It is smart to do this, if you want to have really cool articles and a lot of them. - Lance

Organization is indispensable. When we give advices it is much easier for the reader to find and understand what we say if we divide them in numbered items.

I don’t use this form too much, but whenever my tips are very well defined I always make the divisions in numbers, even after writing the article.
In the end I always change the title a little bit or the template in order to make things comprehensible and easier for the reader.

Each author has to focus on making everything easier and pleasant for his or her readers. Nobody likes complications and ambiguities.

If your title does not correspond to the article you wrote, change the title. Give to your reader exactly what you promise, otherwise he or she will never visit your site and nothing good can happen. Never try to take advantage of your readers’ confidence because you’ll lose it forever.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

I love your methods. I don’t just write the titles, but I often do write out a list of titles on a page as a teaser for myself, then go back and write those articles on a separate page.

I have a stack of legal pads on my desk with tons of notes in them. If I’m lacking ideas, I only have a few inches to reach, and there’s always an idea.

Jan

It’s so easy to use html - especially with the wysiwyg editors available. I would also suggest the bold feature be used to further make the points clearly distinguishable.

For future topics, here’s a pet peeve of mine … long first paragraphs. A total interest sapper if you ask me.

You make an excellent point indeed, and I am of the opinion that the best way to create articles is to write out 20, 50 or even 100 titles that you wish to write on, then create word files for each one. Then pick a “Tag Line Ending” for instance right now, I use the tag line - “Something to Contemplate in 2008″ and end all my articles that way.

One thing I have found is that if you go back and open all the word files you have created and write 5 sentences of important things you wish to include in that article, you may find that the title could be modified to be “Top 5 Reasons” or “Top 5 Tips for” and you can then modify your title. Next, I recomment that you pick out ten articles you want to work on and make one paragraph introduction for each. Again, you may decide to modify the title.

As you work on each particular article, and complete it, you may wish to consider modifying it’s title. There is nothing wrong with changing that title. If you are planning on using a “Top 5″ title then go ahead on the initial process of numbering those 5-key points and items you will be discussing, that in fact, will keep you on track.

I believe Chris is right, if you are using the Title as a Hook, and we all know that words like Secret, Top 5, Tips, etc. work, and you intend on using such words in your title, then you certainly do not want the reader to feel tricked when they click on that page only to find that there are not 5 tips, or any secrets listed.

A reader who is disrespected in this way will want revenge, they may give you a one-star rating or be angry and click out, either way YOU lose. And for 2008, well, I want you to be great, I want you to succeed and reach all your goals, I bet Marion Ryan, the coach of coaches from the UK has something more to add to this comment.

Be the best, work for the best, post your articles on the best website, choose the best and most apropriate titles and expect only the best. And here is the 5- Secrets to Success;

1.) Work Hard

2.) Work Smart

3.) Make Lots of Friends

4.) Learn From Your Mistakes

5.) Never Give Up

If your article title mentions (5) items and you don’t deliver in the article, then we’d reject the article for not living up to the promise you made in the article title.

Articles that are nothing more than “teasers” are on Santa’s “Naught list”.

–

Guy who lives in Palm Dessert, USA,

Uhm, wassup with the zip code comment name?