Demonstrate a Clear Purpose

When writing articles, your reader wants to quickly know and understand your clear purpose in 2-7 seconds, not 2-7 minutes.

Here’s some tips to help you figure out how to demonstrate a clear purpose:

• Before you begin your article, establish a clear goal/objective for what you want your reader to leave with after they read your article.
• Restrict your paragraphs to no more than 7 sentences.
• Build paragraphs in a logical order where the first sentence states your primary point and the following 2-7 sentences further reinforces your first sentence in each paragraph.
• Use bullets and numbered lists.
• After you’ve completed your article body, ask yourself, “Have I delivered on the promise I made in my article title?”

How do you personally demonstrate a clear purpose in your articles?

Posted by Christopher M. Knight on March 24, 2008 at 2:26 pm

Views 465 |

11 Comments »

1

Edward Weiss writes:

Good question. I just focus on the title and write from there.

I can get a good 300-400 word article out in a few minutes by just freewriting on the topic in the title.

This gives the article a nice conversational style while still remaining relevant to the topic at hand.

Comment provided March 24, 2008 at 2:39 pm

2

Karen Cook writes:

As always, Chris…YOU da teacher! I’ve learned so much from you about article writing. Now I just have to get busy again with proving I have taken it all in!

Karen

Comment provided March 24, 2008 at 7:56 pm

3

Stephen K Reynolds writes:

appreciate the tips on writing sometimes I forget why i’m writing articles/blogs.

Comment provided March 24, 2008 at 11:41 pm

4

Connie Ragen Green writes:

Great thoughts on this topic, Chris. I like to think of it as teaching or explaining your point during the article, while still leaving the reader wanting a little bit more.

Comment provided March 24, 2008 at 11:49 pm

5

Chinmay Chakravarty writes:

Back to the basics. Yes, we must always stick to the basics. We are writing for our readers, that too, international readers; not for our self indulgement or an exhibition of our skills, knowledge and prowess. The readers must finish the article with a feeling of euphoria hungry for more. Else, the author will be finished!

Comment provided March 25, 2008 at 1:29 am

6

Brigitte Nadeau writes:

Chris
I love your last point

““Have I delivered on the promise I made in my article title?”

This is going to be the first question I will ask myself before I submit my next article.

Brigitte Nadeau
52 Free weekly tips on attracting more of what you want at: attractgoodvibes.com

Comment provided March 25, 2008 at 6:53 pm

7

Annie B Lawrence writes:

Great post and good insight into creating winning articles. I am learning alot from these posts from all of you including Chris. Thanks to all of you.

Comment provided April 2, 2008 at 9:46 pm

8

Byron writes:

This is a great article for people who are not professional writers. Articles like these should realy help the overall quality of the site.

Comment provided April 6, 2008 at 10:13 am

9

John Whelan writes:

Thanks Chris,
Writing to capture the reader at the beginning and presenting a captivating title earns readers.

Comment provided April 6, 2008 at 10:55 am

10

Lance Winslow writes:

Titles are so important and a good title with proper key wording, word plays, alliteration or rhyming words sure does wonders to the article read counts.

Comment provided April 6, 2008 at 4:15 pm

11

Zack Katz writes:

Ah, “the promise of the article title”…I find myself altering the article title after having written the article!

Sometimes, I am laser-focused, other times I end up scrapping the entire post because it’s so spread out. That’s the fun with blogging, I guess.

Comment provided April 7, 2008 at 3:03 pm

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