How to Turn an Idea Into an Article

Every article starts with an idea.

Sometimes it's a great idea.

Sometimes it's just a sentence that pops into your head while you're doing something completely unrelated to writing.

The problem isn't usually coming up with an idea.

The problem is knowing what to do with it.

How do you take that little thought and turn it into an article someone actually wants to read?

Let's take a look.

Start With One Idea

Don't try to write the whole article at once.

Start with one thought.

For example:

“Writing online is harder than it looks.”

That's not an article yet.

It's just an idea.

But it raises questions.

Why is writing online difficult?

What makes it different from other writing?

What mistakes do people make?

What can a new writer do about it?

Now you have somewhere to go.

Ask Questions About the Idea

Questions are one of the easiest ways to develop an idea.

Take your original thought and start asking:

• Why is this true?

• Is it always true?

• What causes the problem?

• What mistakes do people make?

• What have I learned from experience?

• What can the reader do about it?

You don't have to use every answer.

You're simply giving yourself material to work with.

One question can lead to another.

Before long, that little idea has become several possible paragraphs.

Find the Main Point

This is where you have to be careful.

An idea can easily turn into five different articles.

That's not necessarily bad. It may mean you've found several good topics.

But choose one main point for the article you're writing now.

If your main idea is that writing online is harder than it looks, perhaps your article is really about the difference between writing something and writing something people will actually read.

Now you've got a direction.

Make a Simple Outline

You don't need a complicated outline.

Three or four points may be enough.

For example:

Introduction: Why online writing looks easy.

Point 1: Getting someone's attention.

Point 2: Keeping the reader interested.

Point 3: Giving the reader something useful.

Conclusion: Good writing requires more than putting words on a page.

That's already the skeleton of an article.

You haven't written the article yet.

But you know where you're going.

Add Your Experience

This is where your article starts becoming yours.

Anyone can repeat information they found somewhere else.

Your own experiences, observations, mistakes, and lessons give the article personality.

Maybe you've written something that you thought was good, only to discover that people weren't reading it.

That's worth mentioning.

Maybe you discovered that a simple article performed better than something you spent hours making complicated.

That's worth mentioning too.

Your experience gives the reader something they can't get from a generic list of facts.

Write the First Draft

Now write.

Don't worry about making every sentence perfect.

That's what editing is for.

Get the ideas out of your head and onto the page.

You may discover that the article changes while you're writing it.

That's perfectly normal.

Sometimes you don't really know what you think about an idea until you start writing about it.

The first draft is where you discover the article.

Edit After You Write

Once you've finished the first draft, step away from it for a little while if you can.

Then come back and read it as a reader.

Look for anything that doesn't belong.

Look for places where you've said the same thing twice.

Look for sentences that are harder to understand than they need to be.

And especially look for anything that doesn't support the main idea.

Remember, you aren't trying to prove how much you know.

You're trying to help someone understand something.

Give It a Good Ending

Don't just stop writing because you've reached the end of your notes.

Bring the article back to the main idea.

Give the reader something to think about.

Sometimes the best ending is a simple question.

Sometimes it's a final observation.

Sometimes it's one sentence that ties everything together.

The ending should feel like you've arrived somewhere—not like you simply ran out of words.

One Idea Can Become Many Articles

Here's the really interesting part.

That original idea doesn't have to produce just one article.

One idea can lead to another.

You might write about why online writing is difficult.

Then you might write about getting attention.

Then keeping attention.

Then writing useful content.

Then finding your own writing voice.

Before long, one little idea has become an entire series.

And that's how many good blogs grow.

Final Thought

Don't wait until you have a brilliant idea before you start writing.

Take the ordinary ideas you already have.

Ask questions.

Find the main point.

Add what you've learned.

Write it down.

Then edit it until the idea becomes clear.

You may be surprised at how much an article just by breaking it down, and was hiding inside that little thought you had in the first place.