This story draft by @ashumerie has not been reviewed by an editor, YET.

Write Your First HackerNoon Top Story

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Want to get your article published as a top story on HackerNoon? Complete this template to improve your chances!

First, take a few minutes to review our editing protocol for a clear understanding of what makes good great HackerNoon stories.


Done? Let’s get started.


1. Choose a captivating title


Your title has the power to make or break your article so take some time to think about it.


2. Write a short introduction


This is your chance to whet the reader’s appetite. A good introduction should include the following:

  • A compelling hook.
  • A brief overview of what the article will cover
  • A case for the importance/relevance of your subject matter.


3. Draft the body of your article


Here are some tips to help you:

  • Divide your article into sections or subheadings to make it easily scannable.
  • Each section should focus on a specific point or topic related to your subject matter.
  • Have your references handy; make a list of real-world examples, statistics, or anecdotes that support your subject matter.
  • Use visuals like images, videos, infographics, and even gifs, where applicable to help readers understand your subject matter better.


4. Draft your Conclusion


Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of your exceptional story.  But, before you’re home and dry, you need to tie everything together in a neat little bow.

Here are some tips to help:

  • Summarize the main points discussed in your article.
  • Where applicable, pose a question to your readers. If your article is an opinion piece, this is a great opportunity to spark constructive debate. You can ask your readers if they agree with your POV or if they have conflicting opinions.
  • Where applicable, answer a question. If your article has, to this point, explored a question. e.g “What is the future of work in an AI-obsessed world?” This is your opportunity to share your answer. If you don’t have a clear one, feel free to speculate.
  • End with a thought-provoking statement. Think of this as your own version of a mic drop. Run wild with it.



**


Before you hit “submit”:

Well done for getting this far. Take a breather, and give yourself a pat on the back because writing is never easy.

Now, before you submit your story, do the following:


  • Proofread your work. As they say, cross your I’s and dot your T’s. Make sure your reference links are correct. Check that you’ve successfully communicated your ideas.

  • Review your title. Sometimes, we end up writing something different from what we intended. And that’s okay. Now that your article is done, make sure that your title clearly communicates its content.

  • Choose a featured image, if you haven’t already. Not to worry, HackerNoon has many options for you to choose from, including an AI image generator.

  • Write a meta description to help your story stand out. In the story settings section, write a very short description (160 characters max) that tells search engines and readers why your story is the bomb.




  • Choose tags. Again, in story settings, select up to 8 tags that align very closely with the content of your story. If you’re confused about what tags to select, don’t fret, our editors will help you out.


That’s it!

Hit submit when you’re done.


May the force be with you!



Please keep this CTA when you submit]:

Would you like to take a stab at answering some of these questions? The link for the template is HERE. Interested in reading the content from all of our writing prompts? Click HERE.




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