Daily Times

The art of writing articles depends on how effectively a writer drafts the content. It is based on research and the writers’ opinion blended with facts and details. It requires the right words and sentences that convey the meaning to the readers. Muhammad Omar Iftikhar’s latest book, “20 Steps to Writing Articles” explores the art of effective writing. The book comprises twenty chapters each focusing on a specific task that writers need to pursue when writing articles.

Omar writes about idea generation, topic selection, researching, enriching vocabulary, how to write the beginning, middle and end, how to narrate using ‘show, don’t tell’, which voice to use, how to create an outline, and so much more.

“20 Steps to Writing Articles” will provide ideas and insights to students and professionals alike. It will help students structure their essays. It will assist professionals in drafting documents. Those aiming to write articles for print and digital media will find key points on how to write and get published. The chapters will guide writers to fine-tune their articles. It will especially benefit aspiring writers to understand how to write for print and digital media.

Interestingly, the concepts discussed will also benefit freelance writers. Such kind of a book was needed for writers who are searching for ways to enhance their writing expression and style. Omar has kept the language of the book simple yet direct. His conversational writing style which at times becomes assertive and informative will appeal to the readers. He writes with clarity and touches upon one point at a time. Omar shares his first-hand writing experience in this book. He began writing in 2004 and has over 950 articles published in Pakistan’s print publications. Over these years, Omar has emerged as a thought leader in Pakistan when it comes to writing.

Omar has shared some key insights in the book. For instance, in the chapter discussing how to prepare an outline for writing an article, he writes, “Ensure that the points you mention in the outline are in some order. They can be in the order of importance (as you deem fit) or may follow a chronological order.” In another chapter, Omar writes, “To become a good writer, you need to read. Try reading books, including fiction and non-fiction. Delve into newspapers and magazines, encyclopedias, and biographies. Read as much as you can. If practice makes a man perfect, then reading helps one become an effective writer.”

The chapters are short and give readers ample room for introspection. Omar has provided the readers with the foundation to question the various facets of writing and how to improve them. Every chapter ends with a few suggestions about the writing technique discussed. For instance, in the chapter about choosing the target audience (readers), he suggests writers that they should “ascertain the target audience of the publication” and “recommends them to read the publications’ past few issues to understand their audience.”

“20 Steps to Writing Articles” should be read by those who envision themselves becoming writers or those whose job description requires them to complete writing tasks. This book will serve as a guide on effective writing to those who are article writers, columnists, authors, or bloggers if they aspire to become one.

The writer is a Chartered Accountant and columnist for newspapers and can be reached at fdsheikh@yahoo.com