Archive for June, 2009

What Grabs Your Reader?

Posted on Jun 13, 2009 12:18:43 PM

It is the dramatic question that grabs your reader and holds him or her. It creates a narrow path that forces the reader into suspense that won’t let go. It moves the story forward. All bestseller-kind-of novels have it.

Have you noticed that untrained eyes want you to explain everything in that first line, first paragraph. But it is the “Dramatic Question” that creates the hook.

In my novel, the Mayor’s Wife Wore Sapphires, a mystery/thriller sprinkled with social commentary, I didn’t want it to be clear what was going on. I wanted a question that would create a hook. Even when writing the “who, what, when, where, why, how,” I didn’t want it to be cut and dried. I wanted people to wonder. Here’s what I mean?

“In my country, men like him disappear in the thick of night.”

(I started in the middle of action. This man is not from the United States. This is a threatening statement about someone we don’t know.)

The guest pitched forward from the shadows in the small, but elegant room. A glint of light hit his hair, as slick and black as a crow’s feathers.

(That dark-haired man is unsavory. He wants someone to disappear. Who?)

I could have written it in a pedestrian telling way instead of an action story way&ndash(The man, Michael D’Angelo was Bolivia. His hair was black and he was intending to kill the mayor of Compton. He said, “In my country we kill guys like the mayor.” Well, it seems far away. Kind of distant. To me, it’s not intriguing.

The host didn’t look up, but smashed the day’s paper in his fleshy hands, then threw it on

the fine mahogany desk before him. A small Asian woman stood behind him, massaging his

broad caramel-colored shoulders. The masseuse balled her fist and kneaded a knot near his spine. The host gritted his teeth and groaned, his eyes drifting to the luxury yachts docked in the marina below. Then he peered into the fiery night skies that stretched endlessly southward.

“What do you intend to do?” he asked, trying to read his guest’s face, but the man’s dark, piercing eyes guarded his secrets.

(What secret does he have? How does it tie into this person he wants to get rid of?)

The guest picked up the Compton Chronicle and stared at the headline: SEPTEMBER 1, 1981&ndashCOUNCIL MEETING UPSET RUMORED.

The host flicked his hand, and the masseuse quickly left the room. He grabbed a white terry robe from the plush mauve chair behind him, pulled it on, and paused a moment, listening. Only the sloshing and squeaking of the yachts in the dark marina waters filled the silence between the two men. Now, he was sure they were completely alone.

The slightest trace of West Indian accent became audible. “You see, we must be so careful on this one. All of America, Black and White, is waiting for the next Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, John F. Kennedy. Someone who can inspire a nation.” He bit the tip off a Flora Fina cigar and spat it from his tongue. “Most poor slobs realize they’ll never be a hero, but they sure as hell want to know one they can brag about.” He rolled the cigar between his fingers, never lighting it.

“You know, they say a truly great hero comes around every twenty years or so. In the forties, you had Roosevelt. In the sixties, you had King. In the eighties, they will have me,” he chuckled. “I’ll give Black people something they never had&ndashpower. I’m not talking church talk, Black pride, all that. I’m talking about money and clout. Owning buildings. CEO’s of Fortune 500s. Rich Black folks on every block in every city.” He laughed. “Hell, they may even teach a class about me at Harvard one day!”

“I leave the pretty words to you, Se

How You Can Become A Better Writer

Posted on Jun 12, 2009 05:08:45 PM

I have been writing professionally for more than two decades and teaching writing nearly that long. Every conference, every writing staff, and every class has always included some writer who asks: “How Can I Become A Better Writer?”

They don’t usually like my answer. “Practice writing every day and read to study the writing of others every day.”

They don’t like the answer for one of two reasons usually. Some people are looking for some quick-fix, magic formula that will make them a good writer in three easy steps. Although my suggestion involves only two steps it is pretty obvious that it is a long-term project. The other group of people will sneer at the first because they consider themselves “real writers” but they don’t like the answer any more than the others. They believe they have a gift that simply needs to be unlocked by the magic key that published, successful writers possess.

The simple truth is that there is no way to improve your writing other than to continually practice your craft. Write every day. Experiment, plan, revise, and revisit. Make challenges and deadlines and competitions. Push yourself and your writing will reward you. I promise. Write something inspired by a writer you admire and then write something completely your own.

However it is not enough to simply write in a vacuum — or an ivory tower. You must also read the writing of others. Read far and wide. Read fiction, nonfiction, poetry and song lyrics. Read argument and persuasion, read informative and biographical, read science and fantasy. Read talented and skilled professionals and read those who are still finding their writing feet.

You are reading to gain inspiration and confidence. You are reading to build your vocabulary and your stockpile of writing tricks. You are reading to learn more about the rhythms and patterns of language. You are reading so that as you write you will be able to develop your own unique voice.

Learning to be a better writer is not the work of a weekend or even a semester. Learning to be a better writer is a life’s work. If you really are a writer then you will never consider your work done. I don’t know a professional writer who sits back and says “I’m done learning now, I’m as good as I’m going to get”. Certainly it need not take a lifetime to reach professional status but you shouldn’t make that your goal. Thinking in those terms can hold you back from becoming the best writer you can be.

For example, perhaps the reason your particular project was rejected had nothing at all to do with your writing but was in fact due to your topic, the particular needs of that publisher, or even the mood of the editor when your submission came across their desk. The truth is that you cannot control when you become a published, professional writer, but you can control your progress toward improving your writing. Believe me, the stronger your writing becomes then the easier it will be to achieve that other goal. When you reach the point that you regularly deliver quality writing then you will find a market. If you write it the rest will come.

What does this inexplicable tutor want?

Posted on Jun 11, 2009 01:28:58 PM

Many students around the world face in their opinion with insurmountable challenges- to design and successfully complete their writing assignments. Whatever task you face whatever type of paper you are assigned with and whatever program you are enrolled at, one should always remember that your imagination, creativity and original, unique vision are indispensable elements of well-written term paper.

Let us take for example a psychology term paper. So many students around the nation do not know how to start writing this kind of paper. One can examine this process. First, you should make acquaintance with some famous psychologists in order to understand how their ideas have shaped modern psychology.

Second, investigate the problem from psychological point of view. Try to explain why people, behave this way and not another, what ideas, thoughts and events guided them. Third, try to find out how other psychologist interpreted similar acts or behavior of individuals. But be very cautious in citing and certainly do not try to put out ideas of other persons as your own. Remember that if you violate this well-known rule, you commit plagiarism &ndash a very serious crime. You may learn more about psychology term paper here.

You might use similar methods in the writing of philosophical papers. However, remember that in this type of paper- the most important point is to show your ability to criticize and analyze, rather than paraphrase or write some platitudes. The tutor would like to teach you how to analyze critically, argumentatively and impartially. One should always produce enough evidence for each contention made in an essay. Remember that your essay will be much weaker if you just provide your reader with the list of simple and vague assertions, without backing them up. Another vital element of this type of an essay is your clear statement of your point of view on the subject researched. The reader should understand where you stand. One can learn more about it here – philosophical term paper.

Certainly there are just two types of the term papers that you may be asked to complete. There are different methods and ways that should be applied to research other subjects. Despite many differences all term papers and custom essays have a lot of common features as well. Before you start designing any paper (whether it is a one page essay or one hundred pages dissertation) you should follow several well-known, yet at the same time frequently forgotten steps: 1) Critically evaluate the subject, 2).One should gather relevant material on the topic, 3) Outline and make preliminary draft of your paper, 4) Design ad complete a preliminary draft 5) Edit the draft.

Yes, certainly it is a time and energy consuming process, but do not forget that it will pay off later on. The most important point is to learn how to organize, analyze, express your opinion in writing and produce well-argumentative research Learn more about it here – Custom Essay Writing Service

How To Write Your First Novel

Posted on Jun 10, 2009 02:39:50 PM

I began my writing career as a poet, and I’m still a poet. So my journey into fiction was never a planned career move. In fact, my first short story arrived as a complete shock. No kidding.

Because I have written and published poetry in books and magazines for years, I’ve developed a writing schedule that provides time to write every day, always a half hour after breakfast each morning and again after dinner every evening. I also keep a notepad and pen next to the bed to capture any lines of poetry if they float through my mind while I drift off to sleep. This means I’ve not only learned how to write pages of notes in the dark but also how to decipher those scribbles in the morning.

About eleven years ago, as I fell asleep one night, several lines suddenly appeared. Before I could decide to wake up and write them down, a startling thought flared in my mind like a wild firecracker: “This isn’t a poem…it’s the first paragraph of a short story, and I’ve never written fiction before!”

My eyes popped open, I grabbed the notepad, and followed the thread of those lines until I’d written three paragraphs of a short story in the dark. That was my first experience seeing an imaginary character in my mind and following her around, writing down her words and actions.

Throughout the next year different characters and their stories peopled my mind, and I began writing and publishing short fiction in magazines. I had never taken a writing class, so when I began writing poetry in my early thirties, I studied the books of contemporary poets, and eventually developed my own form of free verse poetry. I approached fiction in the same manner. I read and studied all the short story collections I could find, and ultimately created an experimental format for my short fiction, which resembled a prose poem composed of segments, each signaling a scene change or a change in a character’s thought process. Editors loved it, and almost all of my short stories appeared in magazines and literary journals. Those stories were eventually collected in a book that sold well for many years.

But two years later, short fiction no longer satisfied me, and I began to crave a longer form of creative expression, like a novel or novella. I could feel a novel percolating within me, but I knew nothing about the characters or plot. With no revelations emerging from my subconscious, I sensed this novel needed time to develop, so I began writing poetry again and published several poetry books.

Five years passed, and then one afternoon the title of the novel suddenly sizzled through my mind. The next day the main character appeared and announced her name. And on the third day she began telling her story, and a plot emerged. At the time, I had just started a new collection of poetry, but that hardly mattered. I’d been waiting for this novel for years, and once it arrived I dropped everything, grabbed my notebook (all my first drafts are handwritten), and four months later I had completed a short novel. Years later, I would add more material to this novel and republish it as the first in my series of Occult novels for women.

After the main character in that first novel began speaking, the entire writing experience flowed quickly in the white heat of a creative blaze. I always say I’m lucky I remembered to breathe during those amazing months! But don’t let this throw you. That was the first and last time I had to wait for a novel idea. Now new characters and plot ideas arrive frequently, and the day after I finish one novel I usually begin the next.

So, how did I write my first novel? First, I let the main character tell me who she was and what the primary plot of the novel would be. Next, several subplots emerged. And that was all I needed to start writing. For short stories I never used a structured outline. Instead, I patched those stories together organically, as if they were fabric swatches in a quilt, jumping back and forth between the past and present, allowing the characters to tell me what comes next. If you work this way too, you’ll feel comfortable arranging the scene and the characters in your mind, grabbing your notebook, and then following the characters around, writing down their words, thoughts, and actions. However, I found the prose poetry format I created for my short stories wouldn’t work for a novel. It just didn’t feel right. So I tweaked and tweaked and developed another experimental format that I still use today.

As I mentioned before, I do not use an outline for my novels, but I do edit each chapter completely before I continue. I work like this for two reasons. First, I submit each chapter as a short story to magazines and literary journals when I finish it, so the novel will gain publication credits, the kind of acknowledgements publishers and agents love to see. Second, polishing each chapter gives me the time to submerge myself in the characters and to intuit how the story should progress into the next chapter. Best of all, when I finish the last chapter I have a polished novel manuscript. Then it’s just a matter of going back and adding details to earlier chapters, important data that emerged during the process of writing the novel. Finally, I conduct one last punctuation and grammar check, and that’s it. I’ve written another novel ready to be published by one of my publishers.

If you follow this formula, relax, and allow the story to develop organically, you’ll end up with a polished first novel manuscript sitting on your computer desk before you know it. And you’ll enjoy every step of the process!

New Technical Writer: Don’t Confuse Your Reader With Your Words

Posted on Jun 9, 2009 02:51:03 PM

OVERVIEW

Stop confusing your Reader with the words you use. Your Reader is trying his/her best to understand how your product works without having to figure out your writing. Here are some writing guidelines to help you stop baffling your Reader.

SAME CONCEPT: SAME WORDS

User Documents are not meant to be entertaining. Do not try to be creative, especially by using synonyms for specific concepts in your product. When you talk about a topic use the exact same wording to describe (or name) the topic everywhere in your User Document.

For example, the “Same Concept: Same Words” guideline, says that if there is a control on your product called the “Activation Button,” then everywhere you talk about that button use the term “Activation Button.”

Don’t be “creative” and use words like “Activation Control” or “Start Control” to refer to the “Activation Button.” Using the different wordings forces your Reader to have to stop and think “Is this the same thing as ‘Activation Button’?”

DIFFERENT CONCEPTS: DIFFERENT WORDS

I bought something on the Internet that had a rebate available for it. When I ordered the product, I was given a “Tracking Number” to monitor the progress of my order. This is common for orders from large companies.

When I applied for the rebate, the rebate company used the same word, “Tracking Number,” but this time it meant “their rebate tracking number.” When their website asked for “tracking number” I entered the only one that I knew, the product ordering tracking number. I was wrong; the rebate number was a totally different thing.

The Rebate number is different from the order tracking number and should have a very different name from the order tracking number.

One might argue that “the rebate company is a separate company, and must handle rebates for all sorts of sellers.” Sure, but they can use a very specific name for their rebate tracking number. They can call it the “Rebate Identification Number.” That name would not be used by any selling company to track an order. The problem is solved. No User would confuse “Tracking Number” with “Rebate Identification Number.”

QUIZ

Given the information in the previous two sections of this Article, wouldn’t it be really silly if the rebate company originally called it the “Rebate Identification Number” and then unannounced switched to calling it the “Rebate ID”? Answer: Yes, it would be very silly. The change forces the Reader to have to ask, “Is this the same thing as the ‘Rebate Identification Number’?”

It’s not that your Reader is too stupid or lazy to figure out what you mean. It’s that your Reader has better things to do than to decipher your writing.

WORDS YOUR READER DOESN’T KNOW

Jargon is the shortcut language of any industry. Make sure that if you use jargon in your User Document, you explain what it means. If the writing project can afford the bit of time, I recommend that you include a glossary in your User Document. Define all the jargon, acronyms, and words that you might use in ways your Reader might not expect. A great example of the latter are “debit” and “credit.” The common understanding of these words is exactly opposite to those in the accounting (banking) profession.

TIP: Be suspicious of any words your spelling checker identifies. Ask yourself two questions when your spelling checker identifies a misspelled word:

* Did I really spell that word incorrectly?

* If it’s spelled correctly, am I certain that my Reader knows what the word (or acronym) means? If it’s not in the spelling checker’s dictionary it might not be in your Reader’s vocabulary.

DON’T BE AMBIGUOUS

I have a notebook computer running MS Windows XP. If I am using the Media Player and I press the keys to hibernate the computer (put it into an energy-saving sleep state), something warns me that hibernating will lose my place in the video. It then asks: “Do you want to continue? Yes/No.” Continue what?: Continue hibernating, or Continue watching the video? It would only take one or two more words to remove the ambiguity.

THE BOTTOM LINE

When you revise your writing, make sure that your Reader does not have to guess what a word might mean. If you mean the same thing as another concept, use the exact same name. If you mean something different, then use as different (unique) a name as you can. Define jargon, acronyms, and any unusually used words. Eliminate ambiguity.

Your reader is uncomfortable enough having to read your User Document, instead of using your product. Don’t make things worse by using wording that makes your Reader have to work out its meaning.

How To Write Best Selling Graphic Novels

Posted on Jun 8, 2009 12:17:05 PM

There are really many factors to consider when writing a comic strip or a graphic novel. You have to decide on your writing style,drawing style,publishing woes,distribution etc…

It is never an easy ride.

Writing

The best way in this case is to find a partner and pool your talents together. Creating a graphic novel is rarely a one man show. Most importantly, as a WRITER, you must start honing your writing skills and let people critique your work. The more criticisms the better! Look for criticisms and embrace them for they will always spur you on and help you your skills. Do remember that you cannot please everyone.

Publishing

Where do you submit your work after you have completed your grand masterpiece? My website has the resources that shows where exactly to go and what to do.

Here are some useful tips on publishing.

Formatting. In what type of format must you submit your work? What if you have changes? How do you submit cover art, author photos and other information? What about ISBN numbers? You would have to decide on which platform you want to do your work from the very start.

Editing. Are the books edited or proofread and are there fees charged for editing or proofreading? What experience do they have? You might consider using the editing service or hiring a freelance editor to proof your work for you prior to publication. Editing is a must if you want to make sure your first graphic novel goes well.

Promotional Benefits. Does the publisher promote its authors? Does it contact the media for you? Does it have a media contact list or a mailing list where you can announce your book? How does the publisher feature its most recent releases? There is nothing wrong with this approach, but be sure you know what the company policies are so that you are not disappointed.

To read the rest of the guide, please visit my website.

Webmaster .TopGraphicNovelReviews.Com

How To Create A Winning Title For Your Book

Posted on Jun 7, 2009 02:08:19 PM

Mothers of newborn babies are used to being asked, “What’s your baby’s name?” As innocent as it may sound, the deeper question behind the question is: “Did you give any thought to your child’s name, or did you just pick something out of thin air?” I submit to you, that there are millions of babies around the world who will grow up with names that people won’t understand, with no meaning at all, names they themselves don’t like. Many of them will eventually apply for and legally change their name.

Think of your book as your “baby.” This is not to belittle the birthing process, because after almost losing both my wife and daughter during childbirth on November 26, 1983, I believe that nothing can really compare to it. However, there are some parallels. As your book is born in your heart and makes its way out of your womb, and you finally announce to the world that it is here, how will the name you give it affect how it is received by total strangers? Will they eagerly embrace it, or will they be “like a calf staring at a new gate?”

Every advertising guru I’ve studied talks about the importance of a good headline. Claude Hopkins states: The purpose of the headline is to pick out people you can interest. You wish to talk to someone in a crowd. So the first thing you say is, ‘Hey there, Bill Jones,’ to get the right person’s attention … What you have will interest certain people only, and for certain reasons. You care only

for those people. Then create a headline that will hail those people only.”

Jay Conrad Levinson said: Every guerrilla destined for marketing victories knows very well that if you have ten hours to spend creating a marketing weapon, you should spend nine of them creating the headline. It’s the first impression you make, often the only impression, and the rest of your marketing weapon will live or die by the quality of that headline.

Jay Abraham points out, “A headline is an ad for the ad. Its purpose should be to reach only those who are most qualified to be a prospect for your proposition.” There is very little difference between a headline for an ad and a book title. A standard clich

How Spelling And Grammar Is Important For Good Article

Posted on Jun 6, 2009 08:38:19 PM

The articles are the life and bread of a website that is dealing with traffic for revenue generation. The quality articles will be responsible for the traffic on the website. There is also another side to this where you can change the fortunes by simple adding a few keywords to the otherwise seemingly normal article to make it more innovative. But to do that we need to address that elusive question in how spelling and grammar is important for a good article to be written.

The question on how spelling and grammar is important for good article can be best explained with a case study. The low ranking websites are so because they are not optimized to the latest in the offerings as required for the higher-ranking positions. Then there is the optimization of the algorithms by the search engines to search for relevant data as well to see if the website that are being searched are really the ones that must be displayed in the results. The articles demand for decent grammar in the least as well as the spelling as they will determine the page ranking when the websites search around for relevant sites with their optimized searching algorithm.

An article is primarily defined as pieces of information that appear in periodicals such as newspapers and magazines. They provide in-depth information on a range of issues as warranted by the website owner. This information is then available to the internet for all to see and download or use. If the website is showcasing products, then the articles give in detailed product description with good grammar for the use to understand and also reasonably good spellings to avoid being blacklisted by the search engines thinking that these websites are not genuine and only misleading the users.

Articles can be either written or pointed to using the live links available from the article directories for gaining hits with the search engines. The spelling must be quite a basic thing to do these days with sophisticated tools and editors. It is not enough if you write an article alone but the quality the article must be visible which will ensure that your page is visited the users themselves and hence brings down the need to further optimize your webpage when the user has already saved the webpage to his/her favorites. The content of the article is also important as much as the SEO and other optimization strategies. Without quality of content, users don’t take a second chance and will quickly switch over to another website regardless of the information being already available in your site.

No Time: Your Best Fake Excuse To Avoid Writing

Posted on Jun 5, 2009 10:12:11 AM

After a full day of work, family and life, you fall into bed exhausted. Mentally ticking off your to-do list, you cycle through shopping lists, phone calls, appointments, feeling good about what you have gotten done, until you get to the thing you really want to do. You lay there, bathed in regret &ndash why didn’t you get your writing done today? You vow to do it tomorrow. You will make time for your novel or that article you know would sell. You consider angles, write a few lines in your head, and fired up with enthusiasm for your writing, you fall asleep. The next day continues on much like the one before and you live the life of an unfulfilled writer, all because you do not do the simple work of making time to write.

The task of finding and dedicating time for your writing can be daunting. Many people who want to write identify this as the number one challenge &ndash finding time. How can you give yourself more time when there are a limited number of hours in the day plus housework, family, a job, and other personal or professional obligations to fulfill? You can’t create more hours in your day but you can restructure the ones you have to make more time for your writing. As a writer and a coach for writers, I have identified some of the reasons behind the challenge and offer some ways to get around the lack of time excuse.

Often the “lack of time” is really a mask for writing fears. The work of writing, while satisfying, can be difficult to make time for. We put it off to do the easier things, the things we know how to do. Think about the things you do when you are procrastinating getting to the writing. Do you clean, cook, or exercise? Do you spend your valuable writing time reading or watching TV? The act of writing challenges us to dive into ourselves and come out with something tangible. This is not easy. Notice when you are resisting and when you really do not have time to write.

There are a limited number of hours in the day, but often we give away our passion and power by forgetting that we can always choose what to do with our time. I can hear you saying, “Well, I have my job, and then I have my family, and kids, and all these other obligations.” Your roles become more powerful than you are because you believe you have no choice in the matter. Certainly dinner needs to be served. Certainly you have other commitments that you need to honor. But who decided that your writing wasn’t as important as everything else? What would life be like if your passions had a place in the schedule as well? What difference would it make to the people in your life if you staked a claim for your writing? Hmmm…

With the help of a perspective shift, you may realize that your writing is important, too. Perhaps in your mind it has been important, but you haven’t taken that extra step to actually make space for it. Without space, your writing becomes a burden on your back, something you want to do but can’t. You then become a victim of your life. No fun.

Look at the following ways to restructure your time both internally and externally. Then try out a few of them and see what works for you.

Get in the habit of writing in short bursts of time. Give yourself ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes to write and then learn how to make the most of those bursts of writing. This means sidestepping the wandering or procrastination that distract you from writing.

Wake up early. Set your alarm twenty minutes early and give yourself that time to write. If the thought of getting up earlier makes you cringe, try giving yourself time at the end of the day.

Do you watch TV? Give it up and give yourself more time to write. Many people use TV as a way to zone out and relax at the end of the day, but isn’t there a better way to relax and be entertained? Yes! Use your writing to relax. Which leads me to…

Reframe the way you think about writing. Of course the art of writing is work, but if you think of it as drudgery and something that requires a lot of you, you are missing out on the rejuvenating aspects of the practice.

Whenever you do get a chance to write, take a minute when you are finished and write down three words that describe how you feel after writing. Use these words as a lure to get you to the page when you feel tired or uninspired.

Take part of your lunchtime to write. Or, use your allotted coffee or smoke breaks to slip away from work and scribble a few lines.

The real issue is often time management. We may have enough time but do not use it in a way that honors our priorities. What are your priorities? If you are not showing up for your writing, maybe it isn’t a priority. What else is going on in your life that is more compelling than writing? Take a moment now to jot down where you spend your time. What do you notice about your priorities?

Once you have a clear picture of where your time goes, how do you feel about it? Does the way you spend your time reflect what is important to you? Work and other obligations seem more fixed and indeed they may be for now, but where else can you make decisions to get writing into your life?

Perhaps your topic or project isn’t seductive enough. I have been working on the same project for years now, and there were times when I just wasn’t interested. I gave myself a break, knowing that I would come back to it. Now I have an angle on it that is compelling and fun and I am more eager to make time for it. How can you approach your project in a way that would entice you to make time for it? How do you find a writing project that earns your time and attention?

Play with an entirely new perspective. Let go of the idea of you as a writer. Perhaps now that you are clear about how you spend your time you are happy with it. Maybe you have realized that you really don’t want to make the effort to write at this point after all. How free would you feel if you let yourself off the hook for having the writing urge and not having the time to indulge it?

Try a tool I use with my clients. Imagine giving up writing, and the idea of writing. I call it ‘taking away the bone.’ Think of a dog with a bone. Imagine trying to grab the bone from the dog’s mouth. The dog will hang onto that bone for dear life. If the thought of losing your writing urge makes you want to grab onto it even tighter, it could be a signal that you need to do what it takes to make writing a priority in your life. Commit to yourself as a writer, get clear about your writing projects, and let it happen.

What Is Freelance Blogging?

Posted on Jun 4, 2009 08:10:24 AM

Blogging (short for “web logging”), born from the Internet age, is one of the newer venues for freelance writing. The Internet has generated a lot of news about the financial possibilities open to bloggers: an audience of potentially millions — along with possible corporate sponsorship, a byline, and infinite creative control — captures the imagination of many prospective bloggers, and makes blogging seem like an infinitely desirable, lucrative field.

The truth is it is much more difficult to become a successful freelance blogger. A good knowledge of marketing, web design, and being consistent are skills you need to make a living (or a comfortable extra income) from this new form of media.

The reason for this is the low barrier of entry. Anyone with access to web space can start a blog. Sites like Blogger, Livejournal and even MySpace offer free web space to anyone willing to sign up. This has resulted in millions of blogs in existence today, many of them literate, many of them wildly popular, and nearly all of them free to read and browse.

That variety of free content makes it difficult to charge for access to your writing, no matter how good it is. You could be the greatest expert on foreign policy or nutrition known to man, and few people would be willing to pay $5 — or $1, or one cent — to read a blog post by you, the expert, when there are thousands of semi-qualified (but bright and engaging) writers giving away similar material.

So your main sources of revenue are going to come from advertising and from whatever paid content you can fit into the site. Luckily, web advertising is becoming less dicey than it was a year ago. Google’s “AdSense” program is a good baseline for a page, providing targeted advertising based on your content and paying you, directly, per click-through (although the pay rate per click is low.) You can supplement that amount with other forms of web advertising, from the comparatively unobtrusive banner to pop-up animations that “float over” the text.

This brings us to the “double-edged sword” problem in web advertising. The most effective advertising is obtrusive advertising; that is, advertising that blocks valuable content until the user clicks on it either to make it disappear or to take you to a different website. However, obtrusive advertising also irritates your readers, which can lead to a lower reputation for your blog overall. On the Internet, reputation is the single best determinant of your web traffic. Using obtrusive advertising can significantly lower your traffic and make your blog that much less attractive to potential advertisers.

So you’ll need to find a happy medium between heavy advertising (and light traffic) and little to no advertising (and high traffic, but little revenue.) Luckily, the instant responsiveness of the Internet, along with the commenting features available on nearly all blogging software, make it easy to ask your readers about exactly what level of advertising they’d be willing to accept. Reader connectivity is one of the most important features of any good blog: not only does it allow you to fine-tune your blog over time, eliminating features that readers find irritating or off-putting, but it also allows you to develop personal connections with your readers, the kind of connections that build loyal audiences.

There are other ways to make money by blogging, such as the following:

1) It’s possible to sidestep advertising altogether by making some of your content unavailable, except to subscribers. For example, you might only keep your most recent five or six blog entries unlocked, and require a monthly subscription fee to read the rest of the archives;

2) Or you might keep your current posts and your entire regular archives active, but produce some longer or specialized entries or other content and charge a set fee for these;

3) You could even compile some of your best entries into a physical book, along with some new content, and offer it for sale. Even if all the entries are available online, you’d be surprised how many people are willing to pay to have something they can hold in their hands;

4) Additionally, you could go the Salon.com route — make all of your archives available to anyone willing to watch a short full-screen advertisement — or you could rely on readers’ willingness to support content that they find worthwhile by asking for donations outright.

Many prominent blogs and online content providers have done this and found themselves able to make rent and pay all of their bills every month on donations alone.

No matter how much advertising or subscription services your blog has, it’s all worthless if people don’t want to read you in the first place. And there are three simple rules to make your blog popular:

1) Write on something you care about

2) Write consistently and thoughtfully on a regular schedule (daily is best)

3) Read and comment on other blogs

People read blogs because they provide a source of information and analysis on topics that traditional media sources only cover sketchily and hastily, or don’t cover at all. Don’t try to figure out an ideal money-making blog topic and proceed from there. People care about blogs because blogs are about personal, in-depth viewpoints and thoughts.

If you can provide those to your audience regularly, and you can set up a minimally-intrusive but still worthwhile revenue system through advertising or subscriptions, there’s no reason why you can’t become a successful blogger.