Practice your own writing regularly, stand back dispassionately and look at it.

Read words out aloud, or preferably get someone else to read your work out to you. Ask yourself this important question: DO THE SENTENCES FLOW NICELY?

Look at flow: Is there variety in length and structure of sentences?

Correct awkward phrases or obvious repetitions.

Check is your meaning clear?

With no waffling (must heed that one!).

Then rewrite and rewrite to improve quality of your work.

Top writers rewrite many many times over.

Be aware that style can be changed to suit circumstances.

Style is very individual - it is your own style...and is YOURS alone - your unique personality "shining through".

Style may be simple, formal, and even utilize slang, or be more complex with long sentences, sub-clauses and paragraphs; but it should never lose its essential clarity.

The essence of good style, I believe, is SIMPLICITY. In writing articles for say, newspapers, your preference will largely depend on your market.

For example in UK, British newspapers like 'The Sun' generally have a short and sharp style - to appeal to masses.

'The Times' usually has longer and more demanding prose to stimulate "more edu-ma-cated" readers.

I've written this article in a "short and sharp, punchy" style.

I also have a serious, yet simple style for my novels on South Africa. They are written "from heart" In a totally different style to this lesson/article's "brief, punchy and to point" style. I wrote ANGOLAN DAWN in a different style to my other novels to portray way an unsophistocated big word!) Angolan migrant labourer would see world, think and speak

In my non-fiction works, like this article and my self-help books, I try to write in a style that will best accomplish my writing aim: to "inform, entertain and hopefully even inspire people to reach out and become all they are CAPABLE of being".

* When I write articles for "the international market" of net, I don't target particular countries and try to adapt my writing style. I've found that people around world don't seem to mind fact that I may use "funny" words or spelling - small details, like "s's" instead of "z's", color or colour...as long as grammar is reasonably correct. I just try to write in my "natural style with odd bit of whacky and zany" humour - one in which I feel comfortable (seeing I was brought up in South Africa with British English) and suggest you writers do same.

My advice is just find your "natural style" by writing as you Speak - as practice writing in your "natural style" breeds confidence. I hope this article may be helpful to you in learning more about your own "natural style."

13. Use HUMOUR. People like to have a bit of fun with occasional laugh, whilst being informed on a serious subject. At least I believe so!

14. Write from "your heart", so that you come across as a REAL person. Just write what comes naturally with INTEGRITY...and BE YOURSELF.

15. Be totally honest in your writing and don't "borrow" too much from others content. It's so easy to "steal" on www - so do your own work and if you "borrow ideas or material, ACKNOWLEDGE. "Incidentally, I have borrowed some ideas in this article from some good writers and well-known internet marketers - thanks a lot, David, Michael, John, Meredith, Joe and Edward).

16. Be humble…and don't talk down to your readers.

17. Use bullets (not live, please) in your articles - it makes points easy to follow.

18. Don't forget your byline ...or your "business card". Make sure that you resource box at end of article provides enough information to identify yourself and provide contact information. It's FREE advertising.

19. Offer a free report with your article - this is an easy way to collect a list of adresses for marketing your product(s). An instant target market.

20. Check all links in your article before submitting it.

21. Offer your articles by autoresponder

22. Conclude with a strong message. Your final point (and paragraph) should be a message that summarises your article or gets your reader to take further action, like "GET STARTED" (as I've done in this article).

23. Finally, make sure your layout is good (not one of my strong points!), as this greatly enhances your prospects of getting published Use a spell-check. Go over your article carefully and be an editor yourself.

24. Make sure your article flows properly.

25. Re-read and re-read, until you get it "just right." "Aim for perfection, but settle for excellence" in your article writing.

SUMMARY:

The internet is such an amazing medium for communication and SHARING information. I've just submitted this article and it's been published almost instaneously (big word!) in a few places. So YOU TOO can write articles on yourchosen subject in your internet marketing efforts. MORE TRAFFIC = INCREASED SALES

Writers and internet marketers - Grab this moment in history well. "Carpe diem" (seize moment!).

Why not start writing articles for www in 2002?

A New Year is a new beginning.

YOU CAN DO IT.