Writing engaging, informative content for wikiHow takes skill and diligence. As a wikiHow content writer, you aim to teach readers how to complete tasks through step-by-step instructions accompanied by clear explanations and high-quality images. Let’s dive into the essential techniques for wikiHow content writing.
Research your topic thoroughly. Research is crucial before writing any wikiHow article. Study other sources to learn industry standards and best practices related to your topic. Look for gaps WikiHow could fill. Research also helps you determine an article’s structure and anticipate reader questions.
draft a detailed outline. Use your research to create a structured outline detailing each step, sub-step, and supporting explanation. Outlines help produce logically ordered, comprehensive articles. Include estimates for the word count of each section. Well-outlined articles are easier to write cohesively and leave less room for errors or omissions.
Write for the reader. wikiHow’s handy style guide recommends using an approachable, friendly tone. Assume readers have little to no knowledge of the topic. Break steps down barney-style, define any technical terms, and carefully explain the reasoning behind each step. Test your draft on friends – their feedback helps refine clarity and address difficulties.
Focus on the user experience. Readers want convenient, jargon-free guidance to accomplish a task. Consider how readers will interact with each section, whether on desktop or mobile. Group related steps and clearly signpost structure with headers and transitions. Use bulleted lists, tables and images thoughtfully to guide readers through the process easily.
Ensure thorough explanations. Don’t just list steps – explain the reasoning behind them. Provide context, motivations or alternatives to thoughtfully equip readers. Explanations help readers understand concepts, avoid mistakes, and think critically about other applications of the skills. Test your explanations on friends outside your field of expertise.
Source and credit images strategically. Relevant, high-quality images improve understanding and engagement, but choose and cite images ethically as per wikiHow policy. Select images that specifically illustrate and supplement your text, not decorate it. Integrate images within the text flow and describe what they depict to aid all readers.
Read for clarity, consistency and completeness. Review your draft with a critical eye, checking for logical flow, consistent terminology, clarity, readability, and completeness. Try re-reading the article sequence as a user to spot gaps. Ask others for feedback too. Refine as needed to ensure readers can follow steps error-free from start to finish.
Consider alternate scenarios and related “how-tos.” Anticipate variations like left-handed use, common problems, or different settings and tailor steps appropriately. Link to related wikiHow articles to expand the knowledge resource. Connecting topics boosts findability and helps readers build on initial skills.
Engage with the wikiHow community. Participate respectfully on article talk pages. Thank editors for their time, address their points politely and integrate useful feedback. Collaboration strengthens articles and cultivates a positive environment. Connecting with others motivates ongoing improvement.
Maintain approved articles over time. As methods, tools and best practices change, revisit approved articles periodically to refine as needed. Update outdated steps or safety recommendations. Solicit community feedback to improve articles continually. Your focus on quality ensures wikiHow content remains optimized to help and inform readers.
Following these techniques helps produce engaging, helpful wikiHow articles aligned with the project’s emphasis on skill-building and knowledge-sharing. Well-written, meticulously researched content strengthens wikiHow’s role as a top online how-to resource. With diligent efforts to understand readers and refine articles collaboratively, wikiHow content writers contribute great value as part of the wikiHow team.