Once I finish an article, I rarely ever change it, for fear of making the piece worse.  There's always that danger in writing.  But, if an article has had enought time to prove itself, and doesn't measure up to your expectations...then , it's time to act.  Case in point, are the three articles listed below;

How To Lose 40 Pounds;  (cheesy);  I wrote this piece in early 2007, and I have always thought this is one of my better articles...but the hits/views were not showing it.  Three months after I wrote this piece, it was lingering along the bottom of the pile and going nowhere, so I had to act and do something. 

On this article, I thought the beginning and the ending were fine, and the middle was okay...so, the problem had to be the title.  So, I changed it to, 'Here's The Skinny On How I Lost 40 Pounds.'  The piece took off like a jack rabbit and never looked back. 

As time went on, this piece became my dominant piece, taking the #1 spot at the directory, and in time, it would also be my #1 article at three different places...for over 3 years!  Amazing!  This piece has also been published on more than 30 websites on the Internet.   

The Two-Headed Monster; (cheesy); I first wrote this piece in 1992, just after we took the boys to a Halloween Party at the elementary school.  When I came online several years later, I posted this piece on my website and my writing site as well with the same title as when I wrote it. 

I have always thought this piece was one of my best, but after several months after being posted, the piece was not doing well at all.  I read this piece over and over again, and I couldn't find the problem.  So, then I looked at the title, and I figured the problem had to be in the title...but, what?  I thought I had to get more specifin with the title.  But, how?  So, then one day, I thought of another title, Halloween Party; The Two-Headed Monster.  The piece took off like a jack rabbit and never looked back!

This piece has now become my dominant article, and is my #1 article, as it has now been published on more than 40 websites on the Internet; been in and out of the Aurhors Den Top Ten List in the Parenting category; and in and out of the AD Top 100 List.  This piece has been listed on the AD Featured page for over two years.  Amazing

Your Golden Years Will Have Lots to Offer; (cheesy); I wrote this piece in April 2012, and it has never had any gitty-up, so I never paid any attention to it.  Then one day, it showed up in the Authors Den Top 100 List, along with the AD Top Ten List in the Humor category, etc. 

I couldn't believe it...as this piece ranks down in the lower 25% of my articles in hits and views, etc.  I went over the piece, and everything seemed to be okay, so I just added about five items.  I knew from day one, that I would have to change the title some day, and the day was now here.  This piece entered the Top 100 List in the #85 spot, and if I didn't act soon, this piece would fall out of the Top 100 List.  So, that night I changed the title, 'Golden Years; OLD AGE Is NOT For Sissy's! 

The following day, this piece went from #85 to #39 on the Top 100 List.  I was amazed, when it happened so soon.  And yes, I changed the title, while it was ranked in both Lists.  I was taking a chance, but I didn't want the article to fall out of the Top 100 List, while I had a chance to change it.  That's where we are at this writing.  Number 39 in the Top 100 List; and #3 in the Top Ten List under the Humor category. 

CONSTIPATION; Paying For a Costly Enema!  (link will come later)  This piece has the most incredible story behind it.  In 2009, I was hospitalized becuase of the medication (metformin) I was given for dibetes.  So, when I got out of the emergnency room, I wanted to write about my experience. 

With respect to this piece, I never liked the subject matter and I never liked the title of the article, etc.  But, I went with it in 2009, because I write to help others, and maybe othere can learn from my experiences.  So, in 2009 I wrote the piece and forgot about it. 

Three years later, I was gather information for my Top 50 articles in hits/views, when I noticed this piece was in the Top 20 in hits and views.  I was STUNNED!  This piece had to come over 350 articles (at the time) to get into the Top 20 articles.  When this happened, I started to keep an eye on this piece, to see how it would do, and if this piece had a chance to take the lead!  When I first noticed it, the piece was still almost 1,000 hits out, so I had no concern that it would take the lead, etc. 

But, I kept checking on it every month...just in case.  About two months later, I notices that the piece had cut about 500 hits off the lead...and for the first time, I knew that this piece could, at least challange for the lead.  This is a case of, "If it ain't BROKE...don't fix it.  And, this piece was not BROKE...so I didn't touch it.  Amazingly, after about three months after this piece took the lead, it was about over 1,000 hits in front of the second place article!  Amazing!  This just goes to show you...take a few chances with your writing...and you, too, could be surprised!

As it turned out, this piece not only took the lead of 350 articles (at the time), and it left all the other articles in the dust!  Since I've been writing, this is the piece that will always amaze me...See Ya..

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