Everything, Including the Kitchen Sink

For days I’ve sat and thought--in an effort to arrive at a somewhat intense, philosophical, or okay, even superficial idea, for an article that will benefit a discerning, entrepreneurial population! For a way to surely officially seal my knowledge of the numerous machinations of the virtual realm to the advantage of any readers! Nothing, nada, zip! Perhaps the difficulty lies in trying to be “too” reflective. Or maybe overly verbose! After all, few of us are rarely profound and intense—even some of the time.

A “quick-start” guide to get you going

If you’ve been scouring magazines, books (e- or otherwise), the article banks, or any web page on the Internet, you know there are plenty of topics for the taking and ideas in the making. If you’ve been in any conversation with your friends, your neighbors, discoursed with your family, or your industry peers—you know you’ve got something about which you can write. And, if you’ve ever explored any way to market your business, you know by now one of the best ways to do that is to “just write”.

Write, you say? But I can’t write. I don’t know what to write. What will I say? Who will want to read what I write? Red flags line up and--you know? You really “protest-eth” too much!

Don’t worry about what people will say or that no one will want to know what you write. For you are never alone--there will surely be at least one person who will perk up and want to read your words. And in the reading, they will learn.

Pick a topic

No--better yet, first anyway, just start putting words on paper. Get your computer, your keyboard and your mouse, or a pen and paper. Begin by putting any thoughts that come to mind in front of you. For instance, when I finally got around to starting this article, using the above suggestions to “throw out ideas”, I first thought I’d tell my audience about the run-ins I’d recently had with Murphy’s Law and how they related to my anti-virus program; sorry, I’m saving that for another day.

Next, I looked at several article banks for articles already there on varied and numerous subjects that interested me, and which in turn I thought might interest those I was trying to reach. How the mind wanders; I even considered including something I wrote so many years ago I can’t remember one line: a poem, and had almost forgotten. It begins like this:

I sat there gazing out sea

When who should come swimming by

But a small sardine so happy an free

Wearing a speckled tie! ….

And ends….

Little sardine all packed so tight

Am I having you for supper tonight?

Yeah, I know. Not quite Maya Angelou! Or even Shakespeare! However, from that little couplet one can be inclined to grab a myriad of solutions that might possibly invigorate a writing funk.

What about an article regarding the best place where most sardines congregate? Maybe the swimming habits of sardines would be an interesting read? What kinds of tools do fishermen use to gather sardines? What are the hours to troll for sardines? Do they still troll? Did they ever?

What about the kitchen sink? There’s everything else here! Who is the market that cares? Better yet, how about an article that explores what possesses one to expose the world to the nonsense of an almost long-forgotten rhyme?

Tools of the Trade

Your trade! What’s new? Is your computer? Windows Vista—did you succumb? Have you purchased new software this year? You could take your audience along on a commentary of a price comparison of the three top brands you considered (or will consider) before you put your money down. Do you use an anti-virus? If not, why not?

What printer do you use? Who does your large printing projects? What can you tell your readers about the benefits of using a fax machine or any of your machines that they might not already know? Who do you want to reach with your message?

Do you frequent work-related message boards or other type forums? If so, find and elaborate on a recently posted topic or two. You’ll have a meaty article in no time.

If you solve just one or two of the many questions spread throughout this article, or dare to include your own, you’ll discover you’ve developed quite an informative commentary. Of note, too, you’ll have positioned yourself as a sought-after expert as the article will make it easier for you to “strut your stuff” to the benefit of many.

Now, when you’ve finished reading, I invite you to stop by my Web site, Konceptuality, to download my special complimentary offer: a teeny, tiny primer: “Tips and Tricks to Editing and Proofreading.”