Telling Your Story: Five Tips from First Idea to Final Draft
By Jill Marquardt
Bylines, blog posts, profiles, listicles — articles today take many names and forms. But they all share a few things in common: They tell a story, whether it’s about your organization, a new product or service, or a point of view. And they’re competing for attention in a crowded digital landscape.
How can you stop the scroll and communicate your message in a way that sticks? And how do you get there in the drafting process?
Here are a few thoughts from the Garfinkel + Associates writing team, who grapples with this challenge every day.
1. Start at the finish line
Articulate what success looks like. For thought leadership, this could involve a certain number of views, citations, and shares, with low bounce rates. For sales and fundraising, measure how well the piece moves the needle from clicks to cash.
Consider value from the other side as well. Readers seek many things: new information, fresh takes, helpful tips, entertainment. (Never underestimate the power of being a light pause in someone’s heavy workload.) Have a clear picture before you begin.
2. Nail down the what
Map out what you’re going to say with foundational elements like a thesis statement and key messages. These are the load-bearing beams of your article’s entire structure. Keep them front and center as you write. And if you find yourself juggling multiple takeaways, consider writing multiple articles.
3. Strategize the how
Now consider the most appropriate approach given your intentions, audience, and messaging. This could be a stirring first-person narrative, a solution-focused listicle, a rallying cry for action—the possibilities abound. What you choose will also help you set parameters around style, length, and tone. Also think about how your readers will be consuming your piece. If it’s via app or phone, keep things skimmable.
4. Try a few rhetorical tricks
All of the above means little if you don’t hook your reader in the first place. Fortunately, many tools are at your disposal for doing so.
Explore the element of surprise, for example. Start your piece with a bold statement or provocative question. Begin your story at the end, then work backwards. Challenge a long-held belief. Evoke emotion with personal accounts and quotes.
5. Bring in a fresh set of eyes
You’re not done yet — and that’s good news for the final piece.
As an important last step, put your words in front of a test reader to see how everything lands, so you can adjust as necessary before going public. Ask your reviewer to check for tangents, jargon, and anything that might confuse a reader, along with typos and grammatical errors. For best results, bring your teammate up to speed on the original thesis and audience, so they can make sure your article measures up to your original vision.
About the Author: Jill Marquardt is a senior writer with Garfinkel + Associates, a writing team who develops blogs, books, branding, newsletters, speeches, video scripts, and much more. She’s based in the Washington, D.C. metro area.