So, you’ve got your thinking cap on, tail-end firmly planted in front of the computer, and you’ve got this really informative topic you want to write about: But there’s just one problem…
You got writer’s block!
How is that when it comes to writing articles, some people are able to write tens or hundreds of articles, when others struggle as if in quicksand to write more than a few?
What’s their secret?
Well for starters, what most people don’t realize, is that there are numerous places where you can find ideas for articles- and most of the “thinking work” is already done for you!
With the Internet being the center of the information universe, and rapidly expanding with even more content by the hour, chances are pretty good that your topic has already been covered by someone else. So, why re-invent the wheel or start from scratch, when you can simply research information that’s already been written, and then improve upon it in for your specific topic?
Obviously, you’re fully aware that plagiarizing someone else’s work is official “doo-doo” number one (or is that #2?) whatever, just don’t do it! However, this doesn’t mean you can’t read the article and pan the nuggets of gold from its contents, absorb what the article is trying to tell you, and then take notes, does it? Truthfully, I DEVOUR other writers articles by the bucket load reading sometimes 8, 10 or more articles…a day! It’s gotten to the point now, that when I read an article, I can tell by the headline or within the lead if the rest of the article is worth investing my time to finish.
So, if you suffer from writer’s block when it comes to writing your next article, do your research!
Next. As you’re reading, make notes of any additional information you believe would add value (very important) to the contents of the article. Then, compare what you gleaned from the article (your notes) to what you anticipated learning simply by reading the headline and the lead (your first impression, the one you had when the article caught your attention). Now, address any areas you believe were not covered, and include these in your article. Use these 3 simple steps to break through writers block, and to get the ink flowing from your pen (or electronic impulses from your keyboard).
One of the easiest ways to ensure you don’t get writer’s block, is to write on subjects that you are familiar with and are truly interested in. Unfortunately this isn’t always possible, so improving existing content is the best way to get through this dilemma. So the question is” “Where do you get this information in the first place?”
Well, how else do you get information from the Internet?
Search engines! Simply do a few searches using keywords from your topic and see what pops up. Also, find out what others are looking for using Google’s Keyword Search Tool. This will give you a good idea of what people are searching for or interested in, online.
Another great source for article writing ideas come from article directories. Article directories are a wealth of information, and can provide you with literally an unlimited amount of ideas for writing articles. These articles can vary in length from 300-1000 words. However, for best results, a content-rich 500 word article works just fine, if not better!
The main point to remember when writing your article, is that it provides value to your reader!
Google Groups, Yahoo Answers, as well as a slew of other groups and forums, can provide you with a wealth of opportunities to learn more topics to write about. Also, be sure to subscribe to other websites RSS feed that provide regular news updates on your topics. Keeping current with the latest news, topics and trends will help keep you informed of what to write about.
Do you have a mailing list? Ezine or newsletter? If yes, then ask your list what they like, what they’re interested in, and what they would like to know more about. Duh, is this simple or what? Listen, writing articles doesn’t have to be difficult, it’s really very simple once you work it as a process and not as a task.
Would you like to find out what people really want to know more about? Simple, create a poll and place it on your website and gather the information this way. What questions do you ask on your poll? Simple, go to yahooanswers.com and see what questions people are looking for answers to! Any “ah-ha” moments, yet?
Discussion groups, forums, lists, polls, and so on, and so on, will provide you with numerous opportunities to collect ideas for topics to write about, so that you never suffer from writer’s block again. In today’s blog post I’ve named some places and put-forth several ideas you can use to kick-start your article writing, if you are having trouble thinking of topics to write about. But remember this, writing articles does not have to be difficult or consume your life.
Look at article writing as a process and not a task, do your research, read MANY articles and take notes, and formulate a plan of what you want your article to accomplish. But the absolute most important thing to remember is this: You must add something of value to your reader, not only to keep them coming back for more, but more importantly, that they may think well of you and that you were the one that helped them.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post, be sure to check back often for more updates. As always, we appreciate your feedback, comments and questions.
Until next time,
Godspeed
James
~+~
{ 2 comments }
You wouldn’t believe it but I’ve wasted all day digging for some articles about this. You’re a lifesaver, it was a great read and has helped me out to no end. Cheers,
Well Nellon, I guess it wasn’t the total waste of a day after all
Really glad I was able to provide you with what you needed, maybe next time you’ll search here first (hint)
Have a good weekend!
James
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