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We often get asked what makes a good article – there are a few things, which you should always check before submitting an article to your blog. Content is the most obvious factor to consider, but syntax, structure and grammar play a vital role, too!

Syntax covers the meaning of words – does everything that you have just written make sense? Sometimes it helps to take an hour out then come back to review your post. If you have written your post in one sitting the flow may be good, but you might have repeated things or not covered everything you wanted to. Conversely, if you wrote it over several sessions it may be hard for the reader follow your chain of thought and what your point is.

Linked to the previous point is the structure of your article. You should make a clear structure before you begin your article – even just a taster in the intro paragraph will do. In this post you’ll see I mentioned syntax, structure and grammar: each of the paragraphs in this article follow that structure. Always conclude your post with a short paragraph summarising the article and your conclusion. Don’t think that you must always write a 5-paragraph post – this will become monotonous for your readers. Mix it up but keep it clean.

Finally once you have finished your article and just before you press the “submit” button, check your grammar! Most text editing tools (like Word and Pages) have advanced grammar-checking options, so make the most of them. It’s also great to get a friend to read over your posts now and again to check your style and if you make consistent grammar mistakes.

There is no special formula to creating a great blog – it can be tiring and hard work to keep a constant check on the technical aspects of writing, but you will get better and quicker at it. Everything takes practise after all! Take a little time out now and again to read and re-read your posts (especially before you put them live). Check your grammar, structure and syntax as a basis for all your articles.

Happy blogging!