Internet Article Writing Point by Point
By Thea Swafford

There is no great mystery to article writing. It's like the book reports you wrote in school. I've simply broken down the process in steps to help make your article writing more efficient.

Research your topic- Do your homework, go to the search engines, the library, message boards and talk to the experts on the matter.

Know your reader- The person that is going to take time to read what you've written has an interest in the topic and wants more information based on your title and thesis statement. I'll explain that in a minute.

Your style should be friendly, helpful and in simple language. Especially on the Internet, your article is being read world wide. Your language is not the first language of many of your readers. Write as though you are speaking to a good friend- that is six years old. 

It's important to leave you in everything that you do. By doing so, you create a relationship with your reader that can benefit both of you.

Title it- The basic 'How  To' model is still the most attention grabbing. The cute titles tend to 'fly by' the majority of folks. Keep it simple.

Tell them what you are going to tell them-Your thesis statement is a single sentence, usually in the first paragraph of the article, which states  the position you are taking in your article, sets up the way you will organize your points, and the conclusion that you will draw.

Once you have the thesis statement you will realize that you don't need all of those great  notes from your research. No matter how wonderful and interesting the information is, if it doesn't support the thesis statement you've chosen, don't try to cram it into the article-- just take a deep breath, and set it aside for future articles.

After you've identified which of your research notes you'll use, you will notice some areas where you need more information to back up a point you want to make. Leave enough time in your writing plan for an extra trip to the search engines. Don't rush the article.

Tell them- List each point that you want to make, and make it. Order doesn't matter, you can rearrange the article later. Right now just get your thoughts down on each point.

Arrange your points into paragraphs and place them in an order that makes sense to the reader.

Tell them what you told them- Summarize the article into a short, to the point conclusion- what you told them and why it proves your thesis.

Edit- This includes spell check, proof read, and making big words or slang terms easily understood, or changed into common small words. Remember, you are speaking to a six year old.

Set it aside for a day or two and edit again. I promise that you will see things that you missed or want to change.

The Resource Box- Your resource box is where you make your sale- NOT in the article. The resource box should be no more that 6 lines and contain the following information:

1. Your name and who you are. Why you are the authority on this matter
2. Your Unique Selling Position (USP). What is different about your way of doing what the article is about? Why listen to you instead of Joe Blow down the street?
3. More of 2.
4. and 5. List the benefits to them (not features you offer) of using  your services.
6. A link to an autoresponder for more information or a continued education on the topic of the article. You thereby capture the email address and name, as a warm prospect. You are able to follow up to sell to them or have them opt-in to your newsletter

If this still seems daunting to you, there is a faster way until you get the hang of it. My friend, noted author, Larry Dotson has a book of articles that he allows you to reword to benefit you. You can get more information about that here.

Submit- Offer your article to publications in your market that accept them here. You'll be surprised at how often your article is published if you pay attention to each step.

Repeat- By doing this constantly and consistently you will become known as the only solution to the needs in your targeted market. As long as you stay in your market with your articles, these articles not only stand alone, but can be bundled into e-books, tutorials, or e-mail courses to be sold later. At the same time you are building a truly targeted opt-in list for your newsletter.  There is no better promotion for yourself or your business than writing articles.

What are you waiting for?