If you write articles frequently, you have probably found that sometimes you just don't know what to write about. This is a very common issue for even the best of us, however there are some quick tricks that can help. Here are what the top five:
1. Look at today's news -- A busy news site such as Yahoo or Excite is good for this. Look at the news wire sections; they usually have a lot of brief, succinct content that can be extremely useful for generating topic ideas.
2. Read articles from other people -- Whether you read the Article Announcement groups, Websites with article collections, or a few print magazines it doesn't matter. By reading someone else's material though, you can usually gain a bit of motivation and a fresh perspective. This will cause you to think of different angles for many of the same topics.
3. Read some message boards, discussion lists or newsgroups -- Often times you'll see questions, answers and advice in these areas that generate a whole wealth of new article ideas.
4. Read through your own archives -- Sometimes things we've written months or even years ago are seen in a new light as we learn and grow. Rewrite existing content, write it with a new twist, or simply update it for today's market.
5. Join a few news release services, particularly those that allow you to reprint their content verbatim -- By joining one or more news release services, you can elect to have new press releases sent to you regularly by email. If this is too much for you, simply turn the email delivery off and bookmark the login page. When you need content ideas, browse through some of the latest press releases until something catches your interest. With that, you can then go about creating your own article around the information you found.
One or two of these services (i.e. Newsstream) actually allow you to reprint their content at no charge as well. So, if you're pressed for time, and/or nothing else is working, then go grab something pre-made and use it. Remember to only do this with quality material, and only with permission.
And a bonus tip: Read quotes! Yep. Quotes often generate quite a bit of thought, realization or just plain emotional response -- all of which are great building blocks for creating articles of your own.
Writing articles can seem agonizing when you just don't know what to write about. There's no reason to waste time and energy agonizing though, just keep this list around and refer back to it whenever you're in a pinch for ideas!
Showing posts with label Article Writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Article Writing. Show all posts
Sunday, 16 August 2009
7 Valuable Tips For Article Writers
1. Let your affiliates use your articles to earn commissions.
Simply make your articles available to your affiliates to publish in their ezines or on their web sites with their
affiliate links in your resource box.
You'll be able to increase the success of your existing affiliates.
You'll also be able to get your new affiliates started on the right track by providing them with a unique and powerful
way to begin promoting your business.
2. Post your articles on your site.
Not all article writers do this, but it's a great way to showcase your expertise and increase your visitor's trust in you.
It can also help you to get more new affiliate sign ups. Just let your visitors know that they can use your articles to earn commissions.
3. Write to one person.
A good way to draw your reader into your article is to write as if you're writing to a friend.
By doing this, your article won't turn out like a "business document", and you'll be able to make your writing more personable and get more traffic to your site.
4. Do an article swap.
You could swap an article to be published in another writer's ezine, or you could swap articles to be published on each others' sites.
5. Start an article announcement list.
Get more ezine publishers and webmasters to reprint your articles by running an email list that tells them when you've written a new article or articles.
Like publishing your articles on your site, your list can help you to get more new affiliates.
Your list can also keep your existing affiliates up to date on any new commissionable articles you have for them to publish.
6. Use autoresponders.
Make your individual articles and also a "master list" of your articles available by autoresponder.
Include your master list email address in your posts to article announcement lists, along with your publishing guidelines and other information.
That way you'll be able to further promote your past articles, and you'll get more of your articles published by webmasters and ezine publishers that enjoy your writing.
Autoresponders can also be used to publish your article announcement list (or ezine).
With broadcast capable autoresponders you'll be able to double opt in your subscribers, easily send out your
announcements, and your autoresponders can easily take care of your subscribe and unsubscribe requests.
7. Create ebooks.
For example, you could make an ebook compilation of your best articles on a specific topic such as ezine publishing or copywriting.
Add to the profit you get from your new ebook by publishing articles in it where you're able to earn commissions, or by
making it available to your affiliates to rebrand with their affiliate links.
Simply make your articles available to your affiliates to publish in their ezines or on their web sites with their
affiliate links in your resource box.
You'll be able to increase the success of your existing affiliates.
You'll also be able to get your new affiliates started on the right track by providing them with a unique and powerful
way to begin promoting your business.
2. Post your articles on your site.
Not all article writers do this, but it's a great way to showcase your expertise and increase your visitor's trust in you.
It can also help you to get more new affiliate sign ups. Just let your visitors know that they can use your articles to earn commissions.
3. Write to one person.
A good way to draw your reader into your article is to write as if you're writing to a friend.
By doing this, your article won't turn out like a "business document", and you'll be able to make your writing more personable and get more traffic to your site.
4. Do an article swap.
You could swap an article to be published in another writer's ezine, or you could swap articles to be published on each others' sites.
5. Start an article announcement list.
Get more ezine publishers and webmasters to reprint your articles by running an email list that tells them when you've written a new article or articles.
Like publishing your articles on your site, your list can help you to get more new affiliates.
Your list can also keep your existing affiliates up to date on any new commissionable articles you have for them to publish.
6. Use autoresponders.
Make your individual articles and also a "master list" of your articles available by autoresponder.
Include your master list email address in your posts to article announcement lists, along with your publishing guidelines and other information.
That way you'll be able to further promote your past articles, and you'll get more of your articles published by webmasters and ezine publishers that enjoy your writing.
Autoresponders can also be used to publish your article announcement list (or ezine).
With broadcast capable autoresponders you'll be able to double opt in your subscribers, easily send out your
announcements, and your autoresponders can easily take care of your subscribe and unsubscribe requests.
7. Create ebooks.
For example, you could make an ebook compilation of your best articles on a specific topic such as ezine publishing or copywriting.
Add to the profit you get from your new ebook by publishing articles in it where you're able to earn commissions, or by
making it available to your affiliates to rebrand with their affiliate links.
10 Can't Miss Article Topics Readers Will Love
The Write Exposure
You sit down to write the first article for your third issue. That's when it hits you. There's nothing left to write about!
At The Write Exposure, we get lots of panicked calls from clients saying, "I've run out of article ideas!" What we've found is that seldom has our client actually run out of topics, rather they've covered all the topics that came most easily to mind and now are overwhelmed with the possibilities.
It's a little like being told to write a poem. Any poem. Limerick, haiku, whatever you feel like. It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it? That's why we suggest you brainstorm topics within these categories.
So, the next time you think you've run out of article ideas, why not brainstorm all of the customer successes you could write about? Some of the most popular newsletter article categories are:
Customer successes. Has a customer used your product to produce an amazing result? Do you have a customer with a recent success your other customers could learn from? Whether it directly relates to your product or not, success is always newsworthy.
Customer complaints. Receive a couple similar complaints lately? Address them in your newsletter (be sure to point out how you've responded and fixed the problem). By addressing complaints in print, you prove your company is trustworthy and always improving.
New products or services. Customers love the word new. So, if you have a new product or service, don't hold back (just make sure it's really new!).
Frequently asked questions. In fact, you may want to run a regular Q & A column in each edition of your newsletter.
How-tos are must-reads. Is there something you can do to explain the steps pertaining to your product or service. What can customers do with your product or service?
Coupons and special offers. Always include incentives for being a newsletter reader. Show readers why they should come in with special offers.
New customer welcomes. By welcoming new customers, you show readers your business is growing. Also, new customers who are recognized feel like they've made a good decision in choosing your business.
Profile an employee. Newsletters are fabulous internal morale boosters, plus customers will appreciate getting to know someone they're dealing with (or who operates behind the scenes).
Special events. Special events are great for content both before and after. Make sure to include plenty of photos and quotes in the piece written after the event.
Before and after. Makeovers are always popular, whether you make over people or houses or closets. Pictures make these pieces especially effective, so get out the camera.
By deciding to write a specific type of article, you should find yourself back on track and full of ideas once again. Happy writing!
You sit down to write the first article for your third issue. That's when it hits you. There's nothing left to write about!
At The Write Exposure, we get lots of panicked calls from clients saying, "I've run out of article ideas!" What we've found is that seldom has our client actually run out of topics, rather they've covered all the topics that came most easily to mind and now are overwhelmed with the possibilities.
It's a little like being told to write a poem. Any poem. Limerick, haiku, whatever you feel like. It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it? That's why we suggest you brainstorm topics within these categories.
So, the next time you think you've run out of article ideas, why not brainstorm all of the customer successes you could write about? Some of the most popular newsletter article categories are:
Customer successes. Has a customer used your product to produce an amazing result? Do you have a customer with a recent success your other customers could learn from? Whether it directly relates to your product or not, success is always newsworthy.
Customer complaints. Receive a couple similar complaints lately? Address them in your newsletter (be sure to point out how you've responded and fixed the problem). By addressing complaints in print, you prove your company is trustworthy and always improving.
New products or services. Customers love the word new. So, if you have a new product or service, don't hold back (just make sure it's really new!).
Frequently asked questions. In fact, you may want to run a regular Q & A column in each edition of your newsletter.
How-tos are must-reads. Is there something you can do to explain the steps pertaining to your product or service. What can customers do with your product or service?
Coupons and special offers. Always include incentives for being a newsletter reader. Show readers why they should come in with special offers.
New customer welcomes. By welcoming new customers, you show readers your business is growing. Also, new customers who are recognized feel like they've made a good decision in choosing your business.
Profile an employee. Newsletters are fabulous internal morale boosters, plus customers will appreciate getting to know someone they're dealing with (or who operates behind the scenes).
Special events. Special events are great for content both before and after. Make sure to include plenty of photos and quotes in the piece written after the event.
Before and after. Makeovers are always popular, whether you make over people or houses or closets. Pictures make these pieces especially effective, so get out the camera.
By deciding to write a specific type of article, you should find yourself back on track and full of ideas once again. Happy writing!
Articles - They Really Work
Several years ago I began an online business.
At the time, the field I was entering was not all that crowded, search engine algorithms were much easier to manipulate, and links from relevent sites were not too tough to come by.
In short - if you wanted traffic, and were willing to do a little footwork, you could get it.
Over the past few years, things have changed.
Almost by accident, I stumbled upon a method for increasing, quite dramatically, the number of visitors to my website.
It turns out that almost everybody can design a really cool website...but very few people can write an interesting article. Writing is not a skill which is crucial in todays world, and very few can do it well.
(I, on the other hand, have the opposite problem...it's one of the few thing I can do well)
So, what is a webmaster to do if he wants to provide well written content to his visitors? Obviously, he needs to get somebody else to write it for him.
That leaves two options:
1. Pay cold hard cash to a professional writer.
2. Find a way to entice good writers to write good content for free.
3. Trade something of value for well written content.
My father once told me that there's no such thing as a free lunch. I believe he was correct, so option 2 is out.
That leaves paying or trading as the only viable options.
Most webmasters have opted for trading.
But what, you may ask, do they have to trade?
The trading arrangement which has evolved is one of wriiten content in exchange for a hyperlink.
Hyperlinks are gold in today's Internet economy. The more links a website has back to it, the higher it will rank in the search engines.
Therefore, if I, as a webmaster, can obtain several hundred relevent links to my website, my search engine rank goes way up, and I end up with a ton of visitors.
Do you see the possibilites? If you're a decent writer, you can end up having your articles published all over the Internet, with hyperlinks galore pointing back to your website.
"But how" you ask, "do I hook up with website owners who will publish my articles?".
Basically, there are several large article repositories online which will allow you to post your articles.
At the time, the field I was entering was not all that crowded, search engine algorithms were much easier to manipulate, and links from relevent sites were not too tough to come by.
In short - if you wanted traffic, and were willing to do a little footwork, you could get it.
Over the past few years, things have changed.
Almost by accident, I stumbled upon a method for increasing, quite dramatically, the number of visitors to my website.
It turns out that almost everybody can design a really cool website...but very few people can write an interesting article. Writing is not a skill which is crucial in todays world, and very few can do it well.
(I, on the other hand, have the opposite problem...it's one of the few thing I can do well)
So, what is a webmaster to do if he wants to provide well written content to his visitors? Obviously, he needs to get somebody else to write it for him.
That leaves two options:
1. Pay cold hard cash to a professional writer.
2. Find a way to entice good writers to write good content for free.
3. Trade something of value for well written content.
My father once told me that there's no such thing as a free lunch. I believe he was correct, so option 2 is out.
That leaves paying or trading as the only viable options.
Most webmasters have opted for trading.
But what, you may ask, do they have to trade?
The trading arrangement which has evolved is one of wriiten content in exchange for a hyperlink.
Hyperlinks are gold in today's Internet economy. The more links a website has back to it, the higher it will rank in the search engines.
Therefore, if I, as a webmaster, can obtain several hundred relevent links to my website, my search engine rank goes way up, and I end up with a ton of visitors.
Do you see the possibilites? If you're a decent writer, you can end up having your articles published all over the Internet, with hyperlinks galore pointing back to your website.
"But how" you ask, "do I hook up with website owners who will publish my articles?".
Basically, there are several large article repositories online which will allow you to post your articles.
Thursday, 13 August 2009
Do you make this big mistake writing your articles?
In the marketing world if you want to be a prosperous individual, you need to get the skill of copy writing, immerse into this skill is mandatory, this proficiency is vital ingredient to survive in there, every sales letter must be carefully “designed” going from the headline through the P.S.
As a marketer, if you want to go far away, you know the best way to get targeted traffic to your website: writing articles, this expose you at your client's eyes like an expert in your field, or maybe you are a knowledgeable people writing with other goals in mind. Anyway, whatever the reason is, you need to hold your reader's attention up...
Here is the first and most important part of your article: the headline, but do not get me wrong, I am not saying the headline is your article... I want to say: if someone read your headline and it doesn't grasp his/her attention, is over... you know this true.
The headline is so important and is just the tip of the iceberg!... Acquire the skill of creating catching headlines, believe me this is priceless, it gives you enormous advantages, of course if you master it.
Why the headline is important?. now listen to this carefully: Headlines are your first contact with the reader, is your chance to persuade him/her to go on reading your article, is the first door and must work really well. It is the opening of your message, let me warning you: if you fail to recognize the importance of the headlines you are lost...
The headline is so crucial that is knew as the king in the copywriting world, why it must be different when you write an article?.... I do not believe there is difference at all, after a long time of creating articles I realized the supreme importance of this writing communication component.
Maybe you do not agree with me at this point, but let me tell you something: headlines create excitement, enthusiasm, interest , to achieve this, they must be seductive, appealing, desirables, if your headline succeeds, you have a receptive reader, it's up to you to give him/her motives to deep into your article.
Do you feel the headline's importance?, is the opening of your article, but at the same time introduces your topic, attract attention and compelled the reader to go on. Work in your headline, carefully choose the words, remember one word maybe the difference: success or failure.
Headlines sell ideas, concepts or knowledge, whatever intention you have, you are trying to influence, to “hypnotize” and “force” people to go through your article from the beginning to the end.
The marketers know that “Your first 15 words count for more than the 15,000 words that follow!”, in a sales letter the weight of a headline goes from 50% to 80%. Could you bring this knowledge and apply it when you are writing your articles?, I think so, you can write articles that accomplish these features: seductive, interesting and knowledgeable.
For all these reasons, is so important you consider headlines as a prominent part of your writing skills, you need them, it doesn't matter if you are selling, preparing a presentation, sending emails, getting an autoresponder course, writing a book, ezine, articles... in short... if you write, this is for you.
I would like to tell you more about this interesting skill, but, for now my mission is accomplished, the curiosity factor is in you, work in your headlines and you literally will be sucking readers: hypnotize your audience, great headlines and quality content.... that is it.
As a marketer, if you want to go far away, you know the best way to get targeted traffic to your website: writing articles, this expose you at your client's eyes like an expert in your field, or maybe you are a knowledgeable people writing with other goals in mind. Anyway, whatever the reason is, you need to hold your reader's attention up...
Here is the first and most important part of your article: the headline, but do not get me wrong, I am not saying the headline is your article... I want to say: if someone read your headline and it doesn't grasp his/her attention, is over... you know this true.
The headline is so important and is just the tip of the iceberg!... Acquire the skill of creating catching headlines, believe me this is priceless, it gives you enormous advantages, of course if you master it.
Why the headline is important?. now listen to this carefully: Headlines are your first contact with the reader, is your chance to persuade him/her to go on reading your article, is the first door and must work really well. It is the opening of your message, let me warning you: if you fail to recognize the importance of the headlines you are lost...
The headline is so crucial that is knew as the king in the copywriting world, why it must be different when you write an article?.... I do not believe there is difference at all, after a long time of creating articles I realized the supreme importance of this writing communication component.
Maybe you do not agree with me at this point, but let me tell you something: headlines create excitement, enthusiasm, interest , to achieve this, they must be seductive, appealing, desirables, if your headline succeeds, you have a receptive reader, it's up to you to give him/her motives to deep into your article.
Do you feel the headline's importance?, is the opening of your article, but at the same time introduces your topic, attract attention and compelled the reader to go on. Work in your headline, carefully choose the words, remember one word maybe the difference: success or failure.
Headlines sell ideas, concepts or knowledge, whatever intention you have, you are trying to influence, to “hypnotize” and “force” people to go through your article from the beginning to the end.
The marketers know that “Your first 15 words count for more than the 15,000 words that follow!”, in a sales letter the weight of a headline goes from 50% to 80%. Could you bring this knowledge and apply it when you are writing your articles?, I think so, you can write articles that accomplish these features: seductive, interesting and knowledgeable.
For all these reasons, is so important you consider headlines as a prominent part of your writing skills, you need them, it doesn't matter if you are selling, preparing a presentation, sending emails, getting an autoresponder course, writing a book, ezine, articles... in short... if you write, this is for you.
I would like to tell you more about this interesting skill, but, for now my mission is accomplished, the curiosity factor is in you, work in your headlines and you literally will be sucking readers: hypnotize your audience, great headlines and quality content.... that is it.
Dreading the Writing Assignment? Outlines to the Rescue
Writing technical articles is a challenge. There you sit, surrounded by reams of research, notes and interviews. Where do you start?
Remember 5th grade English? You start with an outline.
Outlining has fallen on hard times lately. Mind mapping and brainstorming are much more fashionable. These techniques are great when generating ideas, but once you've got your ideas germinating you've got to outline them. Without an outline, your article will:
- Be an unstructured mess.
- Take three times as long to write.
Don't let this happen to you – outline. If it's been a while since 5th grade – or if your “progressive” school didn't stoop to teach you actual English skills – let me remind you why it's important and how to do it.
- Outlining keeps you from writing an unstructured mess. Readers, especially American readers, prefer distinct sections in their media. For example, look at American screenplays. Movies invariably have three acts, and anything that doesn't have them is considered an art film. Effective speeches often contain three parts, and readers like three points because the structure makes easier to retain information.
- Outlining shrinks your writing time by a third to a half. How do you whittle down that pile of research notes and interviews into an article or white paper? You guess it – outline it. By assigning sections to your notes before you start writing, you'll categorize, simplify and clarify. Not bad before you've even written an introduction. For example, let's say you're writing an article about mirroring. You can divide such an article into several different sections depending on what your client wants to get across. Here are some examples of different outlines:
- 1) Explanation of mirroring 2) Differences between local and remote mirroring, 3) Contrasting mirroring with other forms of replication, or
- 1) Define mirroring 2) List environments that require mirroring 3) Decision matrix for assigning different mirroring levels.
- 1) Explanation of mirroring 2) Differences between local and remote mirroring, 3) Contrasting mirroring with other forms of replication, or
Once you've done your research it's simple to assign pieces to different sections. Believe me, it'll light a fire under your writing time.
Five Benefits of Article Writing
A few years ago as a webmaster with no money, I looked around for
the best free methods to drive traffic to my website.
Search engines were my primary source of traffic and due to the
fact that this source took time to gain momentum, visitors were
in spurts at best. Then I found a powerful technique that I
could use to boost my marketing efforts for free.
These are some benefits that I have gain from writing articles.
1) Name Branding- If you type “Oceanroc' or my name in any search
engine you will likely find hundreds if not thousands of returns.
If you look at bit closer chances are those search results are
pages which contain my articles.
2) Link Popularity- Last October I started a website
Oceanroc.com and by April of this year it had a PR5 rating.
Articles are the main source of the one way links pointing to my
website.
3) Traffic- If I write an article that is interesting, then the
reader may click on my link in the resource box to visit my site
to find similar content. Imagine being on websites and in
newsletters with lots of readers and think about how many traffic
you could get.
4) Prestige- Up to a few months ago I was a Platinum writer over at
Ezinearticles.com, the 1000 lb. gorilla of article sites. Heck I
lost my status because of an affiliate link, so now I am down to
Expert status. Seeing your writing being published especially
without you submitting it to that source helps to reassure that
you are a quality writer.
5) Free Advertising- I have had my ads placed for free in places
that normally would have cost me hundreds of dollars. My resource
box is my ad spot and publishers are required to include it if
they use one of my articles. The resource box is the medium
through which you generate traffic from you articles.
If it was not for article writing I don't think that I would
receive some of the Joint Venture offers that I get. And the
thing is that many writers share these same benefits. And there
are even more…
the best free methods to drive traffic to my website.
Search engines were my primary source of traffic and due to the
fact that this source took time to gain momentum, visitors were
in spurts at best. Then I found a powerful technique that I
could use to boost my marketing efforts for free.
These are some benefits that I have gain from writing articles.
1) Name Branding- If you type “Oceanroc' or my name in any search
engine you will likely find hundreds if not thousands of returns.
If you look at bit closer chances are those search results are
pages which contain my articles.
2) Link Popularity- Last October I started a website
Oceanroc.com and by April of this year it had a PR5 rating.
Articles are the main source of the one way links pointing to my
website.
3) Traffic- If I write an article that is interesting, then the
reader may click on my link in the resource box to visit my site
to find similar content. Imagine being on websites and in
newsletters with lots of readers and think about how many traffic
you could get.
4) Prestige- Up to a few months ago I was a Platinum writer over at
Ezinearticles.com, the 1000 lb. gorilla of article sites. Heck I
lost my status because of an affiliate link, so now I am down to
Expert status. Seeing your writing being published especially
without you submitting it to that source helps to reassure that
you are a quality writer.
5) Free Advertising- I have had my ads placed for free in places
that normally would have cost me hundreds of dollars. My resource
box is my ad spot and publishers are required to include it if
they use one of my articles. The resource box is the medium
through which you generate traffic from you articles.
If it was not for article writing I don't think that I would
receive some of the Joint Venture offers that I get. And the
thing is that many writers share these same benefits. And there
are even more…
How To Outgrow 'Write What You Know'
Every writer has heard it time and again, and it's not without merit: “Write what you know.”
When I began freelancing, I was just out of college, so what did I write about? College. I wrote profiles of collegiate entrepreneurs, I wrote editorials about college life... and after a while, I really wanted to move on and write about other things. But I didn't feel qualified.
Luckily, I didn't let that hold me back for too long.
“Write what you know” is a very good starting point. But that's all it is. It's a place for you to go to get your feet wet, and a place to come back to when the tide gets too high. But it's not a place to stay for very long.
A better piece of advice, in my opinion, is “Write what you WANT to know.” One of the great perks of being a freelance writer is that you get paid to learn about things. So… what do you want to learn about?
If I had completely disregarded “Write what you know” and simply opened a page of the Writers Market at random, figuring I'd send a query to whichever market my finger happened to touch, my career would be very different today. I might have ended up writing about finances, miniature horses, and aerobics. And you know what? I would have hated it.
I have no experience with any of the above topics, and there's a good reason for that: I never really WANTED to have experience with them. Since I have no real passion for any of the topics, if I had to write articles about them, it would feel like work.
But did you ever stop to think about the things you always wanted to know, but never found out? Or all the interesting people you wanted to meet? Or the problems you've encountered that you wanted solved? Now those are article topics.
Try this exercise. Fill in the blanks with your answers.
- If time and money weren't factors, I'd love to take a course in ___________________.
- I've always wanted to ask (person you know)______________________ about _________________________.
- I've always wanted to know how __________________________ works.
- My life would improve if I could only ______________________________.
- When I have a sleepless night, it's usually because I'm worried about ____________________.
- The worst injustice I can think of is ______________________________.
- When I was a kid, I was really passionate about _________________________.
- I have always been embarrassed to admit that ________________________really interests me.
- In my life, I have overcome ___________________________________________.
- If I could volunteer for just one cause, it would be __________________________.
- I wish I were better at ___________________________________.
- I have always wondered why _________________________________________.
You may have lots of answers for each statement. That's great! Each answer is a possible article topic. Most of them won't be specific enough (or perhaps too specific) for an article, but they should give you lots of new starting points from which to brainstorm angles.
Think of freelance writing as your own opportunity to learn about all the things you ever wanted to know, and don't worry if you're not yet an “expert” in any of these areas! Among my favorite writing assignments have been topics in which I had no previous expertise:
-An article about a woman who started her own greeting card business for Woman's Own. Of course, I've never started my own greeting card business—but the topic certainly interested me, and I wanted a good excuse to learn more about it.
-An article about how “media overload” affects children's development for KidsGrowth.com. I'm not even a parent, let alone an expert in child psychology. But I've always wondered how increasing media immersion (TV, Internet, video games, radio, etc.) has affected people in MY generation.
-An article about book packagers for Writer's Digest. Okay, I had written for a book packager at that point-- but just one, and I was eager to learn more about the industry and its players. It gave me the perfect excuse to contact book packagers and learn more about the market. And If not for this article, I would never have written Celine Dion's book... I sent my resume and samples to one of the packagers I interviewed, and an editor there wound up calling me years later with the assignment!
-Several articles about interesting inventions for Zooba.com. How much fun did I have learning about how Velcro, aspirin, and Post-It Notes were invented? This made for great dinner table conversation for weeks. My father always fancied himself a bit of a mad inventor, and I guess the gene spilled over to me. I devour these quirky stories of how the human mind approaches problem-solving creatively.
-Every disabilities-related article I've ever written. Was I an expert in this area when I began? No. I have a brother who has Down syndrome, so I had the benefit of some extra understanding, but I only became an “expert” by writing about this topic over and over. Each time, I learned something new that I really wanted to learn-- new legislation for people with disabilities, profiles of amazing people with disabilities, issues of discrimination, etc.
When working to broaden your writing horizons, be sure to think about two things: your passions, and your curiosities. You don't need to write only about topics that mean “everything” to you
How To Write Best Articles
I've been able to distinguish 3 main categories that people fall into, regarding the subject on writing articles. Allow me to share them with you.
Here we go!
Category #1: The absolute hard way of writing articles.
Let me pick a topic for an article: “Brest Cancer.” This subject is a very serious matter and one that will make many people read and even publish.
But I have absolutely no knowledge about it or experience in any shape or form. Actually, the only information that I have is from my friend's mother who has gone through this horrible experience.
I'm going to take the *lazy-way-approach* and I'm going to write an article about it without doing any research. My article is going to be based on the little bits and pieces of information on this subject available in my brain. But mostly, it would be my thoughts expressed through my opinion.
So I start writing the article.
Shortly after, I stumble across a big problem. I can't finish it. My brain is working extra hard but I can't even form a single sentence. I struggle day and night to make it sound intelligent, but what else can I do when there's a very little information available in my brain.
Finally, I somehow finish the article on Breast Cancer, which consist mostly of my thoughts and my opinion about it with very little or no facts at all.
What would the quality and the acceptance level of my article be?
People, such as myself, who have no knowledge about it will read it and will take it as granted. But what's going to happen when I offer it to ezine publishers to include it in their newsletters or offer it to webmasters as content for their websites?
The most probable ezines and websites to publish my article would be the ones directly related to the subject. But, what's going to happen when their publishers read my article?
Since they have an abundance of knowledge on the subject or they can quickly check their resources and compare them to my article, they would immediately recognize my level of knowledge on the subject – or the lack of it.
Conclusion: why struggle writing about something that we know very little or nothing about?
Category #2: The intermediate way of writing articles.
Let me pick a topic for another article: “Internet Law.” A topic that would definitely get the attention of many Internet marketers. But I don't have much knowledge about it!
So, instead of falling into Category #1 and throwing down my opinion about it, I'll do an intensive research and I'll gather as much as useful information as possible supported by facts.
I'll even contact some sources directly affected by it or involved with it to gather some original information, instead of depending entirely on the reports published by others.
Then, I'll process all that info in my brain and I'll start putting the article together. I'll quote some sources for added integrity and to let people know that I'm not just sharing my opinion.
It'll take me few days to write it but the process of writing would be less painful since I have already gathered various information about it. It would be just a matter of putting the story together.
What would the quality and the acceptance level of my article be?
The reception will depend on the demand and the interest for the subject of the article. But the quality of the research will pretty much dictate the quality of the article.
Conclusion: the better the homework we do during the research, the better the article we write.
Category #3: The absolute best way of writing articles – this goes for books and reports also.
Let me pick a topic for yet another article: “How To Write Best Articles.” If I would've picked this topic two years ago, I would've had no clue about it. I would've been in Category #1. Or I could've done the research and moved to Category #2.
Since I've done plenty of reading on this subject (articles, reports, ebooks), and I've gone through the experience of writing and submitting articles (bad and good), it took me only 20 minutes to write this article.
That's because I already had this information in my brain. It was just a matter of typing it up in Word Document.
What would the quality and the acceptance level of my article be?
The first time I wrote an article from my knowledge and experience, it got picked up by websites that I have never even heard of. Amazing. When I submitted it to ezine directories, the only reason it was rejected by the webmasters or their publishers was because I didn't follow their posting guidelines. A little technical glitch. Ooops! :-)
Once again, the demand and the interest for the subject of the article will dictate the level of acceptance. And what about the quality?
Think about it for a second.
If I ask you to tell me more about the supersonic X-43A scramjet that splashed above the Pacific at Mach 9.8, shattering the existing world aviation speed record of Mach 6.8, how much would you know about it?
But if I ask you to tell me about your latest experience with … you name it … how much would you know about it?
I'd have to schedule a time slot so you can give me all the details. And how about you writing it down in an article format? Do you think you will have a hard time writing it?
The quality will be enormous since it will contain your unique personal experience. It will be original. People will want to read it (just as you're still reading this article) because they want to learn from the other people's experience – bad or good.
Conclusion: it takes the least amount of time to write an article from your personal experience and it enjoys the most amount of reception. Now, tell me about your experience because I want to learn from you.
Here we go!
Category #1: The absolute hard way of writing articles.
Let me pick a topic for an article: “Brest Cancer.” This subject is a very serious matter and one that will make many people read and even publish.
But I have absolutely no knowledge about it or experience in any shape or form. Actually, the only information that I have is from my friend's mother who has gone through this horrible experience.
I'm going to take the *lazy-way-approach* and I'm going to write an article about it without doing any research. My article is going to be based on the little bits and pieces of information on this subject available in my brain. But mostly, it would be my thoughts expressed through my opinion.
So I start writing the article.
Shortly after, I stumble across a big problem. I can't finish it. My brain is working extra hard but I can't even form a single sentence. I struggle day and night to make it sound intelligent, but what else can I do when there's a very little information available in my brain.
Finally, I somehow finish the article on Breast Cancer, which consist mostly of my thoughts and my opinion about it with very little or no facts at all.
What would the quality and the acceptance level of my article be?
People, such as myself, who have no knowledge about it will read it and will take it as granted. But what's going to happen when I offer it to ezine publishers to include it in their newsletters or offer it to webmasters as content for their websites?
The most probable ezines and websites to publish my article would be the ones directly related to the subject. But, what's going to happen when their publishers read my article?
Since they have an abundance of knowledge on the subject or they can quickly check their resources and compare them to my article, they would immediately recognize my level of knowledge on the subject – or the lack of it.
Conclusion: why struggle writing about something that we know very little or nothing about?
Category #2: The intermediate way of writing articles.
Let me pick a topic for another article: “Internet Law.” A topic that would definitely get the attention of many Internet marketers. But I don't have much knowledge about it!
So, instead of falling into Category #1 and throwing down my opinion about it, I'll do an intensive research and I'll gather as much as useful information as possible supported by facts.
I'll even contact some sources directly affected by it or involved with it to gather some original information, instead of depending entirely on the reports published by others.
Then, I'll process all that info in my brain and I'll start putting the article together. I'll quote some sources for added integrity and to let people know that I'm not just sharing my opinion.
It'll take me few days to write it but the process of writing would be less painful since I have already gathered various information about it. It would be just a matter of putting the story together.
What would the quality and the acceptance level of my article be?
The reception will depend on the demand and the interest for the subject of the article. But the quality of the research will pretty much dictate the quality of the article.
Conclusion: the better the homework we do during the research, the better the article we write.
Category #3: The absolute best way of writing articles – this goes for books and reports also.
Let me pick a topic for yet another article: “How To Write Best Articles.” If I would've picked this topic two years ago, I would've had no clue about it. I would've been in Category #1. Or I could've done the research and moved to Category #2.
Since I've done plenty of reading on this subject (articles, reports, ebooks), and I've gone through the experience of writing and submitting articles (bad and good), it took me only 20 minutes to write this article.
That's because I already had this information in my brain. It was just a matter of typing it up in Word Document.
What would the quality and the acceptance level of my article be?
The first time I wrote an article from my knowledge and experience, it got picked up by websites that I have never even heard of. Amazing. When I submitted it to ezine directories, the only reason it was rejected by the webmasters or their publishers was because I didn't follow their posting guidelines. A little technical glitch. Ooops! :-)
Once again, the demand and the interest for the subject of the article will dictate the level of acceptance. And what about the quality?
Think about it for a second.
If I ask you to tell me more about the supersonic X-43A scramjet that splashed above the Pacific at Mach 9.8, shattering the existing world aviation speed record of Mach 6.8, how much would you know about it?
But if I ask you to tell me about your latest experience with … you name it … how much would you know about it?
I'd have to schedule a time slot so you can give me all the details. And how about you writing it down in an article format? Do you think you will have a hard time writing it?
The quality will be enormous since it will contain your unique personal experience. It will be original. People will want to read it (just as you're still reading this article) because they want to learn from the other people's experience – bad or good.
Conclusion: it takes the least amount of time to write an article from your personal experience and it enjoys the most amount of reception. Now, tell me about your experience because I want to learn from you.
How Writing Articles for Print Magazines Compares with Writing Articles for Online Ezines
Nothing Beats the Exposure You Get from Posting Your Articles Online
I have written articles for magazines; and I have written articles for on-line ezines. I have written articles for payment; and I have written articles for free. I have written articles for myself; and I've ghost written articles for others (and still do).
I am now a determined advocate for writing free articles that are posted widely on the Internet.
Here's why:
- Articles written today can appear on over 100 sites within weeks
- Readers interested in a particular subject can find you through keywords woven throughout the text
- Articles narrowly focus on a topic with enough detail to be novel and useful - with you perceived as the obvious expert
- Articles can be targeted for specific readers or niches - not just "everybody"
- Readers can judge your style and depth of expertise, then immediately click to your website for more
- Your reputation builds quickly and in places you couldn't find directly
- Articles posted on websites often continue to be found and read for years
Let's compare the cycle of writing an article for a print magazine with writing free articles to be posted on the Internet. For purpose of this article, the effort spent researching and writing the article is the same for both. I'm only comparing what happens before and after the writing involved.
Publishing Your Article in Printed Magazines or Trade Publications is SLOW
You get an idea for an article, then research publications where it would be appropriate. (Assuming no prior experience with the publication or editor.) You write a hum-dinger query letter explaining your idea and why you're the person who should write it. You mail off your query and wait... All the while, your idea is cooling off.
Assume you're clever enough to think of several different twists and suitable publications - so you put more than one parallel query in play. You might hear back in a month, with a bona fide assignment and due date. Great! You negotiate the specific content, deadline, and fee. It's time to start writing.
You complete the assignment and send it to the editor. Let's assume they like it and respond pronto (neither is a sure thing). You make requested changes, submit the final draft, and await publication. Now you wait for payment (based on the publication's policies). In my experience payment seldom arrives without further aggravation or delays - whatever their stated policy.
The whole cycle from idea to payment takes roughly six months - if you're lucky. The copyright of the article belongs to the publisher, so it's not yours to use for self promotion and other uses.
But on the up-side. You got paid (was it really enough?). You got published, albeit in a single place. You got a byline, so your reputation and publication list grows. If you expect an easier time working with that editor in the future, it's a toss-up. The turnover for editors is so great you're likely to start at square one the next time.
Article Marketing Gets the Word out Quickly
The cycle from idea to readers seeing it can be a day or so. Reduce your idea to an article, post it on your own website and to your list of submission sites. Emails, calls, and search engine sightings begin showing up almost immediately. And such responses continue long past the shelf life of a print magazine.
Is it for free? That depends on whether you count everything that you derive from your article promotion exposure. There's nobody paying for your article, true. But you're likely to be paid in other ways that are greater than a one-shot writing gig. Sale of your products or services, affiliate product exposure, and opportunities to be hired to consult or speak (for example) often flow from article exposure.
With no editor tying your hands about what they want, write whatever you wish (within the limits of taste, decent grammar, length, and reader interest). Your payment - your name identified as author, with a link to your site from every website, directory or ezine that uses it. You have total control of the timing (how does "right away" sound?) and where you send your stuff.
Accept the need to develop your list of places to send your output. But it's tailored by you for the specific niches and readers you want to reach. Building that list is an ongoing commitment. How diligently you do it determines how effectively article marketing works for you.
How can You get Started?
Commit to writing and posting new articles regularly. Make sure each delivers a worthwhile payoff to the reader. If you're like most authors, consultants and trainers, you're sitting on a ton of stuff already. Package and launch it in a systematic way that builds your name-recognition.
You're also training your readers to recognize your angle and voice. So they start watching for it, article by article. That brings them to your website, to see what more you've got to say - or sell.
A single article won't be enough. Get in the habit of an article every month or less. Stick to a theme, so all your articles are related. Their accumulated impact reveals a depth of knowledge that screams "expert." That sharp focus also distances you from most article writers, who spatter around unrelated articles (thereby diluting their impact).
You'll find everything you need to know for free at Article Marketing Academy http://www.promotewitharticles.com Too much work? Then hire me to do the whole project for you painlessly. If you've got something worth saying, the world deserves to hear it. And writing articles is the easiest, most direct way to pull it off.
I have written articles for magazines; and I have written articles for on-line ezines. I have written articles for payment; and I have written articles for free. I have written articles for myself; and I've ghost written articles for others (and still do).
I am now a determined advocate for writing free articles that are posted widely on the Internet.
Here's why:
- Articles written today can appear on over 100 sites within weeks
- Readers interested in a particular subject can find you through keywords woven throughout the text
- Articles narrowly focus on a topic with enough detail to be novel and useful - with you perceived as the obvious expert
- Articles can be targeted for specific readers or niches - not just "everybody"
- Readers can judge your style and depth of expertise, then immediately click to your website for more
- Your reputation builds quickly and in places you couldn't find directly
- Articles posted on websites often continue to be found and read for years
Let's compare the cycle of writing an article for a print magazine with writing free articles to be posted on the Internet. For purpose of this article, the effort spent researching and writing the article is the same for both. I'm only comparing what happens before and after the writing involved.
Publishing Your Article in Printed Magazines or Trade Publications is SLOW
You get an idea for an article, then research publications where it would be appropriate. (Assuming no prior experience with the publication or editor.) You write a hum-dinger query letter explaining your idea and why you're the person who should write it. You mail off your query and wait... All the while, your idea is cooling off.
Assume you're clever enough to think of several different twists and suitable publications - so you put more than one parallel query in play. You might hear back in a month, with a bona fide assignment and due date. Great! You negotiate the specific content, deadline, and fee. It's time to start writing.
You complete the assignment and send it to the editor. Let's assume they like it and respond pronto (neither is a sure thing). You make requested changes, submit the final draft, and await publication. Now you wait for payment (based on the publication's policies). In my experience payment seldom arrives without further aggravation or delays - whatever their stated policy.
The whole cycle from idea to payment takes roughly six months - if you're lucky. The copyright of the article belongs to the publisher, so it's not yours to use for self promotion and other uses.
But on the up-side. You got paid (was it really enough?). You got published, albeit in a single place. You got a byline, so your reputation and publication list grows. If you expect an easier time working with that editor in the future, it's a toss-up. The turnover for editors is so great you're likely to start at square one the next time.
Article Marketing Gets the Word out Quickly
The cycle from idea to readers seeing it can be a day or so. Reduce your idea to an article, post it on your own website and to your list of submission sites. Emails, calls, and search engine sightings begin showing up almost immediately. And such responses continue long past the shelf life of a print magazine.
Is it for free? That depends on whether you count everything that you derive from your article promotion exposure. There's nobody paying for your article, true. But you're likely to be paid in other ways that are greater than a one-shot writing gig. Sale of your products or services, affiliate product exposure, and opportunities to be hired to consult or speak (for example) often flow from article exposure.
With no editor tying your hands about what they want, write whatever you wish (within the limits of taste, decent grammar, length, and reader interest). Your payment - your name identified as author, with a link to your site from every website, directory or ezine that uses it. You have total control of the timing (how does "right away" sound?) and where you send your stuff.
Accept the need to develop your list of places to send your output. But it's tailored by you for the specific niches and readers you want to reach. Building that list is an ongoing commitment. How diligently you do it determines how effectively article marketing works for you.
How can You get Started?
Commit to writing and posting new articles regularly. Make sure each delivers a worthwhile payoff to the reader. If you're like most authors, consultants and trainers, you're sitting on a ton of stuff already. Package and launch it in a systematic way that builds your name-recognition.
You're also training your readers to recognize your angle and voice. So they start watching for it, article by article. That brings them to your website, to see what more you've got to say - or sell.
A single article won't be enough. Get in the habit of an article every month or less. Stick to a theme, so all your articles are related. Their accumulated impact reveals a depth of knowledge that screams "expert." That sharp focus also distances you from most article writers, who spatter around unrelated articles (thereby diluting their impact).
You'll find everything you need to know for free at Article Marketing Academy http://www.promotewitharticles.com Too much work? Then hire me to do the whole project for you painlessly. If you've got something worth saying, the world deserves to hear it. And writing articles is the easiest, most direct way to pull it off.
How You Can Make Writing Free Articles Pay Off!
Everywhere you look, you're being told to write
articles to get free publicity for your online
business.
Does it really work?
What do you write about?
How do you submit your aticles? More important,
how do you get them published?
Using articles as a marketing approach does work.
You can convert more sales, generate significant
traffic, increase your search engine ranking and
"brand" yourself an expert just by writing one
or two articles every month.
I recently wrote an article called "How To Make
Pay Per Click Advertising Payoff" for a past
newsletter edition, you can see it right here:
http://www.infoproductcreator.com/articles/ppcpayoff.html
So far, this article has been included in over 25
publications, exposed to over 1 Million subscribers,
and has been responsible for significant sales - all
for 30-minutes of work.
I'm not a professional writer, not an "expert" on
search engines, and I did absolutely NO research for
this article.
So how did I write it and why was it so successful?
Here are some of the reasons...
1. The article topic is in high-demand. Not only is
internet marketing a hot topic, but Pay-Per-Click
search engines are still a mystery to most people.
More importantly, online marketers stand to lose
significant money if they don't have "insider" tips
on maximizing their return on investment. Try and
write to a) save people money, b) make people money,
c) motivate people, or d) entertain people. These
are all strong motivators and ezine publishers know it.
Here's a highly regarded resource for helping to
discover high-demand topics...
http://www.infoproductcreator.com?art
2. Base your content on personal experience. Here's
a simple, yet highly effective formula for writing
powerful, high-impact articles that publishers are
looking for. Take action, try something and write about
why it worked, or didn't work. There are thousands of
articles submitted everyday, but only a select few
are based on personal experience, and that's what the
major publishers are looking for.
3. Start your article with a strong benefit statement
and then give your readers steps to realize that benefit.
You know what your readers want, tell them what you've
learned, through personal experience, to help them get
there.
4. Make your title a "Hypnotic" headline. Using a play on
words, the goal I had in mind writing the title was
to reverse the conception that you can sink allot of
money into PPC into making PPC pay YOU instead.
5. Make sure you get word out about your article.
Generate your own highly targeted ezine publishers list
from a service like this one...
http://www.infoproductcreator.com/part/doe/
You should also submit to some of the better known
article directories. They do work, my latest article
was picked up by an ezine with over 500,000 subcribers
off of these directories.
Some of the best directories I've found are...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/article_announce/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aabusiness/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Content/
http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb/submit.asp
http://www.marketingseek.com
6. Have a signature box that sings! I've seen so many
people spend hours writing an article, and then 2-minutes
writing their signature following the article. It should
be the other way around. Your signature is what will
get people back to your website, the main reason for you
writing the article in the first place.
Finally, make sure you track progress of your articles.
Key your resource box links using your own affiliate
tracking program or ad tracking program to make sure you
know what's working and what's not.
Get ready, Get Set, Now Go! Start making money from
writing articles today.
articles to get free publicity for your online
business.
Does it really work?
What do you write about?
How do you submit your aticles? More important,
how do you get them published?
Using articles as a marketing approach does work.
You can convert more sales, generate significant
traffic, increase your search engine ranking and
"brand" yourself an expert just by writing one
or two articles every month.
I recently wrote an article called "How To Make
Pay Per Click Advertising Payoff" for a past
newsletter edition, you can see it right here:
http://www.infoproductcreator.com/articles/ppcpayoff.html
So far, this article has been included in over 25
publications, exposed to over 1 Million subscribers,
and has been responsible for significant sales - all
for 30-minutes of work.
I'm not a professional writer, not an "expert" on
search engines, and I did absolutely NO research for
this article.
So how did I write it and why was it so successful?
Here are some of the reasons...
1. The article topic is in high-demand. Not only is
internet marketing a hot topic, but Pay-Per-Click
search engines are still a mystery to most people.
More importantly, online marketers stand to lose
significant money if they don't have "insider" tips
on maximizing their return on investment. Try and
write to a) save people money, b) make people money,
c) motivate people, or d) entertain people. These
are all strong motivators and ezine publishers know it.
Here's a highly regarded resource for helping to
discover high-demand topics...
http://www.infoproductcreator.com?art
2. Base your content on personal experience. Here's
a simple, yet highly effective formula for writing
powerful, high-impact articles that publishers are
looking for. Take action, try something and write about
why it worked, or didn't work. There are thousands of
articles submitted everyday, but only a select few
are based on personal experience, and that's what the
major publishers are looking for.
3. Start your article with a strong benefit statement
and then give your readers steps to realize that benefit.
You know what your readers want, tell them what you've
learned, through personal experience, to help them get
there.
4. Make your title a "Hypnotic" headline. Using a play on
words, the goal I had in mind writing the title was
to reverse the conception that you can sink allot of
money into PPC into making PPC pay YOU instead.
5. Make sure you get word out about your article.
Generate your own highly targeted ezine publishers list
from a service like this one...
http://www.infoproductcreator.com/part/doe/
You should also submit to some of the better known
article directories. They do work, my latest article
was picked up by an ezine with over 500,000 subcribers
off of these directories.
Some of the best directories I've found are...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/article_announce/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aabusiness/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Content/
http://www.freesticky.com/stickyweb/submit.asp
http://www.marketingseek.com
6. Have a signature box that sings! I've seen so many
people spend hours writing an article, and then 2-minutes
writing their signature following the article. It should
be the other way around. Your signature is what will
get people back to your website, the main reason for you
writing the article in the first place.
Finally, make sure you track progress of your articles.
Key your resource box links using your own affiliate
tracking program or ad tracking program to make sure you
know what's working and what's not.
Get ready, Get Set, Now Go! Start making money from
writing articles today.
Improve Your Trade Show Results By Writing Articles
It is well-known among internet marketers that writing and distributing articles is one of the best and least expensive ways to promote products and services to a very wide audience. If you are involved in trade show or event marketing, you can use this technique to very effectively support your event marketing efforts.
**Supporting your trade show marketing with articles**
Let's say you are a wedding photographer who shoots weddings within a radius of about 150 miles of your office or home. You are selective about which weddings you will shoot because, quite frankly, some pay better than others. So you are interested in reinforcing your carefully developed image. Your image is of a photographer who does work that is more creative and of higher quality than what you get from the average wedding photographer.
One of the successful methods you use to promote your services is to enter two or three specialty wedding trade shows held every year in different cities within your target area. Because these shows are geared specifically towards couples who want "something special" (that is, they are prepared to spend more money), they help you reach the "better than average" clientele you are after.
**A perfect opportunity to reinforce your special image**
This is a perfect scenario for reinforcing your image by writing and publishing articles about wedding photography. Of course you have to be careful that your articles don't sound blatantly self-promoting. Most article marketers suggest your articles contain interesting, general information that can stand apart from the fact that you just happen to be providing the services you are writing about.
For instance, you might write an article called "Do Something Different with Your Wedding Photos", where you describe some different techniques and locations that might be used. Or "Wedding Photography Over the Last 50 Years", or "Should Your Photographer Choose Your Wedding Outfits?", or "5 Secret Locations to Shoot Your Wedding Photos", or "Perils of a Wedding Photographer".
There is really no limit to the number of original and interesting stories you could can come up with if you just use your imagination.
A good article marketing campaign will consist of at least three or four articles written and distributed just before the peak periods in your marketing cycle. If you are trying to reinforce your trade show marketing, make sure you prepare your articles well before the trade shows you are entering.
**How to distribute your articles**
Your objective is to use these articles to create an identity for yourself at the same time as getting yourself lots of free publicity. The more places you distribute your articles, the more prospective customers you will reach, so don't be timid about getting your articles out there.
The obvious place to start is by posting them on your own website. Create an article section and mix in articles from other (non-competing) writers. This will make your website a more valuable resource for your prospective customers, and it will enhance your image in their eyes.
Second, consider distributing your article to the local print media. If it is interesting enough -- and not just a self-promotion -- some of them will very likely publish it. The important thing is to find an interesting angle. Think in terms of their readers and write for them. Some media will even have special sections -- weddings, home renovations, automobiles, outdoor, sports -- that you can contribute to.
Third, if you are entering trade shows, send your material to the trade show organizers. They may publish a show program and may be looking for interesting material that helps make their program appear more substantial.
**Distribution on the internet**
If you are catering to local customers you may think the internet is overkill. But you would be wrong. If you are trying to reach prospects in, say, the Lexington area, make sure you write your article so the search engines know your service focuses on the Lexington area. They will do a great job getting you exposure for searches like "wedding photography Lexington", "Lexington auto detailing", or "kitchen renovators in Lexington".
Distribute your articles to as many key article websites on the internet as you can find. This will do three things for you. First, a lot of people will read your articles on these sites. Second, other sites interested in your subject matter will republish your article, exposing it to an even wider audience. And third, the major search engines will analyse and index your article and it will start appearing in searches.
**Using a professional article writing service**
You may not feel comfortable writing your own articles, and you may think it is much too time consuming to do your own distribution. That's when you should look for a reliable service to do both of these things for you. You might be surprised to find out how many writers and promoters there are out there ready to go to work for you.
Look for a service that has a solid track record. They should be able to show you writing examples, and they should be able to give you a very good idea where they intend to distribute your articles. As with most other specialized services you will probably find it is a lot more efficient to let a professional do it for you than to try to do it yourself.
**Supporting your trade show marketing with articles**
Let's say you are a wedding photographer who shoots weddings within a radius of about 150 miles of your office or home. You are selective about which weddings you will shoot because, quite frankly, some pay better than others. So you are interested in reinforcing your carefully developed image. Your image is of a photographer who does work that is more creative and of higher quality than what you get from the average wedding photographer.
One of the successful methods you use to promote your services is to enter two or three specialty wedding trade shows held every year in different cities within your target area. Because these shows are geared specifically towards couples who want "something special" (that is, they are prepared to spend more money), they help you reach the "better than average" clientele you are after.
**A perfect opportunity to reinforce your special image**
This is a perfect scenario for reinforcing your image by writing and publishing articles about wedding photography. Of course you have to be careful that your articles don't sound blatantly self-promoting. Most article marketers suggest your articles contain interesting, general information that can stand apart from the fact that you just happen to be providing the services you are writing about.
For instance, you might write an article called "Do Something Different with Your Wedding Photos", where you describe some different techniques and locations that might be used. Or "Wedding Photography Over the Last 50 Years", or "Should Your Photographer Choose Your Wedding Outfits?", or "5 Secret Locations to Shoot Your Wedding Photos", or "Perils of a Wedding Photographer".
There is really no limit to the number of original and interesting stories you could can come up with if you just use your imagination.
A good article marketing campaign will consist of at least three or four articles written and distributed just before the peak periods in your marketing cycle. If you are trying to reinforce your trade show marketing, make sure you prepare your articles well before the trade shows you are entering.
**How to distribute your articles**
Your objective is to use these articles to create an identity for yourself at the same time as getting yourself lots of free publicity. The more places you distribute your articles, the more prospective customers you will reach, so don't be timid about getting your articles out there.
The obvious place to start is by posting them on your own website. Create an article section and mix in articles from other (non-competing) writers. This will make your website a more valuable resource for your prospective customers, and it will enhance your image in their eyes.
Second, consider distributing your article to the local print media. If it is interesting enough -- and not just a self-promotion -- some of them will very likely publish it. The important thing is to find an interesting angle. Think in terms of their readers and write for them. Some media will even have special sections -- weddings, home renovations, automobiles, outdoor, sports -- that you can contribute to.
Third, if you are entering trade shows, send your material to the trade show organizers. They may publish a show program and may be looking for interesting material that helps make their program appear more substantial.
**Distribution on the internet**
If you are catering to local customers you may think the internet is overkill. But you would be wrong. If you are trying to reach prospects in, say, the Lexington area, make sure you write your article so the search engines know your service focuses on the Lexington area. They will do a great job getting you exposure for searches like "wedding photography Lexington", "Lexington auto detailing", or "kitchen renovators in Lexington".
Distribute your articles to as many key article websites on the internet as you can find. This will do three things for you. First, a lot of people will read your articles on these sites. Second, other sites interested in your subject matter will republish your article, exposing it to an even wider audience. And third, the major search engines will analyse and index your article and it will start appearing in searches.
**Using a professional article writing service**
You may not feel comfortable writing your own articles, and you may think it is much too time consuming to do your own distribution. That's when you should look for a reliable service to do both of these things for you. You might be surprised to find out how many writers and promoters there are out there ready to go to work for you.
Look for a service that has a solid track record. They should be able to show you writing examples, and they should be able to give you a very good idea where they intend to distribute your articles. As with most other specialized services you will probably find it is a lot more efficient to let a professional do it for you than to try to do it yourself.
Need to write an article? 'Three' is a magic number!
Writing articles for magazines, the Internet or the local community paper needn't be a headache. Providing they are informative, reasonably short and to the point, readers and publishers will welcome your articles.
But, if the secret to writing neat, sweet articles is to keep them succinct, how do you maintain your focus and avoid the pitfalls of waffle?
Try the 3 by 3 Plan!
Taking a really simple example, suppose you want to write about kites. The first stage is to brainstorm all the possible topics under the heading of 'Kites'. You may come up with several ideas here: for example, kite history, kite safety or making a kite. Any of these subjects could form the basis of a good article.
Select just one of these ideas (let's choose 'kite-making') and then you can start to put the '3 by 3 Plan' into action.
Brainstorm again to extract just three topics related to kite-making. Remember, you want to stay focused in your article, so three is a good number to begin with! The topics you find could be:
1. Types of kite
2. Parts of a kite
3. Decorating a kite
Now, for each of your three main topics, select three linked sub-topics that will relate to your audience. Children (or parents, for that matter!) might want to know the basic information about:
1. Types of kite - (a) Classic diamond (b) Hexagon (c) Star
2. Parts of a kite - (a) Sails (b) Spars (c) Flying lines
3. Decorating a kite - (a) Painting (b) T-shirt transfer paper (c) Applique
Once your plan is in place, write three sentences about each of your (a), (b) and (c) sub-topics. You'll be surprised at how quickly your article will grow and how sharp and to-the-point your finished writing will be.
And finally, staying with the idea of three as your 'magic' number, here are three more tips:
1. Make sure you have a connecting or transition sentence between each main topic. A good linking phrase will entice your reader to keep on reading!
2. Write your introduction after you've written the main body of the article. Keep it interesting but limit it to 3 sentences!
3. If you want to write a longer article, use 5 or 7 as your 'magic' number ...
But, if the secret to writing neat, sweet articles is to keep them succinct, how do you maintain your focus and avoid the pitfalls of waffle?
Try the 3 by 3 Plan!
Taking a really simple example, suppose you want to write about kites. The first stage is to brainstorm all the possible topics under the heading of 'Kites'. You may come up with several ideas here: for example, kite history, kite safety or making a kite. Any of these subjects could form the basis of a good article.
Select just one of these ideas (let's choose 'kite-making') and then you can start to put the '3 by 3 Plan' into action.
Brainstorm again to extract just three topics related to kite-making. Remember, you want to stay focused in your article, so three is a good number to begin with! The topics you find could be:
1. Types of kite
2. Parts of a kite
3. Decorating a kite
Now, for each of your three main topics, select three linked sub-topics that will relate to your audience. Children (or parents, for that matter!) might want to know the basic information about:
1. Types of kite - (a) Classic diamond (b) Hexagon (c) Star
2. Parts of a kite - (a) Sails (b) Spars (c) Flying lines
3. Decorating a kite - (a) Painting (b) T-shirt transfer paper (c) Applique
Once your plan is in place, write three sentences about each of your (a), (b) and (c) sub-topics. You'll be surprised at how quickly your article will grow and how sharp and to-the-point your finished writing will be.
And finally, staying with the idea of three as your 'magic' number, here are three more tips:
1. Make sure you have a connecting or transition sentence between each main topic. A good linking phrase will entice your reader to keep on reading!
2. Write your introduction after you've written the main body of the article. Keep it interesting but limit it to 3 sentences!
3. If you want to write a longer article, use 5 or 7 as your 'magic' number ...
Powerful Article Writing Strategies For Exploding Traffic And Link Popularity
One of the most discussed topics today is Article Writing. Many Webmasters are jumping into the bandwagon and are trying to revive and reinvent their old writing talents to good measure.
It is a known fact that there are several benefits in article writing and submitting articles to article directories. The main objective of most webmasters is to obtain one way links, thereby increasing Link Popularity and to generate Targeted Traffic.
Success is much easier to achieve when tried and tested strategies are adopted.Given below are such strategies, if adopted will have a tremendous impact in Boosting your link popularity and Exploding Traffic to your website.
1. TOPIC.
In article writing the most important thing is to choose the right Topic. Though you might be very knowledgeable in sports it makes no sense writing an article on sports if the theme of your website is Home Based Business. Choose a topic related to the theme of your website. If you find it difficult to choose a topic, then visit some of the Forums and see what popular topics are being discussed and select one related to your Home Based Business theme.
2. TITLE
Have a Powerful Killer or Catchy Title that will immediately grab the attention of the Audience. Success or Failure of your article is to a great extent dependent on your title. It is worth spending quite some time over this very important aspect.
3. INTRODUCTION.
The Introduction has to be very Compelling. So write an Introduction that is Concise Powerful and Absorbing. It should be such that the reader would want to continue reading the article right up to your Resource Box.
4. CONTENT.
Good Content is what the reader is interested in. Keep in mind the popular saying "Content is King". Your article should be of high quality, Thought provoking, Informative, Precise and Accurate. Articles written sincerely from the heart are greatly appreciated and accepted by the audience because they realize that you are trying to be helpful and before long a rapport is established between you and the audience.
5. KEYWORDS
Key Words play a very significant role in article writing. The awareness and success of your articles is greatly dependent on your key words and where you place them. The keywords should be judiciously placed in the Title of your article, in the Introduction paragraph, in the Concluding paragraph and in the main Body of the article. It should not interrupt the flow of the article, be excessive and be seen as keyword stuffing.
6. RESOURCE BOX
One of the main purposes of article writing is to obtain a one way link and generate traffic to your site. For this the Resource Box is of utmost importance. Place a resource box at the end of the article with a very brief description of yourself or your product along with your name and URL. Double check your URL since this is your life line for both your link and traffic.
7. ARTICLE SUBMISSION
Having written a good article you now have to submit your article to various article directories and submission sites. All of them have their own submission rules. It is important that you study them before submitting your article. Failure to do so will mean that your article may not get published and all your efforts will be in vain.
That's it. Follow this strategy in your article writing and you are assured of a surge of targeted traffic and increased link popularity. In addition you will soon be accepted as an authority and expert in your field. Isn't it wonderful!
It is a known fact that there are several benefits in article writing and submitting articles to article directories. The main objective of most webmasters is to obtain one way links, thereby increasing Link Popularity and to generate Targeted Traffic.
Success is much easier to achieve when tried and tested strategies are adopted.Given below are such strategies, if adopted will have a tremendous impact in Boosting your link popularity and Exploding Traffic to your website.
1. TOPIC.
In article writing the most important thing is to choose the right Topic. Though you might be very knowledgeable in sports it makes no sense writing an article on sports if the theme of your website is Home Based Business. Choose a topic related to the theme of your website. If you find it difficult to choose a topic, then visit some of the Forums and see what popular topics are being discussed and select one related to your Home Based Business theme.
2. TITLE
Have a Powerful Killer or Catchy Title that will immediately grab the attention of the Audience. Success or Failure of your article is to a great extent dependent on your title. It is worth spending quite some time over this very important aspect.
3. INTRODUCTION.
The Introduction has to be very Compelling. So write an Introduction that is Concise Powerful and Absorbing. It should be such that the reader would want to continue reading the article right up to your Resource Box.
4. CONTENT.
Good Content is what the reader is interested in. Keep in mind the popular saying "Content is King". Your article should be of high quality, Thought provoking, Informative, Precise and Accurate. Articles written sincerely from the heart are greatly appreciated and accepted by the audience because they realize that you are trying to be helpful and before long a rapport is established between you and the audience.
5. KEYWORDS
Key Words play a very significant role in article writing. The awareness and success of your articles is greatly dependent on your key words and where you place them. The keywords should be judiciously placed in the Title of your article, in the Introduction paragraph, in the Concluding paragraph and in the main Body of the article. It should not interrupt the flow of the article, be excessive and be seen as keyword stuffing.
6. RESOURCE BOX
One of the main purposes of article writing is to obtain a one way link and generate traffic to your site. For this the Resource Box is of utmost importance. Place a resource box at the end of the article with a very brief description of yourself or your product along with your name and URL. Double check your URL since this is your life line for both your link and traffic.
7. ARTICLE SUBMISSION
Having written a good article you now have to submit your article to various article directories and submission sites. All of them have their own submission rules. It is important that you study them before submitting your article. Failure to do so will mean that your article may not get published and all your efforts will be in vain.
That's it. Follow this strategy in your article writing and you are assured of a surge of targeted traffic and increased link popularity. In addition you will soon be accepted as an authority and expert in your field. Isn't it wonderful!
Profiting from Articles - A Step-by-step Guide
"Content is King" - that's a given, there's no debate. But how do you get content? Like most projects, breaking into bite-size, easily digestable chunks makes the process realistically achievable. By creating articles, you build and develop that content.
So how do you profit from articles?
I, personally, find the best way to approach the 'process' of making mony from articles is to work backwards! That is, to determine what your ultimate goal is and then figure out each preceeding step that leads to it.
Example:
Ultimate goal - sell an ebook
preceeding step - subscriber reads recommendation in 5-part mini series
preceeding step - article reader visits name squeeze page and signs up for mini series
preceeding step - prosepct reads your article on someone elses website/blog/ezine
preceeding step - publisher picks up your article from directory
preceeding step - article submitted to directory
preceeding step - you produce article
And try to keep a single focus for each step. For example, you want people to sign up for the mini series -- then the email capture/name squeeze page should only give them that option! Don't put tons of other links on that webpage which would give the visitor alternatives to signing up for the mini series. Keep it tightly focused -- keep the objective in mind.
So the tasks would be (for the above example), in this order:
1] Create the ebook - research and write - or outsource it through elance.com, guru.com, etc. - your product to make money on. If you're not sure of how to write an ebook, just write it in MSWord or your wp of choice and convert it to a .pdf document with a password protection. Upload that to your web server.
2] Create a single webpage introducing, recommending and soliciting orders for your ebook. Include a PayPal, StormPay or some other shopping cart link to order the book.
3] Write 5 short emails as a mini series (which include a link to your ebook order page) and put them into an autoresponder.
4] Create the single webpage with a compelling copy for why the visitor should sign up for your 5-part mini series and include the webform which links to your autoresponder.
5] Having got those 3 things above in place, now you need to write the article(s) that include a link in the resource box to your name capture webpage.
6] Finally, use 'article submission software' to submit your article to the directories (see resource box for link).
Important note: You do NOT need big, flashy, complex websites to profit from articles! A simple compelling page that directs them to an autoresponder. From the email messages in the a/r, you can send them to a simple order page for your own ebook or you can send them to an affiliate product page. Bottom line - Keep it simple!
If you're sending them straight to an affiliate page (I think capturing their email first is better but I include this as an option) from the article resource box, you won't need to do step 1, 2, 3 or 4 above.
If you're sending the reader to an affiliate page after capturing their email, miss out step 1 and 2. Step 3 could be a 5-part mini series, or you might just want to send them to an ezine you publish (which recommends your affiliate product) or send them to another great article (or part 2 of the article) stored in an autoresponder. But you'll need to give them some reason for them to give you their email address!
Articles are a very powerful method of attracting visitors to a webpage and ultimately to generating 'sales'. Readers of your article have already established a 'know, like and trust' relationship with you and are therefore much more predisposed to buying from you. They are the ultimate targetted traffic - and therefore the most profitable visitor! Get your articles out there and let them silently, effortlessly do their work.
So how do you profit from articles?
I, personally, find the best way to approach the 'process' of making mony from articles is to work backwards! That is, to determine what your ultimate goal is and then figure out each preceeding step that leads to it.
Example:
Ultimate goal - sell an ebook
preceeding step - subscriber reads recommendation in 5-part mini series
preceeding step - article reader visits name squeeze page and signs up for mini series
preceeding step - prosepct reads your article on someone elses website/blog/ezine
preceeding step - publisher picks up your article from directory
preceeding step - article submitted to directory
preceeding step - you produce article
And try to keep a single focus for each step. For example, you want people to sign up for the mini series -- then the email capture/name squeeze page should only give them that option! Don't put tons of other links on that webpage which would give the visitor alternatives to signing up for the mini series. Keep it tightly focused -- keep the objective in mind.
So the tasks would be (for the above example), in this order:
1] Create the ebook - research and write - or outsource it through elance.com, guru.com, etc. - your product to make money on. If you're not sure of how to write an ebook, just write it in MSWord or your wp of choice and convert it to a .pdf document with a password protection. Upload that to your web server.
2] Create a single webpage introducing, recommending and soliciting orders for your ebook. Include a PayPal, StormPay or some other shopping cart link to order the book.
3] Write 5 short emails as a mini series (which include a link to your ebook order page) and put them into an autoresponder.
4] Create the single webpage with a compelling copy for why the visitor should sign up for your 5-part mini series and include the webform which links to your autoresponder.
5] Having got those 3 things above in place, now you need to write the article(s) that include a link in the resource box to your name capture webpage.
6] Finally, use 'article submission software' to submit your article to the directories (see resource box for link).
Important note: You do NOT need big, flashy, complex websites to profit from articles! A simple compelling page that directs them to an autoresponder. From the email messages in the a/r, you can send them to a simple order page for your own ebook or you can send them to an affiliate product page. Bottom line - Keep it simple!
If you're sending them straight to an affiliate page (I think capturing their email first is better but I include this as an option) from the article resource box, you won't need to do step 1, 2, 3 or 4 above.
If you're sending the reader to an affiliate page after capturing their email, miss out step 1 and 2. Step 3 could be a 5-part mini series, or you might just want to send them to an ezine you publish (which recommends your affiliate product) or send them to another great article (or part 2 of the article) stored in an autoresponder. But you'll need to give them some reason for them to give you their email address!
Articles are a very powerful method of attracting visitors to a webpage and ultimately to generating 'sales'. Readers of your article have already established a 'know, like and trust' relationship with you and are therefore much more predisposed to buying from you. They are the ultimate targetted traffic - and therefore the most profitable visitor! Get your articles out there and let them silently, effortlessly do their work.
Stop Struggling and Write Your Article - Part II
Don't let overwhelm hold you back— follow this expert advice and start writing your promotional article today.
In Part 1, I talked about the importance of planning and structuring your article. Here are three more essential steps to help you make sure your article is ready to go.
4. Avoid clichés (like the plague). As in, clichéd language, clichéd advice, and clichéd topics. To refresh your memory, a cliché is anything that's over-used, banal, or tired. It's anything we've all heard 1,000 times before and hoped we'd never hear again.
Some typical examples of overworked expressions (and there are thousands):
... bring you up to speed, at the end of the day, since time immemorial, chilled to the bone, a gleam in his eye, her heart leapt into her mouth, a level playing field, when all is said and done, on the same page ...
Clichéd language can be fixed with a good edit. First, determine whether you really need that phrase. If you do, express the concepts in ordinary terms. So, for "see if we're on the same page", substitute "see if we all agree".
Clichéd advice and topics might include:
"Achieve your goals"
"Build the life you want"
"Don't worry, be happy"
"Empower yourself"
and, my personal fave, sent to me in an e-mail newsletter: "Take a bubble bath".
I include in this category any concept that's corny and sentimental, or writing that attempts to express the inexpressible: all those fluttering leaves, vibrant sunsets, and yearning sighs.
It's really tough to write about intense emotions or universal experiences in a way that's original and subtle. Great novelists and poets spend their lives struggling to do this. If you're not careful, it's easy to end up sounding like a 50-cent greeting card.
Fixing clichéd ideas is more challenging than fixing clichéd language. You need to ask tough questions:
"What does this phrase mean? What am I really saying here? What situations illustrate this? What do I want people to get? What value am I adding here?"
Remember that people are looking for straight talk and solutions to problems. Your solutions. They want your ideas, expressed with your urgency and importance.
So don't give your readers hackneyed ideas expressed in stale language. Don't fob them off with a bubble bath, try shoving them into a brisk, eye-opening cold shower instead.
5. Proofread Your article has to be 100% perfect in grammar, spelling and punctuation before the public gets to see it. The public means anyone visiting your Web site, and anyone you submit your article to for feedback or possible publication.
I confess, I did work as a professional proofreader for a time. And when you spend your life looking for missing periods and dots over i's, you tend to get a little demanding. But there's a reason for my concern.
Your article isn't like a casual e-mail that you zap off without reviewing or editing: It's more permanent and public. Your article is you, and people are going to assess your value by how you present it.
Think of it this way. If you're fortunate, hundreds, even thousands of people may read your piece. You're probably hoping to get lots of new clients from this exposure. Posting or submitting your article is, in a sense, like going for a job interview.
Dot your i's, cross your t's. Make sure there are periods at the end of sentences. Make sure you know how to use commas correctly, that you haven't made any common errors (for example, it's instead of its; there instead of their; your instead of you're). Check for missing words; check the spelling of any unusual words.
If you have even the slightest doubt about your English skills, have a professional proofreader or editor review your article. At the very least, give it to a friend to read. Mistakes are very hard to catch in your own work.
6. Be brilliantly unoriginal. Your promotional article is almost guaranteed to fall into one of these five categories:
Sex
Love
Health
Finance
Career
What I want you to understand is that you don't have to have the greatest, most never-thought-of-before idea in the history of the universe before you write your article. In fact, you can't. It's all been done.
That's the unoriginal part.
Yet people are always itching to read, again and again, how they can improve in one of these areas (or about what a terrible time someone else is having in these areas, and thank heaven it's not them this time).
So please, just get over your fear and give us your unique take on the eternal topics. Your unique take - that's the brilliant part.
Brilliant doesn't have to be big. It can be:
- a new system for filing papers
- the absolute best way to make espresso
- the surefire way to find your G-spot or your Z-spot
- a strategy for saving money that only an accountant like you would know
We're talking soft innovations that flaunt your particular expertise.
Your brilliance could be in how you package your experiences. Have you been through a messy relationship, learned how to talk better to your teen aged kids, survived a life-threatening illness, started up a successful small business? Chances are, there are people out there just waiting to hear how you did it. This information is gold.
There is brilliance in your own communication style. Are you kind and patient, buzzy and edgy, witty and ironic? Are you more like a kindly grandfather or more like a visionary CEO? Whatever your qualities, be utterly yourself.
Your brilliance can be the simplicity and clarity with which you give your advice—the way you get your idea across so well, it's like we're hearing it for the first time. The way you inspire. The passion with which you speak.
So don't worry that they've heard it all before. Of course they have. But they've never heard it all from you.
Ten Tips Articles
“Ten Tips” articles are the easiest piece to write because they are made up of only an introductory paragraph, your Ten Tips, and a conclusion. Print editors love these because they can easily be shortened if there is a lack of available space.
Your articles can be used in book chapters, on websites, in E-zines and anywhere else you would like to put them. If you publish an article in a magazine, that publication now holds some or all of the rights to your work. Compiling many articles into one book works well, but what happens if other people own the copyrights? Read on.
First off, there are many rights involved with publishing your work. I only give up all rights if it is a big magazine, and in all other cases, I give up what I absolutely must in order to still get published. If you have an opportunity to be published in Newsweek or some other large publication, that is a far bigger deal than having to rewrite a portion of your book. So don't give up all of your rights unless you absolutely have to. Especially be sure never to give electronic rights to a print publication unless you receive some money for it.
Top Ten Checklist to Edit Your Articles
Submitting articles once or twice a week can yield 15 or more subscribers to your own ezine each time. Read by thousands, even hundreds of thousands, your articles also bring people to your Web site to buy your products or services.
Knowing these benefits, you want to create and submit as many articles as you can. At times, you have the articles complete, but don't have anyone handy to edit them. While it's best to get at least two other edits from business associates, you can edit your articles yourself with a little help.
Use this checklist of the ways to edit your own work:
1. Start your introduction with a question or startling fact. You must hook your readers with something that reaches their emotions. Make it “you” centered.
2. Make your introduction only a few sentences. Your readers want to get to the heart of your book chapter or article fast. They want easy-to-read quick tips. Long stories can bring a yawn to your reader.
3. Make all of your sentences short. Since standard sentence length is 15-17 words, make most of your sentences under that number. Complex sentences and multiple phrases make the reading tougher. Make it easy for your readers to get the point fast.
4. Avoid dull, slow passive sentences. Start them with a subject, then follow with a verb to avoid passive construction. "The coach marketed her business and books through submitting articles online" is an active sentence. "The coach's books were marketed online through submitting articles" is passive. Drop linking verbs such as "is," "was," "seemed," or "had." Replace them with power, active verbs. Instead of "she is beautiful," you could say, "Her beauty compels you to stare at her".
5. Aim for compelling, clear copy. Write for the 8-10th grade reader. Always think "What's in it for them?"
6. Use specific nouns and names. General references don't engage your readers' emotions. Let them see the size, color, and shape. Rather than say, "Write your book fast to make lifelong income," say "Write and finish your book fast so you can take that long vacation to a Caribbean island such as Tobago." Money isn't a specific pull, but a vacation is.
7. Let go of adverbs. Words like very, suddenly, and sparingly, tell instead of show. Use adverbs only at Christmas.
8. Let go of unneeded adjectives. Instead of a super-intelligent person, you can say a genius.
9. Appeal to the senses of sight, sound, and emotions. Telling is not an effective. Instead of "Buy this book today because it is so useful," say, "Would you like to double, even quadruple your Online income in four months?"
10. Cut redundancies. Don't talk down to your reader with too much repetition. Be willing to part with your "precious" words. The first edit usually reduces the words by ¼ to 1/3. Don't use pompous words.
If you are a professional who wants your writing to reflect that, be sure to follow these editing tips. You can then be confident that what you put out to your market will be well received and your business will flourish.
Knowing these benefits, you want to create and submit as many articles as you can. At times, you have the articles complete, but don't have anyone handy to edit them. While it's best to get at least two other edits from business associates, you can edit your articles yourself with a little help.
Use this checklist of the ways to edit your own work:
1. Start your introduction with a question or startling fact. You must hook your readers with something that reaches their emotions. Make it “you” centered.
2. Make your introduction only a few sentences. Your readers want to get to the heart of your book chapter or article fast. They want easy-to-read quick tips. Long stories can bring a yawn to your reader.
3. Make all of your sentences short. Since standard sentence length is 15-17 words, make most of your sentences under that number. Complex sentences and multiple phrases make the reading tougher. Make it easy for your readers to get the point fast.
4. Avoid dull, slow passive sentences. Start them with a subject, then follow with a verb to avoid passive construction. "The coach marketed her business and books through submitting articles online" is an active sentence. "The coach's books were marketed online through submitting articles" is passive. Drop linking verbs such as "is," "was," "seemed," or "had." Replace them with power, active verbs. Instead of "she is beautiful," you could say, "Her beauty compels you to stare at her".
5. Aim for compelling, clear copy. Write for the 8-10th grade reader. Always think "What's in it for them?"
6. Use specific nouns and names. General references don't engage your readers' emotions. Let them see the size, color, and shape. Rather than say, "Write your book fast to make lifelong income," say "Write and finish your book fast so you can take that long vacation to a Caribbean island such as Tobago." Money isn't a specific pull, but a vacation is.
7. Let go of adverbs. Words like very, suddenly, and sparingly, tell instead of show. Use adverbs only at Christmas.
8. Let go of unneeded adjectives. Instead of a super-intelligent person, you can say a genius.
9. Appeal to the senses of sight, sound, and emotions. Telling is not an effective. Instead of "Buy this book today because it is so useful," say, "Would you like to double, even quadruple your Online income in four months?"
10. Cut redundancies. Don't talk down to your reader with too much repetition. Be willing to part with your "precious" words. The first edit usually reduces the words by ¼ to 1/3. Don't use pompous words.
If you are a professional who wants your writing to reflect that, be sure to follow these editing tips. You can then be confident that what you put out to your market will be well received and your business will flourish.
Want To Start a Publishing Revolution?
Calling all publishers, editors, journalists and freelance writers. It's time to breathe more life into your copy. Turn your articles into living pieces that spark measurable debate, get closer to your readers and engage their mind and soul - we're talking revolution.
As it was in the beginning
Publishers have for many years relied on letters to get feedback from their readers and although email has opened up this method of communication it is still time consuming and difficult to process with only a fraction of the received correspondence ever being used.
Let's face it, as well as being an overhead for the publisher, to most people it is an unrewarding medium in terms of effort required and response received, just think of the number of letters that go unpublished and unread.
As it is now
The Internet has brought new channels of communication and has opened up opportunities that allow us to challenge traditional methods. The Internet is now a mature technology, no longer the preserve of the new fad brigade but a technology that has been embraced by a global population, young and old alike and it allows us now to re-evaluate the way things are done. Newspapers, trade journals, magazines and ezines now have the opportunity to change the mental process.
When people read an article they often would like to comment, and historically this has required them to feel strongly enough to put pen to paper; or with the creation of the Internet send an email. Sure emails are easier but it still takes time to craft an email and time for the majority, is what they haven't got. The letters page although interesting are at best a snapshot of comments; a well crafted and well written letter on any given subject may hold the view of the majority, or the minority, as it is a free text medium and difficult to measure.
As it should be
Now consider the advantages of linking articles to online surveys where as a publisher you will have the ability to obtain valuable feedback from your readers and in a form that can be easily measured. Just as important as you communicating with your readers is giving your readers a way to communicate with you where they know it will count.
Want a snapshot of opinion? Did they like that article? Did your readers agree with what was said or do they take the opposite view?
Now it's easy
In the past surveys would have taken considerable effort to design and publish and altogether was a process too long winded and therefore reserved for the niche and bigger topics.
However, using sites like http://www.SurveyGalaxy.com surveys and questionnaires can be created and published via the internet by anyone who has a pulse. Professional looking surveys and questionnaires created in minutes that make the perfect compliment to articles that prompt opinion and debate.
The advantage over letters and e-mails are that all the feedback is managed and measured and sites like Survey Galaxy will provide you with a real time poll that you can either keep to yourself or share with your readers.
It's not even one or the other now
Link each article to an online survey and not only extend the life of the article as people have a channel to express their views, but involve your readers in the discussion where they now know their opinion will be counted.
You think they would rather send an email? - no problem - include the facility within the survey and get the best of both worlds.
It's fast, low cost, and easy to do; it will engage and empower the reader, provide excellent feedback and having established a dialogue you then have the opportunity to link to other related articles.
Well-Written Articles Can Help You!
You've heard it time and time again: if you want to get your name out there, write articles and allow them to be freely reproduced (with a resource box pointing back to you, of course). Largely, that is true. Well-written articles can:
- help you build your profile as an expert
- draw traffic to your website, and
- help you to build a database of potential clients through associated e-courses or a newsletter.
So far you probably haven't heard anything you didn't already know. What YOU are likely to be struggling with is the process of actually writing the article. Sure, you can come up with the content - but how do you really grab those readers? How do you keep their attention all the way through? And most importantly, how do you make them want to come back for more?
Let's assume that you understand the basics of constructing and editing an article (it has a beginning, middle, and an end and you know how to check the grammar and spelling.) Most of us can manage that. But if you're not content with simply "getting something out there" - if you want to WIN readers - then you need to start thinking about what they want to know, rather than what you want to tell them.
Put your readers first - every time. Give them what they want, and they'll be queuing up to read anything you produce. Give them something bland (or worse, blatantly self-serving) and they'll blast by you so fast you'll be spinning in the back draft.
The following four steps will give you a blueprint for writing articles that captivate your readers - whatever the topic.
== 1. Find Out What Your Readers Really Want ==
Sometimes you'll know what they want because you're an expert in the field, and understand the problems. If you don't know the subject area well, you'll have to do more research. Look for forums on your topic and see what people are discussing. What are the problems that need solving? Can you provide an answer? ("If they have a headache, give them an aspirin.")
== 2. Start With An Attention-Grabber ==
Spend time working on your opening. Try to avoid trite questions like "Have you ever wondered why so many people find it difficult to lose weight?" Firstly, it's dull. Secondly, it's not targeting the person reading the article - what do they care about the difficulties "many people" have with losing weight? They only care about THEIR weight problem!
Try to come up with an opening paragraph that gives the reader that warm "Hey, this is about me!" feeling right away. Better still; try to generate a rush of excitement - "This could be the answer I've been looking for..."
Example: "The diet gurus make it all sound so easy: to lose weight, all you have to do is expend more energy than you take in. Huh! If it were that simple, the "Big People" stores would be out of business in a heartbeat. Luckily for those of us who are tired of diets, gyms and dull group meetings, there is a back-to-basics way to tackle this. A way that won't cost you a fortune or leave you feeling deprived."
== 3. Write As You Speak... Then Edit! ==
The sample opening above also illustrates the importance of the tone you use in your article. You need 'meat' in each article, of course, to make it worth reading - but make sure it's not indigestible!
You're better off writing your article in a natural, relaxed style that's akin to normal conversation. It doesn't matter if the first draft is a little too informal - you can fix that when you edit. Naturally you don't want to irritate your readers with a too-breezy style, but too-formal is worse. Readers may want facts, tips, and strategies, but they hope to be entertained, too! Let your personality shine through.
== 4. End On A High ==
What's one of the biggest problems with most articles? They fizzle out! Writers often don't know how to end on an upbeat note. They either just stop dead or they come up with a trite ending like: "So what are you waiting for? Get started today!"
The beginning and the end of your article are the two parts that make the biggest impression. Start by creating a feeling of anticipation... and leave them feeling satisfied (or excited) when you finish.
If you are offering advice to help them solve a problem (like obesity) gives your readers a reason to feel optimistic and good about them. Don't make rash promises... but do offer hope. If you are giving hints on marketing or business, sum up the benefits of acting on your tips. You can also experiment with using a pithy/humorous quote, or giving readers a specific action to get them started. Be creative - and don't rush it.
Here's a final tip: create an article-writing cheat-sheet for yourself. Divide it into beginnings/middles/ends and add more useful strategies as you think of them. (For example, using the tips in this article, you might write: ENDINGS - end on a high, offer hope, use funny quote, suggest action to get started.)
Do this, and you'll be steadily cranking out articles that everyone wants to publish!
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