Four, More Articles Editors Love and How to Write Them Section 1 "Writing and Selling the How-to Article" Used in both the Christian and secular market, the How-To Article is considered one of the easiest to write. Let me show you how to write about what you know, find a solution to a challenge, or share an easier way to solve a problem. Use quality photos to sell your How-To craft article ideas to editors by showing the materials needed, the steps involved in the directions and the finished product. Learn how to write in a sequence of steps, and give readers confidence in learning new information. Section 2 "Writing Newspapers Articles and Mini-Columns" Your local newspaper is a source for writers. Newspaper articles and short columns run anywhere from 300 to under 1,000 words, with 750 being an average. Keep your eyes and ears open to events in your community. Stay ahead of what is happening and offer to write an article. Editors need mini columns to finish out a column in magazines and newspapers. You can supply these needs by writing "tight" and "bright" articles that are geared to the audience and magazine. Section 3 "Break into the Magazine Market with Fillers" Do you have an amusing anecdote? What about a child's cute saying? Or, can you supply a brief quotation that matches the tone of the publication? Let me show you how to find these markets that use brief fillers and mini columns. I'll explain how to: Listen to conversations. Observe people. And come up with original thoughts that can turn your words into entertainment or laugh lines that bring smiles to readers' faces. Used for both the Christian and secular magazines. Section 4 "See the World-Write the Travel Article" Painting a visual picture of people, places, and things, and making readers want to go there, is only one reason to write travel articles. And the other reason? Traveling free-or almost Personally, I have written dozen of travel articles while touring the U.S. and foreign countries. And most of the time, the published articles paid for the trip You'll learn how to contact an editor before you leave home, steps to follow after returning from your trip, how to search for an unusual twist to well-known sites, how to use quotes from famous people from the area, and the value of using a photo package to gain the editor's attention. You'll also discover how one location provides spinoffs to a number of salable articles. And don't overlook armchair travelers-these people that want to read your articles, but never leave home. Enjoy this fun and exciting way to use your talents as a writer. Bonus To make writing easier, I've included some examples that will answer questions on working with editors. Also, this book has exercises to complete at home that will improve your writing skills. The exercises are designed to be completed by yourself-or you can use them with others who enjoy this craft of writing-to-publish. Additional pages provide space for personal thoughts as you learn from this book. The Appendix offers advice as you write-to-publish. I ask God's blessings on you as you write articles that inspire, educate, inform and entertain your readers. I believe that writing is a gift given by God. He gives us this talent and it's up to us to learn the mechanics of putting words on paper. A Bible verse that has given me hope follows: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" (Isaiah 40:31).