Red Hot Article Writing Tips
You have to write good articles if you want people to read them. It doesn't have to be hard. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles can be fun and profitable. You'll be well on your way to writing sizzling articles if you just keep a few pointers in mind.
Red Hot Tip #1 - Use Attention Grabbing Titles
Creative Writing Titles Look Good
An enticing title will encourage people to click on your article and read it. To make a powerful title, use statements or questions that include keywords that people are already looking for.The title should be concise, yet descriptive. Examples: "How to Get Girls," or "How to Win a Woman's Heart." You could also use titles that command action: "Make Her Worship You in Seven Easy Steps."
If a title is in tune with a person's desire, it's going to get his attention.
The Writing Poll
Red Hot Tip #2 - Use Short Paragraphs
When Writing Paragraphs, Keep it Short!
People skim rather than read when they're looking for information on the web. They're on the hunt for something that solves a problem or answers a question. Long paragraphs end up looking like a jumbled mess to anyone who wants information fast.The internet is a vast resource. You have a lot of competitors. If your paragraphs are long and rambling, your reader will click the back button and find something else to read faster than you can say "sizzling fajitas."
How to Write a Lot
How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 07/06/2009)
Although this book is mostly geared toward academic writers, I think the advice in this book could benefit any writer. The author of "How to Write a Lot" explains how to be a more productive writer without sacrificing all your weekends.
Red Hot Tip #3 - Write Lists
Writing lists can be a powerful way to deliver information. Lists help keep your information succinct, organized, and easy to digest. A list can also lend an air of authority to your article.Numbered or bulleted lists get people's attention, which is probably why lists are so popular on social bookmarking sites.
Red Hot Tip #4 - Be Interesting
If you want your articles to get read, they need to be interesting. This quality is hard to pinpoint, of course. Telling someone to be interesting is like telling someone to make enchiladas that everyone likes. Alas, not everyone likes Mexican food.However, just like someone can learn how to make good enchiladas that most people like, so too can you learn to write articles that appeal to most people. You can do this by knowing your audience, telling anecdotes that your readers can relate to, writing in a conversational way, and even by using metaphors or similes when appropriate.
Tip: The best way to be interesting is to be genuinely interested in the topic yourself.
Writing Articles About the World Around You
Writing Articles About the World Around You
"This is a wonderful book for beginning writers and a refreshing, enlightening, and inspiring book for veteran writers. Sometimes, we get so busy with our writing careers that we forget to take the time to look at the beauty around us and write about it. This book will bring back the life in any tired, worn writer, while encouraging, and uplifting the person who wants to write but doesn't know where to begin!"
- Alyice Edrich, Amazon Reviewer
Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009)
Red Hot Tip #5 - Quote Exact Numbers and Figures
Which sentence sounds more authoritative:"Many Americans die from heart disease,"
or,
"Over 2,500 Americans die from heart disease each day."
Depending on the subject, numbers impress people. Verified statistics can make you sound more like an authority on your subject. Just don't go overboard with this or turn your article into a formal essay; it should still flow like a friendly conversation.
Red Hot Tip #6 - Edit Ruthlessly
Proofread and Edit!
Misspellings, grammar errors, redundancy, and rambling can all hurt your writing. You will come across as less professional and less knowledgeable when your article is strewn with typos and errors. It tells people that you couldn't even bother to use spell check.That's why you should proofread your article. Correct errors and delete unnecessary words. Rewrite or remove rambling sentences that bog down your points.
Book Recommendation for Writing Magazine Articles
Writer's Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing
"I have developed a life-long habit of taking notes of every book I read. My bookmark is a blank piece of paper on which I write things of interest that strike me as I read along. Within a couple of pages of "The Handbook" I stopped taking notes. If I had continued, I would have had as many pages of notes as the book is long. This book is jam packed with very useful information for those thinking of a career as a magazine writer. I have just begun working in this field, and I must say that there is not an area not covered by the 56 contributors to this work. This is like a college course that instructs you on how to find ideas for articles, how to write a great query letter, the dollars and cents of running your own free-lance business, researching, interviewing, developing a style, it is all-inclusive. If you have thoughts of becoming a magazine writer, you can cut out a lot of the uncertainty, stress, waste motions, and rejections of this business by studying this book. I daresay I'll be turning to this handbook on at least a weekly basis. Thank you to the editor and contributors for a job very well done."
- Tom Bruce, Amazon Reviewer
Amazon Price: $11.55 (as of 07/06/2009)
Secret Article Profits
This report explains how you can make money with short 300 word articles. You don't need a website to get started with the techniques described here. It even explains how to write articles quickly, how to avoid some of the most common writing mistakes, how to build a steady income stream, and more.Read this eBook...
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Care to Share Your Tips?
What strategies work for you when you're writing articles?
boshemia wrote...
Wonderful lens, I love writing but I'm not always sure how to translate that into something readers want to read.
Posted January 08, 2009
annetteghallowell wrote...
Great advice! I like to think that I write well. I know that I write much better in a conversational style. It is easier for me to stay focused that way! 5*
Posted August 20, 2008
cherangelry wrote...
Thanks for this lens. Personally, I've found that when I use an outline to "pre-write" an article, the structure is much tighter and the whole article is much more professional. Some people can do it without this step, but it's helped me a lot! 5*
Posted March 28, 2008
