Writing Articles: How to Get Started
Human beings are wired for storytelling. Stories amuse us, teach us, inspire us. They connect us immediately to each other, break down walls, and help us see the world through another pair of eyes.
This is why one particularly powerful way to start an article is with your own story.
To see what I mean, compare the two entries below. The first one comes from a client who had written an article about her experience in a women’s choir. Instead of talking about the choir, however, she begins with vague generalities that put the reader at a distance and lack a human voice. She also violates one of the first rules of writing (show, don’t tell) in that she tells the reader what she is going to do next instead of simply doing it.
The second paragraph is my edited version. Which of the two versions would be more likely to make you want to read further?
Client’s original paragrah
Throughout the course of our human evolution, the teacher-student relationship has always existed in a variety of communal settings, the shape of each one holding unique potential for personal transformation of the student. In some circles this relationship is referred to as the Spiritual One and Disciple. In other domains, the Mentor and Learner; also, the Healer and the Healed; and the Priestess and Novitiate. One such modern manifestation is that of the Choral Director and New Choral Member. From the lower vantage point of this last relationship, I will proceed now to reflect upon the deeper meaning of it, brought home with a personal tale.
My edited version
I was ecstatic when I was accepted into the alto-2 section of Portland’s Aurora Chorus. “Hey! I’m in a choir!” I told my friends and family, feeling like a 10-year-old child skipping down the street. “I’m in a choir!” The bubble soon burst, however. For the next four months, I struggled to maintain focus during each weekly rehearsal.
In particular, I struggled to master one new skill: pronouncing the consonant “R.” Or better said, NOT pronouncing the R at the end of a word. “No one in the world walks around thinking about consonant pronunciation,” I fumed. “It’s just not the kind of thing you worry about.” Have you ever noticed how many pesky little R’s pepper the ending of words? Me either. Until I joined a chorus.
Organizing Your Article: The Sandwich
All of the ideas in my version of the paragraph were scattered around the article; I simply pulled them together and put them at the beginning. After introducing my client’s experience in the choir (which was her main goal), I then stepped back and introduced the philosophical ideas she wanted to incorporate.
To close, I brought the article back to her own personal story, which tells how she overcame her tendency to pronounce final R’s.
In other words, the overall organization of the article resembles that of a sandwich!