Love your writing ballpark or leave it

The wind-up (Copyright Jaipi Sixbear 2010 all rights reserved)

There are many practical business tips that can be applied to online article writing. Playing by the rules is one of them. Sometimes freelance writers forget that everyone has to answer to someone. We have to learn to play by the rules or find another ballpark. Applying this practical business rule to online article writing is not only in consideration of the website you write for. It helps you as well.

Is it right for you?

Do you find yourself constantly complaining about the website you write for? Does it seem as if there is a brick wall at every turn? Are you continually frustrated with rules that make no sense at all? It might be that you are simply writing for the wrong website. It might also be that you are a more of a conventional writer, than an online article writer.

Making money on the web

Articles on the web differ from conventional journalism. They fill an entirely different need. In order to make money in any job, you have to fill the needs of your customer. Sometimes the rules of internet article writing make no sense to conventional journalists. This is because they sell to a different market. If you wish to write for the web, you must learn to speak to web customers.

Speaking to the web

How does writing for the web differ from conventional journalism? Well, first of all, web articles are brief and to the point. Web surfers are looking for quick facts. Online article writers must also word their titles according to what the reader is searching for. They must word their articles so the search engines will find them (when someone is looking for information). All this makes the rules different.

Are you right for them?

Maybe this just isn't a good fit. Before you begin writing for any website, familiarize yourself with the type of articles featured there. Is your writing style a good fit? How about your subject matter? Does the site seem out of your league or not up to your level? Maybe your articles just aren't right for this website. Not every website is a good place for you. So, if you can't follow the rules, find another ballpark.

This article was previously published by this author on a now closed Yahoo property.