"But I've only been on the Internet 3 months! How can I write an article?" That was my reaction back in 1999 when I began my online career and heard that writing articles was the key to bringing targeted visitors to my website.

But I went ahead anyway and wrote my first article. I soon discovered that writing articles is the quickest way to build your reputation as an expert in the world of online marketing.

So don’t wait for someone else's permission - start writing articles and grab your space in the limelight.

Here are some other mental blocks and how to deal with them:

• "I don't where to start". Start anywhere - it doesn't matter where. Putting words on paper is like planting a seed in your subconscious. Your mind will go to work on it while you're busy doing other things: while you’re driving, while you’re sleeping, while you're doing the dishes. Suddenly, out of nowhere, will come the next idea. That’s the power of the subconscious and the power of putting words on paper.

• "I don't know how to finish". Again, it doesn’t matter. Just write and the conclusion will come to you of it's own accord.

• "It's just an idea". This is another mental trap - the fear of turning ideas into reality. Look around you and realize that every skyscraper, every ocean-going liner, and every symphony was once "just an idea".

• "I'll do it tomorrow". Tomorrow never arrives. Give yourself a deadline. Imagine that your article must be finished within the next 12 hours - you’ll be surprised how much you get done!

• "My article will be a flop". This is a big one - fear of failure. It's much safer to never try. But remember, with every article you write you are one step closer to developing your own unique style, your "voice". In that sense, you can never fail.

• "I can't get it right". Some times you simply can't find the right words. Turn off your inner critic and just write. When you have something down on paper, you have something to work with. But you can't work with something that remains an idea in your head.

• "I can’t sort out my ideas". The easiest way to organize your article ideas is to use a technique that mirrors the way the mind works. This technique is called Mind Mapping. We are taught in school to use lists to organize our ideas. But lists are linear and the mind doesn't think in a linear fashion. You can find out more about Mind Mapping at: http://www.mind-map.com/

  Good luck with your articles! And remember - writing teaches writing.

  (c) 2003 by Michael Southon