(Or It Takes One to Know One)

Writing Tip Number One

There is nothing more frustrating than staring at a blank sheet of paper (or computer screen) when you absolutely must write a blog post or an article for your email newsletter or autoresponder series. This isn’t the same as writer’s block. It’s more like how people often feel when deciding what to make for dinner.

A cook will go to the cupboard and refrigerator to remind herself what’s on hand. It’s a similar process for a writer. You need to remind yourself what topics you can access from your “idea cupboard.”

The best way to do that is to create a random, stream-of-consciousness list of every major sub-topic in your niche that you can think of (AKA brainstorming). If you know your niche well, this is a lot easier than you might imagine.

Brainstorming

Deb’s Brainstorming Rule #1:

Work quickly, letting the ideas stream into your mind. Don’t try to force them and don’t just limit yourself to writing down clever thoughts. At this stage go for the first thing that pops into your head, regardless of quality. (See Deb’s Brainstorming Rule # 5.) 

Deb’s Brainstorming Rule #2:

Turn off your inner editor. You know who I’m talking about. It’s the little voice that says you must correct each spelling and punctuation error the moment you see it. And it’s likewise that same inner editor who has been known to tell you that you write like a third-grader and will never amount to anything as a writer. Flip the switch off or muzzle her. 

Deb’s Brainstorming Rule #3:

Write out your list in long-hand in ink, even if you’re the world’s fastest typist. It’s MUCH harder to edit a list on paper than on a digital device. And that’s a good thing. (See Deb’s Brainstorming Rule # 4.)

Deb’s Brainstorming Rule #4:

Do not edit your list in any way, including scratching off an idea or obliterating it. I’ll say it again:DON’T EDIT!! 

Deb’s Brainstorming Rule #5:

In this first stage of deciding what to write, you want to create the longest possible list of topics, no matter how lame some of them may seem at the moment. You are going for quantity, NOT quality. (You may need to silence your inner editor again. She can sometimes reactivate on her own. Just sayin’…) We’ll deal with quality in the next phase.

Deb’s Brainstorming Rule #6:

List every idea that comes to mind, even if you know you’ll never write about that topic in a million years. Why?

1. Because if you don’t write these ideas down immediately, they will haunt you through this process until you acknowledge them, effectively blocking your creativity and ruining any brainstorming momentum you may have acquired.
2. Because a topic that doesn’t interest you might be closely-related to one that does interest you, but which you might not have thought of otherwise.

An Example

My broad niche is writing, so I’m going to just start listing sub-topics here. And, no, I did not plan this out ahead of time. (Trust me, I’m not that organized.)

Article writing
Non-fiction book writing
Creative non-fiction writing
Short story writing
Novel writing
Finding story ideas

In newspaper headlines

Book titles

Life events

The seasons

The calendar

Writer’s block

Is there such a thing as writer’s block?

Overcoming writer’s block

Characterization
Setting
Theme
Plot
Story structure
Self-publishing
Traditional publishing
Online publishing
Writing for digital devices
Writing prompts
Creative writing exercises
Writing quotes
Writing contests
Writing games
Sales copywriting
Copyright
Repurposing your writing
Agents and Editors
Do you need an agent?
Should you hire a freelance editor before you submit your work?
eBooks
Editing your writing

Rewriting

Writing is Rewriting

Psychology of writing

Your inner critic

Creativity and the writing process
The writing life
Making a living at writing
Author interviews
Author profiles

This list took less than five minutes to create. Notice I included possible article titles under some subtopics. Never let such serendipitous ideas escape. They’re too hard to come by. Write down any and all ideas.

Even though I’ve been writing on these and other topics for the past four years, I had to think hard about what my categories are, because my primary purpose is helping fiction writers who are stuck to find story ideas. This wasn’t a matter of words effortlessly flowing off my fingertips, by a long shot.

Priming the Pump

If you need to quickly prime the pump of your creativity, browse through your favorite niche magazine for its departments and column listings, or do a broad topic keyword search online. That should be enough to get you started. Your subconscious will do the rest.

Finally, if you are blessed with a loyal readership, two simple ways to get even more ideas for articles are to ask for topics of interest and to solicit reader questions.

As you continue to brainstorm, you’ll find that one idea sparks another — sometimes to the point that you can’t write fast enough to jot down one idea before the next one pops into your brain. That’s the beauty of stream of consciousness. The human mind, not to mention the mysterious ways it works, is wondrous.

For other articles on writing, including those on the categories listed above, I invite you to visit me at The Story Ideas Virtuoso. Come join the discussion and download a free small report.

Are you coming to the point, where you say to yourself – “Oh sh%t, I have to write my article or blog post?” Does the thought of writing drain you? And, even though you know you need to write articles to get more website traffic, build your list, nourish relationships and increase your profits – are you procrastinating writing your articles?

Then this new article is for you.

Learn from Marshall Goldsmith (the man who is ranked one of the most influential business thinkers in the world by The London Times and Forbes) and see how you can apply his secrets for getting unstuck to your own article writing and marketing efforts.

Why You End Up in a Writing Rut!

As Marshall says, “Our default reaction in life is to experience inertia. We all tend to go where we have been going, do what we have been doing and say what we have been saying.” If you say the same story time after time after time, and repeat the same advice – it gets boring! And, it’s not only boring for the reading, but it’s boring for you the writer.

You have to evolve as an article writer – in fact, I discuss the need to evolve in this article here:

http://bit.ly/d6IPcc

Marshall’s Solutions for Getting Unstuck

1. You need to challenge yourself to create new content — content that is not found anywhere else online.

2. Change your approach to article writing. You have to ask yourself, “If I have to spend this time writing articles, how can I make it more meaningful to my readers and myself? Part of the answer is to find your passion and let it shine through in your articles.

3. Stop saying later. The time is now. How many times have you said this to yourself, “You know, I am incredibly busy right now. And, given the pressures of work and home, I feel too over-committed. I simply don’t have the time and energy. I’ll write my articles later in maybe 2 to 3 weeks when things calm down.” The reality is that there will not be two or three weeks. It is always going to be crazy. If you are not taking the time to build your business now with articles, it’s never going to happen. As Marshall says, “To get unstuck, you have to look in the mirror day after day, and remind yourself of the actions that you will take today.” It requires discipline – but once you get writing and get out of this rut, you will get more profits and it will be worth it.

4. Get a peer coach – In a SUCCESS magazine article, Marshall mentions that he has a peer coach which asks him every day – “On a scale of 1 to 10, how happy were you yesterday? On a scale of 1 to 10, how meaningful was yesterday? How many minutes did you write? How many push-ups did you do?” This peer coach holds Marshall accountable. How do you hold yourself accountable to make sure you write and submit articles online and do the other marketing activities that will build your business?

Follow these tips and you’ll be writing articles on a daily basis – just like me “your article writing and marketing expert!” You see, I write articles on a daily basis for my ezine, blog, article submission and for my social media efforts. And, I never get bored.

To help you get out of this rut even more, check out my instant article writing templates at: StartWritingArticlesFaster.com <= Scroll to the bottom and get 3 article templates for free!

Instant Article Writing Template Creator Eric Gruber helps internet marketers and small business owners overcome writer’s block and end their writing rut fast so they can get more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get 3 of Eric’s article templates for free – so you can write your articles in 30 minutes or less. Get it now at http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

Are you experiencing writer’s block?

Whether you are a new writer or an article writing and marketing expert like me, there comes a time when you just stare at the blank white screen with your hands ready at the keyboard – but they’re not typing. The dreadful writer’s block is stopping the words from flowing as they should.

It is frustrating to be stuck especially when you know when you write and submit articles online you will get more website traffic, prospects and profits. So, you start pulling your hair out and grinding your teeth.

See, I know exactly how you feel. There were many times that I wanted to throw my laptop and my desktop right out the window. I know what it is like to try to force yourself to “work through it”, and when you sit down to write you are numb and feel like your brain is composed of concrete.

I also know that the longer you stay in this state the more discouraged you get, which makes it even harder to write. That’s why I am going to help you get out of that dark, cold, gloomy corner and see the light so you can start writing articles faster.

7 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block and Banish It Forever

1. Use instant article writing templates — You want to use article templates that literally guide you through the article writing process. For example, my 40+ Instant Article Writing Templates Kit, is filled with worksheets and ideas. All you have to do is enter the information that the template asks for – where it asks for it. Not only will you generate article ideas, but you’ll be able to organize your ideas in a way that gets your prospects to read your articles from top to bottom.

2. Host a teleseminar – Greg Ivers of Church Loan Services, an article marketing coaching client of mine, has the hardest time putting the information inside his head into words. No matter how much time I spent with him – he just wasn’t getting it like many small business owners. However, he has no problem speaking about his expertise. So, using Instant Teleseminars, I’m having him do a teleseminar recording that he can use as a lead generation device. He’s then going to use the recording to create a number of articles to promote his free audio program.

3. Keep a digital or analog notebook with you 24/7 — They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Coming up with compelling ideas to write about is sometimes the hardest challenge of all. But, if you have an “idea pad” with you at all times, you can build a reserve of good topics to draw upon as you need them. You’re working proactively to prevent writer’s block.

4. Start writing without constraints– Consider this: Have you ever been blocked while playing Frisbee? Eating doughnuts? Dancing naked in your living room? Those are joyful things and there’s nothing at stake. If you fail, who cares? Nobody. If there are no rules, and no judgment, psychological blocks are impossible. So, start writing without constraints. Deliberately write badly, but write.

5. Write about how it feels not to be able to write. It’s sneaky, but, it works. The voices in our heads are always saying something, so get it down. Imagine yourself as a recording device, writing down the radio broadcast of some other person who happens to live in your head. Eventually your mind will hit thoughts on the topic itself and, presto, you’re on your way.

6. Make Lists – List making is never as threatening as “writing”, so go there first! As far as I know, there is no shopping list block, is there? For example, when I created this list article, I kicked my list around for awhile. I made changes. I did lots of moving and shuffling. Then once it reached critical mass, I put in a document and created my article.

7. Keep writer’s block away by writing daily — Just like someone who is out of shape could not run a mile in a respectable amount of time, someone who doesn’t write frequently will not be able to write high quality articles fast. You have to train your body to run, just like you must train your brain to write. And, you become a faster runner and writer through repeated practice and perseverance.

So, pick up my article writing templates at StartWritingArticlesFaster.com and put these ideas to use. You’ll be amazed how fast ideas will start racing to your mind.

Article marketing expert Eric Gruber created online marketplace opportunities for authors, small business owners, speakers and internet marketers who want more website traffic, prospects and profits. Now you can get started with writing and marketing your business with articles, by getting 3 free article templates that will help you write articles faster. Get it now at: http://www.trymyfreearticletemplates.com

Recently, I was in a karate tournament competing in the 18 to 34 year old advanced black belt division. I was fighting for 3rd place, when all of a sudden I was caught by a punch in my eye. The punch was so hard and fast that I did not see it coming. When I woke up, I didn’t even know what I was hit with.

Now, that black belt was disqualified for malicious contact.

But as an Internet marketer and article marketer, you want to legitimately hit your competitors so hard and fast that they don’t see you coming. And, when they wake up, you already have their traffic and sales.

How to Get New Customers and Sell Like Never Before with Article Marketing

By writing and submitting articles online to the top websites, ezines and article directories, you will get more links, more traffic and more sales without any problem.

But, if you really want to compete with the BIG guys and girls in your market, then you need to follow my secret strategies to getting new customers:

1. Write articles that give away your best information for free!

Most people are afraid to give away great information so they resort to giving the same old information as everyone else. But this doesn’t differentiate you. This doesn’t show that you truly are the expert. It doesn’t give me a reason to go to your website instead of your competitors. You want to wow me with truly great, free content that makes my mouth watery for more. You want me to be like: “Oh my god, I can’t believe the information he’s giving out for free. I can’t wait to see the information that I have to buy for.” If you do this you will be a step ahead of your competition.

2.Write articles that educate the prospect on how to buy products and services within your niche.

Inform them on the types of questions they should be asking and what they should be looking for. Every question that you include should be something you do, that your competition doesn’t. An example, would be my article: “How to Choose an Article Submission Service.”

This article helped Article Marketing Experts make more than $10,000.00 in less than 2 months.

Why does this template work?

Because it pre-sells your products and services.

Now you won’t have to work as hard to close the sale.

When you go to: http://www.StartWritingArticlesFaster.com/BeatYourCompetitionVideo you’ll get even more information on how to hit your competition so hard and fast that they don’t know what hit them. Plus, I’m offering you 3 FREE Instant Article Writing Templates, including the template that helped me make more than $10,000.00 in less than 2 months.

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors, entrepreneurs and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can Eric’s FREE Article Marketing Video and 3 of his favorite his instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles fast. Get it all now at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

Do you want to be known as a “thought leader” in your industry?

Of course you do!

A thought leader is essentially a trusted resource. And, in an information economy, a trusted resource is extremely valuable. It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in – whether you have a Fortune 1000 company or a bakery in a small town – thought leadership will propel your business in ways that you could never imagine. For example, here are three benefits of becoming a “thought leader”…

Why You Want to Become a Thought Leader

1. Prospects will prefer you. The more expensive the products and services, the more prospects will want to seek out recognized leaders. They want to know that the provider is well established and can demonstrate expertise. They want someone who can provide reliable answers and someone who will continue to solve problems and provide cutting-edge information long after the purchase.

2. You will be recognized as a central source of information. When customers, prospects and the media need to know something that involves an industry, they’ll think first of the company or expert they perceive to be the thought leader. People invite thought leaders to speak at high-profile functions, present at trade shows, get interviewed and write articles, opinion pieces and books.

3. Dominate the search engines: Incoming links are one of the key ways to increase search engine optimization. Thought leaders who take advantage of online opportunities such as article marketing will develop a following, increase their company’s online visibility and at the same time improve their SEO.

If you write and submit articles the right way – you can become a thought leader fast.

So, how can you become a thought leader fast?

Top 7 Tips to Help You Become a Thought Leader Just By Writing and Submitting Articles Online

1. Write articles on a consistent basis. To be a thought leader – you need to consistently articulate and convey insightful information that listeners and readers value. This means, you should be writing articles – if not on a daily basis – then a weekly basis. These articles should be used for article submission. They should be on your blog. They should put into an auto-responder series. And, they should be turned into products.

2. Give away your best tips and advice. Truly insightful information is a rare commodity. So, if you reveal some of your best secrets that no one else is sharing, you will automatically become a “thought leader.” Plus, if the information you’re sharing is hot, prospects will think, “Wow! If he’s giving away this information for free – I wonder what I will learn if I get his products or consulting services!” They’ll be drooling to get onto your list, learn more about you and your offerings – and most importantly – buy from you. So, if you want to be a thought leader is then you have to be eager to give information away.

3. Be motivated by generosity, not self-interest. People are more likely to follow altruists – and they instinctively know the difference. Don’t ruin your article marketing efforts by writing an amazing article – and then try to sell them in the bio box. Earn your prospect’s respect first by telling them how you can help them – and then invite them to get a free special report or other call-to-action that reinforces the fact that you are a thought leader. Then focus on selling them.

4. Be different. If you are writing the same thing as everyone else, just using different words – how does this make you the expert? It doesn’t! Build a foundation of expertise. Quantify you experience. Record what you currently know about your industry that others in your industry may not know. Imagine that you’re a mentor writing a long letter to a protégé. Focus on uncommon expertise and wisdom.

5. Use proven article templates that will help you write articles and content that prove you are a “thought leader.” For example, a case study article template will help you write an article that shows prospect that you are the expert – and that have you gotten desired results. An example is my article, “How to Promote Your Book to the Top of the New York Times Best Sellers List”.

6. Submit your articles to the top websites, ezines and blogs! Most people focus their article marketing efforts on sites like EzineArticles.com. Submitting your articles to article directories like EzineArticles.com is good for building links and improving your search engine optimization. But it sucks at helping you become a “thought leader!” Anyone can get published on article directories (including kids) as long as you follow their editorial guidelines. This doesn’t make you stand out at the expert, does it? Get your articles published on top, credible websites. For example, my articles can be found on sites like About.com, SiteProNews.com, MarketingProfs.com and hundreds more.

7. Turn your articles into videos and submit them to the top video sites like YouTube and Viddler. As a thought leader, you want to get your message out to as many people as possible in as many formats as possible.

If you follow my advice, you will become a thought leader and make more money online. To get started, check out my free article writing templates. These templates will help you consistently write articles fast so you can become a thought leader in your industry.

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to experience the benefits of becoming a thought leader in their prospects’ eyes. Now, you can get 3 of his favorite his instant article writing templates that will help you write thought leader type articles in 30 minutes or less. Get it now: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

Instant article writing templates such as those found at Start WritingArticlesFaster.com can help you overcome writer’s block. In many cases, with the right article templates, you can write your articles in 30 minutes or less.

Notice the keywords there – “with the right article templates.”

If you do a Google search for “instant article writing templates”, “instant article templates”, “article writing templates”, “free article templates” and “article templates”- underneath my websites and my articles you find hundreds of other resources. Some sites even give you free article templates.

Heck, I even give you 3 free article templates at TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

Here’s the problem… most article templates are not designed to help you write better articles faster. Now, the creators of these article templates had good intentions. However, if you use the wrong article templates, you will find yourself even more confused.

The 3 Biggest Problems with Most Instant Article Writing Templates

1. Most article templates do not give you the structure and organization you need. In fact, here’s a sampling of what one article template provider offers…

Article Writing Template – What I Learned From….

This one is simply a bulleted list of what you have learned from any number of things or events such as what I learned from my parents, my sister, my brother, my son, my daughter, from my third grade teacher, from September 11th, from watching a TV show, etc.

Bullet 1-

Bullet 2-

Bullet 3-

And, so on…

Now, to me this is not a workable template. Templates are supposed to be worksheets that guide you throughout the process. For example, I put my “Instant Article Writing Templates” in MS Word format. Each template is in chart format. All you have to do is put the information that’s in your head and put it exactly where I ask you to. Once the template is complete, all you have to do is copy each section and paste it into a new document – and you’ll have a finished article.

2. Most article templates don’t keep you, the article writer, focused. If I don’t use my article templates, I find myself rambling, going from one topic to another. And, I’m the article writing and article marketing expert. When you have a workable template that provides you with structure and organization, your copy will automatically become more focused. It becomes an easier, better read for your readers. However, most templates like the example I showed you above do not give you a structure and organization to follow. And, they allow you to bounce from one idea to another without any kind of transition.

3. Most article template resources do not provide real article examples from a wide number of industries. If there are any article examples provided along with the article templates, you’ll just find articles that the creator wrote. So, you’ll just find Internet marketing articles that promote the creator’s other products and services. You want to look for article resources that provide actual article examples of those in your niche. For example, in my Instant Article Writing Templates Kit, I not only share with you some of my own articles, but I share with articles that are written by my clients who are authors, speakers and entrepreneurs dealing with a wide number of business, finance, relationship and parenting issues.

Again, I do not mean to mock or offend those in my industry. I just want to help you write your articles faster. Now, that you aware of the problems that most instant article writing templates have – you can choose wisely.

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors, entrepreneurs and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get 3 of his favorite his instant article writing templates that will help you overcome writer’s block and write your articles in 30 minutes or less. Get your free article templates now: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

I was recently asked by one of my Instant Article Writing Templates Kit customers:

“Eric, I am amazed by how many different formats and formulas you have created to help us write articles faster. Now, I want to get started in a BIG way. What instant article writing templates should I focus on first?”

Here’s Your Article Marketing Expert’s Answer to Which Article Templates You Should Try First…

It’s hard for me to answer this question and tell you which article templates you should start off with as everyone has his or her own, unique writing style. If you want to find true article writing and marketing success then you need to decide for yourself which article templates, which formats and which writing styles work best for you.

See, I have more than 40 different instant article templates at http://www.StartWritingArticlesFaster.com that my clients could follow so they can write articles faster. But they very rarely have success using all 40 of those templates. That’s why I offer a large variety of article templates for you to choose from, so you can see for yourself, which ones work best for you.

Why Every Article Template Won’t Work For You?

Regardless of experience, aptitude, or willingness – everyone has a writing style that works better for him or her that may not work with another person.

Some clients worked better creating a list. Ex. Top 10 Things All Article Marketers Must

Others worked better with the How-to formula. Ex. How to Write Articles in Less Than 30 Minutes

Some do better with the problem/solution format, and so on and so on.

The key is to find article templates and article writing formulas that work best for you and use those templates as much as your heart’s content. There is no rule out there that you have to use a million different types of writing formats or styles. There is no law that says that every one of your articles cannot be a how-to or a list. That may be the way that you think an organize ideas. Some people design and live their whole lives based around “to do” lists. That may work best for you, and results show that readers love lists.

It is a much better idea to take the article templates that you can implement easily and run with it then to be “stuck” for days or weeks without writing a single word because you want to write differently. The goal of my article templates is to help you overcome writer’s block – not make it worse.

I want to help you write articles faster. Remember, article marketing is a numbers game. While I strive for high quality content with every article that I write, I know that it is more important that I write and publish articles on a consistent basis. And for many article marketers out there – the key is to stick to what you know!

Your Article Marketing Challenge!

So, now I challenge you to go to http://www.StartWritingArticlesFaster.com, get my instant article writing templates that can help you write articles in 30 minutes or less and choose which templates work best for you. Then start writing and submitting your articles online.

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors, entrepreneurs and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get (FOR FREE) 3 of his favorite his instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

I have always tended to stay away from writing short 400 to 500 word articles. But now I’m seeing that there are some perks to writing short, snappy, get to the point fast articles.

The Perks of Writing a Shorter Article

* Writing shorter articles can help you get out of a writing slump faster

* Shorter articles make it easier for a reader to glean information from them and then go directly to your website for more.

* Shorter articles force you to mercilessly edit your content and trim superfluous words.

* Shorter articles can be written fast especially if you’re using my Instant Article Writing Templates at StartWritingArticlesFaster.com

Now, there is definitely a right and wrong way to write a short article.

Do it correctly, and you’ll have a quality article that readers and publishers appreciate even though it’s shorter.

Do it incorrectly, and the article will look like it was created with the sole intention of gaining a back-link. This is not the way to win the hearts of publishers or readers.

So, what is the RIGHT way to write a shorter article?

The RIGHT Way to Write a Shorter Article

1. Use a word count limit.

For a ‘short and snappy’ article, think 400-500 words.

2. Stay focused.

When writing articles, most article marketers wind up going in a tangent. There are times that I have to stop myself and focus on “what is the main thing that I want to get across to my readers today.” I then start cutting anything outside those boundaries.

3. Think of your article as an appetizer, and your website is the main course.

Yes, you want to wow your readers with great information. But, you also want to leave them wanting more. Do NOT feel the urge to give away all of your secrets.

If you give a reader a tasting of information that appeals to them, then they will be more likely to seek out more info from you by clicking your website link in the bio box

4. Use article writing templates.

You want to model proven article writing formats, such as those found in my Instant Article Writing Templates Kit. These templates will help you provide organization and structure to your articles. You can get 3 of my favorite article writing templates at TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

5. Edit ruthlessly.

With my shorter articles, I’m less conversational and more “just the facts, ma’am.” I trim any sentences/phrases/words that re-state what I’ve already covered…

I watch my word choice closely and challenge myself to get my point across in fewer words.

6. Be sure you have meat.

Remember, short does not mean frivolous. When you write shorter articles it means that the article is more hard hitting and to the point.

Follow these tips and you will write short, yet powerful, high-value, informational articles that will entice readers to want more information from you.

Now, do you want more information from me?

Great, then go to TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com to get 3 of my favorite instant article writing templates that will help you write shorter articles in 30 minutes or less

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors, entrepreneurs and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get his instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less. Get 3 of his favorite article writing templates for free at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com

Do you ever find yourself staring at a blank screen or a blank sheet of paper when you’re supposed to be writing articles for your blog, for your ezine or newsletter and for article submission so you can promote your books, products or services?

How would you like to find ways to tap into a limitless supply of article ideas?

Yes, our imaginations run thin every now and then, and no, it isn’t easy to come up with article ideas sometimes. But, I promise you that there are ways to tap into a limitless supply of article ideas. No matter what your expertise lies in, you can always generate new and interesting ideas for articles IF you follow these guidelines…

5 Ways to Never Run Out of Article Ideas

1) Get inspiration from magazines covers.

Find a magazine that is as close as you can get to your niche and look at the titles on the magazine cover. Look at the titles that jump out at you and make you say, “That looks like it would be a good article–I want to read that!”

Many times you can bounce an article off of a title you see on a magazine cover. Can you convert that title to apply to something in your specific niche?

Now, notice I’m saying, “find a magazine that is somewhat in your niche.” Many of us have websites that are in niches that do not have their own magazines. For example, there is no magazine that I know of about Article Marketing.

But I sashay a short distance from my specific niche and look in related niches, such as Writing, Creativity, Productivity, and possibly even SEO. These are all issues that lie at the heart of article marketing, so they work as inspiration launching pads.

2) Don’t forget about the newbies.

When we’re writing on our area of expertise, sometimes we can overlook the obvious. We want to write helpful, educational articles, and our minds quite often go to topics that are more advanced.

Have you ever considered that someone reading your article might not even understand the basics of what you’re talking about?

I have to remind myself of this all the time–not everyone knows what article marketing is, and not everyone even knows the reasons why it’s a popular online marketing tool.

Could the same thing be true in your niche?

Think about it–although our articles are not sales oriented or promotional in any way, when we educate our readers on some aspect of our niche, we are increasing the likelihood that they will one day be our customers.

So, don’t forget about the newbies who are in your target market but aren’t knowledgeable about what you do. Try to think back to questions you had when you were first starting out. Think about what confused you. Think about the very basic things that you wish someone had explained to you before you became the expert.

3) Think about: “What are the 10 questions that my customers (or potential customers) most frequently ask me?”

Write those questions down and address each one of them in a separate article.

By completing this writing exercise, you’re letting your target market tell you what to write about. This makes perfect sense since you’re trying to appeal to them anyway.

4) Use template titles and fill in the blanks.

Here are some of mine:

• 10 Great Reasons Why ____
• How To ____ in 7 Easy Steps
• 3 Secret Tricks For _____
• How To Conquer ______
• The Top 10 Mistakes People Make When ____
• Reader Question: “[insert question here]”

You may notice that these titles are all List articles (any article that has a 1,2,3 etc list in it), How-To articles, and Question articles (articles that answer a question that is stated in the title).

These are my go-to article topic stimulators. Just seeing the format for the title gets the wheels of my brain moving (which helps creativity!)

Try filling in the blanks for the template titles listed above, and I bet you can come up with a compelling title to base a new article on.

5) Use Instant Article Writing Templates

You want to model proven article writing formats, such as those found in my Instant Article Writing Templates Kit. I did the hard work for you and identified more than 40 different formulas that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less – even if you think you can’t write articles.

Here are some of the article-writing templates that will help you…

• Myth Buster
• Top 10…
• How-To…
• Quiz
• Failure to Success
• Timeline
• 7 Things You Need
• What’s Hot, What’s Not
• 3 Stages
• Problem/Solution
• Differentiate Yourself – this template made PR Leads more than $10,000
• Plus many, many more

You can try three (3) of my favorite instant article writing templates at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com – Click this link

By following the five strategies above, you will:

• Gain the confidence to write articles whenever you want
• Banish writer’s block forever
• Remove all the frustration out of writing articles
• Develop ALL THE CONTENT you will ever need for your website, for your blog, for your newsletter and for article submission

So, are you ready to start writing your articles faster so you can get maximum exposure for your books, products and services?

Article Marketing Expert Eric Gruber uses the power of articles to create online opportunities for Internet marketers, small business owners, authors, entrepreneurs and speakers who want more publicity, prospects and profits. Now, you can get his instant article writing templates that will help you write your articles in 30 minutes or less. Get 3 of his favorite article writing templates for free at: http://www.TryMyFreeArticleTemplates.com