HOW TO WRITE YOUR OWN ARTICLES AND BE PUBLISHED
TWENTY FIVE TIPS IN WRITING ARTICLES FOR THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Writing articles can provide you with
enormous amount of exposure on
the Web. You are branding yourself
"on a shoestring budget, the smell of an oily rag"...
and best of all, it hasn't cost
you a cent, but a little time and effort.
Writing a free content article is simple
and follows a similar professional
approach as an article for a standard,
paying market.
People want quality content : for their
ezines and their web sites ; however,
as you no doubt realise by now, the
competition for content is fierce.
Every Web site owner wants content
(informative and helpful) and hundreds
of writers want their content
visible on the Web. It's FREE
promotion through your signature file
at the end of your article. Articles that
provide good and accurate information,
or ones that explain how to
accomplish something are usually
best, and will be read most often.
So start by pointing out a problem your reader
has. Ask yourself this vitally important question:
The Beginner's Guide To Freelance WritingThe Big Idea
Okay. So youve figured out that you would like to write for magazines, newspapers, and e-zines. Unfortunately, so have about eight gazillion other people on this .....
How will your article help people in solving their
problem' In this article I attempt to provide a
solution, ie. how to promote your online
business "on the smell of an oily rag"!
Here are some pointers in writing
articles for the www and getting them
published by article announcement lists
or ezines (electronic newsletters):
Firstly,
1. Accept that writing for the web is
different to writing for the off-line world.
People tend to skim and scan (note
alliteration) when reading online. They
read quickly scrolling down the page.
Re-Fresh, Re-Hash, Re-WriteYou are running out of ideas, you sit down in front of your computer and stare at the blank screen with a blank mind.
Your fingers are idly waiting for some action. Writer's block' Perhaps .....
2. Identify your target audience.
3. Give your article a catchy title that
will grab people's attention and make
them want to read it.
4. Keep your title reasonably short.
Put some thought and effort into your
heading - again to get your reader's
immediate attention.
5. Be professional and take your article
writing seriously. Write about
Entering And Winning Writing ContestsVisit any writing message board and you'll read discussion threads
on contests and competitions
for writers. The messages run the gamut of those who have been
scammed to those who .....
something you know professionally.
Don't be overly casual in your writing (ie.
don't write exactly as you speak)
6. Keep your paragraphs short.
7. Get to the point quickly (enough
waffle with maple syrup, Craig!).
8. Target your article to your audience
with "focussed information".
9. Be brief, if you are a "waffler", like
this writer. People want immediate
information online and have limited
time usually - it's the "instant coffee, sorry
generation.
10. Write briefly
and concisely (redundant words, meaning
the same thing, Craig!) Try to keep your
article under 1000 words. (People get
bored quickly reading online). Most paying
markets usually only accept between 500 and
1500 words...and with a bit of luck they may
even"pick up" your great article. Try to be
concise in your wording. Brevity is the hall-mark
of good writing...or so say many of the teachers
of writing!
11. Use the OCCASIONAL exclamation mark (!)
to get your readers attention. Forget the ALL
CAPITAL LETTERS and exclamation points!!!
12. Be credible (big word, eh') at all times.
I try to write my articles in a "conversational
style with dashes of my funny humour".
13. Use HUMOUR. People like to have a bit
of fun with the occasional laugh, whilst being
informed on a serious subject. At least I
believe so!
14. Write from "your heart", so that you
come across as a REAL ......
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