Making Better Word Choices ? 4 Examples

Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on your writing and on you. Whether you are writing a cover letter for a job, a business proposal, or an application essay for graduate school, using words poorly can result in negative feedback. One could find entire books regarding word choices for writers; this article will touch on some fundamental, but important ways to choose the correct word for your situation.

Our starting point will be the use of "There are" or "There is" to begin sentences. Consider this; the word "there" indicates "not here" (in other words, some other place). Now look at the sentence below and think about what the meaning is and what might be intended.

There are four dogs playing with a ball.

If the writer meant that four dogs are over there and they are playing with a ball, then this would be technically correct. If the intention was merely that four dogs are playing with a ball, here, there, or anywhere, then the sentence could be worded better. The following sentence would show better wording on the writer's part.

Four dogs are playing with a ball.

The next two words that writers often confuse are "which" and "that." If the goal of your writing is to describe something and you have used commas to separate the phrase from the rest of the sentence you want to use "which." When a writer wants a word to define and the reference is restricted then you want to use "that." The first sentence below shows the correct use of "that" and the second sentence shows correct use of "which."

The Yodo is the river that runs through Osaka.

The Yodo, which is a major waterway, runs though Osaka.

Our next word choice is between "while" and "although." Another way of thinking about the word "although" is to look at its meaning, as found on Merriam-Webster Online dictionary the meaning is, "in spite of the fact that : even though."(1) The definition of "while" indicates a relation to time, such as during a period when something else is happening. Two correctly worded sentences are below.

Although he is not tall, he is a good basketball player.

While he listened to the radio, he finished his homework.

A writer's choice between "since" and "because" also involves the possibility of a reference to time. Many people use "since" when they really mean "because," this is rarely a correct use of the word "since." When choosing a word to suggest "from a definite past time until now"(1) use "since." If you are not referring to time, "because" should be the word you choose. Try using "because," if your sentence doesn't make sense then you probably want to use "since." In the examples below the two incorrect sentences do not sound correct, while the correct sentences actually sound better.

Incorrect: He had few friends since he was too annoying.

Correct: He had few friends because he was too annoying.

Incorrect: He has not ridden a bicycle because 1990.

Correct: He has not ridden a bicycle since 1990.

Whether you are writing an essay for school or you are writing a speech for your CEO, choose your words carefully because what people hear or read from you can make a big difference in their opinion about you and your intelligence. For anyone writing, regardless of topic, length, or purpose, ask for assistance if you need it, not doing so can have serious repercussions on your reputation.

1. Merriam-Webster Online. 20 January 2005. http://m-w.com/

David is the owner of Blue Arch Consulting, a proofreading and editing business helping clients worldwide to generate English documents of all types. Their website is at <a target="_new" href="http://www.blue-arch.net">http://www.blue-arch.net</a>

Learning How To Write

As a student of Spanish, my goal was to think in Spanish. Skip the word-by-word translation so I'd have the necessary speed to speak and listen. I know words in Spanish that I'd be hard pressed to translate. Usually profanity, I confess. Chingow!

For years my students here in China have studied grammar, and know it better than you or I. They read. They write. But speaking involves moving faster than that. In conversation, we don't have time to write it first and make sure it's all grammatically flawless, then read it aloud, perhaps after a bit of rehearsal.

So, I try to give them a chance to practice putting words together on the fly, rules be damned. The rules they've internalized will kick in and keep them comprehensible, which will build their confidence in their ability to keep creating conversation that way.

This is not unlike what we go through as authors. First we study rulebooks, perhaps take some classes, and conclude just about everything we're is doing is wrong. So many rules to memorize. We might dread sitting down to write with all those constraints.

But really, it's not about memorizing rules at all. It's about internalizing the rules, following them (or not if you prefer) without being consciously aware of what they are. They're there, but in the background.

The story's what matters. You're supposed to be having fun, not "working." At least not during the creation phase.

We don't always take the time to say, "I've written ten active sentences in a row so maybe I'll whip in a passive one now" or "I need a beat for every X lines of dialogue." I published four novels and edited dozens more before I learned what a beat was. (It's a pause so the reader can catch his/her breath.)

And, of course, since it is writing and not speaking, we can always go back and revise later. Then rely on editors to catch what we missed, or at least make us wonder why we wrote it this way instead of that way.

Some authors aren't even consciously aware of "the rules." They've never taken a class, never read a book about writing. They're simply avid readers who one day decided to write. But they've internalized the rules as well. It comes from reading.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you want to write, you must read. If you don't like reading, maybe writing isn't for you. It's not about writing because you want to say, "I am a writer." It's about writing because you enjoy writing.

And, it's really nice when you've been writing for a long time to go back and read a book about how to write. You might find one or two things to tweak in your technique, as opposed to a daunting laundry list of flaws. It's much easier to internalize one or two new rules than 50 or 100!

Copyright 2004, Michael LaRocca

Michael LaRocca's website at <a target="_new" href="http://www.chinarice.org">http://www.chinarice.org</a> was chosen by WRITER'S DIGEST as one of The 101 Best Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002. His response was to throw it out and start over again because he's insane. He teaches English at a university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and publishes the free weekly newsletter WHO MOVED MY RICE?

Mexican Living: Pasatiempo

It occurred to me one day that I needed something to do with my time when I wasn't writing. You know--something to divert myself so more writing ideas could come to mind. One cannot sit in front of the computer screen all day waiting for an idea to come knocking at the door and say,

"Here I am."

For one thing, to do so will result in your eyes eventually turning to oatmeal and melting right out of your head. And, if that happens, you won't be able to write anything.

Second, you'll just whine and cry like a baby because you cannot think of anything to write. Your wife will yell at you.

I needed a hobby.

I have never been one to seek the traditional manly hobbies. You know what I am talking about: killing small animals during hunting seasons, making beer, watching one football game, then another football game, then another, and another, and so on! Worse yet, playing football or whatever other sports men play.

So, I took up an untraditional hobby here in Mexico. I breed parakeets.

Before you laugh let me say that I am serious about this hobby. It is something I did when we lived in a small college town in the States so I knew what I was getting into. At one time, we had a bird-breeding business going and sold them to pet shops.

Now I have a backyard (back patio) area where I had a local carpenter build an outdoor aviary. It is cool and I enjoy this to no end. The birds can stay outside in this moderate climate. All the mess associated with this hobby (bird poop and I am talking a lot of it too) can be contained easily.

I am glad I got back into this bird-breeding business because it is relaxing. It gives me something other than my wife to obsess about and dote on. It's like watching fish in an aquarium except these animals can fly and talk back to me when I coo to them. They tell me things like,

"Oh, ok, you've acted like a nutty-human long enough now get me some sunflower seeds."

This is a true story: Once, when we lived in Kansas, we had a Quaker Parakeet who talked-a lot! The Jewish lady from downstairs was talking to the bird when it said to her,

"Get me a beer!"

I am NOT making this up!

Some of you may be reluctant to get into breeding parakeets because you've heard that they can give you a lung disease. Let me assure you (cough, hack, choke) that this is absolutely (gag, can't breathe, bloody phlegm spewing) not so.

It is easy to breed parakeets. All you need is a good-size cage, a pair of birds, lots of seed, and a nest box or log. Make sure they have plenty of privacy to become acquainted but once they do, you don't have to worry at all about them needing privacy to "do the deed." In fact, they will not care who is watching or what is happening around them.

This could prove to be inconvenient when company comes over. If you plan to have the parish priest, the neighborhood watch group, or maybe a book-reading club meeting, you might want to cover them with a towel during this breeding period. However, be prepared to answer questions like,

"Why is that towel moving in such a rhythmic manner?"

"Funny, I don't feel a breeze, why is that towel flapping?"

"What's going on in that cage to make that towel move like that, Mommy?"

Of course, since we have the birds in an outside facility we don't have to worry about that one bit.

It really is fun and it gives me a chance to engage is something other than writing and bugging the life out of my wife.

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.

His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at <a target="_new" href="http://www.lulu.com/content/126241">http://www.lulu.com/content/126241</a>

The Author Within

Just about every marketer on the Internet claims to be the best around and would have you believe that no one else knows as much or can teach you as quickly and thoroughly as they can. It would seem that they erroneously assume that by admiring someone else's teachings they will lessen their marketability as the &quot;great persuader&quot; in salesmanship.

In truth, while they may not admit it publicly, every marketer studies the technique or style of others on a continuing basis. I'll be the first to admit that I seek out, read and revise my methods of copywriting thanks to the best of the best. And I have discovered that perfection is often flawed.

We are in an age where videos, movies, television, radio and computer games scream for our attention. They produce more information than anybody can possibly retain. Therefore, if I want to hold someone's attention, make a written offer that compels them to read to the last line and reach for their wallet --- then I must learn to outshine my competition and dazzle my readers.

If you think back, I'm sure you remember times when you were reading something so mesmerizing that you never heard the phone ring, or if you did you didn't answer it. So absorbed were you that you didn't realize where an hour had gone? or, held up a halting hand when someone attempted to interrupt you with a question. Yeah, I've been there too. And that's exactly the kind of writing that I'm talking about.

Irresistible writing rivets your eyes to the page. Words are so clear, so concise that the effect is nearly hypnotic? and you remember what you have read because it IS unforgettable. The only place to learn this is from the &quot;proven experts&quot;.

Going back many years, I remember radio programs that my grandmother listened to daily. They were no more than half-hour serials like &quot;Porsha Faces Life&quot; and there was always a crisis at the end of the daily broadcast that left you hanging? &quot;Tune in tomorrow and answer the question ? how will Porsha react with the news blah, blah, blah?&quot;

In today's novel writings, each chapter will leave you with a similar &quot;cliff-hanger&quot;, something untold that will stir your curiosity. A good piece of fiction will not allow you to stop between chapters, and a top-notch one will forbid you to stop until the end.

Now then --- if you can write an advertisement, article or eBook preview that will stir the curiosity of your reader without giving them the whole story? if the &quot;cliff-hanger&quot; compels them to fill out a form, send you an email, or sign up for a free trial, you have discovered the author inside you.

? 2004 Esther Smith

About The Author

Esther Smith is editor of Partners-For-Profit Newsletter and copywriter for The Permanent Venture. Each publication of PFP get a weekly diet of marketing and advertising reports, free bonuses, ad space and resources for all their Internet needs.

<a href="mailto:clendon@thepermanentventure.com?subject=subscribe">clendon@thepermanentventure.com?subject=subscribe</a>

More Articles by Esther Smith <a href="http://thepermanentventure.com/articles.htm" target="_new">http://thepermanentventure.com/articles.htm</a>

<a href="mailto:editor@thepermanentventure.com">editor@thepermanentventure.com</a>

Pairs/Groups Of Words Often Confused - Part 6 of 6

SALE, SAIL Sale is either offering something for purchase ("for sale") or offering it at a special price ("on sale"); sail is part of a ship or boat.

SELL, CELL Sell is to exchange for money; cell is a small room.

SCENE, SEEN Scene is the place where something happens; seen is the past participle of see.

"Yet he had seen nothing suspicious at the scene of the accident." (Of course you wouldn't write a sentence like that; the two words make for a clumsy combination. I would probably replace "scene" with "site".)

SITE, SIGHT, CITE

Site always refers to location or place: building site; archaeology site.

"We will site the house to take advantage of the panoramic views."

Sight always refers to vision, as in the cliche "a sight for

sore eyes".

"We sighted two horsemen coming over the hill."

"It was a sight I would never forget."

"She feared she might lose her sight."

Cite means to summon, or to refer to a source, as in the

following sentences:

"I was cited as a witness to the accident."

"He cited in his defence an incident in which these same people were involved."

SOME TIME, SOMETIME

This is a common confusion. Some time is a period of time and sometime means at some time not specified.

"Some time ago you promised to introduce me to your

brother."

"Sometime when you're not busy we must do this again."

STATIONARY, STATIONERY

Stationary means standing still. Stationery refers to writing paper.

STATUE, STATUTE, STATURE

Statue is a carved or moulded likeness; statute is law; stature means height or status.

STRAIGHT, STRAIT

Straight means without bends; strait is a passage of water.

TENANT, TENET

Tenant is one who rents a property; tenet is a principle or belief.

THERE, THEIR, THEY'RE

There is a location: "Put it over there."

Their is the possessive of they: "their coats"

They're is short for they are: "They're unlikely to miss seeing them."

So: "They hung their coats over there by the door where

they're unlikely to miss seeing them on their way out."

Dreadful sentence I know, but at least it demonstrates the correct usage for all three words.

TO, TOO, TWO

To is a preposition meaning towards; too means also; two is the number after one.

VICIOUS, VISCOUS

Vicious means savage, cruel; viscous means thick, gummy.

WAIST, WASTE

Waist is the part of your body around which you fasten your belt; waste is stuff that's thrown away.

WAVE, WAIVE

Wave means to flap your hand in farewell and as a noun is also a breaker on the beach; waive means to give up one's rights or claim.

WAVER, WAIVER

Waver means to be undecided; waiver means the giving up of one's rights or claim.

WEAK, WEEK

Weak is the opposite of strong; week is seven days, Sunday to Saturday.

WET, WHET

Wet as a verb means strictly to pour liquid on something, or soak something in liquid. You do not "wet" somebody's appetite for anything; you'll only land up doing the opposite of what you want! Instead, you whet it, which means

to sharpen or stimulate.

WHICH, WITCH

As a fantasy writer, I have trouble believing people get these two confused! Which is one of a group; witch is a sorcerer.

WHOSE, WHO'S

This confusion is similar to its and it's. Whose is possessive, and who's is short for "who is".

YOUR, YOU'RE

As in the previous entry, this confusion is similar to its and it's. Your is possessive and you're is short for "you are".

This is the end of the present list, which is growing all the time. Updates will appear on the complete list on <a target="_new" href="http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz/words.html">my Web site</a>.

About The Author

Laraine Anne Barker writes fantasy for young people. Visit her web site at <a target="_new" href="http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz">http://lbarker.orcon.net.nz</a>. Fantasy for Children & Young Adults</a> for FREE stories and novel excerpts. Sign up for the NOVELLA OF THE MONTH CLUB, absolutely FREE!

From Book Notes to Book Reports

Writing papers and book reports has long been the bane of high school and college students' existence. It seems that no matter how hard you work to stay caught up, there is always a paper due tomorrow. Using book notes to help get the ideas flowing can save you time, heartache, and the stress of getting a bad grade.

There are many styles and formats available now, but a book note typically includes a summary of a literary work, commentary on the subject matter and deeper meaning of the passages, and biographical information about the author. The best book notes are written by qualified people (i.e. a college degree in literature, or in the academic area the book note is covering). Most importantly, the book note you choose should be easy for you to use ? after all, if the information is just as difficult to find in the book note as it is in the book, what's the point?

<h3>When to use Book Notes</h3>

Book notes can help you out with more than just book reports. They provide valuable information you can use to write a paper about an author, philosopher, society, or culture. Let's say you had to write a paper about nineteenth century Russian culture. You gather together a lot of information about what was going on politically, what kind of figures were popular, what the economy was like, etc. Imagine the authenticity you could add to your essay by including even a small part about Leo Tolstoy, a prominent Russian author from the nineteenth century.

Providing information connected to a specific person makes the essay much more enjoyable to read, and showcases your ability to provide breadth and depth of research. Naturally, it is not necessary for you to read all of Tolstoy's works to know enough about him to include a piece in your essay. A book note on one of his masterpieces will usually contain enough information for you to apply what you learn to your more general topic.

<h3>How to use a Book Note</h3>

The most important thing to remember about using book notes is they are not intended to be substitutes for reading the real book. You will miss out on the opportunity to read some of the greatest works of literature if you only read their book notes. Try reading the book note chapter by chapter after you read that chapter in the book. This helps confirm the ideas you come up with on your own, and will point out new ideas while the reading is still fresh in your mind.

Alternatively, you could also try reading the summary of each chapter before reading the chapter in the book. This will help direct your reading to find the things that are most important in each chapter, and will help you find new ideas that either agree or disagree with the ideas discussed in the book note.

When you sit down to write your paper, having already gone over the reading and the summary, you will have an arsenal of ideas on which you can rely to start writing the paper. Very rarely will you receive an essay assignment that is answered perfectly by the information in the book note, so you'll have to pour some of your own thoughts into your paper.

<h3>Where to find Book Notes</h3>

The best things in life are not always free, but there are a lot of free resources available now online. The three best places I have found for book notes are SparkNotes.com, CliffNotes.com, and PinkMonkey.com. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages, so try each one out until you find the one that works best with your style.

Nick Smith is a client account specialist with <a target="_new" href="http://www.10xmarketing.com">10x Marketing</a> - More Visitors . More Buyers . More Revenue . For software that lets you organize and annotate your <a target="_new" href="http://www.gobinder.com/book-notes.aspx">book notes</a>, check out <a target="_new" href="http://www.gobinder.com">Agilix GoBinder</a>.

How to Get Free Publicity in In-flight Magazines

If you're targeting an educated, more affluent audience with your message, and your topic is a good fit, in-flight magazines can be one of your best publicity tools.

A quick look at the statistics should convince you:

--Many of these magazines have high circulations.

--Many readers are Frequent Flyers, among the most educated and affluent consumers

--60 percent are men; 40 percent women

--74 percent are in the 25-54 age bracket

--86 percent are college-educated

--56 percent hold management positions

--57 percent have incomes of more than $75,000 a year

Here's what I learned recently about while updating contact information for the in-flight magazines:

--Contact information for most of the 22 magazines in my database had changed in the last two years.

--In general, circulation at most in-flight magazines has dropped from 2002 to 2004.

--Several of the magazines have changed editors.

--One magazine has been renamed and reformatted.

--The editors' biggest pet peeve is that too many PR people pitch without knowing anything about the publication. Tom Chapman, editor of "Spirit of Aloha" magazine published by Aloha Air, says he's overwhelmed with PR requests and materials, "99 percent of which is misdirected and I can't possibly use."

--I found six magazines, most of which serve airlines in the United Kingdom and Europe, and I've added them to my database. Several of them aren't even in the major media resource directories.

--Editors are still hungry for business news, food trends, interesting events, tourist attractions and celebrities in cities the airlines serve. So make sure your special event is listed in the events calendar if it's in a city served by one of these airlines.

--Many editors are still inundated with boring travelogues along the lines of "how I spent my summer vacation." Don't even bother sending this stuff.

If you can pitch an idea that's a perfect fit with a magazine's content, an in-flight magazine can result in thousands of dollars in free publicity.

Joan Stewart, The Publicity Hound, has written "Special Report #29: Fly High with Publicity in In-flight Magazines," which includes complete contact information for 30 in-flight magazines. Learn more about it at <a target="_new" href="http://www.PublicityHound.com ">http://www.PublicityHound.com</a> where you can also sign up for the free ezine "The Publicity Hound's Tips of the Week," packed with tips on how to generate free publicity.

How I Became a Syndicated Columnist -- And You Can Too!

Real Estate has "Location, location, location," and writing has "Clips, clips, clips."

When people ask me how I became a syndicated columnist, I usually say, "it just snowballed." And basically that's what happened: one publication led to another, which led to another, and so forth.

I began my career writing for a small community paper in my neighborhood. To look back on those first published clips is quite entertaining! But how can I be ashamed? The work I did at The Julington Creek Plantation Press (the JCPP) became a springboard for my now nationally syndicated column "Shore Duty."

(If you read between the lines here, what I'm saying is, Don't be impatient, and don't expect quick success! Be willing to work your way up and focus on getting the coveted published clips.)

But a giant "snowball" was not all it took for me to become a writing success. Admittedly, it took hard-work, research and persistence too. Below are some things I learned along the way:

Never Submit Shoddy Work, No Matter How Small the Publication

When I was working for the JCPP I knew the interviews and spotlights I was writing were not Pulitzer material. In fact, I'd be surprised if even a hundred people ever even read those first pieces. Nevertheless, I made sure every submission was flawless and an excellent reflection of what I can do as a writer. (You never know who might read your work...even the small work!)

Providing error-free copy and meeting deadlines sets up a precedence of professionalism that will follow you throughout your career. Never forget the editors you are writing for now may be the ones writing your next referral or recommendation.

A great book for grammar and proofreading help is The Associated Press Guide to Punctuation by Rene J. Cappon.

Never Let Your Readers Down

Developing a relationship with your readers is the ultimate goal (editors only buy what their readers demand!), so it is important to make sure all your writing (however small or insignificant) is entertaining and consistent with your abilities.

Building a firm base of loyal fans and readers should be your utmost concern. Never let your readers down! When I write my column each week, I have in my mind the mother who will be sitting down to breakfast Tuesday morning and opening the Life section to see my submission. I don't write for editors (well, ok, so I do a little bit); I write for readers.

Building my readership base has paid off. Now I have loyal fans throughout the country emailing their local papers to request Shore Duty! And I'll say it again: Editors only buy what their readers demand!

Always Approach the Managing Editor

There are many benefits to querying the Managing Editor of a publication, as opposed to a section- or other editor. Ultimately, the Managing Editor makes the monetary decisions for the paper, which gives them the "last word." If you want a quick "yes" or "no" with few middle-men in between, direct your query to the Managing Editor.

Once you get the job, however, strive to build a good working relationship with the editor of your section. This will be the person you deal with on a regular basis. Always meet deadlines (in fact, be early and they'll love you!), and as much as possible, reduce the amount of work for your very busy editor: always proofread and "tighten" your writing before submitting it for publication.

Save Your Clips

As soon as you are published anywhere, start saving your clips. I always photo-copy mine because newsprint begins to yellow over time. Make sure the publication date is noted on the clip, then place it in a protective binder. Hopefully you'll be making more copies of these clips soon when you write your syndication proposal...or your book proposal!

Watch Your Contracts

Writers are artists at heart, but unfortunately, in the world of publishing, there's a lot of business-minded tasks to take care of. In particular, it's important to learn about contracts...or find someone to learn about it for you.

My husband is my personal "business advisor" who helps me to think with my "career" mind rather than my "artsy" mind when it comes time to sign on the dotted line.

Here's one very important thing I've learned (by error) about contracts: be cautious of a "Work for Hire" deal. If you sign a "Work for Hire" contract, you are basically signing away all the rights to your writing. In effect, the publication, not you, owns the article/column you produce. If you should ever want to reprint that piece (in a book, etc.) you then have to ask permission from the original publication.

A much better way is to sign a "Freelancer Contract". This type of arrangement assures you the rights to your work. You are actually only lending your work to the publication, and you still retain all rights to reprint or publish however else you choose (except that most papers will ask that you not publish in another competing local paper).

A good book to educate yourself about contracts is Understanding Publishers' Contracts by Michael Legat.

If You Have the Choice, Go With Self-Syndication

There are two ways to syndicate: through an agency, or on your own. Below are the pros and cons of both (as I see it).

Going through an Agency

The experts do all the business work for you (marketing, writing proposals, etc.)

Your mind is freed up to be artistic and write, write, write.

Agencies have contacts and networks you do not.

Selling a syndicated column can be a full-time job; if you want to write full-time, leave the business of promotion and sales to an agency.

However, an agency will take a hefty chunk of your profits.

An agency creates a middle-man through which you have to work.

An agency takes "control" of your career.

Self-Syndicating Your Column

You retain control and direction of your own career.

You don't have to share profits with an agency.

You don't have to work through a middle-man.

BUT, you do have to work really hard to market yourself and your column.

Self-syndicating is like taking on another job. (You will be solely responsible for sales, promotion, understanding contracts, creating invoices, etc.)

For me, however, the biggest benefit of going the self-syndication route has been the satisfaction I get from knowing I am in control of my own career and that I've gotten here through my own talents and hard work.

A good book for understanding the differences between self-syndication and syndication through an agency is Successful Syndication: A Guide for Writers and Cartoonists by Michael H. Sedge.

If you work hard enough, have patience and collect lots and lots of clips, you are well on your way to being a columnist.

I wish you luck, no writer's block, and many days of writing success!

Copyright 2004 Sarah Smiley <a href="http://www.SarahSmiley.com" target="_new">www.SarahSmiley.com</a>

About The Author

++You may reprint the above column on your website so long as the following is included the URL address is actively hyperlinked back++

THIS MUST BE INCLUDED: Copyright 2004 Sarah Smiley <a href="http://www.SarahSmiley.com" target="_new">http://www.SarahSmiley.com</a> - Sarah Smiley's syndicated column Shore Duty appears weekly in newspapers across the country.

<a href="mailto:sarah@sarahsmiley.com">sarah@sarahsmiley.com</a>

Freelance Feast or Famine?

Sometimes a freelance writing career can feel very much like "feast or famine".

At the very beginning, it's almost all famine. You spend more time looking for freelance writing jobs than you spend actually writing, and, quite apart from being utterly demoralizing, when you have a mortgage to pay and mouths to feed, it can be absolutely terrifying, too.

Of course, once you get past those early days of struggling for work and start to build up a portfolio and a reputation, you move into the "feast" era of your freelance writing career and everything should be rosy.

The problem is however, that those early days can be hard to forget. You can't help but remember the days of living off ramen noodles while trying to get your freelance writing career off the ground, and there's no way in hell you want to go back there. Like Scarlett O'Hara you vow never to be poor or hungry again ? and so you accept every single assignment that comes your way, and end up working yourself into a greasy spot at the same time.

Rather than a feast, it starts to become a binge, and before you know where you are, you're struggling again ? albeit this time you're struggling to get the work done, rather than to find it in the first place. Your home life and health starts to suffer, and, if you're not careful, so does the quality of your work.

So what do you do?

Well, if you think you could be on the verge of a writing binge, here are a few tips:

1. Dump your toxic clients

Toxic clients are the ones who cost you more in terms of time and effort than you ever get back from them in dollars. These are the clients for whom everything is a problem: they're not happy unless they're complaining, and you end up spending more time coddling and cajoling them than you do working for them. At the start of your career, you'll probably just put up with the toxicity. Once you start to get busy, however, it's time to get rid. If a toxic client feels like more trouble than they're worth, they probably are: so dump them, and stick with the ones who actually reward your effort.

2. Look carefully at your prices</B>

How much are you charging? Writers who are new to freelancing are often tempted to reduce their prices in order to secure work. This can work very well; once you're more established in your field, however, it can start to backfire on you, because once you have a reputation for being good and cheap, you'll end up with more work than you can reasonably handle. If this sounds like you, it may be worth considering accepting fewer projects, but charging a higher rate for them. That way the quality of your work and life remains high, and you still have the opportunity to increase your earnings.

3. Learn how to say no gracefully

Turning down work can be frightening. No matter how successful you are, when you're a freelance writer there's always going to be a little voice whispering in your ear that although you're doing well this month, next month the work could dry up. While it's never a good idea to become complacent, you do need to learn when to switch this voice off. If you're good at what you do, and you've built up a strong portfolio and network of contacts, there will be more work. Sometimes it's better to turn a project down than to take it on when you don't have time for it ? and risk your reputation by doing it badly.

4. Make friends with your competitors

Yes, really. Your fellow freelance writers don't always have to be "the competition". If there's another freelancer in your area, or in your field of expertise, why not contact them when it's busy and offer to recommend them to the clients you don't have time for, on the understanding that they do the same for you next time they're busy and you're not? This kind of reciprocal arrangement can work out very well for both parties: it means that you're not having to flat-out refuse work, for one thing, and it also gives you something of a safety net if things suddenly get slow, but your competitor's workload is more than they can handle.

Amber McNaught is a freelance writer and editor, and the owner of <a target="_new" href="http://www.writingworld.org"> WritingWorld.org</a>, an online agency for freelance writers, editors and proofreaders.

Chat about all aspects of freelance writing in the <a target="_new" href="http://www.writingworld.org/forums/phpBB2/index.php">WritingWorld forum</a>!

Amber is also co-owner of <a target="_new" href="http://www.hotigloo.co.uk">Hot Igloo Productions</a>, a UK website design and marketing firm specialising in helping small businesses grow through the use of internet technologies and public relations.

Why Book Writers Need A Running Mate

By far, I have found that the lack of discipline is the biggest hindrance for most people, when it comes to writing a book of any kind. Although I urge you as a would-be writer to develop a theme because once you are clear on "why" you want to write a book, your motivational level will shift into a higher gear, I also urge you to get an accountability partner. This person will be the most important asset you can have as a writer.

However, choose carefully, because the role of the accountability partner is to make sure that you are following your commitment on a daily basis. The partner is responsible for calling, e-mailing you or talking to you by phone or in person every day to check the progress of your book. This person should be gentle enough to keep you encouraged, but forceful enough to not be afraid to chastise you.

In other words, your accountability partner will "hold your feet to the fire" to make sure you keep moving forward. Believe me; this person is worth his or her weight in gold. Why?

Although I promise you that writing a manuscript is easier than you might think-you don't need to be a seasoned writer-it is not the easiest thing in the world to do. There will be plenty of times when you will want to scratch the whole idea. Your accountability partner is your cheerleader, telling you, "We have spirit, yes we do!" and exhorting you on to "V.I.C.T.O.R.Y.," even when it seems like you are in the waning minutes of the game and your team is losing 42?0.

Games are played, one at a time. If you lose today, unless something tragically happens, there will be another one tomorrow. Television's Dr. Phil said, "Everyone wants to be a hero on Saturday. The big difference between winners and losers is that the winners work hard every day to do what it takes to win."

If you fail your writing task today, you can start again tomorrow. However, losing seasons occur when in the end, you have lost more than you have won. Most new writers and seasoned ones as well, don't write as much as they can on a daily basis.

Even writing part-time, two pages per day is a good start, and more can easily be done if the effort is put forth. However, most of us need that extra push from someone who genuinely cares about us and our project, to keep us in the game. Although it is good to find a like-minded individual, in some ways, your accountability partner's character should be diametrically opposed to your character.

For example, if you know you need a lot of hand-holding, your accountability partner should definitely be a self-starter. If you are a pessimist, your partner should be an optimist. However, if you are an optimist, it is usually better for you not to pick a pessimist for your partner.

By Marvin D. Cloud, founder of mybestseller Publishing Co. and author of "Get Off The Pot: How to Stop Procrastinating and Write Your Personal Bestseller in 90 Days." Visit <a target="_new" href="http://www.mybestseller.com">http://www.mybestseller.com</a> and grab a free copy of the "Get Off The Pot" newsletter, which is dedicated to motivating ordinary people with extraordinary stories.

Creative Problem-Solving: Following Your Stream of Consciousness

Having trouble finding a solution to a nagging problem? Try a well-known journaling technique called stream of consciousness--you may be surprised at the creative messages you receive from your inner self.

Take the case of Shana, an online journaler who had a problematic relationship with a co-worker. When Shana allowed herself the &quot;scary&quot; experience of stream of consciousness journaling, she quickly realized her intensely emotional reaction to the co-worker was, in fact, related to a similar situation with an ex-spouse. In both situations Shana felt like a doormat--but until her journaling, she didn't realize the two were connected.

Stream of consciousness is a style of writing that is uninterrupted, unedited, and unstructured. Typically, a journaler approaches the blank page without intention--then simply waits for something to come. However, when used as a problem-solving technique, approach your journaling with a specific intention, knowing that whatever comes out of your subconscious will contain clues to a solution.

Once you begin writing, don't try to make sense of it-just keep writing, ignoring any questions or comments coming from your mind. Remember, this isn't a mental or literary exercise, but rather an opportunity to give voice to the inner you. No matter how silly the words seem, just keeping writing. Don't worry about spelling, punctuation or grammar. Set a 10 minute timer and write until the 10 minutes are up. If your mind goes blank, just write something like, my mind is blank, my mind is blank, and keep writing until something else comes into your consciousness.

Wonder what another journaler's stream of consciousness writing looks like? This is a sample from a writer dealing with guilt over infidelity in a relationship:

broccoli, sting beans, rage, rivers, rockets, take me to the end of the world and drop me off the edge, oh columbus of mine with blueberries in your hair and apples in your eyes. cheeks of rosy red i am iam iamiamiam. skyrockets, fuses, short fuses burning til they can't be stopped, racing madly through space trying to catch up with yourself. get off the damned train. ribbons wrapped throughout my white matter, red, blue, green and yellow, trailing sadness and madness and getevenness. hearts a breakin, heads a breaking, hearts open and arrows leaking bloody mass you are. orange is the color of my true love's courage, black is the color of my loyalty and fidelity. pull the arrows out without leaving a scar, can you? bears watch over us as we sail through dragon-filled deserts, pyramids of shimmering green and gold and malachite, crystal balls guard the entry.

Although this may sound like gibberish to you, to the journaler, it contained several clues about the depth of her guilt, as well as insight into what brought about the infidelity. Like dreams, the symbols in a stream of consciousness journal session, are often best interpreted by the dreamer himself.

If you've never done stream of consciousness journaling, don't be afraid to experiment with different approaches. For example, pick a topic--any topic--and writing everything you can think about it. Like fishing, or bicycles, or cats, or fans, or canyons. Frequently, when writing about a seemingly &quot;random&quot; topic, insight -- those ah-ha moments-will appear that actually solve a problem you weren't even thinking about.

Copyright 2004 Patti Prague
Journal Genie, The Website That Talks Back
<a href="http://www.journalgenie.com" target="_new">http://www.journalgenie.com</a>

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included and the resource box is left unchanged. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

About The Author

Patti Prague is content manager at <a href="http://JournalGenie.com" target="_new">JournalGenie.com</a>, the only online site that analyzes your writing and then gives you instant feedback. Discover self-defeating patterns, find better ways to communicate in relationships. Contact her at <a href="mailto:patti@journalgenie.com" target="_new">mailto:patti@journalgenie.com</a>.

The Magic of Layout in Your Story

"The Magic of Layout..."???

Okay... "magic" might seem a bit over the top when you first read this article title. But believe me, although it doesn't involve incantations or bubbling cauldrons, careful selection of layout does work magic on the reader.

Picture book authors understand this (as do parents and others who read a lot of picture books aloud). By moving a sentence - or even a word - to the next line, the author can add a lot of impact to the text.

When a word or sentence is moved to a new paragraph, the reader automatically pauses before reading it. This might be a physical pause, if the story is being read aloud, or it might be a mental pause. This can create tension, or set the reader up for a humorous twist, or add emphasis to one word alone.

Let me demonstrate.

TAKE ONE

Ben hauled himself over the sill and dropped silently into the room. He moved to one side, away from the window, and waited several minutes while his eyes adjusted to the dark. Objects in the room gradually began to take shape, defined by the bright moonlight. Ben mentally traced the path he would tread to get to the door; he didn't want to bump into anything, or send something crashing to the floor. Just as he was about to move, he heard a sound. A quiet sound... a sort of whispery scrape. No, not a scrape exactly. He listened harder; all senses on alert. Then there was a creak... and another. He realised it was coming from the hall outside. Someone was making an effort to move quietly. Ben took a few quick steps to one side, and crouched in a corner, half behind a chair. Then the door swung open and a figure was outlined in the dim light cast by the low-watt bulb in the hallway. His heart thumping, Ben exhaled slowly. It was McInerny in his dressing gown and slippers. The above is written in one 'solid' paragraph. It tells the story, but it fails to take advantage of the opportunities offered to build suspense. The pacing seems rushed; the tension doesn't really build.

We can change this simply by changing the layout. Sometimes, you will have to change the sentence itself to achieve the effect you want. You might have to shorten it, or use a sentence fragment (these often do a better job of reflecting someone's thoughts than complete sentences). You might find that you get the effect you want by putting a word or phrase in a paragraph on its own.

Let's experiment:

TAKE TWO

Ben hauled himself over the sill and dropped silently into the room. He moved to one side, away from the window, and waited several minutes while his eyes adjusted to the dark.

Objects in the room gradually began to take shape, defined by the bright moonlight. Ben scanned the room, mentally tracing the path he would follow to get to the door. He didn't want to bump into anything, or send something crashing to the floor.

Just as he was about to move, he heard something.

A quiet sound... a sort of whispery scrape.

No, not a scrape exactly. He listened harder; all senses on alert.

A creak. Then another.

Shuffle...creak.

It was coming from the hall outside, and getting closer. Someone was making an effort to move quietly.

Ben slid a few steps sideways into the corner, and crouched, half behind a chair. He shouldn't be immediately visible if anyone came in.

The door swung open. A figure was outlined in the dim light cast by the low-watt bulb out in the hallway. Ben exhaled slowly, his heart beating fast.

McInerny. In his dressing gown and slippers.

ANALYSIS

What we've done in the scene above is take one long paragraph and break it into ten paragraphs. This is quite a dramatic change... but it has been done with an eye to building in a lot more tension.

Imagine what it's like for Ben, dropping in through the window in this dark house. We don't know why he's there (since I just made it up) and we don't know how much of a threat McInerny is. But the point is, we have created suspense by showing the reader that Ben doesn't want to be seen or heard. By creating many more pauses - by making the reader wait until the next paragraph to find out what happens - we mimic the breathlessness and anticipation felt by Ben. (Remember, suspense is created not so much what happens as the anticipation of what will happen.)

Ben has come in through the window, so we can assume he's not supposed to be there. He doesn't want to make a noise or reveal his presence... so he's either afraid of being discovered, or he wants to keep his visit a secret.

Either way, we need to keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat. We can do this much more effectively by manipulating the layout, as you have seen.

PLACEMENT OF SPEECH TAGS

Changing the layout or structure of a sentence can work wonders in dialogue, too. Most writers tend to put a speech tag on the end of a sentence:

"I thought I left it at home," he said. That works just fine with short snippets of dialogue. But when you've got a character relaying a lot of information, you can give the reader a mental breather by moving the speech tag to the middle.

NOT THIS:

"I had no idea that he was involved in anything like this. As far as we knew, he just went to work every day. He always came home looking as though he'd done a day's work - dirty clothes and a black face. But come to think of it, he started working different hours about a month ago. If the boss wanted to keep going on a job they'd do a few hours overtime... or that's what he told us. Now it sounds like he wasn't even at work half the time," said Jenny. BUT THIS:

"I had no idea that he was involved in anything like this. As far as we knew, he just went to work every day," said Jenny. "He always came home looking as though he'd done a day's work - dirty clothes and a black face." She glanced across at Monroe. "But come to think of it, he started working different hours about a month ago. If the boss wanted to keep going on a job they'd do a few hours overtime... or that's what he told us. Now it sounds like he wasn't even at work half the time." In the first example, there's a fairly big chunk of dialogue followed by 'said Jenny'. This lessens the impact of what has been said, and the whole paragraph has been written so the reader isn't offered any 'mental pauses'. By inserting 'said Jenny' after the first two sentences, we're giving the reader time to absorb some information before going on to the next bit.

The sentence "She glanced across at Monroe" helps us to picture Jenny's actions as well as giving another 'pause' during which she seems to be processing the information she's just found out - and follows it up with more information: that he had been keeping different hours. This has added impact because it's offset from the rest of what Jenny has to say.

Next time you're editing your manuscript, play around with the words and paragraphs. See what happens if you create these mental pauses. Look at the page and judge the effect of building in a lot more white space, instead of one big, dense paragraph. You're sure to find that a simple thing like changing the layout can add a lot of zing to your style!

(c) Copyright Marg McAlister

Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at <a target="_new" href="http://writing4success.com">http://www.writing4success.com/</a>

Mexican Living: Pasatiempo

It occurred to me one day that I needed something to do with my time when I wasn't writing. You know--something to divert myself so more writing ideas could come to mind. One cannot sit in front of the computer screen all day waiting for an idea to come knocking at the door and say,

"Here I am."

For one thing, to do so will result in your eyes eventually turning to oatmeal and melting right out of your head. And, if that happens, you won't be able to write anything.

Second, you'll just whine and cry like a baby because you cannot think of anything to write. Your wife will yell at you.

I needed a hobby.

I have never been one to seek the traditional manly hobbies. You know what I am talking about: killing small animals during hunting seasons, making beer, watching one football game, then another football game, then another, and another, and so on! Worse yet, playing football or whatever other sports men play.

So, I took up an untraditional hobby here in Mexico. I breed parakeets.

Before you laugh let me say that I am serious about this hobby. It is something I did when we lived in a small college town in the States so I knew what I was getting into. At one time, we had a bird-breeding business going and sold them to pet shops.

Now I have a backyard (back patio) area where I had a local carpenter build an outdoor aviary. It is cool and I enjoy this to no end. The birds can stay outside in this moderate climate. All the mess associated with this hobby (bird poop and I am talking a lot of it too) can be contained easily.

I am glad I got back into this bird-breeding business because it is relaxing. It gives me something other than my wife to obsess about and dote on. It's like watching fish in an aquarium except these animals can fly and talk back to me when I coo to them. They tell me things like,

"Oh, ok, you've acted like a nutty-human long enough now get me some sunflower seeds."

This is a true story: Once, when we lived in Kansas, we had a Quaker Parakeet who talked-a lot! The Jewish lady from downstairs was talking to the bird when it said to her,

"Get me a beer!"

I am NOT making this up!

Some of you may be reluctant to get into breeding parakeets because you've heard that they can give you a lung disease. Let me assure you (cough, hack, choke) that this is absolutely (gag, can't breathe, bloody phlegm spewing) not so.

It is easy to breed parakeets. All you need is a good-size cage, a pair of birds, lots of seed, and a nest box or log. Make sure they have plenty of privacy to become acquainted but once they do, you don't have to worry at all about them needing privacy to "do the deed." In fact, they will not care who is watching or what is happening around them.

This could prove to be inconvenient when company comes over. If you plan to have the parish priest, the neighborhood watch group, or maybe a book-reading club meeting, you might want to cover them with a towel during this breeding period. However, be prepared to answer questions like,

"Why is that towel moving in such a rhythmic manner?"

"Funny, I don't feel a breeze, why is that towel flapping?"

"What's going on in that cage to make that towel move like that, Mommy?"

Of course, since we have the birds in an outside facility we don't have to worry about that one bit.

It really is fun and it gives me a chance to engage is something other than writing and bugging the life out of my wife.

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, and The Philadelphia Inquirer, and Transitions Abroad. He lives with his wife in Guanajuato, Mexico.

His new book, Mexican Living: Blogging it from a Third World Country, can be seen at <a target="_new" href="http://www.lulu.com/content/126241">http://www.lulu.com/content/126241</a>

Should I Keep Writing?

Writers are an insecure lot.

It's easy to understand why. You screw up at work and your boss jumps on your case, quick to tell you exactly what you need to do if you want to keep your job stuffing dough into that pizza press. You screw up your writing ? well, ten weeks later you receive a polite, generic rejection letter in the mail that basically says: Thanks, but no thanks. There is no boss to tell you how you screwed up or how to make it better. You're on your own, Mr. Wannabee A. Writer. Go lock yourself in your bathroom/office until you figure it out.

Unfortunately, this lack of feedback goes against our very nature as homo sapiens. If there's no stop sign at the intersection, we have to give serious consideration to whether we're willing to stop or not. That can be a real chore for those of us who are busy trying to dig a dime out between the seat cushions for that double-mocha cappuccino on the way to work. Put in a stop sign and it's a no-brainer. You stop. Then you start digging for the dime.

But for a writer, feedback comes in only one form ? if you sell the story, you did something right. If you didn't sell it, you did something wrong. There are those who will try to tell you this isn't true. That you can get good feedback from your spouse or your girlfriend or your buddies. But these are the same people who said you were feeding dough into the pizza press just fine. You can't trust the opinions, good intentions or not, of people who are only casual observers. So ? did your story sell or didn't it?

Well ? no. But why can't the editor take an extra minute and just tell me what was wrong? you wonder.

Yours is not the only manuscript the editor has to read. There are stacks of manuscripts all over the office, some higher than the desktop, with more arriving in the mail everyday. Editors don't have an extra minute. Not if they plan to scarf down a sandwich between noon and twelve-fifteen and still have time for a bathroom break. Your story has a page, two at the most, to capture the editor's interest. After that, well, there's always another story on the stack.

Another reason why the editor doesn't tell you what's wrong: your story's a nightmare. It would take more time to explain the problems than it took you to write the thing.

And the biggest reason of all: hell hath no fury like a writer scorned. Offer some helpful advice and the editor has undoubtedly learned that too often what he gets in return is an indignant letter full of obscenities.

Finally, writers need to understand that editors don't have all the answers. Yes, it's true, editors are people, too. They have their likes and their dislikes, their stern beliefs, their misconceptions. While one editor may abhor your story, another may find it brilliant. I mention all this in case you weren't already insecure enough.

And I mention it because there's another dead end request editors get thrown at them quite frequently. It goes like this:

Dear Mr. Editor: Enclosed please find my short story, titled "A Story By Any Other Name." I hope you like it. I think it's the best thing I've written. If you decide not to buy it, could you please tell me why. And could you also tell me if I should keep writing. I'd like to know if I have a future doing this.

If you have to ask, the answer is no, you don't have a future and you shouldn't keep writing.

Writing is not a pursuit for those who are weak of heart. Nor those who are thin-skinned. It is a pursuit for those who love doing it.

William F. Nolan used to say that if you want to be a writer then you sit your behind in the chair and write. Charles Grant said that he writes because he has to; he can't imagine not writing.

You want to be a writer? Don't ask editors or anyone else if you have what it takes. They don't know. They can't tell you if you'll make it or not. They might be able to tell you if you need to develop your skills more, but you already knew that. Writing is a profession you never stop perfecting. There's always more to learn.

You want to be a writer?

Persevere.

Go write ? and persevere.

David Silva
The Successful Writer
<a target="_new" href="http://thesuccessfulwriter.com">http://thesuccessfulwriter.com</a>

10 Tips To Help You Pack More Power Into Your Business Writing

1. Before you write anything down define not what you want to say, but what your message must achieve. Keep that firmly in focus at all times and use it as the main goal for everything you write. Ask yourself "does this concept/approach /clever headline/earnest mission statement/ really help the message achieve its objectives?" If the honest answer is no, alter it or rethink it completely.

2. Identify your target audience and get to know them very well. No matter how beautifully structured your message is if it doesn't take into account the real circumstances and needs of the audience, it won't work. Align your message's objectives with these circumstances and needs.

3. Study the media you'll be using; be aware of how people will receive your message and where your message will be competing for their attention, use your common sense and creativity to make it stand out in the crowd. (Or if the crowd's too big, reconsider the choice of media if that's within your power.)

4. Now develop your message based on these issues, and add in the final magic ingredient ? "what's in it for them?" Successful business messages are always based on benefits for the target audience - either actual or implied. Ensure you know the difference between features and benefits, and how to convert features into benefits.

5. Research the way your target audience speak and communicate, and phrase your message in their language - which may not necessarily be yours. Avoid corporate pomposity and unnecessary jargon. Talk to "you," not some vague third party, and keep your English as simple as possible, especially when your message is going to people who originate from other cultures.

6. Traditional grammar and even spelling mostly have been thrown out of the window. However there are still a few grammar rules you need to follow if you don't want your message to look amateurish. Your knowledge of the audience and how they communicate will dictate your writing style to a large extent. Don't let catchwords, "internet-speak," emoticons, etc. obscure your message or its benefits.

7. Time pressures and the influence of the internet have made us into a world of browsers, even when we're reading brochures and other print. Unless it's very short organise your offline text so readers who are browsing get the key points very easily. Always separate technical detail and other lengthy data from the main text so readers aren't obliged to plod through it unless they want to.

8. Never be tempted to transplant text written for print into an online environment. Online text is as different from offline text as a PC screen is from paper. Because reading from screens is so unfriendly, online text must be very short and crisp and must make it extremely easy for readers to absorb the key points. Don't let web designers talk you into flamboyant graphics that could inadvertently swamp your message.

9. When you give a speech, make sure you write it for yourself and your natural way of speaking - not your (or someone else's) idea of how an important business person should speak in public. Use a tape recorder to get an objective view of your voice, style, weaknesses and strengths. Keep sentences short with only one idea in each. Avoid telling jokes unless you're naturally funny. And rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

10. If you think you may be out of your depth with a business writing project (e.g. a TV commercial, major direct marketing campaign, complex video or business theatre script) you're probably right - so call in a professional writer. Don't risk embarrassing yourself or your organisation with an attempt that's amateurish - there's no shame in admitting you can't be an expert at everything!<BR>

Canadian-born Suzan St Maur is an international business writer and author based in the United Kingdom. In addition to her consultancy work for clients in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, she contributes articles to more than 150 business websites and publications worldwide, and has written eleven published books. Her latest eBooks, "The MAMBA Way To Make Your Words Sell" and "Get Yourself Published" and available as PDF downloads from <a target="_new" href="http://www.bookshaker.com/product_info.php?ref=49&products_id=109">BookShaker.com</a>.

To subscribe to her free biweekly business writing tips eZine, TIPZ from SUZE, click <a target="_new" href="http://www.suzanstmaur.com">here</a>.

(c) Suzan St Maur 2003 - 2005

Write With Passion: 4 Steps To Emotionally Charge A Nonfiction Article

You have just completed a draft of an article. It seems flat, even to you. It needs some spunk. Needs to be more alive. Possibly you're at a loss on how to spruce it up so that it creates an emotional connection with the readers.

A flat fiction character is easier to fix with emotional language than a nonfiction article. Especially if the nonfiction article doesn't include a character or an emotional story. Keep in mind that if you have written the article from a personal experience perspective, then there is a chance you have already included some emotionally charge language. Then all you need to do is ask, "Does the article have enough emotionally charged language to touch my readers, to pull them in, to keep them reading, to move them to action or possibly a conclusion?"

Why would you even want to add emotion to a nonfiction article? It's sure easier not too. Adding emotion to your writing, any type of writing, fuels the reader's attention, helps them connect with the action. It gives the reader an experience. Experience is why people go to the movies or watch TV. More importantly, it keeps them reading.

"What does emotionally charge mean exactly?" Emotionally charged means using language that stirs the reader in some form. Not to sound flippy, but when and how frequently emotions need to occur depends on what the subject, tone, and angle. Yes, even tone matters in a nonfiction article. Is it to be terse, confident, or are you talking as an expert? Maybe it's a learning tone? From a previous student now teacher. An informing tone, usually overused in nonfiction, turns off readers if used consistently, like in a column, or multiple articles, on your web site, or in a newsletter.

Step 1: Find the Emotion

Begin by defining what main emotion you want the reader to feel or to understand. Were you peeved about something and it set off the writing of this article? Maybe you see a wrong and want to set the record straight, or to convey a different truth, a truth from your perspective. Is it compassion oriented or spiritually based? Maybe you want to convey an inspirational or motivating tone. Is it love that you want to convey? Love for a topic. Love for a hobby or something you're passionate about. Your love, someone else's, the world's, who's, and how much love do you want to send out?

You can limit the number of emotions according to the word count. Here's a common calculation:

Writer?s Web Resources

The Internet has truly revolutionized the careers of writers worldwide. Now you can work for publishers, corporations and a whole range of other clients on a truly global scale. Whether you are in the heart of a big city, or in a remote mountain village, all you need is an Internet connection to run your writing business.

The opportunity is fantastic, and so is the writer's life that you could enjoy. But where can you find the jobs you need to establish a full-time writing career?

One way to start is through working the Internet job boards. Here aAlso included and listed separately are resources for business and technical writers, editors, journalists, and translators.

Writers' Resources--General

Absolute Write - freelance writing, screenwriting, playwriting, writing novels, nonfiction, comic book writing, greeting cards, poetry, songwriting. One stop shop

Emily's Writing for the Web Emily A. Vander Veer gives professional writers the tools needed to promote, publish, and sell work to the largest and fastest-growing market in the world: the Web.

e-Writer's Place For writing inspirations, motivations and prescriptions.

Freelance Writers is a searchable database of writers from all around the world.

Freelance Writing This is the ultimate job board for freelance writers.

Freelance Writing Organization - Int'l This site hosts one of the largest free writing resource links databases in the world! It offers education, daily news, a writer's store, creativity advice and forums, to name a few of the resources. Over 2,000 free writing resources in 40+ categories of writing

FundsForWriters - A plethora of sources where freelance writers can find paying jobs

Momwriters A community of professional and new writers ... who face the unique challenges of writing with children underfoot.

National Writer's Union 'The only U.S. trade union for freelance and contract writers.' We offer contract advice, grievance resolution, health & dental plans, member education, Job Hotline, and networking. See also: Writers Union Job Hotline

Published! Articles and resources...from Marcia Yudkin, author of eleven books and hundreds of magazine articles, syndicated columnist, public radio commentator, writing coach

Published - The Directory of Independent Writers & Artists. searchable directory of independent Writers & Artists

SharpWriter Grammar. Complete writing resources. Lot of good stuff here but not geared expressly for freelancers

Suite101 This is an online community for writers. Not only is this a great site for work-at-home resources. You can apply to become an editor for them and get paid for your work.

Sunoasis Jobs for Writers, Editors, and Copywriters Employment opportunities for writers, journalists, new-media types on-line off-line in reporting feature writing reviewing editing free-lancing editorial content providing etc. ... Recently submitted job offers: Copywriter, Freelance. Monarch Design, a design and advertising agency,

The Burry Man Writers Center freelance job links, resources for fiction and nonfiction writers, working professionals and beginners

with particular support for writing about Scotland

The New Writer - the monthly magazine with the best in fact, fiction and poetry. aimed at all writers: the short story writer, the novelist, the poet, feature writer, anyone with a serious intent to develop their writing to meet the expectations of today's editors.

The Writers Home A Web Site For Writers, Editors And Lovers Of The Written Word.

TrAce Online Writing Community trAce connects writers and readers around the world ... with the focus on creativity, collaboration and training. New media writing, web development

Worldwide Freelance Writer How to sell your writing overseas. Find out where to sell your freelance work. Detailed guidelines for paying writing markets all over the world.

WriteCraft Writers Resource Center Companion to the WriteCraft Critique Group - where writers learn the trade.

writejobs Job Title. Company. Location. Proofreader/editor. Bioedit Ltd. Freelance. Digital Photography Writers ...

Writers Unbound Writing resources, Internet resources related to writing, writers, publishing, epublishing, authors and more. Articles and resources related to creative writing.

Writer's Software SuperCenter Writer's Software SuperCenter has software for writing books, articles, novels, and screenplays, including Writer's Blocks software, StyleWriter editing software, StoryCraft, and more!

Writing World - Moira Allen provides writing tips, markets, news, contests and more.

The Writer's Gazette Writing resource site for writers on freelance and publishing, including articles, job board, contests . Nice, comprehensive list of writers' job boards.

Business and Technical

Copywriter world Freelance writers bid for writing projects such as resume writing, documents in APA style or MLA style writing, poems, sonnets, research papers, business plans, your biography, free e-books, your business proposal, essays, marketing plans, web content, ghost writing, ad copy, catalogs... virtually any form of writing.

Freelance Online - a professional online service for freelancers in the publishing and advertising fields. Free for employers; freelancers pay $15.00/year for membership.

Freelance Success Freelance Success is a community of professional, nonfiction writers who subscribe to a newsletter that guides them toward well-paying markets and editors. There is not a job board located on this site.

Techwriters Employs technical writers on and off site. The pay is excellent, but you must have a lot of experience with the topics

<a href="http://writingassist.com" target="_new">writingassist.com</a> Provides local freelance technical writers for projects such as manuals, policies, software documentation, and work flow integration.

Children's Literature

Institute of Children's Literature offered the premiere writing course, books, and a newsletter to adults interested in learning how to write and be published for children and teens.

Editing

Manuscript Editing Fiction and Non-fiction; Serving writers, literary agents, and publishers since 1976.

Fiction

Fiction Factor - The Online Magazine for Fiction Writers. NEW!

International markets

Australian Writer's Marketplace The essential resource for getting published in Australia and New Zealand.

Author Network - resources for writers including links, articles, monthly columns and ePublishing services.

Canadian Writer's Journal Canada's Independent Writer's Magazine.

Freelance Spain - the online Spanish resource for editors and journalists.

<a href="http://FreelanceJournalist.co.uk" target="_new">FreelanceJournalist.co.uk</a> Helping journalists build a presence on the web. The web directory for UK freelance journalists.

<a href="http://Freelancers.co.uk" target="_new">Freelancers.co.uk</a> offers you the complete guide to freelancing for publishers as a copyeditor or proofreader.

New Zealand Writers Website Writing Resources for New Zealand writers

<a href="http://writelinkpro.co.uk" target="_new">writelinkpro.co.uk</a> WritelinkPRO is the content provider for top UK monthly newsletter and website. We pay on acceptance for writing articles, fiction, poetry, reviews. We offer free e-book workshops, free e-book on travel writing, exclusive Members Area.

Journalism

International Federation of Journalists - The world's largest organization of journalists, representing around 450,000 members in more than 100 countries.

News Jobs Network Journalisms resources and News jobs in US, Canada and Utah.

UK Links 4 Journalists the most useful sites on the web. This is the journalist's section.

Translation

ProZ: Freelance translators, translation services, agencies, jobs and directory ...

Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia Fostering creative writing and the profession of writing in Nova Scotia.

Writerfind New Zealand Linking New Zealand writers with local and global markets.

Playwriters

writernetwork. We provide dramatic writers with the tools they need to build better careers and redefine the

About The Author

Janet K. Ilacqua is a freelance writer based in Tracy, California. She specializes in academic writing and ghostwriting of books and manuals for individuals and small businesses. For more information about her services, check her website at <a href="http://www.writeupondemand.com" target="_new">http://www.writeupondemand.com</a>.

<a href="mailto:jilacqua@aol.com">jilacqua@aol.com</a>

The Authors Life: 14 Hints on Creating a Career Plan

1. Remember publication is a business; writing is an art. Get those confused at your peril. Treat publication as you would any enterprise--as a professional. Meet deadlines, learn about the industry, and grow in your craft.

2. Know your market. You wouldn't sell meat to vegetarians, would you? Yet so many new writers don't know where to send their work. If you write mysteries, find a market that buys mysteries. It takes time but saves you the aggravation in the end. Check the recent Writers Market or similar books. Or look at your bookshelves. Which companies published authors you like or have similar stories to yours?

3. Know what you want. Do you want to be published in hardcover or paperback? Do you want an agent or literary lawyer? Do you want to work full-time or part-time? Knowing this will help you develop a roadmap to your chosen destination. You have to know what you want to get it. Remember to write it down. This will prevent you from going off track.

4. Set concrete goals. That means goals that are measurable. &quot;I want to make the best-sellers list&quot; is not a concrete goal. &quot;I will write five pages a day/ one new query letter week/ an article a month&quot; is.

5. Be realistic. Lower your expectation of making $800,000 on your first book. Build up to that. So what if some fifteen year old got a million-dollar deal? In all likelihood that won't happen to you, so don't be disappointed. Keep writing.

6. Learn the rules then make them work for you. Follow or fudge them. You can pitch a novel you haven't finished, just be prepared to write like a lunatic when they want to see the book right away.

7. Keep submitting. Every salesperson hears the word 'no'. You're selling your work so you will hear it too. Every no gets you closer to yes.

8. Think about quality control. Use a trusted reader, agent, critique partner, friend or spouse to go over your work. They'll help you keep your work in top form.

9. Forget the market sometimes. Between moneymaking projects write what excites you. It may eventually come into fashion. Aside from that it keeps your brain active.

10. Recognize frustration. You'll get frustrated and that's okay, it's part of the industry. A story that was rejected for being &quot;too hard to sell&quot; makes the bestseller's list for a new author. Your agent has stopped returning your calls, your editor leaves, your book sells poorly, or gets a nasty review or letter. Your writing friends are getting better deals than you. It is a competitive market fraught with obstacles, and there will be times you'll want to give up. Don't. Frustration will be a part of your career but it won't last forever.

11. Believe that you will succeed. Half asserted efforts will show. You don't need to be super confidence. You don't even have to think positive, but you do have to believe that you're worthy of success. You do have to write the best books you can. You do have to believe in your stories. Success is your birthright. Stay away from those who think otherwise.

12. Remember that you're enough. You don't need to change. If you can write coherently in your chosen language, you can write whatever you want to. So begin. You improve only by writing. That's it. There's no short cut.

You can secure the biggest New York agent in the business, you can get a Ph.D. in literature, you can become best buddies with a best-selling author, or know all the booksellers in your neighborhood. That will not sell your book or make you a writer. Writing does.

13. Forget about luck. Those people we consider lucky did something to receive their so-called luck. They went on the job interview (didn't know they would be hired on the spot) played the Lotto (didn't know that they would win) went on the blind date (didn't know they would meet their match) or wrote the book (didn't know that it would be a best-seller). I'm not saying luck doesn't exist; just that luck follows action. The more you do the luckier you'll be.

14. Have fun! Write without caring about what anyone will say. Remember the joy of creating.

Dara Girard is the author of three novels and a member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists Inc. You can find more articles and links for writers at her website: <a target="_new" href="http://www.daragirard.com">http://www.daragirard.com</a>

Home Business Writing Made Simple

Have you ever written a letter to a friend? Ever written an outline for any project you were about to start? What about a shopping list? If you have, and I imagine most have, you can then write focused, brief, content articles for your online home business.

Why write? Well, of course you can spend lots of money to drive traffic to your site with absolutely no guarantee that you will obtain a single sale. Moreover, most of the traffic, although targeted, may leave your site and forget it ever existed. Writing puts you personally, your site, and your products/services within the same framework as a well-honed opt-in list of subscribers. People remember you, learn to trust you, eventually purchase from you, and most importantly return to purchase again and again, as long as you continue to offer what they need.

"So how can I simplify what seems to be the arduous task of writing", you ask?

Try this:

(1) Take out pen and paper and go someplace quiet where you can trigger the creative side of your brain. (Yes, I said pen and paper. Don't sit in front of the computer for this exercise.)

(2) Sit back and think for a moment about your online home business. What do you offer? What have you learned so far about building traffic? Have you noticed any patterns for certain promotion methods that work? What about anything that can be considered well needed advice to others just starting out?

(3) Now write down the first thoughts that come to your mind. Don't edit. Your not at that stage yet. Just write the ideas, and do this for several minutes, or until you have at least a single page filled up.

(4) Done? Good. Now go back to the top of the list. Slowly go through and hone the ideas. Anything that pops out as particularly intriguing or immediately brings up related ideas mark off for the next step. These are the ones to develop further.

(5) Now take out a sheet of paper for several of the ideas marked off and write the idea at the top of the paper. (You can use your computer now, but I tend to think better with pen in hand.)

(6) O.k. Ready? At the beginning I asked if you ever have written a letter to a friend? Remember? Keep this in the back of your mind always. Write like you speak. I promise you that for short content articles to develop your online home business, this is the tone that works. If people need a textbook they will buy one.

(7) First make a list, sort of a shopping list of related things to cover. Try not to get carried away. Remember - short content articles.

(8) Now fill in the details as if you were explaining it to a friend.

That's it. All there is to it. I think you will be surprised how easy it is once you write a few. Personally, I keep a notebook handy at all times just for ideas that I later cultivate into short articles. When I learn something new that I believe will be of benefit to others I make a note.

The power in this technique resides in the fact that you are not a robot and neither are your prospects. When you write, and take it from the perspective of friends sharing information, you step onto a personal level. Now who wouldn't pick up on that. Eventually, with continually writing and publishing your articles in newsgroups, e-zines, and other web site, your credibility builds, your persona builds, and your traffic and sales will build. You absolutely cannot loose with this cost effective traffic generating strategy.

About The Author

Dan J. Fry is an independent researcher and owner of <a href="http://e-Kinetic.com" target="_new">e-Kinetic.com</a>, a site devoted to providing resources for small budget home businesses. He has a PhD in Physics and is married with two daughters and two cats. Subscribe to his free E-Zine on home business resources at <a href="mailto:e-kinetic@GetResponse.com" target="_new">mailto:e-kinetic@GetResponse.com</a> or by visiting his Home Business Resources and Tips site. He can be reached at <a href="mailto:comp@e-kinetic.com">mailto:comp@e-kinetic.com</a>.

Mama Dont Allow No Fighting in Your Writing

When you sit down to write a steamy romance, a spine-tingling horror story, or an action-packed adventure, lock the door. The last thing you need is your mother, father, coach, English teacher or pastor reading over your shoulder and giving you advice.

While mom, dad, coach, Mrs. Smith and Reverend Jones all enjoy a good story, they don't want action-packed, spine-tingling or steamy words flowing out of your pen or your word processor

What would your mother say if she saw you write, &quot;Bob chopped off Bill's ear with a rusty axe&quot;? What would your English teacher say if she saw you write, &quot;Janice discovered to her horror that reading Faulkner backwards called demons into the school library.&quot; And, heaven help you, what would your pastor say if he saw you write, &quot;When Arnold reached inside Amy's blouse, she said, 'surely you can reach farther than that'&quot;?

With a little luck, mom, dad, coach, Mrs. Smith and Reverend Jones won't be physically in the room saying &quot;tsk tsk&quot; every time you mention rusty axes, demons, and blouses. However, if you write as though they are there, then they might as well be there.

In fact, if you worry about what any traditional authority figure in your life is going to say when s/he reads what you've written, you'll never write it. The judgmental editor(s) inside your head will be so strong, your writing won't get out of the blocks because you'll be forever stuck between what you want to say and what you think you're allowed to say.

Frankly, some writers will never get the critical voices out of their heads and write anything worth reading until the people they represent are all in prison, committed to psychiatric wards, or dead. But most of us don't want to wait that long.

As your career progresses, you'll ultimately come to the point where you live and breathe novelist Leon Uris' words: &quot;There are two weapons in the writer's arsenal. The first is stamina and the second is uncompromising belief in yourself.&quot;

Until you reach that point, here are a few ideas for banishing mom, dad, coach, the English teacher and the reverend from your mind while writing:

**Whether you write in a den or a spare corner in the kitchen or family room, design a rich, inspiring, and professional space. You are a professional writer doing professional work, not a child in need of any authority figure's supervision. Some writers go a step farther and physically lock the door (if there is a door) and/or visualize their writing spaces surrounded by a force fields that repel unwanted intrusions like, &quot;I don't want you writing nothing naughty, you hear?&quot;

**Resist the urge to tinker and pick at your work while writing the first draft. Tinkering stalls the creative process and allows those unwanted internal editors time to say, &quot;No child of mine ought to be thinking about blood-spattered sheets.&quot;

**Experiment with &quot;free writing,&quot; the process of writing at full-speed (as fast as you can type or move a pen) for 20 minutes, 45 minutes, or an hour without stopping or thinking for even a moment. In this unrestrained creative rush, there's no time or space for discouraging words such as, &quot;You're not going to push that sweet woman off the roof are you?&quot;

**Take the risk and pretend you are each of the characters you're writing about as though you're playing roles in a movie. This technique will not only help you get to know your characters and make them more real, but it might just keep those internal editors out of your face. Once you become transform yourself into a villain or a hero running down a dark alley with a knife, those voices will be much to frightened of you to say, &quot;don't run with sharp objects, dear.&quot;

**Confront the authority figures inside your head directly. When one of them interrupts your work with &quot;Mama don't allow nothin' gory in your story&quot; or &quot;Daddy can't abide nothin' stronger than 'heck' or 'darn' in your yarn,&quot; stop writing and shout, &quot;Get the #@#* out of my space.&quot; Some writers draw faces on sheets of paper and tape them to pillows. Then, the next time they hear a discouraging word about the word they just wrote, they can shout at the pillow, while kicking and punching it as needed. (Don't tape the picture of a real person on the pillow without consulting a counselor!)

Internal editors-when they sneak into your mind under the guise of a mother, father, coach, teacher, or minister who claims s/he is &quot;just trying to help&quot;-will try to sabotage your work before it sees the light of day, before it embarrasses the family, before it sullies their values, before it causes black marks to be inscribed on your permanent record.

In time, perhaps, the people in your life who matter will understand that the steam in the romance, the scream in the horror story, and the mangled corpse in the adventure are not the real you. Perhaps they already know that, but you don't yet believe it and have been creating two fictions every time you sit down at your desk. One of these is the story you're writing and the other is the equally fictional story your living inside your head filled with mothers, fathers, coaches, ministers, wives, husbands, sons, daughters and teachers who are forever criticizing your work before it's half-way done.

You can speculate until the ink in your pen dries up whether injunctions like &quot;Mama don't allow no fighting in my writing&quot; have anything to do with real authority figures or represent your own concerns about what you ought to write and how you ought to write it. Either way, an important part of every writer's on-the-job training is learning which technique will silence any internal editor with the gall to say, &quot;I don't want no crooks in your books&quot; or &quot;There better not be anything risqu? in what you have to say.&quot;

The author of the mythic new age adventure novel &quot;The Sun Singer,&quot; Malcolm R. Campbell provides manucript critiques and editing assistance at <a target="_new" href="http://www.campbelleditorial.com">http://www.campbelleditorial.com</a>

Finish Your Book Already!

I owe the completion and success of my book to a big cardboard box that saw me through the entire process. I found this box and filled it with any and all information I could find on my topic 'advanced presentation skills for speakers and business presenters.' I printed out articles I had written, listened to tapes and read every single book on presentation skills that has ever been published. I have a huge library filled with these books, which are a great thing to have. I took notes and pulled out the best information from each text, finding a way to work it into my own. This is not plagiarism. Some information is too important not to use, so you reword it and use it as substantial background information, giving credit in your bibliography.

When my box was full, I had a huge mess of papers filled with quotes on speaking, great techniques I had jotted down at other presentations, and even cartoons. I grabbed a pile of manila folders and slowly sorted through the rubble, putting items of similar interest together. At the end of the day, I had about 14 folders that represented my book chapters. I hadn't written a word, but I was organized.

I told myself I would write as much of my book as I could by myself and I did. When I had done all I could, I hired an editor who worked word magic and made my book a grammatical success. Then I designed the cover, well, designed is the wrong word. I brainstormed, came up with an idea, and then bartered presentation skills training to get it done. Lastly, I hired a professional copywriter who wrote something up for the back cover, and that is how my book came to be.

Another benefit of having a book is that you can sell those blank pages that make up dead space in the back of your book. I sold and traded this ad space, putting some of the money I spent back in my pocket.

Tom Antion provides entertaining speeches and educational seminars. He is the ultimate entrepreneur, having owned many businesses BEFORE graduating college. Tom is the author of the best selling presentation skills book "Wake 'Em Up Business Presentations" and "Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing." It is important to Tom that his knowledge be not only absorbed, but enjoyed. This is why he delivers his speeches laced with great humor and hysterical jokes. Tom has addressed more than 87 different industries and is thoroughly committed to his client's needs.

Create A Dream Diary

How many times have you forced yourself to sit in front of a computer and waited for inspiration to strike?Most of us at some point, whether just starting out or even an experienced published writer, have suffered from the proverbial writers block or have struggled to kick-start their creativity.

Sometimes ideas just flow and writing our article or story is easy. Inspiration flows over us like waves and the subsequent finished piece is almost word perfect and requires very little editing. But for those times when inspiration is on holiday or worse, on strike, help yourself to master those off days by creating a dream diary.

If you are one of those unfortunate people who believe that they rarely dream or at least have trouble remembering them, a dream diary is obviously going to be a problem.But you can train yourself to remember your dreams in the mornings, but this may take time and practise.

Try leaving a notepad by your bed or invest in a Dictaphone, at least if you do wake up during or after your dream, you can leave instant notes for yourself. Just in case on falling asleep, you eliminate all memory of this wonderful plot.

Even nightmares can be a useful aid to creating a masterpiece, so next time you experience one, look to the positive, and tell yourself that this is going to help you get work published. For those interested in the meaning of dreams, invest in a good book, and not only can you create a great story but you can also work out what made you dream this particular scenario in the first place. It may well provide answers to questions in your everyday life.

As a child, I had the same recurring dream where I was in my back garden and a dinosaur type large red bird, chased me from one length of the garden right up to my back door, which I managed to slam shut and lock with only seconds to spare. Scary? Of course?but the experience helped me to be able to pace my stories and to link tension into the right places of my plot.

I have often wondered what psychologists would make of my numerous and often odd, dream sequences and it is probably just as well that they have never been analysed by anyone other than myself.Although your dream may be vivid and almost overwhelming in its clarity, in the cold reality of daylight, many flaws can be present with that creative enlightenment. But remember, your dream is there to prompt you with a possible story line, it is not set in stone and you do not have to copy it, stage by stage.

Use it to express yourself in a new and different way. It may also be useful to close your eyes and try to re-live your dream in your minds eye. Remember what you felt, sights, sounds, familiar scents, allow yourself to forget the present and immerse yourself back in your dream.

You will be amazed at how much you find you can remember and new scenarios may well fall into place as you practise this gentle meditation.I once dreamed a whole episode of Star Trek, complete with regular cast, a few new characters thrown in and of course, I took the lead role in the drama. I have never attempted to write an episode for television and one for a program, which relies on much technical input, would probably not be for my first attempt, however, the plot (if I say so myself) was exceptional and it is recorded in my dream diary for future use.

Whilst there would be very few changes to the initial plot, I was very surprised by the amount of technical knowledge sustained which proved to me just how much information our subconscious thought process retains and then subsequently uses in the course of our nightly shenanigans.If you are lucky and your creative tact needs no prompting, you will not need to refer to your dream diary all that often, however, it can be interesting to read back over your entries over a period of time and ascertain just how far your imagination has taken you.

Just remember, in your dreams you are not restricted by earthly ties and you can let your imagination loose in the knowledge that inspiration is guiding you.Using a dream diary allows you to access your creative zone deep in the dark recesses of your mind and to harness that creative power. Do not waste this opportunity to provide original thought provoking ideas, just remember to record them carefully.

Ideas are gold dust and could, one day earn you a great deal of money as well as providing an insight into a side of your personality very rarely seen.

About The Author

Annette Beveridge-Young is the Editor of the International Writers Competition Website <a href="http://www.thetwistinthetale.com" target="_new">www.thetwistinthetale.com</a>.

Annette has had a variety of articles and stories published, both in magazines and on the Internet and won various poetry and fiction competitions.

<a href="mailto:annette.be@ntlworld.com">annette.be@ntlworld.com</a>