Affiliate marketing, ezines, and content writing are just a few of the freelance writing areas that have seen a major upswing in popularity. However, this has also brought out everyone who ever thought about writing. Not all of these writers know what they should and should not do. The difference between a good writer and a successful writer is implementing the following tips for successful writing.
What Article Writers Should Do
Successful articles writers all follow the same basic guidelines when writing. Even those writers who have a natural talent for word flow and creativity know the following course of action is what article writers should do:
- Research – Regardless of how much knowledge the writer thinks he has on a subject, research is necessary for presenting accurate information to readers.
- Titles – Article titles should briefly and simply convey the articles content. It is the first thing readers see and while it should garner their attention, it should not do so at the abandonment of the article itself.
- The title and subtitle both should be easily picked up by search engines and directly relate to the keyword of the article.
- Coordination and Paragraphs – The writing itself should tight and focused on the topic. There should be an introduction with the key point stated, the body expanding on the key point and a summation at the end.
- Paragraphs for online articles should be shorter than for printed materials. Readers who search for a subject scan pages rapidly; short paragraphs are easier to read.
- Word Choice – Word choice should match the tone of the article or the audience to which it is being written. Simple is best. Unless technical language is necessary plain, grammatically correct English is best.
- Key Words – A word about keywords. Keywords are necessary to make article detected by search engines, however, overuse can cause search engines to think the article was submitted by robots.
- Revisions – Proofing and revising is a must. Submitting articles with typos, misspellings and incorrect grammar is unacceptable. Write, take a break and then re-read and revise if necessary.
What Not to Do
All businesses have a code of ethics and morals that they work by, article directories are no different. The following are things article writers should not do if they want their articles submitted to online directories:
- Sexually Explicit Material – Sexually explicit articles should only be submitted to adult only sites. Not only will the article be rejected by mainstream websites, the reputation of the writer is tarnished.
- Sales Pitch – Articles are not the place to pitch a product or service. They are for informative reading. The resource area for the article can direct reader’s to the author’s website for more information.
- Insults or Defamation – Never insult or use racism or discrimination in articles. Some directories will refuse publication and the writer’s name is tarnished as well.
- Plagiarism or Copying – Writers should always credit any sources they use when writing articles. Additionally, writers should never, ever copy the work of another writer. This amounts to outright theft.
These tips for successful article writing are simple keys to the new writer’s entrance to article writing. Regardless of whether writing for self-submission to article directories or for paying clients who use articles for marketing, the dos and don’ts stay the same.
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