From the monthly archives: December 2009
An online spelling, punctuation and grammar guide can be a useful tool for most people who are involved in any significant amount of writing. These days, a number of people send out letters, emails, and other documents without being conscious of all the mistakes they are making. This can have an impact on how people think of you, and how they respond to the messages you have sent. A grammar guide can assist you and help you in several ways:
No spelling errors– You may have the option of using a spell checker, but what you really need is a contextual spell checker to identify all the errors. Spelling errors can also occur when the words are correctly spelled but incorrect in the context. For example, if you say, “Please site an example,” a regular spell checker would not notice this mistake since “site” is a real word. However, a contextual spell checker will surely be aware of this mistake.
Checks grammar and punctuation – Most people easily commit mistakes in using the correct grammar and punctuation, especially when there’s a pile of things to do. An online grammar guide can correct these errors. It acts as virtual proofreader for you. You will no longer have a hard time checking the grammar and punctuation errors.
Improves writing style- -The online grammar guide software has a unique feature that goes over your sentences and suggests alternative words or phrases more suited to the statement you have created. This definitely improves and develops the style of your writing.
Improves sentence structure- -The software goes over to the structure of your sentences. If you are not quite sure when to end a sentence or start a new one, or even when to use commas, then you must absolutely consider an online grammar guide. It will not only help you create smoother sentences, it makes the sentences readable too!
Improves Efficiency – When you have the grammar guide and proofreader, it allows you get things done in less time. You don’t have to spend plenty of hours going over your writing and checking if there are any errors.
With all your writing needs, you have an online grammar guide that can help you. It can help you with basic grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. See how this software can instantly improve your writings and how it can help you to be professional writer!
Author: Jane Sumerset
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Electric Pressure Cooker
If you’re just starting on your writing journey you’ll often feel overwhelmed. There’s
so much to learn. However, if you’re prepared to take a small step at a time, you can
develop a successful writing career guaranteed.
After a lifetime’s worth of writing, I can file these baby steps under the “wish I’d
known when I started” category. They’re vital. If you follow them, not only will you
be successful at writing at some time in the future, you’ll be successful right now.
=> One: Write every day
Writers write. That’s all. And they write every day, just like plumbers fix taps and
electricians wire houses. Writers write.
It’s a process. You can outline and plan your writing all you want, but at some stage,
every day, you must sit down and write.
=> Two: Pay attention to what you love
You’ll write best about what you love. So take note of the things you love. Make a
list. Don’t ever think that no one else is interested in what turns you on. Enthusiasm
is contagious.
=> Three: It’s the journey
Beware of fantasies like: “When this is published”, “when I get an agent”, “when I
hold my first book in my hand”.
When your fantasies come true, and after the warm glow wears off, you wont feel all
that different (in fact, you won’t feel any different) to the way you feel right now. (I
hope I’m not trampling your favourite fantasy into dust.)
Take comfort from this: the joy is in the journey, in the writing. When your fantasy
comes true, the glow will last for a short time. What lasts longer, is your memory of
the pleasure the writing brought you, while you were writing.
So since the joy of writing is your takeaway, take that joy right now. It’s yours
already.
=> Four: Be courageous: submit your work
The final baby step is submitting your work. Consider yourself a success as soon as
you’ve submitted your work. You dont have any control over whether someone buys
it, but you do have control over the submission process.
There’s only one guarantee: if you keep writing and keep submitting, sooner or later
you will sell your work.
What happens then? You repeat Steps One, Two, Three, and Four. See? It’s just baby
steps. Start stepping!
Author: Angela Booth
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: How Electric Pressure Cookers Work
If youve read any of my work before, you probably know that I’ve been in publishing since 1987, have been a freelancer since 1993 and ran an editorial staffing agency in New York City from 1996 through 2004.
Some lessons Ive learned from this crazy journey are as follows:
1. Staying abreast of technology is crucial: Back in 1998, I was pushed to get a website for my company because clients and candidates were asking questions like, Can I apply online? Can I download the contract from your site? Can I post a job to your website?
Well, as we didnt even have a website, I would embarrassingly say no. The loud silence, especially from clients, on the other end of the phone line got to be too much.
Going through the process of getting a website taught me the value of staying on top of technology. I learned that while I dont need to be a hard-nosed techie, to stay competitive, I had to know enough to be able to stay competitive. This meant not only getting a site, but learning how to update it myself.
One of the wonderful things about technology is that new tools are constantly being developed for those of us who are NOT tech-savvy, eg, FrontPage software for building websites, autoresponder software, listserv software for building mailing lists, etc.
2. Writing is a skill: Obviously, you mutter. However, many writers dont treat their craft like it. I single out writers because, in my experience, proofreaders, copy editors, indexers, editors, graphic designers, illustrators, etc. all seem to see intrinsic value and take pride in their work.
Many writers take their craft for granted. Maybe its because society views writing as just words on paper. After all, once you know your ABCs, you can write, right? Well, editorial professionals know better than anyone that this is not so.
One thing I advise all professional writers to do to combat this lackadaisical attitude is to treat their writing like a business skill. Just like being a professional coder, artist or web designer when you put yourself out there, market and treat your skill like the highly valued commodity it is.
Let it be reflected in your perfectly prepared marketing materials eg, your website, brochure, postcard, etc. Also, when you speak with potential clients, be sure to use a professional tone. No one is going to believe that you write professionally if you dont talk like it as well.
3. Freelancing full-time is not hard: Its not easy, to be sure. But, building a successful, full-time freelance career is not terribly difficult, if:
a. You have experience within your discipline. Most successful freelancers Ive encountered have worked full-time within their discipline at some point.
b. You are willing to work fulltime and freelance on the side for a period of time. Many freelancers leave their jobs once they got too burned out doing both, or secure a big project that allows them to make the leap.
c. You plan for it. Some freelancers (the most successful ones I might add) are more calculating about their careers.
What I mean by this is that they plan a year or two out knowing that they are going to leave their jobs. So, they save 6 months or a years expenses, pay off credit card bills, buy equipment while working full-time, etc.; then, they make the leap.
The ones I know who followed this path are, not surprisingly, the most successful meaning, they have gone on to hire employees. A few even opened offices and became official businesses because their client load demanded it.
Can you build a freelance business if you dont have these three things? Absolutely! However, it is even more critical that you devise a plan of how youre going to go about it. Having experience and industry contacts makes it easier, but the web makes it easier than ever today to start a freelance business.
4. Marketing is a skill that must be developed: When most freelancers start out, they may have two or three clients who keep them pretty busy. BUT, the day comes when the projects dry up (it always happens) and you have to scrounge for business.
Its at this point that many panic and start looking for a full-time job again. When I was recruiting, I received more than a few panicked calls, eg, I have to find something — quick!
Invariably, I was unable to help them (see Point #5 below). It usually was a moot point though because within a month or so, some project would come along and they would no longer be interested or available for a full-time job.
It was during this time that I got interested in the whole topic of freelancing as a business. Most freelancers focus on their craft and not the business of freelancing. However, as I preach ad nauseam on InkwellEditorial.com, to be successful as a freelancer, you must, must, must learn how to market if you want a full-time, sustainable career as a freelancer.
5. Employers dont like to hire freelancers for full-time jobs: It was my experience when I was recruiting that if you freelanced full-time for a year or more, employers were very hesitant to hire you as a full-time employee. Why?
Because most think that you are only seeking full-time work because you have hit a rough patch financially. Logically, it just makes sense. I mean, who gives up a successful freelance career to go back to the 9-5 grindstone? Most employers figured that as soon as the next big project came along, their new hire would be out the door.
I have seen it happen on many occasions so much so that when I was recruiting, I would screen out those with a significant freelance history because the chances that they would leave was just too great.
I once lost a $6,000 placement fee because the employee quit 10 days before the 90-day guarantee. [Most recruiting firms give employers a 60 or 90-day guarantee that the employee will stay put for at least this amount of time, or they dont have to pay.]
6. You cant change your rates every year: Charge enough that you dont have to change your rate for three years. I know some make take umbrage with this, but Ive found editorial (eg, writing, copy editing, proofreading, indexing, editing, etc.) to be a very static industry. It is not one where you can raise rates yearly.
Some of the companies I freelanced for back in 1993 still pay the same rates today Im not kidding! So, I advise all freelancers who are just starting out to start out charging enough so that they dont have to change their rates for three years.
Its been my experience that after this period, you can increase rates without worrying about losing even one of your clients. Putting forth the argument of, we havent raised rates in three years somehow seems to make it fair for them.
Working on this time schedule, I dont ever remember losing a client. I think its a combination of clients being comfortable with your work and them thinking, after three years, an increase is only fair.
7. You must develop a niche: Ive known a few freelancers who did several things successfully (eg, designed websites and wrote the copy for them), but this was the exception, not the norm.
Most successful freelancers niche it. What I mean is, they develop a niche and stick to it. In my opinion, it is far easier to become successful like this than being a generalist.
Trust me, those sites where you see freelancers touting that they do everything from writing to web design to illustration are not making that much money, or they are farming the work out to other freelancers.
Most clients like to know that they are getting a knowledgeable professional who has a history and body of work within the discipline they are being hired for. If it is a pharmaceutical company, they want a writer who has done this type of writing before.
So, develop a niche and market the hell out of it!
8. Patience is a virtue: Even after all of my years in the industry, Im amazed by how difficult it can be to be patient while I grow my business. I have lists and lists of ideas that I want to implement and there just never seems to be enough time.
This is easily a career where you can work nonstop all the time. An idea for an article pops in your head and instead of jotting down the idea, you find yourself writing the whole article; you go online to do some research, and before you know it you have spent two hours surfing the net on an unrelated matter; you log on to check email, and in an instant, you find yourself redesigning a section of your website; the list is endless.
This is an issue I still struggle with; although, I have gotten better about stopping. So, instead of browsing for 2 hours, it might be 30 minutes before I literally make myself stop and go back to my original task.
The best advice I can give to stop this kind of behavior is to think of your long-range goals and ask yourself if what youre doing this very minute is getting you closer to them. If not, stop and get back on track.
9. Retirement is not planned for: I can count the number of times on one hand that Ive had conversations with freelancers about retirement. Most small business owners (and thats what freelancing is, small business ownership) have an exit strategy, or a day where they envision doing something else.
For some reason, editorial and creative freelancers dont think this way. Well, while you may be able to write or design websites from anywhere at any age, whos to say youre going to want to when youre 70?
In my quest to get freelancers to think of themselves as businesses, one of the things I wish more would do is plan for retirement. This includes looking into 401K plans, buying investment real estate, building a sellable business, etc.
Again, just because you might be capable of churning out material long past retirement age does not mean that you are going to want to. So, plan for the day when you wont have to.
10. Longevity pays: The longer you freelance, the easier it gets. My business mentor said to me once, when you first start out, you are just greasing the pipes. After two or three years, clients will not be quite so hard to come by.
Its just like search engine positioning — the longer your site is on the web, the more frequently it is spidered by search engine bots, the more results it shows up in, the more popular it is, more people find it and voila! you have a popular site.
If you are constantly marketing and networking, eventually, it will seem effortless and referrals will flow in. Thats because you build traction just by being around. Many freelancers dont hang in there long enough to get this type of seamless recognition.
In conclusion, freelancing is a wonderful career — if, like anything other venture you enter, you take it seriously enough to work it like a business.
Author: Yuwanda Black
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable pressure cooker
Whether you like it or not, writing and sending emails has emerged as the leading tool on the internet for communications in the corporate world. Besides being quick, efficient and best of all its free, emails are also highly versatile in placing work reminders, meetings and official correspondences at the tips of your fingers. This have certainly allowed people to reach anyone in the world easily in mere seconds if they have a portable blackberry or iPhone in hand that immediately download the emails into their handsets from their email inboxes. However, even with such diverse applications, emails may lose their intended impact if the message is not communicated properly with proper email etiquette. In order to ensure that your emails get the attention they deserve, here are 9 tips that will assist you in writing an impactful email:
Tip #1 – First impression counts!
The subject line will be the determinant factor whether your emails are read or not. As with any physical encounter, first looks determine if something is worth their attention or not. If your email subject line is meaningful and relevant to them, chances are it will be prioritise for reading instead of being dismissed as spam. Therefore, avoid generic and informal subjects such as “hi”, “urgent” or the worse, a complete blank subject field. These emails normally end up being deleted or black listed as spam.
Tip #2 – Proper greetings please.
Avoid casual and generic openings in your emails. Address the person with proper salutations and greet the person by their last name. This not only shows that you are serious and respectful for the stranger you are communicating with, it also projects a professional image of you and your company to the other party. If the addressee’s name or title is unknown, simply use”Sir” or “madam” instead.
Tip #3 – Your tone matters.
Emailing is hard to convey the intended message as it doesn’t allow tones and therefore emotions to be adequately transmitted. However, you can still convey the state of your emotion by emphasizing certain words, using capital letters and punctuation marks. But if you are not careful, you will appear as aggressive and rude, sometimes even to the extent of being insulting. Avoid typing your email all in capital letters with exclamation marks strewn all over. This will suggest that you are angry and shouting, and will make you a very rude person.
Tip #4 – Write in proper English and grammar.
Be sure to check for grammatical mistakes and avoid writing in broken language. Avoid being pretentious and misusing words with meanings distorted. A prime example is “revert” which means to return to doing, using, being or referring to something usually bad or less satisfactory. Simply use “reply” instead.
Tip #5 – Proper paragraphing of your content.
Imagine reading one whole long chunk of text that is cumbersome to read and digest. Whenever possible, be direct and straightforward; use simple English to convey your message. Separate your sentences and organize your points accordingly into neater paragraphs. This makes it easier to read and digest the content.
Tip #6 – Be considerate with your file attachments.
Be aware when sending emails with huge file attachments. It can be very frustrating for the receiver when the inbox is taking forever to download a message and hence resulting in the email client crashing.
Tip #7 – Scan your files before sending them out as file attachments.
One of the easiest ways to turn your potential client away is by sending them a virus directly. Always make it a habit to scan your files before they are attached and sent to your client.
Tip #8 – Signing off properly.
Remember to end your email politely by signing off with the proper closing such as “with regards”…etc
Tip #9 – Send the email only to the people involved or have a need to know.
It can be irritating when you keep receiving emails that do not involve you in any way. Email allows you to vary the way addressees receive their messages. CC and BCC stand for “Carbon Copy” and “Bind Carbon Copy” respectively. Use the former for discussions between you and the person you are liaising with and also to keep your boss updated regarding the progress. The latter is best used to email different recipients who do not know each other and to prevent email addresses from being disclosed and harvested unnecessarily.
Author: Ben AKM
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Smart cooker
If you are one those who spends hours playing games on the Internet, then you can make a profit writing guides to teach others how to play the game.
There are literally millions of online gamers in the world today and not all of them know how to play the games they play to its fullest. With new games coming out every year, the number of players continues to grow and there is no sign of this changing in the foreseeable future. This is an undeniable fact, for example there are currently over 11 million people who actively play World of Warcraft from Blizzard Entertainment.
For the player who has spent his time in the trenches learning the ins and outs of the game and all its secrets, this is the perfect opportunity to make some real gold for himself. Anyone who has ever played a game has needed or wanted to know how to play it or play it better. They turn to the Internet to learn what they need to know; usually this is by visiting websites or by buying books.
Taking advantage of this is not hard for someone who has at least some writing skills and plays games. Writing a guide on how to play a game in the form of an eBook can be very rewarding in both a financial and personal way.
Guides come in several forms they can be written to show a player where to go for quests along with maps showing the new areas to help him find his way. In several games there are skills that require vast amounts of training and raw materials, things a new player will need to know in order to become proficient. Perhaps you are a poker player that has found certain secrets to beating the odds in online casinos, or wants to share his personal strategies that made him wealthy. People read these guides like they were the only way to learn how to play.
If this describes you then maybe you should sit down and write an eBook that describes in great detail how you got to the place where everyone else wants to be. It will need to cover the game and all of it’s aspects in careful detail, remember you are trying to teach someone as if they have never seen the game before.
Selling your guide is not too hard, you will need to set yourself up with a web site that is geared towards the game you are writing about. Front page content should emphasize the game and cover the aspects that you are trying to teach. Provide links to your eBooks and watch the sales start to climb, for some reason people can not get enough information on playing their games. The market for game guides is one of the more lucrative ones in the eBook world and can provide you with a very healthy income as long as you keep them up to date to cover any changes in the games.
Author: Serena Lewis
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Pressure cooker
Have you ever received a resume with a typo or seen an advertisement with a misspelled word? What sort of impression did those errors make? Did you feel confident to hire the applicant or buy the product?
The first impression prospects and clients have of your business is the most critical. If that impression is a poor one, it could be the end of a potential lucrative business relationship. You dont have to be a language expert to improve your prose. Below are a few quick tips to help you start writing with confidence.
Maintain a professional image
Would you go to a business meeting wearing track pants and a torn t-shirt? I would hazard a guess to say that you wouldnt. So in the same way dont distribute documents that are sloppy with typos and careless mistakes. Always make sure that your documents and marketing materials are clean and neat.
Never omit the most crucial step in writing. Proofread and edit all of your documents and marketing materials. Remember your computers spell checker wont pick out a word that is spelled correctly but misused. By keeping a dictionary by your work station or an online dictionary (www.m-w.com) in your internet favourites you can quickly access those words youre not sure about.
Finding faults in formatting
Make sure that your documents format is consistent. For example use the same font style and size throughout your document. Nothing can be more distracting to the reader than reading through a document and suddenly the font changes from 9 to 11 point or from Helvetica to Times New Roman.
Be active about style and tone
Avoid long sentences, short sentences are easier to read. Anything beyond 20 words becomes difficult to understand and tires the reader. But keep in mind if you dont vary your sentence length, your writing will become choppy and wont flow.
Write in a direct style using active voice wherever possible. Dont use industry jargon for a mainstream audience. By using simple language you will communicate much more effectively than by using big words. For example replace the word utilize with the word use or replace facilitate with help.
Dont waste the readers time
Write concisely and to the point avoiding redundancies, run-on sentences and wordy phrases. They add little to the meaning or clarity.
Here are some examples of wordy phrases:
1. simple and easy to use
2. free gift
3. comes to a complete stop
4. on an annual basis
Concise Substitutes:
1. easy to use (easy is simple)
2. gift (have you ver paid for a gift?)
3. stops (you can’t partially stop)
4. yearly
Also be specific in your writing. Dont be vague or use puffed-up expressions to fill up space on the page. A succinct half page is much more effective than a fluffy full page that uses fancy phrases that may sound nice, but say nothing.
Know who the reader is and what you want to tell them
Make sure that the objective of your document is apparent. Do you want to persuade or inform the reader? Is your call to action clear? Stress benefits not features. Organize your material logically and organize it in the way your reader thinks about the subject. Know what prior knowledge they have of the subject and give them the background needed to make an informed decision or to respond favourably.
Finally, write in the same way as when you talk; in a friendly, conversational style. It is much easier to read than stiff formal prose.
Whether you are submitting a formal proposal or answering a quick email, make sure your writing reflects who you are and what you have to offer in the best way possible, making a solid impression. By using the tips above you will have the confidence knowing that the materials you distribute are the best.
Author: Maja Rehou
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: WordPress plugin Guest Blogger
If youve read any of my work before, you probably know that I’ve been in publishing since 1987, have been a freelancer since 1993 and ran an editorial staffing agency in New York City from 1996 through 2004.
Some lessons Ive learned from this crazy journey are as follows:
1. Staying abreast of technology is crucial: Back in 1998, I was pushed to get a website for my company because clients and candidates were asking questions like, Can I apply online? Can I download the contract from your site? Can I post a job to your website?
Well, as we didnt even have a website, I would embarrassingly say no. The loud silence, especially from clients, on the other end of the phone line got to be too much.
Going through the process of getting a website taught me the value of staying on top of technology. I learned that while I dont need to be a hard-nosed techie, to stay competitive, I had to know enough to be able to stay competitive. This meant not only getting a site, but learning how to update it myself.
One of the wonderful things about technology is that new tools are constantly being developed for those of us who are NOT tech-savvy, eg, FrontPage software for building websites, autoresponder software, listserv software for building mailing lists, etc.
2. Writing is a skill: Obviously, you mutter. However, many writers dont treat their craft like it. I single out writers because, in my experience, proofreaders, copy editors, indexers, editors, graphic designers, illustrators, etc. all seem to see intrinsic value and take pride in their work.
Many writers take their craft for granted. Maybe its because society views writing as just words on paper. After all, once you know your ABCs, you can write, right? Well, editorial professionals know better than anyone that this is not so.
One thing I advise all professional writers to do to combat this lackadaisical attitude is to treat their writing like a business skill. Just like being a professional coder, artist or web designer when you put yourself out there, market and treat your skill like the highly valued commodity it is.
Let it be reflected in your perfectly prepared marketing materials eg, your website, brochure, postcard, etc. Also, when you speak with potential clients, be sure to use a professional tone. No one is going to believe that you write professionally if you dont talk like it as well.
3. Freelancing full-time is not hard: Its not easy, to be sure. But, building a successful, full-time freelance career is not terribly difficult, if:
a. You have experience within your discipline. Most successful freelancers Ive encountered have worked full-time within their discipline at some point.
b. You are willing to work fulltime and freelance on the side for a period of time. Many freelancers leave their jobs once they got too burned out doing both, or secure a big project that allows them to make the leap.
c. You plan for it. Some freelancers (the most successful ones I might add) are more calculating about their careers.
What I mean by this is that they plan a year or two out knowing that they are going to leave their jobs. So, they save 6 months or a years expenses, pay off credit card bills, buy equipment while working full-time, etc.; then, they make the leap.
The ones I know who followed this path are, not surprisingly, the most successful meaning, they have gone on to hire employees. A few even opened offices and became official businesses because their client load demanded it.
Can you build a freelance business if you dont have these three things? Absolutely! However, it is even more critical that you devise a plan of how youre going to go about it. Having experience and industry contacts makes it easier, but the web makes it easier than ever today to start a freelance business.
4. Marketing is a skill that must be developed: When most freelancers start out, they may have two or three clients who keep them pretty busy. BUT, the day comes when the projects dry up (it always happens) and you have to scrounge for business.
Its at this point that many panic and start looking for a full-time job again. When I was recruiting, I received more than a few panicked calls, eg, I have to find something — quick!
Invariably, I was unable to help them (see Point #5 below). It usually was a moot point though because within a month or so, some project would come along and they would no longer be interested or available for a full-time job.
It was during this time that I got interested in the whole topic of freelancing as a business. Most freelancers focus on their craft and not the business of freelancing. However, as I preach ad nauseam on InkwellEditorial.com, to be successful as a freelancer, you must, must, must learn how to market if you want a full-time, sustainable career as a freelancer.
5. Employers dont like to hire freelancers for full-time jobs: It was my experience when I was recruiting that if you freelanced full-time for a year or more, employers were very hesitant to hire you as a full-time employee. Why?
Because most think that you are only seeking full-time work because you have hit a rough patch financially. Logically, it just makes sense. I mean, who gives up a successful freelance career to go back to the 9-5 grindstone? Most employers figured that as soon as the next big project came along, their new hire would be out the door.
I have seen it happen on many occasions so much so that when I was recruiting, I would screen out those with a significant freelance history because the chances that they would leave was just too great.
I once lost a $6,000 placement fee because the employee quit 10 days before the 90-day guarantee. [Most recruiting firms give employers a 60 or 90-day guarantee that the employee will stay put for at least this amount of time, or they dont have to pay.]
6. You cant change your rates every year: Charge enough that you dont have to change your rate for three years. I know some make take umbrage with this, but Ive found editorial (eg, writing, copy editing, proofreading, indexing, editing, etc.) to be a very static industry. It is not one where you can raise rates yearly.
Some of the companies I freelanced for back in 1993 still pay the same rates today Im not kidding! So, I advise all freelancers who are just starting out to start out charging enough so that they dont have to change their rates for three years.
Its been my experience that after this period, you can increase rates without worrying about losing even one of your clients. Putting forth the argument of, we havent raised rates in three years somehow seems to make it fair for them.
Working on this time schedule, I dont ever remember losing a client. I think its a combination of clients being comfortable with your work and them thinking, after three years, an increase is only fair.
7. You must develop a niche: Ive known a few freelancers who did several things successfully (eg, designed websites and wrote the copy for them), but this was the exception, not the norm.
Most successful freelancers niche it. What I mean is, they develop a niche and stick to it. In my opinion, it is far easier to become successful like this than being a generalist.
Trust me, those sites where you see freelancers touting that they do everything from writing to web design to illustration are not making that much money, or they are farming the work out to other freelancers.
Most clients like to know that they are getting a knowledgeable professional who has a history and body of work within the discipline they are being hired for. If it is a pharmaceutical company, they want a writer who has done this type of writing before.
So, develop a niche and market the hell out of it!
8. Patience is a virtue: Even after all of my years in the industry, Im amazed by how difficult it can be to be patient while I grow my business. I have lists and lists of ideas that I want to implement and there just never seems to be enough time.
This is easily a career where you can work nonstop all the time. An idea for an article pops in your head and instead of jotting down the idea, you find yourself writing the whole article; you go online to do some research, and before you know it you have spent two hours surfing the net on an unrelated matter; you log on to check email, and in an instant, you find yourself redesigning a section of your website; the list is endless.
This is an issue I still struggle with; although, I have gotten better about stopping. So, instead of browsing for 2 hours, it might be 30 minutes before I literally make myself stop and go back to my original task.
The best advice I can give to stop this kind of behavior is to think of your long-range goals and ask yourself if what youre doing this very minute is getting you closer to them. If not, stop and get back on track.
9. Retirement is not planned for: I can count the number of times on one hand that Ive had conversations with freelancers about retirement. Most small business owners (and thats what freelancing is, small business ownership) have an exit strategy, or a day where they envision doing something else.
For some reason, editorial and creative freelancers dont think this way. Well, while you may be able to write or design websites from anywhere at any age, whos to say youre going to want to when youre 70?
In my quest to get freelancers to think of themselves as businesses, one of the things I wish more would do is plan for retirement. This includes looking into 401K plans, buying investment real estate, building a sellable business, etc.
Again, just because you might be capable of churning out material long past retirement age does not mean that you are going to want to. So, plan for the day when you wont have to.
10. Longevity pays: The longer you freelance, the easier it gets. My business mentor said to me once, when you first start out, you are just greasing the pipes. After two or three years, clients will not be quite so hard to come by.
Its just like search engine positioning — the longer your site is on the web, the more frequently it is spidered by search engine bots, the more results it shows up in, the more popular it is, more people find it and voila! you have a popular site.
If you are constantly marketing and networking, eventually, it will seem effortless and referrals will flow in. Thats because you build traction just by being around. Many freelancers dont hang in there long enough to get this type of seamless recognition.
In conclusion, freelancing is a wonderful career — if, like anything other venture you enter, you take it seriously enough to work it like a business.
Author: Yuwanda Black
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger
You just celebrated a momentous day. Maybe it was your birthday. Maybe you got married. Maybe you got a promotion. Maybe you welcomed a new baby into your family. In all of these cases you received gifts from your friends and family. Now you have the arduous task of writing thank you cards for all of the gifts you received. Here are 10 tips to make sure that your gift givers are recognized.
Tip 1: Keep list of all gifts that you received and from whom you received the gifts. You should make a list of all gifts you received and from whom you received them as soon as possible. Consider using a spreadsheet to keep track of your gifts and gift givers. If one person gave you multiple gifts, write down every gift that the person gave to you. If you are at a party and are not opening the gift at the party, make a note of which package was from which person even though the package may include a card (cards can fall off of the package!). One trick is to write the name of the gift giver on a self-adhesive label and affix the self-adhesive label to the package. If you are opening the gifts at a party, have a friend or a family member maintain a list of the gifts you receive.
Tip 2: Do not delay in sending the thank you card. Thank you cards should be sent as soon as possible after you received the gift. Do not keep the gift giver wondering whether you received the gift or not. If you cannot send a thank you card to the gift giver immediately, consider sending email immediately followed by paper thank you card when you are able to send it. NEVER use email as a substitute for a paper thank you card.
Tip 3: Compile a list of addresses of gift givers. After you have the list of gift givers, get a list of the addresses for the gift givers. If you do not have the gift giver’s address, make sure to ask the gift giver for the gift giver’s address. This might be a good time to update your contact list. If you are using a spreadsheet, consider putting the gift giver’s address in the spreadsheet.
Tip 4: Select an appropriate thank you card. Thank you cards have various designs and are printed on various types of paper. For most occasions, a simple thank you card with a blank inside is sufficient. However, for a special occasion, such as a wedding or a birth of a child, you might want to consider using a fancier thank you card or a personalized thank you card. For example, you can pick a thank you card that is printed on a higher quality paper or create your own thank you card using a photograph from the special occasion.
Tip 5: Hand write your thank you card. Writing a thank you card in your own handwriting, no matter how unreadable, makes the thank you card personal. Do not use apre-printed thank you card and do not type your message on thank you card.
Tip 6: Use blue or black ink. Even though pens are manufactured in every color imaginable, blue and black ink are the only two appropriate colors to write your thank you note.
Tip 7: Address the card to the person(s) who gave you the gift. In most cases, you will receive a card along with your gift. The card usually lists all of the people who are giving you a particular gift. If all of the gift givers are in the same family living in the same home, you should send one thank you card addressed to all member of the family. If the family members live in separate homes, send a thank you card to each home addressing the family members at those homes. If the gift givers are a group of individuals, send a thank you to each individual. When addressing the gift giver, use the salutation “Dear.” For example, “Dear Nancy.”
Tip 8: Thank your gift giver and tell your gift giver how you will use the gift. Always acknowledge your the gift(s) that your gift giver gave to you. For example, if you received a book and a tie from your friend, thank your friend for the book and the tie. Also, tell your gift giver how you will use the gift and/or why you like the gift. Continuing the example, if the book is a mystery book by a particular author, and you love mystery books from that particular author, put that fact in your thank you card. Similarly, if you have an upcoming interview that would be the perfect occasion to use the tie, put that in your thank you card.
Tip 9: Keep list of the thank you cards that you have already sent. Whether you use paper and pencil or a spreadsheet, make sure you keep track of the thank you cards you sent to your gift givers. You never want to be in the situation of sending two cards to the same gift giver because you did not remember whether you sent one to the gift giver already. Even worse, you do not want to incorrectly remember that you sent a card to the gift giver when in fact you did not.
Tip 10: Make sure you have enough postage. For standard thank you notes, a first-class stamp should be sufficient. However, for odd-shaped cards, large cards, and cards printed on higher quality paper, the first-class stamp may be insufficient. If you are unsure, make a trip to the post office or check the guidelines on the USPS website (http://www.usps.com).
Author: Gilbert C. Wong
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty on LCD/Plasma TV
As a journalist, I am sure that you’re dreaming for that moment when you’ll be considered one of the best writers in your generation. You can make this happen if you consistently create award-winning articles. Here’s how you can do that:
1. Write something that is newsworthy. As you are writing for newspaper, you need to make sure that all the stories you write are those that are current and those that your target readers will find interesting. Instead of writing simple how-to’s and tips, you must be writing about international and national issues, politics and government, health, and police reports.
2. Do your homework. Feeding your readers with unverified and incomplete information is the worst thing that you can do in this endeavor. So, ensure that you gather all the information you need to write your articles and make sure that you verify them using reputable sources.
3. Use killer headlines. Your articles will be posted on a particular page of a newspaper together with other stories. If you don’t want your articles to be outshined by other copies, use headlines that will capture the attention of your readers. Make it short but compelling. Carefully choose the words that you’re going to use and ensure that it has what it takes to make your readers want for more.
4. Write your articles. Write your newspaper articles using the inverted pyramid technique. Use simple terms and use formal writing style. Deliver the facts that you have as they are; do not interpret them. Use quotes from individuals who are connected with the stories that you’re covering. Keep your articles brief and very tight.
Author: Sean R Mize
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Pressure Cooker
My two “writing help” websites receive well over two million visitors per year looking for information and templates to help them with their writing. With that many visitors I get a pretty accurate idea of exactly what people are looking for in the way of letter writing help. In fact, a significant number of people arrive at my site based on the search phrase “business letter”.
Now, at first glance the term “business letter” makes sense. But, just wait a minute here! What exactly do they mean by “business letter”? Well, it turns out that they’re not sure. What it boils down to in many cases is that the person doing the search is involved in some kind of “business” (as owner or employee) and they need to write some kind of “letter” related to their business. Hence, their search phrase of “business letter”.
I often get e-mails from people asking me if I have any business letter templates, or if I can write them a business letter. Invariably, I have to reply to them asking “what type of business letter, what is the specific purpose”? The fact is; “business letter” is a very general term that can mean one of many different specific letter types.
Accordingly, the rest of this article is going to explain exactly what business letters really are.
Despite the widespread use of e-mail in commerce today, traditional business letters are still the main way that the majority of businesses officially communicate with their customers and other businesses.
This is especially true when businesses want to formalize an agreement or an understanding. So far, emails are great for all of the preparatory work, but a formal business letter is still most often needed to “seal the deal”.
There are two overall categories of business letters: business-to-business, and business-to-customer.
BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS LETTERS
Most business-to-business letters are written to confirm things that have already been discussed among officials in meetings, on the telephone, or via e-mail.
Can you imagine the letters that would have to go back and forth to cover all of the questions and possibilities that can be covered in a one-hour meeting, a half-hour phone call, or a few quick e-mails?
The main purpose of a typical business letter is to formalize the details that were arrived at in those discussions, and to provide any additional information that was agreed upon.
Over the years, certain general standards have evolved in the business world that the vast majority of businesses use in drafting their business to business correspondence. The Top 10 business-to-business letters that people search for at my writing help websites, in order of popularity, are as follows:
1. thank you letter
2. introduction letter
3. cover letter
4. financial letter
5. marketing letter
6. sales letter
7. project letter
8. invitation letter
9. employee letter
10. congratulations letter
Even though the above terms are much more specific than the general term “business letter” there are multiple types of each of the above letters, depending on the purpose of the letter. For example, a business-to-business “financial letter” could be: collection letter, credit approval letter, credit refusal letter, invoice, price quotation, etc.
BUSINESS TO CUSTOMER LETTERS
There are many different types of business-to-customer letters. They include: sales and marketing letters, information letters, order acknowledgement letters, order status letters, collection letters, among others.
As with business-to-business letters, over the years certain general standards have evolved in the business world that the vast majority of businesses use in drafting letters to existing and potential customers.
Of course, going in the other direction are customer-to-business letters. These include: order letters, order status inquiry letters, complaint letters, and others.
Since these are customer-generated letters, there is no particular expectation that they follow any particular letter-writing standard. Typically, they are handled just like any other piece of personal correspondence.
The Top 10 business-to-customer letters that people search for at my writing help Web sites, in order of popularity, are as follows:
1. cover letter
2. customer relations letter
3. financial letter
4. credit letter
5. introduction letter
6. order-status letter
7. sales letter
8. marketing letter
9. announcement letter
10. apology letter
Similar to the situation with business-to-business letters covered in the previous section; even though the above business-to-customer letter types are much more specific than the general term “business letter”, there are also multiple types of each of the above letters, depending on the purpose of the letter. For example, a business-to-customer “customer relations letter” could be any one of : response to a complaint, follow-up with a new customer, interrupted service notice, letter of acknowledgement, special invitation, welcome to new customers, etc.
BOTTOM-LINE
As you can see from the above, specifying that you are looking for a “business letter” is not very helpful. You need to be specific and define the purpose of the letter; that is, exactly what is the letter meant to communicate?
It’s important not to confuse non-business letters with business letters. For example: job application letters, cv and resume cover letters, employment and college related letters of recommendation, character references, resignation letters, etc. are NOT business letters.
You might be surprised to learn that over 75% of all visitors to my main writing help website are searching for information on how to write just the Top 20 letters listed above. In fact, it turns out that a full 90% of the more than 1.5 million people that visit that site each year looking for letter writing help are looking for help with one of a list of 25 letters.
That’s why all of my letter writing toolkits focus on multiple variations of about 40 specific letter types that cover over 95% of ALL letters ever written.
Author: Shaun Fawcett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty tariff
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