Your Online Guide on How to Write A Good Book Review

First, what is a book review and why do people want them? You have just read a book and are offering your opinion. Essentially, you are providing a mini-version of the book so someone else can decide for themselves if it's worth their money and time. A book review is a description, analysis, and evaluation of a book. It talks about the quality, meaning, and significance of a book. It isn't just a short, 6 paragraph retelling. It's not a book report or a summary. It's your reaction to the strengths and weaknesses of the material. It's how you felt about the book's purpose, content, and authority. There is no right or wrong way to write a book review. Book reviews are personal and reflect your opinion. There is no minimum or maximal length. If you're writing one for an Amazon, you will need to be concise and to the point - but if you are writing for a magazine, you could run 1500 words or more. One way to write it is to state what the author has tried to do, compare (in your opinion) how that author succeeded, and back it up with evidence. Here's some guidelines: 1. Write an opening statement giving essential information about the book: title, author, first copyright date, type of book, general subject matter, special features (maps, color plates, etc.), price and ISBN. (In online reviews, this can be skipped, since it is part of the blurb for the book and that data is just a few paragraphs above.) 2. State the author’s purpose in writing the book. You can often get this from their preface or first chapter. Where they don't come out and say so, you can ask yourself these questions: a. Why did the author write on this subject rather than on some other subject? b. From what point of view is the work written? c. Was the author trying to give information, to explain something technical, to convince the reader of something? d. What is the general field or genre, and how does the book fit into it? e. Who is the intended audience? f. What is the author's style? Did it suit your own tastes? g. Scan the Table of Contents to see how it's organized sensibly. g. How did the book affect you? Did you change any ideas you held because of it? How does it fit in with what you think or your own personal world view? Did it bring up old memories of yours? h. Did the book achieve what it set out to do? i. Would you recommend this book to others? How come? 3. Sum up the book in an elevator pitch - if you had to recommend this book to someone during an elevator ride, in the time between floors. 4. Explain how the author got his point across. What descriptions did they use? How did they tell the story - and did they keep you interested? Did their arguments make sense? Did they leave anything out or leave you unconvinced at the end? 5. Check into the author (this is fairly easy on the Internet) and see if what you find - reputation, qualifications, influences, biographical, etc. - establishes them as an authority. Do you see any relation between the author's philosophy, life experience and book you're reviewing? 6. If relevant, make note of the book's format - layout, binding, typography, etc. Are there maps, illustrations? Do they help your understanding? 7. Check the back matter. How's the index? Are the footnotes accurate and useful? What does the bibliography look like - long, short, haphazard? Make notes of what you find. 8. Summarize (briefly), analyze, and comment on the book's content and its summary. List the main topics, and briefly summarize the author's ideas about these topics, main points, and conclusions. Use specific references and quotations to support your statements. Once you have a good grip on that book, the conclusion will some simply. Join our site and receive 15% off all during the month of October. Receive invitations for all members only sales. If you have any other questions please email us at adminatbjeweldotcom

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Article Writing - the 5 benefits that you dont' want to miss

Writing articles is a great way to promote your business, no matter what kind of business you are in, writing articles work for you. Many people don't realize the power of writing article, or the influence that an article could bring. It is common for people to hear about writing articles and submitting them to article directories, but it is not so common for people to do it. Since even writing one article takes time, the lazy internet marketer won't do it. But those that are willing to take time to write and submit them will truly generate a good amount of traffic to their website. Article Authors recognize and understand that this technique is powerful, that's why they will take their time and write a decent article and submit it to Article Directories. Here are some benefits that you will get will you start now and submit your articles. Submitting your article to article Directories won't cost you a dime It won't cost you anything to submit your articles to article directory. It takes time, but it won't cost you anything other than that. But this method of driving traffic to your website will have a long term affect. You will be recognize as expert in your field When you write decent articles that filled with valuable information, people respect you, they will think you as a teacher because you know something that they don't know. You could generate more sales Do you realize that writing an article is similar to writing a sales copy? Although both have different purposes, but it is the same principle "One drives traffic, another generate sales". If an article would help you generate more sales, are you willing to do it? You could build a good opt-in list I really like this one, writing an article could help you build your opt-in list. You simple add your link to your article and grab their email address. Of course, you'll need to be the most natural way. A great example is www.articleunlimited.com; you'll find an article e-course when you sign up for it. An opening opportunity to do joint ventures or find a business partner I know a friend of mine has used this method to find his partner. Since he wrote many articles, people who found his articles are interested in what he is writing, and they offer an opportunity to him to be joint ventures or the business partner. You could do much more with you article if you take the time to write one. It doesn't have to be 1000 words long, it depends on the information that you gave out, that's what all matter the most. Writing articles is the great way to drive traffic to your website. Don't underestimate the power of article writings. The more you write, the more you enjoy writing it, and the better your article will be. Join our site and receive 15% off all during the month of October. Receive invitations for all members only sales. If you have any other questions please email us at admin at bjewelu.com

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.

Blogging: Let's Get You Started!

So what is blogging really all about? First off, let me tell you that it's a lucrative business to blog and that blogs are easy to set up and manage. Imagine getting paid to write about subjects that interest you, whenever you want, wherever you are! The flexibility involved allows you to maintain your blog at your own pace, and with Internet cafés easily accessible all over the globe, even your vacation won't get in the way of your blogging... Or should I say: even your blogging won't get in the way of your vacation?

In this article, let's take a look at the profitability of a blog and set up one of our own, free of charge! Interested? Read on! First, you need to get yourself a blog. There are several options – host a blog on your own domain or get a free one. For starters, let’s talk about the free blogs. You can obtain one at http://www.blogger.com or the newer (and better!) http://www.wordpress.com. WordPress is a free blog engine that is robust and infinitely expandable. Blogger is actually owned by Google, so it will be detected by Google’s radar faster and you will be indexed more quickly. WordPress.com, however, is a relatively new option so I have no comparison on the speed of getting indexed by search engines. However, WordPress is better in the sense that it has more advanced features such as Trackbacks and Categories. You can also manage your sidebar links more efficiently (more about this later). Get a free blog at either Blogger or WordPress. Then, familiarize yourself by publishing your first post on your blog and tinkering around with the options and templates. Here are some words to start expanding your blogging vocabulary: Permalink – Permalink stands for the permanent link, which is a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) that leads to an individual post that you make in your blog. Trackback – When you post about someone else’s blog post elsewhere, your post will show up in their “trackback” section. This feature, however, is not available with a Blogger account. Pinging – Blogging seems to be paired with pinging almost every time either one is mentioned nowadays. Pinging is actually the action where a certain aggregator is notified whenever your blog is updated so that the aggregator may show the newest post of your blog on their website. This is a useful way to gain traffic, which I'll discuss in a future article. Content Next, let's look at the type of content that's suitable for your blog in order to make it profitable. You need to understand that there is no fixed scope that your blog should have, which means you can write about whatever you’re interested in. Mind you, the difference between a profitable blog and a non-profitable one is the way you write. What would you prefer: reading your university professor’s lecture notes or the latest novel by your favorite author? People prefer to read "light" items most of the time. When they check out your blog, they are not only looking for information, but they are also looking for information that they can access easily. So, to attract more visitors as well as to keep your current readers coming back for more, it's very important to add a personal touch to your blog posts. This can be done by simply imagining that you’re talking with your personal friend. An extra bonus for your readers would be a great sense of humor, so try to add funny comments in your articles where relevant. Another important point is to avoid addressing your reader as a plural unit. Don't write as if you’re preparing a speech. Instead, write as if you’re having a conversation with a single person, an equal friend because this will make your reader relate to you more easily. Besides that, it's also very useful to establish your own personality through your words. We're very curious creatures, so naturally your visitors would want to know as much about you as the information you’re offering them. Having a distinctive personality in your blog will make a world of difference between your blog about gadgets and all the other blogs about gadgets out there. This is a lot like creating your own brand name, where people immediately remember your blog’s name when they need information about gadgets, just like how people immediately think of McDonald’s for fast food or Nike for sportswear. There will be more on the subject of content the next time. When word gets around about your command of blogging, others who need to know about blogging will start to actively seek you out! We are having a big sale and you are invied

Let your Script breath...Writing Scripts Basics

Let a script breathe? Come on. A script isn’t human (not before your shoot it) so how can it breathe? Think of it as a child, your child. You must have at least nine months of pregnancy to have a child. There is no instant child. The same is with a script. There is no time limit when you write it unless you are professional and someone hires you to write it. For a freelance writer it can take months or years to have one ready and even then it is not finished until the film is shot and edited. You started writing knowing – more or less – what is the concept, where you are heading, what is that you want to express. The urge that made you put everything else aside and dedicate your life to writing the script. You finally managed to finish a draft of the script - all 90 or 100 pages of it. You have now earned the right to sit back and relax. What now? What would be the next step? You probably can not wait to open the window and shout to the world "I did it!! My script is finished!!" My advise – Don't. Don't print it and don't distribute free copies to family members and close friends. Why? because your creation is still a long way from being completed. Now you got to put it aside for at least a month or even more. Try to put it out of your mind as if you never wrote it. Let the script breathe for one month before you look at it again. Now read it. You will then realize that your first draft is not exactly a masterpiece. Scenes and dialogues have to be changed or deleted in whole or partly. Some of them are pure shit. You can't believe that you were the one to create them. Why does it happen after a month? The lapse of time gives us a much better perspective of the script. A distance. You were detached from it for a certain period and can now be much more realistic. The first draft is written from the guts. All your feelings – and fewer thoughts – are in it. You are now ready to start rewriting the 2nd draft which is very painful process to a writer. Writing the 1st draft you fell in love with your words and now you realize that in order to make it a better script you got to be merciless and delete scenes and dialogues. I had a 100 pages script which I thought – after the 1st draft – was great. 30 pages were deleted when I worked on the 2nd draft to be replaced by other 10 pages. As a result the script looked much better and tighter. How many drafts should you write ? No one can tell you that because the rewriting goes on even during the shooting of the film. But you still have a very long way to go before your script reaches the shooting stage. In Hollywood each draft of the script has a different color. In some scripts they ran out of colors. But do not let this discourage you because the roads from the 2nd draft to the other ones are much easier. It is a matter of fine tuning – just like a car. Join our site and receive 15% off all during the month of October. Receive invitations for all members only sales. If you have any other questions please email us at adminatbjeweldotcom

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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!

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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10 Secrets For Everyday Writing Success

During my 30-year career in a variety of professional positions in both the private and public sectors I have written literally thousands of letters and memos and hundreds of reports. If I had to boil–down everything I’ve learned about practical day-to-day writing for both personal and business purposes into 10 key points, this would be my “Top 10 List". 1. Preparation Is the Key Do all of your research first, before you start to write. Even a letter normally requires some minor research such as making some phone calls or reviewing a file. It’s also very important to prepare yourself mentally before writing. So, don’t sit down to write too soon. Mull it over for a while, sometimes a day or two, sometimes an hour or two, depending on the complexity of the job at hand. It’s amazing how the sub-conscious mind will work on the problem “behind the scenes” and when you finally do start writing, it will flow. 2. Always Use a Sample For me, this is critical. No matter what I write, it helps tremendously if I have some visual stimulation. If I’m writing a letter I post a copy of a similar letter, or the one I’m responding to, somewhere in my direct line-of-sight. It helps me focus and keeps my mind on the subject at hand, minimizing the tendency for my mind to wander. No matter what it is, I always make a point to find some previous work or a sample of work similar to what I’m doing. It really stimulates the creative writing process and increases productivity significantly. 3. Shorter Is Always Better Whether you’re writing a report or a letter, look for ways to cut it down in length. Concentrate on conveying the essential message. If something you’ve written does not enhance the core message, or doesn’t add value, consider cutting it. These days, you have to be “short and to the point” to get your message read. 4. Use Concise and Appropriate Language Your letter or report should use simple straightforward language, for clarity and precision. Use short sentences and don't let paragraphs exceed three or four sentences. As much as possible, use language and terminology familiar to the intended recipient. Do not use technical terms and acronyms without explaining them, unless you are certain that the addressee is familiar with them. 5. “Be” Your Addressee A key technique to use when writing anything is to clearly “visualize” your audience. As you write, try to imagine in your mind’s eye the specific person(s) to whom your written product is directed. I often imagine that I am sitting across the boardroom table from my addressee, trying to explain my points in person. Make an effort to see the situation from the other person’s perspective. What would you be looking to see if you were the recipient of the letter or report? 6. Do the Outline First Even if it’s a one-page letter, it doesn’t hurt to jot down a few quick notes on the main points that you want to cover. This process forces you to think logically about exactly what you want to cover and it helps you decide in which order you will approach your subject. For a letter this is helpful. For a report, this is absolutely essential. In fact, I believe that you should force yourself to go through the entire thinking process that is required to develop a complete draft Table of Contents, before you start to write any report. 7. Write and Then Rewrite No matter how much preparation I do, I always find that I can improve on the first draft. That’s partly because when I’m writing that first version, my main focus is to get the essence of my thoughts down on paper. At that stage I don’t worry about perfect phrasing, grammar or logic. My main mission the first time through is to make sure that I capture the critical words and phrases that form the core meaning of what I want to communicate. Then I can do the fine-tuning in the last pass. 8. Format Is Important Whatever you are writing, make sure it looks professional. This is where proper formatting comes in. Your credibility, and/or that of your organization, is on the line; with your report or letter serving as your representative. If it is not professionally formatted, it will reflect negatively on you, even if the content is good and it is well-written. Rightly or wrongly, the value of your work will diminish in people’s eyes if the formatting of your document is shoddy or amateurish looking. On the other hand, weak research and/or writing will appear better than it really is if the formatting is good. 9. Read It Out Loud Some people who haven’t tried it may laugh when they read this, but it really works. At any point during the drafting process, but definitely at the draft final stage, read your report or letter to yourself “out loud”. It’s amazing what one picks up when they actually “hear” their words as if they were being spoken to them as the addressee. I find this helps me the most in picking up awkward phrasing and unnecessary repetition of words or terms. 10. Check Spelling and Grammar Last, but far from least, make sure you double check the spelling and grammar in your document. These days, with spell-checkers built into word processing programs there’s really no excuse not to do this. Once again your document is a direct reflection of you and/or your organization. If it is riddled with spelling mistakes and obvious grammatical errors, it will appear unprofessional and your credibility will suffer. Watch out for the words that sound the same but have completely different meanings that a spell-checker won’t pick up. Words such as “four” and “fore”, for example. Your final read-through out loud should catch any of these. Whether you're writing a letter, a memorandum, a report or an essay, follow the above tips and you won't go wrong. Join our site and get 15% off everything on the site

13 Resume Mistakes That Can Cost You The Interview

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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?

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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.

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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!

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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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4 Hassle-Free Ways To Write How-To Articles

You want to get your e-mail newsletter started, but you don't want to be burdened with writing articles every time you turn around. Fact is, writing how-to articles isn't that much of a hassle once you have a system for it.

- 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.

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Live Wantless

I never wanted a dream so bad it made me cry. I thought I faced the end of my life when things reached its end. I thought I ended with it. I thought I died. There are many things to pursue in this world. But the things that are hardest to attain become...

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.

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