Many friends have recently wanted to start documenting or sharing their life experiences. I'm frequently asked how to write articles. Over the past year, I've produced 180 pieces—roughly 15 per month, each averaging around a thousand words. Having worked in media for nearly four years, I've refined close to five thousand articles in the industry. Through consistent output and perspective-sharing, I've gained opportunities to give talks and publish books. In this piece, I've distilled three key points to help friends who want to start writing online or build a writing-based side hustle find their focus and create engaging, compelling articles.
One: Structure—Build the Skeleton First, Then Add the Flesh! Each Article Should Focus on Just One Thing
Most people who don't write regularly tend to write whatever comes to mind, and by the end, while they have word count and a sense of accomplishment, they might suddenly realize their content doesn't match their headline, or they're unsure what title to use because they've tried to share too many things. The result is unfocused—which is really a shame!
So how do you fix this?
Master the technique of "skeleton first, flesh later." For myself, I set my main topic in advance, sometimes even writing the headline first, then I pre-plan three key points and break them into separate subheadings.
➡Article Example: "Fulfilling a Partner's Dreams" — How a 30-Year-Old Manager Built a Perfect Team
This profile piece came to 3,400 words. My focus was the person's character. If I'd written about everything they discussed, I could've easily added another 1,000-2,000 words covering their relationships, education, daily life, and more. But that would've lost focus or become verbatim transcript. So after the interview, I'd already preset the three points I absolutely had to cover: personal background (work-related), philosophy and management mindset. Although everything they shared was genuinely compelling, I couldn't be greedy. After selecting my core points, I enriched them with different anecdotes, examples, and memorable quotes, which became these three focal points:
- From Normal Teachers' College Background to an Unconventional Workplace Survivor: Entering PR Was Completely Accidental
- When a Client Suddenly Pulled Their Account Despite Being Top Revenue, She Didn't Give Up: Because We Don't Just Sell Relationships
- About Interviews—Never Tell Companies "I Want to Learn…"
Each insight relates directly to the profile's core subject—the person. I wouldn't suddenly insert a section on PR industry theory when discussing PR entry, like the mechanics of press releases or journalist outreach, or shift to job-seeking topics about what skills and traits you need to break into the field. I certainly wouldn't abruptly analyze how she got to top revenue in the second point—that would be jarring and irrelevant. Instead, I stay tightly focused on the core, expanding the topic in concentric circles while keeping it contained.
Master this principle—I've seen way too many long-winded articles that try to cover point A becoming point B, which isn't necessarily wrong, but learning to break each article's focus into separate pieces is how you build long-term growth in output and traffic.
Once you have three focal points, like completing a skeleton, how do you add the flesh?
Two: Content—Using Imagery, Numbers, Plain Language, Contrast, and Examples
Because content is most important, here are five techniques you should study carefully:
（1）Use text to paint scenes and lead readers into the experience
Many people wonder why they need to paint scenes with text—it's not video production, why be so complicated? Let's look at a simple press release example:
Plain text only:
The Tomb Sweeping Festival has four days off. Congestion appeared on the highway after 8 a.m.
Text with imagery:
The Tomb Sweeping Festival offers four days off. The sun shines brightly, and after 8 a.m., big trucks and small cars surge onto the highway, turning the expressway into a giant parking lot.
Do you feel the difference between simple text and painted imagery? The first is objective description. The second transforms "congestion" into imagery, descriptive language, and real situation—not just passing over it with the word "congestion."
If we wanted to describe a graduate student being "very happy" after finishing their thesis, we might just leave it at that. But if we say "When the thesis statistics came up on the screen, tears poured out and they were screaming in the research office," that's also happiness, but it feels completely different.
Often everyday articles won't be as precise as press releases, but adding imagery highlights a person's character or an event's tone. In normal article writing, I use this "situational approach" to set tone for readers, rather than just stating facts plainly.
Plain text only:
This was the best decision I made last year. I originally thought I wouldn't get along with new friends, but many were very easy to be around, understanding that anxiety, so they supported me and helped me…
Text with imagery:
This was the best decision I made last year. I originally thought I'd be completely out of place and uncomfortable, but many friends felt like old souls—love at first sight, delighted recognition. Understanding that anxiety, they became each other's strongest backbone. When you share an idea, they clap louder than anyone; when you face opposing voices, they give you the strongest support, defending your autonomy and creativity.
Feel the difference? I transformed simple words like "supported" and "helped" directly into what they actually did—"clap louder than anyone," "give the strongest support." These are far more precise and touching than simply stating an action.
（2）Concretize numbers so readers feel "this concerns me"
When citing surveys and statistics, stiff text bores people. Readers can't process information and feel the article's content doesn't apply to them, so they leave and never return.
Using a 104 Job Bank survey:
Pure statistical writing:
104 Job Bank observed 109,000 members graduating from college or graduate school this year with updated resumes in the past year. Among them, 39,000 actively applied for full-time positions in Q1, representing 35.6% of the total.
Concretized number writing:
Two months before graduation, 104 Job Bank's survey reveals nearly 39,000 graduating students have already applied for full-time work. That's one-third of graduating job-seekers, meaning for every three graduates, one has already secured early-bird status for job hunting, with each "early bird" averaging 12 active applications!
The first is objective fact-reporting. The second transforms numbers into something general audiences understand—"concretized." For instance, calling early job-hunters "early birds" and changing 35.6% into one-third, using concrete descriptions like "every three people has one," creates urgency and tangible feeling.
Take birth rates—most people think birth rates don't concern them, especially young people. But when you link birth rates to elderly dependency ratios, noting that in 2010 it took 6.9 people to support one elderly person, but by 2025 only 3.4 people per elderly person, these dramatic numbers connected to life burden and pressure on youth make it real, alarming, even frightening. When you imagine 2045—when you'll be middle-aged—with only 2 people supporting 1 elderly person, that's when people seriously consider reproduction to avoid aging alone. (Data source: National Development Council)
（3）Reference wisely—use "plain language" to convey viewpoints and thinking
Honestly, after reading long articles or entire books, the things that move you and stay with you are just a few lines: "No one needs to be responsible for your knowledge," "There's no need to dull your edge for worldly opinions," "Reading is the lowest-cost method that can 'turbo-charge your life transformation'," "Dreams strong enough to be trampled upon can support genuine strength." These lines appeared in my articles before, and I repeatedly reflect on how meaningful they are. That's why using someone's quote—especially famous people—to provide the perfect finishing touch is vital.
I particularly love using Jack Ma's classic lines:
There are thousands of factors in success, but reasons for failure are mostly similar. Combine all failed people's experiences and seriously study these mistakes. I hope everyone spends more time understanding why people fail.
When writing about entrepreneurial failure series, I love quoting Ma. I even listen to his lectures while walking to internalize his thinking. Beyond famous figures, using current insights also creates strong resonance.
For example, at a talk, I shared a Facebook status from eight years ago:
Refusing to be ordinary
This line impressed even my friends. I clearly remember that status came from a very superficial place. During those years I was working and studying simultaneously—juggling jobs, classes, and grad school preparation without sleep. Meanwhile, some people constantly updated to the latest iPhones and iPads. Probably from inferiority, I wasn't just envious but genuinely jealous, so I wrote this in an angry frame of mind.
Yet this one classic phrase still resonates eight years later with great story and reference value. Now I use it in both articles and talks. So that's the power of "plain language"—it represents your personality, viewpoint, and thinking. It becomes the essence of an article and material for readers to repeatedly contemplate, applying it differently at different life stages, giving it new meaning; mastered this way, you can eventually create your own classic expressions, gradually refining your personal brand.
（4）Create conflict through contrast
This is actually a technique from scriptwriting, but used well in regular articles, it leaves deep impressions. But what is contrast? Clichés involve opposite words—big and small, bright and dark, jealousy and affection. But contrast here isn't about words but two completely opposite states, making readers think "How is that possible?" or "This could never happen!" creating conflict, though note—this sense of surprise and unpredictability is for readers, not the author.
For example, in one article, I mentioned the idea "convince yourself you're in the worst possible state," which itself contains contradictory conflict! You'd think—doesn't everyone want the best? Why would someone accept the worst state? What happened? So you read on. Later I explain my viewpoint thoroughly. That whole phrase means "unrealistic behavior."
Second example: in "Is 'First Job' Really That Important?" The Answer is Absolutely Yes, I mentioned the insight "my first job let me 'see reality'," which itself is contrast.
Why? If you think this is obvious, you're already working long enough. But my readers skew toward recent graduates or current students—people full of expectations, ideals, fantasies about first jobs. So "seeing reality" carries conflict and dread.
This article ranks among my most popular, shared among college students with each other. I've even heard managers share it with new hires, asking them to read it first to adjust their mindset (wow).
So using contrast to create conflict isn't just situational—it must be audience-centric, letting readers feel the contradiction and surprise you're expressing. Of course, you can simply share personal experience without overthinking, but then ask why you're sharing publicly.
（5）Don't "show off knowledge"—everyone is ordinary
This often happens with very specialized experts (I won't call it a problem or mistake since everyone has style). Specialists assume their terminology and language are universally understood, but remember—we're in the social media age where anyone might read your article. Too much professional jargon makes readers exhausted.
Let me illustrate with journalism terminology describing a work process:
That 4G package hell—no visuals, no Bite to Cue, plus you have to calculate TC and request signal, ask the editor to cut Rolls before you can go live.
This is full of terminology insiders understand but outsiders don't. Basically it means:
Without an SNG truck on scene, just carrying a 4G signal-transmitting device. But management expects live connection. Since you can't pre-record interviews (Bite), if you need one (Cue Bite), you must first calculate where the speaker starts and ends (Time Code), call back to company to receive visuals, then ask the editing team to prepare transmittable rolls (Roll tape) before going live.
Even after explaining, some won't understand. So wouldn't writing like this frustrate readers? That's why don't show off—avoid jargon, avoid selling expertise, avoid "industry language." When discussing AI application benefits, don't dive into technical bandwidth details. If you want people to understand and reach broader audiences, use actual examples.
For instance, when I wrote about 5G launching in 2020, if I focused on technical specs, equipment, bandwidth, it would barely appeal to general audiences. Especially since most don't know 5G vs. 4G differences. They just think "we just phased out 3G, 4G has 80% penetration, why keep changing?" So I explained:
VR's current development bottleneck is that headset-wearers easily feel dizzy when shifting perspectives, because perspective changes create massive data flows. But 4G technology can't currently support such transmission speeds. Once 5G launches, it can handle the load. Future VR headsets will display clear 3D imagery, making virtual nearly real.
By explaining through methods general audiences understand, through experiences they might have felt themselves, you guide them on why something matters. That's why not showing off "knowledge" is important—when hoping general audiences understand, you must speak conversationally and treat them as friends and confidants. Of course, if it's a specialized symposium or specifically targeting certain audiences, you can absolutely show off expertise without losing quality.
One extra personal technique worth mentioning: While I also write theory-based knowledge pieces, I never write them like textbooks. I divide theory into "practical" and "implementation" aspects.
➡Practical Aspect: Pure theory statement, verifying how you understand these knowledge and skills
➡Implementation Aspect: Real-world application scenarios, what people call "takeaways"; I see implementation as lifestyle, and lifestyle as daily routine.
More concretely, practical is what a new company manager might explain—how to run events: write proposals, pitch, set dates, times, locations—basic stuff, right?
But actual execution? Just writing proposals involves format, topic selection, direction, structure—endless issues. Even with standard guidelines, you get thousand different results. That's the implementation aspect. Understanding implementation lets you imagine the complete picture and avoid misconceptions. That's why this article, though able to simply explain three points, has so many examples!
Practical: Arrange time based on your assessed work hours and state
Implementation: From the examples section onward, the entire latter part is implementation (I really love this approach)
Three: Headline Strategy—Plain Language × Numbers = Perfect Finish
Headline technique follows the same concept as content techniques, but differs in that while you can elaborate in content, headlines only have words to work with, so you must capture the absolute key point!
But how do you identify what's most critical? As I mentioned initially, many writers with too many points want to say everything. When it's time for a headline, you don't know what to do, or the headline becomes "obvious wisdom anyone could state," or feels preachy and empty—which becomes unattractive. That's why structure and content first, then solid headlines!
What are preachy headlines? Examples:
"The Rich's Sleep-Time Money-Making Secrets," "How Authors Actually Write," "Career Secrets You Should Know Before 20"—these are random examples, but wanting personal style or thoughtful articles, such writing applies to anyone, so readers forget the author, like generic "period piece" articles.
But using plain language and numbers as headlines lets readers know through the title itself what content they'll get:
➡Number Enumeration Method: Write directly in the headline how many points the article covers!
➡ Number Expression Method: Put eye-catching "numbers" from the article in the headline—years, frequency, salary, etc.
➡Plain Language Method: Select plain language carefully—this is highly subjective, so I choose the phrase from my listening or writing that leaves deepest impression. Tell others and they feel surprised, their thinking overturned. For profiles especially, if subjects say something naturally classic, absolutely include it in the headline.
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When Lost, Remember: Life Has No Standard Answer—Your Choices Are the Answer
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"Don't Leave Loose Ends"—No Matter How Seniors Rephrase It—They Always Harp On This
That covers my entire sharing—I've revealed nearly all beginner-friendly techniques, using my own work as practical examples. I'm certainly not the best, but I've distilled nearly four years of writing roughly five thousand long-form, short-form, and book pieces, and this is their essence. Any questions, message me directly or email me to discuss.
