WRITING THE ARTICLE:Various parts of article, The topic sentence

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Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

LESSON 41

WRITING THE ARTICLE

There are four elements of a good article encompassing the write-up from the beginning to the end

which are primarily used for keeping readers' attention intact, as these help in making your article

interesting.

Four elements

Following four elements are aimed at getting the readers' attention, and make them take interest in the

write-up and want to reader the article.

What the article is about?

A reader must immediately get an idea about the subject of the article, and it must be clear

immediately in the few initial lines, if not in the first two to three lines.

How specifically stated is the subject of the article?

There should not be an ambiguity about the subject of the article, as it must clear for the reader to

understand it as well. Clarity in the writer's mind must be clarity for the reader too. It is always a

two-way traffic.

Is there a subjective ingredient?

Every subject being discussed must have tangible material for the readers. Mere statements do not

make good articles, rather the arguments must be well-supported by facts and figures.

Various parts of article

1. The lead or the Intro:

Articles' jumping `point of view' is to be done in one or two initial paragraphs, as the lead is built into the

very first one or more paragraphs is the bait that hooks bother reader and editor into reading on into the

story. A good lead is the best selling tool.

Every professional magazine writer can pick up an article and know instinctively. "That's a great lead!"

or "Boy! What washout of a lead!" Most of the great writers have been found writing the lead

instinctively, while giving a little room to deliberate effort though an effort can make a lead better

certainly.

It is always good that one brings the subject to life immediately, and the easiest way to get the reader

involved in the subject. There are various approaches to make it so. Some writers lead off with an

anecdote, while choosing the most dramatic examples are uncovered by research.

Secondly the formula "It's happened to somebody" - "it could happen to you" is also used to intrigue,

excite or startle the reader, besides incorporating questions into the lead.

Readers, editors and even writers like to puzzle over paradoxes of the all kinds. These too make an

intriguing leads. Besides using of paradoxes, writers used both questions and startling statements to hook

his readers into wanting to know more.

A really powerful quote can also make an exciting, intriguing article lead.

Another way of writing a good lead is coming up with an appeal to the readers' emotions.

2. The topic sentence

It is important to let readers know early just what you plan to talk about in your article so they do not

expect something more or something different from what you are prepared to deliver. Disappointed reader

lead of loss of readers. The place to announce your topic is in your topic sentence, which always comes

right after the lead.

The topic sentence can be a phrase or may have several sentences long. It can be very simple and obvious,

or can be disguised in a quote, question or statistic. It may be tactfully and smoothly sewn onto the end of

the lead, stand by itself or begin the next paragraph.

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Feature and Column Writing MCM 514

The focus or objective parameter is always part of the topic sentence, while the slant or subjective

approach your own point of view about the topic not written directly, but implied or between the lines.

This is how it is revealed. The `Slant' is what you are writing about or how you write about it. It is

author's point of view basically.

3. Main body

To comprehend fully how you get meat onto the body of an article Long section between the beginning

and end you must understand the techniques that every professional writer learns to use.

When it comes to writing the body, there is no choice for the writer: The slant must pervade in every

paragraph.

A writer brings in anecdotes, quotes, and exposition (data supporting your point of view) to fill the main

body, but these are always relevant to the subject, and nothing is divorced from the idea, which is being

considered for writing.

Pros and cons? Moderate or extreme? Reasoned or impassioned? These questions should be answered by

the writer himself, whereas most of the writers do not often tell what will be the slant.

4. Ending

When you have said everything, there is to say, it not enough simply to stop writing. When the time

comes to an end your article, it is important to create a proper ending, which is the fourth essential

element in a magazine article.

The ending leaves readers feeling that the article has come to a successful, satisfying conclusion. This is

not to say that you must save your conclusion about your subject for the ending. The general pros and

cons of the topic are most often assessed within the focus and slant messages of the topic paragraph.

Hence the ending must impart an impression to the reader that the article has come to an end, successfully

and satisfyingly.

The ending is a reiteration, summation, and even in some cases a statement that there is more to be

learned or to be said than the reader has been told. End it like they way you want to remain in readers'

mind!

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