Expert Articles position the contributor, you, as the authority in that arena.
Brene Brown says ‘the credit belongs to the man (or woman) who is actually in the arena’ and this should be enough motivation for you to see; that if you are in it, you know more than many and the chances are you know more than most.
For every article I write I consult five to 15 experts—and this depends on length, type and complexity of topic. I include the voices of authority on a subject knowing it allows me to formulate the piece by describing, summarising, predicting, interpreting and breaking down core topics. With other forms of research, experts are available for interaction and there is an opportunity to ask questions and seek clarity.
Quotes from voices of authority can lend credibility and depth when writing articles. Incorporating an expert’s input also shares the real life experiences and references real life situations and outcomes.
These are the types of experts I use when writing articles
I find specialists in relevant leading publications, associations, blogs and best selling books. More technical articles require more experts to be engaged.
Generally they fall into three main categories:
The Respected Authority (a person who has convincing credentials or publication credits)
The Position Holder (an officer, CEO, board member, government official, etc.)
The Representative Voice (a person whose voice embodies a particular segment relevant to the article)
As an example, for an article on volunteering, I contacted:
- the author of a book on volunteering,
- a Member Services specialist,
- a leadership professional,
- two organization presidents,
- a non-profit executive director,
- a publisher,
- an exhibit coordinator,
- and writers of different generations.
The top three bullets acted as Authorities, the next two served as Position Holders and the final three as Representative Voices. Each one covered unique aspects, resulting in an article in which all points converged.
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