Home
>
Article Writing
>
Mining Your Experiences for that Article or Book

Mining Your Experiences for that Article or Book

Chances are good that the next article or book you read is based on the author's experience. In each publication, the author doesn't just relate his or her experience, but explains the benefits that he or she derived from it, such as lessons, suggestions and concepts.

So, if you are looking for something to write about, consider what has been happening to you lately, and how you have responded. For example, have you successfully resolved a situation with an effectively written complaint letter, been offered a job as the result of a great resume, began a successful home business, built something practically from scratch, become more resilient and successful after being fired? All of these experiences have potential for saleable articles and books.

But how do you start? Begin by taking inventory of all of your recent experiences. Next to each experience, write down an audience who might benefit, such as students, salespeople, jobseekers, entrepreneurs, or parents. Most likely, if your chosen audience is likely to have a similar experience, it would be an ideal audience. But don't stop there! List other possible audiences, such as investors, and perhaps a reason or two for their interest in your article or book.

Once you've chosen your audience and experience, it's time to milk that experience. For example, what mistakes can you help your audience avoid? What have you done successfully that can be duplicated by your audience(s)? What lessons did you learn and can share with your audience(s)? Remember that helping others to satisfy basic needs, such as the need for love and security, can suggest other directions and help you to put a new spin on common topics.

If your experience includes writing successful business letters, for example, you may have just enough material for an article. On the other hand, if you wish to explain in steps how to recover and prosper from a recent job loss, you may have plenty of material for a book!

The next step involves writing out your experience in more detail, from beginning to end. Doing this will give you material to refer to as well as select certain details from. How did you feel at the time? What were your initial reactions? How were others affected? What was the outcome? Would you do the same thing in a similar situation or not, and why?

If you have enough material for an article, create a working title, write a short introduction that may or may not include an anecdote, relate your experience and conclude with the lessons learned. Remember to check the magazine that you wish to write for and look at its articles, paying attention to their topics, introductions and content.

On the other hand, if you have enough material for a book, create a working title and a list of ten or more chapter descriptions. Remember that each double-spaced, typewritten chapter should consist of 15-20 or more pages. When you have done this, you will have an outline of your book. It might also be a good idea to decide how your book stands out from other published books on the same topic.

As in other writing, describing your experiences and explaining the lessons learned from them may take a little practice and time. But you are more likely to find a plethora of material to write about and see quicker results once you've submitted your work. Good luck in all of your efforts!

Dorothy Zjawin's published works have all been based on her experience as a teacher and college professor. She has included more ideas in her website at http://www.profitable-pen.com

cleaning team near Winnetka ..

In The News:

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Mining Your Experiences for that Article or Book

Article Writing