Are you worried about writing articles? Not Sure where to begin? Have a tight deadline to meet? Then this blog on 10 great writing tips for producing articles is just for you – and it contains a bonus!
1. It Shouldn’t Be a Chore
Writing articles and blogs can sometimes feel like a chore but don’t despair; we all feel that way at times. However, if you find you always seem to dread the journey to the keyboard, then ask yourself whether writing is right for you. If you lack enthusiasm for writing, readers will pick up on this.
2. Get Started
Sometimes it’s difficult to pick a subject or theme, or to get started once you have a topic . Relax! The main thing is that you get started. Pick a subject you know something about and just start. You will be pleasantly surprised at just how easily ideas flow. Don’t assume everyone knows what you know. They don’t. One tip I was given years ago: if you are finding it difficult to get started, then stop thinking about “what must I write” and focus instead on “what does the reader want to read?”
3. Quality
Your old English teacher is not looking over your shoulder. Perfection is not the goal and is, in fact, seldom possible. Keep your writing short and simple and your readers will thank you for it. Perfect but long and boring will not be read.
4. Length
If you are writing commissioned work, stick to the publisher’s requirements. Most publishers want between four and six hundred words. Blogs can be much smaller and should include appropriate pictures and embedded links.
Just don’t over do it. Remember, it’s the “World” wide web. Many readers in developing countries are still using dialup modems.
5. Format
Microsoft Office often adds weird, hidden code to what has been written. If at all possible, use Notepad to produce your final copy.
6. Spelling and Grammar
Once you have written your article or Blog, use a good spell checker. Microsoft Word works well for these purposes, so use its suggestions to make any necessary corrections to your plain text copy. Remember that Word was created by Americans. If you are writing in the UK, some of the spellings will be different.
If the work has been commissioned, then you need to honour the publisher’s language requirements. If you are writing for your own blog, the most important thing is to be consistent. Decide whether to use US or UK spelling and stick with the one you choose.
7. Publish and Let the World Know
Once your Blog is ready you may want to use some automatic tools to publish and announce it. First do a search for Blog hosts and select those which best suit your needs. Join one or more and publish your Blog there. Then search for Blog announcers and RSS announcers and use them to get your Blog noticed. Tweet about the article, letting the on-line world, or at least those people who follow you, know where to find it.
Now that you have that out of the way find an article wizard that will post your Articles to free publishers. You can post them one at a time by hand if you are really bored and have absolutely nothing else in life to do. Using an automatic poster you can publish to hundreds of hosts in an hour or so.
8. Patience
If you are submitting for publication by someone else, be patient. It’s beyond your control. Many of the men and women who host articles act quickly and your articles will be reviewed within twenty-four to forty-eight hours. But, many others will take days or even weeks; so never date an article – it’s a sure way to get rejected.
9. Dealing With Rejection
Be prepared for hosts to reject your articles. It often has little to do with you or your article.
Some databases routinely reject articles for spelling errors when there are none or where there is more than way to spell a word. Other hosts are simply too lazy and get so far behind, the easiest and fastest thing to do (and perhaps the only alternative) is to reject everything. If you discover one of these, stop submitting articles to them.
Then there are those who run your articles through software and if they find certain words, irrespective of how they are used, your article gets no farther. These are the people who can’t publish the Holy Bible because it contains words that offend them or their readers. Don’t worry about these folks who are so heavenly minded they are of no earthly use!
10. Persistence
Since most authors prepare only one copy of an article, be persistent. Once your articles begin to be accepted and published, this will drive visitors to your website while creating those all important back links. You will also find writing becomes easier as you taste the fuits of your success. Practice, practice, practice!
Bonus Tip
Rejection slips are usually accompanied by a suggestion on how to “fix” your article and a request that you resubmit it. Don’t waste your time. While trying comply with one database manager’s request you could have written a new article from which you get much more punch. Enough publishers will pick your article up so move on and save yourself some time and heartburn.
Everybody has a thought or idea at least once a day, sometimes at an “inconvenient time”. How many good ideas have you lost because of waiting? Don’t procrastinate! Go! Capture that thought before it is gone forever.
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