Stop Struggling and Write Your Article

Don't let overwhelm hold you back- follow this expert advice and start writing your promotional article today.

As a writing coach, I frequently work with independent professionals who have great ideas for promotional articles, but no idea how to start writing them. Here are the first three of six essential steps to help you get clear about your subject, kick-start your process, and ensure your article is ready to go.

1. Have something you really, really want to say. It seems obvious, but before you write, make sure there's a point you want to make, a story you want to tell, advice you just have to give. You've got to be a little bit burning to write, or your message will ramble, you'll be bored, and there'll be no connection with your reader.

Before you write, see if you can state the kernel of what you want to say in one sentence. If you can make it intriguing, all the better:

"Here are six guaranteed ways to kick-start your writing."

"Here's why my divorce was hell and how you can avoid that experience."

"The best way to have a tidy office is to get rid of your office."

If you can't state your premise in one sentence, either you're not clear on your message or you have more than one topic. Take some time and get clear on that single thing you want to say. We want one topic in depth, not skimming the surface of several.

If you're stuck on your article, or getting bogged down or confused as you write, you can be sure you need more focus. So take a deep breath and put your article away until you can state your one-sentence premise.

2. Create an outline. I used to be one of those "jump in, bang ahead and follow your nose" type of writers. And guess what? Every time I tried to write, I'd run out of steam. I'd lose focus, so I wouldn't finish; or, if I did finish, I'd have to edit a huge, rambling mess. Ugh. The whole process took weeks and was extremely discouraging.

You see, I was writing fiction, and I had this idea that it was more "creative" and "artistic" to just jump in. Making an outline seemed so predictable and dull.

My awakening came when I began writing non-fiction articles. Here's why: I had to communicate a message, and communicate it clearly. I had to write coherent, logical paragraphs, in strong, simple language. And I couldn't take weeks to write every article, or I'd be, well, pretty darn old before anything was ready.

So, give me predictable and dull (for process, that is-not results!). Starting with an outline frees up my energy and attention for the actual writing and saves me one to two complete days of editing per article.

A great way to create an outline is to read other people's articles, analyse their structure, and use that structure for your own. Be sure to choose well-written articles by established professionals in your field.

Here's an example of an outline I created by deconstructing an article I'd read:

• intriguing introduction

• statement of the problem

• case history to demonstrate your solution

• list of practical tips

• upbeat conclusion

Fill this out in point form, making sure that there's a logical progression of thoughts. Then flesh out your points. You can write a first draft of a 1,500-word article in a day or two, put it away for a day, go back and tighten it up. You're done.

Please note-using an article's structure is fine, using someone else's words is plagiarism (theft of their intellectual property).

Here's the great part: You can simply use the same structure over and over. No one will notice, or care, because the content will be different each time.

3. Consider using lists. People love to know the 10 best ways, the five secrets, the 12 essentials. Be honest-don't you always take a peek at an article whose title promises "Five ways to enhance your love life" or "10 secrets to financial independence"? There's something almost addictive about reading these lists, like nibbling popcorn or potato chips.

Here's my take on what makes lists enticing:

Readers love the tidbit form. The items in the list break up your article into manageable chunks of information, and also provide visual clues for skimming the page. Face it, you've done some of the reader's work for her (and who isn't grateful for a bit less work?).

Lists create an air of authority and credibility. After all, it takes confidence to promise "the 10 best ways" to do something.

This format creates a ready-made action plan for the reader.

For you, the writer, a list makes the process much less daunting. It's less stressful to tackle writing your article if you know that you can divide it into five or 12 info-bytes comprising a paragraph or two each. And lists force you to be concise and direct.

You can use a list as the structure for your entire article, or you can include a list within a longer, more narrative-style piece of writing. One way to do this is to offer your reader a concluding list of practical tips coming out of your article's premise.

This is a great strategy for staying connected with your readers. If you're discussing "big" concepts that threaten to become too vague, give your reader an agenda:

"Now that we've discussed the importance of being organized at work, here are five actions you can take.

About The Author

David Roddis, The Writers' Coach, helps independent professionals write killer marketing copy, promotional articles and information products that attract more clients. Go to http://www.coachdavid.ca/fasttrack1 to join his mailing list and receive a free copy of "12 questions to fast-track your article". For more information, visit http://www.coachdavid.ca.

---

Reaping The Amazing Benefits of Writing E-zine Articles

Marketing on a budget is tough. This is a universal... Read More

Using Anecdotes - Remember, People Like to Read About People

Okay, I admit it: I'm a keen people-watcher. (Most writers... Read More

Adsense Authors: Who Are These People?

Adsense is a program designed by Google to help publishers... Read More

20 Ways Posting Unique Articles Online will Bring You Fame and Fortune

You're Invited... Visualize your article going out like a party... Read More

How to Write Articles to Sell Your Book

Selling books online means that you need to get interested... Read More

Four Tips For Getting More Mileage From Your Articles

It has become common knowledge that the smartest and most... Read More

How to Use Articles to Generate Free Traffic to Your Website

Writing articles that are available for reprint is an excellent... Read More

How I Manage My List of Where I Post Articles Online

Article Marketing Connects you Directly to Readers Even brilliantly-written articles... Read More

Do You Have the Characteristics of an Article Writer?

In order to answer the question I've just asked in... Read More

Sticky Leads

The first twenty-five words of your article are the most... Read More

Keyword Article Writing: the Key to Your Success!

Ready to jump on the keyword article bandwagon? Billions of... Read More

Why a Good-Quality Photo Should Accompany Your Articles

I'm betting that that 3 out of 4 of you... Read More

How To Rank Your Articles Higher in Search Engines

All of us, the authors, know that to enhance our... Read More

Simultaneous Article Submission

Do you know the difference between simultaneous article submissions and... Read More

Giving Yourself the Right to Write

"But I've only been on the Internet 3 months! How... Read More

Article Marketing 101 ? Article Writing Establishes You as an Expert

If you market online, whether it be your own information... Read More

How To Master Article Writing To Get More Traffic

If you are starving for traffic, can't seem to consistently... Read More

Writing Articles

You say, I can't write an article, I have no... Read More

Marketing Your Home Business in Just 30 Minutes a Week

It's all the rage. It's what everyone is talking about.... Read More

How Your Online Business Can Generate Loads Of Free Traffic From Articles

The biggest challenge facing any online business today is how... Read More

Get High Quality Traffic by Writing Articles

One of the best ways to promote your website is... Read More

Article Marketing

A revolutionary marketing device that I call article marketing I... Read More

You Really Can Make Money With Your Words

Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More

4 Major Mistakes to Avoid when Writing an Article

By avoiding these common mistakes, you will greatly improve your... Read More

Why Article Writing is Increasingly Important in This SPAM Era

There is no doubt that Spam has affected online business... Read More

Article Writing: How to Sound Like the Expert You Are

You, too, can become a recognized expert in your specialized... Read More

How To Write A Profit Pulling Article

Having an article published is one of the fastest and... Read More

Ambition versus Dedication

All writers aspire to recognition, but are we dedicated? Ambition... Read More

Copywriters and Article Marketing: What Should You Write?

So you've decided to market your home-based copywriting business through... Read More

5 Simple Ways To Get Ideas For Awesome Articles!

1. Participate in chat rooms related to your targeted audience.... Read More

Boost Your Expert Status, Write Articles

Writing an article is not an easy task. You have... Read More

Why You Need an Article-Marketing Strategy before Posting a Single Article Online II

This is Part 2 of a 2 part article -... Read More

10 Ways Writing Articles Can Improve Your Business

Writing articles has proven time and time again to be... Read More