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How to Write Articles that Captivate Your Readers
The beginning and the end of your
article are the two parts that make the biggest impression.
Start by creating a feeling of anticipation... and leave
them feeling satisfied (or excited) when you finish.
You've heard it time and time again: if you want to
get your name out there, write articles and allow them
to be freely reproduced (with a resource box pointing
back to you, of course). 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
through associated e-courses or a newsletter.
So far you probably haven't heard anything
you didn't already know. What YOU are likely to be struggling
with is the process of actually writing the article.
Sure, you can come up with the content - but how do
you really grab those readers? How do you keep 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 and editing an article (it has
a beginning, middle, and an end and you know how to
check the grammar and spelling.) Most of us can manage
that. But if you're not content with simply "getting
something out there" - if you want to WIN readers
- then you need to start thinking about what they want
to know, rather than what 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. Give them something bland
(or worse, blatantly self-serving) and they'll blast
by you so fast you'll be spinning in the back draft.
The following four steps will give you
a blueprint for writing articles 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 in the field, and understand
the problems. If you don't know the subject area well,
you'll have to do more research. Look for forums on
your topic and see what people are discussing. What
are 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 questions like "Have you ever
wondered why so many people find it difficult to lose
weight?" Firstly, it's dull. Secondly, it's not
targeting the person reading the article - what do they
care about 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 reader that warm "Hey, this is about
me!" feeling right away. Better still; try to generate
a rush of excitement - "This could be the answer
I've been looking for..."
Example: "The diet gurus make it
all sound so easy: to lose weight, all you have to do
is expend more energy than you take in. Huh! If it were
that simple, the "Big People" stores would
be out of business in a heartbeat. Luckily for those
of us who are tired of diets, gyms and dull group meetings,
there is a back-to-basics way to tackle this. A way
that won't cost you a fortune or leave you feeling deprived."
== 3. Write As You Speak... Then
Edit! ==
The sample opening above also illustrates
the importance of the tone you use in your article.
You need 'meat' in each article, of course, to make
it worth reading - but make sure it's not indigestible!
You're better off writing your article
in a natural, relaxed style that's akin to normal conversation.
It doesn't matter if the first draft is a little too
informal - you can fix that when you edit. Naturally
you don't want to irritate your readers with a too-breezy
style, but too-formal is worse. Readers may want facts,
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? They fizzle out! Writers often don't
know how to end on an upbeat note. They either just
stop dead or they come up with a trite ending like:
"So what are you waiting for? Get started today!"
The beginning and the end of your article
are the two parts that make the biggest impression.
Start by creating a feeling of anticipation... and leave
them feeling satisfied (or excited) when you finish.
If you are offering advice to help them
solve a problem (like obesity) gives your readers a
reason to feel optimistic and good about them. Don't
make rash promises... but do offer hope. If you are
giving hints on marketing or business, sum up the benefits
of acting on your tips. You can also experiment with
using a pithy/humorous quote, or giving readers a specific
action to get them started. Be creative - and don't
rush it.
Here's a final tip: create an article-writing
cheat-sheet for yourself. Divide it into beginnings/middles/ends
and add more useful strategies as you think of them.
(For example, using the tips 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 that everyone wants to publish!
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