Understanding how to write a newspaper article can be a very valuable skill to have in your armory. Creating newsworthy topics is of utmost importance to both your readership and the publishing house to which you are submitting your article. This is because keeping the reader engaged and stimulated is critical to your reputation and success in the newspaper industry.

So what is a newsworthy story that will engage your readers? Newsworthy topics will have a large variation depending upon the audience you are writing for. A detailed and in depth finance article for example will be equally as stimulating as a local report upon a regional issue in the surrounding area. In this regard, regional and the more local based newspapers will lean more towards locally based topics given we all like to read about issues which are ‘close to home’.

How to write a newspaper article – the structure

You will often hear the word an ‘inverted triangle‘ when discussing the optimal method of writing a newspaper article. This is simply because it is a tried and tested author writing model. Think of an upside down triangle with the most important elements of the article at the top and the least relevant (or important) at the bottom of the newspaper article.

It is always appropriate to gain the readers attention through using what is termed a ‘impacting opening statement’. This can often be something controversial or even inflammatory (so long as you have your facts right), either way, grabbing the readers attention at outset stands both you and reader in great stead for the remainder of the piece of writing.

As you progress through your newspaper article think about what follows the flow of the piece. As you progress you will want to consider subsequent paragraphs as supporting elements of the  main subject of the article. You can make good use of relevant facts and figures here as well as anything interesting surrounding the topic under discussion. Remember the top down approach and keep the most important aspects of the information as high in the writing as possible.

People love hearing what other people have to say on subjects so wherever possible get out from behind your desk and interview people of interest to your subject matter. Authoritative sources, members of the public, anybody whom you feel will bring a different perspective to your writing.

Consider using different writing ‘voices’. These can be adapted to suit your target audience but in order to really relate to your readership you will want to be engaging your readers.

How to write a newspaper article – the Headline or Title?

We will finish this how to write a newspaper article on one of the most important aspects of newspaper articles; the title. As we have mentioned previously, you really need to spend as much time on the title as the remainder of the article. How many times have you found yourself skipping over a newspaper article simply a result of the boring and uninspiring headline? If your reader cannot get past the headline then it doesn’t matter how high quality your article is so send due consideration on generating an accurate but impacting headline to capture those first few crucial seconds of your readers time.

My Top 10 Article Writing Tips

1. Without doubt one of the most significant article writing tips is to become aware of, and understand the target audience you are writing for. Get into the mind of the reader and ask yourself what is it they crave? What issues are they facing and importantly, how can you help them overcome them. If you firstly take the time to study your audience you will much better understand the particular problems they are up against – this can be reflected in your article writing making helping you build your position as an authority on the subject.

2. One aspect to effective article writing which most writers miss is that it is OK to provide the reader with all the information they require. Many writers hold back on important information in order to sell a product or service for example. The reality is that people will still purchase the product even if you expose all the secret details. Therefore do not hesitate to offer up the most important information to the reader, this will instill the confidence and respect you are looking to achieve in your writings.

3. Do not be afraid to promote the key benefits of your topic to the reader at outset. This is particular relevant in terms of selling products. Remember what people are actually buying is what the product or service does for them – not what the features are. Focus on the what it means to me mentality in your writing and put yourself in the shoes of your audience, what will it do for them?

4. In order to gain the respect of your reader one of the most common downfall is getting your information wrong. Facts account for a lot with readers and get it wrong will lose your reader instantly. Be astute with your facts and figures and make sure your information is accurate.

5. Keep it succinct and on topic. One of the more common article writing mistakes authors make is to ramble on about the subject without providing any value to the reader. Think about how you can communicate your message and keep it to as least amount of words as possible.

6. Get to know authoritative people in your chosen field of expertise. Follow them on Twitter, sign up to their blog RSS feed or email list. Keep yourself updated with the movers and shakers of the industry and it will be reflected in your writings.

7. Always provide ‘value’. At all costs, ensure you provide your reader with a tangible takeaway from your article. It maybe something small or a really important piece of information but always try to include something of value the reader can take away with them.

8. Keep it on track – there is nothing worse in your article writing than drifting off topic. Your reader does not have a lot of time and a writing diversion will simply waste their time. Keep it on topic, short and punchy.

9. Articles such as this which makes use of numbering or bullet points are a great way to keep the readers attention as well as make it much easier to read. Not only that but your article writing can take on a whole new approach by focusing upon short and concise articles making use of breaks through bullets or numbering.

10. Finally, do not write rubbish content. It is the quickest and easiest way to alienate your audience. If you are stuck for inspiration simply put the article away for another day. Sleep on it and return when your fresh and better equipped with the ideas and creativity you need. Your readers will appreciate it much more than a rushed article – give your readers the respect they deserve. After all, they will be able to read between the lines and will know you simply rushed the article.

As I mentioned at the foot of this article, it will take time and effort to establish yourself as a authoritative figure in the niche you are operating in. One thing is for sure though, if you adopt these article writing tips, stick to them and give your audience what they want, in a way which is personal and beneficial to them, it won’t be long before you are seen as an article writing authority.