What are the best ways to start and end your articles?

Begin with a powerful, scroll-stopping hook. One technique that works to create one is to look at several online publications and jot down short notes about what made you stop to read them. Was the subject ironic? Was it bizarre yet true? Did it highlight a social issue you were passionate about? Did it enrage or offend you, inciting you to action? You can run your first sentence by a critique group, writing colleague, or someone you don't know to observe their reaction. It's a way of calibrating public response. For the finish, you can end with a thought-provoking question that begs an answer in the comments section. Or you can invite the reader to challenge your opinion.

The best way to start your article is by focusing on an intro paragraph or a line that "wet the appetite" of the reader. One of my favorite lines is from Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens (1859). "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair." It might not be suitable for the current generation of readers but this opening line sets the tone for the book.

A powerful hook or compelling question is often good way to start an article. Writing with clarity demonstrates a good understanding of the topic, no matter how profound, and a good ending could summarise the key learnings for the readers before leaving them with a thought to ponder.

attention grabbing hook -> expound upon that in the intro but not so much you give the whole article away. end -> very detailed cta. there should be no confusion about what you want the reader to do next.

Introductions are crucial as they set the tone for the rest of the piece and grab the reader's attention. However, the ending is even more important as it leaves a lasting impression on the reader. The conclusion should summarize the main points and provide a satisfying resolution. Drawing the audience's attention is vital as it determines if they will continue reading or not. Therefore, a strong introduction and conclusion are key to a successful piece of writing.

Let’s take it back to the basics. Show don’t tell. Get into your adjectives and descriptive language. Paint a picture. Let us use our 5 senses to understand what is happening. Do not spoon feed and tell us what to think. Allow us to create our own story but lead us to it. In your intro if you don’t grab the senses - you will have a hard time getting them to the next paragraph let alone next page. Even if you have to lean into one of the senses - commit to it.

Think of your article like a story. Hook the reader in your first paragraph and set up the question you are about to answer. Then make sure you answer it and wrap it up at the end. If you are trying to write a funny article, the humor has to start in the first sentence, even if it’s just a snarky comment. I doesn’t have to be a joke.

The best way is to grab the reader's attention and to provide a clear sense of what your article is about. This can be done through various ways, depending on context, such as beginning with a hook or anecdote, posing a thought provoking question, starting with a fact or statistic, using a compelling quote, setting the scene, stating a contentious opinion, providing a brief overview, and using humour or wit.

I like to use first person storytelling as a device to engage the reader in a theme related to the key messages, keeping the tone personal, conversational and authentic. I weave the story through to the conclusion. Sharing a relevant personal experience can help the reader connect emotionally with topics that may otherwise feel a bit flat or dull.

Be precise and clear, yet also inspiring. Remove all unnecessary extra words to deliver your message. Be bold if you need to, but also wonderfully poetic if that suits the context. Invite the reader to join you when you unfold the rest of your story.

I think it’s important for the conclusion to give actions steps that the reader can use right after reading an article. It’s great to give inspiration and education but better when they apply it in their daily life.

There are so many different types of writing for so many different purposes. In journalism, where the focus is on the story and not necessarily a call to action, the conclusion has what we call a kicker. This is a sentence or two that rewards your reader for staying with you to the end. Usually, by the time you get to the conclusion you're fatigued and you sputter out your last two sentences like a 60s gas guzzler running on empty. Don't give up. A great kicker can summarize your main idea with metaphor, put in a quote that hits at your theme, or contain an ironic play on words. Ultimately, you'll remind your reader why your story was important and leave a taste in their mouth that will keep them coming back for more.

A brilliant conclusion will leave a mark within the reader and become something they will think about for the rest of the day, or the rest of the week. This is the space where you connect the unexpected dots and give your reader something of value.

The call to action (CTA) you will use in the conclusion should not be a generic sales pitch like "visit us today!" Or "Let's talk to our experts!" A couple of unique CTAs that are likely push the readers actually for taking an action are: " Enjoyed reading the blog? There are some more in our inventory. (Link). Have a look!" "Curious to know more about (the topic)? Comment below to get a (free guide/template/ or other resource) on it.

To be frank, writing the right conclusion may be the most difficult thing you have to do. After all, after writing a lengthy and absorbing text, what *is* the best way to end it? How do you know you’ve included the right information or just the right amount? In my estimation, the summary should not only summarize the facts and your assessment of them but provide or reiterate an overarching theme that unifies the paper and makes the material more comprehensive for the reader. In fact, bridging your ideas so readers see the path of your logic should be the ultimate goal of a conclusion.

There should be a fine line between reinforcing the article's information in the conclusion, and not becoming repetitive of the same thoughts. Yes, the audience is the same from start to finish, but they are also looking forward to an open-end rather than a conclusion. Research never stops, and there is always something to look forward to next. So it's important to keep an open-end to the conclusion, whether about a similar topic, about the next step of where the article could go, or a smart link to a new topic to look forward to.

A good conclusion should have a clear call-to-action. And a great conclusion has just one call-to-action or CTA. Don’t muddy your message or ask too much of your audience at once. What is the one clear takeaway you want to provide your audience or action you want them to take? Be clear and concise in your conclusion with that CTA.

I just want to say that I use subheads often, and I refuse to use Conclusion as the subhead for that final paragraph. It seems too much like a term paper.

Never forget that many readers will read the conclusion first before they decide to read other parts of the article. Give away gems so they know there's more to dig out.

I’d say, open with a short story … the professional (and probably more intriguing) version of “once upon a time”. It’s all about appealing to somebody as a human, before anything else. And doesn’t everybody love a big finish? Wrap up with something relatable and tie your closing statement back into the theme of the article. Think of it as your ‘what happened’ at the end of the story. I always try to make the last couple of lines hard hitting and empowering. A bold statement 💪🏻

Also, Writing a fantastic, eye-catching but misleading hook can be equally devastating. At times, I find myself tempted to read a story because of its attention-grabbing introduction, but down the road when it loses its essence, it's a heartbreaker.

Never start your closing sentences by saying: In conclusion. It has become a tired, overused phrase. If you have to tell the reader that you are busy wrapping up, you have failed them in the climax portion of the article. Consider your reader. Go back and redraft your closing point until it naturally flows to a close.

Writing too long articles where the reader starts skimming through, missing some points or even completely skips your article.

Use the main body for expansion and exposition. The introduction usually has single sentences or paragraphs in regard to each aspect of your argument/reasoning. The conclusion can be as short as Q.E.D. - if you haven't evidenced or provided adequate reasoning in regard to the article, the conclusion is not the place for extensive (or any) exposition. Emotive language may be used in an introduction or headline, however, a calm rationally presented conclusion can be effective in creating trust and give psychological value to your cause. If you require action from your readers, the "What" "When" and "How to" need to be clearly stated in your conclusion. "Why" and "Where" are normally covered in the main body of your article.

A lot of times it is a good idea to work on your intro after you conclude the article. Because not only have you concluded the article but also now you have a clear picture of the flow.

Let the article have a natural ending. Do not try to extract a reaction from your audience forcefully. If you are sharing an informative post, you might want to ask your audience if they found it helpful. If you are sharing a personal story, you might want to ask them if they had a similar experience. However, there may be times when you will share a celebratory post or an alerting post... in such cases, let the post close naturally. Do not try to extract an unnecessary reaction from the audience. If they are able to relate or want to say something, they will do it anyways.

For some articles, creating a bulleted list that links back to each sub-heading is helpful. Create before the introduction section. It also is helpful for Google Search Engine to pick up your article.

We know repetition is important - tell them what you're going to write about, write about it, then tell them what you just wrote about - it sounds basic but we all need to hear things at least 7 times to remember! Especially in today's day and age with all the distractions around us.

I like this section. It is a great device for writers. Keep Reading, Writing and study these two (2). Never give UP on Your writing success.😊✍📖📚✍😊☕☕☕

One cool thing I've come across recently is "Rate of Revelation". This is basically a measure of how fast-paced or slow-paced your piece of writing is. While writing online, you need to have a high rate of revelation because people have very small attention spans. After the hook, you need to get to the meat of the topic in as few words as possible.

Open with a compelling story, statistic, or fact to draw readers in. Make it intriguing and relevant to the topic. Start with a thought-provoking question to get readers thinking. Make sure it connects to the main focus. Begin with a surprising or counterintuitive statement to grab attention. Acknowledge common misconceptions. Reveal a twist or new perspective to leave readers thinking. Pose an open-ended reflection. Close with an anecdote or example that underscores your main point. Choose one that resonates. End on a inspirational note with a call to action, urging readers to apply what they learned.

Remember that there's a fan out there for everything. If your writing isn't resonating with your target audience, it might be a matter of adjusting your style, but it might also be a matter of finding the right audience for you.

I used to be fearful about writing at times. Mostly because I feared what others might think. Negative self-talk can prevent a wonderful article from arising. Now I lean into that vulnerability. Don't get hung up on people's perspective of your article - the good and the bad. It's your heart- write from it!

I try to end my articles with questions that provoke thought from both sides of the subject matter. It allows everyone a way to chime in and feel their ideas count. Relatable content, regardless of your own position, gets your audience thinking and engaging.

Always use the opportunity to work with experts in a field that you're writing about. It will allow you to gain powerful insight about the subject matter that will draw your readers into the material. Ask questions and keep asking. This is the only way you will grow and your articles will improve.