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Do you really want to write free reprint articles, but are you thinking that you're just not ready to start submitting articles to publishers? That is a very common fear, and sometimes even those who are good at writing feel a little intimidated by the thought of writing an official article. Many people aren't used to writing anything more formal that an email, and coming up with an entire article may feel a bit out of your league. If this is how you're feeling, I assure you that you're not alone. This article offers some practical tips to help you take the first steps towards writing and submitting an article. You might be wondering "what is an article?" Great question. What you're writing isn't going to be like a newspaper or magazine article. You'll be writing what is called a "free reprint article". A free reprint article may also be known as an "educational article". It's a piece of content that teaches your reader something about your niche, something that will help the reader understand or do something. The goal of writing the article is to make a piece of content that readers will find helpful and that publishers will want to put on their websites. So, you need to keep in mind the needs of your readers, and also the editorial guidelines of publishers. In general, an educational article has these qualities: *It usually has between 400-800 words, possibly longer. Keep in mind that you want to make your article as attractive to publishers and readers as possible, and one that is a lot longer than this may limit your audience. *Free reprint articles have titles that clearly state what the article is about in an interesting way. *The article will usually start with a paragraph that summarizes what the article will be about. *After the introduction comes the supporting content. This is where you state your case and provide the bulk of your information. *Finally, there is a closing paragraph. In the closing paragraph you can summarize the main points of the article or give the reader some instructions for how to begin to implement the information that has been offered. And that's basically it as far as the article itself goes. When you break it down into parts, it's not as intimidating. When you create your first articles, just remember--title, introductory paragraph, supporting content, and then a closing paragraph. If you can do each one of those steps, then you've created an article. Next, we have the Resource Box. You may have never heard that term before, but I bet you're familiar with the concept. A resource box is basically a brief biography of the author, along with a link to the author's website. This way, when someone reads your article and finds it helpful, they can learn more about you and can also have an easy way of getting to your website for more information. All readers need to do is click the link in your resource box, and then they're taken to your website. The resource box is usually 400-450 characters maximum. That's basically 3 sentences or so, depending on how long your sentences are. Compared to your article, the resource box may seem insignificant at first glance, but I caution you to treat it with respect. Really, the resource box is the key to article marketing. That is the place where you get your payoff, so think about it carefully. The resource box needs to pack a big punch in a little space, so choose your words carefully. Here is the information that you should include: *State your name if you wish to use article marketing as a means of establishing your expertise in your field, or if you want to be sure that your name is attached to your article. Every person who republishes your article is required to also reprint your resource box, but if you don't put your name in there, then there is a possibility that your name will not be listed elsewhere on the page. If it's important to you to have your name associated with your article, then include it in your resource box. *Tell a little about yourself and your business. *Give some reason for the reader to visit your website. Maybe you have a free newsletter to offer them, a coupon, a free report on a compelling topic in your niche, or an excellent blog with fresh information. Try to find something to offer at your website that will "lure" the reader into clicking the link to your site. *Provide a link to your website. You can link to the main page or other pages on your site. It is beneficial for your website's SEO (search engine optimization) if you vary the pages on your site that you link to. When you preview your article, ensure that your link is typed in correctly--just click on it and see if it opens the page you intended. I can't tell you how many times people have been aghast to realize that their beautifully written article that has been republished on many websites had a broken link in the resource box. It's easy enough to make sure that doesn't happen--just test your link! Are you starting to feel more comfortable with the idea of writing your first article? It's one of those things that is a challenge the first time, but it gets easier each time you do it. By your third article, you'll be saying "Why was I so nervous about doing this? It's not bad at all!" You may even find that you enjoy writing free reprint articles, as many people do! Steve Shaw's article distribution service has helped thousands of business owners worldwide build traffic, leads and sales to their websites - grab his free report giving you a blueprint for attracting sustainable, dirt-cheap, long-term, targeted traffic to any website! Go now to http://www.submityourarticle.com/report and learn how to boost your traffic by up to 600%!
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