Turn a Topic into an Article: 5 Tips to Show You How

One of the hardest things about being a writer is figuring out how to take a topic and turn it into a fully functioning article. The hours we spend debating about where to begin, starting and starting over, doubting ourselves, and musing over our ridiculous pursuit to be successful moneymaking writers, is enough to make even the strongest of heart want to raise their white flag.

Regardless of how much we throw our hands up in opposition, writing will never be an easy job. Sure, there will be times when the words flow easier than others, but the work of the writer will never be a simple one.

Despite this harrowing fact, there are certain things writers can do to make the task of turning a topic into an article a little less agonizing.

5 tips that will help you turn your topic into an article

1. Once you have a topic selected, the first thing you need to do is decide what the single, most important point is that you want to make about the subject. Imagine that you will never again be able to speak on this topic; what do you want to say the most? Have a clear message in mind. It will be your articles lifeline.

When your writing has a specific direction, the reader is able to follow it, and get more out of it. It also makes it easier for the writer to stay on task; it provides a main point to build off of, which is a lot easier than trying to build a solid article out of thin air. Think of the main point is the trunk of a tree; all of the other relative points are the branches.

2. If you need to do research for the article, give yourself a specific amount of time to do so and do not exceed the time frame. Be picky about what you include in the article. You cannot include every thing, so stick with the main point you've decided on, and only include a limited amount of supporting information.

3. Put everything in order. The information needs to take on a form. It needs to progress at a steady rate that makes sense. If you write an article about the health benefits of a certain type of fruit, don't talk about the best way to incorporate the fruit into your diet and then begin describing the size, color, and flavor of the fruit.

4. How are you going to communicate the information? Is it a personal account that will be told from your viewpoint? Is it informal information, and only going to deliver the facts? Are you going to include your own opinions, advice, or experiences, or will you not be in the picture? Decide this before you write the article. It will give the article a consistent tone and therefore, alleviate confusion for the reader.

5. If you are writing primarily to make money, don't focus on that. Thinking about the money at stake when writing can hamper your creativity, cripple you with fear, and awaken that extremely negative critic in your head. Instead, try to focus on a goal or something that gets you excited about the topic. Maybe you could imagine that there is an Olympics for writers and you are going for the gold medal. You are going to write the best article on this subject possible. Come up with an idea that appeals to you. Get yourself excited about what you are writing. Your work will fare a lot better if you are thrilled, or at least somewhat motivated to do it.

Ultimately, turning topics into articles is about developing a solid foundation to build your ideas upon. These tips will help you to establish that foundation.