How to Write Quality Articles for the Examiner

Congratulations! You applied to write for the Examiner and you were accepted. Now you want to learn how to write quality articles, build your readership and make money writing for the Examiner. Like FireHow, Bukisa and eHow, writing for the Examiner is a great way to make money working from home and sharing information about things you know. Writing for the Examiner is different than writing for many other websites in some respects. This article will explain the important points in writing quality articles for the Examiner.

Step 1: Write frequent articles, but stay of topic. When the Examiner accepted you as one of their writers, they assigned you a topic. The Examiner prefers you write and post an article two to three times a week. Stick to your beat when writing your Examiner articles.

Step 2: Write your articles in the third person. Generally speaking, Examiner articles should be modeled after articles read in newspapers not those read in blogs.

Step 3: Use AP style for your article title. In other words, only the first word in your title should have a capital letter. Of course, if the title has proper names in it, those should be capitalized.

Step 4: Include photographs and slide shows in your articles whenever possible. Most articles should have at least one photograph to illustrate, if at all possible. Be sure to only use articles you have permission to use and to acknowledge the photographer and owner of photographs used. The best photographs are pictures that are not seen elsewhere. Thus, the best photographs are likely to come from your own camera.

Step 5: Build your readership by posting regularly. Create a schedule and post on the same days at the same time in regular intervals.

Step 6: Attribute sources by name where possible. Avoid using anonymous sources.

Step 7: Proofread your article for typographical, spelling and grammatical errors and mistakes. Verify facts. Be willing to edit and update your article(s) should mistakes or errors occur or be identified.

Step 8: Watch spell check. Spell check is great, but sometimes the "corrections" can make an article nonsensical or change the proper name of parties.

Step 9: Be mindful of SEO keywords, but do not let the use of keywords interfere with the flow of language when crafting your articles.

Tips & Warnings:

Google's keyword tool is great for identifying keywords.
If you have not applied to the Examiner, please use Liz Geltman of GeltDesigns (the DC Museum Examiner) as your referral. My Examiner referral ID code is 17742 .... and then write with questions about the application and writing process. Happy examining!

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