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What to do when you have written the article?:Writing the first draft

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Feature and Column Writing ­ MCM 514
VU
LESSON 42
What to do when you have written the article?
Besides writing the first draft, there are certain steps, which must be actualised, after one has written the
article
What to do?
1. Writing the first draft
One can write the first draft with much ease, but he should not try never to take it casually, as it is the
base on which the rest of the building will be structured. You must make it the best through a natural flow
of the write-up and thought process.
2. Find the point
One of the writer's trip-ups, in getting a story onto paper, is becoming so involved in orchestrating the
wealth of statistics, anecdotes, and quotes he discovers in his research what he overlooks or drifts away
from the story's purpose.
When your research is completed, go over it all with your article's original proposal in front of you. Does
the information you found match what you expected to find? Do you have the kinds of experts you
thought of including in the article. Are your anecdotes and quotes strong enough make the points you
have to make? In short, do the extensive data in your files fulfil the sketchy picture you want to draw?
What is the focal point? Think about it and make it clear at least in your own mind.
May be the writer does not mention it explicitly, and then it must be an under-current of the whole article.
Besides this, the theme should be felt running between the lines.
3. Organise the material
Never miss what you have with you, and keep all the relevant material within your excess. It is better that
it is in your mind, and is in a sequence. One must have a hard copy or notes about the subject with him.
Moreover, you can jot down a formal outline or make notes, but whichever works best for you, you must
begin with an unclouded perspective of exactly how your article's first draft is to be organised. The
perspective may change once you have got your fist draft typed or you may discover that an anecdote fits
better in a different place or leads to a different conclusion than you thought it did. But unless you being
with a plan you will come out with a hodgepodge of long notes instead of the first draft.
4. Chronological order
Your ideas must be developed in the chronological order, besides keeping all of them in an order, as
haphazardly jointed points never impart a good impression. This also brings sequence to the thought,
which the writer is ultimately bringing it on the paper.
5. Point-to-point organisation of material
Always have the sketch of important points in your mind, as it is a must for the writer to have sequence to
the thought as well. Never take it for granted that things will come to your mind automatically, as you
should write these down in a point-to-point organisation. In the end, you must then confirm that you have
exhausted all the ideas.
Some arrangements to be considered are:
·  From the general point to its specific aspects
·  From the easy concepts to the more difficult ones
·  From the least controversial to the most controversial
·  From the least complicated to the most complicated
·  Fro the theoretical to the practical
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Feature and Column Writing ­ MCM 514
VU
6. Pick out and write the lead
Think what could be appropriate for the lead, while making it really good and happening. You should
never let it remain loose. To avoid this, the writers use all rules and norms of good leads for the articles
too.
7. Can you state the paradox?
See where the conflict or paradox lies! What are the differences between reality and ideals? Who is not
letting it happen? Point out the reasons for all these besides suggesting ways to resolve the issue.
If you mention the solution, and only talk about the problem, you are also part of the problem.
8. Contrast, anecdote, and comparison
Bring to focus the comparisons and contrasts to a particular situation, while relating the anecdotes, both
national and international. Remember! Contrasts, anecdotes and comparisons enhance clarity.
9. Write the body, using transitions and sub-topic sentences
Moving from lead to body is considered to be difficult, as you have to carry the reader along. One must
use good transition for this. Losing a reader during the transition is always of huge concern for the
writers.
In certain cases, even developing a sub-topic sentence for is a good idea.
10. Write with sub-heads wherever possible
Writing of the Sub-heads is not a very popular idea, but still works under a few circumstances, while
depending upon the kind of write-up. Sub-heads can be helpful to the writer as well, as the writing does
become interesting.
However, it is popularly considered that it hinders smooth reading.
11. End with a bang
Ending must be forceful, and should come quickly, but pragmatically.
Never make it too quick and short that it does not conclude the article.
Conclude the article by focusing on the rules of good conclusions.
12. Harkens back to the lead
Never make the conclusion divorced from the Lead, as it must have at least some reference to the Lead,
even though an implicit one. Explicit reference is not a bad idea even, but it should be connected to the
lead.
13. End on ironic note
Bringing irony can make the conclusion memorable. For this, a writer always has some points in his
mind, and uses them whenever he feels like using it.
14. Re-check with the topic sentence
Important points must be re-checked, and one must follow it as a habit. Also check whether the
connection is being formed or not.
15. Re-read, re-write and re-read
Re-read the read ones and re-writer where-ever required. Then re-read it. Put heart and soul in to it. Give
yourself a break and then work on the above.
16. Ask somebody to do the favour before sending
Some writers find it difficult to re-check on their own, and then they ask somebody to help them out.
Simple rule is that a writer never trusts one eye.
"Work hard on the final document prior to sending to the editor", is the thumb rule!
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Table of Contents:
  1. IMPORTANCE OF LANGUAGE:Feature writing, Explanation of the definition
  2. SOURCES OF MATERIAL:Commemorations, Science and Technology
  3. INTERNET USAGE IN FEATURE WRITING:Be very careful, Website checklist
  4. WHAT MAKES A GOOD FEATURE?:Meeting demands of readers
  5. DEMANDS OF A FEATURE:Entertainment and Interest, Both sides of picture
  6. CONDUCTING AND WRITING OF INTERVIEWS:Kinds of interviews
  7. WRITING NOVELTY INTROS:Punch or astonisher intros, Direct quotation intros
  8. STRUCTURE OF FEATURES:Intro or Lead, Transition, Body
  9. SELECTION OF PICTURES, ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAPS:Sources
  10. FEATURES AND EDITORIAL POLICY:Slanting or angling feature
  11. HUMAN INTEREST AND FEATURE WRITING:Obtaining facts, Knowing how to write
  12. NEWSPAPER FEATURE STORY:The Business Story, The Medical Story
  13. THE NEWSPAPER FEATURE STORY IDEA:Conflict, Human interest
  14. MAGAZINE FEATURE VERSUS DAILIES:Feature versus Editorial, An overview
  15. WRITING THE SPECIALISED FEATURE STORY:The Deadline Feature Sidebar
  16. MODERN FEATURE AND ITS TREATMENT:Readers’ constraints
  17. MODERN FEATURE WRITING TECHNIQUE:The Blundell Technique
  18. ADVICE TO FEATURE WRITERS:A guide to better writing, Love Writing
  19. COLUMN WRITING:Definition, Various definitions, Why most powerful?
  20. COLUMN WRITING IN MODERN AGE:Diversity of thought, Individuality
  21. ENGLISH AND URDU COLUMNISTS:More of anecdotal, Letting readers know
  22. TYPES OF COLUMNS:Reporting-in-Depth Columns, Gossip Columns
  23. OBJECTIVES AND IMPORTANCE OF COLUMNS:Friendly atmosphere, Analysis
  24. WHAT ARE THE ESSENTIALS AND BASIC POINTS THAT GO IN TO THE FORMING OF A COLUMN?
  25. STYLE:General and a specialised writing, How can a columnist improve it?
  26. GENERAL STYLE OF THE COLUMN:Unified Style, Anecdotal Style, Departmental Style
  27. STRUCTURE OF A COLUMN:Intro or lead, Main body, Conclusion
  28. COLUMN WRITING TIPS:Write with conviction, Purpose, Content
  29. SELECTION OF A TOPIC:Close to your heart, Things keeping in Queue
  30. QUALITIES OF A COLUMN WRITER:Personal, Professional, Highly Educated
  31. WHAT MUST BE PRACTISED BY A COLUMNIST?:Pleasantness, Fluency
  32. SOURCES OF MATERIAL OF COLUMNS:Constant factors, Interview
  33. USEFUL WRITING DEVICES:Be specific, Use Characterisation, Describe scenes
  34. COMMON WRITING PROBLEMS:Eliminate clichés, Don’t misuse words
  35. WRITING THE COLUMN:Certain thumb rules, After writing the column
  36. ARTICLE WRITING:Introduction, Definition, Contents, Main Segments, Main body
  37. HOW TO WRITE AN ARTICLE?:It is more efficient, It is more believable
  38. TYPES AND SUBJECTS OF ARTICLE:Interview articles, Utility articles
  39. FIVE COMMANDMENTS, NO PROFESSIONAL FORGETS:Use Key Words
  40. ARTICLES WRITING MISTAKES:Plagiarising or 'buying articles, Rambling
  41. WRITING THE ARTICLE:Various parts of article, The topic sentence
  42. What to do when you have written the article?:Writing the first draft
  43. TEN STANDARD ARTICLE FORMATS:The informative articles
  44. LEGAL AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR WRITERS:Libel, Doctoring Quotes
  45. REVISION:Importance of language, Feature writing, Sources of material