Our Top 10 Tips to Successful Writing
So you fancy yourself at being a football writer but need some assistance in getting started. Well fear not as we have created our Top 10 tips on successful writing.
We believe we have covered the relevant subjects below to give you an indication on what is required when submitting an article to the site , however if there is anything you are still unsure about please do not hesitate to contact us via , Facebook or through the site.
1. Topic : Quite simply the topic you decide to write about is up to you. It doesn’t have to be an article on your favourite team or player just write about something you feel passionate about in the World of Football whether it is in the present or the past.
2. Title : Probably the most important decision you will make regarding your article will be the title you choose. Make sure your title is eye-catching but not too long. A good title should be short but with enough intrigue to encourage the reader to want to view your article.
3. Word Count : Probably one of the most asked questions from writers is : How long should my article be? Well we believe that a good article should be at least 450 words. Anything less than this will probably mean your article will be lacking in descriptive content , it may still be read but it may not have the impact desired.
4. Content : One of the major embarrassments for a writer is to have your work picked apart due to poor research. If you have an article which includes a fact or statistic then do your research to make sure your quotes stack-up because you will be found out ! We will not check your articles for statistical correctness. We will also not link any part of your articles to external sites but we may link your work to other articles in Beyond The Posts’s archive.
5. Images : Try to include at least one image in your article. This will help break up your article so it looks easier-on-the-eye to the reader. There are many sites such as Flickr who can provide royalty free images, all we ask is you indicate to us the source of your image so we can post a link to it on our site. Alternatively we can choose an image for you .
6. Edit : The better your editing , the quicker your article will be published-it’s as simple as that. Make sure you read your article and spell-check it before submission. Don’t rush the submission of your article, take your time to get your views across. Remember the saying “less haste , more speed”
7. Category : Please …Please..Please make sure you choose the correct category for your article. If you cannot find a relevant category then let us know and we can either create one for you or place it in an existing category we deem to be relevant. Also add any tags to your articles that you feel are relevant.
8. Frequency : “How often do you need me to write?” is another question we receive from writers. Well the answer is “whenever you can” . Some writers can produce 2-3 articles a week,others 2-3 a month. It really depends on how serious you take your writing. If you are looking at gaining a following then you should be looking to write at least 2-3 articles a week.
9. Pride : If you take on board numbers 1-8 above then “Pride” will inevitably come to you. When creating articles look at ways to improve your style,think about what’s lacking in your writing,take note of any criticism and use it as a positive to improve the way you write. You never know but your work may inspire others to put their views across and begin writing for the site
10. Exposure : On publication of your work on the site we will automatically send out a Tweet to our followers and link on our Facebook page indicating a new article has been posted on the site. If you have your own Twitter,Facebook,MySpace etc accounts we strongly advise you do the same to build up a following for both yourself and the site. All publicity is good publicity !
For more information on any of the Top 10 Tips above please do not hesitate to contact us via Facebook or though the site.
We also strongly recommend you read the “How to Submit an article” page .