You want your book to be noticed by thousands, even hundreds of thousands daily. Online ezine publishers and Webmasters are constantly looking for new, original content. They want and need your articles. This is a promotion marriage made in heaven. But you will have a much better chance of being chosen if you write an article that solves a problem for your audience. Give each article an angle. Years ago I was dubbed “The Article Lady” by Matt Barack and other gurus. I take that seriously and update all of this information bi-yearly.

Let's assume one of your audiences is business people who need a problem solved--to stop procrastinating, write a book, promote their business, develop a loving relationship Below are different article formats you can choose.

What Format Suits You?

1. Write a how-to-article.

Information hungry people want this one! First, open with a hook--something that will entice your reader to keep reading. Then, write a short introduction on the background of the problem and the need for your solutions. Follow with solutions in a new paragraph. You can number these if you wish.

Don't worry about giving away the store. Readers will judge you by your concise style and content, and will be attracted to see what else you offer.

Make a list of topics you know or that relate to your book. Take one at a time and write a short piece on it.

For solutions to the problem, give information and resources that will assist your audience. Here's some sample article titles from my book coaching clients: How to Procrastinate to Your Heart's Desires; How to Create Employees Who Can Hardly Wait to Get to Work Each Day; and Promote your Coaching and Speaking Business Through Free Articles.

2. Write a Tip.

This kind of article takes the shortest time to write, is the easiest format to write, and is the best received from the media and other publishers. Even if you think you can't write, you can write this kind of article.

Always include a hook, an introduction, and your thesis--the point you want to prove, or the problem you are about to solve. Usually one or two sentences are enough. At the end of your article, include a one or two sentence conclusion in which you add one more punchy way to stimulate your reader to act

Steps To Write a Tip:

1. Start with a command such as "Do this." Use any command verb and start all of your tips this way.

2. Follow that by the consequence of not following the tip. Or, show a benefit of following the tip.

3. Show examples or resources to solve a problem and put the tip into action.

Write an article title with three, five, seven, or ten tips in it. It's best to give a complete tip as listed above rather than just a list. Don't bore people with a long list. They stop paying attention after seven.

Article examples from Coaching Client: "Seven Mistakes People Make When they Create a Web Site" or "10 Ways to Organize your Online Office."

3. Write a myth and solutions article.

This kind of article is one of my favorites because myths abound in book publishing and online promotion. These keep authors from expressing their brilliance. Emerging authors think that traditional publishers will actually promote their book, when in reality, the author must either pay or do the promotion himself. How about this myth? "Bookstores are a great place to sell books" or "you need an agent or publisher to write and publish a well-respected book," "you need the print media to publicize your products or service," or "you need $5000-$10,000 to self publish.

In one myth article about book back covers accepted by an ezine sent to over 29,000 subscribers, your book coach shared how to correct the myths to make their covers sell books.

4. Write an interview.

Choose a credible expert or dynamic online personality to interview you, and offer not only how-to-solutions, but allow the public to see your personal side. When I participated in several of these, I wrote an introduction and conclusion and submitted the five or so questions as an article to the article directories and hubpages.com

It's a great way to be seen by thousands of people online each time the article runs. Interviews are usually done in question and answer format over email. Always pose specific questions to get more interesting answers. You can also recycle this information for more content on your website, blog, or in your own ezine.

5. Write your success story.

Author Debbie Allen asked me to write my online marketing success story for her new book. I shared this: Two friends dragged me to the web--one insisted I set up a website—the other introduced me to the concept of bookcoaching via telephone, and using email such as an online newsletter to draw new clients and stay in touch with other ones.

Curious and willing, in business for 20 years, I expanded my seminar and book business to online. Learning from informational articles, I wrote nine new books to help others succeed online and never looked back.

If I could do it, so can you! That’s why I share this gold with you now. And, so a success story is born and shared with anywhere from 1000 to 500,000 article directory readers in cyberspace each time they read this article. It's also included in Debbie's print book "Brazen Online Promoters" published in 2002 and 2004. She used three of my articles.

6. Write an article about mistakes people make and your solutions.

This is a favorite of online readers because they want to avoid costly mistakes. Here are a few samples: "Five Top Mistakes Women Make Attracting a Man,” and “The Two Biggest Web Site Mistakes." Always give solutions for the mistakes to show yourself as the “go to”
person in your field..

7. Take an excerpt from your fiction, poetry, or other book.

Not all authors want to write articles. You may have written a fiction book or know of a great story in your non-fiction book. Set up a dramatic incident from your story, then put "Excerpted from "Title of your Book" in your resource box at the end of the article. Or, take a page or two that shows your hero in action or in conflict. When you show conflicts with other characters, with self, with nature, with technology or with fate, your story has action. People love conflict, which leads to action. Remember the who, what, where, when, why and how of your story. Create any one of these into a short piece.

One bookcoaching client wrote a memoir on growing up during the Great Depression. She wrote a short article on the New Deal by Roosevelt to attract people to her book because history lovers would read it. Another black author/client wrote his story of overcoming adversity with a smile during his exciting experiences during the 1960’s and the sit ins, the marches, and civil rights movement. History students and professors as well are good audiences for these authors. They are online too.

8. Write a professional solution to meet one of your client’s problems or challenges.

Take the case studies right from your client files. Just change the names to protect them. Your online readers love a good, short story, especially one that reflects theirs.

9. Rewrite your article to a different audience.

The best way to tweak an article you have already written is to copy and paste it into a new file and rewrite a few paragraphs so it fits another audience. It’s much easier than starting from scratch. Let’s say your book is geared to children. You can angle your article toward their parents or even grandparents. They are the book buyers. If your online audience is small businesses, you can narrow your angle to service businesses, product businesses, solo professionals, professional coaches and speakers, consultants, and health professionals. Think outside the box and win new fans from new audiences.

10. Write a mini sales letter article.

Choose a topic, title, and thesis. For instance, "Conquer Procrastination Through Prioritizing." You have identified a problem. Aim your article at one audience, such as business people.

Start your article with a hook. Ask a question that reflects your audience's challenge that they need help on such as, “Does procrastination get you in trouble at work?” Follow with more on the background of their need or situation. Discuss the benefits that your book or service will deliver. Readers want their questions answered and their problems solved, even if it isn’t too realistic. You now have an article that your audience will pay attention to and click to your free offers in your resource box, which takes them right to the website where your book is sold.

You have ideas for your article format. Now choose an outstanding title and include the largest benefit to solving a challenge in the title. And to keep up with key words, use one or two low competition long tailed key words.

No matter who your article is aimed at, it is well on its way to being a top online promotion method for your book. Next, know the rules of online article marketing. They are different than print articles.

For more article marketing tips, download Judy's free report!

Additional Article Marketing, Business Promotion, & Book Writing Resources