1 Writer's Way

Getting Your Just Desserts From Divorce

Emily Green — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 07:42:45 +0000

Depending on your situation, going through a divorce can be an emotional and very stressful time. You have realized that your marriage is finished. You also may realize that it is now time to move on with your new life. However, there are ramifications and issues that can include custody, property division, and perhaps even spousal support.

One interesting form of spousal support is that of permanent alimony. If you feel that you may be entitled to this form of support, you need to do some research and seek legal advice to help you to navigate the ins and outs of this financial support.

Generally, the divorcing parties negotiate these types of awards. In some cases, the permanent alimony was set forth in a prenuptial or even in a postnuptial agreement. Other cases may involve a court order for permanent alimony.

Image via Flickr

Understanding Alimony

Permanent alimony generally continues for an indefinite time period. Depending on local state laws, this type of alimony will cease if the former spouse dies or remarries. In some states, the alimony will cease if the person receiving the alimony engages in a cohabitation situation of a permanent nature—meaning living expenses are being shared with another person.

Factors Surrounding Alimony

The amount awarded can be determined by the courts if the couple did not or cannot agree. There are many factors that the courts can use to settle on the amount; however, in most cases the deciding factor is the length of the marriage.

For shorter marriages (less than five years in duration), courts often decide that each person probably has the same earning abilities that they had prior to the marriage. In these cases, the courts are saying that the individual spouses are able to be self-supporting in a short period.

With longer marriages (considered to be five years or longer), the courts are more likely to order permanent alimony. They take into consideration such things as:

Individual earning capabilities
Health and age
Length of marriage
Contributions of the homemaker
Contributions made to a spouse’s career/education
Property and debt division

Modifications of Permanent Alimony

Although an end date is not set, modifications to the alimony can be made if major changes have occurred, such as a large decrease or increase in income. Generally, one person must petition the court to seek a modification.

It is in the best interest of anyone seeking a divorce to have professional legal representation. These professionals will be able to guide you through the process as well as make sure that you receive everything to which you are entitled.

Writing About Currency Market

Emily Green — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:15:39 +0000

Image Courtesy of Flickr

One of the most difficult things you can do as a writer is to make your money stretch as far as you want it to. As easy as it is to reach your word counts and put together good copy, it can be immensely challenging to make your money fit together so seamlessly for the entire month. Far too often, writers have to live from one paycheck to the next. The good news is, through investing you can smooth out the rough patches.

The best thing about being an investor is that it makes you a prime candidate to write about the currency market. So when you start investing, take the time to really understand it. Then, writing about currency market on a site like http://forexalliance.com will be easier for you. So here are some tips to get your learning curve under control.

Investments Help You

Investing is seriously misunderstood. For some people, it just means throwing money into the market and gambling that it will grow. While some people certainly follow that method, it doesn’t usually work out very well for them. For other, slightly wiser individuals, taking the time to carefully plan out their investing method and then putting it into practice tends to result in profit instead of loss.

When you have a solid investment portfolio put together, you have less to fear. So what if you don’t have any work for a while? Your investments can produce enough money to keep you going, provided you work your plan carefully.

Investing Isn’t So Hard

As a writer, you already have a strong stomach. Staring at a blank page and knowing that you have to create something out of nothing while a deadline looms ever larger is not the work of a lightweight. On top of it all, if you’re paid on commission, you have to deal with the fact that not everything you write is going to get you any money.

As strange as it seems, investing works in much the same way. You start off without any returns, and you have to build them somehow. Through doing research, you fill your page with orders to buy, sell, short and do other functions. Over time, you build up the money you need to live, even if some days don’t go as well as others do. The act of trading is even called “writing” an order, so even the lingo is pretty approachable.

Build Your Dreams

Everybody has dreams, and most people take on a profession to help them build those dreams. As a writer, you no doubt want to do more than just get “a byline” and “a paycheck.” You have something to say, and you want it to be heard everywhere. With a good investment portfolio, you can take the time to focus on speaking your mind instead of just writing “what someone will pay for.” Don’t be afraid to invest in making your dreams into reality.

Making a Writer’s Job Easier

Emily Green — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:21:26 +0000

When you are a writer for online marketing and business-promotion collaterals, you play a pivotal role in the success of getting the marketing message across to the site’s target audience. Fortunately, however, several online publishing tools are making a writer’s job easier. The key as a writer is to learn what these tools are and how you can use them to turn your job into a breeze and make your clients love your work even more.

Image via Flickr

Reaching Consumers Wherever They Are

Some of the best tools for writers are tools that allow them to reach a client’s customer wherever they are. One great example is the Foursquare Button for publishers. A location-based marketing campaign, this button is easily added to the website of a client or business.

When customers visit the site and click the button, the visitors subscribe to receiving updates. The key is that it adds the subscription to the subscriber’s mobile device so that the customer receives alerts about businesses, discounts, and special promotions from the businesses in the area where the customer is.

How did this tool redefine marketing?

For example, if a customer is shopping in the retail strip where a particular clothing store is running a 20 percent off special for Foursquare members, an alert appears on the screen of the mobile phone, informing the customer about the deal.

Talk about making a writer’s job easier, how much your clients will love you when you can easily boost their sales simply by adding a button to their website.

Establishing the Brand’s Online Presence

Writers should look for tools that make their job easier and at the same time, add value to the services they offer to their clients. SEO keyword research tools are another example on how you can make writing marketing copy easier. Conduct some research on keywords you should weave in to the copy you are writing for the client’s website, blog or online articles.

Building the Writer’s Credibility

Plagiarism scans are another simple and easy-to-use tool that can make a writer’s job easier. While it might not be your intention to copy or plagiarise, sometimes your original copy is too similar to an existing write-up in the Web. To ensure that this does not become a legal issue with the client, you should use an online scanner that helps you pinpoint any problem areas.

Proficient innovative tools help professional writers by making their writing job easier. When you find the tools you like and need, utilize them. You’ll be happier with your work and so will your clients.

Improving Your Blog’s Status Using Infographic Tools

Emily Green — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 06:11:31 +0000

Image by Merve Menekşe at Flickr.

The Internet is getting more popular by the minute. Because of its popularity millions of people are creating blogs as a hobby and a way to supplement their income. Many college students are starting their own blog in hopes of earning extra money while in school. Students spend a lot of money on commuting back and forth, textbooks and food, and that extra income is helpful.

Now blog owners are looking for ways to increase their search engine rankings by using Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Many people often struggle with learning SEO and tracking how well their blog is doing.

It’s beneficial to anyone with a blog or website to use cool infographic tools to track their blog’s traffic. Thanks to these cool infographic tools you can fix any of the text or content on your blog to significantly improve your ranking on search engines. Anyone looking to make a good living off his or her blog will want to take advantage of that.

Study your Keywords

Keep an eye on the keywords you’re using in your blog. There are programs that allow you to highlight your usage on the keywords and keyword frequency. Infographic tools will analyze your keywords so you can see what keywords work and what keywords don’t. It’s important to make sure the keywords you’re using are relevant to the type of blogs you’re writing.

Examine your Content

Image by Merve Menekşe at Flickr.

Now that you’ve studied your keywords, the next step is to take a look at your keyword placement in your content. By using infographic tools for SEO purposes, you’re able to see your blogs the same way the search engine would. This is beneficial because it allows you to improve your keywords if you need to.

Find Related Words

You can use infographics tools to find related words in your content. These are two similar words that show up in a phrase together. You will also get the option to hide words like “to be.” Doing this lets you quickly see your dominant words that you’ve used in your content. Fix your content until the dominant words are your keywords.

Many people are turning to the Internet to earn an extra income. The biggest problem they face is learning how to really make money using different SEO techniques. By utilizing what cool infographics can do, anyone can quickly and easily boost their blog’s search engine rankings.

Like with college, it’s a matter of studying keywords, examining your content and making changes when needed to improve your ranking.

The First Time of Edward Bass Producer

Emily Green — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:56:33 +0000

Surviving of writers, producers, and directors in the film industry is either to back out or continue. There’s a big competition out there. It’s like survival of the fittest, but there are those who make it and continue forward such as Edward Bass, producer of independent films. He’s been in the industry for a long time. His patience and determination leads him to his first directorial debut. Few like him would not make it. Since he’s financed movies with big actors and big stories, you will not wonder why he continued his steps forward.

He is directing “Belle,” it’s a biopic about a famous female serial killer in America. He even used some Alfred Hitchcock techniques in making the film. It is his inspiration. He is using framed shots so that the emotions of the actors can be clearly seen, since the film is a psychological thriller. Edward Bass, producer of the film does not only limit himself to what everybody knows instead, he also sees to it that he uses his own creativity.

He wouldn’t have a hard time to be looking for actors and actresses since he’s worked with them. Big names such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ashley Judd, Sharon Stone, Elijah Wood, are just some of the stars that he has worked with. Edward Bass producer of the films like “Bobby”, “While She Was Out”, “Slingshot”, “Chlorine”, and others are even viewed and acclaimed from those international film festivals. Most of them were nominated in the Toronto, Venice, Berlin, and Sundance Film Festivals. This is a big break for him to try and make a movie of his own. He was even nominated in the Golden Globe Awards.

Before he became a producer, he managed some personalities such as Ballerina and Boxer. The boxer was Caesar Chavez, noted as the highest boxer paid in the history of boxing. Edward Bass, producer also of some musical plays such as “Stardust” and “Great moments on Stage” is a talent that must be never be forgotten. He got his own ways of being creative and not being swallowed by fame. He chose independent films so that there would be freedom in what he wants to share to the world. There are different ways on how you should watch a film. He decided to do one because he knows that he can do it just like others who have been on the same path before. This is his passion. This is his art. He will continue to awe the audience in a different way and not just the usual.

Write the way people like to read

Emily Green — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:33:11 +0000

Image by IvanWalsh.com via Flickr

Plain writing or informal writing is the new-age writing style. Times have changed. People do not have lots of time to read. For those who can manage some time to read, they want something that is informal and easy to understand.

People like to read on the move. They might not get enough time to read at home. Travelling time is the best time for them to catch up on some reading. E-book readers satiate this need of people by providing a mobile platform that supplies them with thousand of books.

But at the end of the day, people want to read information that is written like you spoke it. Sometimes such a writing style might not adhere to rules of perfect English. But does anyone care? Is effectiveness more important?

Modern communication has gone through a lot of changes. Preferences of people have changed dramatically. They do not enjoy reading something that is esoteric and full of words that makes one run for a dictionary. They want to read information that is written plainly and purely.

Thus, the need of the hour is for writer to communicate interactively. The power of communication in such a way is so effective, that is can influence people in a positive way. Writers need not think of losing their ability to use the language flamboyantly. They can do such self-indulgence for a niche audience. But what about the mass audience?

Writer the way people like to read. When you write, speak to them through your words. Don’t just write to them.

Conducting an audience analysis before writing

Emily Green — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:33:07 +0000

Image by IvanWalsh.com via Flickr

Writers need to understand their audience before even attempting to write something. Audience analysis might sound frivolous and often a bit over-rated. But audience analysis is an important component of the writing process. It simplifies a writer’s objective on writing an informatory article.

What is audience analysis? Audience analysis is analyzing the tastes and preferences of a target audience to which the writer is writing for. It includes a set of parameters on which the writer will base the article on. The article’s writing style, information design, and presentation will depend on the results derived from the audience analysis.

Here’s how to perform an audience analysis.

Classify the audience

Who is the audience? Are they doctors, lawyers, truckers, chemists, hustlers…?

Knowledge

How much does the audience know about the subject? Are they totally unaware about the subject or do they have an intermediate knowledge on it? Or are they experts on the subject?

Demographics

What is the average age group of the audience? Where are most of them located? Which language do most of them speak? What food and clothing do they wear? How educated are they?

Interest

Why do I need to write for them? How can this help them? How will they help themselves with this? Do they even need this?

Medium

How do they read information? Do they read online, on print, or do they read at all?

Objectives

What is the expectation of the audience from the information you are writing for them.

Tailoring

How would I need to customize the content to meet their needs?

The Necessity of Collaboration

Emily Green — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 04:47:17 +0000

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Writer’s block is an old enemy, and it strikes every writer at some point. No ideas flow, no new creativity abounds. For a writer to carry on his work, he has to get around the block and carry on. This is where collaboration comes in.

Bouncing ideas off someone else can get both your imagination and theirs working. With so many ideas flying around, chances are you’ll find one that gets the magic going again. While some may shrink from the idea of sharing their work-in-progress with someone else, it really does help. A collaborator can give you suggestions, ask questions that point out issues that need to be addressed, and catch inconsistencies or errors.

Just as the picture shows, having multiple people work on a project can help move things along. Even if you want to retain a final say on the creative genius of the project, it can be beneficial to have others give you “what ifs?” to get your blocked mind going again.

Collaboration doesn’t have to be with another person in the room. Collaborate with authors and artists that you admire, by gaining inspiration from their work. Read a book you love or watch a movie. Go to an art museum, anything that will jar your mind and refill your empty tank of creative juices.

A famous author stated that writers don’t get blocked, they just get empty. You need to restock your mind’s shelves with creativity and imagination. Once you’ve done that, you can carry on to completion of your project.

Reading is feeding. Why reading is a writer?s fodder.

Emily Green — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:33:03 +0000

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Many writers do not read. Yet they are writers. It is quite surprising. You might have heard plenty of stories of writers who have not even read a full book in their lives. The reasons for this are many.

Writers are by nature imaginative. Another writer’s imagination might invoke awe in a non-writer’s mind, but it might not do the same for a writer. Because it might seem ordinary. It’s almost like saying why Michael Jordan might consider a slam dunk by another basket-baller a normal thing, while it is awe-inspiring for the spectator.Certain writers also feel that reading the works of other writers might destroy their original writing style.

Most writers want to think originally. But this is wishful thinking. Although there are writers who are original in their writing approach, most writers in the world work on inspiration. In most cases, knowingly or unknowingly, it is another writer’s work.

Reading is a writer’s fodder. When a writer reads a variety of information and a variety of books from various authors, a writer will not be influenced by anyone. A common mistake writer’s make is when they become loyal to only one medium of information, and one author. They do not seem to like many information sources, or read many books from many authors.

To become a better writer, writers need to feed themselves with various influences. There is no harm in doing so. The only harm will be to not get exposed to what other writers are writing. This would be akin to living like a lone hermit in fool’s paradise.

Becoming a Better Writer

Emily Green — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 04:47:11 +0000

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There are many ways to becoming a better writer. Like many things, not one set path gets you there. Determine what you want your goals to be, and then set out to accomplish them, not goals that someone else gives you. If an English professor is training you to become a reporter and you want to be a novelist, drop the class. Become the writer that you want to be.

Just like riding a bicycle, cooking, doing autopsies, or painting, writing takes practice. So practice! Look for any opportunity to write, and do it. Are you in school? You get to write papers? Does your school have a newspaper? Go into their offices and say “I want to write for you.” Look online. With the Internet revolution, websites after website has to have content on each page, and they need someone to write all of that. There are plenty of organizations that hire content writers and provide them with work online, or you can approach companies alone and offer your services. Writing never goes out of style.

Writing is how we communicate, and the human race will never need to communicate less, quite the opposite in fact, it needs to improve. And as a writer, you get to help the rest of us improve!

Practice, practice, practice. Take advice from others, but remember that you get to set the rules for your writing education and how you go about doing what you do. So go and do it!

Making your Blog Post more Research Focused

Emily Green — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:43:26 +0000

No one can deny that the blogosphere is becoming increasingly crowded and competitive as each day passes.

Blogging is now a lucrative career for many people and a great career-starter for others. With new bloggers adding their voices to the blogosphere each day, how can you be sure your voice gets heard? One way is to make your blog posts well-researched so your readers trust your authoritative voice.

Here are some ways to make your blog post more research focused.

Use Your Credentials and Personal Experience

You started your blog because you had something to say about the subject. What makes you eligible to write about that topic? Make sure you have your credentials clearly listed on your blog. People are more likely to listen to a food writer who was classically trained in a culinary program or a photography blogger who regularly shoots for magazines.

Have you been published on your subject?

Do you have applicable education or life experience?

Incorporate it into your blog.

Well-researched posts don’t have to rely on book knowledge or scholarly articles. Your personal experience is just as important and it’s nice to have a mix of the two. Feel free to share personal experience, advice, anecdotes, or opinions. This will let your readers know that you not only know about your topic, but you’ve experienced it too.

Don’t be Afraid of Research

Don’t think of research as a dull afternoon in a dark library with a stack of dusty books. “Research” doesn’t mean ten-page term papers and dry, lifeless writing. It means learning about your topic. Though your local library is likely stocked with books about your blog topic, there are plenty of online research tools that allow you to access a world of research and references without ever leaving home. Better yet, online research tools let you quickly access the most current information available.

Use Pictures, Graphs, Charts, and Illustrations

Online readers despise giant walls of text. Break it up a little with pictorial illustrations. As an added benefit, images can make you seem even more credible and well-read. Don’t throw in off-topic charts just to make your posts look better, however; make sure your images have just as much to say on the topic as you do. When you’re adding images make sure you’re following laws and not accidentally ‘stealing’ photos.

Get Out and Do Your Own Research

If you can’t find any research about your intended topic, don’t give up. Take an active stand and do the legwork yourself. Create surveys to poll public opinion. Get out and interview people in your field or your community. Doing your own research will prove to your readers that you’re actively involved and interested in your chosen topic – you’re not just regurgitating the research of others.

Research is one of the best ways to generate new ideas for blog posts. What are your favorite go-to research tools?

Focusing on research is a great way to gain new readers to your blog. How will you boost your blog’s ratings with research techniques?

Becoming a Published Writer

Emily Green — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 04:47:15 +0000

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Being published is seen as the Holy Grail of writing, the Medal of Honor of authors. To be published is to have arrived, to have ascended the peak and reached the summit. In actuality, it’s just another step, although engratiating, on the road that writers walk.

First, you need to have a good product. That could be a screenplay, a novel manuscript, a book of poems, or a play. This needs to be in tip-top shape, the absolute best it can be. Once the actual, final product is in hand, you can start shopping around to publishers.

There are any number of good publishers, and obtaining lists of these establishments isn’t hard at all, especially given the ease with which the Internet allows us to access information. This next step calls for some fortitude and nail-biting patience.

Send your manuscript off to them. Send it to lots of these publishers. Include a cover letter summarizing your manuscript and explain why they should publish it. Then sit back (it’s recommended you start working on something else) and wait. And wait. And wait. If you are anything like most writers, you will not hear back for a bit. You won’t hear back at all from many of these publishing houses. But hopefully one, and maybe just the one, will get back to you and say they are interested in publishing it. And then you start the process of meetings and discussions and final copies that makes up the home stretch of publishing.

And after you are published….you start the process all over again.

6 Productivity Tips for Freelancers

Emily Green — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:23:57 +0000

As a freelancer, you’ve likely found that keeping yourself busy isn’t that difficult, but keeping yourself productive is another story. From time drains and stress to poor concentration and loss of focus, anyone even considering going the freelance route should take some time to learn about the seven habits and tools of effective freelancing. Integrating some of these productivity tips and tools can help keep even the most easily distracted freelancer on track.

1. Carving Out Your Space: Freelancers work from home and those who fail to find a space they can dedicate to work often have a more difficult time keeping on track. Spend some time carving out some work space that is your office in your home.

2. Creating Better Storage: The Internet has made freelancing a much easier proposition for people. Instead of relying on the Internet solely for communications, utilize tools like GoogleDocs to create an online depository for documents you need to share.

3. Easy Apps for Easy Days: Take the time to look around at the various apps available and see which one’s will work for you. For example, EchoSign is a great little app that will make it easy for you to create documents, like contracts, that your clients can sign. Use apps to make your day easier.

4. It’s All About The Plan: In order to be successful you have to have a plan each day. Spend a few minutes each week planning the events for the upcoming week and break it down into manageable chunks – do the same each day and you will soon find it easier to get everything finished. Consider using an online calendar if that works well for you, but don’t be afraid to use the old tried and true pen and paper to make your plan.

5. Don’t Forget The Goal: You started working as a freelancer for a reason – never forget that reason. Whether you are replacing lost income or working towards building a full time business, always focus on that goal. Keeping it at the forefront will help you stay on track.

6. Finding Balance: Many freelancers fall into the trap of working as much as possible, every day. It may seem logical, but in reality, if you do not have a balance between your work and your personal life, you will crash and burn. Part of your daily plan should include a clear start time and a clear end time.

Engaging in freelance work can be profitable and an engaging way to work. It presents new challenges each and every day. By taking the time to learn the tips and tricks used by successful freelancers and implementing them into your work schedule, you may soon find that freelancing can be just challenging enough.

Are you doing everything you can to be successful at freelancing? Which of these tips and tricks will you implement into your daily work plan?

Motivate Yourself to Write

Emily Green — Wed, 25 May 2011 12:30:43 +0000

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When it comes to writing, motivation can be difficult to find. Writing a story takes time and effort, but the end result can be extremely satisfying. Many people have fragments of stories floating around in their heads that just need to get down on paper. There are several ways to get motivated when you know it is time to write down your story and share it with the world.

1) Say it out loud.

A story can sometimes seem disjointed when it is still in your mind. It is not until you start structuring the story that you see the potential. Get a small tape recorder and record yourself telling the story and making any changes to it. Let the recordings sit for a week, and then listen to them again. The inspiration to organize them could hit you at that point.

2) Use an outline.

When you have parts of a story in your head, you avoid writing it down because it may be missing key pieces. Create an outline of your story, and then start filling it in. Once you have the main ideas on paper in outline form, your mind can start to see what is missing and help you get your story off the ground.

3) Get a collaborator.

Sometimes it just takes the ideas of another person to make your ideas start flowing on to the page. Work with a close friend or family member to bounce ideas off of her or get input that will help your story come to life.

Everyone has a story to tell. It is the ones that find motivation that get their stories heard.

Reading is Your Gateway to New Worlds

Emily Green — Sun, 15 May 2011 12:30:40 +0000

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If you have ever passed by a magazine stand, you may have noticed dozens of magazines about topics that you know nothing about. The wonderful thing about reading is that it can introduce you to something brand new through your own imagination. Magazines often provide pictures to go along with the text, but the pictures only heighten your interest in this new topic. There are simple ways in which you can improve your reading comprehension while opening up new worlds to your imagination as well.

1) Buy one new magazine a month.

Rather than pass that magazine stand by every day, stop once a month and buy one magazine on a topic you know nothing about. If you see a photography magazine and you have never taken a professional quality picture in your life, then buy the magazine and read it. Your financial investment will make sure that you at least look the magazine over, and your imagination may get the best of you and allow you to learn something new.

2) Read the book before seeing the movie.

One way in which people can become more open to reading is to compare a book to a movie. In some cases, movies are advertised months before they open. When you see an advertisement for a movie you would like to see that is based on a book, then the buy the book and read it before the movie comes out.

Reading forces us to use our imagination, and that can sometimes open up brand new worlds. When you start comparing movies to books, you may find that your imagination makes for a good movie director.

Improve Your Vocabulary through Reading

Emily Green — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:30:39 +0000

Improving your vocabulary through reading requires a little work. But as it becomes easier for you to find the proper words to express yourself, you begin to realize how important a good vocabulary is. There are several ways in which you can improve your vocabulary while reading. By employing just one of these methods, you are improving your ability to communicate.

1) Use the dictionary.

It is common for people to come across a word or phrase when reading that they do not understand, and pass it by. Welcome the opportunity and grab a dictionary when that happens to look the word up, and understand its meaning. Re-read the sentence until you understand what the author is trying to say. It may slow down your reading speed, but it will increase your vocabulary.

2) Audio books can help.

One of the problems in reading comprehension is in pronouncing the word correctly. When you prepare to read a book, find the audio version of the book and read along with it. When you come across a word you have never seen before, the audio book will pronounce it for you. When you look the word up, you will know how to pronounce it when you use it at a later time.

3) Move up to harder reading.

Strive to move up to books you never thought you could understand. As your comprehension gets better, you will be able to read more complicated books and really expand your vocabulary.

A strong vocabulary can be a tool you use for your success. Take the time to improve your vocabulary every time you read.

Top Five Tips for Auto Loan Refinance

Emily Green — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 10:39:49 +0000

There are two instances when a good book can help you. One, when you are bored and have nothing much to do and, two, when you’re under tremendous stress due to bad auto loans and money problems. If it is the second, an Auto loan refinance enables you to avail a new auto loan at a lower interest rate. If you are right in the middle of paying off your current auto loan and find a lender offering better rates, you might want to take up a refinance option with them so that your monthly loan repayment amount reduces. Here are a couple of tips that can help you in the process of getting an auto refinance loan:

* Find an appropriate lender – Check out different lenders and select one who is experienced and who offers the best loan features and reduced interest rates.
* Read loan refinance terms carefully – It is vital to be aware of the full implications of all loan terms and conditions before availing the loan because you can be sure of what to expect from the refinance program.
* Get documents ready – You would need details such as income statement, previous loan contract, social security number, car appraisal value and so on. Get the entire paperwork ready before meeting up with staff for availing the loan program.
* Apply for the refinance loan – Get into the process of loan application by filling out the form, specifying the date when you would like to start new repayments and giving the necessary document for application processing.

Though a good book can alleivate your stress levels, it will not make your money problems disappear. A better option would be to take a sensible auto refinance loan. Reading is much better when your mind is uncluttered anyways.

The Habit Of Reading

Emily Green — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 03:31:29 +0000

Most people learn to read and write at a very young age. This capability continues with them throughout their lives, unless there are serious issues with eyesight etc. Apart from the formal studies required by students, people read for all kinds of reasons. Some read for business, some read for pleasure, while some read purely out of necessity.

The process of reading involves the eyes through which the written or printed matter is seen, and the mind which analyzes and makes sense of what the eyes are reading. For the mind to comprehend the matter, it is necessary for eyesight as well as brain functions to be normal.

The capabilities to read, write, and speak are necessary for most functions required in today’s environment. Out of these, the capability to read is perhaps the most important and basic requirement. During the earlier days, when literacy levels were not so high in many regions, people were merely able to speak a language, since the skills of reading and writing did not exist at a broad level. With increasing levels of education, and the widening of the reach of education in all societies, the capabilities to read and write have become increasingly important. There are awareness campaigns conducted in many countries to make the illiterate elders come out and learn the skills of reading and writing. Many of these campaigns achieve a good success, since they are able to motivate people to even study at late hours after finishing their responsibilities for the day. Awareness is a prime motivator that makes people do many things which they would otherwise not be interested in.

A basic awareness of how reading skills can improve the daily life is enough to grasp the attention of many illiterate people, and they are very keen to learn. This is a great encouragement for their governments who can then deploy more resources in terms of teachers and money to carry the literacy campaign forward with increased vigor. It is a matter of pride for any government if a larger percentage of their population is fully literate.

Human’s Best Friend

Emily Green — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 03:24:51 +0000

Have you ever wondered which is more of a friend to a person – is it dogs, or is it books? The answer might not be so complicated, since both are equally important to a person, and both are also not substitutes for each other. Nevertheless, books occupy an important position in every person’s life. A child in today’s world starts acquiring books at a very early age, even before entering school. From then onwards, the journey of people with books continues almost throughout the whole life. Books can be found on any subject that humans can think of, and it is not a question of existence, but more a question of availability of any particular book.

During the early stages, books were written on leaves or cloth, or some such surface, since paper was not invented during those days. These books were then bound and kept in some well attended place. Duplication of books was not a practice, and only one book of any kind was in existence. The invention of paper has transformed the entire situation. It became possible to write on paper. Further, mass production of books has become possible with the advent of printing technology, and advancements in printing. With mass production, it has become possible for millions of people to read all kinds of books, on any subject,

In the present environment, where global warming is a hotly debated issue, cutting of trees has become a major point of discussion globally. It is widely known that several trees are to be cut to produce each ton of paper. Efforts are continuously made to use recycled paper so that the cutting of trees to produce fresh paper can be reduced. This pressure on the availability of paper has resulted in increase in prices of paper, and accordingly the prices of books has also increased.

Since this price increase should not affect the learning of students, several governments subsidize the price of books which are meant for students. The advent of e-books, which do not need paper, will reduce the dependence on paper for printing books.

Literary Magazines

Emily Green — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 03:05:40 +0000

Literary Magazines are considered to be the most important role in defining the literature in the broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish small stories, poetry, essays, along with literary criticism, book reviews, authors profile, interviews and letters. Nowadays people are loosing their interest in studying books , novels etc people are so busy in their day to day life that they cannot even got time to listen or watch exactly the current running situation or condition around the world, what is going on around their house they don’t bother about any thing other then their work . People are becoming workaholic and getting themselves busy in their profile without taking care about anything in their life.

You can find so much to read through Literary magazines in bulk of different varieties and flavour which you can actually enjoy and can get some knowledgeable things too with full of variety in reading a single Literary magazine. There are magazines available online , If people don’t have time to buy and get the magazine for reading then while doing his work he can also find some minutes to go through the online magazines where he can do any time any where without any special dedicated time required for the magazine..

There are many literary magazines being published to all the parts of the around defining their culture, history , nature, behavior, politics, letters, interview of the big people or ideals , informative featured articles etc. Reading magazines, books, literature ext is also help in getting confidence while talking or communication.

The most important skill that will help you in getting success in your life in your workplace or anywhere is communicating with each other. We talk to people face to face, and we listen when people talk to us. We write emails and reports, and we read the documents that are sent to us. Communication, therefore, is a process that involves at least two people – a sender and a receiver. For it to be successful, the receiver must understand the message in the way that the sender intended.

Writing For Kids

Emily Green — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 02:47:38 +0000

We all have budding authors within us. Some where or the other we all want to be famous and well known. Writing allows you to express your mind and all that runs through it. There are several genres for you to write about. These include love, thrillers, horror, action etc. Self-help is one of the most emerging trends now-a-days. There are several kinds of writings too, these include fiction, non-fiction, short stories, novels, etc. All we need to do is realize is the kind of writing we are capable of.

For people who wish to begin their careers as writers it is essential that you begin with something simple. What could be simpler than writing books for children? These books call for simple language and easy to imagine ideas. You don’t need to use any kind of ornamental language or theorems to prove your ideas. All you must do is keep it simple and easy to comprehend.

While writing for children, you must make sure that they can connect with your ideas. Putting ideas about super heroes, cartoons or animals, will help your books in gaining popularity. Your books must have appropriate language and correct usage of words. Young children tend to follow what they hear or read. Your books must be such that parents readily buy it for their children.

While writing for children, make sure you use simple and short sentences. These sentences must be connective and convey their true meaning. It is essential that you sentences have only one meaning. Using words which are easy to pronounce, will encourage children towards your books to read it. Being a book writer for kids is a great responsibility. You must understand that your words are shaping the future generations. Writing is surely the most important factor for the kids. You just cannot ignore it. Isn’t it? What do you say about it?

Importance Of Reading Newspapers

Emily Green — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 02:40:38 +0000

We all have grown up seeing newspapers being delivered to our houses everyday. In several nations, there are several funny ways of delivering newspapers as well. The vendors or delivery boys deliver these large white or colorful sheets of paper everyday at our doorsteps, so that we begin our mornings with the crunchiest gossips or freshest bulletins. However newspapers continue to remain the love of older generations. Parents and elders forget to inculcate the importance of reading newspapers in their kids.

From a tender age, children must be taught to read news papers and or at least enjoy the colorful pictures in them. To inculcate this habit, parents must subscribe to children’s newspapers which have specific and several types of contents that meet their choice. In this generation where people have forsaken the humble printed newspapers and opted for their online versions, it is very tough for children to understand the importance of print. Reading the black and white word always has its own charm.

Gone are those days, when all members of the house would gather for tea in the mornings and have newspapers in their hands. Therefore it is very tough for kids to understand the importance of reading newspapers. Reading special editorials in newspapers help readers gain vibrant perspectives of the news. Just turning a few pages will open the world to you. Teach your children to learn loving and reading newspapers.

It is important that you teach your children those habits which are helpful in shaping their future and teach them things that will benefit them. There are several newspapers such as economic newspapers, lifestyle newspapers, and daily newspapers. It is therefore important that you get several kinds of newspapers that will open different ovures for you. By reading newspapers you can know various things that are happening around the world. So get newspaper daily to be updated with your world.

How To Improve Your Hand Writing

Emily Green — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 02:37:39 +0000

Handwriting is one of the things that reflect the personality of a person to a great extent. If you have a bad handwriting, the chances are there would be a number of people around you who would be after your life to improve your handwriting. Some handwriting experts believe that handwriting is one of the best judges to gauge the personality of the person.

This fact keeps those people conscious who have a bad handwriting as some people may presume that the person is careless if he has a bad handwriting. Are you one of those people who are trying to improve their handwriting? Here are some tips:

First of all, keep all the things ready which are required for the purpose such as lined sheets, pencils, some good quality pens and the likes. After you are able to acquire this material, you need to hunt for the handwriting which you admire so that you can try to imitate it in order to improve your handwriting. If this is a difficult task, grab a copy of calligraphy books and try to imitate the handwriting. Set an aim to practice two-five pages everyday and stick to the aim, without fail.

One of the tricks to improve your handwriting is to try to write each letter completely as handwriting is bad when people do not write all letters completely. Be conscious about your handwriting as initially, you need to very conscious all the time till good handwriting becomes your habit. Improving handwriting is a very slow process, so do not feel discouraged if you are not able to improve it after a few days of practice.

Evaluate your improvement on weekly basis by keeping all the sheets together and set them date wise and this would help you gauge your improvement. So follow these tips to improve your handwriting to get praise whenever you write. Good luck!

Reading Women’s Magazine

Emily Green — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 02:21:28 +0000

Being a woman is a full time job. All jobs on this planet have some holidays, but being a woman means having no holiday or vacations. There are several chores that surround a woman’s world. Taking care of the house, kids and other members of the family take up their maximum time. For women who work in offices, do not have any respite from house work. Even if they work outside, some part of the household responsibility still remains on them. They need to some help, which comes from several women’s magazines.

Women’s magazines are available in the market. Several magazine companies also deliver these magazines at your doorstep. You can choose the duration of your subscription. One may choose from options like yearly, half yearly, quarterly or monthly. These magazines contain several articles and editorials regarding women’s issues. These magazines have sections like cookery, fashion and latest products. These sections are useful in assisting a lady’s daily activities. There are several tips that allow women a better understanding of their daily chores.

These magazines also prove to be a great gift for the female members of your family. You may gift a subscription to your loved ones on occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, etc. Women’s day seems to be the best occasion for gifting these subscriptions. Home makers may take out time to read these magazines during their free hours in the afternoon. Office going women can read them on weekends and holidays and also while traveling to their office.

Women need to have someone who recognizes their thoughts and provide answers to their internal quarrels. A women’s magazine proves to be the ultimate mate for those women who like reading and wish to spend some time with themselves. There is nothing wrong in reading women’s magazines. It is quite alright these days. Just go out there and read woman magazine. Doesn’t that make sence?

Importance Of Reading Books

Emily Green — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 02:18:34 +0000

The habit of reading, fully guarantees your success in several walks of life. Learning the importance of reading books will definitely prove beneficial for all your cognitive skills and open directions for you to think, realize and fully comprehend those concepts that seem out of the world.

Realizing the importance of books and making them an integral part of your life will improve your communication and also vocabulary skills. Incorporating books in your daily life will provide maximum exposure to various forms of language and grammar. Being familiar with the printed word, is extremely important in developing strong inter-personal skills. Reading books which are age-appropriate will introduce you to new words and that will improve your language as well as your vocabulary. New ideas and words will help you define and understand several new situations, conversation with any unknown person.

Reading books guarantee academic success. Reading books daily will take your academic knowledge to new levels and help you crack all examinations. Daily reading habits nurture fresh directions and clear thoughts. Realizing the importance of books and reading them daily will greatly enhance your social skills. Developing direct correlations between reading, understanding and conversing, will help you have better conversations with others. A well read person will always have conversation that are informative and last longer.

Books become inseparable companions for their lovers. Learning to read and love books are responsible for shaping great personalities. All famous personalities love and enjoy reading. Fluent speakers are definitely ardent readers. Putting down names of your famous reads will surely make your resume heavier than others. Reading books also create healthy lifestyles. Books are a tremendous source for obtaining immense knowledge. Books will help you grow, and understand.

Children’s Books

Emily Green — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 02:08:56 +0000

Children recognize reading books only if they have others reading around them. If a child is born to parents who enjoy and love reading books, chances of him picking up this habit are quite likely. Children’s books are generally more colorful and full of pictures as compared to normal books. These books havethick pages. It is often seen that the edges of these books are rounded to prevent any kind of damage.Books for children are made of several materials. Few of which include materials like cloth, soft plastic, paper or natural materials like cane. Now-a-days books with audio-video capacity are easily available. These books have special functions that generate certain sounds and lights, which are attractive. These books are meant to draw children towards them. These books run through a simple circuit, which is totally harmless and doesn’t cause any harms to your child.Books for children have various pictures. These pictures may be colorful or black and white, may have cartoon or scenery pictures. Book for very young kids have only pictures and no texts. There are pictorial stories and essays in these books. Several children are very attached to their favorite book. They like sleeping, and eating, while it is with them. Reading stories to children in bed is very effective in getting them closer to books.Books for children need to be chosen wisely. These books must be age appropriate. Several book come with age specifications printed on them. Parents and guardians must think about their child’s likes and dislikes before buying children’s books. It is important for your child to follow only one at a time. Children’s books are definitely the best thing to happen. Don’t you think so?

Books – How Are They Useful To Everyone?

Emily Green — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 01:55:56 +0000

Knowledge is the one tool inlife with which you can win the entire world. How do you gain knowledge? Read various books available around the words. Readingis such a good habit and it empowers with incomparable knowledge that you’ll feel like the ultimate genius by acquiring all the knowledge in this world. The reason why people read so much is because they want to know every around them.Books give you knowledge and that general knowledge about various subjects in the world will ensure that you don’t have to compromise with anything in life. Knowledge is everything. There can’t be any excuse for not acquiring the knowledge by reading books. Just by reading books everyday you can ensure that the knowledge is gained in one way or the other. It is as simple as that. You can expect to live a life with lot of confidence. Don’t you want that to happen? The benefits are many to read books.These days books are available even in the internet. E-books are the need of the hour and technology has responded in the rightfashion. Whether you accept it or not the one thing that can be assured is that knowledge is the base for the success in life.If you have knowledge then everything is on your side. Whereas if you do not have knowledge then all your wealth could be lostin a single day.With the help of knowledge you’re sure to lead a happy life without any property. That is how you can succeed in life. There isno better strategy in life for success than having good knowledge. Books are surely the base for success. So read books regularly.

How Can Reading Books Help You Stay Calm?

Emily Green — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 01:51:31 +0000

Many of us don’t really stay calm. Very few among us know the fact that reading books can actually keep yourself calm. There just can’t be any other way. Reading books cools off all the tension in mind and this way it can actually help you from coming out of many problems in life. Reading is the one habit or hobby that can keep you away from doctor for many years.For those of you who are wondering what needs to be done here is a simple solution. Always engage yourself in reading for at least 2-3 hours a day. This habit can make wonders for your life. It can be really beneficial in the long run. Not only it increases your knowledge but also helps you in staying calm and organized. Reading books is the best habit that you can develop apartfrom good physical activities for a better life. There is no better solution that this. It is a known fact that reading can help you in the best way to live a healthy lifestyle. So make a little time to read books.Many of the people can enjoy reading while they are busy in their lives. It is also known as the best stress buster. You can expect to know all the things that are happening around your life with the help of books. You can expect to pass on this habit toyour children who can really benefit a lot from the hobby.Reading is not just suitable for students and children. It is for everyone irrespective of their age. You cannot expect to knowthe facts around you if you do not have the inclination to read and learn things.

Dividing Work and Life

Emily Green — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 01:37:14 +0000

Many writers have a privilege that most people would love: Working from home; however, this freedom can often be difficult to balance with the demands of a job. Even if you can choose your hours, work in your pajamas, and never have to deal with water-cooler small talk again, you still have work to do and still have deadlines to meet. So, to help in juggling your personal life and your work life you may need to set some ground rules for yourself.Rules are a good way to keep yourself on track. First, decide when you are working and when you are not working and keep it consistent. If you want to work 9-5, then work 9-5 everyday. During this work time you should not do anything involving your personal life, at least not beyond what you would do if you were at an office. Likewise, avoid working when you are not scheduled to work. You need to keep a clear divider between your work and your family and friends. If you would rather work from noonuntil 8, do so every day. This will help you develop a working mindset. Also, many people find it helpful to shower and dress nicely before work, to help get in the mindset of working. Lastly, it often helps to have an office or a room set aside forwork. If you do not have room to dedicate a whole room to your job then a desk will work, especially if you can get a desk with some sort of cover or locks on the drawers. Then, when you are not working, cover and lock up the desk and do not visit it again until your next work day. This will help keep you from being tempted into finishing up “one more sheet” or filling out “one more form” after you are off the clock.

Turning Words into Money

Emily Green — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 01:23:17 +0000

There are a few things that can be considered stereotypical of writers. Many people imagine a depressed author writing mystery novels. Some people imagine a 1950′s style newspaper writer with a typewriter and a Chicago accent. Still others think of a balding man with glasses who writes prose and poetry out of his mother’s basement.While these are certainly not descriptions that would match most writers, there is one feature that does in fact pertain to the vast majority of writers: Most do not get paid enough for their work. Or, that is at least how many writers feel. Luckily,the Internet has provided several ways for writers to earn an extra buck on the side, more so than it has offered for most people.One way to earn money by writing online is by creating a blog. If you believe that many people would be interested in what youhave to say then you can blog it and earn income off of advertising on your website. Many people do this and there are even some people who are able to get by on only the money they get from the advertisements on their websites. Another option is getting a second job with an online advertising and writing company. There are several companies online that pay writers to writeadvertisements for other websites to post. These kinds of jobs do not tend to pay very much, but they offer one the ability tochoose his or her own hours and give very reasonable deadlines. Also, if you are the type of person with a lot of opinions, many websites pay people to review things online. Usually, these things are simply household objects or food. Some of these websites do not pay in cash but instead let you keep the product you tested, which is often something you would otherwise have tobuy anyways.

Procrastinators NeverProsper

Emily Green — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 01:20:16 +0000

Writing can be tricky. Whether you are supposed to write a paper forschool, a novel to be published and distributed around the world, or a newspaper article in a small town’s newspaper it can bedemanding work and take a lot of time and research. There are a thousand tricks on the Internet to help you to have less trouble writing papers, books, and everything else. Some of these tricks help, some do not; however, there is one trick that seemsto always help, even outside of the field of writing. Simply put, the trick is to avoid procrastinating. While this might seem simple or elementary many people will be honest enough to tell themselves that they have a problem with putting off work until a more convenient time. Unfortunately, it never seems like that more convenient time ever arrives until the month, week, oreven night before you need to be finished working. Also unfortunate is the fact that most people do not do their best work when they are rushed and have to work double-time to finish what they are doing.While there is a chance that you are one of the few gifted people that can work at full capacity the night before a deadline, most people need to work on getting work done before the last minute. Usually there is a drastic and noticeable improvement inmost people’s work after they address their issue of procrastination. And, if that is not enough reason to stop procrastinating and do work when you first get the chance, you also avoid the feeling of having a project hanging over your head, making youworry all the time. There are few feelings as good as knowing that you have all your work done and can take it easy for a little while after putting in some hard work on finishing a project.

Starting From Scratch

Emily Green — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 07:06:59 +0000

Most people that have had several classes in English and Writing have had just as many people give advice on the best way to start apaper. Since this is a very common problem for writers to have it is a very important issue to address as soon as possible. There are a million ways to start a paper, memoire, book, article, or any other form of writing, but most people have only one or two ways that really work well for them. And, if you are the kind of person who sits down to write and cannot seem to get anything to sound right, you may want to try a strategy that some people may call elementary: Start from scratch.Most people lack the ability to simply sit down and write Shakespeare without editing once, twice, or half a million times; however, in most situations, you have the option to edit your work if you do not like something you have written. So, many peopleuse this editing step to really write their masterpieces. If you feel like taking a new approach to writing then try it. Simply sit down, get an idea of the topic, and write everything that comes to your mind. Do not worry about spelling, punctuation, flow of thoughts, grammar, or anything except for getting all your thoughts on paper. Now all that is left to do is edit. Re-word and arrange what you have written, delete and add details, and just keep editing it into a piece of art. Many people find this much easier than trying to sit down and come up with pure genius out of thin air. Also, if you happen to have a problem with forgetting or neglecting to proof-read your writing this will help, or force, you to read everything you write carefullyand edit your work.

Discover Yourself

Emily Green — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 01:19:33 +0000

Do you have a specific thing that you always do when you are writing? Maybe you always put on your favorite radiostation and just let it play while you write, or maybe you always have a movie playing on the other side of the room while youtype away at your keyboard. Maybe you always have a cup of coffee and a donut before sitting down to write, or maybe you typewhile snacking on candy bars and soda. You might even have a hat that you always wear while writing or a jacket that you haveon every time that you sit down to type articles. Whatever the case, there are several scientific studies that suggest you should continue these habits to improve your writing ability.It is a well-known psychology fact that following a pattern consciously can make your subconscious mind follow a pattern as well. So, if you always do one thing while writing then you start to condition your mind to associate that behavior with writingso that every time that you perform that behavior your mind gets into gear for writing. This kind of conditioning is widely used in other areas of psychology and can have surprisingly dramatic effects on one’s ability to adjust one’s self to an action quickly. Obviously this tactic of conditioning a behavior with writing will only work well if the behavior is usually used while writing, since if you do this behavior all the time then your mind will not learn to especially associate it with writing specifically.Habits can be very helpful in some cases. If you do not have a behavior, article of clothing, or other action you already associate with writing then you may consider trying to program yourself with a behavior. While it is not very helpful at first, itcan eventually help you jump directly into writing and working more efficiently.

The Key to Making Your Site Pay

Emily Green — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 01:12:47 +0000

Most people wish they made a little more money. Luckily, writers get an advantage over many other people because of all the opportunities the Internet offers writers to earn a little extra money on the side. One of the opportunities that writers have on the Internet is the option to make money from a website. These websites can include many things such as blogs, web comics, media reviews, or almost anything else you can imagine. With a website with one or a few of these things on it one can start making a little extra money from advertising space, sometimes merchandise, membership fees, and other things; however, in order for these things to actually earn you money you need will need to successfully attract visitors to your website.

What your site contains and how you are planning to earn money from it will have an influence on how you go about attracting visitors, but there are a few things that are similar between most websites. First, make sure your website is easy to navigate. This will make your website seem more professional and welcoming. Also, it helps to have a simple and attractive URL. A URL that is too long can seem unattractive, unprofessional, and uninviting in general. Sometimes a longer URL is necessary, such as if you are using a free-hosting site that requires you to include their website URL in your own URL. For example, Webs.com (http://www.webs.com) offers free-hosting, but all website names are set-up as http://www.(your URL).webs.com. This is not exceptionally long, but other similar sites can have even longer names, so look into that before setting up your site.

No matter what content you put on your website it is almost certain that there are many people who are interested. Your job is making your site easy and convenient for them to access.

Protect Your Work

Emily Green — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 01:10:22 +0000

Many people make money by posting their writings, opinions, or art on the Internet. It can be fun, easy, and convenient to earn money this way. Unfortunately, if you do this and get many visitors then you may be in danger of your work being plagiarised. Most people do not mind if someone e-mails a web comic to their best friend but copying someone else’s blog post and re-posting it as your own work is stealing, plagiarism, and just dishonest. If you post your work on the Internet in a way similar to this and worry that your work might be plagiarised then there are ways for you to protect your work against being stolen.

Websites such as Copyscape (http://www.copyscape.com) work to prevent this exact problem. These websites offer protection against plagiarism by allowing website owners to check if any work on their website has been used by other sources on the Internet in order to track down plagiarists. Some of these websites also provide preventive measures such as banners and warnings that can be posted on your website to warn visitors that work on the website is protected from plagiarism. Copyscape offers these services at no cost and can be very helpful to anyone posting their work on the Internet.

Most people want to protect their work. After putting your time and effort into a piece of work you probably do not want other people passing it off as their own work. When others take credit for your work and post it on their own websites they not only insult you but can even take visitors away from your site if they are looking for the information you provided but find the plagiarists website first. Protecting your work can help get you the credit you deserve for your work and earn you more visitors on your website, something everyone wants.

Avoiding Plagiarism

Emily Green — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 01:08:14 +0000

If you have ever taken a writing or English class in High School then there is a good chance that you have had “The Talk.” It scares many people and can even make some people want to avoid writing in general. This talk is the talk about plagiarism. When many people are first told about plagiarism it can seem like a very scary thing. Many people ask themselves, “What if I accidentally say something that someone else already said or do not give credit to my sources correctly?” While it is true that the punishments for plagiarism in most schools is rather strict and even fines and penalties you can accumulate outside of school for plagiarism can be painful, it is not hard to avoid plagiarism.

As long as you are writing your own thoughts you do not have much to worry about in terms of plagiarism. If you want to double check to make sure that you have not plagiarised anything then simply take sections of your writing, put quotes around it, search for it in a search engine such as Google or Ask.com, and check if any of the first results are close enough to be considered plagiarism. If you do not find any then you can be pretty sure that you are not plagiarising. If you need help citing your sources of information then you can easily find guides for citing sources online. Most forms of writing are done in MLA format, so simply use a search engine to look up something such as “MLA Citing (Source category such as Newspaper, website, etc)”. Most sources require basic things such as an author, date, title, medium, etc, but the order and format you use is very important in MLA so an online guide is a very helpful thing for many writers.

Discover Yourself

Emily Green — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 01:07:25 +0000

There are several things that can make it difficult to be a writer of any kind. If you do not work well under pressure and are suddenly forced to work under a very demanding deadline then you may find it hard to be efficient. On the other hand, if you need a strict schedule and need to feel pressured to get motivated then it might be hard to work well under a loose deadline. If you work well with background noise then it can be hard working in silence, whereas people who are easily distracted can find it hard to work in a noisy area. These are only a few examples of the countless things that can influence how well a writer can perform. Luckily, these things can also be very helpful for a writer. For example, if you realize that you cannot work in silence then you can listen to music or turn on a television when you are working to help you concentrate. If you work best under a strict deadline and pressure then you can set strict deadlines for yourself and maybe even get your editor or someone “above you” to enforce those deadlines to help you. In other words, knowing yourself well can be the key to improving your writing style. If you are able to analyze how you work in certain environments then you can edit your environment to support your work. If you do not think that your environment has a drastic effect on your work performance then try to work in a very different place than you normally work. If you normally work alone at home then try writing at a crowded restaurant and see how that effects your work. If you want to improve the things you put out then you first need to improve the things you take in from your environment.

Losing your Focus to Regain your Focus

Emily Green — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 01:03:57 +0000

If you have ever had a serious writing job or have even felt a lot of pressure from a school paper then you have probably experienced having a loud head. Having a loud head means that there are a lot of ideas bouncing around in your head but it is almost like you cannot focus on a single thought long enough to write anything. Usually this results in a lot of wasted time with you either staring at a blank piece of paper or a blank computer monitor. When this happens, sometimes the best way to quiet your thoughts is to stop thinking about the work you have to do.

Forgetting about the job-at-hand can either be done by taking a long break or simply by doing another task for a few minutes. One way that many people have found to quiet their thoughts is to get a tiny rock garden, similar to the large rock gardens that you might have seen in front of Asian-inspired buildings or some New Age buildings or stores. Raking these gardens, which can be small enough to fit in a small box on your desk or table, can calm your nerves and help you to organize your thoughts. If you think you may need a longer break from your work than this then you can do almost anything you like to do, though calming things are suggested, such as resting in a hammock or watching television. Whatever you do, just make sure that you find some way to get your mind off work long enough to organize your thoughts and to relieve some of the pressure you might be feeling. The way that you do this is not important. If a strategy works for you then it is a successful strategy for you to use.

Know your Target

Emily Green — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 01:01:37 +0000

There are many things that writers have to take into consideration while they are writing. If you are writing a story you have to make sure that all of your paper is written in the same point-of-view and that you keep a consistent tense-case, so that everything is either in past-tense or everything is in present-tense or everything is in past-tense, along with several other things. Writers also need to make sure that the language they use and the phrasing they use is appropriate for the type of writing they are doing. For example, you would not want to be too informal if you are writing official papers for the Government or for a University, but you also do not have to be too formal or use technical terms if you are writing a school newsletter. One more thing all writers need to keep in mind is who the target audience is. If your target audience is a classroom of 3rd Graders then make sure what you write would be interesting to 3rd Graders. If your target audience is High School students then make sure what you write would be interesting to a High School student. While this might seem like a very obvious detail, it is unfortunately neglected or forgotten by many writers. In fact, it is sometimes one of the things that separate good writers and great writers.

Simply keeping your readers in mind while you write can make a big difference in how much your readers enjoy what you write. If you are able to keep this in mind better than most other writers then it can be a great advantage for you, whereas if you neglect this detail then it can be your Achilles Heel.Remembering your audience is something most people are taught in High School but most people unfortunately forget about it very quickly. Do not make a High School mistake if you want to impress people with your writing.

Going Digital

Emily Green — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:57:45 +0000

It can be tough for people who have been in the business of writing for a long time to see so much of what they used to do with a pen and paper or on a typewriter suddenly become work for a computer. Information is recorded on computer databases instead of filing cabinets, newspaper articles are made on a Windows 7 instead of a Smith Corona, and even many newspapers are either being replaced by online news sources or simply expanding to include online newsletters. Despite the differences that are immediately apparent in the digital and analog forms of writing, there are a surprising number of things that are very similar between the two. For example, if you started your career using a typewriter then you can think of Microsoft Word as a more in-depth version of using a typewriter. Granted, for some people there is no replacement for the feeling of using a real type writer and physically seeing all your work going immediately onto the paper, but it can still be a very similar experience if you try to make it work. Also, one thing that used to be a problem with computers was their bulky size. Even into the 21st Century computers had a tendency to be rather bulky in comparison to typewriters, which was fine as long as you did not need to transport or store your computer; however, now computers come in sizes smaller than most typewriters and can easily be transported or stored. While there are certainly some sentimental aspects about a typewriter which can never be copied in computers, computers have certainly earned their status as the leader of technology and have many advantages over the ways things used to be done. Entering into this era of writing using a computer instead of analog means can be one of the greatest advances of all for a writer.

Reading – The Best Hobby

Emily Green — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 18:41:24 +0000

Reading is considered to be one of the best hobbies among a number of people .The purposes of reading or making reading as one of your primary hobbies differs from person to person. Some people read for entertainment or pleasure, some read in order to gain knowledge about various issues around them and others read in order to improve their language skills. Whatever be the reason, the fact is, reading is undoubtedly one of the best hobbies to pursue.

There is a plenty of reading material available in the market in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, journals and so on. All these categories of reading material have sub-divisions as well. For instances, there are a various types of books available such as literature books, story books, books on general knowledge, subject or topic related books, biographies, non-fiction books, the list seems to be endless.

Irrespective of whichever type of reading material you prefer reading; you are surely going to gain a lot of knowledge through reading and would be able to improve your language skills too. Some people read novels and books in order to beat stress. If you are one of the reading freaks, there are a number of options to continue this hobby without spending a lot of money on it.

If you do a bit of research, you will be able to find a number of stores, where you can find a wide variety of books at reasonable prices. There are stores which provide old books as well at a very low price. People who like to read but are not willing to spend too much money on books, can take membership of any library around their place and can read books of your choice Some book shops also provide books on loan as well wherein you can return the book after reading it.

There is no age limit to pursue this hobby as anyone can read be they students, adults, old people, businessmen, housewives and so on. So, choose any of the above options in order to obtain books. Enjoy and Keep reading!

Copywriting For a Living – How to Start

Emily Green — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 23:58:11 +0000

It’s good advice not to quit a day job to become a freelance writer. Although, many have done exactly that and succeeded, it’s not the norm. It’s better to start before quitting a job, and then work less and less until you’re working from home full time – or part time.

A good way to find private freelance positions is to look at employment websites and public lists like CraigsList.org. There’s a lot of competition for those jobs, but once they like the work, the writer gets returning clients.

Writing for Pay Sites

Do a Google search for ‘freelance writing opportunities’, or ‘write for pay sites’. It’s good to see there’s a lot of them to choose from because no single site will make enough money to live on. The secret is, â€œmultiple streams of income,â€ so a writer will actually be choosing several sites to write for.

Check the websites out, do the homework. Read their terms of service and notice who gets to keep the copyright to submitted work. Pay attention to rules like providing your photos to go with work, article length and what style of writing appeals to them.

Copywriting or Literature, Get Paid

And, don’t forget about the pay! Some sites pay up front, per article, some pay residuals, some sites pay by the word and some pay per click, meaning that the writer gets paid for every time someone looks at the pages. Even more pay by how many Google ads get clicked on while reading an article.

Sign up with Google Adsense to make money on their ads, and sign up with PayPal.com to readily accept payments online. It takes time to get rolling, so get started. Remember, multiple streams of income is what is wanted; that way if one goes under, there are still other incomes.

Good luck!

Techniques for Finding Writing for Pay Online

Emily Green — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 23:56:27 +0000

It’s good advice not to quit the day job to become a freelance writer. Though, some have done exactly that and succeeded, it’s not the norm. It’s better to start freelance writing before quitting a job, and then work less and less at the job until working from home full time – or part time.

A good way to find private freelance positions is to look at employment websites and public lists like CraigsList.org. There’s a lot of competition for those jobs, but once one is assigned, collecting returning clients is possible.

Do a Google search for freelance writing opportunities, or write for pay sites. It’s good to see there’s a lot of them to choose from because no single site will make enough money to live on. The secret is multiple streams of income, so choose several sites to write for.

Finding Work, Writing for Pay Online

Check the websites out, do the homework. Read their terms of service and notice who gets to keep the copyright to the work. Pay attention to rules like providing photos to go with work, article length and what style of writing appeals to them.

And, don’t forget about the pay! Some sites pay up front per article, some pay residuals, some sites pay by the word and some pay per click, meaning that the writer gets paid for every time someone looks at the articles. Even more figure pay by how many Google ads get clicked on by readers.

Sign up with Google Adsense to make money on their ads and sign up with PayPal.com to readily accept payments online. It takes time to get rolling, so get started. Remember, multiple streams of income is what is wanted; that way if one goes under, there are still have other incomes.

Good luck!

Writing Techniques; Cover Letters

Emily Green — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 23:29:07 +0000

Writing good cover letters is a task that writers must always perform. A cover letter is a letter sent with a resume or article to be considered for submission; it’s the first thing an editor sees from a writer. It’s a very important letter and can make or break article acceptance.

Find the name of the editor to query; don’t use ‘Dear Sir,’ or ‘Hello there,’ unless you’re very sure the editor is a man and that the relationship is casual enough to just say ‘hi’ in the opening. Otherwise, it’s always best to be professional, impersonal and use the editor’s name. If it can’t be found on the publication, give them a call and ask.

Writing Cover Letters Hone Techniques

A good cover letter says why the writer’s work would be best for the publication, a brief over-view of the article and related work experience, and what else they can provide to the editor, such as photos or a series of articles. Like any other written piece, the cover letter will undergo heavy examination; if the cover letter doesn’t work, the editor won’t bother with the writer’s articles.

The writer should always thank the editor for their time, and tell the editor they look forward to hearing back from them. Being polite isn’t hard and it doesn’t take much time or effort. Besides, editors (anyone) would rather work with people that are polite and easy to work with.

Don’t put too much personal information in the letter. Keep it strictly business and be short, but complete. They don’t need to know how the writer came up with the idea or what the weather was like when it was written.

And don’t tell too much about the article, so it won’t be boring when the editor reads the piece. Just give a key points or an outline.

Make it the easiest experience the editor has that day.

Use Life to Feed Your Writing

Emily Green — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 01:43:10 +0000

There’s a lot of money in writing children’s books, with people diversifying in every imaginable way these days. The way people have blossomed in the last five decades makes an endless plethora of material for children’s books.

Children need to be taught about their families and surrounding world and it makes a hotbed of work for writers. Currently, children come from so many different household styles. Some are:
divorced families
foster families
Physically/mentally challenged family members
Poor or rich families
Environmentally educated, or gifted artist parents
Different religious backgrounds and ethnicities
same sex households
and there’s millions of other subjects, like getting lost, knowing when to call 911, etc.

Write About Raising a Disabled Child

Writing for small children should have an easy to understand, simple storyline. Young children readily accept magic and make-believe without question, so creativity in this sense has free reign.

Use humor focused on silly things (the cat’s blue boots), and rhyming or repeated phrases (e.g. fat cat, fat cat, where’d you get that silly hat) are popular with children.

Wherever possible use the character’s actions to show its personality traits. For example, “Tommy turned red when he gave Teacher the apple”, or “His big smile showed Mama how happy Tommy was”.

Kids three to five years old like to read stories that explain why some things happen, the characters have adventures, get lost, be brave, tell the truth, thinking of others, explaining how they feel physically and/or emotionally, learning to count, learning phone number and address, telling if someone hurts them or touches them inappropriately.

Five to Seven years can take a longer storyline and they like stories about overcoming a challenge, learning new skills, understanding simple processes, making good and bad choices, my possessions and your possessions, cleaning up after themselves, learning to do chores, and more.

Seven Tips for Writing From Home

Emily Green — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:20:46 +0000

When someone decides to go pro and freelance on their own, it’s scary and stressful, but it’s hard to make others believe a writer works at all. Phone calls, impromptu visits, favors, children, and all kinds of things can get in the way of a writerâ€˜s work.

Techniques for writing from home:
1.) Regularity will show people that it’s a serious business, so be regular and on time every day.
2.) Get dressed and ready the same as for any other job. It’s tempting and even enviable to work in pajamas, but, if anything comes up it has to wait until the writer’s ready to leave the house.
3.) A desk in the dining room won’t be good enough, especially if there’s children in the house. A writer needs a space. Besides, if there isn’t a place to leave when work is done for the day, then it’s no relief to leave it at night.
4.) Get one of those little clock signs you see in store windows that say, ‘I’ll Be Back At:’ and below the words are clock hands set at what time the business person will be back. Then, use it.
5.) Use voicemail like a secretary. Modify the recording to encourage people to leave messages and then set a certain time to return calls.
6.) People need a break from their work (and their desk) to refresh and energize to finish the day. The same goes for eating – don’t eat at the desk, don’t even eat in that room, but do eat. The body needs nourishment to be fueled for the day, and a change of space is important.
7.) Be stingy with work time and make it known to everyone. If anyone else had to go to work, nobody would think anything of the fact that the person cannot be disturbed for at least 8 hours. They should have the same respect reciprocated.

Techniques to Make Extra Money Writing Online

Emily Green — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 01:23:46 +0000

It takes time and energy to make money online, especially with writing. But, there are a bunch of things one can do to supplement their writing income. Luckily, the Internet has a plethora of ways to make money on the side!

One thing many writers don’t think about is the help they can give to college students. Term papers, theses, essays and reports all need to be written and students often don’t have a lot of time. They appreciate being able to have a competent writer help them out. Put up ads on college bulletin boards and CraigsList.

There’s also grant and proposal writing. Make an ad on CraigsList. Companies often would rather pay someone to write a decent grant or proposal than take a chance on an employee doing a good job on it.

There’s also a need for e-jury participants. Students from colleges take part in mock trials online and they frequently need jurors, and the college pays. It isn’t a lot, but it can all add up. Look at ejury.com and trialjuries.com.

Make Money on the Side This Way

Selling photos is a great way to make money online. Put every photo taken on one of the sites that sell and show photos for people, like fotolia, Dreamstime.com, Shutterstock.com, BigStockPhoto.com and flickr.

Online tutoring is also a good way to make some extra cash. High school and college students both need help from time to time, and expertise can be shared for a price. Try looking at e-Tutor.com, SmartThinking.com and Tutor.com.

Giving lessons working computer programs is another money-maker. Know how to work Excel spreadsheets, or photoshop 7? Share the knowledge and it can bring in some bucks. Advertise on sites like CraigsList.

There are also sites that pay for reading emails, taking surveys and eBay auction writing. Be creative and see what can be done with a little ingenuity.

Writing for Print vs Online

Emily Green — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:17:49 +0000

Should a new freelance writer work for print publications, like a literary magazine? Or work online? It’s a valid question, especially for prolific writers who can pump out work on demand.

Print publications pay the best of the two. Writing for print publications takes more time to get paid than writing online does. For print, one needs to send query letters and manuscripts with or without photos to publications until an editor bites.

Some magazines pay upon acceptance, but they are few; most of them pay on publication, and many publications gather literature months (or even a year) ahead of time. This is okay, it’s just the way it’s done, but it gives them more time to kill the article (change their mind).

Writing Literature or Articles Online

Do a Google search on the terms â€œwriting for pay online,â€ and â€œfreelance writing online.â€ Look at the results and choose several sites to check out; see their Terms of Service or Use. Some of them have a minimum payment threshold, meaning payment won’t happen until that amount has been reached. The payouts happen faster than one might think, as daily page-views add up.

Writing for pay online is a building process. Sites usually pay by the page-view (they call these ‘residuals’), by ad clicks, or up front per article, and it’s a much smaller payment than one would receive for a printed piece (actually pennies per day, at first). The way these writers make money is by having hundreds of articles on several sites online, each making money by page-views and ad-clicks the entire time the work is viewable. Complete and evergreen information will keep an article making money for years.

The best situation is where a writer makes money writing for both, online and print publications, at the same time.

Make Money Between Writing Gigs

Emily Green — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 06:34:19 +0000

Want to make money writing online, so the day can be spent at home? Tired of going to a dead-end job where there’s no encouragement or reward? Many people find themselves in exactly these positions and they’re in a veritable quandary over what to do.

In the current economy, jobs aren’t easy to come by. But, there are ways to make money online that can supplement – or replace – recent income.

One great way to make money is to be a virtual assistant. Put an ad on CraigsList and advertise the expertise it took a lifetime to gain. Offer other web-workers services that can be done for them, like, scheduling, appointment setting, email reading and promotions. Pay is by the piece or by the hour, and one could offer bill-paying, payroll and bookkeeping, budgeting or secretarial work. Take stock of skills and check out entrepreneur.com.

Supplement Writing Income Easily

There are websites that pay for opinions and all one has to do is fill out questionnaires (opinionoutpost.com) or type in a short paragraph of an opinion. Easy money. But, when signing up for these sites make sure

Also, sites like PayPerPost.com offer money for writing reviews – for pay or perks. Perks can be a good way to supplement income if the perks are something the writer would normally have to pay for.

Share opinions and experience by writing blogs for someone else. Examiner.com and GigaOM.com are two great sites that pay for content. Do a Google search to check out more.

Sites are out there for freelancers of most any kind. Elance.com is a good one, as the site is scoured by companies for grant writing, contract writing, blogs, articles and even some stories. RentaCoder.com (or Vworker.com, same site) looks for program writers, so if html strikes a chord, apply here. DesignOutpost.com or LogoWorks.com are companies looking for logo and web designers; also good places to check out.

A Proofreader You May Already Have

Emily Green — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 03:37:40 +0000

A proof-reading system has been found! No longer is the need for someone to read the work before it can be sent to an editor.

Not that reading one’s own work isn’t exciting! But, it is time consuming and the eyes become so accustomed to the mistakes that they go right past some of the typos without notice. It takes time away from it to be able to see every single typo. Put a finished piece away for three or four days (and don’t look at it), then read it again and see how many mistakes pop out at you. It’s a good system that works, but, as mentioned already, it takes days.

A Surprise in Writing Tips

There is one other way. It’s been in use for some time, but it’s just been learned by the ptb, and it’s unanimous that it should be shared here. Late models of Microsoft-based computers come with a trial version of Excel and an offer to purchase it. The trial version may or may not come with the function about to be announced here, at this time there’s no way for the writer to know, having a purchased version.

Take note of this: In a Microsoft Excel window look in the upper left, way up on the very top, next to undo.

~ Find and click on “Customize Quick Access Toolbar”.
~ Click “More Commands”
~ In the Choose Commands drop-down menu, click “All Commands”
~ Scroll down the page and click Speak Cells Upon Enter.
~ Click OK.

From there on, copy and paste your article into a cell. Hit enter, and it will speak the work, enabling the writer to hear all the spelling mistakes that the eyes missed. The voice is very computer-like and male, so inflection isn’t there. If anyone has a program with a female voice, tell us in the comments!

Tips for Writing a Thesis 1

Emily Green — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 01:25:40 +0000

As freelance writers we have to look for work; sometimes work comes to us. If someone asked to have a thesis written with all the research they’d collected, would you remember how?

Writing theses and term papers is a good way to make some extra writing cash; put up a notice on college bulletin boards, CraigsList, and grocery store and Laundromat bulletin boards.

Getting back to the subject at hand; “how to write a thesis” refresher. This post (and the next two) will deal with the parts of a thesis and what they should contain.

Freelance Writing Skills go Back to School

Here’s a list of what is needed for a basic thesis, however, it can be modified.

~Title page
~Abstract
~Table of Contents
~List of Figures used
~List of Tables used
~Introduction
~Methods
~Results
~Discussions
~Conclusions
~Recommendations
~References
~Appendices

Writing a Thesis; 8 Tips

1.) Make it double-spaced using 12 point font.
2.) Use one inch margins and include page numbers.
3.) Label all tables/figures in consecutive numbers; e.g. fig. 1, fig. 2, Table 1, Table 2, etc.
4.) Make sure all quotes have quotation marks where necessary, and that all quotes are attributed. Make sure attribution is correct.
5.) Don’t give unsupported data; use tables and figures to support all data. If tables or figures arenâ€™t available, use more data to prove the original data.
6.) Check references carefully – don’t rely on memory, cross-check it against the citations.
7.) Print it double sided (optional; less paper is used). This isn’t always an option but it’s worth inquiring about.
8.) Make the final triplicate copies (one to the mentor, one to the department).

When it’s all finished, put it down and leave it alone until the next day. If any little errors come rushing back to mind, they can still be edited out.

Tips for Writing a Thesis 2

Emily Green — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:44:41 +0000

Title Page: This should contain the title, subtitle, author, the writer’s institution, that institution’s department, date of delivery, research mentor and the mentor’s institution.

Abstract: This should sum up why the subject is important, and then give a summary of major results, peppered with numbers and error margins. The last sentences should explain major implications of the work, and that should be concise, cohesive and easy to read.
~The length of the abstract should be 1-3 paragraphs, or about 400 words.
~Information in the title shouldn’t be repeated in the body of information.
~Use numbers and visuals.
~Here are some questions the abstract should answer:
What was done?
Why was it done? Was there a question being answered?
How was it done? Say how.
State results. What was learned?
Why does it matter? List significant implications.

Table of Contents:
1.) list all headings and subheadings with page numbers
2.) indent subheadings
3.) List of Figures
4. List of Tables
5. Introduction
subheadings
6. Methods
subheadings
7.
subheadings
8. Discussion
subheadings
9. Conclusion
10.) Recommendations
11.) Acknowledgments
12.) References
13.) Appendices

Further Writing Tips for Thesis Construction

u>List of Tables and List of Figures: These are literally lists of the consecutively numbered tables and figures used in the context.

The Introduction: This really can’t be written until the body of the text is finished. List any subheadings indented.

Methods: Here the writer explains how they did everything, if it can all be replicated in another setting and by another person, how information was gathered, the instruments and/or equipment used and can someone else use the same things to get the same results.

Results: This is where the writer tells the results of researches, experiments, statements of observation, rules, graphs and tables. Mention negative results as well as positive ones, and lay it out like it’s for a jury, so every nuance is noted. Break up long results with subheadings.

The next post will be about discussions, conclusions, and more.

Tips for Writing a Thesis 3

Emily Green — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:02:22 +0000

This is the third and last installment about writing a thesis for a college student. Here are the remaining undisguised parts.

Discussion: must contain both positive and negative aspects of whatever’s being discussed, and opinion must be kept separate from fact. The writer must be very careful not to infer his own thoughts and/or interpretations of the observations. Don’t worry if the “Results” section seems short. It makes for an easier-to-absorb read.

The discussion section should be a short essay by itself, answering the usual essay questions; did any major patterns arise in the observations? What are the relationships, trends and generalizations in the results? Are there exceptions to these patterns or generalizations?

Write a Proper Thesis Finish

Be sure to use multiple hypotheses. There are usually more than one possible explanations for results, so donâ€™t leave them out or choose the favorite one to explain. Avoid jumping on a popular conclusion unless the data severely supports the conclusion. Interpretation/discussion shouldn’t be too long or verbose. Break up the section into logical segments by using subheadings. Remove any information that isn’t supported by data, as well.

Conclusions: State the strongest and most important conclusions that can be made from the observations. Always refer to the problem posed in the beginning and describe the conclusions reached. Note any new insights and interpretations that have resulted from the work, including any broad implications that turned up. Do not repeat the abstract, introduction or discussion.

Recommendations: Make recommendations where appropriate and list what actions are required to solve the problem. Use further research if it helps clarify information and include directions for future studies on the topic.

Acknowledgements: List any and all help and materials used in the project, advisors and anyone else who helped in any manner, whether it was for advice, assistance, departmental support, travel grants, etc.

All that’s left is the References and Appendices. Good luck!

Trying to Write More

Emily Green — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:00:08 +0000

I am back again, on my netbook, to say good morning to all of you! How many of you are ready for Christmas? I’m not! I am so glad that things are going well for my sweet husband at work and we don’t have any problems with paying our bills this year. I have been Christmas shopping already and am so excited to give people the things I have bought them.

I found some great DVDs on sale during Black Friday week at Amazon.com that will make easy Christmas gifts for some of my family members.

The family of a friend of mine is having their Christmas celebration early this year because they have some family in town. She ended up going to a place called Payday One for a loan so that she could get gifts for the family without having to skip the house or car payment.

I would tell you about what I got my husband for Christmas, but I know I did such a good job getting the gift that I do not want it ruined by him being told what it is before the day he is supposed to open it. I am afraid someone will tell him or worse, that he will log onto my netbook and accidentally find the information. That would be awful! I love that I have had it for a month already and he has no clue what I got him.

Where do you hide things when you do not want someone to find them? Do you have a special place? Do you take it to someone else’s house? I saw a show on TV once where a brother his his sister’s birthday gift under her own bed because she never cleaned under there and would never find it.

Internet Novels No Longer Just a Story

Emily Green — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 08:58:31 +0000

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

It’s not a reach stating that the Internet has changed the way we receive information. Whether it involves the local or national news, celebrity gossip, stock tips or even looking up a simple definition, the World Wide Web has sucked in even the most casual onlooker with its convenience and ease of use. And now the Internet has moved in on a target audience that was once thought to be untouchable; the literary world.

Sometimes for the most avid bookworms, it is not easy to wait for the next anticipated novel to appear in bookstores which is why many are excited about the options that are now available on the web.

Some of these options include plenty of free quality novels available online that are either public domain (where the original copyright has expired), have been written under a public source license (where the end user will have a code to access the material), or have been written specifically for the Internet.

Or if you don’t mind paying a fee, you can either purchase the files or subscribe to a service that offers these best sellers. Once you have paid for the service you can download the material directly to your computer or read it on a device like Amazon Kindle, if you don’t mind the smaller print on an undersized screen.

And for the dedicated reader on the go, there is always the old standard; the audiotape which can be purchased at most book stores or online or, for that more electronic experience, you can download the audio version of these novels to your iPod or MP3 Player.

Of course there are the purists who will argue that these contemporary methods of reading will never be a valid substitute for the good old-fashioned experience of curling up with a hard cover novel but, just like the novels themselves, sometimes having the choice is enough.

Writing as Therapy

Emily Green — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 13:25:48 +0000

: Image by unprose via Flickr

If you are having a hard time with life, you may need an outlet to get out all of those feelings you are having. With a writing journal, you can use it as your guide to self-healing. If you don’t want to visit a therapist or a counselor, try using a journal in order to get help.

First, check the top affiliate programs to see what kinds of programs are available in your area for help. You may find that you can join a support group to get the help that you need. If none are available, then maybe using a journal is the right option for you.

You want to make sure you pick out a journal that feels comfortable for you. You should shop in a few different stores until you find one that you like. Remember, this is going to become your best friend and the thing that you tell everything to.

Once you find the right journal, you need a good writing utensil. Keeping a journal will be pointless if your writing utensil causes you pain or is hard to write with.

After you find the best writing tool, decide what you want to write about. Do you want to tell your journal everything? Or are you afraid that if you write everything down, that someone will see it? Remember that you won’t be able to heal if you are afraid what other people will think or find out. Try to write everything down in your journal, because that’s the first step in getting better.

Write in it every day if you have to. Whenever you are feeling bad or conflicted over something, you can always turn to your journal. Writing down your feelings really does help.

Literary Magazines – A Declining Literary Force

Emily Green — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 06:53:41 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

In the early 19th century, a new periodical arose that combined the literary talents of some of the most influential authors of the day with intellectual, stimulating literary criticism, poetry, biographical information about the authors and experimental fiction. It came to be known as the little magazine or the literary magazine. Most were published by collegiate institutions, their college of humanities using the literary magazine as their form of scholarly journal.

The literary magazine’s popularity was sealed with the discovery of major talent such as T.S. Elliot. Other writers followed suit, adding short stories and essays to their literary endeavors and soon, publication in a literary magazine was the basis of several prestigious prizes such as the Henri Awards and the Pushcart Prize. In the mid 20th century, literary magazines were being published everywhere, no longer the scholarly journals of institutions such as Yale. Instead, small presses began publishing these little magazines independently and experimental fiction became popular.

In the mid-1970′s the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses was formed to give writers a single point whereby they could research and submit to these magazines. With the advent of the Internet, online literary magazines began to form and there began a dispute as to whether these were considered to be authentic literary magazines or simply ezines in comparison to their print and paper cousins.

In recent years there have been a decline in support for literary magazines in America with a rise in submissions. Fewer readers but more writers. The internet has given many the notion that anybody can publish and many do, without regard to literary merit. Literary magazines are struggling to survive and many do not see readership beyond a localised audience.

Of the most influential, Glimmertrain, The Iowa Review and the New England Review still receive attention and many new authors such as Steven Almond have built nationally recognized careers around short stories published by these and other literary magazines. Still, the influence of the literary magazine among the literary elite has declined.

Exercise To Help Reduce Stress

Emily Green — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:36:35 +0000

You may be wondering how to relieve that stress you are feeling. We all are stressed, whether it is because our kids our out of control or we are facing an income tax deadline or even just regular day-to-day life. Stress relief may be as easy and as beneficial as a new physical exercise regime. So why should you exercise and what types of exercise are going to be the most beneficial for stress reduction?

Those built-up tensions in your body can be released and eliminated through exercise. You will also be able to release some of those pent-up emotions as well. Your body will release hormones and endorphins that will produce feelings of happiness and well-being. Exercise also gives you better health in general, and when you’re healthier, your stress level will lower. Some exercise programs also let you get out socially which is a good stress reducer. Some types of exercise provide a meditative state of mind, while others will bring a higher level of self-esteem.

So know we know some of the benefits of exercise for stress relief, so here’s a few great exercise programs that are especially beneficial:

• Yoga is a great program to get involved in because it promotes flexibility as well as overall physical health. These exercises may also help you with achieving a meditative state.

• Karate and other forms of martial arts are great ways to develop self-discipline and self-confidence that can help reduce your stress. Martial arts are especially good at releasing tension and frustration, as well as being an overall great physical activity. It is also a great way to become part of a community.

• Swimming is beneficial because of the water’s soothing qualities, as well as the cardio benefits.

There are many other exercises that can reduce stress, so just get out there!

Your First Christmas Card List

Emily Green — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 17:22:51 +0000

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If you are putting together your first Christmas card mailing list, you might be a little intimidated. The first list can be kind of hard to make. You want to make sure that everyone who should get a card gets one, and that no one feels left out or disappointed. You will also want to make sure that your cards get out on time and, of course, you don’t want to send cards to wrong addresses! So, here are a few tips to make putting together your first Christmas card list a little bit easier.

Names: First put together a list of all the people that you want to send a card to. Start with the maternal side of your family. Start by writing down your parents’ names too so you won’t forget! Then write down, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and so on. Do the same with the paternal side of your family, then move on to your spouse’s family, friends, co-workers, and anyone else you want to have on your list.
Addresses: Make sure that you have addresses for everyone on the list. You might have to ask around a little bit, but don’t spend too much time asking other people. If you can’t find an address fairly quickly, use an online database like Canada 411.
The letter: Many people like to include a personal letter that tells people what they have been doing for the past year. Type up this letter and make enough copies for everyone on your list.
Addressing envelopes: You can take the time to write out addresses by hand if your list is not too big, but if it’s a large list, you can type up the addresses on your computer and print them out on sticky address forms. Then you just have to stick them on the right envelope!

Reading the Classics

Emily Green — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:04:41 +0000

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Book lovers can sometimes become too dependent on current book titles. Regardless of your area of emphases, the relevance of classics is never questioned. As the definitive element of the word “classics” is approached, perhaps it is time to rekindle such interest.

Reading the classics is always a rewarding experience. It is also engaging to immerse oneself in the dynamics of a classic work. It allows the reader to bring oneself back to the basics of the topic in question, to the fundamental and meaningful elements of conversation.

Fictional works throughout the history of literature have retained their value well. Works like these continue to experience such renowned attention that remakes are continually being made on the silver screen. It truly is quite refreshing to read the work of some of the most renowned novelists and writers throughout all time.

Non-fiction works remain important today as well, and offer an excellent chance to engage in the experience of the classics. If philosophy is taken, for example, it would be hard to imagine a lawyer or philosophy student who has not read the foundation of rhetoric, in Aristotle’s great work by the same title. In fact, any philosophy read without some knowledge of Plato and Aristotle would be incomplete to the reader’s knowledge of the subject.

The classics along these lines offer a unique and valuable experience for book lovers, academics, and anyone who enjoys engaging works. There are also endless possibilities through the many subjects offered in the great works, from Sun Tzu’s “Art of War” for war buffs to “The Wealth of Nations” from Adam Smith, for those interested in modern economy.

Try engaging in the rewarding and educational experiences offered by the classics. Classics offer readers the chance to rekindle interest in any subject imaginable, in a way to connect to some of the greatest writers and minds seen throughout history.

Buying for Baby with a Prepaid Card

Emily Green — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:28:29 +0000

: Image by Meffi via Flickr

A good friend of mine found out recently that she is going to be having a girl! I’m so excited for her, but I’m also really excited to buy lots and lots of baby stuff. As we all know, pink rocks, and since the baby is a girl, I get to go all out and buy tons of pink. I’ve already started to look at some of the great deals that I can find, and some of the things that my friend will need for her baby.

Luckily, I have a prepaid card that I am able to use for all of these purchases. Otherwise, I may end up going a little over budget, and that wouldn’t be good. I have found so much that I want to get for the baby that it might seem a little bit of overkill. For example, I found the cutest crib bedding set. It has different shades of pink and some cute little flowers on it. It even comes with a lamp that has a matching pink lamp cover.

I found a perfect car seat and stroller combination, as well. I’m wondering if I should purchase that one, though, simply because that may be a personal preference type of item. Maybe I’ll email the link to my friend and see if she likes it.

Not to mention all of the adorable pink clothes that I found. Everything from onesies to cute dresses. This baby is going to be decked out. Honestly, I may have to cut back. Even with my prepaid card, I may be over thinking this. Not to mention, I know I’m not the only person that wants to get things for the baby. Maybe I should wait until my friend makes her baby registry, so I know what she wants and needs. It’s so hard to pass up cute baby things, though!

An Introduction to Magazine Writing

Emily Green — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 15:55:43 +0000

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The blank page is a writer’s worst nightmare. Although it gives them room to create, it also can be indicative to writer’s block. This terrifying occurrence happens to novelists, journalists, bloggers, magazine authors, copywriters and ghostwriters. Luckily there are a few techniques to help get over the hump that apply to all types of writers.

Overcoming Writer’s Block

In the magazine industry, it is always important to conduct some preparation prior to adding words to the blank page. There are ideas for magazine articles all around and the number of places to write continues to grow. Personal experiences, how-to articles, interviewing those around you and teaching are all excellent sources of ideas for a magazine article. Also, it is always important to know your audience, the type of publication using the article and the demographic reading the magazine.

Tips for Getting Published

Getting published by a magazine might seem like a difficult process but if you actually read the publication you are interested in you will know their expectations. Collect the magazines that frequent your residence and organize them. After, study the content of each article to ascertain the types of publications in the magazine, the voice, the topics and the typical reader. When you feel comfortable, create an article based on their writer’s guidelines which can be acquired through a simple letter to the magazine. Some publications require a query letter, others the full manuscript.

Maintain Good Writing Practices

When creating a piece of written communication whether it is an article for a publication or an email to a friend, it is always important to maintain proper English grammar and flawless spelling. When looking to be published in a magazine, this is an article that millions of individuals may read so the writing style must be intriguing with no errors. Editors will reject articles will too many syntactical mistakes.

Steps to Take When Writing a Research Paper

Emily Green — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 18:29:30 +0000

Research papers can be both tedious and tremendous. You have to gather up a whole lot of information and sort it out, which can be pretty hard work. On the other hand, you get to learn a lot and put it in your own creative words.

Pick a Terrific Topic

The first thing you want to do is pick a topic that delights you. If you settle for a dull subject, you’ll be bored to tears writing about it. Writing the best research papers come to someone who’s really, really itching to learn everything about a topic and share the news. Make sure you can find plenty of information on your topic, but don’t choose anything too broad. Remember: it’s a paper, not an encyclopedia!

Research the Old-Fashioned Way (and the New Way, too)

Most research these days is conducted on the Internet; there’s a ton of information available at your fingertips. However, it’s a good idea to check out what the library has to offer, too. There’s nothing quite like a book, its old pages rich with thoughtful and elaborate information! So, in addition to all those Internet searches, don’t forget to take a trip to your local library.

Take Lots and Lots of Notes

If you love your subject, researching it will be fun. So fun, in fact, that you’ll gather way more information than you could ever squeeze into a single research paper. Write down all the facts that you think are important, and then you can cull out the ones that you find especially intriguing. If you are generous with your note taking and research, you’ll end up with an essay packed with fascinating facts.

Put Together A Rough Outline

Read over your notes and decide what stands out. Is there a central theme you’d like to focus on? Does it make sense to organize the essay chronologically? Deciding how to organize your essay is one of the hardest parts. You have to_sort through all that juicy information and figure out a way to lay it neatly on the page. Give yourself sometime to think about all you’ve learned and then scribble down an outline.

Write a Mediocre First Draft

Go ahead, write badly! If you sit down with the intention of making every word a gem, you won’t get anything written. It’s much better to simply start writing and edit later. Just use your outline and your notes and start writing.

Proofread, Proofread, Proofread

Once you’ve finished that first draft, give yourself a big pat on the back and take a break! When you’re ready to work again, print out a copy of your essay and mark it up like a crazy teacher. Continue to write drafts, take a bit of time off, and then revise each draft until you make it perfect.

You can soon begin to work through each step: great topic, old fashion research, notes, outline, first draft, and draft proofreading. Ample time to complete all the steps will make all the difference. If you follow the suggested steps they will organize and deepen your thought, perhaps producing a better paper than you thought youself capable of.

Tips for Quick Article Writing

Emily Green — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 15:54:51 +0000

: Image by art makes me smile via Flickr

Many authors can write a high-quality 500 word article in 20 minutes. However, they did not reach this point overnight. This took practice, experience and most importantly, utilizing a few creative writers tips. When developing content for a blog or website, it is important to produce high-quality, intriguing, original content to keep your readers engaged in the topic. However, you need to find a balance between quality and speed. For many, writing blogs and articles is a slow process so finding methods of improving the speed is beneficial.

Creating Lists of Ideas

The first tip is to create lists of ideas for the blog or article. The best method for this is to generate the list with bullet points either on a computer or by hand. Think about these ideas for a few days to concoct a specific topic or topics for a few different articles. As these thoughts appear, add them to the list. It helps to carry a notebook as everything around you is a source of motivation.

Eliminate Writer’s Block

A good method of eliminating writer’s block is to start writing an article by warming up. Sit down and write about anything that comes to mind for 5 minutes. This will help all subsequent writing flow much better. Also, going on a jog or walk will help you focus upon return. Additionally, make a game out of the specified deadline by making the article due a few hours prior to the actual target.

Only Partially Write Articles

Believe it or not writing segments of many different articles can help you develop them much more. When engaged in a good writing flow, spend 5 minutes on one article and 8 minutes on another and revisit those partially completed. Try to average 5-7 minutes per writing session per article.

Important Legal Copywriting Concepts

Emily Green — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:53:57 +0000

One of the most important concepts of being a freelance copywriter is understanding copyright laws. There are many misunderstandings regarding the law and how it applies to writing. Of all mediums, the internet poses some of the most complicated issues regarding copyright law due to the free flow of information.

Copyright laws protect the author of any type of content be it audio, video, image, painting or literary work. A few areas copyright does not protect is facts, inventions, ideas, words, names, symbols and proprietary information but it may protect the method in which these categories are expressed. Inventions are protected under patent law, words names and symbols under trademark law and proprietary information under trade secret law.

Acquiring Copyright Protection

Unless assigned rights to another party, the author of any piece of writing owns the copyright to that work. No actions are necessary as copyright protection appears automatically after the completion of the piece so it can be read by man or machine. To acquire the copyright, the work must be original, not an extension of someone else’s work.

Reasons to Register a Copyright

Although registration is not necessary, there are a few reasons to have a piece registered with the U.S. Copyright Office. First, to sue another party for copyright infringement, the work in question must be registered. This registration is only valid for infringements that occur thereafter. Second, in a lawsuit, registered work is eligible for up to $100,000 per piece in damages. Third, at only $20, registration is inexpensive and a simple process. Finally, if the registration of copyrighted work is made within 5 years of completion, it can be used in court as prima facie evidence. Overall, the primary use of registering a copyrighted piece of work is for prosecution of an individual or group of individuals in a court of law.

Editing is your Friend

Emily Green — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 15:53:03 +0000

Most books, short stories, articles and other types of content are rejected from being published because they are not ready to be released due to minor grammatical and spelling errors. There are many different errors writers make and overlook during proofreading or never properly learned the rule of the language. By fixing these small mistakes through editing prior to submitting your work you have a better chance of being published.

Presentation is Key

Once you find a publisher, it is important to present your work in the best possible manner. Therefore, you must thoroughly edit your material and make it look presentable prior to submitting it to your publisher. Not following this rule is like going into a job interview in shorts and sneakers; it is unlikely you will be offered the position.

Edit, Edit and Reedit

The more time you spend editing your work the higher chance you have of acceptance. E-publishers invest a great deal of time into developing their website and creating the electronic documents for the internet. On the other hand, print publishers spend a great deal of money advertising. Therefore, they do not have the resources to be editing all of your work. When publishers receive multiple submissions, you want yours to stand out among the group.

Use the Tools to Edit

The first step in proper editing is using the spelling and grammar check within your word processing document. This will catch the most common mistakes but it is always important to proofread your work a few times. It is most beneficial to space out the time in which you read the document. This allows your eyes to refocus so it is similar to reading a fresh manuscript. Make sure to be aware of contractions, singular vs. plural, tenses and proper uses of words like I and me; him and he; and their, there and they’re.

All about Writer’s Organizations

Emily Green — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:52:08 +0000

Writing is a craft where you only need to depend on yourself to create high-quality content. You find a cozy spot to isolate yourself and finish your work away from the distractions of the modern world. There are many others out there like you. Those interested parties often join writer’s organizations to improve their skills, socialize with other brilliant minds and network.

Learning in a Group Setting

Information within writer’s organizations is passed in a group setting and can be quite valuable. Even if you are a passive attendee, you can still gain pertinent information. However, those that organize, brainstorm and fully participate in the meetings will get the most out of them. Meetings allow the free flow of information to be communicated to others within a structured and friendly environment.

Types of Organizations

There are many types of organizations available covering different forms of writing including, freelance, creative, fiction, non-fiction and much more. These groups can be large or small. The larger organizations have more information passed along to its members and may provide more functions. Many offer more services than only writing including illustration and editing. Also, the largest groups have legal services that protect writers from excessive taxes, improve copyright laws and fight for an improvement in writer royalties.

Magazine Writing Can be Very Profitable – But It Takes Time

Emily Green — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:51:10 +0000

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Writing for magazines is a great way to make money, because print work traditionally pays a lot better than Internet work. However, magazine writing isn’t like content writing, where there’s always work available and you can just take articles whenever you want. You have to query magazines, and then wait for them to decide whether they’ll publish your article or story. Often, you don’t get paid until the piece is published, which could be weeks or even months after you write and submit it. Some magazines will pay on acceptance, which is better, but most pay on publication.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with magazine writing, but just be prepared to wait a while for your money. If you understand that you aren’t going to be getting paid right away, you can write some other things that pay more quickly while you’re waiting for your magazine writing to start paying off. Once you begin writing for magazines more frequently, you’ll keep a steadier stream of income coming to you, and that will help you stay busy and pay your bills. Also, you may not have to query so much. After you get established with a particular magazine, you’ll find that you sometimes get offered assignments, instead of always needing to ask for them.

If you’re really dedicated to the idea of writing for magazines, don’t give up on that dream. Even if it doesn’t happen right away, you can still make it happen. Hone your query letters and continue to send them out. When you get a rejection, really think about the reason given. It can help you determine what changes you want to make so you can start getting those acceptance letters coming in and seeing your name in print.

Writers Must Have Proper Resumes

Emily Green — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 15:50:03 +0000

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It’s easy to assume that your work speaks for itself, but it often doesn’t. If you’re just sending a two-line email to prospective clients and asking them to click the links to see your work, you’re missing out on a lot of clients and a lot of money. Most people who’re looking for writers aren’t very interested in clicking all around the Internet, doing research to see what a person has done. They want to be able to look at a strong resume and attached samples, so they don’t have to spend a lot of extra time making a decision.

If your resume doesn’t sing and it isn’t professional and well-polished, you’re losing out. There are a lot of writers out there, and the only way you’re going to stand out is by being a complete professional. That means always meeting deadlines, having good communication with your clients and potential clients, and having a resume that truly speaks to what you can do. If your resume is brief and doesn’t have much to say, you won’t be seen as someone who takes his or her work seriously. On the other hand, a six-page resume isn’t going to be read by many people, because it’s way too long.

Try to keep your resume down to two pages, if possible. You should be able to say everything you need to within those two pages. If it stretches to three, there had better be a seriously good reason for it, because most people who are hiring someone off of a resume don’t want to see that much information. The resume should be a snapshot of the best and more important things that you’ve done as a writer and/or as a person. Keep in short, simple, and with good information about the things you can do best.

Getting a Writing Mentor to Help You

Emily Green — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:49:03 +0000

When you’re just starting out as a writer, one of the things that can really help you is having a mentor. Of course, getting a mentor isn’t always easy. If you’re fortunate enough to be friends with people who are already established writers, perhaps one of them will be willing to take you under their wing. If you don’t have that luxury, though, you can try joining writing groups. You can also offer to pay for instruction, but a lot of aspiring writers don’t have much money – and a lot of established writers won’t work for free. It can become a bit of an impasse.

If you’re serious about getting a mentor, though, don’t give up. Keep going to writing groups and writing forums, and keep asking questions. Join organizations that are specifically designed for writers, so you can talk to people who are already in the business. That way you’ll have a better chance of connecting with someone who would actually like to help you, and who will be willing to do so for less money than you might otherwise have to pay. If you can get help for free, so much the better. The more friends you make in the writing world, the better.

Even if you don’t find that one person who will stop what they’re doing and mentor you, you may still be able to get a lot of help from other writers. They often have suggestions for places where you can write a little for some extra cash, and you can get good experience there. Don’t stay there, though, or you’ll get stuck writing inexpensive content. At some point, you have to make the changeover to higher-paid work, so you can move your career forward.

Imagination Costs A Lot

Emily Green — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:20:42 +0000

Most writers struggle to make ends meet and the public does not always see their talent as early as one might hope. Writers are artists the freedom from stress let their imaginations flow. This means that artists are free to write just about anything that is important and entertaining. While you may feel that you work is perfect for everyone, there are bound to be critics who will find your work offensive. But as an established writer, you should be able to handle criticism and use it to your advantage to improve your skills.

However we all know the kind of suffering any talented artist goes through, especially financial, so even as a writer you need to find a way to protect yourself. If you were ever in legal trouble for expressing your thoughts or for an unfortunate mistake, you could end up with extremely high legal fees and fines. While you may not have the kind of money you need to pay these fines, you should consider a protection plan to handle such an unfortunate scenario. Try to get professional indemnity insurance, which will protect you so that in the event there are problems, you will have a solution.

You never expect to be sued for your own work, but the reality is that there are people out there who don’t share your opinions and beliefs. You, like any other writer, can easily become a victim and without the proper support, you could be left on the street. Get the insurance you need to protect yourself and your work so that you do not have to worry about how you choose to express yourself as a writer. Your imagination and talent must be protected so that you are always able to pursue your craft.

Do You Need a Precis?

Emily Green — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 15:48:02 +0000

Whether you need a precis is something that only you can decide, but if you’ve had published work and you want to showcase it, that’s a good way to do so. Usually, a resume doesn’t talk specifically about what books you’ve had published and what magazines and newspapers your work has appeared in. With a precis, you can address those kinds of things so that prospective clients can really get a look at what you’re able to do. If you don’t have much to show, though, you might want to hold off on a precis, because creating one with just a few lines could make you appear weak instead of strong.

Think carefully about what you’ll choose to do, and make sure that you take a look at a precis that belongs to another writer to get some ideas. If you could look at more than one, that’s even better. That way you’ll see the kinds of things that are included and not included, so you’ll have a good chance of making the right choices when you create your own. Don’t feel intimidated by people who have done more than you. There will always be people who fit into that category, and you can’t change that.

A precis is about summarizing the kinds of things you have done, so that others can see your qualifications. For some prospective clients, it’s a good idea to send both a resume and a precis, so that they can get a better idea of your level of accomplishment. Anyone can see he’s been a writer for 20 years, but how much has he actually written in that time, that he’s published and/or been paid for. That might be a much more important question than how long he’s actually been in the business.

Copywriting Can Mean Big Money

Emily Green — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:47:10 +0000

Experienced copywriters can make a lot of money, but they have to gain experience first. If you want to work as a copywriter, don’t assume that you can just jump in and command high-dollar rates. That might happen for a few people, if they get lucky and find a client who will take a chance on them. For most people, though, hard work and time are the only things that will bring them to the higher rates. Don’t give up if you have to work for a little less right at first. You shouldn’t do work for rates that you find completely unreasonable, but you have to be realistic about what kinds of prices you can ask with little experience.

Make sure that your resume speaks to any experience – even if it’s similar and related, but not exact – that you may have. Whether that experience is professional for clients or something you did during your college education, it’s important that you showcase what you can do. Clients will be more impressed by people who are serious about what they do and who know how to show their talents and abilities properly. Resumes won’t necessarily make or break you, but they very well could, depending on the client.

With copywriting, it’s good to have some samples. If you don’t have some because you’re new and haven’t done work for clients, it’s time to create some. Pick a fictional client, and show what you can do by writing content for that client. Then, send that sample with your resume, so the people who’re considering hiring you can see that you’re capable of writing the kinds of things that they want to see. It’s a very good way to raise your chances of getting hired.

Finding a Good Literary Agent

Emily Green — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:46:13 +0000

If you’ve written a book and you don’t want to self-publish, it’s time to start finding a publisher – or is it? Instead of looking for a publisher for your work, you may want to look for a literary agent. An agent can get your work into the hands of larger publishers that wouldn’t be interested in viewing unagented submissions. That way you’ll have a better chance of selling your work and getting a good advance and royalties from it. Also, an agent can help guide you and get you to adjust your work if it’s not quite where it should be just yet.

Getting an agent can be difficult, because they don’t want to represent anyone whose work they don’t believe in or think that they can sell. Get your work as good as possible, and then send it out to agents. Query them, just like you would with a publisher or a magazine. If you get one that’s willing to take a closer look, count yourself very lucky. Just make sure that you get a legitimate agent. He or she shouldn’t be charging you for editing or for looking at your work. That should be free, and the only time the agent should make money is when you get an advance or a royalty check – the agent will get a percentage.

Most agents are interested in building trust with their clients and working with them for life. They want to establish a good relationship and start getting books sold. That way the client makes a steady stream of income and so does the agent. It’s a winning situation for everyone involved. Be prepared for rejection when looking for an agent, though, and keep in mind that an agent won’t necessarily get your books sold. It’s still a difficult business to break into.

Writing For Pleasure Instead of Money

Emily Green — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 15:45:01 +0000

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When you’re a writer, the idea of not writing doesn’t even register to you. It’s not on your radar. You would write, even if you weren’t getting paid. In fact, some people like to write so much that they aren’t even interested in doing it for pay. It would quell their creative freedom and they’d have to conform to what other people (editors) want them to do. If you do that, you won’t be able to write only what you want when you want it. A lot of people who write for a living also write for pleasure, but the kinds of writing they do are very different.

They may do something like copywriting or ad writing for their day job, but at night they write fiction that they hope one day to publish. Even if no one ever showed interest in their fiction, though, they would continue to write it. They see the value of writing for pleasure and doing something relaxing. Even if you write for your day job, don’t forget to take time to write for pleasure. It can keep your creativity high and help you do better at your job, as well as give you an outlet for things that you want to say but can’t say anywhere else.

It’s always nice to make money with the things you write, but it’s even better to have some satisfaction from them. What you write for pleasure can be something you try to sell, or it can be something that you just keep to yourself. A lot of people also publish what they write for pleasure on their blogs or websites, without worrying about money or recognition. When you’re a writer, it doesn’t matter whether you’re getting paid, because you’ll always write.

Writing Reviews for Money

Emily Green — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:43:46 +0000

There are companies, both online and offline, that will pay to publish reviews of restaurants, movies, hotels, products, and almost anything else you can think of. If you want to be a paid reviewer, though, you’ll have to work for it. A lot of people publish reviews to tell others what they think of something, but they don’t get any money. That can be fun, and a great way to get some writing practice, but it’s not the right way to go about seeking payment for your writing. Instead of just continuing to write reviews for free, use the ones you’ve already written as samples and start marketing your skills to businesses that produce reviews.

It’s very important to have samples to show to a potential client when you’re about to ask for work. Whether you want to work for a specific company or stay freelance, you still need to get people interested in paying you for the kinds of work you do. If that’s writing reviews, and that’s what you’re good at, that’s what you should offer to them. Some companies will pay for reviews on all kinds of things because that’s what their company and their website offer to people. Other companies want reviews on products that they make, but you have to be careful about becoming biased if you’re working for a company like that.

Ultimately, you should be allowed to say what’s true and honest about the product or service you’re reviewing. If you’re working for the company that makes the product or offers the service, you may feel pressure to lie and say that it’s very good when there are actually some problems. If that’s the case, you could get a reputation as a poor reviewer, which might damage your career before it really gets started.

Querying Magazines – Do It the Right Way

Emily Green — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 15:42:45 +0000

If you want to write for magazines, you’ll generally need to query them with the ideas you have for stories. Unless you’re a very in-demand writer who’s a household name or you’ve been writing for that magazine for some time already, you’re probably not going to be contacted by the magazine, asking you to write something. Querying can seem very daunting. The idea of ending up with a rejection from someone you don’t even know can also seem like something you want to avoid. If you truly want to be a writer, though, you’re going to face rejection.

It’s part of life, and it’s a big part of the life of a writer. To cut down on the number of rejections that you’re getting, though, there are things you can do. First of all, learn how to query the right way. You don’t want to send something that’s sloppily-written or unprofessional, because you’ll get rejected. You want to send something you would send if you were applying for a job – professional, to the point, and clear. Make sure you know what kinds of stories the magazine prints, and that you tailor your query along those same lines.

That way, the magazine’s editors will see how what you want to write fits in with what they already have – but yet is unique enough to be valuable. Proofread your query. Read it out loud. It’s much easier to catch mistakes when you do that. Once you’re sure that you’ve caught everything and your query is the best it can be, get a trusted friend or family member to read it. He or she might catch something you didn’t. Then, send it the right way, and to the right person to give yourself the best chance of a positive response.

What Kind of Writer Do You Want to Be?

Emily Green — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:41:29 +0000

For people who love to write and want to make it their career, there are serious considerations. One of the biggest ones is what kind of writer you actually want to be. Some people are generalists and can write about all kinds of things, but most of them are more specialized in what they focus on. They might write Internet content with great SEO skills, or they might be a copywriter. Maybe they write sales letters, or they work only on fine literature. They could write book or movie reviews, too, or go to places and review them when they get home.

Some writers make more than others, but it’s not just about the money. It’s also about liking what you do and being able to do it on a consistent basis. If you choose a writing specialty that you really don’t like, you may find that you burn out quickly and don’t enjoy what you do. Most people who work as writers get into it because they have a serious love of the written word. They aren’t writers because they get paid for it. They’re writers because they have to write. They can’t imagine doing anything else.

Because they’re so dedicated to their craft, they gravitate to the specialty within their field that they feel the most comfortable with. You should do that, too, if you’re going to work as a writer. If you don’t do the kind of work that you’re comfortable with, you won’t be as good at it and you won’t have as much fun. A job can’t all be fun and games, but working as a writer should never, ever stop you from loving to write. If it does, you’re doing the wrong kind of writing.

Writing is a Difficult Business

Emily Green — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:40:01 +0000

If you ask around, you’ll hear a lot of people say that they’re writers. That’s mostly because everyone who has a blog today calls themselves writers. Technically, they’re right, but there’s a major distinction between them and people who slave over written words all day long to pay their bills. Many bloggers don’t realize this, which makes ‘real’ writers – those who do it for a living and pay all of their bills that way – very angry. They feel as though their profession is being devalued and no one is taking them seriously. Blogging for fun and saying you’re a writer is like saying you’re an actor when you’re really just a waiter who’s hoping to break into the biz.

It keeps people from taking professional writers seriously and understanding that they work in a legitimate profession. This is less common for writers who work for a particular company. For self-employed professionals, though, the frustration can really mount. That’s part of what makes writing such a difficult business to stay in. Another difficult part is rejection. Whether it’s the publisher who turned down your book or the client who didn’t like your work enough to hire you, rejections happen to all writers.

Even the best out there faced a lot of rejection before they got their start. They still face rejection, even once they’ve made a name for themselves. It’s a tough, demanding business, and if you work from home it’s easy to feel as though you’re never really finished and can just relax. For those who love the written word, though, it’s also the most enjoyable and interesting job that they’ve ever had, and they cannot possible imagine the idea of doing anything else with their life.

Nobel Prize in Literature Goes to Latin Writer

Emily Green — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:44:41 +0000

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Mario Vargas Llosa, a Latin American writer has received the 2010 Nobel Prize for Literature. A resident of Peru, he has authored many books. He is a politician, literary critic, essayist, poet and journalist. Most of his novels are Spanish based. He is considered the most significant person in the Latin Literature world. He is popular throughout the world and has a larger fan base than any other Latin writer till date. The writing styles and techniques used by Llosa have been Avant garde and helped in creating an aesthetic appeal among the readers. Some of his novels include “The Time of-the hero,” “Conversation in-the Cathedral,” “The Green-House” and many others which have proved his literary genius. All of his novels are based in Peruvian culture and are each monumental in their own way. Many of his novels also have been made into movies. He has been active in politics, smokes Cuban cigars like any other Peruvian, likes to gamble in casinos or sports betting sites.

There are other Latin American writers who have a won Nobel Prize in Literature. Gabriela Mistral is the first Latin writer to ever win a Nobel Prize (1945). Miguel Angel Asturias from Guatemala won it in 1967 and was considered to be a writer way ahead of his time. Pablo Neruda from Chile won a Nobel in 1970 and is known as one of the 20th century’s best writers in every language. His books have been translated to every language in the world and still have not lost their meaning. Gabriel Garcia from Colombia won a Nobel in 1982 and is known as an extremely powerful and influential writer. Octavio Paz although from Mexico, is of Spanish descendants. He won a Nobel in 1990 for this books based on a variety of influences. There are many others Nobel winners who have considered themselves to be of Latin origin.

How to Find the Best Literary Magazine for Your Writing

Emily Green — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 07:25:36 +0000

There are few skills that equal the prestige of great writing. If you can master it, being a writer opens so many opportunities for not only employment, but for self-satisfaction and the boost in ego that having your writing recognized provides. A literary magazine is a great place to start if you haven’t gotten published yet.

The first hurdle is motivation. Rejection is extremely common in the writing world, but with so many places to take your stories, articles, poems and whatever writing outlet you have, you can keep trying at pretty much a constant rate. Historically, libraries and colleges were the best places to find a literary magazine suitable for your writing. Right now, the search does not have to go beyond your Web browser.

It’s good to know your options are open. There are still many, many journals that publish writing from around the country, and in many places, the world. You have to narrow down your choices by looking into what each literary magazine publishes, such as the types of stories or poems they prefer, and whether they accept unpublished writers or demand that the applicant has previously published work to show.

The process of researching these magazines also involves reading the guidelines. Almost every one has a list of guidelines that are expected to be followed; and which editors will look for even before reading the submission. You have to follow them or else your time preparing the work is wasted. It’ll just get thrown out.

The top literary magazines expect the best of writing and you cannot make any mistakes. If you’ve been published, you’re familiar with the process and the fact that the journal is looking for you to prove that. Many smaller scale publications accept unpublished writers and can open the door to opportunities that can be the beginning of a long and prosperous career.

Why Writing Is Something You Can’t Overlook

Emily Green — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 07:23:25 +0000

Writing exercises in school can be slow and boring. The homework just seems to take up time and you’d rather hang out with friends or watch TV. It is very important to be able to write well, and writing is something you can’t overlook because it can open so many doors in your career.

No matter what grade you are in, you should pay careful attention to every writing assignment, and take the criticism of your teachers. Writing is something that you’ll need to do at every level of school, from Kindergarten to medical or law school. You’ll always have to write papers and essays throughout school, but also think about your career.

Many times when you apply for a job, the employer may ask for writing samples. These are a good judge of your level of writing, and how well you are able to communicate. Even things as simple as emails require good writing communication skills and judgment. Both your grammar and cohesiveness of your ideas go toward the employer’s decision as to whether you are a good candidate for the job.

While most jobs entail some form of writing, others almost exclusively exist around it. If you cannot write well, you’ll never have the opportunity to ever work for a newspaper, marketer, business executive and certainly never a teacher. Many writers can even end up working on their own as freelancers, away from the office. Now, there’s something to think about!

Writing is something you can’t overlook also because it provides an outlet to creativity express your ideas. If you’ve got stories running through your head, and perhaps daydream about them, you can write, or type them (another important skill), and eventually try to submit it to magazines or publishers. You never know, you may end up a famous novelist, journalist or songwriter someday.

Landing an SEO Copywriting Gig Online

Emily Green — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 07:18:33 +0000

The availability of SEO copywriting gigs online has made it possible for many people to comfortably work on their own, or supplement their regular jobs. With so many businesses turning to the Web for their marketing initiatives, there are a seemingly endless number of sites that list SEO copywriting gigs. They range from jobs that don’t require much experience to others that require a firm understanding of writing for the Web.

Getting an SEO copywriting job online, however, starts with reading the leads you find on freelance websites. In some cases, all you will find is an email address to state your interest in the work. Other times, you’ll have to fill out a form online and upload files such as your resume, cover letter, and writing samples. This can take time, so make sure you have some qualifications for the job when you apply for it.

If you have an email address, paste it into the email “To” window and make sure you have a cover letter and resume handy, so you can paste those directly from Word or other word processing program you may have your files saved on. Remember to proofread everything before you send it, because one silly mistake can lose the interest of the reader and they won’t even consider you for the gig. Make sure you list your email address and phone number in the email as well.

After you send the email, you wait. In actuality, you have many other things to do. You can send as many queries as you like, because it is the Internet after all and there are enough opportunities out there.

If the time comes when a response happens, you should reply as fast as you can. The responder might be considering a few people for the SEO copywriting gig, and be working on a tight schedule. You might be asked to provide additional samples, or do a test or starter assignment to see how you fit. If it works out, then make sure you sign a contract and decide on what and how you will be paid.

Methods of Avoiding Copywriting Errors

Emily Green — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 07:16:18 +0000

We’re all human and all make mistakes. No matter what it is we do on a regular basis, soon or later we are going to screw up. The same goes for copywriters, because copywriting, although it requires a creative mind, does involve a routine that even the best writers must take a break from once in a while. If you don’t, copywriting errors will mount up and it can cost you clients.

Proofreading is an absolute must, and it is imperative to read your copy at least once or more after you write it. Take a break after the initial writing. When you go back to it a few minutes later, your mind will be more refreshed. If you just keep going all the time, you’ll find yourself reading the same thing ten times and missing simple mistakes.

Copywriting errors do not only include grammatical mistakes. The content has to flow so that it is easy to read. You might like to challenge yourself by coming up with big words, but most readers are intimidated by unnecessarily complex words. They are not needed. Just stick to the point.

The same goes for your sentences. Make them short and don’t make too many points at once. People will lose their train of thought if that happens. The flow of the content will be improved also, and the reader will be able to scan the page quickly to get the idea.

You should also stay on point throughout the copy. Avoiding copywriting errors also involves keeping the reader on track to what you want to say. If you are writing on a product or service, veering off subject could lose the customer’s interest, and their business.

Your tone is also important. Sounding somewhat authoritative is helpful, but you want to convey the message in a friendly, almost conversational manner to draw the customer in. They are more likely to do business with someone they feel some sort of connection with.

Being a Great Freelance Copywriter

Emily Green — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:14:53 +0000

There are an enormous number of opportunities for freelancers, especially in copywriting. This means that the competition is very high. Even a great freelance copywriter has a stressful job at times when they need to market their skills and experience. It takes a few traits to be great at freelance copywriting, which make this career path potentially quite lucrative as well as fun.

Every piece of information you see or hear on TV and on the radio, and read in brochures, magazines, direct mail, leaflets and websites is produced by a copywriter. In whatever medium you choose to write for, you need to target a specific market or product. The ability to research into whatever you are writing about is imperative to creating content that is salable. It is also important to have an understanding of the client’s work as well as the target customers.

If you are a freelance copywriter, you should have adequate credentials. If you don’t already have a degree, this is a strong consideration. A proper background in Journalism or English is fine as well, but you can also have a strong background in any field you are writing in. A background in copywriting is satisfactory enough for many clients to consider you for working with them.

Being a great freelance copywriter also involves being good at communication. It is important to know just what clients are looking for, even if you have to dig in on your own. Meeting deadlines and responding quickly to emails and calls is a must. If you make this part of your routine, you may have many opportunities for work.

The self-marketing part of freelancing can be stressful. You always need to be clear and concise when describing your skills and qualifications. Get used to verbalizing these on the spot. Be ready to do so wherever you go; you might be mingling at a party and someone may ask what you do. If you can tell your story well, then you might unexpectedly find more freelance copywriter work.

Managing Time When Multiple Freelance Writing Gigs Come In

Emily Green — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 07:13:17 +0000

Freelancing can be difficult at times, even when you are a good writer. Being an expert sometimes comes with an additional stress factor: dealing with multiple projects and managing your time. When multiple freelance writing gigs stack up, you can manage them efficiently without being stressed out. It just takes a little organization.

Deadlines are the first thing you need to look at. No client is going to praise your work if you don’t submit it in time. Write out all of the deadlines on a bulletin board near your work desk. The due date of your work is the first consideration in deciding what you need to do first, along with of course, the size of the project and the amount of research you need to do.

Coming up with ideas is the first roadblock many writers hit. Realize that it is okay to brainstorm or even write out ideas that don’t quite fit together initially. You can always edit later, or copy and paste from files where you are just keeping a list of ideas.

A great piece of writing does not have to take a great deal of time to accomplish. If you can organize your ideas and have the structure of the copy in your head, then the project can come together quickly. Using work from the past is possible, but specific ideas should be re-written. Even plagiarizing your own work can be detrimental, especially online. The best way to manage multiple freelance writing gigs is to be able to do each assignment efficiently.

In your research, always ask yourself about what topics are hot at the moment, or what kind of information would be useful to the reader. This will narrow down your writing focus and lessen the time it takes to come up with an idea.

Finally, manage your downtime. Working constantly will cause you to burn out and make mistakes. Set a schedule for breaks or take short ones when you feel tired; you’ll be more acute afterward and better manage your multiple freelance writing gigs.

Techniques for Creative Writing to Get Great Stories

Emily Green — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 07:10:51 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Almost anyone can do creative writing, because you are pretty much free to say whatever you want. This form of writing includes fiction, non-fiction, poetry and other organizations of words on a page that tell a story. To be good at it, however, you need to consider several techniques for creative writing in order to catch the interest of readers.

First, a story needs a point of view. You can narrate the story from your own perspective, or have a character in the narrative do so. The prose can be narrated in first person or third person, while an omniscient character can tell the story as a whole from their perspective or of all the characters involved. It is your decision to make. You should make it before you even begin writing, along with knowing who the main characters will be.

Creative writing stories are made more realistic by using dialog. It makes it more interesting too. You can even strengthen the personalities of characters by giving them dialects and by providing the reader with a picture of how they talk and interact.

Techniques for creative writing come no more engaging than description. You can describe any setting, what a particular situation is and even the weather. The better you are at description, the more the reader can visualize the story. It can be distracting if there is too much described, but you don’t want to end up with too little description either. Finding a balance can be trial and error, but you can end up with a great story just by getting feedback and editing the text.

What’s going on in the present doesn’t have to be the sole focus of the story. You can fill in details by providing flashbacks. These can detail events in the past that are important to the plot or the life of a character. You can also hint at things that might happen in the future by using foreshadowing.

By mastering all of these techniques for creative writing, you will keep readers engaged in your stories, and can strive to someday become a published author.

The Importance of Reading Literary Magazines

Emily Green — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 07:06:44 +0000

If you are a writer, you know the urge to write is one of the most powerful forces. You just do not feel right if you don’t convey your ideas with written words. What many writers forget is that it is just as important to read as it is to continue writing.

There are hundreds if not thousands of literary magazines. They are the resource for beginning and published writers to submit their work to. You should first decide which genre is most interesting to you, and then seek out magazines that publish work on that subject or style of writing. It is important to read others work not only to see what is accepted, but to also get inspired by the talent of other writers.

You know you have lots to say on paper. It shouldn’t come as a shock that other writers might have as much or more to say also. Reading the stories of other authors will give you an idea of what subjects are popular, and how modern-day cultural and technological knowledge is integrated into fictional and non-fictional stories.

Generating ideas is the first barrier writers face. Reading literary magazines can help you with that inspiration that you need to get started. It could be the plot line, a particular character or a subtle detail in a story that your creative mind catches on to. You just never know. Before too long, you might have a tale to tell and have it ready to submit to the journal in no time.

If you read multiple literary magazines, you might find yourself writing multidimensional stories or different kinds of writing that you can submit as well. The more you write and submit, the more likely it is you’ll get published. You will never know the kind of inspiration that will come if you don’t take initiative and start reading literary magazines.

Why you should subscribe to a Literary Magazine

Emily Green — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 21:11:30 +0000

Every amateur writer hopes to see his name in print. While that occasion comes early on for many, other have to wait a while longer before they get can get there. Though many writers look for fancier ways to seek attention, going old school may, in fact, be more rewarding.

A literary magazine is the most effective way to get some much needed love. If you’re not sure of which Literary Magazine to subscribe to, shop around. Subscription.com carries all kinds of magazines, one of which will suit your fancy.With editors, fellow writers and possible fans, all getting a glimpse of your work, you could be two submissions away from hitting the jackpot. While you should constantly try to get your name featured in a literary magazine, here’s why you should also subscribe to one:

• Read and learn: For a writer to learn and perfect his art is a tedious process. However, a literary magazine can serve as an important learning tool. An amateur writer can absorb the style, the vocabulary and the flair with which the featured author writes. Over time, following a veteran writer and his prose can imbibe a similar flair in a newbie writer.

• Contests & Features: When you subscribe to a particular literary magazine, you automatically open up several doors for yourself. Each periodical carries with itself an invitation for newer stories, poems and prose. When you submit your work, you can gauge your skills against others who are published and get a fair evaluation of your work. Beyond that, you open up newer possibilities to get your work published as editors from various publishing houses read the magazines and keep a look out for fresher talent.

• Use as reference: If you have been published in a literary magazine, you can always use that as an additional reference on your resume. Not only does it reflect your capabilities, it also gives the editor the confidence that he is hiring the right guy! If you are still struggling to find your foothold, you can use the contact details of the authors who have been published, to network with them.

You may not see prompt results but don’t let that scare you. Every effort you take brings you closer to your ultimate goal.

From Waist Overalls to Designer Jeans

Emily Green — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:24:44 +0000

dedicated to the
passionate spirit of creation

Jeans were made for work. That’s what those metal rivets were for. The original denim work clothes were overalls, made entirely of cotton. The truncated version, jeans, were called waist overalls and emerged in 19th-century San Francisco. These denim pants could take immense wear and tear, except around the pockets, which would often pull away from the pants before the pants had worn out their usefulness. A tailor in Nevada had the idea to reinforce the pockets with copper rivets and got a man named Levi Strauss to help him undertake their manufacture.

Jeans were also made for play. Until the last several decades, no one would have dreamed of wearing denim to work or school—it was simply too casual. Men might don their jeans on fishing trips and children might wear them on weekends, but many people were outraged at the idea of them being worn for anything but casual leisure activities. Bing Crosby, one of America’s most popular singers and entertainers, was turned away from a hotel while on vacation in Canada because he tried to check in wearing blue jeans. Even in the 1970s it was a novelty for students to get to wear their jeans to school on the first Earth Day. Slacks and skirts were still the norm.

Jeans are also made playfully. They’ve been reinvented as skirts, jackets, and even shoes. Designer jeans often rework the form or elements of jeans to create an artistic statement. Oversized pockets, extra rivets, and elaborate embroidery put form over function. A variety of washes and cuts have made jeans a fashion item as never before. High-waisted, low-waisted, skinny, or flared, jeans have been elevated from their utilitarian position in the gold fields of California to strut on the red carpet.

Tips for SEO Copywriting

Emily Green — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:32:18 +0000

Nowadays, everyone is looking online to shop, read, book vacations and do just about everything else imaginable, so SEO, or search engine optimization, copywriting has become more important than ever to get the message across. There have been many opportunities in the past for copywriters. Marketing and advertising campaigns have always been prevalent; after all, almost everyone has something to advertise. Newspapers, magazines and brochures have provided opportunities for copywriting work as well. The Internet has changed things a little and here’s how you can use SEO copywriting to your advantage in finding work.

When you write content for a website, the text most importantly needs to be structured with the Web surfer in mind. Many readers have a shorter attention span when scanning a webpage than when reading from paper, so it is important to immediately get to the point. After all, another site is just a couple of mouse clicks away if they lose interest.

The structure of your SEO copywriting is important, but maybe even more significant are the key words or key phrases you include. The copy has to look good, but also has to be findable when people search for the subject matter. Search engines use the keywords to rank webpages. Ranking is like popularity. You may not have worried much about popularity in high school, for example, but this is different from social ranking. Websites that rank well will show up higher on a search results, leading to higher visit counts and, hopefully for the business, more sales.

While placement of key phrases in SEO copywriting is important, you have to be careful not to use the same words too many times. Search engines keep track of content that overdoes the SEO technique, because spammers might try to weave their way in this way. If you use the word or phrase just a few times, you’ll be ok, though. Effective SEO copywriting actually helps many sites stay above the competition, if it is done carefully.

Persuasive Writing Strategies for Anyone

Emily Green — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 15:31:02 +0000

Writing in such a way that people will agree with your point of view is beneficial for many reasons. There are several techniques in persuasive writing that help get others to agree. If you want to sell something, for example being convincing enough will make others think you’re making an offer that can’t be refused.

You might not think of yourself as that convincing or manipulative. It doesn’t have to work that way, but you can use several techniques to your advantage. One is to repeat yourself in different ways, but not sound like a broken record. A certain point can be made directly, but somewhere else you can cover the same point with a solid example, a story, or by using a famous quote in your persuasive writing.

Detailing a reason why your perspective, product, or demand is better is an important structural component to persuasion. The reason may not make sense, but if the argument is strong, psychologically people will likely be receptive.

Using comparisons, such as metaphors and analogies, can help persuade readers because your subject is then associated with things they already accept. Also, you can sympathize with the reader’s problem before you present your case for solving it, and even provide a future scenario that shows how your solution may benefit the reader.

You can also make people feel a sense of belonging by agreeing with you. Don’t be afraid to get creative as well. Telling a story is persuasive writing too, especially if the reader likes it. Then they can basically convince themselves your opinion is right.

Persuading others with your writing is not just something to do to make yourself feel good. It is a strategy that has been used repeatedly by sales writers, and it is crucial in competitive online markets. Politicians rely on speech writers that can make a convincing case for their election or re-election. Presidential debates require such writing, as was seen during Barack Obama’s campaign.

The Best Practices for Writing Literary Reviews

Emily Green — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:29:58 +0000

: Image by Javier Arce ☄ via Flickr

You may be great at writing personal and fictional stories or whatever genre you are used to, but writing literature reviews involves a whole different approach. Assignments for graduate courses are the most likely things requiring literary reviews, and so are therefore scrutinized to very high standards. You never know, your review can end up published in a high-profile literary magazine someday.

To achieve that goal, and of course first pass the assignment, you have to remember that the review has to be focused on sources and studies relevant to a particular topic. You are using information from past research, and presenting an assessment of what other researchers have concluded.

After you describe the main arguments from your sources, you can then look at arguments not found in any of your readings, and present an analysis of your own interpretation. It is important, however, to describe how the piece of literature you are reviewing relates to what you are writing about.

As with any literary review or paper, it helps to come up with an outline of your argument first. Knowing how it will be organized usually makes the piece easier to write. Also, while you are reading other articles and reviews as part of your assignment, keep a journal for your thoughts on what you read, how each reading material connects with another, and what trends or patterns you see.

So in a literary review, you are concentrating on your own perspectives as well as those of others. Mastering this multidimensional approach not only leads to a good grade, but exemplifies your own writing capability. The more outstanding writing examples you have, the better off you are in terms of landing writing jobs in the future, so it is important to follow these guidelines and view these assignments as a testament to your own writing ability.

Overcoming Limitations Even If You Are a Great Writer

Emily Green — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 15:28:44 +0000

For many people, writing is a struggle, and they strive to do what others great at it can do. Even great, prolific and even famous writers have limitations. While they do not dwell over where the subject, verb and object go, what the rhetorical subject should be, or how to structure sentences, there are things that limit their output.

As a writer, you are faced with the same dilemma that all writers, even successful ones, face. We all procrastinate. There may be many distractions that stand in the way of getting to the task, and which serve to further steer you away from your momentum. Some days are just like this. Everyone has a bad day.

You can still maximize your productivity by scheduling times for writing. This is an important strategy, as it reinforces discipline, but breaking up projects into stages can help too. You can first formulate an outline, your introduction and even add to an outline in different time blocks. Setting a goal for a certain number of words is a good idea as well.

Writer’s block is something that is almost universal to all writers. In most cases, you can take words and put them together in structured sentences. You don’t necessary have to come up with the most groundbreaking piece of literature every time, but you can write something if you are dedicated enough. At the times when it just seems impossible to write, then take a break. The mind needs rest, and it is crucial to do things like take a walk around the block, have a snack, or even watch TV.

Opponents to these just refer to when other tasks interfere with your normal writing schedule. However, don’t be ashamed to take a break once in a while; you’ll feel refreshed when you get back to work and maybe be even more productive. It is important not only to know technicalities and adhere to scheduling, but also understand your limitations to reach your potential as a writer.

Suggestions for Article Writing Success Online

Emily Green — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 15:27:48 +0000

The things which every writer hates are spending too much time not writing and not having opportunities to get their work out there. Article writing can be successfully done by following a few steps, and once you master these, there are many opportunities for getting your work to be noticed, especially online.

The first thing to consider is the title. Article titles are like doorways; they are the first passage a reader must take before deciding if reading the article is even worth it. With so many articles being submitted to huge directories on the Internet, you are competing with these and the countless eyes reading computer screens around the world. This is not to turn you away from article writing. Writing titles can be fun and the more creative they are, the more interested readers might be.

For structuring the article, you can use techniques such as the inverted pyramid, with the most important information on top. In contrast, the less important the information (that’s for you to judge all points you make should be relevant to the topic), the lower down in the article it should be.

Lists are a popular format as well, and you can structure the article around bullet points too, depending on whether it is allowed by the site or client. Article writing can appear in various formats. It is often up to the writer to decide what most conveys the message and what is more visually appealing to the reader.

When you write an article online, donâ€™t forget to consider the keywords so search engines can find the article. The subject of the piece should give you a hint as to what keywords are good. Mention the word a handful of times along with a couple of variations. Don’t flood the article with keywords or else the search engines might flag it for spam.

These are just some points on article writing for the Web. Practice a little and it should come naturally, and always write around a single theme with the reader’s interest in mind.

Ways to Practice Writing Often to Improve Your Skill

Emily Green — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 15:26:40 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Like everything else, writing requires practice. If you write enough, the ability becomes natural and you might find yourself jotting down ideas which eventually become full-fledged stories, articles or whatever it is you find suitable to your style. No matter what, it is very important to practice writing to be any good at it.

If you’re not enrolled in a class or seminar, or are in some situation which demands that you write, make sure you take time out to write every day. Time is the most important thing to consider, because even the most prevalent novelists claim distractions and procrastination are their worst enemies.

Read as much as you can. This includes texts on the writing skill, but also everything from newspapers to blogs and novels, and everything in between. The acquisition of knowledge is one of the writer’s best friends, but the more you read, the more writing styles you are exposed to, and the more you will be attuned to learning what your own style is. Reading also helps you come up with more ideas, opinions, and the drive to explore more forms of writing.

If you like to make up stories, then make sure you write and finish them. However, don’t be afraid to experiment with other styles. If you are a story writer, then practice writing articles for magazines or the Internet, or try branching into children’s stories or travel writing, for example.

Taking the time to write cannot be mentioned enough. If you can’t invest the time, make it part of your routine. You can join writing groups and write to have something to show at each meeting, but if you have the time, there are many opportunities to submit writing online.

As you practice writing, you can throw caution to the wind and submit to websites and directories. This not only exercises your creativity as all other writing projects do, but also enables you to earn some side income while you do it.

How to Become an Accomplished Author

Emily Green — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:18:01 +0000

If you enjoy reading books, then you might wonder just what it takes to become an accomplished author like your favorite novelist. Writing a book is something that takes a lot of motivation, because this consists of writing, editing and pitching the story to busy publishers, and figuring out which printing companies to trust with your final manuscript. You also have to absolutely enjoy writing on paper or sitting at a computer for a long time.

Great writing skills and creative writing ability are a must if you want to write a book. These have to be in place as a foundation of sorts, otherwise the time and effort you put in to writing a novel will be wasted. If you don’t already write, then make sure you understand grammar and punctuation. Read textbooks or even take creative writing classes. Join a writing group to get critiques on your story-telling skills.

To efficiently put in the work that an accomplished author does, you really need the right equipment; that being a computer with a word processor. You save a lot of paper this way and you can organize your chapters and ideas into files that you can find easily on your hard drive. Many editors and publishers prefer to receive submissions via email or on disk as well.

You also need to do some planning if you want to accomplish writing a novel. Think about what genre you want to write in and what the book is going to be about. This is important, whether you like to start with elaborate descriptions of characters or places, getting these down and then outlining the chapters, or just write whatever comes into your head. If you like to free write, which many authors find more enjoyable, then eventually you can come to a creative conclusion as to where the story is going.

It can take years to write a novel, but if you a confident about your skills and creativity, and are motivated enough, you can become an accomplished author just like the ones of your favorite books.

How to Always Have Writing Topics

Emily Green — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 15:25:20 +0000

The very art of writing gives you a tool that enables you to always have something to say. However, it doesn’t always work out that way. Writer’s block can make it seem like the words have disappeared, but there are always writing topics out there. Here are a few things to think about when brainstorming, especially when writing articles and blogs online.

If you’re writing for a target market, think about what keywords are most often being searched for. You can use tools on Google that will help you find out what terms or keywords are popular. As a writer, of course, it doesn’t take more than a word or two to get the ideas flowing again.

There is also the timeless strategy of looking into what is new and relevant. For any given market, you can use the Internet to look this up and then have the opportunity to share your opinion or your particular angle on the story. You can also review a new technology or product from the opinions of others or even from your personal experience.

Searches are one of your best tools as a writer, and you can also use these for videos. Video sites such as YouTube have become a marketing path for many industries. You can find anything from product demonstrations to industry reports that might spark an idea for a relevant article. Likewise, other industry-specific blogs and forums can give a good indication as to topics that are current and relevant.

Read books and magazines on the industry you are writing about. Taking in knowledge from all angles will enable you to become an authority in any particular market, to use your imagination, and potentially have lucrative opportunities for income online. The knowledge you gather can also give you insight into any other type of writing you do, and even provide subject matter for the next great novel.

New Opportunities in Writing for Literary Magazines

Emily Green — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:23:55 +0000

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The destinations to set for one’s writing might seem limited at first, but just do a little research, and it becomes apparent that there are many. Literary magazines are not hard to find, because there are an enormous number of them. This avenue of getting your writing out into the market is one of the most popular methods, and has been a viable choice for hundreds of years.

No matter what you write, whether it is fictional short stories, reviews, essays or even poems or biographies, you can find literary magazines that are devoted to a particular type of writing. Many, many of them take submissions on a regular basis. For stories, you can find such journals as Glimmer Train, a more modern form of literary journal established in 1990, or the Virginia Quarterly Review, established in 1925 and which has published some well known historical authors.

Literary magazines have been around for a very long time. The first one in English was The Nova Scotia magazine that was started in 1789, while now; new ones are popping up all the time on the Internet. Even the oldest of these are likely not even a decade old. With the simplicity of finding things online, some of these online literary magazines have become huge hits quickly. You can submit your writing online, without that hassle of sending it through the mail. Even some of the older magazines, which existed before anything was published online, allow online submissions.

Nowadays, you can just select a niche subject and seek out appropriate literary magazines just by using a search engine or any listing online. Popular categories include technology, politics, entertainment, sports and fashion, and even the specific types of journals try to cater to as many people as possible. If you can write in a way that most people can understand, you have a chance of attaining some level of success with one or more of these.

How to Earn a Profit from Your Writing

Emily Green — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:22:46 +0000

You find yourself writing often and love doing so. However, it might seem like a slim chance that you’ll ever profit from doing what you enjoy. It’s not impossible, though; if you give it some effort, and in most cases you don’t have to wait weeks for an answer to come back in the mail. You can earn a profit from your writing starting with the Internet.

The whole universe that is the Internet lies behind your flat panel computer screen; well, not literally. If you’ve got a computer and a good connection, you can start right away. The first step is to keep writing, and if you feel like youâ€™re not writing enough, write some more. Keep reading things on and off line to hone in your writing style and practice writing really well.

By just surfing the Web, you can find many freelance markets. You can join ezines and forums and submit to magazines. Always look for niche markets, as these can open opportunities you never thought were possible. It is important to keep submitting your writing. Try to send in at least five queries, stories, or articles per week, but the more the better.

When you submit writing online, you can go to as many sites as you want, so another way to earn a profit from your writing is to branch out. You might like writing stories, but try writing articles or poems. Blog posts are popular and there are businesses out there that pay blog writers. Article writing offers many opportunities in the online world too. If you tend to write fast and cohesive, and get a lot of work done in a short time, this can pay off.

There are other writing gigs you can take up, such as business writing. If you can write advertising copy, web content or press releases, this can help you earn a profit. Ghost writing is another potentially lucrative opportunity. If you want to earn a profit from your writing, keep an open mind and look in as many places as possible.

How to Decide on Copywriting Rates

Emily Green — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:21:28 +0000

Copywriters who are skilled at their trade can be very busy, especially if they have their own freelance business; but even once you have the skills and experience, the task of setting your copywriting rates can be tricky. If you are a beginner, of course you’re not going to make as much as someone that’s been doing the same thing for years, but you still do not want to undercharge clients and not get what you deserve for the hard work.

You can decide on your rate based on what kind of project you are doing. When writing an article, a very common writing project when you are working online, a piece on a general topic will be less than something that deals with a subject that is more focused and specialized. Articles that go on websites, web content, press releases and sales letters are examples of different kinds of copywriting which will require not only different rates for their type, but which reflect the writer’s own experience.

Deciding on copywriting rates is a balance, because you don’t want to charge too low, and not be paid enough, and you don’t want to charge too high and turn away clients. Some clients might have a set rate that they are willing to pay. You can try negotiating, but to gain any success in your effort, you must present the case that you’re skills and experience are superior to any other candidates for the job.

Other factors to consider are the frequency of the writing project, in which the copywriting rates might be lower for continuous projects than a one-time article. Another is the number of words in the project. A lot of times the rate is set on a per word basis; and it can take some research to know what a fair rate per word would be.

Lastly, it is important to be confident in your writing ability. This will make you much more confident in charging fair copywriting rates, as self-marketing is almost as important as the writing itself for serious writers.

How Web Copywriting Work Can Be Your Advantage

Emily Green — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:20:22 +0000

With literally billions of Web pages online and countless people and business trying to sell something, there is an insatiable demand for copywriters on the Internet. You can find copywriting work in many forms online, and use the income as a supplement to what you make at an office job, or get rid of the office job entirely. It is no guarantee to get you rich, but many people have given up the tiring routine of commuting and working in an office to work online in their homes.

Earnings from self-employment can quickly equal what you might make at a company. The best advantage to Web copywriting work is that you don’t even have to leave the front door. This leaves you free to take on other tasks at any time, wear anything you want when you work, and take breaks at any time.

Web copywriting can pay decently with a little experience, especially if you can write efficiently. You might start at an equivalent of $20-$25 per hour writing anything from articles to web content, press releases and advertising copy. With a little effort in self-marketing, you can find yourself busy juggling work between multiple clients.

If you like learning, this is another advantage of copywriting on the Web. Most of the time what you write relates somehow to marketing something. The more you use words that serve to sell, the better you’ll get at marketing yourself and your writing. Various assignments will also expose you to topics that you’ve never explored, so essentially you can learn something new every day. Some of these may even open new doors in your other writing interests.

Web copywriting work also gives you the advantage of satisfaction for a job well done. This is a confidence boost, and when this happens, you are driven to succeed even more and find more work. It is also an ego boost, but in a good way. Satisfied clients are usually open about it when they really like your writing, so personal confidence is a solid advantage of doing this type of writing.

How a Prepaid Credit Card Helps Your Credit Score

Emily Green — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:11:25 +0000

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It feels hopeless when you discover that your credit is bad. If you receive the score and it is below 600, things look grim for those looking to buy a car or a house or even a new cell phone. Your credit is very hard to repair once it’s been damaged, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t possible. There are some things you can do to help build your score back up.

Get a Co-Signer

If you are interested in getting a car and you know you can afford the payments, then you may want to see if a parent or sibling can help you by being a co-signer on the car. There is no guarantee that just because they sign for it means you will get approved. Your name on there alone could end up being a problem for the lending institution. But if you do happen to get approved, just being on that application and making those monthly payments will help to restore your credit in a big way.

Check Your Credit Report

Oftentimes there are inaccuracies or false reportings on your credit report. This is good for you if you can catch them. Take your credit report and go through it line by line to find out if there is anything you think shouldn’t be present. Then send a written letter to the credit bureau, with identification enclosed, and tell them you have found inaccuracies and they will notify the companies. If the companies don’t respond in thirty days, the credit bureaus are required to strike it from the record.

This is a good way to get a credit card when you need it. The prepaid credit card status makes getting the card easy, and it’s a great way to build up your credit history in order to establish a better credit score.

Read and then Write

Emily Green — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:08:18 +0000

If you are a writer, an amateur or a professional, you’ve certainly been told to read.

Voraciously!

While many of us have accomplished that, there are some of us, for whom, the task of reading a book cover to cover is as arduous as the thought of climbing Mt. Everest. While the advice was free and well taken, it was never implemented. But starting today, make the change and pick up that dusty book.

The joys of reading, undoubtedly, are plenty. But while reading may be a hobby for some, it is worth more to those who wish to leave their writing legacies behind. Reading a book or anything that if of interest to you can help you imbibe the essence and broaden your intellectual base. Besides bountiful knowledge, books can give you pointers and questions to think about. Indirectly, thus, they sow seeds of curiosity within you, which when nurtured and cared for, make you wiser.

Books can conjure time travel. There is no other instrument, as effective, that takes you straight into a bygone era or the future with such ease, like a book does. As a writer, you can learn from the author you are reading and understand the nuances that are sown together to create a magnificent piece of literature.

You can, virtually, enter the mind of another individual if you read what s/he has written. Autobiographies and biographies are excellent sources of inspiration besides being affluent gateways to the most brilliant minds on the planet. You can learn beyond your years and use that wisdom to enrich your life. You can instill values, ideas and techniques and build a successful career path for yourself. You may not use the advice mentioned at that instant, but you can always keep it for reference in the future.

When your mind is enriched and your creative sensibilities are in order, you can pass on that wisdom to others. Reading books and learning from them helps you do just that, while satiating your professional hunger by giving you material that can be documented.

There is no match to online Dating

Emily Green — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:31:49 +0000

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Online dating is fun. You can increase the number of your friends and can expand you friend’s circle very easily. Not only this, but you may also find your partner here. But you have to be careful while using these websites. You must search out some authentic and highly regarded websites for that. You must not trust them blindfold. Let them prove their trust before you give out your personal information like contact number and residential address.

Once you are sure that the platform is a reputed one, you must start communicating with people but again do not trust and reveal your information in one go. Ask for person’s information first and ask him to show several photos to decide further. Once you are satisfied chatting online, voice chat and video chat is another option. Meet a person only when you think you are ready and can trust other person completely. It is better to meet in a public place for first time.

On web there exist plenty of such sites where people come in search of friends, love, romance or marriage. These websites are a platform to help single men and women seeking for their life partners. There are some websites which offers free registration but you will have to pay some monthly fee while you are dating.

The percentage of people visiting online dating sites is increasing day by day and these websites are earning fairly handsome amount through these. Even with the presence of social networking site like Myspace and Facebook, people are still visiting these online dating sites. The reason might be that these online dating sites offer anonymous search and a wider range. One can search in any country and even then they provide you safety far more than the social networking sites. There are many sites which are specialized in some specific gender or in some religion. So people can find their desired partner much more easily.

Sell Effectively: The Next Step to Writing

Emily Green — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:55:45 +0000

Writing a book is like winning half the battle. To own it, you need to conquer your markets. You can experience true victory when you write a compelling book that finds its way to numerous book shelves. While some of the success can be attributed to sheer luck, the rest of it can be calculated in such a way, that it gives you prominent results. As a writer, you can ensure that your book gets the boost it requires to create a remarkable impression on its readers.

For your book to achieve unparalleled success, you have to understand your target audience. Understanding them entails conducting research and workshops to get feedback. It also calls for ‘on-the-field’ action, where you have to make an effort to connect with them on a ‘one on one’ level. Since you will receive first hand information from your readers, you will know exactly who you’re writing for and what you’re writing. This in turn, will help you sell your book to a wider audience.

While you are pumping in the required effort, do not forget that somebody else is doing the same. Now if you have ten such authors vying for the same target audience, your book needs to be set differently to capture attention. At such a time, use your competition to your advantage. Read what they have published previously. Take notes and style your book in such a manner that the reader is compelled to pick up your text instead of someone else’s.

In a world that changes with the flip of a page, you need to stay current and abreast of all the developments. In order to write a saleable book, you need to understand the dynamics of the market that you are addressing. If it changes as often as you change your clothes, you need to put in material that will stay relevant and useful one year down the line. However, if the ever-changing market dynamics do not hamper your audience, you will be better equipped to produce a book that will remain on the stands for quite a while.

Beat the Block: Writer’s Block That Is

Emily Green — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:55:52 +0000

: Image by nemesis91 via Flickr

The cursor blinks on the blank, white word processor page. You have a deadline, but nothing comes. No muse, no inspiration, just a cold sweat from all the anxiety…you can’t miss this deadline, but you have nothing to write about it. What do you do? You have a mammoth case of writer’s block. For many professional writers, writer’s block can strike without warning. They simply have the skill set to combat writer’s block head on, and you can get that same skill set too.

Now, close your eyes and imagine a pristine, calm atmosphere. You hear the gurgling of the water filled streams and the joyful chirping of the birds. You breathe in the peaceful air which soothes your tired nerves. You feel the stress of deadlines, articles, and book chapters drift happily away down the beautiful stream. Why not make this fantasy a reality and go on a Villa Holiday! Villa Holidays will give your tired nerves a relaxing respite from your hectic schedule. Getting away from the familiar scene, gives your sense a new stimulation which effective writers use to combat writer’s block.

Another benefit of a Villa Holiday is this getaway allows you to explore other writer’s works. Yes, you get to read, and it will help your writer’s block. Choose books that are in the same genre that you are working on so that your reading will enliven your own writing. Many times, you neglect reading because of writing deadlines. A Villa Holiday will give you the peace and quiet that you need to rekindle your passion for reading which in turn rekindles your passion for writing.

By removing yourself from the familiar stressful scenery, a Villa Holiday offers the tired writer hope for the a seemingly incurable case of writer’s block.

Book Reviews: Are they Important?

Emily Green — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:53:12 +0000

Receiving emails that alert you of new book reviews are common now, but how often do you get to read complete, informative and intellectually stimulating opinion pieces? Most often than not, members on social networking sites send in their opinions, complete or otherwise and leave it at that.

Traditionally, book reviews were meant to be more critical in nature. They would accommodate the reviewer’s opinion on all aspects of the book: the story, the style of writing, the substance, the meaning etc. However, the reviews today are getting shorter and fluffier. Though many authors and critiques review books today like they were done traditionally, the web has a swarm of concise reviews ready for you.

While many readers question the reviewer’s judgment, there are others who accuse them of being biased. Either way, what the common man gets is a fraction of the truth, which hampers his decision regarding the book in question. Instead of being a tool that aided decision making, the review, essentially has become a playground for wannabe critiques.

Some readers may not care to read a review at all. It may not be a deciding factor either. The reader may have different reasons to pursue a book; however, that does not eliminate the need for a thorough, well drafted review. A comprehensive review can offer the assistance and the guidance that may be required to turn a non-readable book in to a readable one.

Book reviews could pass off as unnecessary additions for a reader, but for a writer, it paints a decisive picture. What a reviewer or critique thinks of a book and its story can affect millions of minds in one instant. At such a juncture, can an author afford to have a bad review or no review at all?

It may not be as essential to a reader as it is to a writer, but a book review does have the power to make or break a book. If it does so by generating good publicity or bad, one can’t say. Eventually, only the question remains.

August Best Links

Emily Green — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:50:07 +0000

Bpoilspill

Sporn

Carwrecks

Facebook now worth 33 billion

300000 largest websites favicons

Sony execs talk playstation move expectations ps4 details

Tardis

Netflix adds iphone and ipod touch compatibility in latest app v

Literary Magazines: A writer’s resource

Emily Green — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:50:32 +0000

A writer is always on the lookout for challenging opportunities that enable him to display his talents. On some occasions, the writer finds himself in demand and thus, produces content for the assignment he is working on. During other times, he should simply open up his books and start writing.

A portfolio is the greatest way to land a writing gig and writers must focus on building one that is comprehensive and resourceful. The easiest way to start building a portfolio is to pick ideas and turn them into stories, essays or other pieces of literature. However, if you see yourself struggle to come up with something concrete, you can always look at literary magazines for inspiration.

These magazines publish new as well as seasoned authors. If you are looking at a literary magazine in your niche, keep an eye out for the contests they publicize about. In this way, while you create a scintillating entry for the contest, you can use the piece you have submitted as a part of your portfolio.

If you are unable to enter the competition, you can always keep the ideas associated with it in your mind and work on them later. You can go on to create an ‘idea-bank’ which can be your escape route when you hit the writer’s block.

While some writers insist that writer’s block is a phenomenon that disappears as easily as it appears, many struggle to get any work done when they are struck by it. Browsing through literary magazines as well as other books can be the ultimate remedy when you find yourself reeling under the block. If it doesn’t serve as a quick fix, it will always be there for motivation.

Over a period of time and after consulting a few literary magazines, you can be sure that your name will be out there, amongst other writers and will be considered for future writing gigs. You can also collect the magazines when they are released or subscribe to the RSS feed of online publications. In this way, whether online or offline, you will constantly be around instant inspiration.

Lolita – Proof That Love Hurts

Emily Green — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:48:03 +0000

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Hubert Humbert was a dreadful man, if you believe that loving someone younger than yourself is somehow wrong. The world has this bizarre impression that for a middle aged man to love a 12 year old girl is somehow bad – but other than a difference in projected life expectancy and a rather large differential in social status, there would not seem to be that much of a problem, as long as both partners are consenting to what goes on. Rather like Poe before him, Humbert has an Annabel Leigh that haunts his thoughts throughout his life. While his loving (and lusty) feelings for nubile, sexual girls are unceasing, he sublimates them to a point, in order to come the the United States to seek employment as a teacher.

When Humbert takes a room in a small town, he becomes immediately smitten with the daughter of the owner, a nymphet named Dolores (also known as Lolita). He becomes increasingly obsessed with the girl, following her movements as much as he can, flirting with her, and even marrying her mother so as to be able to stay close to Lolita. Humbert hates Lolita’s mother, and even considers killing her, even though he lacks the wherewithal to actually do something so gutsy. He puts it all down in his journal, though. And when Lolita’s mother finds this journal, she is so distraught she storms off, right into the path of an oncoming car.

Humbert’s obsession and paranoia grow steadily as he and Lolita take a cross country trip in which they have an affair that she controls. A tantrum here and a refused sexual advance there makes a grown man submit to a child – an interesting metaphor for male-female relations, if ever there was one. As time goes on, the pair finally settle – he gets a job, she goes to school. Like most girls, Lolita wants to have boys her own age. In time, she grows ill (sick of Humbert?), and is taken from the hospital. When he finds her, she is pregnant. She dies in childbirth, then he dies.

Best Features to Look for in an Electric Cigarette

Emily Green — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:13:19 +0000

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When a new product hits the markets, it’s only a matter of time before competitors flood the field claiming to offer the same thing, but only better. This is certainly the case with the future of smoking: electronic cigarettes. This cleaner way of smoking has drawn many new users, and many new makers with differing models, thereby leaving smokers to have to navigate the various types of cigarettes as they seek the feeling they’re accustomed to. So, what should they be searching for? The following is a sample of the best features to look for when examining the future of smoking with electric cigarettes.

Electric cigarette manufacturers are clamoring to perfect these new smoking products, which has ultimately led to differing designs. The two-piece version makes it much easier to assemble and manage cleaning over other models that come in up to three or more sections. Disposable cartridges housing the nicotine pad and atomizer are a component of the two-piece version offering a simple replacement procedure and less mess for a longer, fresher smoke. In addition, they prevent the accumulation of bacteria and resin that would adversely affect the overall smoking experience.

Many smokers will easily adapt to smoking electronically with the realistic feel of some models. Not all are abnormally shaped, with artificial, plastic textures. The advanced cigarette makers manufacture them in the classic size and shape with an authentic feeling to the touch of a smoker’s hands and lips. A replicated burning look by LED is also a prominent feature in superior brands, as well as a pronounced vapor duplicating that customary exhale.

For smokers looking to taste something new, the top of the line varieties feature numerous flavors for an even more unique smoking experience. Along with the traditional tobacco flavoring, they come in a plethora of fruit flavors: apple, orange, grape, lemon and strawberry, as well as mint.

Writing is fun and you can get paid for it too

Emily Green — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:14:41 +0000

Writing: a hobby for some, an addiction to many, and the breadwinner for millions. Whether you write for a magazine, a trade journal, or a newspaper, you can realize the sense of satisfaction and pride that writing has to offer. The income that you can earn doesn’t hurt, either. Sharing your ideas in the written word can be one of the most gratifying experiences of a lifetime.

However, much of the satisfaction depends on what you write, why you choose to write it the way you do, and also who you write for. If you are someone writing for a client offering you an SEO internet writing task, you would not bother much about where it gets published or sometimes, whether it gets published at all. On the other hand, if you were to write for a newspaper or a journal, you would expect that to get published. Though editors could play around sometimes, it still doesn’t matter as long as your work gets recognized.

There is another category of writers that does fun writing during the day for a living, only to burn the midnight oil creating their own work of fiction, aspiring to find a publisher to give life to their creation. In order to offer their masterpieces to the masses, they often find it necessary to pay money upfront to an agent to market their work. Such writers must be careful to choose an agent who is as passionate about their work as if they had written it themselves. As a writer, you cannot choose just any agent, because you do not want your work to land at the wrong publication house or with someone who does not understand its true value. For this reason, some writers may opt to get the money they need from a payday loan.

Most writers who have this as a profession detest the fact that they have to put in so much of effort, yet fight it out with the so many writers (read bloggers) who vie for equal recognition. However, a writer does it because he enjoys doing it and is ready to face rejection if necessary, since even the best writers of today are ones that once got rejected! J.K. Rowling, George Orwell, and Stephen King are just a few of many famous authors who have had their work refused; yet they themselves, in turn, refused to give up their passion for writing.

War and Peace – Just Like the Seasons

Emily Green — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:46:02 +0000

Nearly any school child could tell you that Napoleon’s army was defeated first by the Russians. While there were doubtless many factors involved, the Russian winter has never escaped being a significant factor in the French decision to back off. In a similar vein to how the seasons shift, the characters of War and Peace show off a rather impressive degree of dynamism. Perhaps the old saying that there is a season to every purpose holds true, after all. This is most clearly represented in Pierre’s journey from being married to an attractive woman without the scruples to be faithful (Helene) to finally marrying a woman who may not be the best looking, but actually tends to her family virtuously (Natasha). Although, the love lives of these characters could very well be described as a game of musical chairs.

Pierre really is an odd fellow. He takes up the spiritual principles of Freemasonry, and works toward using those teachings in the management of the estate his father left him. His much more secular friend Andrew is understandably dubious – it is typically unwise to try to reform a government (as is Andrew’s goal) with a religious bent in mind. That kind of a mind set rarely results in anything useful getting done. Natasha actually becomes attached to Andrew, desiring to marry him. But his father demands they wait a year before marrying – and Andrew takes this as a great opportunity to travel, interestingly enough. Perhaps the notion of changing a nation means Andrew is just a perpetually unsatisfied individual, in general.

Ironically enough, despite his rejection of Natasha, Andrew admits to loving her right before he dies. One might call that too little, too late, but it does make for a romantic notion. In time, Pierre grows ill for a long time, but recovers in time to realize that he actually loves Natasha. Since she feels this love in return, they marry, having a lovely family together. It bears thought whether it would have been beneficial for Pierre to have just married her in the first place.

Madame Bovary – Tribute to the Horror of Middle Class Society

Emily Green — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:44:27 +0000

: Image by Yvesanemone via Flickr

In Madame Bovary, the secondary character of Charles is initially tormented, and lives the dull and mediocre life of a man who simply does not have much going on in his head. His first marriage is short, unloving and not especially profitable – the trifecta of a bad middle class marriage. As he falls in love with a new woman, the middle class sadness continues onward, as his wife (Emma) has fantasized that marriage would solve the problems of her life. When marriage proves to be suboptimal, she surprises no one by maintaining fantasies about being wealthy and in the state of perpetual infatuation that little girls often secretly dream about well into adulthood.

Emma is further saddened when she gives birth to a daughter. She wanted a son, after all, and this just gives her further reason to be sad about how terrible her life is going. She actually rejects the affections of a man who genuinely loves her – but then she becomes further saddened when he surrenders himself to never having her, and goes off to study in Paris. If all that Emma wanted was wealth, it remains to be seen why she would marry a man like Charles in the first place. Charles continues to love his wife, stupidly doting on her despite her affair with a wealthy neighbor. When she gets dumped by her other guy, Charles even takes care of his wife as sadness drives her to a near fatal illness.

Of course, the debts Emma racked up in seeing (and buying gifts for) her former lover, and her medical bills (because Charles is such a bad doctor, he had to outsource her care), they experience no shortage of financial troubles. Emma makes very little secret of her infidelities, both with her first lover and her second one (the man who had given up on her in the first place). In the end, she so thoroughly fears that Charles will find out, she kills herself with arsenic.

It would appear that the horror of the middle class is nothing but an overabundance of lies.

A few Tips for Getting Published in a Literary Magazine

Emily Green — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:29:18 +0000

Literary magazines are the ideal place for aspiring, unpublished writers to get noticed by people outside their immediate sphere of friends, fellows, or family. Many of these magazines accept unsolicited articles for review and consideration for publication. While there is no guarantee that your work will get published, the chances are good that publication can be yours, if you follow several steps.

Be patient. Literary magazines, either in digital or paper form, often get swamped with submissions. It can take a long time for staff to read through them all. Also, many magazines are published quarterly or even less frequently. Editors are often looking for material that thematically suits the issue they’re intending to print next. If you can find out the theme of the upcoming issue and gear your writing towards that, this increases your chances of catching the editor’s eye.

Submit more than one piece for consideration. Writing more than one piece demonstrates to the editor that you’re a writer willing to do the work involved. Although many people say ‘writing is easy,’ these words are used most often by people who don’t actually write. Words don’t just magically appear on a page; thinking, time, and effort are required elements to convey imagination with printed words. Demonstrating that you’re dedicated isn’t too hard, if you’ve got plenty of material to show.

Reference, and then follow, directions. Most literary magazines have a few guidelines on how submissions should appear. Whether tied to content length, style, format, or dialogue considerations, be sure you reference the rules. A hot author can often get away with flouting convention, but an aspiring writer needs to get noticed before the world will open at their feet. Dazzle with your wit and style, rather than standing out for breaking the rules. Definitely make sure that you’ve edited and proofread your piece before submission.

Finally, submit your writing to multiple magazines for consideration. Much like applying for a job, applying at only one place severely limits the speed at which you will get what you desire.

By following these simple steps, you could soon be spotting your name in your favorite literary magazine!

Anna Karenina and Her Tragic Ways

Emily Green — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:41:45 +0000

Anna Karenina opens with the title character comforting a family in Moscow, in which the husband is having an affair with the children’s former governess… and he initially sees no particular problem with his actions. Anna’s later actions would lead one to wonder where she gets off giving marital advice, however. But no matter, as she finds a way to bring the household’s "civil war" to a reconciled ending. Ironically enough, in helping the Oblonsky family, Anna falls in love with a military man who was originally courting one of the Oblonsky women. Rather like a stalker, he follows Anna back to her home city of St. Petersburg – which might draw some issues from Anna’s husband.

As Anna begins to mix with a reasonably free thinking set of people, her mutual attraction to the military man (Alexei Vronsky) only grows stronger. She tries to get him to go back to the woman he was courting, but he admits to loving her instead. Naturally, Anna’s husband senses that something is up, but she essentially tells him to stuff it. As time goes on, however, it’s impossible to hide a strong feeling of this nature. In time, at a horse race, Anna’s secret love becomes known to her husband, basically because he confronts her and she spills the beans like it’s no big deal.

While the drama of Anna’s broken marriage drags on, her relationship with Vronsky gets bizarre after she reveals her pregnancy. Whom the father is, is anybody’s guess – though the smart money is on the dark horse. In time, Anna and Vronsky run off together and live a life of meaningless joy in Italy – but they eventually come back to Russia, and find (to the surprise of exactly no one) that Vronsky’s social status is unmarred by stealing another man’s wife, while Anna’s life is tarnished by how she betrayed her husband. In the end, she begins to wonder whether Vronsky actually loves her or not. Relying more and more heavily on drugs, it comes as no surprise when she throws herself under a train.

How to Write News Articles

Emily Green — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:24:11 +0000

News article formats vary based on whether you are writing a feature article, hard news story, sports story, opinion piece or another type of story.

The most common structure for news articles is inverted pyramid. These structures are generally found on hard news stories as well as other stories. Inverted pyramid entails starting with the most important information at the top of the story and as you progress downward, decreasing the importance of information.

Inverted pyramid starts with a lead sentence, which includes pertinent information such as the 5 Ws – who, what, why, where, when, plus how. The second sentence often elaborates on the lead and might use a quote to further explain or characterize information in the story.

All stories should be well sourced and quotes from sources personalize the story for readers. However, too many quotes derail the writing; reporters should summarize most quotes and only include quotes if they are particularly intriguing, interesting, or biased.

Feature articles are written with information flowing throughout the story. Reporters can use more flair in their writing and have to be less worried about following a specific structure. Instead, it’s important that their leads pull the reader in and that they have a lot of pertinent and interesting information. It is more important that their stories flow and read well.

Opinion pieces and sports stories also have more leeway and do not need to be as dry as hard news cycles. Reporters have more room to express these articles creatively. However, they are still expected to be accurate and to use quotes.

Some hard news stories also have room for more creativity, depending on the publication and on the story. Shorter stories tend to have more of an inverted pyramid format whereas longer, more in-depth hard news stories may have more room for creativity and experimentation.

Writing Tips

Emily Green — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:54:11 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Here are some other tips for writers:

Rewrite- Anyone who has ever written a book or anything else for that matter, knows that writing is not really writing. It is rewriting. After your first draft is completed, you may rewrite it between five or ten times before it is even seen by an editor.

Writers Reference Books: Three books you may want to consider having at your side when you write are a good thesaurus and the book “On Writing” by Stephen King and Strunk’s “The Elements of Style.” These books will keep you technically correct and inject some verve into your writing.

Clichés: Have you ever heard the expression that everything after eighth grade is a rerun? That may or may not be true but the point is that you end up viewing the same plots to movies, reading the same old clichés and reading the same old storylines, that it sure feels like it.

So, when you write pick a new word instead of retreading the same old lines. For example, how many times have you heard: cut to the chase, if I had my druthers’, there is plenty of fish in the ocean, back in the day, etc. Sometimes, all you hear someone say (politicians and athletes especially) are clichés. There is only one word to describe that—boring!

Character: Make sure you like your characters. Because if you don’t know one else will. Nor will they care about them. And that’s what you want to avoid in a book: readers not caring what happens to your characters.

According to the prolific novelist, Stephen King, there are just two things you must do to be a writer: Read a lot and write a lot. Every aspiring writer would be well served to do those activities in some way, every day.
Here are some other tips for writers:
Rewrite- Anyone who has ever written a book or anything else for that matter, knows that writing is not really writing. It is rewriting. After your first draft is completed, you may rewrite it between five or ten times before it is even seen by an editor. Writers Reference Books: Three books you may want to consider having at your side when you write are a good thesaurus and the book “On Writing” by Stephen King and Strunk’s “The Elements of Style.” These books will keep you technically correct and inject some verve into your writing.
Clichés: Have you ever heard the expression that everything after eighth grade is a rerun? That may or may not be true but the point is that you end up viewing the same plots to movies, reading the same old clichés and reading the same old storylines, that it sure feels like it.
So, when you write pick a new word instead of retreading the same old lines. For example, how many times have you heard: cut to the chase, if I had my druthers’, there is plenty of fish in the ocean, back in the day, etc. Sometimes, all you hear someone say (politicians and athletes especially) are clichés. There is only one word to describe that—boring!
Character: Make sure you like your characters. Because if you don’t know one else will. Nor will they care about them. And that’s what you want to avoid in a book: readers not caring what happens to your characters.

Books make the best presents for children

Emily Green — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:39:25 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Looking for the perfect gift but just can’t find the right item: How about books?
While most presents usually find the abandoned toy-box several weeks after purchase, books are the gift that keeps on giving, sometimes years, even decades after their initial purchase.
So if you’re looking for that perfect picture book for a favorite preschooler, or a work about exotic frogs for a budding young naturalist, or a good dose of Science Fiction fantasy for a hard-to-please teen, rest easy books might be just the answer.
In today’s world of cell-phones, video games, internet and instant communications, books can remind us all of the real-life lessons that anything worth accomplishing takes time and effort before the full fruits of labor can be appreciated. Books take time to read, but that time can be well spent if the subject matter is something that engrosses your child and encourages them to dig deep into their imagination.
Books allow us to escape our everyday lives and dive into an often mysterious realm filled with trepidation and danger. Books can be an enlightening educator with graphic displays of nature’s perfection and beauty , sometimes guiding children and young adults along a career path as they peruse an educational journal or scientific magazine.
Books are not dictated by the remote-control and are far more stimulating that a random Facebook update telling the world that a room has been cleaned, chores finished or that a burrito was consumed for lunch.
Studies indicate that a well-read youth is likely to achieve higher academic scores and continue further along the path of education than a child who does not read. Books open a new world of vocabulary, and stimulate the mind in a way that television cannot.
Books, may not be the sexy choice for your next present, but books are a gift that keeps on giving well after the cover is faded, and well after the toys or electronics you might have purchased, are crumpled in the corner gathering dust.

Stretch Paper For Your Next Watercolor Project

Emily Green — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 05:21:46 +0000

Ready to start your next watercolor, but don’t want to paint on warped or curled sheets of paper? Try “stretching” your paper canvas before your next watercolor painting project. There are various ways to stretch watercolor paper, but all techniques will give you a flat surface that you’ll enjoying painting on.

To begin the stretching process, first choose your art paper. It should be noted that paper with a number weight less than 300 would most likely warp. This is due to the amount of water that the paper absorbs during painting. Papers that are synthetic-based usually do not warp.

In order to stretch or mount your watercolor paper, you’ll need supplies such as a water basin or bucket, flat sponge and utility sponge, spray bottle, paper towels, scissors or mat knife. You’ll also need a surface to stretch your paper on: sealed plywood, squared stretcher frame or a wooden drawing board would work.

Start off by soaking your paper. Gently submerge paper in lukewarm water and soak for about five to ten minutes (depending on paper’s weight). Slowly remove the paper and allow for water to drip off.

Place the paper on a clean surface and use a sponge to remove excess water. Then begin stretching your paper. To re-wet the paper, use a spray bottle and sponge to dampen the surface. To dampen and stretch the surface evenly, flip the watercolor paper a few times.

To make sure your paper is wet enough for stretching, simply bend a corner and see if it curls back easily. If it springs back quickly, the paper has not absorbed enough water. If the corner flops around, you have soaked your paper too long. This can affect the paper’s size and how the paper accepts watercolor paint.

To ensure that your paper dries flat, you may temporarily adhere your watercolor pieces to a clean board using butcher’s tape, a staple method, a wooden stretcher method, or wheat-based adhesive.

Writing Jobs

Emily Green — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:52:14 +0000

The reason for that is the voracious appetite the internet demands for content. That in turn comes from the search engines. For example, recently, the explosion of sites like Facebook and Twitter have provided the internet with more and more content. This has caused Google to develop a new search index called appropriately enough, Caffeine.

Caffeine searches deeper and faster than any of its predecessors, seeking content to match precisely with the searchers requests. The sites who are ranked the highest will be the ones who produce a prodigious amount of fresh content. It levels the playing field.

Here are two writing jobs that have been springing up as work for freelance or direct hires:

Internet Writer: Print readers read and web readers scan. That phrase suggests a different writing style than print but the opportunities abound. Websites, press releases, articles, you name it. The work is abundant right now.

Someday, this era might be called the era of writing. That is because probably at no other time in history have there been so many writing jobs. Why is that? Because of the internet. The opportunities for writers on the internet have been and will continue to grow for the foreseeable future.
The reason for that is the voracious appetite the internet demands for content. That in turn comes from the search engines. For example, recently, the explosion of sites like Facebook and Twitter have provided the internet with more and more content. This has caused Google to develop a new search index called appropriately enough, Caffeine.
Caffeine searches deeper and faster than any of its predecessors, seeking content to match precisely with the searchers requests. The sites who are ranked the highest will be the ones who produce a prodigious amount of fresh content. It levels the playing field.
Here are two writing jobs that have been springing up as work for freelance or direct hires:
Internet Writer: Print readers read and web readers scan. That phrase suggests a different writing style than print but the opportunities abound. Websites, press releases, articles, you name it. The work is abundant right now.

The Mystery of Show, Don’t Tell

Emily Green — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 12:37:13 +0000

“Show, don’t tell.” You hear this as a writer all the time. It is one of the tenants of the writers faith and it is one of the most utterly confusing things you can be told. How can you show and not tell when it is your job as a writer to tell? The fact is that this is a question often asked and rarely answered correctly but that doesn’t mean there isn’t an answer and it doesn’t mean that they aren’t right. If you read the best authors in the world you will see that all of them show first and if you read on you will see how you can show what you mean rather than just telling it.

A character is just like a person in real life. What they do is far more important than what they say. If they preach to be a good person but rob, steal, and cheat people than their actions speak far louder than there words. So make sure you show them the way they are not tell them they way you want people to think they are.

So how do you implement this into your writing? So let’s say you have a character who works at a local ice cream shop and that characters name is Dave and Dave is really in love with his co-worker Lindsey. The easy thing to do would be to tell your audience that Dave likes Lindsey but that wouldn’t be quality, effective writing. Instead you might want to tell the audience that Dave is watching Lindsey as she works the same way he watches her every day. And when Lindsey smiles Dave has trouble making eye contact.

Now what you have done is tell your audience everything they need to know without telling them everything all at once. You allow them to live and breathe inside the scene and let them see what you already know. The reveal is the best part for the audience. It makes them feel connected. That’s why they mean by showing and not telling.

Cheap, Free and Bulk Books For You and Your Children

Emily Green — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:18:26 +0000

If you or your children are avid readers or you want to become one, there is a host of great ways to get books for cheap, free and in bulk.

Where to Go?

The first place to try would be your local library. Most libraries carry various authors including some of their latest work. In the event you can’t find your author or a particular book, chances are a library can arrange to have it ordered for you. If you’re a slow reader the advantage in ordering your books from the local library is the extended time you’re allowed for check out. Unless the book is on high demand, most libraries will allow you to repeat your check outs.
If you are interested in owning your book, try the cheap or free route before making an expensive purchase. There are many free books online that you can download with the click of a button. Used books are also available for purchase at various online sites and retail bookstores. Garage sales can also be a hotspot for cheap buys.

Try Buying Bulk

Do you have a book club? It may actually be less expensive to make purchases for your club in bulk. One way to do this is to go to the publisher’s website. Some publishers actually offer discounts for bulk buys. If your book club is reading from a top selling author, local bookstores may honor a bulk buy with discounts. For children’s books try an online bookseller or liquidator. Be sure to do your research for buying children’s books in bulk. You may find that a local book store is going out of business and selling books for discount. Going online is also a good source for discovering children’s textbooks and the advantage is that you can pass those textbooks onto your younger children.

Where to Meet Singles

Emily Green — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:23:15 +0000

dedicated to the passionate spirit of creation

When it comes to dating, many people find that the hardest part is actually meeting someone. This is particularly true when you are out of school and in the workforce are no longer surrounded by single people your age. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t meet someone. These are some great ways and places to meet potential dates:

• Join an adult education class. Many colleges have programs for adults, from martial arts to pottery to learning a new language, and they are excellent ways to form new friendships and meet new people that could potentially be dating material.

• Get involved in your community. Volunteering to coach a youth sports program, joining your Homeowners Association, or putting together something that interests you, like a running club or reading group, is an excellent way to meet new singles.

• Go online. Once taboo, online dating has taken the world by storm. Many sites offer free trial memberships and will match you up with other people depending on your own interests and values. There are many sites that cater to a specific demographic, such as single moms or Christians.

• Let your friends set you up. Don’t automatically brush off your friends’ attempts to set you up. They know you, so they already know what you are and aren’t interested in. In the very least, letting them set you up will help you meet new friends.

• Join a gym. You will get your body in shape and meet new people at a gym. Most gyms also have classes or co-ed sports teams or clubs, providing the perfect opportunity to meet singles.

Meeting people to date isn’t hard if you know where to look and you are outgoing and personable. These are a few great places to meet other singles.

Writing for the Internet

Emily Green — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 15:49:51 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

The biggest reason is that you have maybe seven seconds to capture the visitor. That brief time means you need to write compelling, concise, easy to read copy or just like a wisp, the visitor will go elsewhere.

Here are some pointers on writing for the internet. This is meant for websites but much of it applies to other writing forms:

Write Short Sentences: Because of the aforementioned short attention span, the sentences must be short, maybe 7 to 10 words long. However, occasionally, put in a longer sentence just to make the piece more interesting.

Keep One Meaning: For the most part each sentence should have just one meaning. Combining meanings in one sentence tends to confuse the reader. They become uncertain which meaning to take from the sentence.

White Space: The prevailing rule of thumb is not more than 350 words on a website page. You might want to consider 200 as a maximum. People prefer not to see dense copy. It is too tough to read.

Bullets: Numbered and bulleted lists are good. However, do not overdo it. The content can appear too sparse if all that is on the page is bullet points.

Font: Always use a sans-serif font like arial, calabri, verdana, etc. A sans-serif font is where the letters have no embellishments or extensions. They are straight. Serif font is like times new roman or courier. They are a little fancier and mainly used for print. Serif is easier on paper. Sans-serif is easier on-screen.

Practicing these tips will make you an internet writing pro.

It is well known that in general, the internet reader is different from the print reader. In fact, the saying is that print readers read and web readers scan. Because of that, writing for the internet, especially for websites, is very different from writing for print.
The biggest reason is that you have maybe seven seconds to capture the visitor. That brief time means you need to write compelling, concise, easy to read copy or just like a wisp, the visitor will go elsewhere.
Here are some pointers on writing for the internet. This is meant for websites but much of it applies to other writing forms:
Write Short Sentences: Because of the aforementioned short attention span, the sentences must be short, maybe 7 to 10 words long. However, occasionally, put in a longer sentence just to make the piece more interesting.
Keep One Meaning: For the most part each sentence should have just one meaning. Combining meanings in one sentence tends to confuse the reader. They become uncertain which meaning to take from the sentence.
White Space: The prevailing rule of thumb is not more than 350 words on a website page. You might want to consider 200 as a maximum. People prefer not to see dense copy. It is too tough to read.
Bullets: Numbered and bulleted lists are good. However, do not overdo it. The content can appear too sparse if all that is on the page is bullet points.
Font: Always use a sans-serif font like arial, calabri, verdana, etc. A sans-serif font is where the letters have no embellishments or extensions. They are straight. Serif font is like times new roman or courier. They are a little fancier and mainly used for print. Serif is easier on paper. Sans-serif is easier on-screen.
Practicing these tips will make you an internet writing pro.

What to Do in a Car Accident with Auto Insurance

Emily Green — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 14:28:34 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

You’re driving along on an average night. You have the stereo bumping and you are checking your rear view mirrors, like the responsible driver you are. You approach a red light and brake on time to stop and not run the risk of getting into an accident. You wait patiently for the red light to change as you glance in your mirror and see a car approaching behind you. You wonder why it doesn’t seem to want to slow down but you figure “they have to see the red light, right?” And just like that, the car behind you comes barreling into you. In the blink of an eye you are left in the middle of an accident that is not your fault. So what do you do next?

The first thing to do is pull over to a safe spot. Then get out of the car and assess the damages to your car and the other driver’s car. Be careful not to say much more than you have to. It’s OK to ask if the other driver is OK and to ask what they see and what the extent of the damages are. Once you have determined what the damages are, it’s best to call the police to file a report. This is good measure because it gets the accident on record for auto insurance purposes later.

Ask to exchange insurance information with the other driver. Then as long as the car is safe to drive, you may go ahead and go home and then it’s up to you to report the claim to the insurance company as soon as possible. Even if your agent is not in his office, there is always a claim hot-line that you can call. This will help you navigate your way through the accident repair process.

Literary Magazines: A Home for all Writing

Emily Green — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:13:11 +0000

Writing comes in plethora of forms – letters, newspaper articles, essays, poetry, short stories, novels – each one requiring just as much skill, effort and patience as the next.
While every writing mode is unique, certain types of writing are deemphasized and devalued as students progress through American academia.
What does this mean for the writing forms that are downplayed after high school and college? They’re simply forgotten about and relegated to the back of many adults’ memories.
Let’s start at the beginning.
From the early years of grade school, students learn about the fundamentals of writing. Sentence structure, grammar, word choice and various other tools are impressed upon them. At first, many struggle to grasp these concepts. However, there comes a point for most students when the homework assignments and quizzes produce a fully functional writer.
It’s during this bombardment of paperwork that many people reach the peak of their relationship with two types of writing – poetry and short stories. These two writing modes are frequently used by teachers throughout high school. Additionally, most colleges require students, even if they are majoring in physics or marine biology, to take at least one general English course that will include some mention of poetry or short stories.
But what about after you finish your ENG 101 course? What happens to the poetry and short stories? For many people, they’re gone. They’ve become obsolete. The next time that 99 percent of physics and marine bio majors will see poetry is in 20 years when their son starts third grade.
Almost every situation has its anomalies, and this situation is no exception. Even if your day job involves taking samples or solving equations, you may still enjoy writing the occasional poem or short story. If you’re in this group and want your writing seen by more than just your mom and your dog, Fluffy, you have the option of submitting it to a literary magazine. Literary magazines come in both print and online and are dedicated to publishing all forms of writing – even the ones you thought you’d never see again.

E-Books, the New Wave of the Future

Emily Green — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 05:09:47 +0000

Although there’s something nostalgic and old-worldly reminiscent of picking up a hard-bound book, cracking open the spine and diving into the type-set pages, we live in a modern world, and with that modern world comes technology that has reached every crevice of our lives. That technology has now crept into the literary corner of the world, as eBooks and eReaders have become a increasingly popular method to indulge in a great novel, a historical discourse or even a college textbook.

Obviously, literary fans have many options when it comes to the eBook world. eReaders have flooded the market in recent years, starting with Amazon Kindle and moving right along to such products as the Sony eReader, Barnes and Noble Nook and, of course, most recently the Apply iPad. While some eReaders might be better suited for certain readers, each provide a wide variety of bells and whistles that are tailored to reader.

While traditional book fans might have a difficult time adjusting to the format of an eBook, the options and mobility of them is undeniable. Not only are thousands of titles available from various outlets like Amazon, Apple and Barnes and Noble, but the cost is generally less expensive for an electronic version than the traditional hard or even soft cover.

And while you might pride yourself in having an extensive home library, eReaders are great ways to have a mobile and compact library that you can manage yourself. eReaders also cater to the more impulsive book-buyer, who can download a title instantly via a WiFi or 3G connection. Theoretically, a reader could peruse a book review in the Sunday paper and have a copy of the book downloaded to their eReader in a matter of minutes.

Of course, mobility might be the best argument for eBooks and eReaders, Instead of carrying a backpack full of heavy books to class or on vacation, accessing your entire library (and being able to add to it), is a great way to go to school or on vacation.

Obviously, the new wave of the future is here. Try it, you never know how modern you might actually be.

Accredited Online Colleges Make you Better

Emily Green — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 18:32:22 +0000

Have you launched your career and begun to experience success already? Or are you still searching around, looking for the best career for you? In a lot of cases, such as when you decide to go into the practice of writing, there are a of subtleties that may be initially lost on you. After all, while every profession has a lot to know (and learn), being a writer is about an awful lot more than most people would guess, given that just being literate is only one of the characteristics that a writer needs to have, in order to be successful at their craft.

For one thing, being a writer requires having a great deal of self motivation. Just wanting to “punch a time clock” for a living will not cut it for a writer, as there is no clock to punch most of the time. You receive an assignment, and your boss can not just stand there over your shoulder and prod you along, until it gets finished. You have to sit there at the keyboard all by your lonesome, and doing so requires a fair amount of discipline. You can stall the project all day long, but ultimately you have to do your projects all by yourself, in order to get it all done.

Another thing you need is a solid grasp on the English language itself. And while real life night school might be your cup of tea, a lot of people swear by accredited online colleges. A degree from an officially sanctioned school can grant you a good deal of credibility when you seek out jobs, whether as a freelance writer or as an employee. Even if you apply to be on retainer, your potential boss will want to see that you have both a great understanding of English, and the drive to do something about expanding your knowledge base.

How to Find Out-of-print Books

Emily Green — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:16:24 +0000

There are many reasons why a book will be pulled from the printing press, but it is most commonly because the cost outweighs the sale and it happens to all books eventually. A remaindered book does not have to be out of your reach with the use of good research skills and a willingness to add a little adventure to your book hunting. There are several places in your hometown and on the Internet in which the books have been left behind, forgotten, or no longer wanted.

The first place to start your search is your local library. Many libraries carry books that have been taken off the market and they are available to borrow. What many people do not realize is that libraries have book sales where you can find out-of-print books for the loose change in your pocket. If you make a habit of checking your local library’s event calendar, you could find the books your looking for and maybe some you did not even know you wanted.

Another great place to continue your search are antique shops and used bookstores. In many cases if you let the owner know what you are looking for, they will keep an eye out for you. Garage sales and estate sales are other great places to locate remaindered books and are easy to find by browsing the local newspaper and penny saver.

The Internet has proven to be a good research tool for just about everything and books are no exception. There are many search engines and online databases for out-of-print books, so the search options are endless. Another Internet source that is good for those hard-to-find books is Ebay. The online auction website is like an interactive garage sale that does not limit you to your own town and you can get a great deal.

Get a Refinance Car Loan and Prepare for Travel

Emily Green — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:47:18 +0000

Don’t you wish it were as easy to travel as it is to get a refinance car loan? The fact is, however, that it’s not nearly as simple as you would like it to be. Even though most of the time travel means going somewhere you have always wanted to go, it can also mean having to deal with long lines and hassles you just aren’t ever prepared to deal with. So if you are looking to avoid some of the hassles of a trip, then following these four simple rules can help.

Call in Advance

It doesn’t matter what you have booked for your trip, calling the hotel, car rental facility, and any other activity location you may have planned for your trip is a good idea to get a verbal confirmation. There are millions of horror stories about people getting to the hotel to find out that the reservation has been lost. Call and confirm to prevent this possibility.

Car Rentals in Airport

This is a big headache when you have to go off site for your car. It increases the travel time and increases how much you have to wait. There are many car rental locations in the airport that will allow you to pick up and drop off a means of transportation. This is the only way to go.

Carry On

With the rising cost of checking a bag, carry on luggage is a wiser choice than ever. This rule makes sense anyway, but no one really wants to deal with the issue of waiting for their bags and hoping they made it through. Carry on and save yourself the hassle.

Carry Extra Cash

This is just about safeguarding yourself in case something goes wrong. Have your travel money and your emergency money readily accessible. If something goes wrong, you’ll be glad you did it this way.

The Kindle vs The Nook

Emily Green — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:05:20 +0000

In 2007, the Amazon Kindle revolutionized reading by creating an e-reader device that offers digital books, magazines and newspapers. Since then, they’ve released additional upgraded versions of the original Kindle model. In 2009, Barnes & Noble came out with their version of an e-reader system, the Nook. While both items essentially perform the same tasks, they vary in their design and features.

The first generation Kindle was released for sale to the public on November 19, 2007 and sold out within hours. In February of 2009, the Kindle 2 was released for purchase and it offered upgrades such as faster page refreshing and an audio function that reads the text aloud.

The Barnes & Noble Nook was released in November of 2009 and offers many of the same amenities as the Kindle 2. Each of the devices have a 6-inch display size. However, when comparing the two, there are some pros and cons to each e-reader.

One of the pros of the Nook in comparison with the Kindle 2 is it offers a color screen – Kindle offers a grayscale screen. The Nook also offers Wi-Fi, a replaceable battery, and the option to play games such as Chess and Sudoku. In addition, the Nook has the option for memory expansion unlike the Kindle 2. The Nook also offers free lending of particular e-books for up to 14 days, where as the Kindle 2 has a limited support of free e-books.

Some of the cons of the Nook is that the screen is not as sensitive to touch as one may expect and the battery life is not as long as the Kindle 2. The Nook has a digital keyboard and the Kindle 2 has a push-button keyboard. Barnes & Noble also allows customers to sit and try the Nook in-store, whereas Amazon sells the Kindle products online.

Sit tight, though, the latest version-the Kindle DX-was just released and is being shipped to consumers this week. It has a larger screen and offers PDF compatibility, unlike previous versions. The screen also has an auto-rotate function, allowing for portrait or landscape views.

Preparing for the SAT

Emily Green — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:06:59 +0000

When preparing for the SAT, remember that what you have been learning and building on throughout your school years is the basic foundation you will need to make your experience a successful one. The SAT is broken into three sections, math, reading, and writing. The test has just in the last five years added the writing portion and as it is relatively new it hasn’t tended to have as much sway with colleges as the other two parts of the test. However, as time goes on, this section gains in importance, and it will be important to you to prepare for it as carefully as you do the other two sections of the test. Knowing that everything you do in school is preparing you for this test is always important to keep in the back of your mind. You cannot cram for the SAT. However, there are many things you can do now that will help you to prepare for it and be more successful when you do take it.

The SAT is extremely important to your future if you want to get into college, and if you are setting your sights on an academic scholarship. Obviously the higher your score, the more choices you will have in terms of what college you attend and what you pursue as your area of study. One thing you may want to do is to gain some general test taking skills and even skills that will help you perform better on the SAT specifically. There are lots of web sites you can access that provide you with helpful hints and even entire programs designed to give you a head start and inside information about what the SAT looks like and how to prepare for it. You can enroll for an online SAT prep course, for example. Consult these web sites and use them for the extremely valuable information they can provide.

3 Tips For Novel Writing

Emily Green — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 10:02:25 +0000

Every writer dreams of writing the next great American novel. From the moment they pick up that first book to the moment they decide to put pen to paper they are hooked on creating something to last longer than themselves. But writing a novel is much harder than it looks. Once a writer puts down those first words, the task seems daunting and overwhelming. There is a reason why so many novels are half finished. Writing a novel is hard but a few simple things could turn the half novel into a whole novel.

No Editing

Writing is a lot about the editing. Nothing is ever perfect on the first try but for the young writer looking to complete their first opus, it’s important to finish writing first. Most writers run into the problem of looking back on the chapters they have done and before they know it they are 2 months into writing and still on chapter 2. Just write. From start to finish the novel should be written. Editing will happen in good time, but it’s best to have a finished product to edit from.

Know The Ending

This is a tricky note but a writer should at least have an idea of the way the novel is going to end. It helps to bridge the middle so they always know what they are working towards. In the writing process they may discover that the ending should be different but at that point it is something that they will discover organically and it won’t take months to change.

Writers Block Does Not Exist

This is really important. Writers claim they often suffer from writers block but a true writer writes regardless of what is pouring onto the page. Nothing gets done waiting for brilliance to happen. In writing brilliance is achieved by being able to see the big picture and work tirelessly to adapt the writing to get there. A writer must write every day, even if it means sacrificing quality. Writing is practice and a novel cannot be written well without a lot of practice.

Top Five Tips for Auto Loan Refinance

Emily Green — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 08:09:29 +0000

SAT Prep Course leads to Better Writing Skills

Emily Green — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:07:23 +0000

If you are looking to learn about how to become a better writer, a great way is to pick up some books with writing tips by published experts. Many people hope to break into the book writing business and that’s not an easy path. You need a voice of your own, a subject matter with a new twist and patience. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel, but that first page has to knock an editors socks off.

There are writing formulas that worked for storytellers for years like boy meets girl, fall in love and so on. Romance genres exist that have repeated happily ever after themes for sure. Not every element of writing a book need to be totally original. Yet the methods you use to capture a reader’s attention should be well-honed.

There are ways to improve your writing that are quite accessible on the Internet. One way is to buy ebooks online and read the genre you’ve chosen to write about, like paranormal or horror. Reading and writing will give you a greater understanding of the written language. You’ll have an easier time of expressing yourself and writing a best-seller.

Books and writing tips are readily available from any bookseller and online. These books and tips can advance your writing skills dramatically through regular study and the application of advised techniques. Soon, your words will flow onto the page and publisher’s will be calling to contract your book.

If your a student, you might initially want to write better to achieve higher test scores. You may decide to take a SAT prep course to help you develop your vocabulary and writing skills before sitting for the exam. In doing this, you just might realize how much you enjoy writing. One day all this study could pay off and you just might end up becoming a highly successful book author.

Joy of Reading the Classics

Emily Green — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:59:17 +0000

There are certain books which have stood the test of time and continue to draw millions of new readers every year. Whether they were introduced through an English class or by their favorite literary uncle they get passed on and reread by countless generations. These are known as the classics, the books that have stood the test of time and continue the time honored tradition of literary greatness.

There are many reasons a book can be considered a classic. At times it is because it pushed the literary boundaries so much that it changed the world of literature forever. That is the case with Ulysses by James Joyce. This book was revolutionary and controversial in its day, so much so, that publishers in American refused to publish it saying it was profane. It was finally published by Sylvia Beach or the famous Shakespeare and Company bookshop in Paris. Sylvia only printed 1000 copies

Written over a seven year period from 1914 to 1921, Ulysses at first glance appears as chaotic and random containing 18 chapters or episodes in the lives of the characters. Ulysses chronicles the passage of Leopold Bloom through Dublin during an ordinary day precisely June 16th 1904. It is loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey and each episode of Ulysses has a theme, technique, and correspondences between its characters and those of the Odyssey.Joyce once said that he had “put in so many enigmas and puzzles that it will keep the professors busy for centuries arguing over what I meant”, which would earn the novel “immortality”.

On the other side of the writing spectrum is someone like Jane Austen who wrote about marriage, society and relationships in the early 1800′s. Here observations on the rituals of courtship and manners between men and women have stood the test of time for the last 200 years and can be as true today as they were in Jan Austen’s time. Her staying power is through her observation and way to document ordinary life and its trials and tribulations which are as resonant today and they were in yesteryear.

Online Education for Moms

Emily Green — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:12:32 +0000

Getting an education is a very important thing in today’s tough economy and competitive marketplace. With that in mind, it’s important that everyone works toward learning more and moving forward in their careers. One group that’s being targeted for higher education with grant and loan help is moms. If you’re a mother and you want to go to school – or go back to school – the time has never been better. With all of the online education opportunities, you can go back and train to become a writer, a teacher, a manager, or anything else that interests you. Some degrees can be obtained completely online, and others require a mix of online and traditional classes, but there are always options.

Moms can go back to school for the things that they enjoy, and they can take a lot of their classes online during the day when their kids are at school or at night after their kids are asleep. That provides choices to both stay-at-home moms and those who have to work but who want to develop their skills and train for a better job or a great career. A lot of moms (and dads, too) think that they can’t go to school and work at the same time, but that’s simply not true.

If you want to get ahead, there are ways you can find the time without neglecting your children or the duties you’ll have by owning a household. Check out the options for online education and the choices that you have for classes. There are a lot of people who already have families and who are going back to school. You won’t be alone in your endeavors and your children will thank you later, when you have more money to support them from your great new career.

For the Love of an Old Fashioned Bookstore

Emily Green — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 04:55:55 +0000

If you’re a lover of books, then you’ve probably had the wonderful experience of shopping in an old fashioned bookstore. I’m not talking about the big brand name chains that seem more concerned with selling coffee and DVDs. No, I’m talking about the single owner, “mom and pop” kind of bookstore. It’s these types of stores that are really the heart and soul of the literary world.

Full disclosure: I’ve bought many books on-line and at the mega-stores. It’s a matter of convenience. But those old fashioned bookstores are a dying breed that need to be supported and patronized. There are many great examples of these types of stores to be found in Los Angeles. One such place is the Mysterious Bookstore located within walking distance of the UCLA campus.

As the title implies, they sell mysteries but they offer so much more. You can ask any one of the clerks for a recommendation, even an obscure one like “are there any murder mysteries involving lobsters?” Chances are they’ll have an instant recommendation for you as well as a review of the book in question.

This isn’t to say that those mega-store workers don’t love books but it’s just not the same experience. Imagine opening the door to a store with a bell tingling, signaling your arrival. You’re hit with that old book smell. It’s not musty or moldy but instead smells of adventures locked within the rows of bound treasures that lay before you. As you step into the store, the wooden floor boards creak under your feet. Yes, there are new titles among the shelves but there also finds and out of print treasures. A favorite author here, an undiscovered writer there. You came with one title in your mind and in a flash, hours have passed and you leave with an armload of books you can’t wait to get back to your reading nook. The old fashioned bookstore is indeed a place of magic. Seek out one today.

Understanding the Now with a Wall Street Journal Subscription

Emily Green — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:17:00 +0000

You’re a master of prose (or so you assume yourself to be). You’ve dedicated yourself to crafting stories, to choosing the right words for the right sentiments. You’ve captured emotions as easily as breaths. It’s both your passion and career; because you offer web articles daily, leaving them optimized for searches and intrigue. You’re an Internet writer — and a soon to be novelist. Fantasy is your fascination. The real world is reserved only for the necessary jobs. But such jobs are made difficult without a Wall Street Journal subscription.

You cannot yet carve your living out of fiction. You instead need all things current. And the Wall Street Journal is an obvious way to achieve this. Keep yourself informed with statistics and political commentary. They will aid your writing and your style; offering you an advantage over those who rely purely on the Internet (where truths can be manipulated with a simple edit button).

The Wall Street Journal was founded in 1889, with a purpose of unbiased reporting and unflinching editorials. It succeeded, finding instant public acclaim and surviving the tragedies of the Great Depression, World War II and others. And, as of 2010, it stands as one of the most renowned news outlets across the world, with a readership of over 2 million in the United States alone. It is a financial institution and a worthy companion to any day — including yours.

Writers of web content cannot survive with only their imaginations. They require other stimulation instead. Choosing the Journal is a way to guarantee accurate information, relevant topics and knowledge that will seep into many aspects of your work. These are not merely matters of finance. They are instead an offering of facts. You will use them.

Subscribe to the Journal and discover a better way to learn of the world and its effects on you.

Where Do You Get Your Research Information?

Emily Green — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:42:40 +0000

When writing an article or doing research for a paper or other assignment, not all the sources you can find offer credible information. This is why it is important to know how to distinguish between good information and false information. The Internet is the biggest place where false information can be found and this is because anyone is allowed to publish their work without it being fact checked. So, don’t believe everything you read.

Years ago, before the days of the Internet, people had to visit the library for information of any kind. Now people still go to the library, but it is mainly to use a computer for internet access or to hook their computers up to the free wi-fi connection. The Internet can be accessed in homes and virtually anywhere there is wi-fi. This makes it so people can get information from many different sources at any time.

When you find information on the Internet that does not come from a site, such as a reputable encyclopedia or other reputable information source, it is important to cross-check the information with other sites for accuracy. Most people who write articles for the Internet do a good job of being accurate, but some write for pure marketing reasons and can stretch the truth. This is why it is important to be careful. Some writers are just plain naïve and do not know they are being inaccurate. Some of the inaccurate information you find on the Internet will be obvious, but other information may seem real. Some people do a good job convincing others with false information.

When you need information for an article, it is best to look for information from reputable sites and then branch out for more in depth insights. Learning the basics is a great way of making sure you will not be taken for a fool by those who write deceitful information.

Another way to ensure that your research returned accurate information is to have somebody proofread your finished work. If they spot anything suspicious, you will be able to go back and check your sources for accuracy. Always be careful when doing research on the Internet.

Are You a Candidate for Debt Consolidation?

Emily Green — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 02:25:43 +0000

If you have a lot of debt, you’re not the only one. Consumer debt has been on the rise, and a lot of people who were paying their bills ended up struggling because they lost a job or had some other problem happen in their lives. With the state of the economy, that’s not surprising. It’s unfortunate, though, and a lot of these people continue to struggle until they end up going bankrupt because they don’t want to ask for help. Don’t be too proud to ask for assistance if you’re struggling with your debt. There are debt consolidation services that can help you get things figured out.

When you go to a debt consolidation service, you’ll be asked about your finances. It’s similar to credit counseling in that you’ll be able to consolidate things down into one payment, but you may not get as much help with your creditors. In other words, it’s more like getting a loan for what you owe, instead of working to help you owe a lot less. However, for people who are having a lot of trouble and have bills that are nickel-and-diming them every month, it’s a lot easier to consolidate everything into one payment.

Depending on the consolidation service that you choose to use, you may end up getting help with your interest rates from the creditors you already have – or you may be given one loan with a better interest rate and your other debts will be rolled into that loan. If that’s the case, make sure you don’t start accumulating more debt. That can happen to people if they don’t really pay attention to their finances. Because they have a lower payment and more disposable income, they start to use credit again. If you can avoid that, debt consolidation can help improve your financial future.

Reading Well, a Guide

Emily Green — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:22:11 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Since elementary school, people have been taught a skill that, while at first may seem an obvious one, it occasionally can be neglected, reading comprehension. Reading, especially in thick academic settings, is not necessarily the riveting reading that is done for fun. There has to be a way to gain the information and understanding in the fastest and most efficient way. This is especially true for the academic reading, which tends to be so verbally dense as to be impenetrable to anyone outside of the discipline, and even then, it is best to study ahead of time.

There are five steps to improve reading comprehension that anyone can complete with no classes or special tools. The first two of these lessons revolve around the environment of reading. By emphasizing the selection of the best place and time to do heavy reading, the author offers steps to improve comprehension that are very accessible to anyone, and easy to implement, even for the busiest reader. The third step offered works more cerebrally than the first two practical steps. Instead of lingering on the familiar stuff, those wanting to improve their comprehension skills should focus on the new information and asking how it connects with the other information that the reader has gained in the past. In fact, spending time highlighting lines can be counterproductive, making the reader more focused on straight lines than the information itself. The fourth tip might seem unusual, but you should speed up while reading, and trust your brain to process the information, which can handle more than most people give it credit for. Finally, the fifth tip for reading improvement is the taking of copious notes. Through effective note use, the reader can not only emphasize the important parts in their own mind, but leave a track and reference for them to look back to in the future.

While academic reading can be like wading through a swamp, a few simple steps can make the reader’s life much clearer and less of a trudge to get through to find the information.

Why People are Buying Silver Coins

Emily Green — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 03:53:51 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Investing in silver has recently grown in popularity as more people are realizing that this precious metal is a stable and smart investment. So why is silver such a good investment choice now?

The main reasons that silver is a hot commodity for investing are:

• Scarcity. Unlike gold and other precious metals, silver is becoming very scarce. There are few suppliers and not enough production to keep up with the growing demand for silver.
• Growing demand. The demand for silver is high and shows no sign of slowing. Silver is used in many different items and by many different trades. You will find silver in electronics, cell phones, cars, and even in food and other everyday items.

If you want to invest in silver, many investment advisors believe that silver coins are the way to go. A few reasons for this include:

• Durability. Silver is durable. Silver coins have been used for centuries as a form of currency, and silver coins from earlier centuries are still around today. Silver also remains attractive for years and doesn’t lose its shine or luster.
• Affordability. Investing in silver coins at the moment is wise because they are still affordable. This makes silver coins a good choice for those who want to invest without breaking their budget. These coins are also ideal for those who are new to investing and want to ensure that they get a good return for their money.
• Stability. Because analysts expect the demand for silver to remain high for so long, investing in silver offers a stable investment. You can feel fairly confident that silver prices aren’t going to hit rock bottom over night.

Silver coins are a great way to begin investing for people who would like to invest in silver and are unsure of where to start. You can’t go wrong with silver coins.

Three Tips for Successful Writing

Emily Green — Mon, 24 May 2010 06:34:23 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Opportunities for writing have increased, and the ways we read have changed, but writing is forever. If you have difficulty approaching your writing projects, or actually getting your writing done, here are some tips to help you get started.

Tip 1: Punch the Keys!

Did you see the movie Finding Forrester? A brilliant young writer, Jamal Wallace, discovers an old novelist who has been in hiding for half a century. The old man, William Forrester, sees the potential in young Jamal and becomes his mentor. When Jamal suffers the inevitable writer’s block, Forrester lets him start typing the beginning of one of his stories, so Jamal can get into the rhythm of writing and then find his own voice. Jamal starts picking lightheartedly at the typewriter, and Forrester practically yells at him to “Punch the Keys!” This is good advice for anyone. The hardest part of writing is to actually start. Just start punching the keys, type something, get into the flow, and you will start to write. You can always go back later and revise the early parts which you wrote before you found your voice.

Tip 2: Write Poorly

Have you read the unpublished manuscripts of famous authors? Of course you haven’t, they were never published! In some cases these manuscripts have been published after the author died, and guess what? They were never as good as their published works. The key to writing well is writing poorly first. Keep writing, revise your work, and eventually you may become a decent writer. You won’t write well at first, but you will be writing, and practice makes perfect.

Tip 3: Write First, Edit After

Very few authors can write publishable material on the fly. Most people write, revise, rewrite, edit, revise, etc. The better the writing, the more times it has likely been rewritten. Try to make it sound perfect, and it probably won’t get written. Remember that perfect book that was never written? The one where the writer tried to make it perfect on the first draft? Right. It was never written.

Bond Basics

Emily Green — Sun, 23 May 2010 06:25:53 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Bonds are a smart investment for both novice and experienced investors. They are a stable form of investing that can yield high returns and that offer little risk. However, before you begin investing in bonds, there are a number of things that you should know, including types of bonds, bond pricing, interest rates, and risk, just to name a few.

What is a bond?
A bond is a type of investment in which the issuer of the bond borrows an amount of money and, in return, agrees to pay a certain amount of interest (called a coupon) as well as the principal of the bond. This payment of principal and interest occurs after a specified amount of time, also called the maturity of the bond.

Types of bonds
There are many different types of bonds. Some of the most common bonds include:
-Fixed rate bonds. This bond has a fixed interest rate throughout its life.
-Inflation-linked bonds. Here, the interest rate as well as the principal are based on current inflation rates. Interest rates are typically lower, but payouts can be much higher in a good economy.
-Municipal bonds. This bond is issued by a state or local government. The borrowed money is used primarily to better a city or town by funding things like infrastructure improvements. They are tax-exempt.
-Foreign bonds. These come from foreign countries and can be very lucrative if done correctly.

How are bonds priced?
Bond pricing is based on a number of factors, and is then determined through a specific formula. At the maturity of the bond, the bond holder receives not only the principal, but also the interest payments up until that point.

Are bonds safe?
Generally speaking, bonds are some of the safest investments that you can make. A payout is virtually guaranteed, even though interest rates and returns may be lower than other types of investments.

Armchair Harry Potter Literary Analyst (who never read the books)

Emily Green — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:35:58 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Admit it. You never read the books but you saw all the movies. Your daughter was eight when the first book came out. When you bought her Sorcerer’s Stone, you bought your first Charles De Lint book, Onion Girl. You both became happily engrossed in your fantasies. Ah, De Lint! What a writer! Character development unlike any you’d read before.

After your fourth De Lint book, the Potter movies began. You took your daughter to each. The conversations got deep—picking your child’s brains for missing pieces. All went well until one day your little one was not so little anymore. You saw enough movies to suspect Snape was a good guy. You asked your daughter’s opinion. She squared her shoulders and squinted her eyes. “Read the books!”

When no one was looking, you thumbed through Goblet of Fire. Rowling just didn’t do it for you. You went back to that sunken place in your chair and opened your new De Lint book: Some Place to be Flying. Ah. . . depth. But it didn’t stop you from occasional peeks into Rowling’s work.

Years later . . .

Midnight. Your daughter has ticket number 836—buried in line at Barnes and Noble to get the last Potter book. Surrounded by witches and wizards, you turn and ask her once more about Snape. Her retort: “Read the books!”

The next morning you find that final book on the couch. Quietly, you read the last four chapters. “I was right! Snape is OK!” You sigh in relief as your daughter walks in catching you in the act: “You DIDN”T!”

Later, seated in your favorite spot, De Lint’s Widdershins is in hand. Tears are welling in your eyes.”The Crow Girls may cure Jilly!” Your heart races. You look up to see your daughter staring down at your teary orbs. “What is it with you and De Lint?” Your moment has finally arrived. As you look up to her, your eye lids half-mast, you hear your response: “Read the books!”

Your daughter walks away mumbling. “Ill wait ‘til the movie comes out.”

Three Excellent Books For Writers By Writers

Emily Green — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:34:08 +0000

: Cover of Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing

Not all writing books are created equal. Though there are numerous books filled with tips and advice, some of the most helpful are written by well-known authors. Here are a few of the best books to inspire you and jump-start your writing routine.

“Bird by Bird” by Anne Lamott

Writing a book can be overwhelming at times and Lamott’s book helps you keep it all in perspective. The title comes from an experience when her younger brother was discouraged about a report on birds. Their father told him to “take it bird by bird,” which is Lamott’s advice for writers. Rather than thinking of the entire book, concentrate on one chapter, even one page or one idea at a time. She also addresses some of the emotions, like self-doubt, that can plague writers. And best of all, she does it with humor and wit.

“Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing” by Elmore Leonard

Leonard has written countless best-selling mystery and western novels, and he captures the essence of writing in this short, beautifully illustrated book. His tips are short and sweet, but all the more powerful for cutting out all the peripheral information. Leonard’s focus is on how the writer can be invisible, letting the stories and characters speak for themselves.

“On Writing” by Stephen King

Stephen King is one of the most well-known and well-read modern authors. Even non-writing fans of his work will enjoy this book, filled with anecdotes from his life. He tells of writing his first novel, based on his experiences working as a janitor in a high school. He was going to throw it out, but his wife saved it and encouraged him to submit it to publishers, and thus “Carrie” was born. King not only addresses the do’s and don’ts of writing, but he gives practical advice on things like an organized workspace. He also provides a reading list and discusses what can be learned from a variety of current authors.

What in a Fridge?

Emily Green — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:13:38 +0000

Commercial refrigeration is the backbone of a properly operating restaurant. That means not just one ice chest, but rather a myriad of products that target specific needs. Let’s take a look at what is needed to keep a restaurant functioning.
Ice Machine:
An ice machine is a must have for any restaurant or bar. On an average night, the amount of ice that ice is used to chill sodas and shake martinis would astound the average person and cripple the average home ice maker. Best to leave this job to the pros.
Walk-In Refrigerator/ Walk-In Freezer:
A given indeed, but the starting point of any meal is the walk-in cooler for vegetables, sauces, meats, and other perishable products. A walk-in freezer, much like the freezer at home, is for longer storage of products, but unlike the freezer at home, it drops to a phenomenally low temperature.

Under-Counter Refrigerators:
These small units allow for easy access from the kitchen line. They hold and keep cool the ingredients needed immediately by the kitchen staff to prepare a meal. Behind the bar, these miniature fridges stock a selection of beer, wine, and other cold beverages to wet the whistle.
Specialized Items:
Of course different types of restaurant will have different refrigeration needs. A deli will make use of chilled display cases for meats and refrigerated work spaces for sandwich toppings while the local gelateria has need for ice-cream freezing and dipping cabinets.
For sure, there is the physical space that needs to be obtained, the concept and menus that need to be planned, and of course from there the food and beverage products that need to be purchased. But for the food to be kept sanitary and the beer to stay cold, proper restaurant grade refrigeration equipment needs to be installed and maintained.

Getting Noticed by Literary Magazines

Emily Green — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:23:01 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Every writer knows that getting his or her work published is a painstaking and arduous process. Publishing houses are inundated with submissions, and more often than not the only feedback authors receive after submitting manuscripts are form rejection letters—if they get feedback at all. However, many wannabe writers don’t realize they can pursue literary magazines as another way to get their work seen.

Literary magazines are periodicals that feature different aspects of literature, from short stories and poetry to essays and literary criticism. Getting published in a literary magazine can be a difficult process, but the end result is worth it: among other benefits, literary magazines can give the writer a solid contact within the publishing industry and can help the writer gain credibility. Here are a few tips to get noticed by editors:

Invest in a good reference book for writers. There are many reference books out there that will help writers through the submission process. To be considered by a literary magazine, you should include your manuscript, a brief cover letter and a self-addressed stamped envelope. A good reference book will give you guidelines on formatting manuscripts, writing a stand-out cover letter and everything else you need to know from an insider’s point of view.

Check submission guidelines for the particular magazine you’re submitting to. Some magazines have specific preferences, so be on the lookout for magazines that require electronic submissions, have a word count limit or other restrictions.

Read the magazine you want to get published in. Take a few minutes to browse through the magazine you’d like to submit to, taking notes on themes, style and tone. Look for pieces similar to yours to make sure you’d be the right fit for the magazine. There are several websites that can give you listings of all the different literary magazines that are out there. There are also many online literary magazines, but be careful of newbie sites that could quickly fold.

Your manuscript isn’t the only piece that needs to sparkle—your cover letter should too. Try to address your letter to a specific editor if possible, and demonstrate that you are familiar with and interested in the magazine you’re submitting to. List any work you’ve done as a writer to demonstrate credibility and that you’re serious about working in the field.

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