Interviewing an Author: Don’t Be Left Speechless – by: Stephen Earley Jordan

Edited by Jenny Wilson

Joyce Carol Oates. Langston Hughes. Anne Sexton. F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nikki Giovanni. The names of authors (dead and alive) can go on and on. But I’ll let you have first pick!

You are in a room with some of your favorite authors. About ten of them. However, you are only allowed to invite one of them to Starbucks for a couple of chocolate mochas. Just you and your favorite author. It doesn’t matter if the writer is deceased—use your imagination! After all, you’re a writer, right?

Oh dear, who shall it be? Should it be William Shakespeare with his purple pantaloons; Sylvia Plath who now vows to use an electric oven instead of gas; or should it be Maya Angelou and old playmates from her broken-hearted brothel?

Finally, you have selected an author.

You take him (or her) to Starbucks. You order the mochas. You sit down. As you open your mouth to ask the author questions nothing useful comes out.

What’s the problem?

Often times we’ll chance upon moments when we can interview an author. And, with technology nowadays, methods of research and brainstorming have changed slightly.

1. Research the Author

Ask yourself, “Is the author self-published or published in a traditional publishing house?”

Actually, does it really matter?! No. Why? Because you’re going to need to treat all authors the same—with much respect. Be laid back, and in turn, the interviewee will become comfortable and open-up to you.

After all, whether published or not, we’re all human. Before the interview, however, use your investigative reporting skills and attempt to discover as much as you can about the author. Surf the Internet for any hidden agendas internet-published writings the writer may have. Not only do you want to know about the author’s book, but the personal life as well. Find out what makes the author tick.

2. Research their genre and subject matter

Does the author write poetry? Historical nonfiction? Dramatic nonfiction? Children’s literature? Discover how easy or difficult it is to publish in that particular area of writing. Before you meet up with the author, you must know their genre, as well as the basic themes. If the author writes only historical nonfiction—what’s their subject matter? Pre-civil war? Early African Slave Trade? Cuban artwork? Compare and contrast authors in similar subject matters.

Learn as much as you can while you can. And, at the same time, be sure to formulate an opinion about the subject matter, whether it be pro or con. This will allow you to ask more in depth questions.

3. Don’t Interrupt

Remember to ask your question then shut up. This isn’t a time for you to reminisce of your (waning) writing skills. This is moment for the author to be in the spotlight. Listen to their responses, and make sure that you have a rebuttal question prepared in the back of your head.

After you are away from that particular topic, be sure to go to your next question. Though you may have your list of questions—it’s okay to ask the questions out-of-order. Actually, I highly recommend to adlib the questions. This will make the questions seem a bit more unforced. In short, treat your interview as if it’s just a regular discussion amongst friends.

Above all, I highly recommend to record the interview. Before you display your trusty hand-held recorder, ask the interviewee for permission to record them. Keep and label all used tapes with the author’s name, date and location of the interview. You never know when that once self-published novelist will become the next Best Seller.

About The Author Stephen Jordan has five years experience within the educational publishing industry. Stephen was a freelance editor with such educational foundations as Princeton Review, The College Board, New York University, and Columbia University. Away from the office, Stephen promotes his creative writing with his home-freelance business OutStretch Publications and his artwork. Stephen holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in writing and literature from Alderson-Broaddus College of Philippi, West Virginia Available for reprint. Please keep bio and all contact information when reprinting article. Contact author so he can keep track of where his articles are being used. Editor@OutStretch.net

Four Easy Ways to Get a Book Written (Especially If You Don’t Like to Write) – by: Michelle McGee-Jones

Becoming an author is probably a lot easier than you think. It’s time to get that book out of your head and onto the printed page. Ready? Boot out your excuses. Here’s how to do it.

Method One: Think Quality, Not Quantity. To be classified as a book – as opposed to a booklet or pamphlet – your work needs a mere 49 pages (excluding the cover). Not only that but, depending on your topic, you can be liberal with photographs, charts, illustrations, bullet points, fill-in-the-blank worksheets, etc. Use them strategically in place of text. If it fits your theme, intersperse powerful quotations throughout your book, and give them a page of their own, even if it’s only a line or two. Ditch the perception that you have to have a minimum number of lines on each page.

Method Two: Start Talking. Invest in a tape recorder and shoot the breeze. I must admit that this isn’t quite as easy as it sounds, but if you’re articulate and you have skill at organizing your thoughts and ideas, it’s doable. Don’t try to wing it. Break down your book into chapters. Then prepare a detailed outline of each chapter. If it’s fiction you’re writing, outline the plot. For nonfiction, along with your outline, have any additional material handy that you want to refer to.

After you’re done, have a typist transcribe the tape. Save it onto a floppy disk and give it to an editor. She’ll polish the content. A variation of this method is to use voice recognition software that turns your spoken words into text.

Method Three: Do an Anthology. If you don’t want to go it alone – and you don’t mind sharing the spotlight – have other writers contribute a chapter to your book. Then you’ll have only a chapter to write yourself. Whether it’s a collection of short stories or a manual of topics on your subject, this method really lightens your load. Be sure to place each writer’s name on their chapter’s byline.

Find other writers by asking for referrals. Who to ask? Try the librarian at your local library, an editor at your city’s newspaper, an English teacher at a nearby college, or professionals in the subject area of your book. Or place a classified ad in a writers’ magazine. And of course, be prepared to remunerate your contributors.

Method Four: Hire a Ghost. As I stated in my book, The Art of Hiring Someone to Write Your Book: A Step by Step Guide to Successfully Collaborating (Instant Publisher, 2004), “A ghostwriter will gather content for your book by handling research, poring over books and articles, conducting interviews, and launching Internet searches. They extract the information that best meets the needs of your project, organizing it, reshaping it, and giving it a creative twist. After they put it all together, they go over their own work, polishing it to flawlessness. As the project develops, they invite your input and seek your approval. Because you have the final say over the project, they comply with whatever changes you suggest.”

Whichever method you opt for, happy authoring. I’ll see you in print.

About The Author Michelle McGee-Jones is a freelance business writer, marketing consultant and author of The Art of Hiring Someone to Write Your Book: A Step by Step Guide to Successfully Collaborating (Instant Publisher, 2004). The book is available online at Amazon.com or by sending a check or money order for $9.95 plus $3.00 shipping and handling made payable to Michelle McGee-Jones at P.O. Box 3058, Elmira, NY 14905. NYS residents please add $.80 sales tax. All rights reserved. This article may be freely reprinted provided this entire byline is included. mcgeejones@peoplepc.com

Blogs Like All Forms Of Writing Are An Art Form That Takes Knowledge And Practice To Do Well – by: M6.net

Writing…Blogs…Blogs are on-line journals where people express themselves through writing. Writing…Writing is the process where one puts down words of a language on a format that others can read. This process has not been around very long, to use one of my writing teacher’s favorite sayings, “Writing has only existed for one day in the one year that humanity has existed.” Speaking and thinking come much easier than writing. These processes just flow out naturally like a river of consciousness; sometimes we hardly have to think about doing them. Anyone and everyone can write words down on paper but that doesn’t mean it’s ‘good writing’, myself included. Like most things in life, our society already takes writing for granted which is proving to expose more of our ignorance. Writing is a new form of expression, and if we want to do it in a way that the masses can connect with our ideas, we have to think much more simply and clearly about this art.

Now that was quite a big paragraph, you’ve got to wonder if I really needed to say as much as I just did to introduce this article on the best way to write your blogs on the Web. I didn’t even mention this main idea, and that’s what an introduction paragraph is meant to be for. This is a common mistake in many blogs out there. We try to get too many ideas across in one paragraph, sometimes even in one sentence! The key, as in all things in life-is to keep it simple. Simplicity means that readers won’t get confused about what your journal entry is actually about. Introduce your main general topic at the start, and use the subsequent paragraphs to discuss separate ideas that relate to this topic. Try to tie everything up in the concluding paragraph, your main argument and the reason why you’ve written in the first place.

Grammar and sentence construction are not easy systems to master, especially if you come from a school system that spent more time telling you about historical battles and quadratic equations than on how to read and write. This is a real problem. When we speak we can get messages across to others easily, but if we put these words down on paper, the writing just isn’t interesting and doesn’t connect with people’s curiosities and fascination. When you write you are not talking to a close friend. You can’t use slang and colloquialisms that only your local community can understand. The aim is to connect with all the people in the world, so let’s make it crystal clear and enjoyable to read.

Your computer has spelling and grammar checks, as well as access to a thesaurus. Use them, but remember that the machine can’t decipher all the intricacies of language. Language is a world in itself, and much of its territories are undiscovered by the masses. So, again keep it simple. Short, precise sentences with single ideas are great. Many words in the English language have the same meanings (synonyms). Use the thesaurus so you don’t repeat the same word over and over throughout the text. It keeps the story fresh and doesn’t turn the reader off. There’s nothing more boring than repetition. Using different words can be a lot of fun and a learning experience, just make sure you use a dictionary (also on the computer/Internet) to make absolute sure of the word’s definition.

Readability…Simplicity…Make your blog accessible by all people. You can even take into consideration that many readers will have learned English as a second language. As I’ve said in previous articles, keep to the point-don’t go on tangents. Stick with the article’s topic, and definitely stay within the realms of your blog’s main area. If your blog is entitled “Jazz music”, people who go there don’t want to hear about how your football team won on the weekend! Please be consistent. How irritating is it to visit a blog that hasn’t been written on in months or years?

I hope these little tips will help you on your quest to producing ‘good’ writing that brings new friends and acquaintances of similar outlooks into your world. If you want people to read, the aim is to produce an emotional reaction in your reader. Pretend you are writing to another form of yourself, if it were not readable, interesting and fun…would you stick around?

About The Author By Jesse S. Somer M6.Net http://www.m6.net Jesse S. Somer is a ‘grasshopper’ writer attempting to inform other beginner writers on how they might one day become masters or ‘sensei’s’. priyankaa@m6.net

Unusual Points of View – by: Rita Marie Keller

Most writers are familiar with first and third points of view and their variations. But have you ever experimented with alternative points of view? Below are some less used points of view, what I call “unusual points of view.” Try using these when you’re blocked or you want to try something new.

Second Person Point of View

Second person can be written as “you” singular or plural. Josip Novakovich in FICTION WRITER’S WORKSHOP says: “The author makes believe he’s talking to someone, describing what the person addressed is doing. But the ‘you’ is not the reader, though sometimes it’s hard to get rid of the impression the author is addressing you directly.”

Here’s an excerpt from Italo Calvino’s first chapter of If on a winter night a traveler. I think it’s one of the most engaging examples of second person point of view. But if the author is not speaking to the reader…then to whom? You be the judge.

You are about to begin reading Italo Calvino’s new novel, If on a winter’s night a traveler. Relax. Concentrate. Dispel ever other thought. Let the world around you fade. Best to close the door; the TV is always on in the next room. Tell others right away, “No, I don’t want to watch TV!” Raise your voice—they won’t hear you otherwise—“I’m reading! I don’t want to be disturbed!” . . . So here you are now, ready to attack the first lines of the first page. You prepare to recognize the unmistakable tone of the author . . .

Most stories told in second person are written in the present tense, so the reader identifies directly with the character. You’re along for the journey, being an active part of the story. I read this excerpt feeling as if the author sees me and is talking directly to me.

Like other points of view, second person has its pitfalls. One of them is keeping the reader’s attention through the whole story (in this example, an entire novel). Some readers don’t like to be told what they’re thinking and doing and saying. Sometimes this point of view has a tendency to sound too journalistic or like a recipe.

First Person Collective Observer Point of View (or third person plural)

In this point of view the reader follows the motions and acts of one person through a group’s viewpoint. Usually, someone in the group acts as narrator but doesn’t have his/her own identity. Usually this is reserved for small town narratives, where an individual lives under communal scrutiny. Schools, towns, churches, or families focus on a secret person in conflict with the community. In William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” Emily is the character scrutinized by the residents of Yoknapatawpha County.

Here is an excerpt from the story which occurs after she is put in the ground and what “we” discover.

For a long while we just stood there, looking at the profound and fleshless grin. The body had apparently once lain in the attitude of an embrace, but now the long deep sleep that outlasts love, that conquers even the grimace of love, had cuckolded him . . . Then we noticed that in the second pillow was an indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, leaning forward, that fast and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair.

Third Person Plural Observer (“They”)

Here the perceptions of a critical situation comes from a group of characters who watch the protagonist. It could be a group of boys watching a teenage girl undressing in her window as in: “They saw her in the window.” The excerpt from “A Rose for Emily” might as easily be written in the point of view.

First and Second Combined

This point of view is usually used in love poetry, and rarely in fiction. In this example from “The Roaring Bull and Electra,” a short story, it’s an adult daughter speaking to her father too ill to speak for himself.

Today the new Roaring Bull was christened, and I wanted you to be next to me as you had been, twenty years ago . . . Now you can’t speak. You can barely swallow. I used to feed you melted ice cream and stroke your throat to get it down because I thought the taste would remind you of our ferry rides . . .

First and Third Combined

This point of view is used for characters with a personality dichotomy, to look at the same character from different angles. In “Sarah Cole: A Type of Love Story” Russell Banks does this to portray a narcissistic man’s affair with a homely woman.

I felt warmed by her presence and was flirtatious and bold, a little pushy even.

Picture this. The man, tanned, limber . . . enters the apartment behind the woman.

The switch to third person is the character taking a look at himself, the way one might want to see himself projected onscreen. The shift in point of view might be annoying to the reader, so it’s important to establish this shift pattern early in your story.

Try this exercise:

Choose one of your favorite stories and rewrite a scene from it in one of the “unusual points of view.” You might want to try rewriting one of the excerpts above. In your exercise show the original passage, then your changed point of view (or points of view). You get extra brownie points if you write a scene from scratch. This is a challenging exercise, but it also shows you don’t have to be limited by variations of first and third person.

Let go, breathe deep, and have fun with it!

? 2004 Rita Marie Keller

About The Author Rita Marie Keller has written and published numerous stories, articles, and essays. Her first novel, Living in the City, was released September 2002 by Booklocker.com, Inc. She founded the Cacoethes Scribendi Creative Writing Workshop (www.cacoethes-scribendi.com) in 1999.

Signs of Infidelity – 21 Categories of Cheating Signs – by: Ruth Houston

With infidelity reaching epidemic proportions, every woman should learn how to recognize the telltale signs of infidelity. The future of her relationship could depend on her ability to spot the telltale signs in time. In view of the rapidly rising divorce rates, and current statistics showing that 50% to 70% of men cheat on their mates, a wife can no longer afford to be the “last one to know.”

Every woman’s personal library should contain a reference book on how to recognize the warning signs of infidelity. “Is He Cheating On You? – 829 Telltale Signs” is a comprehensive guide which lists practically every known cheating sign. The 800+ signs of infidelity in this book are divided into 21 categories so a woman can easily locate the signs that apply to her mate. What’s unique about the warning signs listed here is that once a woman knows what to look for, any of these signs can be easily found using only her eyes and ears, her personal knowledge of her husband, and the information provided in the book. No special skills or equipment are required.

Each of the 21 categories is explained below along with the number of telltale signs listed under that category. While some women make it a point to check each of the 21 categories, others will only check the particular categories that seem to apply to their marriage or their mate. To insure that no one overlooks an important telltale sign, some of the signs (about a dozen) are listed under more than one category.

For example:

“He always calls a certain female to share the special events in his life.”
This sign is listed under Telephone Tip-Offs and again under His Behavior Around Other Women.

“He starts showering you with gifts or buying you flowers for no special reason”
This sign is listed under How He Relates to You and also under Gifts.

“You find deposit slips in his possession for someone else’s bank account.”
This sign is listed under Financial Affairs as well as under Physical Evidence.

Continue reading for details on the 21 major categories of telltale signs.

1. PHYSICAL APPEARANCE – 76 telltale signs
A man having an affair (or even thinking about having one) will want to make himself more attractive. He will begin to enhance his appearance in some way. Be alert for changes in his wardrobe, his grooming, his body, and his personal hygiene. These are usually the most visible signs of infidelity. If he embarks on a drastic self-induced makeover, it’s probably not for you. More than likely he’s trying to attract or impress someone else.

2. HOW HE RELATES TO YOU – 70 telltale signs
The way your husband relates to you can provide many telltale signs. His involvement with another woman will cause him to treat you differently — even on a subconscious level. This is one of those areas where a wife can pick up signs of infidelity that a private investigator might otherwise overlook.

3. CONVERSATIONAL CLUES – 70 telltale signs
What your husband chooses or refuses to talk about can alert you to his involvement in an extramarital affair. He may mention new people, places and things, while the people, places and things he normally talks about are no longer a part of his conversation. Even his tone of voice can be an important telltale sign.

4. WORK HABITS – 39 telltale signs
Work is commonly used as an excuse to account for large blocks of time away from home. Men often use their jobs as a cover for their extramarital affairs. Your husband’s work habits will undoubtedly change as his affair unfolds. Be on the lookout work-related telltale signs.

5. DAY-TO-DAY BEHAVIOR – 92 telltale signs
We are all creatures of habit. We all have a routine that we usually follow each day. A man who is cheating will display changes of some kind in his normal patterns of behavior. Pay close attention to any deviations in your husband’s daily routine. These deviations are telltale signs.

6. FINANCIAL AFFAIRS – 52 telltale signs
Affairs cost money. If your husband has a lover, he’ll want to wine her, dine her, entertain her and buy her occasional gifts. No matter how carefully he tries to cover his tracks, sooner or later this will be reflected in the family finances. Stay alert for financial signs of infidelity.

7. TRAVEL – 27 telltale signs
Your husband may not always be traveling for legitimate reasons. Even if he is, he may decide to combine business with a little pleasure. Travel affords a cheating unfaithful husband a unique opportunity to cheat away from prying eyes.

8. PERSONALITY OR BEHAVIORAL CHANGES – 36 telltale signs
Be alert for changes in your husband’s attitude, personality or behavior. Whether they are drastic or subtle, changes of this type are often an indication of infidelity.

9. ABSENCES – 39 telltale signs
Affairs generally require a considerable amount of time. Since there are only 24 hours in a day, your husband’s absences will become increasingly more frequent as he tries to steal time from other activities so he can be with his lover.

10. TELEPHONE TIP-OFFS – 76 telltale signs
Illicit affairs depend on repeated contact; many of which take place by phone. These telltale signs of infidelity are relatively easy to find. Many men take the risk of calling their lovers from home or having their lovers call them at home. Many wives (like me) discover their husband’s infidelity either directly or indirectly by the telephone.

11. CAR CLUES – 40 telltale signs
Your husband’s (or the family) car can be a rich source of telltale signs. The glove compartment, car seats (underneath and between), the tire well, the underside of the visor, the ashtray, the side pockets or compartments, under the floor mats and other nooks and crannies can reveal a wealth of information.

12. SEX – 37 telltale signs
Be alert for any type of changes in the frequency or the quality of your sex life together. Most important of all: If you suspect your husband of having an affair, take steps to protect yourself. Do not put yourself at risk for HIV/AIDS, herpes or e other sexually transmitted diseases.

13. EATING HABITS – 31 telltale signs
This is an area that wives usually overlook when checking for telltale signs. But your husband’s eating habits can be influenced or affected by his lover. Without even realizing it, he may develop a preference for the type of food she eats, the way she likes her food prepared or the kind of restaurants in which she likes to eat. These are the types of telltale signs it would never occur to him to conceal.

14. SMELLS AND TASTES – 21 telltale signs
Each person has his or her own unique smell or taste. You may be oblivious to it until it becomes replaced with something else. Pay close attention if your husband smells or tastes “different,” or if something in your home or car just doesn’t smell “right.” It may warrant closer investigation.

15. INVASION OF YOUR HOME – 22 telltale signs
It’s not uncommon for a man who’s cheating to invite his lover to his home. When this happens, it’s not unheard of for lovers to leave personal items behind–sometimes deliberately, for an unsuspecting wife to find. You will usually find evidence in your bedroom or bathroom if another woman has been in your home while you were away. But telltale signs of infidelity may turn up in other areas of your home, as well.

16. GIFTS – 19 telltale signs
Be especially vigilant around the times of the year when gifts are usually exchanged. During the holidays and various other times throughout the year, you may find gifts or cards hidden around your home or in the car. Receipts or credit card bills for gifts may turn up shortly before or after Christmas and Valentine’s Day.

17. COMPUTER USE – 30 telltale signs
It’s common these days for a cheating husband to use e-mail to communicate with his lover. Some of the telltale signs in this category may also be an indication of his involvement in an online or cyber affair. Don’t take this lightly. These affairs can be as harmful to your marriage as the real thing. Though they may not involve sexual contact, the emotional attachment can be extremely strong, and can quickly progress from cyberspace to physical reality.

18. CELL PHONES AND PAGERS/BEEPERS – 28 telltale signs
Today’s technological advances make it easier for a husband to cheat on his wife. But it’s also easier for a husband to get caught while trying to make contact or stay in touch with his lover.

19. PHYSICAL EVIDENCE – 32 telltale signs
Many times there’s physical evidence just waiting to be found. Check your husband’s wallet, his pants or jacket pockets, his desk or dresser drawers, the wastepaper basket, his closet shelves, the floor in the back of his closet, the garage, his study, filing cabinets, his workshop, his toolbox or any place else you can think of. Keep your eyes open. You’ll be surprised at the kinds of physical evidence of infidelity you can find.

20. HIS BEHAVIOR AROUND OTHER WOMEN – 71 telltale signs
Studies show that a man is most likely to have an affair with someone he already knows—a woman he comes in contact with on a regular basis – a neighbor, a coworker, a family friend or business associate. If you’re observant, you may be able to determine the identity of your husband’s lover by the way he behaves in her presence, or by how she behaves around him.

21. ACCIDENTAL SLIPS-UPS OR DISCLOSURES – 57 telltale signs
Sometimes you get lucky and find out what your husband has been up to by accident, or through some strange quirk of fate. An accidental slip-up on his part or on the part of someone else can clue you in to what’s been happening behind your back.

As you can see, despite its title, “Is He Cheating On You? – 829 Telltale Signs” actually contains 950 telltale signs in all. Additional signs were added before the final version of this infidelity book was printed. Is He Cheating on You? is probably the most comprehensive collection of cheating signs ever compiled. It contains a multitude of little-known signs of infidelity not documented anywhere else.

In this age of rampant infidelity, no woman, married or single, can risk missing or misinterpreting the telltale signs of an affair. The survival of her relationship may one day depend on her ability to recognize the warning signs in time. Be sure to visit http://www.IsHeCheatingOnYou.com for more information on cheating husbands and signs of infidelity. Don’t be the last one to know.

Excerpts taken from “Is He Cheating on You? – 829 Telltale Signs”
For more information visit www.IsHeCheatingOnYou.com

© 2004 Ruth Houston All rights reserved.

About The Author Ruth Houston is the author of “Is He Cheating on You?-829 Telltale Signs.” For more information about the book, cheating husbands or signs of infidelity visit http://www.IsHeCheatingOnYou.com To receive a FREE Infidelity Report which includes 29 Telltale Signs, send an e-mail to CheatingSigns@aol.com CheatingSigns@aol.com

Becoming a Writer – by: robparnell

The urge to write fiction seems God given for some, a learned skill for others.

One thing is certain – it requires practice and a particular mindset. But, if you’re a beginner, where do you start?

The following 10 tips will help kick-start your writing habit, whether you’re a complete novice, or perhaps a pro who has lost their way!

1. Step Away From the Car, Sir.

Slightly detach yourself from your surroundings. Stop participating and begin observing. In social situations, watch people, see how they act and – more importantly – interact.

Don’t pass judgment. Take it all in – and draw on it later when you write.

2. Look Harder, Homer

Stop and look around you. Consciously notice the buildings, what’s underfoot, overhead, and what’s right in front of you.

At home, look at something you take for granted. An iron, for instance. Find yours and study it.

3. Write Thinking Will Be Rewarded.

A simple technique. Your mother is making tea and you are chatting to her. Take a mental step back and describe the scene.

Similarly, when you’re outside, describe your environment as though you were writing it down.

4. What Reasons Do You Need?

Don’t wait for inspiration – just write!

Force yourself to write anything at all. A shopping list. An overheard conversation. Describe your bedroom.

It doesn’t matter how personal it is, or how trivial, just get it down!

5. Wakey Wakey!

Set your alarm clock for an hour earlier than normal.

When the alarm goes off, get up. Don’t dress, bathe or eat. Don’t even make coffee. Just stagger to your writing space and write the first thing that comes into your head for five minutes.

6. Oh God – Not That!

Think of the most awful and embarrassing thing you’ve ever done – the more cringe-worthy the better. Now write about it. All of it, in all its gory, horrible detail.

Then hide it away for a year or so before you read it again!

7. Like Your Style, Baby.

Don’t limit yourself. Write poems, songs, dialogue, fact, fiction, even practice writing advertising copy or horoscopes.

Your expertise improves in all areas – an improvement in one area can reap benefits in another.

8. The Sincerest Flattery

Take out a classic book from your bookcase. Copy out a paragraph. Think about the words as you write them. Don’t get intimidated!

9. Wanna See My Invention?

When you’re not writing, string together stories in your mind. Think of plots, characters, settings, dénouements.

Ask yourself what you should do next to improve your writing.

Develop this technique into a habit.

10. It’s A Goal!

When you start writing regularly, set yourself small goals. Anything from 200 words a day, or just a commitment to writing in your diary.

Later extend to finishing a short story, or an article or a poem. Perhaps one in a week.

The trick is to set goals you can achieve easily.

That way you’ll get the writing habit – and you won’t forget to enjoy it!

About The Author robparnell is founder of the Easy Way to Write, a young Internet company committed to giving excellent writing resources to novice and seasoned writers. For free writing lessons and much more visit: http://easywaytowrite.com rob@easywaytowrite.com

The Three Cs of Writing an Excellent all Purpose Headline – by: Steven Boaze

Since the headline is the first contact your readers have with your message, it must reach out to them. Promise them a benefit. Tell them how they will be better off if they read the rest of the ad. Use action verbs. Save ten dollars is a stronger heading than Savings of ten dollars because of the verb.

Headlines can be classified into the following five basic types; effective headlines frequently combine two or more of these kinds.

News Headlines

This form tells the reader something he or she did not know before. Using the word news does not make it a news headline. “Now – a copy machine that copies in color” is an example of this type headline.

Advice and Promise Headline

Here you are promising something if the reader follows the advice in your ad. “Switch to Amoco premium, no-lead gasoline, and your car will stop pinging.”

Selective Headline

This headline limits the audience to a specific group. For example: “To all gray-haired men over forty.” Caution! Be absolutely sure you do not eliminate potential customers with this type of headline.

Curiosity Headline

The intent here is to arouse the reader’s interest enough to make him or her read the ad. The danger is that this headline often appears “cute” or “clever” and fails in its mission. An example: “Do you have trouble going to sleep at night?”

Command or Demand Headline

Watch out for this one as most people resist pushiness, especially in advertising. “Do it now!” or “Buy this today!” This headline generally can be improved by changing to less obtrusive wording such as: “Call for your key to success!”

One common misconception about headlines is that they must be short and easy to understand. This is not always true. Here is a headline that was used extensively in print ads by Ogilvy and Mather for one of their clients: At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock.

Illustrations

There are three primary reasons for using illustrations in an advertisement.

• To attract attention to the ad.
• To illustrate the item being featured.
• To create a mood in the mind of the reader.

Everyone has heard, A picture is worth a thousand words; in advertising, the illustration frequently helps the reader visualize the benefits promised. You can almost feel the warmth of the tropical sun when you see the photos in January travel ads. Cost and practicality may dictate whether your ad uses photographs, artists’ drawings or merely canned artwork. Any of these can make the ad more appealing to the reader’s eye.

Copy

If you follow the three principles of good copy, your ads will be effective:

• Good copy should be clear.
• Good copy should be crisp.
• Good copy should be concise.

Clear, crisp and concise . . . the three Cs of copy writing suggest that the words in your advertising message merely do a good job of communicating. Do not use big words when small words can make your meaning clear. Use colorful, descriptive terms. Use the number of words necessary to make your meaning clear and no more-but also no less! Selecting the right words is critical to the success of the ads. Recent research conducted at Yale University found that the following 12 words are the most personal and persuasive words in our language.

You Discovery Safety

Money Proven Results

Love Guarantee Save

New Easy Health

Notice the overused word free is not on the list.

REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOUR MESSAGE IS PRINTED IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS INSTEAD OF UPPER- AND LOWERCASE LETTERS, IT IS FAR MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE READER TO FOLLOW AND REMAIN INTERESTED. EVEN IN HEADLINES ALL CAPITAL LETTERS SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

About The Author Steven Boaze (Chairman) is The Owner of The Corporate Headquarters Boaze.com Which houses and controls 5 websites including Web Development services. Steven is also the author of “Hidden Secrets To Business Marketing” and “12 Step Remedy To A Successful Ezine” along with numerous articles on Marketing and Advertising published by Boaze Publishing. http://www.boazepublishing.biz http://www.speedresponderpro.com Copyright 1998-2003 Boaze.com owner@boazepublishing.biz

I Am Biodegradable. My Writing Is Not. – by: David Leonhardt

My dad was wrong. I just discovered that I am good for nuthin’ after all. In fact I’ve been good for nuthin’ all along. I am 100% biodegradable and that means I can be recycled into nuthin’. It also means that no matter how much I waste, no matter how much I consume, no matter how much I pollute, in the end I am environment-friendly. Best of all, I now have an end use.

Now that’s something to put on my resume!

This comes as particularly good news to somebody who is not sure what his purpose is. Sometimes I write these humor columns, pretending to be funny. Sometimes people even laugh, and I worry that it might be the start of an ominous trend.

Sometimes I am selling my happiness book, pretending to be a successful author. With 2,000 copies of my book keeping the floor from floating upwards, perhaps I AM successful. Levitating floors are generally not considered signs of success in this part of the country.

Sometimes I am optimizing websites for search engine rankings. “What exactly does that mean?” I am often asked.

“Well…it means that I get my clients’ site high up in the searches.” Blank stare.

I try again. “It means that I help Google show you my clients’ web sites. Blank stare.

“Well…I’m not sure how to explain it. But I get paid to do it.” People understand that.

“I turn on a machine that defluctuates the turbo-rotating modulator down at the spare parts plant,” someone adds.

“What exactly does that mean?” I ask.

“Beats me. But I get paid to do it.” We are soulmates.

Sometimes I write for pay, because people seem to want something written. They hope that if they can’t say it themselves, I might be able to find just the right words.

“C’mon, David. You have lots of words. Why don’t you lend me some? Why, just last week you promised to ‘defenestrate’ me, whatever that means.” They want me to put their thoughts into words, and occasionally they want me to create their thoughts. I worked for a politician years ago. I vaguely remember how to write somebody else’s thoughts before he knew he had them.

“So what do you write?”

“Web site copy, mostly.”

“Really? Not another book?”

“No, I still have 2,000 copies of the last book piled up in my office.”

“I’m sure they’ll sell quickly, David.”

“Really? Want one?”

“Uh…gotta go. It’s time for my pet goldfish’s nap.”

I also write this humor column faithfully every week. But people actually PAY me to write website copy. Now, dear reader, answer me this question. Would you rather be reading this hilarious column, loaded with frosting and topped with chocolate syrup, or would you rather read plain vanilla website copy.

OK, go ahead and read the website copy, then. See if I care.

One thing my website copy and this column have in common is that they are not biodegradable. Remember how computers would save the environment as they replace the three gazillion tones of paper we trash every few hours in offices around the world and elsewhere?

Now we discover that all that paper at least was biodegradable, recyclable, reusable. It wasn’t all that bad for the environment, after all. But the monitor you are reading this on will last forever. (SFX: evil laughter) Adventure seekers from the planet Zorgoppppt will land here in the year 2304 and discover all these abandoned monitors scattered around.

One Zorgopppptian will say to the other, “prrg, ddyte h hthp oooo djudu” (Translation: “Groovy paper weights!”)

But they won’t find me, thanks to my lifetime achievement. I’ll be long gone, because I am (chest swells with pride) biodegradable.

About The Author David Leonhardt is biodegradable and happy at: http://www.thehappyguy.com To write your website copy, newsletter or award winning biodegradable cereal box copy, email him at: info@thehappyguy.com He is author of Inspiration & Motivation To Go: http://www.thehappyguy.com/l/daily-motivation-inspiration.php The Get Happy Workbook: http://www.thehappyguy.com/happiness-work-book.html and Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: the 9 habits of maximum happiness: http://www.thehappyguy.com/happiness-self-help-book.html Info@thehappyguy.com

The Pros and Cons of Print on Demand Publishing – by: Victoria Ring

When I was five years old, my parents bought me a manual typewriter for a Christmas present. I practiced every day until I was able to type letters to my grandparents and other relatives. Although it is safe to say that I have been a writer since 1963, I didn’t start making money from my writing until I started Graphico Publishing in 1988.

Back in those days, Adobe Acrobat Reader (PDF) had never been thought of. In fact, the word “internet” was unknown to the majority of the general public. Therefore, I had only three options available to me if I was going to sell my articles and books:

1. Submit them to publishers, hoping they would be published “someday”;
2. Typeset my own books, print them on a copier and mail copies to customers ordering directly from me (this also meant that I had to market the books myself); or
3. Pay a printer to typeset and print my books, which meant I had to buy a minimum amount and pay for them upfront (which could cost $10,000 or more).

I chose to employ option Number 2. I figured that I would not have to spend any money using that option because as books were ordered, I could print them on my copy machine. Besides, my books were not full-length paperbacks. They were 20-page booklets that I could print on letter-size paper, fold in half and saddle stitch. Only until I started selling 100s of books would I invest into purchasing a minimum amount from a printer. Besides, the idea of not having to stock a product was of great importance to me since I was living in a small one-bedroom apartment at the time.

However, while choosing the Number 2 method above would save me a lot of money, I was going to have to learn how to market and typeset my books. Learning to typeset was pretty easy. I went to a printer’s supply store and picked up books showing me different styles of fonts and I looked at every display advertisement I could find. I purchased Roger Parker’s Book, “The Aldus Guide to Basic Design” (http://www.newentrepreneur.com/) and was soon able to start designing my own ads, using combinations of examples I learned from the professional designers. The entire learning experience was great fun and I acquired a skill that I now use on a daily basis.

Learning to market though, took longer compared to learning how to typeset. That is because there are so many variations to marketing. What works for one person may not work for another. However, with the vast amount of technology available at your fingertips today, learning to market your products and services is as simple as filling out forms and posting messages to bulletin boards utilized by your target market.

Little did I realize at the time that the procedure I utilized to sell my books by printing copies only when an order was received is the same thing as print-on-demand publishing. The only difference is that today, most of the marketing and typesetting is included in the publishers price. Since I already know how to typeset my books, the publisher normally gives me a discount of $100 to $150 for saving them time and expense.

I was first introduced to print-on-demand publishing when I wrote my book, “How to Start, Operate and Market a Freelance Notary Signing Agent Business” available online at http://www.50statenotary.com/book). Not knowing that print-on-demand publishing existed I sent my manuscript to several publishers for acceptance. To my surprise, two publishers accepted the book and one offered me an advance of $2,800.

At first I was elated. I called all my friends and we all yelled and screamed together in excitement. The excitement was short lived when I received an email from the publisher the next day with a list of demands they required before my book could be published. One of the demands was the name of my book needed to be changed and secondly, I was not permitted to publish my testimonial to Jesus Christ in the back of the book. I immediately said “no” and began seeking other alternatives for publishing.

To make a long story short, I found Gom Publishing (http://www.gompublishing.com) through my local Christian Blue Pages directory. It just so happened that their office was located within 10 miles of my house. I called them up, asked if I could come for a visit and received a personal tour of their operation. It was a great learning experience and I was sold on the idea of print-on-demand publishing.

Here are just some of the advantages to a writer who uses print-on-demand publishing:

1. You have total control over your book. No one is going to edit your work and take out your personal “style” or omit sections you know to be important. Gom Publishing includes copyediting with virtually all of their publishing plans, which is something I did not find with most other print-on-demand companies.
2. Your book is available for sale within 90 days or less if you assist with the design. Compared to the “old time” methods of publishing, even if a publisher accepts your book, it normally is not available for sale for almost a year or later. The whole world could change in that length of time and you would still have to wait a year or more before you got paid for your hard work.
3. You can make up to 50% for every book you sell. Compare this to a publisher who only pays the writer an 8% to 10% commission. This means that you can set up a web page to sell your book, take orders and purchase the amount of books your need to fill the orders at a 50% discount from the print-on-demand publisher. Gom Publishing offers a 55% discount, which increases your profits even more. This option is not possible with standard publishers who purchase the exclusive rights from a writer, thus not allowing the writer to sell their books on their own.
4. Print-on-demand publishers also build excellent marketing benefits into their basic prices. These marketing benefits include: (a) assignment of an ISBN number; (b) ISBN bar code printed on book cover; (c) Library of Congress cataloging and registration; and (d) automatic listing on the world’s largest bookstores: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Waldenbooks and Borders. I found with Gom Publishing that they even have programs to distribute your book through third party distributors, sales reps, and even offer publicist services. All you have to do is help in the promotion by directing people to you book on these websites. The credit card orders are processed for you, the books are shipped to your customers and you receive a monthly commission check.

Of course there are many more benefits to print-on-demand publishing than the four I listed above, but I am sure you can begin to see the benefits for yourself. However, even though print-on-demand publishing has many “pros,” there are some “cons” that you might want to consider. One of those “cons” is how the established publishing community views print-on-demand books. They view them as “vanity” publications and booksellers may be reluctant to deal with them. Trade journals like Publishers

Weekly and Kirkus also do not like to deal with print-on-demand published books and magazines and newspapers shy away from them also.

Why are publishers who are located in the high-traffic media biased against print-on-demand publishing? Because they know the author had total control over the book and it did not go through the standard editing process. So what? In my opinion, the media makes a great deal of money from writers and since print-on-demand technology does not provide them with this extra revenue print-on-demand publishing leaves a “bad taste” in their mouths. They tell their employees that print-on-demand publishing is not professional behavior, when the truth of the matter is that print-on-demand publishing is taking money out of their pockets. The “biggies” cannot reveal their true motive, so they do the “human” thing and create as much bad publicity for the print-on-demand industry that they can then use the leverage of other “biggies” like themselves to keep everyone’s pockets padded with the green stuff.

So unless you plan to write a book that you expect to be interviewed on BookTV or Larry King Live about, I suggest you check out print-on-demand publishing. Below are some print-on-demand publishers you may want to consider and compare prices:

1. Gom Publishing, http://www.gompublishing.com
2. Graphico Publishing, http://www.graphicopublishing.com
3. Author House, http://www.authorhouse.com/
4. BlitzPrint, http://www.blitzprint.com/
5. Instant Publisher, http://www.instantpublisher.com/

Or, go to any search engine and type in the search words “print-on-demand publishing” and start shopping. I chose Gom Publishing to publish my book. The total cost was less than $600 and I made this money back almost immediately.

If are a first time writer or even published, you need to check out the benefits for your work by utilizing print-on-demand publishing. At least you now have more options available to you and perhaps one day, writers will be less dependent on publishers and can take the control over their own products.

About The Author Victoria Ring is a freelance writer, typesetter and designer. She is the founder of 50statenotary.com, graphicopublishing.com and victoriaringconsulting.com. All companies are dedicated to providing one-of-a-kind products and services for the small business person. bkparalegal@hotmail.com

Write a Letter, Make a Difference – by: Leslie Laskin-Reese

Today I took the dog for a walk and realized that there is a letter that I must write. Near our house, we walk up a once paved road that is now mostly rock and mud. It runs behind several houses then up a hill and ends at some very high priced home sites that are, as yet, unbuilt. In the winter this is a beautiful trail lined with small waterfalls and lush green trees, in summer it is a trail overrun by wildflowers that the neighborhood children enjoy picking. This trail, used regularly by its neighbors, is in danger of disappearing. The developer of the homesites is petitioning the city to repave the trail and make it once again an automobile thoroughfare. This trail is a vital part of our neighborhood, and losing it to another street (that would benefit only the future homeowners of 5 homesites) would distress those who use it regularly to walk the dog, teach their children about nature, or to escape the concrete jungle for a moment of peace.

Choose Your Topic

But, of course, the city planners won’t know this unless we tell them. That is what a letter writing campaign is about….telling the people in charge what is important to us. And it is up to each of us to determine what is important, and then appropriately express that opinion. Leaders of government as well as corporate leaders value our opinions, because it is our opinions that keep them in power. Their power to do right (or not) is given to them by us! So, use your power to help create the world in which you want to live. And don’t limit yourself to local issues. There are global organizations that conduct letter writing campaigns to create change socially, politically, environmentally and economically around the world. These organizations need us to speak up.

Verify the facts

Before you begin your letter, do your homework. Who is in charge? Get the correct name and title. Find out what has been done to date regarding this issue. Do an internet search on the topic, visit the library and use the very underused and extremely knowledgeable reference librarian, call the local governing body to determine the status of the issue. If you are writing as part of a globally organized letter writing campaign, the organization conducting the campaign will provide thorough background information for your use. Read this information. It is vital that you are knowledgeable on your topic if you want your letter to be read and taken seriously.

Write an Effective Letter

A letter to any corporate or political official must be professional, concise, and personal. Your goal is to get your letter read, and that will not happen if you don’t maintain these standards. When you are ready to begin your letter, get out a nice white piece of paper and type your letter. Begin with the correct name, address and title of the official as well as the date. Be sure to include your return address on the letter (not just on the envelope) so that you can request and receive a response. Now organize your thoughts (on a separate piece of paper) and begin writing. Keep the following in mind:

• Your letter should be short while covering all necessary information.
• Be polite and constructive, never inflammatory or accusatory. Presume that the person to whom you are writing is reasonable and treat him or her with due respect.
• Be certain of your facts. One incorrect or insufficiently researched fact will render your entire letter useless. Communicate your understanding of the context of the overall situation as well as the specific issue at hand.
• Be specific about the action you are looking for, don’t speak about vague or theoretical ideals.
• Personalize your letter with information about why this issue is important to you, and how it affects you.
• If the organization or person to whom you are writing has taken positive steps on this issue, compliment their action.
• Finally, respectfully request a response to your letter and sign your letter by hand.

If you follow these steps, you can create a dialog between yourself and the official in charge. Become a respected member of this official’s community whose opinion is welcome and desired, and you have made a difference.

Follow Up

If appropriate, send a copy of your letter to the local newspaper. Generating more interest in the issue creates better opportunity to create the desired action. Then, keep track of the result of your action. If you receive a response, acknowledge the response and thank the official for his or her consideration. If the action you requested is carried out, send a thank you letter expressing your appreciation. If you hear nothing and the issue seems to be unresolved, send another letter. We have a voice, but it is only heard if we speak!

About The Author Leslie Laskin-Reese is a writer and the founder of Letters and Paper (http://www.lettersandpaper.com), a website dedicated to preserving the fine art of letter writing. leslie@lettersandpaper.com

Checklist for Writing Articles That Get Read – by: Abdallah Khamis Abdallah

When writing articles for publication, it is important that you bear certain matters in mind. If you want to write a good article that stands a good chance of publication you need to take the following into consideration before, when you are in the process and after completion:

Have you formed a full idea on what you want to write about? Which subject? Which topic?

Do you know where or how to find facts or material for your article?

Have you collected sufficient raw facts/data for your article?

Have you considered the article’s audience / market? Will it interest or captivate your readers?

Does your article have a main idea and secondary ideas?

Have you written enough to give readers quality and credible information?

Does the article offer any new, refreshing and useful advice or ideas?

Are paragraphs short, well arranged and flow smoothly from each other? Are sentences short and well constructed? Is punctuation all right and there are no grammatical mistakes?

Is your article descriptive? Is it sensational, thought provoking, emotive or inspiring? Does it evoke happy memories, sadness or inspire readers to action?

Have you revised the article to flush out irrelevant ideas, strengthen your points and checked it for any errors?

Does your article content infringe any law? Copyright? Libel?

Has the article undergone rewriting through several drafts to polish it?

Does the article make sense?

About The Author Abdallah Khamis Abdallah is a freelance copywriter and ghost writer.To learn more about how you and your business can benefit from our viral and credibility marketing solutions and how your business can benefit from infinite publicity visit his website at: http://www.qualitywritingsolutions.com. quantumpro@lycos.com

How to Multiply Your Freelance Writing Work – by: Brian Konradt

You can turn your $200 fee to write a press release into $2,000 to carry out an entire PR campaign simply by convincing clients to invest in campaigns, instead of individual assignments. Campaigns achieve better results and cost less in the long-term for clients, compared to individual assignments. And, of course, as the freelancer, you get paid much more for turning out a succession of assignments that assimilate a successful campaign.

Here’s how to multiply your writing sales by convincing clients to invest in long-term campaigns, instead of short-term individual assignments.

• Know the short-term and long-term results. A client approaches you to write a brochure. He may or may not know that his product can also benefit from other types of promotional pieces, such as ads, direct mail, news releases, websites, and so on, to sell his product or service. Your job is to educate the client. The brochure may be the first promotional piece in a consortium of promotional pieces. Here, you must know the short-term and long-term view results of the brochure.

The short-term results are the results the brochure will achieve for the client; and the long-term results are the results the brochure will achieve/contribute for the entire campaign. It answers the questions, “How do the results of this brochure fit into the entire campaign?” and “How can these results be strengthened with other forms of promotional materials?”

Show the client how a campaign, that’s comprised of a succession of assignments, can achieve — and exceed — his expectations and outsell and outdo the performance of a single assignment.

• Use “tie-in” services. Whenever a client approaches you with a single assignment, ask yourself what tie-in services can supplement the single assignment. A news release achieves better results when it’s accompanied with a photo. And a press kit — complete with press releases, photos, brochures, and company information — can achieve better results than a single press release. All of these extra tie-in services can turn writing a single press release into multiple writing sales.

• Offer the “concept to completion” benefit. Instead of pitching yourself as a freelancer who can write newsletter copy, pitch yourself as a freelancer who produces newsletters, from copy to completion. You multiply your income by outsourcing parts of the job and delivering a finished product, not a piece of the product. You also can extend your “concept to completion” services by pitching yourself as a marketing consultant, in which you make recommendations to the client as to the best way to market the newsletter.

• Develop strong consultative skills. Besides selling your freelance services, also offer consulting services. Clients pay you to explain ideas, concepts, recommendations and turnkey solutions as to the best way to achieve the results they desire. Consulting with clients can lead to securing freelance work, since clients realize you have the skills and expertise to undertake the task.

• Know the future needs of clients. Clients come with present needs — and future needs. A client may hire you to write a newsletter now, but they’ll also consider you for future work if you know what their future needs are and how to fulfill them. The company may be ushering in a new product line, creating a new division within the company, sponsoring a charity event, or creating a website. All of these future events need a freelancer to do promotional writing and freelance work. That’s you. Your job is to show clients how you’ll address their future needs with solutions that’ll increase their profitability and/or productivity. This is usually accomplished with a proposal through which you pitch yourself as the freelancer who has the solutions to undertake the future tasks.

• Use proposals to secure work. Proposals are an inclusive persuasion tool to convince prospects that you can increase their profitability and/or productivity with your freelance services. Proposals specifically show the client how you intend to achieve the desired results, the time and costs involved, and why you and your solutions are the best choices to boost the company’s profits.

• Adaptations. Any of your freelance writing services can be adapted for websites, turning a single assignment into two assignments. Get paid to write a press release or brochure, and then get paid again to adapt the copy digitally.

• Add-on services, such as desktop publishing services, marketing consulting, compiling and selling media lists, and project coordinating can help multiply your work and your income. Brian Konradt is a former freelance copywriter and graphic designer, and founder of FreelanceWriting.com (http://www.freelancewriting.com), a free website dedicated to help writers master the business and creative sides of freelance writing.

————————————————————

This article may be freely reprinted, online and offline, without permission as long as no text is altered.

About The Author Brian Konradt is a former freelance copywriter and graphic designer, and founder of FreelanceWriting.com (http://www.freelancewriting.com), a free website dedicated to help writers master the business and creative sides of freelance writing.

So You Want to be a Freelancer? Here’s How! – by: Vishal P. Rao

Not that long ago, freelancing was something people did mainly in larger metropolitan areas where work for writers, artists, and other creative types was plentiful and easily accessible. Today, however, the freelance landscape has dramatically changed.

For one, you can live practically anywhere in the world and still be able to maintain a successful freelance career. Not to mention that the creative fields aren’t the only areas where freelancing is popular any more.

Today, accountants, trainers, computer technicians, etc. are all able to earn a living as freelancers. Regardless of the freelancing field you are interested in, there are some important things you should know that will help you get started and get successful.

Before we discuss those, however, we need to talk briefly about the pros and the cons of being a freelancer. You need to know both sides before you make your decision so you truly understand what you’re getting into.

Freelancer Pros

1. You set your own schedule

As a freelancer, you get to determine what time you get out of bed and what time you turn in at night. You get to decide how much vacation time you can afford to take this year and you can elect to skip work one afternoon to spend time with your children.

2. You don’t work for a boss

Even though you are answerable to your clients, they don’t wield the same power over your life that a boss does. Yes, they can fire you, but you can also quit working for them if things get too difficult.

3. You determine how much you earn

While a conventional job pays a set amount of money regardless of how hard you work (and in some cases how long you work), freelancing allows you to make practically any amount of money that you wish because you determine how much your services cost and how many jobs you take on at one time.

4. You are able to work from your own office

Whether you prefer working in a home office or renting space somewhere to do your business, you are in charge of designing and maintaining your own comfortable office. You get to pick the people you work with. You get to pick the type of computer, post-it notes, and bottled water that you use on a daily basis also.

Freelancers Cons

1. You can become overworked quickly

When you start working steadily as a freelancer, it becomes nearly impossible for you to truly take a vacation. You have projects and clients that need your constant attention, so being gone or getting sick even for a day can put you behind schedule.

2. You have to deal with clients who can be more difficult than bosses

Most of the clients freelancers work with are genuinely good people, but there are others out there that are not. Every freelancer has probably been ripped off by a client at one time or another, even if they take steps to protect themselves.

3. You don’t have a steady income

Unless you have one or two truly constant streams of work, you can expect your income to fluctuate dramatically. Some months you may feel like you struck the lottery while others may make you think you’re heading for the food stamp line, especially when you are starting out.

4. You don’t have a way to separate work from home life

If you have a home office, you may find it difficult to recognize the difference between being at home and being at work which means that while your watching television or eating dinner you may begin to feel like you’re actually still on the job.

As you can see, each positive has a negative aspect as well. However, many of these negatives can be easily handled once you have experience as a freelancer, but to get to that point, you need to know how to get started.

Find Something You Enjoy Doing

This is critical to your success. If you don’t already have something in mind to do as a freelancer, you need to be sure that you pick an activity that you truly love. Remember, you will be doing this type of work every day. Also, the more you enjoy your work, the more passionate you are about it. Potential clients will spot that passion and will be more inclined to work with you.

Save Some Money

Most freelancers actually start out as conventional 9-5 workers. In fact, many of them maintain their full-time jobs in addition to their freelance work for the sake of a stable income, health insurance, or other benefits. If you choose to go freelance full-time, however, you need to be sure to have a comfortable nest egg in the bank. Most experts agree that you should have enough money in your savings to cover six months worth of your basic necessities. If that sounds impossible, then try juggling some freelance work with your regular job for awhile. Save up all of the money you earn from your freelance work and use that as your nest egg.

Start Finding Clients Today

One mistake that freelancers often make is that think they can only start networking and marketing their services after they’ve gotten started. The truth is that if you’re considering becoming a freelancer, now is the time to start networking and marketing. Let people know that you are thinking about going solo and get their reactions. Start building a database of possible job leads. In fact, you may want to line up some work beforehand so you can be sure of having an income initially.

Be Prepared

Most potential clients will want to see references and/or samples of your work before they give you a project. You need to have these prepared in advance. Don’t wait until someone calls to possibly offer you a project to get your portfolio in order or to line up some qualified references. Have those ready to dispatch as soon as you get off the phone or finish the email.

Find an Accountant

The most difficult part of freelancing can be the handling the financial aspects: tracking invoices, staying on top of bills, figuring your yearly taxes, etc. Unless you are already skilled in accounting, you need to find someone to help you out with this from the beginning. It makes it much simpler for you and for the accountant.

Start a Web Site

Use the Internet to your advantage. Create a professional-looking but simple web site advertising your experience and your services, then place it on the Internet. It’s one of the best ways of attracting new clients.

These suggestions will help you start your freelancing career on the right foot, but the most important key to your success will be your perseverance. If you give up easily or don’t follow through with things, you may never truly make it as a freelancer. You must be able to take rejection. You must be self-motivated, and you must be persistent. Only then will you be able to experience firsthand all of the benefits of being a modern freelancer.

Useful sites:

• http://www.elance.com/
• http://www.guru.com/
• http://www.allfreelance.com/

Copyright 2004 Vishal P. Rao

About The Author For opportunities, ideas and resources to start a home based business, visit: http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com For more articles by the author, visit: http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com/library/reprints.shtml

How to Have an Effective Writing Group – by: Stephen Earley Jordan, II

The works you’ve written are numerous, ranging from short stories to even the novel, hidden in a storage bin (under the bed) collecting dust. But there comes a time when you must wipe away that dust, regain your pride, and prepare your babies for publication! But, how do you get such a critical, unbiased eye to analyze your works, offering both praise and criticism?

It’s simple—start a writing group!

Creating a writing group is the easy part, but creating a functioning and beneficial writing group can be quite a task.

Writing groups are age-old sessions where writers obtain helpful evaluations for their works. Nowadays, though, writing groups seem to be a fad, and for many a status symbol reassuring them of their writerdom. Don’t create a writing group simply for the sake of saying, “I belong to a writing group”. Create or join a group because of the numerous benefits that come along with them.

1. Keep Number of Members Limited. You don’t want just one other person in this group. So shoot for 3 or more members. On the other hand, you don’t want to have 30 people in the group either. Try approximately 8-10 members. If one person leaves the group, replace that person with a new recruit. Keep the same standards for all members. Make it standard that members can only join by an invite. Allowing your group to be very exclusive brings the group more pride.

2. Select Randomly. It’s okay to have a friend in this group, but you chose to create this writing group for unbiased opinions. So don’t allow ALL the members to be your best friends in which you see on a daily basis. Perhaps one member is 18 yrs old, while the other is 35. Keeping age, sex, ethnicity, and educational levels of your group will allow a diverse critique—which is ultimately what you’re seeking. A diverse group will only make you and the group much stronger.

3. Meetings. We’re all struggling writers, so most often the other members of the group will have jobs to attend. So finding an appropriate time for a meeting is crucial. I’ve found that one Sunday per month, after 2 p.m. is great. Make it an odd time. Creating times such as 2:07 p.m. will stand out and allow members to remember. Where are these meetings held? Keep switching locations. Allow the members to rotate the location to each of their homes. If homes are not available, then a select person should discuss where they choose the next meeting should be held. This is the reason membership should be limited to a few members. It’s much easier to meet with just a few people.

4. Text. Focus your group on either poetry or prose—try not to mingle the two. If the text is prose, and the writer wants his novel critiqued, suggest that the novel be submitted on a “per chapter” (or two) basis. Don’t overwhelm the members with too much to read at one time—or you’ll end up with no members. The month before your work is critiqued, each writer should submit photocopies of their manuscript to each member.

5. Know your intentions. Make sure that, for the most part, members have similar goals: to be published or for sheer enjoyment of writing. This will eliminate time wasted if you know this upfront.

6. Critiquing. When critiquing the text, encourage the members to speak as if the writer isn’t present. In the meanwhile, the author can sit back, take notes, and write down questions the critics may have posed. Encourage the critics to write on their versions of the text before meeting. Allow approximately 20 minutes to discuss each member’s work. Upon completion of the critique, critics should give the author their “corrected” versions. Complete the critique by allowing the author to explain any unanswered questions and to thank the critics.

If members can’t keep up with reading that much work per month, then divide it up. Four writers submit one month, while the remaining four submit the following month. Above all, writing groups should be a relaxed environment—away from your significant other, your children, and your job. Let this be a time where you hone your writing skills with the assistance of others who simply seek the same thing.

About The Author Stephen Jordan has five years experience within the educational publishing industry. Stephen was a freelance editor with such educational foundations as Princeton Review, The College Board, New York University, and Columbia University. Away from the office, Stephen promotes his creative writing with his home-freelance business OutStretch Publications and his artwork. Stephen holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in writing and literature from Alderson-Broaddus College of Philippi, West Virginia Available for reprint. Please contact author so he can keep track of where his articles are being used. Editor@OutStretch.net

Making The Time To Write That Novel – by: Patty Apostolides

Finding the time to write a novel is one of the major issues confronting writers, particularly those who haven’t been published yet. How does one justify to themselves, or to their loved ones, that they need time to write if they have demands on their time, like a job, or a house to be cleaned, a family to be fed, or shopping to do? They make the time.

To make time, one would have to sit down and plan it. If this is not done, then writing will become a haphazard event, dictated by a whim, or a passing urge, rather than a scheduled time. This often results in the book never really being finished. You do want to finish that book, don’t you? Below, I have my own suggestions as to how to make time.

1. Think about your daily schedule, just like when you do a budget, only instead of money, you’ll be budgeting time.

2. Then get a nice large desktop calendar, the ones that cost about two dollars. Begin filling in the mandatory slots for the week. Do you have a work schedule, or a doctor’s appointment, a meeting to go to, etc.? Then write these times down.

3. Next, fill in the times for meals, showers, shopping, socials, etc.

4. Now look at the times that you are free. Please don’t say there isn’t any time left! There will probably be some time available somewhere. Maybe it’ll be at lunchtime, if you are working, or after dinner, or even during the day if you’re a stay-at home parent (when junior is napping).

5. If you are a new writer, start slow. Maybe find one hour a day and reserve that for your writing. Go ahead and write the date in the calendar. You just made an appointment with yourself. Now do it for every day of the week. You decide if you want to work the weekend or not.

6. If you are a more seasoned writer, you will probably need more time. I find that I need a minimum of three hours a day to write. Sometimes I may also use this time doing research for my book.

Once you make that appointment with yourself, that’s the easy part. Next, you have to keep that appointment. There are so many instances when something else interferes with your designated time. I know, I’ve been there. Therefore, you need to have some flexibility. Always have a reserve time slot handy in case you don’t make your date. Although I was pretty regular and rarely strayed from my afternoon schedule, there were times that I just couldn’t stay on track. I learned to be flexible and wrote in the evenings. The important thing to remember is to not stray too far from your schedule, because it defeats the purpose.

Once you’ve scheduled your writing dates, then prepare your work area. Try and have it ready before your designated time. If you have a computer, make sure the printer has enough paper, and there’s a floppy disk available to save your Word files in. If you use a pen and paper instead, make sure you have them handy. Also, make sure you have enough lighting in the room. You wouldn’t want to strain your eyes. Make your writing area as comfortable as you can.

Now try writing for a week. How did it feel? If you’re like me, it felt great. Not only did it feel great writing, but I quickly found out it wasn’t enough time! One does need time to get into the story, to think about the dialogue, to write that chapter. Sometimes you’ll be so absorbed in your writing, that you may surpass the hour you designated, and that’s fine if you go beyond your scheduled time (unless it affects your other activities). There will be other times when you’ll sit there doodling, trying to write something, and it won’t be easy, so you’ll probably finish quicker than the allotted time.

The important thing is to write on a consistent basis. It’s similar to exercise. In order to see results, you have to do it persistently and over a long period of time. A novel can never be written in one sitting! Over the course of your writing, you’ll be learning valuable skills that can only come from experience. Also, you’ll notice that the more you write, the easier it’ll become.

As you follow your daily writing schedule, you will show your loved ones that you are serious about your work, and more importantly, prove to yourself that you can write that novel!

I wrote my first novel in 1-½ years. Being a stay-at-home mother gave me the opportunity to write during my baby’s naps, which averaged about 2-3 hours each afternoon. It is very rewarding to see your novel taking shape. If I could do it, then so can you!

About The Author Patty Apostolides is author of Lipsi’s Daughter. She has published several articles and poems. Her website showcases her works: http://www.geocities.com/10500bc/index.html Liendou@Writing.com

Writing For Sex Markets – by: Katy Terrega

Many professional freelancers will go their entire career without ever once writing a story about sex. Oh, they may craft a racy scene or two in the course of writing the next Great American Novel, or they might someday write an article about the latest in sexual research, but that’s about as far as many writers will ever take the concept.

Then there are those freelancers who, for a variety of different reasons, have actually chosen to write (and publish) in the sex genre. Societal notions of perversity aside, these writers are of the same ilk as those who write about horses or gardening or education, it’s just that their subject matter is often more controversial. Still, the act of writing as a profession is the same no matter what the genre, although sex writing does require more of an open mind and is not, as a rule, for the more prudish among us.

But the basics – a bit of skill, a professional attitude, plenty of perseverance and a whole lot of research – are the same as for any genre.

Sex markets offer great opportunities for writers at all different levels of experience. For the fledgling writer there are many digest magazines that buy a lot of fairly well-written (but rather formulaic) stories. The pay for these pieces is, of course, lower than for other, higher-quality, markets but they do give the beginner a chance to earn money while honing his or her craft.

On the higher end of the scale are markets that demand excellence in plot structure and characterization. These magazines usually pay fairly well and are for writers who are experienced at more advanced techniques like dialogue, subtle humor and deftly nuanced characters.

In addition, the sub-classifications of the genre – letters, articles, stories and personal accounts – offer plenty of wiggle room when it comes to a writer’s ability and/or experience. Letters and essays are more of a train-of-thought process, and thus much easier for the beginner to write (and sell) than full-length stories or non-fiction.

This means that in sex markets, as in no other genre, a writer really can earn as she learns, starting at the lower paying markets and working her way up to the higher paying (and higher quality) fiction and non-fiction articles.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking that, because the level of “quality” varies, you can be more lax in presentation and attitude when submitting to sex markets. Most of these editors appreciate professionalism just as much as their mainstream counterparts. Writers wanting to break into this market need to make sure that manuscripts are presented professionally and that phone calls (or emails) are returned promptly.

There are, however, some markets that operate in a more “casual” fashion. While this can occasionally work in your favor – a query for an article, for example, can be as simple as a one-sentence email – it can also be frustrating. You’ll have to get used to the idea that not all of your submissions, queries and requests for guidelines will be acknowledged. Perseverance, so useful when writing in any genre, is even more of a requirement when writing for sex markets.

Another requirement is an exhaustive knowledge of your market and your audience. Sex markets tend to be even more specialized than mainstream markets; each magazine often targets a very specific personality as well as predilection. What this means is that in order to sell you have to do your research; you’ll need to study the magazine cover to cover and yes, that means the pictures, too. (Of course, some sex writers look at that as a perk of their profession rather than a hardship, but that’s another story.) It’s also imperative to request guidelines when possible because sex markets often are very specific as to style, point of view and word count; it’s important that you know exactly what they’re looking for before you submit.

Of course, the most important requirement when it comes to sex writing is that you enjoy doing it. It’s an excellent choice for those writers who relish a challenge as well as those who enjoy stretching their imagination. Yes, it’s a job, as is writing for mainstream markets, and it requires the utmost in professionalism and commitment.

But writing about sex is also a whole lot of fun. Getting paid to do it, well, that’s even better.

–

You are free to reprint this article on your website or in your e-zine, hardcopy newsletter or other publication, provided the following rules are met:

1. Bio and resources must be included and the links activated
2. Only minor corrections or formatting changes are allowed.
3. May only be used for opt-in email, not spam.
4. Courtesy notification is requested.

About The Author Katy Terrega edits a free newsletter for sex writers – http: ://www.katyterrega.com/newsletter.html – as well as a paid subscriber site for same, Sex-Writer.com – http://www.sex-writer.com. Both feature articles, market listings, reviews, calls for submission and more, all geared toward fledgling as well as professional sex-writers. She is also a successful sex writer and her credits include Gallery, Swank, Playgirl, Penthouse Forum and many others. katy@katyterrega.com

Top 10 Tips to Complete a Creative Writing Project Without Losing Your Creativity – by: Ginger Blanchette

Have you ever started a creative writing project with great excitement, only to have your interest dwindle as the process, itself, interfere with your creativity? How do you keep the momentum going and continue to enjoy the creative process? Follow these tips for high creativity, fun and success!

1. Create a writing environment that inspires you.

Create a place in your home or outdoors that calls you to write. Consider light, color, sound, scent, taste, writing materials.

2. Follow The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron.

I highly recommend this book. It keeps you focused, observant, playful, and creative – and it keeps you believing in yourself as a writer!

3. Choose your writing project in a joyful way.

When choosing a writing project, come from your heart – not your head. Be playful. Be creative about how you choose your project.

4. Make a creative representation of the project’s ideal end.

Draw, paint – use a creative medium other than writing to represent the completed project. Consider, especially, how you will feel when it’s done. Put your model in a prominent place. Use this to trigger the desired feeling, before the completion – every day!

5. Make a timeline with celebration points.

Make it visually appealing. Have a step-by-step outline and celebrate creatively as you complete each step.

6. Create an R&D Team for your project.

Contact a number of your friends, colleagues, and readers. Invite them to join your R&D Team. Send them snippets of what you write, questions you have about the process, or anything else you want input on – on a regular basis. Their input will keep you going.

7. Keep Creating & Editing times separate.

If you edit while you write, the process can become boring. Clearly block a specific amount of time for editing into your schedule. Don’t let it interfere with your creative writing time!

8. If blocked, shake things up!

Do something fun, unusual, active! Get your mind somewhere else and move your body. Your creative side will work in your subconscious while you’re at play. Read the tips in The Artist’s Way. There are also many resources on the internet for handling writers’ block. Check some of these links: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/general/gl_block.html

http://www.sff.net/people/LisaRC/

http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/block.html

9. Have a Fan Club.

Critics and editors are fine, but have a few friends or family members who you can ask to cheer you on or cheer you up, no matter what you write. Hire a Creativity Coach to keep you focused and to be an unbiased supporter of your creative success!

10. Celebrate in a big way!

When you reach the big finish, give it a big finish! Do something you’ve always wanted to do, but have never done before. Make the finish so memorable that you’ll be eager to begin your next creative writing project!

About The Author Ginger Blanchette is a Life and Business Coach who supports her clients to share their creativity. She works with professionals and business people who are ready to complete big projects involving writing and/or public speaking and to be recognized for what they do! Contact her at www.lanterncoach.com or by email to ginger@lanterncoach.com for a free sample coaching session.

Sowing the Seeds of Opportunity: How to Multiply Your Freelance (Writing) Work – by: Brian Konradt

You can turn your $200 fee to write a press release into $2,000 to carry out an entire PR campaign simply by convincing clients to invest in campaigns, instead of individual assignments. Campaigns achieve better results and cost less in the long-term for clients, compared to individual assignments. And, of course, as the freelancer, you get paid much more for turning out a succession of assignments that assimilate a successful campaign.

Here’s how to multiply your writing sales by convincing clients to invest in long-term campaigns, instead of short-term individual assignments.

• Know the short-term and long-term view results. A client approaches you to write a brochure. He may or may not know that his product can also benefit from other types of promotional pieces, such as ads, direct mail, news releases, websites, and so on, to sell his product or service. Your job is to educate the client. The brochure may be the first promotional piece in a consortium of promotional pieces. Here, you must know the short-term and long-term view results of the brochure.

The short-term view results are the results the brochure will achieve for the client; and the long-term results are the results the brochure will achieve/contribute for the entire campaign. It answers the questions, “How do the results of this brochure fit into the entire campaign?” and “How can these results be strengthened with other forms of promotional materials?”

Show the client how a campaign that’s comprised of a succession of assignments can achieve — and exceed — his expectations and outsell and outdo the performance of a single assignment.

• Use “tie-in” services. Whenever a client approaches you with a single assignment, ask yourself what tie-in services can supplement the single assignment. A news release achieves better results when it’s accompanied with a photo. And a press kit — complete with press releases, photos, brochures, and company information — can achieve better results than a single press release. All of these extra tie-in services can turn writing a single press release into multiple writing sales.

• Offer the “concept to completion” benefit. Instead of pitching yourself as a freelancer who can write newsletter copy, pitch yourself as a freelancer who produces newsletters, from copy to completion. You multiply your income by outsourcing parts of the job and delivering a finished product, not a piece of the product. You also can extend your “concept to completion” services by pitching yourself as a marketing consultant, in which you make recommendations to the client as to the best way to market the newsletter.

• Develop strong consultative skills. Besides selling your freelance services, also offer consulting services. Clients pay you to explain ideas, concepts, recommendations and turnkey solutions as to the best way to achieve the results they desire. Consulting with clients can lead to securing freelance work, since clients realize you have the skills and expertise to undertake the task.

• Know the future needs of clients. Clients come with present needs — and future needs. A client may hire you to write a newsletter now, but they’ll also consider you for future work if you know what their future needs are and how to fulfill them. The company may be ushering in a new product line, creating a new division within the company, sponsoring a charity event, or creating a website. All of these future events need a freelancer to do promotional writing and freelance work. That’s you. Your job is to show clients how you’ll address their future needs with solutions that’ll increase their profitability and/or productivity. This is usually accomplished with a proposal through which you pitch yourself as the freelancer who has the solutions to undertake the future tasks.

• Use proposals to secure work. Proposals are an inclusive persuasion tool to convince prospects that you can increase their profitability and/or productivity with your freelance services. Proposals specifically show the client how you intend to achieve the desired results, the time and costs involved, and why you and your solutions are the best choices to boost the company’s profits.

• Adaptations. Any of your freelance writing services can be adapted for websites, turning a single assignment into two assignments. Get paid to write a press release or brochure, and then get paid again to adapt the copy digitally.

• Add-on services, such as desktop publishing services, marketing consulting, compiling and selling media lists, and project coordinating can help multiply your work and your income.

About The Author Brian Konradt is a former freelance copywriter and graphic designer, and founder of FreelanceWriting.Com (http://www.freelancewriting.com), a free web site dedicated to help writers master the business and creative sides of freelance writing.

Know Money to Make Money – by: Ivon T. Hughes

The experts are always telling us that getting paid for what you know is one of the most effective, least time-intensive ways to make a buck. Well, if you know anything about money (and you don’t need to be a financial whiz), writing articles for financial websites can be a very lucrative way to get paid for what you know.

We all understand that demand for your product is essential in any business. Well, how’s this for demand: EVERYONE is interested in money. We want to know how we can earn it, save it, and grow it. After all, isn’t making money your basic motivation for reading this article or subscribing to this newsletter? If you do want to make money, and you have any insight or even anecdotes about things like investing, business, family finances, taxes, or even being flat broke, there is a huge online demand for what you have to say. And surprisingly, you don’t have to be a professional writer to get in the game.

There are many different types of financial businesses that are always looking for articles (yes, even your articles) to use on their websites. Stock brokers need technical articles, as well as articles on how families like yours invest, and what they think about stocks and mutual funds. Even banks, insurance companies, and mutual fund companies are always looking for human interest stories about how money, or the lack thereof, can affect families and individuals just like you, from all walks of life.

You’ve probably heard a dozen times that the best selling product on the Internet is information. Well, for you and your articles, this can clearly be the case. Financial websites are willing to pay you for your articles, because their customers and people visiting the sites are HUNGRY for the information. Providing the information people want makes these firms look good, making people want to do business with them. If you can help their business with your articles, they are often willing to pay you handsomely for your assistance.

In all seasons, and at specific times of year, there are articles needed on issues like retirement planning, education funding, savings, tax filing and brackets, insurance, estate planning, family finances, and more.

But what if you don’t know anything about any of these topics? If you’re willing to do some research and learn a few things, you’ll not only be armed with the knowledge you’ve gained, but you will also be poised to make some great money. Try going to a search engine like Google, and you will find thousands of articles on money, investments, and all types of insurance. Spend some time learning the ropes and your study could pay off big time.

In fact, many websites even hold contests to promote themselves and build a crop of writers. These sites are looking for interesting articles that teach, entertain, and inform on money,finances, investments, and insurance. The major prizes can be worth thousands to the writer, making a few hours of research and time spent writing well worth it. As sites build a list of writers, they will typically increase the number of writing contests they hold, making it easier and easier to get in on the action.

About The Author Ivon T. Hughes is founder of http://www.writerscontest.ca, which, for a limited time, is sponsoring a writing contest for articles about term life insurance and Term Deposits/GICs. See the site for guidelines. All entries are FREE, and you will never be asked to pay any sort of fee. For each article you enter, you will receive a FREE WILL KIT (a $39 value). And if you refer some of your friends who participate, they too will receive a FREE Will Kit. Writing and submitting articles is easy! Visit http://www.writerscontest.ca/index1.html?ac to submit an article on term insurance or http://www.writerscontest.ca/index2.html?ac to submit an article on Term Deposits/GICs. trustco@writerscontest.ca

How To Stay Fit While Writing – by: Patty Apostolides

Day after day, writers tend to sit for hours writing that novel or story, and over time, this can become a potential problem. Their metabolism may slow down and the pounds can inch up. Statistics show all kinds of health problems associated with obesity.

If you’re an author, you are aware how your image plays a role in promoting your books. You are asked to speak or lecture at a gathering, or promote your books doing book tours and signings. Or even better yet, you’re asked to go on a TV show, like Oprah! That is not the time to think about losing weight! You have to start now, before that book goes out on the shelves, so when you go on that stage or in front of the television, you’re looking and feeling good.

How can you tell if you’re obese? Here are a few ways to tell –

1. you pinch the area around your waist and it’s two inches thick,
2. you lie down and can’t feel the top of your breastbone,
3. your clothes don’t fit you,
4. you avoid having your picture taken,
5. you keep telling yourself you need to get a new scale because your scale isn’t working
6. Check your weight against the Body Mass Index table provided by NIH website:
   http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/nutrit/pubs/statobes.htm#table

How can writers live long and healthy lives if they don’t take care of their bodies? Here are some tips I’ve designed to stay fit while writing that novel.

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE BREAKS

Breaks are important for you. Not only so you can get up and stretch or walk around, but to allow your brain a rest. One way that is helpful, is to put a timer on for 45 minutes. When the timer goes off, take that break, walk around, do your laundry or something physical, anything to get you moving. After 10-15 minutes, you will feel refreshed and ready to get back to writing.

SLOW DOWN ON THE MUNCHIES

Working at home is a wonderful feeling. You can set your own hours, wear whatever you want, and have the freedom to come and go. However, beware of the munchies syndrome. It may begin with a cup of coffee and a sweet, then some chips or nuts. Before you know it, it’ll turn into a habit, and every time you sit down to write, you’ll expect a delicious sweet or crunchy snack nearby. DON’T DO IT! The chips have tons of sodium in them, which makes your body retain water and will make you swell up like a balloon. So think twice before you dip into those salty chips or nuts.

The brain is like a reliable machine. It will work hours for you on end if you take care of it. Just like you oil and gas your car, you need to do the same for your brain. The brain cannot work endlessly without some reinforcement. It needs energy foods as well as bouts of rest to operate at its best. Although the brain loves sugar, hence the urge to eat sweet foods like cookies, cakes, donuts, there are drawbacks to feeding it sugar all the time (weight gain, diabetes, etc.). Sometimes substitutes like a granola bar or fresh fruit will do just as well, thank you. Carrot sticks work for me!

Don’ be like those squirrels munching away constantly. If you catch yourself going to your writing desk carrying plates loaded with goodies, etc., then beware. Go right back to the kitchen and set those plates down. Promise yourself that you’ll have your snack, but only at certain times (like mid-morning, or mid-afternoon). Your brain will get used to it, believe me. It will adapt. Habits can be broken.

RECOMMENDED DAILY FOODS AND VITAMINS

1. 5 servings of vegetables and/or fruits
2. 2-3 servings low-fat dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.)
3. One serving of protein (meat, chicken, fish, soy, legumes)
4. 5 servings of grains (cereal, bread, pasta)
5. Vitamins – take your multivitamin, your calcium (as we age, we need more), and any other vitamins you feel are helpful. Vitamin B complex, Selenium, Zinc, Fish Oil, and Vitamin E are also good for you.

Also, make it a point to drink plenty of water. Around 6-8 glasses of water a day are good for you. Sometimes we are thirsty and we think we’re hungry. So next time you go for the bag of chips, get yourself a glass of water instead.

EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE

Exercise boosts your metabolism, gets those endorphins streaming through your body to make you feel good, gets the blood coursing through your arteries and veins, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. There are so many benefits linked to exercise, it would be foolish not to include it in your daily activities. Exercise makes you look younger (who doesn’t want to look younger?) and has also been known to lower one’s craving for food.

There are three intensities of exercise (low, moderate, and high):

1. Low intensity exercise is leisurely walking – you don’t really get sweaty. If you are beginning to exercise, start here. Do this for a couple of weeks.
2. Moderate intensity exercise is when you bicycle, or jog, or even walk fast, and usually start sweating around 10-15 minutes into the exercise. This is a good level intensity, geared to those who have already done low intensity for awhile.
3. High intensity exercise is when you run, bike, play tennis competitively and sweat within 3 minutes of beginning this exercise. Not recommended if you haven’t exercised in awhile. Muscle cramps, and pulled muscles can result if you’re not in shape. If you think you’d like to try this, ease into it by alternating between moderate and high intensity in the same exercise session.

Always remember to stretch before and after each session, and drink plenty of water. Check with your doctor first if you have health problems before beginning any exercise program. It’ll take about 5-6 weeks for results to show. So give yourself plenty of time and be patient. It does work.

Winter is the hardest time to stay fit because the weather can be so cruel during this season, particularly if you live in the north and you’re an outdoors type person (jogger, swimmer, tennis player, etc.). There are ways to get around it.

1. Get an aerobics videotape and do a dose of aerobics (30-40 minutes/day) in your home. At least 5 days a week.
2. Get an indoor treadmill or stationary bicycle. They’re worth it. Again, five days a week, 30-40 minutes.
3. Join an indoor swimming pool, tennis club, etc. and make it a point to go there faithfully.
4. If you’re broke, go to the mall and walk around there for 45 minutes a day.
5. If all the above aren’t for you, just keep moving (household chores, up and down the stairs, shopping, etc.).

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR PROGRESS

How will you know if you are doing well if you don’t keep track of your progress? One way to do this, is to keep a log. Write down your initial weight, and your goal weight. Each day jot down what you eat, and the amount and type of exercise you do in your log. Since writers like to write, this won’t be a problem to write in the log. Right?

In order for your weight loss to work, you have to be faithful to losing the weight, and to yourself. Try it for a few weeks. Over time, you’ll start seeing an eating pattern, good or bad. If you notice you didn’t lose weight for a certain week, check your log to see what happened (maybe ate out more, or partied). That’s ok, you can always get on track the following week. Don’t be hard on yourself. Every pound you lose is one less to worry about.

GO SLOW

I know this may sound contradictory, but go slow on your wellness program. Take your time. It doesn’t pay to add stress to your life. If you lose a pound a week, that’s a good benchmark. If you’re losing 5 pounds a week on average, that’s not so good. You’ve heard the term “easy come, easy go”. It also applies to weight loss. Quick weight loss means quick weight gain down the road. You need to feel comfortable with what you are doing, or else it won’t work.

JOIN A WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM

If you’ve tried losing weight and it’s just not happening, then maybe you might consider joining a weight loss program. Some people do better if they’re in a supportive group setting. That’s fine. Just be wary of the weight loss programs that sound too good to be true. One rule of thumb that works for me is if you can’t stick to the diet for life, then don’t do it.

About The Author Patty Apostolides is author of the novel “Lipsi’s Daughter”. She has also written several articles and poems. Liendou@Writing.com