How to write your first article (and get it published)

Most people who want to write never publish anything. It’s not because they have nothing to say. Instead, they get stuck between the idea in their head and the blank page in front of them.

This guide closes that gap. It walks you through your first article step by step, from picking an idea to sending it to an editor. At the end, we’ll also show you how to publish it on Modelodge.

Start with what you already know

Your first article shouldn’t be about the biggest topic you can think of. Instead, it should be about something you understand better than most readers. For example, that might be a tool you use every day, a problem you solved at work or a mistake you won’t make again.

First-hand experience is your advantage. Anyone can summarise the news. However, only you can explain what happened when you tried it yourself.

How to write your first article in 8 steps

1. Pick one idea

One article, one idea. If you find yourself covering three separate points, you probably have three articles. So pick the strongest one and save the rest.

2. Write your main point in one sentence

Before you write anything else, finish this line: “After reading this, the reader will know that…” If you can’t finish it, you’re not ready to draft yet. Once you can, keep that sentence where you can see it. It’s your test for every paragraph that follows.

3. Outline before you draft

List four to six subheadings that take the reader from the question to the answer. Then add two or three notes under each. This takes ten minutes. However, it saves hours of rewriting later, because you’ll know where every paragraph belongs.

4. Write a fast, messy first draft

Don’t edit while you write. Instead, follow your outline and get every section down, even if the sentences are clumsy. A bad draft can be fixed. A blank page can’t.

5. Rewrite the opening last

Readers decide in the first two lines whether to keep going. So once the draft is done, go back to the top. Then cut the warm-up and start with the problem, the surprise or the result.

6. Cut a third

Most first drafts are too long. For this reason, read yours with your one-sentence main point beside it. Delete any paragraph that doesn’t support it. After that, split long sentences and replace vague words with specific ones.

7. Check every fact

Every number, quote and claim needs a source you can link to. If you can’t find one, either cut the claim or say clearly that it’s your opinion. Readers forgive a plain sentence. They don’t forgive a wrong one.

8. Get one honest reader

Ask someone to read the draft and tell you, in one sentence, what it’s about. If their answer matches your main point, you’re done. If it doesn’t, the article isn’t clear yet, and now you know where to look.

5 mistakes first-time writers make

• Waiting to feel ready: Nobody feels ready before their first article. Instead, the feeling arrives after you publish.
• Writing for everyone: An article for “anyone interested in tech” ends up useful to no one. So picture one reader and write to them.
• Long introductions: If your real point starts in paragraph four, delete the first three.
• Sounding clever instead of clear: Big words slow readers down. Plain words get your idea across faster.
• Editing forever: At some point, more edits stop helping. Once the checklist above is complete, send it.

Write your first article for Modelodge

Here’s the part we’ve been building up to. Modelodge is open to first-time writers. We care more about what you know than how many bylines you have.

Our desks covers AI, startups, funding, dev, policy, hardware, opinion and many more. If you’ve built something, tested something or learned something the hard way in any of these areas, that’s an article.

You don’t need a finished draft to start. Instead, send a short pitch with:

• A working headline
• Your one-sentence main point
• Three or four bullet points on what you’ll cover
• One line on why you’re the right person to write it

An editor reads every pitch and will reply to you. If we like the idea, we’ll help you shape it into a finished article.

First article FAQ