Article Writing: Use What You’ve Got in Your Noggin

Written by Lesli Mack

You want to flex your writing muscles and expand your horizons through article writing, but then you run into the problem so many others do: What can you write about that will interest others?

Well, you can always begin your writing journey where a lot of people begin: write what you know (and outsource the rest to talented writers).

Have you ever been given a topic to write on that you knew little or nothing about – and had absolutely no interest in? Yes, I know it brings back bad memories of high school. It was tough to put pen to paper or fingers to computer keys ( typewriter or stone tablets – depending on your age ) because you had no earthly idea what to write. If you want to incorporate writing into your marketing strategy, you don’t want to start out this way.

An easier start is to write about subjects that you are familiar with. Many online businesses rise out of hobbies and interests that people have a passion for. When you can write intelligently about a topic, readers are more likely to understand and accept what you are saying.

How do you know what you know? Start with a few questions:

• What do I like to do?
• What things don’t I like to do?
• What hobbies do I enjoy doing?
• What are my talents?

All of these questions lead to the formation of a list of topics that can begin your article writing career. You can write for others on assignment or you can strike out on your own and create a blog or online business using your list as a base.

What’s next? Now that you know what you like, find out all that you can about the topic. Become intimate with your topic. Readers are looking for writers who can be a resource for them. That is what you want also – to be their main “go to” person on a particular subject.

You might love making origami animals but what else do you know about origami? Readers who are interested in origami will want to know the history of the art, how to create various objects and where to purchase their products. It is your job as the writer to provide them with this information. The more that you know, the further you will go and the more money you can make with your chosen article topic.

Writing what you know about has many advantages:

• You can establish yourself as an expert and write for other sites
• Your informative articles can lead to increased sales on your website
• You can convincingly promote affiliate products

In other words, just get out there and do it. Even if you don’t fancy yourself a great writer, starting with what you know will allow you to build your skills – and increase your sales too.