“The RoseBouquet”

I want to write more articles to promote my sites and products, but how do I make this an integral part of my life? Good intentions won’t get the work done. Come follow me as I make a plan and discipline myself to follow it until it comes as naturally as my bathroom routine.

First, I’ll make a list of the topics on which I would like to write articles. I’ll use the themes of the websites I work on as triggers. (I’m using abbreviations for the site’s names);
AVHH - articles on unique herbs and how to use them
BE - small business ideas, how to build a web business
RSR - inspirational on friendships, intimacy with God, makeovers, witnessing, and writing tips
AGI - genealogy and family stories, profiles of ancestors
GA - how to give wisely, profiles of worthy missions
manna - publication challenges in third world locations
RTM - Ugandan needs
PMC - challenges to do business in Tanzania
WTM - tract evangelism,
MMLC - log furniture ideas

Whoa, that list is getting so long I might scare myself away! That will do for now.

You will want to take note to not overwhelm yourself at first. Start with a short list. But while you are waiting for inspiration to come, keep making more lists. Where shall we look for the raw resource material to write our articles? Will some take extra research?

I have a handy book on herbs, but I’ll have to do some online research to make sure I don’t gloss over a business idea without checking for other things to include. The inspirational articles I can usually do out of my memory bank and my past, but I need to sit quietly and mull on some of these topics before an idea for an article gels. The profiles of ancestors and worthy missions will take some research too. So would the rest. But then I wouldn’t have to write an article a day on each.

Which brings me to another list part of planning this. How frequently do I need to write an article and how much time should I allow? Also, there is the matter of filing them and posting them - like where?

Okay, in my case, I think I can clear one hour for three mornings a week, but I will have to be flexible as that time may be taken over by some things that have priority. In fact, I have a couple of small jobs that need to be finished first, and then, if I get new clients I may have to sacrifice that time to deal with those jobs. But if I keep in the back of my mind that as soon as those hours clear up they belong to article writing, then I have a basis for a start. Later I may give up some other activities to make more room.

To make sure we don’t stress ourselves out with this, it might be wise to commit only to writing one article a week. If it needs research, I’ll do that on the Monday morning, and write in on the Thursday morning, and polish and post it on Friday. If it seems to really need more work I’ll set it aside, file it in a certain place, and come back to it whenever I run into writer’s block in another week.

Now, what about a plan for the actually writing of an article?

There are a number of articles and books with formulas to make this painless and productive. Each of us needs to experiment a bit first to see what works best for us. Some recommend making a list of 3-5 or 7 solutions to a problem, and describing each in a paragraph or two. Presto, there you have a short article of 300-500 words. Slant the article so the style is personable and talks directly to the reader. In an inspirational article you can tell a touching story, and if you get the reader to sigh with empathy, or smile at the humour in it, you’ve done well. All other articles need to share some practical help or advice. They don’t have to be complicated. The simpler they are the easier the reader can walk away and remember that advice and try it.

One more thing. Work very hard on the little biographical paragraph about yourself as the author that you are allowed to attach at the end of each article. The article directory sites insist that those who come to pick up your article to use on their site or in their ezine, MUST include that final blurb about you and what you do, or your website. That blurb is your gratis advertising, so use it wisely. If that article refers to and recommends a certain product you are selling on your site, be sure to include a url, or web address to the page where you sell it on your website. Then watch your STATs to see how many people come to that page after you have posted your article.

Write a bio something like this;

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Ruth Marlene Friesen, makes friends everywhere, just like her alter ego,
the heroine of her novel, Ruthe’s Secret Roses. Discover the secrets of
intentional friendship that transforms lives at http://Ruthes-SecretRoses.com.
Find more of Ruth’s articles on writing and publishing here;
http://Ruthes-SecretRosees.com/A/WPub/
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