Advice From Writers About Successfully Writing For Money

Being a successful writer can have many meanings because writers judge their success in many different ways. Some writers are happy if all they do is educate people. Some gauge their success on how many people read their articles. Some writers judge solely on how high they rank in Google. While others base their success on how much money they make. The advice in this article will help those writers who are writing for money and searching for success by getting more traffic and higher sales.

Writers everywhere agree that the basis for any great article is great keywords, but there's more to it than that. So in this article, you won't see anything about how to do keyword research or how to use keywords. Instead, I'm going to focus on the other things that will bring you viewers and sales. I'm going to give you the tips and techniques I use to write my own articles. Mainly, I'm going to focus on writing style, choosing the right products and how to stand out from the crowd. This is the same stuff I do and although I'm not getting rich, I do enjoy daily sales and my pay check is nothing to be ashamed of.

Because I know the writing style that works for one writer might not work for the next, I asked a few successful writers for their opinions. Specifically, I asked each of them "If you could only give one piece of advice on how to write successfully, what would you say?". You'll find their gems of advice down below.

Writers sometimes have a hard time coming up with subjects to write about. To narrow it down a little, focus on subjects you're familiar with. You don't have to be an expert, but you need enough knowledge so your reader trusts what your saying. If you actually own and use a product, you have enough knowledge to write about it. Sometimes, even if you don't own it, you can still write about it if you do enough research.

But even if you're knowledgeable on a subject, it never hurts to do a little extra research. 

• Visit the products website so you're up to date on the specs and features. 
• Visit Amazon and thoroughly read the reviews. You might find more positive aspects that you hadn't thought of. There might even be a problem that a reviewer has come up with a solution for. 

In my article about the Dremel 4000 Rotary Tool, I listed some helpful accessories. While reading the reviews of those accessories, I realized there was a major problem with one of them but after reading a little further, I found one reviewer who had come up with a solution to that problem. I talked about it in my article and left the link to the solution. Now my article gets hits when people are looking for a way to fix it.

" Always remember it's not about you, it's about them. And use short paragraphs. ~ Heather426

Have you ever seen those annoying commercials on tv where the guy (who always seems to have an accent) can't stop talking about what a wonderful product he has? No matter what it is, this wonderful product has 12 different uses. It has absolutely no faults. And it's going to change your life forever! 

But who really believes all that bull?

When you're writing about a product, don't try to hype it up. Don't make it seem better than it really is. Your readers are smarter than that.

Instead, give your readers what they're looking for. Give them the information you would want to know if you were searching for that product.

• Give them the specs because they might really need to know that the product uses 1.6 amps and weighs 18.2 ounces. 
• Write a personal review and make sure to include personal stories on how you use the product. You could even include why you chose that specific product.
• Give them a list of pros and cons. For those hesitant to write something bad about a product you're trying to sell, would you buy something marketed as "perfect"? I sure as heck wouldn't.

In my article about Syma S107 RC Helicopters, I wrote a list of pros and cons and for every con, I included a way to easily fix the problem. Nobody is going to believe your product is perfect so don't try to hide the flaws. Just practice your creative writing while explaining them.

One mistake some writers make is being too pushy. Some writers think they need to throw their affiliate link in the readers face every chance they get. But that looks bad and can turn many people off your article. Instead, use your creative writing style to draw them in. Use your words to make them want the product. If you're focusing on one product, don't include a link in every other sentence. Don't include a flashy banner after every paragraph. Successful writers tell the reader what they want them to know and then leave a visible click through.

" Always write in the first person. Never include flowery magazine-speak in your writing. Never include filler. Write like you would talk. ~ lisakleinweber

When writing your articles, don't be afraid to showcase expensive products. After all, you are writing for money. So I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Rich people read too! And they also buy things!

If you limit your products to only the things you can afford (assuming you aren't crazy rich), you're limiting your potential income. Just because you wouldn't spend $1,000 on a ring, doesn't mean someone else won't. You never know. Your viewer might even think anything under $1,000 is too cheap for them. So if you don't offer what they want, you're missing out on that sale.

I actually make it a rule to include products in various price ranges. A good example is my article about Claddagh Rings. For each category, I showcased the most beautiful, expensive ring (one is over $4,000!) and then I show more rings in the cheaper price ranges right below it. This gives the buyer the choice. And it pays off too. My first sale on that article was a $1,200 ring!

This works both ways. I mean, let's face it. Most people aren't rich. Most people are looking for the best deal they can get. So after you show them the the most expensive product, make sure to show them the cheapest too. A lot of small sales can mean more money than a few big sales. So make sure not to cheat yourself out of it.

" Give the readers something substantial. One GENUINELY useful piece of information, a real solution, a true point I'm sick to death of articles that are about nothing, give nothing, contribute nothing whether they provide a link to the author or keywords to the sites or not. When I run across an author who wastes my time, I go out of my way to never read another article or piece they write thereafter. ~ Margaret_Schaut

Some subjects have been written about to death! If you write about the same popular subjects everyone else is writing about, you'll have a hard time getting ranked high in Google. If you write about something rare or new, you'll have a better chance of getting viewers because yours will be one of the few choices they have. 

• Is there anything about you that makes you special? 
• Do you or someone close to you suffer from a rare medical condition? Write about it. Most articles about medical conditions are hard to understand because they're written by doctors. This also makes them impersonal. If you write about your own personal experiences, your article will stand out from the rest.
• Did you recently buy a product that makes your friends jealous? Or did you see a product that made you say "WTF?". Write about it. 
• Do you know a little known website that offers the best deals on certain products? Write about it (and include your affiliate link, of course).

If you insist on writing about popular subjects, then practice your creative writing by offering something that can't be found anywhere else. Give the readers a reason to visit your page instead of the other guys. When I started writing my article on My Coke Rewards, I knew I would have trouble ranking in Google. So I offered something no one else does. I offer reviews on the rewards and I search out the original products so that my viewers can have the actual product specs. Now when someone searches for information on one of the MCR rewards, Google sends them to me. I'm in long-tail keyword heaven!

" Be Real. Write from the heart.                                      ~Joan4

• Knowledge is key. If your readers think you're full of bull, they aren't going to trust your opinion and they aren't going to buy from you.
• An honest review and a gentle nudge works better than an unbelievably dazzling review and glaring links.
• Your readers come from all walks of life, so you need to include products for everyone. No price is too high or too low.
• Be yourself and be unique. Tell your own personal story. Search out those rare products. Be different from all the other writers and you'll soon find that you've become a successful writer.
• Put your readers first. Look at your products and ask yourself if your readers are looking for more information, or more products. Let your answer guide your article.