Maybe you could use some doubt in your writing.  Let me explain.

While I was a Teaching Assistant at the University of Pittsburgh from 2004 to 2006, we graduate students had to take a course on argumentative writing.  Then we would teach argumentative writing to our undergraduate students.

The idea behind argumentative writing was that an article was a discussion between the writer and the reader.  Of course the writer would start off with a position, supply proof why the position was the correct one and then in the conclusion reaffirm the correctness of that position.

Hopefully, the reader would agree; but the university felt that for the reader to truly be convinced of the writer’s position the writer had to at least admit that there were other positions that might be correct, too.  The writer had to entertain some doubt.  Doubt actually made the writer’s argument more not less convincing.  A little bit of doubt made the writer’s position seem more reasonable.

You’ve read articles where the writer came off as a know-it all.  That can be very irritating.  The writer may win the discussion but lose the reader.

So, you may want to try some argumentative writing in your next online article.  Nothing is certain; but it just might help.

These articles are also, in most cases, harmless. But not in all cases. Some people, in their hurry to pick up a hundred or two cheap views, will spread misinformation. This is potentially harmful, especially to newcomers looking for genuine advice on how to succeed here.

So let’s take this opportunity to dispel the rumors and lay out the cold hard facts. For starters, I may not qualify as an expert, but I have had nearly 100 articles to date on the hot content top 10 list. I have studied Triond, and while I am in all likelihood not the top earner, I am one of them. I have studied in great depth the workings of promotion. So it is fair to say I at least have a more than passing knowledge on the subject.

We will start by dispelling a few of the rumors and misconceptions.

The Hot Content list is not a golden Ticket to thousands of views

It isn’t even a ticket to hundreds of views. If you appear there regularly, you’re talking dozens to a couple of hundred, depending on subject matter. If your article is only there briefly, you probably won’t even see dozens.

The Hot Content list increases your rate of pay

Again, total crap.

There is an algorithm that determines what reaches the list.

This is actually true. And therein lies the ’secret’ to the list. Which brings us to…

How you actually get there.

According to Triond, the algorithm is a combination of Views, likes, comments, and age of the article. All of the research I have done backs this up completely. So the answer here is that anyone who states that they have figured out the answer is one of three things… misled, wrong, or making it up as they go along. Here, however, are some observations I have made.

Views are the most important number. I have a series of sports articles I do weekly that nearly always lands at the top spot, and stays for a few days. It receives huge numbers of views, far into the thousands. It has hit #1 without a single like or view. On the flip side, I had an article called ‘Triond Roll Call’ which received 80 something comments, and only made an appearance at #9 for a few hours.

There is blind luck involved. I have had articles make it with just a few dozen views. This is, often times, because nothing of consequence happened to publish that day. Some days a 30 view, 5 comment piece may land you at #5; others, a 200 view 10 comment piece might not make it at all.

If your article does well, it will probably make it. If your article does views in the hundreds on the first day, it will probably make it. The age of the article matters quite a bit. I have seen a few make it days after publishing, but only a few. And I have never had one get there more than 48 hours after publishing. If it’s not there after 2 days, it probably won’t be.

The bottom line is this; there is simply no concrete formula, because some aspect of it is arbitrary on Triond’s part. Here’s my advice… work on your product. Work on promoting. If you do the work, the rest will take care of itself. Stop worrying about a riddle for which there really is no definitive answer, and learn to sell your articles. Do that, and I promise… the Hot List will take care of itself.

The first thing you are going to need is an avenue for being paid for your writing. I use Google Adsense and PayPal. I have found that most sites will pay into one of these systems and if they don’t the usual preference is to pay by cheque. So before you start, or straight away if you have already started writing, get yourself a Google Adsense account and a PayPal account that will transfer funds to your chosen bank account. Readers – if you have another system to recommend please add it in the comments below.

Pay by cheque is my least preferred option as I am continually moving around the world and keeping my address updated is another aspect I need to build into my system, so that each time I move I update all sites with my new address. To be able to do this I keep an Excel spreadsheet on my computer.  In the spreadsheet I have listed all sites I use and the information I need for those sites which is: my user name, password, payment method from this site, the date I last updated the payment method details, the amount of the last payment, the progressive total of payments from that website and the total progressive payments from all websites. I also have a comments section where I can make additional notes to follow up on if there is an issue or problem. Because I also sell art and designs on the internet I keep track of these sites and all activity on them as well.

Once a month, on the last Thursday of each month, I check all activity on my income sources and match that activity with bank statements to see if the money has arrived in the appropriate accounts.

The other part of my office system is to keep track of submitted articles. I use another spreadsheet for tracking articles. Once the article is written I enter the title into the spreadsheet; I note which site it has been submitted to for first publication (some sites will only accept first publication) and I also indicate if the article has been submitted to multiple sites for publication (some content is very useable and can be submitted on several sites). If the article is written for a competition there is a column that indicates it is a competition article, when the deadline is and when the winners are announced. A separate column indicates prizes won and links back to the spreadsheet on income so that income from competitions is added in to the total income.

Another spreadsheet keeps track of work that has been done on demand, or on contract. This spreadsheet keeps track of deadlines, payments and content for work I have negotiated as pay by the word, pay by the page, copywriting, etc. It also links back to the income spreadsheet and places total payments of contracted work into the total payment section.

All the activity in the office system takes me about 10 minutes a month once the system is set up plus the time it takes to enter each article as I submit them. The only additional time required is the time to join up for more sites or tender for more contracts, and therefore record all the details into the spreadsheet each time I do that. Personally I am happy to maintain a relationship with a few sites. I find it easier to manage.

TRIOND has the best website for easy reference to all business aspects because it provides you with information about who is looking at your articles, when and how many from each source. It gives a running tally of income being earned and has recently added the capacity to generate extra income through the addition of Google ads on articles. TRIOND also provides you with a central place to seek information about all activity generated around every article you submit. It would be great if all the writing sites could follow this model of reporting – it is so clear and provides a lot of very useful information.

TRIOND will only accept articles for first publication and has a stable of e-magazines in which your articles are published. They include Quazen, Authspot, Healthmad, Trifter, Socyberty, Sportales, Notecook, Gomestic, Bizcovering, Telewatcher, Webupon, Computersight, Writinghood, Cinemaroll, Bookstove, Musicouch and PurpleSlinky (just add .com to any one of these names).  This stable of magazines is pretty comprehensive and TRIOND ensures search engine optimization for articles published in their magazines. If you only use one site this is probably the one to go for. As a beginner it is one that provides the most straightforward way of getting started.

If you combine my suggested office management system on your own computer with the system offered by TRIOND on their server you have established a good business base for tracking your success at writing for the internet.

Good Luck now!

• It is a secret so this is just between me and you. You put one excellent article on the ‘Hot Content’ (purely based on likes and comments – views don’t mean diddly squat to Triond). Anything about 10-15 comments and likes should bump you up to the ‘Hot Content’. That is the only hard bit in the process but it isn’t impossible. Once one of your articles is on the ‘Hot Content’, keep writing articles on the next few consecutive days and that should put you on the ‘Hot Content’ for the next few days.

• For example, on Saturday, if you write an article and it reaches the ‘Hot Content’ on Sunday purely based on comments and likes, write ONE single article on Sunday and it should be published on Monday and reach the ‘Hot Content’ on Monday. Write another SINGLE article on Monday and it should be published by Tuesday and should reach the ‘Hot Content’ on Tuesday. Keep repeating this for as long as you can and as long as Triond keeps an article of yours on the ‘Hot Content’.  Any more than one article per day doesn’t really work, I find – remember, you don’t want to spam the ‘Hot Content’.Once your article reaches the top 3 positions in the ‘Hot Content’, you should find that the article stays up there for longer and for days, if you are lucky, without any effort.
• I can’t guarantee the success but it has paid off for me. Please note though, being on the ‘Hot Content’ is like a temporary spotlight so don’t expect it to pay off in the long run. Also, don’t expect it to work for AuthSpot or Picable. I’ve yet to see an article/photo that makes it to the ‘Hot Content’, which may I take the opportunity to say, is REALLY sad.

So, see if that works for you.  If it does, then I may have discovered the real secret behind the ‘Hot Content’ list. If it doesn’t work, then I guess I’m just one of those many people still looking for the impossible.

If you’re opting to be last in this list and to earn the infamy of your local publication circle, consider these steps on how to make the world’s worst press release:

1. Use a boring headline. Nothing quite brings out a yawn as much as a ho-hum title like, “Acme Company Holds Annual Office Picnic.” Have the editor keep asking ‘so what?’ and ‘who cares?’ Or simply lull him to sleep -those eyebags look pretty gruesome.
2. Observe terrible grammar and spelling. Turn off the spell and grammar check. Leave your subjects and verbs in disagreement. Generously sprinkle it with textese. Because editors need to be reminded why they don’t teach high school English and Literature.
3. Never follow the journalistic format. In this postmodern world, why go for the standard who-what-when-where-why-how format? Why bother with creating a compelling lead and meaty details? Start with the first sentence of the chairman’s speech, which is usually “Ahherrm… Is this thing on?”
4. Stretch your article over three pages. It is not about brevity. It is about adding all the little irrelevant details, such as what was served for lunch. Still too short? Add in excerpts of the company brochure. Triple the amount of adjectives. Hey, those editors are trained to read fast, right?
5. Handwrite it. Nothing brings a deep sense of that personal touch and friendliness like a handwritten press release. Better if the penmanship resembles that of a preschooler, and laid out on crumpled and smudged paper. Bonus points if the press release is a bit smelly.

1. Expose opinions that OPPOSE the reader’s. Give them an unexpected response.
2. Link character and form. For example, the transformation from sobriety to intoxication could be reflected in the writing – clarity to confusion.
3. Narrative should flow smoothly: ditch the abstract word order you spent hours working on and assert some authority on that insinuation. Decide what you want to say, and say it.
4. Tone should involve simple images that leak detail about your characters or their situation. Your tone should be a window to the world you are creating.
5. When changing scene in single flow, don’t go too fast. Give the reader time to breathe and prepare for the change.
6. Be aware of the appropriate time to refer back to a previous point or image. Always be on the look out for opportunities to link parts of your story together.
7. Re-read and re-read. With the finest tooth comb imaginable. Ask yourself the following questions of every sentence: Does this part support or contribute to the story? Have I over-stated something obvious? Have I told the reader something where it would be more interesting to show them?
8. Don’t over-write. Sometimes (usually) simple writing is the most effective.
9. After your first draft ask: is this the best place to open? There might be a catchier line part way through that could let readers directly into the story.
10. Get inside your character’s heads. What can they see? What can they feel? Write their back-story even though you may not need all the details for your story – build a whole person and know their reactions.

With practise and passion, a superb story is not difficult to write…as long as you believe in the world and people you are creating, your readers will too. And one last thing – let your subconscious mind flow before that ever critical consciousness starts to edit away your imagination. See your ideas through to the end first, re-arrange them later!

 Much of the problem behind the need to be a good speller is what effects convention. Is one doing this to break away from the standards that have been set before and looking for alternative writing modes such as writing phonetically? A recent test has shown that readers can make out many words that are purposely misspelled because of the latest trends to write according to the sound of the word but that does not help to solve the problem of languages laden with words that have the same pronunciation and meaning but are considered correctly spelt in American or British English circles. One then has to alter ones spelling to fit one genre or the other because of the likelihood of coming across a British editor who will refuse American spelling which is not his standard.

Imagine you are going to submit a manuscript to an editor who you know will view and criticize your style, form and presentation. Do you think he will just settle for two of the three items? You may come across as someone that has organized your work well in terms of having a good opening line, body and conclusion but if the spelling is inferior how can you expect him to find readers that will appreciate your work? One has to choose the road of least resistance when it comes to submitted work so that it will touch as wide a reading audience as possible.

 This is not to say that one has to be a perfect speller to be a successful writer; it merely means that good spelling is essential when wanting to create the image of knowing what you want to want to write and being able to put your message out in a way that is the most appealing. So action comic book writers will be more concerned with exclamations, explicatives and short sentence forms and their spellings than the saga writer who has to develop a more descriptive style in order to transport the reader into the world he wants to portray. Each writer is responsible for the spelling of those catchwords and phrases that the reader identifies with!  I would think that is spelling were inferior in any of these genre, the reader would eventually be turned off and would just prefer to watch a video versions

Many novice writers, who will use abbreviations in their texts or write phonetically because that is a current trend, forget that appearance is dear to the minds of editors, scriptwriters, playwrights and other writing professionals. Years ago this writer and language coach learned that if he wanted to write effectively, he had to use the long form and that meant the abbreviated form of negations would be kept for oral speech. Today there are editors out there that consider such abbreviations just as bad as spelling mistakes.

Today much of the email language has been condensed and abbreviated as we used to abbreviate messages to be sent as telegrams. This has become an effective means of communication between colleagues but try to submit such a writing form to someone who you want to impress or show off your writing ability to express yourself effectively. The writer risks not being taken seriously by any scientific journal, book review or other media that has kept up a higher standard of content and spelling, that both go hand in hand.

To the native speaker, writing in such condensed forms does not imply spelling errors necessarily but to the new language learner, shorten or clipped words are often confused with other words and abbreviations are confused as the only way of talking and writing!

 I think I can extend the argument on the critical need of putting out proper lyrics to be communicated efficiently; writing those lyrics ineptly with spelling errors is a good way to turn off serious music composers who also depend on the word to be an effective means of getting a tune across. Improper spelling could mean a mispronunciation by a musician and contribute to an effective line of music. Obviously instrumentalists won’t have to worry about any words except the ones on their compact disc jackets.

One simply has to examine some of the great speeches made to address important political and social events. Those people would not have gone very far reading those speeches had there been a slew of spelling errors. The public in turn would have mocked the reader and his message would have had less impact.

So the importance of proper spelling is not only key in getting to get your work read among the people in the write places but also affects the manner of presenting yourself to those people. Improperly spelt cover letters that are not poorly written will mean your manuscript will not get read. Taking the cover letter for granted will not get you in the front door but if you do mange to coerce somebody into reading your opening letter, once he sees that the same lackadaisical manner is present in your first book he will not go very far and you will be burning your bridges.

Lastly one simply has to examine some of the great speeches made to address important political and social events to appreciate effective writing skills including spelling. Those people would not have gone very far reading those speeches had there been a slew of spelling errors. The public in turn would have mocked the reader and his message would have had much less impact than they did.

Efficient spelling then goes hand in hand with the effective writing styles, composing good lyrics, making effective speeches and getting your message across with the public. It is an accepted accompaniment to effective oral and listening skills, which contribute to better communicability. If one stops to consider this as a decent means of writing properly one is putting a damper on communicating effectively.

Simple, break it down. One thousand articles is approximately three articles per day every day for a year. You take a few days off here and there for good behavior, you know the routine. That’s it. Three articles a day. Don’t think of it as 1000, think of it as three each day. “But,” you say, “you’ve never written even one.” It could be a problem but doesn’t have to be. Follow these six steps and 1000 online articles in one year (or 3 per day) is a breeze.

1. Pick out your three general topics for the day (preferably you have planned out these in advance but not always). What will you write about? What interests you? What looks interesting on the web? Type out those three topics.
2. Hone in on one of the topics and then start typing. But, but, but… Just start typing. Type type type. This is the method by which much of the content you read online is created.
3. Use tips, top five or ten items, or bullets to illustrate your general themes. You don’t have to go into great detail but the bullets breaks up the writing considerably.
4. After you’ve written first drafts of all three articles, put it away for some time. It may a few minutes or a few days. Take a break. Grab some coffee. Play with your kids.
5. Edit all three articles. Read them out loud right before you submit them. Does it look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense. For your first few, have someone else read them to make sure they are clear.
6. Submit the articles. It’s often difficult to submit your writing because you’re afraid of what the editors will think or what the readers will think (and of course afraid of what your “inner muse” will think – very common writer fear). Just hit “submit.”

I know it seems simplistic. But after you do this day after day after day you will get good at it. But don’t discouraged if it seems difficult at first. It is! But, the reward of seeing your articles on the internet is well worth the difficulty. Keep at it. You will get better and faster.

1. Everyone who’s ever written a single word is where you’re at now: terrified of what to write. Terrified that you’ll get it wrong. Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Dickens, Grisham, King, every single one of them started somewhere. So, you are certainly not alone. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. In one of John Grisham’s forewords, he wrote that an editor cleaned up “more mistakes that I care to admit.” Even the accomplished novelist John Grisham makes mistakes.
2. Begin writing. Just write. Don’t correct, just write. Many writers are afraid of the “inner editor” inside themselves, always correcting, always criticizing. Get it all on paper or the computer, then you can clean it up. That’s how it’s done.
3. Use bullets or numbered items as often as practical. People like reading Top Ten (or Top Four or however many you can think of) categories. Just go to town with those.
4. After you had a chance to put it down on the screen or on paper, put it away for some time. Depending on the article length or deadline, you may put it away for an hour or a few days. Then when you come back to it, it should be fresh and then you can start editing it. Stephen King puts his novels away for six weeks at a time after he’s written the first draft.
5. For online articles, keep them short. Remember your audience is ready to click away if they see you have a novella going there. I find that 300-600 words is a good read for most people (that is your goal, yes, to get people to read them?). Six hundred words will hold their attention, 2000 might not.
6. After you’re done with the first one, celebrate (however you do that), and then immediately sit down to write a second article. As you gain momentum in this skill, you’ll find it easier and easier to write. Then, when you’ll feel the rush when you see that people have actually clicked on your article and read it.

Believe it or not, principles 1, 2, 4, and 6 apply to longer articles and novels. Novels are just longer and more complex, but still the novelist always starts with a fresh screen or a blank piece of paper.

When it came to war reportage and military affairs, no magazine delivered like Yank, the Army Weekly. Born in World War II, Yank was on the scene for only three years, but during that brief period this unique GI tabloid won the hearts and minds of America’s Greatest Generation.

Yank Began Publishing in 1942

Yank was founded by Major Hartzell Spence in May 1942. Established primarily to inform and entertain the men of the United States Army, Yank was staffed exclusively by enlisted men who served as the magazine’s editors, correspondents, photographers, cartoonists and illustrators. Many of Yank’s staff members were eminently qualified, having worked in civilian life for big city dailies, slick magazines and small town newspapers.

Vol. 1, No. 1 of Yank rolled off the presses bearing the cover date June 17, 1942, with the headline: “FDR: Why We Fight.”

Yank Produced 21 Editions

Yank was published in 21 editions in 17 locations. The magazine’s domestic edition was produced at their main editorial offices in New York City. Other Yank editions were published around the globe in such far-flung places as London, Honolulu, Sydney, Rome, Paris, Cairo, Tehran, Calcutta, Puerto Rico, The Aleutians, Panama and Strasbourg.

As the Allies advanced, so did the offices of Yank. The Paris edition made its first appearance in September 1944 and was printed on the same rotogravure press that the German Army newspaper, Wehrmacht, had been published on weeks before the Allied liberation.

Yank even published a small pony-sized air mail edition for use by American troops on some of the more remote islands of the Pacific.

Yank’s Outstanding War Reportage

Yank quickly established itself as one of the war’s premier magazines. Its outstanding war reportage was second to none, as witnessed by a vast array of first-hand, eyewitness battle accounts. Among the best entries: “Infantry Battle in New Georgia” by Sgt. Mack Moriss, “Blown Off the Deck of an LST” by Sgt. James P. O’Neill, “The Dead End Kids” (from Burma) by Sgt. Dave Richardson and “Cameraman in Cassino” by Sgt. George Aarons.

In one article, “Schweinfurt Raid,” Yank correspondent Sgt. Walter Peters not only accompanied the B-17 Yank on its perilous mission over the skies of Germany but manned a .50-caliber machine gun as well. Upon landing back at their bomber base in England, Peters cabled his stunning eyewitness account to Yank’s editorial offices.

“Our formation across the North Sea was perfect,” Peters wrote in describing the massive American raid. “We led the ‘Purple Heart’ elements, and in front of us the sky was literally clouded by B-17s. We counted as many as 190 and then quit counting.”

Several of Yank’s correspondents and photographers lost their lives while carrying out their hazardous assignments. Sgt. John A. Bushemi, one of Yank’s most talented photographers, was killed during the invasion of Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands. Likewise, Sgt. Peter Paris lost his life while storming bloody Omaha Beach with the U.S. First Infantry Division on D-Day.

Yank’s Cartoons, Humor, Pin-ups

In addition to its magnificent war reportage, Yank also contained a number of other features. The magazine’s cartoons were especially well-received, showcasing the talents of such GI contributors as Sgt. Ralph Stein, Sgt. Frank Brandt, Sgt. Al Jafee, Corporal Ernest Maxwell (a.k.a. Cpl. Emax), Private Thomas Flannery and Sgt. George Baker (creator of “The Sad Sack”).

Humorous articles also populated the pages of Yank. A few hilarious examples: “Invasion of Mae West’s Dressing Room” by Sgt. Al Hine, “A Dogface Answers a Collection Agency” by Pvt. Oris Turner and “Hopeless McGonigle’s Brother Wins the DSC” by S/Sgt. L.A. Brodsky.

One of the magazine’s most popular features was the Yank Pin-up Girl, which featured a bevy of beautiful starlets and models. Among the Hollywood famous were: Lauren Bacall, Rita Hayworth, Carole Landis, Betty Grable, Martha Vickers, Ann Miller, Dorothy Lamour and Lizabeth Scott.

Yank’s Famous Contributors

Yank could boast of a handful of GI contributors and staff members who later found fame in civilian life. Among the roster: Pfc. Irwin Shaw, acclaimed novelist and author of The Young Lions and Rich Man, Poor Man; Sgt. Marion Hargrove, author of the bestseller See Here, Private Hargrove; Sgt. Walter Bernstein, Hollywood screenwriter; Pfc. Bil Keane, creator of the popular cartoon strip The Family Circus; and Sgt. Merle Miller, bestselling author and motion picture writer.

Yank’s Final Edition in 1945

Yank, with an honorable discharge gracing its cover, published its final edition on December 28, 1945. The war had ended three months earlier, and like an old soldier Yank merely faded away into history…