In Part 1 of this series we discussed how to start your own
newsletter. Now we move on to the nitty gritty: Formatting and
finding content.
1. FORMATTING
Text ezines versus HTML format is a highly debatable subject.
At this time, most ezine publishers stick with text, and I
strongly recommend you follow suit. Many people are still
using email clients that cannot read HTML messages - others
prefer the speed, ease and security of receiving their ezines
in text format. It is safer to use the format that is compatible
with the largest number of users.
But there are other readers who appreciate the design quality
and visual appeal of an HTML newsletter. So what can you do
to please both sides? You can always publish a text version
and include a link to an HTML version online. This is what
I do and it seems to make the majority of my subscribers
happy. It does call for twice the amount of work since you'll
have to make two versions of your ezine, but in my opinion
it's well worth the extra effort.
So what is a text ezine? Basically, it's just an email with
some special formatting applied to make sure it's readable
by everyone, no matter what email client they may be using.
You'll want to stick to a fixed width font like courier or
Monaco, and you'll need a plain text editor like Notepad or
Textpad. One drawback with Notepad is it has no built-in
spell checker, so I'd advise you to download Textpad or
something similar. Many free text editors can be found at
http://www.Download.com.
You'll need to set up a template for your ezine so its look
will be consistent, issue after issue. This should include
your ezine name, date, and issue number at the very top,
followed by a table of contents. If you're not sure on how
it should look, you can obtain some free ezine templates by
sending mailto:template1@e-zinez.com.
At the very end of your newsletter template you'll want to
include a paragraph on how to subscribe and unsubscribe,
copyright information, and advertising information. It's
vital that you include unsubscribe information in each and
every issue. Do not hold people "hostage" by making it next
to impossible to get off your list, it won't be appreciated
and is not only considered unprofessional,but it could get
you into real trouble with Spamcop.
When typing in your text you need to keep your line length at
65 characters per line and hit a hard return at the end of each
and every line. This is imperative. If you allow the words to
wrap automatically, the ezine your readers receive may have
lines chopped off mid sentence and will look terrible. By using
the hard return you'll be ensuring that your newsletter will be
readable and attractive in the majority of email clients. Never
type your ezine in all caps as this is equivalent to screaming.
2. CONTENT
I highly recommend you write at least one original article
a month for your newsletter; more if you can. It's OK to
include work by others on an occasional basis or for filler,
but your ezine will carry more weight if you take the time
to write your own material.
When you do need outside content, here are some excellent
sources:
http://www.EzineArticles.com
http://www.IdeaMarketers.com
http://www.Certificate.net
You may also download this free e-book
"400 Articles You Can Use in Your Ezine" at
http://www.web-source.net/web/FreeEbooks/WritingPublishing/
You'll also find two other very handy ebooks for publishers
at the above site you may want to download as well.
Another idea for getting original articles to reprint in
your ezine is to go to Egroups and subscribe to article
announcement lists like this one:
or http://www.website101.com/freecontent.html
http://www.web-source.net/articlesub.htm
They will supply you with a steady stream of new articles
you can publish on a daily basis.
Don't forget to visit this site which is a fantastic
resource for online publishers:
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/ezine-publishing.htm
As you can see, there are many online sources that exist
solely for the purpose of helping ezine publishers
succeed. With the massive amount of information
available to you, there's really no reason you haven't
started your own ezine. So come on, what are you
waiting for? Your Net fame awaits!
About the Author
Merle http://www.EzineAdAuction.com
"Where some of the BEST Deals in Ezine Advertising are Made"
Buy & Sell Ezine Ads in a live auction setting!
Publishers sell off your excess inventory and Buyers
pick up some Fantastic bargains. Go now.