When I built my website, I knew there would be
plenty of humor, but I wanted something more than that.  i wanted to address issues that were important to me...such as the environment; medical issues; parenting; quitting smoking; losing weight; pride; creativity and so forth. I wanted to make a difference in some people's lives through my writing.  And to do this, I had to write articles on the various subjects, that I hoped would be read by the general public.

In writing this article, is not an attempt on my part, to take a walk down Ego Street, or to "toot my horn," about my work.  (I'm not a musician).  It is an attempt to inform the reader about many things, including the fact that there may be many people who don't know anything about the free content market, which I think is excellent opportunity for beginning writers like myself, to get published and build a resume in writing!

But, how do you know if you've made a difference in somebody's life through your writing?  You don't...unless you receive some type of communication from the reader...a personal visit; a telephone call; a letter (by snail-mail); or an email. etc.   

I recently received an email from a woman, who informed me that she had read one of my articles entitled, Falling On Hard Times.  In the piece, I write about being in the hospital for over three months with heart-failure and upon discharge, I went to live in a homeless shelter for six weeks.  She refers to all this in her email as "challenges" that I faced.  I would like to share her email with the reader.  She writes:

"Jer...I clicked on your site, and read your article entitled, Falling On Hard Times.  I love your site, and I felt bad that you faced the challenges you did!  But now, hopefully, you are back, and your site will continue to grow.  What you offer is special, and you do make a difference in this world of ours!"  Catherine

One way to know if your articles have an impact on others, is by the article's popularity...and the longevity and staying power of the article.  You can presume that someone, some place is getting something out of your piece, etc.  If the article is published in free content, and is here today and gone tomorrow...then you can presume that the piece didn't have much value to begin with.

I know what I'm talking about, because I've had many of my articles published one day on the Internet...and go up in smoke very soon thereafter!  I hate to see this, but it all comes with the territory, etc.   As hard as we all try, none of us are going to win them all.

For the purpose of this article, I can only speak from the free content market arena (article directories)...as I have never sold an article in the paying market arena.  In the free content arena, if a website owner publishes an article, and that article has staying power...and is up and running for a long time...that article has value to the readers and could make a difference in a person's life, etc.  Most of the time, it will be the reader that will know for sure if the article had that kind of effect. 

In my first two years in writing, over 80 of my articles have been published on over 420 websites on the Internet.  I make this claim, not to "toot my horn," as I said earlier, but to inform the reader who doesn't know much about the free content market.  As I said previously, it's a great way to get your work published and to see your work all over the Internet.    (Article directory: EzineArticles.com)  The reader can learn more by following the link below;

http://humordoctormd.homestead.com/articlespublished.html

I'll take this opportunity to share with the reader a few examples in free content, and you can get a little familiar with it.  The following three articles have been published on the Internet since I started writing seriously in August, 2006...that means for nearly 2 1/2 years.  I can't express how good it feels to see so much of my work all over the Internet, and up and running for so long!  The articles are entitled;

1) Article: Sabrina; Another Smoking Casualty;
Website: Gum Auctions.com
http://www.gumauctions.com/article/402/Sabrina-Another-Smoking-Victim-/

2) Article:  I'm Proud to be an American Veteran;
Website; Pleasure Island Online.com
http://www.pleasureislandonline.com/?p=119

3) Article: How I Saved My Dog Daniel;
Website; Expert Articles.com
http://www.expertarticles.com/article/none/How-I-Saved-My-Dog-Daniel.html

None of us will never really know for sure, if we've made a difference in a person's life, but the following example is about is as close as you can get, in my view!  This is really exciting to me, because this website just came on the scene about three months ago, so it's reletively new compared with some of my other articles.

The article is entitled, Peer-Pressure...It's Everywhere!  and I love what they did with it! They've placed an email window right in the middle of the article, to encourage kids and parents to write in and get information on staying away from drugs!  Isn't that neat?  I certainly hope there's staying-power with this piece! 

Website: Kids Peer-Pressure Program.com
http://kidspeerpressureprogram.com/

"Act if what you do makes a difference...and it does."  William James

When it comes to making a difference in people's lives through writing, I like to use the analogy of humor, since I've been in it for over fifty years.  I'm reluctant to call myself a humor writer on the Internet, because if I write what I think is a funny piece, I don't know if the person reading it on the other side of the Internet, might not think it's funny!  And, that's the way it is with all my other serious articles...I'll never know for sure, if any of them have made a difference in a person's life! 

In my view...and this is only a guess...I think there is a high percentage of articles published by writers in the United States, that DO, in fact make a difference in a person's life, and I think that goes on everyday of the year!  Most published articles have value...and every single day, a reader someplace in the world is benefiting from the work of the writer.

"It's easy to make a buck.  It's a lot tougher to make a difference!"  Tom Brokaw   

It stands to reason that this is true , because articles are written to educate; to inform; to instruct/how-to; to inspire and motivate; to entertain and just to be enjoyed by the reader, etc.  Somebody...some place in the world...has to be inspired and motivated by the articles published by the writer! 

I can only hope that my articles have the same effect in a person's life, and more importantly...that they have the staying power, to help others in a postive way...some place around the world! 

THANKS TO EVERYONE!
(Celebrating 3 years in writing)  Since the middle of 2008, the traffic to my writing site has more than quadrupled...and I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to visit and to read my articles.  The reader, therefore, is the most important person in all this publishing process! 

SOS!  My Serious and Silly Articles (140+)
ALL of my articles are listed on these two pages (1 and 2) and have been categorized by topic. (25+)
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewarticle.asp?id=50651

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FREE STUFF!  (10 links to view);
Articles; humor; fillers; quotes; ideas; graphics;
Great for websites; newsletters; ezines, etc.
http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewnews.asp?id=29439