First, you have to create your content. Then you have to organize it. Fortunately, there are plenty of great tools online you can use and don't require you to clog your computer with more software.

Best of all, each of these tools is absolutely free to use.

Here are five tools you can use to help you with your newsletters and articles:

1. Newsletter Template Formatting your newsletter will probably give you more headaches than anything else.

You want to make it easy for your readers to read, and you want it to look professional when you send it out.

This site solves problem. All you have to do is select parts you want to include in your newsletter, cut and paste elements, and hit submit. It will completely format your newsletter for you, and you can even get some great tips and resources to help you with your newsletter.

http://www.ossweb.com/ez-ezine-template.html

2. Email Formatting Utility Ever gotten a really great forward in your email you wanted to use, but it was too time consuming to take all of >> out of it?

You don't have to do that anymore. This email formatting utility will strip any unecessary tags for you. You can also use it to format your newsletters and emails to right character count.

http://www.jbmckee.com/formatit/index.htm

3. Article Formatter Ok, I admit it. Before I found this utility I used to cut and paste my articles into my word processing program just so I could get a word count.

Now you don't have to do that. Not only will this online tool give you a word count, it will also format your articles in an attractive format for submission.

Mindmapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use flexible thinking and relativity in writing their book. One can add and subtract a thought or phrase from a mindmap easily. Mindmapping is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.

What is Mindmapping?

Mindmapping is a color-coded outline of main ideas, sub topics and details, printed on different colored branches connected to center. In center in a circle, you will list your main idea, such as your book or chapter title.

For "The One-Minute Sales Person", Spencer's mindmap would have had seven different colored vertical branches coming from that center, so details can be put on connected horizontal branches. (much easier to read)

What are advantages of Mindmapping?

First, a mindmap is open-ended and open-minded. No more squeezing new "ahas" or ideas into strict, tight form of linear outline. You can make mistakes in your mindmaps. Imperfection leads to creativity. When you get an idea for chapter one, you can just add another branch off main one. Mindmapping expands flexible thinking, making for better writing.

Second, mindmaps use only three to five concrete or color words on a branch. These key words help jog our memory. Under Chapter One "Attracting Passion," I added several horizontal lines that represented format that follows. One line had "opening quote," next one "introduction," next one "Jerry's Story," next "Food for Thought and Action," next, "Passion Hot Line," last line, "practice."