| If you are involved with an Internet marketing | | | | word academic essay! The first paragraph |
| startup and are seeking to master the net in | | | | requires special attention. If you are using |
| order to build your online business, one thing you | | | | "keywords," place them so that the sentences |
| are going to have to do is write articles - and | | | | flow naturally. Your opening paragraph must |
| write them good and fast. Of course, you could | | | | persuade the reader that you understand exactly |
| search on or for a professional copywriter writer | | | | what the problem is and that you are the one |
| to churn out articles for you, but if you are | | | | who knows the best solution. Many online readers |
| operating your work-from home business on a | | | | simply skim-read articles to decide whether it is |
| tight budget it would be a better idea to get into | | | | worth hanging around to read them. This is where |
| the habit of writing good quality articles yourself. | | | | your sub-headings come into the game. Try to |
| Although writing original articles may seem a | | | | write subheadings that will convince the reader to |
| daunting prospect at first, it is not so difficult as it | | | | keep reading. Remember to "KISS" - Keep It |
| seems, once you have mastered the process. | | | | Short And Simple! The conclusion is as important |
| When you write an article, break the process | | | | as the opening paragraph and it needs to end on |
| down into a series of easily managable writing | | | | a positive note so that your reader feels |
| tasks and give yourself a time limit for completing | | | | confident that your advice can be trusted. In your |
| each task. Here is a suggested method for writing | | | | conclusion you could emphasize how much time, |
| a complete article in an hour without busting your | | | | money or effort your reader will save by |
| gut - it includes a fifteen minute coffee break! | | | | following your advice. You could share a "secret" |
| (Once you master article writing you will be able | | | | that has helped you solve the problem you are |
| to speed up the process considerably. But let's | | | | discussing. Add a link to a resource page on your |
| not get ahead of ourselves.) Task One - Choose | | | | website. Task Four - Have A Cup Of Coffee! (15 |
| Your Topic (2 minutes) Spend a couple of minutes | | | | minutes) Well done! You've got your first draft |
| brainstorming and write down anything related to | | | | down in just half an hour! It is time to reward |
| your business niche that may present a problem | | | | yourself with a fifteen minute coffee break! Task |
| for your target audience, or that they would | | | | Five - Final Edit (10 minutes) Now that you are |
| benefit from knowing about. Your article will | | | | refreshed, it is time to do the final edit. If you |
| provide some advice about "how to" solve the | | | | tend to write long sentences try to make them |
| problem, or it will show your readers "how to" | | | | simpler and clearer. Cut out anything that sounds |
| benefit from the information you give them. Task | | | | officious or impersonal and replace it with easy |
| Two - Article Outline (8 minutes) Allow yourself | | | | sentences that sound as if you are speaking to |
| about five minutes to get your article outline | | | | another person. Make sure you have not |
| down. It will be easier if you use a basic format | | | | overlooked any important advice. Remember, |
| like this: a. Describe the problem. b. Talk about | | | | things that seem obvious to you may not be |
| how to solve the problem, dividing up this main | | | | obvious to the reader who has less experience in |
| section of your article into between three and | | | | dealing with the problem you are discussing. Finally, |
| five logical steps. Give each step a quick | | | | run a grammar and spelling usng your computer, |
| sub-heading. You can improve these later. c. | | | | and then read it through again yourself to make |
| Conclusion. This is just a brief restatement of the | | | | sure. Check for words like "their" and "there" or |
| problem and the solutions offered in sections a | | | | "hear" and "here" and so on, words which |
| and b. and you could also use this section to | | | | spell-checkers fail to correct. Task Six - Post Your |
| provide a discreet link or two to helpful resources | | | | Article! (2-5 minutes) Your article is now ready for |
| - especially to the resources that you offer on | | | | posting on your blog or in your newsletter. If you |
| your site! Task Three - Write Your First Draft. | | | | want to submit it to article directories don't forget |
| (20 minutes) Give yourself a twenty minute time | | | | to add a box at the bottom with some brief info |
| limit to write the first draft. You should write this | | | | about yourself and your business, plus a link back |
| first draft SWIFTLY. Write it as you would say it. | | | | to your website. You have now written and |
| Don't use big words and long sentences. Don't | | | | posted a good short article and had a coffee |
| linger over the sentences trying to make them | | | | break, all within an hour! As you repeat the |
| perfect - you can improve them later. Stick to | | | | process both your speed and the quality of your |
| the point and keep the tone natural. Move the | | | | writing will improve, because the art of writing |
| article forward so that the reader feels motivated | | | | original articles improves with every original article |
| to read on and discover the solution. Remember, | | | | you write! |
| an article should be no more than a few hundred | | | | David Hurley is an Internet marketer and |
| words. We are NOT trying to write a 10,000 | | | | copywriter who lives in Hiroshima, Japan. |