How to write an Article?

You have been writing articles for many years. So you have a fair idea about how to write an Article and what to write in it. Yet, it would not be out of place to recapitulate what you have learnt so far about an Article.

What is an Article?
The word Article means an attempt. It is an attempt to write in a single prose-piece one's own ideas, impressions, thoughts, feelings or opinions on a given subject. It may be in the form of information, narration, description, exposition or argument.

Difficulties faced by people: Usually people face two difficulties in writing an Article: (1) What to write and (2) How to write it.

What to write is the difficulty related to the subject-matter. people may not have sufficient ideas, information, experience or thinking about the subject of an Article. This difficulty can be overcome by a lot of reading, by observing things around us, by coming into contact with people from various walks of life and by doing things. people will be able to write well on what they have read, seen, heard or done.

The difficulty of how to write results from lack of sufficient vocabulary and power of expression. Students may not have enough and proper words to express what they want to and they may not have mastery of different sentence structures to say how they want to say. Here also reading will help them immensely. Extensive reading will provide them with a sufficient and rich fund of words on various subjects and familiarise them with various sentence structures. Intensive reading will fix the structures and main ideas in their minds.

How to write an Article :
1.    You can't write an Article unless you have sufficient knowledge of the subject. If you don't have sufficient knowledge of the subject, read the necessary books, consult your teachers and elders and get the necessary information from them. This information will provide you with the necessary vocabulary also, since it is expressed in language.
2. Don't start writing the essay straightway. First think about the subject and jot down the ideas as they come in the form of points. Arrange the points under proper headings. All the related ideas must be put together under the same heading. Now you will have an outline of the essay which should be followed while writing the essay.
3. Once the outline is ready, you can start writing the essay. An essay has three main parts : (1) Beginning (2) Middle  (3) End.
(1) In the beginning the subject is introduced or defined. Introduction should be brief, striking and interesting, because the first impression is the last impression. The topic may be introduced directly or through appropriate quotation, proverb, anecdote, brief story, personal remark or reminiscence, reflection or a question. Good beginning is essential because well-begun is half done.
(2) The middle is in fact the heart of the essay. It is here that the main ideas are developed. They are discussed and illustrated. This is the main body of the essay. If necessary, this section may be divided into paragraphs. Each paragraph must be built up round a single idea or point and all the paragraphs must be connected in a continuous and logical sequence.
(3) The end is the conclusion. All the ideas and the discussion in the body are summed up here. The end must be effective and satisfying. It must not be abrupt but must come naturally as a logical conclusion.
4. There must be unity and continuity in an essay. All the ideas or thoughts must be built round the main idea or thought and must be arranged in a logical order in their proper sequence, so that the whole essay reads like one continuous piece.
Each sentence must lead to the next. All the paragraphs should be so connected as to develop the ideas in a logical order.
5. Avoid unnecessary words and phrases. Never use any word or phrase, the meaning of which is not known to you.
6. Be brief, simple and clear. Say what you want to say directly and in a simple, unambiguous way. Avoid long, complicated
sentences. Use small, simple sentences. Avoid high-sounding words and phrases.
7. Let there be balance and proportion in the development of ideas.
8. Do not use unnecessary illustrations or figures of speech. Illustrations and figures of speech must come naturally in the presentation.
9. Do not imitate anybody. Say what you want to say in your own words, in your own way. Gradually, after sufficient practice you will develop your own style.
10. Remember that writing a good essay requires good practice.