25 Ideas for Writing Better Articles

Learning to write online articles that capture the audiences attention takes practice and dedication. These 25 ideas should help inspire you if you are having writers block, encourage you to write frequently, and comfort you that there is always something else to try for a great article.

The following 25 ideas for writing better articles are things I have done over the last couple years while publishing articles & eBooks online. The best tip is to simply write and write a lot. Figuring out ways to continue to create unique and interesting content can be difficult, however, if you follow some basic guidelines you will be more likely to keep track of your ideas, develop techniques for expanding your areas of expertise, and become part of the online conversation concerning topics you have an interest in. Feel free to add any ideas in the comments that you feel could help others write better articles.

1. Read. Read. Read. Find favorite authors and experts in your areas of interest and read as much as you can.
2. Eliminate distractions. Find a place that is comfortable to write and free of interruptions. For some it may be a specific location that helps you get isolated from distractions for others it may be the time of day that you write. I tend to do most of my best writing late into the evenings when the house is quite and everyone else is sleeping.
3. Write about a hot / trending topic and force yourself to identify angles that allow your expertise to come through in the topic even though the overall theme may not be something you feel you are an expert in.
4. Devote a specific time for writing and keep to it. While I may not be able to keep to my schedule everyday, I found that making myself write at a specific time I am more likely to get more done each week as I am less likely to skip a day of writing cause I got busy with other activities.
5. Create a list of topics to write about when you think of them. When a great idea pops into your head it can be easy to get distracted and start working on the project, however if you just keep a log of the ideas you will be comfortable to know you will not loose the idea while it is fresh. This allows me to confidently move away from brainstorming and focus on getting the article I was writing finished first.
6. Change where you write from time to time. I like to write on the couch with the laptop at least once a week even though I do most of my writing from my desk with a regular desktop computer having a laptop that allows you to be mobile lets you easily change up your writing location. I like to set up a table and chair on the back deck on nice sunny days and do a little writing outside.
7. Take a long walk to clear your head before writing. I live near the beach and I frequently go for a beach walk to clear my thoughts or think about a new angle with a specific topic. You can also go for a bike ride or a run, but I have found getting a little exercise helps exercise the mind as well and allows me to write better articles.
8. Bookmark articles about topics of interest for later use / reading. It can be easy to get distracted when doing research on a topic so create folders for additional ideas and bookmark relevant articles to read at a later time.
9. Breakup large articles into bite size chunks. Whether it turns out to be several parts that are published individually, chapters in an eBook, or separate unique articles with their own titles.
10. Start writing with the most interesting part of the article and expand from there. You can always add additional information at the beginning, but starting with the meat of the article can allow to really expand on the core ideas first.
11. Finish your thoughts about a topic before stopping, even if it is just an outline, you will feel better to know that the next time you are sitting down to write you are either working off a complete outline that needs to be written or you are ready to start a completely new article.
12. Don't say everything. It is OK to not say everything is required on a topic to make an article complete.
13. Take a rest after completing an article and publishing. It is always good to give yourself some time to review an article and adjust any points that may need it before publishing to the web.
14. Be inspired during your day go to an art exhibit, stop and listen to a street musician. You never know when you may gain a new perspective on a topic or at least you will get to relax your mind and enjoy something fun, which I have found puts me in a good mood and allows me to write better.
15. Check spelling and grammar. When writing a blog post make sure and reread an article 3 or 4 times before making it go live. When composing larger works for eBooks or publications reading the works many many times will be required to edit and eliminate errors.
16. Use an existing title from another article and make a unique article about the same topic. Never copy the article, however using a title can help get the juices flowing.
17. Write on a topic that is new to you. This will help you improve your research skills and improve the way you identify new angles for subjects you are an expert in. It is always good to expand your areas of expertise. Continuing your own personal education will only make you a stronger writer in your preferred writing topics.
18. Write an article based off a popular tweet in your industry of focus.
19. Read a book from a new / not popular author. There are thousands of unknown authors inside of the Amazon kindle marketplace and take the opportunity to find a book that is interesting to you and read it. You just may find a new style you enjoy or learn about a subject that you otherwise would not have read about.
20. Keep a log of interesting questions pertaining to topics of interest for you. As an industry or subject expert the questions that you have for yourself are likely to be questions others have as well and can be great starters for future blog posts or in depth articles.
21. Use a self made drawing for an article image at least once. Even if you are not an artist it can be fun way to connect with your articles.
22. Write with a real voice. When writing try and make it sound like a discussion, rather just ramblings and a collection of words.
23. Try writing a story. Make sure to include a complete story from the start, middle, and ending. If you are used to just writing blog posts and short pieces about specific topics writing a story will be a unique experience and allow you to grow as a writer.
24. Find a friend or family member that is available to proof read as well as someone that is open to brainstorming ideas about future article topics.
25. Avoid profane words when possible. While necessary in certain dialogues it is best to refrain from slang and four letter words in articles.

If you have not written something today, take a few minutes and put your thoughts on paper or at least on the screen with the keyboard. I find that I often will take breaks from writing for whatever reason and the best thing I do to get back into the habit of writing is just putting whatever thoughts I am having down. It can be amazing the amount of work that can be developed by simply writing a few paragraphs about an idea. Writing tends to be the biggest trigger for writing more for me.

While it can be difficult, I try and write something every day even it ends up just being 500 words, sometimes it will inspire me to write a few thousand more and make an unproductive day into a very productive one, just by focusing on writing something each day.