5 Benefits of Keeping a Personal Journal

5 Benefits of Keeping a Personal Journal
by: Patti Testerman


Everyone who has kept a personal journal knows that writing is a therapeutic process that helps integrate seemingly unconnected life events. Some believe the process works because the physical act of writing (using your hand-eye coordination) occupies your left brain, leaving your right brain free to access emotions, intuit connections, and create new insights.

How else can journaling help?

1. Journaling reduces stress by getting “monkey mind” thoughts out of your head. Mind chatter is a powerful stressor, stressor is a powerful health-buster, and journaling the chatter is a proven chatter-buster.

2. Writing about problems gives your right brain food for creative problem-solving. It’s amazing what happens when the creative part of your nature starts working on a problem—you’ll soon find solutions bubbling up from your subconscious.

3. Keeping a daily diary is one of the best techniques for discovering patterns, particularly those that are self-defeating. For example, a diary kept over the course of several months will clearly show any reoccurring difficulties like overeating, stress eating, poor (but similar) choices in relationships.

4. Want to better know yourself? Journal. Writing can help clarify your thoughts, your emotions, and your reactions to certain people or situations. In addition, as you read back through past journals, you’ll have ample evidence of the things that make you happy and those that are distressful.

5. Journaling can help clarify events, problems, or options. When you’re beset with a mind full of fuzzy, disconnected thoughts flitting here and there, writing about the event or issue will help bring focus and clarity. It will also help you decide on which action to take, or option to choose.

About The Author

Patti Testerman is content manager at JournalGenie.com, the only online site that analyzes your writing and then gives you instant feedback. Want to discover self-defeating patterns, or find better ways to communicate in a relationship? Check out our site.
patti@journalgenie.com >>Read more...

Learning to Question your Elephant Child: Who, What, Where, When and Why

Learning to Question your Elephant Child: Who, What, Where, When and Why
by: Stephen Earley Jordan, II


Having problems writing? I don't know why. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll writes up to five columns a week. After all, if he can write five columns, you should be able to write a five-lined poem-but that does not seem to be the case.

How does he do it? Carroll claimed to recite lines from Rudyard Kipling's "The Elephant Child":

"I have six humble serving men

They taught me all I knew

Their names are what

And where and when

And why and how and who."

I'm more than sure that two incentives for Jon Carroll are 1.) Creating deadlines and 2.) His salary! Yes, we writers DO get paid every now and then!

Basing my philosophies on those few lines of Kipling's "The Elephant Child", my advice is to "Simply Ask Questions". Rummage through some old work (whether it be poetry, nonfiction, or fiction) that you've written and use the following techniques to enhance your skills. And, then, ask yourself the follow questions.



WHAT is the underlying theme?

Try to come up with a single-word or phrase to describe your story. Perhaps one reason your story has not been effective in the past is that you have too many intertwining stories. This, in turn, can cause confusion for the reader. So, ask yourself, "What is my story about?" And, give yourself answers such as: Desolation, Lost Hope, Self-Confidence, Racism, Attained Dreams, etc. If you can KISS (keep it simple stupid), then your readers won't MISS your point.

As practice, read some of the great contemporary writers and ask yourself the same question-"What is the underlying theme?" Describe the book in one word or one phrase, instead of using a high school book-report technique.

WHERE does your story or poem take place?Knowing the setting can allow you to be a bit more descriptive with your work. Does your poem or prose take place in Alaska? Florida? China? Yugoslavia? Hawaii? Kentucky? Each of these places is, perhaps, equal opposites of the next. To know your setting you have two choices-- 1.) Be a good researcher; collect pictures and read as much as you can about the location, or 2.) Take a road trip! Nothing can be grander than to spend your weekend visiting unknown territories.

WHEN did the events take place in which you are writing?If you're doing factual reporting-this is especially a MUST-DO. For instance, if you read a news article a reader wants to know when Ms. Johnson's house was burglarized. Did it happen June 20, 2001? June 20, 1984? Did the events take place when it was winter with ten inches of snow? Or, better still, did the events take place at Virginia Beach mid-August?

WHY did the events take place?Is there a conflict within your character? A lot of times character's (and real people too) have problems only because their conscious is "eating them away". Is this the case? If so, why does your character feel so guilty that he made such decisions? Perhaps the events that take place are only cause-effect. Most always people cause their own mental downfall and breakdown. Always know why your characters complete every task and why the events take place.

How did the events happen?Too often people will say, "I had a car wreck today…" But, do they leave it at that? No, no, no. You must always tell how the events happened. Were you driving in the incorrect lane, but still feel it's not your fault? Did you skid uncontrollably on a patch of ice? Maybe, you wanted to avoid the slow-moving tortoise that crossed your lane? If other characters are involved, it's important to get their perspective in dialogue. Maybe they feel the events happened differently.

Who did the events happen to?Who your events happen to is one of the main focuses. You have to choose your characters carefully. Why? Well, it would change a story completely if you wrote of a 68-year old cheerleader. Your work would be a different story if the character were an autistic adult. How would the events change if, let's say, the main character was indeed the Elephant Child, child of the deceased Elephant Man? Be creative with your characters and allow their personalities to work well for you when creating your piece.

Sometimes writers can use techniques that allow them to disregard some of these steps. Oh, Really? -You question. Yes. For instance, a writer may know the intentions of a character, a location-but you may not want to put it in print. My suggestion is that you KNOW all the answers to the above questions to make the work have more substance. By knowing all the answers you can create images, people, and scenarios by using symbols and customs of a particular area.

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.
Editor@OutStretch.net
>>Read more...

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho

Many many writer didn't have too much chance or support in the past. Everyone tell them not write. But the strong of will to write win and they become a bestseller book writer. Here another of story of worldwide successful writer. Enjoy reading !

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho
by: Michael Southon

Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

At age 17 he announced his intention to be a writer. It was a decision bitterly opposed by his parents, partly because Brazil at that time was under a military junta that persecuted writers and intellectuals.

Coelho's rebellious behaviour led his parents to have him confined to a mental hospital in Rio de Janeiro where he received shock treatment. He escaped - and was returned - three times.

With the arrival of the 1960's Coelho threw himself energetically into the counterculture of drugs and rock-and-roll.

In his 20's he fulfilled his ambition to be a writer and worked as a playwright, a theatre director, a journalist, and a song-writer for Brazilian pop music stars such as Elis Regina and Raul Seixas.

In 1974, says Coelho "my life collapsed".

That year he was arrested three times, the first time as an innocent bystander at a bank robbery, the second time for speaking out against the establishment at a pop concert. After being released by the police he was arrested a third time by paramilitaries who tortured him for a week.

In the late 1970's his life was back on track again and he became artistic director for CBS in Brazil.

But in 1979 he was suddenly sacked without explanation and he spent the next 2 years knocking on doors trying to get back into the music industry.

In 1981 he decided to try his luck in Europe and there met a member of an obscure Catholic Sect that studies the language of symbols: RAM or Regnus Agnus Mundi. He progressed within the sect and eventually became a Magus.

In 1986, on instructions from his mentor within RAM, Coelho undertook the pilgrimage to Santiago di Compostella in Spain.

The following year he published The Pilgrimage, an account of his experiences on the 'Road of Santiago'.

In 1988 he wrote the book that would make him an international celebrity, The Alchemist, a story about following one's destiny and being open to the universe of signs and symbols.

The Alchemist became an instant best-seller and has since sold over 11 million copies worldwide.

Coelho's eight novels have sold over 37 million copies in 56 languages and have been published in 140 countries.

In 1998 the French magazine 'Lire' listed Coelho as the second best-selling author worldwide.

Paulo Coelho has won over 15 international awards for his writing including the prized French award, the Insignia of Arts and Letters (1996). Critics have praised his writing for its "symbolic language that does not speak to our brains, but to our hearts".

In 1998 Paulo Coelho was received by the Pope in the Vatican.

He has been appointed to the United Nations as Special Advisor for Spiritual Convergences and International Dialogues.

Coelho's view on happiness: "The most mediocre thing in the world. I'd rather go by the idea of joy."

(c) 2002 by Michael Southon

About The Author

Michael Southon has been writing for the Internet for over 3 years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to use this simple technique to get massive free publicity and dramatically increase traffic and sales. Click here to find out more: http://www.ezine-writer.com >>Read more...

Writing Made Them Rich #3: Richard Bach

He was once a start from nothing writer. He was once a million dollars writer. After he spent all his money he was broke again. And this end with the happy ending story. Hope you are enjoy !

Writing Made Them Rich #3: Richard Bach
by: Michael Southon

One day in the mid-1970's a young man stumbled into a diner somewhere in the United States.

Slung over his shoulder was a kit-bag that contained everything he owned. He was unshaven and needed a shower badly. He had very little money, but enough for a phone call.

He rang his bank and asked how much was in his account. A woman's voice informed him - to his amazement - that the balance in his account was four million, three hundred thousand dollars.

His name was Richard Bach. Six months before, he had submitted a short story, barely 10,000 words long, to a New York publisher.

For the last three months he had been living the life of a nomadic 'barnstormer', taking people on joy rides for $5 a flight and sleeping in fields under the wing of his bi-plane.

Hardly able to believe what he had just heard, he rang the New York publisher to whom he had sent the manuscript.

"Where on earth are you?" asked a woman's voice. "We've been looking for you for three months! Radio and TV want interviews with you, a publisher in Spain wants to buy the Spanish rights to your book..."

He had been completely unaware that his short manuscript, titled 'Jonathon Livingstone Seagull', had become a runaway best-seller.

Unfortunately, this success story had a sad sequel. Like many people who suddenly become wealthy, Richard Bach knew very little about managing money. He entrusted his new-found fortune to a financial advisor who led him astray, to the tune of millions of dollars.

Within a few years he was broke, and With the IRS hounding him for unpaid taxes he was forced to declare himself bankrupt. He signed away all future earnings from 'Jonathon Livingstone Seagull' to the government, as well as the rights to any future books he might write, and began the arduous task of rebuilding his life.

But there was a happy ending: he sacked his financial advisor and wrote a string of new books that were also best-sellers: within a few years he was solvent again and able to buy back the rights to all his books.

(c) 2002 by Michael Southon

About The Author

Michael Southon has been writing for the Internet for over 3 years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to use this simple technique to get massive free publicity and dramatically increase traffic and sales. Click here to find out more: http://www.ezine-writer.com

This Article may be freely published in its entirety exactly as it appears above. No alterations or changes to the Article are allowed, without the express permission of the Author. The Resource Box must remain with the Article just as it appears. >>Read more...

Writing Made Them Rich #1: JK Rowling

I have been wandering in the net, googling for some interest resource and I found it. The story about most successful writer you already know. The one who start from nothing to the richest of Britain just writing. May I introduce you to JK Rowling ! Happy writing :)

Writing Made Them Rich #1: JK Rowling
by: Michael Southon

Joanne Kathleen Rowling was born in Chipping Sodbury, England in 1965. She began writing at the age of 6 with a story called 'Rabbit', which she never finished.

In high school her favorite subject was English. From High School, Rowling went to Exeter University where she earned a degree in French.

After graduating, she spent a year studying in Paris and then went back to London where she worked in a number of jobs, including a year with Amnesty International and a short time as secretary for a publishing company, where she was responsible for sending out rejection slips.

In the summer of 1990, on a delayed train from Manchester to London, she came up with the idea of a boy who discovers he is a wizard. But it would be 7 years before the idea became a book.

In that same year her mother died of Multiple Sclerosis and she left for Portugal to teach English, hoping to find a way to deal with her grief.

In October 1992 she married a Portuguese television journalist, Jorge Arantes. But the marriage lasted just eleven months.

In 1993 she left her husband and returned to England, with the one legacy of her failed marriage - an infant daughter named Jessica.

Her life suddenly took a nose-dive. Fighting poverty and depression, she lived in a mice-infested flat in Edinburgh and struggled to raise her baby daughter on a welfare check of 70 pounds ($100) a week.

Unable to heat her flat, she sat in cafés nursing an espresso for 2 hours at a time and worked feverishly on the manuscript of 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' while her baby daughter slept in a pram.

The manuscript is said to have been rejected by three British publishers - Penguin, Transworld and HarperCollins.

But Bloomsbury Children's Books did sign her up, reportedly paying £10,000 ($14,300) for the rights to 'Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone'.

The Philosopher's Stone was published on 30 June, 1997 and was an instant success.

The book was published under her initials because her publisher feared that boys would be less likely to read the book if they knew it was written by a woman.

At a book fair in Italy later that year, Scholastic Books bought the American rights for $105,000, an unheard of figure for a children's writer with only one book to her name.

It was published in the States in 1998 with the title 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone'.

The sequel - 'Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets' - was published in June of 1999 and later that same year, the third book in the series was released, 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'.

By the time her fourth book appeared in 2000 - 'Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire' - the series had become an international phenomenon: the initial print run for her 4th book was 1.5 million copies in the UK and 3.8 million in the US.

By 2000, JK Rowland had become the highest-earning woman in Britain, with an income of more than £20.5 million ($29.3m) in the previous year.

In 2001 her annual earnings were estimated at over £24m, ($34.3m) placing her between Madonna and Paul McCartney in the ranks of high-earning celebrities.

In October 1998 Warner Brothers bought the rights to 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' and its sequel ('Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets'), for the tidy sum of $700,000.

With the release of the first Harry Potter film, J.K. Rowling's total earnings are estimated to have exceeded $100 million.

In March 2001 she was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) by the Queen, for services to children's literature.

(c) 2002 by Michael Southon

About The Author

Michael Southon has been writing for the Internet for over 3 years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to use this simple technique to get massive free publicity and dramatically increase traffic and sales. Click here to find out more: http://www.ezine-writer.com

This Article may be freely published in its entirety exactly as it appears above. No alterations or changes to the Article are allowed, without the express permission of the Author. The Resource Box must remain with the Article just as it appears. >>Read more...

Editing Secrets

Editing Secrets
by: Laura Backes

Once you've plotted out your book, developed the characters and written the last word of text, the real work begins. As busy editors are bombarded with hundreds or even thousands of submissions a year, it's more important than ever that authors apply their own editing skills to their manuscripts before putting them in the mail. Checking your basic grammar and spelling are of course important, but authors need to go beyond surface editing if their work has a chance of catching an editor's eye.

* Trim, tighten, hack away. First, second and even third drafts of manuscripts are almost always laden with extra words and scenes. Take a break from your book and then read it through with a fresh eye. Write down your theme in one sentence (what the book is about, such as working through shyness on the first day of school or showing how Thomas Edison's childhood experiences influenced his adult life). The plot (or progression of facts and events in nonfiction) is your vehicle for conveying the theme to the reader. Ask yourself if each character and scene advance the plot toward communicating this theme. And decide at the beginning that you will give up your precious words and finely-crafted scenes for the betterment of the book. Pithy dialogue may be fun to read, but if it pushes your story off track, it's just a literary dead end. Take the publishers' suggested word limits seriously: no, you don't really need 3000 words to tell your picture book story about Freddy the Frog's adventures in the Big Pond.

* The elements of speech. Well-crafted dialogue can be a writer's most important tool. Dialogue is not just there to break up the paragraphs or show that your characters know how to talk; ideally, it adds to character development, moves the plot along and replaces sections of narrative. Each character should sound like himself, with speech patterns and phrasing that are unique. This is especially true with talking animal books. I see many of these manuscripts where, if I took away the words that identify the speakers, each character would sound exactly the same. Don't have dialogue repeat the narrative and vice versa; "Did you hear that? Someone's at the door!" does not have to be preceded by "They heard a sound at the door".

* Show don't tell. How many times have you heard this? It's still true. Comb through your manuscript for sentences that tell the reader how a character felt (Sara was sad) and replace with sensory descriptions (Hot tears sprang to Sara's eyes and rolled down her cheeks.) Avoid telling the reader what to think about the story (Jason foolishly decided to trust Mike one more time.) Instead, present your character's actions and decisions to the reader, and let the reader draw his or her own conclusions (incidentally, this is how you "teach" without preaching).

* Wipe out passive writing. Search for verbs preceded by "would" (would go, would sleep, would eat) replace with the past tense (went, slept, ate). Also look for actions that seem to happen out of thin air. "The door was opened" is passive, because the sentence lacks a "doer". Remember, the reader needs to visualize what's happening in the story. "The wind blew the door open" is better, because the action can be attributed to something, and it puts the most important element (strong wind) at the beginning of the sentence. Simply rearranging the words ("The door blew open from the wind") puts emphasis on a door that won't stay closed, making that the subject of the sentence.

* Be precise. One of the best ways to make your writing come alive for the reader is to use exact nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. One well-chosen word is always better than three vague ones. Adjectives like big, little, cold, hot, beautiful, scary and silly; adverbs such as quickly, slowly, loudly, and softly; and general verbs like walk, went, stayed and ate don't draw a vivid picture for your reader. Of course, sometimes these words are appropriate, but try as a rule choosing words that describe specifically what you want to communicate. Words that sound and look interesting are also a plus. Tremendous, tiny, frigid, scorching, plodded, sauntered and gulped are more fun to read, and they each lend an emotional overtone to the sentence (if your character gulps his food, you don't have to tell the reader he's in a hurry).

And finally, make sure there's a logical cause and effect relationship between the scenes of your book. Each event should build upon the ones that came before. The plot should spring intrinsically from your characters; nonfiction should unfold because of the nature of your subject and your slant on the material. It's when everything comes seamlessly together that you have a winning book. Make it look easy, but don't skimp on all the hard work it takes to get there.

About The Author

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

Copyright, Children's Book Insider, LLC >>Read more...

The Secret “Why” For Writing

by: Gary Crow


"The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error." -- John Stuart Mill

When to write? Where to write? What to write? How to write? These four simple questions prompt enough complexity in their answers to fill articles and magazines, books and libraries. They stimulate enough interest and mental energy to fuel casual discussions and writers' groups, conferences and university courses. They hint at profound mysteries and hidden wisdom, secrets known only by the literary elite, the potential for sudden insight and heretofore elusive discoveries.

We think about these questions. We dream about them. We talk about them. We listen. We read. We ponder and then we try to push the questions away so we can focus on the hundred more important things we absolutely have to do. We try and then there we go again. We think about these questions. We dream about them. We….

Is this behavior normal? Is our preoccupation with when, where, what, and how within the acceptable range so we don't have to guard against others learning our little secret? Sad but true. It's definitely not normal and is so unimportant that it falls far outside any range of interest to most people so it doesn't even make it on the scale where acceptable and unacceptable issues are considered.

I randomly stopped twelve people and posed the questions to them. When should one write? Where should one write? What should one write? How should one write? Three just stared, shook their heads, and walked away. Four didn't bother to shake their heads. That left five, two of whom asked, "What are you talking about?" Of the remaining three, two said, "Whatever," and the one still seeming interested thought for a few seconds and said, "It would be easier to just leave a voice mail. Why do you want to write anything?"

Why? Why do I want to write anything? Here I am worrying, nigh obsessing, about when, where, what, and how and then the one person in a dozen asks why. How frustrating is that? What do I say to someone who thinks that leaving a voice mail is preferable to writing? It might work if I can write the message and then read it onto the voice mail, but maybe not.

It's tempting to dismiss the why question as the query of an idiot but, of course, it is much more fun to write about it and certainly we all know about the attraction of fun. Let's take another pass at those four questions and add the why question to the list just for fun.

I'll take a few editorial liberties with the questions since it's my piece and we all know about editors and their taking liberties. I'll start with what to write. The best advice as measured by how many times I have read it is to write about what you know. An alternative thought worth considering measured by my experience is to write about what I don't know but really want to know. When I have done enough research and have given it enough thought so I can clearly explain it to me, writing about it is fun.

Sure, I know. You got me there. When I write about it, it's writing about what I then know. Those writing gurus, they always seem to get the last word.

Maybe the going will go a tad easier with the where question. Measuring by how often I have read it, the best advice is to have a quiet place where I won't be interrupted and everything I need is at hand. -- Not in my lifetime. -- Do you realize how organized I would have to be to pull that one off? Suffice it to say that, if I wait until I achieve that level of environmental control and self-discipline, writing would be merely one of those "wish I had" laments. I'll have to be satisfied with wherever the keyboard is and hope for the best. Maybe I will find the piece and quiet somewhere inside me.

When to write? The writing gurus strongly recommend a regular daily schedule. That's just fine so long as they don't mean every day at the same time for the same amount of time or even most days at about the same time for nearly the same amount of time. You don't suppose they mean that, do you? Sad but true. That's exactly what they mean and they are very serious about it. It's sort of like responsible drinking. Only have one or two drinks, always after 5:00, and then doing it most days should work out okay.

Unfortunately, I happen to be one of those binge writers. I can go for weeks without so much as a complete sentence and then there is a day or a week or a month where I can hardly stop writing long enough to get anything else done. Sure, I come staggering back to reality sooner or later but the binge has to run its course. Is it an addiction? Is it a compulsion? Is it an obsession? I don't have a clue but know that it's way too much fun to stop or to want to stop. I'll just keep bingeing.

That brings us to the how question. This may be the most guru-answered of the four questions. The obvious advice is to decide what you want to say and then say it, in writing. Perhaps the next most obvious advice is to write what you think you want to say and then read it. It probably isn't quite what you had in mind so write it again. Maybe by the third or tenth or twenty-fifth pass at it, you will read what you want to say. There you go. You're a writer. It's sure fun, isn't it?

That does it for the what, where, when, and how questions. Nothing to do now but take a crack at that why question. Here we go. It's not profound and I already let that cat out of the bag. I'm a binge writer, am having too much fun to stop, and way too much fun to wonder why. One of the twelve people in my survey came up to me later and asked, "You spend a lot of time writing but what else do you do?" I didn't hesitate, "I write and then everything else is research!"

About The Author
Gary A. Crow, Ph.D. is the Executive Editor of Leadership Village Press and Leadership Village, a network of sites focusing on leadership, interpersonal excellence, personal success, family and parenting matters, and related topics. Learn more about Dr. Crow at http://www.LeadershipVillage.com

Subscribe to the Leadership Village Press monthly Articles By Email! Service for FREE at http://www.ArticlesByEmail.com >>Read more...

Internet Authors Aren't Dummies

by: Mike Scantlebury


There are plenty of people out there who've written a book. Maybe you're one of them. Maybe you've thought of trying to get it published, (not on the internet, but with a real, live, bricks-and-mortar publisher). OK. First step? You need advice. You trot along to your local bookshop and start looking along the shelves until you find titles like 'Getting Published for Dummies' and 'Seeing Your Book in Print for Complete Fools'. Trouble is, there is no way on earth that anybody can write a formula for getting your book published by Traditional Publishers that works every time, and you will be sorely disappointed.

You see, getting published generally falls into three stages. First is Writing the Book. Ah, right now, you've hit problems. Sure, the advice 'for dummies' will be all about Plot, and Tone, and Point of View, but the fact is that this will vary according to what you want to write. If it's a hard-boiled detective mystery, you might choose to have tough, no-nonsense characters from the streets, talking in the local argot, swearing and blaspheming their way through life. If you want to create a Mills and Boon romance, on the other hand, you need to drop the bad language, the 'attitude', and find some sympathetic people with everyday problems to write about. So, when the advice is 'Make sure your dialogue is sparkling, witty and pithy', who are we talking about here? Does that advice apply to the type of story you're trying to create? When the advice is 'Keep your descriptions short and to the point', does that work every time, in every situation? No, the 'advice' is way, way too general, well-meaning, and, ultimately, vague and inappropriate.


Writers who find their way through this maze will then have to move on to Stage Two. This involves Preparing your Manuscript for Publication. Ah, now we are on much safer ground. This is the one time in the whole process when you can be absolutely accurate about what to do. The fact is that every publisher will want to see a manuscript neatly typed, with no spelling mistakes, on one side of A4 only, and with separated pages. That's right. No ifs, no buts. Don't think you can send in your handwritten material – it won't get looked at, and don't think you can print on both sides of the page to save paper. They won't accept it. These are 'Rules' that we can all agree on. For once.

Now we move on to Stage 3, Submitting your Manuscript to Publishers. Which publishers? This is where the advice gets kind of vague. 'Choose a suitable publisher' seems fairly easy to understand. Don't send your novel about drug-fuelled crime warlords to Mills and Boon, but don't send them the one about gay cowboys either! After that, it's hard to tell. You can look in your local bookshop (again) and see what each publisher has out now, but don't forget that these 'new' books were over a year in the making. What that publisher is looking at today may be completely different to what they published then. So, it's rather hit and miss, then? Yes, it is, and the 'Dummies' book will be full of true, but rather unhelpful anecdotes, about how various authors got published, often against the odds and unexpectedly. At the end of the day, you can 'try and try again'. Maybe it will work.

No, most authors are not 'Dummies' and don't need to be lectured at. But reading a book about getting published by Traditional Publishers is a bit like reading a book on 'Roulette for Dummies' or, you know, that really good one on 'Winning the Lottery Without even Having to Buy a Ticket'. If you want something more certain, take your manuscript and log on to a print-on-demand site like Lulu.com where you can upload your material, print off a few copies and make a start on 'being a published author', not least because yes, you do then have a book in print. After that, it will be less nerve-racking taking the traditional route and posting off your precious creation to publishers, because at least you will have had the feeling of what it's like to hold a book in your hand with your name on the cover and your story on the pages. Traditional Publishers can't guarantee that will happen – ever – and no advice for would-be authors, however well-meaning, can ensure success either. Only the internet can, and that applies to everybody, 'dummy' or normal person.



About The Author
Mike Scantlebury is an Internet Author, with 10 novels, numerous stories and songs to his credit. Look for his videos on YouTube too. The books are on the web, at his own sites and others. You can get a flavour at his download site, check out some chapters and choose to take away however many you want. Log on to http://www.mikescantlebury.biz >>Read more...

Professional Article Writing, From Hobby To Income

by: Brian Ankner


In the art of writing there are several areas or levels of expertise. We will go over a few of them and find out where you would like to end up in the world of professional article writing.

The hobby blogger writes to tell stories of what they have seen, read or about an experience they had at some sort of event, online or off. The hobby writer rarely uses a spellchecker and their posts usually reflect the innocence of a novice writer.

The casual writer is the more serious blogger or website owner that tries to convey a story, write a review or share knowledge in their field of expertise. They will have several sites or blogs in areas surrounding their life and occupations, often times posting in several other peoples blogs or forums daily. Whether they know it or not, they are actually grooming themselves to be a great writer.

The advanced writer supplies content for others in the way of articles, white papers and reports after doing research in that particular field and composing relevant, targeted information about the subject. They may get compensated for the material or submit the articles to directories for distribution for SEO reasons or to establish themselves in the market as an authority for sales purposes.

Professional writers get paid well for their efforts. Sometimes in the tens of thousands for a high conversion sales letter, documentary, biography, or book. They are the syndicated columnists, feature story authors in magazines and the ever popular technical manual composers. They will often have pen names to protect their identity and can be ghost writers giving up all rights to the project for compensation.

In the advanced and profeessional areas, writers are sought after mostly due to the fact that not everyone can convey their thoughts and ideas well, let alone write them down in the proper format or storyline. Hence the growing need for writers.

In the online world thousands of websites and blogs are being created every day and the one common theme between them all is they will need content written.

The majority of all websites are about a company or service, the balance are for selling products either physical or digital. A small percentage of sites are purely informational and are not monetarily driven like the .gov sites and some .org sites.

Almost all offline companies that want a website created will hire it done. A golden opportunity for writers. Just plug in with a few website creation companies and you will have a nice part time freelance writing job.

Online marketers trying to sell products will try to write their own sales pages for the small or low cost products but when it comes to the high end market they will inevitably seek out a professional to be able to convert as many leads as possible thus reducing their cost to sale ratio.

This is where the advanced and professional writer comes in to the play and are eagerly sought after.

An advanced writer can work on an almost endless variety of projects. A writer can either focus on an area of expertise, or write a greater variety of general knowledge articles. The going rate for quality articles in the 500-700 word range is $15.00-$25.00 each depending on the quantity ordered. Not bad considering and article can be made in less than an hour for the groomed writer. A nice paying part time job and a respectable full time income when you build up your client base.

As more high end products and services come online the professional writer can develop an awesome stream of income when they have proven themselves in the market. I know many of the top writers for the online world and it is usually a six month wait before they can get to your project unless you have very deep pockets.

Most of the professional writers for online copy easily exceed six figures a year and rarely do they get a blister on their finger from the keypad!

For the beginner there are many resources for developing the skill of writing. There are workshops, seminars, courses, reference books, and connection with other writers. I currently subscribe to many copywriters RSS feeds so I can study their style. Every day will become part of a your training. Every minute at the keyboard adds to your store of information, ideas, topics, methods and style.

A writer is not a writer until they put words to paper or screen and this is the application of the training that you will have acquired over the years. Yes I said years, it takes time to get good at anything worthwhile.

Usually, most of us see the quality of our work going up as we ramp up our productivity. The old saying is "the first one is the hardest" and it plays true in writing also. My first article had to have taken at least four hours or more and the end result was nothing to be proud of! After a while and the desire to get better, it now takes less than an hour to write a 600 word article, research included.

Article writing is an art form - not only must you be continuously creative, but you also must have the desire to continue. As long as you have an ounce of creativity you will be able to become a good writer.

Eventually, you'll get to the point where the discipline, the passion, and the experience will all come together and your skill as a writer will either produce a nice income or the sites and blogs you create will get highly ranked from the quality content.


About The Author
Brian Ankner has been writing articles and website content for quite some time now and has created a site dedicated to helping aspiring artists blossom into great writiers. For the resources that he uses, go to http://www.topshelfarticles.com/Professional_Article_Writing.html and pick up the tools to start your publishing career. >>Read more...

Ten Ways to Write Great Blog Posts That Get Attention

by: Courtland Bovee


Millions of blogs fight for readership online (over 75 million by some counts), with thousands more being created every day. Making yours stand above the rest may seem like a daunting task, but here are ten suggestions for making your blog posts stand out from the crowd.

1. Write each post title so it grabs the reader's attention. It is the first thing someone reads, and it should get your reader's attention right away. Your title should both pique the reader's interest and be informative. Do not write "Business Writing Advice"; instead, say "The Best-Kept Secret to Reducing Your Business Writing Worries." Longer titles have the advantage of describing in detail what your post is about; 8-12 words are a good range.


2. Keep sentences short and clear. A little goes a long way. Readers are busy people and they will not spend hours detangling complex syntax or sifting through blocks of text. Also, use strong language. Start a new paragraph every few sentences, and limit each post to 250 words, if possible. If you cannot write it in under 250 words, split it into two entries.

3. Break up the text. Use numbered lists, bullet points, and subheadings to make your posts easy to scan. Lots of white space on the page is a good thing-it allows your reader to take mental breaks and let the knowledge soak in. In addition, with the inevitable clutter of banner ads and side text, this technique puts some distance between your writing and all those distractions.

4. Keep current. No one wants to read old news. Your job is to stay up-to-date so your readers do not have to themselves. Read newspapers. Scour the web for references. For example, if you write a blog about business communication, subscribe to Google News Alerts using keywords related to the field, such as blogs, podcasting, instant messaging, business letters, memos, and business reports, so you will always be well informed. Posting items from last month or last year will lose your reader's interest faster than you can say "Enron."

5. Be bold. Timidity is an easy path to anonymity. Do not be afraid to create and state your opinions. Of course, there are some situations in which objectivity rules-but you have to give people a reason to read this blog by you and not by the person next door.

6. Be accurate. If you make a statement, be prepared to back it up. Know what your sources are and quote them accurately. Misinformation spreads like wildfire online; do not be the spark that sets it off or the wind that fans it.

7. Contribute to the conversation. Links are great-but then what? Do not just post links to the same tired sites, offer your reader something new. Contribute to the conversation. Your goal is to be the site to which everyone else is linking-so you had better have something worth writing about.

8. Stay focused. Once you have defined the theme of your blog, stick to it. A blog about piggy banks has no business posting about the latest innovation in alternative energy. Such a deviance will only confuse your reader and chip away at your virtual authority.

9. Use key words liberally. Keywords are, well, key. Harness your blog's search engine potential by dousing your title and post with effective keywords that will help interested parties find your page in the vast, muddled blogosphere. This is one of the most important elements of getting your blog read-go at it with gusto.

10. Be consistent. Keep a schedule and stick to it. Post frequently-at least several times per week if you want to increase your potential of attracting new readers. Let your blog languish for weeks without updates and your audience will move on to fresher ground.

Maintaining an informative blog that people want to read takes hard work and good writing skills. Find what makes your writing unique-and flaunt it for all it is worth.


About The Author
Courtland L. Bovee, one of America's leading instructors in clear and effective communication, co-authors several leading college-level texts with John V. Thill, a prominent communications consultant and current Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Communication Strategies. Their website, Business Communication Headline News, the #1 business communication site on the web, is at http://www.businesscommunicationheadlinenews.com
>>Read more...

Timer Magic for Writers

Timer Magic for Writers
by: Katey Coffing, Ph.D.

If your writing muscle isn't in shape, writing a novel may seem like a sheer, unscalable cliff. ("Gee, I don't think I can write today. I left my climbing shoes in my other backpack...")
Keep in mind that you don't need to write the whole book today, so stop beating yourself up. Instead, just start moving, one footstep at a time.

One of my favorite writing tools is a timer. My author clients and I swear by ours, and "timer magic" can work for almost any task that's looming over you. (Remember the old joke about how to eat an elephant? One bite at a time!)


Get a timer and set it for fifteen minutes. C'mon, fifteen minutes—you can do anything for that long. Promise yourself these two things:

(1) you'll be in your chair, and

(2) you'll be willing to write during that time.

Even if you're afraid you'll be staring at a blank screen, do it. That's your agreement.

Now: butt in chair, hands on keyboard, set the timer, and go. Write down anything that comes to you—snippets of dialogue, ideas for an opening paragraph, why your heroine scratches her nose when she's nervous and hates velvet. Anything. Don't censor it.

When the timer goes off, you're free to stop. You've done what you pledged—writing time in that chair. Congratulations!

Now take a reward. Will it be a bowl of Rocky Road ice cream? Half an hour of guilt-free reading of a favorite author's new book? Do what feels good, and choose something that will motivate you next time.

Next, decide exactly when that time will be (make it soon). If you're in the middle of a juicy paragraph and want to complete it, do. You can always set the timer for another fifteen minutes to keep going. Then do something extra nice for yourself. You earned it!

As fifteen minutes becomes a habit, add more minutes to the timer to increase your momentum. Soon you'll be zipping along.

Remember: it takes only one step to start a journey, and small steps can take you anywhere you want to go.

Katey Coffing, Ph.D. © 2004 All Rights Reserved

About The Author


Katey Coffing, Ph.D. is a novelist and book coach who helps women delight in writing (and finishing!) their books. Visit her at http://www.Women-Ink.com/.

To receive additional articles and tips for women writers, subscribe to Katey's ezine, The Write Calling, at http://www.Women-Ink.com/the-write-calling.htm.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? Please do, as long as you include the above short bio and blurb with it. (A short note to Katey to let her know would be appreciated! Contact her at https://www.hform.com/form.cgi?1717945)

>>Read more...

Why a Literary Agent is So Important to Your Success

Why a Literary Agent is So Important to Your Success
by: Steve Manning

Ask any literary agent what they’re interested in and they’ll tell you, without a doubt, literary quality. That’s what they want. They’re looking for high-quality writing. That’s their story and they’re sticking with it.

But if you catch them in an unguarded moment, the truth might just slip out. Oh, they’re still looking for literary quality, and if that’s part of the package so much the better, but that’s not really the determining factor.

The big issue, the one that can really turn it to your advantage, is a lot simpler and, we should have guessed, a lot more predictable. The real question is, will this manuscript sell? Will it sell first to a publisher, and, then, will it sell to the general public.

The answer to the first question is why you’ve got a literary agent in the first place. Will it sell to a publisher? Well, you as an author have no idea. You can hope, you can suggest, you can rationalize and you can predict, you can see no possible alternative. Of course a publisher will want to write your manuscript. But you don’t really know.

Literary agents, the good ones, do. That’s why they’re constantly talking to trade editors at publishing houses, and publishing executives as well. They want to have their ears to the ground to scout out any trends that are developing, or, more profitably, any needs that publishers have.

“What we’re really looking for now, Sam, is a children’s chapter book that touches, gently, on the issue of terrorism and homeland security.”

“What we need is a series of gothic horrors.”

“The guys upstairs want to take a look at a new genre of romance…”

A lot of authors think that publishers make their decisions based on the manuscripts that come their way. That’s not always the case. Publishers often have their own agenda. They see the needs developing and they want to have books ready to go when the demand is right. Often they’re looking for specific kinds of books and they’re letting literary agents know about their needs so the best manuscripts can be brought to them.

And that’s good news for you. Okay, maybe you’ve spent a lot of time writing that book on science fiction trivia. The agent you’re working with says it’s a great book, but they’ve just been talking with an editor and they’re looking for a trivia book for science. Would you be up to writing it.

Yes, I can just hear all the author’s saying, “just a minute, I’ll check my schedule to see if I can fit that in.”

Agents also know, generally, which publishers are looking for which books. True, the information you have may say the publisher publishes horror stories. But you won’t know they’ve got a back log of these manuscripts and aren’t looking for any more. A good literary agent will not only know this, they’ll also know which publishers are looking precisely for the book you’ve got to offer. Getting your manuscript before the right set of eyes is half the battle when it comes to getting your book published.

Agents will also know what’s selling now, and whether this is the beginning of a new wave, or the end of an old one. They make their reputation and their relationships by helping publishers pick winners for the upcoming season. That’s why they’re so important. They have the knowledge and the contacts that you just don’t have.

They know what will sell, why, when and where. And if you hook up with an agent who is committed to their own success, you’ve just formed a partnership with an agent who is also committed to your success.


About The Author

Steve Manning is a master writer showing thousands of people how they can write their book faster than they ever thought possible. Here’s your free Special Report, http://www.WriteABookNow.com/main.html. >>Read more...