Despite what some writers may say, sitting down to write an 
article isn’t always easy.  There’s the topic to consider, of 
course, and finding a unique way to make it interesting.  
Turning out many articles each week is in some ways not as 
difficult, as the exercise of composing becomes somewhat 
routine with practice. It’s like anything one does – the 
more it is done, the better it gets.

However, going beyond the simple exercise and creating something 
meaningful takes thought and effort.  It requires lots of effort 
to be amusing, witty, clever, and pull the reader into the 
experience.  Also, the prose will vary according to the reason 
for it – is it to be part of a sales letter, or to charm young 
children, to relay information, to tell a story, or for any of 
a hundred other reasons?

Composing the article is only part of the story.  Once complete 
and in final form, the next step is getting it out to the 
intended audience.  All of the previous effort will be wasted 
if there’s no one to read it.  Having a wide distribution is 
not only useful, but very important.  There are services willing 
and able to do this.  One of the best is The Phantom Writers 
(http://www.thephantomwriters.com), which distributes to more 
than 12,000 sources.  This takes the hassle out of submitting 
to each site individually.

This is by far the easiest and quickest way to make others aware 
of your work, especially online.  Additional options include 
sending out press releases, newsletters, going on radio or 
television, and getting published by magazines or newspapers.  
But how easy is it to get the media to pick up your story?  
How much work will it take?

Unless what’s been written is something particularly newsworthy, 
or the author is a celebrity, the answer is – a lot.  It usually 
means developing relationships with the media, producing copy 
that will “sell”, and spending hours of preparation.  Getting 
noticed this way takes time and energy.

The Internet has made it possible for anyone to get their word 
seen by an audience.  It’s the simple, inexpensive way to 
showcase writing skills.  Many are now recognized as experts 
after continuously getting the word out on their topic.