by Nathan Higgins

Created on: December 01, 2009

Have you ever 'only' received an assigned article title and wondered: "Where do I go from here to write a top-notch article?" By following a few simple steps, you can put yourself on the road to writing effective articles in no time.

SIMPLE STEP NUMBER ONE: Understand Your Reader's Reason for Reading Your Articles

Before getting down to the physical act of writing, you first need to understand the nature of 'readers' and 'reading'; you need to know: "Why do readers read articles in the first place?"

The simple answer is: All readers are 'investors'; reading is an 'investment' of a reader's time. Readers willingly invest their time in reading, because they believe that their investment will ultimately pay back dividends to them.

As a writer, your first simple step is to approach your readers as investors. Understand that readers come to your articles with the hope that they will receive something of value in exchange for the time which they spend with your article.

SIMPLE STEP NUMBER TWO: Only Accept Reader-Attracting Titles

If an article's title is compelling, it catches a reader's attention and draws him into the article; if the title is not compelling, a reader will probably not even bother to give the article's contents the time of day.

Since your article can 'only' be effective if it is actually 'read', it is imperative for you to devote some time and attention to evaluating your article's title... even when that title has already been provided for you.

What makes a title 'good'?

Generally speaking, good titles appeal to readers. They intrigue readers and make them want to read more. Good titles suggest that the article's contents are 'valuable' contents; a good title promises that the article's contents will help the reader achieve his goals.

Three techniques are often used to formulate good, compelling titles:

* Posing a Question
* Making a Challenging Statement
* Starting out: "How to..." (or suggesting that 'how to' will be explained)

For your second simple step, evaluate your title. Base your title evaluation on the level of interest that you believe the title will generate. Pay special attention to the 'value' that a reader could reasonably expect to receive if he would read an article with that particular title. Look for formulations that include a compelling question, a statement that challenges readers to 'think big' or to 'take big actions'.

If your 'provided title' does not meet your criteria for a 'good title', then you have a few options:

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