Posted by admin on July 12th, 2008 — Posted in Publishing Tips
As a prolific article writer I have been asked by some how I am able to generate so many quality articles in such a short period of time. Frankly, it isn’t always easy, but there are some things I would like to share with you in order that you may, perhaps, increase your production as I have. Increased production for you means additional and regular submissions resulting in greater exposure of your name on the world wide web. All of this should translate into more money for you, the chief reason for article marketing I might add.
In a seven month period this past year, I wrote over 400 articles that were submitted to various article directories on the internet. In addition, I wrote another 1100 articles for clients that were then delivered to them to publish on their own sites. These web content articles were all short, concise, and generally averaged below 250 words for each article. Most of my regular articles are typically 500 words in length with the rare article or two approaching 1500 words. Still, this achievement was no small feat for me, especially when the subject matter brought me into unfamiliar territory.
After much trial and error I have learned that the best way for me to keep my production high — while at the same time delivering useful and interesting content — meant that I had to streamline my operation. The following are some “tried and true” practices that I have put to the test and you can too.
Stick With What You Know — I don’t mind writing on subjects that I have little knowledge about, but in doing so I can get bogged down by excess research time. If I am writing for a client, I charge accordingly once they are aware that I am writing in an area that is outside of my particular areas of expertise and they are still desiring to utilize my services. As far as submitting articles to the online directories, I purely keep my subject matter limited to a handful of areas where I shine.
Start, Then Stop — There are times when I am in the midst of writing an article that I find myself unable to complete my undertaking due to a lack of information. If I cannot garner what I need right away, I put the unfinished article to the side until I obtain the information needed to complete the job. Let’s just say that I have a regular supply of “go-to” articles that I plan on finishing at a later time. I don’t get hung up on any one article, instead I move on and focus on the next. Overall, my production level stays high as I don’t let one article hamper my work flow.
Outlines, Everywhere — Well, not exactly. Still, there are times when I am in between projects, but still in the writing mood [which for me is almost always!] Therefore, what I do to stay busy is to craft a list of article subjects or titles and then work on writing an outline or two or three…you get the picture! Some of these outlines have come in handy when a client requests a specific topic. I simply pull out the outline, expand on each of the points I already have listed, and I flesh out my article. Quickly and almost effortlessly a draft version is ready and sent out for my client’s review. At times I use the same technique for submitting work to the various article directories.
Be Consistent — If you aren’t writing on a regular basis, getting started again can become much harder to do than if you were to write on a consistent basis. In the days before electronic fuel injection was standard equipment [guess which topic I write on chiefly?], a cold car could take long to warm up. Much like those particular automobiles of yesteryear you need a constant stream of fuel [articles] going to stay warm. The hotter you are, the more you will produce.
In all, article writing is an enjoyable task for some while it is laborious for others. As you write, do not overly concern yourself with style, grammar, punctuation, and verbiage as these are things you can massage once your draft is done. Break free of the article writing rut and get yourself into a working rhythm today. If you do, you will become a recognized and respected author in no time.
Copyright 2005 — Matt Keegan is The Article Writer a producer of high quality and informative articles for web sites, article directories, and print media. Matt invites you to http://www.thearticlewriter.com - visit his high performing site today to examine samples from his collection.
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Posted by admin on May 20th, 2008 — Posted in Publishing Tips
Have you ever worked for weeks or even months, often far beyond normal office hours on a special meeting event only to have it turn into THE PERFECT STORM. Well, maybe your entire crew didn’t perish at sea, but there were those clearly identifiable moments when it looked as if the ship was about to capsize. Although many meeting goblins can contribute to such disasters, sometimes the speaker can be one of the contributing causes. How can such terrors be avoided?
The first preventative measure is to choose your speaker carefully and by this I mean, look a little deeper than usual into his or her modus operendi. Far too often when problems arise, it is because the wrong or at least incomplete criteria were used in selecting the speaker. For instance, it is not uncommon for the only questions to be asked of a professional speaker after viewing their video to be: availability and cost. However, if you want to sleep easier at night, I would suggest that the following issues also be just as carefully considered.
Is the speaker a prima donna? Fortunately there are not too many of these around, but those there are give the rest of us a bad name. Whether a well known professional or a beginner, there is simply no excuse for anyone in or business to be arrogant. We are all there to serve the best interests of our clients and audiences. If not, we do not belong there at all. Any speaker that is arrogant, belligerent or just plain difficult to work with does not belong standing before your audience.
Is this speaker committed to adequately preparing before speaking. More and more meeting planners are asking speakers to truly customize their presentations in order to “reach out and touch” the specific audience where they are at. To do so means that the speaker must be willing to invest into understanding the issues that are at the forefront for each unique audience. This of course is a two way street, in that you must be willing to also take the time to ensure the speaker receives the opportunity to acquire the necessary inputs. However, in the final analysis it is the responsibility of the speaker to only take those engagements that they determine to be a proper fit and customization does not mean merely updating a few old stories and jokes or sprinkling in a few local names.
Coupled with the previous question is whether the speaker, given their good intentions, has the time to invest into your event? It is often possible to squeeze another few hours into an already overloaded schedule for one more “hit and run” engagement, but is that fair to the meeting planner, client and audience. Let’s face it, good speakers today are well compensated for what they do. This is fair, but it is also fair that we give a good measure of effort in return and that does not mean racing to yet another engagement dog tired, speaking and running for the airport before the audience is still applauding. Unfortunately, in this day of frequent and lengthy flight delays, there are already enough unexpected delayed arrivals in the wee hours of the morning and their attendant lack of sleep. These may be totally outside of the speaker’s control however, if they really want to serve, they will use their best efforts to schedule sufficient time for your engagement so that they have done what was within their power to arrive fresh, relaxed and ready mentally and physically for your event.
Finally, is the speaker’s content rich and current. There was a great deal of conversation at the Dallas NSA Annual Convention as to content and I have been hearing the same from speakers’ bureaus and meeting planners alike. Today we are living in difficult economic times. Daily the news is rife with stories of corporate cutbacks and layoffs. Few of us are are strictly entertainers, comedians, humorists, etc. Thus as professionals and experts who speak, we owe it to our clients, audiences and ourselves to bring real value in the form of positive solutions to the perplexing problems that they face.
Finally, look for the AAA approval rating: Ability, Authenticity and Attitude. With these three attributes at the forefront, you cannot go wrong in selecting your speaker!
Copyright 2005 by John Di Frances.
John Di Frances is an internationally recognized organizational
legacy expert and motivational
speaker. http://www.difrances.com
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Posted by admin on April 22nd, 2008 — Posted in Publishing Tips
In this high tech advanced world that we live in now, it
appears many may have forgotten books, or at least lost
touch with them for entertainment. We have television with
multitudes of channels and devices that allow you to record
programs and view them whenever you want so you can
basically have an unlimited supply of entertainment to view.
In a generation where virtually every household has a
computer with an internet connection, we can email, visit
chat rooms and more. There are chat rooms and websites on
every topic you can think of. So where does that leave books
in our lives?
What role do books play in your everyday life? Are they
dust-collectors on a library shelf? Do you pull them down
when you need to look for something or to find the
definition of unfamiliar text?
Unfortunately, books may have become less popular over the
years. We now have magazines and newspapers to read so some
people still get their daily reading. But many people don~t
read much more than that or the TV Guide.
Books come in many different forms. We have paperback and
hardcover and we have fiction and nonfiction. Some books are
meant to be reference materials. Some books are meant to
tell a story. When a person writes the story of their own
life it is called an autobiography. A book written about
someone else~s life is a biography.
Books are written about famous places in the world- and not
so famous places in the world. There are books about
presidents and governors and everyday people. There are
books about diseases and conditions and even self help books
teaching you how to lose weight, build self-esteem, recover
from loss and many more topics. Virtually anything you can
think of can be found in a book.
Then we have the world of fiction. Fiction books are made
up, make-believe, tales, stories from the mind of the
writer. Some fiction books are pretty far-fetched. Some
books are based on some fact. Some are so close to the
truth with just a few details enhanced or exaggerated to
make it more interesting.
With the rise of technology, book expenses have risen also.
Unfortunately, this only damages reading more. There are
several options for those wanting to have their enjoyment
of books. One format is electronic, or e-books. E-books can
be purchased online and downloaded instantly like a computer
program. They can then be read right on the computer screen.
Another option is book trade-outs and used book stores. Even
national airports are becoming involved in book trade-outs.
You can buy a book, read it on your flight, then return
it at your destination airport and get part of your cash
back. Someone else can then obtain that “used” book for a
lower price and the book cycle goes on.
In this technological world, we still need to remember that
none of it would be possible without the printed word.
About the Author
Sophie Ann Rosario is founder of All About Books an excellent resource site dedicated to information about books.
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Posted by admin on April 8th, 2008 — Posted in Publishing Tips
Public speaking, writing, and reading are a lot more interrelated that most people would think. You might think of them as brothers, and sisters of creative processes. There is also a certain hierarchy involved. You have to read to write, then you have to write to speak.
Without question the best way to improve your public speaking ability is to speak. Speak anywhere, anytime you can gain an invitation to do so. However it is also important for someone who wants to speak well, to write well. This is one of the biggest reasons beginning speakers are told to write their speeches out. One of the biggest advantages to this approach is it helps you gain structure to what you are trying to say. When I speak I have literally been known to rewrite my speech on the fly ! I can do this because I have strong writing skills. I can actually picture the outline of my speech in my head, without looking at my notes ! Writing your speech out also makes editing easier, because you can see it in front of you and think about it line by line. But the relationship between writing and speaking is more than just writing your speech out. It also includes writing things other than just your speeches. What you write doesn’t even matter. Write letters, articles whatever. The point is the better writer you become, the better speaker you become. Guess what ? The best way to become the best writer you can be, is to write incessantly.
Even though writing is the best way to become a better writer, there’s more that you can do. Read ! Read everything possible. One of the best things a person who wants to improve their writing skill can read is the daily newspaper. This ties directly into the two key advantages of reading to the writer. One especially with a newspaper, reading keeps you informed. From this you get topic ideas, and current information about your topic to feed your content creation. Second reading teaches you about words, how they should flow. Newspapers are good for this, in part because they are written to be understood by the average person. Reading a newspaper helps you learn how to explain things in an organized way. Even so don’t discount the value of reading top quality fiction. From this type of reading you can learn how to express things in a more narrative, entertaining way.
So remember that speaking, writing, and reading are not completely separate activities. They are in many ways, different aspects of the same craft. Being better at any of the three makes you better at all of them. Practice using this to your advantage.
Robert A. Crutchfield is president of Kingdom Relationship Ministries. He is a minister, public speaker, and success/relationships coach.He holds the Competent Leader Award from Toastmasters International, and is a Brainbench Certified Trainer. He is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Visit him online at http://www.kingdomrelationships.org.
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Posted by admin on March 31st, 2008 — Posted in Publishing Tips
You want your business to be noticed by thousands daily. Online ezine publishers and webmasters are constantly looking for new, original content. They want and need your articles. This is a promotion marriage made in heaven. But you will have a much better chance of being chosen if you write an article that solves a problem for your audience. Give each article an angle.
Let’s assume they are business people like yourself who need a problem solved–to stop procrastinating, write a book, promote their business, develop a loving relationship.
What Format Suits You?
1. Write a how-to-article.
Information hungry people want this one! First, open with a hook–something that will entice your reader to keep reading. Then, write a short introduction on the background of the problem and the need for your solutions. Follow with solutions in a new paragraph. You can number these if you wish.
Don’t worry about giving away the store. Readers will judge you by your concise style and content, and will be attracted to see what else you offer.
Make a list of topics you know or that relate to your business. Take one at a time and write a short piece on it. You can write a short article under 500 words or a longer one if you desire.
For solutions to the problem, give information and resources that will assist your audience. Here’s some sample article titles from my clients: How to Procrastinate to Your Heart’s Desires; How to Create Employees Who Can Hardly Wait to Get to Work Each Day; and Promote your Coaching and Speaking Business Through Free Articles.
2. Write tips.
This kind of article takes the shortest time to write and is also the easiest format. Even if you think you can’t write, you can write this kind of article.
Always include an introduction with your thesis–the point you want to prove, or the problem you are about to solve. Usually one or two sentences are enough. Include a one or two sentence conclusion in which you add one more punchy way to stimulate your reader to act. Remember to include your power-packed signature file below each article or tip.
To write a tip:
1. Start with a command such as ” Do this.”
2. Follow that by the consequence of not following the tip. Or, show a benefit of following the tip.
3. Show examples or resources to solve a problem and put the tip into action.
Write an article with 3, 5, 7 or 10 tips in it. It’s best to give a complete tip as listed above rather than just a list. Don’t bore people with a long list.
Article Coaching Client examples: “Seven Mistakes People Make When they Create a Web Site” or “10 Ways to Organize your Online Office.”
3. Write a myth and solutions article.
This kind of article is one of my favorites because myths abound in book publishing and Online promotion. These keep authors from expressing their brilliance. Emerging authors think that traditional publishers will actually promote them. How about this myth? “Bookstores are a great place to sell books” or “you need an agent or publisher to write and publish a well-respected book,” “you need the print media to publicize your products or service,” or “you need $5000-$10,000 to self publish.
In one myth article accepted by an ezine sent to over 29,000 subscribers, the book coach then shares the real truth and what aspiring writers can do about it to succeed.
4. Write an interview.
Choose a credible expert or dynamic online personality to interview, and offer not only how-to-solutions, but allow the public to see the personal side of the person. I have participated in several of these. It’s a great way to be seen by thousands of people Online each time the article runs. Interviews are usually done in question and answer format over email. Always use specific questions to get more interesting answers. You can also recycle this information for more content on your Web site or in your own ezine.
5. Write your success story.
Author Debbie Allen asked me to write my online marketing success story for her new book. I shared this: Two friends dragged me to the Web–one insisted I set up a Web sitethe other introduced me to the concept of coaching via telephone, and using email such as an online newsletter to draw new clients and stay in touch with other ones.
Curious and willing, I spent time expanding my teleseminar and ebook business Online. Learning from information articles, I wrote nine new books to help others succeed on Online and never looked back.
My second Web site’s sales jumped from $75 to $2265 in just five months. In eight months, sales soared to $3000 plus. Just checking in 2004, sales are up to over $4000. Consistent sales each month make up over 1/2 my income.
I thought, I need to share this gold with others! And, so a success story is born and shared with anywhere from 1000 to 500,000 ezine readers in cyberspace each time they read this article. It’s also included in Debbie’s print book “Brazen Online Promoters” published in 2002, 2004. She used three of my articles.
You have ideas for your article format. Now choose an outstanding title and include the largest benefit to solving a challenge in the title. No matter who your article is aimed at, it is well on its way to being a top Online and offline promotion method for your business. Part two of this article is available at www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-87.shtml.
Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” and “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com
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