Easy How-to Articles

Easy How-to Articles Do you enjoy writing personal essays but find there arent enough markets for your manuscripts? Dont leave them on your hard drive. Instead, use your personal experiences and turn your essays into how-to articles When reviewing the sales Ive had over the years, from the first manuscript I sold to my most recent sale, I discovered that a good portion of them were personal essay/how-to articles. In these articles, I shared anecdotes of what worked for me in certain circumstances and the insights I gained. I then gave tips on how readers could apply the knowledge to their own situations. IDEAS For example, one of my how-to articles described how my husband and I co-owned a water ski boat with another couple. I pointed out how well our arrangement worked and why it made sense because of the high cost of new boats. I then outlined what should be included in a written contract, such as how many weeks of vacation per year each person can use the boat and what to do if one person wants to sell his part of the co-ownership. I also included a photo of our co-owned boat. I sold the article and photo to a water ski magazine, followed My most recent how-to article shared how meaningful it was when friends and family waited with me during my husbands brain tumor operation and how Ive waited with friends while their loved ones were in surgery. I offered tips on providing support during this anxious time, such as bringing a snack basket, offering encouragement, and praying with them. We all have our own unique personal experiences and areas of expertise. I draw on my experiences from water skiing, parenting, church activities, volunteer work, living with a chronic illness, and working as a teachers aide. Where does your expertise lie? What experiences have improved your life? What knowledge have you gained from your experiences that you could share through tips or insights to help readers going through similar situations? THE WRITING A good way to get started in the how-to genre is Start with an anecdote of your personal experience, lead into your insight in conversational paragraphs or bullet points, and offer tips. Finally, summarize the main point of the article and leave readers with words of encouragement. You can also include a sidebar with additional information on your subject matter. When I wrote about the joys of sponsoring needy children, I included a sidebar listing organizations that offer sponsorship and included contact information, along with the associated monthly costs. SELLING HOW-TO ARTICLES How-to articles are ideal for reprint sales, bringing in extra income without a lot of extra effort. An article sharing how I improved our familys dinner hour sold to five publications one womans magazine, two family magazines, and two regional parenting magazines. As long as the circulation doesnt overlap, submit to as many markets as possible, following each magazines guidelines. You dont need to give up writing personal essays because of limited markets. Turn those essays and personal experiences into how-to articles and watch your sales grow.