Thursday, September 3, 2009

Improve Your Article Writing Project With Editing

One client told me she wasn't much of a "writer;" she was in counseling business. And she needed to use writing to market herself. There's only so much that "in person" networking and speaking can do for you. Remember, what you speak, you can write.

No matter your opinion of yourself, you need to start writing these short articles, then see your progress after four or five. When I first started, people would email me and tell me "great writing" only marred by not enough editing.

So, I brushed off my ego, and consulted with an associate web master who took my book writing seminars. Also a female business owner, she was my ideal free editing partner. She sends me 2-3 a week (not every week-we both love vacations) and I send her the same.

You can too. You've already learned a lot of article writing skills so a few more on editing will strengthen your present articles even more. Aim for quality and quantity.

Here's Four Quick Tips

1. Consider the article's length. When I write for hubpages.com, I keep my articles shorter ( from 200-700 words). When I submit to EzineArticles.com I tend to write longer articles from 250 to 1000 words. As the years go by, my articles got shorter for the short attention span most readers have. They like compelling, easy to read, short articles, and they like to skim what they read. They want their problems solved by your article. If you write a long article consider the "divide and conquer" approach. But, don't call them part 1 and 2. Make a unique title for each with your longtail, low competition key words in them and the first 2 lines. Now you get two or three articles for the price of one. For submitting to blogs and ezines, try tips of a few lines to 150 words.

2. Start sentences with the subject, followed by the verb. This sets you up for active, not passive sentences. You talk in passives, but don't write with them. Aim for 2-4% passives found in Word Grammar Checker. You'll then write shorter sentences, easier to read. Realize today's reader wants information fast and easy, just like you do..

3. Delay sending your article out a day. See it with new eyes. You'll catch some "stupid" mistakes. Maybe you get ambitious like me and do 3 to 5 in a day. Bound to have errors in these. It's so embarrassing to make stupid errors when you are a writing pro.

4. Trade editing with a writing friend who knows your category, key words, and style. Help each other unless you can afford an article editor. These services, if good, run about $125 per article. You may be saying, "but I can get them written for $5." Maybe, but not with as specific, real examples as from your own life. These "canned" articles are not for the person who wants respect and credibility as the "go to" person in your niche.

Never much of an editor, but more a creative writer turned business writer, I need this help to make more people like and read my articles-eventually to become friends, networkers, clients, and book buyers. You do too.

===============

Book Coach Judy Cullins helps emerging and professional authors get started writing your book. Download the free ebook "20 High Octane Book Writing and Marketing Tips" available through The Book Coach Says at http://www.bookcoaching.com.

Now you can get help with getting your book done. Check out "How to Write your Print and eBook at the Same Time" teleseminar on March 26, 09 at http://www.bookcoaching.com/book-writing-workshop.php

Judy now enjoys networking on LinkedIn, Facebook, & Twitter.

Missing Grout In Shower

No comments:

Post a Comment