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Even those of us who are seasoned at the art of writing and
submitting articles need to be reminded occasionally of the basics that
publishers and editors expect! Stay focused on these fundamentals to get
the most mileage from your article submissions.
Original Content Only - If you didn't write an article yourself, you
can't legally submit it for publication as your own work. The only exception
here is if you hire a ghostwriter to write the article for you, in which
case, you are the copyright owner.
Know Your Subject - A telltale sign of an amateur is an article that
contains misinformation and invalid content. Article submission sites rely
on quality content that provides something of value to their readers. If
your article lacks substance and doesn't ring true, it won't be accepted. If
you want to write about new topics for increased exposure, try hiring a
ghostwriter who specializes in that topic.
Good Grammar Please - As the editor of an article submission newsgroup, I
know there's nothing more frustrating than receiving articles that look like
the work of 3rd graders. Grammar includes spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, subject/verb agreement, etc. A couple of key rules here -
never submit an article without spell checking it AND proofreading a
hardcopy. Not all errors can be picked up with spellchecker tools. It's
always a good idea to have someone else proof your article too, just in case
you may have missed something.
Attention to Word Count - The average word count guidelines for article
submissions sites tends to run around 750, the key word here being average.
These can vary extensively from 250-word articles to 2500-word articles,
depending upon each site. Before submitting an article to any article
submission site, make sure that your work meets that site's specific
guidelines for word count regarding title, body and author bio. Remember
that if a site specifies a total number of characters versus a total word
count that character count also includes spaces.
No Hard Sells - The purpose of article submission sites is NOT to provide
you with a free advertising venue. Their purpose is to provide their readers
and other web site owners with quality content. Forget about blatantly
tooting your own horn in the body of your article ... it'll never work!
That's what your resource box is for, and it's an awesome tool if you know
how to use it! Use your resource box to include a link to your web site and
to reference your content information at your web site.
Formatting - Most article submission sites feature forms for submitting
your articles. However, if you create your article using Microsoft(r) Word
or other word progressing programs, your formatting won't remain intact
during the submission process. Avoid formatting errors in your articles by
sticking with text-based applications to ensure integrity in your article's
basic formatting. Make sure to review your article after submitting it to
see that the formatting isn't off and for any odd characters transferred
during the submission process.
Syndication Matters - Strategic partnerships are an integral part of
doing business in both traditional markets and in the online world.
Increasingly, article submission sites are partnering with other sites to
provide content, which is fantastic for you as a writer! Just know in
advance, that if the site to which you submit your article engages in
syndication that your article can be picked up by other web sites without
additional permission from you. A basic rule applies here if you're thinking
about selling an article; just don't submit it for free reprint at all.
Nothing Lasts Forever - It's out with the old and in with the new in
almost all cases of free reprint articles. No matter how valuable your
article, sooner or later it will be purged or deleted to make way for fresh,
new content. Write and keep a ready stock of original articles that you can
submit on a regular basis to ensure that your name stays out there. Keep
track of all your article submissions and submit new articles as often as
possible.
Although each article submission site publishes and maintains its own set
of guidelines, knowing and observing these basics puts you ahead of the game
in having your articles accepted for publication.
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(c) 2009, Davis Virtual Assistance. Publication
Bonnie Jo Davis is an article marketing expert and prolific writer who
created Article Submission Sites to teach others how to profit from this
internet marketing strategy. Visit
http://www.articlesubmissionsites.com for a free copy of "Writing
for Publicity" and her Article Submission Summary Sheet.
