Sunday, December 30, 2007

Win a Free 10-week Writing Workshop

If you're up for a writing challenge shortly before 2008 comes in, join the What's the Buzz(word)? contest. Create a buzzword that you think might emerge in 2008 and give a brief definition of the word and a sample sentence using the word. Entries are limited to no more than 100 words for the buzzword, definition, and sample sentence.

If you're lucky, your entry will be published in the Spring 2008 brochure and posted online at WritingClasses.com. What more? You will also receive a free 10-week Writing Workshop.

You better hurry, though. Contest deadline is December 30!

Make a great writing year!

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize

The North Carolina Writers' Network is currently accepting entries for the annual Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize. Postmark deadline is on December 15, 2007.

The Thomas Wolfe Fiction Prize honors internationally celebrated North Carolina novelist, Thomas Wolfe. The winner receives $1,000 and possible publication in The Thomas Wolfe Review.

The competition is open to all writers without regard to geographical region or previous publication. Entrants should submit two copies of an unpublished fiction manuscript not to exceed 12 double-spaced pages.

Read more details >

Photo from www.ncwriters.org

Monday, October 08, 2007

Still Here

Sorry for the long absence. I've been on complete bed rest since July for my pregnancy. I'll be giving birth in about 2 weeks, and I hope to resume blogging in November.

Keep writing, y'all!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Summer Survival Tips For Writing Mothers



It may be summer on your side of the earth (it's the wet season on mine), and if you're wondering how you're going to find the time to write (what with kids looking for some fun things to do), check out these 5 Summer Survival Tips from Danielle Hollister. Yup, there are ways to keep working with your kids by your side.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Learn Basic Geek

If you’re new to Web writing and about to go nuts over the steady stream of new words, phrases and terms, check out these online references and improve your knowledge of Basic Geek:

NetLingo - This is an online reference for Internet terminology. The word definitions are easy to understand and contain links to other terms.

Webopedia - This was my Basic Geek Dictionary when I was a knowledge base technical writer for a software company. The word definitions are short and pretty easy to understand. New terms are featured every now and then.

Pseudodictionary - This is generally a dictionary of slang words, but you might want to poke around this site because it also includes some words from Webspeak like "J slash K."

MSN Encarta - This site is quite new to me but I’m recommending it anyhow since it has an encyclopedia, a dictionary, a thesaurus and this Internet quiz.

You can also try these printed Internet lexicon:

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Web Resources for Health & Medical Writers

I started writing about health and medical related topics about 11 years ago. My first assignment was to feature this couple who gave birth to quadruplets after being childless for several years. The article was meant to inspire couples waiting for that “miracle birth” and to educate readers about quadruplets and artificial insemination. Back then, my primary source of medical information was the print edition of the Merck Manual. I had access to the Internet but medical information seemed scarce on the Web at the time — at least, that’s the conclusion I had come to after using the prevailing search engine in the year 1996. ;)

Now, thanks to evolving online media technology, searching for medical information online is just a few clickety-clicks away. But beware of Web sites that publish articles without referencing experts. To make sure that your online source is credible and authoritative, check if it’s affiliated with a known research institution or a leading publisher of health and medical publications.

Here are some sites and references that have helped me with the media reporting of health and medical matters:

The Merck Manual of Medical Information - I use only the Home Edition for most of my articles. But if you’re looking for matters related to diagnosis & therapy, health & aging, chemicals & drugs, and animal healthcare, try the other editions which are also available online.

World Health Organization (WHO) - The WHO was once my favorite place on the Web. Their site is constantly updated and has the Media Centre where writers can easily access news, fact sheets, press releases, multimedia resources and contact information. They’re also very prompt when replying to your queries, so don’t you worry about looming deadlines.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) - The Brigham’s site is the first place that I go to when I’m writing an article on women’s health issues. To obtain relevant information, go to the Health Information page where you can find listed topics, upcoming events, news, and multimedia resources such as podcasts, videos and surgical webcasts. A teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, BWH is recognized internationally for its excellence in patient care and its outstanding reputation in biomedical research.

Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) - The CDC site was a treasure trove of information when I did an article on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (Mad Cow Disease, if you like) in 2001. The Web site has improved a lot and now includes podcasts. Check out the CDC Press Room for the latest press releases, transcripts, summaries and footages.

Is there a Web site or online medical reference you’d like to recommend? Post it here!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Can Blogs Become a Big Source of Income?

I started problogging in 2005 through Shai Coggins' AboutWeblogs network. When Shai joined b5media, I moved in with her and started Online Media Beat - a blog about Web journalism. For a good 1.5 years with b5, I earned a considerable amount of money. It wasn't much, but it helped pay some of the bills.

Can blogs become a big source of income? There are many factors that determine the success of your blog and the money that goes with it. I know of some writers who were able to buy laptops, digicams and travel tickets out of their blog earnings. That sounds really juicy, right?

If you're curious about problogging, the New York Times has an article about it. Read through and weigh things over. It wouldn't hurt to try something new once in a while. :-)

Friday, June 01, 2007

10 Things Teenage Writers Should Know About Writing

I recently came across this funny and well-written advice for teenage writers who want to become professional writers in the future. As I read through 10 tips, I found myself nodding in agreement. Yes, we were all young then, trying to write with "wisdom" and maturity. And yes, the only way to get there is to write as much as you can.

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Hard To Say Goodbye



At a recent writing workshop, I was asked to identify my strengths and weaknesses as a writer. One of the weaknesses that immediately came to my mind was my struggle with putting an end to a story or an article. I do well at the start of my piece with the right punch. I am able to provide the meat of the story in the body of my article. But somehow my conclusions always appear abrupt and open-ended.

Roy Peter Clark seems to complement my thoughts. In this article, he wrote:

It's not easy to write about endings. To appreciate a great ending, you need to experience the whole work. Disembodied endings can seem like uprooted trees, ripped from their life source.

According to Clark, writers can choose two techniques in closing a story: the "reflective ending" (one that 'tells') and the "narrative ending" (one that 'shows'). Perhaps a good way to study these tools is to read over and over the good endings that we remember in literature and see how a particular writer wrapped up a story. So, for this week, I shall check out my shelf and get to the last page. I just might be able to learn from my favorite works and authors.

How about you? How do you end a story/piece of work?

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

The Winners of the 2007 Lulu Blooker Prize

Just got an email from Jason Adams of the Lulu Blooker Prize. Hooray! The Winners of the 2007 Lulu Blooker Prize have been announced. Who made it to the list?
OVERALL/GRAND WINNER
And Winner Of Non-Fiction Category
My War: Killing Time in Iraq by Colby Buzzell
Publisher: US: Berkley/Penguin Group (September 5, 2006); UK: Corgi Adult
Price: $15.00 USD (paperback); £7.99
Source blog: My War - http://www.cbftw.blogspot.com/

Non-Fiction Runner-Up
My Secret: A PostSecret Book by Frank Warren
Publisher: US: Regan/HarperCollins (October 24, 2006); UK: Orion
Price: $19.95 USD (hardcover); £12.99
Source blog: PostSecret – www.postsecret.com

Fiction Winner
The Doorbells of Florence by Andrew Losowsky
Publisher: Prandial Publishing/Lulu (self-published)
Price: $29.85 USD (paperback); £16.45
Source website: http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewlos

Fiction Runner-Up
Monster Island: A Zombie Novel by David Wellington
Publisher: US: Thunder’s Mouth Press/Avalon (April 1, 2006); UK: Snowbooks
Price: $13.95 USD (paperback); £7.99
Source blog: www.monsternovel.com

Comics Winner
Mom’s Cancer by Brian Fies
Publisher: Abrams Image (March 1, 2006)
Price: $12.95 USD (hardcover); £7.95
Source website: www.momscancer.com

Congratulations to the winners!

Related:
The Lulu Blooker Prize

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Protect your 'puter and your articles

Over the weekend, my husband and I had problems with our dear machines. His laptop went crazy because of a virus infection, and my desktop became the victim of a Trojan invasion. But thanks to free antivirus and antispyware programs, our computers have been saved and are still working. We are still on the lookout for possible infection, so we make sure to back up every important file that we have and take preventive measures to further protect our 'literary machines.'

How can you protect your computer and your precious articles from viruses and malicious software? Here are 3 simple ways:
  1. Always check for system updates - Regularly check if your operating system (Windows, Linux, Mac OS, etc.) has new updates available and make sure to download them promptly. Some of these downloads are meant to protect your system from the latest viruses. Before downloading an update, read carefully what it would do to your computer. Some updates may not be necessary. In my case, I download only those that attempt to correct system errors and shield my PC from possible infection.

  2. Install an antivirus program - Free antivirus and antispyware programs abound on the Internet. I use the Free AVG Home Edition antivirus program (with free updates) from Grisoft. To protect my PC from spyware, I have the Norton Spyware Scan available for free on my Yahoo toolbar. So far, these programs have been doing a great job. The only antivirus software that I have with a purchased license is the McAfee VirusScan, which has been quite busy catching some viruses lately. Before McAfee, my choice of antivirus was PC-cillin which is equally good and reliable (OK, I'm endorsing it because I used to work for its makers).



    You can know more about free antivirus and antispyware programs/shareware over at Tucows.com and CNET's Download.com. Check out the software ratings and reviews.

    If you don't want to install any program right now, you can try Trend Micro's Housecall instead.

  3. Back up your files - You wouldn't want to lose those precious and well-written articles, would you? :-)

    There are two easy ways to back up your files. One is to save them on a storage device. You can save them on a CD-RW or a USB flash drive. I highly recommend the flash drive since it has more storage capacity (from 32MB to 64GB) and is easier to carry around. If you're still on floppy, I suggest you consider changing your choice of storage device since our dear friend is no more.

    Another way to back up your files is to upload them on the Web. Back in the late '90s, I stored some of my files on Geocities and Yahoo email folders. Now, I save my important files on Gmail (for email interviews/correspondence, PPT files and significant URLs), on Google Docs (for RTF, Word, PDF and Text files), and on Flickr (for image files).

Hope these tips help you in some way. May you always have a virus and spyware free 'puter and files!

Related:
Glossary of Virus Terms

Thursday, May 03, 2007

Tips for the Blogging Writer

How To Get Bloggers To Talk About You

These days, it's hard to imagine a web-savvy writer who does not blog. Writers, especially prolific ones, would hardly say no to a publishing opportunity like blogging, which is as simple as typing on a word processor and clicking the PUBLISH button.

Writers blog for varied reasons: to chronicle the goings-on in their lives, to show samples of their work to a vast audience, to sell/promote their books or writing services, to write on a particular topic (also called 'niche blogging'), or to blog chapter by chapter until they finish an entire book. If you are a writer who wants to get the most of our your blogging prowess, get tips and learn techniques from these sites run by blogging pros:

  • ProBlogger - Owned and maintained by Darren Rowse, ProBlogger is currently one of the top sites on professional blogging. (No kidding!) It offers tips on how bloggers can produce better content, earn money, find blogging jobs, and reach a wider audience.

  • AboutWeblogs - This site is run by Shai Coggins, formerly the resident weblogging expert at About.com. Shai has numerous articles and resources on blogging, publishing and podcasting -- all of which are juicy and meaty.

  • Weblogs @ About.com - Your About.com guide Deborah Ng continually packs the page with helpful tips on the latest blogging technology, opportunities and yes, even memes!

Stumped? Defrost thy freezing brain with Chris Garrett's 10 Killer Post Ideas.

And when all else fails, you can always turn the pages:



Happy blogging!

Friday, April 27, 2007

Yikes!

Obviously, I haven't opened Internet Explorer for a long time. Well, I finally did just a few minutes ago, and saw this when I logged on to TW:



Huh? Where did my image header go?? This is how it's supposed to look like:



I hard-coded the HTML for the image header on Mozilla Firefox. Since I've always been confident that the Firefox and IE people do try to make their browsers accommodate both Mozilla and Microsoft users, I did not anymore bother to check how TW would look like on IE. I guess it's never safe to assume things at the moment, especially with the case of the missing image header!

If you're seeing the same empty header on IE, do let me know. And, if you can tell me how or why the image wouldn't appear on IE, I'd really appreciate it. I'll see if I could make some adjustments later on. In the meantime, you might want to try using Mozilla Firefox as alternative browser. It's by far one of the best browsers I've ever used in my 12 years as Internet addict.

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Pulitzer Winners for 2007

I almost missed this. Phew!!

In case the jurors's owl hasn't reached you with the news, here are the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Winners for Letters, Drama & Music. (You'll have to scroll down a bit to see the list). As usual, I have my eye on the winning entries for Fiction, Biography and General Nonfiction.

Special citations and awards were also given to Ray Bradbury (I love this guy!) and John Coltrane.

Related:

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Writer's Unblock Tool

I recently added Writer's Unblock Tool to my Google Reader. The Writer's Unblock Tool is a free gadget/tool from Mode Room Press that fights writer’s block. Every time you refresh it, a paragraph of prose imagery is generated to inspire you and give you suggestions for plot, setting and storyline. Here's a sample:



This tool would be most helpful for novelists, songwriters, poets, story authors, painters and other creative artists. It's been a long time since I dabbled into creative writing. I have some ideas germinating in my mind, but I haven't really written or typed anything. Hopefully, this tool would help me generate more ideas.

If you've tried this tool, let me know what you think of it.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Orange Prize and Slavery Poems

The Orange Broadband prize is among the world's most prestigious prize for fiction by women writing in English. This year's contenders include novelists from 7 countries.

To mark the publication of this year's longlist, Guardian Unlimited is offering a prize: the complete longlist, comprising 20 of this year's very best novels.

Sounds juicy? Simply answer this question before April 17, 2007. Don't forget to read the terms and conditions.

***

Arts Council England is inviting poets to commemorate the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act by writing a poem on the theme of enslavement. Deadline of submission is on September 28, 2007.

Eleven poems will be specially commissioned by the Arts Council from some of the country’s leading poets. A twelfth poem will be chosen through a competition.

For more details, visit artscouncil.org.uk.

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Blog for b5

If you have that feverish passion for writing about a particular topic, blog for b5. b5media is among the world’s largest online new media networks featuring more than 150 blogs on a wide variety of subjects.

What does it take to become a b5 blogger?
  • You must be able write at least 6-8 unique posts a week.
  • You must spend a lot of time checking out other blogs.
  • You must be willing to read news stories and respond to readers' comments.
b5 bloggers get a base pay according to their qualifications and a percentage of the blog's advertising revenues. Isn't that neat? I actually blogged for b5 for over a year. I enjoyed the warmth of the community, learned a lot and earned enough to pay some of my bills. ;-)

Interested? Send your application now. You can also join the b5 forums to know more about the community.

Friday, March 23, 2007

Tools for Generating Article Ideas

Chris Knight has listed 6 quick ideas on how to choose an article topic. For #6, he wrote:
Set up email alerts (or subscribe to RSS feeds) when new articles are available in your niche. Use these for inspiration only; keeping tabs on the competition while making sure you have content coverage within every angle of your niche.
This works well with me too. Since I write on many different topics (writing, web journalism, health/medical issues), I always make it a point to gather information in the most efficient way possible. Here are my tools:

  1. Google Alerts - Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results based on my choice of topic or keywords. I can easily manage Google alerts by personally choosing search terms, the types of websites Google should tap, and how often I want to receive the updates. You too can create your own Google Alerts.

  2. Firefox with Google Toolbar - I've been using the Mozilla Firefox browser for over two years now, and so far most things have been smooth. Its Google Toolbar add-on lets you subscribe to a site's RSS feed by clicking on the Subscribe button while you're on the page. Firefox with Google Toolbar also includes search for Google images, groups, news, and maps. Download Firefox - FREE!

  3. Google Reader - Google Reader is a web-based feed reader that lets me keep up with my favorite blogs and news. Since it updates me only when a blog or website has posted something new, it saves me a lot of browsing time. Get your Google Reader now. Here's mine:


If you have other nifty tools for generating article ideas, I'd like to know them. :-)

Monday, March 19, 2007

Write for Australian Catholics Magazine

The Australian Catholics Magazine is looking for stories that describe the faith and life of Australians, both those well known and those less familiar. Australian Catholics is also interested in stories about social justice, and about initiatives that foster an awareness of social justice in schools and communities.

To know more:

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Amazon Shorts

Sign up for Amazon Shorts and sell your unpublished short-form fiction and nonfiction pieces in digital format to a wider audience.

*

By participating in Amazon Shorts, you will be able to:
  • Access a powerful marketing tool to promote an author's backlist in a new and meaningful way
  • Create an author profile page with biography, photo, and complete backlist
  • Maintain author's visibility between published projects
  • Establish a more direct and frequent communication with readers
  • Introduce readers to unfamiliar writers
  • Provide a new outlet to sell short fiction and nonfiction

For more details, head on to the Amazon Shorts FAQ page.

* Affiliate link

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Nanotales: Shorts Stories in Your Pocket

Guardian Unlimited has teamed up with Ziji publishing and Bebo.com to give writers the chance to see their short stories in print. If you have a story that's less than 1,000 words, send it before March 16, 2007 to books.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk with "nanotale" in the title field.

For more details about this contest, visit Bebo.com.

What are nanotales?
Nanotales is a gripping new style of literature perfectly formed for a generation with no time and very little patience. Shorter than a short story, a nanotale is the perfect antidote to modern-day life; designed to be read between tube stations, with a morning coffee, or at the bus-stop. With no chapters, no page numbers and no index, nanotales can transport the reader into another world and back in seven minutes.

- from Nanotales.net
Related:

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Write for Mom.Exchange.Ph

Note: This is for writers based in the Philippines.

Mom Exchange, a weblog that caters to mothers from the pregnancy stage to those dealing with school kids, is looking for contributing writers who can blog on the following topics:
Mom Activities, Attachment Parenting, Babywearing, Breastfeeding, Co-Sleeping, Positive / Gentle Discipline, Bazaar, Behaviour, Birthday Parties, Celebrity, Charity, Childhood Illnesses, Education, Events, Exercise, Food, Gadgets, Health, Household Tips, In-laws, Infants, Marriage, Mommy Matters, Parenting Matters, Pre-school Children, Pregnancy, Recipes, School Kids, Seminars, Services, Sleep Issues, Supplements, Toddlers, etc.

Each blog post should be about 200-700 words. Writing mothers are preferred, but not required. You will be paid commensurate to the quality of your posts ranging from PHP150.00 to PHP300.00, and all submissions will be the property of Mom Exchange.

Interested? Send application and work samples to ghmercado@gmail.com. Do not send MS Word documents, just paste your article on the body of your email and include some relevant info about yourself.

[via PinoyWriters]

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Why Do You Blog?

Anne Wayman of The Golden Pencil has tagged me. Thanks, Anne! Here are my answers to the question:

Why do I blog? I blog because:
  1. I can write about anything without having my guards up.
  2. I just love push-button, instant publishing.
  3. I'm able to flex my writing muscles by writing short pieces every day.
  4. Since I don't work with an editor, I'm able to apply self-editing techniques and learn more Web writing styles on my own.
  5. I can interact with a wider global audience.
  6. I earn some money.
Why do you blog?

Of Book Bags and Journals

Yes, women will always look for utility and fashion in everything.

I spotted this Virginia Woolf book bag at Literary Luminaries, a graphic arts product company that features Mike Caplanis' caricature art of the world's most famous authors. His caricatures are printed on a variety of products which include note cards, bookmarks, coffee mugs, umbrellas, journals and book bags.

I don't normally carry a lot of books with me, so a book bag purchase won't be necessary. I just thought it would be cool to carry along Virginia Woolf to the beach or some place quiet. Actually, I find this Fine Cloth Bound Journal of Great Women Writers to be more to my liking.

Friday, February 23, 2007

Friday Five for Writers

(This post has been inspired by the Friday Five.)

Five questions for the writer in you:
  1. Who or what inspires you to write?
  2. How do you look for inspiration when a block hits?
  3. What is your favorite writing subject and why?
  4. How do you infuse your passions and interests into your writing?
  5. What other topics would you like to explore through writing?
You can post your answers here. Have a great writing weekend!

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Writing Bliss Email Workshops

If you're too shy or too busy to attend a real live workshop, you might want to try Shery Russ's Writing Bliss email workshops. Writing Bliss is a series of email courses for writers. I've tried some of the courses myself and enjoyed them immensely. Some workshops are free and some require a course fee.

Penguin prize strips ethnic requirements

I picked this up from the Guardian:

The Decibel Penguin prize, an Arts Council initiative awarded to writers of "Asian, African and Caribbean background," has been forced to change its entry criteria after an intervention by the Commission for Racial Equality.This year's award will have no ethnic entry requirements, and will instead focus on "personal stories of immigrants to the UK."

Read more >

Monday, February 19, 2007

We're Almost Done

This is still on beta, but this is good to go. The picture and writing quote on the sidebar may change from time to time. (We like variations!)

Hang on.

Friday, February 16, 2007

Making the Big Switch


Today's Writer is moving to the new Blogger version soon. A new and better layout is also afoot. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Worldwide Web Writers @ Google Groups

Last year, I created Freelance Writing PH at Google Groups. The mailing list was meant to ignite discussion on freelance writing in the Philippines and to share information on the business and craft of writing. In the course of 7 months and despite the 'PH' term, I kept getting subscription requests from writers based in different regions of the world. I did reject their requests and I admit, I felt bad having done so. It seemed like I was keeping them from sharing information which is what the Web is all about, anyway.

Thus, I decided to transform the local mailing list into a global mailing list. Yup, Freelance Writing PH is now Worldwide Web Writers. We've opened our doors to writers from around the globe and narrowed the focus to Web writing.

Join us?

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Top Online References for 2006


PCMag.com recently published a list of Top Web Sites on Information, Search & Reference for 2006. The list includes About, Dictionary.com, HowStuffWorks, The Library of Congress, among other things.

You can view the complete listing at Online Media Beat.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

2007 WritersDigest.com Contests


Writer's Digest sponsors several writing contests annually. If you're up for the challenge, join these contests:

Monday, January 15, 2007

Stay fit while working from home

Naturally, this article caught my attention.

I'm a freelance writer who works from home on most days of the week and immensely enjoys wi-fi connection. I'm perfectly aware that I'm in danger of being an ergonomic chair potato. So, at a recent trip to the mall, I grabbed a workout CD (The Firm Low Impact Aerobics) and promised to do some exercise at least twice a week... is that good enough? ;-)

10 Tips For Staying Fit While Working From Homë

by Lynn Bode

Despite what many may think, working from homë takes a lot of time and a lot of work. I'm sure you've heard someone say, "They don't really have a job, they just work from homë." That statement couldn't be farther from the truth! Running a home business takes almost all of your time. Therefore, many other things drop down on your priority list. Probably one of the first ones to drop is fitness.

When you have a never-ending to-do list, a house that never seems to get clean and family and/or friends who demand attention, it's understandable that exercise can take a back seat. But, it shouldn't.

Exercise offers so many important benefits that it should always be part of your weekly routine. Of course, we all know that exercise can help you stay slim and fit. But, do you also know about all the other great results of exercising? Daily physical activity reduces stress and can help you sleep better - two things that are especially beneficial to busy at-homë workers and business owners. Fitness helps keep you healthy and has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression. Researchers also believe that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis. If that still doesn't convince you to get moving, then keep in mind that exercise also improves self-esteem, increases stamïna and ultimately helps you be able to do continuous work for longer. What more could you ask for?

It all sounds great, right? But you still don't think that you can find any time in your hectic schedule for staying in shape. Don't worry. There are a lot of creative ways to fit it in. Below are some tips to help you get started.

1. Schedule time for working out. When you work at homë it's so easy to work around the clock. To help avoid this think of yourself as having a traditional "office job". In most "office jobs" when you go home for the night you leave work behind and concentrate on personal things. Even though going home for you may simply be walking down the hall, you need to set boundaries in order to find time for you.

2. During working hours, take several 5-10 minute breaks and run up and down the stairs (or even just walk). This will also help rejuvenate your mind.

3. Sitting in front of a computer can be hard on your body, especially your posture. So, find a comfortable place where you can occasionally stand to do your computer work.

4. It's not necessary for you to find 30 continuous minutes for working out. You'll get just as much benefit if you break your exercise into small chunks. Try 10 minutes before you start work, 10 minutes at lunch and 10 minutes after work (re-read # 1 above if you just said you have no "after work" time).

5. If you don't won't to spend a lot of time in the kitchen but still want to eat healthy, cook large portion meals on the weekend that you can freeze. Then simply defrost and warm for dinners during the week. This saves you the time of having to make dinner and you don't have to compromise calories as you would if you instead opted for take-out.

6. One great advantage of working at homë is that you can workout over your lunch hour while never leaving your office plus you don't have to pack your workout clothes and toiletries to take with you to work. This saves you travel time, which you can instead spend on grabbing a healthy bite to eat. And, if you don't have any face-to-face meetings scheduled, then you don't have to worry about looking perfect after your workout.

7. If you haven't already done so, invest in a good hands-free headset for your phone. This is a great way to multi-task because your hands are free to do other things while you concentrate on your conference call. You can even do some simple (but worthwhile) exercise moves. Some good choices are squats, tricep dips, lunges, wall push-ups, etc.

8. Keep healthy snacks available for when you need an energy boost or simply just need something to chew on to help you get through some tough work. Don't forget to keep water on hand and sip some all throughout your day.

9. Purchase an exercise stability ball. While there are dozens of great toning exercises you can do with the ball, it's also beneficial to simply sit on it. Try sitting on it instead of a chair for even short periods throughout your day. This will help build your core strength (your trunk area).

10. Don't forget the importance of stretching. Take a couple of minutes every hour to stand up and stretch your entire body.

As you can see, exercise offers huge benefits even with just a small amount of effort. And if you have kids, by exercising you also set a great example. So, to help you, your business, and your family it's time to stop making excuses and just start moving!


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lynn Bode is owner of http://www.workoutsforyou.com an Online Personal Fitness Training company. Workouts For You offers online exercise programs for weight loss, strength training, nutritional planning and race training. Personalized programs can be designed for all fitness levels. The programs are customized to meet your individual needs and lifestyle (based on the extensive profile you provide when enrolling) and include a motivational accountability system and a huge library of exercise technique demos. You receive all the trainer benefits without the expensive price, and you can workout wherever and whenever you want. To receive a FREE, no-obligation fitness evaluation, visit us at www.workoutsforyou.com . Need a quick gift --we provide gift certificate delivery within 24 hours of purchase. info@workoutsforyou.com

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Punk's not dead

Punk and proud of it? Write for PunkPlanet.com. Guidelines are here.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Happy New Year!

The year 2006 has been a great writing year for me: I successfully pitched articles to two trade magazines, posted more articles for Today's Writer, signed a new (and juicier!) contract for Online Media Beat, and blogged more for friends (and anonymous audience).

This year, I plan to do the same things, but with more umph! The umph makes a big difference.

How about you? What are your writing goals for 2007?

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