Most writers I talk with who experience "writer's block" do not get bogged down by the content of the article, rather they are stopped by the outline proper. Without an outline, there can be no article. You can write effectively by remembering three essentials; I will share with you how your success or failure in article writing depends on mastering these essentials.
So, what are the essentials? You already know them: your topic sentence, the body of your article, and your conclusion. A fourth essential, your title, can and should be derived from your topic sentence. Thus, if you have a title it is your topic sentence and vice versa.
The problem many writers have is really with the second essential, the body of the article. Too often this is what holds up the outline, and ultimately the article, from being successfully completed. What is the answer for you? Bullets. That's right, think of three or four generalized points and make them the highlights of your body. For example, if you are writing a product review on the Chrysler 300M your bullets could be:
1. The car's unique style.
2. The car's performance.
3. Chrysler's success with the model.
4. Special price offers for the car.
Take each "bullet" and expand the thought further by naming at least 3 related thoughts. For example, with bullet #1 you could mention that the car is boxy, with big wheels, and possesses a solid grill.
Bullet #2 could speak about the car's engine, speed, fuel performance, and interior.
Bullet #3 could stress how the 300M has successfully pulled up Chrysler's sales, you could compare it with its chief competitors, and you might want to make mention how it compares with its "twin," the Dodge Magnum.
Finally, bullet #4 might cover any specials Chrysler is running on the car, financing and leasing options, and warranty information.
Once you have the bullets in place and have identified the related thoughts associated with each bullet, it is time for you to write. In this sample case [the review of Chrysler's 300M] you will probably come up with four solid paragraphs containing an average of six sentences each.
Oh, did I mention the conclusion? Perhaps you will want to leave the conclusion out of the article until the body is done. Yes, this flies into the face of what your English Composition teacher taught you in high school, but it can be a fun thing to do. Why? As you write your body you will see that you can "move" in a variety of ways as you make your point. Once you are satisfied with your point, then write the conclusion [or summation] based on the body.
Most articles of 500-600 words can be written and written well with as little as three bullets. Longer articles require additional bullets or, at the very least, you will need to expound further on points that you have made.
You do not need to be held hostage by your outline, or lack thereof. Create a simple outline that can be expanded as you master the bullets which comprise the body of your article. In no time you will be writing strong, persuasive, and interesting articles and your writer's block will be nothing but a dim memory.
(c)2005; Matthew C. Keegan, LLC
Matt Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of subjects. In addition, Matt designs websites and manages web communities. To view his portfolio, please visit http://www.thearticlewriter.com
expert residential cleaners Park Ridge ..Frequently when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
Well maybe it's not that "little known" but some people... Read More
One of the most common blunders by those using article... Read More
Writing articles for online newsletters and websites can be a... Read More
As you write the outline for your next article, there... Read More
Many successful authors close their mind to learning HTML because... Read More
Increase your ezine subscribers by submitting articles once or twice... Read More
Inspirational articles were once limited to self-help and religious publications,... Read More
When you create your articles in TextPad format, something like... Read More
Speak to an Audience that Reaches across the GlobeAs a... Read More
I get asked all the time, "Lorrie, how can I... Read More
Although this may sound like a funny metaphor, if you... Read More
Now that you see that articles are the number one... Read More
Selling books online means that you need to get interested... Read More
Marketing on the internet can be a costly procedure, especially... Read More
Do you know the difference between simultaneous article submissions and... Read More
It is not my intention to give you a 5... Read More
Writing and distributing articles on the internet is one of... Read More
If you've spent any time online trying to promote your... Read More
How are you marketing your articles? As a writer prospecting... Read More
Currently many online writers and would-be online writers, feel very... Read More
Looking to build your freelance writing career but don't know... Read More
Knowing exactly what an editor wants.Unfortunately, many new writers struggle... Read More
Submitting well planned articles on-line will increase traffic and can... Read More
Would it be worth it to master a technique that... Read More
green cleaning service Park Ridge ..There's a new sort of ghost stalking the digital landscape.They... Read More
Many internet home business owners today have learnt that one... Read More
Rule number one - You must write ezine articles and... Read More
A huge problem for many people who are working on... Read More
Article Marketing Connects you Directly to Readers Even brilliantly-written articles... Read More
Much has been touted about the effectiveness of article writing... Read More
Thanks to recent information that leaked by Google within their... Read More
Evaluation of a Home-Run ArticleI've been writing articles and posting... Read More
Writing articles has proven time and time again to be... Read More
A simple technique to increase web site traffic is using... Read More
Are you ready to become an internet marketing expert? Are... Read More
If you are not creating articles for your website and... Read More
The traditional print media newsletter is still useful even in... Read More
Find definitions from H to P... ~~~~~~~~~~~ H ~~~~~~~~~~~ Haiku... Read More
Every webmaster knows that to gain ranking positions in search... Read More
When writing articles for publication, it is important that you... Read More
No one can logically argue against the fact that content... Read More
When I started Ezine-In-A-Box I wanted to help people publish... Read More
Queries are not written like business letters or emails; they... Read More
As we prepared to move our 12,000 article database from... Read More
You may be wondering what persuasive writing has to do... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
There is some wisdom in saying that when you are... Read More
1. Choose A Topic.You need to choose either a hot... Read More
Article marketing works like this. The majority of webmasters are... Read More
Article Writing |