Best Article Writing Tips from Career Professionals

When getting started in writing, it can be very useful to consult the pros. But perhaps you haven't met any yet and are just looking for some quick hints before networking with other writers. Maybe you just want some extra hints or a reminders to keep you going. I recently asked a group of my writing peers to share the best writing advice or tips they ever received. What are some of the best tips you've heard?

"Do your homework before jumping in. If you write an article without knowing what a company expects, you set yourself up for failure and will be discouraged. There are an infinite amount of resources of available, take time to read them so you know what the company wants." - Amy Brantley in Bryson City, North Carolina

"Don't write for only one site or client. That way, if the site or client stops requiring your services, you have other sources of revenue." - Sandra Petersen in Two harbors, Minnesota

"Write about things you are passionate about. Your readers will be able to tell, if it is something you really believe in." - Brett Day in Moore, Oklahoma

"The best writing advice I received when I first started writing, was to make my articles reusable, as most of my work will never go out of style, I can promote at will, to maximize page views." - Cheri Majors in Covina, CA

"Rewrite! Edit! Refine! Restructure! Delete! Spend as much time editing as you do writing. Editing, to me, is a ruthless process of removing anything that gets in the way of saying what I want to say." - Tsu Dho Nimh in Phoenix, Arizona

"'Write what you know.' It sounds corny, but as a Montessori educator, it has helped me find a niche in an area where there hasn't yet been a lot published." Andrea Coventry in Rochester, NY

"The best advice I received and initially scoffed at was "write what you know." Time and again, the work bears this out. Writing on topics that you have an intimate knowledge of shows in ways no amount of research can make up for and the rewards or pay supports this." - Theresa Leschmann in Southern Illinois

"The best advice I received when I began writing was not to take criticism personally. Now I take it with a grain of salt and see what I can learn from it. It's made me a better writer even though I'm still improving my skills." - Laurie Childree in Dothan, Alabama

"Learn what SEO techniques are, and how to use them in writing articles. This especially applies to article titles; I used to write 'Game Review: Title' until I learned SEO methods." - Lori May in Wheat Ridge, Colorado

"I never knew I could write until my college friends asked why I didn't. Feedback, positive or negative is always helpful. I'm a good writer but I'm a great re-writer." - Jeff Rogers in Honolulu, Hawaii

"Break the rules. When I started knowing what you shouldn't do in terms of approaching editors and the like, I had a tougher time. In the beginning, I could not be deterred. If you have no clips, work for free in areas you want to be an expert in. Donate your words to causes that mean something to you. Then, know your worth and be able to walk away from a job." - Kim Remesch in Baltimore, Maryland

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