing is unique about your blog is YOU. So be yourself and believe in yourself. Do what you think it’s good for your audience and not because it is the next popular thing to do. What works well on others may not always work for you so the key is to experiment what works for you and remove what doesn’t.

11. To Sum It Up

Make it simple. Make it memorable. Make it inviting to look at. Make it fun to read – Leo Burnett

You have pretty much summed up what I need to say, Leo. If I were to add, you should interact well with our audience as they are the very reason why you write in the first place.

Let’s make it more interesting. If you have any thought on any of the tips above, share it with us. The best comment on each tip will be showcased and you’ll earn yourself a permanent place with your link on this article. Let’s hear it.

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