Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays!I hope you're surrounded by loved ones, wonderful presents, and the warm holiday spirit which still hovers on top of us despite the financial crisis. I've been on slow blogging mode lately, but that's because my family and I have been busy attending parties and big family get-togethers.  By the time I'm home, I'm all pooped and ready for bed.  There's so many photos to transfer to the computer and so much food to consume or give away.  Ah, not to mention the Romanesque belly that I've to deal with after the Season's over.  And, oh, lest I forget -- I've an article to finish before January 5th! 


I'd like to thank you all, dear readers, for being a part of Today's Writer.  I've been publishing this guide blog for years now, experimented with it, nearly gave up on it.  (But I keep resurfacing, so there must be something good behind what I'm doing!) Truly I am very grateful for the repeat visits, subscriptions and email forwards.  The year 2008 has been a great year for Today's Writer in terms of content, web traffic and sponsorship. More stuff are afoot next year!


Wherever you are, whatever stuff you've been busy with, I hope you're having a great time writing!  Happy holidays from Today's Writer!

How to Create an Ebook That Can Be a Bestseller Online

by Sean R Mize

Contrary to popular beliefs, excelling in the field of ebook writing can be relatively easy. You just have to know the elements that you need to use in order to impress your readers and you must follow certain guidelines that can help you make your creations become best-sellers online.

Here's how you can excel at ebook writing:

1. Define your audience. This is one element that can bring a huge difference to your ebook writing as it can empower you to easily give your readers what they truly want as you'll know their requirements ahead of time.
Before you even start writing, get to know your target audience by talking to them directly on forums, blogs, and discussion boards. This may take a while and it may require a lot of time before you can get a clear idea about their needs and demands but I can guarantee you that it will worth it.

2. Write to inform and not to impress. By this, I simply mean avoid bragging your wide range of vocabulary and knowledge on other niches when writing your ebooks. Instead, focus on giving your readers the kind of information they need so you can give them great value for their money. Ensure that you communicate your knowledge using simple terms and that you stick to your main topic to avoid confusing your readers.

3. Think SEO. Search engine optimization can have a direct impact on your book sales. To ensure that your creations will fare well on relevant searches, you need to incorporate keywords on your book title. It is also important to use keywords on your sales letters and other content base marketing techniques so you can easily connect with your potential clients.

4. Be an expert. If you want your ebooks to sell like hotcakes online, you need to prove to your readers that you are very knowledgeable on your chosen niche and that you can offer them with the kind of information that they are looking for. It is very important that you know your chosen niche inside and out so always keep yourself posted on issues about your chosen industry.

5. Limit the number of your ads. Always remember that online users are buying ebooks mainly to get informed. They will surely not appreciate it if you present them with something that looks like yellow pages.

Ensure that your content outweighs the number of your ads to avoid annoying your readers.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing success, 'Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide'

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

Do you want to learn how to build a big online subscriber list fast? Click here: Secrets of List Building

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 9034 articles in print and 14 published ebooks.

Professional Writing - 5 Easy Tricks

by Angela Booth

New to professional writing? Writers learn many professional tricks over the years: use these five to boost your career.

1. Write Like You Speak: You're Communicating, Not "Writing"

Aim for simplicity and clarity. The more transparent your writing, the better. This means you should aim to write the way you speak: in a conversational tone. Even with formal writing, a conversational tone is best.

Not sure whether your tone is conversational? Read the document aloud, into a voice recorder. Replay it. The first few times you do this, you may not be certain you've achieved a real conversational tone, so read the document aloud to a friend, or send him the recording.

You should also avoid jargon, unless you're writing for an audience which expects it.

2. Just Say It: Cut the Verbiage

Say what you mean. Go through your document, and cut all adjectives and adverbs. You won't miss them.

Be alert for tautologies: saying the same thing twice. For example: "free gift" (a gift is, by definition, free), "on a daily basis" (just write "daily"), and "new innovation" (innovations are always new).

The more direct your writing, the better.

3. Spelling Counts, and So Does Your Grammar

Everyone makes the occasion typo; it's inevitable. However, in any documents which will be read by others, use spell check. Read important documents aloud; this often helps you to catch spelling and grammatical errors.

4. Build Your Vocabulary: Read More

A professional writer's trade is words, so all writers read constantly, both for their work, and for fun.

Not only does a reading habit help you to build your vocabulary, it also helps you to increase your knowledge. The more you know, the more you can apply your knowledge in your writing.

A wide knowledge helps you to get more, and more highly paid, writing jobs.

5. Use One Exclamation Mark Per 50 Pages

If there's one bad habit which screams amateur writer, it's the habit of using gratuitous exclamation marks -- "!". Please, if you're not writing a comic book, don't use exclamation marks at all.

Not only are exclamation marks rarely necessary, they distract the reader.

Here's a rule to follow: use one exclamation mark per 50 pages. Which is a veiled way of saying: never use them.

Use these five professional writing tricks to immediately increase your writing skill.

Want to make money writing? Discover how easy it is to make money as a Web writer with Angela Booth's "Sell Your Writing Online NOW" Training Program at http://sellwritingnow.com/Home/training.html The program is fun and profitable too. There's a full year of lessons and assignments:"Sell Your Writing Online NOW" helps you to earn while you learn, even as a brand new writer.

For free weekly writing information, subscribe to Angela's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine at http://www.freelancewritingezine.com/ and receive "Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report" immediately.

7 Proven Headlines Formulas That Remain Fresh

by Tracy Needham

You've got less than 10 seconds to convince someone to read your webpage or article--so your headline better be compelling. Forget clever--most people are too busy to read simply for the sake of curiosity these days. Making the "What's In It For Me?" obvious is usually the more successful (and easier!) way to go.

A Google search will turn up a myriad of headline formulas, but some have been done to death--especially in the internet marketing arena. So here are seven workhorses that can be used in almost any situation, but won't make the reader think "Have I read this before?"

How to...
"How to" is a classic headline that reels them in by promising to show the reader how to solve a problem or get a desired result. And the more specific you can be, the better.

• How to Sell to People Who Don't Want to Be Sold
• How to Start an Herb Garden on Your Window Sill

Ask a QuestionA headline that asks a question also provokes the reader's curiosity--IF you're asking a compelling question they want an answer to. Only ask a yes/no question if you're certain they'll say yes. Otherwise, you're giving them an easy reason not to read.

• Do You Make These Mistakes in English?
• Do You Struggle to Fall Asleep at Night?

# Ways to...
Essentially, this is a "how to" headline for a list of tips. "Steps" works as well if there's a sequence the reader should follow.

• 30 Ways to Get More Blog Subscribers
• 5 Steps to Improving Your Golf Swing

Testimonial
Let your clients do the talking for you! Using a testimonial from a happy client can also be an effective headline because it offers "social proof" that someone else thinks your product or service does what you promise. Put it in quotation marks to signify that it is a quote, and when possible, give the client's name in the opening paragraph.

• "At 60 Miles an Hour the Loudest Noise in This New Rolls-Royce Comes From the Electric Clock"
• "I woke up pain-free for the first time in 3 years, after my first visit to Dr. Relief"

If ...Then...
This one does double duty by identifying the target and/or the problem, and following up with the benefit. You don't always have to include "then," it can also be implied.

• If You're Stuffy and Congested Year Round, Then You Need To Ask Your Doctor About Non-Allergic Rhinitis
• If You're a Runner, You Can Run 10% Faster and Double Your Endurance By Next Week

Warning: ...
Warnings are always a big attention-getter. They work best if the copy that follows the colon mentions the mistake they may be making/about to make and conveys a sense of urgency.

• Warning: Don't Spend Another Dime on Pay-Per-Click Until You Read This
• Warning: If You're Still Using a Currency Marker to Check for Counterfeit Bills, You Could Get a Big Surprise with Your Next Deposit

Give Me... and I'll Give You...
About a year ago, I would have said this one may be overdone. But its popularity has fallen off and the tact of promising a clear benefit in a short amount of time is still quite powerful--especially when you're offering something where "I don't have time" is a common objection.

• Give Me 5 Minutes a Week and I'll Show You How to Get All the Clients You Can Handle
• Give Me 10 Minutes a Day and I'll Give You Six-Pack Abs Without Sit-Ups

Tracy Needham, founder of Compelling Communications, LLC, helps small business owners boost their business through compelling copy and marketing strategies that make the most of their time and money. Sign up for her FREE Special Report: The One Press Release You Can Write to Get Thousands of Dollars Worth of Free Publicity at http://www.compellingezine.com . (c) 2008 Tracy Needham

7 Techniques to Make Your Article More Useful to Readers

by Deepak Dutta

Whether you are writing articles for article directories or posts for your blog, your goal should be to make them useful to readers. But, most of the articles and blog posts are full of vague generalities and they contain a pile of words and sentences meant for search engine rankings only.

If you make your contents useful to readers and strategically use a few key words to make it search engine friendly, you will not only attract search engine traffic but also develop readers' loyalty who will promote your brand virally.

How do you make your article useful to readers? Use the 7 techniques discussed in this article to make an impact on your readers.

1. Use examples to elaborate your point. Without example the writing becomes an exercise in abstraction and many readers will not have a clue as to what you are trying to convey. You can either start with examples and than generalize message to an abstract concept or you can start with a general statement and elaborate it with examples.

If you are discussing several concepts, start with a simple example and build on the same example to illustrate all of your concepts. Switching to different examples for each of your concept, will leave the readers wondering how all the concepts you have discussed in your article relate to each other.

2. Use analogy, metaphor, and story. Analogies are very instructive and they provide insights to an unknown concept using a known concept. For example, you can explain back links by saying, 'a back link to your website is like a vote for your site. If you have more votes than your competitors, you win. More back links to your site means higher ranking in search engine results.'

Metaphors are also used to compare two different concepts but the words 'like' or 'as' are not used in metaphors. Our every day speech is full of metaphors, e.g. 'raining cats and dogs', 'old flame', etc. Use them to liven up your prose but be cautious. Improper use may sow confusion in the reader's mind.

If you have a personal story, use them to illustrate your point. Stories are very powerful in conveying a message. A Story resonances more in the minds of the readers than an abstract concept.

3. Enhance value by incorporating opinions. Bloggers often link to other articles and write a sentence or two to introduce a topic. While this is a good practice in letting your readers know what others are thinking in the related topics, you can enhance the value of the post by including your opinions and inviting others to post their own thoughts in the comment section.

4. Use Quotes from Authoritative Writings. You may already know about the value of using quotes from your college essay writing class. Quotes from authoritative figures help increase the value of your opinion and thoughts. You can proclaim that you are not the lonely person who has this crazy thought, but lots of respected people do agree with your insights.

5. Use illustrations and charts. You can use this technique in Squidoo lenses, Hubpages and in your own blog posts. This technique may not be possible for general article marketing sites because of the popular article directories don't allow images and videos in the article.

Some concepts are difficult to explain using words only. However, a simple illustration helps readers grasp the concept easily. Readers can also easily remember a chart than a few paragraphs of a blog post.

You don't have to be a graphic artist to create useful illustrations. Use MS PowerPoint or other free chart software to create your charts. Use screen captures when writing a 'how to article' about the use of software.

6. Write Pros and Cons. Most articles discuss only one side of a topic; either the writer is for or against it. Why no use both sides of the coin? Share your opinions about why it is good for your readers and what your readers should be cautious about while using or implementing the concept in your article.

7. Let your article sit for a day or two. Don't rush to submit your articles to all the article directories as soon as you finish writing it. Wait for a day or two and read the articles again to see if you can add or modify some thing to make it more useful to your readers.

Does your article provide any useful information to readers to make their life better? It does not always have to be materialistic gains for your readers. Even if you can share humor or inspiration with your readers using your prose, you have achieved your goal of providing value by your writing.

In the web information is cheap but valuable information is few and far between. If you do your part in making your readers happy, you will be recognized as an expert in your field and money will flow.

Post free classifieds and free ads for all your free online marketing needs using Deepak Dutta's online classified ads tools.

Writing for Local Businesses

by Nick Daws

Many writers concentrate all their efforts on trying to sell their work to national publishers and magazines. And yet, by doing so they are overlooking a huge potential market which is literally on their own doorstep.

There are many small and medium-sized businesses who at times would appreciate the help of a writer, yet have no idea how to go about finding one. Among the many items they might need assistance with are:

• Newspaper advertisements
• Brochures and leaflets
• Sales letters
• Website content
• Press/news releases
• Important letters

Bear in mind that the average small business owner may be very good at auto repairs, plumbing, interior design or whatever, but have limited writing skills. If there is someone local he (or she) can turn to, who is not going to charge a fortune, chances are he will be delighted to hire that person to take the work off his hands.

At this point you might ask why such a businessman would not simply go to an advertising agency for help. The answer is they could, but agencies are expensive, and because they make their money from commission on the advertising they place, most are not really interested in doing occasional work for small businesses.

This is the market niche which you, with your writing skills, can fill. I would suggest charging by the hour – maybe starting at around $25 an hour initially, perhaps increasing to $50 to $100 an hour or more as you become established. This will give you a reasonable rate of return for your efforts, but will still be a lot less than most agencies will charge (or professionals such as accountants and lawyers).

Here's just one example. A few months ago I was contacted by a man who runs a local second-hand car business (we met when I bought my current vehicle from him). His landlords wanted him to vacate the land he was using, which he had sub-contracted from a local garage. He felt this was unfair, and had drafted a letter explaining his objections and offering to pay an increased rent. In view of the letter’s importance he wanted a ‘professional’ to check it before he sent it. I edited the letter, correcting several spelling and grammatical mistakes, and re-typed it on good quality paper.

I charged him $50 for this, which he was happy to pay. I am pleased to report that the letter had the desired effect, and he is still successfully trading from the site in question!

Work can be obtained by advertising in local papers and via mail shots. You could also spend a day leafleting local businesses. Word-of-mouth is also a powerful sales medium, so if this type of writing appeals to you I recommend getting some business cards printed and handing them out to everyone you meet – the car mechanic, the gardener, the builder, even the dentist! It’s also worth trying local charities, schools, and so on. After all, if they don’t hire you, they might end up spending an awful lot more on an advertising agency.

On the other hand, advertising agencies (as well as marketing and PR agencies) can be markets for freelance writers as well. At one time I did a lot of work for a local one-man-and-his-dog advertising agency. The main in question was a talented graphic designer but did not really have a way with words (neither did his dog), so he used freelance writers when required.

You should be able to find information about local agencies in 'Yellow Pages' or whatever local business directories circulate in your country. Drop them a line introducing yourself (preferably with one or two examples of your work) and ask if they would be interested in using your services. If you're brave enough, follow up the letter with a phone call a few days later.

Another tip is to make friends with your local printer. Printers regularly deal with small businessmen and women, and will often be willing to refer requests for writing help your way (especially if you bring them work in exchange). Ask if you can leave a supply of your business cards on their counter.

And finally, don't forget to try your local newspaper. Often nowadays they have only a skeleton staff of reporters, and many rely on freelances to supply news and gossip to help fill their pages. You won't get paid a fortune for this work - though you should certainly be paid something - but it can be good fun, and a way of raising your profile in your local community.

This article is based on a section from Module 11 of Quick Cash Writing, the brand new course by UK freelance writer Nick Daws on making money from shorter writing projects. For further details, including any current special offers, check out http://www.quickcashwriting.com/

Nick Daws is a best-selling author living in Staffordshire, England.
You can discover his exciting course “How to Write Any Book in 28 Days – OR LESS!” online at http://www.writequickly.com/

Easy SEO Article Writing Basics For You

by Angela Booth

Are you writing articles for the Web? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is fundamental -- here are four tips which will help you to learn this skill.

Firstly, let's look at why SEO is important: SEO helps your articles to be found. People looking for information use the Web search engines, which are basically indexing software.

Therefore, you need to include the search terms -- the keywords -- for which people are searching in your articles to ensure that the articles are found.

1. Choose Your Primary Keyword With Care

If you're writing Web articles for a buyer, you'll usually be given a set of keywords to target (include) in your articles.

But what if you're writing articles for yourself? In this case, you need to create your own keyword list. For each article, choose a primary keyword. (Only one.) You'll include this keyword in the article title, as well as in the first paragraph of the article.

You can also choose a secondary keyword if you wish. However, once you've chosen your primary keyword, just focus on writing an excellent article.

2. Write an Excellent Article -- Be Original

You must also remember your article's readers. So your article must not only be original, it should also provide useful information. While keywords are a primary tool of SEO, links are equally important. An article will only be linked to from other sites and blogs if the information is great.

Strive to make your articles "linkworthy". The more links any article collects, the more likely it is to be found by searchers.

3. Avoid Keyword Stuffing

As a Web writer, you'll often work with buyers of your writing who are unfamiliar with the Web, and they may use terms like "keyword density".

Years ago, when the search engines were less powerful than they are now, having keywords appear several times in an article was important. Nowadays, repeating keywords is more likely to get an article labelled as Web spam. Using a keyword too often is known as "keyword stuffing": avoid it.

Use keywords naturally -- once you've placed a keyword in an article title, and again in the first paragraph, it's not necessary to repeat it again, unless you're doing it naturally in the flow of writing.

4. Great Keywords Lead to Great Articles: Keyword Ideas

Because keywords are so essential to ensuring that content is found on the Web, it's vital to use those search terms which are used by Web searchers. Often they're keywords you wouldn't use yourself.

Therefore, when you're writing articles for others, ask to see customers' communications and questions, and also any lists the buyer has of search terms from the site's Web logs.

These sources will often give you great keyword ideas for articles, and the better your keywords, the more effective your articles will be.

Want to make a great income from your writing? Angela Booth's "Sell Your Writing Online NOW" Training Program at http://sellwritingnow.com/Home/training.html gives you all the skills you need to make great money writing for the Web. A subscriber recently said: "Your training has inspired me - I'm on Lesson 14, and I'm making enough money to quit my day job."

For free weekly writing information sent to your Inbox, subscribe to Angela's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine at http://www.freelancewritingezine.com/ and receive "Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report" immediately.

The Solitary Mindset That Might Be Holding You Back

by Lucia Zimmitti

Honestly assessing your writing temperament can help you be more productive; you'll learn to work with your natural strengths and navigate around the spots that give you trouble. We continue in our exploration of the most common types of temperaments (and you may see yourself in more than one) with a look at "The Island." The others (discussed in separate articles) are:

-Sir Starts-a-lot

-The Perfectionist

-Fool for a Deadline

-The Tofu Artist (a.k.a. The Feedback-Dependent Writer)

Writing temperament: THE ISLAND

Writers need other writers. Trust me: there's nothing like the support of fellow writers to keep you going. But even beyond that, writers need other people - they need first readers, people to offer them feedback before the manuscript ends up on a editor's desk. The Island type of writer doesn't believe that and never passes off the work to anyone else for review.

Among Islands, there are two subsets:

a) The Over-Confident Island The first type of Island doesn't bother sharing his work with others because he "knows they just won't get it." You may be picking up a note of disdain in that statement (and you'd be right). He often believes the failure to connect with his work is the fault of the reader's stupidity and not in any flaws in his writing. Of course what the over-confident Island fails to remember is that editors and agents are readers, too, and they won't slog through something that the Island's bowling league or critique group won't.

Even though it manifests as over-confidence (and sometimes that's exactly what it is), this "They just don't get it" attitude might be a defense mechanism that protects a deep vulnerability. Whatever the root cause, the Island hampers his chances for breaking into print when he rejects the perspective of others and overnights his manuscript directly from his palm-treed acre to a New York publishing house. We're all too close to our work to see it objectively. That's where others come in.

For confidence to work for the writer, it must be balanced with humility, which allows for an openness and willingness to learn, to listen, to grow.

b) The Fearful Island (a.k.a. The Under-Confident Island or the Overly-Humble Island) This Island subset doesn't keep her work close because she mistrusts others' abilities -- she doesn't have faith in her own. She's driven to write, often she really enjoys writing, and she dreams about holding her very own published book in her hands. But when it comes time to push her words off the safety of her island, she balks.

She doesn't think her work is good enough, and unlike the perfectionist who labors in the hope that it will feel done at some point, the fearful Island isn't so sure any of her efforts will transform her work into something dazzling. And so she finishes it and keeps it locked away. And finishes something else and locks that up, too. She blushes and changes the subject when someone asks her about her writing "hobby." If someone asks to see something she's written, she drops the Martini tray she's holding, oblivious to the little toothpicked-olives bouncing along the parquet floor.

The sad thing: there are heaps of Fearful Islands out there, which means there are brilliant works out there, doomed to locked drawers, that we'll never get to explore and enjoy.

Take heart: Like all of these temperament classifications, the Fearful Island is a mindset, and mindsets can be changed. You can consciously change the way you think. It takes work and commitment and persistence, but it's quite doable when the will accompanies it.

If your goal is publication (and it is for all the writers I work with), you must balance humility with a healthy dose of confidence.

Benefit: For either Island type, you are spared rejection, spared the discomfort of a lukewarm reception of your work. You will never hear the sting of, "Huh. That just didn't work for me. What were you shooting for?" (Although we often need to hear that, it hurts -- no matter how tactfully the message is sent.)

Cost: You know you can't get published unless you throw your manuscript in the ring. But it's also true that you can't get better unless you revise, and you can't revise fully and meaningfully unless you get outside feedback. That's one of writing's immutable laws. And although rules can often be broken with success, not that one.

And remember: If writing is important to you (second only to a select group of humans), you can succeed with the right attitude, no matter what writing temperament you are.

To discover other ways to make your writing habit more efficient, satisfying and fun, visit http://ManuscriptRx.com and sign up for "Write Through It," the FREE monthly newsletter that offers practical writing advice and anecdotal wisdom.

Lucia Zimmitti, a writing coach and independent editor, is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and the Editorial Freelancers Association. Her fiction and poetry have been published in various national literary journals, and she has taught writing at the high school and college levels.

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3 Residual Income Streams For Freelance Writers

by Jennifer Mattern

Residual income streams help a freelance writers diversify revenue sources - the more income sources, the more secure someone's writing career really is if they should lose one of them. Here are three examples of residual income streams that are ideal for freelance Web writers in building extra income:
Examples of Residual Income Streams for Web Writers

• E-books - E-books are a wonderful residual income stream to help freelance writers make money online outside of their client work. The e-book generally only has to be written once, and can be of any length. They set the price, and the work after that is simply a matter of marketing (or having affiliates do the bulk of the marketing for them). E-books can continue to bring in income as long as the subject matter is valid to the audience. E-books do need to be marketed to continue bringing in sales, just like in our book example.
  
  
• Blogs and Content Sites - Advertising can also be a form of residual income (think of a private banner ad sale at $25 per month as an example - the writer owning the site knows what to expect each month as extra income while that account is live). Blogs can take significantly more time to monetize successfully than more static content sites, because you have to continually update them to keep readers (small static sites, on the other hand, might be a small collection of deep niche articles specifically targeting search engine traffic and converting that to income with contextual advertising). Both involve marketing work.
  
  
• Reprint Rights- If you run a successful authority site or blog of your own, chances are that other sites would love to use some of your content. Consider charging small reprint fees for your best work (if you're willing to let it be published elsewhere as all). In this case you don't even really need to actively market them. Just include a link with details below each article on the site with your reprint prices and information.

There are plenty of other residual income stream options out there for freelance writers. In many cases, the basic idea is to think about how you can turn your service into products that can be sold again and again. Make your own list of potential residual income streams, find one that appeals to you, and add it to your income mix to enjoy a little extra security as a writer. Residual income gives you back more control in your own freelance writing career.

Jennifer Mattern is a freelance business writer / Web content writer, blogger, and author of the Web Writer's Guide to Launching a Successful Freelance Web Writing Career e-book. The e-book is designed to help new freelance Web writers launch their online career, set their writing rates, build a portfolio, build a network, and learn how to effective marketing their services to bring in new clients.

Find out more at the Web Writer's Guide blog at WebWritersGuide.com

Write 30 Articles in 30 Days Challenge

Christopher Knight, publisher of EzineArticles.com, is calling for writers who are ready to take the 30 Articles in 30 Days Challenge.

Here's what's going to happen:

• You write and submit to EzineArticles 30 articles this November.
• Christopher Knight will coach you every day this month via Twitter giving you:
  
  
  • Writing tips
  • Time savings strategies
  • Article title tips
  • How to write compelling copy
  • Keyword & keyphrase research
  • Resource Box tricks to improve CTR
  • How to leverage the tools we already provide you to get the highest return from all of your article writing & marketing activities.

You won't get any monetary prize, but if you finish this challenge, you are sure to get good traffic for your website and be armed with skills taught by a pro. Ready? Take the challenge.

Workshop: The 5 Life Stories You Need To Write NOW

I Will Remember You

By Aileen Santos

It was November 2005 when I met Leonard. I was conducting a story writing workshop for a group of call center agents, and he was one of the participants.

Leonard had that kind of "good boy look" that easily turned acquaintances into friends; in fact, he was the one who'd recruited the most number of friends to join the workshop with him.

"So you're a Protector." I told him, after the Discover Your Enneagram Type portion of the workshop. The activity helped them identify their unique "heroic" qualities, so they could give those qualities to the lead characters in their stories.

"That's true!" his best friend said. "He's very protective of his friends. And he adores his family. He's especially close to his mom."

Leonard just smiled, the slight hint of a dimple showing briefly on his right cheek.

One week later we returned to their office for the second & last session of the workshop – and met a hushed room of people. Leonard's best friend walked up to us, and in a breaking voice he said: "We just came from the wake. It's Leonard. He's gone."

Just like that.

Leonard had been killed the day right after our first session. He was about to visit a friend, got held up, and died from multiple stab wounds to his chest.

One Saturday he'd entered our workshop doors wanting to write down the stories of his life; the next day his life was over, and in his pain the last person he called out to was "Mommy."

"We decided to attend today…" his friend continued, "Because that's what Leonard would've wanted."

Who's going to write Leonard's stories now? I wanted to ask. But I didn't ask it out loud, because I knew everyone was thinking the same difficult question.

And we all knew that the answer would only make us feel worse.

Your Life Is The Sum Of All Your Stories
And The Only One Who Knows Your Stories Is You

Leonard taught us that day that we shouldn't wait for someday to tell our stories; most of us don't know enough about our future to know when it's too late.

My friend's mom, for example, has been suffering from a progressive form of memory loss for about a year now. While they take turns in caring for her, she says the hardest part is watching her dad quietly suffer, knowing that he no longer has anyone to talk to and remember his life's memories with.

Recently I discovered this book called I Love You, Ronnie, where Nancy Reagan shares the precious notes and letters her husband wrote her throughout the years of their marriage, before Alzheimer's took his memories of those same years away.

"One of the things life has taught me," writes Nancy, "Is how important it is to try to say 'I love you' in ways that can be preserved, looked at, and read when you are alone or when there is adversity or when circumstances bring separation.

"…(His) letters took me back in time, to the different moments of the life that Ronnie and I have shared for almost fifty years. And, once more, they brought Ronnie back to me, in his own words."

Maybe you're not the kind of letter writer that Ronald Reagan was. Maybe you're not even the type who's comfortable about baring your soul in such a direct form as a letter.

But what if you could pick five important stories from your life, and you could learn to write them down & share them in just a few weekends?

And what if you learned to write them in ways that would bring back all the memories & clearly communicate the essence of who you are – without the awkwardness of going into too much personal emotion or detail?

The 5 Life Stories You Need To Write Now

For five consecutive Friday nights this November and December, Pinoywriters & Powerbooks will conduct a 5-part workshop to help you celebrate these important stories of your life, and capture them permanently on the page in different story formats.

Called the 5 Life Stories You Need To Write, it's a creative writing & self discovery journey that will help you:

□ turn your Success Story into a fairy-tale-like Heroic Journey on November 14.

□ share the lessons you learned from Failure & Perseverance with the Parable on November 21

□ say what you know about Love through the Modern Short Story on November 28

□ celebrate insights from your experience of Pain through the Fable on December 5

□ and share your discovery of Who You Are with the Video Script on December 12.

All sessions are held on Fridays at Powerbooks Live! in Greenbelt, Makati from 6:30pm to 9:00pm (telephone numbers 631-2751 and 631-5939).

You can choose to enroll in individual sessions for P1,000 each, or register for all the 5 sessions for just P4,000 (can be paid in 2 installments, but you MUST reserve your slot on or before 6:00pm of November 14). Enrollments are accepted at all Metro Manila branches of Powerbooks; just inquire at Customer Service.

Both enrollment options include a complete writing & scrapbooking kit and light snacks.

By the end of the workshop you would've produced a creative compilation of your personal stories, ready to photocopy and give away as an inspiringly memorable Christmas gift: the gift of yourself.

Honor Your Stories. Celebrate Your Life.

So many things can happen in each person's life at any given time.

But majority of these "so many things" are eventually forgotten. And once you forget, no one else will be able to do the remembering for you. They're your memories, after all.

This workshop we're offering is our own way of celebrating the life of Leonard Montillano – 20 years old, a beloved friend to so many people, a much-missed youngest son and brother – who we met for one brief moment, and who we lost the day after.

We dedicate this workshop in his memory, because he was about to write down his life's stories... and one day later it was already too late.

Leonard, we do remember you. ©

--

Aileen Santos is a psychologist, creativity coach, and self discovery workshop facilitator. She also used to be a short story writer, magazine editor, and television scriptwriter. Her personal website is at www.aileensantos.com

5 Simple Keys to Writing Articles That Get Clicked

by Janet B Cole

If you are a newbie to article writing, you will probably find it difficult initially to create articles that get clicked time and time again, but it's not that difficult to learn the techniques required to create articles that others want to read.

Most surfers are looking for an answer to their queries. They type in a keyword or keyword phrase into the browser and hope that the results that come up will answer their important queries. So it is very important that you construct your articles in such a way that readers will want to click and digest the information within your article.

So what I suggest you do in your efforts to create articles that get clicked are the following:

1. Brainstorm an idea for your topic. This step could probably stop you right in your tracks because there's so much that you can talk about, especially related to your particular niche. But what you should do is write a title or a set of titles or write a topic or set of topics about which you can create a 400-word article. If the topic revolves around the query that a lot of surfers have in your particular niche, then that's all the better. To give you some breathing space, think of the one question that people in your particular niche ask the most, and that is a topic you should write about in your article.

2. Draft a compelling title. You do not have to draft a title that you will use now, just draft a title that will conjure up the content of your article. If you could use some numerical information, all the better, such as "The Best 3 Ways to..." or "The top Three ways to.."

Those type of titles are magical and work wonders. But don't forget when you begin to write your article, the content of your article must be reflected in the title.

3. The content. If you have indeed used the numerical example given above, then begin to write the keys now. For instance, the top three ways, write down the three ways to achieve your particular objectives. Content written in list form or bulleted point form is very popular. Make a list of the items you wish to discuss in your article. Now, don't get carried away. This is a short article, and you need to be aware of the word count.

4. After you've completed the content of your article, you need to write an introduction and a closing paragraph. The introduction need not be more than two or three sentences, and this can just introduce the reader to what you intend to write about. And similarly, the conclusion, again, can be one or two sentences, and all that need do is to summarize what you have just said in the main content of the article.

5. Now, what you need to do is take a break. Put aside your article for at least a couple of hours without reading or going over. After your break, come back and read your article with fresh eyes. This is the time to also edit and improve your article if necessary.

Do you want to learn more about article writing to build your list?

Download my free ebook here: Secrets to Article Promotion

Janet B Cole is a powerful coach and online mentor. She has over 400 articles in print and has published several ebooks.

How to Easily Find Freelance Writing Jobs in a Recession

by Yuwanda Black

Have you ever wondered, "Where are all the freelance writing jobs?" Have you ever sent off questions to successful freelance writers, asking something along the lines of:

"I just can't seem to land any gigs right now. What could I be doing wrong?" Or,

"I've sent out so many queries but I haven't heard anything. Am I doing something wrong?" Or,

"Do you have any advice on what I can do to get some work? I'm just not having any luck."

The list goes on.

Yes, the Economy Sucks! But, It Can Be to Your Advantage

We're probably in a recession right now, no matter what the official definition is. But, this can be to your advantage. One of the best things about being a freelance writer is that it is a career that thrives - no matter what he economy at large is doing.

Why is this? Basically because we live in the age of information. Every day, online searches are conducted. What are people searching for? Information. Luckily as a freelance writer, that's YOU! No matter what is happening in the world, it needs to be written about. So, how can you capitalize on the lean times right now? Following are two tips.

2 Ways to Capitalize on the Recession as a Freelance Writer

1. Change Your Mindset: Many freelance writers till think of themselves as, well, freelance writers. A better way to think of yourself is as an information provider. Why is this important?

Because information is where it all begins. Email campaigns, newsletters, web content, blog postings, social media marketing, etc. It is all information. Information that has to be written by someone - preferably you.

Once you start viewing yourself like this, you unclog that mental blog of a "freelance writer looking for work" to an "information provider that can help businesses compete."

In spite of these economic times, commerce goes on. And, luckily for freelance writers - especially those interested in online writing jobs - many companies are pouring more and more of their ad budgets into online marketing because traditional media is just too expensive. Proof?

A survey of 600 marketing professionals were asked how the current economy is affecting their marketing decisions. They responded in the article, Marketers Plan to Cut Budgets, Increase Online Spend. Their responses were summed up as follows:

"MarketingProfs has observed that online marketing is also turning into a venue where marketers can stretch their dollar while accurately targeting leads and customers. 60% of all marketers surveyed stressed that they would be increasing their online budgets while 85% would be reducing their use of traditional marketing vehicles." [Source: MarketingPilgrim, online at MarketingPilgrim dot com]

This presents a wealth of opportunities for freelance writers in the form of web content, SEO articles, blog posts, email marketing campaigns, etc.

When you change your mindset from freelance writer to mindset, there's one more thing you need to do - capitalize on hot trends.

2. Recognize and Capitalize on Trends: This is easy to do. Simply watch the news and read major newspapers (online or off). What are some hot topics in the news right now that you can think of?

Some right off the top of my head are foreclosures, bank failures, green (as in environmentally friendly) topics, etc. You can capitalize on all of these by offering content to websites, newsletter publishers, magazines and blogs that specialize in these niches.

For more "hot" freelance writing niches, get the 2008-2009 Freelance
Writing Jobs Report . It's an in-depth analysis of all the sectors that present a wealth of freelance writing opportunities - now and for the next couple of years.

It also offers advice on how to recession-proof your freelance writing career, as well as some ideas for creating your own information products to sell.

You don't have to look hard to find freelance writing jobs, you just have to "look smart!"

Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com : The Authority Site on How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career. Site features freelance success stories, e-courses, ebooks, marketing advice and more! Want to make money online today as a freelance writer? The e-report How to Make $100/Day or More as a Freelance Writer! tells you how.

How Can Writers Survive the Global Economic Crisis?

by Nick Daws

The world seems to be in a topsy-turvy state right now, with banks folding left, right and center, or else being propped up awkwardly by national governments.

The knock-on effects of the 'credit crunch' are hard to predict, but one thing that's for sure is that sadly many more jobs are going to be lost in the coming months.

I'm no economist, but I'd like to offer my two cents worth here on how writers can best survive and even prosper in these difficult times. In particular, I'd like to offer two pieces of practical advice...

The first is to diversify. In times of recession (which is where the world seems to be headed right now) no business is safe. And in the publishing world, many are already feeling the pinch as people cut back on 'luxuries' such as books.

So it must make sense to have a variety of sources of income. If books are your main writing interest, then, consider trying your hand at articles and short stories as well. Conversely, if you're mainly an article writer, why not look at other options as well, e.g. writing an e-book and selling it on the Internet?

In my view, every writer should have a broad portfolio of projects. This might, for example, include books, articles, short stories, Internet writing, comedy writing, TV scriptwriting, advertising copywriting, and so on. That way, if a particular market vanishes or a regular client goes to the wall, you still have plenty of other irons in the fire.

And, of course, there is no reason why you can't have some non-writing-related sidelines as well. When I started out as a full-time freelance writer, many moons ago, I also sold copyright-free artwork packs by mail order. That business eventually died as electronic clip-art became the norm, but in my early days I was very grateful for the extra income it generated. Nowadays, the Internet offers lots of potential sideline-earning opportunities -- just check out some of the 'home-based business' articles on EzineArticles.com, for example.

Moving on, my second piece of advice is to invest in the best and safest repository available -- yourself!

In uncertain times, you need to build up your palette of skills, to increase your employability (if you're seeking a job) or offer a wider range of services (if you work for yourself). Learning new skills can also provide a means for earning extra cash in its own right.

So it's important to invest some time -- and, yes, money as well -- in developing your skills. A writer seeking to diversify might want to build (or improve) their skills in other areas of writing, such as comedy writing, self-publishing, TV or movie scriptwriting, copywriting, travel writing, and so on.

It's also worth developing skills in related areas, e.g. HTML and website design. These days I do a lot of work writing content for company websites. While I'm never going to be an expert web designer, I know enough HTML to insert formatting codes, repair broken hyperlinks, and so on. Allying this with my writing skills has helped to generate a lot of extra work for me. There are courses you can take at many local colleges, or by distance learning, or online. One free resource for learning HTML I recommend is PageTutor at http://www.pagetutor.com

But whatever method you choose, the returns from this 'investing in yourself' can be far greater than any stock market investment, and far less risky. I believe the twin methods of diversifying and investing in yourself should be at the heart of every writer's strategy for surviving the current economic crisis.

Nick Daws is a full-time, UK-based freelance writer. As well as over 80 non-fiction books, he is the author of the top-selling courses Write Any Book in Under 28 Days and Quick Cash Writing. Visit his freelance writing blog at http://www.mywritingblog.com

Write Based on Your Passion, Not Obligation

by Dominic Tay

As article marketers, there is always a need for us to write fresh content. The trouble is that more than often, we 'run' out of steam. Have it ever happened to you?

Most article writers I know make the mistake of writing articles based on the market needs, not on their personal passion. This is what I term, writing on obligation. The problem with this approach is soon enough, you'll find yourself running out of steam and giving up writing altogether.

Of course with that said, it does not mean you should ignore the needs of the market and write what you want to write. You must also consider writing articles that people wants to read. Know what I mean?

The bottom line is to strike a balance between your passion and 'obligation'.

You see, when you are passionate about your topic, you can talk about it endlessly with your friends. Ideas come easily and quickly and in less than an hour, you'll probably churn out twice more articles than you usually can do in one sitting.

I've never heard of people becoming successful writing books, articles or magazines they do not have an interest in.

When you write an article based on obligation, your readers can tell the difference. You sound incongruent - that you're saying something that contradicts your previous points - you give merely sufficient examples just to stuff up your articles. All these subconscious signs you send out through writing your article by force keeps your readers away.

Research the 'hot' topics in your industry and write on those that interests you the most. The key is to enjoy what you write and write what you enjoy. Only then can you give your best in writing your articles and giving the most value to your readers.

In fact, this is one of my keys to writing articles. Promise yourself never to write another article unless you enjoy writing it. Only then will you last long enough to see the results from your article marketing journey.

Like what you read? Listen. I've compiled a report, Three-Step Article Marketing Secret Blueprint, specially for my valued visitors (You). You won't get this guide anywhere else. Download the Three-Step Article Marketing Secret Blueprint Report (it's free!) at http://www.autosubmitarticlemachine.com

5 Steps to Write Fast and Make Money Faster

by Angela Booth

Want to make great money writing articles? You can. In this article we'll discuss five steps to increasing your income by writing fast.

Firstly, let's discuss why articles are such money spinners online. Everyone wants articles. Why? That's simple. Article are content and content brings traffic to a Web site. The more traffic, the more sales. So in a nutshell, articles spell money.

You can write articles for others, and you can write them to promote your own services and products too. While successful Web writers love articles and consider them money for jam, many writers flag. They get stuck, because they get lost. They don't have a process.

The following process will help you to write fast.

1. Pick Your Audience

Everything starts with an audience and with what that audience needs. It's easy to discover audiences online: just check any of the keyword tools, and assess the number of searches for a particular keyword.

For example, when I checked the "dog grooming" keyword, I discovered that in August 2008 there were around 250,000 searches. That's a large audience, and one it's well worth writing for.

So I know that writing "dog grooming" articles will be profitable.

2. Plan Your Articles - Who's Looking for What?

Once you've found your starter keyword, your keyword tool will show you what people search for in that topic. In dog grooming, for example, people search for:

* Dog grooming equipment

* Mobile dog grooming

* Dog grooming tips

Each of the above keywords has a good number of searches, and I could write several articles on each keyword.

Just by checking a keyword, not only have I discovered an article topic which will sell, I've also discovered what I need to write about.

3. Outline Your Articles in a Batch

Once I've discovered what to write about, I write five to 10 article titles. Under each title, I make a list of what I want to cover in that article. That's my outline - a simple list.

4. Focus - Close Your Office Door and Use a Timer

I usually outline my articles on one day, and write them on another day. Once I'm ready to write, I close my office door.

Now it's just a matter of writing fast. I'm not concerned about word choice or grammar, I just want to get those articles done in rough draft form. Once they're on the computer screen, I can tinker with them.

5. Revise Your Articles and Check Your Spelling

The next and final step is to revise the articles.

Firstly I revise for information and logic. Are the articles useful? Do they contain good information? If they don't I add information.

Finally, I revise for word choice, spelling and grammar.

The result? Great articles which are profitable, and which were fast and easy to write.

Discover how to make money online today with Angela Booth's Sell Your Writing Online NOW at http://sellwritingnow.com/Home/training.html You'll learn how to write and sell articles, blogs, ebooks and Web sites for profit, and you'll get complete training in how the Web works, so you can take advantage of the unlimited opportunities.

For free weekly writing information sent to your Inbox, subscribe to Angela's Fab Freelance Writing Ezine at http://fabfreelancewriting.com/ezine/fab-freelance-writing-ezine.html and receive "Write And Sell Your Writing: The Power-Write Report" immediately.

7 Tips For Finding Time To Write Every Day

by Connie Ragen Green

Many people would like to write articles but they believe they just do not have enough time. If you work at a full time job, commute to and from this job five days a week, and have a family to care for you may be finding it almost impossible to make any time for writing. I was experiencing this until I figured out these 7 tips for finding time to write every day.

1. Carry a letter size spiral notebook with you at all times. I have two of them – one that I keep in my car and the other that I keep with me at all times. I use the ones that have a straight edge when I tear the paper out instead of having little pieces of paper all over. I also use the college rule lines instead of narrow rule so that I have lots of space to add words or sentences.
2. When you have an idea, write it down immediately. If I am driving I pull the car over as soon as it is safe to do so. That way you won’t ever forget something that could turn into a good article later. I write down as much as I can so that I can go back later and write more details.
3. Make a schedule for when you are going to write. For a time I was leaving my house at 5:30 every morning to drive almost an hour to work. I started leaving at 5:15 instead and was able to beat most of the traffic. That way I would arrive early to my job. Instead of going inside early I would park my car down the street and take out my notebook. I wrote for thirty minutes each morning. When I went inside to my job I felt like I had already accomplished something that was important to me. You may be able to write for a period of time early in the morning at your house. Maybe writing later in the evening works best for you. Whenever the time is, make it part of your schedule and set goals for yourself. I like to write one article every day, five days a week. In the beginning you may set a goal of writing one article each week. Break it down into parts. Perhaps you will make notes about what you will write on the first day, write two paragraphs the next day, and so on, until your article is finished.
4. Wait until your article is finished before you give it a title. When you are first writing your articles will tend to get off track. By waiting until the end to give it a title you won’t be constantly working to get back to your original article idea. If your article ends up a little different from what you originally envisioned it is alright. Finishing the article is the most important thing to focus on in the beginning.
5. Remember that writing becomes faster and easier as time goes on. If you set goals for yourself, stick to them, write every day, and let the writing just flow you will be able to write an article more easily than you ever imagined. The quality of your writing will also improve over time.
6. Read other articles in the niche area that you have chosen for yourself. By reading other, related writings you will spark ideas that you will want to write about. There may be areas within your niche that you had not even thought about writing about in your articles.
7. Celebrate your accomplishments! Tell your friends and family what you are writing about, when you finish an article, when you submit an article and when you have an article accepted. They will come to think of you as an author and feel like you have included them in the process.

About 85% of those who write articles never write more than 10 of them. Be part of the 15% who have disciplined themselves to take the time to write each day. After you get going for a few weeks and see what can be accomplished you will be happy that you made the time.

Connie Ragen Green is a writer and speaker living in southern California. Visit her athttp://www.SmallBusinessUnMarketing.com

3 Greats Tips to Put Personality Into Your Writing

By Steven Wagenheim

Why does every article I read have to be so darn bland and boring? If I want plain regurgitated facts, I'll go turn on the evening news and be bored to death. Look, just because you're writing an article on some terrible disease doesn't mean it has to be as dry as a 10 day old turkey sandwich. Well, if you're struggling with putting some personality into your article writing, these tips should help you greatly. Please make a note of them so I don't have to read anymore bland and boring articles.

Tip number 1. Tell a story. Hey look, I don't care what you're writing about. If it's something that you're familiar with, you MUST have some kind of story to relate to it. For example, maybe you're writing about breast cancer. Well, certainly you must have known somebody in your life who has had breast cancer. Maybe you went to a breast cancer rally or walk. We don't live in bubbles. Everything we write about, if we're writing about something close to us, has a story connected to it in some way. All you have to do is find it and relay it.

Tip number 2. Associate a related fact or opinion. Look. everything you write about has some opinion tied to it. Some of the opinions are pretty close to fact, though some might argue that. Fine, but everybody has opinions. Certainly you have yours. Okay, let's take that same topic of breast cancer. Maybe you've just written about how often they say to have an examination. Certainly you must have an opinion on that, either for or against. Express it. People want to know what YOU think. They can read facts anywhere. Give them something more.

Tip number 3. Think of a more interesting way to say something. We get lazy when we write. We use the same words over and over again. We sometimes even bore ourselves. Well, why not get out a thesaurus and look up some substitutions? It's never too late to expand your vocabulary. The more words you learn, the more colorful your writing becomes. That's why a first grader is never going to write like Hemingway. He just doesn't have the vocabulary yet.

Put these three tips into practice and you'll be putting more personality into YOUR writing.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Want to write articles that get people's attention and can earn you up to $200 per article written? Then check out my Complete Article Writing And Marketing Guide that you can find at http://www.honestincomeprogram.com/tcawamg.html - This is my own book that I wrote from over 30 years of writing experience.

Effective Editing: It Spells the Difference!

by Lizzie R. Santos

If you think proofreading equals editing, then you're wrong! Editing is a lot more than just scrutinizing your manuscript for misspelled words or missing punctuation marks.

As a whole:

• Edit only *after* you've written the *whole* piece. If you stop to edit after every paragraph or sentence, you will disrupt the flow of your thoughts.
• It is better to take a break before starting to edit a long manuscript so you'll have a fresh perspective.
• Revise only *hard copy* especially if your manuscript is quite long. Revising from a monitor is confusing.
• Verify the spelling of names, figures, dates, and addresses. These are the most murdered items in manuscripts!
• Be sure of what you put between those quotation marks! Otherwise, rephrase the line and omit the quotation marks.
• Did you follow the writer guidelines? e.g., number of words required, font/font size specified, spacing, margins...

Edit your content:

• Be sure that you did not stray from your topic. Are your paragraphs coherent?
• Did you fulfill your purpose for writing that piece? Is your entertainment feature article entertaining enough? Did your personality sketch bring out your subject's unique and distinct qualities?
• If necessary, did you provide enough supporting data (graphs, charts, figures) for your piece?
• If applicable, did your article answer the 5 Ws and H? Who, what, why, were, when and how.

Edit for tightness:

• Remove redundant and useless words.
• What about diction? Did you use the right word to express what you mean? For example, 'He stared at her' is more intense than 'He looked at her.' 'Devour' is not the same as 'eat.'
• Did you vary the length of your sentences? Combining long with short sentences makes your article easier and more natural to read.
• Did you check that the body of your article is longer than the introduction (lead)? Some writers get carried way. They focus on an effective lead to hook the readers but neglect the body of the article!

What about tone and style?

• Does your work reflect your writing style or does it sound like a copied work?
• Did you use the active voice? Are you consistent with the point of view you used?
• Do your title and the words you used match the tone of your piece?

Copyright © 2005 Lizzie R. Santos

About Lizzie: Lizzie writes features, literary pieces, radio and comics scripts, and school supplemental reading materials. She is the author of two print books. Her e-book, Appetizers for Creative Writers: A Workbook for Writers, is published by iMusePub.com and it's at http://imusepub.com/lrsantos-1.php

The Writing Life: Tips for Dealing with Procrastination

by JJ Murphy

I know something's up when I'd rather do laundry than write.

Another more subtle sign of procrastination is when I conduct endless research, but never write a rough draft. I'm in trouble when I'm hunting in the refrigerator after every sentence.

But what can I do about it? Here are a few ideas that have helped me negotiate this rough terrain in my writing life:

1. Define your most productive times. I write best first thing in the morning. Nothing has happened to distract me from my thoughts. This is the best time for me to free write, review materials I wrote several days ago, or proofread. Another good time for me is when I'm hiking or when I take a break after a 45 minute hike to a pleasant sit spot.

2. Assess your writing environment. I write best when there is natural light. At night I need correctly placed light. Shadows or glare are distracting obstacles that contribute to procrastination.

3. Remove distractions. I have a place where I can sit and write regardless of the weather. I like being outside better, but when I need research and support materials, my library and the Internet are important. If music is playing, it has to be something that is not intrusive. TV or videos are deadly. Turn off the TV - even the Weather Channel. The difference is amazing. If you do not have a room, office or a space all your own, dedicate a corner of a room or a quiet place in the library where you do nothing but write.

4. Write everything down. Freewriting, brainstorming, lists, outlines, organic notes (those diagrams with spokes) - whatever floats into your head - write it down. Worry about organizing later. The idea is to fill up the page with words. If you have to start with "I hate this, it's dumb, I can't think of where to begin..." - do that. The more words that turn up on the page, the greater the chance that some of them get to the heart of what you want to say. If your hand cramps, talk into your voicemail or consider purchasing voice recognition software.

5. Take baby steps. I recently set a goal to publish a writing-related article once a week. That would be scary, but I have broken the task down into baby steps. I established a list of topics that I can add to whenever I think of something. If an idea grabs me, then I'll write down what I'm feeling, thinking, learning or any other comment. I may have written about this topic before. Eventually I will have enough notes to begin a freewrite, which often turns into a rough draft. That is often enough to keep my momentum going through the rest of the writing process.

6. Write the easiest parts first. If I am stuck for a beginning, I write a middle. If I have a conclusion or strong opinion, I write that first. Sometimes a little push is enough to set the process back in motion.

7. Reward your small victories. If I have been writing for 15 minutes to an hour, I take a well-deserved break. It soothes my eyes to shift from staring at a screen or notebook to looking out at the horizon. I may just stretch or get a cup of tea or I may use that time to break for a hike or some other treat. Taking breaks helps avoid burn-out, which kills productivity.

8. Be prepared for setbacks. Even with the support provided by these guidelines, setbacks happen. If I focus on being stuck, I stay stuck. Instead I look for ways to move on. I might write about the topic from an opposing point of view, I might write a dialogue between me and the procrastination monster, or I might switch from writing nonfiction to fiction. The important thing is not to substitute washing the kitchen floor for writing.

9. Have a plan. When caught in the grip of procrastination, recognize the symptoms and make a commitment to change the pattern. For me, procrastination typically sets in when my hiking is curtailed by a stretch of bad weather. Walking or any kind of rhythmic movement is part of what I need to do to write. In my part of the world bad weather is a fact of life. I will get stuck indoors. At that point, I have my tips list, an idea file, magnetic poetry and a whole range of ways to get words on a page. I don't need a final product. I just need to get my hands or my voice moving.

10. Accountability. Whether you write or not is entirely in your power. I cannot blame the weather, a sprained finger or anything else for my decision to write or not to write. If I want to provide my clients with work on or before a deadline, I have to write. If I want meaningful content for my readers, I have to write. I enjoy writing, but if it ever becomes a chore or a daily burden, I'll look for something else to do.

JJ Murphy is a freelance writer who helps a variety of companies, small businesses and individuals to express their awareness and dedication to developing sustainable technology and to preserve our natural resources. She provides articles for natural magazines, hiking publications, simple living publications in print and online. She also writes curricula to help public schools home schooling groups, private schools, wilderness camps, adult learning groups, continuing education programs and others stretch and expand their students’ knowledge.

She holds a Master of Arts degree from the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas and a B.A. degree in English and Anthropology from the University of Connecticut. Her client list includes writers, business consultants, motivational speakers, psychologists, financial planners, educators, and politicians.

Visit her website http://www.WriterByNature.com

Do You Really Want to Get Published? Write for Trade Magazines!

by Mary Anne Hahn

Have you been repeatedly snubbed by consumer magazines? Do you have little to show for your research and querying efforts other than a folder of form rejection letters? If your writing dream includes earning a halfway decent to excellent income writing magazine articles, there are editors at thousands and thousands of publications worldwide who would open their doors (and their wallets) to work with you. You've probably never heard of most of them, but they have loyal readerships. They're called "trade magazines."

Trade magazines are periodicals that are published for and read by members of specific trade groups, occupations, and/or persons involved in particular types of business. From nurses to building contractors, electrical engineers to restaurant owners, there's a magazine (and sometimes several) that is produced with their interests, needs and issues in mind. Most are available by subscription only, or as a premium for membership in an organization or association. They range from award-winning glossies to modest, staple-bound publications.

And many of them would love to hear from, and work with, reliable writers. Moreover, most of them pay--some of them, very well.

But how do you get started writing for trade magazines? What qualifications do you need to write for them, what types of articles do they need, and where do you find them? Let's look at each of these questions separately.

1. Getting Started

My personal experience in writing for trade magazines came after examining my own career background. What did I know about, what jobs had I held, with what industries was I familiar? I listed everything, from my high school and college job as a supermarket cashier to my experiences as a trainer and supervisor. I then decided to focus initially on the occupation that most interested me, supervision, and began to brainstorm article ideas and search for potential markets revolved around that.

This isn't the only way to break into writing for trades, however. Are there occupations or businesses you would love to learn and write about, but have no work experience in? Do you know people who do them, or could you go through a local Chamber of Commerce or trade association chapter to meet such people? You can also conduct a search for professionals in nearly every field online, via such sites as http://www2.profnet.com or http://www.experts.com (typing "find an expert" into the Google search box will provide you with a plethora of similar sites).

Once you find your "experts," ask questions and listen. What are their work days like? What tools and skills do they use to do their job? What challenges do they face? What would make their jobs easier, faster, of higher quality, and/or more cost effective? What kinds of information, products or services would make them more successful? The answers to these questions will lead you to all sorts of possible article ideas.

2. What qualifications do you need to write for trade magazines?

While it may help immensely to have an education or background in a particular trade or industry to break into writing for its trade magazines, it's not essential. As with querying consumer magazines, showing that you have done, or can do, research on the topic, and mentioning the sources you'll tap when writing the actual article, will go a long way in piquing an editor's interest.

3. What types of articles do trade magazines carry?

Except for the fact that trade publications have a narrower focus than their consumer cousins, the types of articles they carry fall into familiar categories:

news items specific to the magazine's occupation or industry focus
products and trends
how-to articles
personal/professional experience articles (e.g., case histories, company and professional profiles, etc.)

As stated above, use your own experience as a springboard or your interviews with people in the field to generate article ideas appropriate to the magazine's readership that you are targeting.

4. Where can you find or learn about available trade magazines?

You can obtain fre^e one-year subscriptions to hundreds of different trade magazines at TradePub (http://i.nl03.net/ltr0/? _m=01.009i.2f.mfm.2f ). From "Today's Chemist at Work" to "Poultry International," from "Beverage World" to "Diesel Progress," you'll find a bountiful garden of potential markets that can keep you in writing business for years to come.

You'll also find Kendall Hanson's book, "Writing for Trade Magazines" (http://tinyurl.com/yqher) enormously helpful. In it, he includes information on many of the major publishers in the trade magazine industry, as well as many additional tips on breaking in.

Finally, just keep your eyes and ears open--trade magazines lie in waiting rooms everywhere, from doctor's offices to automobile repair shops. And don't hesitate to ask your friendly neighborhood plumber, hair stylist, CEO, salesperson or pet shop owner if they receive any magazines specific to their industries, and whether or not they have back copies they could lend to you.

While writing for "Aqua" (the pool and spa trade magazine), "Equipment Today" or "Sign Builder Illustrated" may not sound as glamorous as getting published in, say, "Glamour," you'll find these markets immensely more accommodating, their editors more accessible, and the bylines and paychecks satisfying. Plus, you can always use your clips to make the leap into better known magazines, or re-slant your trade articles for consumer publications.

No matter how you look at it, writing for trade magazines is an excellent way to get published, and get paid for your writing.

About The Author
Mary Anne Hahn publishes WriteSuccess, the free biweekly ezine that helps writers pursue *successful* writing careers. Subscribe today by visiting http://writesuccess.com.

hahnmah@aol.com