by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden
I continually am amazed when I mention writing articles I get so many blank stares. It is like nobody ever thought about writing articles.
But I would love to “plant a few seeds” and encourage you to write more articles. Why would you want to do that? Any number of reasons but today we are just going to concentrate on one.
Writing articles is a great way to get your name out there and establish yourself in the writing world. If you do enough writing on he subject, you may find yourself labeled as an expert in that area. Then you can become the go-to person in your area of expertise.
If you are a new writer, this is just as much for you as other writers. For all those trying to build their platforms and find their places in the writing world,
Here are a Few Suggestions
- What do you like to do? Are you a master gardener? An expert cook? Do you raise dogs or have had pets of the same breed since growing up? Do you have certain skills that could benefit others? A good place to start writing articles is to begin with a subject you know. For those of you who are book writers, maybe you can write about a subject related to your book. That way your article will serve double duty as it introduces your book to the world.
- If you are counting on your articles for platform building, make sure your articles in some way show you as the person you are trying to promote. For instance, if you choose to write about gardening since that is one of your favorite things to do but your platform is parent/child relationships, be sure to include a paragraph or two about that in your article.
- Obtain the guidelines to a periodical that would be a good fit for your article. Write your article paying specific to the magazine guidelines, and don’t think you will be the exception to the rules. Don’t just aim for the biggest magazines you can find. Sometimes a more focused publication will introduce you to a large group of readers that are well-targeted for your subject. An article can serve as an introduction to a new group of loyal supporters for you.
- Then write your query letter. Query letters are another subject for another time. But this is another part of article writing that requires great care. After all, this is your introduction to another group—editors of the publications.
- Pay close attention to your bio. Make sure you include information that will connect to the magazine’s readership. If you have a new book coming out that relates to your article, mention “Mary Smithman is the author of the soon to be released Growing Up on the Farm.” This only works if you are writing about a farm-related subject, of course. Also include that Mary often writes and speaks on the subject of parent-child relationships, thereby increasing awareness of your platform.
As your name is seen more and more in the bylines of your articles, people will more frequently ask you questions about your subject. That is what you want to happen—lots of readers who see you as the expert. When that happens, you have successfully used articles to help you begin your writing career and start building a platform that will help others recognize you as a respected person in your field.
TWEETABLE
Featured Image: Photo by Thomas Lefebvre on Unsplash
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