Five Online Writing Tips for Writing Perfect Articles on the Web

Writing perfect articles for the internet is a difficult task. If a reader's attention isn't immediately caught within the first sentence or paragraph, then in all likelihood they won't even bother to finish. Readers also expect more of online writers than they do of their in print counterparts. If an article looks like it was written by an amateur, then chances are they will stop reading right then and there. It is also unlikely that they will come back to read one of your future articles. That's why it's so imperative to ensure that one writes perfect articles for the internet. These online writing tips will help you write perfect articles for the web.

Online Writing Tip #1 - Read Your Article Out Loud
All writers know how important it is to proof read their articles for mistakes before publishing. Oftentimes one will still make mistakes. One great strategy for writing perfect articles is to read the article out load, and see if you hear yourself saying awkward sentences. The simplicity of this practice makes it one of the greatest online writing tips.

In college, one of the great writing tips that I learned from my English professors was to read my work out loud. Not only does this advice work for traditional papers, it is one of many online writing tips that everyone should know. Ask yourself if this something I would want to listen to on the radio while driving? If it isn't, then chances are readers aren't going to want to hear it either.

Online Writing Tip #2 - Take Breaks
Re-reading the same article over and over for errors can be tedious. Another tip for writing perfect articles on the internet is to take a break from the document at hand and work on something else for a while. When one finally goes back to check the original article, they may catch errors that they may not have noticed the first time around.

When I first started writing articles on the internet, I rushed not only my writing, but my proofreading. I couldn't wait to have my first article published. The result? Errors in spelling and formatting that were shameful. I did not take the time seek out online writing tips from those with experience writing perfect articles for the web. Learn from my mistakes by slowing down and taking a break from your current article.

Online Writing Tip #3 - Paste as Plain Text
The majority of online writers use a text program such as Word to write their articles. Most believe that it is fine to simply copy and paste their articles into the publishing tool of the website they are writing for. They couldn't be any more wrong.

It's imperative that one uses the "paste as plain text" when they are copying their content from Word into their web browser. This will ensure that the text is in compliance with whatever the default font should be. It will also solve many of the formatting problems with one's articles.

When I first started writing for the web, I used copy paste without realizing that Word's formatting was copied as well. This created unnecessary code that was in my article. That code can create extra work for a reader's web browser and also make one's article display incorrectly.

Online Writing Tip #3 - Use Bold Headings
A simple way of directing readers attention is through the use of bold headings. Bold headings create a simple yet elegant separation between ideas. Good headings should summarize what is being talked about, so that if a reader isn't interested they can just skip to the next bold heading. Writing perfect articles for the internet would be impossible without the efficient use of bold heading.

In the first few articles I wrote on the internet, I didn't use bold headers. While my paragraphs did have headings, their lack of bold formatting gave no direction for my readers. When I started using bold headings in my articles, I noticed a direct increase of comments and page views.

Online Writing Tip #4 - Avoid Big Blocks of Text
A paragraph in a research paper may run over seven sentences. In articles on the internet, one should try to limit the number of sentences in each paragraph to six or less. The reason for this is because giant blocks of text can be a turn off to readers. Short, to the point paragraphs are what online readers are looking for.

Some of the very first criticism I received about my articles from readers was that my paragraphs were too long. Breaking up a large paragraph into two smaller ones was one of the most important online writing tips I have received. By shortening paragraphs my articles now have more white space and look easier to read.

Online Writing Tip #5 - Preview Your Article
Most websites that allow online publishing will make the writer preview their article before they can publish it. A key part of writing perfect articles on the internet is to ensure that the final product looks perfect. Taking an extra minute or two to read the article (even if it is the eight time!) to ensure that it is perfect is worth it.

Oftentimes websites have certain spots reserved for in article advertisements. Using the preview function of web publishing tools has let me make sure that my text aligns perfectly with the advertisements. Unaligned text will make an article stand out - in a bad way.

Review
By taking the time to read your article out loud, take a break from each article, paste as plain text, and preview your article, you will eliminate most (if not all) of your mistakes. By following these online writing tips, it will result in writing perfect articles for the internet that look just as good as they read.

By reading this article, I hope you will have learned some valuable online writing tips from my past mistakes so that you will be able to write perfect articles for the web.

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