If you've been writing and submitting free reprint articles for any length of time, you know that each submission site has its own set of guidelines for writers. But if you're new to the process, you may not know that there are standard practices that apply in most cases for having your articles accepted.

Even those of us who are seasoned at the art of writing and submitting articles need to be reminded occasionally of the basics that publishers and editors expect! Stay focused on these fundamentals to get the most mileage from your article submissions.

Original Content Only - If you didn't write an article yourself, you can't legally submit it for publication as your own work. The only exception here is if you hire a ghostwriter to write the article for you, in which case, you are the copyright owner.

In no way can you borrow someone else's writing, it's not only unethical, it's stealing, and it's called plagiarism. Word of plagiarism spreads like wildfire in the article submissions community and you'll destroy your credibility in every capacity. Simple advice here - just don't do it!

Know Your Subject - A tell-tale sign of an amateur is an article that contains misinformation and invalid content. Article submission sites rely on quality content that provides something of value to their readers. If your article lacks substance and doesn't ring true, it won't be accepted.

Successful writers write about what they know for a reason - it just comes natural. If you want to write about new topics for increased exposure, try hiring a ghostwriter who specializes in that topic. At the very least, make sure that you do sufficient research before trying to write an article on a subject with which you aren't familiar.

Good Grammar Please - As the editor of a writer's group, I know there's nothing more frustrating than receiving articles that look like the work of 3rd graders. No matter how good your content is, your article won't make the grade if it's not grammatically correct.

Grammar includes spelling, punctuation, capitalization, subject/verb agreement, etc. A couple of key rules here - never submit an article without spell checking it AND proofreading a hardcopy. Not all errors can be picked up with spellchecker tools. It's always a good idea to have someone else proof your article too, just in case you may have missed something.

Attention to Word Count - The average word count guidelines for article submissions sites tends to run around 750, the key word here being average. These can vary extensively from 250-word articles to 2500-word articles, depending upon each site. Editors and publishers don't just pick a number out of the air here. Their guidelines for word count are based on solid analysis of what works best with their readers.

Before submitting an article to any article submission site, make sure that your work meets that site's specific guidelines for word count regarding title, body and author bio. A good rule of thumb your author bio is 50-60 words. Remember that if a site specifies a total number of characters versus a total word count that character count also includes spaces.

No Hard Sells - The purpose of article submission sites is NOT to provide you with a free advertising venue. Their purpose is to provide their readers and other web site owners with quality content. Forget about blatantly tooting your own horn in the body of your article ... it'll never work!

That's what your resource box is for, and it's an awesome tool if you know how to use it! Use your resource box to include a link to your web site and to reference your direct e-mail address at your web site.

Formatting - Most article submission sites feature forms for submitting your articles. However, if you create your article using Microsoft(r) Word or other word progressing programs, your formatting won't remain intact during the submission process.

Avoid formatting errors in your articles by sticking with text-based applications to ensure integrity in your article's basic formatting. Make sure to review your article after submitting it to see that the formatting isn't off and for any odd characters transferred during the submission process.

Duplicates Rejected - Article submission sites have a keen radar system that detects AND rejects duplicate article submissions. So, you can't just change a word here and there in an article and expect it to be accepted for publication as a new one.

This doesn't mean that every article you write and submit is a one-time deal. Never delete an article you've written and already submitted for publication. As a writer, I know that re-reading my own articles often sparks ideas from which I can draft new content. It's amazing how our perspectives on the same topic can change over time letting us see it through a new set of eyes!

Syndication Matters - Strategic partnerships are an integral part of doing business in both traditional markets and in the online world. Increasingly, article submission sites are partnering with other sites to provide content, which is fantastic for you as a writer!

Just know in advance, that if the site to which you submit your article engages in syndication that your article can be picked up by other web sites without additional permission from you if you authorize it for syndication when you submit it. A basic rule applies here if you're thinking about selling an article; just don't submit it for free reprint at all.

Nothing Lasts Forever - It's out with the old and in with the new in almost all cases of free reprint articles. No matter how valuable your article, sooner or later it will be purged or deleted to make way for fresh, new content.

Write and keep a ready stock of original articles that you can submit on a regular basis to ensure that your name stays out there. Keep track of all your article submissions and submit new articles as often as possible.

Although each article submissions site publishes and maintains its own set of author's guidelines, knowing these across-the-board standards puts you ahead of the game in having your articles accepted for publication.

(c) 2009, Davis Virtual Assistance. Publication rights granted so long as article and byline are reprinted intact, with all links made live. Bonnie Jo Davis is an article marketing expert and prolific writer who created Article Submission Sites to teach others how to profit from this internet marketing strategy. Visit http://www.articlesubmissionsites.com for a free copy of "Writing for Publicity" and her Article Submission Summary Sheet.