Before you write an article, be sure you have some time to devote to it. Quality articles are researched thoroughly, well thought out, and will require a few revisions. The editorial process also requires the author to be present; editors will be assisting authors with pointing out errors and giving them suggestions, not helping to write the article. That is the author's duty.
If you've got the time to devote it, you're ready to write an article. But what about? Well, you could start with the Request an Article topic to see what members have asked for. Also, the Panic Button topic is a current source for some of the better posts members would like to see put into article form. Our Elite Posts are also a source of topics. If you choose to use a topic from the Panic Button post or the Elite Posts, you may want to PM the original poster to see if they would like to assist you in co-authoring an article. Or, they may in fact already be in the process of writing one of their own and will likely welcome any assistance you could provide. If the author is no longer active, use whatever information you need. Just make sure to mention them in the credits.
Usually the best way to come up with an article idea is to examine yourself and figure out what you know about. It's much more enjoyable to write an article about something you already have experience with. Think of something, anything, and ask yourself, "How would this be different during a zombie apocalypse? How would I get it? How would it or its use be affected?" Ask yourself enough questions about something that interests you, and if you can answer them(or are strongly motivated to find out), you've got the topic for an article.
For example: Sleep.
Will be affected by: lack of security, possible loud zombie moaning
Consequences: Sleep deprivation cripples motor skills, concentration, immune system
Solutions: Earplugs, proper sleeping arrangements, chemical solutions
Questions to answer: To what degree does the body tolerate sleep deprivation?
Start lightly and keep organized; write things down or you'll forget them later. Once you've decided on a topic, write down as many content ideas about the topic as you can. Organize your list; combine some topics and throw out others until you narrow down what exactly you want to cover. If you aren't satisfied with the ideas you have, give your brain some time to think; inspiration strikes when you least expect it.
But, I don't know anything about survival or zombie preparedness...
Don't worry; you pick things up fast on ZPI. If you just got here, don't think you need to rush into writing an article. Get the feel for the community first and find your niche within ZPI; everyone who sticks around long enough finds one. If you've been here for awhile, you should know plenty about zombie survival.
Deciding on a Topic
Pick something you love, like riding a bicycle, running, or even underwater basket weaving, and think about how it could be used to further your survival. Then, brainstorm ideas by writing down what you know about the subject. Once you know what you know from having written it down, you can then begin to learn more about it by looking up more information on underwater basket weaving.
Brainstorming for ideas
There are many techniques for this and they don't have to be pretty, that's why it's called a brain storm (which are usually quite violent and wet) and not an outline.
There is a common misconception that your brainstorming has to be pretty or in outline form like this:
I. Underwater Basket Weaving
A.) Scuba Diving
B.) Swimming
C.) Basket Weaving
D.) You get the point...
Well, I'm here to tell you that your own thoughts and notes are your own and how you choose to keep them, what you don't show the world, is your own business. Heck, your brainstorming notes could even look like this: 
What matters is that you understand it well enough to later collect your own thoughts into a legible presentation for the rest of us and a good bridge for that from the brainstorm is the outline! :)
Article Structure
So how do I format/structure an article exactly?
For starters, take a look at the articles we've already published; you can get a rough idea from there. Most article's structures will depend on the topic at hand. Different information provided will yield different formatting needs. Tables, graphs, charts, pictures, lists, etc. may all be used in an article if the information provided calls for it. When writing, treat an article like you would an English paper or a term paper. Remember, articles are scholarly works; they demand high quality writing and information. If an article is of sub-par quality, editorial staff will not work on it until proper effort is put into the article.
As far as structure goes, it depends on your topic. For example, how-to's can be written in numerical steps, with pictures if necessary, whereas informational articles should be written in paragraph format. If, by chance, you've conducted an experiment, we request that it be written in proper APA format.
Regardless of how the final draft will look, the first step of writing an article is to sketch a rough outline of how you plan to present your article. This is where the list of content ideas comes in: decide on the specifics of the introduction, body information, and conclusion. Make short bullet points, making note of what you do and don't know about each aspect. Write down questions you may want to answer while researching; remember you can and should keep adding to the outline as you research, as well. Continuing with the Sleep example, a bare bones outline would look something like this:
Sleep Outline
- Introduction (Background information for the article. Keep unnecessary information to a minimum, but convey why the reader should know the information in the article.)
- What is sleep?
- Why do we sleep?
- What does sleep do for us?
- Getting to Sleep and Staying Asleep (Because actually getting to sleep comes first, it is naturally the first topic discussed. Make sure your article flows naturally and sensibly.)
- Optimal sleeping conditions- how to optimize
- Natural methods- Understanding the body(stretching, meditation) and using substances found in nature
- Manufactured methods- Using pills and machines(metronome)
- Sleeping Disorders (If any parts of your article are "weaker" than the others, try to put them in the middle. Sleeping disorders are "weaker" in this case because not everyone has sleeping disorders, and therefore this information will not apply to most. However, it is still valuable to those who do. Not to mention sleep disorders may develop later on in one's life. Why the middle? The primacy-recency effect: people remember the first and last things in a sequence with the most ease. You want your strong points at the beginning and end of the article.)
- Insomnia
- Apnea(snoring)
- Etc. (When dealing with long lists(such as in the case of diseases), it's usually not the best idea to be too thorough and list everything. List the most common/relevant items(ailments, in this case)).
- Sleeping techniques (Be creative, apply what you've learned, and branch out with your topic; dig deep when you research, you never know what interesting things you'll stumble onto.)
- Napping
- Polyphasic sleeping
- Lucid dreaming
- Microsleeping
- Conclusion (Wrap it all up, short and sweet. Only reiterate something already said if it's especially important; now is the time to sell your readers on everything you've stated.)
- Dangers of sleep deprivation
- Sleep is vital because...
- Works Cited (There's no set structure for the works cited; just make sure you have the minimum amount of information, which is outlined in the Guidelines for Authoring Articles)
The Outline
This is when you take your brainstormed ideas and reorganize them into a list of topics you want to speak about and establish the order for speaking about those topics. By no means does it constitute an absolute path you must follow, but it will help you to find where you want to go with your article.
The outline should set your topic and subtopic ideas as well as outlining certain important points. Believe it or not, this is still all the easy stuff. The next part is when you find your supporting content from other people who may have studied the same or similar subjects and build up a set of works to cite.
Research
Yes, research; if you aren't ready to do some researching, you aren't ready to write an article. However, don't be daunted, it's not as bad as you think. For starters, we only require a minimum of three sources on most articles, unless an exception is applicable(ask an editor before you assume, of course). With this in mind, always remember to keep tabs on your sources as you compile information lest you have to go back and find it later.
Finding Sources
Finding sources, with the convenience of the internet, can as simple as using Google for a vast amount of information. Depending on your topic, you may be able to find everything you need online. Otherwise, check your local library, and if you have access to one, online databases are vast sources of information. There are also plenty of reliable sources in the public domain(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Public_domain_resources).
Finding Quality Content
While finding information may be easy, finding reliable and accurate information is a slightly different case. Keep in mind that anyone can post any information, true or otherwise, onto the internet. There is good information, but there are a number of sources to cross off your list of options immediately. The following sources should never be considered reliable:
- Blogs
- Sites in which content is produced or edited by users(Forums and Wikis)
- Sites which affirm a particular belief/viewpoint without considering contrary evidence
- Politically/religiously biased websites
- Any site written in Comic Sans font
As a rule of thumb, if it doesn't look professional and doesn't have proper credentials, don't trust it. Good sources are academic works, not the amblings of an opinionated blogger. Also, watch the publication date of sources; anything older than ten years has a questionable reliability.
Fortunately, there are a number of good sources: scientific journals, governmental sources, and university databases are generally considered reliable sources, for example. Most sites with a .edu or .gov domain are reliable. Some news sites are trustworthy, but beware politically slanted news sources.
When searching for quality sources, look for the following attributes:
- Professionally worded and structured
- Cited sources
- Appropriate figures, graphs, and data for support(if applicable)
- Content is produced by a reputable organization or is housed in a reputable organization(like a library)
- Author's credentials are presented
- Sources have established readerships and reputation for quality content
What about me as a source? What about my experiences/opinions?
An author's experiences and opinions are perfectly fine to use as content, but they must be noted as such within context. Never should an author confuse personal opinion for fact, nor consider anecdotes more reliable than facts or statistics. Articles are factual works; therefore, knowledged opinions are appreciated, but must be used only in comparison to actual facts.
Remember: keep track of your sources as you find them. After you've set up the framework for the article and found enough information about your topic, you can move onto your first draft.
The First Draft
Metaphorically, you have a blueprint and a bunch of lumber; time to build the article. Within the text, be sure to elaborate and articulate clearly as you string your article's ideas together in a coherent and aesthetically pleasing way. Refer to your outline and build each section around it; don't think in terms of paragraphs, think in terms of ideas. Paragraphs will naturally construct themselves around each idea, or two or three similar ideas.
It's easiest to construct your bibliography as you write and cite your sources as you use each piece of information, so you don't end up forced to look them up and insert them later. If you've done your research and you have an outline prepared, you should have plenty to say and cite. For the first draft, don't worry about formatting, focus on hashing out the content.
However, if you've got writer's block(it happens to everyone), don't think you have to write the paper from introduction to conclusion. Write bits and pieces at a time; eventually, you'll figure out how to fill in the gaps properly. However, if no words come to you, it might just not be a good time to write. We all get those days; for this author, going outside and walking around helps. Each writer has their own way to clear their head and stimulate ideas.
After you've finished the entirety of the paper and ensured everything that needs citing is cited, do a few thorough proofreads, looking for mistakes and evaluating the overall feel of the paper. Reading it aloud helps catch mistakes your brain otherwise fixes automatically when reading inside your head. Once you've caught all the mistakes you can find, then you can go back and insert formatting as you wish. You may use BBCode or HTML, it does not matter which. If you are unsure what your formatting options are, you can reference the Compose tips. Once your article is formatted and the content is to your liking, you may...
Submit!
Once you've submitted your article, it remains unpublished until given editor approval. Most likely, your article will require some revision before publishing; your editor will work with you to eliminate the last of typos and possibly offer their content suggestions. Ultimately, the author has complete creative control over the article; editors will not alter content other than minor spelling and grammar errors, and authors have the choice to heed content advice or to ignore it. The only exception to this policy is when publishing said content would break Site Rules. For a full explanation of what editors do, you can reference the public Guidelines for Editors.
When an editor picks your article, they will PM you and the editorial process will begin. Cooperating with your editor(and writing the article well before submission) ensures your article gets published in a timely manner. If you have any further questions, you can PM any editor, or captainrads.
