Have confidence! How to write your first article

So, there's something you want to write about, but you don’t know how to put it into words. Or maybe you want to write something to improve your personal brand, but don't know what to write about.

I’m here to help!

I think we should all write because I believe that sharing ideas is essential. And free! We all have something to say and we can all learn from each other.

Sure, it's supposed to be therapeutic, but it's much more than that. Writing your thoughts shows that you have a ‘brain’ outside of your daily work. It starts conversations and, if your connections share your article, it creates new connections.

I’m going to talk you through what to write about and how to get started when a blank page is staring you in the face. Then we’ll do a bit of editing (I’ll give you the cheeky cheats, tricks and tools I use -all free!) and discuss what to do after you post your article.

This is a longer article, full of tips. So, bookmark this page (or email it to yourself, or do whatever you do to stay organised!) and come back to it when you want to get writing. But don’t put it off - it’s really not that tricky.

1. OK then, what can you write about?

If you’ve already got your topic, great! But it’s not always that easy.

Very simply, write about what you know. And it doesn't have to be ‘about your job’.

• Is there something you find easy that others seem to struggle with? (Switching off outside work? Time-management? Fitting in excercise? Reading a complex document and picking out the relevant points?) How do you do it? Tell us your personal tips.
• What challenges have you faced recently? (Started managing a new team? Acquired a new company? Perhaps you're starting a new learning path or tackling a new language?) What advice would you give others in the same situation?
• What are you struggling with/frustrated about? Maybe you didn’t get a job you knew you were perfect for? How are you coping? What’s your plan now? Did you learn anything during the interview process?
• What lessons have you learnt? Maybe through your probation/in your first year/in the last 10 years/while training for the marathon? Just made a terrifying leap into a new career? How’s it going? Got any advice for the rest of us?

Now listen - you don't need to be an absolute expert. In fact, sometimes it’s better if you’re not. Talk your readers through your learning process and, if talking about a hurdle you’re trying to overcome, research some answers and reference your sources.

Give your personal experiences and perspective, warts and all. We’re interested!

Be cautious about being too controversial (you don’t want to damage your company reputation), but don’t be shy! Worried that people might disagree with your ideas? Write it anyway and start a discussion.

2. How to start

Don't over-complicate things. If you're not funny, don't force it. There’s no need to be uber-intellectual. Just write the way you normally talk, as if you’re chatting with your team.

Involve your readers by asking for their advice! After all, many brains are better than one, right?!

Listen: Every first draft SUCKS! If you don’t believe me, I’ll send you my first draft of this article... It’s called a rough draft for a reason, right?! Trying to start with the perfect title, or an enticingly captivating introduction paragraph will set you up for failure. Even trying to start with full, well-composed sentences creates a mental block.

If you can write a perfect blog or article from idea to final draft in one sitting, then you have an unusual talent. Realistically? Most of us get ‘White-page-itis’.

We sit in front of a blank screen watching the mocking blink of the cursor whisper can't | can't | can't | can't |

So how do you actually start..?

1. Get comfortable: Pen and paper might work, or your notes app, or whatever. I love Google Docs (Word, but online) - use the app, update your writing whenever inspiration strikes and it automatically syncs with your desktop document.
2. Start with anything that pops into your head: Write down a few random words/phrases/interesting articles/song lyrics/quotes…
3. Send your draft to someone else to read: Or talk it through with a friend. When we share ideas, they multiply and morph into something even better and weirder.
4. Just be you: How do you talk? I'm assuming your first writing venture will be LinkedIn. So we’re not talking about a dissertation or a white paper, just a written conversation between you and your reader. Yes, we still want to ace it, but forget about high-school English rules.

Write ‘you’, ‘your’ and ‘you'll’ instead of I, me and they. What I mean is that you need to write to them, the reader. Not ‘the readers’. Write to one person and really speak to them.

For example:

1. Readers might wonder whether my tips will indeed help them write.
2. You’re probably wondering if these tips will really help, right? Well, try them. And I'd love to help with your 1st/4th/100th draft so ping it over to me.

Which one did you connect with more? Number two, right? Imagine your reader and speak directly to them.

Think about it: when you meet a mate for brunch you don't (I hope) just talk at them for 20 minutes solid. That's a lecture. Instead, you probably ask questions, wait for their response, then react.

Am I right...? OK, good.

You see what I did there? Ask a question, imagine the answer, then carry on. It's just you and the reader, up close and personal, so relax and be yourself.

Scribble some stuff, then come back to it. Add or delete sections. Check it, proofread it, and make some changes. Think about it. Sleep on it. Review it.

Your ideas are great, but they’ll even better if you leave them sitting out to breathe at room temperature like a fine red wine.

Let your ideas mature like a wonderfully stinky cheese. (Cheese and wine - perfect…)

3. How to edit

Zoom out and look at your writing from a distance, without reading. Is it a huge, single block of text? 2 long sentences fill a standard smartphone screen and that’s enough for us to process. Hit enter after sentence two and break things up.

• Endless
• Bullets
• Don’t
• Necessarily
• Help...

...But they’re a great way to break up your text so stick some in to mix things up.

Read what you’ve written out loud (you’ll feel stupid, but trust me on this one!) - does it sound like you? If not, why not?! Use the same quirky words and phrases you use in everyday speech. Your edits will be messy (like mine, coffee splodge and all..!) - that's OK.

Add visuals wherever you can, because they’re ace and they keep us interested. My 3 favourite sites at the moment (for free, high-quality photos) are Unsplash, Pexels and Pixabay. You’re welcome.

Explain yourself: When we don't understand something (whether attending a lecture, reading an article or visiting an art museum), our capacity to learn nosedives. We switch off, and we feel stupid. If we feel stupid, our natural reaction is ‘it's not relevant to me’.

Bam. Door closed, not listening, stopped reading.

You’re the expert on what's going on in your brain. We’re not so, explain complex or industry-specific terms. It's not patronising, you’re just ensuring readers of all knowledge levels stay interested throughout your article and understand you.

4. Cheeky cheats, tricks and tools (all free!)

Sending someone your first draft or collaborating with others means they’re on your team in advance. It means you have a small army chanting your name and waving your flag and willing your writing to make a difference. And you’ll need them on your side in “that” moment....

That terrifyingly wonderful, disturbingly vulnerable moment when you hit ‘post article’.

And wait to see whether anyone notices, whether anyone cares. They will. They do. But here’s a tip:

It’s ok to ask a friend or colleague if they’ll help you out by writing the first comment - it just gets the ball rolling…

But before you post, there are some awesome tools that I’d recommend (links at the end of the article - check them out later).

• Headlines/Titles: I love the CoSchedule Headline Analyser - it scores your title and helps you write headlines that people actually want to click on. You can see how I chose the headline for this article.
• Proofread: Use your spellchecker, but I also check your grammar using Grammarly. The Hemingway Editor is amazing too and helps you keep your writing beautifully simple and easy to read. Definitely a great one to check out.
• Final proofread: Copy your article into a different type of document and read it again. Resize your text and change the colour. Or send yourself a draft and read it on your tablet or smartphone. Mistakes jump out at us when we change the layout, so it’s a brilliant tip.

There are loads of articles about when to post your article - I recommend keeping an eye on Hubspot, as they regularly blog about optimum days/times to post. There are also loads of blogs about how to use the LinkedIn ‘articles’ function, but if you struggle then please, ping me a message and I'll talk you through it!

5. After you post

Hit post, sit back, put your feet up and relax….NOT! You’ve written a brilliant article that you’ve spent time on, so why not let the world know about it?!

Message your LinkedIn contacts to reconnect, and say that you’ve just written an article that you think might interest them. Post it on your social media pages - your connections are generally friends or professional connections - why wouldn’t they want to see what you’ve written and possibly learn from it?

Send it to your aunties, your old school teachers, your current colleagues...they’re all on your side and WANT you to succeed. And I reckon they’ll give you a like or write a positive comment…

Know any ‘influencers’ (people with large social media followings) or experienced people in your profession? Or think about who you admire and who might be an expert on your topic. Get in touch with them.

If you write “I really want to progress as fast as possible and I value any advice you have. I know that a key part of doing well is to increase my visibility. To help that, I’ve written this article and I’d love to you take a look and either write a comment or let me know privately what you think”.

1) You’ve flattered them by asking their advice (we ALL love to think we’re experts!) and 2) If they don’t reply, nothing lost.

Don’t forget to thank anyone who reposts your article, and reply to all messages and comments. You can easily check how many views, likes, comments & shares you have too.

‘Writing’ isn’t an exact science. There are really no specific ‘rights or wrongs’ but I hope some of these tips help.

Just do your thing, your way, and keep refining. If it's helpful, send me your draft to read - I'd love to be your cheerleader and write that first comment.

Bon voyage and HAPPY WRITING!!

If you've found this article helpful then please click the thumbs up icon at the top and I'll do my happy dance!

Want to write but simply don’t have the time? Get and touch - let’s discuss how I can help by ghostwriting articles for you.

Here are the links and tips I’ve mentioned:

1. Easy writing on mobile and desktop: https://docs.google.com
2. Great pictures and visuals: https://unsplash.com/ | https://www.pexels.com/ | https://pixabay.com/
3. Create great headlines/titles: https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer
4. Check that grammar! https://www.grammarly.com/
5. Keep things simple when you’re editing: https://www.hemingwayapp.com/
6. When to post: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/best-times-post-pin-tweet-social-media-infographic