Inspirational articles were once limited to self-help and religious publications, but they are just about everywhere now. (Think about those wildly popular Chicken Soup books or most of the stories in Reader's Digest, for example.) Inspirational articles can be very useful in newsletters, because they make a human connection between the newsletter publisher and the reader.
Well-written inspirational articles move people emotionally and motivate them to do something or to make a change of some sort. Nonprofit organizations can use these articles to motivate readers to volunteer, write letters of support, or make a donation. Businesses can use inspirational articles to create a positive public image, build brand loyalty, and encourage repeat business.
Good inspirational articles have five characteristics.
1. They are personal.
Inspirational articles are all about the power of personal connections. They should include very personal stories about real people's lives. Don't shy away from the emotion, as strong and powerful feelings are central to good inspirational articles. You aren't speaking to your readers' minds with these articles; you are speaking to their hearts and souls.
2. They involve an emotional struggle or challenging decision.
Clearly describe the struggles, obstacles, or difficult choices that the people in your article have faced. How did they recognize the problem, deal with it, and overcome it?
3. They paint a scene.
Help your readers visualize what the people in your story went through. Describe the physical locations where the events took place. But don't stop there. Appeal to your readers' senses of smell, sound, taste, and touch.
4. They include a universal message.
Inspirational articles usually end with an epiphany. They enlighten us or remind us about the essential nature or meaning of some element of our daily lives. These are often very simple lessons -- the importance of family and friends, the joy in giving, the danger in stereotypes, or the value in facing our fears, for example.
5. They are true.
Your inspirational articles must always be true. It is OK to change the names or locations; just state that you have done so. Making up stories to play on your readers' emotions is unacceptable. If you are caught telling lies, you will destroy any trust your readers had in you and your organization.
What would make a good inspirational article for your organization? Think about the stories from work that you tell your friends and family. Consider interviewing a person whose life or work has changed dramatically as a result of your organization. The moments that inspire you to do the work you do will likely inspire your newsletter readers too.
? 2005, Kivi Leroux Miller. All Rights Reserved.
Kivi Leroux Miller is president of Writing911.com, which provides free writing advice, tip sheets, e-courses, and in-person workshops for people who need to write well at work. She specializes in providing guidance to nonprofit organizations on newsletters, annual reports, and other publications. Visit http://www.writing911.com to sign up for "Writing Tips," a free monthly e-newsletter that will help you improve your writing and your publications.
personalized cleaning services Mundelein ..You've got to start somewhere, but once you've created your... Read More
Most all ezine publishers need fresh content. Article writing is... Read More
Writing articles is by far the most effective online promotion... Read More
In this article I will show you how to use... Read More
Some six weeks ago, I began writing and submitting articles... Read More
The five essential questions to be answered in your article... Read More
You have probably heard that writing articles is one of... Read More
Ease of Submission With so many article distribution sites out... Read More
Find definitions from H to P... ~~~~~~~~~~~ H ~~~~~~~~~~~ Haiku... Read More
If you have writing skills and want to use your... Read More
I was asked to write an article on a short... Read More
Want your articles to get picked up and reprinted by... Read More
A "Thought Leader" is someone recognized as an authority in... Read More
You submit it, that's what you do! And submit it... Read More
The Shortest Distance to Your Home Town Enterprise is Over... Read More
The traditional print media newsletter is still useful even in... Read More
A few years ago as a webmaster with no money,... Read More
[Disclosure: I went into ezinearticles.com very innocently. I... Read More
I have a confession to make.I think in "articles."As a... Read More
It is important for all webmasters to realize that if... Read More
If you want to really make your article "SELL" then... Read More
What's the most powerful marketing technique on the Web? Search... Read More
Writing and distributing articles on the internet is one of... Read More
As an article author, sometimes you can only pull so... Read More
Once you learn the benefits of article writing, you may... Read More
one time home cleaning Buffalo Grove ..Article marketing-the simple act of writing one 400 word article... Read More
It is a well known fact that writing, distributing and... Read More
This may come as a surprise... to you, but writing... Read More
I am often approached and asked, how do I write... Read More
I recently became aware that promoting your web site in... Read More
Would it be worth it to master a technique that... Read More
Are you an Article Marketer? If so, you know that... Read More
The goal of free publicity is to get your name... Read More
Is Putting your Articles in the Public Domain really a... Read More
People love to hear stories. They'll identify with what you... Read More
MS: Shelley, you're an excellent person to talk to about... Read More
Do you know why the "Chicken Soup for the Soul"... Read More
I was asked to write an article on a short... Read More
The Whole reason you write those articles is so you... Read More
As an article author, sometimes you can only pull so... Read More
It's not enough to scatter your articles across the internet... Read More
Rejection is part of a writer's life. You must cope... Read More
Every webmaster knows that to gain ranking positions in search... Read More
Everyone that publishes a newsletter or ezine knows that the... Read More
Evaluation of a Home-Run ArticleI've been writing articles and posting... Read More
Many successful authors close their mind to learning HTML because... Read More
There are times when I want to write an article... Read More
This is precisely what I am doing here today (and... Read More
We all know that article writing is a great way... Read More
Sometimes when I am communicating with other webmasters and I... Read More
Article Writing |