Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 5: Choosing a topic
• Method 2 of 5: Interview people
• Method 3 of 5: Prepare to write the article
• Method 4 of 5: Write the article
• Method 5 of 5: Putting the finishing touches
• Tips
• Warnings

Theme articles provide a glimpse into the human experience. There is more attention to detail, descriptions and writing style than in a dry news item. Theme articles focus on an event or person and introduce the reader to a certain interesting dimension of this topic. Writing a themed article is a fun and creative activity, but it takes hard work and good planning to write an effective and engaging article.

To step

Method 1 of 5: Choosing a topic

1. Find a fascinating story. Keep an eye on the news and talk to people to find interesting stories. Think about what's going on right now and how you can write about it in a new and innovative way.
2. Research your topic. Searching for background information can help you come up with a specific angle and find people to interview. Online research is good, but you only really get further by consulting books so that you are aware of all facets of your subject. For a historical article it may be necessary to visit an archive.
3. Choose the type of theme article you want to write. There are several ways to write a themed article depending on what you want to focus on. For instance:
   • Human interest: Many themed articles focus on an issue that affects people's lives. They often focus on one person or a group.
   • Profile: This type of themed article focuses on the personality and lifestyle of a specific individual. The goal is to give the reader a glimpse into that person's life. These articles are often about celebrities and public figures.
   • Instructive: How-to-do articles teach readers how to do something. Often the writer will tell about the path he / she has taken to learn something, for example how to make a wedding cake.
   • Historical: Articles that honor historical events or developments are common. They can also compare the past to the present, rooting the reader in a common history.
   • Seasonal: Some themes are perfect for transcribing at a specific time of the year, such as the start of the summer holidays or the winter holidays.
   • Behind the scenes: These articles provide readers with an insight into an unusual process, issue, or event that does not normally get publicity.
4. Keep the readership in mind. As you brainstorm, think about the people who will read your articles. Ask yourself Who are my readers? and What angle will appeal to them? For example, if you're writing a profile article about a pastry chef, you'll write differently for aspiring bakers than for wedding planners looking for a wedding cake.
5. Take into account the type of publication you are writing for. If you are writing for a magazine or blog with a specific theme, such as gardening, then you will need to write your article in a way that highlights this theme. A newspaper, on the other hand, has a more general audience and will be more open to varied content.

Method 2 of 5: Interview people

1. Make an appointment for an interview at a place and time that is convenient for the interviewee. Ask the interviewee to tell you when and where it is most convenient for him / her to meet. If given the choice, suggest a quiet place where the interview can take place relatively undisturbed.
   • Schedule about 30-45 minutes with this person. Respect the interviewee's time and don't take up the whole day. Do not forget to reconfirm the appointment a few days in advance to check whether it is still convenient for the interviewee.
   • Be flexible if the interviewee wants to reschedule the appointment. Be aware that the interviewee is doing you a favor by making time to talk to you. Therefore, be generous in your response and never let the interviewee feel guilty about rescheduling the appointment.
   • Ask if you can come to the interviewee's workplace if you want to observe him / her while working. You can also ask if you can get some explanation about the work. You can use the knowledge you gain from this experience when writing your article.
2. Prepare for the interview. Immerse yourself in the topic so that you can ask the best questions. Make a long list of questions to keep the conversation going. Make sure you are familiar with the interviewee's background and experience, as well as his / her views on the theme of the interview.
3. Give the interviewee a copy of your questionnaire on time. The questions should not come as a surprise. By seeing the questions in advance, the interviewee can come up with more thoughtful answers.
4. Arrive early for the interview. The interviewee's time is precious, so you don't want to ruin the appointment by storming in out of breath. Be on time to install and test your audio recording equipment, but also bring a pen and paper.
5. Record the interview. Use your audio recorder, but also make notes during the interview. After all, the batteries may run out or the memory may be full.
   • Ask if the interviewee is okay with you recording the interview. If you plan to use the audio for purposes other than writing your article (for example, for a podcast as an addition to your article), then it is necessary to request permission to do so.
   • Do not pressure the interviewee if he / she declines to make an audio recording.
6. Have the interviewee confirm his / her details. You don't want to write an elaborate themed article about someone whose name you misspelled. Double check the spelling of his / her name and other details important to the story.
7. Ask open questions. These give you more valuable information than yes / no questions. Ask questions that begin with "how" or "why". These types of questions give the interviewee the opportunity to tell a story, give details or express an opinion.
   • Another great option is to ask a question that starts with the words 'tell me about a time when you ...' This allows the interviewee to tell you a story that is important to them and valuable to your article .
8. Listen actively. Listening carefully is one of the most important parts of a good interview. Do not make too many observations yourself, but respond to what the interviewee tells you by smiling or nodding. People are more likely to continue talking if their audience is receptive.
9. Ask follow-up questions. A good interviewer knows when someone has said enough on a particular topic and when it helps to encourage the interviewee to discuss further. You can also use your follow-up questions to connect ideas.
10. Take notes immediately after the interview. Write down your notes and observations immediately after the interview, while it is still fresh in your mind. For example, your observations can be about the location, the appearance of the interviewee or how he / she came across.
11. Transcribe the interview. Retyping or transcribing the entire interview can be a tedious task, but it is essential for displaying quotes properly. Transcribe yourself or hire someone to do this for you.
12. Send a thank you to the interviewee. Thank him / her for the time taken and indicate when the article will be published. This is also a good chance to ask a few more follow-up questions if you find yourself needing more information.

Method 3 of 5: Prepare to write the article

1. Choose the layout of your article. There is no standard formula for themed articles as is the case with news articles. You don't necessarily have to follow the inverted pyramid model to represent the who, what, where, when, and why. Choose a more creative way to write your story. For example, you can:
   • Start by describing a dramatic moment and then unravel the history that led to it.
   • Apply the story-within-a-story method, in which a narrator in the article tells someone else's story.
   • Begin the story with a description of an everyday event and follow how it becomes special.
2. Establish the approximate length of the item. Whereas themed articles in newspapers take up 500 to 2500 words, an article in a magazine has 500 to 5000 words. Blog articles are between 250 and 2500 words.
   • Ask the editor how long the article should be.
3. Outline your article. Compile your article by reading through your notes, selecting quotes and drafting the structure of your article. Start with the introduction and decide how you want to build the article. What information do you want to provide first? When concluding, think about the theme and impression you want readers to remember.
   • Check out what is absolutely essential to the story and what to leave out. For example, if you're writing a 500-word article, you should be selective, while having more space in a 2,500-word article.

Method 4 of 5: Write the article

1. Write a catchy opening story. The first paragraph is your chance to grab the readers' attention and suck them into your story. If the first paragraph is boring or hard to follow, you will lose your readers and they will not read the rest of your article.
   • Start with an interesting fact, quote, or anecdote.
   • The first paragraph should be no more than 2 to 3 sentences.
2. In the second paragraph, elaborate on what you wrote in the first paragraph. An interesting opening attracts readers, but the next goal is to clarify the rationale behind the story in your second paragraph (and subsequent paragraphs). Why are we reading this story? What's so important about it?
3. Follow your classification. The layout you have made of your article can help you build a good article. The format can also help you remember how details are connected and how quotes support certain opinions.
   • However, be flexible. Sometimes an article turns out to run better if you write it in a different way. Be willing to change the direction of your article if it reads better that way.
4. Show, don't tell. When writing a themed article you have the chance to describe people and scenes to your readers. Describe a setting or person so that the reader can see it clearly.
5. Don't use too many quotes. While it may be tempting to use the interviewee's own words, it is important not to be too dependent on this. Otherwise, your themed article will turn into an interview.Write around the quotes to give them context. Build the story and help the reader post the interviewee's words.
6. Tailor your language use to your readers. Think about who your audience is and adjust your tone to their level and area of ​​interest. Because you cannot just assume that people are familiar with what you are writing about, it is sometimes important to explain certain things. Write acronyms in full and explain jargon or local language. Write in a conversational rather than a rigid and academic tone.
7. Keep your own opinion out of the article. A themed article provides (background) information about a person or phenomenon. It is not intended as an opportunity for you to voice your opinion on a particular topic. Instead, your personality comes out in your writing style.
8. Check your article. Set the article aside for a few days after you finish writing. That way you can distance yourself. Check back when you're feeling fresh and read the article all the way through. Think about ways to improve descriptions, clarify viewpoints, and make explanations more fluid. Which parts are redundant? Which ones need extra information?

Method 5 of 5: Putting the finishing touches

1. Check several times whether you have shown everything accurately. The last thing you want to do is write an article with inaccurate information. Double check spelling of names, sequence of events, and other important details.
2. Show your article to the interviewee. Not all writers do this, and some even believe that it does not improve the journalistic quality of an article. The people you interview usually still want to see the article before it goes to print, to make sure you paint an accurate and fair picture of them.
   • It's up to you whether or not you do something with their suggestions.
3. Check your spelling and grammar. Don't let misspelled words and bad grammar ruin your article. Consult the green booklet and a grammar reference.
   • Consult a journalistic style manual for correct representation of numbers, dates, street names, etc.
4. Ask a friend or colleague to read the article and provide feedback. Your editor will also provide you with feedback. Be open to criticism and don't take it personally. They want you to write a good article and will advise you on how to change, clarify, or expand your text to get the best possible version of your article on paper.
5. Write the headline. Sometimes the magazine or newspaper you work for will make the headlines for you, but if you want the first introduction to the article to properly reflect the content, you will have to write a headline that does that. The headline is short and to the point. It takes no more than 10 to 15 words, sometimes even less. A headline is all about action and conveys the importance of the story. It should grab the readers' attention and suck them into the article.
   • Write a subhead if you want to give a little more information. This is a second sentence that builds on the headline.
6. Stick to the deadline. Get your article to the editor before the deadline. Articles that arrive too late will not be printed, and the article you worked so hard on will not be published until the next issue, if at all.

Tips

• Ask to see a trial version of your article before it is published. This is your chance to review your article one more time and check for accuracy.

Warnings

• Present the topic of the article honestly and accurately. Themed articles can be problematic if they only tell one side of the story. Also talk to the other party if the interviewee makes any claims about a person or company. If someone is slandered in your article, even if it is the interviewee, you run the risk of being sued for defamation.