As the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching new (and seasoned) writers for more than ten years. Every month we work together to produce informative, engaging, and inspiring material for our readers. As I review submissions, I often see one or more of these common mistakes:
Common article-writing mistakes
1. Beginning at the beginning
It seems logical, when writing a feature article, to begin at the beginning of someone’s life. That’s where it all began, right? And the details are so fascinating and relevant. Unfortunately a reader doesn’t care about the details until they care about the subject.
We have to hook ‘em first, show them why they should care, then fill in the back story. Twentieth-century filmmaker Billy Wilder described this technique: “You grab them by the throat, their heart is beating, and you never let go.”
Instead of beginning at a subject’s birth, choose the point of highest conflict in their story and dive in. Once you’ve captured your reader’s attention, you can flesh out the details and the back story.
2. Telling not showing.
I find it much easier to rattle off a list of details rather than take the time to set the stage. But whether we’re writing a novel or penning an article, we must create a setting, provide sensory details, and showcase the story.
Dialogue is a great way to inject a reader into the scene by showing. Here’s an example:
“Mom,” Simpson said, raising his eyes and staring deeply into hers, “I’m going to New York to follow my dream.” He swallowed hard, then spoke again. “I hope you’ll give me your blessing.”
Simpson Jackson’s mother knew her response would impact their relationship for the rest of their lives.
3. Omitting description.
In today’s image-driven world, we rely heavily on graphics. We know the art director plans to use photos of our subject in the layout, so we skip the physical description in the story. Why waste precious words on the person’s salt and pepper crew cut or Bambi eyes?
Weaving physical descriptions into our narratives reinforces the graphics and spotlights details we want our readers to notice. Mentioning a subject’s “kind eyes” or “quick smile” also provides welcome description for visually-impaired readers and those listening to an article rather than reading it.
4. Failing to answer the readers’ questions.
Before I submit an article, I run it through the Have I Answered All My Readers’ Questions? test. This is an important step, especially if I’m very familiar with the subject or ministry. Just because I know the vernacular doesn’t mean everyone does.
Set aside your writer perspective and read the article as someone who knows nothing about the topic or person. Make sure you’ve included details that might answer their questions. Some examples might be:
- How is this project funded?
- How can I learn more about it?
- How can I get involved?
5. Failing to define acronyms and jargon.
In recent days we’ve learned about the CDC, PPE, and LMNOP (oops, that was kindergarten). Although terms may be familiar to us, we can’t assume everyone knows what they mean. Unless it’s a universally-understood acronym, spell it out the first time and include the acronym in parenthesis immediately after, i.e. “the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said recently . . .” or “My WIP (work in progress) is coming along nicely.” Once you’ve defined it, you’re free to use the acronym in place of the complete name.
The next time you write an article, edit your piece with these common article writing mistakes in mind. If your work avoids all five, you’ll provide your editor with an article that’s clear, enjoyable, and RTP (ready to publish)!
Lori Hatcher is the editor of Reach Out, Columbia magazine and the author of several devotional books including Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible and Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women, winner of the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year award. Her most recent book, A blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker, her goal is to help women connect with God in the craziness of life. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).