If you have a small budget, or you are very interested in writing your own articles, you should make yourself familiar with the necessary steps required when writing articles for business use. Writing commentary can be a great way to get exposure for your business or website if it is done properly. Your articles have to be informative, effective and provide value. If they fall short, you won’t get as much value from your editorial efforts.

1. Create a draft for writing your article

Before you start writing your article, you should begin with a draft of your information. Regardless of whether you are writing a paragraph, an article, or a book you should brainstorm and write down the basic thought or information that you are trying to put across to your audience.

Many times a writer will go back to the preliminary form for reference or as a starting point if the first efforts are not to the writer’s liking. By preparing a draft you will not need to worry about whether you remembered the points that needed to be covered or what the purpose of the writing was.

You may only need a few words or brief sentences for your draft. Writing your thoughts as well as your references or quotes down ahead of time will free your mind to create compelling content without trying to hold all the important details in your head as you work.

If you are writing an article or report you should just write the thoughts down as they come to you for your first draft. You can go back and edit it when you’ve put everything on paper.

If you’re writing longer content, such as a book, you need to create a table of contents along with a brief summary of each chapter as a basis for getting started.

Do not be concerned with proofreading or accuracy on your first draft. If you need to do more research or check a fact you can go back and do it later. When writing an article, or page content, getting started can be the hardest piece for most writers. Avoid getting caught up in making it perfect the first time and you will discover it is much easier to progress from beginning to end without too much stress.

2. Make the content of your article clear

When you’ve finished writing the first draft of your article, you will need to read it over from start to finish and make notations of areas that need clarification or rewording.

Sometimes the information you write for your composition or story makes sense to you but is not clear to others. This can easily happen when your writing is based on information you already know but are taking for granted that your audience is also aware of. Even if your readers SHOULD have some knowledge or experience of your topic, if you don’t clarify the basis for your comments they may find the information confusing or misleading.

Carefully read over your information or ask for an impartial opinion. If you must do the final check for yourself it is easier to catch mistakes if you leave the information for a while and go back to it later for a fresh look. Try to look at it from the viewpoint of your reader and determine if they would understand the language and explanations easily.

3. Check your articles for accuracy and proofread.

When your writing is completed it is important to check it for accuracy. Are all the dates, statistics or facts accurate? Are you using proper spelling, especially for names and places?

It is very easy for readers to double check your information when they are browsing the internet. If something strikes them as being ‘off’ they may actually go see if what you state is referenced somewhere else on the internet.

Proofreading should always be done before publishing your content. Using a spell checking program on your computer will catch most spelling errors but you should try to have a second party review the final copy to catch mistakes that you may have overlooked.

Writing your own content can give you a great sense of accomplishment and ownership. While trying to maintain a professional writing style can be very important, it is also important to let your own personality and style to shine through so your audience can connect with you.

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From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters at www.managing-creativity.com/

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more…

Sample Movie Deconstructed: Pulp Fiction (1994)

FADE IN: dictionary definition of pulp.

Loop: Intro / Develop Pumpkin (Ringo) and Honey Bunny (Yolanda).

Credits. Music.

Intro / Develop AntiHero and Shape Shifter: Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield: driving.

AntiHero’s Backstory: Vincent’s just come back from Europe.

AntiHero and Shape Shifter’s Capabilties: guns from the trunk of the car; hit men.

Foreshadow of the Romantic Challenge: talking about Mia; television.

Foreshadow of the Antagonist: “…Marcellus fucked him up real good…”

Interdiction: “…he gave her a foot massage….[and he threw him out the window]“

Develop Characters and Relationships: debating eating pussy and a foot massage.

Resistance to the Crossing of the First Threshold: “…come on, lets hang back…”

Call to Adventure: he asked me to take care of her [Mia] while he’s [Marcellus] away.

Refusal: “…it’s not a date, it’s definitely not a date…”

First Threshold: entering into the college boy’s room.

Develop Characters and Relationships: Jules’ spiel…intimidation etc…

Elixir: the case.

Meeting the Antagonist and Hero: Marcellus convinces Butch to take a dive…”…in the fifth your ass goes down…”

Foreshadow of the Cave: “…I hear you’re taking Mia out…”

Foreshadow of Trial 3: Vincent confronts Butch.

Meeting the Mentor and the receiving the Magical Gift: Vincent buys drugs from Jody and Lance.

Journey to the Cave: Vincent injects in the car.

Outer Cave: Vincent arrives at Marcellus’ house.

Rules by an Authoritarian Figure: the note; the intercom.

Meeting the Romantic Challenge: Mia watches Vincent from CCTV.

Develop Characters and Relationships: Mia takes some coke and Vincent drinks while high.

Pulled to the Middle Cave: “…lets go…”

Resisting the Middle Cave: “..what the fuck is this place…lets go get a steak…after you kitty cat..”

Threshold Guardian: reservation under Wallace…

Middle Cave: entering Jack Rabbit Slims.

Meeting Enemies and Allies / Developing the Romantic Challenge: ordering shakes; French Fox Five.

Foreshadow of the Physical Separation: Mia snorting.

Referencing the Interdiction: Vincent brings up the foot massage.

Resisting the Inner Cave: Vincent doesn’t want to dance.

Inner Cave: Vincent dancing with Mia.

Resisting the Physical Separation: “…one drink and then go home…being loyal is very important…say goodnight, go home, jerk off…”

Physical Separation: Mia OD’s.

Journey to the World of the Transformation / Mentor: Vincent drives Mia to Lance.

Resisting the Transformation: Lance resists answering the phone; do not bring her here.

Forced into the Transformation: “…no choice…”

Pushed Back: Lance wants Vincent to take her away…

Pulled Forward: “…she’s Marcellus’ wife…”

Road of Trials:

Trial 1: giving Mia the shot in her heart.

Successfully passing Trial 1: going home…”…If Marcellus lived his whole life he wouldn’t need to know about this incident.…”

Hero’s Backstory / Setting up Trial 3: Koons visits and gives [the young] Butch the watch.

Trial 2: Butch doesn’t go down in the fifth; jumps the building and escapes in the cab.

Developing the Antagonist: “…if Butch turns up in Indochina…”

Developing the Hero: Butch changes in the cab; the other boxer is dead; “…what does it feel like [to] kill a man…”

Butch phones Scottie; he’s made some money and on his way to Tennessee.

Meeting the Hero’s Romantic Challenge: Fabienne / Sugar Pot…”the difference between a pot belly and not is huge…”

Develop Characters and Relationships: Butch in the shower and Fabienne brushing teeth.

Resisting Trial 3: “…where is the fucking watch…”.

Journey to Trial 3: in the car back to the apartment.

Trial 3: Butch shoots Vincent in his apartment.

Meeting the Oracle: Marcellus walks in front of the car; Butch runs him over.

Journey to the Sword: Marcellus pursues Butch; Butch knocks out Marcellus; Spider knocks out Butch.

Guardians of the Sword: Zed, the Gimp et al.

Seizing the Sword: Butch knocks out the gimp, runs and gets the Sword.

Near Death Experience: Zed et al are gang banging Marcellus; killing Spider and shooting Zed.

Atonement with the Father: “…what about between me and you…” “…between me and you…there is no me and you…not no more…we’re cool…”

Apotheosis: conditions of liberation; Butch is free to go.

Ultimate Boon: Zed’s Chopper.

Magic Flight: Butch goes back for Fabienne, “…come on, lets go…”; Fabienne cries.

The boy comes out from behind the door and shoots; “…no, no, no that shit wasn’t luck; this was divine intervention…”; “…I think it is time for us to leave Jules…”

Refusal: “…me, my eyes are wide open…that’s it for me…from here on in you can consider my ass retired..”

Rescue from Without:

Accidentally shooting Marvin.

Develop Characters and Relationships: cleaning up in Jimmie’s bathroom.

Jimmie has a go at Jules.

Jules calls Marcellus.

The Wolf gets the call.

Mr Wolf arrives and gets Jules and Vincent to clean the car.

Wolf gives Jimmie some money for the sheets.

Jules and Vincent cleaning the car.

Wolf gets Jules and Vincent to undress and gives them a shower.

At Monster Joe’s truck and Tow; “..thank you very much Mr Wolf…”

Crossing the Return Threshold:

Develop Characters and Relationships: Jules and Vincent having breakfast.

Jules simply wants to give up the life; Walk the Earth; he had a moment of clarity.

Master of the Two Worlds:

Loop: Pumpkin and Honey Bunny decide to rob the café.

Jules and Ringo et the table sequence

Freedom to Live:

Jules lets Ringo and Honey Bunney go.

Jules and Vincent walk out.

FADE OUT:

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/