Write? Right!

I gotta tell you . . . writing is the one thing about being on
the web that I just don’t enjoy as much as, say, installing and
testing scripts or designing a web site. Writing has always been
a chore for me. Those of you who have been subscribers for a while
know this by the amount of time that goes by between my newsletters ;-).

Even this one – I’ve been hemming and hawing for more than a week now
just trying to decide on a subject.

It has been said in so many places that to put out a newsletter
is easy because of the amount of fr*e content that’s available on
the net. And I suppose that’s true. I could peruse the net and find
articles – in fact, I DO. All my newsletters contain an article I
have read and particularly enjoy.

But I still feel that it’s necessary to contribute something original.
There are several reasons for this:
Credibility – Why would people want to read your newsletter
when you don’t even contribute to it yourself?

Content – If you write your own articles, then you are
guaranteed to have fresh content.

Visibility – Once you start writing articles, you will get
to the point where you will start to submit them to ezines,
article databases, etc. This is a great traffic builder!

Anyone who reads my articles knows – I am no writer. I’ll never
win any awards. But each one I write gets a little easier. Even a
little more fun. You start to realize that you really do have
something to say. You even start to believe that what you have to
say has an impact on SOME one. That maybe one or two of your readers
become inspired through one of your articles. That’s where the
rush is for me.

My problem is imagination. Or lack of one, really. I find it hard
to come up with an article idea. Even in this day and age of
information at your fingertips you still need to sit and brainstorm
for ideas. For me this is the hardest part of writing. It’s amazing,
though, once you have found the subject you want to write about how
it will just flow once you start.

Over time I have learned a few tips about preparing your next article
or ezine. Some of these tips come from the numerous books I have
read on the subject – the rest from personal trial and error.

1. Always carry a small notebook and pencil or pen. This tip I
think has helped me the most. There are times when an idea
will pop in to your head, but by the time you get home – poof!
It’s gone. With this handy little tool you can write down your
ideas as they come. A small recorder will do the same thing.

2. Schedule yourself brainstorming time. You really need to make a
conscious effort to brainstorm. If you plan this first, you will
find yourself thinking ahead and putting yourself in the right
frame of mind to do this.

3. Create the right environment. It is very important to create the
best environment for yourself. I prefer shutting the door to my
office, with my light snack and bottle of water. I prefer doing
this at night, after everyone is in bed. I also enjoy some
soothing backround music – either easy listening jazz or baroque.

4. Focus yourself. If you need the internet for research, that’s fine.
Just restrict yourself to the research at hand. I can’t tell you
how often I found myself, two hours later, surfing some unrelated
sites and being no closer to my goal. It’s easy to get side-tracked
so watch yourself.

5. LIMIT yourself. Provided you can stay focused on the task at hand,
you should limit yourself to a certain amount of time. You don’t
want to burn yourself out and end up hating the task. Get youself
a clock or watch and choose a comfortable time limit. I usually
give myself thirty minutes at a time. It may not seem like a lot
of time, but remember – if you focus on the task at hand, you will
accomplish a lot.

6. Organize your research. You will no doubt find so much information
on your subject. Set yourself up with a file or notebook that is
only for your article information. I can’t tell you HOW you should
set this up because I don’t know you. But if you want to read an
outstanding book on creating ezines then you should check out “Too
Busy To Create A Profitable Ezine” by Ann Rusnak. It’s one of the
best books I’ve read. http://www.getresultsquicker.com/services.htm

7. Write often. Practice makes (almost) perfect. It truly DOES get
easier the more you do it. Don’t get discouraged. If your first
article isn’t all that good, write another one. Then another.

There are so many “tips” and “suggestions” we could go through. We could be
here for hours – but there are already so many good books on this subject.
The bottom line is that you need to make that commitment to yourself if you
want to write successfully, whether it’s for your own ezine or to submit to
article databases.

Writing, for most people, requires a little patience. Go easy on yourself.
Keep trying. As I am just starting to learn – the easier it gets, the more
rewarding it gets. And it gets more enjoyable. And as I am also learning,
I am starting to get a bigger flow of traffic.

After all is said and done, isn’t that the overall goal?

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Copyright 2003 Michael Ambrosio - Webmaster/Owner
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