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