Do you have a secret passion? A skill that you need to share? Something that you just have to let others in on? Write a how-to article or book. It's a good idea to start out small, so you don't overwhelm yourself, but the important thing is that you share your knowledge with others. In writing a how-to, there are two qualities that are essential: expert knowledge and the ability to make that knowledge comprehensible to your audience.

Are you an expert? Try this test.

1. For how-to writing, theoretical knowledge is not enough. Practical expertise is important—the actual skill to carve totem poles, build paper kites, cater banquets, un-earth antiquities, or whatever your article or book is about. Can you do, easily and confidently, whatever your subject my require, every time, with no worrying in advance about whether you're going to fail?
2. Have you achieved public recognition for your knowledge or work—sales, awards, exhibitions, etc.? Have you discovered or pioneered anything noteworthy in your field? How long have you been successfully doing whatever it is that you mean to write about? In short, how solid is your reputation?
3. Do you know and get feedback from the people who buy, use or consume your product? Do you find, in reading and talking about your subject, that you encounter any new factors that you don't understand or can't accept? Readers and publishers don't want out-dated material.
4. Have you ever taught your subject: privately, through schools, courses, conventions, etc.? Do you have at your fingertips—and can you spell accurately—all the names and technical terms connected with your subject? Can you talk fairly fluently about it? How-to writing is, after all, a form of teaching. *

A good way to start your journey as a how-to writer is to see what's already out there. Take an afternoon at the library to look over some of the books that interest you, or are your particular expertise. How are they written? What could you do differently? Do you have an idea that hasn't been addressed?

The next step is to decide what you want to write. It's easy to get caught up in dreaming about this or that, but focus! Write down what you think is tinteresting about your subject. Why do others need to know about it? How are you going to fill the need for your knowledge in the field?

Now, you need to write query letter. Tell the editor who you are, what you know, why you're the person to tell the story, and how you're going to do it. Not only does this give the editor an idea of what you're about, it also gives you an outline of sorts (Hopefully, you've already done an outline, and begun writing your article/book before you query.).

You're now off and running. Remember all the rules of good writing, and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite! Good luck!

* The expert test was taken from How to Write How-To Books & Articles by Raymond Hull, Writer's Digest Books.

Please send email to anwa_lds@yahoo.com if you have any questions.