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Writing Articles that Captivate Your Readers
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By Leokadia Angela
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You've heard it time and time again: if you want to get yourname out there, write articles and allow them to be freelyreproduced (with a resource box pointing back to you, ofcourse). Largely, that is true. A well-written article can:
- help you build your profile as an expert
- draw traffic to your site, and
- help you to build a database of potential clients throughassociated e-courses or a newsletter.
So far you probably haven't heard anything you didn't alreadyknow. What YOU are likely to be struggling with is the processof actually writing the article. Sure, you can come up with thecontent - but how do you really grab those readers? How do youkeep their attention all the way through? And most importantly,how do you make them want to come back for more?
Let's assume that you understand the basics of constructing andediting an article (it has a beginning, middle, and an end andyou know how to check the grammar and spelling.) Most of us canmanage that. But if you're not content with simply "gettingsomething out there" - if you want to WIN readers - then youneed to start thinking about what they want to know, rather thanwhat you want to tell them.
Put your readers first - every time. Give them what they want,and they'll be queuing up to read anything you produce. Givethem something bland (or worse, blatantly self-serving) andthey'll blast by you so fast you'll be spinning in the backdraft.
The following four steps will give you a blueprint for writingarticles that captivate your readers - whatever the topic.
== 1. Find Out What Your Readers Really Want ==
Sometimes you'll know what they want because you're an expert inthe field, and understand the problems. If you don't know thesubject area well, you'll have to do more research. Look forforums on your topic and see what people are discussing. Whatare the problems that need solving? Can you provide an answer?("If they have a headache, give them an aspirin.")
== 2. Start With An Attention-Grabber ==
Spend time working on your opening. Try to avoid trite questionslike "Have you ever wondered why so many people find itdifficult to lose weight?" Firstly, it's dull. Secondly, it'snot targeting the person reading the article - what do they careabout the difficulties "many people" have with losing weight?They only care about THEIR weight problem!
Try to come up with an opening paragraph that gives the readerthat warm "Hey, this is about me!" feeling right away. Betterstill; try to generate a rush of excitement - "This could be theanswer I've been looking for..."
Example: "The diet gurus make it all sound so easy: to loseweight, all you have to do is expend more energy than you takein. Huh! If it were that simple, the "Big People" stores wouldbe out of business in a heartbeat. Luckily for those of us whoare tired of diets, gyms and dull group meetings, there is aback-to-basics way to tackle this. A way that won't cost you afortune or leave you feeling deprived."
== 3. Write As You Speak... Then Edit! ==
The sample opening above also illustrates the importance of thetone you use in your article. You need 'meat' in each article,of course, to make it worth reading - but make sure it's notindigestible!
You're better off writing your article in a natural, relaxedstyle that's akin to normal conversation. It doesn't matter ifthe first draft is a little too informal - you can fix that whenyou edit. Naturally you don't want to irritate your readers witha too-breezy style, but too-formal is worse. Readers may wantfacts, tips, and strategies, but they hope to be entertained,too! Let your personality shine through.
== 4. End On A High ==
What's one of the biggest problems with most articles? Theyfizzle out! Writers often don't know how to end on an upbeatnote. They either just stop dead or they come up with a triteending like: "So what are you waiting for? Get started today!"
The beginning and the end of your article are the two parts thatmake the biggest impression. Start by creating a feeling ofanticipation... and leave them feeling satisfied (or excited)when you finish.
If you are offering advice to help them solve a problem (likeobesity) gives your readers a reason to feel optimistic and goodabout them. Don't make rash promises... but do offer hope. Ifyou are giving hints on marketing or business, sum up thebenefits of acting on your tips. You can also experiment withusing a pithy/humorous quote, or giving readers a specificaction to get them started. Be creative - and don't rush it.
Here's a final tip: create an article-writing cheat-sheet foryourself. Divide it into beginnings/middles/ends and add moreuseful strategies as you think of them. (For example, using thetips in this article, you might write: ENDINGS - end on a high,offer hope, use funny quote, suggest action to get started.)
Do this, and you'll be steadily cranking out articles thateveryone wants to publish!
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