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
maide service in Lincolnshire ..Understanding the rules of correct formatting for online articles will... Read More
A lot of great ideas happen when two or more... Read More
It's all the rage. It's what everyone is talking about.... Read More
Your publicity dreams may include being featured in Forbes, Fortune,... Read More
It's amazing how quickly free articles can generatetraffic - my... Read More
The Shortest Distance to Your Home Town Enterprise is Over... Read More
One question I get asked all the time is how... Read More
You pick a pen, grab a piece of paper and... Read More
As an article author, sometimes you can only pull so... Read More
Many writers struggle with the decision of whether or not... Read More
Last time on "Because your articles suck" ? we discussed... Read More
Article marketing-the simple act of writing one 400 word article... Read More
I've been able to distinguish 3 main categories that people... Read More
IntroductionThere are two ways to submit to magazine editors.One is... Read More
Publishing articles on the Internet is a tremendous way to... Read More
This author started with a clean website and wrote 5... Read More
Do you have problems finding ideas for articles and speeches?I... Read More
Would it be worth it to master a technique that... Read More
Who remembers the 1979 movie, The Jerk with Steve Martin?... Read More
The more you write, the larger your impact. If that's... Read More
It is no secret among internet marketers that writing articles... Read More
If you're sick of being #987 for your best Google... Read More
One of my subscribers writes 'I can't hold my tongue... Read More
If you are using articles to promote your business then... Read More
It's no secret-link exchanges are dying a painful death. And... Read More
cleaning lady near Deerfield ..Although this may sound like a funny metaphor, if you... Read More
Well maybe it's not that "little known" but some people... Read More
There is probably no easier way of earning extra money... Read More
Online PR in the form of website and ezine article... Read More
A recent debate started me thinking about how some marketing... Read More
Every day thousands of people join affiliate programs and yet... Read More
I am often approached and asked, how do I write... Read More
By now you probably understand how important writing for trade... Read More
The five essential questions to be answered in your article... Read More
Get the Facts you need to start promoting you free... Read More
Evaluation of a Home-Run ArticleI've been writing articles and posting... Read More
Queries are not written like business letters or emails; they... Read More
How to write an informative article?The following tips can help... Read More
Inspirational articles were once limited to self-help and religious publications,... Read More
Writers have one basic need -- readers. We all want... Read More
Earlier, I published part 1 of this series, which contained... Read More
Yesterday I met a 13-year old boy with a devilish... Read More
If you've spent any time online trying to promote your... Read More
Every successful website needs to be, what the experts consider,... Read More
If you have an entertainment website then you're always looking... Read More
What's the quickest, easiest way to get exposure for your... Read More
When writing articles for publication, it is important that you... Read More
Last time on "Because your articles suck" ? we discussed... Read More
The goal of free publicity is to get your name... Read More
You may be wondering what persuasive writing has to do... Read More
Article Writing |