Writing Information
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Productivity at Home

Increased productivity, the ability to get more value for our time, our land, or our invested money, is as important at home as it is in the workplace. Let's consider the case of our imaginary friend Jane, and her grandmother. Jane's grandmother had just one occupation after marrying in her late teens: homemaker. She raised children, and she cleaned and maintained the family home. That was a . . .

What is productivity? And, why does it matter?

What is productivity? And, why does it matter? By: Robert F. Abbott When Phil hires a new helper for one of his construction projects, he first watches to see whether or not the newcomer has the right attitudes and habits to keep him as an employee. And, if the newcomer meets expectations,' Phil introduces him to his philosophy about work by telling him the woodcutters story. Two woodcutters wh. . .

Too Many Cats?

Too Many Cats? By Kathie Freeman Cats are becoming increasingly popular as pets these days, and a big question is, how many cats should a family have? For some people, one is more than enough, others have half a dozen or more. Here are some sure- fire ways to know when you've reached your limit. You know you have too many cats when: Your annual cat food bill is more than the combined Gross Nat. . .

Musicians Injuries: OUCH, it hurts when I play (but please don't tell me to stop!)

This article takes a look at musicians' injuries. For an expert perspective, I interviewed Dr. Sarah Mickeler, B.Mus., D.C. Dr. Mickeler is a former professional musician and a chiropractor who concentrates on musicians' injuries in her practice. 1) What led you to specialize in musicians' injuries? I have a very personal connection to musician's injuries. I had trained as a classical clari. . .

Top 3 Reasons Why RSS Is Better Than Email

Everyone is talking about RSS. Blogs, newsites and the like are putting those little orange RSS link thingies all over their sites. What's all the hype about? Okay, email will always have its purpose in life. But many people are realizing that RSS is an excellent alternative to email for newsletters or other mass-distribution lists. Here are three HUGE advantages of RSS over Email: 1) RSS . . .

Your Platform...and Why it Can Make or Break Your Business

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to take your work into the world and share it with others. But unless you can reach those all-important others, your mission is bound to be a dud. But fear not. That’s why I’ve created this website and my Get Known Now Program; because after nearly ten years of building my own platform, I truly see it as one of the most critical things anyone who co. . .

7 Questions to Ask Before You Advertise

Most business owners and managers keep a fairly close eye on their marketing budgets. And nothing throws a budget out of whack faster than advertising. Advertising, or paying good money to get your message in front of your target market, still has a place in your marketing mix, although it's not quite as effective as it once was. If you're going to advertise, you need to be smart about it --. . .

Key Differences Between Publishing and Self Publishing - How to Publish a Book

For many authors just starting out, it can be a confusing and overwhelming decision whether to self publish a book or to seek out a traditional publishing house. It is important to know that the decision you make can have a huge impact on the success, or the failure, of your book. There are many factors to consider, and the right decision is going to be different for every author and for every . . .

Break in with Fillers: The Best Market for New Writers

Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new area? You can't go past writing fillers. Fillers are one of the most overlooked opportunities in the freelance writing world and offer one of the best opportunities for new writers. Fillers Are In Demand I've spoken to hundreds of editors and been told over and over again that fillers are the one thing they never get enough of. Most pu. . .

Writing To Overpower Your Competition

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.learn-copywriting.com "We don't have any competition. We're a truly a one-of-a-kind company." I've heard that line from clients for years. I wish it were true, but it's simply not. In fact, it wouldn’t matter if you held a monopoly on your particular product or service; you'd still have competition. How? Because your competition doesn't come from a si. . .

Why We Hate to Promote Ourselves

In the last week or so, I've begun enrolling people in the next session of my Platform Push Coaching Program on my other site, www.getknownnow.com. And boy, has that been interesting. In a few brief encounters, I've learned a lot about the power of permission. The course is demanding; it requires these coaching students to really make a commitment to building their platform. Over six months . . .

The Formulas Freelance Copywriters Employ When Creating Web Content

What is it exactly that copywriters DO when they produce new text for a site makeover? You often see the advertisements; a designer is looking for a freelance web writer who is going to create content around a number of keywords. There’s not a lot more information about the process. What are the tricks of the trade and how do you get value for money when hiring a freelance writer? When you disc. . .

An Editor Spins Her Thoughts about Web Content

A glossy magazine placed an advertisement on its Web site, targeting the publication’s upscale subscribers. The expensive ad emphasized how perfect the tiniest detail would be for guests who stayed at a certain, very fancy hotel. There was only one small problem in the ad, but it was big enough to undermine the credibility of the hotel’s claim to perfection. The headline blared, When Everythin. . .

Book Poster Tips

Posters can be a great and inexpensive way to promote your book. But don't rush right out until you know the key items to include on your poster. The Title and Author's name Make sure to have a bigger font than the rest of your poster to bring attention to the title and author of the book. This may be the only aspect of the poster they remember. ISBN, Where to Purchase, Price, Pages and Cov. . .

Five Sections of Your Copy Guaranteed To Get Read

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.copywritingcourse.com Only about 20% of your copy is going to get read. The rest will simply be scanned. I'm sure you've heard the statistic before. It's nothing new. While it might sound frightening or frustrating, it's a fact of copywriting life. So what do you do next? Give up? What difference does it make if only about 20% will be read anyway? I. . .

Guaranteed Ways to Build Up Your Ezine List

Guaranteed Ways to Build Up Your Ezine List Want your ezine list to catch fire and really start to fill up? Jenna Glatzer took her own list from the hundreds all the way to 75,000 in 7 years by simple, steady marketing, and using many of these techniques. (Jenna bought only 4000 opt-in names along the way.) Here are some tips we provided, and some I've pulled from my own experience, building my. . .

7 things that could be sapping your creativity RIGHT NOW!

This was a very easy article to write. I was late in getting started this month, and as my publication deadline got closer and I could no longer wait until I “felt” like writing an article, I was forced to sit down and do it. In doing it, I thought about the last month (when I meant to be getting started on this as well as other creative projects), and I identified seven things that have gotten. . .

The Secret to Writing Memorable Sales Copy

Want to know the secret to creating MEMORABLE promotional copy? Sales copy that actually stays with your customers long after they've finished reading it? Then master the art of using words to create pictures in your customers' heads. If you can describe your products or services in such a way that it forms images in your customers' heads, well, then you've just created something that will last. . .

Meditation, Self-Acceptance and the Muse

Meditation presents an interesting paradox. It requires humility and acceptance, and yet it results in self-empowerment and increased confidence. Low self-esteem, which affects and can cripple many creative artists, leads us to believe that we’re not worth much, and therefore our ideas (our songs) probably aren’t either. This low self-esteem is a distant cousin to humility. Humility involves a. . .

How to do Hard Things

One of the harsh little realities of pursuing a dream is that sooner or later, you're going to have to do some stuff you don't like very much. It's just plain inevitable. Enter procrastination. Dread. Meltdown. Complete inertia. But the prospect of doing the tough stuff doesn't have to stop you cold. To that end, I've been teasing out some different ways you can keep going. Here are a few of m. . .

12 Handy Tips for Generating Leads through Cold-Calling

Cold calling can be a great way to generate quality leads. You get to speak to the gatekeepers and stakeholders, and you get a great insight into their requirements and influences. But cold calling is an art-form. It can be daunting, it’s always a lot of work. . .

Three ways journaling can boost your creativity and your business

I have a friend who has struggled with her creativity for a long time. She's extremely uncomfortable thinking of herself as "creative." We've been working together on it, and making progress. One of the tools that's really helped her has been journaling. From Julia Cameron's The Artist Way to Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones to Linda Trichter Metcalf, Ph.D. and Tobin Simon, Ph.D.'s Wri. . .

Tips when Designing a Good Book Cover

Marketing your Book cover, Spine and Information. Whether you've written your book or are just starting out, having an eye catching cover is a must. Did you know that customers may be looking over your book for 10 seconds or less? A good book cover entices the customer to want to read more information and to result in a purchase. To accomplish this, you need to know what catches a customers e. . .

How Writing Radio Can Help You Become a Better Writer

Knowing how to write, and write well, is a skill that will come in handy in all sorts of situations. And if you combine good writing skills with the persuasive selling tactics found in, say, copywriting, you'll be that much more ahead of your competition. Of all the different types of writing I've done in my life (and believe me, I've tried practically all of them) writing radio has made one of. . .

10 Tips for Aspiring Freelance Copywriters

Every week I receive a couple of emails from people seeking advice on how to get into freelance copywriting. While there’s no simple answer, and no answer which applies to everyone, there are a few tips which I believe will help most people make the move into freelance copywriting, . . .

Are You Achieving Your Writing Goals?

At the start of this new year, like at the start of every other new year, I came across dozens of articles about the importance of setting achievable goals, challenging myself to do new things and fixing measurable standards and working towards them. But what happens when you mess up the goals from last year? Where’s the real advice about missed deadlines and lost goals that all but kill the. . .

Win More Clients, Projects and Freelance Jobs By Making Three Small Changes

I've spoken to hundreds of editors, employers, and project managers about how they choose a freelancer for a job. Whether they were reviewing job applications or considering project bids, they all had one thing in common. As every one of them started to look at the applications, they had their skeptic's hat on. How a Project Manager Thinks Here are a few quotes from project managers and employe. . .

Increasing Conversions Through Action-Oriented Copywriting

by Karon Thackston © 2005 http://www.copywritingcourse.com I do site reviews. Needless to say, I see a lot of Web copy. One thing that always befuddles me is the lack of focus many site pages have. It's as if the writer assumes the site visitor will read the copy and automatically know what to do next. The fact is you have to know what action you want visitors to take before you get them to . . .

Branding And The Internet: In The Keyword Buying Craze, Marketers Often Skip Basic Consumer Res

Online marketers, ourselves included, supposedly are hardly doing anything else than capitalising on keywords in their marketing strategies. Those who come out on top have one thing in common: they are experts at mapping precisely that magical, ever evolving space where the overlap between real life and the internet is at its most poignant. They're looking where real people are actually s p e . . .

What's to be gained from greater synergy between the real, the cyber and the creative worlds?

Answering this question is probably as ambitious as trying to assess the actual overlaps between the three worlds, and it's likely being done by some scholar or other. We delay this type of digging until after our retirement because we're on the hunt for something far more exciting; Niches! Black holes! Undiscovered territories! Setting off on this kind of quest, it's difficult to bypass the . . .

7 Deadly Mistakes That Cost You Money and Assignments

Sometimes, you just don’t get second chances. Freelance writing works a little that way. If you’ve offended an editor, it’s quite unlikely that she’s going to work with you again. If you don’t muster up the courage and ask for a higher payment rate, you won’t get that chance till the next acceptance. And if you sell all rights for less, you write away all future income from the sale of that pie. . .

The Stuff E-mail Query Letters are Made Of

Your mother always told you how first impressions were extremely important. That’s why whenever you go to meet an editor, you dress impeccably, walk confidently and talk as if you just got out of training with Oprah Winfrey. But as you sit down to write that email query, you forget everything your mother told you and send editors a query that couldn’t have lacked any more even if you wanted it . . .

Screenplay Slug Lines - An Important Element Of Screenwriting

Article Summary: Over the years, I’ve found that new screenwriters frequently have confusions and misunderstandings on the proper way to write slug lines, also known as master scene headings. This article covers the basics of writing industry accepted screenplay slug lines. TIPS ON SLUG LINES Scene headings or slug lines, as they are commonly called, are a widely accepted convention of “spec”. . .

The mind's Fancy Dress party or: a free brainstorming session

When everything you're working on has gone STALE and your own initially promising concepts are starting to annoy you, you need a brainstorming session to get to the missing bits or generate some new ideas. The papers provide ample ideas for jump starts. In Berlin a restaurant opens for anorexics and in Buffalo a lawyer with a stutter wins a court case. A stutterer in court or an anorexic in a. . .

Distinctiveness in Personal Statements: Byproduct or Goal?

"What makes you unique is not that you have had these life-altering experiences, but rather how and why your perspective has changed or been reinforced as a result of those and other everyday experiences. That is a story that only you can tell. If you concentrate your efforts on telling us who you are, differentiation will occur naturally; if your goal is to. . .

How to Be an Editor's First Choice

There are writers who editors like, and those they’d bet their careers on. How can you be that writer who the editor will call on every time she needs an important assignment to be done? Are you a hot favorite or a pass-on-for-another-freelancer who keeps querying but receives no response? Here are the qualities that will endear you to an editor. 1. Giving more than you promise When an editor . . .

Inner Beauty - Finding the Source

In Corrogue I am seeking the source of inner beauty. This is a way to find an inner beauty that transforms. Then it will allow entry into that other room beyond what we call in Ireland “a thin place.” It will allow me to see banquet moments that are always available in the only time we have. This is the time of now. It will allow me to feel my essence and what is essential to life. I will r. . .

6 tips to start your writing journey

Tips for your writing journey So, you'd like to be a writer? Congrats! Writing not only is a great way to express yourself, but can provide an income. Keep in mind not all writers make a fortune, some still cant quit their day job. Below are some tips to start your writing journey. 1.Start Writing Okay, so this tip is obvious. For some, it's a question of what to write about, for others how to. . .

Seven ways to clearer insight for living

In Corrogue I am getting clearer insight for living. I get to see through the fog of ego. Insight means, “inner seeing.” It means allowing oneself to enjoy the experience of wisdom. The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines “insight” as “mental vision.” Insight, however, is more an arising of the energy of the heart. Living will happen as a result of engaging with the heart. Your seein. . .

How To Use Punctuation

The most common mistake people tend to make while writing is in the use of Punctuation. Wrong punctuation can damage the flow of ideas and change meaning, but properly used punctuation not only helps readers understand your meaning but also makes them engrossed in your writing. The following discussion is about some of the frequently misused punctuation marks and what actually their correct app. . .

Why the Editor is NOT the Enemy

They can be mean, unethical and downright unprofessional. But not all editors fit that bill. In fact, most editors would rather give you money that take it, make no changes than rewrite whole pieces two hours before deadline, and accept every piece of crap than start their mornings sending out rejection slips. But step into an editor’s shoes, and you’ll know why that’s not only hard, it’s just . . .

A Fast Way to Fill a Coaching Practice

So you've gotten the coach training certification, made up your business cards, and started your web site. You've discovered your niche, and you have been marketing - aggressively even! But still, no one's exactly beating a path to your door. Kind of makes you wonder what you're doing wrong. Chances are you're doing everything right. The only thing that may be missing is a broader chance for th. . .

SEO Copywriting Makeover: Good Rankings but No Sales Part 1 of 2

by Karon Thackston © 2004-2005 http://www.copywritingcourse.com It's been a myth for as long as the Internet has been in existence. Get good rankings and your site will be successful. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that has never been the case. What you get when you achieve good search engine rankings is a lot of traffic. That *can* be a wonderful thing, but it by no means guaran. . .

5 TIPS FOR A SAFE ONLINE JOB-SEARCH

Written by Teena Rose of Resume to Referral Teena Rose is a certified and published resume writer and author of "20-Minute Cover Letter Fixer" and "Cracking the Code to Pharmaceutical Sales" (available at CareerEpublications.com). Conducting a job search using the Internet has definitely transformed how jobseekers contact hiring companies. The availability of copying and pasting a text versio. . .

Getting Started in Column Writing

You’ve written many articles for Websites, newsletters and now you’ve even conquered the territory of getting published in a magazine. What’s the next step, you ask? How to I make the editor ask for my work weekly or monthly? Enter: the column. Before you march up to an editor’s office or send her unsolicited mail asking to write regularly for a publication, learn all there is to know. A colum. . .

Negotiating Right: Get What you Deserve

If magazine publishing worked like any other business, writers would fix their rates, and magazines would run around trying to hire the best writer in the lowest possible cost. Sadly, that’s not the case. In this bizarre business, writers trying to compete with each other not only have to prove their worth once, but again and again, and each time they want an assignment. You’ve got clips. You’v. . .

The Language of Freelance Marketing

For freelancers, knowing the basic terminology “before” they begin can be a valuable lesson in earning a few extra dollars in that initial stage. When I started my freelancing career, I knew nothing of rights, simultaneous submissions, querying or varying payment rates. All I knew was-- I could write. Everything else, I learnt on the job. You will too. But just to make your stay a little less f. . .

Why You Don't Write Your Book

In the ten years that I've taught people how to get on with their books and creative projects, I've noticed a phenomenon that I'll call "Author's Block." Would-be writers can, indeed, sit down and work when pressed to it. The problem is that they're not so sure they want the pressure of being an author. But they do want it. But they don't. And so on. Ah, the agony of getting on with your book. . . .

6 Steps to a Remarkable Reapplication

OK. You didn't get accepted at any of the schools you applied to. What should you do now? Deal. Get over it. And consider what you’re going to do next year. If you decide to re-apply, you need to assess what went wrong and resolve to improve it. 1. Determine what you need to change. You definitely need to do something different, because your previous approach didn't work. Don’t turn in the. . .

5 Keys to Unlock the Waitlist

Being wait-listed is tough, and you need the right set of keys to open the door to your dream program. The truth is that even with these keys, it's still not guaranteed that the lock will work. But this keychain has the critical pieces of metal you'll need to turn that lock. First, a word of introduction: Realize that receiving a wait-list letter means you qualify for admission. You pass. . .

SEO Copywriting Makeover: Good Rankings but No Sales Part 2 of 2

by Karon Thackston © 2004-2005 http://www.copywritingcourse.com In Part 1 of this article series, we looked at a local home security site that had fairly good rankings but whose conversion rate was lacking. (You can see the original copy here: http://www.copywritingcourse.com/topsecurity-original.pdf.) Here in the conclusion, you'll see how several changes helped maintain this company's good. . .

Writing For Teen Magazines

I would look at the magazines my teenage neighbor and her friends stashed away in their cupboards and think, “Heck, I could do that!” So one day, while she was away at school, I broke into her room and “borrowed” the magazines. Teenage magazines have changed since we were teens, I can tell you that. No longer do they advocate sex after marriage and accepting everything for what it is. Teenage . . .

You Need To Write-Right Now

I've been shouting it for years, and I will probably keep shouting for many years to come. If you want to get some quality, free visitors to your website-You Need To Write An Ezine Article! You can go ahead and admit that secretly you been toying with the idea anyway. You've fantasized about one day checking your email and seeing your name in the table of contents of your favorite ezine. You. . .

Tips for Writing Articles

3 Tips when Writing Articles Do you love to write? Do you want to put those writing skills to good use? Perhaps you want to see your name published whether it be in a newspaper, magazine, e-zine or other forms of publication. Here's 3 tips to start off your New Year. 1.Brainstorm Once you've decided what your writing is going to be about, brainstorm. Think of a new angle for your article. For . . .

Set Strong Boundaries and Live in Confidence

Spoken or unspoken, we all have physical boundaries and emotional boundaries. Have you ever made known a preference for working in your office alone or asking someone not to touch you? By every action we take, in every life situation, we're either demonstrating strong boundaries or weak ones; and weak ones always create the potential for stress, conflict and drama. There are two types of bound. . .

Writer School?

WRITER SCHOOL? Copyright 2004, Michael LaRocca Here's something from my mailbag. "Dear Michael, do you need to do good in school if you want to be a writer? I stink at school and all my friends laugh at me when I tell them I want to write, but I'm serious." Followed by a sentence or two of "I need your words to encourage me" or some such nonsense. Fortunately, a writing sample is rarely attache. . .

PRINCE HARRY ... YOUR (IN)BREEDING IS SHOWING!

Harry, the young Prince of Wales, recently dressed as a Nazi SS officer to attend a costume party. He caught hell for his foolishness and insensitivity in the British press, and the story made international headlines as well. What makes this story ironic is that Adolf Hitler’s premise in building a “master race” hinged on the theory of eugenics – the pseudo-science of improving the human race t. . .

Freelance Writing on the Internet

Freelance Writing on the Internet By Mridu Khullar Want to work from home as a freelance writer. Here are a few options, some of which could earn you as much as $100 per word! So, you’ve decided to take up a career in freelance writing. You’ve hooked up the computer, installed the printer, and learnt the nitty-gritty of your word processor. You’ve maybe even been published a couple of times. Y. . .

Knock-Out Writer's Block: Listening to your Inner Voice

When I was young, I used to talk to myself. Long, drawn out, one-sided conversations. I didn’t have an imaginary friend, I just talked to myself. My mother says that’s why I became a writer: because of my overactive imagination. I admit she may be right. Those conversations currently get me through my worst cases of writer’s block. I have to laugh when I read articles on breaking through a writ. . .

Tantra - The Serpentine Ascent

Tantra - The Serpentine Ascent - Part I Occult Vibratory Chemistry existed in India by the name of Tantra. Tantra is derived from two Sanskrit words - Thanoti ( to expand ) & Trayate ( to liberate). This Science has the power to expand and liberate ! Expansion means to grow beyond one's boundaries. Expansion upto Infinity. Thanothi means the expansion of Consciousness ad infinitum.Individual co. . .

Tap Into Larger Profits With Your Promotion

The Promotion of your business is NOT about your business. It is NOT merely an announcement that your business exists. It is NOT simply about attracting new customers. And it is NOT your greatest source of generating profits. Promotion IS, however, the active portion that fuels the sales cycle of your business. It is the last domino to be placed in line, and yet the one that starts the chain. . .

Creating an Effective Newsletter

Many people don’t know how easy it really is to run a successful newsletter. They also don’t realize the importance of having one. There are two main types of newsletters; those that are free and those you pay for. Newsletters are the best way to generate sales and will be for years to come. It is critical that you offer a FREE subscription to a newsletter on your web site and every person you . . .

What's in a Name? Giving Birth to your Characters

So you’ve got your plot outlined, a title lined up and the research is done. You’re ready to start writing your novel. But wait. Now comes the fun part: creating names for your characters. One of the best things about being a writer—besides the innate ability to create imaginary worlds—is giving birth to a character and then bestowing a name upon him or her. True, you didn’t carry the character. . .

Knock-Out Writer's Block: Listening to your Inner Voice

When I was young, I used to talk to myself. Long, drawn out, one-sided conversations. I didn’t have an imaginary friend, I just talked to myself. My mother says that’s why I became a writer: because of my overactive imagination. I admit she may be right. Those conversations currently get me through my worst cases of writer’s block. I have to laugh when I read articles on breaking through a writ. . .

ABC’s of Publishing - Big Business of Books

As a writer I spend countless hours laboring to find the right word, writing, rewriting, and researching to bring my imaginary characters and story lines to life on the page. Steeped in creative juices, it’s easy to forget that publishing is a business: a big business. According to US Census Bureau, 2003 bookstore sales were $16.18 billion, with Barnes & Nobel, Borders, Amazon and BN.com accoun. . .

Novel to Screenplay: The Challenges of Adaptation

Article Summary: Some basic steps when adapting a novel to the screenplay form. ADAPTATION 101 Brimming with confidence, you've just signed the check purchasing the rights to adapt John Doe's fabulous, but little known novel, Lawrence of Monrovia, to screenplay form. Suddenly, panic sets in. "What was I thinking? How the devil am I going to convert this 400-page novel to a 110-page screenp. . .

The Doomsday Device ... The physical brain in action.

Our physical brains quickly and easily handle mundane sequences of operations, or "processes" without question. It repeats processes like a machine: A»B»C»...»Z». Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines the word "process" to mean "a series of actions, operations, or motions involved in the accomplishment of an end". Heartbeat, breathing, and digestion are processes that occur without a single t. . .

A Cure for Writer's Block

A Cure for Writer's Block Writer's block is a favourite topic of writer's, and no wonder….nearly every writer suffers from it at some crucial point in their careers. Writer's block usually comes to visit at the most inopportune times, like during projects of tremendous importance where there's not a moment to waste, or when there are firm deadlines involved and a nasty boss waiting in the next . . .

“Super Verbs” Really Move Your Copy

By Karon Thackston © 2004 http://www.learn-copywriting.com Run or hustle? Eat or devour? Move or scurry? You can boost the power of your copy by boosting the quality of verbs you use. Verbs show action, and the way you describe that action can have a dramatic bearing on your readers. Why would you want to fill your copy with complacent words when you can conjure emotions and visual imagery. . .

Three Keys to Crafting Successful Print Ads

Want to create print ads that get results? Below are three keys to get you started. 1. Write for the eye. Print ads are visual. Therefore, craft ads with the eye in mind. Eyes are kind of picky, though. So, here’s a checklist of what eyes like and don’t like: * A catchy headline that encourages them read more. * Art, such as photos, illustrations, clip art, shapes, etc. Eyes like art. When you. . .

Anam Cara Making sense of Life

In Corrogue this Anam Cara or Soul Friend is coming to his senses. This morning it is a wet and windy Sunday morning. Each Sunday morning is an extended morning of rest. It is a morning of practice. I practice slowly coming to my senses. It is a morning in which I practice deep caring for the body and the soul. This is a practice of awareness of the sensationalism of life moment to moment.. . .

Dealing with a bad book review

When you get a bad book review You've just been notified a review of your book has been posted. You're all excited and can't wait to see what has been written. You're clicking onto your book's page when...Oh no! They hated your book! This bad review is going to turn away customers from buying your book. Wait! This isn't the end of the world. Here's 3 tips to deal when you get a bad review. . . .

Need a New Idea? Try Changing Your Perspective

One definition of creativity states that creative people look at the same thing everyone else does, yet they see something no one else does. But even creative people (which includes all of you, of course) can run into roadblocks every now and then. Sometimes it's not possible to see something different. Sometimes you've just been staring at a problem for so long it's now impossible to look at i. . .

Survive at All Costs ... The Physical Realm's Prime Directive.

We all sometimes wonder why some people behave like "animals". We even wonder where our own rages and wild feelings of chaos originate. Although we might find them unusual as they can conflict with our values, indeed, animalistic behavior is as much a part of us as our skin. While the skin is there to protect our inner organs and vessels, the animalistic behavior is there to protect the exis. . .

Take Care of Yourself and Be Your Own Expert

We give up paying attention to the practical needs of our body, mind and spirit because we think it’s all too difficult and complicated. And in some ways it is, because that’s the way it’s presented to us. After all, who are we to second-guess all those scientists and experts with all those letters after their names? Every day there’s a new report, a new article, a new fad; something else we ha. . .

5 Questions to Ask About Every Article Idea

I know a good idea when I see one. So should you. Dump those time-tested ideas you’re sending off to editors every other day, and find ideas that will get you the assignment each time, every time. How do you know whether your brilliant idea will strike a chord and get you the assignment or land your neatly crafted query in the slush pile? Use the following checklist to find out whether you hav. . .

The Gift of Failure

During this Thanksgiving holiday, we are reminded to reflect on the bounty in our lives. Most of us have jobs, family, a place we call home and food on the table, and for these things and our ability to obtain them we should be grateful. But what about those who are struggling with financial difficulties, bad relationships, or employment problems? Do they owe any thanks for their circumstances?. . .

Does Your Copy Look "Fake" To the Search Engines?

by Karon Thackston © 2004 http://www.copywritingcourse.com/keyword From the early days of search engine optimization, keywords and content have always been vital to achieving your goals. Starting back in the days when we used to shove every slightly relevant keyword into our Meta tags, it has been obvious that search engines love text. The more advanced the engines have gotten over the years. . .

Letting Events Control Your Life ... Dropping the negatives and moving on.

It's interesting to note how we sometimes become so inundated with events in our lives that we allow them to become our lives. Instead of enjoying and nurturing the life we have, we fall prey to the fears and stresses that occur as a result of negative experiences. Events do not destroy and alter lives unless we allow them. But, it is easier to plan an attack and involve a battle to protect o. . .

Stop Struggling and Write Your Article - Part I

Stop struggling and write your article Don’t let overwhelm hold you back— follow this expert advice and start writing your promotional article today. As a writing coach, I frequently work with independent professionals who have great ideas for promotional articles, but no idea how to start writing them. Here are the first three of six essential steps to help you get clear about your subject, k. . .