Getting Unstuck

Three questions to get your article moving forward

Writers often tell me, “I have an idea, but I’m having trouble turning it into an article,” or, “I’ve started an article, but I can’t seem to finish.” Writers often get stuck because they’re missing at least one of the three key components every article needs. To help them get unstuck, I ask three questions:

1. What’s your point?

2. How do you know?

3. Who cares?

These questions matter because all readers ask them (even if only subconsciously). Answering them can help you get unstuck by finding what’s missing.

What’s Your Point?

If you can’t get a first draft on paper, you may lack a clear main idea. A strong article has a well-defined core message. Even when tackling a complex issue, the central point should be obvious.

You should be able to express your idea in a few simple, clear sentences. For example, Anne Lamott writes in Bird by Bird, “Now, practically even better news than that of short assignments is the idea of shitty first drafts. All good writers write them. This is how they end up with good second drafts and terrific third drafts.” Even better is when you can express your main idea in a single, powerful sentence, as William Zinsser does to open the second chapter of On Writing Well: “Clutter is the disease of American writing.”

If you can’t state your main idea clearly, focus and refine it before moving forward.

How Do You Know?

A good idea isn’t enough—you must support it with evidence. Strong professional writing relies on data, research, or examples to support its claims. Without evidence, an article is just an opinion. And here’s an uncomfortable truth: no one cares about your opinion. While op-eds can be entertaining, they are rarely valuable for professional readers.

If your argument feels weak, ask yourself: Do I have enough evidence to prove my point? No fair-minded professional reader will accept an idea without evidence. If you don’t have strong evidence or enough of it, you need to do more research.

Who Cares?

Valuable writing targets a specific audience or community of interest. Professional readers are busy. They won’t spend time with your article unless it addresses something important to them. Good writers connect their ideas to the reader’s interests or goals by helping them learn something important or solve a problem.

Writing for a professional audience often means joining a conversation, and you can’t just barge into a conversation; it’s rude at parties, and it’s rude in professional writing. You must first understand what’s already been said and who said it. Your article should add something to the discussion—refining an argument, challenging an assumption, or offering a new perspective.

Understanding your topic and audience also helps you find the right outlet. Different publications serve different professional communities, and knowing your audience increases your chances of finding a place to publish.

Practice with a Pitch

Writing a pitch clarifies your answers to the three key questions. A pitch is a short proposal to convince an editor to publish an article. Even if you don’t have an outlet in mind, drafting a pitch forces you to refine your purpose, argument, and audience.

A good pitch is brief—usually 200 words or less. Brevity forces clarity.

Start by stating the article’s topic and main idea or thesis. Next, list the article’s supporting points, briefly highlighting key evidence, data, or examples. Finish by stating who will find the article useful and why.

Moving Forward

Answering these three questions—What’s your point? How do you know? Who cares?—helps you determine whether your idea has the substance for a full article. Once you can confidently them, you’ll find it easier to move your article forward.