Learn Write Now

Writer's Guidelines

2011-02-22T12:20:00.002-05:00

Once you have done some market study and have chosen a handful of magazines or publishers that you are interested in, it's time to get specific. Each magazine or publisher handles submissions differently. It is up to you to find out what they expect in a manuscript submission. You can find this information by consulting the writer's guidelines. Many magazines or publishers will have this available on their website. If not, you can send a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) with a request for their writer's guidelines.

Writer's guidelines tell you specifically what is expected of your manuscript. They give you detailed information on what format your manuscript should be in, how to send it, where to send it, how long is should be, what your story should and shouldn't do, etc. No matter your opinion, FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES! A manuscript that does not adhere to guidelines is tossed into the trash without a second glance.

Not only are they essential in helping you to know how to submit your story, but guidelines also save you from wasting time submitting your story to the wrong magazines. For example, if your story is 1,500-words long and the magazine you're interested in only accepts stories up to 800-words long, don't waste your time, money, and effort with that magazine. They won't accept your story. Instead, look for a magazine that does accept fiction work in that word count range. Writer's guidelines help you to determine the best place to send your story. By the way, book publishers have guidelines as well, but they aren't usually as detailed.

The Keys to a Good Query

2011-01-18T13:37:00.004-05:00

Because publishers are inundated with thousands of manuscripts, most prefer to receive a query letter instead of your complete manuscript. The purpose of a query letter is to introduce yourself and your story or article. In this letter, you tell the length of your piece, the age group it is intended for, a BRIEF summary of your story, and any qualifications you have for writing the story.

Basically, a query letter is your chance to sell yourself and your work to the publishers. If they don't like your query, they won't request to see your story, and you've saved yourself a lot of time, postage, and disappointment. On the other hand, if they do like your query, they may request to see your story, but keep in mind that doesn't mean they will accept it. It just means they are interested.

There are many ways to outline your query, but below, you'll find one of the most popular templates for query letters.

Your Address
City, State, Zip
Phone # E-mail Address
Date

Editor's Name
Name of Magazine
Address
City, State, Zip

Dear Mr./Mrs. [Editor's last name]:

In this first paragraph, it is essential that you hook the editor with information about your story or article. You can use a quote from your piece, a question to evoke a response, or a mind-boggling fact. Whatever you use, make sure it is powerful and compels the editor to keep reading.

Next, tell the editor a little about your story or article. What is it about? What special slant or angle does it have? How long is it? What age group is it intended for? Why should the editor be interested in it?

After that, give a brief paragraph about yourself and your qualifications for writing the article. Be sure to only mention information that pertains to your story or article. Random facts about your background are not going to go over well with the editor. Get straight to the point and explain why you are the best person to write this piece. If you have been previously published, be sure to mention that in this section. If you haven't been published, there is no need to say so. Allow your work to speak for itself.

Lastly, close with a brief statement of thanks. Don't forget to include a SASE with your query (if you are mailing it) and also to mention in this closing paragraph that the SASE is included.

Sincerely,
[Your signature]

From there, place your query and SASE in an envelope, stick it in the mailbox, and then get started on another project while you wait for a reply. Response times vary depending on the publisher, but many can take six weeks or more to reply. Don't waste that time. Get busy on your next project, or if you feel compelled, send the query to another publisher. There is no limit as to how many publishers you can send you query to. Just remember to study each publication before approaching them to ensure that your piece would be a proper fit.

Seven Steps to Becoming a More Successful Writer

2010-12-01T13:05:00.001-05:00

You've come up with a great idea. You've written a nice rough draft. You've completed your editing and revising. You've submitted your work to the publisher of your choice. And now you're finished, right? Not quite. You see, what many new writers fail to realize is that writing involves much more than just putting pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. The work of a writer is a never-ending process. Sure, there's a lot of waiting time involved, but that time should be used to aid in your growth as a writer. Below are a few ideas to keep you busy and improving in the art of writing.

Develop new ideas - Do you have another project you would like to work on? What is it? Is it fiction or nonfiction? Who are the characters? What is the setting? What is the plot? What research needs to be done? Spend this time gathering new ideas to work on when the time is right.

Read - Stephen King said it best when he made this comment on the author's need to read: If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot...reading is the creative center of a writer's life...you cannot hope to sweep someone else away by the force of your writing until it has been done to you. Reading educates us. Reading stretches our imaginations. Reading is a necessary part of any writer's life.

Expand your vocabulary - When was the last time you learned a new word? A growing vocabulary is an asset to every writer. Why use the word "subtle" when you can use the word "insidious?" Don't say "showy," say "ostentatious." There are many websites available that offer daily or weekly e-mails that present you with new words to enhance your vocabulary. Sign up for a few and see the vast improvement in the flow and imagery of your writing.

Improve your spelling - Along with expanding our vocabulary, many of us would benefit from brushing up on our spelling skills. True, we can always look it up in the dictionary or use spell-check, but we would save a lot of time if we would learn to spell the words correctly in the first place. Besides, it is a good thing to increase our knowledge.

Research - Waiting time is an excellent time to do research for your next project. Spend some time at the library, the bookstore, or online. Record the facts you need, and don't forget to make note of your sources.

Study the market - The time between projects is the best opportunity for you to study the market. Who is currently looking for submissions? Are there any upcoming themes you feel comfortable writing for? Which publishers would be interested in your next project? Take your time and study your options. Market study is almost as important as the writing itself, maybe even more important.

Take a class - If you would really like to improve your writing skills, take a class or visit a workshop. There are many courses offered online, and some of them are even free. Simply go to your favorite search engine and type in "free writing classes" or "writing workshops." You'll be amazed at the number of options available to you.

Writers must write. That is a fact, however, there are other important steps you must take if you want to become a successful writer. Writing is a joyful journey, but it is not easy. It requires time and effort. If you're willing to invest in it, it will change your life!

A Checklist for Editing and Revising Your Work

2010-11-16T09:50:00.005-05:00

Editing and revising takes your work and turns it into a masterpiece. Let's face it, even the best writers don't create a masterpiece on their first draft. I urge you to go back and look at some of your earlier work. I guarantee you'll find things that you would change if you were to write it over again. That's just the nature of writers. The more we learn, the more we are able to improve our work. Here is a checklist to aid you as you go through the editing process.

Spelling & grammar check

Your word processor most likely has a spell-check on it. Use it, but keep in mind that it will not catch all your errors. If you type “his” instead of “him,” your computer will not identify that as a mistake. As for the grammar, there are many inexpensive grammar guides for writers available today. Visit Amazon.com or your neighborhood bookstore and find something to help you.

Overuse of words & cliches

As you go through your story, pay attention to how many times you use certain words. Did you use “beautiful” three times in the same paragraph? If so, get out your thesaurus and find an alternate word. Also, avoid using cliches. There is no telling how many times publishers have read phrases like sparkled like diamonds, flat as a pancake, or stubborn as a mule. Your job as a writer is not simply to write an interesting story, but also to make it different from all the rest. Give the publishers a reason to pick your story above the other 1,000 sitting on their desks.

Overuse of adverbs & adjectives

Most adjectives and adverbs can be avoided by using stronger descriptive words. The princess isn't “very pretty,” she's “beautiful.” He didn't “run fast,” he “sprinted.” Search for strong descriptive words and leave out everything else.

Subject/verb agreement

Most of us balk at the insinuation that we might make such a blatant mistake, but the fact is that it happens. One of the easiest places to “slip” with subject/verb agreement is when a prepositional phrase separates the subject and verb. It is easy to mistakenly have your verb agree with the object of the preposition instead of the subject. As you read through your story, take the prepositional phrases out and see if your subject and verb do, in fact, agree.

Consistent tense

Another common mistake is to change tenses in the middle of the story. For example, the beginning of your story may be told in the present tense and the middle of your story in the past tense. Check to be sure that the tense of your story is consistent throughout.

Consistent Point of View

If at one point in your story, you refer to your main character as “I” and at another point, you refer to him as “He,” your reader will become confused. If you are working on your story or book in sections (as we all do), it's very easy to sit down and start writing in a different POV without even realizing it.

Unnecessary scenes or characters

Mark Twain once said, “Writing is easy. All you have to do is cross out the wrong words.” Easily said, but not easily done. As a writer, you get to know each part of your story and each character. Every part is special to you. The idea of cutting part of it out appeals to you about as much as cutting off your own arm. But the hard truth is that if the story doesn't need it, the story will be better off without it. Remember, each scene and character should serve to move the story forward. If the scene or character doesn't serve a purpose other than to take up space, the story will be better without it. As much as it hurts, cut it out.

Check your hook

You have only your first few paragraphs to catch your reader's attention (sometimes less). Make good use of your beginning. Have some friends or colleagues read your first paragraphs and give their honest feedback. Are they intrigued? Would they like to read more? Of all places to spend time during the editing process, the beginning is probably the most important. After all, if your reader doesn't make it past the beginning, nothing else matters. Some writers claim to spend the same amount of time on the first chapter as they do on the rest of the book combined. That is how important a good beginning is!

Read through your dialogue
In order for dialogue to be effective, it must be realistic. Read through just the dialogue and see if it sounds like something your character would say. Does it flow? Does it make sense? Is it age-appropriate?

Watch for the five senses
As you read through your manuscript, allow yourself to look specifically for the five senses. Mark them if you want. Evaluate if you've done a thorough job of adding the five senses and other description. Does your story seem flat and lifeless? If so, go through and add more description.

Did you finish the story?
It is important that you make sure you have completely ended your story (unless it's a series, of course). Don't leave your readers hanging. Answer all their questions. Fulfill all their desires. Wrap up all the loose ends. Have a clear ending.

Does your story have a good title?
Did you know that Dr. Seuss' book And To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street was rejected nearly 30 times? Did you also know that its original title was A Story That No one Can Beat? When Seuss changed the title of the book, he immediately found a publisher willing to publish it. The title of your story is more important than anything else. Without a good title, your book or story probably won't even make it into the hands of your reader. We've all browsed the shelves in the library or bookstore. Which books do we pick up? The ones with interesting titles. If you create a masterful work and then give it a cheesy title, all your work is in vain. Think carefully when naming your story. After all, you want to make a good first impression.

Obviously, I can't spell out each thing you need to look for. That would take forever. What I can tell you is that if you will follow these guidelines, your manuscript should be in good shape. Use the above checklist to aid you during your editing process. While some writers truly enjoy the editing process, others despise it. Whether it is enjoyable to you or not, keep in mind that you are doing it to better your story. That will help ease the pain of having to cut precious words that you spent so long crafting.

Want to know more about how to turn your writing into a finished masterpiece? The LWN ebook, Creating a World of Your Own: Your Guide to Writing Fiction, will give you step-by-step information on all of the writing process, from finding an idea to submitting your work to publications. Order your e-book today for only $19.98. Or, if you want coaching help along the way, visit LearnWriteNow.com and sign up for the fiction writing e-class.

I've Finished Writing My Book -- Now What?

2010-11-09T09:26:00.003-05:00

It's finally happened. You took that wonderful idea of yours and put it down on paper. You've spent hours perfecting your work, making sure that your ideas flow smoothly and that your message is clear. And now, at long last, the manuscript is complete. You would be amazed at the number of people who make it to this point and then have no idea how to proceed. If you are one of those people, have no fear. This article is just for you.

There are MANY different ways to go about publishing your book. They all have pros and cons, so I'll give you the highlights of each which will allow you to make a more informed decision about which way you would like to proceed.

Traditional Publishing - You send your work to publishing houses in hopes that they will accept it for publication.

Pros: There is no upfront cost to you, and many times, you receive an advance of
money from the publisher
The publisher takes care of all formatting, editing, cover art, copyright, ISBN,
and distribution.
With this option, everyone considers you a "real writer."

Cons: Publishers are swamped with manuscripts and therefore only accept a small
number of those they receive.
The wait for a publishing house to "decide" about your manuscript is generally
6 months or more.
Publishers desire authors who already have an established platform (audience,
such as through a blog or speaking engagements).
Unless you are "somebody," traditional publishers will NOT market your book.
That is up to you.
Royalty payments are only 8-12%.
Many publishers only allow you to query one company at a time, so if company
#1 decides after 6 months that they don't want your manuscript, then you have
to go to company #2 and start all over again. This process could take YEARS
and has for many authors.

Subsidy/Vanity Press - You hire a company to "self-publish" your work.

Pros: The publisher takes care of all formatting, editing, cover art, copyright, ISBN,
and distribution.
In many cases, the publisher will make available to you a marketing package
(for an additional fee).
The turnaround time for your book to be published is very quick, usually within
a month.
Royalties vary depending on the company, but many of them offer more than
traditional publishers.

Cons: The starting fee for many of these types of presses is $1,000. Packages vary,
but all, I feel, are still over-priced.
These presses have a very bad reputation because they will publish
ANYTHING whether it's good or not.
Unless you pay for the extra marketing package, marketing is still entirely up to
you.

Amazon's CreateSpace - You do your own "self-publishing."

Pros: There is no upfront cost except to buy any books you want for yourself at a
nominal fee (as little as $2.10, depending on book size).
There is a built-in cover creator where you can design your own cover using
their templates.
All books published through CreateSpace are immediately made available on
Amazon.com.
The free distribution channel makes your book available to online bookstores as
well as distributors such as Ingram and Baker & Taylor.
The process is quick and easy, and you get to retain much more on the royalty
money than with traditional publishers or vanity presses. (60% from Amazon,
80% from CreateSpace, and 100% of what you sell directly (minus the price of
the book.)
Free ISBN number.
The turnaround time for your book to be published is a matter of days (literally).
Very easy step-by-step process.

Cons: CreateSpace does offer editing and formatting service, but at a rather high fee.
Even though your book is made available to distributors, it does not include a
"buy back" feature which in turn makes your book less appealing to bookstores.
(If the book doesn't sell, the distributor will buy the book back from the
bookstore. CreateSpace does not make this offer.)
If you desire, you must obtain your own copyright and Library of Congress
number.
The ISBN number actually belongs to CreateSpace.
As with the other forms of publication, marketing is up to you.

Whatever route you decide to go, be sure to do your homework. There are many "presses" out there that are only interested in making money. Find out as much as you can about the publishing house of your choice, and also make sure you get specific details about what your publishing package includes. Once you've decided on a house, don't waste any time. While the house is working on your book, use that time to work on your marketing plan. The best book in the world won't sell if no one knows it's available.

CreateSpace: Unlocking the Door to Publication

2010-11-02T22:10:00.002-04:00

I would like to tell you about a service that has been a huge help to me and has made it possible for me to become a published author. As a writer, I've discovered that the actual writing process is the easy part. The difficult part comes when one wants to publish his/her work. The process of finding a publisher is tedious and time-consuming, not to mention frustrating. Now, thanks to CreateSpace, that is an issue I no longer have to deal with.

You see, I had thought about self-publishing before, but after looking through several websites and catalogs, I quickly discovered that I couldn't afford it. Many of the self-publishing services cost around $1,000, and that doesn't include the price of printing each book. That's when I found CreateSpace.

CreateSpace is part of Amazon.com. If you go to the main Amazon page and scroll all the way to the bottom, you'll see a link that says “Publish with Us.” Clicking on that link will take you to CreateSpace, a self-publishing company. The process of publishing a book with them is so easy that even a child could do it. The website leads you step by step through the process of setting up your book project. They tell you how to format your pages, how to set up your book, and they even assign your book an ISBN number.

One of the newest features is their cover creator page. This allows you to use their templates to create your own book cover, or you can choose to design your own from scratch. The templates are very professional-looking and have a lot of ways you can adapt them to meet your needs (changing colors, fonts, etc.).

The entire process is very simple. You fill out the online forms to start your project. After that you upload your book file and create your cover. When that's done, you order a proof copy to make sure everything looks as it should. If all is well, you approve the proof, and you're ready to go. Your book will be available for purchase in the CreateSpace bookstore, on Amazon.com, and you can even sell it yourself from your own website. The entire process is amazingly quick!

With CreateSpace, you'll make more money from every sale than you will with traditional publishing, and the best part is that CreateSpace offers this service for FREE. There is no charge to create a book with them unless you wish to purchase their PRO package for a fee of $39. This package allows you to purchase your books for less and also to make more money in royalties.

If you're a writer and tired of looking for a publisher, I highly recommend CreateSpace. I have already published four books with them and am currently working on my fifth. I have been completely satisfied, and I can't explain the joy you will feel when you finally hold your published book in your hands.

The Guide on How to Submit Articles to Magazines

2010-10-26T11:43:00.002-04:00

Maybe you have great passion for writing or you are a skilled writer yearning to see your work appear on magazines. Either way, you definitely need the right guide on how to submit articles to magazines. First, decide whether you are doing this as a freelance, a part time thing apart from your full time job or there is the intention to commit full time. Once you know what you are aiming for, it will be easier to draw out your goals and plans in writing and submitting articles. It is better to plan ahead and have all the expectations and what exactly you want to achieve from this

Another thing to do on how to submit articles to magazines is to determine what type of magazines you are targeting at. There are such a vast of fields and areas which you could pen an article on. There could be categories of fashion, men, women, parenting, home improvement, automobile, photography, nature, children, gardening, lifestyles, food and beverage, craft and art, computer, IT, entertainment, social work and possibly many more which you may have the interest in. Find what type of magazines of interest to you and write articles that fit the particular field. This will make it easier for smooth submission. You certainly would not like to send a list of tips to dress up in a fashionable way to a home improvement magazine! So get this check out and set out which you could write well and have the interest in.

Once you decide which magazine to send your articles, find out the details for submission. Get the company or publisher's contacts. There will be e-mail, telephone numbers, fax numbers and website included. You also need to read the rules and regulations for submission. Find more on the copyright and payment for your articles should it be accepted to be published.

By Dennis Moore Hopkins

Author enjoys writing articles related to Article Directory and Article Submission. You may visit for more details.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Moore_Hopkins

The Most Lucrative Writing Jobs

2010-10-19T14:48:00.002-04:00

The writing world is full of many opportunities. Blogging. Magazine articles. Books. E-books. Online articles. The list is practically endless. The good news is that with this many different avenues there is certainly no shortage of writing jobs available. The bad news is that it can often be confusing and frustrating to find your niche. What do you want to write? What are you qualified to write? Which writing is the most profitable?

While there are many forms of profitable writing, I would have to say that copywriting is probably the most lucrative. Copywriting is basically sales writing. When you go to a website that is selling a product, the information there is a form of copywriting. The letters you receive in the mail from various associations and organizations, those letters are written by a copywriter. Even most item descriptions in catalogs are the work of a copywriter. As you can imagine, the need for copywriters is immense; therefore businesses are willing to pay top dollar for quality work.

Not every writer has the skills necessary to become a copywriter, but it would benefit every writer to take classes and read books about the process of copywriting. In a sense, the skills are the same as those you would use to sell yourself as a writer or to sell your books and other products. If you think you may have the skills to become a successful copywriter, here are a few things to remember.

First, you must do your homework. If you're going to write a letter for a business or company, you must know all there is to know. How long has the company been in business? What is its main goal? What type of letter will you be writing? Who is the target audience for that letter? Copywriting is more than just sitting down at your computer and typing out a sales letter. You must get the facts before you begin.

Second, you must know how to structure your letter. Again, you're not just typing out a letter to a friend. In most cases, you are trying to convince someone to buy something. There is an order to follow in which you present your information and make your offer. Without the proper order, the reader is likely to throw the letter away without reading it through. Discover the proper structure for writing a solid copywriting piece, and then follow it without fail.

Third, be willing to start out small. While copywriting is a lucrative field, there is much competition. When first starting out, you may need to lower your price to win out against the competition. Once you've completed a few successful jobs and have some samples for others to see, then you can raise your prices a bit. Remember that just because you are lowering your prices doesn't mean you should lower your standards. If you have the mentality of “Well, they're only paying $100, so I'm not going to do $500 worth of work,” you might as well not even begin your career as a copywriter. No matter what the pay, give the project your complete attention and your best effort. Your thoroughness will pay off in the end.

Want to make more money writing? Consider copywriting, but as with any new task, learn all you can about the process. There are many different books, e-books, and classes dealing with copywriting available online. Learn what you can and then see if you have what it takes to become a success in that field. If not, don't consider the time wasted. As I mentioned earlier, copywriting skills are valuable to every writer.

For detailed information on writing copy, check out this e-book.

Keep It Short, Strong, and Specific

2010-10-12T14:25:00.002-04:00

Writing is the process of putting thoughts and ideas into written (or typed) words. But when it comes to good writing, not just any words will do. Words need to be powerful and evoke a response from your readers. For that to be accomplished, it is imperative that you follow the three S's: short, strong, specific.

People like to read material that is easy to be read. This is not to say that the average reader is not intelligent. It is only to say that generally our readers are pressed for time so they want to get the most information they can in the least amount of time. For their benefit, we would do well to keep our words short, our sentences short, and our paragraphs short. Not only does this allow us to get our message across more quickly, but short words and sentences can display great power. Ernest Hemingway is an excellent example of this type of writing. It's been said that he wrote with simple genius, getting straight to the point. That should be our goal as well.

If we're going to use fewer words, however, we must be sure that the words we use are strong. Instead of saying, "He walked up and down the length of the hall," we can simply say, "He paced." The word "paced" conjures feelings of anxiety, confusion, and restlessness whereas "walked" simply brings to mind the picture of someone walking. We accomplish more in a sentence of two words than we do in a sentence of ten words.

Not only does our word need to be strong, but for it to be effective, it must be specific. It is never wise to settle for a general word. Get specific. Sobbed, not cried. Lumbered, not walked. Peered, not looked. Muttered, not said. Choose words that can describe your exact meaning without needing an adjective or adverb to enhance them.

Concise writing is knowing what you want to say and then saying it as best you can in as little space as necessary. By keeping your words both strong and specific, you will be able to keep your writing to the point. William Strunk Jr., author of The Elements of Style, says it best: Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell.

Start Your Own Writing Business With No Money Down

2010-10-05T14:33:00.005-04:00

It is possible to begin making money as a writer with no start up costs. If you need to start a writing business but have no money to get started with, here are some steps you should follow:

1. Open a free profile on Guru.com and begin bidding on jobs.

2. Open a free profile on Kasamba.com.

3. Open a free profile on Keen.com.

4. Make a free online business card and submit it to search engines manually so you’ll have a web address for your business.

5. Start posting on sites that allow free listings (like craigslist.com).

6. Include a free blog on your website. To get the attention of search engines, start blogging three 250 word articles (with search engine optimized keywords) three times a day. Make sure the blogs are about the kind of writing you’re selling.

7. Spend $8 on a courtesy bid on Elance. This will allow you to post a profile and bid on eight projects. If you choose these eight bids wisely you can get hired right away.

8. Put any work that you own the rights to on Constant-Content

9. If you have a book, post it on Lulu.com.

10.Start subscribing to Yahoo and MSN groups that will deliver information about writing jobs to your email account.

(Snippet from Write at Home System. Get your copy today for only 9.99.)

Make More Money with PLR

2010-09-28T15:03:00.003-04:00

Tapping into the power of private label rights products to build an Internet empire is one of the easiest paths you can take to generating a serious income online. With just an ounce of creativity, you can quickly begin using PLR products to earn you income 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.

So what are private label rights products?

When you purchase products which come with “private label rights”, it simply means that you are allowed to edit the product in any way, shape or form (including branding it with your name as the creator) and ultimately do with it what you like. You can turn the originals into new products, sell them as your own (and keep 100% of the profits), sell the resell rights to them, change the formatting, repackage them, give them away (depending on the terms of the license), and more.

In a nutshell, PLR gives you the ability to acquire the complete rights to various pre-made products as if you had them created yourself. It’s a huge time saver and an enormous shortcut for those who are smart enough to put forth a little effort and take action.

So, how does that help you, the freelance writer? Well, you have two options.

First, you can purchase PLR products to sell from your website. The possibilities with PLR products are endless. You could purchase several PLR articles on a specific subject and then put them together to form an e-book with you as the author. You could use the PLR articles for your blog, newsletter, e-classes, and the list goes on. Many PLR products come with no restrictions, so what you do with them is completely up to you. What a quick and easy way to build content for your site or products authored by you.

The second option available to you is to write PLR products to sell to others. Many businesses are jumping on board the bandwagon of PLR products, so why not get involved yourself? By offering quality PLR articles, e-books, videos, etc, you'll be able to make a steady income with very little effort. While the "per article" price seems low (usually no more than $1 per 400-600 word article), PLR packages can be sold over and over again. Let's say you have a PLR pack of ten articles that you are selling for $10. If you sell that same pack to 100 different buyers, you make $1,000 on just ten articles. That's $100 per article. The key here is to build a reputation for yourself as having high quality content.

For more information on profiting from PLR, check out these resources:

Quick and Easy PLR Profit Tips
PLR Secrets Exposed
Endless Free PLR
PLR Goldmine

You can also find more information by doing a simple Google search for "PLR products."

Making Money with Easy-to-Read Articles

2010-09-21T11:22:00.003-04:00

When writing articles, make sure to keep your readers in mind. Studies have shown that most Internet readers tend to scan a page to find the information they are looking for, rather than reading the entire page. This means having good titles, a lot of subtitles, and making use of bullet points to help your readers easily scan your page. Readers prefer a site that is easy to use and will be more willing to come back to your site time and time again. The more that your readers return, the more opportunities you will have to get them to click on each of your offers or affiliate links. Failing to write your articles in this manner could turn your site visitors away before they even have a chance to see what you have to say or to learn what your offers and affiliate links are all about. Keeping your articles organized as recommended will keep your visitors returning and enable your site to continue making money for you.

(For a bundle of information on making money from articles, check out Article Cash. I assure you it will be worth your time and money.)

Using a Free Blogging Website

2010-09-14T13:45:00.002-04:00

For first time bloggers, a free blogging web site is a great way to get started in the blogosphere. Popular blogging web sites like Blogger and Wordpress allow users to set up and host a blog without paying any fees at all. This encourages people to start blogging. The fact that one of these sites can provide you with all of the tools that you need to get your blog up and running without spending any money means that you have nothing to lose by starting a blog. In fact, it is so easy to find a way to blog for free that many people who have never had any other kind of web presence before find themselves drawn to blogging.

By signing up with a free blogging web site, you may find it easier to get listed in search engines than you would if you were starting your own blog from scratch. For example, Google runs the free blog hosting site blogspot and crawls its pages very often looking for updates, so if you have your site hosted by blogspot you are almost guaranteed to be listed on Google's blog search engine. This easy access to search engines can take some of the work out of promoting your blog, and can help you gain a following with a minimum of marketing effort.

If your blog attracts a large readership, you may want to consider moving your site. Many people feel that being hosted by a free blogging web site gives a blog a kind of amateur flavor that is fine for a new member of the blogosphere, but is not appropriate for a high-profile blog. Having your own domain can help make your blog feel professional, and finding a company that will host your domain is not difficult or expensive. Once your blog takes off, you will probably be able to sell enough advertising space to be able to afford to buy a domain and pay for a hosting package, and still have money left over. However, it does not make sense in most cases to invest in these glossy luxuries before you have a sizable readership.

Starting your blog on a free blogging web site is a great way to build a following before you spend any money on your blog. If and when your blog becomes popular and you are ready to take the next step and purchase your own domain, your readers will follow you to your new home. The fact that it is possible to use a free blog host like Blogger or Wordpress as a kind of incubator for your blog is great news for bloggers everywhere.

Writing in the First Person Point of View

2010-09-07T14:09:00.006-04:00

Point of view (POV) is the perspective from which a story is being told. In essence, it is the element that shows us who is telling the story. While there are several different points of view, only a few are widely used. In this article, we will be focusing on the First Person point of view.

The first person POV uses the pronouns “I” or “we.” In a sense, you (the author) become the character who is telling the story. This is becoming a very popular way to tell a story because it brings the reader directly into the mind of your character, and therefore, into the story itself.

If attempting to write in the first person POV, it is imperative that you know your character inside and out. You must act, speak, and think as your character would. Not only that, but you must notice and pay attention to things that your character would. For example, if my husband and I were to walk into a store, my attention would immediately be drawn to the trendy clothing or adorable knick-knacks. My husband, on the other hand, would go directly to the tools or outdoor equipment, hardly noticing the things he passed along the way. Why? Because we have different interests. Our attention is drawn to things we are interested in. So it must be with your character if you are using this point of view.

When using first person POV, since your character is telling the story, that character can only tell what he or she knows. In other words, if your character is in the kitchen, he can't tell you what is going on in the living room unless he can hear or see the action taking place.

For this reason, one of the hardest things to do in the first person POV is to describe your character. If your character can only describe what he sees, unless he is looking in a mirror, personal description is lost. In addition, it is difficult to describe the character's personality without sounding like they're bragging. Fortunately, there are a few ways around this obstacle, and they include:

* Use a mirror (note: this has been overdone)
* Compare the character to another character in the story
* Have another character describe your main character
*Don't describe them – It has recently become acceptable to not describe your POV character at all as long as there is adequate description of the other elements in the story.

The first-person POV is very popular, and so it would be in your best interest to master its usage. Remember, the main key is to know your character and to essentially become that character in the telling of the story.

(Want to know more about POV? You can find information about all aspects of fiction writing in my LearnWriteNow, e-class. Join the class now for only $99, or get the e-book version only for less than $20.)

Should You Start Your Story at the Beginning?

2010-08-31T14:12:00.002-04:00

In the beginning of the story, you must establish your main character and the basic plot of the story. The beginning of your story should grasp your reader's attention. It has been said that because of the attention spans of people today, you have only 3-5 seconds to capture their attention. That's not much time.

For this reason, your first sentence must be a powerful one—a hook, as we writers call it. It must capture the reader's attention so that they will want to keep reading. A boring first sentence or first paragraph will leave the reader tossing the book on the table or placing it back on the bookshelf. Obviously, that is not what we want. No matter how good your story is, if you fail to hook your reader with your beginning, your story will probably go unread.

Here are a few examples of good beginnings that hook the reader and immediately draw him into the story:

Nothing ever starts where we think it does. So of course this doesn't begin with the vicious and cowardly murder of an FBI agent and good friend named Betsey Cavalierre. I only thought that it did. My mistake, and a really big and painful one. - Violets Are Blue, James Patterson

Notice in this example, the author tells you that the story doesn't start where you think it does or even where the main character thought it did. This leaves you wondering where the story actually begins, as well as intrigued by the knowledge that you'll be helping to solve a crime.

The New England woodcarver Jacob Adams was having a lean year— as lean and unprofitable, he thought, as if the Devil himself had a hand in it. If Jacob Adams had been born two hundred and thirty years later, he would simply have thought, Business is lousy. - Ghost Ship, Dietlof Reiche

In this example, you, as the reader, are intrigued by the last sentence. Why would Jacob have thought differently at present than he would have 230 years later? What led him to believe that the Devil himself had a hand in his lean and unprofitable year? In just one short paragraph, you are left with questions that beg to be answered.

Winter's chill hung in the air like thousands of polished silver shards, poised to fall soundlessly to the ground. A young woman stood in the midst of the chill, heedless of its potential to harm her, and motionless, as if simply breathing in and out was all she could manage. She remained there for quite some time, fighting visibly to keep herself upright. In time, she took a careful step forward, only to rest again, still breathing raggedly, still adding to the frost. - The Mage's Daughter, Lynn Kurland

Again, the author begins in the middle of the story, leaving you feeling like you must read on to figure out what's happening. Who is this young woman? Why is she so weak? What happened to her? Will she be alright?

Many new writers are under the impression that at the beginning of the story they have to spill out, in great detail, everything that they know about the main character and the plot of the story. Big mistake! This will cause your readers to feel as if you're simply throwing bits of information at them and expecting them to make sense of it. Character development and plot development can take place later in the story. It can be worked in as you go along. Don't give in to the temptation to deliver all your facts on the first few pages of your book or first few paragraphs of your story. If you do, you leave your reader with nothing to look forward to, and therefore, no reason to finish reading.

(Excerpt from my fiction writing class at Learn Write Now. You'll be pleased to know that this e-class is now available in e-book format for a mere $19.98. Click here to purchase your copy.)

Fabulous Writing Prompt

2010-08-10T14:35:00.003-04:00

I came across this writing prompt the other day, and I just had to share it with you. It's awesome!

If you could go through a beautiful, mystical door which leads to a utopia where the most perfect life for you was suddenly possible, what would the door and the utopia look like, what would it feel like, and what would this door have opened up for you? (Prompt provided by Trendle Ellwood.)

Take 1,000-3,000 words, and see what you can come up with. I assure you it's an excellent way to boost your writing skills, not to mention stretch your imagination. What are you waiting for? Give it a try.

Hit Your Muse With a Rock

2010-08-04T12:27:00.002-04:00

There is a very healthy market of books on how to write and — more importantly — how to find inspiration. Every day, frustrated writers struggle with getting their characters on paper — they battle writer’s block and boredom and the conviction that the story isn’t worth writing. They rack their brains for ideas on how to liven the story, how to make it work, how to “find their muse.” And yes, many of them are sitting in the chair, hand on pencil, eyes on the page as they struggle, so it isn’t even an issue of taking the time to write. It’s an issue of making the writing fit the time.

Seriously, when your muse deserts you like this, hit her with a rock.

Blink. A rock? How can I advocate hitting an imaginary goddess of inspiration with a rock?

It’s simple. When a story stalls, that’s your invitation to write whatever comes to mind. You can begin with the most outlandish words you can think of. For example: “Muse, dear, I’m mad at you. I need a good story. Why aren’t you helping me? I’m throwing a brick your way.”

It sounds like a twisted form of on-the-couch therapy, but the key to this technique is that you write as you do it. Writer’s block is so harmful because it stops your desire to write. It halts the pen with thoughts of inadequacy. Hitting your muse with a rock is not the way to start the Great American Novel. What I’m advocating is a way to break that writer’s block. This probably won’t produce words you can use, and anyone looking over your shoulder might wonder at your sanity when the muse writes back with “Oh yeah? A rock? Is that the best you’ve got, writer-boy?” But this technique will get you writing. It will get thoughts from your mind onto the page, reopening the all-important path between eyes and pen.

This technique is actually a modified version of freewriting. Most writers use freewriting entirely off-the-manuscript. They find a fresh scrap of paper, scribble away for fifteen minutes or so to get in the head of their protagonist, and then they return to their typing. Hitting the muse with a rock requires no such interruption. As you sit before the precious manuscript with nothing to say, you duke it out with your muse right there. You type it onto your manuscript wherever it is you happen to be. Sure, the muse holds no real part in the story, but it relieves a lot of stress to throw rocks on paper. It loosens up the manuscript itself. Remember that writer’s block is the result of high expectation for the manuscript coupled with low expectations of your own abilities. Both of these impulses are wrong. A manuscript is never all-important — when you’re still at the stage for writer’s block, you’re sitting before a first or maybe a second draft. The story isn’t done yet. There’s plenty of room for change. Throw some bricks — you can always delete them later. A press of a key or a swipe of the pen restores the original work.

The secret, of course, is that you don’t need to throw bricks. You don’t need to involve your muse. As you develop this technique, you can focus it to meet the needs of your story. I discovered how much fun this can be during National Novel Writing Month, that wild month of the 50,000 word novel. For NaNoWriMo, the only requirement is word count, but getting that word count is hard. A week of writer’s block can be a deathblow to your work. To produce 1,667 words a day during the month of Thanksgiving and Christmas Shopping, every moment counts. You have to be focused and you have to be excited. The fingers must fly. So I began throwing rocks at my protagonists. Rocks, dragons, tanks, even a computer that was allergic to water. I tossed in absurd challenges, ideas that I would have never written had I taken the time to worry about the final product.

Strangely, the story I wrote worked. The protagonists fought back. Parts of the work seemed silly and ridiculous, I kept writing. The audacity of the story kept me in my seat — I never knew what would happen next, but I always knew I could find another rock.

There’s a reason why this technique works. Deep down, every story is about conflict. It’s about a protagonist facing a challenge and learning to overcome. Challenge on the page takes many forms, but you can imagine it as throwing a rock. Remember that your rock can represent any difficulty. It can be the prom dress that doesn’t fit. It can be the spooky neighbor who invites your protagonist to see the windowless basement after dinner. It can be the cute crush who’s too nice and too funny and to perfect for your protagonist to bear thinking about.

How does your protagonist respond to the rock? Does she duck aside, find her own rock, and throw it back at you? Or does she catch it in the stomach and throw up? Don’t think about it — write it. The key to this technique is to write every step of the way. Keep it fun. Pick an unusual rock, something that does not fit with the rest of your story. Has the heroic knight of the quantum order defeated the horrible space dragon? Give him the queen’s baby nephew to keep quiet for an hour. Has your heroine survived budget cuts and layoffs to become the executive vice president? Maybe her boss the vampire invites her to a round of midnight golf.

Remember, the goal here is not to write the Great American Novel. The goal is to break through writer’s block and to keep writing, to get the ideas free-flowing. Sometimes, you may discover an entertaining twist that you enjoy more than the original story. Other times, you’ll get a good laugh, reconnect with your characters, and then pick up from where you left off. The hardest part is letting go. You have to relax, ignore the expectations of greatness, and focus on your eyes and your fingers.

And, when all else fails, feel free to blame your muse. Just beware of the brick she’ll throw back.

About the Author | More by Ryan Edel
Ryan Edel is a creative writer in Raleigh, NC. His website, 1-2-Writing Workshops Online, helps writers make the most of their fiction through daily articles, links to resources, and an online writing workshop: www.12writingworkshopsonline.com.

Create the Writing Life You Want

2010-02-25T14:20:00.001-05:00

By Marg McAlister

Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play with words, it's like standing in front of a smorgasbord, agonising over which delicacies to try. You can potter about with your writing as a thoroughly delightful hobby - writing wedding speeches, penning dreadful doggerel for people's birthdays, or writing stories to entertain your children. Or you can work at it, hour after hour, determined that your book is going to be the next bestseller. You can choose the writing life that's perfect for you now, then change direction later, as your circumstances change and your experience grows.

HOBBY OR CAREER?

I'm going to work on an assumption here - that you actually like writing. (I can't imagine any other reason you'd be reading this article. If you don't like to write, why are you being such a masochist? There are thousands of other jobs out there that will suit you better. Stop reading this and go find one.) So, given that you like to write, you should now ask yourself: 'Do I like writing enough to do it full time, or do I want to keep it as a hobby?'

If you just want to keep it as a hobby, then you are relieved of a number of 'duties' already. Since it's a hobby, you don't have to earn money. You don't have to please editors. You don't have to be published. You can scribble in faint grey pencil on a table napkin if you want - nobody else has to read it. And best of all, you don't ever have to write anything except what you want to write!

PART TIME WRITING

Most of us are not in that situation. We either want to write as a paid hobby (which might also be known as 'part time writing') or we want to work towards a full time career. Let's look at 'part time writing' first, and assume that you wouldn't mind being paid for what you do. (At least in kind - a free book or meal in exchange for your carefully produced text.) If you want to be paid, then you are faced with a certain set of responsibilities. You have to make sure that the person paying you can read your work, so faint grey pencil is out. In fact, it's very likely that good clear word processing is in.

Hmmm... this is beginning to sound expensive. Suddenly it's taking money to make money. You have to invest in your career - in the form of hardware and software and consumables. You have to think about GST and that means a business name. Your part time writing career might take up more time, and cost more money, than you had expected.

WHAT KIND OF WRITING?

But wait... you have more decisions to make. Are you going to concentrate on just one kind of writing (say, writing short stories for popular magazines) or are you going to peddle your words in any way that will bring in cash?

There are lots of people out there who require writers. They need wordsmiths to write their 21st birthday party speeches, or to put together smart resumes and application letters, or to create snappy promotional material for their business flyers. If you're happy enough to do all of these things and more, then you can certainly generate a part-time (or even full-time) income. Of course, you may have to advertise, and obtain business cards, and that costs more money... but don't worry: the better you become at what you do, the more your clients will do your advertising for you. ("Oh, you must get so and so to do your flyer; she's really good...")

THE 'SERIOUS WRITER' - TYPE #1

Time to move on to the Serious Writer. Serious Writers come in two flavours: the ones who want to write the Great Australian Novel (or win one of the major literary awards for novels) and disdain networking, marketing, self-promotion and all those mundane things.

They are passionately committed to writing literary fiction, and if it takes twenty or forty years of living off relatives or typing at night after their day job, then so be it. Some of these Serious Writers can write like angels and will undoubtedly achieve what they want. Others never mix with anybody else and have no idea that their work is substandard or boring until they get their first rejection. (They may not realise even when they get their hundredth rejection.)

THE 'SERIOUS WRITER' - TYPE #2

The other kind of Serious Writer is the one who is determined to make a success of writing, investing as much time, energy and cash as is needed. He is happy to network and talk to clients or editors and other writers. Sometimes this becomes a broad-based writing career - this person just loves words and crafting finished pieces of writing, whether it's fiction, non-fiction or promotional material. He is happy to be writing - any kind of writing!

Not everyone is happy to write whatever puts bread on the table. Some writers are content to do an assortment of fiction (mainstream, romances, or romantic intrigue, for example) or to target one specific genre - say speculative fiction - in both short and long formats. They spend time tracking down other aspiring writers in these genres, swap stories of near-misses and 'good and bad' rejections, and share the jubilation of finally getting a 'yes'. If you are determined to write only what you want to write, then don't give up your day job in a hurry - it might take a while and a few 'practice books' to get your first acceptance.

What you can do, right now, is determine the writing life you want-and start working towards it. Begin by asking yourself the ten questions below.

KNOW THYSELF: 10 QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU DECIDE ON THE WRITING LIFE THAT WORKS FOR YOU:

Would I rather do any kind of writing than do other work? (If the answer is 'yes', and you know you handle words with creativity whether you're writing a short story or a letter to the bank, then a multi-faceted writing career might suit you.)
Can I identify a range of writing that I would be happy to attempt? Is there a need for this writing? Can I provide a special service, or target a niche market?
What kind of books do I like to read? Are these the kinds of books I'd enjoy writing?
How much money do I need to spend on equipment or resources to start a writing business? If I haven't got this money, how long will it take me to save it or obtain it?
How many hours can I devote to writing?
Do I need a separate office and phone line, or can I share a computer with the family?
What other commitments do I have? What other demands are there on my time?
If I could choose any kind of writing at all to do, what would it be? Can I work towards this, even if I can't spend all my time on it now?
Do I have a network of supportive people - friends, family and other writers - to help me achieve what I want? If I don't, can I find these people?
What can I do RIGHT NOW to set my writing career in motion, or to start moving in the direction I really want?

(c) Copyright Marg McAlister

Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

Five Steps to Starting a Freelance Writing Career

2010-02-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

Chris Bibey

The number of people who aspire to become freelance writers is astonishing. Unfortunately, most of these people never take the time to chase their dream. Instead, they work their 9 to 5 office job, take orders from a crabby boss, and get paid less than what they are worth. If you want to be a freelance writer and are tired of any of the issues above, it is time to make a move. The more you procrastinate the more time you are losing.

Even though it will take time to build a successful freelance writing career, the steps to actually getting started are simple. No, these steps do not guarantee loads of money, but they will put you on the right path to earning a solid income sometime in the future.

Here are five steps to starting a freelance writing career.

1. Sooner rather than later, you need to build up enough courage to ditch your current job. Many people are afraid of making the change, and there is nothing wrong with that. Changing jobs can be difficult enough, and doing so to a career that is as unstable as freelance writing can be downright scary. But if you never suck it up and decide to take the chance, you will go on working the same old job, day in and day out.

To combat some of the fear of a sudden change, you may want to consider a part-time career in freelance writing for the time being. In other words, keep your day job and moonlight as a freelance writer. This will allow you to get your feet wet without having to give up your regular earnings. Is this going to be a lot of work? Sure is! But when you finally have enough clients to go into freelance writing full-time, you will realize that the work was well worth it.

2. Determine what area of freelance writing you want to get into. Some people think that all writing is the same, but find out soon enough that this is a myth. Many writers concentrate on web content, whereas others would rather write for print magazines. It does not matter what area of concentration you choose, as long as you choose one. Trying to be everything to everyone can quickly bog you down.

3. Do you have any freelance writing samples? If not, you need to put together a portfolio right away. When you approach clients or bid on jobs, one of the first things that you will be asked for is samples. If you have samples relevant to the potential client, make sure that you offer those first. They will give you the best chance of landing the job. But even if you only have general samples, they are better than nothing.

When writing samples, make sure that they are your best work. After all, you do not want to show potential clients sub par work. Additionally, when putting together your portfolio, add several different types of projects. This could include everything from a sales letter to a feature article and much more. The more samples in your portfolio, the better chance you have of supplying a relevant piece.

4. Do not jump ahead of yourself. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious and wanting your freelance writing career to take off from the onset. But if you get too far ahead of your capabilities, you could find yourself tied down with work that you are not sure about. Consider every job offer that you receive, and use your best judgment when deciding how to move forward.

5. Setting rates is one of the most difficult tasks for a freelance writer. This is especially true for beginners who do not know anything about industry averages, or what most clients are willing to pay. Do yourself a favor and research what other writers are charging. From there, adjust your rates to suit your experience and potential client base. Remember, freelance writing rates are not written in stone. After you gain more experience you can adjust your rates accordingly.

If you want to start a freelance writing career, you now how five steps that can guide you from day one. While working through these steps, you may find that you have to make changes to suit your lifestyle and career path. But for the most part, all five of these steps will have to be conquered sooner or later.

After several years in the corporate world, I put my college degree to good use by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Three months later, my income level had reached that of my previous sales job. Within a year, I was consistently earning $5k/month.

You can do it too.

(For more articles by this author, check out Entrepreneurs-Journey.com.)

How to Write an Article in 20 Minutes

2010-02-02T14:18:00.000-05:00

Jim Estill

Believe it or not, it only takes me 20 minutes to write a 400-500 word article. This article (which I wrote in 20 minutes) explains some of the tricks I use to accomplish this.

Blogging gives me a daily deadline, and I don’t really want to spend more than 20 minutes each day on blogging. Many of my blog entries are actually less than 500 words so take me less time.

Taking up blogging got me to start thinking seriously about writing quickly, and you may be facing a blogging time-crunch as well. So here are my 8 tips for writing an article in 20 minutes or less.

I start with a list of ideas and concepts I want to cover. Usually I write this list in point form. For me, I do this the old fashioned way, with a pen and paper.
I often “incubate” an article for a few days (this does not count in the 20 minutes). What I do is start roughing out some topic ideas then leave it. Because I have thought about it, ideas tend to come to me that I frequently add to my points. Of course I always carry a notebook for ideas.
I often need to reduce the number of ideas that I cover. Sometimes they do not fit with the angle of the article or do not flow with the other ideas. Sometimes I have to give up a point to write a good article.
Never save a good idea. When I know I have many article deadlines to meet, it is tempting to “save” a few good ideas for later. New ideas will always come so always give your best ideas.
Develop tricks to get past writers block. One way I do this is ”warm up” writing. I just sit down and write for 5 minutes. This tends to help subsequent writing to flow. Another way I do this is to go for a walk, cycle or a run (although sometimes I think I might use this to procrastinate a bit too). Another trick I use is to make a game out of the deadline – say I will do it by X o’ clock. Perhaps I am simple but this motivates me.
Come back to it later. My best articles are written partly, revisited a few times, then finished. I spend the same 20 minutes, though only 5-7 minutes per session. Of course if the ideas are flowing well, I do keep writing.
I often write 3-4 articles at the same time. Spending 5 minutes on one, 7 on another etc. When I am really in writing flow, this works well.
One trick is using bullet points or numbered points as in this article. People seem to like this technique and it helps articles flow for me.

So if I can write so quickly, why don’t I write a few articles each day? Apart from the fact that I have a very full time job, writing is the easy part; coming up with the ideas is the tough part.

Ideas anyone?

About the Author: Jim Estill is the CEO of Canadian computer product company SYNNEX and the author of the Time Leadership blog and book.

Who's Telling This Story, Anyway?

2010-01-21T11:59:00.001-05:00

by: Cindy A Christiansen

I want to address another issue that beginning writers often have difficulty accomplishing. The Writing Perspective. Who the heck is telling this story, anyway? Is it the author, the character, more than one character at a time, or some unknown person that knows everything that's going on? In a lot of the entries I've judged, writers are using a combination of these perspectives which tends to confuse the reader. Pick the best option that works for your story and stick with it.

Below is a brief summary of the different types of writing perspectives. If you don't know or understand them well, please find a good book on the subject.

* First person includes the thoughts and opinions of one main character. This person is telling the story and is told from the point-of-view (POV) of 'I'. Example:

I danced across the floor.

* Third person with one character's POV. Example:

She danced across the floor, pain searing in her ankle.

* Third person with multiple characters telling their POV one at a time. In this perspective, you pick out 2 to 3 main characters and tell the story from each of their views, but not at the same time. A character tells their POV in a scene, it ends and the next scene begins with another character's perspective. Example:

She continued to dance across the floor, not sure whether she could withstand the pain searing in her ankle. The curtain fell as she collapsed.

~ * ~ [Scene change]

Bill rushed to Angie, knowing the pain must be excruciating. He knelt by her side, cradling her head in his lap.

* Third person with thoughts and feelings from two or more main characters at once. Also called head-hopping. Example:

She danced across the stage. Pain echoed up her leg and back down to her broken ankle. He knew she couldn't dance another step with a broken ankle.

* Third person omniscient includes a narrator who is a know-it-all. The narrator tells the story from everyone's POV. He knows everyone's thoughts and feeling. Example:

Angie danced across the floor. The pain tore through her ankle. Bill rushed up and caught her just after the curtain dropped. She fell into his arms, sweat beading her brow. He knew she had to be in a great deal of pain. How could he have known that the doctor switched the medications and injected her with cyanide?

There are a few other types of POV, but these are the main categories. As I said, new writers tend to combine these POVs, leading to confusion on the part of the reader. Here is an example of mixed perspectives:

[Third person/ one character POV] Angie danced across the floor, her ankle on fire with pain. The doctor had told her the medicine should have started working by now. What went wrong? The pain continued to radiate through her ankle, and she felt...odd. Her heart raced uncontrollably. She spotted Bill in the wings. If she could only make it across the stage to him.

[Third person omniscient] Angie didn't know that the doctor had exchange the vial of pain medication for a vial of cyanide. She had no idea that Bill's mother had orchestrated the whole plan because she didn't want Bill to marry her. When she reached Bill's arms, she collapsed dead.

Do you see how if you are in Angie's POV you cannot know what the doctor did or what Bill's mother had planned, or know that she was going to die?

In romance writing, the story is typically written in third-person with scenes in both the hero and the heroine's POV. First person is another perspective used a great deal in chick-lit romances. Multi-published authors can get away with head-hopping. I find it difficult to read, and it loses the voice of the character as they are telling their own version of the story.

Also remember to give each character their own voice. I'm not talking about accents and such. I'm talking about the way they might think in their head; more of a personality issue. I read a lot of books and entries where both the hero and the heroine think and sound the same. How many real people do you know that think and act alike? I'm sure you know that men and women think and feel eomtions in their own way. Try to remember this as you are writing the next best novel.

Give it a try. I know your characters will really come to life.

About The Author

Cindy A. Christiansen is a multi-published author and a member of Romance Writers of America. To find out more, visit her website at: http://c.a.dragonfly.googlepages.com

Busting Freelance Writing Myths - Part Six

2010-01-18T05:00:00.000-05:00

Myth 6: Giving 110% will be rewarded in online freelance writing.

Giving 110% is usually a good idea in the offline world, but in the world of
Internet freelance writing the only things this will bring you are bad eyes,
headaches, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

The key to online freelance writing is to avoid taking on too many jobs at once and
to make sure you get paid for an honest day’s work. The truth is that in the world
of Internet writing, giving 110% will only earn you a reputation as a good bargain
and get you lots of clients who expect you to work extra hard for less money. You
can’t afford to set such a precedent in a market where the going rate is already less
than $10 a page.

Excerpt from The Write At Home System
Own your copy today for only $9.99!

Busting Freelance Writing Myths - Part Five

2010-01-15T05:00:00.001-05:00

Myth 5: Specialization will make you rich.

While specialization may work well for other aspects of Internet business, it is the
last thing a freelance writer should consider doing. You just can’t make a living
specializing in only one type of writing. Diversity is the key to becoming a
successful online writer. You should work to provide your customers with as
many different types of writing as you can manage.

There are occasions when having a specialty can make you a lot of money. The
key is to make sure your specialty is in demand. It may be ebooks one year and
Google AdWords another. The market right now seems to want ebooks and blogs.
It’s important to research your market before deciding to specialize.

Excerpt from The Write At Home System
Own your copy today for only $9.99!

Busting Freelance Writing Myths - Part Four

2010-01-13T05:00:00.001-05:00

Myth 4: Being an online freelance writer will give you more free time.

Being an online freelance writer will only give you more free time if you don’t do
much work. This will give you all the free time you want, but of course you won’t
make much money. If you want to make enough money to become self-sufficient,
then you need to put in as many hours as possible for bidding, pitching, promotion,
and the actual writing. The more projects you can do, the more money you can
make.

It’s also important to remember that the life of a freelance writer is one of
deadlines. There’s no time for personal indulgences like sleeping in, taking time
off, or allowing personal problems to interfere with your work. If you miss too
many deadlines you will lose credibility as a writer.

Those who rely more on affiliate marketing in writing can afford to be lazier
because they are making money even while they’re not working. Affiliate links
are always online and the advertisements are running 24 hours a day, seven days a
week. On the other hand, affiliate marketing takes more time to get off the ground,
and the luxury of being lazy comes only after your affiliate business has become
successful.

Excerpt from The Write At Home System
Own your copy today for only $9.99!

Busting Freelance Writing Myths - Part Three

2010-01-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

Myth 3: Internet writers need a website to make money.

The truth is that having a website is nice, but not necessary to the online writer.
Most auction bidding sites let you build a profile on their website, which means
that your page ends up in search engines much faster than if you were submitting
your own site. If you spend some time on your profile on sites like Elance and
Guru and describe yourself well then you should get plenty of jobs.

Excerpt from The Write At Home System
Own your copy today for only $9.99!

Busting Freelance Writing Myths - Part Two

2010-01-08T10:52:00.002-05:00

Myth 2: Only good writers make money on the Internet.

It may seem backwards, but good writers will make less money than writers who
can produce less quality at a greater speed. If you spend too much time on a piece
as an Internet writer, you will probably lose your client.

Talent is not appreciated on the Internet as much as expediency is. Also, the less
money you charge for a job, the more you are likely to make in the long run when
your clients keep coming back to you. As I said before, quality is not necessarily
the most important factor in online writing because of the low reading level of the
general population.

Excerpt from The Write at Home System.
Own your copy today for only $9.99!

Busting Freelance Writing Myths - Part 1

2009-12-17T13:54:00.001-05:00

There are many common misconceptions people have about freelance writing.
These myths are spread mostly by self-styled gurus who make money off of you by
giving you misleading advice. We will discuss some of the most common myths over the next few posts.

Myth 1: You will make a lot of money as a freelance writer right away.

Sometimes the only way for a new freelance writer to get their first job is to do one
for practically nothing. Once you get your first positive feedback it becomes much
easier to get new clients. It’s best to bid on a short, cheap project first and do a
great job on it. This will help you establish your positive feedback rating more
quickly. As time goes on you can gradually increase your rates as your feedback
gets better and better.

If you decide to create your own website, it can take three weeks to six months for
your URL to be situated in search engines so that people can find you. For this
reason, it’s not a good idea to quit your day job the minute you decide to become
an online freelance writer.

If you get hired by a telecommuting company on the Internet (there are many of
them), you need to be aware of the fact that many of them take 60 to 90 days to get
you your first paycheck. Also, most of these companies, like workaholics.com,
won’t advance you the normal 50% that you would get for most jobs.

The reason these online companies pay you so late is that they’ve already taken
that 50% and invested it in themselves. Companies like this believe the writer
should be the last to get paid. Avoid situations like this at all costs if you can’t
afford to wait so long to be paid.

Excerpt from The Write At Home System
Own your copy today for only $9.99!

Three Ways to Make Your Mystery Stand Out in the Crowd

2009-12-15T14:55:00.001-05:00

Written by: Evan Marshall

The mystery novel has never been more popular than it is today. People love reading them . . . and writers love writing them. Editors are swamped with manuscripts and can afford to be extremely fussy as to what they take on. How can you make your mystery rise above the others and make an editor want to buy? Keep the following three vital points in mind.

Look for the Hook

In fiction, a hook is a way to promote a book through some aspect that has commercial appeal or provides publishers with a gimmick or “handle” that lends itself to publicity.

Your detective might have an occupation that is of high interest in the current culture, is especially timely, is interesting for its very obscurity, or is the same as that of the author. For instance, Patricia Cornwell’s series of mysteries featuring Dr. Kay Scarpetta first became popular at a time when public interest in the world of medical examiners had been heightened by such nonfiction books as Coroner by Dr. Thomas Noguchi, L.A.’s coroner to the stars, not to mention the tremendous public fascination with true crime. That’s Ms. Cornwell’s hook.

For my first mystery series, I gave my amateur sleuth my own occupation—that of literary agent. This was my hook, something I could talk about in interviews. It was also something reviewers of my books often commented upon.

Hooks in fiction give publishers, booksellers, and the authors themselves a better chance to grab the attention of browsing book buyers.

Dig Into Your Characters

Today’s readers want richly textured characters, especially in the series detective. A clever puzzle for your mystery is important but not enough. We must know all of your major characters as people, just as we would know the characters in any well-written novel. For purposes of characterization, think of your book as a novel with mystery, not a mystery novel. Tell us about your characters’ pasts, their psychologies, their faults and weaknesses, their relationships to one another. Remember, it’s your characters who will bring your readers back for more.

Devise a Clever, Stunning Plot

Don’t settle for a plot device if you can recall seeing it in another book, in a movie, or on TV. Work hard to come up with something different. Granted, there are only so many ways to kill someone, but the canny mystery writer will give one of those ways a new twist. The same goes for motive. There’s no excuse for stale clichés; your plotting is truly your own and should bear your distinctive fingerprint.

Keep these three points in mind as you craft your next mystery and you’ll have a decided edge in this highly competitive marketplace.

Visit http://www.writeanovelfast.com for more writing tips and download Evan's 77-page Fiction Makeover Guide with tips and ideas on writing a great novel.

About The Author
Evan Marshall, president of The Evan Marshall Agency, is a former book editor and packager. Recently he and coauthor Martha Jewett released The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software, based on his bestselling The Marshall Plan® writers' guides. Evan is also the author a number of popular mystery novels; recently released are Death is Disposable and Evil Justice. Visit http://www.writeanovelfast.com and download Evan's 77-page Fiction Makeover Guide with tips and ideas on writing a great novel.

Content Creation Made Easy

2009-12-08T12:30:00.001-05:00

Are you struggling with creating content? If you are not a professional copywriter, coming up with new content regularly can be a difficult task.

Most people get writer’s block or their brains freeze up while staring at a blank screen. However, to be a successful Internet marketer, you must come up with fresh and interesting content regularly. Otherwise, your traffic will dry up and hard-earned subscribers will lose interest.

How do you overcome this challenge?

Content creation doesn’t have to be hard. Just follow my 5Rs of content creation and things will start to flow a lot more smoothly.

1. RESEARCH

Even before I open up my trusty word processor, I head over to Google’s Keyword Tool. I use it to research key words/phrases that people are using to search for answers to their particular problem.

I start with something related to a subject that I’m interested in writing about and get ideas from there.

For example, “content creation.” That led me to other popular search terms like blog content creation, content creation help, online content creation etc.

Without first researching your ideas, you’ll find yourself running out of ideas to write about and/or guessing what your readers would be interested in learning. You’d be surprised how many different ideas and variations you can get from your initial thought after doing your research.

Google is not the only source of content ideas. Visit popular forums and read what questions people are posting there, things that are related to your topic. You can also try Yahoo! Answers.

Bottom line – better content comes from better research.

2. REARRANGE

Creating an outline first is how I always start my content creation. It helps me to get my thoughts organized, rearrange ideas until I feel good about the flow of my content.

Then I expand the bullet points into complete paragraphs. An outline also creates a roadmap as I progress from chapter to chapter until I finish my report or eBook.

Head over to my blog if you want to see a screen shot of one my outlines.

3. REVEAL

Adding some personal experiences helps to humanize your content. No one likes to read text that sounds like a sermon.

Share stories or provide examples like I have done above to make it more interesting and help your readers connect with their own situation.

Revealing a bit of your personal side or personality is very important especially if you are writing about a technical topic. A picture is worth a thousand words and can quickly simplify a complex concept that otherwise would take you many words to explain. Studies have shown that people retain information quicker and longer when you engage their visual senses.

4. READ

If you are going to edit your own content which is not a good idea, then read your text aloud. I print my copy and then read it back to myself. This forces me to read every word rather than allowing my mind to autosuggest words that are not there.

Don’t just rely on the automatic spelling and grammar checker. For example, no software in the world can flag the error between their and there. Here are some more common mistakes; lose and loose, it's for its and further vs. farther.

I use a professional copyediting service to proof read my final manuscript before I publish it into an eBook. Believe me, it is well worth the expense.

If you can’t afford the cost, have a friend who has never seen your copy read it and allow them to critique your content freely. You don’t have to accept all their suggestions but at least you’ll have the benefit of another pair of eyes having reviewed your content.

5. REVISE

Our brains have two parts – the left side is analytical and the right side is visual and tends to see the whole picture. Use both sides of your brain when writing content but one side at a time.

Let the right half of your brain start writing as the creative juices flow. Don’t interrupt it by stopping to correct errors (other than obvious typos).

Once you have your first draft completed, allow the left side of your brain to take over and start being critical and analytical as you go over your copy.

Rearrange words, paragraphs and may be entire chapters until you feel comfortable how each paragraph and chapter flows into the next respectively. This is where you need to wear your editor’s hat rather than be the creative writer.

Don’t be afraid to tear apart your initial outline if you think it will improve the product. Just be careful that perfectionism doesn’t stop you from launching your masterpiece altogether.

I realize the above 5Rs may seem a bit daunting at first. Let me assure you that with some practice, all this will become very natural and you’ll be creating content like a professional copywriter in no time at all.

Is content killing your online sales? Let me show you how to achieve long-term success with content marketing. Get my FREE special report — Content Marketing Revealed at http://bit.ly/11Gp0K.

About The Author

Achinta "Archie" Mitra is the founder of Do It Yourself Marketing Coach. He created this site to be your trusted, one-stop source for practical, actionable ideas and expert marketing advice for making your online business more profitable. Visit his site at http://www.diymarketingcoach.com.

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.diymarketingcoach.com

Top Tips on How to Promote and Market Your Book

2009-12-03T12:09:00.004-05:00

Marketing is often not an author's area of expertise, but it does not mean an author is incapable of learning how to successfully market a book. Too many authors drop the ball when it comes to marketing for they are unsure on how to proceed with the marketing process or they are intimidated with the idea of it. But who better to endorse your book than you? Here are a few easy tips on how to promote and market your book in today's competitive environment. It will give you an extra edge over the rest.

1.Find credible book reviewers.

A good book review generates more publicity than you are able to produce on your own. With today's technology, one book review posted online has the potential to be seen by millions of people. So why wouldn't you use book reviewers to promote your own book? Book reviews are a significant factor in boosting book sales. Therefore, they are a necessity in today's market. But how do you find book reviewers? Online there are thousands of sites where book reviews are posted and read on a daily basis. Check out some of the book review sites. Read through the postings and narrow your choice to specific book reviewers that grab your attention. Contact these specific reviewers online and ask if anyone is interested in reviewing your book today.

2.Connect with local newspapers.

This simple task is a spark launching an entire successful marketing campaign. It is a necessary step creating a foundation for your overall marketing efforts. First, research your local newspapers and find out who are the writers composing book reviews. Most newspapers have contact information for writers readily available to the public on company websites. Once you find out who the reviewers are, read their guidelines posted on the website, and if there are no guidelines, send a query first. Include a one page synopsis, contact information and, if available, a list of your prior publications. The public response to local newspapers is massive, and you'll see the popularity of your book grow instantly.

3.Contact local bookstores.

Meet with your local bookstores and find out if they are interested in partnering for a "Meet and Greet with the Author" aka you. Present it with a clever marketing tie-in that the bookstore cannot refuse. For instance, if you have a children's book, then create an appropriate event around kids. Make it fun, interactive, and hand out kid-friendly take home items for the event. You will find that after the kid leaves your event, he or she will share with friends, family and school teachers the fun they experienced via your take home item. Word about your book will spread like wildfire.

4.Create a blog.

A blog is a powerful tool skilled in reaching current and future fans without wasting effort of physically being in different locations at once. As mentioned above, the internet is used by millions of people a day; thus, you need to tap into that source and use it for marketing. Write a daily blog and encourage readers to contribute comments. Engage in 2-way dialogue with blog visitors for it shall be perceived as a positive effort stemming from you. This ensures visitors tell others about your blog. Before you know it, your blog visitors and reader base will increase before your eyes.

So if you keep in mind these tips on how to market your book, then you will separate yourself from the rest of the book writers out on the market today. For more information about where to market your book or book reviews check out Review the Book today.

Five Simple Ways To Boost Your Article Writing Confidence

2009-12-01T11:45:00.003-05:00

By: Sarah E. White

Whether you're building a career as a freelance writer or simply writing articles to promote your website or products, having confidence in your writing ability is a key to being successful. But what if you don't see yourself as a great writer or don't feel like people should want to listen to what you have to say?

It's easy to build your confidence in your writing ability if you're consistent as both a writer and promoter of your articles.

1. Write every day. This seems pretty obvious, but a lot of writers or people who want to use articles as part of their marketing efforts don't take the time to write something every day. You don't have to finish a complete article every day, but taking even just a few minutes to write day in and day our will make you feel much more confident in your ability to write articles.

2. Don't try for perfection. It's easy to feel like every word you put out into the world has to be perfect, that every article must be beautifully formed, no matter how long it takes. But the truth is, just getting articles out in the world, even if they're not perfect, is a great way to boost your confidence because just getting your words out into the world will make you feel better. You'll also start getting feedback right away, which helps you improve your writing based on what other people are saying about your articles.

3. Keep putting yourself out there. When your articles or ideas are rejected by readers, it hurts. But you have to keep submitting articles or article ideas if you're looking to boost your freelance writing career. If you're an article marketer, you have to keep putting out articles to keep driving traffic to your website. Do your best to let go the ones that don't get a great response, and redouble your efforts to write good content in the future.

4. You are the expert. Remember that you are an authority on whatever subject it is you are writing about. You're sharing your expertise with people who are hungry for the information you have to share. Those people don't care if your articles are flawless (though it certainly helps if they're as clean and concise as possible); they just want the information your articles provide. Remember that whenever you sit down to write.

5. See what else is out there. Reading other articles, books and blogs in your area of expertise gives you a great idea what other people are talking about in your niche, as well as areas where people might have questions or worries. If you can answer those questions or set aside those fears in your articles, you're sure to make voracious fans who'll read everything you put out. There' no bigger confidence boost than that.

About The Author

Sarah E. White, the Freelance Coach, helps freelance writers and those who would like to become freelance writers with writing and business tips, coaching and information products. Visit her website, http://www.freelance-coach.com for a free report, “The Writer’s Dozen: Quick Tips for Freelancers’ Most Pressing Problems.”

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.freelance-coach.com

Are Writing Exercises Effective?

2009-11-24T13:42:00.000-05:00

It was reported that the great American author Sinclair Lewis was once asked to give a lecture on writing to a group of college students: "Looking out at this gathering," he said to the assembled students, "makes me want to know how many of you really and truly wish to become writers?" Every hand in the room went up. Lewis looked at them for a moment and then folded his notes and put them away. "If that's true," he said, "then the best advice I can give you is to go home and start writing." He then turned and left the room.

If the first secret of writing is to write and if you've set up some sort of writing schedule, the next step is to figure out what to write.

Opening a brand new file and looking at a blank screen often results in a kind of brain-freeze; we feel as idea-less as the empty screen we're staring at. Writing exercises can help us thaw our idea bank. The goal of a writing exercise is to open your mind and allow you to hone your skills and experiment. The joy of such an exercise is it's not 'for real.' That is, there's no thought of pleasing an editor or finding a publisher or meeting a deadline or getting paid. You're just writing, with your internal editor turned off.

Some freelancers find writing exercises so effective and freeing they actually begin every writing session with a 10 or 15-minute exercise. Others use them more sporadically. But however you do it, writing exercises will help you with your writing. Use writing exercises in your writing schedule, as a natural part of your writing discipline; use the exercises often and watch your writing improve.

Ideally, a writing exercise is short, requiring you to spend no more than 10 or 15 minutes writing, thinking and feeling about something that's unrelated to the rest of your writing work. In a way, they are like mini-meditations and mini-vacations because they clear out the cobwebs and give you a new view.

It's that new view, that different way of seeing, of expressing, that's the key to a good writing exercise. Naturally, not every exercise blows your mind every time. Sometimes you are just not ready for the challenge presented, but even then, the seed is planted. Sometimes you are simply not up for doing a writing exercise, which is okay too. Again, simply reading can set some new thoughts in motion.

Lana Hampton makes it easy to improve your writing skills. Visit her Writing [http://www.yowswriting.com] website today for the latest writing tips and information.

A Quick Start to Grammar Basics

2009-11-19T11:47:00.000-05:00

by Kristy Taylor 2008

Grammar is a part of writing that can intimidate many people, but becoming familiar with a few simple grammar rules can help tremendously as you learn to become a better writer. Here is a quick start to a few grammar basics.

Who, Which and That
Usually, the word who is used for mentioning people (or animals, if they have names.) The words that and which are normally used when mentioning things. For example, you could write, “I need the frying pan that I bought yesterday.” Or, you could write, “I need the frying pan, which I bought yesterday.” If you choose to use the word which, make sure there is always a comma before it. (This does not apply if you are using the word which to make a distinction between two things, such as “which sweater should I wear?”)

This
Whenever you use the word this, make sure there is a noun after it to describe what you are writing about. (A noun is a person, place, thing or idea: like mother, St. Louis, table or love.) For instance, instead of writing, “This is an outrage,” you should write, “This mistreatment is an outrage.” Always describe the thing to which this is referring.

Than or As with Me and I
When comparing two things that end with a pronoun (such as me, I, she, her, etc.) it can be tricky to know which word to use. For instance, in the sentence, “Sarah likes Becky more than me,” is it correct to use the word me, or should the word I be used? There is a very easy solution to this problem. When you are writing sentences like these, complete the sentences in your head. “Sarah likes Becky more than I do.” Therefore, in this case, the word to use would be I. In the sentence, Sarah likes Becky more than me,” you could complete the sentence in your head by saying, “Sarah likes Becky more than she likes me.” Therefore, in this case, the correct word to use would be me.

We and Us
Often the usage of the words we and us can be confusing. Usually this happens when the words we or us come before a noun in a sentence, like this: “We girls are going to beat you boys.” Many people are unsure if the words we girls or us girls should be used. If you would like to take a shortcut with the more complicated grammar rules, there is a very easy way to remember which word should be used. Simply remove the noun and think about what the sentence should sound like. For instance, saying “Us are going to beat you boys” sounds wrong to most people (and it is incorrect.) Therefore the correct word to use in that particular sentence is we.

Proper use of the English language can be complicated at times. However, getting a quick head start with your grammar skills will take your writing a long way.

About the author:
Kristy Taylor is a syndicated journalist with articles and fiction strewn across all forms of media. She has written and published numerous books, and is the executive editor of Paramount Publishing, which encompasses several web sites, including http://www.ShortStoryCompetitions.com

Taking Yourself Seriously As a Writer

2009-11-17T14:42:00.005-05:00

When I first became a full-time writer, I got so upset with people who belittled me or my position. Since I worked from home, many people had it in their mind that I didn't have a job therefore I was available to do other things. For a while, this bothered me greatly. Finally, I discovered that others were not taking me seriously as a writer because I was not taking myself seriously. I treated writing as more of a hobby than a business. No wonder I wasn't getting any respect.

Below you'll find a few tips for treating your writing as a business:

1. Set up an office.
If you're going to work from home, you need a dedicated place for your writing. I understand that one of the greatest parts about being a freelance writer is that you can work from anywhere, and that's true. But you need a home base. You need a place where you can store your files, notes, and books. It doesn't have to be a large space, but find an area of your home and "rope it off" as your office. Whether you work from there or not is up to you, but you'll always know where to find your materials if you keep them in a specified place.

2. Set up a schedule.
Working from home offers a lot of benefits, one of which is freedom in your schedule. The problem occurs when you give yourself too much freedom. It's amazing how many things "come up" during the course of the day that will hinder you from your writing. Even though your schedule is flexible, it's still important to have one. Not all people are the same, so not all schedules are the same. You may be the type of person who loves a detailed minute-by-minute plan. If so, that's great as long as it works for you. For others, it works well to schedule a certain amount of time for writing or a certain number of pages to be written each day. Find what works for you and stick with it to the best of your ability.

3. Know what you do.
Another problem I faced when I told people I was a writer was that I couldn't answer their specific questions about my work. Many would ask, "What do you write?" In response, I would start rambling on about the different projects I had done in the past and what I planned to work on in the future. I had a lot of ideas, but everything was scattered and unclear. I couldn't answer their questions about my writing because I didn't know the answers. Take time to figure out what kind of writing you want to do. What does it mean to you to be a writer? Why did you choose writing as a profession? Find the answer to these questions so that you can relay them to others.

4. Hold yourself accountable.
It's easy to let things slip a little when you work for yourself. After all, there's no boss, so there's no one to answer to, right? Wrong! You have to answer to yourself. Make yourself accountable. If you didn't do any writing today, ask yourself why, and then determine if the answer is acceptable. If you don't hold yourself accountable for the work you're supposed to be doing, the work won't get done. I love to write, but there are days where I find myself doing everything but writing. During these times, I have to give myself a "kick in the pants" to get myself going again.

Being a full-time writer has so many benefits, but it also has its drawbacks. The biggest drawback of all is when you allow the many benefits to warp your view of your writing profession. If you're going to write as a hobby, that's fine. But if you want to write for a living, some major discipline and a change in mindset will be necessary. You can't expect others to take you seriously if you don't take yourself seriously.

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Writing is a Life-Long Sentence

2009-11-13T05:00:00.000-05:00

There's really only one duty a writer owes to
themselves and their readers - and that is to
constantly strive to improve.

Ask any seasoned writer and they'll tell you
that getting better at the craft is probably
the most fulfilling aspect of writing.

Because you are effectively getting better at
communicating your ideas - and placing your
world view into the minds of others. To me
this is an almost magical concept.

So - constant improvement - how does one
achieve it? Here are nine short tips:

1. Read Like it's Going Out of Fashion

You've heard it a million times before.
You can't love writing without first loving
to read. Read a lot. Read everything. Analyze
writing and writers. Study what works, what
doesn't, wonder why and learn from it.

Realize too that the published writing
you see has probably been worked and
reworked over and over to appear effortless.
Don't assume professional writers get it
down perfect every time. They don't. Their
work too has been analyzed, edited and
beaten into shape by themselves and other
editors.

2. Study Your Own Writing

Study every word, every sentence, every
phrase. Are you maximizing the effect of
your words? Could you say the same thing
a different way?

Don't just blindly accept your words as
perfect. Professionals know there is
always another way of stating something,
setting a scene, explaining an emotion.
Too many novice writers fall in love with
their words, refusing to accept there
might be a better way to get to what is
true.

3. Learn to Love Criticism

When we start out, criticism hurts - big
time. We've bared our soul. We've agonized
over our words and are proud of what we've
said. Off-hand comments about our work
can feel like a body slam, even an
attack on our capabilities, our character,
our integrity.

But that's not what is going on. People
love to criticize - it's human nature.
Even the best writers are criticized.
The point is to learn from criticism
and rise above it. Listen to what is
being said, make changes if necessary
but do it for you. You are the final
arbiter - but don't be blind or sulky
about it. Take it on board.

4. Read Aloud to Others

Reading out loud can highlight the
strengths and weaknesses within your
writing. Especially in the areas of
rhythm, wordiness and dialogue. It's
a great test.

Read to friends and family, yes, but
also read to other writers. Let them
make comments. Enjoy the process.

Try this. Read a short piece to a
group of friends/writers. Make note
of how your writing sounds to them.
Listen to suggestions. Make changes,
read it aloud again. Keep doing this
until everyone involved thinks the
writing - every word, every phrase -
is perfect.

5. Try Different Styles

It's too easy to get stuck in one area
of expertise. If you're a fiction buff,
try writing magazine articles or
screenplays. If you're a journalist,
try free-form fiction. If you're a
literary type, try writing advertising
copy. Don't limit yourself. All types
of writing are good in their own way
and experimenting with them can teach
you little tricks that help you become
a more mature, fully rounded writer.

Novice writers tend to think they
shouldn't experiment, that somehow it
might taint their art. Nothing could
be further from the truth.

6. Take Courses, Read More Books on
Writing

The process of being taught, of
exposing yourself to the ideas of
others, cannot be underestimated. Even
if you disagree with what is being said,
it all helps stretch you and give you
a deeper understanding of what is good
and right for your writing.

When you take lessons in writing, study
hard, do the exercises, listen to the
feedback, act on it and write some more.
Your writing will improve the more you
do it. Don't sit and fret over your
writing. Just do it.

7. Seek Out Good Advice

I quite often hear novice writers
complain that they're learning nothing
new about writing from the various
authorities they consult. They sound
disillusioned, as if there's more pertinent
information out there, if only they could
find it.

Odd, considering I've never met a seasoned
writer didn't love to debate the absolute
basics of word-play, grammar, sentence
structure and all the other little things
that novices seem to grow weary of hearing.

Remember. You can never hear good advice
too many times.

8. Give Back

Share your knowledge. Teach what you have
learned about writing to others. Too often
novice writers can feel there's some sort
of clique of professionals who don't want
to talk to them or associate with them.

We writers, whatever our abilities, must
learn to see ourselves as a community
with similar aims - to actively enhance
all our writing - to raise the bar and
to act for the betterment of all writers.

9. Constantly Want More From Yourself

Stretch yourself continuously. Find new
ways of expressing yourself.

Writing is sometimes a strange past-time.
A writing project that begins like an
adventure can quickly become an obsession
that ends up feeling like some self
inflicted curse!

But all writing experience is good,
whether it's fun or not. Not all of
your writing is going to be fun and
fulfilling. Some of it may be a hard
slog or a nuisance. This is okay.

If you want to succeed in writing,
it should become your life, your
passion, even your reason to be. It's
a fine and noble way of life.

If you want it, embrace it, and your
writing will benefit enormously. Go for it!

Best of luck and - whatever you do - keep writing.

Rob Parnell Best Selling Author of: The Easy Way to Write a Novel http://easywaytowrite.com/novel.html

Small Reports is the Way to Go

2009-11-10T15:09:00.004-05:00

I don't know about you, but, for me, the thought of creating an entire e-book is just overwhelming.

You have to choose a topic, write 50-100 pages, make a sales letter, find a shopping cart, and figure out how to sell the darned thing -- even before you make a dime.

What if that process was not only made simple and straightforward, but also significantly easier?

That's what I found when I reviewed the course from Jimmy D. Brown.

First of all, Jimmy is known for his reputation -- in a good way. ;) He's been building a business online since 1999 and is talked about in Internet Marketing circles as the "nicest guy in Internet Marketing".

So what does that prove? It shows two things:

1. Jimmy is well respected. (He's not selling junk.)
2. He's been around for awhile and knows his stuff. (Not some fly-by-night "guru-wannabee".)

However -

When he released his course on creating e-books, I thought, "What in the world could he possibly have to say that's new?"

As I listened to the course, I felt like I was reading a book with unexpected twists and turns. It wasn't the same old recycled junk I see out there, for sure.

However, even with the twists and turns, Jimmy kept the steps simple. He didn't leave any gaps at all. In fact, I tried to come up with one negative thing to tell you about this course, so you wouldn't think I was just pitching it blindly ... and I can't.

The case studies he provides at his site show the potential here -

* Over eighteen-thousand dollars in monthly residuals.
* Over thirty-thousand dollars in one day profit.
* Over one million dollars in total profit.

All from writing short reports.

That means, if right now you have no list, no web site, no ideas ... nothing ... you can still actually make money from this system in just 1 week.

(Of course, if you have some of those things, you can see results even quicker!)

I mean, it's all broken down into easy-to-do steps!

In other words, there's a "small fortune" to be made with these "small reports"!

If you order today, you can *LITERALLY* be taking orders for you first small report in less than 1 week from NOW.

So, head over to his site and grab your copy today!

P.S. - If you're not ready to buy the full course, but would like to learn more about Small Reports, here's a free report Jimmy penned entitled "Five Steps to a Big-Profit, S.M.A.L.L. Reports Business."

Five Ways to Start Strong

2009-11-06T12:06:00.001-05:00

A good story or article is only as strong as its beginning. Let's face it, what are the chances that someone will continue reading your work if the beginning is long, dry, and boring? Not good.

The beginning of your story is the most important part. It is the factor that helps your reader determine whether he will keep reading or whether he will close the book and put it back on the shelf.

Below you will find five ways to strengthen your story beginning.

1. You must have a slant.
One mistake many writers make is that they try to write everything about their subject. Not only is that impossible, but it also gives the story or article no original slant. There are probably hundreds of articles on the same subject as yours. Why should the reader pick yours? Narrow your subject down to one main aspect. Don't write an article about Christmas. Write an article on the story behind the Christmas wreath. The tighter your focus, the better your story will be.

2. You must have a lead.
A lead is a sentence, paragraph, or number of paragraphs that hook your reader, ensuring that he will continue reading. The length of your lead depends on the length of your article or story. In shorter pieces, you don't have the time or space to waste words. Hook your reader, and then carry on with the story. One of the best ways to hook your reader is to start in the middle of your story. This evokes curiosity in the reader. However you choose to work your lead, make it strong and emotional. Convince your reader to care.

3. You must deliver.
In your lead, you promised your readers answers to certain questions or guided them along a particular train of thought. Follow through with what you started. Don't cheat the reader by attracting them to your piece with exaggerations or false claims. Finish what you start and be sure to answer any questions that you raised in your lead.

4. You must keep a consistent tone.
Every article or story will carry its own tone or emotion. Some are funny and lighthearted. Some are heavy and dark. Some are evil and mysterious. It is up to you, as the writer, to determine the mood of your piece and stick with it. Sure, there will be shifts in the character's moods, but the overall tone of the story must remain the same.

5. You must begin at the beginning.
Too many writers feel the necessity to fill in every detail about their characters, their setting, and their backstory in the first few chapters of their work. Be careful to avoid that mistake. Start your story in the middle of the action. You can fill in details along the way.

By following these tips, you'll greatly improve your story or article. While each of these points mainly refers to the beginning of your work, several of them can be followed throughout the writing process, making your entire manuscript a literary masterpiece.

Dana Rongione
Want to improve your writing?
Sign up today for an 8-week e-class.
LearnWriteNow

What Makes a Good Magazine Query

2009-11-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jennifer Carsen

Any successful magazine writer will tell you that query letters are the key to breaking in to the business.

In a query letter (these are increasingly emails rather than hard-copy letters), you pitch your fantastic story idea to an editor and request the opportunity to write the story for them. Over time, as you get more established, editors will get to know you and will increasingly assign stories to you directly. But when you're just starting out, queries are a must.

It's vitally important to develop a thick skin, especially in the beginning - you're going to get a whole lot of rejections, no matter how good your ideas or writing are. But here are some ways you can increase your odds of getting a yes:

1. Know who you're pitching to. There's a ton of turnover in the magazine business, especially these days. The editor whose name is on the masthead of the current issue may have actually left weeks or months ago. It's always a good idea to call and confirm before you send your query out. And don't try to cop out by writing "Dear Editor" - it's lazy, and editors hate that (they will think, fairly or not, that if you can't even be bothered to find out their name, you're probably not much of a reporter).

2. Know the pub you're pitching to. If you're not a regular reader of the magazine you're pitching to, it's a good idea to go to the library and check out a few recent issues. Look for:

--Which articles are written by freelancers vs. staff (staff are listed on the masthead)

--Regular departments where your story might be a good fit

--Whether or not your idea has recently been covered

--Writing style (first-person vs. third-person narration; formal vs. informal tone, etc.)

3. Know your slant. It's not enough to tell an editor that you want to write a story for them about weight loss. You need a specific slant, e.g., "9 Ways to Lose Weight While Napping" or "How I Lost 38 Lbs. Eating Nothing But Bananas."

4. Don't hide the ball. The editor is not going to steal your idea. Promise. So don't be cagey - you need to explain enough about your idea that the editor is intrigued, can envision where the story might fit into the magazine, can see that you've thought through the details and length of the story, and, most importantly, can see that you can be trusted to write it well and deliver the goods.

About The Author

Jennifer Carsen, J.D. is a recovering attorney and the founder of Big Juicy Life. Her specialty is turning lawyers into writers. Go to http://www.bigjuicylifecoaching.com for a copy of the free report, "6 Myths About Leaving the Law for Writing."

The author invites you to visit:
http://www.bigjuicylifecoaching.com

Nine Tips to Getting Published

2009-10-30T05:00:00.002-04:00

You’ve written your story and now you want to send it off to a publisher. But is your story ready to be sent off? To increase your chances of getting published the following tips should help get your story ready for publication:

1. A good title can help catch the editor/publisher’s eye;
2. Always include a beginning, middle and an ending in your stories;
3. Edit for clarity as well as grammar, spelling, etc...;
4. Always use correct (or publisher required) manuscript presentation;
5. Include a front and back coversheet;
6. Include a SASE;
7. Stick to the required word count and format;
8. The less work the editor/publisher has to do, the more likely your piece will be accepted (but don’t make your manuscript look like a book, that’s the editor/publisher’s job);
9. Always be professional.

If you can submit an error-free, professional-looking manuscript, you will have already beaten all the other writers who think they’ll get their story noticed if it’s printed on pink paper, bordered with little stars, or hand-written in old Gothic. None of these strategies will give you an edge; they will only make you look too eccentric to be worth an editor’s trouble.

Being neat, professional and competitive may help to put you ahead of the rest and get your story published.

About the author:
Kristy Taylor is a syndicated journalist with articles and fiction strewn across all forms of media. She has written and published numerous books, and is the executive editor of Paramount Publishing, which encompasses several web sites, including http://www.ShortStoryCompetitions.com

For more help on building the perfect proposal,
check out Terry Whalin's book,

Book Proposals That Sell

Writing With All Five Senses

2009-10-27T14:40:00.004-04:00

E.L. Doctorow once said, “Good writing is supposed to evoke sensation in the reader not the fact that it is raining, but the feeling of being rained upon.”

What is he talking about? Easy. He is describing the importance of vivid description. For any writer to succeed, he/she must master showing instead of telling. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, here's an example:

Telling: I heard a dog crying in the distance.

Showing: The mournful howl of a dog ripped through the air, causing my pulse to quicken and goosebumps to appear on my flesh.

Do you see the difference? In the first one, I told you that a dog cried, but you have no idea what it sounds like. In the second, I helped you to hear the dog for yourself. You now know that it was a mournful and eerie sound.

In every good story, it is vital to allow your reader to become involved. One of the best ways to do that is to use the five senses. Don't tell your reader things, allow him to see, hear, smell, feel, and taste them. Paint such a vivid picture that your reader can't help but become involved in the story.

Try this exercise to strengthen your skills of showing.

Get a piece of paper. Divide it into five columns and title each column with the following: see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. Now, think of your favorite place in the world. Imagine you are there right now. In the appropriate columns, write down everything you can about that place. What are you seeing? Are there smells? If so, describe them. How do you feel? Warm, cold, scared, peaceful? What kind of sounds do you hear? Cars, birds, water? Taste can be a little tricky unless your favorite place is a restaurant, but try to come up with something if you can.

Once you have your detailed list, write an article in which you describe that place to the reader. Don't tell them about the place, but use your five senses to show them the place that you love so much. Don't focus too much on one sense, but be sure to include each one.

Whatever you do, don't underestimate the importance of the five senses. No one wants to read a story where everything is told. It's like sitting down and reading a text book. Boring! Bring your story to life in the eyes of your reader. Show, don't tell!

For more information on using the five senses, check out my 8-week e-class at LearnWriteNow.com!

SMALL REPORTS FORTUNE - Jimmy D. Brown

2009-10-23T12:24:00.002-04:00

How to Make More Money With Information Products Than Ever
Before By Using Three Powerful NO COST Tools

By Jimmy D. Brown of “Small Reports Fortune”

.................................

It’s all under your control.

If you sell information products and want to make more
money with them, there’s good news:

It’s all under your control.

That’s right, you can make more money with your
information products simply by doing something that you
have the power to do.

It’s not dependent upon anyone else. It’s up to you.

Let me explain …

While there are a lot of different aspects of selling
information products, there are really only two ways to make
more money with them …

Sell More
Refund Less

Really, it’s pretty much that simple.

In order to make more money with information products you
need to either SELL MORE or REFUND LESS.

Or, better still, do BOTH.

Now, in the many years I’ve been selling information
products, I’ve found there are three powerful tools that will
help you do just that.

You can use these three tools to SELL MORE by using them
on your classified ads, solo mailings, sales letters,
autoresponder messages and virtually any sales tool.

You can also use these three tools to REFUND LESS by
applying them to the information products you create.

Care to find out what they are?

Read on …

*** Three Powerful Tools ***
What makes these tools so powerful is a combination of
important benefits

* They don’t cost a penny to use.
* They work over and over again.
* They are under your control.

In fact, you already have them.

These three powerful tools are WAYS TO USE WORDS.

Tool #1. Education. When it comes to information products,
nothing comes close to the power and profitability of
educating your readers.

I’m talking the distance between the planet Pluto and the
computer screen you’re now staring at.

Not even remotely close.

Content is king. Nobody else gets to wear the crown or sit
on the throne. Content rules the land of information
products.

So, first things first, you gotta give your readers information
that educates them. You gotta teach them something.

Do this in your promotion tools (ezine articles, reports, sales
letters, etc.) and you’ll have readers thinking “This person
knows something … I better take a closer look.”

You’ll SELL MORE.

Educate customers in your information products and show
them how to produce results in their own lives and you’ll
make them happy, satisfied customers.

You’ll REFUND LESS.

Tool #2. Entertainment. To be completely honest, it’s not
enough to solely provide content. Even if it’s good content,
that won’t always get the job done.

Think of it this way: your high school civics teacher
provided you with (too much) content in a single 55-minute
class, but would you really buy anything from him?

Maybe a hall pass or a set of earplugs, but that’s about it. :o)

Nobody likes to read BORING content. We turn off boring
television programs, we fall asleep reading boring books and
we keep our credit cards tucked firmly inside our pockets
when we read boring sales letters, ezine articles, solo
mailings or special reports.

Make it fun. Make it entertaining. And you can do that by
using …

* Illustrations
* Funny stories
* Analogies
* Outrageous statements

I once wrote an article entitled “I’ll Swallow A Live
Grasshopper If This Doesn’t Boost Your Website Traffic”.

Do you think anyone read it?

Ask yourself this: would YOU like to read it?

We love to have a good time, and there’s no reason why you
shouldn’t apply that reasoning to your writing.

Keep readers interested as they consume your promotion
materials by entertaining them.

You’ll SELL MORE.

Help customers enjoy reading page after page of your
product by entertaining them.

You’ll REFUND LESS.

When you add entertainment to education, you’ll make more
money with information products …

… faster than you can say “ “LIVE GRASSHOPPER.” :o)

Tool #3. Emotion. Whether it’s outrage over an injustice,
excitement over a success or piqued interest over a
possibility, our emotions drive us.

Few decisions are based on intelligent analysis, but rather on
emotional response. Few actions are based on accurate data,
but rather on impulsive feelings.

We are emotional people. And there is no stronger proof of
that than to watch what we do and to listen to what we say.

Your job is to get us emotional. Fill us with hope.
Empower us. Give us courage. Motivate us. Issue a
challenge. Inspire. Get us to do something.

That’s what we really want. More than education, more than
entertainment – we want someone to compel us to do
something to make our lives better.

And the power and profits go to the ones who can do that.

Fill readers with hope and expectation with your marketing
materials.

You’ll SELL MORE.

Give your customers confidence and enthusiasm as they read
chapter after chapter of your information product.

You’ll REFUND LESS.

*** Conclusion ***

If you want to make more money with information products,
then you CAN do it. You’re in charge. It’s under your
control.

Education.
Entertainment.
Emotion.

Three powerful tools that lead to incredible profits.

But, only if you use them.

Some will read this article and discard it like they have done
with countless others.

And some will get busy.

I think you’ll be one of the few who will make more money.

Prove me right.

.........................
Jimmy D. Brown is the author of "Small Reports Fortune" - if
you can write 7-15 page small reports, you can earn a living
online working just a few hours each week from your home.
Look for his EXCLUSIVE formula "Creating A Six-Figure Income
With Small Reports" .
.........................

A Closer Look at Writing E-books

2009-10-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

Are you one of the hundreds of struggling freelance writers who can't seem to catch a break? Are you tired of rejections and apologies? You know, the ones that say, "We'd love to use your manuscript, BUT. . ." Freelance writing is a difficult job, but it doesn't have to be. At least, not anymore, thanks to eBooks.

I know what some of you are thinking. You're saying that you want to be a real writer. Well, when it comes down to it, eBooks are the new thing, so it is in your best interest to get on board. As for not being a real writer, who is the judge of what is and isn't a real writer? You've written a book, whether it's paperback, hardback, or electronic doesn't matter. It's your book, and you are the author. It's that simple.

The second complaint that is often heard in the realm of eBooks is that all the information has already been covered. WHAT? People, places, and things are changing daily. How can everything already be written about? Look at the Internet, for example. It alone offers countless topics for your next eBook. Technology is in a constant state of improvement. Write about it!

What else can you write about? Anything you want to. That's the beauty of it. The world is full of people looking for information on a variety of topics. Gardening. Yoga. Internet business. Pets. Green living. Even writing itself is a popular topic for best-selling eBooks. The possibilities are endless. Plus, even if your topic is already widely covered, you still have options. Give your eBook a different slant or approach the topic from a different angle. Pick a specific topic within a broader topic. For example, if you're wanting to write an eBook about writing, narrow it down to article writing or writing fiction for children. Take a minute now to brainstorm your topic and see how many subcategories you can find, then choose one to be the basis for your eBook.

Being a writer myself, I know that you dread the thought of devoting more time to another project when you've already been rejected so many times. Believe me, I've been there, but that's just another great thing about eBooks. You see, eBook publishing is NOTHING like traditional publishing. In traditional publishing, you write the book, send it out to a publisher or agent and wait for months for them to decide whether or not they would like to publish your manuscript. If you're lucky, you'll soon get an acceptance letter, and the publishing process will begin. However, for many of us, that simply isn't the case. Instead, we receive one of those politely written form rejection letters, forcing us to start the painful process all over again. Ebook publishing is exactly the opposite.

In eBook publishing, you can publish the work yourself. Now, this is not like self-publishing through a vanity press. That involves spending a great deal of money that you probably don't have and then still having to do most of the work yourself. If your main goal is to publish your own eBook, there are countless ways to do that on the Internet, some of which are free to set up as long as you agree to pay a small percentage on every eBook you sell.

You can also use your eBook to promote your online business if you have one. How? Believe it or not, by giving it away. It sounds strange, I know. How can you make money if you give stuff away? It's really quite simple. Everyone loves free stuff! By giving your eBook away, you get into the hands of the people who really want to read it. If it is well-written, they will be impressed and will search out more about you and your other projects. Voila! Instant customer!

If you don't have your own business, that's fine. You can use your eBook to promote other people's businesses, making you an affiliate. Why would you want to do that? There are two reasons. First, it still gets your book into the hands of those who may seek out more eBooks by you, thus enhancing your sales. Second, by placing your affiliate links in your eBook, if the people who receive your eBook buy something from your affiliate, you get a piece of the profit, usually no less than 50% and often much more. It's a win-win situation.

If you have your heart set on being published by a traditional publisher, never fear. Publishing your own eBook can help you in that area as well. How? When publishers receive a manuscript, one of the first things they do is Google the author. They are eager to find out what kind of following and audience he/she has. You see, it is not just the responsibility of the publisher to promote your book. It's yours, as well. If you already have a faithful following of your work, a publisher may deem you worthy to take a chance on. Writing and publishing eBooks gives you an easy way to quickly make a name for yourself and build an audience. This may be the very thing that gets your foot in the door of a traditional publisher.

Have You Considered Online Writing?

2009-10-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

There are many talented writers in the world that cringe at the thought of full-time freelance writing. After all, most full-time authors aren't exactly rolling in the dough. The work is hard, tedious, and often, unappreciated. But things are changing in favor of the struggling writer. And, it's all due to the many writing opportunities now available on the Web.

When many people hear of successful Internet gurus, they picture the multi-millionaire that owns four or five businesses and basically conducts those businesses on the Web. Well, there are many people who would fall into that category. But, did you know that you could bring in more than $100,000 each year by simply doing the thing you love to do? Writing! You heard me. The starving poets are a thing of the past. If you are interested in making a serious living as a writer, here are some opportunities now available to you.

Article writing: This is one of the most popular forms of writing on the Web today. Many businesses are discovering that article marketing is one of the easiest and fastest ways to drive targeted traffic to their websites. The problem is that many of these web owners are not writers. They don't have a clue how to put together an article, so they will gladly pay you to do it for them. An average article is 400-700 words, making it easy for you to write several of these a day.

Web content: Just as with article writing, there are many people out there looking to set up their own web site, but they do not possess the talent to write their own content. This is another area where owners are willing to pay you to produce the content for them. This often involves writing introductions to the company, biographies, sales letters, product descriptions, and the like. The work is not difficult, but it does require some knowledge and familiarity with web site design.

Copywriting: This is writing basic sales letters for a company or individual. In the letter, you describe the product or service being offered and try to convince the reader to purchase it. I'm sure you've received a multitude of these offers in the mail. The online versions are set up the same way. These letters are written in a casual tone, making it much easier for you to write. There are other variations of copywriting, but this is the most popular.

E-books: Here, you have two choices. You can write and sell your own e-books. This method requires a lot of work on your part because you will have to set up arrangements for selling and marketing, but in most cases, you will get to keep all of the profits. There are also people out there with a great idea who are looking for someone to write an e-book for them. The pay is not usually great, but the work is relatively easy, especially if you are already familiar with the topic.

Blogs: Again, there are a couple of different options in this area. You can set up your own blog and sell advertising on it. The alternative is writing for someone else's blog. As with e-books, the pay for each posting is not great, but you could write several postings in an hour. The more blogging jobs you get, the more money you can bring in.

Ghostwriting: This is where you write a book, article, story, etc. for someone else, but they get the credit for the work. When you are paid as a ghostwriter, you are being paid for not only the use of your work, but also the rights for it. Basically, your employer gets to claim the work as his/her own. Because of this, writers can charge a little more for this service. Occasionally, a ghostwriter is acknowledged for his/her assistance, but not always.

Editing & Proofreading: In this area, people pay you to correct their mistakes, whether they be grammatical or typographical. Each job is a little different. Some employers want you to make the project sound as good as possible, even if that means butchering their work. Others want only the most basic of your editing skills. Be sure to find out what your employer wants before taking on the job.

These are just a few of the many online jobs now available to you as a writer. If you are just starting out, it can be very difficult to find these jobs. In that case, I would suggest trying out some of the different writing services like Elance or Guru. On these sites, you bid on the different writing jobs that interests you. There are many writing jobs listed each day, so you can count on always having work. Other resources you can use are writing sites such as Freelancewriting.com. Here, the jobs are listed, and you have the opportunity to directly contact the person who placed the advertisement.

The possibilities are endless. With a little discipline and motivation, you can easily become a full-time freelance writer. I've given you a few ideas of where to start, but I promise you that if you'll dive in, you'll find more opportunities than you can handle. So, choose wisely. You don't want to over-commit, but you do want to make a living. And, now you can, doing the thing you love most.

Plot: Turning Your Story Into an Exciting Ride

2009-10-09T16:11:00.007-04:00

The plot is the sequence of events that tells the story. The plot is where the author arranges events in a logical order to develop his basic idea. The plot generally consists of five parts: the introduction, the rising action, the climax, the falling action, and the final outcome.

The introduction is the beginning of your story where you introduce your characters, setting, and the basic subject of the story.

The rising action is where the conflict occurs, and the character(s) must figure out how to resolve the problem

The climax is the point of the highest action. This is the turning point of the story.

The falling action is the resolution of the conflict.

The final outcome is the part of the story where you tie up any loose ends and wrap up the story. (There is great danger in dragging a story on at this point. Don't give in to the temptation. Say what needs to be said and end the story.)

Many writers find it best to compare plot to a roller coaster ride. Depending on the length of the story, the plot may have many ups and downs, but it must have both, and it must keep moving. At times the roller coaster may move faster than at other times. The same can be said of the plot. It is important that you give your readers enough action so that they don't get bored but not too much so that they have a chance to catch their breath. As with a roller coaster, there should be breath-taking events and also times of anticipation (like when the coaster is trudging up that high hill). This is known as pace, and is an important part of building a good plot.

Example of a weak plot:

Joe goes for a walk in the woods. He enjoys his leisurely hike. He surveys the plant and animal life around him. He finishes his walk and goes home.

BORING!!!!!!!!!!

Example of a good plot:

Joe goes for a walk in the woods. Before long, he comes across a snake that strikes at him from the side of the trail. He narrowly escapes the snake and hurries down the trail only to find himself a few feet from a black bear. He manages to sneak away without gaining the bear's attention, but as he continues down the path and comes to a crossroads, he discovers that he dropped his map during his flight and now has no idea which way to turn.

Do you see the difference? In the first example, there is no conflict, no action, and therefore, no real story. It was just a boring list of events. The second, however, was full of ups and downs. The beginning set up our character and setting. Then, we have the action with the snake and then the relief of his escape. Not long after that, we are brought to the edge of our seats again by the sighting of the bear. We breathe a sigh of relief as Joe sneaks away unnoticed. But then, our hearts cry out when we realize that Joe has lost his map and is uncertain which direction to go. Up, down, up, down. Just like a roller coaster. Keep that in mind while creating your plot!

Five Steps for Dealing with Writer's Block

2009-10-05T13:00:00.001-04:00

There is nothing as intimidating as the blinking cursor on a blank page. It is incessant, demanding that you type something. . . anything. Yet, no matter how often it blinks, the words just won't come. The story is there. Your thoughts are in order, but the delivery is elusive. And so, the cursor blinks on.

Writer's block, despite what many say, is not just a frame of mind or an excuse to avoid writing. It is a plague that infects writers of all age, race, and stature. While there are no "cures" for writer's block, here are a few ideas that may help to release the flow of words.

Copy something - Sometimes just seeing words on the page will spark the muse. Take a few minutes to copy (by hand) or type definitions from the dictionary, an excerpt from the latest book you're reading, Bible verses, etc. It doesn't matter what you copy. Just get your mind and fingers engaged in the process. Pretty soon, you'll discover that you have some words of your own to contribute.

Keep a journal - Journaling is an excellent way to express your emotions, record your thoughts, keep track of writing ideas, or whatever else you can think of. Journaling is your private writing. You don't have to worry about spelling, grammar, or format. It is a time where you can simply allow your thoughts to run freely. Doing this daily helps keep you in the frame of mind for writing, plus it is an excellent stress reliever.

Talk about what you're writing - Whether it's to a friend or a family member, talking about your writing can often spark new ideas or angles that you hadn't thought of previously. If no one is around during your "hour of need," log on to some writing forums or chat rooms. Not only will you be likely to come up with some new thoughts, but some of the people you're talking with may have some interesting contributions as well.

Do writing prompts and exercises - When you're completely stuck on a project, sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away from it and write something else. Writing prompts are great. They set up a scene or situation, and then leave you to your writing. Sometimes the prompt will offer suggestions that you can use in your current project, but if not, it will still get your writing juices flowing, allowing you to soar over the bump of writer's block. Many writing websites offer free prompts and exercises.

Read - Have you ever been reading something completely unrelated to your writing when - BAM! -- a great concept came to you? That happens to me a lot. Somehow, getting my mind off of my writing allows my thoughts to become more clear and productive. It's strange, I know, but it works. When you're in the dark abyss of writer's block, turn to your favorite book and read for a while. Either you'll come up with something new, or you will have calmed yourself enough that the blinking cursor is no longer the terrifying monster it was thirty minutes ago.

There will be times when the words just won't come. Don't panic. Take some time to walk away. Do some stretches. Take a few deep breaths. Then, try some of the advice above. Whatever you do, don't give up! The words are there within you. It may just take a little time to get them out.

Are You Making These Mistakes in Your Fiction Writing?

2009-10-04T18:30:00.001-04:00

John tells Jane about a wonderful story idea he has. Jane tells John he should write a book about it. John does. It is immediately picked up by a major publishing house, and within a month, it is on the NY Times Bestseller list. John quits his job and lives off his royalties. The End.

Every writer in the room is saying, "Yeah, right. It doesn't happen like that." For most writers, no, it doesn't. However, you may see better results if you rid your writing of some tragic mistakes.

Chapter one. Already bored. - It has been said that you have between 3-5 seconds to catch your reader's attention. That's not much time at all. With an opening sentence like, "It was a cold day in Maine," you're sure to lose the reader before they get to the really good stuff. So, start with the good stuff. Spend a lot of time crafting that first sentence until you're sure it will hook your reader. Once you have them hooked, keep them that way. Don't spend the first chapter trying to set up your plot and describe all your characters. You can do that along the way. Start in the middle of your story. Begin in the midst of the action. Then, once the reader is interested, you can fill in the missing details.

Getting from "Point A to Point B" - Your reader is hooked. Your story is going strong. You finished a scene. Now what? Obviously, you need to get to your next scene, but how? How can you jump from one scene to the next without an abrupt hiccup in the flow of the story? This is a tricky area for writers, and it does take practice to make transitions smooth. The best way is to avoid long, drawn-out transitions. Say what needs to be said in as few words as possible, then switch to the next scene as smoothly as you can. If all else fails, leave two or three blank lines between paragraphs to note the passing of time. This is effective, but if you use it too often, your writing will take on a choppy feel.

Weak characters - Readers want to relate to your characters, but it's difficult if your characters are not realistic. You know the type: the smart kid that never makes a mistake, the brave warrior who throws himself into the crocodile pit just to prove his bravery, the mom with five kids who lives in a perfect house with the perfect husband and the perfect car. Yuck! These types of characters are so fake that no one can possibly relate to them. Your readers want characters that they can believe in. Creating believable characters takes a lot of time and effort, but it is definitely worth it. Get to know your characters, and then show them to your readers.

Oops! That can't be right! - Many times, writers get so caught up in their story that they overlook certain points of logic. Bill was so excited to get his character on a plane that he had his flight arriving in Australia five hours after it left Peru. Not going to happen! Lisa was so entranced in her romantic reunion scene that she forgot her main character was allergic to the roses her lover was offering her. It's easy to be so wrapped up in the story that we lose sight of checking all our facts and making sure there are no holes in our plot or our logic. Believe it or not, your readers will pick up on it.

He said, she said - Dialogue is an important element in crafting a good work of fiction, but it can be overused or used incorrectly. Dialogue is the means by which your characters communicate. It is not a way for you to communicate to your readers. Granted, you can do some "showing" through a proper use of dialogue, but avoid having your characters tell your reader the entire story. There are other good ways to get your point across. Where's the action? Where's the description? Where's the plot? In certain scenes, it's easy to get bogged down with dialogue. Don't let this happen. It will cause your entire story to go stale.

Following these guidelines does not guarantee you a place on the bestseller list, but it will help to make your fiction work the best that it can be.

To Self-Publish, or Not to Self-Publish?

2009-10-03T19:00:00.001-04:00

One of the top questions in writing today is whether or not one should self-publish. Let's face it. Traditional Publishers receive hundreds of thousands of manuscripts each year, and only a small percentage of those make it into print. The rest are either thrown away or returned to the sender with a nice form rejection letter. For this reason, it makes sense for writers to explore the possibility of self-publication. That being said, let's weigh out the pros and cons.

Pros:

1. You have complete control over your book. There are no editors or publishers telling you to make change after change in an effort to "improve" your manuscript. If you want to make changes, go ahead. If not, that's fine too. It's completely up to you.

2. It's quicker. The process of submitting a book to traditional publishers can be a very long ordeal. With self-publishing, you can usually have your book published in just a few days.

3. You keep more in royalties. Publishing houses don't offer much in royalties, especially if your name in not well-known. If you choose to publish on your own, you receive an average of 40% of the profits from each book sale.

4. You can become "somebody." In the writing world, nobody takes you seriously unless you have a book. The sooner you get your own book, the sooner people will start to take notice of you. Your name and presence will grow.

5. You won't receive any rejection letters. Probably the greatest thing about self-publishing is that you never have to receive that letter or e-mail that states, "Thank you for sending us your manuscript. We regret that we are unable to use it at this time."

Cons:

1. You have to do all the work. Publishing houses have an entire staff dedicated to getting books ready for print. If you're going through a POD or vanity press, plan on doing the work yourself. You will need to be your own editor, cover designer, etc.

2. The marketing is in your hands. Many bookstores do not accept self-published books, and those that do are hard to get into. It will take a lot of hard work to promote your book and to place it in stores.

3. Money is required. No matter which company you go with, there will be some out-of-pocket expenses. Self-publishing requires you to make an upfront payment with no guarantee that you'll sell anything. Plus, there is a lot of financial requirements in advertising and marketing your book.

4. It is often looked down upon. Some people have it in their head that a self-published author is not a true author at all. However, many famous authors began their career with self-publishing. A few examples are Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Beatrix Potter, Rudyard Kipling, and even Stephen King.

There is no right or wrong way to publish a book. The important thing is that you explore all the possibilities available to you and make an informed decision based on your personal goals and the facts you've obtained.

Is You Fiction Work Worthy of Being Read?

2009-10-02T17:30:00.001-04:00

There are many elements that go into making a work of fiction worthy of being read. While each part is essential, there are four elements that are vital in transforming your work from a boring jumble of words to a true work of art.

1.The idea - This is where every great work of fiction begins. Ideas can come from various places. Sometimes an idea will just pop into your head or wander in from your imagination, but more often, something in your life will trigger a story idea. A personal experience is a wonderful source for an idea. Many writers come across new topics while working on a completely different project. Ideas can be gathered from television, newspaper articles, or overhearing a story in the checkout line of the grocery store. Story ideas are all around you, so it's important to keep a notebook with you to jot them down when they come to you.

2.The plot - There have been many discussions on whether you should choose your plot or your characters first. Personally, I think you should pick your plot. After all, how do you know who your characters should be if you don't even know what they are doing? The plot is the element that takes your idea and transforms it into a story. It is the part that moves the story from "Point A" to "Point B." In order for your story to be exciting, your plot needs to be exciting. Think of it as a roller coaster. Up, down. Fast, slow. Twist, turn. Your plot should do all of these. The best plots are those that have the reader experiencing opposite emotions in the same chapter. Happy, sad. Scared, relaxed. Assured, in doubt. Keep the story moving, and your reader will continue to flip the pages. Let the story stall, and your book is likely to wind up on the shelf. That's how important plot is!

3.Characters - The next thing every good story needs is good characters. Notice I said "good characters" not just "characters." The character is the person (or sometimes animal) who is living out the story. For the story to be believable, the characters must be believable. Unfortunately, there are many good plots out there that lack realistic characters. The people are dull and lifeless, making it hard for the reader to relate. Make your characters come alive with action, dialogue, and description. Know your character, and help your reader to know him as well.

4.Setting - While this element is not as important as the other three, setting often plays a vital part in a story. Not only does setting tell the reader "where" and "when," but it can also help set the mood. For example, if your setting is on the field of battle in the middle of the Revolutionary War, there is a mood of fear, sadness, and regret. If your story is taking place in a dark creepy house on a stormy night, you have set it up for the perfect mystery.

While there are many other elements in a work of fiction, these are the most important. Master them, and your story will be worthy of being read and hopefully even being published.