Do You Want To Practice Writing Articles And Build A Portfolio On The Internet?
Another reason you might want to submit articles to online article directories is to get feedback and confidence in your writing. You can also use article sites to practice writing articles and learning to write for the web.
Having a portfolio of articles on the Internet will help you when you want to start freelancing. Potential clients will want to see a sample of your work. It’s easy to refer them to article directories. You might even want to get a %%%domain name%%% that redirects to your profile on the directory you use the most. Articlesbyyourname.com is a popular method for this. Check out ArticlesbyConnie.com to see Connie Ragen Green’s example.
Some article directories don’t have an approval process. You submit your article and it will be “live” right away. That means that others can view it. Some article directories hold articles in an approval queue until they are approved, usually by a real person.
The submission process usually involves using an interface that checks for some basic things. Most article directories require an article to have a minimum number of words. The software will reject article that doesn’t meet this requirement.
You’ll need to check the Terms of Service for each site. They are all different. If a person rejects your article, they will give you a reason. Once you correct the problem, the article will show up on the site.
A common problem for being rejected is for being too promotional. If you are writing for practice, don’t promote any particular product. You can direct readers back to your site in your resource box.
Some directories allow comments on the articles. Readers can leave feedback. However, they seldom do, so I wouldn’t depend on this method.
Other directories have user forums. You can ask for and receive feedback on your articles. You can also get tips on article writing and using the site.
Your articles don’t have to be perfect to be included in online article directories. Take a look at some of the articles on the site. Not all the articles are great. Study the ones you like to see what makes the article appeal to you.
Helium uses a rating system. Any article of the proper length will be accepted. You can see how your articles stand up against others with the same title. (Helium provides the title, but you can suggest titles you’d like to use.)
Helium is a great place to start if you need suggestions for titles and want to receive feedback for your work. There are lots of helpful folks in the forum. Ask your questions and join in the conversation.
At Helium, you have to rate the articles written by others in order to participate in the revenue sharing. This will let you see other’s writing and give you more confidence in your own writing as you practice writing articles.
There are other sites that provide feedback for you as well. I’m using Helium as an example, since that’s the site I use the most.
Do you have a favorite article directory you use for feedback purposes? Leave a comment and share.
Write on,
Lynn
Yes Lynn, writing articles is an excellent way to get started with writing, or just to practice. Plus, it has benefits. You can include a resource box to get traffic to your sites and to perhaps attract paying clinets that way.
The greatest thing about article writing is timing. A typical article is anywhere from 400 to 600 words long (I personally aim for about 450). It’s quite possible to put out an article on a subject that you know about in 10 minutes. So, you can fit this into around other tasks, or when you don’t have time to work on part of a larger project.
Definitely a valid skill for everyone to have.
Thom
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Thanks Lynn for all of this information. It sounds like a great way to build a writing portfolio.