Comments on: The way to approach publications with article ideas http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/ Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:25:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: ccdesigns http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10715 ccdesigns Fri, 11 Nov 2005 20:15:03 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10715 I disagree with Gamermk ;) You do need content for your site - thats understood; but getting an article syndicated is much more powerful for your site than a bunch of content that no one is interested in. I think what Andrew is saying is that in the time it takes you to write an article, you could have pitched 10 different article ideas to 50 different presses. If the press picks up your idea - get the work done. Then they publish it and it validates the actual content of the article as well as getting your stuff in reputable sources. There are only so many hours in the day, and for most of us, I can't spend that time writing articles that I think are important, but no one else does. I need the most bang for my second - so thanks Andrew, I have been putting off writing articles because I am not sure I want to put in the risk of several hours yielding nothing. I am going to setup this strategy for myself over the weekend and I'll let you know how it goes! I disagree with Gamermk ;)

You do need content for your site - thats understood; but getting an article syndicated is much more powerful for your site than a bunch of content that no one is interested in. I think what Andrew is saying is that in the time it takes you to write an article, you could have pitched 10 different article ideas to 50 different presses. If the press picks up your idea - get the work done. Then they publish it and it validates the actual content of the article as well as getting your stuff in reputable sources.

There are only so many hours in the day, and for most of us, I can’t spend that time writing articles that I think are important, but no one else does. I need the most bang for my second - so thanks Andrew, I have been putting off writing articles because I am not sure I want to put in the risk of several hours yielding nothing. I am going to setup this strategy for myself over the weekend and I’ll let you know how it goes!

]]> By: savagefire http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10696 savagefire Fri, 11 Nov 2005 06:21:34 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10696 I agree entirely with Gamermk. I agree entirely with Gamermk.

]]> By: mmj http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10690 mmj Fri, 11 Nov 2005 03:05:44 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10690 <blockquote>List each idea, starting with a catchy title </blockquote> Good point - I think a catchy title helps an article seem real - publishable.

List each idea, starting with a catchy title

Good point - I think a catchy title helps an article seem real - publishable.

]]> By: Gamermk http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10687 Gamermk Fri, 11 Nov 2005 00:33:50 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10687 I like this concept, but I would do it based on an article I have already wrote. Even if there are no publications that want my work, it would still be valuable for my website. If I do your approach and my ideas get shot down, I lose any motivation I might have had to write these articles and as a result my website doesn't get any new content. So my spin on this is. 1)Write the article 2)Send the catchy title with brief description and reason why I am most qualified 3)Follow up This approach still establishes dialogue with the publication. I also think it would increase the chance they would like the article because my description would be based on the article already wrote rather than the article I was going to write. Furthermore, if their response is positive, but they need the article immediately, I already have it done. This way I do not miss a valuable opportunity to get into a publication, I don't run the risk of not being able to finish the article in time for a potential opening in the publication, and I don't run the risk of rushing the article for a deadline and releasing work that is potentially unfinished. And like I said before, worst case scenerio its more educational articles for my website. I like this concept, but I would do it based on an article I have already wrote.

Even if there are no publications that want my work, it would still be valuable for my website. If I do your approach and my ideas get shot down, I lose any motivation I might have had to write these articles and as a result my website doesn’t get any new content.

So my spin on this is.
1)Write the article
2)Send the catchy title with brief description and reason why I am most qualified
3)Follow up

This approach still establishes dialogue with the publication. I also think it would increase the chance they would like the article because my description would be based on the article already wrote rather than the article I was going to write. Furthermore, if their response is positive, but they need the article immediately, I already have it done. This way I do not miss a valuable opportunity to get into a publication, I don’t run the risk of not being able to finish the article in time for a potential opening in the publication, and I don’t run the risk of rushing the article for a deadline and releasing work that is potentially unfinished.

And like I said before, worst case scenerio its more educational articles for my website.

]]> By: aneitlich http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10682 aneitlich Thu, 10 Nov 2005 21:03:58 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10682 Sojan80: What would be your goal with this approach? The idea of writing articles is to establish yourself as the go-to professional in your field. How do you achieve this goal with your approach? Sojan80:

What would be your goal with this approach? The idea of writing articles is to establish yourself as the go-to professional in your field. How do you achieve this goal with your approach?

]]> By: Sojan80 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10681 Sojan80 Thu, 10 Nov 2005 20:58:22 +0000 http://www.sitepoint.com/blogs/2005/11/10/the-way-to-approach-publications-with-article-ideas/#comment-10681 But what about this though. Switch it around a little bit. You have an idea for an article. You know you're not <em>"the person"</em> to write it, because you don't know enough about it to make it useful to everyone. But having read a certaina uthors work you know this article idea would fit well with what that author normally writes about. How is it best to <em>"suggest"</em> to them "Hey, I have an idea for an article you should write. My idea is..." and not come across sounding like a total boob? Would you still approach it the same way? But what about this though. Switch it around a little bit.

You have an idea for an article. You know you’re not “the person” to write it, because you don’t know enough about it to make it useful to everyone. But having read a certaina uthors work you know this article idea would fit well with what that author normally writes about.

How is it best to “suggest” to them “Hey, I have an idea for an article you should write. My idea is…” and not come across sounding like a total boob?

Would you still approach it the same way?

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