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

---

Article Marketing Benefits Online Retailers

Strategically developing online content helps to ensure a small-business owner's... Read More

Write From Home: Lessons From The Editors

Writers talk about rejection all the time ? just part... Read More

Article Writing: Breaking Writers Block

It is amazing to see how much we all still... Read More

5 Great Benefits To Writing Articles On The Internet!

Marketing on the internet can be a costly procedure, especially... Read More

3 Article Outline Essentials

Most writers I talk with who experience "writer's block" do... Read More

Article Writing: Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from My English Teacher

By now you probably understand how important writing for trade... Read More

Writing a Statement

You have decided on a great idea and researched a... Read More

Five Great Ideas For Your Next Article

It's amazing how quickly free articles can generatetraffic - my... Read More

Direct Sales Reps CAN Write Articles - Heres How!

We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More

So You Want to Be a Web Copywriter?

I get tons of emails from people who want to... Read More

Article Writing Dos and Donts

Still following along on the Copywriter's Crash Course in article... Read More

Are You Submitting Your Articles?

Last month, I began promoting Jason Potash's "Article Announcer." I... Read More

Article Writing For Fame And Fortune

How would you like to have your name and web... Read More

Articles That Sizzle - Top Ten Topics

There's one key rule that every writer should understand before... Read More

How to Find Ideas for Articles & Speeches

Do you have problems finding ideas for articles and speeches?I... Read More

Building Websites with Articles

I've been blogging occasionally over the last two months about... Read More

How to Get Started on Writing Killer Articles

I once wrote an article in which I offered the... Read More

Effective Affiliate Marketing Using Articles

Every day thousands of people join affiliate programs and yet... Read More

Writing Articles To Build Your Online Presence - A Beginners Guide

One of the most effective (and free!) ways to get... Read More

9 Top Ways To Get Ideas For Your Next High Quality Article

Thanks to recent information that leaked by Google within their... Read More

SEO Article Writing 101

SEO writing is very different from content writing, article writing,... Read More

Publish Articles on Numerous Subjects and Attract More Readers

Writers have one basic need -- readers. We all want... Read More

Resource Box Rules: Winning Tactics

Lets face it people use articles to send traffic to... Read More

Niche Marketing: The Power Of Articles

If you haven't considered the power of articles as part... Read More

7 Important Elements of Any Article - Miss Just 1 Element and Your Article is Doomed

These 7 Important Elements are your Blueprint to Article Writing... Read More

Correct Formatting Maximizes Effectiveness of Online Articles

Understanding the rules of correct formatting for online articles will... Read More

How to Write Inspirational Articles for Newsletters

Inspirational articles were once limited to self-help and religious publications,... 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

Reprint Article Headlines ? the Reader is Secondary

A great headline can be the difference between having your... Read More

A Writers Glossary (Part One)

Find definitions from A to G! A About... Read More

Creating A Great Print Newsletter

The traditional print media newsletter is still useful even in... Read More

One Well-Placed Article Nets 616 Mentions in Google

Evaluation of a Home-Run ArticleI've been writing articles and posting... Read More

Review of Ezine Article Creator V2.0

By now most entrepreneurs realize that the most cost effective... Read More