Writing your own articles is a great way to generate targeted content, build your professional reputation, and create original content for your website that will attract new visitors. Best of all, it will cost you nothing but your time. If you'd like to write your own articles but don't know how to get started, don't worry. Even if you've never written an article before, you can learn to write great articles if you take it one step at a time, prepare in advance, and stay focused on your readers.

Pick a topic. The first step (and sometimes the hardest) is to select a topic for your article. Consider the wants and needs of your target audience. Inspiration for an article could come from just about anywhere - ezines, conversations with your colleagues, online forums and discussion lists, chat rooms and bulletin boards, emails from customers, newscasts, and last, but not least, your own experiences. If you choose a topic that's popular with other authors, don't write more on the subject unless you can go into more depth, take a fresh approach, or hold a different viewpoint.

Plan before you write. Facing a blank page can be pretty intimidating, but starting with an outline will help. Put down the general idea(s) you wish to get across and list specific points you want to make. Put them in a logical order; go from the general to the specific. Don't try to make too many points in one article. It's better to cover one topic thoroughly and convincingly than to jump around and fail to make your point at all.

Start writing. Once you've got the right idea and organized your notes, it's time to start writing. Don't worry too much about precise wording when you write your first draft; just get your thoughts down and make your point. Then develop your ideas in a convincing way that makes sense to your readers, flows well, and holds their interest. Tackle one main idea per paragraph. Begin your article with a strong "lead in" - a sentence or two that tells readers what your article is about and how they will benefit from reading.

Always write for your readers. Make sure you're sharing useful information with your readers. What are they worried about? What challenges do they face? What decisions do they need help with? What they like to know how to do, or how to do better? Adding real value for your readers is the key to writing the kind of article that people will want to read and webmasters will want to pass on to their readers. Always write from your readers' perspective.

Be yourself. It can take awhile to find your own personal writing style, but it's important to be yourself. In general, writing for the Internet allows you to be more conversational and less formal than you would be when writing for other media. Express yourself in your own words and let your personality shine through. Sharing your own experiences and anecdotes from your own life is a great way to "connect" with your reader and add a personal touch.

Be brief. The attention span of Web surfers is notoriously short, so be as brief as you can be and still get your meaning across. Write as much as you need to in order to develop your ideas fully and get your point across, but no more. If the article still ends up being too long, either publish it in installments (Part 1, Part 2, etc.) or split it into two or more separate articles. When you edit for the sake of brevity, hold onto the extra material - you may be able to use it for another article in the future.

Stay Focused. As always, writing for the Web requires that you stay focused on your topic. Refer to your outline for the major points you want to make. Write enough to develop your ideas, but no more. Don't say the same thing twice. Lead logically to your conclusion. Lose the "filler". If you find you can't cover the topic in enough depth given the size limits for your article, narrow your topic or write two separate articles rather than one.

Be specific. Too many Web and ezine articles speak in vague generalities. If you want your article to be truly helpful, be specific. Provide information, suggestions, and tips that readers can translate into action. Offer links to helpful resources. Recommend tools and techniques that have worked for you. The more specific you are, the more useful your article will be.

Make it shine. When your first draft is done, put it aside for a few days and then read it again. Is it convincing and concise? Is it easy to read and understand? Does it flow well? Proofread carefully - double check your spelling, grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. Check for run-on or incomplete sentences. If possible, show it to several friends, colleagues or family members and ask for their feedback. Many times another set of eyes will be able to spot mistakes you missed.

Wrap it up. Don't forget the finishing touches. Give your article a descriptive and catchy title. Add your resource box at the bottom of your article. At a minimum you should include your name, your website's URL, and a brief description of your business. If you want other webmasters to pick up your article for publication, offer reprint permission and state any conditions (a link back to your site, notification when the article is published, etc.).