There's one key rule that every writer should understand before sitting down to write an article and that's "know your audience".
Who are you writing for? A limited group of subscribers to a magazine about pig farming or a wider, more general audience?
If your goal is to reach as many readers as possible, you'll need to know which subjects sell.
Given the choice between "How To Grow Mushrooms" and "Decorate Your Home on A Budget", which do you think would be the most popular? Pretty obvious, isn't it? But when you're faced with a choice between "Sell Your Junk on Ebay" and "How to find and destroy virus on your computer", it's no longer quite as easy to decide which topic to go with.
Having run a website with lots of original content, I've been in a position to monitor the subjects that are most likely to draw attention. By basing your articles on the following ten subjects you'll know you're writing articles that will be read. And that's the idea, after all, isn't it?
1. Children
Babies are born every day creating a constant demand for advice about every aspect of childcare and general parenting.
Try to imagine of the kind of situations parents are likely to find themselves in and give them information to help them deal with it. If you're a parent yourself, you should have no trouble finding a plethora of sub-topics to write about.
Article ideas include:
* Entertaining young children during long journeys
* How to feed a fussy child
* Developing a regular sleep pattern
* When should solids be introduced?
* What you can do to improve your child's education
and
* How to say "no" and mean it.
2. Home and Garden
When you consider that we spend most of our leisure time at home, it isn't difficult to understand the popularity of articles aimed at helping people make the most of their surroundings.
Women want beautiful, clutter-free homes where they can enjoy entertaining friends and a safe-haven where they can raise their families; men want homes that are easy to maintain and that won't make too big a hole in their bank accounts.
Article ideas include:
* De-cluttering your home
* Decorating on a budget
* Child-proofing your home
* How to throw a successful dinner party
* Quick cleaning tips
and
* Designing a low maintenance garden.
3. Relationships
Most of us want to love and be loved. We want romance, great sex and the security of a stable relationship.
Articles aimed at those who are either looking for a relationship or want to improve the one they're in have are always popular and, contrary to what most may think, not just amongst women, either.
Article ideas include:
* How to attract a mate
* Where to go and/or how to act on a date
* Using an online dating service
* Does speed dating work?
* Great sex tips
* Is he having an affair?
and
* Arranging a romantic break
4. Personal Care
Women have always spent time and money on their appearance but during the past few years men have been rapidly catching up.
While it's a shame that so many people are unhappy with their looks, as writers we can help them find new ways of dealing with their problems. We can offer advice to help them make changes or simply help them understand that they're not alone.
Article ideas include:
* How to combat spots and blemishes
* Looking great on a budget
* Home-made natural beauty products
* How to dress to suit your figure
* Dressing for different occasions
and
* Give yourself the perfect manicure
5. Health
While health related articles weren't particular marketable a few years ago, with more and more people now turning towards a healthy lifestyle, there are now entire magazines and websites dedicated to healthy living.
Now that the focus has turned from cure to prevention, most people are looking for ways to improve their health. Fitness studios have never been so popular and even good old-fashioned walking's back in vogue.
Get typing and do your bit to bring health and vitality to those around you.
Article ideas include:
* Alternative therapies
* What is the "Body Mass Index"?
* Healthy weight loss
* Lowering the risk of heart disease
and
* Low fat cooking
6. Making Money
This is one that'll never go out of fashion! No matter where in the world you are, there will be always people interested in making money.
Think of the stay-at-home parent who's looking for ways to help top-up the family income. What advice would you give to him or her? And what about those women who are trying to juggle a career and family without falling apart? Do you have any tips to help them cope?
What about those who are looking for a job? They're out to make money, too. What advice would you give somebody before going to an interview? How should they go about writing a CV?
And then there's saving money. As they say, a penny saved is a penny made.
Article ideas include:
* How to dress for an interview
* Making money on the Internet
* Running a business from home
* Tax saving tips
* How to find cheap flights
and
* Generating an income from your hobby
7. Food and Drink
We eat every day. More often than not, we eat several times a day.
Eating isn't simply a means of survival. Everything from the preparation of a meal to actually eating it can be a fun and enjoyable task.
Whether for basic meals or for something more out of the ordinary, advice and tips on how to make food and drink more interesting always make popular articles and there are lots of food related traditions and festivals around the world that can make interesting articles, too.
Article ideas include:
* Healthy lunch packs for kids
* Successful dinner parties
* How to ice a cake
* Brew your own beer
* Meals for vegetarians
and
* How to choose wine
8. Weddings
Every day, thousands of couples all over the globe saying "I do", making weddings a market that simply never dries up.
A plethora of services are available to help the engaged couple plan their wedding and for the writer, each and every service is also a subject to write about.
Article ideas include:
* Why employ a professional wedding planner?
* Displaying wedding photographs
* Scrap-booking your wedding
* Weddings on a budget
* How to choose a dress that will suit your figure
* The role of the best man
and
* Wedding day hairstyles and/or make-up
9. Crafts and DIY
People love making things.
Whether it's a quilt to be given as a gift and heirloom, a toy for the baby of the family or a full set of kitchen cupboards, somebody out there will want to make it.
Article ideas include:
* Re-vamping old furniture
* Using paint effects
* The basic toolbox everybody should have
* Flower arranging
* How to hang wallpaper
and
* Gifts to make on a budget
10. Self Improvement
People are always searching for ways of improving their lives and that often means looking inward and solving problems within themselves.
From improving self-confidence to increasing spiritual awareness, self improvement is a popular subject, especially amongst women.
Article ideas include:
* Speak up and be heard
* Meditation: How it can help you understand yourself
* Bring out the leader in you
* How to get what you really want
* Improving your communication skills
and
* Disposing of emotional baggage
So there you have them. In no particular order, the top ten most sought after topics to help you write articles that your editors will love.
Sharon Jacobsen is a freelance writing living in South Cheshire, England with her partner and however many of her three children happen to be living at home at any given time. To contact Sharon, please visit her website at http://www.sharon-jacobsen.co.uk