How to Write a “How To” Article
A “How To” article is an article that gives step-by-step instructions of doing things. It is a very informative, educational and reader-friendly type of article that thousands of people read everyday. “How To” articles are one of the biggest traffic drawers on the web today.
Here are the steps to write a “How To” article:
1. Specify your topic.
Your article should focus on one skill or objective. Make your topic clear to your audience to prevent them from getting confused.
Keep your instructions directed towards the completion of the objective of your article. So if you are writing instructions about how to make spaghetti, you should not dwell so much on how to skin garlic.
2. Identify your audience.
Identifying your audience is important as it can help you to determine who you want to understand your article perfectly. But as much as possible, you should use simple words to facilitate understanding. Avoid using jargon. People of all levels of education and knowledge read “How To” articles. You should make them as simple for a teenager to understand.
3. Identify the needed materials.
List down the materials needed to perform the procedure. This will help to facilitate ease in performing the instructions.
3. Write your procedure.
A chronological list of steps is the most important part of a “How To” article. It makes people know what to do to achieve the desired result.
4. Include words of caution.
Not everything can be done right in the first attempt. Problems are prone to surface especially on people who have no idea of potential dangers if things go wrong. You should make precautions a part of your article to avoid negative consequences. These would include the wearing of protective equipment such as goggles, gloves, and specifying an ideal working environment, such as a well-ventilated area to ensure safety.
5. Check your article.
After you have assembled your article, you should check it for correctness of sequence, English, grammar, spelling and completeness of materials needed to complete the procedure. You also need to proofread it before submitting it online for the world to see.