The Lost Art of the Authored Article

Guest columns. Authored articles. Bylines.

What should be an effective way for a client to appear as a thought leader and to provide valuable insight on emerging technology or industry challenges can far too easily turn into promotional schlock. As public relations professionals, it’s up to us to make sure that client bylines stay focused on the leadership aspect, not on company products and services.

Whether helping with content creation, deadlines or just bridging the relationship between editors and clients, there are some simple best practices to follow to ensure that client pieces are actually articles and not brochures.

1. Know the publication – As the PR pro, you know what publications and media outlets accept authored articles and which don’t. If you’re unsure, ask. Managing editors or editorial assistants will usually clarify any questions that you might have about their publication, and will clearly point out their stance on bylines.
   
   
2. Use abstracts – Don’t waste client time or retainer by drafting an article that may never see daylight. Start with a 250 to 350-word abstract outlining the proposed focus, approach and structure, and make sure to add in a few sentences on the author’s background explaining why they are qualified. Try to keep the jargon down too.
   
   
3. Keep it (product) neutral – It’s a rare occurrence that an editor will be interested in abstracts, let alone full articles, that pitch a specific service or product. Make a point, but not at the expense of brand neutrality.
   
   
4. Set deadlines – Content development is a lengthy process, especially if clients are heavily involved in the creation. Set deadlines, even artificial ones, and stick to them. Don’t go back to the editor for an extension more than once, barring emergencies.
   
   
5. Expect edits – The article author, whether a CTO, CEO or other executive, is just another writer to the editor. Always expect edits and be prepared to rewrite sections of the article if necessary.
   

The “best” best practice, however, is good content – something fresh, unique and interesting that a publication hasn’t seen before. Rehashing old themes, lacking supporting data or just a lame concept cannot be saved by punctuality or a personal relationship with an editor. In the end, contributed content is just that – content.

Additional Resources:
Entrepreneur.com’s Writing Bylined Articles
Communiqué PR’s Tips for Writing a Bylined Article

-John Terrill