Everyone can write articles, but not everyone can practice how to write good and correct articles according to the writing method.
For some people writing articles is easy. He just put what was in his head in an article and it became an article. But it is undeniable that some other people find it difficult to write articles. As for capable, but not interesting, verbose and not rich in information.
An article is a short essay, ranging from 300 to 1,000 words, that discusses a specific theme with the aim of conveying a thought about a reality, whether it be a particular fact, concept, or opinion.
How to write a good article?
Actually wrote the same basic article (including many of the derivative articles above). One thing to consider when writing articles is the type of article you want to write. If you don't know the type of article you're writing, it's hard to expect your article to be successful because it's not in a clear format.
Well, in this discussion I will help you explain how to make all kinds of articles, here I will give an example in front of you.
General Steps for Writing Articles
Broadly speaking, the steps for writing articles can be divided into the following 5 important points:
- Define Theme. Themes must be specific. The more specific the interest in reading, the more interesting it is.
- Set a writing goal. Most articles, especially descriptive and narrative type articles, do not state the purpose of writing explicitly, but implicitly.
- Formulate the main idea or problem. The formulation of the problem is usually in the form of a question. It's just that in writing descriptive and narrative articles, the problem formulation is not explicit but hidden behind the flow of writing (I will explain with examples below).
- Develop themes and discussions according to the type of article (I'll explain more below)
- Draw a conclusion. Conclusion makes it easy. You can make it well if the logic or flow of your article is right.
These are the steps for writing articles in general. While the detailed steps you have to adjust to the form or type of article you want to write. Because each form or type of article has a different way of writing.
In the following I will explain how to write each form or type of article along with examples.
Article description
A descriptive article is an essay whose purpose is to write a description of a fact so that readers can picture it in their minds. I prefer to call it an image article. Because one hundred percent of this article contains an overview of the circumstances, events, events.
How to Write an Article Description
- Determine the object, whether it is a state or concept that you want to describe
- Determine also the purpose of writing (implied).
- Determine the formulation of the main idea (implied).
- Develop writing into sequence. In order of time: morning-afternoon-evening; or a sequence of 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, 3 o'clock; or year order: year 2000, year 2003, year 2005; or use the order of places: from edge to center; from base to tip; or we want to use the order of importance: from most important, important to least important.
- Close with a paragraph that concludes the object being described.
write a descriptive article on the example above using the development technique based on place orders. The author tells his experience when he went to Datuk Island Beach for recreation.
He describes the beauty of a trip on the beach from the beginning to the end of the journey in sequence. The author wants you (the reader) to see, feel, experience what he felt and experienced.
The conditions for success in making descriptive articles are, first: the more senses we involve the better because readers will be able to feel, imagine and even experience what we describe. From the example of the article above, for example in the title: The Beauty of Twilight… The author wants us to see the twilight.
Second, do not include your opinion or opinion in the article. The basis of the article description is PICTURE or PAINTING, so drawing and painting as it is, pure alias pure invites the reader to see the situation or reality or experience that you feel and experience.
Narrative Articles
This type of article is intended to tell a situation or situation, either based on the time sequence or the sequence of events. I prefer to call it a story article.
Yes, like stories (novels, short stories, comics, fairy tales, films, dramas, etc.), in narrative articles there must be characterizations, as in stories in general.
The character is described as a person who struggles with problems and conflicts with life. And he tries to win the fight. The existence of life conflicts makes this type of writing interesting to read. Because if there is no conflict, then a narrative will be bland.
How to write a narrative article?
- Define a theme.
- Define goals (implied).
- Determine the formulation of the main idea (implied).
- Develop writing by creating a storyline: beginning – middle – end. The beginning makes for an interesting opening; the middle part describes the character's life struggle until the peak of the conflict, aka the climax; at the end ends with an anti-climax and ending.
- After that, make an anti-climax as a closing.
The requirement for success in writing a narrative article is our ability to present the conflicts experienced by the characters in the story and how these characters respond to these problems in their own way. The more intense the conflict, the bigger the character's attitude, the more interesting the article.
In writing a narrative, we (writers) can insert opinions or messages contained in the story. It's just that the opinion or message is embedded, implied, not express. The message of the story is integrated into the storyline and is not done as thoroughly as an argumentative article.
For example in the biography of Ir. Soekarno above, the message in the article contains the meaning: a tireless struggle to achieve and maintain independence.
Exposition Articles
This type of article is an essay that aims to describe a topic. Can be a description of the meaning, function, part and use of a concept. It can also be a step, method or process of doing something. I prefer to call them exhibition articles.
I call it an exhibition article because the hallmark of this article is to show points, sequence numbers, step by step, align definitions, etc. Sometimes there is an element of personal opinion in this type of article, sometimes not (especially in the translation section of scientific definitions).
How to Write an Exposition Article
- Define a theme.
- Set goals (explicit).
- Determine the formulation of the main idea (which is expressed).
- Develop writing that has a purpose. If the essay is intended to explain meaning, then develop the essay by presenting data and facts to strengthen the definition or process. If you want to explain how, make a step from beginning to end systematically. If you want to explain their use, list the uses one by one. And if the essay is meant to explain the process, then detail the process.
- Give a conclusion.
Examples of these articles you can find scattered on the internet about: definitions, functions, benefits, roles, or articles that contain guidelines for doing something aka How To. The type of writing in this example is the How To type, which is how to write a bibliography from the internet.
I think exposition articles, especially how to type them, are the easiest articles to work on (especially for writing articles on blogs). Because we write practical things without elaboration without deep analysis.
Articles that may be a bit difficult are writing scientific definitions, because we really have to look for reliable literature to convince readers.
Argument Article
This article is in the form of an opinion essay (personal opinion, organization or institution). This writing is motivated by criticism of an opinion, situation or policy.
The author will usually enter his personal or group opinion into the writing in full, of course with supporting data or facts. So that his opinion can attract the support of the readers. I prefer to call them opinion articles.
How to Write an Argumentative Article
- Define the problem/theme.
- Set goals (explicit).
- Determine the problem formulation (written).
- Develop the essay by presenting data and facts to strengthen your own opinion and can also weaken the opinion of others (if any).
- Give a conclusion.
This type of article is the most difficult to write (especially for beginners). Because we need to hunt for convincing data and facts to support our opinion. In addition, I often see many novice writers complaining that their opinions are not published in a particular newspaper or newspaper even though they have tried many times.
Actually it is easy to argue or argue, as long as our reasons are convincing. The conditions for success in writing argumentative articles are: You must really master the questions plus READ A LOT. Do not let us be laughed at because there is information that is awkward or illogical or misquoted or expired that we include in the article.
Persuasion Articles
Articles of this type are also known as motivational articles. Because the writing is persuasive alias persuasive. The effect can move the reader to do or follow something and otherwise leave something. I prefer to call them persuasion articles.
This article is usually widely used by business people, consultants, religious leaders, psychologists, therapists, policy makers and anyone who wants to lead the audience to be willing, willing, enthusiastic, willing to agree and not reject what they offer.
How to Write a Persuasive Article
- Define the problem/theme.
- Set goals (explicit).
- Determine the formulation of the main idea (which is expressed).
- Develop an essay by presenting data and facts to convince others so that it can move the reader to do good and stay away from evil.
- Give a conclusion
We will be really successful writing this type of article is: We have to experience, feel (or experience a little/feel) what we want others to experience and feel. So that we can eagerly persuade people to follow the message in our writing.
If we are excited, readers will also be excited to read it. And we hope that they will be moved and agree to our invitation. Even though they didn't/have not carried out our invitation, at least they agreed and said yes.
SEO Articles for Blog
SEO articles are articles that aim to optimize keyword searches on search engine sites such as Google. This is not an article of its own kind. This is an article devoted to writing online on a blog or site. The type of article is the same as the article I mentioned above. An SEO article can be a description, narrative, exposition, argument or persuasion. It's just that certain settings are needed so that search engines, such as Google, can easily crawl and mark the theme of a site or blog.
The essence of SEO article writing is: applying search engine rules in writing articles so that engine crawler robots can easily track and recommend our writing to appear on the front page of search results.