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It is not a secret that some articles speak better than others. But what makes them better? Writing is a skill you can try to master your whole life, it is an ongoing process. A good way to learn is to learn by example. In this article I’ll try to explain the basics of a good article and share a few tips to you. You’ll also see some great successful articles from last year and be able to see what a good and efficient design article should look like.
Don’t underestimate the importance of headlines, sometimes just few lines of text can be more important than the whole article!
There’s a reason the saying goes ‘Content is King.’ You can promote your post using dozens of social networks and use the most advanced SEO tricks, but at the end of the day, the content will be the most important factor that will make people read your article and share it with their friends.
Every article starts with an idea. Great ideas are already halfway to the success. Choose something relevant, something interesting, something you’d like to read yourself.
“A great idea is already halfway to the success.”
The Web Is Dead. Long Live the Internet
You can find many splendid ideas with great presentations on Wired.
However a great idea won’t be enough for a good article. You’ll have to do a lot of research on your chosen topic. You can’t write a proficient article about a subject you have no basic knowledge of. Look for similar articles, search information, acquire knowledge and develop your own opinion.
Negative Space in Webpage Layouts: A Guide
Six Revisions is writing about negative space in web design which is a topic not just anyone could write about. The author has done their research and included some case studies.
Calculating The Genuine Value of Your Design
This article by Noupe is a nifty example of research done and then used effectively in the article.
Web Designer Depot wrote about Helvetica and you can see all the research done. The article covers almost everything from the history to a comparison with Arial.
Be distinct. Don’t write about things other authors have already discussed (unless you have a new angle, or can write a better article). Find something no one has written about. Inspect your subject from all sides, play with it until you find what’s right for you. Deliver unique and well-grounded content with facts and arguments.
Andy Rutledge holds that there is only one design lesson any graphic designer needs to learn. He’s fortified his opinion and I find this article original and really interesting to read.
It’s not always bad to be subjective. Sometimes an authors’ opinion will make an article livelier. Don’t be afraid to express your thoughts. Choose a subject you’ve got your own opinion on; it will be much easier for you to write and more interesting for readers to read. A little subjective post will stir people for a little discussion in comments as each of them will have their own point of view.
In this article on Mule Design Blog the author presents us with his position on the subject and shares some defended arguments with us.
Looking to hire a logo designer? You might want to read this.
When it comes to logo design, Graham Smith is one of the best in the game. It’s not only engaging to read an expert’s opinion, as a matter of fact it’s advisable to do that. I included this article as an example, because articles by true experts in the field mostly are immensely useful and well-written.
Lets face it, plain text is boring. People want to see pictures, a lot of them. They don’t want numbers, they want graphs and illustrations. Photos and illustrations help in visualization. For people with visual memory, photos and illustrations help to memorize the idea expressed in text.
Photos and visual content attract readers. Especially those like me who tend to quickly scroll through the text looking for a big colorful picture which entertains my eyes. Supplement your articles with interesting photos and demonstrative graphs – your readers will be grateful.
Applying Mathematics To Web Design
Smashing Magazine wrote about a complex subject so they’ve added conspicuous illustrations under each paragraph. They really help to fully understand the text.
Theory is important and necessary but we all love examples and demonstrations. Similar to photos, they also help us to understand points. One good example will let readers understand better what you are trying to explain in 5 paragraphs. A few examples are enough, don’t make the whole post examples and just some transitional text.
Twitter Background Design – Great Tips and Gorgeous Examples
Psd.tutsplus published a guide about Twitter backgrounds and they’ve included some gorgeous examples with comments.
Make your sentences easy, perceivable, and short. Readers are busy and are not willing to read 2-page long articles. Use paragraphs, don’t get into long speeches, and be concise. Stress the fundamentals and make your idea flow easy to understand.
Are You Giving Visitors A Reason to Revisit Your Blog?
In this article by Fuel Your Blogging you can see distinguishable headlines and short, precise text. It’s well styled and easy to understand.
7 Elements of a Successful Freelancer’s Website
Freelance Switch articles have very noticeable headings and the texts are finely divided.
There’s much more to add, but I hope you’ve acquired some basic knowledge of how to write a good design article. To sum things up:
Use these points as guidelines. And the main thing – the article is efficient if you like it yourself. Below you’ll find some excellent articles from 2010 as well as some articles for further reading.
“What Font Should I Use?”: Five Principles for Choosing and Using Typefaces
Smashing Magazine has done it all perfectly. Plan points, paragraphs, photos, screenshots, short conclusion and related resources. This is how a good efficient design article should look like.
Another outstanding article from Smashing Magazine. A clever idea, proficient content and suitable styling. What’s more they’ve interviewed close to 600 designers to make the article better.
This article by I Am Paddy is a good example of blog post styling. This post has a custom design and the use of typography makes it so pleasant to read.
A Beginner’s Guide: Stepping Into Web Design Industry
Writing a helpful guide is not an easy task. Onextrapixel has done pretty well. Various paragraphs with short comprehensive guides and illustrations. Besides they’ve added related resources to each paragraph which is really handy.
Excellent article by Design Informer. It has a custom design and great styling. Plus it shows us that article doesn’t have to be very long to be successful. This article isn’t really long though the idea with catching text and styling is what makes me to like it so much.
Name One Thing About Web Development You Never Saw Coming
Noupe has done very well on researching about people’s expectations in the design field. What’s more is that they have included designer/developers’ opinion in the article.
Understanding the Z-Layout in Web Design
Webdesign.tutsplus has an article about Z-layout in web design which is another spectacular example of how a great article should look like. Perfect styling plus highlighted ideas. Demonstrative mockup and appropriate examples complement the article efficiently.
Below are other neat articles from 2010 worth reading and checking out.
Elements of an Awesome Artist Portfolio
Organize and Manage Your Design Business
Personality in Web Design: Atmosphere, Character And Brand Feel
When Designers and Developers Work with Each other
How to Host the Perfect Design Conference
An Analysis of Typography on the Web
If You Were Not A Designer, What Would You Be?
Lorem Ipsum is Killing Your Designs
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chilling, living, dreaming. you can check out my blog, find me on flickr and follow me on twitter.
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 17:06
a great reminder on what article / blog writers should do before they even open up a new Microsoft Office Word document, and for what they should do to improve the article, WHILST they are writing it.
Sunday, February 13th, 2011 19:16
really good collection of articles, I have read many of them & really like the idea in way the write,they put lots of effort in it
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 23:18
Brilliant article Daniels, a great reminder on what article / blog writers should do before they even open up a new Microsoft Office Word document, and for what they should do to improve the article, WHILST they are writing it.
I hope to contribute a few articles to 1st Web Designer in the near future, so with this post by my side, I should be on my way to writing a few unique and killer articles.
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 04:15
Hey what a fantastic roundup! I have always been a huge fan of 1WD and I find your style of writing to be absolutely harmonious. Keep up the amazing topics, I look forward to checking these out in the near future.
Friday, February 11th, 2011 16:40
Very informative and so helpful.
Friday, February 11th, 2011 16:05
Comprehensive list. As quoted: “People are not willing to read 2-page long articles. Be comprehensive, don’t underestimate paragraphs and headings.” — I actually scanned through this article and read the quotes for the brief. :)
Friday, February 11th, 2011 14:28
Espectacular blog post :), always nice to read your WEB.
I just start my first Design and always find good resources in your website, and in Smashing Network in general.
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Mizunga
Friday, February 11th, 2011 14:28
Espectacular blog post :), always nice to read your WEB.
I just start my first Design and always find good resources in your website, and in Smashing Network in general.
Bunnygotblog
Friday, February 11th, 2011 16:40
Very informative and so helpful.
Daniel | invisibleSHIELD
Friday, February 11th, 2011 16:05
Comprehensive list. As quoted: “People are not willing to read 2-page long articles. Be comprehensive, don’t underestimate paragraphs and headings.” — I actually scanned through this article and read the quotes for the brief. :)
Snoggle
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 04:15
Hey what a fantastic roundup! I have always been a huge fan of 1WD and I find your style of writing to be absolutely harmonious. Keep up the amazing topics, I look forward to checking these out in the near future.
Andrew Cooper
Saturday, February 12th, 2011 23:18
Brilliant article Daniels, a great reminder on what article / blog writers should do before they even open up a new Microsoft Office Word document, and for what they should do to improve the article, WHILST they are writing it.
I hope to contribute a few articles to 1st Web Designer in the near future, so with this post by my side, I should be on my way to writing a few unique and killer articles.
Ssumi
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 17:06
a great reminder on what article / blog writers should do before they even open up a new Microsoft Office Word document, and for what they should do to improve the article, WHILST they are writing it.
Nikunj
Sunday, February 13th, 2011 19:16
really good collection of articles, I have read many of them & really like the idea in way the write,they put lots of effort in it