By now you probably understand how important writing for trade publications is to establishing credibility in the home business world.
On to the first hurdle: how do you get past that HUGE writers' block? How do you know what to write about, and how do you make it unique, informative and interesting?
Remember how you resisted writing those reports in school, insisting that you would never need to know how to do that in "real life"? Welcome to the real world of business writing.
Your English teacher gave you the bare bones: pick a topic, research, take notes, make lists and an outline, write a rough draft in your own words, rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Don't forget introductory paragraphs, summaries, footnotes and bibliographies.
Thanks to the internet, you can use a search engine, copy and paste, cut and paste, type, cut and paste edit into infinity, include hyperlinks and add your resource box at the end.
But...you're still stuck on picking a topic. You feel as imaginative as a two by four. Start with your own home business, internet marketing, or entrepreneurial problems. Better yet, start with your journal. You don't keep one? Here, you can borrow some of my own entries: (better yet, each of these items is looking for a foster home)
Didn't want to get out of bed this morning.
Turned on the computer and would rather play a computer game than work.
The quiet is driving me crazy...music would help...now I want to dance...now that I'm up, I could vacuum....wonder what's on tv...
The noise is driving me crazy, I can't concentrate.
Ok, I finally got started. Ten hours later, I just can't stop. I wonder why my wife is glaring at me.
I can't finish anything--the next new project always looks more interesting.
Friends call and want to chat, the cats want fed, that window needs fixing.
How do I know when to be persistent and when to try something else?
My website has lots of visitors, many don't stay for more than 30 seconds, few sign up.
I'd rather be __________ (fill in the blank): sleeping, golfing, fishing, watching tv, eating, reading, swimming.
Now let's turn that list into a list of how-to's. I need to learn how to: get enough sleep; stay focused; identify goals, strategies and action plans; develop credibility among friends and family; identify success (measurable results?); make my website more sticky; encourage prospects to become active affiliates; balance work and pleasure; plan my day; stay motivated... and so on.
First I brainstorm: when have I been able to accomplish any of these things? (take notes) Then it's off to the search engines. (take notes; bookmarking and copy and paste makes this easy) Now organize your notes: whatever floats your boat, whether it be lists, outlines, mind mapping or freeform writing.
Just keep searching, taking notes and bookmarking until something hits you over the head. "This really might work, especially if you did this first and then tried this..." Be patient, it may take a little time.
Don't copy word for word what another writer has already written; but on the other hand, don't worry about inventing the lightbulb either. If you've done much surfing at all, you realize that the internet is HUGE, a veritable wasteland.
The chances of two people reading exactly the same articles or websites and coming to exactly the same conclusions are slim. Any bleary-eyed surfer will THANK you for your arduous research.
And don't rule out your own experiences and thoughts. I once was dealing with a problem and was becoming more frustrated and angry by the minute. I finally just dropped it and went for a walk. (You can substitute any of those things, such as fishing, that you used to fill in the blank above).
While walking I was thinking about another situation in my life, was looking at the part of the natural world I was walking through, and came to a brilliant conclusion. As soon as it occurred to me, I saw that the solution also applied to the problem I was trying to solve earlier. So you see, sometimes it's good to just follow your instinct and GO FISHING.
I'll write that all up into an article some day soon. It's on my list. Meanwhile, I've got a few more ideas I'm writing up first. Now I can't wait to get them all written into articles. So...there's my topics, my motivation, and my action plan.
If you've followed these steps, thanks to your English teacher, the internet, your own experiences, and your stumbling attempts at writing, you're now an author. But more than that, you've learned:
Then start over at the beginning...and don't forget how important it is to take time out for fishing.
Glenn Beach is a poet, writer and home business entrepreneur in Nova Scotia, Canada. Free newsletter, more articles, and business start-up info at: http://www.work-at-home-business-opportunity-canada.com
no-contract cleaning service Morton Grove ..Abandon your frustrations and get a fresh start by trying... Read More
As we prepared to move our 12,000 article database from... Read More
A ghostwriter, as one may think is not a writer... Read More
Publicity?you're business can survive without it, but it certainly won't... Read More
Don't let overwhelm hold you back- follow this expert advice... Read More
The Whole reason you write those articles is so you... Read More
Are you short of ideas? There are times when we... Read More
Writing and distributing articles on the internet is one of... Read More
This is Part 2 of a 2 part article -... Read More
Recently I interviewed Kevin Bidwell of All-In-One-Business.com on some of... Read More
Writing a great deal of articles myself, I see a... Read More
"Ten Tips" articles are the easiest piece to write because... Read More
By now most entrepreneurs realize that the most cost effective... Read More
Many writers do not understand that the online writing business... Read More
Writing articles for your site and for the use of... Read More
Many writers struggle with the decision of whether or not... Read More
1. What is the single most compelling subject from your... Read More
Every time I run a course on Freelance Writing, students... Read More
Getting people to join your company can be hard work.... Read More
I get asked all the time, "Lorrie, how can I... Read More
It is important for all webmasters to realize that if... Read More
Why do so many internet marketers waste their time on... Read More
Yesterday I met a 13-year old boy with a devilish... Read More
Recycling your work is a lot like doing your part... Read More
Writers have one basic need -- readers. We all want... Read More
luxury cleaning services Des Plaines ..1. Participate in chat rooms related to your targeted audience.... Read More
Last time on "Because your articles suck" ? we discussed... Read More
A great headline can be the difference between having your... Read More
Everyone knows an expert is just a drip under pressure.... Read More
Evaluation of a Home-Run ArticleI've been writing articles and posting... Read More
If you haven't considered the power of articles as part... Read More
You're Invited... Visualize your article going out like a party... Read More
Increase your ezine subscribers by submitting articles once or twice... Read More
Writing for the internet requires that you create a large... Read More
Determining keywords is a critical step in writing articles online... Read More
You have probably heard that writing articles is one of... Read More
Although this may sound like a funny metaphor, if you... Read More
Here's a really simple way... to promote your online business... Read More
If you've spent any time online trying to promote your... Read More
Write articles, be recognized as an expert, drive a surge... Read More
As of July 1st, the year was half over! July... Read More
It is no secret among internet marketers that writing articles... Read More
Writers have one basic need -- readers. We all want... Read More
The traditional print media newsletter is still useful even in... Read More
If you have writing skills and want to use your... Read More
Do you have problems finding ideas for articles and speeches?I... Read More
Article marketing has become very popular of late, especially with... Read More
Anxiety, apprehension, cold feet, consternation, dismay, distress, dread, fear, fright,... Read More
All writers aspire to recognition, but are we dedicated? Ambition... Read More
Often all the Web Surfer will see is your title,... Read More
Article Writing |