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A checklist for writing a great article

Written by: Catriona Pollard

Article Overview: Writing an article for publications can be challenging. Follow this checklist before writing it.

A checklist for writing a great article

Article Checklist
Feature articles, case studies,opinion pieces are useful PR tools to project an individual's or company’s thoughts, services, activities, philosophy and expertise. Here is a checklist for writing a great article.

1. Have you thought in what media you would like your article to appear?

2. Have you checked this media for the style, approach and subject matter of the contents? Is your finished article consistent with the target media's current contents?

3. Have you written a one page synopsis of what you would like to say, and why its interesting. Have you checked this with other people in your firm and/or your public relations advisers?

4. What practical or current examples can be incorporated in your article? Can a third party or another aspect of your firm's capabilities also be projected in the article. Can you get another party to endorse your work, thinking or approach?

5. Writings are invariably improved by allowing a few days to go by and then returning to your work. If time or deadline permit, has this been undertaken?
6. Will your article contain information of interest to the target media's readers? Does it pass the "So What" test?

7. Does it showcase you and your firm's expertise to your own satisfaction (N.B. This should not be blatant or overly prominent)

8. Are you entirely comfortable that publication of the article will not cause problems or break confidentiality? (Once an article has been submitted to media, they are entirely within their right to edit as they see fit - however you cannot withdraw the article).

9. Have you had the article edited and checked? This includes removing unnecessary words and jargon.

10. Have you considered how to distribute or follow up on the article once it is published?

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Article Tags: article writing, Catriona Pollard, CP Communications, PR tips, public relations, writing an article



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