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.
About The Author
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
elite cleaning services Des Plaines ..A ghostwriter, as one may think is not a writer... Read More
By now most entrepreneurs realize that the most cost effective... Read More
It is important for all webmasters to realize that if... Read More
1) Don't use all capitals in your title:People don't like... Read More
As you write the outline for your next article, there... Read More
Rule number one - You must write ezine articles and... Read More
If your business has a website, you're probably searching for... Read More
A great headline can be the difference between having your... Read More
It's no secret-link exchanges are dying a painful death. And... Read More
The ezine article is of major importance to the world... Read More
What's the most powerful marketing technique on the Web? Search... Read More
Writing a great deal of articles myself, I see a... Read More
If you're writer, I am sure sometimes you may have... Read More
Many people which in online business world find difficulties in... Read More
Publishing content on the internet is not a hard task.... Read More
The first twenty-five words of your article are the most... Read More
Why do so many internet marketers waste their time on... Read More
"But I've only been on the Internet 3 months! How... Read More
MS: Shelley, you're an excellent person to talk to about... Read More
Heard about article marketing but not sure why you'd need... Read More
Most business owners are overwhelmed with the day to day... Read More
A true test for many writers that will require your... Read More
I've noticed a disturbing trend recently of articles suggesting that... Read More
Whether you own your own affiliate website, or subscription website,... Read More
Do you wonder what easy, cheap, and fast way you... Read More
eco-friendly cleaning service Buffalo Grove ..As of July 1st, the year was half over! July... Read More
Ease of Submission With so many article distribution sites out... Read More
I've been able to distinguish 3 main categories that people... Read More
Part 1 of a 2-part series To read Part 2... Read More
The Most Economical Way to Advertise online is to Submit... Read More
Article writing can be such an intimate act as you're... Read More
Have you ever seen articles that are not only related... Read More
Yesterday I met a 13-year old boy with a devilish... Read More
Publishers and webmasters can spend massive amounts of time just... Read More
If you are using articles to promote your business then... Read More
One of the most tried and true methods of self-promotion... Read More
Writing articles for your site and for the use of... Read More
Are you an Article Marketer? If so, you know that... Read More
It's amazing how quickly free articles can generatetraffic - my... Read More
Did you realize that writing and publishing articles online represents... Read More
It is amazing to see how much we all still... Read More
Start by Being QuotableIt's tough to stand out online. With... Read More
Have you ever wondered why Ezine Articles have become one... Read More
Take a look around the Web and you'll find thousands... Read More
This is precisely what I am doing here today (and... Read More
There are times when I want to write an article... Read More
Writing an article is not an easy task. You have... Read More
Whatever you're selling, writing articles to distribute freely amongst webmasters... Read More
Ever read one of those web articles written by an... Read More
One of the best ways to build credibility and promote... Read More
Article Writing |