All writers take chances when it comes to submitting articles. The simple truth is that at some time there will be a rejection. One of the primary reasons an article is rejected is because the article or advertisement is filled with errors. Copywriting can be hard due to the very nature of its subject matter and method of writing. Copywriting, whether an SEO (search engine optimized) article, or an advertisement on the internet, must persuade the reader. If this is not achieved, the chances of being accepted are very slim.

There is one thing to keep in mind when submitting articles to a company specializing in a certain style of writing, such as SEO (search engine optimized), is to know what they look for and require in an article. If the company wants five hundred words, do not send them two hundred and fifty and then become shocked when they send back the article. Companies have guidelines for a reason and most publish their exact requirements on their web pages or ad.

The absolutely worst mistake a person can make when submitting an article is to not know their audience. It might be odd to submit a five-hundred word article on being a teen mother to a retirement magazine. It might seem laughable but it happens quite frequently. Before you begin submitting articles to everyone, take your time and know what audience that company targets or what their particular needs are in a writer.

Sometimes we all need a little help with our writing. If you are submitting articles on a regular basis and see them being rejected, consider taking some copywriting classes. The classes can help you see how copywriting is different than just writing for fun or for a book. There are differences that can make all the difference in the world. Copywriting classes can help submitting articles seem a little less intimidating.

Do not lose hope if you receive a rejection. Submitting articles takes time but each rejection can be a positive thing if you take the time to improve your writing abilities. You might find that you are writing for the wrong audience or simple grammatical skills are standing in the way. Everyone has had something rejected or returned. Do not take it to heart and become discouraged.

Proofreading is more often than not a neglected responsibility by many copywriters. If you value, however, the opinion of your readers then proofreading is but a small price to pay for the success you enjoy because of them.

What Should  You Look For

Before anything else, proofreading can only be made possible if you know what to look for. This means having a considerable grasp of all the intricacies of proper grammar and punctuation as well as solid knowledge on spelling. If you fail in any of these counts, you need to work on them because they can make a huge difference with the quality of your copies as well.

Find Somewhere Quiet

Proofreading is a job that requires great concentration, so find an environment suitable for the job. Get rid of all possible sources of distraction as well.

Hard Copy

It’s easier to overlook errors when you are proofreading with your computer so do print your copy on paper whenever possible. It might be more costly this way, but don’t you think the sales you can generate for a well-written copy can easily offset the expense?

Get in the Right Frame of Mind

The best way to proofread your copy is to have clear expectations of finding errors. If you think of your work as flawless, you’re more liable to overlook errors. Remember: a positive outlook – even if it means finding errors in this case – always helps in getting a positive outcome.

Read Your Copy Slowly

Resist the temptation to read in the pace that you’re used to. Instead, read your copy slowly and read it out loud if possible. Reading will help you find errors in the style and cohesion of your writing.

When you’re done reading from start to finish, try reading it backwards. The brain tries to automatically correct any spotted error in the content, making you read what you think you see instead of what you’re actually seeing. By reading backwards, you prevent your brain from correcting on auto-mode and view your work for what it really is.

Layout

Proofread includes correcting the look of your copy. Pay attention to wrong spacing and margins, irregular font styling, and improperly capitalized words. Indeed, pay greater attention to words in uppercase as it’s more difficult to see errors in that format.

Be Consistant

Proofreading includes making sure that everything about your copy is consistent. Uniformity, after all, makes a web copy more attractive. If you use a certain name for reference, be sure to use that name at all times rather than confuse your readers with various synonyms sprinkled across your text.

Spelling and Grammar

The options for these mechanisms provided by your processor are not always right. And no, this doesn’t mean that you’re smarter but they’re probably not configured correctly. In any case, don’t rely on them to do your work for you.

And Then Do It Again

Proofreading is not a one-time process. You need to do it over and over and at properly spaced intervals to make sure your copy is entirely error-free.

A Freah Pair of Eyes

Last but not the least, have someone else – preferably one with the necessary knowledge and experience – proofread your work. You don’t have to pay a professional to do it. If you know other copywriters, you can strike a deal and proofread each other’s work.

A fresh pair of eyes, not to mention unbiased as well, can help find the last few errors in your copy.

You do not get a second chance to make a first impression; same is the case with your sales headline. If you are unable to attract your potential customers in one go, chances are high that they will never ever go on to read the second sentence. Instead the customers who could be yours will move on to may be your own competitor. So it is important that you never overlook the importance of headline. Once you yourself have made a good headline, you can see for yourself hoe much it is worth. You will be amazed at the incremental sales that this will be able to get.

Consumers have very short attention span, if you have not been able to grab their attention within the first 3 seconds, they will be gone and possibly gone forever. The headline must be such that it attracts the consumers and makes him want to learn more. If your web site starts with a boring opening line such as “thank you for taking out the time to visit our website”….then it is almost equivalent to bidding goodbyes to your potential customers. No one wants to read this trash.

A good headline is one that captures the attention of your readers, engrosses and interests them and then eventually leads to a sale. There are few magic or fire words, which if used are sure to attract the attention of the readers, some of these words are that directly address the reader such as “how to” “do you” and also “discover”. Just like these magic words there are other tragic words that absolutely kill your head lines, never and I repeat never use words like “learn about” and “buy” in your headline.

Studies show that almost 80% online sales are made on the basis of the headlines. So you can well figure out that with an unattractive headline, you put at stake 80% of your chances to sell your product. It is not that headlines will take you days to write. If you keep the few key words in mind, you can make your own headlines that will spin money for you in minutes.
The sooner you realize the importance of headlines, the better it is for you and your company, a headline has the potential to increase you sales by a whooping figure of 80% stating this fact, it is an obvious truth that the significance of headlines can never be overemphasized.

Writing copy can be like driving a car. There are days when everything is smooth and continuous, some days it can be boring, some days you can get lost and have to find your way back. There will also be days when you run out of gas and can go no further. When or if this happens, it can be very troublesome, particularly if you have a deadline to meet. So how do you make your copy flow?  Here are ways you can use:

Use an outline

Before you begin a writing project or an article, write a short, simple outline about the topic. Use headlines, sub-headings and a list of topics under each one. This will serve as a map to help guide you on what to write. This is also a good reference if you wish to have an overview of how the write-up will progress and be unveiled to the reader.  This will help make your copy flow just when you need it most.

The outline will also help control your writing. Sometimes you can get carried away by emotions, mood or inspiration. The result – you produce too much content that you probably won’t need to make your copy worthwhile.  With an outline, you know exactly the kind of ideas you want to use and exclude those that do not belong.

Use an idea book

Inspiration can strike from anywhere. When it does, you can’t really choose the time or the location.  It happened to Michael Jackson once, when he was on board a plane. The music and lyrics to a song came to him but since he couldn’t write music and had no recording device with him, he had to endure the long flight with the music ringing in his head.

It was only when the plane touched down and he could finally record the music that he was able to write the song. The song, titled ‘Muscles’, later on became a hit for diva Diana Ross.

Like Jackson, how often have you been touched by the Muses only to find out that you have nothing to write with because you’re in the middle of a party or putting on make-up in the bathroom?

Make sure that when you’re blessed with an idea, you’re ready. Keep a small notepad in your purse or around your work area. When an idea comes, write it down immediately. Don’t wait. Memory can be very slippery and confusing so don’t rely on it too much. Write the idea down, record it, paint it, illustrate it – anything that will help remind you later. So when it’s time to write, you can make copy flow and not have any problems producing a write-up.

Allow topics to transition

To make copy flow when writing, allow relational progression from one topic to the next.  If you have an outline, this is rather easy to do because you have a sense of which topic to write about in the next sentence or paragraph.

Don’t try to impress or worry about grammar… yet

You cannot make your copy flow if you keep getting distracted by other tasks such as editing or proofreading. Forget about these things at first. Your job is to write, so do it and stop worrying about correct grammar or spelling. If you’re using a word processor, making the corrections will be a breeze later. Write as the thoughts come to you and don’t interrupt.

Review what you’ve written

In many cases, when you’re stumped in the middle of an article, you could refresh your mind by going through what you have already written. This will help remind your brain of the message you’re trying to get across.

Write. Just write

Oftentimes, the best way to make your copy flow is to keep writing. Again, worry about the outcome later.  You can always go back and make revisions. For now, write what you know, unleash your creativity and keep writing.