Learning How to Write Articles for the Web

It has occurred to me that although I have offered you a ton of information on where to write I have not posted instructional information that will help you learn HOW to write. I can't count the number of people online I have talked to, when asking how to make a living online and I tell them to write articles and get paid, they say "But I'm not a writer." Here's what I honestly think about that. Do you think I came out of the womb fully formed as a writer? No!

If you took basic English classes in high school you can write. If you can type your thoughts in a coherent way, you can write. Of course, I didn't just jump into writing either. Before I began writing seriously in 2003 I studied like a demon. I didn't take classes on writing, I went to the library and got every book I could find from successful writers on how to write. It's not hard to learn, you just have to make your mind up that writing is what you want to do. What you will find is that what you are missing is more a basic understanding of proper grammar and punctuation more than anything else. But there is also the art of stringing a story together with a beginning, middle and end. Even online articles require this talent, and it is one you can learn easily, just by reading, finding a mentor, and practicing.

Of course, unfortunately there are 'writers' submitting articles in droves everyday who cannot write. This makes me mad because I worked hard to become good at what I do and it shames the whole writing profession when people who cannot write submit articles online, getting paid peanuts for trash. (A pet peeve of mine I'll leave for another time.)

Below is a list of books that you can either buy on Amazon cheap, or check out free at the library on how to write. Just put your belief behind you that you can do it and begin to study, practice, submit stuff online, and before you know it you will be a published writer! Once you are published there is nothing that can stop you from seeking that thrill of being published again. With each new publication you will want to strive for more well-known sites that pay better and better for articles, and you may even want to branch out to getting published in print.

The Write Start: Practical Advice on Successful Writing

The Writer's Home Companion

The Yahoo Style Guide IF YOU ONLY GET ONE BOOK TO LEARN TO WRITE FOR THE WEB, GET THIS ONE.


(This blog post is written for those of you who aspire to write articles online and get paid. If you want to learn to write creatively; fiction, poetry and essays, then that's a whole other ball of wax, which I will discuss and offer advice on in my next post. I will also give you a reading list to get you started learning to write creatively.)