This article came to my inbox from Worldwide Freelance Writer, and I thought it would be perfect to pass along to you. Every book I've read on freelance writing for publication covers the various article types. This piece gives a wonderful synopsis of fives types of articles you may wish to start with. I particularly recommend the list article or the roundup. These can easily be submitted as shorts or fillers, which are more readily accepted from new writers than feature-length articles.

5 Types of Article You Can Write

If you always write the same type of article then you are probably limiting your chances of getting published. Look at your favorite publications and you will see they print a variety of types of article. Here are five of the most popular types.

The ‘How To’ Article

This is a very popular type of article, in which you tell the reader how to do something. It could be how to build a garage, how to write a book, how to sell a house, or how to clean tar off a pair of trousers. These articles tend to be particularly popular because people love to find out how to do something.

When writing how to do something, and if the sequence is important, then it is a good idea to number each step. Remember to keep your instructions simple, yet specific. And you could even use a picture or illustration if the publication allows it.

The ‘List’ Article

The list article is an article that lists several related pieces of information, and is one of the easiest types of article to write. It could be “10 Ways to Save Money”, “5 Flowers to Plant In April”, or “The Best 12 Places to Live in Canada”. A list article should have:

• An introduction.
• The list; each item may be a paragraph or two.
• A conclusion.

The ‘Roundup’ Article

In the roundup article, you provide a roundup of information, statements, or opinions from a variety of sources. You might interview a number of experts, for example, and ask them the same list of questions. In your article you then write a roundup of the answers, e.g.

“Bill Jones, CEO of SHJ Limited, is confident that the market will turn around soon. “Within the next six weeks at most”, he predicted. But Tom Sloane, at Pickwick Associates, disagrees. He explains why…”

The 'Inspirational' Article

Inspiration articles include inspirational narrative, essays, articles on faith and religion, and self-help articles.

Do you know of an issue or concern that affects many people? Think of your own every day experiences. Write about the issue… and help the readers to deal with life and to improve themselves in some way.

The ‘As Told To’ Article

Because many of the people who have outstanding experiences are not writers, there is a market for writing those people’s stories. This is quite similar to ghostwriting, except that in this case the audience knows that you are the writer. In the credits, you would show “By Peter Wallace [subject], as told to Jim Davies…” [writer].

Instead of writing a third-person narrative of the event, the ‘As Told To’ article makes the tale more real and personal by using the first-person.

So next time you are about to write an article, pause… and ask which type of article would best suit your situation and topic. By varying the types of articles you write your writing will also develop a new depth and your articles will be picked up by a much wider variety of publications.

About the Author

David Goldsmith is the author of "25 Ways To Write For Money". Discover how you can earn a good living as a freelance writer with these proven freelance writing strategies. David's book is available for download from http://www.WriterIncome.com