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Tossing The Box - Writing Beyond Your Usual Subject

By: BonnieJo Davis

Been thinking that maybe it's time to spread your writing wings a bit and pen something new? More specifically, you may be thinking about writing an article or several articles about a topic that is totally outside your usual subject area.

If you are, then Congratulations! This is a phase of the natural evolutionary process that writers experience ... it simply means that you're moving forward in your work. Writing articles about different subjects is an effective way of gaining even more exposure for yourself and your business.

Besides, marketing with articles doesn't limit you to being an authority on only one topic. All you need to do choose a new subject area in which to focus your writing.

Sure, you can always hit the Search Engines and reap the return of hot keywords up for grabs ... or, you can pick a topic off the top of your head ... maybe something you heard on the news... some new-age subject or relatively obscure concept about which you can write, provided you can research it well enough to do a credible article.

Or, you can stick with what you know.

Huh? But you're chomping at the bit to expand your writing into different areas. How is writing more about what you know going to offer a new challenge or more exposure for you?

As writers, we sometimes develop tunnel vision. In other words, we can't see the actual forest for the proverbial trees. Writing what you know isn't necessarily writing about the same subject.

That is, unless you only know that one topic about which you've been writing articles.

Lucky for you... you're a walking encyclopedia!

Sure you are, take a stroll through your own variegated alphabet of personal interests, those beyond your professional and/or career knowledge. You'll be surprised to realize that there are several subjects for which you already have the knowledge and expertise to produce incredible articles.

A airplanes - antiques - aquariums - art - autos
B ballet - baseball - birds - boating - building
C camping - cats - coins - cooking - crafts
D dancing - dating - decorating - dining - dolls
E ecology - eclipses - electronics - environment -ethics
F fencing - fishing - fitness - folksongs - figure-skating
G gardening - genealogy - golf - graphics - gymnastics
H hardware - history - hobbyhorses, hockey, hunting
I imaging - inns - insects - inspiration - investing
J java script - jazz - jewelry - jogging - jujitsu
K kayaking - keyboards - kids - kiting - knitting
L languages- lanterns - lapidary - laptops - lithography
M magic - martial arts - movies - museums - music
N nature - nightclubs - nostalgia - numerology - nuts
O occasions - ornaments - organization - outdoors - outfits
P painting - pets - picnics - photography - puzzles
Q quartz - quatrains - quiches - quilting - quotes
R racing - racquetball - recipes - retirement - robotics
S snorkeling - skiing - software - stenciling - swimming
T theatre - toys - trading cards - travel - trucks
U UFO's - umpiring - unicycles - urbanism - utilities
V vacations - vases - veterans - videos - vineyards
W wallpapering - waltzes - weight-lifting - wines - woodworking
X xenophobia - xylophone - x-ray astronomy
Y yachting - yard designs - yoga - yo-yo's - yodeling
Z zip files - zodiac - zoos - zoom lenses

It's okay if you don't see one of your particular interests or hobbies in the above list. In fact, that's even better.

Now, this is where you get to carve out your niche for writing articles. The hobbies and interests listed aren't meant to limit you, they're meant to inspire you!

Airplanes for A may not have struck a cord with you, but now auto's that's a different story. You've been into classic cars for as long as you can remember. There's your niche!

If the b in ballet stands for boring as far as you're concerned, consider what it means to you in building. Yes, you, the one who's always sporting a carpenter's apron and hammer every Saturday. Another niche nailed down!

Moving right along to the letter C, scratch the cats-coins-and-crafts and that's your category. Camping is one of your passions. And when it comes to cooking you grill a mean steak, if you do say so yourself. But wait... that comes under G for grilling. How about combining it with outdoors from O and recipes from R? Looks like you've cooked up your own niche article ideas in Outdoors + Grilling + Recipes = Savory Campsite Cuisine. You could do an entire series of articles on that topic!

As a writer, it's essential to remain genuine in order to be effective. Writing about what you know and on subjects about which you are truly passionate is one of the best ways to distinguish yourself. It's the feeling that comes through naturally as you write about certain topics, which is apparent to the reader and reflects you as an authority.

While research is indeed a part of writing, it does have its place. Hours invested in research will never replace what is written from within. If a subject is not in your heart, it will never be in your head ... and certainly not in your writing.

Call it old-school or back-to-basics, but being genuine is what separates real writers from those who are merely content generators. Unplug for a while to rediscover your own true interests and passions, but keep a pen and paper handy. A breath of creative fresh air breeds countless intriguing ideas... you can rely on your collective notes and inspirations when you return to your keyboard. Rest assured ... they will serve your writing well!

(c) 2006, Davis Virtual Assistance.

Article Source: http://www.articleblender.com

If you are ready to exploit the marketing with articles method then join expert Bonnie Jo Davis at Article Submission Sites today! During your visit make sure that you check out her no cost blog, Squidoo Lens and monthly e-zine.

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