Learn the basics of article writing before you fire off on a pilgrimage of style and content that matters to no one
Does your understanding of grammar stop you from writing
Reading does not improve your grammar or spelling, in fact, quite the opposite happens as your eyes read sentences and not words.
Being a great reader from a very young age, I grew up as an atrocious speller with bad grammar. Over the years of writing, I have gained some
more of the basics but still rely heavily on the tools of the trade. That is with English as my first and only language.
However, from reading comes ideas and stories that need to be told and experiences gained that should be shared.
Using tools to help with grammar
Grammarly is a great product in fact so good that they have checked over 2.5 million words I have written over the past couple of years.
When you equate this to books they tell me a 150-page book contains about 37,500 words then I am missing over 71 novels that I could have on Amazon. Grammarly comes in a free version, the one I use, and a pro version for better writers. Everyone should have this working in the background.
In Blog writing, Yoast SEO is a harsh critic giving you bad marks for not using transition words and writing negatively. Plus long sentences, word complexity, and long paragraphs. He is a hard taskmaster but has helped me think about the structure of writing.
The Hemingway app will twist your thinking
This is more a grammar tool than a spelling one. It rates your writing with color codes so that you have a chance to make changes. Hemmingway accepts some deviation from the style of writing you choose but is a harsh critic of your content.
You can accept a few deviations from the rules but a high ranking is not acceptable.
The use of passive voice was a hurdle for me and one that I found hard to overcome.
All of us will have areas we need to work on and this will help
The image is an example and does not reflect this article
Google has become a critic
Who would have thought that the umpire would rate your content? However, it has become blatantly obvious that bad content will be sent to the pages where no one goes.
In tradition, keywords were used by Google to find answers to the questions readers wanted. As keywords got longer and became key phrases Google wanted more control. so they thought up User intent. What's more, they employed a bunch of robots to do the work for them and programmed them to answer what the searcher really wanted, not necessarily what they asked for.
A simple answer may be the Keyword “great Thai food” The answer will probably be a list of Thai restaurants near you where you can get great food. If you wanted Thai recipes you should have asked.
This pain goes a lot deeper. Imagine you and someone else have page-one listings with a good keyword and readers go to your site. Now readers are fickle and if they don't see the answer they want they simply log out and move on to the next answer.
The average reader only hangs around for about 26 seconds but if your average is 3 seconds and your competitive answer is 20 seconds guess what?
Google sends them all to the best answer and hence your SEO rating drops and your page goes from page one to twenty-one or deeper.
That my friends are results based around content.
Different articles different styles
Some things remain consistent others vary depending on who you are writing for.
For instance, a blog is short sentences and short paragraphs whereas an article for a magazine will more relate to a storyline.
The important point is to understand your audience and talk directly to them. However, don't try and show off, the best writing standards are for those that a 12-year-old can understand. Straightforward and simple.
You must, however, write to a plan and not jump all over the place. Readers want order and that order is fairly simple.
- What is the problem
- How is it affecting the readers
- What is being experienced by them
- and what can they do about it
Practice is an answer to writing
Your first writing attempts will probably be awfully when reread a year later. It is only natural that you must practice a craft to become the best you can be. Work on the words that you get wrong often. Look at your writing and run it through a tool to see what your common errors are. And do something about them.
You can get better with practice and thought to your work. Therefore quantity will bring forward quality and consistent trial and checking will get less time-consuming.
Have your content checked
Editing is a way to bring up your mistakes and make repairs. No Book writer would ever publish without a couple of editors going over the content with a fine tooth comb. We get blind to our own mistakes and can't see the forest for all the damn trees.
Use any Word check program you can even double up to get better results.
Choose your English language. What? there is more than one?
English, English is different from American English, and Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have their own versions. It is hard when you are writing for all but you must make a consistent stand and choose the style that best suits you. Most of the good programs come out of the US so that may be an easy choice
Learn the basics of article writing but have your own style
The style will depend on many factors but particularly writing for a target audience. Who is your Avitar, are they male or female? Are they young or old, well-educated, or dropouts? For instance, when writing for the Motoring public they may be Formular One followers or Vintage car enthusiasts being very different in the content they want.
Therefore understanding your audience is essential to your style.
Think of a single person that represents a typical audience and write to them and the rest will follow
Conclusion
You need to love what you are doing and writing is an art that requires consistent attention. If you don't love it then leave it to others. It is not supposed to be work it is creation in words that will educate and entertain the masses.
It is not hard, it is a matter of practice and no one gets it perfect as we are all on a constant learning curve.
