Since I’m primarily an article writer, I thought I would give you my two cents worth about writing articles. Okay, so you have the greatest American Novel going on in your computer but you need to take a break and do some other writing for some fast cash or recognition or just a break. They are all wonderful. The best way I know how is to write articles that are about what is near and dear to your heart.
These next Five suggestions came from a writer friend, Carolyn. Very timely and very helpful. I have used them myself.
Informational- This article answers a question. If you want to know more about something chances are other people do too. More about the swine flu, the truth about global warming, more about the effects of mold and where it grows... whatever. Do your research and then write your heart away.
How-to- Begin with your own experience but make sure you FIND AN EXPERT for this type of article. An example of this was a story a writer did on "The Healtcare Jungle" that explained her experience trying to find insurance. If you've been given the run-around, write about how-to avoid your mistakes. The writer also spoke about "Take control of the clock" and talked to a number of time management experts. She loved it because it was something she wanted to do better. Nothing like free advice AND getting paid for it.
Profile- If you hear or read about someone who's done something remarkable, call them and ask for an interview. She spoke about a woman who was told she couldn't make a scrapbooking magazine but did anyway and just sold it off for $15 million. That's a story! She heard about another woman that was in counseling that was speaking about her adopted teenager. The counselor explained that she had given a baby up for adoption and they found out it happened to be the same child. Wow! The person doesn't need to be famous to be fascinating.
Personal Experience- If you have started a business, lost your wallet, entered a clutter contest, these are great ideas for articles. Do wild (not too wild) things so you can write about them. Think travel magazines. Personal stories are always a good bet on an interesting story.
Inspirational- As the economy gets tougher, inspirational stories will sell well. Look for people that have triumphed and tell their story. Sometimes it’s not any further than your own neighborhood.
Informational- This article answers a question. If you want to know more about something chances are other people do too. More about the swine flu, the truth about global warming, more about the effects of mold and where it grows... whatever. Do your research and then write your heart away.
How-to- Begin with your own experience but make sure you FIND AN EXPERT for this type of article. An example of this was a story a writer did on "The Healtcare Jungle" that explained her experience trying to find insurance. If you've been given the run-around, write about how-to avoid your mistakes. The writer also spoke about "Take control of the clock" and talked to a number of time management experts. She loved it because it was something she wanted to do better. Nothing like free advice AND getting paid for it.
Profile- If you hear or read about someone who's done something remarkable, call them and ask for an interview. She spoke about a woman who was told she couldn't make a scrapbooking magazine but did anyway and just sold it off for $15 million. That's a story! She heard about another woman that was in counseling that was speaking about her adopted teenager. The counselor explained that she had given a baby up for adoption and they found out it happened to be the same child. Wow! The person doesn't need to be famous to be fascinating.
Personal Experience- If you have started a business, lost your wallet, entered a clutter contest, these are great ideas for articles. Do wild (not too wild) things so you can write about them. Think travel magazines. Personal stories are always a good bet on an interesting story.
Inspirational- As the economy gets tougher, inspirational stories will sell well. Look for people that have triumphed and tell their story. Sometimes it’s not any further than your own neighborhood.
You might not get paid for all the article writing you do, (I don’t) but you get your name out there and your foot in the door. Give article writing a chance. It is a very satisfying career.
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