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Thursday, November 19, 2015
Your First Steps To Becoming A Writer
Because of these kinds of people, I had trouble developing the belief that I was not a writer and yet it's was something I had to do. As long as I harbored the belief that these people were right, I did not value my work and give it the time and energy it deserved.How do you come to think of yourself as a writer, especially when you're not earning a paycheck as a writer? Here are a few tips:
What Happens When You Write?
If you want to be a writer, I'm assuming you feel you have something to say and a strong desire to say it. You may not know how you're going to say it or in what form (poetry, novel, essay, etc.) but you know something is there. Okay, you sit down to your computer or typewriter and write something. Don't correct it or analyze it, write like no one is watching. It doesn't have to be perfect, it doesn't have to be neat. It does have to be expressive to move people.
Next, as painful as it may be, you have to show this writing to someone. It can be a friend, it can be a family member. Then, pay attention to what happens. Did the person reading your work cry, laugh or get angry? If so, you did that! It means you can have an effect with your writing. It's worth something. You have to keep going!
That kind of feedback is hard to ignore. It's powerful motivation to keep you going--if you take the time to notice and honor that it's happening.
When I was but a small girl, I loved story time or story telling. Sometimes my family called my writing, "Judi's Lies" but I did not let that discourage me. At least I was being noticed and I knew that they were not lies, but creative stories I made up. I learned to type and pounded away on my old manual typewriter, pulling these stories out of my head and there were a lot of them. Even then though people said I must have borrowed that story from a book I was reading. But I wasn't, I was a rather lonely child, my oldest brother was nine years older than me and my youngest brother was five years younger. So I filled the hours I was not in school with writing my stories and drawing. I would make an outline of my story and then jump right in to writing it. I had a diary that my mom bought me and wrote in it everyday. It had a lock, but my brothers and uncle, who lived with us would break the lock and read my diary, however, it was filled not with my own life but a fantasy life that I was living through my stories. They would tease me at the supper table. I began to hide my writing but my writing was my dream of what I would be when I grew up.
Cultivate Silence
If you're having trouble thinking about what it is you have to say, it may help you to spend some time each day in silence. Some writers pray. Some meditate. The idea is to get used to clearing your brain space and tuning into your inner voice. You'll also be more aware of those little scraps of possibility floating around in your head that can later grow into big ideas. I spent a lot of time alone as a child growing up in North Dakota. My mother was really busy cooking and cleaning after the fifteen people who lived in our household. My father was always in the fields. I developed what people back then called "Day Dreaming, which was a form of mediation." I began to carry a little notebook in my pocket and when the ideas came I would write them down. This is a practice that I still use today.
What Do You Want to Write? Experiment!
It's okay if you don't know what you want to write about. It may take a long time journaling for you to see what keeps coming up for you. And it may take longer to find the form that fits you best. I went from poetry to essays to long-form letter writing before I settled on fiction. It took me years to do that. It doesn't mean I won't do anything else in those genres, but what I'm doing right now just fits. I encourage you to experiment until you find the form that suits your writing best. I have tried a lot of mediums. I have written poetry, essays, story poems, blogs. I never felt comfortable with short stories. I took classes in poetry and some in short stories but short stories never quite fit. Many times teachers were super critical like the grammar police. Sometimes they got to me and I would put the writing aside for a while. But in the end I wrote just for the need to write which I believe came from my soul.
Continually Remind Yourself You Are a Writer
As you develop your belief that you're a writer, it's helpful to set up reminders that will jog you back to that brain space that you need to be in to write. When you sit down to write it's easy to get distracted and starting thinking about doing laundry or what's for dinner. You'll want to have something either on your desk or on the wall in front of you that reminds you to get back to work and that you are a writer.
It might be your list of values that remind you that writing is a part of who you are. It may be simple words such as it is easy to get distracted. I put affirmations in front of me to remind me that I am a writer and to get on with my life's work. I will sit for hours at the kitchen table with pictures of my subjects all around me. I put a glass top on that table then the photos under the glass. These are my characters. For a while, I wrote a lot of stories from the animals point of view. Once I read in the local paper an article on how to kill moles. I began to think of how the moles must feel as people tried to drown them, shot down their holes, and destroyed their homes. I took lots of photos of moles, which are this pretty gray color, and so soft. These became my characters. The story was published in the local paper and the locals made a big to do about it. Many said they wept when they read it.
What world do you need to be in? The journey you take to get there will be one of many you'll take as a writer. I hope these ideas will help you take those first steps. What you write--and where you go from here--is entirely up to you and remember to write like no one is watching. Do not ever let people take your passion from writing away. You can always rent one of these grammar police to correct the spelling or grammar, writing is so much more than that. Don't let people rent space in your head.
©Judi Singleton 2015
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Friday, November 6, 2015
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Your Love Affair With Your Muse
Friday, October 30, 2015
Your Online Guide on How to Write A Good Book Review
Friday, October 23, 2015
Article Writing - the 5 benefits that you dont' want to miss
Writing: Is It A Skill, Craft, Or Gift?
Whenever you gather writers together they talk about writing. There are many different types of writers. Those who prefer to compose in long-hand or can only write on an old-fashioned manual typewriter. Those who write to music, demand complete silence, or create best surrounded by noise. You have the writers who must plan and outline before they can begin and those who find even talking about a project before it is drafted can stifle their creativity. But one of the most controversial divisions among writers is about whether writing is a skill, craft, or gift.
I admit that I like to stir the fire a bit because I can argue all three points and depending on how my own writing is going at the moment I may find that one viewpoint carries more weight for me personally.
I know as a teacher of writing that writing is a skill. I have taken people, young and old, who loathed writing and believed they would never be able to write -- and provided them with basic tips and tools to become good basic writers. I have taken good basic writers and given them the support and direction they've needed to become skilled writers. I've watched skilled writers with practice and determination become proficient writers. I have seen this in the classroom, at writing conferences, and in newsrooms. I have witnessed this transformation enough to know that writing is a skill that can be taught and a skill that can be learned.
I know as a writer, editor, and reader that writing is a craft. As the definition reads to craft is "to make or produce with care, skill, or ingenuity". A skilled writer can capture our interest and convey information, but a writer can also craft a story, poem, or essay that touches our emotions as well as our brains. For those who have gone beyond simply skilled to be craftsmen and craftswomen they can rely on their knowledge, experience, and instinct to create writing that does more than simply delivers -- it also sings.
I know as a writer and reader that writing is a gift. Some writers simply possess a special quality that allows them to step beyond and above the huddled masses. For some it is a special ability to shape words into images and ideas and for some it is a unique vision of this world (or another) that speaks to our souls in a way others cannot.
Are writers born or made? Many people argue that some gifted writers are born, but I am not convinced. Perhaps you could have some predisposition but I believe that writers are made. They are made in the rocking chair when Mother reads "Goodnight, Moon"; they are made under the cover with a flashlight when you simply must finish "The Hobbit" for the first time; they are made when you proudly pocket your first library card; they are made when you fill your first notebook; they are made when you submit your first poem, article or story for publication; they are made when you receive your first rejection; and they are made when you turn the computer on every day to write.
I believe some writers are supremely gifted but even so does that mean it was a gift given to them whole or was it a gift developed through years of reading, writing, talking, and thinking about words?
Shop at bjewelu.com where discerning women over 50 shopa skill, a craft, and a gift. Some writers find their ability spans all three while others never progress past the level of skill.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Blogging: Let's Get You Started!
Let your Script breath...Writing Scripts Basics
You’re Not Done Yet: Eight Strengtheners For Your Sales Copy
Writing sales copy for a new or to-be-relaunched product takes a lot of energy and concentration. When you finish that first draft, take a rest. Then go back to what you’ve written with this sales copy checklist, which outlines the eight most frequent corrections and improvements I make on copy given to me by clients or students.
1. Pronouns. Do you have a preponderance of "we" or "I" and very little "you"? Wherever possible, change pronouns to "you," which comes across as more captivating and relevant to the reader than "I" or "we." In many cases, this seemingly mechanical rewording task forces you to ask yourself, "Why should the reader care about this?" or "What does this mean for customers?" That’s great, because shoppers and information seekers are looking for what’s meaningful to them, not for a monologue about the company.
2. Verb tense. Hunt for places where you used future-tense verbs ("will ____") and change them wherever you can to present tense. This conveys more confidence and has a stronger impact. For example, change "Before leaving, we will check all pipe connections to make sure they are tight" to "Before leaving, we check all pipe connections and make sure they are tight" or even better, "Before leaving, we make sure all pipe connections are tight."
3. Extra verbiage. Now find all the spots where your writing takes the long way around, and make your choice of words crisper and more direct. Get rid of the extra helper verb in "Together, we work to create reachable goals," for instance, changing it to "Together, we create reachable goals." Instead of "In almost every case, executives who have the intention of fostering teamwork do not know the best methods of getting optimal results," write "Usually, executives who want to foster teamwork don’t know the most powerful techniques," or even better, "Few executives know the most powerful teamwork techniques."
4. Unnecessary sentiments. Wherever you said things like "It goes without saying that…" or "When we say X, it’s not just words," either express the idea in a stronger, more interesting way or leave it out. Remember: If it truly goes without saying, then don’t say it!
Shop at bjewelu.com where discerning women over 50 shopject" pattern? If so, combine some sentences and sprinkle in longer sentences starting with a subordinating word like "when," "because" or "through." Are most of your sentences long and complicated? If so, make some of them short and stark: "This works." "Not any longer." "Benefits sell." By helping the copy to flow, sentence variety keeps the reader reading.
6. Bulleted lists. Bullets organize points for fast, easy skimming. You can make bullets even easier to read quickly by adding short, boldface headers to the beginning of the bullets. The same goes for numbered lists – as in this article, where each point starts with a summary of the topic in one to three words.
7. Company focus. Never assume that you can say something once and have the reader keep it constantly in mind! Suppose the copy you’ve written describes a service for chefs. Although many companies provide this service, only this company specializes in providing this service for chefs. Instead of making this point just once, drive it home repeatedly by adding the word "chefs" again and again throughout the copy: "For chefs…"; "When chefs…"; "Chefs find that…"; and so on. This drumbeat of specialization also helps attract search engine traffic.
8. Call to action. Most copywriters know that you need to ask for a response to get a response, by ending any piece of copy with a call to action, such as "Call today to start a free, no-obligation discussion of your needs" or "Order your Wonder Widget now." But on a multi-page web site, I usually see a call to action missing on most of the pages. Probably people are thinking that visitors take a certain sequenced path through the site, getting eventually to the page where they’ve placed the call to action. That’s not how people engage with web sites, though. To prompt action, end every page on a web site with a call to action.
Although many other factors also contribute to the power and success of copy, the neglected ones above have a surprisingly strong impact on readers when consistently applied. They create lean, lively, relevant writing. Practice these techniques and enjoy a more vigorous response!
Sunday, October 11, 2015
5 Reasons to Start Writing a Research Paper in Summer
Half summer is gone. You had enough time to experience its beauty and enjoy the long-expected freedom to the fullest. Another half is ahead. Don’t you think it is high time to settle down and find the way to make your studies in the coming year much easier?
Writing a research paper will be the perfect match for this objective.
Do not feel like writing a research paper? Then leave your feelings aside and let your mind work instead. Then you will definitely see that there is great use in writing a research paper on vacation. In fact, writing a research paper in summer has far more benefits than you could imagine.
Reason #1
In the middle of July going to the beach, hanging out with friends, and common outing to cafes does not seem exciting and cool anymore. The little treats you dreamed of a couple months ago now seem run-off-the-mill and dull. It is high time to make changes in your daily activities.
Don’t you find writing a research paper a nice alternative to got-used-to activities? You could start looking for research paper topics, do a preliminary research and come out with an outline for your paper ahead of everyone else in your class. In other words, you could start writing a research paper and still enjoy your vacation at the same time.
Reason #2
You must have heard from your forerunners or learned it from your own experience that writing a research paper is a tiresome and time-consuming task. It involves creating drafts, thinking of a good research paper topic, developing an outline, and writing good introduction, body and conclusion.
As your workload at school increases every year, you will be spinning like a soccer ball, trying to meet a deadline, find relevant information, and fulfill all requirements for research paper writing when time finally comes.
However, you can escape the trap so many students fall into and write a research paper without deadline pressure by simply starting your work on it in summer. It is a proven way to escape a rush before the deadline and write a reward-winning research paper.
Reason #3
Another consequence of the huge workload at schools and colleges is that quite often students do not find enough time to explore their research paper topics from cover to cover. Not only the students get poor grades for their research papers and leave loads of information beyond their attention, but also find the assignment dull and tedious.
If you do want to have the outstanding knowledge and derive satisfaction from your research paper, start writing it in summer. You can explore the research paper topics in libraries, figure out which one is to your liking, come out with research paper ideas or make some other preparations.
If you continue the work on the research paper on a regular basis during the studies you will get the desired effect, namely a deep knowledge of the subject under consideration.
Remember that knowledge you gain today is a nice investment in your future.
Reason #4
Do you know that people with books in their hands seem to be more intelligent, smart and broad-minded? Actually, they create a far more positive image than those who dislike reading. Why am I saying this? It’s just that you can turn this fact to your own advantage.
Let us make it out. Your major tool in writing a research paper is either a book, or a note book. Take them everywhere with you and who knows, probably, they will help you meet your sweetheart or just make a useful acquaintance. Moreover, people around will pay more attention to you, which can greatly help boosting your self-esteem.
So, arm yourself with a sophisticatedly-named book, like “Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London”, and be sure to knock out the person you are aiming at :-)
Reason #5
Last but not least, writing a research paper in summer can boost your confidence and self-esteem greatly. Think what a great sensation it is when you know that your summer was not spent in vain and you managed to overcome your own laziness. It may inspire you to other challenges that will lead to great success.
Moreover, your parents, friends, and teachers will be astonished when you will be boasting of your achievements on the 1st of September. Surely, you will impress everyone with your thoughtful approach to your academic writing.
Hope these reasons assured you of the importance of writing a research paper in summer and you will spend the rest of your vacation with your future research paper in your mind.
Of course, it doesn’t mean that you should beaver away at studies round the clock. Summer is still summer. It is meant for fun and recreation. Still, make sure that you spend the vacation with some benefit for your studies, namely writing a research paper!
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Saturday, October 10, 2015
10 Secrets For Everyday Writing Success
Friday, October 9, 2015
13 Resume Mistakes That Can Cost You The Interview
1. A BLAND OR GENERIC OBJECTIVE: If your objective could be applied to a marketing resume as easily as a resume for an accounting position, then your objective says nothing and will get you nowhere. An objective is NOT some required paragraph at the top of the page that is an exercise in 5 lines of job speak. It's an actual and real description of your skills as they're related to who you are and what you want. It should vary with the type of job for which you are applying.
2. BLAND JOB DETAILS: "Responsibilities included overseeing construction of 4 Hilton Hotels in Tri-City Metro Area, each 50 floors in height." Yeah? So what? That doesn't say if they went up on schedule or if you brought the projects in under budget. It doesn't say if you took all four from site work up or if the guy handling two of the four hotels was fired and you were promoted to overseeing all four. Differentiate yourself from the others coming in to interview. If you don't tell the hiring company how you will be an asset to them, how will they know?
3. WHO'S THE MYSTERY COMPANY?: Don't assume the name and purpose of your company is common knowledge. If it's a competitor, it might be, and if it's in the same industry and located nearby, it might be. To be on the safe side, provide a sentence or two about the focus of your company's products or services.
4. ANOTHER JOB, ANOTHER PARAGRAPH: Don't keep adding on to your resume job after job, year after year. By the time you're in your 40s, you need to have weeded out some of the earlier stuff. You don't need all the college activities, just your degree. You don't need ALL 5 bullets for each of your first two jobs.
5. REFERENCES: Shouldn't be listed on your resume. "References available on request" is the proper phrase. You present them separately when they're requested. This isn't about protocol. This is about protecting your references so they aren't called until you and the company are serious about each other.
6. IT'S NOT A STORY!: Don't - whatever you do, DON'T - write your resume in the third person!
7. SKIP THE PERSONAL INFO: You might think your weekend baseball coaching or your church choir participation shows you're an interesting and well-rounded person, but they're irrelevant. If the interviewer wants to know who you are as a person, aside from the job interview and your qualifications, he'll ask.
8. DEGREE DATE: No matter how old you are, don't leave the date of when you were graduated off your resume. It looks like you're hiding something (well, you are, aren't you?), and then everyone counts the years backwards and tries to figure out how old you are. Sometimes you can be ruled out - just for leaving the date off. If you're trying to hide your age by not stating the date, what else might you not be forthcoming about?
9. SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK, SPELL CHECK: Spell checking visually by you AND someone else, any fewer than three times, isn't enough. And don't forget to check your punctuation.
10. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part one: Don't use one of those resume blaster things. Half those sites aren't even valid. You don't know how it will come out on the other end. You don't even know where it's going or if the landing targets are employment related. It's bad form and just....NOT the way to find your perfect job. Finding your perfect job takes focus, attention, detail, individuality, tailoring, specifics. Resume blasting is about as far from that as you can get.
11. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part two: If it's an ad, you probably have instructions as to how to send it. If it says email, cut and paste it in the form, AND attach it. You never know what it can look like on the other end because of the variety of settings available to each user. Quite frankly, you're better off not emailing it at all, because it usually just goes into cyber space, and then it's all about the hiring company - but unfortunately, besides not sending it at all, sometimes that's your only choice. Emailing your resume takes any option for further participation right out of your hands, because often there's not even a name given for a follow up contact. You've no other option than to wait and wonder. (And half the time it's going to HR or an admin department to be scanned into an electronic database.)
12. GETTING YOUR RESUME OUT THERE - part three: If you know the company, call and ask if they prefer email, fax, or snail mail. I know a recruiter who never even opened his email. Because he was listed in The Kennedy Guide to Executive Recruiters, he received so many resumes emailed to him cold (so NOT pro-active) that he just did a mass delete every morning. Candidates contacted for a specific search were requested to snail mail their resume to him. How about that? I'll bet less than 10% of those who emailed their resumes even bothered to follow up to see if it was received (this isn't a numbers game).
13. RESUME VISUALS: Ivory paper. Black ink. Individual pages. No plastic, 7th grade, science report cover with the plastic slider or metal push down tabs. Your name centered at the top, not on a cover page that says "Introducing Clifton Lewis Montgomery III". No exceptions. Your resume is a professional document, not a school book report or an art project. Until every resume is done this way, yours will still stand out in the crowd.
You are the product, and your resume is the marketing piece. To find your perfect job you must differentiate yourself from the other people who will be interviewed.
Your resume must be specific, individualized, easy to skim so it invites a closer reading, and focused on the differences you've made with your previous companies, as well as the accomplishments you've achieved with - and for - them. This tells the hiring company what you can do for them - and it IS about the hiring company, not you.
Of course this assumes you meet the requirements for the job - otherwise it doesn't matter how good your resume is! The resume is what gets you in the door. If your resume is poorly written, looks sloppy, is difficult to read, is cryptic in any way, or necessitates being slogged through to learn your information (they won't bother), you won't even get in the door. And how can you decide whether you like the company, if they've already decided they don't like you?
Since my grade school years, I have already practiced writing my thoughts through small diaries and other journals. I always wrote down every single thought inside my head and I try to recuperate with the whole scenario of the day that I had. Since then, and until now, I still use a diary. But the difference is that before I used a huge notebook but now I use my computer. Every now and then, I do have problems like all people do. What I would like to share with you is to how you could help yourself solve a problem without the help of anyone but yourself by writing or typing thoughts.
One time in my College years, I had a big problem with some of my friends, I was so depressed that time that I didn’t even want to tell it to anyone, so I found a good friend and confidante with my Personal Computer. As I kept on writing (or typing) every thought in my mind, I sort of felt that it actually helps me release some of the anger that I have felt. The more I typed, the more I felt good. Whenever I type the words at a very fast pace, I could feel the tension growing inside of me as if I’m telling it straight to that someone who is making me very angry. The very feeling that I am somewhat telling it to some shrink or directly to the person is very fulfilling.
What I do is to first, start with the whole story of the day that I had. Second, is that I ask questions to myself. And when I have already typed all of my questions to my self, I try to answer one by one with different perceptions. I first start with a pessimistic point of view then to an optimistic point of view. I try to find out and brainstorm on the specific details that started the fight or the argument. Then I try to read it all over again. By this time, so many solutions come to my head that I can’t stop my fingers from typing all that comes to my head.
By this kind of practice, I have developed my own problem solving techniques. Instead of just thinking and thinking of the whole event and how or why it came about, you better just write or type it down, because it helps on chopping the itsy bitsy teeny weenie details of how it all started. Now, as I see myself, it has been a long time since I confided with someone about a problem. It’s just a matter of chopping information into tidbits and trying to connect every thing that happened until you yourself would come out with a solution. If it worked for me, it can work for you too!
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Writing your first E-book
Have you ever thought of writing an e-book? Writing an e-book can be a boring process. It’s quite possible you start writing an e-book and may never end it. In order to overcome such a situation it’s quite important that you make a strict schedule for yourself to write. One of the best ways to complete an e-book is to just go on writing without having to wonder what the next sentence would actually be. Points to be considered at the time of writing an e-book
Decide an appealing tile for your e-book:
It’s very important to have an effective headline for your e-book. Effective title attracts people by creating a curiosity in them to read. A title should be such that it helps your readers to find answer to questions.
Choose your audience:
It’s very important that you choose your audience before actually starting to write your e-book. Decide which type of audience will benefit from your subject. Take into consideration different factors like age, caste, culture, social background and education of the audience you want to attract.
Creating the document:
Once you are done with the foundation of your e-book you can start writing the main body of your e-book. One of the best options to maintain your document is to write in MS Word. Writing in Ms Word can help you revise your document as and when you need it. You can also keep a check on any spelling errors in the process. Choose a font size that can be easy to read for people of all age groups. Avoid using too many fonts as this may irritate your readers.
Last of all create your e-book. Once you are done all you have to do is publish your e-book online, and wait for download request from your website visitors.
Shop at bjewelu.com where discerning women over 50 shop
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Writing/Typing Thoughts: Does It Help Solve a Problem
Since my grade school years, I have already practiced writing my thoughts through small diaries and other journals. I always wrote down every single thought inside my head and I try to recuperate with the whole scenario of the day that I had. Since then, and until now, I still use a diary. But the difference is that before I used a huge notebook but now I use my computer. Every now and then, I do have problems like all people do. What I would like to share with you is to how you could help yourself solve a problem without the help of anyone but yourself by writing or typing thoughts.
One time in my College years, I had a big problem with some of my friends, I was so depressed that time that I didn’t even want to tell it to anyone, so I found a good friend and confidante with my Personal Computer. As I kept on writing (or typing) every thought in my mind, I sort of felt that it actually helps me release some of the anger that I have felt. The more I typed, the more I felt good. Whenever I type the words at a very fast pace, I could feel the tension growing inside of me as if I’m telling it straight to that someone who is making me very angry. The very feeling that I am somewhat telling it to some shrink or directly to the person is very fulfilling.
What I do is to first, start with the whole story of the day that I had. Second, is that I ask questions to myself. And when I have already typed all of my questions to my self, I try to answer one by one with different perceptions. I first start with a pessimistic point of view then to an optimistic point of view. I try to find out and brainstorm on the specific details that started the fight or the argument. Then I try to read it all over again. By this time, so many solutions come to my head that I can’t stop my fingers from typing all that comes to my head.
By this kind of practice, I have developed my own problem-solving techniques. Instead of just thinking and thinking of the whole event and how or why it came about, you better just write or type it down, because it helps on chopping the itsy bitsy teeny weenie details of how it all started. Now, as I see myself, it has been a long time since I confided with someone about a problem. It’s just a matter of chopping information into tidbits and trying to connect every thing that happened until you yourself would come out with a solution. If it worked for me, it can work for you too!
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
A Publisher’s Rant – Why I Hate The Body of Your Article
You’re Giving Me A Headache
Let’s cut to the chase on this issue. I really don’t care what you write about. As long as it isn’t an overt sales pitch, knock yourself out. I am more interested in the format of the article, not your view or take on the subject matter. The readers on my sites may not like what you write, but that is your problem.
I do care about the flow and format of the body of your article. I strongly encourage you to have a point and stick to it. If another idea comes to mind half way through writing an article, turn it into a separate article. Don’t try to cram it all into one article.
One Sentence Paragraphs
Don’t. For the love of God, just don’t write these. The only time you should write a one sentence paragraph is if it is a narrative. Occasionally, you can write one for dramatic impact, but try to stay away from these.
Loooonggg Sentences
Even in our capitalist society, punctuation is free. This “.” is a period. The period is your friend. For some of you, it is a long lost friend.
Sentences should be relatively short. If you write articles through the stream of consciousness method, good for you. When the masterpiece is done, read it out loud to yourself. How does it sound? Perhaps you should do something with the 10-line sentence?
Linking In The Body
Why, why, why do you do this? I absolutely refuse to publish any article with links in the body. In truth, I don’t have anything against such links. My bitch is that you’re making me take extra steps to hyperlink the damn things when I publish them on sites. If you think I am going to spend extra time on your article, you’re wrong. Chant with me, “I will put all links in the byline.”
Spelling
Contrary to popular opinion, I don’t care if you misspell words. I can’t spell worth a damn and assume you can’t either. I will run your article through spell check programs. In fact, I’ll run them through two spell check programs. Spelling is not a big issue with me.
Body Headlines
Using headlines in the body of your article is a very good idea. I love them and will view you in a more favorable light. The only thing I ask is that you CAPITALIZE the first letter of each word. Remember, I am lazy.
The Last Paragraph
The last paragraph should summarize the point you made in the article. The last paragraph is not a place to put links, hints about your site or your biography. I will not publish your article if you do such things. You can cover all of these items in your byline.
When it comes to the body of your article, knock yourself out. Just keep in mind these pet peeves.
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Monday, October 5, 2015
4 Hassle-Free Ways To Write How-To Articles
- position yourself as an expert, and
- increase sales
Bottom line: Give clients information they need and you'll be the first person they'll think of when they run into challenges.
Consider creating a template for your e-mail newsletter articles that will fit the needs of your audience. Ask yourself if they want detailed information, or if they're happy receiving broad ideas that will allow them to tailor the information to meet their specific needs.
If they want specific info, you could always include a teaser paragraph in your newsletter and then provide a link at the bottom of that paragraph. The link can lead to more detailed information about the subject your that audience is interested in.
Once you understand the needs of your audience, place your information in article format. Here's a system I've often used to produce quick, informative articles.
1. Begin with an identifier paragraph.
This is an introduction to the subject. Just let people know exactly what you're getting at.
2. Tell them why they should be interested.
This is where you just get into the reader's world. You will what you're talking about help them do their jobs better? In essence, that's all people really want to know.
3. Give short, realistic pieces of advice.
You have so much to say it's hard to fit it into short bits of info, but do it you must. Otherwise you'll lose your audience's attention. Try to stick to the points that have the most impact or the ones that are completely opposite to what people in your industry are currently doing.
4. Wrap it up.
One of my mentors used to always say to me, "Tell 'em what you're going to tell 'em. Then tell 'em. Then tell 'em what you told 'em." No, he wasn't senile. His advice actually worked. At the end of every article I just wrap up what I've said by reviewing the key points of the article. It's called a "takeaway." What's the one thing you want the audience to take away from your article and implement in their daily work lives? Once you've answered that question, you have your final paragraph.
Whatever you do, keep it short and simple. Sure we may want to use sophisticated language if your audience craves that, but you'd be surprised. When reading e-mail especially, readers won't mind short, concise words and phrases. And that's especially true if those words and phrases add more to the bottom line and/or help them become more efficient.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Friday, October 2, 2015
7 Reasons You Need to Market with Articles Now
Looking for a simple way to get an edge on your competition?
Successful businesses who are in it for the long haul continually apply innovative marketing strategies and tactics to differentiate themselves and get that edge. Two such killer marketing strategies are positioning and relationship building. And guess what? Article marketing is a proven tactic that just happens to address both of those marketing strategies. Is it the “be all, end all” of positioning and relationship building? Absolutely not. However, it is an excellent step in the right direction. And on top of that, there’s probably a good chance that your competition is not using this tactic. Face it. It takes some time, skill, and effort to write and effectively use articles, that’s why the masses don’t do it however, those looking for an edge do.
So why choose article marketing as one of you marketing tactics? Here are 7 exceptional reasons:
1. It is quite simple. People love to buy from and deal with the best. Writing and effectively marketing your articles helps you position yourself as the expert in your field.
2. Let's take this first concept a step further for reason #2. Let’s be blunt here, as an expert, you can justifiably increase your rates and charge more for your products.
3. If your articles are good and distributed properly, they can spread like wildfire and literally cause a viral marketing frenzy. Ultimately driving business your way.
4. A big part of Internet marketing has to do with the Search Engines like Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc. It’s critical that we play their game. That being said, Search Engines love content such as articles! Many Internet marketers try the latest fad to trick Search Engines into getting a better ranking. If you have a lot of time and/or money on your hands to keep up with the latest trends and the ever changing Search Engine rules, then do what you feel is right. However, one tactic still holds true with improving Search Engine ranking, and that’s article marketing.
5. People love to be and feel well informed – It helps them make better decisions. Your articles can serve as the source for the input they seek. And who better to buy from then the source that provided the information in the first place.
6. Talk about getting major bang for the buck, articles can easily be repurposed in a variety of ways. For example:
==> They can become content for your or someone else's newsletter;
==> Used as free giveaways to prospects/clients, in seminars, at networking events, etc;
==> Used to spark conversation in a blog or an online networking group such as Ryze;
==> Combine multiple articles into an eBook, book or info-product that can be sold or given away in exchange for contact information;
==> Become the basis for a live seminar or teleseminar;
==> And we can go on and on and on.
7. Articles when distributed properly are a great way to stay in touch with clients and prospects. Studies have shown that on average it takes around 7 touches before a prospect buys. Why not use articles as some of those touches? This will help continually boost your prospect’s perception of you as someone who consistently adds value.
We live in an age where information is king. We all know something others would be interested in knowing. Share your knowledge and like a magnet you’ll draw your prospects towards you.
Shop at bjewelu.com where discerning women over 50 shop
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
6 Red Hot Tips To Get Your Articles Read
There are many people who dread having to write papers or articles. Many just feel like it seems to be too much work and it all just goes to waste when no one reads the. To some people, reading articles seems like work to, especially if the article is boring and very bland. Well, articles are supposed to be read, that’s their purpose to impart your message and information. If it is not read then it is a waste of time and effort.
But all the same, articles have to be written to be read. It’s just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn’t have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points needed to be reminded of, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.
Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that’s why if you own a site, you probably is knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won’t have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it’s about. It’s just a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.
To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.
1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it It can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!
2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format you bullets and numbers with indentations so that your4 article won’t look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your articles shape.
3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.
4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person’s curiosity you’re already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe your articles content but should also be short and concise.
Use titles like, “Tips on making her want you more”, or “How to make her swoon and blush” .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, “Make her yours in six easy Ways”. These types of titles reach out to a persons’ emotions and makes them interested.
5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don’t over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.
6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy in them and flow. Like a friendly teac her having a little chat with an eager student.
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