I've just read abit about chord phrasing on GuitarAlliance http://guitaralliance.com/guitar_lessons/chord_phrasing.htm. They turn simple chord patterns into really great melodies. They ask for subscription so we cant read the whole article so I figure just go here and ask you guys.

I simply use chord to play along when i am singing and it works ok for country songs and so but strumming all the notes gets boring quite quickly. What is the common rule is chord phrasing and please recommend some of your favourite picking pattern.
Is that you just get the tonic note on the strong beat or somehow?

Like me, i only know the simple pattern of picking up and down steadily. like E-G-B-e-B-G-E

Please help. Thank you