Article Writing Tips - How to Write an Opinion Piece

You know what they say about opinions. Everybody has one. And that's why writing an opinion piece can be an exercise in futility if it's not done correctly. You're probably thinking, "How can an opinion be correct or not correct?" It can't, but there are better ways to approach opinion pieces than others. In this article, I'm going to give you my opinion on what the best way is to write an opinion piece, based on my personal experience.

There is a lot of irony in this article, wouldn't you say? I'm giving you my opinion on writing opinion pieces. The key to this however, is that I am giving it based on my personal experience. Also, quite ironically, there is your answer in a nutshell...experience. It's hard to argue with somebody when they are speaking from experience. I've been writing for over 30 years and my best articles, at least the ones that got the most feedback, were the ones where I was writing from experience.

Okay, but what if you don't have personal experience with a subject? What if you're writing an opinion piece on whether the government should pass a certain law or not? Let's say the law had something to do with a certain type of crime, calling for stiffer penalties. If you've never broken the law, or been a victim of that crime, you can't speak from experience. So then what do you do? That's where you move onto the next best thing. Back up your opinion with some statistics.

Article Writing Tips - How to Write an Opinion Piece

For example, let's take that newly proposed law. Certainly there has to be some statistics that support the passing of the law. Seek them out and present them in your article. Give your opinion that the law should be passed and point out these statistics, whether it be people murdered, raped, robbed or whatever. By showing how the current law is not much of a deterrent, you make your case for the new, tougher law. It's not rocket science and it works very well.

When you give your opinion and back it up with either your personal experience or some solid facts, it's hard to go wrong with your article.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Article Writing Tips - How to Write an Opinion Piece
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Why Writing an Outline is Important

Your creative juices have kicked in, and you are comfortable with your topic and your point of view. Your mind is running a mile a minute. Ideas are starting to come. Right now, you need to take a deep breath and write an outline.

Exactly What is an Outline?
An outline is a road map of your book or paper. It organizes your thoughts, the points and the ideas you want to make. There is a specific structure to an outline. It's even been standardized in some word processing packages.

The best way to start your outline is to put down your main points. The standard here is to use Roman numerals. Points you want to make that support your main points are sub points. These points are noted by using capital letters. The process continues until all the sub points have found a home and all major points have sub points supporting them.

Why Writing an Outline is Important

If you follow this blueprint, your ideas will flow smoothly.

Writing an Outline
Short works do not necessarily need an extensive outline. However, the longer your work, the more complex and complete your outline needs to be. Once you're into writing an outline, the process becomes easier as you go along. The more complete your outline is, the easier it is to write the sentences that weave your ideas together.

Importance of Research
Do you do your research before or after your do your outline? It depends! You should have enough research done to know what direction your work will take. You still can change or adjust that direction as you do additional research. It is important, though, to have some research done. As you develop your outline, you can leave blanks for the results of research work yet to be done. On the other hand, if you work to complete all of your research before you begin the outline, you may find yourself stuck in the paralysis of analysis.

Organize Your Thoughts
Once you have started your outline and have stated your thesis, it is time to organize your thoughts. Decide on your audience. That will influence your decisions on voice and style. You are ready to make decisions about what you will include and what you won't. (Do not throw any unused notes away, though, you never know when you will be able to use them in the future.)

Importance of Structure
No matter what the purpose of your writing, the structure of your outline should be consistent throughout the project. Maintaining consistency helps you determine if your points are put in logical and easy-to-follow order. Once your outline is complete, writing the paper consists primarily of filling in the blanks and tying your points together. It also helps when you review your outline to make sure you have put in everything you intended to.

Writing and using an outline is important. Using index cards and sticky notes that can be moved around can help you as you polish your outline. They can help you keep track of facts in an essay or non-fiction book. If it is a novel, you can use them to track characters throughout the story line. The more you use outlines, the easier it will become.

Why Writing an Outline is Important
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Tiffany Byrd ~ Experienced management professional writer with award-winning achievements and background in marketing, integrated communications, and public relations. She has written just about everything, from magazine articles to books and press releases. Contact Tiffany at http://www.freelancewritingdesk.com

How to Write an Author Bio

Wondering how to write an author bio? Feeling like it has to be extra-special because you are a writer? You are not alone. Even though writers have a natural ability to put words together, most writers find it difficult to write their own bio. This article gives practical guidance on how to write an author bio, along with some author bio examples.

Let your author bio brand you

Here are some points to consider when writing your author bio.

How to Write an Author Bio

1) Think about who is going to be your reader. It could be an editor but it could also include business associates, radio hosts, or even your own family. Write your author biography for your intended reader, and don't forget that your readers might include people from different backgrounds and generations.

2) Prepare several author biographies of different lengths. Pull one out for an appropriate setting. Author bio examples can range from a short single sentence blurb for a magazine, a longer version of about 100 words in a query letter for a novel, to a full page for a press release.

3) Decide on the points you want to include. Most people find that they have more information than they need. Be ruthless in editing your bio to include only points that are relevant. Should your fishing hobby be mentioned in your bio for a murder mystery novel that you are submitting to a publisher? Probably not, unless the murder took place at a fishing lodge. You worked in a coroner's office for a couple of weeks to learn about medical examiner's terminology? Now that's relevant.

4) Make a list of writing credits to highlight. Limit your credits to not more than three or else it would take up too much space in your author biography.

5) Include contact information and website so readers can learn more about you and your writing. You can include a longer author biography when you write your website biography.

Reveal your personality in your author biography

An author biography plays an important role because it communicates who you are. In the same way that a business card introduces you, an author biography serves as a short introduction to your writing. Take the time to think carefully about what you want readers to remember when they hear your name.

Readers like to know about you. Personal information such as marital status, number of children, pets and hobbies show that you are a normal person and help readers relate to you. However, if you don't feel comfortable including personal information you don't have to.

Reflect your writing style in your author bio

When writing your author biography, give readers a sense of what to expect from your writing. Tailoring the tone of your author biography to the content and style of your work. If you're a humorous or satirical writer, include some humor in your author bio. If you're an academic writer, reflect the academic world. The tone you take in writing an author bio creates an expectation of your written work.

Here are two contrasting examples:

Norman Langford grew up spying on the neighbours and taking notes in a little black book. No surprise that he ended up writing spy novels!

Dr. Laura Smith has been writing on gender studies for over 20 years. Her research interests include mothering, gender roles and media representation of women.

Have fun writing an author bio

Writing an author biography can be a fun task. The less stressed you are, the more creative your bio will be. So have fun when you sit down to write your author biography.

How to Write an Author Bio
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Have fun? Easier said than done, you may be thinking. If writing an author bio seems daunting, here's a final tip: at WriteABio.com you can get great bio samples as well as fill-in-the-blank bio templates written specifically for your type of job. You'll have a great bio completed within the next 20 minutes. Now that sounds more like fun!