Archive for February 2nd, 2010

1. Know your target audience. There are only few journalists who are exerting conscious effort in getting to know their readers. You should be one of them if you want to become a better newspaper article writer. Find time to mingle with these people and get to know the stories that they are looking forward to read. Through this, you can easily make well-informed decisions when choosing the stories to cover.

2. Follow the established writing format. As a journalist, you must be aware that all news articles are written using the inverted pyramid technique. This is a technique where you need to putt the most important information on your lead paragraph. You will need to use this format so you can hook your readers and get them to read your articles until the end.

3. Use eye-catching headlines. Your publishers will only allow you to use certain number of words for your headlines. Make the most out of it by carefully choosing the terms that you’re going to use. Ensure that they serve your purpose and that is to get your target audience to pay attention.

4. Keep in mind the 5 W’s and one H. Tell your readers what happened, who’s involved, where it happened, where it happened, why it happened, and most importantly how it happened. Communicate your information as clearly as possible. Use common terms all the time and keep your sentences shorter.

5. Be accurate. As you’re most likely to influence public opinion, make sure that you get your facts correct to avoid misleading your readers.

Author: Sean R Mize
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Bumper guardian

It’s quite amazing how often business people fail to follow basic guidelines when it comes to writing their business correspondence. That might explain why so many people come to my writing help websites looking for help with their business letter writing. Just as businesses need to be focused and efficient to thrive and succeed, so too does the primary communications tool of most businesses – the business letter.

Following are a number of tips and guidelines that I have compiled while reading and writing many hundreds of business letters over the past 25+ years.

1.Limit Them To One Page

By definition, business letters should be short and to the point, preferably one page in length. Studies have found that busy business people do not like to read beyond the first page, and will actually delay reading longer letters. So, if you don’t want your letter to gather dust in an in-basket, keep it as short as possible.

2.Be Reader-Friendly

Always try to focus on the needs of the reader and make an effort to see things from their perspective. Put yourself in their position and imagine what it would be like for you to be receiving your letter. Anyone can do this, since we are all “customers” of some other business in some part of our lives.

3.Keep The Tone Formal And Factual

Generally speaking, the tone and content of business letters should be formal and factual. Feelings and emotions do not have a place in business letters. So, avoid phrases like “we feel” and use “we believe” or “we think” instead. A cordial, friendly approach is fine. Just keep it businesslike, but avoid overly formal terms like “heretofor”, “as per”, “herewith”, etc.

4.Carefully Plan Your Letter

Before writing the letter, take a few minutes to list all of the specific points you need to cover. Sometimes it may even mean a phone call to the recipient or his/her company to confirm a specific point. Remember, the purpose of the letter is to tie up all of the details on the subject at hand, so that more letters won’t have to be written back and forth.

5.Make It Clear, Concise And Logical

Use a clear and direct writing style that uses simple words and straightforward phrases. Make sure that your flow follows a logical progression, first identifying the main subject, elaborating on it, and then drawing the logical conclusion.

6.Accuracy And Timeliness Are Key

By their very nature, business letters need to be accurate and timely. They almost always have financial implications and related impacts on other businesses and/or people. Double-check all of the facts stated in the letter, and make sure that any future dates specified give others enough time to realistically complete what is expected of them.

7.Relegate Technical Details To Attachments

Often it is necessary to include detailed technical information as part of a business letter package. In such cases, use the main letter as a cover letter that lists and briefly explains and references the attached (or enclosed) documents.

8.Use Non-Discriminatory Language

Make sure that you avoid language that is specific to gender, race, or religion in all business letters, either to other businesses, or to customers. For example, use “workforce” instead of “manpower”, or “chairperson” rather than “chairman”. Most style guides contain detailed lists of the offensive terms and some suggested substitutes.

9.Eliminate Redundant Words And Phrases

There are certain words and phrases that one often sees in business correspondence that tend to make the language more complicated and cumbersome than necessary. For example, instead of the phrase “in spite of the fact that” use “although”; or instead of “in the normal course of events” use “normally”. There are many such redundant phrases, so review your letter and eliminate them.

If you are running any type of business in which business letters are important communication tools, you would do well to take careful heed of the above tips and advice. Remember, the business correspondence that you issue is a direct reflection of the overall products and/or services offered by your business. Poorly-written, amateurish, and/or shoddy business letters will surely result in lost sales.

To see some fully-formatted real-life business letter templates, check out the following link:

http://writinghelp-central.com/sample-letters-business.html

Copyright Shaun R. Fawcett. All rights reserved.

Author: Shaun Fawcett
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Gadget reviews

I know, I know. Times are tough. You have to make due with the staff you have. Its a common and valid lament in todays workplace. Youve got to do more with less, so an obvious place to cut costs is in your documentation efforts. After all, writers and editors are a luxury in lean times. Youre a small company and you can produce your documentation in-house, right? Think again. Hiring the right freelancer to do the job correctly the first time around could save you hundreds or thousands in help desk calls, service calls, document revision, and distribution. Heres why.

1. You want someone with your industry or product knowledge. Knowledge of your industry or product is helpful, but your writers ability to communicate well both in writing and in the spoken word is crucial to your documentation projects success. A good technical writer:

• designs easy-to-use and easy-to-find documents.
• writes clear and easy-to-follow instructions.
• demonstrates a broad range of technical knowledge which enables him or her to acquire new technical knowledge quickly. Most tech writers thrive on learning obscure technical facts just as much as they love discussing the merits of the semicolon. The best tech writers are amazingly quick studies.
• creates document templates with a clean, professional appearance that your company can re-use.
• asks intelligent questions of your SMEs (subject matter experts) that you might not think to ask, ensuring thorough coverage of the products features.

2. The programmers or engineers can write the documentation. Oh, really? Theyre not busy enough already? Most programmers and engineers with whom Ive worked loathe writing. Let them do what they do best and let a writer do what she does best.

Good technical writers are power users of most word processing programs, HATs (help authoring tools), and are privy to the latest documentation techniques that will enhance your companys professional reputation. A good technical writer is savvy about design trends and best practices. Can you say this for your engineers and programmers?

3. You need a writer on site. Why? This is 2005. Most freelance tech writers have high-speed internet connections, fax machines, and cell phones. Ive worked with clients Ive never even met or who Ive met just a couple of times for documentation review meetings. Its good for the writer and its good for you when you dont have an extra body taking up your valuable space. I have developed some of my best professional relationships in cyberspace.

4. Only you understand your users’ needs best. Yes, you do. You know what they want and what they need; thats why your business is so successful. Consider the following questions:

• Does your documentation need to be geared to the newbie user or the experienced techno-geek?
• Do you know how to analyze your audience and write to that audience?
• Do you understand your audiences basic learning style?
• Will graphics work better than words to convey your message?

Will a CD or HTML-based online help work better than print documentation?

• How will you deliver and distribute the final documentation product?

A good technical writer will perform a user need analysis and provide a documentation plan that drives your information architecture design. She will create a documentation plan that will evolve over the course of the project and will allow the documentation to grow as your product changes. With a great foundation, you wont have to reinvent the wheel with every new iteration of your product.

5. You already know how to use MS Word. Thats great and its important.

• Are you thorougly comfortable with Words advanced features?
• Do you dream in macros?
• Are you familiar with FrameMaker (a highly un-user-friendly but powerful favorite tool of tech writers that handles large, complex documents that make MS Word quiver and crash)?
• Have you ever designed online help using RoboHelp?
• How are your Photoshop, Illustrator, Paint Shop Pro, Quark, Visio, InDesign, and basic HTML coding skills?
• Are you aware of the latest trends in writing and grammar style so your companys message will be consistent and grammatically correct?

Good tech writers bring an extensive working knowledge of a plethora of word processing and graphics programs as well as standard business writing practices.

6. You can keep up with document updates.

• What is your plan for documentation version control?
• Who will write the updates?
• How will you ensure your users have the latest and greatest version?

If you don’t have a version and source control system in place, multiple versions of your document in several folders create an organizational nightmare when its time to revise or update.

Theres a trend toward single sourcing technical documentation these days. Simply put, this means one source for all of your documentation needs. This single source may contain material for your print manuals, online help, and training materials all in one place. In single sourcing, a writer tags specific material for a specific use. When you deliver documentation, you simply designate the type of documentation you want (e.g., print, online help, user guide, training material, technical reference information) to create and the software does the rest. The point is, everything is in one place, making version and source control simple. Setting up a single sourcing system now will save you time and future headaches later. A good technical writer is familiar with industry trends for single sourcing and may be able to help you set up a single sourced system within your organization.

If youre skeptical about hiring a technical writer, consider this. Good written communication skills will always be in demand in the business world. However, in todays complex business world, just being a good writer isnt enough. A good technical writer needs technical savvy, a sound knowledge of dozens of software programs, and impeccable research and writing skills.

Would you hire an accountant to develop software? Would you want an engineer to answer phones? Would you expect a copywriter to do your taxes? Probably not. So, give your business and your wonderful products the professional attention they deserve and consider a technical writer for your next documentation project.

Copyright 2005 Ann Zuccardy. All rights reserved.

Author: Ann Zuccardy
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty on LCD/Plasma TV

You know that sinking feeling. You’ve made it to the office, appropriately topped up with coffee, and you’re ready to face the day. You start with the email. Opening one of the many messages at random, you can’t help but grimace. Your Inbox is a testimony to the horrifying nature of your day job.

How on earth are you going to get through this day?

A day job is roughly equivalent to the thrill of doing housework. You might look around the chaos of your living room, put away a pile of magazines, get out the vacuum cleaner – and then go make a cup of coffee instead. Wasn’t there an interesting feature in one of those magazines you’ve been meaning to read…?

Your day job’s just the same.

Distractions are welcome and lunchtime is bliss, because the work you do for the Day Job Monster is probably just plain boring. Too often, you could also describe it as tedious and utterly pointless too. Naturally, you won’t be excited about plodding through the day.

The problem is that if you don’t get the tasks of the day out of the way, there are consequences for your real work.

If you don’t cover the basics of your job description, you’ll attract negative attention with the efficiency of a flare gun. And your day will get so much worse if you have to endure a lecture about your sub-standard performance from a senior manager. (And you thought you were depressed before.)

There’s another downside to putting off clearing your Inbox. Procrastinating about work – even when it’s this boring – drains your energy. It makes you strangely lethargic. When you spend your morning avoiding work and finding innovative ways to waste time, you run into a big problem come lunch time. How are you going to snap back into productive mode when you want to spend your lunch hour with your manuscript? You’ll be feeling too low-energy and backed-up with Monster work to focus on your writing.

It’s far better to face those meaningless tasks, and clear them out of the way. Get the work out of your Inbox and off your mind, so that you can concentrate on achieving something for your real career the next time you take a break.

So how do you start climbing that looming mountain of boring work?

Take a quick look at the big picture, and set some priorities. Tackle the more urgent stuff first, and let the relevant managers know it’s finished. That way, you avoid the nagging and shouting that always follow missed deadlines. When the pressing tasks are done, I bet it’ll be time to take a quick coffee break.

Check the internet for some background information you need for your book. Send an email to a writer friend, asking for advice on a problem you’re having with your manuscript. Do something to put you back in touch with your writing, as a reward for spending the morning engaging with your day job.

And after you’ve connected with your real work – even just for a few minutes – it’s much easier to find the courage to turn back to that dreaded Inbox. Work down your list of prioritized jobs, and tick them off. Get rid of them systematically, and you’ll begin to feel organized and in control of your workday. By lunch time, you’ll be ready to turn this productive mindset towards your writing career. Head out to a coffee shop with a printout of your latest chapter, and make some progress on that work that does matter.

Forcing yourself to engage with the Day Job Monster’s work takes grit, and determination. But it has two major payoffs. Number one, it leaves you feeling more energetic, and in control of your workday. You’re not a slave to the Monster, after all. A proactive attitude will help you find ways to fit writing into your day.

Payoff number two affects your real career directly. When you clear those boring daily tasks off your desk, you also clear some mental space. You don’t waste time worrying about finishing that report, or answering those ten urgent emails. The Day Job Monster stops creeping into the corners of your mind. You can forget about him; your obligations are complete.

And that’s great news, because it means you’re free to make some progress on your real career. Spending time with your manuscript may just be the best cure for boredom ever invented.

This article may be freely reprinted, as long as the biography is included. I’d love it if you’d send me a link if you use my work!

Author: Liz Hardy
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Programmable Pressure Cooker

I never really thought of my dad as a science fiction buff, but if you go into his house you will notice that almost all of the books he has are science-fiction books. He has a few on the history of Egypt, and some on geology and world history, but most of them are science-fiction. Though most people did not get into the Lord of the Rings series until just recently with the release of the movies, these books have been favorites of my fathers since I was young. In fact, I remember him trying to get me to read these books when I was 12 years old.

I have personally never had a huge interest in science fiction books. This is not because I do not like science fiction, it is because most of the time I just prefer to read something else. I am more of a romance reader. Though many say that romance is not exactly intelligent reading material, I really don’t care. I get enjoyment out of them and that is all that matters. Romance is not the only thing I read, and I will admit that there are a few science fiction books in my house. However, they tend to be something that I read once and put away. I may have enjoyed the story very much, but they are not something that I choose to read over and over again like many of my romance books.

The great thing about science fiction books is that they are possibly the most open type of reading you can do. Other genres rely on facts and reality. Though you can run your imagination in many different directions when you are writing fiction, you have to keep things based in some sort of reality. When you write science fiction books the sky is the limit. Anything that you can imagine can be done within that type of book. Perhaps this is part of the appeal of this type of story.

When you are teaching your children to read and to enjoy books, I would suggest that you urge them to read a few science fiction books along the way. I would also urge you to introduce them to almost every type of book out there. The wider their selection of reading when they are younger, the better off they are going to be later on. Most people cannot appreciate something until they have tried it. If your children have to read science fiction books for book reports, they are going to enjoy the experience all the more because you have encouraged them to keep an open mind while reading.

Author: Rowena Jauod
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty tariff

Can Quick Grammar Guide & Checker solve our grammar writing problems once and for all? English writing is one of the most important forms of communication today, it is necessary to maintain it correct and professional. Let’s take a look and see how recent technological improvements can help us on improving our writing skills.

Quick introduction

What is Quick Grammar Guide & Checker all about? Well, it is one of these innovative solutions that technology keeps bringing in order to make our life easier – in our case it is about fixing our English writing. By simulating the human mind, this technology analyzes your writing by comparing it to a dynamic large database that contains proper variations of your text. Sophisticated language processing solutions usually offer the following: editing and proofreading, checking on spelling and typos, and most importantly – analyzing our grammar writing.

Important benefits

We can easily find several important advantages while using this technology:

* Significantly enhancing the capabilities of our existing text editors.

* Improving our self confidence with our writing.

* Improving the image we want to project through our writing.

Extra research on this solution would probably bring up additional benefits that aren’t mentioned here, as this important webmarketing technique keeps changing, bringing us fresh solutions that help us on improving our English writing and editing skills.

Quick summary

If we summarize the main benefit provided by this powerful Quick Grammar Guide & Checker – it is helping us on identifying possible writing errors before we deliver or publish our writing assignments. Everyone agrees that it cannot completely eliminate our writing problems; however, it can significantly help us on improving our writing skills. Undoubtedly we can expect this exciting technology to further develop itself, for one simple reason: writing is one of the most important tools that help us achieving many of our goals.

Author: Gil Lavitov
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Cool mobile gadgets

As you know, toddlers are like little sponges, they soak up whatever is directed at them and knowledge is no exception. In fact, toddlers that are taught in a positive and stimulating environment, have an advantage over those that dont. They are able to read and write very early, and typically score above average in test scores.

In this article, we will teach you 10 ways to totally make your toddler read and write.

1. Create an environment that is conducive to learning. For instance, you can buy or check out library books, purchase a small desk, supplies, as well as a bulletin board. Then, set up a designated area that will be your childs learning area. Make the area visually appealing and fun so that it will stimulate your childs learning senses.

2. Have a set time for learning sessions. Toddlers thrive on a schedule and although it wont always work out, having a set time for learning will give them something to look forward to.

3. Keep learning sessions short. Remember that toddlers have short attention spans so always keep your lessons short and sweet. The best thing that you can do is to stop the sessions before your little one tuckers out.

4. Accentuate the positive. When your child shows a willingness to learn and puts her best foot forward then reward her for her efforts. Stickers and small prizes work wonders for building self esteem in children.

5. Have the right educational tools. Currently there are all sorts of online and offline tools that you can use to teach your child. Hooked on Phonics even offers a Pre-k program that is specifically tailored to teaching toddlers to read. In addition, Baby Einstein has wonderful phonetic videos that you and your child can watch and learn.

6. Use everyday life experiences to facilitate the learning experience. For example, you dont have to wait until youre at the learning station to teach your toddler. For instance, if you see a car say car and then spell it out. When you go to the grocery store say apple and then spell it out. Make everyday opportunities learning experiences.

7. Dont put any pressure on your toddler to succeed. Dont put any pressure on your child to succeed. Simply make learning fun. This can be done by playing word and rhyming games and even educational board games.

8. Teach your children the phonetic sounds of words. That is, teach them the sounds that the letters make. This will help them develop the ability to write and read.

9. Read to your child. Toddlers love stories so make an effort to read to them every single day but dont just read the story, talk about it and then ask them to draw pictures about the story.

10. Have fun. Remember to enjoy the process. Dont get so caught up in the reading and writing process that you forget to have a fun time!

In conclusion, you are your childs first reading and writing teacher. By making the process fun, youll set the stage for a lifetime of learning adventures.

Author: Stuart Brown
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Canada duty tariff

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: Canada duty rate

You should become a manuscript or book author’s ghost writer, copy editor and proof reader. However, if you’re only starting to think about a writing career, I suggest you get a bachelor’s degree in English or whatever language, perhaps in language studies, English literature, creative writing, or English in general. A master’s degree or higher is even better. I myself have a combined degree in journalism, fine arts and creative writing.

Once you have that, you need to get some experience. You could be hired by literary magazines, especially at your school, or you could write articles for newspapers, perhaps starting your own column. You can also acquire writing jobs on the Internet by looking up work. I suggest avoiding the low paying bidding jobs and going for regular posted work at sites like Daylo, or other freelancer’s sites – where writing work is posted for free.

Once you have a few writing credits, you can begin your ghost writing career. I would suggest trying to get hired by a book ghost writers service, as there are many on the Internet. Another possibility is you can start your own service, as I did; mine is called Rainbow Writing, Inc., and we hire people who either have a lot of professional experience, a good educational background, and/or show a lot of writing talent. I have over thirty years of experience at writing, especially as a book ghost writer, copy editor and proof reader.

Once you get on the Internet, you will need to search engine optimize your website, post lots of articles with your credit box attached to them, or hire pay per click or other services to get advertising exposure. Then you can begin to acquire clients. You may start by offering a free five to ten page rewrite of a chapter the client sends you; this is what is generally expected of a book ghost writer and copy editor. You can quote a price, and I would start fairly low early on in your career, unless you have prior writing experience. Ask the client what he or she can afford, but stay reasonable, so you can keep your costs low and pay your bills.

As book ghost writers, copy editors and proof readers, we all need to make sure our clients are satisfied with their results. So while you are in the writing field, make sure you read copiously and on a regular basis, write short stories, poems and articles on a regular basis to refresh your writing skills, and be sure to work on a novel or two of your own. This will keep you handy when it comes to being a book writer for others as well. Another possibility is to keep a daily hardbound journal of your writing or simply comment on your daily activities, thoughts and dreams. This sort of thing can keep you really practices; I kept such a journal for over twenty years.

As to scheduling, it’s a good idea to take on as many clients as you can handle. Don’t overload, but you’d be surprised how much work you can do once you get into the swing of it. Try to get a book ghost writer job done in two to three months. If you charge $5000 per book at first, you can make $20,000-30,000 a year if you keep up on a regular basis. Once you have more experience, you can begin charging more money.

When you are a book author, ghost writer, copy editor and proof reader, you will find you are working a job that really consumes your time, so make sure you take the time to perform your other daily activities of family life, and set aside a one hour period every day to exercise. Book writers are one group of people who have the "sedentary lifestyle pattern" hazard, so in order to avoid getting sick, you must exercise. If you don’t want to go outside and walk, purchase a cheap treadmill. Those work quite well.

Book authors, ghost writers, copy editors and proof readers all need to maintain the standards of our profession. When you are a ghost writer of any kind, chances are you won’t be allowed to take credit for your work. It’s supposed to belong to the works true "author," who is the person paying you to do the ghost writing. Even if you do most or all of the work, your client is the author of it and is the one who receive the credit, unless you make some other arrangement. If the client is willing, you can be coauthors with him or her, or make some other such arrangement, such as you getting credit and a percentage of book sales in lieu of upfront payment.

By the way – the method of payment for a manuscript or book ghost writer is upfront. You get paid in advance, in installments usually as the book is being written. This is the main advantage of being a book or manuscript ghost writer, copy editor and proof reader – upfront payment. You need to sound the client out on his or her budget, set a total price, and then ask for the first installment payment once you have been hired.

You might also sign a contract with a non disclosure clause with the client. The contract might be three way, if you are working for a ghost writing agency, or two way, if it’s just you and the client signing it. A non disclosure clause states that you won’t discuss the book’s contents with anyone not designated by the client as someone with whom you may do so. Also, copyright laws in the USA and several other countries treatied with the USA, such as England, Canada and Australia, state that the author of the ghost written work retains full copyrights. You can check with the US Copyrights Office on the Internet to read the full scope of these laws.

Basically, even if you write the whole work yourself from research and you get nothing but basic ideas for the book from the supposed "author," he or she is still considered the true author of any such ghost written book, and will still hold full copyrights to all original material within it. This is, however, subject to whatever agreements you and the client make.

After the job is proof read, paid for and delivered, ask for a reference, also asking the client if it’s okay to run an installment from the work on your website – with a credit that you are the ghost writer. Also, when the book is published, ask the client to include a reference to your name, perhaps within the Acknowledgments, as the book ghost writer.

You also don’t have to stop as just the manuscript or book ghost writer. You may also be able to help your client set up to get his or her book published. This largely involves contacting literary agents and publishers. I would suggest contacting small publishing houses, and not the larger ones, unless you have a celebrity client with a large scale best seller on your hands. Due to confidentiality issues and ethical issues, you can’t maintain contact with literary agents and publishers on a regular basis, but you can acquire lists of these people in order to contact them. Some more disreputable manuscript and book ghost writers also set up deals with literary agents and publishers where they are sent clients’ work that the agents and publishers were sent, in order to edit it for them. Under the table money is made this way. It’s not considered to be ethical practice.

It’s satisfying to complete a client’s book manuscript and then find him or her an agent and/or publisher. You can get a percentage of book sales this way, or by negotiating a deal with the book’s author while you are being the book ghost writer. Sometimes a client will want you to work "on spec;" instead of paying you in advance, they will ask you to take a percentage of the book’s profits. Unless you’re sure the book is going to sell broadly, it’s not advisable to do this, or you could end up working for free. But once you’ve got a book publisher’s attention, anything is possible.

Lastly, be sure and enjoy your new career. Writing can be a fulfilling line of work, so if you keep at it, you can have tons of fun working for authors, getting the first time one’s books written and published, and in general, having a "blast" as a book author, book writer, ghost writer, copy editor, and proof reader.

Get out there, now – and write!

Author: Karen L Cole
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Mobile device news

It’s the most coveted time for writers. The rare moment when the words are just flowing, when writing feels effortless and the ideas are coming faster than you can write them down. During times like these, it’s easy to think of yourself as a writer.

But how are you supposed to think of yourself as a real writer at times when the words are NOT flowing? What do you do when you find yourself staring at a blank page, wondering if you even have anything worthwhile to say.

The way you respond to these difficult writing times will define your life as a writer, and the happiness and longevity of your writing career.

The times when things are not flowing are as natural a part of the writing process as the times when things are. But because these times can be so trying emotionally, we often experience them as writing failures. One perceived failure builds upon another, and before long we start to fear writing. Under these circumstances, even the thought of sitting down to write can become painful.

This is often the real source of writers block, a long chain of negative emotions, linked together until you feel completely paralyzed in your writing.

In order to break through these kinds of blocks, you need to break the chain of fear and pain associated with writing. One of the ways I do this with many of my coaching clients is through hypnosis.

The experiences of your creative life do not exist in a vacuum. Rather, they are interwoven with other elements of your life, and the millions of other emotions you experience every day.

In fact, you can imagine each event in your life like a single domino in the most complex arrangement of dominoes in the world. Within this arrangement, your creative experiences are mixed in and interwoven with the emotions of your entire personal history, spanning from your childhood all the way into the future. Family conflicts, romantic relationships, dreams, successes, failures, old traumas and new hopes, everything is included, and more importantly, interconnected.

It’s no wonder then that positive or negative feelings you associate with writing can profoundly affect the way you feel in every other aspect of your life. After a successful writing day, you feel fully charged, confident, hopeful, ready to take on the world. But on days when it’s just not coming, negative emotions can spill over from your writing life into the rest of your experience, leading to feelings of grief, fear, hopelessness, or even depression.

The result is often a vicious cycle. The more the negative feelings pile up, the more blocked you become, and the more you beat yourself up emotionally. The negative feelings associated with this self abuse get attached to the ones that got you blocked in the first place. And instead of releasing your blocks, you end up reinforcing them.

The first step you can take toward freeing yourself from writers block is recognizing the cycle of self abuse when it’s happening, and forcing yourself to put a stop to it.

But for some writers, this may not be enough.

The deepest creative blocks reside at the unconscious level, so to deal with them effectively, you may need some unconscious help. Imagine if rather than trying to consciously wrestle with each and every emotional “domino” in your chain one by one, you could use the power of your unconscious mind to simply track your creative block directly to its source. Push down that first “domino”, release that emotion and everything else on the chain falls into place. Just like an arrangement of dominoes.

If this sounds good to you, it’s probably time to set up a private hypnosis session.

Author: Jacob Krueger
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Netbook, Tablets and Mobile Computing