People love to hear stories. They'll identify with what you have to say much more easily if you tell them an anecdote that relates to your subject matter.
The danger in using this method is that you can lose your way. Interminable, zig-zagging stories are just as boring in print as they are in real life! Keep your story under control, and it will speak to your reader.
THE RECIPE
1. Choose your subject
2. Tell your story
3. Identify the problem
4. Offer a solution
5. Draw a conclusion or call to action
6. Give your article a catchy title
7. Decide on the length. (Most ezines like articles of around 500 - 800 words.)
THE FINISHED ARTICLE
Title: From Chaos To Contentment: The Pocket Organizer
Like most people, I'm fighting a constant battle to stay organized. I have a range of clients both online and offline and projects due at different times. I'm surrounded by to-do lists, stacks of print-outs, address books, phone lists and folders. Finding something quickly is more of a challenge every day.
I was beginning to despair of ever clearing the decks - or even seeing a glimpse of the deck! Then I stumbled across a solution. Browsing around an electronics store looking for a label-maker, I walked past a display of Palm products. The Palm Zire 71 caught my eye immediately (okay, I'm a sucker for a nice-looking piece of electronic gadgetry). There it was, in an attractive blue casing with a bright, colorful screen... begging me to play!
So I played.
After ten minutes I was hooked. Yeah, I know... all of you Palm devotees are yawning and muttering: "Where has she been the last few years?" - but hey, I had one of the early Palm Pilots. The screen was hard to read and the graffiti option didn't work too well. I went back to notebooks and a rolodex.
This one was totally different. It won me in no time at all. I wandered out of the store to "think about it" - and was back within fifteen minutes handing over my credit card.
How ever did I manage without it? Now I have - all in one pocket-size organizer - a date book that stretches *decades* forward and back from today's date, an address book with customizable lists, an expense record, a calculator, a memo pad, a note pad, a to-do list, a world clock... and this little beauty even has a built-in camera. (With an expansion card it could also be an MP3 player.) I've tossed six different items out of my handbag and replaced them with just the Palm. Bliss. (Oh, and did I mention I can sit it in the accompanying cradle and back up everything to my computer?)
Don't worry, this is not an advertisement for Palm products! I'm sure there are other organizers that do all this and more. (You can now get phones that do it all, come to think of it.) The point is, since I don't work in the corporate environment, I just hadn't realized what timesavers these all-in-one products can be. Now, wherever I go I have an incredible amount of information at my fingertips. I don't sort through various folders and files in search of contact information. Heck, I don't even have to carry family snaps around in my wallet - they're all stored in the Palm!
The lesson? There are several. One: personal organizers are not just for so-called "business professionals". They can streamline anyone's life. Two: If you're losing time (and patience) because you're not organized, take the time to sit down and see what can be done. Look for a method that is easy to use and combines a number of functions. Three: browsing through electronic gadgetry is not only fun - it pays off!
=== Analysis Of The Completed Article ===
The Subject: Personal organization
The Story: How a pocket-sized organizer changed my life
The Problem: Too many diverse and unwieldy systems to store information
The Solution: A pocket-sized electronic organizer
Call to Action: Analyze your needs - choose an easy, effective method to get organized
A Catchy Title: "From Chaos to Contentment: The Pocket Organizer". The alliteration of "Chaos" and "Contentment" sounds good; the first part of the title summarizes the rewards, and the inclusion of "The Pocket Organizer" signals the subject matter.
Word Length: The finished article is 511 words: a good length for most ezines (yours or someone else's). You need to be strict with yourself here. If your article is too long, CUT IT!
Copyright 2004 Margaret McAlister
About The Author
Marg McAlister's tips on writing are to the point and popular. To write great web copy, sales letters and articles, don't miss her ezine: the Web Writing Tipsheet! You'll find this and other top advice at www.writing-for-success-online.com
Do you have problems finding ideas for articles and speeches?I... Read More
The first step to getting published is to find your... Read More
In order to sell your article must do three things:1.... Read More
Many people which in online business world find difficulties in... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
The five essential questions to be answered in your article... Read More
You've got to start somewhere, but once you've created your... Read More
Find definitions from Q to Z... Query -A letter... Read More
I've noticed a disturbing trend recently of articles suggesting that... Read More
Did you realize that writing and publishing articles online represents... Read More
Last time on "Because your articles suck" ? we discussed... Read More
***What is the Resource box?'Resource box' is an information box... Read More
Are you an Article Marketer? If so, you know that... Read More
Part 1 of a 2-part series To read Part 2... Read More
A large portion of your business relies on your ability... Read More
You, too, can become a recognized expert in your specialized... Read More
Writing articles is possibly the best way to generated free... Read More
Writing and submitting articles to article banks is a well-known... Read More
One of the best ways to promote your website is... Read More
Never before in the history of the business of writing... Read More
Are you a reluctant marketer for your book? Do you... Read More
Free publicity can help to spread the word about your... Read More
Original quotes, when used at the beginning or at the... Read More
Not doing what, you ask.Writing and submitting articles.Writing articles is... Read More
Hey! Who's that I see, typing feverishly as brilliant ideas... Read More
The traditional print media newsletter is still useful even in... Read More
Most writers I talk with who experience "writer's block" do... Read More
There are many schools of thought on how to build... Read More
Proven and Exceptional Click-Through ResultsTesting has proven again and again... Read More
Writing dozens, hundreds or even thousands of articles and making... Read More
Anxiety, apprehension, cold feet, consternation, dismay, distress, dread, fear, fright,... Read More
1. Write to one person.When you're writing your article picture... Read More
You want your business to be noticed by thousands daily.... Read More
Well maybe it's not that "little known" but some people... Read More
We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More
This has to be the number one thing that most... Read More
Being an Internet Article Author is far and away the... Read More
When you create your articles in TextPad format, something like... Read More
Strategically developing online content helps to ensure a small-business owner's... Read More
A huge problem for many people who are working on... Read More
Submitting Articles for redistribution is the best way to get... Read More
The biggest challenge facing any online business today is how... Read More
There's a new sort of ghost stalking the digital landscape.They... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
Ready to jump on the keyword article bandwagon? Billions of... Read More
When I started Ezine-In-A-Box I wanted to help people publish... Read More
Looking to build your freelance writing career but don't know... Read More
One great benefit of article marketing is the generation of... Read More
Have you ever wondered why Ezine Articles have become one... Read More
There are many different ways to improve link popularity for... Read More
The more you write, the larger your impact. If that's... Read More
Most all ezine publishers need fresh content. Article writing is... Read More
There is some wisdom in saying that when you are... Read More
Many online marketers have crowed about the value of writing... Read More
Many successful authors close their mind to learning HTML because... Read More
Abandon your frustrations and get a fresh start by trying... Read More
Once you learn the benefits of article writing, you may... Read More
Writing articles is one of the best ways to get... Read More
Everyone knows an expert is just a drip under pressure.... Read More
Many people which in online business world find difficulties in... Read More
A lot of great ideas happen when two or more... Read More
Writing articles for magazines, the Internet or the local community... Read More
Much has been touted about the effectiveness of article writing... Read More
Why do so many internet marketers waste their time on... Read More
You're Invited... Visualize your article going out like a party... Read More
The goal of free publicity is to get your name... Read More
Article Writing |