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of the story as a whole.

Adding credibility to your story

It is always worth getting supplementary information such as an eye-witness account or quote from someone involved. However, if the article involves legal proceedings you should be absolutely certain that you can a) name them and b) be certain of the facts of the case. The last thing you want is to risk legal action to be taken against you or your publication.

Any article should also be backed-up with relevant statistics to give the story some context. If you can compare it with previous events you will provide a greater understanding of the impact of the story unfolding.

Headline

One aspect of article writing I haven't discussed so far is the title or headline and I have deliberately left that till last - as should you. By writing your article in full first, you will get a fuller flavour for the story and it will become easier to sum up the piece in a few simple words. Remember that this is your hook to attract people in so don't rush it - make it the best you can.

Summary

This article, like yours, should end with a summary and a general comment of what the implications are going forward. You can include a call to action to encourage the reader to make a follow-up. This could be a letter to the publication or contact details should they want to know more.

The notes above are merely the basics which can be adapted to any written article. If you follow them you should be able to write more targetted articles for your readers that will keep them engaged to the end of the piece. Good luck!

Learn more about this author, Jeremy Orbell.
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