• By Rickie Smith
• Published 04/18/2008
• Article Writing

Here is something for all new writers. Clean up your article writing by avoiding these following 9 top-rated mistakes: 1. Poor Headline – A poor headline makes the reader stay away from going on to read the article. The visual power of headlines is immense. A compelling headline by itself tells the story and directs the reader to what is important. 2. Poor Structure – Imagine any well designed structure. It requires elements to support it and provides an aesthetic look. Similarly, your article should also be composed of some basic elements to keep it from falling apart. These elements comprise an introduction, the main text and a conclusion. 3. Lack of Article Flow – Lack of adequate transitional phrases makes the article sound discontinuous. For example the words “therefore”, “however” and “finally” signal the progress of the article and sustain the reader’s interest. Read your paragraph aloud to test the transitional words used.

4. Spelling Errors – Spelling errors spell doom for the article. Do not forget to use the spell check feature of the word processing application. However, spell check may overlook ce

rtain simple errors. Article writing needs that you make proofreading a habit. 5. Plagiarism – Take care to credit the reference material. Give the original author his due. 6. Use of Complex Jargon – Simple sentences are always more elegant. You can generally put any point across by without resorting to long and confusing sentences. Use bullets and numbering wherever possible. This will help you to break down your thoughts into shorter sentences. 7. Superfluous Text – Do not stuff unrelated matter into your article. This will put your article out of focus and confuse your reader. Article writing should aim at engaging the reader in understanding the main subject. 8. Incorrect Punctuation – Punctuation instructs the readers when to stop and pause. Learn the proper usage of punctuations with practice. Some Style books are good guides to learn from.

9. Not Knowing the Audience – Getting to know the audience is the primary requirement of article writing. Your article will fail to make any impact on the reader if the material is not intended for him. Try to understand the depth of knowledge and level of comprehension of your reader. This will help you in making a proper outline of your article.