My Top Ten Tips to getting an article published

1. Know someone in the business! A well-placed friend who is an editor, either for print or online, is a godsend.
2. Better. Write well. Be sharp, funny, interesting.
3. Have something to say. Be informed, passionate, exciting, hilarious.
4. Entertain and inform. Yes, both are essential, at the same time.
5. Get a great lead in paragraph.
6. Be controversial - but not over-opiniated without reason.
7. Back up your own views with someone in a position that you respect.
8. Check your sources.
9. Edit your writing. Proofread. Spellcheck.
10. Be confident - even if you don't feel it.

It's never easy getting an idea from your head, to the computer and then into print. What I hope to do in this blog is help you explore your own writing and see if I can serve as an 'editor', givng advice and tips.

There are lots of issues that we can discuss and I'll be very interested to learn of your experience or views on the process so far.

• What makes an article worthy of publication?
• What are readers and editors looking for?
• Are readers and editors looking for the same things?
• How can we come up with ideas that will sell?
• If we do come up with a selling idea, how to write the piece that will ultimately be published?

None of the above is easy. The most positive advice is simply to gain lots and lots of practice; the proverbial thick skin; and tons of experience.