There is no such thing as 'I cannot write'.
I believe that there is a writer within all of us and it is tapping deep within ourselves that we can find this well of activity grow and flourish. There is a way to cultivate this raw talent from scratch, of course you will have to LIKE writing to bring it out. Some do possess a natural talent flow, others have to work harder at expressing themselves, but as long as you have language and cognition, you can become a prolific writer covering just about anything and everything out there and within that there is to write about.
So we will explore how to get the writer out from within and also how to make some extra bucks through it on the way.
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Saturday, November 3, 2007
For Beginners: 10 Ways To Prepare To Get Published
Like any field, excellent writing requires study, practice and mentorship. Very few successful authors ever published their first draft of their first work. Nearly all had to expend considerable effort to improve their craft. Here are some ways to prepare for that moment of publication. These tips also help keep you on your toes after publication for better and better writing results as your career develops.
1) Read, read, read in your field. You can never read too much when you’re trying to excel as a writer. Reading in your field helps you develop a discerning eye. You need this discerning eye for when you step back and look at your own work.
2) Cultivate role models. Know who the top-selling authors are in your field. Find out more about them. How did they get to where they are? Do searches in the Internet (available in most libraries-ask your librarian how to use a search engine) for information about particular authors whose careers you admire. Let your role models inspire rather than daunt you. There is no competition, only inspiration, potential teachers and opportunities for cooperation. That author you envy this year may be writing a blurb for your first novel next year.
3) Research your markets. If you want to publish in periodicals, whether literary fiction, journalistic writing, or anything else, realize publication standards serve a purpose other than to frustrate new authors.
4) Take classes. Many cities offer writing classes through community colleges or local writing groups. Online writing classes are popping up everywhere. If possible, choose a writing teacher who has published in a field you’d like to enter. Even better, find someone you already consider a mentor. Not every published author has what it takes to offer beginning writers what they need, but many do.
5) Join or start a writer’s group in your area. We teach best what we most need to learn. There is no better way to improve your own writing than to help others with theirs.
6) Find a writing buddy with whom to check in on a regular basis. The two of you can be each others’ inspiration, accountability market, guidepost and reality check. Having structure and someone to check in with may help you look forward to your otherwise lonely writing sessions.
7) Play with changing voices. Copy other writers you admire. How does that feel? Pretend you suddenly got an injection of creativity serum or I.Q. booster, then write like mad for ten minutes. What happens to the quality of your words? Is this a possible new direction for you? As creative and intelligent beings, we have so much more within us than we could ever dream.
8) Accept the reality of rewriting. Unlike other professions who get to rest on their milestones, for writers, a completed manuscript often represents a beginning. The best writing comes after lots of rewriting, even for seasoned authors. You needn’t throw any of it away, but not every sentence belongs in every work. Save the scraps, but don’t get attached to where they go, or the integrity of your project will suffer.
9) Get clear on what you want out of getting published. Many writers move forward without knowing where they want to wind up. As a teacher once told me, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.” The answer to what you want out of getting published will help you determine the best route to take. And in publishing, those routes are many and varied. You can use our Twenty Questions as a self-help guide.
10) If what you want is to get published in the least amount of time, considering hiring a ghostwriter. An extremely common but rarely discussed practice, many successful authors talk to ghostwriters, who put their skills to work on an author’s behalf. Although some such ghostwriters get a cover credit, many do not, hence the “ghost” terminology. If you have more money than time or inclination to toil, ghostwriting may be the option for you
Dale Mazurek
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423/free
Friday, October 5, 2007
12 Low Cost or No-Cost Techniques to Snag Lucrative Freelance Writing Assignments ASAP
No matter where you live, landing lucrative writing assignments doesn’t need to be difficult. The secret to a profitable freelance writing career is to start small and build it from there. Another secret… you must remember to promote your business on a REGULAR basis. Don’t shoot off a few ads or letters, then wait three months before launch another campaign. Promote your business DAILY.
So here’s your first technique: Approach your local newspaper editor. Ask if they need a freelancer to cover city council, school board, and/or county board meetings. If they do, you’re on your way earning a living as a writer because you’re about to earn tons of clips. You’ll also start making valuable business contacts. More on that later….
Armed with your local clips, you can start approaching bigger freelance markets. Markets like small and mid-sized magazines that are hungry for new articles. Start querying them and wait for their response. (Technique 2)
While you’re waiting to hear from your magazine queries, chat with few of the mayors, city council people, school board members, etc. that you’ve met at your meetings. Most of them are business people. Ask if they need a freelancer to update their brochures, write ads or direct mail letters, or if they need a writer-for-hire for a project they have brewing. You’d be surprised how many business people will take you up on your offer after they’ve witnessed your diligence and accuracy while covering their meetings. (Technique 3)
Now target local businesses and contact them. Offer to write their marketing materials. (Technique 4)
To start attracting more commercial clients, run a small ad in your local paper. As your expertise increases, place more ads in surrounding papers. (Technique 5)
Join your local Chamber of Commerce. You’ll meet even more business owners who may need a freelance writer and you’ll make invaluable contacts. (Technique 6)
Send out a direct mail piece advertising your writing services. If you’re not comfortable writing direct mail, you can put together a newsletter. Target the businesses you’d like to work with and make sure you contact them on a regular basis. (Technique 7)
Another technique to keep the money rolling in as a freelance writer is to keep lots of irons in the fire. Along with the magazine queries and copywriting, always have a book in the works and send publishers proposals for it.
Another idea: I know one local freelancer who has cultivated a devoted clientele who has her write all their correspondence… including Christmas letters. Your projects are limited only by your imagination. (Technique 8)
Make goals each day. Decide how many queries you’ll send out. Decide how many sales letters you’ll mail. How many words are you going to write in your book? How many new contacts are you going to make this week? Make your goals… then follow through with them. (Technique 9)
Ask and you may receive. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. If you’re a stringer for your local newspaper, ask the editor if it’s possible for them to run a small ad promoting your business at a discount (after all you’re a staff writer.) If you write for local businesses, ask them to recommend your writing services to their friends. (Technique 10)
Never tell anyone your phone number. GIVE it to them. Print a bunch of business cards and whenever anyone asks for your phone number, give them your card instead. (Technique 11)
Network. Make friends in the freelance writing. Give each other leads and help each other become the best writers you can be. (Technique 12)
Carry your latest project with you. If you’ve written a book, bring it wherever you go. If you just finished a big copywriting project, have it nearby. Got an article in the latest issue of a magazine or newspaper? Better bring it with you…. Nothing sparks a conversation faster than “What ‘cha been up to lately?” Then, next thing you know, you’ve got a prospective customer. (Technique 13)
I know, I know… I promised twelve strategies to start making money ASAP as a freelance writer. But I got on a roll and thirteen (I’ve heard) is an unlucky number so here’s one more strategy.
Read. Read everything you can get your hands on. If you write novels, read novels. If you write direct mail, read EVERY piece of direct mail that lands on your doorstep. If you write ads, read ads. Read what your competition is writing. Read what your friends are writing. Make note of what “works” for you and what doesn’t. Then write something better.
Read e-mags that will help you make your writing as sharp as possible. Perfect your craft, become the best writer you can be, promote your business, and you’ll have more work than you can handle.
So there you have it. Fourteen fantastic strategies to land lucrative writing assignments and make a great living as a freelance writer. The possibilities are endless. Find out what works for you, then run with it. You just may find yourself earning a very nice income.
Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
10 Article Writing Quirks
Much has been touted about the effectiveness of article writing in the promotion of their business. While everyone raves about its benefits I’ll look into a few quirks.
Too much junk- You can’t even imagine the amount of rehash material that is being passed off as something in which the reader can find valuable. Some writers rush to put out their work putting quantity over quality. It pays to be original when you are into article writing. Well, I have slack up sometimes on this one.
Takes Time- Due to the multitude of writers entering this field, it will probably take six months to a year for others to become familiar with you and your writing style. Once this is accomplished you can expect some fans.
High Readership, Low Conversion- There has been times when I have published an article that got good readership but fail to convert into respectable sales or subscribers. The resource box is key I found out if you want to improve your conversions.
If you don’t have a quality article the chances of someone reading your resource box is low and their cursor won’t make it to your website link. When you do get them to view your resource box, your message has to highlight its benefits to get that valued click thru.
Loss of Valuable Links- While article writing has been important in boosting my page rank, this has not always been the case as I thought. Doing some research on some of my articles through the search engines, I realized that not every webmaster provides a live link in my resource box. Failing to do so is sure to cost some valuable back links.
You could be a victim- Of what? Copyism. I have seen articles where the writer “lifted” a few paragraphs here and there, did a little editing and presto a new article is born. I guess there is no escaping this as it also happens offline.
Lack of Editing- It might take you just a few minutes to whip up that latest article but those few minutes might affect the quality of your work. Proof reading and editing can sometimes be painstaking not to mention the submission process especially if done by hand.
Woeful Spelings- Got that one? Proper spelling is important as too many mistakes can affect your credibility. You might get away with one but definitely not four.
Grammar- This is in the same vein as spelling. If your grammar sounds like that of a toddler, then don’t expect readers to be impressed. You don’t need to have the writing skills of a poet, but with a little practice and research you can vastly improve.
Sales copy – You know these well. Some authors write articles that belongs in the classifieds. In their articles they blatantly advertise their services with the hope of readers visiting their website. A benefit laden article will always produce the best results.
Too much links- Nothing peeves me than to get an article to run in my newsletter but when I read it through it is littered. These links can confuse the reader and also reduces the potential of your resource box.
These are a few quirks I found to be associated with the writing and promotion of articles. And I did say ten items but I will just throw in an extra. What is it? Go ahead and proceed with your article writing. While there are some negatives it does work. Why would I be writing this one if it didn’t?
Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423
Sunday, September 16, 2007
7 Writing Muse Kickers to Fill Up That Blank Page
Nothing is more daunting for any writer than having to stare at a blank sheet of paper.
When we stare at a blank sheet of paper, we often think, "What am I going to write?" A few minutes later, it becomes, "Oh my goodness, I can't think of anything to write!" And several minutes later, it turns into something like, "Write, dangnabit! Write! Write! WRITE!"
Some writers call this writer's block. But I call it the "Writing-Muse-Needs-A-Kick" syndrome.
And that's exactly what we're going to do with your writing muse gone truant. We're going to kick her back into gear so you can fill up that blank page.
Here are 7 writing muse kickers for you to try right now:
1. First Line: Begin a story with "There was once a chance I didn't take..."
2. Cliche Starter: Weave a story or poem around the cliche, "keep your powder dry."
3. Power of Metaphor: What does "a string of laughter" make you think of?
4. Proverb Mix: "Beauty breaks the camel's back."
5. Story Words: Use the words "pianist, pencil, high-rise building, running shoes" in a story.
6. What If? Story: What if you're going to write a story about betrayal, with a young man as the main character and a locket as the key object? Set your story on a ranch.
7. Quick Prompt: Write about what you'd say to an uninvited guest.
Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
7 Ways In Which You Can Overcome Excuses for Not Marketing Your Website by Writing Articles
Wannabe writers, are full of excuses as to why they aren’t writing yet. Many of these excuses can be changed to proactive statements with a mere switch in attitude and perspective.
How many times have you read an article, and said to yourself, “I could have written this.” Well, why don’t you?
It took me a long time to discover that my passion in life was writing. Even though, as a teenager, I filled a whole blank book with poetry, which I wrote while trying to recover from the “first love’s” broken heart type of feelings.
It wasn’t until I made it a habit to start writing in my journal every morning, that I found out just how easy it was to get the writing juices flowing. Below is a list of some common excuses writer wannabe’s make for not writing. You will find suggestions along with each excuse on how to counteract those excuses and move forward to success.
1. EXCUSE #1 I don’t know where to start, or what to write about.
---Just get up each morning a few minutes earlier than the rest of the household, and start writing in a journal. Write about anything and everything that pops into your mind. Try to write at least 3 or 4 pages. Devote at least 10 minutes each morning to this ritual.
Do it with a pen and notebook, rather than the computer. There is a physical connection between the brain and your fingers on the paper.
Keep your statements positive. Try to eliminate words like, “I need to” or “I should” or “I have to” replacing them with more affirming phrases. Using “I am” and “I can” changes your whole focus. I find just replacing the three phrases above makes the writing process much more positve and results oriented.
You will be amazed at the material that you can pull from this journal that can be used in your daily projects.
2. EXCUSE #2 I don’t have any experience or formal schooling in writing.
----With the internet, and all the writing books available today, it is easy to teach yourself what it takes to write successfully. Just jump in and get your feet wet, give it a try.
Have someone you trust read over your writing, and then give you their opinion. But don’t stop with one person’s point of view.
Some of the best feedback I have received, has come from people wanting to use my “free to reprint” articles. I remember one lady email me saying, “I really enjoyed reading the passionate article you wrote on this subject.” Up to that point, I had never looked at my writing as passionate.
3. EXCUSE #3 I don’t have enough confidence in my writing abilities, I can’t measure up to what is already out there.
----Following the same advice as above, as you jump in and do it, your confidence will grow. Publish some free content articles, to promote a website, and discover just what people like and don’t like. With feedback comes confidence. It is hard not be be confident in your writing abilities when you get showered with requests to use your articles in others ezine’s and on their websites. :o)
4. EXCUSE #4 Writing will take too much time away from my family and other responsibilities.
----On the contrary. Writing can actually benefit and help you with your other responsibilities. By establishing a morning routine of writing in your journal, you will get to know yourself better, and grow both in professional and personal development. These positive changes to you will affect everyone you come into contact during the rest of your day. This includes members of your family.
5. EXCUSE #5 I am not very creative.
----Everyone has creativity in them. Some people have a harder time tapping into it than others. By creating a time and space for writing in your life, you are giving yourself permission to tap into your own creative subconscious resources and intelligence. You may be surprised and amazed at your own creative results.
6. EXCUSE #6 What I know has already been written.
----Did you know, you could give 5 writers an assignment on the same subject and each one of them will come back with an article with a very unique and different focus. It is because we all look at things from different perspectives. Our perspectives are developed by our own individual life experiences and the lessons we have learned. You can take what is out there and put your own unique slant on it.
7. EXCUSE #7 I am scared, not sure I can handle criticism and rejection.
----As mentioned already, by just doing it, jumping in and giving it a try, you will gain confidence and grow. Rejection is just someone’s opinion. Get another opinion, and then another.
Some of the best books published in history were rejected dozen’s of times before some one took a chance on them and would eventually hit the New York Times bestseller’s list.
So there you have it. Stop making excuses and jump in the water and get wet. It will be more fun, rewarding and maybe even profitable for you once you actually take some daily action steps. Who knows, you might even make a big splash upon entrance to the pool of what's floating around. . :o)
As you begin getting your work out there, ideas will come to you so quickly it may be overwhelming at times. Just remember to write down your ideas, keeping notes on topic ideas, titles, and themes to research. The list will be endless.
Use these intuitive thoughts to spark your thought process when you actually sit down with pen to paper. You will find many stories, experiences, and lessons learned that can easily be incororated into a promotional article. “So start writing now, may the force of your creativity be with you!”
Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423
How many times have you read an article, and said to yourself, “I could have written this.” Well, why don’t you?
It took me a long time to discover that my passion in life was writing. Even though, as a teenager, I filled a whole blank book with poetry, which I wrote while trying to recover from the “first love’s” broken heart type of feelings.
It wasn’t until I made it a habit to start writing in my journal every morning, that I found out just how easy it was to get the writing juices flowing. Below is a list of some common excuses writer wannabe’s make for not writing. You will find suggestions along with each excuse on how to counteract those excuses and move forward to success.
1. EXCUSE #1 I don’t know where to start, or what to write about.
---Just get up each morning a few minutes earlier than the rest of the household, and start writing in a journal. Write about anything and everything that pops into your mind. Try to write at least 3 or 4 pages. Devote at least 10 minutes each morning to this ritual.
Do it with a pen and notebook, rather than the computer. There is a physical connection between the brain and your fingers on the paper.
Keep your statements positive. Try to eliminate words like, “I need to” or “I should” or “I have to” replacing them with more affirming phrases. Using “I am” and “I can” changes your whole focus. I find just replacing the three phrases above makes the writing process much more positve and results oriented.
You will be amazed at the material that you can pull from this journal that can be used in your daily projects.
2. EXCUSE #2 I don’t have any experience or formal schooling in writing.
----With the internet, and all the writing books available today, it is easy to teach yourself what it takes to write successfully. Just jump in and get your feet wet, give it a try.
Have someone you trust read over your writing, and then give you their opinion. But don’t stop with one person’s point of view.
Some of the best feedback I have received, has come from people wanting to use my “free to reprint” articles. I remember one lady email me saying, “I really enjoyed reading the passionate article you wrote on this subject.” Up to that point, I had never looked at my writing as passionate.
3. EXCUSE #3 I don’t have enough confidence in my writing abilities, I can’t measure up to what is already out there.
----Following the same advice as above, as you jump in and do it, your confidence will grow. Publish some free content articles, to promote a website, and discover just what people like and don’t like. With feedback comes confidence. It is hard not be be confident in your writing abilities when you get showered with requests to use your articles in others ezine’s and on their websites. :o)
4. EXCUSE #4 Writing will take too much time away from my family and other responsibilities.
----On the contrary. Writing can actually benefit and help you with your other responsibilities. By establishing a morning routine of writing in your journal, you will get to know yourself better, and grow both in professional and personal development. These positive changes to you will affect everyone you come into contact during the rest of your day. This includes members of your family.
5. EXCUSE #5 I am not very creative.
----Everyone has creativity in them. Some people have a harder time tapping into it than others. By creating a time and space for writing in your life, you are giving yourself permission to tap into your own creative subconscious resources and intelligence. You may be surprised and amazed at your own creative results.
6. EXCUSE #6 What I know has already been written.
----Did you know, you could give 5 writers an assignment on the same subject and each one of them will come back with an article with a very unique and different focus. It is because we all look at things from different perspectives. Our perspectives are developed by our own individual life experiences and the lessons we have learned. You can take what is out there and put your own unique slant on it.
7. EXCUSE #7 I am scared, not sure I can handle criticism and rejection.
----As mentioned already, by just doing it, jumping in and giving it a try, you will gain confidence and grow. Rejection is just someone’s opinion. Get another opinion, and then another.
Some of the best books published in history were rejected dozen’s of times before some one took a chance on them and would eventually hit the New York Times bestseller’s list.
So there you have it. Stop making excuses and jump in the water and get wet. It will be more fun, rewarding and maybe even profitable for you once you actually take some daily action steps. Who knows, you might even make a big splash upon entrance to the pool of what's floating around. . :o)
As you begin getting your work out there, ideas will come to you so quickly it may be overwhelming at times. Just remember to write down your ideas, keeping notes on topic ideas, titles, and themes to research. The list will be endless.
Use these intuitive thoughts to spark your thought process when you actually sit down with pen to paper. You will find many stories, experiences, and lessons learned that can easily be incororated into a promotional article. “So start writing now, may the force of your creativity be with you!”
Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423
Sunday, September 2, 2007
6 Tips For Your Writing Journey
So, you'd like to be a writer? Congrats! Writing not only is a great way to express yourself, but can provide an income. Keep in mind not all writers make a fortune, some still cant quit their day job. Below are some tips to start your writing journey.
1. Start Writing
Okay, so this tip is obvious. For some, it's a question of what to write about, for others how to write. Write how and what you want. What kind of books do you like to read? Fiction, Mystery, science fiction, how to books? How about articles, reports, maybe you're interested in journalism. Whatever the case may be, to get your creative juices flowing, start writing! Don't worry about how it sounds, grammar or other mistakes, you can go back to fix these.
2. Join online and offline groups/message boards and chats
If you already know what you want to write about, consider joining writer groups at your local library, or online groups, along with message boards and chats. It's a great way to network with other writers and published authors. It's also a good place to share your work and receive feedback. Many places online are free to join, some require a membership which usually consist of a user name, e-mail address and password for your user name. Some request more information such as a name, address and sometimes phone number.
3. The Library
You've probably heard about some books that writers refer to, this could be writer markets, e-book publishing, self publishing and generally how to improve your writing. Bu what do you do when you can't afford to buy these books from your local bookstore or online? A trip to your library is the key. Many libraries carry writer resource books, which if you have a library card, are free. If you're living out of the area, the library may require a fee for membership. The book you're looking for may not always be at your local library, however libraries borrow from other libraries in and out of state. The method of receiving outside books is called Inter-Library Loan. Later on, if you find the book to be a great resource, you may be able to purchase a used copy online.
4. Researching
The Internet is also another good resource for information. Keep in mind that not every resource you find online is going to be an honest good resource. It will take time to sort out which websites are useful. Most information is free, so you can sit back and research in the comfort of your home. If you don't have a computer with Internet access, check your local library and see if you can use one of theirs.
5. Workshops
Workshops taught by experts is a great way to learn from the professionals, but only if you can afford it! Make sure the topic of the workshop is based around your interest. For instance, if you love fiction..it wouldn't be a good idea to go to a workshop based only on non-fiction. It's a good idea to register early to ensure a spot at the event. Bring a new legal pad, plus a few writing tools to take notes.
6. Contents
After writing a while, you may want to enter contents. Some require an entry fee. I suggest staying away from the entry fee contents until you've entered some other free ones. That way you can get a feel for how contests work. Spend some time writing and re-writing your entries. If you've written your entry in 5 or so minutes, th judges will notice it immediately. You wouldn't want a reputation for sloppy work.
There you are, 6 tips to get you started on your journey to writing. Good Luck!
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423
1. Start Writing
Okay, so this tip is obvious. For some, it's a question of what to write about, for others how to write. Write how and what you want. What kind of books do you like to read? Fiction, Mystery, science fiction, how to books? How about articles, reports, maybe you're interested in journalism. Whatever the case may be, to get your creative juices flowing, start writing! Don't worry about how it sounds, grammar or other mistakes, you can go back to fix these.
2. Join online and offline groups/message boards and chats
If you already know what you want to write about, consider joining writer groups at your local library, or online groups, along with message boards and chats. It's a great way to network with other writers and published authors. It's also a good place to share your work and receive feedback. Many places online are free to join, some require a membership which usually consist of a user name, e-mail address and password for your user name. Some request more information such as a name, address and sometimes phone number.
3. The Library
You've probably heard about some books that writers refer to, this could be writer markets, e-book publishing, self publishing and generally how to improve your writing. Bu what do you do when you can't afford to buy these books from your local bookstore or online? A trip to your library is the key. Many libraries carry writer resource books, which if you have a library card, are free. If you're living out of the area, the library may require a fee for membership. The book you're looking for may not always be at your local library, however libraries borrow from other libraries in and out of state. The method of receiving outside books is called Inter-Library Loan. Later on, if you find the book to be a great resource, you may be able to purchase a used copy online.
4. Researching
The Internet is also another good resource for information. Keep in mind that not every resource you find online is going to be an honest good resource. It will take time to sort out which websites are useful. Most information is free, so you can sit back and research in the comfort of your home. If you don't have a computer with Internet access, check your local library and see if you can use one of theirs.
5. Workshops
Workshops taught by experts is a great way to learn from the professionals, but only if you can afford it! Make sure the topic of the workshop is based around your interest. For instance, if you love fiction..it wouldn't be a good idea to go to a workshop based only on non-fiction. It's a good idea to register early to ensure a spot at the event. Bring a new legal pad, plus a few writing tools to take notes.
6. Contents
After writing a while, you may want to enter contents. Some require an entry fee. I suggest staying away from the entry fee contents until you've entered some other free ones. That way you can get a feel for how contests work. Spend some time writing and re-writing your entries. If you've written your entry in 5 or so minutes, th judges will notice it immediately. You wouldn't want a reputation for sloppy work.
There you are, 6 tips to get you started on your journey to writing. Good Luck!
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://www.MyBerryTree.com/bt53423
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
5 Benefits of Keeping a Personal Journal
Everyone who has kept a personal journal knows that writing is a therapeutic process that helps integrate seemingly unconnected life events. Some believe the process works because the physical act of writing (using your hand-eye coordination) occupies your left brain, leaving your right brain free to access emotions, intuit connections, and create new insights.
How else can journaling help?
1. Journaling reduces stress by getting “monkey mind” thoughts out of your head. Mind chatter is a powerful stressor, stressor is a powerful health-buster, and journaling the chatter is a proven chatter-buster.
2. Writing about problems gives your right brain food for creative problem-solving. It’s amazing what happens when the creative part of your nature starts working on a problem—you’ll soon find solutions bubbling up from your subconscious.
3. Keeping a daily diary is one of the best techniques for discovering patterns, particularly those that are self-defeating. For example, a diary kept over the course of several months will clearly show any reoccurring difficulties like overeating, stress eating, poor (but similar) choices in relationships.
4. Want to better know yourself? Journal. Writing can help clarify your thoughts, your emotions, and your reactions to certain people or situations. In addition, as you read back through past journals, you’ll have ample evidence of the things that make you happy and those that are distressful.
5. Journaling can help clarify events, problems, or options. When you’re beset with a mind full of fuzzy, disconnected thoughts flitting here and there, writing about the event or issue will help bring focus and clarity. It will also help you decide on which action to take, or option to choose.
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://junk-email.blogspot.com/
How else can journaling help?
1. Journaling reduces stress by getting “monkey mind” thoughts out of your head. Mind chatter is a powerful stressor, stressor is a powerful health-buster, and journaling the chatter is a proven chatter-buster.
2. Writing about problems gives your right brain food for creative problem-solving. It’s amazing what happens when the creative part of your nature starts working on a problem—you’ll soon find solutions bubbling up from your subconscious.
3. Keeping a daily diary is one of the best techniques for discovering patterns, particularly those that are self-defeating. For example, a diary kept over the course of several months will clearly show any reoccurring difficulties like overeating, stress eating, poor (but similar) choices in relationships.
4. Want to better know yourself? Journal. Writing can help clarify your thoughts, your emotions, and your reactions to certain people or situations. In addition, as you read back through past journals, you’ll have ample evidence of the things that make you happy and those that are distressful.
5. Journaling can help clarify events, problems, or options. When you’re beset with a mind full of fuzzy, disconnected thoughts flitting here and there, writing about the event or issue will help bring focus and clarity. It will also help you decide on which action to take, or option to choose.
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
http://junk-email.blogspot.com/
Thursday, August 16, 2007
3 Ways to Find Your Niche as a Freelance Writer
To make a six-figure income as a freelance writer, to need to be an expert. You need your name to jump to people's lips when a particular job or challenge comes up.
"Direct mail for software? You should get in touch with Bob. That's what he does." Insert your own name and specialty where appropriate.
You can't get that kind of awareness or referral if you're someone who just writes about anything in any medium. Nobody is going to believe that you are a trusted expert in absolutely everything.
So how do you determine a viable 'niche'? You have three choices...
1. Niche by industry...
That is to say, work within a particular industry. For years I worked with pharmaceutical clients. All my clients were drug companies. I wrote direct mail, brochures, sales aids, video scripts. I wrote anything, so long as it was about pharmaceuticals. That was my niche. And my clients knew that I was knowledgeable in that area. So they came to me.
2. Niche by medium...
In this scenario, you make a particular medium your specialty. After my years with the pharmaceutical industry, I decided to specialize as a direct mail copywriter. And for that period, about 15 years, I ONLY write direct mail and associated media...like inserts, fliers, postcards etc. I was a direct response specialist. And I wrote for all kinds of different industries - financial, cable TV, magazine publishers and more.
My specialty, my niche, was as a direct response copywriter. Other writers have built their careers around writing annual reports, radio scripts, white papers etc.
3. 'Double-Niche'
When you double-niche you are making a specialty of serving a single industry through a single medium. For instance, writing direct response for the financial industry. And ONLY writing direct response for the financial industry.
In conclusion...
As I said at the beginning, you can't be an expert at everything...not within every industry, not with every medium. So you need to take some steps to find your niche.
How do you choose? First, know yourself. Know what you are good at. Know what you like.
Also, be smart. Create your niche where the money is. Find your niche where there is a strong market.
Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
"Direct mail for software? You should get in touch with Bob. That's what he does." Insert your own name and specialty where appropriate.
You can't get that kind of awareness or referral if you're someone who just writes about anything in any medium. Nobody is going to believe that you are a trusted expert in absolutely everything.
So how do you determine a viable 'niche'? You have three choices...
1. Niche by industry...
That is to say, work within a particular industry. For years I worked with pharmaceutical clients. All my clients were drug companies. I wrote direct mail, brochures, sales aids, video scripts. I wrote anything, so long as it was about pharmaceuticals. That was my niche. And my clients knew that I was knowledgeable in that area. So they came to me.
2. Niche by medium...
In this scenario, you make a particular medium your specialty. After my years with the pharmaceutical industry, I decided to specialize as a direct mail copywriter. And for that period, about 15 years, I ONLY write direct mail and associated media...like inserts, fliers, postcards etc. I was a direct response specialist. And I wrote for all kinds of different industries - financial, cable TV, magazine publishers and more.
My specialty, my niche, was as a direct response copywriter. Other writers have built their careers around writing annual reports, radio scripts, white papers etc.
3. 'Double-Niche'
When you double-niche you are making a specialty of serving a single industry through a single medium. For instance, writing direct response for the financial industry. And ONLY writing direct response for the financial industry.
In conclusion...
As I said at the beginning, you can't be an expert at everything...not within every industry, not with every medium. So you need to take some steps to find your niche.
How do you choose? First, know yourself. Know what you are good at. Know what you like.
Also, be smart. Create your niche where the money is. Find your niche where there is a strong market.
Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
http://unityberrytree.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 20, 2007
I Have to Write an Article but I Can't Get Started by Joann Snell
I have to write an article but I don't know where to begin. What topic should I use for today? This blank page is driving me crazy! Nothing is rolling out onto the computer screen! What's happening to me? Oh, no! It can't be! It's ... Writers Block!! Have you ever had this happen to you? Let's see what can be causing this evil writers block. Then maybe it can be over come.
Well, this is what I have come up with. The top four reasons for writers block are Editing instead of Composing, Perfectionism, Concentration or lack there of, and Procrastinating. Do any of these phrases fit your profile for not being able to write? Let's go through them one by one so we can cut to the chase. That deadline is getting awfully close. We need to get busy and write that article.
The first road block is composing instead of editing. No, that's not quite right. Let me fix that last sentence. It should read: The first road block to overcome is composing the first draft instead of editing it. Yes, that is much better. Now let's continue writing. Hold it; I need to correct the spelling of this word. Alright let's continue.
Next we have perfectionism. Now let me see, I need a really good first line. How can I start my articles first line to grab the reader's attention? I can't start to write until I figure out what that first line is going to say. Wow, this could take hours! I'll never make my deadline!
Lack of total concentration is another culprit that keeps Writers Block going. What was that? The kids are screaming, the phone is ringing, and I have to take care of ageing parents! How can anyone think about writing with all this going on? I see, it is hard to concentrate with daily life situations happening.
Finally, the last culprit of writers block is procrastination. We've all done it. We tell ourselves we have plenty of time to write later. I have to do this first. Or you just hate to write to begin with. These are all valid reasons to procrastinate. Or are they?
There it is, some of the evil causes of Writers Block. Now that we know what is causing our dilemma we can be better prepared to deal with it. How? You ask. Just sit down and write what ever is on your mind. Go on a babbling spree and see what you end up with. Don't worry whether it sounds great or has punctuation or grammar mistakes. You can fix those later. Imagine yourself in a good vacation spot so you can think better. That should help clear your mind of distracting messages. Lastly, just do what you gotta do...Write!
About the Author
Joann Snell is a freelance Graphic Designer. She specializes in print, corporate id, branding, and other marketing tools for small-medium sized businesses. Article by Joann Snell ©2007, July 18 Jo's Graphic Designs http://www.josgraphicdesigns.com
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
Well, this is what I have come up with. The top four reasons for writers block are Editing instead of Composing, Perfectionism, Concentration or lack there of, and Procrastinating. Do any of these phrases fit your profile for not being able to write? Let's go through them one by one so we can cut to the chase. That deadline is getting awfully close. We need to get busy and write that article.
The first road block is composing instead of editing. No, that's not quite right. Let me fix that last sentence. It should read: The first road block to overcome is composing the first draft instead of editing it. Yes, that is much better. Now let's continue writing. Hold it; I need to correct the spelling of this word. Alright let's continue.
Next we have perfectionism. Now let me see, I need a really good first line. How can I start my articles first line to grab the reader's attention? I can't start to write until I figure out what that first line is going to say. Wow, this could take hours! I'll never make my deadline!
Lack of total concentration is another culprit that keeps Writers Block going. What was that? The kids are screaming, the phone is ringing, and I have to take care of ageing parents! How can anyone think about writing with all this going on? I see, it is hard to concentrate with daily life situations happening.
Finally, the last culprit of writers block is procrastination. We've all done it. We tell ourselves we have plenty of time to write later. I have to do this first. Or you just hate to write to begin with. These are all valid reasons to procrastinate. Or are they?
There it is, some of the evil causes of Writers Block. Now that we know what is causing our dilemma we can be better prepared to deal with it. How? You ask. Just sit down and write what ever is on your mind. Go on a babbling spree and see what you end up with. Don't worry whether it sounds great or has punctuation or grammar mistakes. You can fix those later. Imagine yourself in a good vacation spot so you can think better. That should help clear your mind of distracting messages. Lastly, just do what you gotta do...Write!
About the Author
Joann Snell is a freelance Graphic Designer. She specializes in print, corporate id, branding, and other marketing tools for small-medium sized businesses. Article by Joann Snell ©2007, July 18 Jo's Graphic Designs http://www.josgraphicdesigns.com
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
Friday, July 13, 2007
These Hot Tips Will Get Your Article Read by Carl Hoffman
There are many people who dread having to write papers or articles. Many just feel like it seems to be too much work and it all just goes to waste when no one reads them. To some people, reading articles seems like work to, especially if the article is boring and very bland. Well, articles are supposed to be read, that's their purpose to impart your message and information. If it is not read then it is a waste of time and effort.
But all the same, articles have to be written to be read. It's just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn't have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points needed to be reminded of, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.
Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that's why if you own a site, you probably is knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won't have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it's about. It'sjust a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.
To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.
1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it It can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!
2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format you bullets and numbers with indentations so that your article won't look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your articles shape.
3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.
4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person's curiosity you're already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe your articles content but should also be short and concise.
Use titles like, "Tips On Making Her Want You More, or "How to make her swoon." .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, "Make her yours in six easy Ways." These types of titles reach out to a person's emotions and makes them interested.
5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don't over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.
6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy in them and flow. Like a friendly teac her having a little chat with an eager student
Carl Hoffman has over 20 years of sales and marketing experience and an expert cook. He has many online ventures and author of many articles on cooking, health, sales and marketing. Visit him at http://www.hoffys.kitchen.com http://www.cehoffman.com
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
But all the same, articles have to be written to be read. It's just a matter of making them good. Making a good article doesn't have to be strenuous and straining. There are just some points needed to be reminded of, and some guides to follow. Once you get the hang of it, writing articles could be fun, as well as profitable for you and your site.
Of course, writing articles must be about something you know about, that's why if you own a site, you probably is knowledgeable about that certain topic and theme. When you write about it, you won't have a hard time because you already know what it is and what it's about. It'sjust a matter of making your articles creative and interesting.
To make sure that your articles get read and enjoyed, here are six red hot tips to get your articles read. These tips will make your articles readable and interesting.
1) Use short paragraphs. When the paragraph are very long, the words get jumbled in the mind of the reader just looking at it It can get quite confusing and too much of a hard work to read. The reader will just quickly disregard the paragraph and move on to much easier reading articles that are good to look at as well as read. Paragraphs can be a single sentence, sometimes even a single word!
2) Make use of numbers or bullets. As each point is stressed out, numbers and bullets can quickly make the point easy to remember and digest. As each point, tip, guide or method is started with a bullet or point, readers will know that this is where the tips start and getting stressed. Format you bullets and numbers with indentations so that your article won't look like a single block of square paragraphs. Add a little bit of flair and pizzazz to your articles shape.
3) Use Sub-headings to sub-divide your paragraphs in the page. Doing this will break each point into sections but still would be incorporated into one whole article. It would also be easy for the reader to move on from one point to another; the transition would be smooth and easy. You will never lose your readers attention as well as the point and direction to where the article is pointing.
4) Provide a good attention-grabbing title or header. If your title can entice a person's curiosity you're already halfway in getting a person to read your article. Use statements and questions that utilize keywords that people are looking for. Provide titles or headers that describe your articles content but should also be short and concise.
Use titles like, "Tips On Making Her Want You More, or "How to make her swoon." .You could also use titles that can command people, for example, "Make her yours in six easy Ways." These types of titles reach out to a person's emotions and makes them interested.
5) Keep them interested from the start to the finish. From your opening paragraph, use real life situations that can be adopted by the reader. Use good descriptions and metaphors to drive in your point, just don't over do it. Driving your examples with graphic metaphors and similes would make it easy for them to imagine what you are talking about. Making the experience pleasurable and enjoyable for them.
6) Utilize figures when necessary and not just ordinary and insipid statements. Using specific facts and figures can heighten your article because it makes it authoritative. But do not make it too formal, it should be light and easy in them and flow. Like a friendly teac her having a little chat with an eager student
Carl Hoffman has over 20 years of sales and marketing experience and an expert cook. He has many online ventures and author of many articles on cooking, health, sales and marketing. Visit him at http://www.hoffys.kitchen.com http://www.cehoffman.com
Thanks Dale
http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/
http://unityblog1.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
How To Write In The Children’s Market (Part 3)
This is going to be my third article of many to come. The article series is the how to when it comes to writing in the children’s market. It is going to be a considerably long series so keep checking back for new updates.
Children hate it when they can’t check out the book they want because it’s going to be too hard for them to read. That as why as writers we write what’s called easy readers. There for kids that are in the in between stage of reading. There still developing their skills but they want to read. So we have to get them reading a good story through easy readers and then we will have them reading for life.
Easy readers are books that are a step up from picture books. Even though adults are still the primary buyers of easy readers the books themselves are intended for children in kindergarten to grade 3. An easy reader usually runs about 64 pages long and is formatted very differently. The story is usually divided into sections that are meant to resemble chapters.
There are some pictures in easy readers but they don’t mean as much as they did in picture books. Plots are kept simple by focusing on one main character and only one event. It is important to know that the characters must be children and children will always solve all conflicts. Kids at this age don’t mind reading cross gender stories.
You have to use humor, suspense or action to keep the children interested and keep the stories moving. You have to remember that these kids are just starting school so there is a whole new world opening up to them. There are so many topics to write about at this point. All you have to do is open your eyes and you can write about what you see.
Dialogue is used very freely when it comes to easy readers. Dialogue is a very important way to keep the story moving. It also helps to keep a lot of whit space on the page thus making it easier for the children to get through a page. You have to still use proper sentence structure but you have to keep them simple. There are no specified vocabulary lists because children are learning how to sound out words at this age. However you don’t want to make things too difficult.
To sum it up while developing an idea for your story make sure you keep the plot simple and limit your main characters to no more than 2. Once you are done your manuscript should be 20 to 25 double spaced pages.
Dale Mazurek
Dale works hard to help new people to the world of making money on line. You can go to his blog at http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/ or check out the best program on line to get started with http://InsiderBlueprint.com/?id=1347 and http://mymoneydragon.com/member.php?id=8180
Children hate it when they can’t check out the book they want because it’s going to be too hard for them to read. That as why as writers we write what’s called easy readers. There for kids that are in the in between stage of reading. There still developing their skills but they want to read. So we have to get them reading a good story through easy readers and then we will have them reading for life.
Easy readers are books that are a step up from picture books. Even though adults are still the primary buyers of easy readers the books themselves are intended for children in kindergarten to grade 3. An easy reader usually runs about 64 pages long and is formatted very differently. The story is usually divided into sections that are meant to resemble chapters.
There are some pictures in easy readers but they don’t mean as much as they did in picture books. Plots are kept simple by focusing on one main character and only one event. It is important to know that the characters must be children and children will always solve all conflicts. Kids at this age don’t mind reading cross gender stories.
You have to use humor, suspense or action to keep the children interested and keep the stories moving. You have to remember that these kids are just starting school so there is a whole new world opening up to them. There are so many topics to write about at this point. All you have to do is open your eyes and you can write about what you see.
Dialogue is used very freely when it comes to easy readers. Dialogue is a very important way to keep the story moving. It also helps to keep a lot of whit space on the page thus making it easier for the children to get through a page. You have to still use proper sentence structure but you have to keep them simple. There are no specified vocabulary lists because children are learning how to sound out words at this age. However you don’t want to make things too difficult.
To sum it up while developing an idea for your story make sure you keep the plot simple and limit your main characters to no more than 2. Once you are done your manuscript should be 20 to 25 double spaced pages.
Dale Mazurek
Dale works hard to help new people to the world of making money on line. You can go to his blog at http://dalesblogs.blogspot.com/ or check out the best program on line to get started with http://InsiderBlueprint.com/?id=1347 and http://mymoneydragon.com/member.php?id=8180
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
How To Write In The Children’s Market (Part 4)
This is going to be my fourth article of many to come. The article series is the how to when it comes to writing in the children’s market. It is going to be a considerably long series so keep checking back for new updates.
Chapter Books
First through fourth graders are reading on their own now but there still not quite ready for the longer traditional novels. The children are starting to make their own decisions now and they are usually buying their own books because they receive allowance now.
At this age kids absolutely want to read about other kids that are just like them. The characters need to be their age or a little older. At this age males and females want to read about strong characters of the same sex. In both cases these books should contain none or almost no adults at all. At all times the protagonist should be a child and all conflicts should be resolved by kids.
Chapter books have many short chapters but unlike easy readers they don’t rely very heavily on illustrations. The chapter book needs to stand alone on its story only and not rely on pictures. In the case of chapter books almost all illustrations are done with simple black and white shadings.
Text appears more deeply on the page than in the easy reader but lots of dialogue still helps to keep the story moving. The chapter books are usually faster paced and include complicated plots. The character list in a chapter book is usually small. The readers are at the age that they can handle more complicated issues. At this age kids love collecting so this explains the popularity of series books. However the readers of chapter books still like the predictability in these books.
When it comes to writing chapter books you can go ahead and use different kinds of sentence structures which can allow for more difficult vocabulary being used. This will make the story flow more like the natural language that it should sound like.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is presently trying to get his first novel published. He has been writing professionally on line for a couple years now. You can check out 3 of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/
Chapter Books
First through fourth graders are reading on their own now but there still not quite ready for the longer traditional novels. The children are starting to make their own decisions now and they are usually buying their own books because they receive allowance now.
At this age kids absolutely want to read about other kids that are just like them. The characters need to be their age or a little older. At this age males and females want to read about strong characters of the same sex. In both cases these books should contain none or almost no adults at all. At all times the protagonist should be a child and all conflicts should be resolved by kids.
Chapter books have many short chapters but unlike easy readers they don’t rely very heavily on illustrations. The chapter book needs to stand alone on its story only and not rely on pictures. In the case of chapter books almost all illustrations are done with simple black and white shadings.
Text appears more deeply on the page than in the easy reader but lots of dialogue still helps to keep the story moving. The chapter books are usually faster paced and include complicated plots. The character list in a chapter book is usually small. The readers are at the age that they can handle more complicated issues. At this age kids love collecting so this explains the popularity of series books. However the readers of chapter books still like the predictability in these books.
When it comes to writing chapter books you can go ahead and use different kinds of sentence structures which can allow for more difficult vocabulary being used. This will make the story flow more like the natural language that it should sound like.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is presently trying to get his first novel published. He has been writing professionally on line for a couple years now. You can check out 3 of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/
Monday, May 14, 2007
How To Write In The Children’s Market (Part 1)
In the next couple of months I will be writing a number of articles about how you can break into the children’s market of writing. This will be a considerably long series so I suggest you keep checking back for the newest post.
Writing children’s literature is a great way to break into the writing market. There is an opening for a wide range of topics because the readers range from toddler to young adult. It’s up to you to figure out what best suits your writing and your ideas. You just have to figure out what you want to write about.
Magazines
Magazines can be the perfect place to break in with your short stories. When you write in magazines it’s the perfect way to build your writing credentials and it also helps to establish you as a professional writer. You don’t just have to publish short stories either. You can publish poetry, verse, puzzles, fiction or non fiction. Books can take for ever to hit the market but with magazine articles you can have your work published in months if not weeks sometimes.
Magazines are a perfect place to get specialty pieces published. As we all know most magazines limit their focuses on specific content.
Magazines aren’t only limited in their content. The intended audiences of most periodicals are limited to particular age levels and genders. Babybugs intended audience is toddlers while the Keynoter is aimed at high school students. Boys Life is geared to boys and Hopscotch is a magazine for girls.
Some magazines devote entire issues to a focused topic or theme. It’s in your best interest to read a magazine that you intend to publish to. Make sure your familiar with the magazine and what kind of content it will accept. Make sure you understand the publisher’s contents. You also want to make sure you know when the magazine publishes. This way you can plan ahead with your stories.
Many writers have gotten their start by writing in magazines. Writing for children can definitely be the easiest genre to follow if you want to follow your dreams.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is in the process of getting his first novel published. He is also a professional on line writer. You can check out 3 of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://affiliatemarketingfornewbies.blogspot.com/
Writing children’s literature is a great way to break into the writing market. There is an opening for a wide range of topics because the readers range from toddler to young adult. It’s up to you to figure out what best suits your writing and your ideas. You just have to figure out what you want to write about.
Magazines
Magazines can be the perfect place to break in with your short stories. When you write in magazines it’s the perfect way to build your writing credentials and it also helps to establish you as a professional writer. You don’t just have to publish short stories either. You can publish poetry, verse, puzzles, fiction or non fiction. Books can take for ever to hit the market but with magazine articles you can have your work published in months if not weeks sometimes.
Magazines are a perfect place to get specialty pieces published. As we all know most magazines limit their focuses on specific content.
Magazines aren’t only limited in their content. The intended audiences of most periodicals are limited to particular age levels and genders. Babybugs intended audience is toddlers while the Keynoter is aimed at high school students. Boys Life is geared to boys and Hopscotch is a magazine for girls.
Some magazines devote entire issues to a focused topic or theme. It’s in your best interest to read a magazine that you intend to publish to. Make sure your familiar with the magazine and what kind of content it will accept. Make sure you understand the publisher’s contents. You also want to make sure you know when the magazine publishes. This way you can plan ahead with your stories.
Many writers have gotten their start by writing in magazines. Writing for children can definitely be the easiest genre to follow if you want to follow your dreams.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is in the process of getting his first novel published. He is also a professional on line writer. You can check out 3 of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://affiliatemarketingfornewbies.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Writing Angles
As a novice writer I firstly write for the love of writing. First of all for me writing does not mean paying the bills. I do make a few dollars here and there and with tips and tales like the ones below my writing is always getting better and better.
1. Organization
If you are having a hard time finding the best way to organize the plans for your ideas then this is what you can try. Get a number of index cards and write down each main topic. Now decide what’s best for your readers and arrange the cards in an order that makes the most sense.
2. Wordiness
The great American writer Thomas Wolfe was famous not only for the quality of his prose but also for its quantity. He had a very hard time cutting excess words from his drafts. “Although I am able to criticize wordiness and over abundance in others,” Wolfe wrote to his editor Maxwell Perkins about his novel Look Homeward, Angel, “I am not able practically to criticize it in myself. The business of selection and revision is simply hell for me-my efforts to cut out 50 000 words may sometimes result in adding 75 000.” The first draft of Look Homeward, Angel came in at over 1000 pages. Wolfe and Perkins did a nice job editing, however, the edition I have is around 750 pages.
3. More Purposes
A specific piece of writing can have more than one purpose, and often does. A fable, for example, amuses its readers as it teaches a lesson.
4. Ghost Words
Ghost words are words that never existed until someone mistook an error for a word. For example, dord (meaning density) began life as an error made in transcribing a card that read: “D or d, meaning a capital D or a small d-for ‘density.’ “The word appeared in the 1934 edition of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, but it was eliminated from future editions.
5. Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase that functions as an adjective in a sentence. For example: The caption on the cartoon made them laugh. The adjective phrase “on the cartoon” describes the noun “caption.”
Looking around in any magazine, book or writing website you can find hundreds and hundreds of articles and tid bits like these. In the future I will be publishing many more articles of this sort. If you choose to use any of this advice then great. If not then at least enjoy reading.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is an expert on line writer. You can check out his on line affiliate program at http://stcajo.netsalaries.com or you can check out two of his very popular blogs at http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://funtidbits.blogspot.com/
1. Organization
If you are having a hard time finding the best way to organize the plans for your ideas then this is what you can try. Get a number of index cards and write down each main topic. Now decide what’s best for your readers and arrange the cards in an order that makes the most sense.
2. Wordiness
The great American writer Thomas Wolfe was famous not only for the quality of his prose but also for its quantity. He had a very hard time cutting excess words from his drafts. “Although I am able to criticize wordiness and over abundance in others,” Wolfe wrote to his editor Maxwell Perkins about his novel Look Homeward, Angel, “I am not able practically to criticize it in myself. The business of selection and revision is simply hell for me-my efforts to cut out 50 000 words may sometimes result in adding 75 000.” The first draft of Look Homeward, Angel came in at over 1000 pages. Wolfe and Perkins did a nice job editing, however, the edition I have is around 750 pages.
3. More Purposes
A specific piece of writing can have more than one purpose, and often does. A fable, for example, amuses its readers as it teaches a lesson.
4. Ghost Words
Ghost words are words that never existed until someone mistook an error for a word. For example, dord (meaning density) began life as an error made in transcribing a card that read: “D or d, meaning a capital D or a small d-for ‘density.’ “The word appeared in the 1934 edition of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, but it was eliminated from future editions.
5. Adjective Phrase
An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase that functions as an adjective in a sentence. For example: The caption on the cartoon made them laugh. The adjective phrase “on the cartoon” describes the noun “caption.”
Looking around in any magazine, book or writing website you can find hundreds and hundreds of articles and tid bits like these. In the future I will be publishing many more articles of this sort. If you choose to use any of this advice then great. If not then at least enjoy reading.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is an expert on line writer. You can check out his on line affiliate program at http://stcajo.netsalaries.com or you can check out two of his very popular blogs at http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://funtidbits.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Writing Tid Bits
As novice writers we are always looking for little things to help our writing. In this article I am going to stray away from the serious side of the business and provide a number of tidbits that have to do with writing. Some are humorous, some are not. Some are useful and some are not. I hope you find them interesting.
1. Dewey Decimal
When using the Dewey Decimal System make sure you copy down the call number exactly as it appears in the card catalogue. Failing to do this will make it tough to find your book. It might even make it impossible.
2. Longest Sentence
What is the longest sentence in the world? In 1957 George Andrezeyevski wrote a book called Gates Of Paradise with no punctuation so technically this could be one long sentence. But Sylvester Hassel had a 3153 word sentence in the book History of the Church of God.
3. What is Writing
Writing is as much process as product. As a result, people often write to discover what they want to say. The process of writing can be an act of discovery, start out knowing where you’re going and get there just fine.
4. Study, Study, Study
It’s so important to study everything you read. Study opening paragraphs in newspaper and magazine articles. You might be surprised to discover that topic sentences such as statements of purpose often appear in the middle and end of paragraphs as well as in the beginning.
5. Speeches
Okay now you have to write a speech so this will help a little. When you write a speech, use punctuation not only to indicate the usual sentence breaks, but also to allow you to pause for emphasis when necessary.
There are hundreds of little points out there to help would be writers or even veteran writers. From time to time I will put out an article like this one and hopefully someone can take some of these tid bits and use them in their writing.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is a professional on line writer. He is also in the process of getting his first novel published. You can check out some of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and his newest http://funtidbits.blogspot.com/
1. Dewey Decimal
When using the Dewey Decimal System make sure you copy down the call number exactly as it appears in the card catalogue. Failing to do this will make it tough to find your book. It might even make it impossible.
2. Longest Sentence
What is the longest sentence in the world? In 1957 George Andrezeyevski wrote a book called Gates Of Paradise with no punctuation so technically this could be one long sentence. But Sylvester Hassel had a 3153 word sentence in the book History of the Church of God.
3. What is Writing
Writing is as much process as product. As a result, people often write to discover what they want to say. The process of writing can be an act of discovery, start out knowing where you’re going and get there just fine.
4. Study, Study, Study
It’s so important to study everything you read. Study opening paragraphs in newspaper and magazine articles. You might be surprised to discover that topic sentences such as statements of purpose often appear in the middle and end of paragraphs as well as in the beginning.
5. Speeches
Okay now you have to write a speech so this will help a little. When you write a speech, use punctuation not only to indicate the usual sentence breaks, but also to allow you to pause for emphasis when necessary.
There are hundreds of little points out there to help would be writers or even veteran writers. From time to time I will put out an article like this one and hopefully someone can take some of these tid bits and use them in their writing.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is a professional on line writer. He is also in the process of getting his first novel published. You can check out some of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and his newest http://funtidbits.blogspot.com/
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Writing Watches
Below is an article of rambling writing tips and interesting little tid bits. I could probably write an article a week directed at these. Some will help would be writers and some wont but one thing for sure is that most of them are interesting.
1. Footnote
A footnote is a complete bibliographical citation indicated by a number in the text. Endnotes follow the same format but are listed on a page at the end of the paper. Today’s great computer programs make them easy to prepare.
2. Paragraphs
Paragraphs in newspapers are most often one or two sentences long. Paragraphs in essays are far longer. Newspapers writers assume your not going to read the article all the way through. They keep their paragraphs punchy to keep you interested. Essay writers assume you’re in for the long haul. They have the luxury of writing more discursive passages.
3. English Is Different
All English isn’t the same. British English, used not only in Great Britain but also in India, the West Indies, and parts of Africa, uses some words and phrases differently from American English. For example, here are some common British words and the American equivalents: Lorry(truck), lift(elevator), bonnet(car hood), chips(French fries), crisps(snack chips), flat(apartment), barrister or solicitor(attorney or lawyer), nappy(diaper), mate(buddy), sweets(candy).
4. Expert Fields
Warning: The writer’s education and academic degrees must match the field in which he or she is claiming expertise. Having a medical degree in brain surgery, for example, doesn’t give someone the credentials to write about rocket science-or any other subject outside his or her field.
5. Friends Don’t Read Drafts
Thinking of asking a friend or a lover to read your drafts to help you edit them? It’s a great idea from your stand point, but your reader may not be as enthusiastic. British Prime Minister and writer Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) had a standard reply unmatched for diplomatic ambiguity for people who sent him unsolicited manuscripts to read: “Many thanks; I shall lose no time in reading it.”
I hope you find some of these facts interesting and some of the tips useful. Keep watching for more articles with more and more tips and facts.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is a professional online writer and he is also in the process of getting his first novel published. You can have a look at three more of his very popular blogs at http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ or http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/ and http://affiliatemarketingfornewbies.blogspot.com/
1. Footnote
A footnote is a complete bibliographical citation indicated by a number in the text. Endnotes follow the same format but are listed on a page at the end of the paper. Today’s great computer programs make them easy to prepare.
2. Paragraphs
Paragraphs in newspapers are most often one or two sentences long. Paragraphs in essays are far longer. Newspapers writers assume your not going to read the article all the way through. They keep their paragraphs punchy to keep you interested. Essay writers assume you’re in for the long haul. They have the luxury of writing more discursive passages.
3. English Is Different
All English isn’t the same. British English, used not only in Great Britain but also in India, the West Indies, and parts of Africa, uses some words and phrases differently from American English. For example, here are some common British words and the American equivalents: Lorry(truck), lift(elevator), bonnet(car hood), chips(French fries), crisps(snack chips), flat(apartment), barrister or solicitor(attorney or lawyer), nappy(diaper), mate(buddy), sweets(candy).
4. Expert Fields
Warning: The writer’s education and academic degrees must match the field in which he or she is claiming expertise. Having a medical degree in brain surgery, for example, doesn’t give someone the credentials to write about rocket science-or any other subject outside his or her field.
5. Friends Don’t Read Drafts
Thinking of asking a friend or a lover to read your drafts to help you edit them? It’s a great idea from your stand point, but your reader may not be as enthusiastic. British Prime Minister and writer Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) had a standard reply unmatched for diplomatic ambiguity for people who sent him unsolicited manuscripts to read: “Many thanks; I shall lose no time in reading it.”
I hope you find some of these facts interesting and some of the tips useful. Keep watching for more articles with more and more tips and facts.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is a professional online writer and he is also in the process of getting his first novel published. You can have a look at three more of his very popular blogs at http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ or http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/ and http://affiliatemarketingfornewbies.blogspot.com/
Writing What Nots
As novice writers we are always looking for that one big break that would help to jump start our careers. Sometimes we take things way to seriously and forget that writing at first is not about paying the bills. I love writing but let me tell you if I had to rely on it to pay the bills I would be living on the street. In this article I am going to point out some small tid bits about writing so sit back and enjoy.
1. The Paragraph
The paragraph first made its debut in the 1866 book Composition and Rhetoric, by Alexander Bain, a professor of rhetoric at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Bain defined a paragraph as a “collection of sentences with unity of purpose.” Later, the paragraph came to be seen as a small-scale composition, a view we still hold today, due to the clear beginning, middle, and end that both share.
2. Plot
Plot is the arrangement of events in a story. Plots include the exposition, rising action, climax, and denouement (resolution).
3. Bake A Cake
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that writing is a neat process. It’s rather messy, like baking a cake. As you add each “ingredient,” You stir the whole thing around a lot to blend it altogether. If your paper looks sloppy, then you’re probably on the right track.
4. Some Formats
Paragraphs in essays, novels, short stories, and so on are normally indented 5 spaces. This is set automatically on your tab key. Business letters, in contrast, are often typed in “block format,” without indented paragraphs. Instead, you separate the paragraphs with a double space. When deciding whether or not to indent paragraphs in business documents, follow the style conventions used in your business or company.
5. Too Much
There’s such a thing as too much elaboration. You’re under no obligation to include everything you found. Don’t beat the topic to death.
If you look around you will find hundreds and hundreds of little tid bits like the ones here. In the future I will be writing more articles with more of these little helpers. If you choose to use any of them, that is entirely up to you but they are fun to read and discover where a lot of them come from.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is a professional on line writer. He is also in the process of getting his first novel published. You can check out some of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and his newest http://funtidbits.blogspot.com/
1. The Paragraph
The paragraph first made its debut in the 1866 book Composition and Rhetoric, by Alexander Bain, a professor of rhetoric at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Bain defined a paragraph as a “collection of sentences with unity of purpose.” Later, the paragraph came to be seen as a small-scale composition, a view we still hold today, due to the clear beginning, middle, and end that both share.
2. Plot
Plot is the arrangement of events in a story. Plots include the exposition, rising action, climax, and denouement (resolution).
3. Bake A Cake
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that writing is a neat process. It’s rather messy, like baking a cake. As you add each “ingredient,” You stir the whole thing around a lot to blend it altogether. If your paper looks sloppy, then you’re probably on the right track.
4. Some Formats
Paragraphs in essays, novels, short stories, and so on are normally indented 5 spaces. This is set automatically on your tab key. Business letters, in contrast, are often typed in “block format,” without indented paragraphs. Instead, you separate the paragraphs with a double space. When deciding whether or not to indent paragraphs in business documents, follow the style conventions used in your business or company.
5. Too Much
There’s such a thing as too much elaboration. You’re under no obligation to include everything you found. Don’t beat the topic to death.
If you look around you will find hundreds and hundreds of little tid bits like the ones here. In the future I will be writing more articles with more of these little helpers. If you choose to use any of them, that is entirely up to you but they are fun to read and discover where a lot of them come from.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is a professional on line writer. He is also in the process of getting his first novel published. You can check out some of his very popular blogs at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ or http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and his newest http://funtidbits.blogspot.com/
Friday, April 6, 2007
How To Write A Short Story (Part 1)
Writing short stories can be very valuable to your writing career. Short stories are also very quick ways to put on paper what you’re feeling about something. Starting to write short stories can be a tough project but the more you write the better you will get at it. In the next couple of weeks I will be submitting a 10 part series on how to write your short stories. This will be the first edition on writing short stories.
Getting Started
1. Write your list without stopping. Figure out your plots, tones and characters. Develop these things from things you know. Use things that make you smile and things that make you angry or sad. Now a story is starting to develop around your ideas.
2. Think about times in your life that were stressful or happy. Pick a few of them and write a paragraph on each one.
3. Choose a word that is going to be the main word of your story. Write it in the middle of the page and then start writing around it. Write any other words that come to mind and just keep writing. When you are sure your done you can circle all the words that you think link together and that you are going to use in your story.
4. Keep everything that you write. It doesn’t matter how messy or organized it is just make sure you keep it so you can look back and possibly use some of the material in future writings.
5. It doesn’t matter how you feel. You have to sit down and write every day. It can be for ten minutes or 4 hours. That doesn’t matter as long as you are writing something every day.
6. Don’t be scared to use other people’s stories. I don’t mean plagiarizing but I mean listening. Just listen to what people are saying. The stories people have can be very interesting and can be great topics for your short stories.
7. Read every day. I don’t care how much or what but you should be reading every day. This will give you insight into what other people are writing about plus it will show you different styles of writing. You cannot be successful at writing if you don’t read.
This is the end of my first article on how to write a short story. I make these tips available because I think there is an author in everyone. Just because you write doesn’t mean you have to get paid for it. You should first and foremost write because you love it and everything will eventually fall into place.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is in the process of getting his first novel published. You can read some of his short stories and more writing tips at his writing blog at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ You can also check in on a couple of his interactive blogs at http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/
Getting Started
1. Write your list without stopping. Figure out your plots, tones and characters. Develop these things from things you know. Use things that make you smile and things that make you angry or sad. Now a story is starting to develop around your ideas.
2. Think about times in your life that were stressful or happy. Pick a few of them and write a paragraph on each one.
3. Choose a word that is going to be the main word of your story. Write it in the middle of the page and then start writing around it. Write any other words that come to mind and just keep writing. When you are sure your done you can circle all the words that you think link together and that you are going to use in your story.
4. Keep everything that you write. It doesn’t matter how messy or organized it is just make sure you keep it so you can look back and possibly use some of the material in future writings.
5. It doesn’t matter how you feel. You have to sit down and write every day. It can be for ten minutes or 4 hours. That doesn’t matter as long as you are writing something every day.
6. Don’t be scared to use other people’s stories. I don’t mean plagiarizing but I mean listening. Just listen to what people are saying. The stories people have can be very interesting and can be great topics for your short stories.
7. Read every day. I don’t care how much or what but you should be reading every day. This will give you insight into what other people are writing about plus it will show you different styles of writing. You cannot be successful at writing if you don’t read.
This is the end of my first article on how to write a short story. I make these tips available because I think there is an author in everyone. Just because you write doesn’t mean you have to get paid for it. You should first and foremost write because you love it and everything will eventually fall into place.
Dale Mazurek
Dale is in the process of getting his first novel published. You can read some of his short stories and more writing tips at his writing blog at http://stcajo-readshortstories.blogspot.com/ You can also check in on a couple of his interactive blogs at http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/ and http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/
Monday, March 26, 2007
How To Write An Internet Press Release (Part 2)
Press releases are a great way to let the entire internet world know about something big that just happened or something big that is about to happen. Maybe your organization has just won a major award for something. Or maybe you are about to launch a new product. Press releases get indexed by the search engines and help you to achieve your number one goal and that is to drive traffic to your site or sites. Personally I use press releases just before I am about to start a new article series. Many of my series are 10 to 20 articles long.
The Body
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE should always be your header. You need a headline. It should be in bold writing, it should be short but powerful. Never send a press release without a dateline. Now you have the body. It only needs to be a couple of paragraphs to be effective. First paragraph should answer who, what, where, when and why. The second should give a few more details. Your boilerplate should remain the same on all your press releases. It gives a brief description about who you are and what you do. Finally you should put your contact info in. This should include name address, phone number, email and website.
Keywords
Remember that its not only humans but machines reading your press release as well so your going to want to make it compatible to both. Keywords are the key. Make sure there relevant to your press release and remember no more than 5 percent of your writing should be key words. Also make sure you know how to place your keywords into header tags.
Now You Want To Promote
The most effective way to promote your press releases is through on line press release services. There are many out there. Go ahead and search “press release submission”. Another way is that you can send them to your editors by email or just create links off of your site to them.
For me press releases have become a great source of traffic. Especially when I am about to start a new article series. Anyone who has read my prior series usually watch for the next one to come out and with the right keywords anyone looking for something in particular might come along my release thus adding another potential client.
Thanks Dale Mazurek
Dale is an expert author with EzineArticles with more than 60 articles published. http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dale_Mazurek You can also check out two of his up and coming interactive blogs at http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/ and http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/
This is the second article of two on how and why you should issue press releases. It is just another very helpful tool that can be used to promote your business greatly if used properly
The Body
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE should always be your header. You need a headline. It should be in bold writing, it should be short but powerful. Never send a press release without a dateline. Now you have the body. It only needs to be a couple of paragraphs to be effective. First paragraph should answer who, what, where, when and why. The second should give a few more details. Your boilerplate should remain the same on all your press releases. It gives a brief description about who you are and what you do. Finally you should put your contact info in. This should include name address, phone number, email and website.
Keywords
Remember that its not only humans but machines reading your press release as well so your going to want to make it compatible to both. Keywords are the key. Make sure there relevant to your press release and remember no more than 5 percent of your writing should be key words. Also make sure you know how to place your keywords into header tags.
Now You Want To Promote
The most effective way to promote your press releases is through on line press release services. There are many out there. Go ahead and search “press release submission”. Another way is that you can send them to your editors by email or just create links off of your site to them.
For me press releases have become a great source of traffic. Especially when I am about to start a new article series. Anyone who has read my prior series usually watch for the next one to come out and with the right keywords anyone looking for something in particular might come along my release thus adding another potential client.
Thanks Dale Mazurek
Dale is an expert author with EzineArticles with more than 60 articles published. http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dale_Mazurek You can also check out two of his up and coming interactive blogs at http://fishingtutor.blogspot.com/ and http://relationshiptidbits.blogspot.com/
This is the second article of two on how and why you should issue press releases. It is just another very helpful tool that can be used to promote your business greatly if used properly
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