Writing articles isn't as hard as you might think. By knowing what to avoid in your articles, you're well on your way to creating effective content that grabs and holds a reader's attention. Here are five common mistakes that can detract from the quality of an otherwise great article and how you can avoid them:
1. Lengthy Paragraphs: Paragraphs that are too long simply don't capture a reader's attention the way more compact blocks of text do. Your basic article will normally have a minimum of four paragraphs. The maximum will depend on how long the article is. Try to keep your paragraphs the same average length. Paragraphs that are too long or short detract from the quality of your article. If you notice a block of text that seems unnaturally long, simply split it up.
2. Poor Sentence Construction: While good sentence construction can make an article great, poor sentence construction can have the opposite effect. Sentences should be concise. Avoid run-on sentences that go on longer than they should. On the other end of the spectrum are incomplete sentences. While some articles can accommodate a more casual style, you still want to avoid incomplete sentences because not only are they unprofessional, they can get confusing. Also stay away from unnecessary punctuation. Another mistake in sentence construction is inserting punctuation where it doesn't belong.
3. Too Much Jargon: Jargon is a word used to describe terms specific to a particular career, hobby, or pursuit that insiders frequently use. For example, there is legal jargon and medical jargon. When writing articles, a little jargon goes a long way. Since many of the people reading your articles want to find out more about a subject and aren't already experts, keep your word choices general and understandable by all.
4. Misspelled Words: One of the biggest mistakes is that of misspelled words. Spelling errors distract the reader and take away from your status as an expert. With spell check available in every word processing software, there are no excuses. However, spell check can miss certain words or interpret them incorrectly, so be sure to manually scan your article as well.
5. Bad Grammar: Another big mistake is that of bad grammar. These days, some word processing programs come with a grammar check in addition to spell check. As with spelling, perform a manual check of your article to search for poor grammar. By reading over your work and reciting questionable portions aloud, you can easily identify grammar mistakes.
By keeping these five mistakes in mind when you sit down to write your next article, you're more likely to create an effective piece of writing that gets your message across in the most professional way possible. Regardless of what you're writing about or how you're presenting your message, avoiding these five critical errors can increase your success and let your readers know that you mean business!
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Source: www.isnare.com
