Has anyone wrote an article? — Scope | Disability forum
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Has anyone wrote an article?

MarkM88
MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
I don’t want to go into too much detail but I agreed to write an article for a charity publication and now I’m at a standstill as I don’t even know where to start. 

Any tips? 

Comments

  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi Mark 

    Not something I have ever done but I would start by bullet pointing the details you want to include,  then put them into some logical order then try and make a start

    Good luck 
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,521 Disability Gamechanger
    Probably a dozen years ago I was an active member of a major uk epilepsy forum and between us we wrote a "book" about our experiences which was published and sold quite well for £5 to raise money for the charity.
    I just wrote about my "journey" and how my condition had affected me and my family, about 35 people contributed and the great thing was that every "story" was unique.
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • chiarieds
    chiarieds Community member Posts: 16,007 Disability Gamechanger
    It depends on what you want to achieve. As woodbine has suggested, telling your own personal story may be the way forward, or the beginning, if you have something further to add after that.
    I wrote a chapter for the latest book on my disorder a while ago; that was hard work, as I knew what I wanted to say, but they wanted both a glossary & references, as it was all new info. So, it depends on what they want, & the depth needed.
    Consider, why does the charity matter to you; explain why in your own words.
  • Ami2301
    Ami2301 Community member Posts: 7,942 Disability Gamechanger
    I've found it really depends on what the article will be about. Are you comfortable with sharing if the article is about a personal experience (not asking for details but whether the topic of the article will be about a personal experience)?

    Another thing that helps me is thinking about what I would like the reader to gain from the article - insight, awareness, etc. I find it helps sets the tone :)
    Disability Gamechanger - 2019
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    Yeah it’s more on a specific subject matter but at this stage I don’t want to start giving details away. 

    Thanks for the tips though, I’m going to start on it this weekend. 
  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,652 Disability Gamechanger
    I always find that a good place to start is to write a few bullet points that cover the main points you want to get across, and then you will start seeing your structure come together. From there, you can expand on your points until you get paragraphs, and can edit accordingly.

    Good luck!
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  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 13,368 Disability Gamechanger
    I have never written an article but when I am writing I tend to just start somewhere in the middle then add to it before and after, until I have a complete written piece.

    That’s the beauty of writing on a computer - you don’t have to start at the beginning - you can just write whatever comes to mind then come back to it tomorrow and slot something in before or after if you want to :)
  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,979 Disability Gamechanger
    Hi @MarkM88

    You don't need to go into any more detail than you feel comfortable with sharing. I would say write the idea in the middle of a page and then bullet point ideas around it is a good starting point  :)
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  • Reg
    Reg Community member Posts: 109 Pioneering
    Hello @MarkM88

    I write freelance articles. Despite writing for years, I never know where to start or how to end but somehow you get inspiration and it just comes to you.

    Walk away from the piece , think of something completely different and the first sentence will come to you - hopefully.

    Main thing is to think of what your key point is and then it should sort of come together. I find if it does not then a break is the very best thing
    Reg

    I am a Scope volunteer.
  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,550 Disability Gamechanger
    I sometimes use a mind map to map out related ideas, then fill in details. It all comes together eventually.

    “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.” 
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

  • Alex_Alumni
    Alex_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,562 Disability Gamechanger
    @MarkM88 everyone has given some great advice here! After you've got your main structure sorted, I would only add: Do you know the audience you are writing for, and what tone or style they relate to most? Does the charity publication have any particular things it wants you to mention?

    These are by no means the most important things, but making some notes to yourself about them, and checking them occasionally will help draw the whole piece together so that it 'flows', and covers all the topics (if any are requested). Those topic might be your own ones, but the same process applies. 

    Good luck with it, sounds like an exciting opportunity!
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