When you are visiting an online newspaper and trying to write an article for the first time, how do you do that if you were never a great writer? Thankfully, writing is not as difficult as it first appears. What is a challenge is realizing that practice makes perfect. However, with seven basic tips, you will feel that writing your first article is a challenge you can overcome today.
Think about speaking to your general audience
When you want to write and edit a story, thinking about the general audience is a key to making the job a lot easier. For example, with most online newspapers, it is obvious that you are writing for tiny neighborhoods and very specific geographic ZIP codes. However, just like in many assignments for articles, you are asked in the assignment details to write in a "conversational tone."
More on conversational and bloggy tone
In my opinion, when you want to have a "bloggy" or conversational tone, the best way to do this is to read your written work aloud. This is also a great way to edit anything. When you read everything and hear it, you will soon see what sounds goofy. In other words, if you were saying all of this to your friend, would they understand your telephone conversation?
While this does not work for academic journal articles published by professors, it is a great way to have a clear and conversational tone in your writing for an online newspaper. If you get too wordy, consider splitting up your first article into two or three additional articles on a similar topic.
Regular people want to read something simple
When you start to ask regular people in coffee shops their opinions on what you should write, you start to get a lot of insight into your audience. In general, the main response I hear is, "everything in the world is happening so fast these days." In other words, people tend to be overwhelmed by information in the modern world. In the age of advanced communication technology, this is easy to believe. The entries are geared toward 400 to 600 words.
What about reporting about things next door?
It is also important to understand that many people you will speak with will feel informed about the world, but not aware of what is going on next door. By writing a neighborhood specific article, you can help bridge that gap. The 400 to 600-word limit should contain a journalistic edge. This means making sure that you are not biased in your reporting.
Example of writing a mini article
Someone at a coffee shop has concerns about a new nearby railway that is being delayed by farmers further south and does not seem to know who is in charge of the issue. This becomes a neighborhood issue when you discover there are several upcoming meetings that need neighbors input.
For this reason, the neighborhood should be alerted about a major project that will take place near them. In this instance, you may need to cover all four sides of opinions that developed around the issue, the event, and meetings times. All should be mentioned in your mini-article. Do not highlight your own opinions and avoid commentary.
Just jump off the bridge
The main problem I see holding writers back from publishing is lack of confidence. They are worried that their article will not be good enough or someone will make fun of them for being a poor writer. However, most people that are drawn to writing are usually literary types. Use the voice of the great literature you have read in the past and you will be on your way.
Remember, writing is a process of evolution. You put your work and yourself out there in order to gather critical feedback that will help your writing. For this reason, feel free to publish as often as possible and do not worry that it is not good enough. Over time, you will perfect your technique and be offered more opportunities because you stay visible and active.
How to get started
Try publishing one article a week on a topic your are truly passionate about and see what happens! If you want a popular article, try top 10 titles and write about a review of technology that you have purchased in the past year. These kinds of articles tend to draw in a large number of page views and dollars.
How to actually get started with editors, forums, and general help
Most online newspapers are facilitated by around the clock customer service and support. If you are stuck or need feedback, there are employees and fellow writers to help you get started. As long as you have confidence and patience, you will enjoy writing online for newspapers.
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