Sources Of Ideas For Writing Your Books

By: Adam Khoo

Here's a question most budding writers encounter before writing a book, and that is, "Where did you get your ideas from?"

Ideas do not come out of thin air. No matter how good, creative or original an idea is, we must understand that it came from somewhere else. It is often a result or a combination or substitution of something else.

Here's a strategy for anyone who wants to write a book. For example, if you want to write a book on gardening, it has got to be your passion, you must know something about gardening. You must have a lot of love for gardening

The first thing you need to do is to fill your mind with a huge knowledge base. So for example, if you want to write a book on gardening, you have to go out there and read every single book ever written on gardening.

Here's my real life example. Before I wrote my book on accelerated learning, "I Am Gifted, So Are You", I read all the books on accelerated learning by Colin Rose, Sheila Ostrander, Lynn Schroeder, Tony Buzan, Eric Jansen, Michael Gelb.

And as I read each of these books, what I would do is that I won't read it passively, I would read it very actively, circling the key points in that book. And from the entire book of 300 pages, I would derive 10 key points, which I would summarize in mind maps.

The next thing I would do is to make the information my own. Now what do I mean by that? The only way to make information yours is to use it. So for example, if I read a book that teaches me to use a certain technique in reading, I would apply it in my reading. And by doing that, I would find a better way of doing it.

And as a result of applying the information firsthand, I find that there's always a better way of doing it. This would result in me having an entirely personal experience of it thus adding new and added information to my knowledge base. A lot of people have this mistaken mindset that people who write books are so smart, and that we as individuals cannot think of anything better".

So I increased and flooded my mind with all the base knowledge that was assimilated by hundreds of books and videos I watched and also through my personal experiences of application of the techniques taught.

By doing exactly what I have listed above, one will never be short of ideas to begin on their writing journey. So get started right away on increasing your knowledge base and applying the information firsthand to give you insights and ideas to write your book!

Article Source: http://www.article.e-booksdownload.com

Adam Khoo is an entrepreneur, best-selling author and a self-made millionaire by the age of 26. Discover his million dollar secrets and claim your FREE bonus CD '6 Ways To Achieve Anything In Life' at Paving The Way To The Top.

Write a Book and Catapult Your Career to the Next Level

By: Earma Brown

Are you ready to take your career to the next level? If you are a speaker, seminar leader, consultant, coach, writer, service business owner or an expert in your field you might be interested in writing a book.

Put your insightful message in book form and watch it catapult your career to the next level. Interested? Here are 10 good reasons you should write a book:

1. A book captures your unique insightful information. You have specific skills and information. Thousands of people search for specific information daily. They want simple to read and easy to understand information.

Write a book to educate your audience; include engagement tools in your book. Help them make more money, cut costs or solve their problems. Examples include: online assessments, how to tips, short reports, resource lists, how-to tutorials, dictionary of terms in your field, etc.

2. A book builds extra credibility to your message. People are more likely to value your message in book form. People want to listen to what you have to say. It carries status that's not quite captured in other formats like tapes, cds or even video.

3. A book crystallizes your message. Write a book and it will focus your personal or even professional mission. People will take notice because author stands behind your name. Your book expresses your message in a clear permanent format.

4. A book expands you audience. Speakers reach 100s through the speaker's circuit on a regular basis. A book will potentially reach 1000s. It takes on a life of its own. Even in the 21st century a book may travel and capture an audience that even televised media can't go.

5. A book distinguishes you in a crowd. Your professional associates may be used to competing and winning more business. Write a book and leverage higher fees for the same amount of work. Leave your pro associates in the dust with author behind your name.

6. A book brings a new level of fame. Write a book to elevate your name in your field. More people will know about you and gain respect for your expert knowledge through a book.

7. A book creates greater opportunities for profit. Write your book and create other products that complement or follow up your original work. You can create cds, courses or podcasts from the material in your book.

8. A book is your new business card. Write a book to provide your original, different information. Have you wondered what makes a new diet book sell well even when there are scores of diet books on the market?

The author presents their unique set of successful diet rules, their exercise program, their perspective, their testimonials and their credentials. They use original, different information for the same results. Make your book your best business card.

9. A book creates a world of opportunities. Offer your readers an opportunity to learn something new or interesting. Sprinkle your book with little known interesting facts about your topic.

Be careful to avoid information overload with pages of detailed statistics. But if you sprinkle them as morsels throughout your book, you create anticipation that will lead your readers through to the end. People love statistics and bite-sized trivia about just about any topic.

10. A book makes it simple. Give your readers an easy to read style to learn about something. Take a complex subject in your field and make it simple. Most people enjoy an easy reading language. They will not only reward you by reading to the end but your readers will be happy to tell all their friends about your insightful easy to read book.

Don't put it off any longer. Focus in on your good reasons to write a book. Your audience needs your insightful advice. Just do it and watch your career take off to new levels.

Article Source: http://www.article.e-booksdownload.com

Earma Brown, 12 year author and business owner helps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Earma mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine "iScribe." Send any email to iscribe@bookwritinghelp.com for free mini-course "Jumpstart Writing Your Book" or visit her at www.bookwritinghelp.com

How Great Feature Story Topics Unleash Your Writing Talent

By: Andrew Morris

An old news pro once told me, "Kid, if it isn't newsworthy, we're not going to print it". I am dating myself with the above quote that reaches back into the dark ages of the manual typewriter. But I have remembered it over the years. Another way of stating the same thought I learned from my dad, "When in doubt, play it silent". My father was commenting on excess dialog in a scene, however, both men gave me a lesson of a lifetime.

If I do not have something to say that is feature worthy, then I do not say or write it. What is it that you have to say that is lead news material? That is not criticism since I do not know you, rather advice. But have you adequately researched what you want to write about.? And if you have, do you have an idea of the title, subject and flow of the article?

Are you writing simply because you are inspired, or have you done your homework and discovered if there is a market for your words? That is not to say you should not have a blog: please do, and write what you will and as often as you like. But in this article we are discussing the business of writing.

Have you checked if the larger news agencies are accepting submissions? If they are, do they require an upfront pitch or sample of your style?

What is happening in the world right this minute? Use that information to write something that is timely and gives a new slant to an old topic. If it is Christmas, then an article about Independence Day might not carry the same weight as it would in mid-summer. You are a writer, so use your noggin to figure out ahead of time where to spend your time and energy.

Assuming you have taken care of the above, researched your topic, planned a good title and flow, will you be writing from experience or interviewing people with either good or bad information about your subject or product? If so, I applaud your organizational skills.

Many writers including this one are long on creativity and short on organization. If you are going to write a feature article, all your facts, quotes, interviews need to be within easy reach, and data needs to be checked and double-checked. I not talking about grammar or punctuation. If you are a pro, that should be second nature, but are the details really facts or just fabrications? Make certain: if you are wrong, it could affect your reputation far into the future.

Are you the type of writer who is succinct or long on prose? Either is fine, as long as you meet the editorial requirements. Some editors are looking for "to the point" information while others may prefer a longer, flowing style of writing.

All good stories and articles contain a well-researched and written beginning, middle and end. This is something that guides the reader by the hand through the story to its completion. If you have done your job well, the reader will finish reading with a slight smile knowing they have read and learned something fresh and informative.

Article Source: http://www.article.e-booksdownload.com

Andrew Morris helps you improve your article writing skills and find hidden sources of income generation by ... www.articlewritingzen.com

8 Simple Ways to Start Writing

By Stacy Karacostas

Let’s face it…One of the hardest parts of writing is getting started.

It’s all too easy to end up just sitting there, staring at a blank page or screen as a clock tics away in the background (because of course, the worst writer’s block always hits when you have a tight deadline).

Or writing and erasing until you give up, frustrated and stressed out. Because somehow, you can not come up with a single worthwhile thing to say.

Or finding something else (like checking emails, making phone calls or surfing the Web) to do.

Luckily, you’re not the first person to come down with a full-fledged case of writer’s block—or procrastinator syndrome.

Over the years, I’ve picked up a number of tricks you can use to get your writing juices flowing. And it’s a good thing. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to effective newsletters and marketing copy week after week.

So, without further ado, here are my eight favorite tricks for getting more writing done.

1) Be Here Now These days, we’re all programmed to be constantly accessible by email, cell phone, IM and more. But the reality is, no matter what line of work you are in most things can wait for at least 30 minutes. And if you really want to get your writing done, you need uninterrupted time to focus.

So put the Do Not Disturb sign on your door and turn off your cell phone. And don’t even think about checking your email (I promise you’ll survive ? ).

2) Set It In Stone Don’t just say you are going to “write today”. That makes it far too easy to put off in favor of a coffee break, phone call or raking leaves.

Instead, schedule time in your calendar. Then, go one step farther and set a specific amount of time that you will write without stopping…say thirty minutes or an hour. Some folks find it helps to set an alarm. That way you are less tempted to constantly watch the clock.

3) Dangle a Carrot Having trouble focusing? Try setting a reward for yourself like “When I finish the first draft, I’ll go out to lunch (or buy new shoes).” Or, “I’ll edit this one more time, then go for a walk.”

That way, you are motivated to get a certain amount of work done before taking a break. And, you get positive reinforcement for your accomplishments.

4) Get Away From It All Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to spark fresh creative juices. Try going to a coffee shop, local park or library to get a new outlook. I’ve even found that just moving to the stand-up workstation in my office, sitting on the couch or lounging in my backyard can do the trick.

5) Be Your Own Library You don’t have to come up with every idea yourself.

Start collecting articles or ads from magazines, surfing the Web, and subscribing to a few newsletters. For a serious infusion of new ideas, try reasing a few titles or sites you wouldn’t normally check out.

Then jot down (or tear out and file) anything that seems interesting. Fun factoids and memorable quotes can give you inspiration, and also spice up your writing.

6) Get It Together Your high school English teacher was right about one thing: outlines work. But if creating an outline sounds about as enticing as a root canal, you can get the same results by making a few short lists.

First, write down the key points or ideas you want to discuss. Then note any specific information that must be included (price, directions, contact info, guarantees, times, etc.). Now add any additional facts or quotes you know you want to include.

By the time you finish this, whatever you’re working on will be half-written. Then all you have to do is flesh it out.

7) Don’t Write Have you ever noticed that it’s easier to talk about something than it is to write about it? If you said yes, consider buying an inexpensive digital recorder, or recording software and a headset for your computer. Then just say what you want to say, have it transcribed, and edit the transcripts to suit. Viola!

8) The Big Brain Dump One of the best tricks, and one I use every time I put fingertips to keyboard, is the big brain dump. Instead of trying to get the words just right, write down everything and anything you can think of until you completely run out of ideas.

Ignore spelling and grammar mistakes. Write the same basic thing three different ways if you feel like it. And don’t worry about any of it being any good. Just write.

In fact, give yourself permission now for the first round to be total junk. Then you won’t feel the pressure of perfection.

Because buried in all the junk are sure to be a few pearls, or at least diamonds in the rough. So now you can go back and start editing. Remember, the beauty of writing - especially on a computer - is that you can edit your work quickly and easily.

With all these tricks at your disposal, you’ve got no more excuses. So silence your inner critic. Quit struggling with the first sentence. And start writing.

©2002-2007 SuccessStream. All Rights Reserved. www.success-stream.com

Article Source: http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/382580?articleid=382580&Title=simple%2Cways%2Cto%2Cstart%2Cwriting%2Cwriting%2Cstart%2Cwriting

Article Writing - How to Format Your Article So It Will Never Be Rejected

By Herman Drost

If you plan on writing and submitting many articles to article directories, ezines and other online publications you need to format them correctly. Publishers receive many article submissions each week so if your article is correctly formatted it has less chance of being rejected.

Where to write your article

I usually write my articles in Microsoft Word because you can adjust the number of words per line and adjust the size of the text so you can read it easily. I then copy and paste it into notepad because the word processor does not use correct formatting for online publishers.

Another great editor is textpad. This is a powerful replacement for Notepad. I also use it to edit web pages and scripts because of notepad's limitations in this area.

Top 10 Steps to format your article

Most ezine publishers prefer short articles between 500 and 750 words. Short "tip" articles of just a couple of paragraphs are also very popular. Articles should be formatted to 65 characters per line or less, including spaces, and written in short paragraph sections.

1. Must be unique

Your article must be unique. This means you should not copy someone else's article and submit it for publication. Editors will recognize this and may ban you from sending them any more articles.

2. Article length

Most ezine publishers prefer articles between 500 and 750 words. Read publisher guidelines before submitting your article because often there is a minimum and maximum length.

3. Title

Use a descriptive title that encapsulates what is contained in your article body. You need to satisfy both your readers and the search engines, so include your main keywords plus create a catchy title that grabs your reader's attention.

4. Sentences

Format each sentence to 60-65 words before submitting it for publication. This enables people to read it easier than if you had long sentences.

5. Paragraphs

Write short paragraphs of 5-10 lines so you don't make your reader's eyes tired. Reading text on a monitor is harder on the eyes than reading printed material.

6. Resource box

This should be no longer than 6 lines. Include your name, web site address, a unique offer (ie newsletter subscription) and a call to action.

7. Correct spelling and grammar

An article that contains spelling mistakes and grammatical errors suggests you are unprofessional. Some readers will automatically reject these articles.

8. HTML code

Most article directories will allow simple HTML to enable certain areas to stand out. ie bold, italics, emphasis, underline, hard return, blockquote, numbered or bullet point lists. Make sure you close every tag that you open otherwise it will format the whole article with that tag.

9. Don't use affiliate URLs

Avoid including affiliate URLs in your article body or resource box. They will be rejected immediately as it looks like you are promoting someone else's offer. If you need to promote an affiliate URL send the reader to your own web site address first then include your affiliate URL on that page.

10. Don't write a sales letter

Articles should be informative. Include tips, strategies, techniques that will help make your reader more knowledgeable. Write to share your expertise on the subject.

Tip

After writing your article let it sit for a while (a few hours or days) before you submit it for publication. Often when you read it again you'll find mistakes you did not see before, and find new ways to rewrite a paragraph or sentence that will make the article more attractive to your readers. If the goal of your article is to attract more readers and visitors to your web site, improving it's effectiveness will help you fulfill that goal.

Herman Drost is the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW)owner and author of Affordable Web Design

Receive fresh, in-depth articles articles on how to design, optimize and promote your web site by subscribing to his"Marketing Tips" newsletter at: http://www.isitebuild.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Herman_Drost

Writing An Article? Find Interesting Topics To Write On

By Jimmy Walker

Many of you have been there. You find yourself sitting at your desk, looking at a blink Word document, and thinking of a topic to write on. You want to write on a topic that webmasters and web surfers would be interested in. But you can’t seem to think of anything that is interesting or that you have expertise in.

I am sure you have wondered how some authors are able to publish hundreds of articles online. Ever wondered where they get so many interesting ideas? The answer is all around you. As you sit and read this article on finding new article topics, there are possibly several ideas for topics, literally, within your reach that you can write on.

For example, take a look at your desk. You, like most of us, may have paper scattered all over it, lunch from two weeks ago hidden behind the monitor, and half of the ties you own stuffed in one of the drawers. Well, I am exaggerating a little, but you get the idea. The question you can ask yourself is how would I fix this? How simple can that be? Figuring out a way to remedy this problem can become useful information that can potentially be used by millions of workers with the same problem.

Another overlooked source for article topics is your television. Television shows and news programs are full of ideas for article topics. For example, while watching the local news, a report on a family that has been exposed to carbon monoxide nearly dies from the poisonous, odorless gas. Again, question how you would have remedied this problem and what you would do to prevent it from happening in the future? If you are not familiar with certain aspects of a subject, be sure to do your homework.

Browsing the internet, driving in your car, and listening to the radio are also great sources to find potential article topics. What about talking to coworkers and friends? In many cases, conservations with friends are usually dominated by problems that friend is currently experiencing. Some conversations may even lead to the remedy of a particular problem. After generalizing the conversation, you will have an article topic to write on, with a real life reference as proof.

Webmasters and internet users are constantly looking for fresh, useful information. The range of that information is as wide as your imagination can span. Provide information that users will find helpful and objective.

Jimmy Walker is the founder of CitePlanet.com, an online database of quality citations from books, periodicals, and electronic sources. Post samples of your work on CitePlanet!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jimmy_Walker

Can An Article Writing Course Help You Become A Better Writer?

By Andrew Morris

Is this a silly question? Not really, because while it is possible to learn how to craft a sentence and turn a phrase on your own, can you actually learn how to take that creative spark that dwells within and put it on paper (or on a screen)? Just as there are those who are born an artist, there are others who are born with the talent to write a novel, create a perfect sales letter, compel their readers to come along on a journey to another land, adventure or experience.

But even these authors have learned, studied and applied their talent over time to become better at what they do, the art and craft of writing. While there are certainly writing courses delving into the proper turning of phrase, how to evoke an emotional response from the reader; for me the best writing course of all is "just write", then learn from you did.

Over the years, I have written articles, press releases, screenplays and I am now working on a novel. Often when I go back and read something I wrote long ago, I am amazed (not in a good way) about what I read. "Whew," I say to myself, "who in the world wrote that?" And of course the writer was me. Over time as we mature and our life view changes and/or evolves, so too does our talent for writing.

Whether you are a natural writer, or someone who stares at a blank page struggling for the right words ... write. Keep a journal, write a short story, create a web page, start a blog, email your thoughts and feelings ... as long as you keep the pen or keyboard at work. There is not a better teacher and instructor than your own persistence to achieve what you want. And if for you that is writing, then write.

The other day I was asked to write a press release for a multi-national company. They sent me the facts, told me the key issues, then waited for me to deliver. I stared at the page, compiled the data into (what I thought) was a good press release. Guess what? They rejected it, saying it was hard to read. So what did I do, sulk? Well, maybe for a minute or two. I rewrote the article, listening this time to my inner writing voice; telling the same story but in a more captivating manner.

When I sent this release, it was accepted and I was quickly paid, I learned from doing. I believe there are a multitude of talented men and women on the net, many of whom may have a very good course on "creative writing", "how to write a good sales letter", "how to write a good review", and by all mean should you find a book or website that strikes your fancy, jump in. But even then, writing is more important than waiting for inspiration.

We all have an inner muse, use it to motivate yourself to exceed your even your own expectations and create something that is a masterpiece. Whether it is a novel or sales letter, web page or press release: research, write, refine, learn and accomplish.

Andrew Morris helps article writers turn their passions into profits, and uncovers hidden gems of income generation by ... http://www.articlewritingzen.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Morris

Improve Your Writing Skills With These Three Easy Tips

By wahbws

For some, writing effectively is as simple of a task as breathing. For others, writing is like a car that keeps stalling and really doesn't ever seem to get going smoothly. Have you ever wished that you could improve your writing skills? If your writing is more like the stalled automobile, don't let that stop you. You can improve your writing skills just by using the following tips.

Do a quick reminder course about nouns, verbs, adverbs, conjunctions and prepositions. If you want to write well, it's important to know what they are and how to use them properly. When you write using proper spelling and grammar it can make a difference in your perceived credibility as a writer. It is true of all of us, we get turned off to what we are reading if the author has made an obvious writing mistake. Make it a habit to confidently write. If needed, use a spell checker when you can and when in doubt: look it up.

This may sound backwards, but to be a good writer, you need to be a good reader. Try to read something everyday. Expand your knowledge by reading different types of writing. If you are primarily a fiction reader, start reading the newspaper or non-fiction books. Read articles online versus magazine articles and see if you notice the differences in writing styles. If you happen to read something that you really enjoy, study the article or story. Use the tips you find to improve your own writing. On the other hand, when you read something you don't care for, make mental notes of the mistakes the writer made and try to avoid them when you sit down to write. By all means give yourself permission to break the rules provided it provides impact to your writing.

Just like any skill, practice is what makes the difference between novice and pro. Writing something everyday, even something as short as a few sentences can improve your writing over time. There are many websites targeted to writers that offer daily writing exercises. For example, they may ask you to write the opening paragraph of a action story one day and the next day they could ask you to write a "how-to paragraph" about butter churning. Experimenting with different writing genres will greatly improve your writing style.

Keep what you write and review it every once in awhile. You will see how your abilities have changed with practice. As your skill and confidence grow, you will find that writing becomes easier and more enjoyable.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

How to Write the Perfect Article

By csyracuse

Some of us, from a very early age, are determined to make it in the writing field. While some like the idea of freelancing and traveling the world to track down the hard-hitting stories for various publications, others enjoy the vision of themselves holed up in quiet, secluded cabins writing a Pulitzer Prize winning novel as the snow gently drifts down from the mountains outside. And then. . . reality sets in. You graduate from college and a newspaper internship is about the best you can do. Then you get married, start raising your family, and you get farther away from that original dream that you once had.

Face it, we have all been there. But even if your life does not now afford you the luxury of chasing down stories in Paris or provide you the luxury of getting away from it all in your cabin in the woods, typing away at your manuscripts, there are other ways to incorporate writing into your everyday life, and a great way to do that is to provide articles for different websites and companies.
Granted, this may not have been your initial idea of what you want to be when you grow up; however, it is fun, you get to research many different interesting topics, and it keeps the creative juices flowing.

But, not just any old article will do. You have to be on your toes, and make your articles not just good, but GREAT. You have to make the reader continue, keep him hooked so that the site for whom you are creating material will see increased interest in her site or sites, and will persist with wanting you to provide the written material.

Article writing can be quite lucrative. But there are things that you, the writer, must do to keep the reader and viewer of the site locked in. First, as previously stated, in order for you to create the perfect article you must get the reader hooked; that is, you must provide just enough to keep him or her reading and wanting to find out more. You should tap into the specific interests of the site for whom you are writing and really know your stuff. Webmasters want clear and concise information on their websites, not just filler.

Make your article as interesting as possible, not just a droll 12th grade term paper. Enliven your topic with some humor and sayings that can make it relatable for anyone of all interests and ages. And above all, the perfect article for an information website should be rather brief. It has been found that web readers typically do not like to look at a page and see nothing but endless text. If you break your writing down into shorter, manageable paragraphs, readership is sure to flourish.

Finally, making an article great, even perfect, is more than just using SAT vocabulary words and marathon-length sentences. It is about taking pride and ownership of your writing, and trying your utmost to provide the very best for the readers of the websites. Take an interest in your topics, do your research thoroughly, and you are sure to have a hit. Some topics you will like better than others, but always remember that at the end of the day, that article can be attributed to you. And we all are out there to make our articles not just good, but readable, catchy, and perfect!

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

How To Write Your First Article

By ntrikate

So you've heard that writing an article can be a great way to promote yourself, your website and your products, but you have no clue how to get started. You see hundreds of article directories that you are just dying to submit an article to, but you just have even one article to submit. Where do you start?

First, lets understand what parts of an article are needed before submitting to article directories. Your article should usually have five sections:

1. Title. Your title should indicate to the reader what the article is about. Try using a catchy title to make the reader curious to find out more about your topic. Look through various article directories and make note of the headlines that capture your attention. Try to model your own headlines after those that you found interesting and made you want to hurry and click to read the article.

2. Introduction. You should dedicate one paragraph for the introduction. Use the introduction to build upon the headline and explain the content of the article without giving it all away. Try to use your introduction as a roadmap through your article so the read will know what to expect. Also, use the introduction to build rapport with your reader - use it let them know you understand their problem and that you are about to offer them a solution.

3. Main Content. Your main content should breakdown and elaborate upon your introduction. Instead of giving an overview as you did in the introduction, begin developing each of your points. Support your points with examples, anecdotes and resources to create variety for the reader.

4. Conclusion. The conclusion of your article should be one or two paragraphs that sum up information presented in the main content. Learn to create a conclusion that sticks in the mind of the reader. For example, in how-to articles, point out the benefits of following your directions and let them know how to proceed next.

5. Author Resource Box - Always give yourself credit for being the author of the article. Use the author resource box as you business card. Include your name, your expertise and your website address. Double-check that your website address is properly linked and try to keep track of where you post articles so you can update your links if your website address changes.

Now let's look a simple article that anyone can write. One of the easiest articles to write is a "Top 10 Tips..." type article.

1. You will start off with a catchy title to gain attention such as "The Top Ten Tips for Making Extra Cash".

2. Next will be your introduction perhaps explaining to the reader that you understand their need for extra cash, and how you plan to help them.

3. The ten tips with their detailed explanations will form the main content.

4. The brief summary recaps the information and gives them an action item - tell them to immediately apply these ten tips so they can start earning extra cash!

5. Include your author resource box information. At the minimum include your name and website address.

So now you understand how you can jumpstart your way into article writing for self-promotion. Now go and start writing!

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com/

10 Smart Moves For Getting Published In Top Magazines

By Marcia Yudkin

Eager to see your byline in magazines like Smithsonian, National Geographic, Parade or Outside? Here are 10 tips on getting past the threshold of "Maybe" to "Yes" at top magazines.

1. Put timing on your side. You can change a perennial story, where there's no special reason to do it now rather than next year, to one that prompts an immediate assignment by adding a connection to some upcoming season or event. For instance, "the disposable versus cloth diaper debate" lacks any time element. But you can peg it to Earth Day, coming up in April, or specific future environmental powwows. You can get the same effect by tying a perennial topic to recent front-page news. If devastating floods are lingering in North Carolina, use that to make a piece on adequately insuring a business sound timely.

2. Freshen up perennial topics. Some magazines revisit the same topics again and again because relationships, or toilet training, or camping in national parks lie at the core of the magazine's mission. Hunt back about four or five years in the magazine's archives for these central topics and update them.

3. Create cover-worthy article titles. Editors sweat over the blurbs that go on the magazine cover. If you study the kinds of blurbs they favor, and give a similar title to your proposed article, you may score an assignment from a title that is exactly on target.

4. Be brief and detailed. This combination of skills has great value in the magazine world, and a query offers a perfect setting to demonstrate your mastery of rich compression. Let every sentence sparkle with detail, but say just enough to get the idea across.

5. Stay ahead of the pack. I once heard someone say that if you've read about an issue in Time or Newsweek, you're too late to query other top magazines on it. Spend energy pursuing stories that seem both trendy and unexplored.

6. Get your details right. Nothing kills confidence faster than factual errors! Recheck all information in your query before sending it.

7. Be truthful. Don't exaggerate the facts of a story, don't present fiction as real and don't inflate your credentials. This should go without saying, but not long ago a freelance writer sold an article in which she had presented a story she heard from a fellow airline passenger as something that had happened to her. She claimed she didn't realize that that was unethical.

8. Don't have a hidden agenda. Forget about any kind of revenge story, or about hyping a company in which you have some sort of covert financial interest.
9. Show enthusiasm. Make sure your writing feels alive and flavorful, not parched and pinched. I've heard a number of editors say they like to work with writers who show enthusiasm for their work.

10. Flatter an editor. A good number of editors write on the side for other publications, and if you happen to spot his or her freelance work and mention it in your query, you win points. Mentioning that you liked a particular issue of the magazine, or a certain cover story, helps build rapport, too. Make sure that any praise is specific and sincerely enthusiastic.

About The Author: Veteran magazine writing coach Marcia Yudkin is the author of Freelance Writing for Magazines & Newspapers, articles in Ms., Psychology Today, NY Times Magazine, Business 2.0, more. Learn about her advanced home-study course on writing for big-name magazines: http://www.yudkin.com/majormagazines.htm

5 Powerful Article Writing Tips

By Terri Seymour

Writing articles is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful methods of building your reputation and your online business. Not only do you get unlimited exposure, but it is fre^e as well!

If your article is well-written, you will probably get listed on numerous websites as well as in several ezines. This will establish you as someone who knows what they are talking about and will more than likely bring you many visitors and subscribers.

People will start to come to you when they need information or products or advice. This is a great way of establishing your online presence.

Writing articles is not as hard as you may think. You do not have to be a professional writer to produce an effective article. Below are some tips to help you get started.

1. Don't worry about big fancy words.

People are looking for easy to understand, down-to- earth articles to help them learn. They are not interested in being impressed with encyclopedia language skills.

2. Advertise in your resource box, not the article.

Do not use you article as a big sales letter for a product or program. Give your info in the resource box. I would recommend you just try to get people to sign up for your newsletter or free report/ecourse in your resource box. Save the selling for later.

3. Make yourself accessible if someone wants to get in touch with you.

People want to know that they can get in touch with you if they have questions about your article, website, etc. Always make it easy for them to find you.

4. Provide basic, real, useful information as well as resources to go along with the info.

When writing your article, try to list some useful resources that your readers can utilize along with the information you give them. This will further give people a reason to want to stay in touch with you or your website.

5. Write from the heart!

Do not be afraid to let your personality shine through in your writing. This will make people more apt to trust you and will also make them more comfortable. Write as if you were talking to a friend and let the real you shine through. I think people appreciate this more than trying to sound like something you are not!

Do not let your doubts stop you from writing articles to build your reputation and your business. I did for awhile, but then took the plunge. My first article did surprisingly well and yours can as well! ;-)

About The Author: Terri Seymour owns and operates MyOwnEzine.com. Learn to publish and promote your own ezine. mailto:subscribe@myownezine.com Sign-up for the FR~E MOE Ezine Publishing Ecourse mailto:moe-mini-course@getresponse.com

The Real Tips On Writing Articles!

By Clarence Bong

Want to learn how to write good articles? It is really not as hard as you think it is, just read this page why it is not that difficult to write good articles. Here are some tips on writing articles that you will understand better:

Want to learn how to write good articles? It is really not as hard as you think it is, just read this page why it is not that difficult to write good articles. Here are some tips on writing articles that you will understand better:

How the hell can writing articles help me? I am a really bad writer. How am I ever going to write an article?

Those that think article writing is not as helpful anymore because the quality of many article writers have improved, may be right to a certain extent, but we should not let that stop us. There are so many different subjects to talk about. Just look at the news papers and magazines, you won’t see them stop creating articles just because some other newspaper or magazines produce better articles than them. Article writing is a phenomenal way to increase your site’s exposure because it benefits the author (you) and the publisher (the ezine or site). Article writing is a great example of how to use the Internet to generate an income.

By writing articles you can also establish yourself as an expert in your niche and at the same time gains you publicity. Most important of all is that it brings in targeted traffic. You may have the best products and the best looking website, but if the people viewing your website are not interested in what you have to sell, you are not going to gain anything from that traffic.

Use these tip on writing articles:

It takes awhile to get good at article writing, but the more you do it the easier it will get.

Write Articles That Sell Writing takes practice, writing to sell takes even more practice, along with writing a lot of crappy work in order to pluck a few great pieces you write from their ashes. You can be sure that the time you put in to write these great articles are well worth it. When there is value in your articles, people are more interested in clicking your website and finding out what is it you are doing. Also by writing these valuable articles, web directories are more than happy to place your article on their website, which also means that you got more links back to your website.

You are the Expert! Present yourself as the expert in your field; you have to be the teacher and mentor to others. I believe that if you are able to provide valuable information to anyone, especially someone that had learned something from what you have to say, you will receive the same value in direct proportion. If you do not present yourself as an expert, no one will bother to listen or read anything by you, and it is unlikely that anyone will help you to present yourself either.

Create an Attractive Author Bio When writing an Author Bio, you should always write it in third person. This makes it more presentable to the publisher and it allows your readers to distance themselves and not be intimidated. You should also never mention your personal life, just your professional titles.

It is a fact that we are not all good writers, but I believe that if we really want to, we can learn how to write better. You can get ideas from a few other articles and put it all together in your own words. Well, if you really do not want to do that you can always hire a ghost writer. If you do not know what ghost writers are, ghost writers are writers-for-hire, experienced professionals who create stories, books, memoirs, autobiographies, magazines, articles, reports, editorials and songs. Ghost writers are quite popular on the internet and many websites use them. They are usually happy to stay in the shadows and work according to your guidelines and wishes but if you find the work is not what you had in mind, than quickly bring to their attention how you would like to see certain aspects of the job change. You can find them at eLance and Guru, and a few other websites, but it’s probably better than you find a ghost writer from a more established site.

Writing articles is currently and will be the fastest, most effective way to promote an online business with real foundations at no cost. Writing articles is one of the most utilized Internet Marketing tool today and it is a must for any successful service professionals. Writing articles is the most powerful form of advertising and is by far one of the best business-building resources on the Internet.

I appreciate you taking your time to read this article; I hope you have learned something from The Real Tips on Writing Articles. Have fun using these tips on writing articles to build your own business!

Clarence Bong is a independent representative for a network marketing company. He believes failing in network marketing is NOT your fault. To learn how to end years of failure, frustration and hard earned money because of MLM, check out this: tips on mlm ebook for FREE!