! CITADEL OF LIFE LECTURES !
Lecturer: Jay Oh Why
Topic: Article writing
Coordinator: Philosopher
Philosopher: Let's welcome Mr. Jay Oh Why as he comes on to lecture is tonight.
Jay oh why:
Our topic today is Article writing. Firstly, article writing is not as complicated as some people might think. I believe virtually all of us are writers in this group, mostly poetry. But article writing is as simple too. You only need to go by a few rules and snaps, you're there.
To write an article, you need to obey four (4) rules.
Just 4 simple rules. You might look at some beautifully crafted articles and feel they were written by people out of this world, but no, they followed the 4 rules.
What are these rules?
The first rule is
1. What do you want to write about?
This is very simple. Before you write anything, you must know what you want to write about. Its quite simple. Is it the present state of your institution? The musician whose lyrics promotes moral decadence or any other topic that interests you.
Now the second question is perhaps the most important
Before I continue, I want us to know we were not bless with the sweet usage of words for the fun of it, we were blessed with the gift *to make sane, the insanity in our environment.*
And the second is
Why do you want to write?
Is it to gain popularity? Or to criticize someone? Or comment on an issue? Or to make sane an insanity.
Often times I waste my time reading stuffs online. I call them just stuffs because are not good enough to be called articles. The motive of your writing will spur you on. It will push you and be your muse.
Note:
If you have a good motive of writing, you will never run out of words.
Recently, I wrote about a song by a popular musician. The time I spent on these two things was more than the time I spent writing the article itself.
NOTE:
The quality of your patience is directly proportional to the quality of your work(article)
- Adeosun Adams
That's a quote by a friend. And it's very correct. You need to be patient!!!
At times you need to spend a lot of time thinking about the work at hand, at times you need to take a walk early in the morning, think about it and give it time. It will come when you least expect it, maybe in the bathroom with soap all over your face😀 Or when you have nothing to scribe on.
That's "maybe" but the Button line is PATIENCE.
Now to the third question
3. To whom do you want to write?
Answering this question will help you
1. Know how to structure your article
2. Know where to channel your article.
You can't write on a national issue and limit it to your WhatsApp groups (are you kidding me?).
You can't write on an institutional issue and publish on a national daily news agency.
In a nutshell, your target audience will help you know where to channel your article. For example, there was a time in my institution when there was incessant robbery and rape issues.
I wrote about it and I knew I needed a change in that situation; a change the institution cannot put to place.
I knew I need to contact an higher authority which I did in company of others and the change was effected.
Another time, faculty due was almost doubled, this didn't go down well with me, so I picked my pen again, I knew I needed to turn the public against them, so I did and before the next day,it was reversed.
Those guys received pressure they couldn't handle.
Note:
To make sane the insanity in our environment.
Now to the last question
4. What do you want to write about?
This is a check!!!. To make sure you haven't digressed. Its easy to lose focus when you are writing, especially when you are making use of long sentences. So the last question will make sure you are still in line.
Before I hang my boots for tonight,let me add a few things.
1. Make us of short sentences in your articles because long sentences like this one will make you and your readers lose focus on what you are writing.
2. Please, as much as possible , *avoid errors*
I so much hate seeing errors in articles. It makes me( your readers at large) lose interest in reading it, except when I deliberately want to criticize the writer.
3. Make use of an Editor. The editor must
i. Be sound in written English
ii. Be vigilant and be able to detect the slightest error.
iii. Be a writer too of course.
PS:
I edit for free
4. Please for God's sake, be patient. Huh?
Thank you.
Philosopher: How many words do you wish article to be?
Jay Oh Why: It can be as short as indomie strand or as long as Jesus' robes, the important thing is it should be detailed, enlightening/educative and address an insanity. Just like in poems, it makes it beautiful.
If you can, why not use the best weapons in your arsenal?
If that is all,then at this point I take my bow.
Thank you for your time. God bless.
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