Writing factual articles does not mean facts have to be presented in a way that is unimaginative. There are ways to be creative in article writing, while ensuring all factual information is correct. The first rule of article writing is, of course, to check facts and use validated sources of information. The creative part of the writing process involves ways in which factual information is presented within those articles.
♦ Creative use of article titles.
Being creative with factual writing begins with the title of each article. The first thing a writer needs to decide is whether to write a how-to article or should it be comparative, a review, a guide, a report or an overview. A suitable article title can then be created to tease or be controversial in print, and to highlight keywords that make Internet articles search engine friendly.
An article title indicates to a writer how that article should be approached. This article is clearly about ways to be creative, rather than how to be creative. There is a subtle difference between the two. Alternative titles on this topic could be offering writing tips, or asking whether it is possible to be creative when writing factual articles. Each of those article titles would need a slightly different creative approach.
♦ Creative thinking.
A good writer can produce several factual articles around one subject. A little creative thinking can increase output of article writing significantly. For example, four different articles on this topic would be:
• "Ways to be creative..." An article which presents a number of ideas.
• "How to be creative..." This article could provide numbered stages in the writing process.
• "Tips on being creative..." A number of tips could be listed as individual bullet points.
• "Is it possible to be creative when writing factual articles?" This article would need a conclusion either to support or to deny that it is possible.
♦ Creative subjectivity.
Some topics can be debated passionately, and facts disputed, when a title makes it clear that the article is delivering a personal opinion or giving one side of an issue. When writing to a debate question on the side of "yes" (it is possible) or "no" (it is not), writers can argue strongly in support of the side they support, and provide a reasoned attack on the other side.
A serious debate subject would require more than just passionate language, it would need to show examples, cite sources and include quotations from authorities on the subject.
♦ Creative formatting and writing style.
A creative article writer can present facts in a variety of ways, depending on where an article is to be published and who it is written for. Unless there are publishing guidelines to be followed, an experienced factual writer can be creative in deciding which style or format to employ. That decision should always be based on what will be most helpful to readers, when the article appears online or is printed in a publication.
When writing factual articles there are several good ways to be creative. Article writing is a creative process that can continue to be developed. With practice it becomes easier to write multiple articles on a single topic and to present factual information in a number of different ways.