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Checklist for Good Structure
An article with a clear, sensible structure goes effortlessly into the reader's brain and is a pleasure to read. But first drafts are often messy. Pulling them apart and putting them back together on a sound footing is one of the most daunting tasks an editor can face. Use this checklist to help keep you on track.
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| • | Obey the "rule of ones:" Does the story make one major point? Does each paragraph and each sentence also make a single point. |
| • | Check the overall shape: Does the piece have a beginning, middle, and end? |
| • | Check the front end: Does the lead connect to a nut graph that tells readers why they should keep reading, explains why they're reading about this now, and lays out a road map for the piece? |
| • | Is the piece a logical dialog with the reader? Outline it to find out. Does it answer all the reader's questions as they come up? |
| • | Does the story rush or slow down in any sections? |
| • | Does it repeat itself because the structure is confused? |
| • | Does each paragraph do new and useful work? |
| • | Is each paragraph hooked to the one before it? Do the transitions feel natural? |
| • | Are paragraphs, and sentences, structured for the right emphasis? |
| • | If this is a service article, does the structure present the practical information clearly? |
| • | Does the ending leave the reader with a useful bit of information or advice, take him/her by surprise, or "close the loop" of the story? |
