How to Write a Business Article for Beginners
For someone whose core job is anything but writing, getting the directive to write a business article can be pretty daunting. After all, putting your knowledge down in words is nowhere near as easy as just talking about it. In fact, I’d argue that developing a business training module is much easier compared to writing an article down about it, especially if writing is not your forte – which it shouldn’t be, if you’re not a writer.
As a copywriter who has written a wide range of articles for companies, start-ups and NGOs, I understand the struggle faced by companies who want to capture important competitive edges in their areas of expertise into impactful articles. I also appreciate the effort it takes to even write one of those articles. Now I’m not going all fancy with my definition here, so when I say business articles, I mean any kind of article meant for a corporate audience – even ones to be read leisurely.
So if you’re a content expert who wants to put your knowledge down into words, then read on, and I’ll guide you through a very simple process to have your article written down in no time!
Step #1
Scope, scope, scope
Like it or not, your article needs to have a scope, and the only way you can determine your scope is if you brainstorm the contents first. Brainstorming is not a long or involved process. It’s actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. The basic idea is that you want to know the area of focus that you want to write about. If possible, try to only have one area of focus.
For example, this article is about how to write business articles. I’m not writing about how to structure sentences or how to create a crafty opening in an article. That is beyond the scope of this article. So if you feel like your area is too broad, try to narrow it down – otherwise, broaden the topic. Whatever it is, make sure that there is only one central idea that you are focusing on.
Step #2
Start business. Write!
“Seriously? Start writing?”
Yes.
“But I don’t know how to start!”
I don’t care. Just start.
“I don’t know how to begin!”
Look. I’ll say it now. Usually, when I write a business article, especially narrative articles, the first paragraph I write always end up somewhere in the conclusion. When you write articles, acknowledge that you will go back to edit it. You will. If you won’t, someone (the gatekeeper, maybe), probably will. So the idea is to just write first. Don’t even look at what you’re writing. Put your thoughts down and keep going until it’s done.
Once you’re done putting down all your thoughts, then you can go to the introduction. Leave introduction to last. The introduction only makes sense if you know what will come after it, so work on the body first and then go to the introduction. You can’t expect to suddenly come up with an impactful beginning if you don’t know what the article ultimately is going to be about.
Step #3
Develop Your “Voice”
What makes a business article “corporate” is usually the language and “voice” that it’s written in. The good news is that if you’ve always worked at the business sector, then you probably already have been using the business “voice” in your work setting. You won’t use, say, a Twitter voice as your business voice. You use a business voice for when you write a business article.
For example, this article is about how to write business articles. I’m not writing about how to structure sentences or how to create a crafty opening in an article. That is beyond the scope of this article. So if you feel like your area is too broad, try to narrow it down – otherwise, broaden the topic. Whatever it is, make sure that there is only one central idea that you are focusing on.
Let me demonstrate with two sentences.
Socmed voice: “Smart people can be pretty annoying to be with. Sometimes, they just don’t get normal jokes and once you explain, the jokes are just, lost.”
Business voice: “There are constant laments when one deals with intellectuals at times. Jokes, for example, often go unnoticed, and the burden falls on the teller to explain his words… which defeats the purpose of it being a joke.”
Of course, I’m exaggerating my voice here, but you get the idea. People sometimes refer to voice as style, but I prefer to use “voice” because it resonates with us more. We don’t consciously use different styles when writing articles or posting on social media, but we do use different voices.
The reason why I put voice as the third step is because once you have your article written, then you can figure out whether the article has been written in the suitable voice or not. If not, it’s only a matter of changing your style, which is easier to do now that you have your content written.
Step #4
Cut, Add, Edit
A golden myth about editing is to always cut 10% to 20% of what is originally written, but this is of course more of a guide than a hard and fast rule. The basic idea behind cutting down words is to simplify and make your writing concise but effective – this is especially true when writing business articles. Now you’re probably asking why. All those words you’ve written, why cut anything at all?
We’re not interested in the why, but rather the what. What should you cut?
Adverbs, for one, is a huge one. I mean, 80% of the time, you can remove adverbs and replace your verbs with more effective ones to create impact. You don’t need most adverbs. Cut them.
Next are adjectives. If you are using any kind of adjective, my rule of thumb is to always have three main ones and no more.
Finally are intensifiers. Things like very and extremely and much more can all be cut by replacing your verbs with more descriptive ones.
Of course, there are definitely more cuts that you can do, but stick to these first until you’re ready to explore more types of editor cuts.
Step #5
Read aloud and finalise your article
Yes, you heard me. Read your article aloud. I like to wait a day or two to “forget” the article before re-reading it (ideally, I’d wait two weeks). Reading aloud is important. I always read aloud in the final edit because it just helps me hear what the words would sound like in my readers’ heads.
What’s helpful to know is that your article will never be perfect, and given the chance, you’d probably want to edit it forever. You don’t have this luxury though. Remember – what’s important is content, and as long as you have a readable piece, and your content is clear, then that’s good enough.
Now that you’re done, you can go ahead and write a new article! Or, better yet, let’s get you started on writing your first book instead!
