Do you have problems finding ideas for articles and speeches?

I know have had at times, and others tell me the same thing. At my Toastmasters club, for example, I’ve often heard members say they have difficulty finding topics for speeches.

But, I’ve learned, like others who write and speak a lot, to start with what I know. To use my own experiences or perspectives to make even a simple subject uniquely my own. And you can do the same. Indeed, what seems mundane to you may fascinate someone else. Suppose, for example, you work in a fast food restaurant — tell me about the best and worst customers, or tell me about the processes and training that make it possible to go from order to delivery in just a couple of minutes.

Here’s a real-life example from my own experiences. I have a part-time job as a directory assistance operator for a telephone company, and that produces some interesting stories, like the time a woman called because the door knob to exit her borrowed apartment was broken, and she couldn’t figure out how to get out. She didn’t know who to call except Directory Assistance, and we had an interesting time figuring out a solution. Now there’s a story to get an article or speech started, and perhaps even a theme such as “Strange but true stories from a directory assistance operator.”

Then, there’s the idea of providing insights for others. If you drive a truck, for instance, you might create a Top Ten list of common mistakes you see on the streets and highways. As a professional driver, you have special insight into the patterns of amateur drivers.

Beyond your personal experiences, think about issues that intrigue you. If you’re interested, doing research and thinking about a subject will be enjoyable and easy. Perhaps you can even satisfy your own curiosity as you prepare an article or speech that enlightens someone else.

These approaches should lead you to any number of story ideas. Make a list, of say five or ten possible topics. Now, ask yourself which of them will be the most enjoyable or easiest to develop. You also might ask yourself if you have enough examples to illustrate the points that fall under a specific topic.

Now, write an outline, to set out the main themes in your speech or article. By the time you finish outlining these themes, you’ll probably have a number of new topics that could be developed into topics that stand on their own.

For example, looking back at the contents of this article so far, I see that discussing something others don’t know much about is one of the points. That would open the door to what I call the “Everybody knows” syndrome, the unfounded assumption that others know what we know. Perhaps you think that your parenting experiences are just like everyone else’s. Yet, your feelings may very well be unique and of great interest to other parents.

If all else fails, get ideas from others. For example, I subscribe to many online newsletters because I write a lot of articles myself. As potential story ideas come in I store them away in a folder, ready to be searched when I don’t have anything available in the top of my mind. I can use the original article as the starting point, creating something new and unique by using my own experiences and ways of doing things. Or I can abstract someone else’s article in my own words, again creating something new in the process. In both cases, I’m creating something new based on my unique experiences or perspectives.

So, never be stuck for an idea for an article or speech! You already have enough experience and knowledge; it’s simply a matter of developing one of those ideas within that framework. And here’s a bonus: If you’re writing or speaking about something that’s happened in your life, you won’t have to work hard to create the article or speech. Just follow the path through your memory.

Do you have problems finding ideas for articles and speeches?

I know have had at times, and others tell me the same thing. At my Toastmasters club, for example, I’ve often heard members say they have difficulty finding topics for speeches.

But, I’ve learned, like others who write and speak a lot, to start with what I know. To use my own experiences or perspectives to make even a simple subject uniquely my own. And you can do the same. Indeed, what seems mundane to you may fascinate someone else. Suppose, for example, you work in a fast food restaurant — tell me about the best and worst customers, or tell me about the processes and training that make it possible to go from order to delivery in just a couple of minutes.

Here’s a real-life example from my own experiences. I have a part-time job as a directory assistance operator for a telephone company, and that produces some interesting stories, like the time a woman called because the door knob to exit her borrowed apartment was broken, and she couldn’t figure out how to get out. She didn’t know who to call except Directory Assistance, and we had an interesting time figuring out a solution. Now there’s a story to get an article or speech started, and perhaps even a theme such as “Strange but true stories from a directory assistance operator.”

Then, there’s the idea of providing insights for others. If you drive a truck, for instance, you might create a Top Ten list of common mistakes you see on the streets and highways. As a professional driver, you have special insight into the patterns of amateur drivers.

Beyond your personal experiences, think about issues that intrigue you. If you’re interested, doing research and thinking about a subject will be enjoyable and easy. Perhaps you can even satisfy your own curiosity as you prepare an article or speech that enlightens someone else.

These approaches should lead you to any number of story ideas. Make a list, of say five or ten possible topics. Now, ask yourself which of them will be the most enjoyable or easiest to develop. You also might ask yourself if you have enough examples to illustrate the points that fall under a specific topic.

Now, write an outline, to set out the main themes in your speech or article. By the time you finish outlining these themes, you’ll probably have a number of new topics that could be developed into topics that stand on their own.

For example, looking back at the contents of this article so far, I see that discussing something others don’t know much about is one of the points. That would open the door to what I call the “Everybody knows” syndrome, the unfounded assumption that others know what we know. Perhaps you think that your parenting experiences are just like everyone else’s. Yet, your feelings may very well be unique and of great interest to other parents.

If all else fails, get ideas from others. For example, I subscribe to many online newsletters because I write a lot of articles myself. As potential story ideas come in I store them away in a folder, ready to be searched when I don’t have anything available in the top of my mind. I can use the original article as the starting point, creating something new and unique by using my own experiences and ways of doing things. Or I can abstract someone else’s article in my own words, again creating something new in the process. In both cases, I’m creating something new based on my unique experiences or perspectives.

So, never be stuck for an idea for an article or speech! You already have enough experience and knowledge; it’s simply a matter of developing one of those ideas within that framework. And here’s a bonus: If you’re writing or speaking about something that’s happened in your life, you won’t have to work hard to create the article or speech. Just follow the path through your memory.

Writing articles every couple of weeks or so is a great idea for your online business but it can sometimes be hard to find good subject matter for your article. You write article after article and finally you just seem to draw a blank on what to write about. I am sure that has happened to all of us at one time or another.

When it happens to me there are a few things that I can do to find fresh ideas. These tips will work for you as well. Below are some good places to find interesting and fresh article content.

*Blogs - Blogs are a great place to find ideas for your article as many different things are discussed on blogs. People share their opinions, ideas, experiences and questions.

*Message Boards - Message boards are a good source of information as well. Follow the discussions and see what things people are interested in and need to know more about. I have written many articles from information I read on the boards.

*Email Discussion Groups - Again, get involved in the discussions. Find out what information people are looking for. Not only can you get ideas for your articles, but you can learn a lot as well and make some new contacts. Just go to Yahoo and do a search for the appropriate type of group for your business.

*Internet News Sites - Keeping up with Internet marketing news is very important for your business. Not only for writing articles but for keeping abreast of new developments, ideas, technology, etc. Research and write your articles to keep your readers informed as well.

*Read through your email - Take note of what people are asking you about and what they are most concerned with. Keep a file on hand and record all questions that can be used to create a powerful article.

*Subscribe to ezines - Ezines can be a goldmine of information and ideas. They allow you to keep up to date on the latest products, programs, biz opps, etc. Some of this information can make great articles.

*Do a survey - Write a two or three question survey and send it out to associates or discussion group members or better yet, your subscribers. Give your readers the information and news they are looking for.

For example: What questions do you have about Internet marketing? What resources do you need that you cannot find? Questions like this could give you some innovative article ideas.

*Read other articles - By reading other articles, you can come up with an unusual twist or angle for an overused idea. It sometimes helps to get different views and insights on the same old idea. NOTE: Never copy information or content from an article, ezine, or website.

*What would YOU like to know more about - Pick a topic you need to learn about, do some research and turn it into a resourceful article. This is a great way to learn while promoting your online business.

Always keep an open mind and eye out for article ideas. After awhile you will begin to se ideas automatically all over the net. Keep a notebook handy and when you think of an idea write it down in your notebook. I tend to think of ideas while lying awake in the middle of the night. I learned right away that if I don’t write them down, they are totally gone by morning.

And remember, people want and need basic, straight forward, helpful information. They do not want or need college words, fancy storylines or over-dramatized articles.

Also, do not be afraid to give your articles a little personality, humor and best of all, heart. Write as if you were talking to the reader and doing your best to help them.

Articles are one of the most powerful marketing methods online. Don’t let a little doubt stop you from making this big step towards success!

Writing articles every couple of weeks or so is a great idea for your online business but it can sometimes be hard to find good subject matter for your article. You write article after article and finally you just seem to draw a blank on what to write about. I am sure that has happened to all of us at one time or another.

When it happens to me there are a few things that I can do to find fresh ideas. These tips will work for you as well. Below are some good places to find interesting and fresh article content.

*Blogs - Blogs are a great place to find ideas for your article as many different things are discussed on blogs. People share their opinions, ideas, experiences and questions.

*Message Boards - Message boards are a good source of information as well. Follow the discussions and see what things people are interested in and need to know more about. I have written many articles from information I read on the boards.

*Email Discussion Groups - Again, get involved in the discussions. Find out what information people are looking for. Not only can you get ideas for your articles, but you can learn a lot as well and make some new contacts. Just go to Yahoo and do a search for the appropriate type of group for your business.

*Internet News Sites - Keeping up with Internet marketing news is very important for your business. Not only for writing articles but for keeping abreast of new developments, ideas, technology, etc. Research and write your articles to keep your readers informed as well.

*Read through your email - Take note of what people are asking you about and what they are most concerned with. Keep a file on hand and record all questions that can be used to create a powerful article.

*Subscribe to ezines - Ezines can be a goldmine of information and ideas. They allow you to keep up to date on the latest products, programs, biz opps, etc. Some of this information can make great articles.

*Do a survey - Write a two or three question survey and send it out to associates or discussion group members or better yet, your subscribers. Give your readers the information and news they are looking for.

For example: What questions do you have about Internet marketing? What resources do you need that you cannot find? Questions like this could give you some innovative article ideas.

*Read other articles - By reading other articles, you can come up with an unusual twist or angle for an overused idea. It sometimes helps to get different views and insights on the same old idea. NOTE: Never copy information or content from an article, ezine, or website.

*What would YOU like to know more about - Pick a topic you need to learn about, do some research and turn it into a resourceful article. This is a great way to learn while promoting your online business.

Always keep an open mind and eye out for article ideas. After awhile you will begin to se ideas automatically all over the net. Keep a notebook handy and when you think of an idea write it down in your notebook. I tend to think of ideas while lying awake in the middle of the night. I learned right away that if I don’t write them down, they are totally gone by morning.

And remember, people want and need basic, straight forward, helpful information. They do not want or need college words, fancy storylines or over-dramatized articles.

Also, do not be afraid to give your articles a little personality, humor and best of all, heart. Write as if you were talking to the reader and doing your best to help them.

Articles are one of the most powerful marketing methods online. Don’t let a little doubt stop you from making this big step towards success!

If you are a new or budding writer, then you may be wondering how to get started writing articles. The first and most important rule of writing is simply to write what you know. That is not to say that you cannot research subjects to get a better idea of the needed content, but it is always best to have some previous knowledge of the topic before you accept the job.

Many people are terrific writers, but still struggle with how to get started writing articles for profit. As a budding writer, you will likely have to contribute some free writing projects in an effort to get your name noticed. As time progresses and your resume becomes more defined, you will be able to find paid writing jobs without a problem.

Writers not only wonder how to get started writing articles, but also where to submit their completed work. There are plenty of opportunities for talented individuals who have a knack for words, including newspaper reporting, magazine features, website content, press release and newsletter content, etc. If someone were to ask an accomplished writer how to get started writing articles, they would almost always reply by recommending patience, perseverance and promotion. When you decide to become a writer, you will also become a marketing specialist. You will now be in the position of having to sell your work to editors and this can be a very challenging task, but very much worth the extra push.

The best advice on how to get started writing articles would include the recommendation of having a good resume. If you cannot write your own resume, editors will wonder how you will be able to write for them. So, first and foremost, perfect the resume, polish it and make sure that it is without flaw. This means no errors in spelling, punctuation, etc. With that being said, keep in mind that nobody is perfect, so if you notice a mistake after your resume has been submitted, don’t spend too much time worrying about the error. Simply correct the problem and move on to the next opportunity. Truth be told, if your resume looks great, an editor will not disregard it just because you misspell one word or have a punctuation out of place. The next step in how to get started writing articles will be to create a writing sample. If you have been published previously, this will work to your advantage because you can use this as not only a sample of your work, but lend to the popularity of your writing as well. If you have never been published, then write the best article that you can on a subject that is close to your heart.

Still wondering how to get started writing articles? The best way is to just start writing and see where it takes you. Everyone from editors to webmasters are in constant need of content for their publications and websites, so there is no shortage in the writing market. Always keep your expectations in check and don’t expect to get rich overnight. Like any career, it will take time to build and experience is a must. The more you have written, the more you will get the chance to write.

For further information visit .real-articles.com

If you are a new or budding writer, then you may be wondering how to get started writing articles. The first and most important rule of writing is simply to write what you know. That is not to say that you cannot research subjects to get a better idea of the needed content, but it is always best to have some previous knowledge of the topic before you accept the job.

Many people are terrific writers, but still struggle with how to get started writing articles for profit. As a budding writer, you will likely have to contribute some free writing projects in an effort to get your name noticed. As time progresses and your resume becomes more defined, you will be able to find paid writing jobs without a problem.

Writers not only wonder how to get started writing articles, but also where to submit their completed work. There are plenty of opportunities for talented individuals who have a knack for words, including newspaper reporting, magazine features, website content, press release and newsletter content, etc. If someone were to ask an accomplished writer how to get started writing articles, they would almost always reply by recommending patience, perseverance and promotion. When you decide to become a writer, you will also become a marketing specialist. You will now be in the position of having to sell your work to editors and this can be a very challenging task, but very much worth the extra push.

The best advice on how to get started writing articles would include the recommendation of having a good resume. If you cannot write your own resume, editors will wonder how you will be able to write for them. So, first and foremost, perfect the resume, polish it and make sure that it is without flaw. This means no errors in spelling, punctuation, etc. With that being said, keep in mind that nobody is perfect, so if you notice a mistake after your resume has been submitted, don’t spend too much time worrying about the error. Simply correct the problem and move on to the next opportunity. Truth be told, if your resume looks great, an editor will not disregard it just because you misspell one word or have a punctuation out of place. The next step in how to get started writing articles will be to create a writing sample. If you have been published previously, this will work to your advantage because you can use this as not only a sample of your work, but lend to the popularity of your writing as well. If you have never been published, then write the best article that you can on a subject that is close to your heart.

Still wondering how to get started writing articles? The best way is to just start writing and see where it takes you. Everyone from editors to webmasters are in constant need of content for their publications and websites, so there is no shortage in the writing market. Always keep your expectations in check and don’t expect to get rich overnight. Like any career, it will take time to build and experience is a must. The more you have written, the more you will get the chance to write.

For further information visit .real-articles.com

As the publisher of an article directory, I see this all the time: writers and other marketers who are so desperate to get their promotional seen they really don’t think about how they are marketing, where they are marketing, or who they are marketing to.

As an article writer myself, who has gone from almost no listings at all in the last year in Google, to over 46,000, I’d like to give you a little insight into to how you can get your articles read and seen so that get you the traffic and sales you are looking for.

1. Target your market

This should be obvious. If you’re writing articles about real estate, find sites that accept articles on real estate. Find directories that accept articles on real estate. Then your article is more likely to get accepted.

Some article writers assume, wrongly, because a certain type of article is related to a subject, that article will be published on a certain type of site.

Not so. It’s a good idea to explore the content of a site before submitting, unless it’s a general article directory. This will tell you whether this article is a good fit or not.

2. Don’t submit an ad or a press release

I get this one a lot. My question to people like this is, “What makes you think I’ll publish your ad?”

I pay for my web hosting, domains, and all the other expenses incurred in running an online business. Why should I help you? Why do I have to waste my time deleting your junk from my site?

I’m a writer and then a marketer, but in the case of site content, I’m a marketer first. I want top notch content on my site. Good articles. Articles that will help my readers. The best way to help my readers is to publish articles that are related to my topic.

Now, if the site does publish ads and press releases, by all means, submit. However, make sure that you have properly targeted your market. Website publishers are busy people, and it only takes a second to hit that delete key.

3. Make your article interesting

One of the first things I learned in journalism school is to translate technical material into plain language so that readers can understand it.

The same applies with articles. If you use a term that is unfamiliar, explain it in the body of your article. Don’t send your readers on a wild goose chase trying to figure out what you mean.

Make your article easy to understand.

Use short words, short paragraphs, and short sentences. If you’ve ever read a newspaper, or “Time” magazine, or even a romance novel, you’ll find out that these are written on about a seventh grade level.

This is so that readers can get through the material quickly. It’s easy to understand.

4. Don’t use HTML to format your article unless the publisher specifically says you can.

One of my article directories does all of the HTML formatting for the writer. Therefore, when the writer uses HTML in the formatting, those characters show up. I either have to remove the HTML or delete the article. The article almost always gets deleted unless I really want the article on my site. Then the writer gets a personal email.

5. Check your work

Now I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of this one.

I write at the speed of light and type at the speed of sound. This means that I’m thinking faster than I can get the words down on paper. This can quickly make a mess of my articles.

The easiest way around this one is to read your article out loud. This forces you to slow down. You’ll catch a lot of your grammar and punctuation mistakes, and smooth the flow of your writing.

Give your links one last check to make sure they work, and you’re ready to go.

If you want to get more mileage from your articles, the best way to do this is to target your market, write a good article, and give your reader information that is helpful, interesting, and easy to understand.

You’ll maximize your listings in the search engines and multiply your traffic and sales exponentially.

As the publisher of an article directory, I see this all the time: writers and other marketers who are so desperate to get their promotional seen they really don’t think about how they are marketing, where they are marketing, or who they are marketing to.

As an article writer myself, who has gone from almost no listings at all in the last year in Google, to over 46,000, I’d like to give you a little insight into to how you can get your articles read and seen so that get you the traffic and sales you are looking for.

1. Target your market

This should be obvious. If you’re writing articles about real estate, find sites that accept articles on real estate. Find directories that accept articles on real estate. Then your article is more likely to get accepted.

Some article writers assume, wrongly, because a certain type of article is related to a subject, that article will be published on a certain type of site.

Not so. It’s a good idea to explore the content of a site before submitting, unless it’s a general article directory. This will tell you whether this article is a good fit or not.

2. Don’t submit an ad or a press release

I get this one a lot. My question to people like this is, “What makes you think I’ll publish your ad?”

I pay for my web hosting, domains, and all the other expenses incurred in running an online business. Why should I help you? Why do I have to waste my time deleting your junk from my site?

I’m a writer and then a marketer, but in the case of site content, I’m a marketer first. I want top notch content on my site. Good articles. Articles that will help my readers. The best way to help my readers is to publish articles that are related to my topic.

Now, if the site does publish ads and press releases, by all means, submit. However, make sure that you have properly targeted your market. Website publishers are busy people, and it only takes a second to hit that delete key.

3. Make your article interesting

One of the first things I learned in journalism school is to translate technical material into plain language so that readers can understand it.

The same applies with articles. If you use a term that is unfamiliar, explain it in the body of your article. Don’t send your readers on a wild goose chase trying to figure out what you mean.

Make your article easy to understand.

Use short words, short paragraphs, and short sentences. If you’ve ever read a newspaper, or “Time” magazine, or even a romance novel, you’ll find out that these are written on about a seventh grade level.

This is so that readers can get through the material quickly. It’s easy to understand.

4. Don’t use HTML to format your article unless the publisher specifically says you can.

One of my article directories does all of the HTML formatting for the writer. Therefore, when the writer uses HTML in the formatting, those characters show up. I either have to remove the HTML or delete the article. The article almost always gets deleted unless I really want the article on my site. Then the writer gets a personal email.

5. Check your work

Now I will be the first to admit that I am guilty of this one.

I write at the speed of light and type at the speed of sound. This means that I’m thinking faster than I can get the words down on paper. This can quickly make a mess of my articles.

The easiest way around this one is to read your article out loud. This forces you to slow down. You’ll catch a lot of your grammar and punctuation mistakes, and smooth the flow of your writing.

Give your links one last check to make sure they work, and you’re ready to go.

If you want to get more mileage from your articles, the best way to do this is to target your market, write a good article, and give your reader information that is helpful, interesting, and easy to understand.

You’ll maximize your listings in the search engines and multiply your traffic and sales exponentially.

There are literally thousands of article submission sites on the net today. Merely submitting your article to article directories does not guarantee that it will be accepted. Many article sites have publishing guidelines that are fairly general in nature. Most of the larger, more popular sites, are strict about what gets published and what gets rejected.

If you want ensure that more of your articles are accepted by online directories you need to make sure your article meets the publisher’s guidelines. As a owner and publisher of online article sites for many years, I am amazed at how many authors don’t take the time to read through submission guidelines.

Many sites will accept any article submitted, especially if it is a new article directory, as a means to build up their article count. However, sites that are more established with high Alexa and Google rankings, tend to be more selective in what is posted in their directory.

The most common mistakes authors make in submitting their articles include:

1. Not following the formatting requirements.

Word wrap and HTML formatting preserve the page layout of the web site. Articles submitted with word wrapping on is one of my biggest reasons for rejecting articles. Forced breaks at 60 characters may be acceptable for sites that primarily feed ezines, but it is not very appealing on a web page. Posting HTML articles on sites that accept only text articles is also quite frustrating for an editor to remove.

2. Microsoft formatting.

Copying and pasting from a Microsoft Word document does horrible things to a page design and layout. Quite often this type of formatting can appear within the text of the article and can also reek havoc on online forms.

3. Affiliate links and ads.

Many article sites do not accept articles with affiliate links in them. This is normally allowed in the author’s resource box but many authors insist on adding their affiliate links in the body of the article or the article sounds more like a sales pitch. This type of article is often rejected. Be sure to make your article informative to the reader.

4. Improper category selection.

While most editors will simply take a second or two to place an article in the proper category, editors are finding this too time consuming and will often just delete the article. Sites that receive 50 or more articles each day normally do not have the time to edit each article and select an appropriate category. Be sure to select the most relevant category for your article at the time of submission.

5. Email links in articles or resource boxes.

Although many editors are not concerned with email addresses in articles or in a resource box, authors should be aware of the problems that can arise from using them. Article directories are constantly being scanned by not only search engines but by mail harvester bots as well. Listing your email address in any online web page opens the author up to receive an enormous amount of spam and is generally not a good idea. Email addresses also change from time to time, leaving you with possibly thousands of articles on the web with an email address that no longer works.

6. Author names not capitalized.

While many authors are rushing to submit articles to hundreds of sites as quickly as possible, many don’t take the time to capitalize their first and last name in the author profile area. It seems to me that if Susan Smith enters her name as susan smith, it somehow makes her seem like she is minimizing herself as a person. Be proud of who you are and tell the world you are Susan Smith!

7. Punctuation and spelling errors.

Editors don’t have the time to check each article for spelling errors or punctuation. If you want to ensure that your article is picked up from these article directories and used on web sites, you will want to make sure that you have thoroughly checked your article for errors. Ezine and newsletter editors often acquire material for their publications from these article directories. If your article is not well written or contains a lot of errors, your article is most likely not going to be used for any purpose other than to provide you with a free link to your web site from the article directory.

8. Word count is low.

Not all directories put word count restrictions on articles. Personally, any article that is less than 400 word is merely written in order to get a link back to the author’s web site. Articles that range between 600-800 words are usually better written and actually contain some value for the reader. Make sure your article meets the article count guidelines to help increase acceptance rates.

Each article directory has different requirements for article submissions. If you want to increase the exposure you receive for your articles, make sure that you familiarize yourself with the requirements for each site that you submit articles to. By following the author guidelines, you not only increase your chances of having your article accepted, you also establish yourself as a credible writer and increase your web site traffic as well.

There are literally thousands of article submission sites on the net today. Merely submitting your article to article directories does not guarantee that it will be accepted. Many article sites have publishing guidelines that are fairly general in nature. Most of the larger, more popular sites, are strict about what gets published and what gets rejected.

If you want ensure that more of your articles are accepted by online directories you need to make sure your article meets the publisher’s guidelines. As a owner and publisher of online article sites for many years, I am amazed at how many authors don’t take the time to read through submission guidelines.

Many sites will accept any article submitted, especially if it is a new article directory, as a means to build up their article count. However, sites that are more established with high Alexa and Google rankings, tend to be more selective in what is posted in their directory.

The most common mistakes authors make in submitting their articles include:

1. Not following the formatting requirements.

Word wrap and HTML formatting preserve the page layout of the web site. Articles submitted with word wrapping on is one of my biggest reasons for rejecting articles. Forced breaks at 60 characters may be acceptable for sites that primarily feed ezines, but it is not very appealing on a web page. Posting HTML articles on sites that accept only text articles is also quite frustrating for an editor to remove.

2. Microsoft formatting.

Copying and pasting from a Microsoft Word document does horrible things to a page design and layout. Quite often this type of formatting can appear within the text of the article and can also reek havoc on online forms.

3. Affiliate links and ads.

Many article sites do not accept articles with affiliate links in them. This is normally allowed in the author’s resource box but many authors insist on adding their affiliate links in the body of the article or the article sounds more like a sales pitch. This type of article is often rejected. Be sure to make your article informative to the reader.

4. Improper category selection.

While most editors will simply take a second or two to place an article in the proper category, editors are finding this too time consuming and will often just delete the article. Sites that receive 50 or more articles each day normally do not have the time to edit each article and select an appropriate category. Be sure to select the most relevant category for your article at the time of submission.

5. Email links in articles or resource boxes.

Although many editors are not concerned with email addresses in articles or in a resource box, authors should be aware of the problems that can arise from using them. Article directories are constantly being scanned by not only search engines but by mail harvester bots as well. Listing your email address in any online web page opens the author up to receive an enormous amount of spam and is generally not a good idea. Email addresses also change from time to time, leaving you with possibly thousands of articles on the web with an email address that no longer works.

6. Author names not capitalized.

While many authors are rushing to submit articles to hundreds of sites as quickly as possible, many don’t take the time to capitalize their first and last name in the author profile area. It seems to me that if Susan Smith enters her name as susan smith, it somehow makes her seem like she is minimizing herself as a person. Be proud of who you are and tell the world you are Susan Smith!

7. Punctuation and spelling errors.

Editors don’t have the time to check each article for spelling errors or punctuation. If you want to ensure that your article is picked up from these article directories and used on web sites, you will want to make sure that you have thoroughly checked your article for errors. Ezine and newsletter editors often acquire material for their publications from these article directories. If your article is not well written or contains a lot of errors, your article is most likely not going to be used for any purpose other than to provide you with a free link to your web site from the article directory.

8. Word count is low.

Not all directories put word count restrictions on articles. Personally, any article that is less than 400 word is merely written in order to get a link back to the author’s web site. Articles that range between 600-800 words are usually better written and actually contain some value for the reader. Make sure your article meets the article count guidelines to help increase acceptance rates.

Each article directory has different requirements for article submissions. If you want to increase the exposure you receive for your articles, make sure that you familiarize yourself with the requirements for each site that you submit articles to. By following the author guidelines, you not only increase your chances of having your article accepted, you also establish yourself as a credible writer and increase your web site traffic as well.