I make a living writing articles and blog posts for large websites and publications like Reader’s Digest, CBS, MTV, and more. To write great articles, you need to cover all of the important details that editors and readers are looking for. Want to know my process?

Here it is.

How to write good articles

1. I Google my topic and read! I make sure to go to only reputable sites for my facts, though. Sites run by the government, universities, zoos and hospitals and the like are a-okay.

2. Next, I just write. Like, flat-out type. I get all of the facts out of my head and into a Word document.

3. Once everything is down, I divide it up into sections and order the sections in a way that makes sense.

4. I give each section a catchy (or informative) heading, then put it in H2 heading format. (The format changes, depending on the site, but H2 is usually the go-to). Adding a heading format helps the article get found by search bots.

5. Now, it’s time to back up what I say. I add quotes from experts (ProfNet and HARO are great places to find experts) or I link to sites where I got the information. Links will also help your article rank in Google searches.

6. Finally, it’s time for photos, videos, gifs or any other multimedia experience I can add. People are visual creatures and they love lots of things to look at. I add at least two.

7. Last, but not least, I go over the post a backwards and forwards to spot any typos, awkward sentences and other things that look totally unprofessional. Three read-overs are my goal.

That’s it.

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