Like a number of other prolific article writers I use templates to help me to write more quickly. I don't use Jeff Herring's templates, although I'm absolutely certain there're excellent. Lance Winslow uses his own article templates too. I have developed my own sets of writing templates based on the kind of writing I produce or article series that I've seen and like.
My first post on EzineArticles.com was after mid September of this year and as of today, October 31st, I have 33 articles posted. My goal for the end of October was 30 so it was exceeded. By the end of 2005 my goal is 50. Maybe 100 will be reached shortly after that if I rely more heavily on my article templates. What's more important to me than simply the quantity of articles posted is maintaining quality content in my length-controlled articles. Articles without quality content are virtually useless. Both your time and the reader's are wasted.
I encourage everyone to produce quality articles on a regular basis and not get intimidated by cranking out "numbers". Unfortunately, many "articles" I've read on online I personally wouldn't call articles. They're too short, ramble, have a disproportionately large number of grammar, spelling and other errors or provide no real information for the reader. Now there's nothing wrong with short (200 to 300 word) articles, I've written lots of them myself.
The key is to provide the reader with some kind of valuable ?take away? from each piece. If you don't do that why should the reader come back to you or your next article This is directly linked to quality content. There's hardly any danger in saying everything in the 600 words or so in an article. But if you don't say something of importance, the reader is lost ? gone, maybe forever to you.
Among the reasons I like using article templates are that they not only aid you in producing well-formatted content in optimum time but help ensure that your articles maintain consistent standards of quality in structure and content. Remember that marketing articles only function to drive web traffic to your blog or website if people read them and click through to the link you provide in the resource box. If your article doesn't deliver, forget any chance of a click through. Would you keep reading an author you didn't initially like? One who didn't give you pause to think, motivate or inform you?
So by all means do use a system for producing articles frequently and quickly, but always make sure to provide a strong ?take away? aspect for the reader. The reader is the reason you're writing and posting articles in the first place, right? Never be afraid to put in some useful references, give a meaty quote or two, drop in an anecdote, stimulate the reader's thinking and emotions. Motivate them by your words and thoughtful assistance, not your private dreams of wealth. Write quality content, as regularly and as often as you can, the rest will usually follow.
Take a couple of minutes extra and use the spell check and grammar check features on your computer. It won't slow you down enough to be a problem, but will lend greater quality and credibility to your writing. What do you think of a writer who has typos or simple grammar errors every few sentences in his writing?
Thanks for reading this. If it makes you think and points you toward greater production and quality it will have been well worth your time and mine.
Prof. Larry M. Lynch is a bi-lingual copywriter, expert author and photographer specializing in business, travel, food and education-related writing in South America. His work has appeared in Transitions Abroad, South American Explorer, Escape From America, Mexico News and Brazil magazines. He lives in Colombia and teaches at a university in Cali. To get original, exclusive articles and content for your newsletter, blog or website contact him for a no-obligation quote and current rates. For more information or to post comments go to http://bettereflteacher.blogspot.com.
