Top Seven Tips for Writing Articles on the Internet

Top Seven Tips for Writing Articles on the Internet
Judy Cullins © 2003 All Rights Reserved.

Online readers love information, but be sure your information is
crisp, clean, clear and concise.

1. Keep your paragraphs short, even a line or two. Online
readers will ignore long batches of words in long paragraphs,
whether in an ezine or at a Web site. That costs the author a lot
of book sales. Respect readers who want material short and
sweet.

2. Write tips in their correct format. First, use a verb command,
such as "do this." Follow this by the benefits of doing it or by
the cost of not doing it. Then, end with a how-to, Web resource,
book title, or recommended coach. Use this three-sentence
formula to bring the curious to you.

3. Make your heading compelling. If you haven't tested it on
associates, or haven't edited it at least five times, it says
"lackluster." People will delete it or click on to something new.
Which one will you read? "How to Write an Article," or "Sell
300 Books in One Month by Writing a Short Article?"

4. Get to the point quickly-in the title and the first line. Keep
your introduction down to a sentence or two, the same for a
conclusion.

5. Tell your readers what you want them to do. They are waiting
for your magic formula to make them richer, healthier, or enjoy
great relationships. Make your copy strong, clear, and direct.

6. Target your article to your preferred audience. Not everyone
will want your information, so include your audience in the title or
introduction. When you focus your information, you write more
compelling, focused copy that your readers will love. They will
reward you by checking to where your book is sold.

7. Eliminate all superfluous words such as adjectives and
adverbs like "ly" and passive verbs. Because of a lack of effort,
novices ruin their work with sentences full of "is" and "was"
linking verbs instead of bold verbs. Neither books, nor articles
will sell with these "slugs."

Keep these tips in mind, so that your article will attract targeted
potential buyers of your service, your Web site, and your
products.