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<[Vector]Aadame> damn pat with his mod skills
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Need help? PM me! Reach me on Discord: Lionet#1325
Watch my Replays!
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1. Article Length
Article length matters. Even though a short article could have all the necessary and important details, length shows a thorough job has been done. It is a matter of perception.
Let’s imagine you find two articles on the same subject. Both have similar titles. One is a 3-minute read, the other is a 7-minute read. Which one will you think is of better quality? Which one will you think has more details and clarity?
That is my point. Everyone naturally believes the longer read has more depth and quality simply because it is longer. So, article length is important.
I write short too. But I learned to increase the article length by thinking and planning ahead, packing a lot of ideas into one article.
2. Has a Definite Message
A quality article must have a focal point. There must be an idea it is centered on. Even though the expression and explanations may be long and wide, it must all convey a very definite message.
The reader must know what exactly is being talked about from the beginning of the article to the end. A definite message is a must. Otherwise, the article is just one big ramble. The message must be clear and definite.
3. Speaks to a Definite Audience
Audience matter. You should write what people want to read, and not what you like to write. This is often a tough lesson for writers. Writers think writing is fun and they often take it as a hobby. But this kind of writing doesn’t have quality.
By tests and practice, you get to understand the sweet spot of what you like to write and what people want to read. It may take a while before you find that audience niche. But you must find it. A quality article always speaks to a definite audience.
Sometimes you call out the audience in the headline. Other times, mentioning words that spark their interest is enough to get their attention. Always write for an audience.
4. Contains Fresh Details and Information
It pisses me off when I read an article that looks compelling and I find nothing special in it. A quality article must contain some details and information that the reader will probably be encountering for the first time.
It is important to always put some serious effort into research. I spend hours thinking and strategizing how my article will be and what will be in it. In fact, I write down all the points I want to put in an article. Then I arrange the point in the order I want them to be. This is so that my thought looks organized and the reader can enjoy the reading experience.
Research is important in writing. Sometimes, my ideas begin from videos, speeches, articles I read that contains a thought that I agree or disagree with. Then I now go ahead to structure an article around my point of view. And then fill it with as many facts as possible.
It is good when the facts can be verified without you. When readers can go on Google and confirm what you say, it makes you a more credible writer.
5. A Befitting Article Picture
I just started paying attention to this. The decision to read an article is also quite emotional. The feel of an article matters a lot. This is why good picture matters. My best-performing articles have pictures that deeply connect to its content. It is very important to search deep and find that one picture.
There is also the case of picture duplication. For example, it is obvious that most writers here get their pictures from Unsplash. So there is a high chance that someone has already used the picture you want to if you don’t dig deep. It is important to dig deep for the right picture. Or better still you edit the pictures so that yours can stand out.
6. An Intro and a Conclusion
This rule is quite flexible. Sometimes I use an intro and sometimes I don’t. It depends on the type and flow of the article. An intro is like an executive summary at the beginning of your post. An example is one I wrote at the beginning of this post.
The purpose of it is to satisfy the desire of fast readers. Won’t people leave after reading that? Yes, they might. But if they are semi-interested and your intro is rich, they might change their minds and read the whole thing.
Conclusions are important. I use this in almost all my articles. It is a parting impression with the reader. Most of the time, it is just to make the readers bond with you. Conclusions shouldn’t be more than 2 paragraphs. The exception to this is if you are giving additional value at the conclusion (which is also very good).
Another tip for good readership is breaking up your article into sections. I shared more about this in a previous article about making your content more reader-friendly.
7. Stories and Punchlines
I know a publication that will not accept your submission if it has no story. Stories make people remember what you wrote.
There are some articles (like this one) that are not suitable for stories. In that case, you should have a punchline. A punchline is a statement that is so staggering and can easily be remembered. I like to make my section headlines like this.
You can also use the quoted text feature to make your punchline stand out. Your punchline must be a sentence or two. This is so that it can stand out even to someone just skipping over your article.
These are the characteristics that determine the quality of an article. I would recommend that if you are just getting started, don’t overthink quality. You need quantity first. Your quality will get better as you go on.
And if you haven’t read the ‘one quality article per day' post, you really should. Cheers!
Article length matters. Even though a short article could have all the necessary and important details, length shows a thorough job has been done. It is a matter of perception.
Let’s imagine you find two articles on the same subject. Both have similar titles. One is a 3-minute read, the other is a 7-minute read. Which one will you think is of better quality? Which one will you think has more details and clarity?
That is my point. Everyone naturally believes the longer read has more depth and quality simply because it is longer. So, article length is important.
I write short too. But I learned to increase the article length by thinking and planning ahead, packing a lot of ideas into one article.
2. Has a Definite Message
A quality article must have a focal point. There must be an idea it is centered on. Even though the expression and explanations may be long and wide, it must all convey a very definite message.
The reader must know what exactly is being talked about from the beginning of the article to the end. A definite message is a must. Otherwise, the article is just one big ramble. The message must be clear and definite.
3. Speaks to a Definite Audience
Audience matter. You should write what people want to read, and not what you like to write. This is often a tough lesson for writers. Writers think writing is fun and they often take it as a hobby. But this kind of writing doesn’t have quality.
By tests and practice, you get to understand the sweet spot of what you like to write and what people want to read. It may take a while before you find that audience niche. But you must find it. A quality article always speaks to a definite audience.
Sometimes you call out the audience in the headline. Other times, mentioning words that spark their interest is enough to get their attention. Always write for an audience.
4. Contains Fresh Details and Information
It pisses me off when I read an article that looks compelling and I find nothing special in it. A quality article must contain some details and information that the reader will probably be encountering for the first time.
It is important to always put some serious effort into research. I spend hours thinking and strategizing how my article will be and what will be in it. In fact, I write down all the points I want to put in an article. Then I arrange the point in the order I want them to be. This is so that my thought looks organized and the reader can enjoy the reading experience.
Research is important in writing. Sometimes, my ideas begin from videos, speeches, articles I read that contains a thought that I agree or disagree with. Then I now go ahead to structure an article around my point of view. And then fill it with as many facts as possible.
It is good when the facts can be verified without you. When readers can go on Google and confirm what you say, it makes you a more credible writer.
5. A Befitting Article Picture
I just started paying attention to this. The decision to read an article is also quite emotional. The feel of an article matters a lot. This is why good picture matters. My best-performing articles have pictures that deeply connect to its content. It is very important to search deep and find that one picture.
There is also the case of picture duplication. For example, it is obvious that most writers here get their pictures from Unsplash. So there is a high chance that someone has already used the picture you want to if you don’t dig deep. It is important to dig deep for the right picture. Or better still you edit the pictures so that yours can stand out.
6. An Intro and a Conclusion
This rule is quite flexible. Sometimes I use an intro and sometimes I don’t. It depends on the type and flow of the article. An intro is like an executive summary at the beginning of your post. An example is one I wrote at the beginning of this post.
The purpose of it is to satisfy the desire of fast readers. Won’t people leave after reading that? Yes, they might. But if they are semi-interested and your intro is rich, they might change their minds and read the whole thing.
Conclusions are important. I use this in almost all my articles. It is a parting impression with the reader. Most of the time, it is just to make the readers bond with you. Conclusions shouldn’t be more than 2 paragraphs. The exception to this is if you are giving additional value at the conclusion (which is also very good).
Another tip for good readership is breaking up your article into sections. I shared more about this in a previous article about making your content more reader-friendly.
7. Stories and Punchlines
I know a publication that will not accept your submission if it has no story. Stories make people remember what you wrote.
There are some articles (like this one) that are not suitable for stories. In that case, you should have a punchline. A punchline is a statement that is so staggering and can easily be remembered. I like to make my section headlines like this.
You can also use the quoted text feature to make your punchline stand out. Your punchline must be a sentence or two. This is so that it can stand out even to someone just skipping over your article.
These are the characteristics that determine the quality of an article. I would recommend that if you are just getting started, don’t overthink quality. You need quantity first. Your quality will get better as you go on.
And if you haven’t read the ‘one quality article per day' post, you really should. Cheers!
Proud leader of [TANG]
Old Schooler
Old Schooler
