Journaling an Article – Write Out Your Main Points

What main points?

If you are one of those people who didn’t like outlining in college or high school, you may have slept through this section. Maybe you just never saw the need to put down main points because you already know what you want to say. I get that. You may be one of those people who needs to do this assignment backwards. Write out your whole article and then go back and pick out your main points. It may be that you HAVE main points, you just don’t know what they are until you get it down on paper. I struggle with this some times. I know what I want to say. I just don’t know my what my headlines are. Kristin often helps me with this through a discussion or actually editing my articles. Find someone to help you if you need it! Don’t let this step deter you from writing! If you don’t know what your main points are, write your article anyway!

Dig through your journal

The best articles are from a need you had or something you had to overcome. If you have something in mind, then dig through your journal and find some scriptures, prayers, or practical things you have overcome. For example, I knew I needed to give up sugar for a month and let my gut get back in order. The articles/teachings/podcasts that helped me the most were the ones with scripture and practical tips. Isabel Price suggested to replacing the desire to eat sugary treats with a walk. That was practical. I could walk up and down the stairs a few times.

Think of the articles that have helped you the most. Emulate their formula. There’s a reason the article helped you. It met a need. Maybe it gave practical suggestions and encouragement. If you are serious about writing articles and hosting a blog, print off a few of your favorite articles and dissect them. Hi-light them. Maybe actually cut them up (I have). Find the formula that you are drawn to and use it as your framework.

Once you have Your Main Points

Once you have your main points, think of a personal example, maybe a story from your own life. People are more likely to connect and retain your info if you first connect with them on an emotional level. You could use teeny assignments within your article to get them connected. Here’s an example from one of my articles (which became part of a book, How to Have Peace When Your Kids are in Chaos):

We must make sense of our past to be fully present for our kids. 

We parents often believe that our past — that is, the way we were raised — is just a book on a shelf of memories. It’s not. Triggers are where the past and present intersect. We can’t assume our past is not affecting our present parenting.

Take a minute right now and think about the last chaotic interaction with your child. Did you see your child as rebellious, contentious, and constantly pushing your buttons on purpose? Are you looking through the lens of your past? Does each interaction take you back to your childhood and the way Mom or Dad responded to you, or are you looking through the lens of the child’s past? Are you seeing how their former caregivers/bio parents responded to them (not to judge them or their past, but to better understand them). 

Often our daily tussles are not about our kids at all — they are about us. That’s not to say that our kids from hard places don’t have a past. It just means our past is running interference on the play.

See the question? That question is intended to help the reader connect with the information on a personal level. When you a read series of questions, does it make you immediately answer them in your mind. Good. That’s what they are for.

When your reader has a personal connection, now is the time to offer some encouragement and practical suggestions. You can pepper them throughout your article or make a list and talk about each suggestion. Just remember, people will spend an average of 37 seconds reading an article. Some people just skim, so use headlines to help them decide what is important!

Want to start a blog?

I don’t claim to be an expert in this field. AT ALL. I’m just one of the 6.7 million people who still post on a blog regularly. Another 12 million do the same via social media (if you want to write shorter posts and don’t care if your content disappears in the feed, this is an option). Read more statistics about blogging here. Here’s the thing. If you want to start a blog and write articles on a regular basis, there are experts out there who can help you. I used to belong to a blogging group that met in person. I’m not sure if anyone does that anymore. A great place to start is with Ruth Soukup’s freebies! Start with “How to Start a Blog.” Then don’t forget to download her freebie – “Blog Structure Blueprint.” It’s in the article linked.