Article Writing Basics

If you're thinking about getting into article writing for profit, there are a few basic things that you are going to need to know. While this article is in no way a complete tutorial on how to write an effective article, something that would take a book to accomplish, it should get you off on the right foot should you decide that writing articles on the Internet is something that you want to pursue.

The first step in writing an article is to decide what it is that you want to write on. Because there are so many topics in the world, the list that you have to choose from is almost limitless. So it is best to start with writing about things that you either know about or have some familiarity with. This will make the process a lot easier.

The next step, after you have chosen a topic, is to pick the slant you want to use, which will ultimately lead to choosing a title. For example. Let's say you want to write about music and the slant you choose is "History Of Rock & Roll". This is obviously going to take a lot of research, unless you have a built in encyclopedia inside your head. But at least you have a starting point and a title.

The next step in writing articles is to research your topic thoroughly. This doesn't mean to go and read one article and paraphrase it. That is technically plagiarism and will end up getting you into a ton of hot water. You're going to need to research at least three resources online and understand what you've just read. You then have to take the information and put it in your OWN words. At first, this is a little on the tricky side, but eventually it does get easier. Your best bet is to start off with writing articles about subjects that you know something about. That will make the task a little easier.

The next step in article writing, after you have done your research, is to take all the information that you've compiled and organize it into sections or paragraphs. You want to have an introduction followed by what I call the meat of the article and then a conclusion or summary. This is the standard form by which all articles should follow. It makes them easier to write, easier to read and more effective for getting people to your site. The meat section of the article is usually three or four paragraphs, depending on how many points you bring up in the article. Each point should have its own paragraph.

After you have organized everything and written your four or five paragraphs, the final step is to proofread everything. Don't assume that your first draft is going to be perfect. It won't be. You may need to do one or two revisions before you get it just right. Of course you need to check for spelling and grammar mistakes as well.

These are just the basics, but they should more than get you on your way to writing articles that you'll be able to submit for profit.

To YOUR Success