How Good Writers Always Write Good Articles
Do this one thing and start writing better articles immediately.
Let us assume that you do all the right things to be considered a good writer. You have a good handle on grammar, punctuation and spelling. You always proofread your work at least twice before submitting it. You have a talent for writing about subjects people will be interested in reading. Still, there’s something missing from your articles. What could it be?
Maybe you could use some doubt in your writing. Let me explain.
While I was a Teaching Assistant at the University of Pittsburgh from 2004 to 2006, we graduate students had to take a course on argumentative writing. Then we would teach argumentative writing to our undergraduate students.
The idea behind argumentative writing was that an article was a discussion between the writer and the reader. Of course the writer would start off with a position, supply proof why the position was the correct one and then in the conclusion reaffirm the correctness of that position.
Hopefully, the reader would agree; but the university felt that for the reader to truly be convinced of the writer’s position the writer had to at least admit that there were other positions that might be correct, too. The writer had to entertain some doubt. Doubt actually made the writer’s argument more not less convincing. A little bit of doubt made the writer’s position seem more reasonable.
You’ve read articles where the writer came off as a know-it all. That can be very irritating. The writer may win the discussion but lose the reader.
So, you may want to try some argumentative writing in your next online article. Nothing is certain; but it just might help.
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Tags: argument, good articles, good writers, Grammar, idea, online, Proofread, punctuation, Spelling, talent, teach, University of Pittsburgh, Writing
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November 4th, 2009 at 3:57 am
That is correct…
November 4th, 2009 at 4:47 am
Thanks for a helpful and thoughtful advice..
November 4th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Very informative!
November 4th, 2009 at 6:03 am
Very helpful advice, thank you.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:08 am
Good advice i try to put question marks in my articles to encourage people to think about my point and comment if they feel inclined.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:13 am
I also think different people enjoy reading different styles of writing.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:30 am
good article, i might try the same hogan, pls go through my articles and send me comments
November 4th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Hmm, I didn’t know other kind of arguments would make my argument more convincing. This is definitely new tips for me. Thank you for this!
November 4th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Dopey.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:19 am
One more lesson in writing I could use .Thank you
November 4th, 2009 at 7:20 am
nice tip.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:38 am
Thank you for the lesson in writing. I am always looking for helpful advice.
Christine
November 4th, 2009 at 8:18 am
Thanks for your insight and I would love to read more of your articles on writing.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:57 am
How very, very true.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:09 am
I agree with Jane Benitez,that you should write more articles on writing. Simply inspiring.
Doaa
November 4th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Thanks for the helpful advice.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Great write thanks for the share!
November 4th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Teves, I guess if the reader thinks you are fair minded he or she will be more willing to accept your position.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
giftarist, the argument makes sense but you probably have to be a pretty good writer to make it work.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Jenny, the class on argumentative writing really got me thinking. It was a good class and my students did write more balanced papers.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Frances, it’s advice I should use more often myself.
November 4th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Lord Banks, it’s a good technique and I need to do it more often in my own articles.
November 4th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Petalm, well agumentative writing is a different style because most writers, including myself, don’t do it.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
svishnugopal, I’m glad the article gave you something to think about.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Avaxier, of course the proof supporting your agument has to be convincing.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Ken, if it’s done right agumentative writing can be very powerful. It’s like running for public office and saying that the person running against you is a good person but is misguided because of these reasons and your position is the correct one because of these reasons.
A good rule of thumb is a villian is never all bad and a protagonist is never all good.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
chitragopi, argumentative writing includes both sides of an argument. It’s just your argument is better.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
martie, a reader is more inclined to believe a writer is being up front if the writer gives both sides of an argument.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Christine, I had never heard of argumentative writing until I went to Pitt. It’s like your article is being argued by a protagonist and an antagonist and of course the protagonist represents the writer. The writer must give the protagonist the better argument.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Jane, agumentative writing was something I forgot about. I have to use it more in my own articles.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Papa, a writer always seems more trust worthy if the writer presents both sides of a story.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Doaa, you will find plenty of articles on writing in my profile.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
PR, I think argumentative writing is a good idea and I need to use it more myself.
November 4th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
alc, it’s interesting what comes back to you when you need someting to write about. I haven’t thought about argumentative writing in years.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Then again, they could be emotive. I often hate myself for writing impulsively.
Some writers, when they get your goat, it is best sleeping on the article – then replying.
Great as usual, mate . j
November 4th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Hi Prof!
I enjoyed another article by you and there is a lot to be learned from this one. I truly appreciate the “crash courses” I take at Hogan U!
Friends,
November 4th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
James, impulsiveness may cause you to regret a reply; because often impulsiveness may reveal more about the commentator than it does about the writer.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Very good idea for you to share. Thank you for your ever unselfish ways to help out writers.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:53 pm
mo, argumentative writing is something I haven’t thought about in years. I have to use it more in my own articles, too. It’s so easy to forget the things you learn if you don’t use them all the time.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
athena, argumentative writing is difficult but it can give a writer’s written arguments more balance and therefore make an article more convincing.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I think writer should find a point of equlibrium between he/she and the readers. Then only the writer can weight its weight on writing. Readers are not always right if they’re there to create problems, unless they’re there to give constructive comments.
As a good writer, they should have their own pride, and thus the nature of writing shouldn’t be directed by the will of the reader.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Great informative. Thanks.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Good advice for us
November 4th, 2009 at 8:53 pm
Good advice
November 4th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Very interesting point of view – - not only does it allow acceptance of a variety of pov’s – - it actually INVITES different pov’s to feel like they can comment or feel more acceptance with regard to their own thoughts and feelings.
Great.
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:49 pm
nice job
November 4th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
Thanks, I thought it was quite humorous that you used some doubt in your article about having some doubt. Great article.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:19 am
Alright now dont get me started. Sounds like a passive challenge
November 5th, 2009 at 3:33 am
This sounds like a very interesting way to write.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:34 am
trufax
November 5th, 2009 at 7:14 am
I like that leave room for doubt
November 5th, 2009 at 8:36 am
another good lesson in writing. tnx.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:46 am
Thanks for pointing this out – a different view point might somethimes change everything. Worth a try for me. And a great article.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:57 am
Excellent advice. I try not to be ‘the big I am’ with my articles and hopefully, on the whole, get the message across. I also like to make my articles relatively brief and fun rather long winded and stodgy. Since I’ve been doing that, I’ve noticed that I’m gaining far more readers and making far more friends!
November 5th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Great hint, thanks!
November 5th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Truly something to think about.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
I learned this method through my college years. It does bring the reader in.
November 5th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Never really thought of this, good advice.
November 5th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
Thanks for advise to writer.
November 5th, 2009 at 6:20 pm
Will try it in my next article, thanks!
November 5th, 2009 at 6:51 pm
great info!
November 5th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Very thought provoking article. Just a question though, has anyone ever wrote a piece like this and found that the opposite side of the view you had, has the stronger argument? What would you do? Would you switch sides or try to better your argument?
November 5th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Chan Lee, if the writer is any good the reader will make the right choice.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
marlene, I forgot all about this technique until I was trying to come up with an idea for this article.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:47 pm
You convinced me. This is why I changed my image, but on the other hand, should I have done so?
November 5th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Purnomosidhi, agumentative writing is a great tool.
November 5th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
Different people like different writing styles. Good advice from your side
November 6th, 2009 at 5:04 am
Nice thought for writers…….
November 6th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Thanks for the info and will think about adding it into my next article.
November 7th, 2009 at 2:45 am
Great information Guy, I like a good argument with myself!
November 10th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Thanks for pointing that out. I think it’s not easy for everyone to write argumentative writing though.
January 25th, 2010 at 12:10 pm
I agree with what your saying though argue if its worth implying in a heavilly opinionated article. To me doubt tends to show reason, which is always something that deserves attention.