Writing Blog Articles: My 5 Step Approach

Ever heard of the saying “there are many ways to catch a rat”? I have heard that argument when it comes to writing blog articles. I don’t know how true it is, but I personally opt to go for these 5 step approach in creating awesome articles for my clients.

Step 1 in Writing Blog Articles: Research

This is the foundation of your article. It is true to say, your article can never be better than the quality of your research.

How true could this really be?

Every time you write an article, you want to sound like the master of the field. Ideally, it is good to stick to domains where you are truly the master, but often that is not the case.

No matter the premise, it is important to know everything there is to know before considering what you feel your article should look like.

There are many parts to this initial stage of article writing. In my earlier post “Writing a blog post that will be read; A total guide“, I focused a lot on research concepts involving Bio persona, knowing and understanding your audience, studying your competition etc. However, one simple element of research is studying up on the subject matter.

Say for instance you are writing on top monitors for streaming. It is highly probable that you have not used all the monitors you hope to write about. My approach will be these 3 steps:

• Read up on the internet
• Watch as many YouTube videos as possible
• Find Udemy courses related to the subject matter

With this done I am really informed and I begin to feel like the expert in the domain. Now I will move on to my next step.

Step 2 in Writing Blog Articles: Organize

This step often goes hand in hand with my research. It involves grouping chunks of research matter by how related they are.

As a broad example, imagine I am performing research on the best password managers. It may be wise to organize my research into prize ranges, Operating System compatibility and maybe ease of use.

This way even before I draw a proper outline, I already have a good idea of some vital subjects to write about.

How does this make your writing more appreciated by your clients?

In my experience with clients who do not necessarily provide a content outline, this process makes it less likely for the need reviews and modification.

Step 3 in Writing Blog Articles: Outline

Many writers make the mistake of making this the first step. It is not the worst mistake in the world, but it is a less efficient way to write.

An outline after proper research and organization implies you totally understand the subject matter and are able to create a structure that accommodates all the important points.

In this article I use a straightforward outline:

• An introduction
• A body with different sub headings
• A conclusion

This is not the standard, it works in a lot of cases but not every article has to be outlined like this.

In a broader sense, there are 6 concepts I learned that help with my structure. They are even more relevant with regards to structuring the body of my post. These 6 structure patterns could be:

• Categorical
• Evaluative
• Chronological
• Comparative
• Sequential
• Causal

In practice, I apply either of these structures based on my audience and the type of content requires.

Step 4 in Writing Blog Articles: Writing

Finally we get to writing. Phew!!!

It feels almost like writing is the least important part of writing. That is in no way correct, it is not just as time consuming as some of the other stages.

You will realize that the actual writing becomes very easy once you have all the knowledge you have gained well organized and outlined.

Of course, there are a few styles you may have to adopt. A certain language or tone will be preferred to another. This often is determined by your client or the nature of your audience.

Step 5 in Writing Blog Articles: Editing

This final step is very critical. It is the difference between a polished writer and a novice.

Editing usually entails having a great mastery of the language. I however believe if you have read this article to this point, it is because you are confident you have a mastery of English. can write.

Many writers have a problem self-editing. one solution is using great tools. For all my clients, I use a premium version of Grammarly. You will find the free version very effective and I advice you start free.

Once you have your article properly edited, your task of writing a blog article is done.

Last Words

You should note that this process serves as a guideline for me. There may not be hard and fast rules when it comes to writing posts and articles, but a well defined and mastered pattern will make you a better writer and will help in keeping your clients satisfied.