WRITE CHOICE FOR YOU

New Marketing Strategies

2011-06-27T19:36:00.001-07:00

New Marketing Strategies 3

New Beginnings

2011-01-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

Season's Greetings and best wishes to all readers for a successful and prosperous 2011!

This year, I've decided to take my work in a slightly different direction. The blog which up until now has focused on writing tips and techniques, will be modified to reflect marketing tactics and strategies that small business owners (writers and clients) can apply to further their career and businesses.

I hope you will continue to follow, enjoy and comment on it.

I've also spent the Christmas break updating and redesigning my website completely. The site address - www.writechoiceforyou.com - stays the same. The look and content is fresh and new. Hope you have fun browsing through it.

Once again, thanks for being friends, readers and followers and I look forward to continuing working with you and inspiring you if I can.

The secret to success

2010-12-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

It’s been over a month since I published an ezine and thank you to those who’ve written in asking me how I’m doing.

The fact is, November has been the busiest month for me as yet. And this is on the tail of October, where I unfortunately lost three of my clients to recession. As you know, it’s really hard on the pocket when you have a client drop off your list. So what happens when you lose three of them at one go? And how did it come about that November is my highest grossing month this year?

In short, I decided it was a great time to change tracks. I spent a few days reviewing my options and decided on two courses of action. The first was to sign up to the University of British Columbia and Sauder Business Schools’ Integrated Marketing Course. This is something I have been wanting to do for a long time, but finances and lack of time kept me from it. I now decided to take the risk and invest part of my savings into the course.

I also decided to focus my efforts on website copywriting, something that I’ve always enjoyed doing. I sent out an email to past/current clients letting them know of my decision to further my education along with details on the direction I was planning to take my career in.

The next thing I know is I get not one, but four new clients asking me to write their website copy.

If you’ve read books like ‘Think and Grow Rich’ and ‘The Great Awakening’, you’ll know that the following three things will get you more clients than anything else:

Confidence which attracts positive energy and in turn allows for good things to happen.
A solid work ethic.
An unshakable faith in your own abilities.

So the next time a client cancels a project or you find it hard to pay the bills, spend a few moments thinking of what else you can do. Take the risk, even if it means making the extra time to study or finding the extra money to pay for website redesign. Believe in yourself and your abilities and watch your earnings soar.

Investments with High Returns

2010-11-16T16:46:00.000-08:00

There are a number of ways to invest in your career which will provide you with high returns. It is important to remember that while a lot of investment can be FREE, at times, you may need to PAY to get something that is of true value to you.

INVEST IN YOURSELF: Brian Tracy speaks often of this. In his book, Focal Point, he says that 3% of your income should be re-invested back into your learning. Whether this is a high investment or a low investment is not really the point. While it is good to have a regular figure to set aside each month into learning and knowledge gain, this may not always be possible. Work this backwards. Make a list of all the things you really want to learn, which will improve your writing and your business skills. Perhaps it’s a business writing course to help you widen your target market. Or an online marketing course to improve your marketing strategies. Once the list is complete, think of how you can best achieve them. It may mean doing some free online courses in order to save your money for a paid business writing course. Or you can buy books and subscribe to ezines and gain your knowledge from them. Often, online courses are more affordable than a college or university held campus course. Research your options thoroughly and do what’s best for you.

In a recent post, I mentioned losing three clients in a single month to recession. I took the opportunity to put my savings toward gaining a long-planned degree in Online Integrated Marketing. Just receiving my study material has given me the boost I need to go out and find new clients.

INVEST IN YOUR TOOLS OF TRADE: These are what you’ll be using on a daily basis. A good computer is a must. So is a printer in order to print and edit documents. Simple things like good printing paper will go a long ways in saving you money. When I first started freelancing I came across a ‘great deal’ with regards to printing paper. It was cheap and plentiful and as I always print to edit documents, I usually need a lot of it. So I bought it and within the first two days of using it, I realized my mistake. The paper was thin and absorbed a lot of ink. My cartridges (which cost far more than the paper ever would) lasted for half the amount of time they usually do! I now invest in high quality paper which uses printer ink sensibly.Rethink your working tools- notebooks, pens, pencils- and invest in good, sturdy equipment to make your job far easier and less expensive.

INVEST IN YOUR CLIENTS: And finally, invest in your clients! They are so worth it. They are the ones who have not only trusted you to write for them, but who will also provide you with repeat business and more importantly, will refer you to their friends. A lot of my business for example comes from referrals.

So do a good job. Go the extra mile. Be friendly and courteous. And above all, be professional. This is probably one of the greatest investments you’ll ever make.

How to Collect What's Owed to you

2010-10-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

In October I lost 3 US clients to recession. They shut shop, all with a week's notice. It's a big blow when you realize 50% of your income has been swept out from under your feet. And it's a bigger effort to have to get newer client immediately to compensate for the loss in income.

But as you may have noticed from the silence in my newsletters and blog that I've been busy. And done it too. I'd like to share how I did it with you in my next ezine issue coming up soon. And in the meantime, here's how I collected what's due to me.

There are certain key points to remember when undertaking a project: always negotiate terms in advance, always have a signed contract outlining these terms and if possible, always get an advance before you pick up your pen.

Very few entrepreneurs and freelance agents will want to be collection agents. Or, salespeople, or marketing gurus or IT geeks. Yet, the truth of the matter is, if you are to succeed in your business, you need to know at least the basics. And one of them is debt collection.

The following are certain steps you must take to ensure you get paid your dues:

Establish financial boundaries. Don’t hesitate to bring up payment terms at your very first meeting. Most of us hesitate to ask for money, while we have no problem outlining the services we’ll offer. You are not working for free and your client does not expect you to do so. But it’s up to you to bring up the ‘money’ topic if he doesn’t.

Get it in writing. A contract or formal agreement should be established based on the terms you’ve both agreed to. The agreement should have specifics outlined and also payment terms. If you are in agreement, you may also want to include an ‘out’ clause, which lets either party break the contract on prior agreed terms.

Don’t hesitate to use terminology that is easy to understand such as ‘payment for services rendered’ or ‘retainer fees’.

Review and ask for a signed copy. Delivering a contract is fine, but it also needs to be signed before it becomes legitimate. If need be, review it verbally with your client and then ensure you have a signed copy for your files.

Have documents on hand. Sometimes, because we pick up an ‘urgent’ project, we forget to get a contract signed and delivered. To make it easier, have a few contract and agreement copies on hand, where all you have to do is fill in the client’s details. The client can sign and scan it and return it to you by email. Once you have it, don't forget to keep your copy on file for easy access.

If you do enter into a dispute with the client, then the following may help:

Designate an agent to make your calls.
Consider arbitration as opposed to getting a lawyer involved. It works out less costly and usually gets resolved quickly.
Distance yourself from the client who is not paying you. Let your designated associate handle this.
Stay calm and focused, and do not engage in verbal or written slander or anything that could backfire on you.
Consider negotiations and be fair at all times. Get all your negotiations and agreements in writing.

Freelance Writer Wanted

2010-10-10T08:31:00.000-07:00

A client I once wrote for, www.cremationoptions.com (yup, you’ve read that right) is looking for web article writers. The task is to write 800 word articles with the keyword – funeral home - appearing around 32 times within the text. The writer gets to select topics, making it a fairly easy task.

The fee is low, unfortunately only USD 15 per article. But I do happen to know the job is dead easy (excuse the pun ;) and the client definitely pays on time. Invoice him once each set of articles is complete.

If you are strapped for cash and want some extra money, please contact info@cremationoptions.com

and you can mention you heard his name from me.

Cheers!

The 50 20 Rule, Which Really Works!

2010-09-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the 80-20 rule? It goes like this. It is the top 20% of your clients who contribute to 80% of your wealth; or the top 20% of your hard work which determines 80% of your success.

If you are writing for peanuts, then you are obviously focusing on the 80%, when you need to be aiming for the smaller, higher paying projects.

But time is always so limited. Raise your hand if you can honestly say you find the time to write without distraction? Mine comes in the form of a 6 and 4 year old with boundless energy. Yours may be a home that needs repair, a job that is demanding, social networking sites to which you are addicted, or endless phone calls which need to be attended to.

This is when you need to apply the 50-20 rule. I learnt this from an article by Steve Slaunwhite who in turn learnt it from marketing guru Dean Jackson. Jackson calls it the 50-minute focus technique.

It is simple and it really works. Set aside 50 minutes for your writing. It could be a new article you are working on, or a blog post that needs to be created. Set an alarm to ring after the 50 minutes are up. And then, get to work. You are not allowed to do anything else. No getting up for water, to answer the phone, or to make that cup of coffee you feel you need right away.

You will write and do nothing else. When the timer goes, take a 20 minute break. During this time, you can work, but make sure it is on another project. Check emails, sort out your finances, make a cup of coffee, tweet, network with Facebook friends, or just get up to stretch.

Try to get in 3-4 of these 50 minute work sessions into your day. They really do work. Why? Because you know after your 50 minutes, you are allowing yourself a break to do as you will. This in itself can be motivation to get you to complete your projects at hand.

What do you do to work without distraction?

The Pleasures of Reading

2010-09-17T07:48:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBJfuVpH7h8I was reading a book the other day, when my 6 year old bounded up to me and said - "Mum, reading is to think and thinking is to become."

Words of wisdom from her Grade 1 teacher and my pride knew no bounds that she remembered it and related it in the right context. The book I happened to be reading at that moment was Winifred Watson's Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. If you haven't read it, I recommend you pick up a copy. It's one of the most funniest, most thought provoking books I've read in a long time. And see if you don't identify with Miss Pettigrew in some manner.

Certain books are timeless in their storyline and writing style, and this one, first published in 1938, is one of them. By contrast, the movie is quite bland and the storyline, much changed. I know because ironically it was being aired the night I finished reading the book. So with the written words fresh in my mind, I sat down to view it. It stars Francis McDormand whom I believe to be a wonderful actress. So it's disappointing to find she can't do full justice to the role. And the fact the storyline is changed, as is the very essence of Miss Pettigrew's character, only serves to further dilute the film.

Which leads me to believe - yet again - that movies, no matter their star cast or budgets just can't compare to books.

Ghostwriting

2010-09-08T17:21:00.000-07:00

On Sunday I watched the Ghostwriter, which is a superb thriller which doesn't require much thinking. And with Pierce Brosnan and Ewan McGregor in the lead roles, it can even be forgiven for not inspiring you to pick up a pen and paper and begin writing - or ghostwriting as it may be.

Having said that, ghostwriting is becoming more and more popular, not to mention lucrative, as celebrities and media gurus alike seek to free up their time, by outsourcing their writing needs to a 'ghostwriter'. I recently read an article in the Entrepreneur magazine, where popular (and millionaire) coach, author and motivational guru, Robert Kiyosaki's ghostwriter was interviewed. That's right - she's the one who writes his blogs, twitter thoughts and facebook comments.

A bit disappointing, but understandable as most coaches and speakers don't have the time to write their own marketing material. The same holds true for a lot of entrepreneurs. Most of them will like to market their brand, but poor communication skills prevent them from doing so. Step in the ghostwriter, whose job it is to make them look good. For a fee. Ghostwriting is not cheap and a good ghostwriter can command double the normal writing fee. If you can adopt your client's voice and take ego out of the equation, ghostwriting might be right for you.

While the debate rages on - is a client who uses a ghostwriter 'cheating' his audience, or not? - ghostwriters continue to take on growing challenges and prove their worth in an expanding and competitive trade.

Routine in Writing

2010-09-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Another glorious summer's day,and it's hard to believe fall (and school)is around the corner. But what I'm looking forward to most is getting back into a routine. While I've enjoyed the long and lazy summer days shared with family and friends, a routine helps me get more productive and stay on track.

And while much has been written on 'routines', the fact is only you can persist in sticking to one.

So, for the last few weeks, I've been resetting my alarm to go off an hour earlier each morning (resulting in a whacking headache today) because I know as of next week, I'll be working longer hours at a stretch. And has it paid off? Of course it has. I'm now working with a few 'steady' clients and it's always fun knowing you'll be getting a steady paycheck from them. Check them out here:

MN Interactive: www.mninteractive.com and www.mninteractive.com/blog

The Netsetter: www.thenetsetter.com

Mind Body Sanctuary: www.mindbodysanctuary.com

Greener Steps: www.greenersteps.com

They are fun clients and working with them offers me the diversity I crave. Check them out and do leave me some comments -it's always fun having visitors.

To your routine!
Usha

Do you Sell on Etsy?

2010-09-01T07:43:00.000-07:00

Are you into crafts? If so, I need your help.

I’m writing an ebook for a company I regularly produce work for. They in turn have a network of clients who come to them with writing jobs. For this particular job, the topic is Marketing Your Craft on Etsy. I had suggested I include case studies or question /answers with Etsians who are already marketing their crafts successfully on the site. I asked if I could interview craft owners on Etsy and in turn, they would get their name/link showcased in the Ebook.

The company in turn got it touch with the client to run this idea by her and she has agreed to do this. However, I cannot provide you with any details of the ebook (name or author) other than to say it will be sold on her marketing site and via clickbank. Yes, that sucks. But that's the deal.

If you’d still like to go ahead, these are my questions:

-What kind of craft do you specialize in?

-How long have you been doing this craft?

-Is it a hobby or full time business, and if it’s a full time business, when did you set up shop?

-What made you go on to Etsy?

-Do you find yourself getting clients via Etsy?

-What marketing methods do you use?

-Is there anything else you’d like to try out with regards to marketing?

-Any special moments which stand out?

-Is there any other marketing advice you would recommend to a novice crafter?

-Your name

-Your website’s link or Your Etsy store link.

I hope to hear back from you.

With love and success,

Usha Sliva

www.writechoiceforyou.com

usha@writechoiceforyou.com

On Cons and Con Artists

2010-08-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

The other day, I visited our neighbourhood Indian store which is filled with exotic veggies and fruit and snacks and sweets. It's also filled with stainless steel cooking utensils and storage jars, and I wanted to pick up a few of the latter. In addition to three jars, I picked up a few potatoes, onions, and mangoes and when I reached the checkout counter, I was distracted by my kids near the sweet bin (filled with nutty delights, which my son is allergic to). So I paid the bill without checking (or questioning) it, only to discover later that night that I was billed for items I didn't purchase.

Could it have been a mistake? I don't think so. The counter was empty and the cashier has plenty of time to check the few items I had purchased.

Don't you hate it when you get cheated? Now how about when the person who cheats you is a fellow writer?

I recently signed up for an online course run by a 'reputable' writer whom I met through one of the online networking groups I frequent. She took my money, sent me the first two parts of a five week course, and since then I haven't heard from her. My emails don't get responded to despite the fact she's still active in the networking group.

So, cons come in all shapes and sizes, nationalities, and job fronts. My recommendations?

Double check whom you do business with.
Report any scams to Better Business Bureau (I did both) and to any other online scam reporting sites.
Share your stories with others so they might benefit from them.

Any other suggestions?

Multiply Your Writing Income Through Referrals

2010-08-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

The most frustrating thing about working on a netbook is not realizing the glitches your computer may have, which ends up in a perfectly good post getting deleted! Which is what happened to me recently. I was tired and sat working on my bed, writing the post well into midnight. Only to find out the next day that the heading appeared, but the actual content did not!

Oh well- another reason to check and double check your work. And I'm lucky it happened to my own blog and not one that belongs to a client.

And speaking of clients, I've had three this week who've referred me to their colleagues/friends, thereby doubling my income for the month. How great is that! Coincidentally I received a newsletter from one of the writers I subscribe to which also talks of referrals. In it he mentions that 50% of his business is through referrals. While I can't claim such a high figure, I can tell you I've found a direct way that works for me: I simply ask for them.

If I know a client is pleased with my work, I ask for two things: testimonials and referrals. I usually put the request down in an email so it stays with the client and he's reminded of it when he checks his inbox. I accompany my request with a nice note to let him know I enjoy working with him, and provide him with the option to refuse if he wants to. This way, there's no pressure for him to say yes, and neither does he feel obligated.

You can also carry out a promotion - refer one client and get a 50% discount off your next job - or put a note on your invoice asking for referrals.

Top 5 Freelancing Myths Deboned!

2010-08-13T07:49:00.000-07:00

Myth 1:

You have a lot of freedom: You all read about the freelancer who sits back and enjoys the fruit of his labors while seemingly doing nothing. The truth is freelancing is a very hard job and it does involve a lot of work; including things you may not have otherwise undertaken, like accounting, marketing and secretarial duties.

Myth 2:

Do a good job and clients will come to you: Not true! What is true is that you may get a few referrals, but there’ll certainly be no queues outside your door.At least not for a long while. You still have to work very hard at marketing your services and continue to do so long after you’ve built up a nice little portfolio for yourself. It may get easier, but it certainly doesn’t stop.

Myth 3:

My work speaks for itself: Not really. You still have to push it forward. Having a great online portfolio will go a long way in showing clients who you are and what you can do; but you’ll still need to work hard to get those clients to your site.

Myth 4:

I do only what I love: Eventually, that’s your goal. But for now, you’ll do pretty much whatever it takes to get started and keep on going. You’ll take on certain projects which are boring and those thankless jobs no one else wants, and you’ll do it well because you know that’s your entry into the world of freelancing.

Myth 5:

You’re your own boss: In theory, yes. In reality, you will always have the clients being your boss. And telling you what to do and how to do it and when to meet deadlines. No freelancer is truly free of a boss, not as long as they have clients.

Top 5 Ways To Generate Leads

2010-08-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

What are the two top things every freelance writer needs to do to be successful? Write great copy and generate leads. If you can do both of those, then you’re on your way to joining the hundreds of freelance writers who enjoy a steady income.

Simply put, leads are potential clients. Every freelancer needs good leads and a lot of them, because only some will convert into actual sales. Leads are clients who have been referred to you or perhaps have seen your work, website, portfolio and come to you with a request. They may have emailed your or spoken with you over the phone. And if you can win them over then the sale is in your pocket and money in your bank!

Ask for Referrals: You can always contact current or past clients who are happy with your work and ask them to refer you. Most of them will be happy to do so. To make it easier, send them an email listing of all your services, which they can then forward.

Direct Mailing: The quickest way to getting your name out there is through Direct Mail. Mail out your services (or send a short introductory email or make a short phone call) to your potential clients.

Networking: This is another great way to meet people interested in your work. Networking does not necessarily mean going physically to a networking event (though of course that’s a great option). Sites like Facebook, twitter and other social networking sites and blog forums are also excellent places to network online.

Advertise: Simple but an effective way to get leads. Even a simple free ad on a site like Craigslist can bring you potential clients.

Become a Speaker: This is not necessarily an option or choice for everyone. But if you feel comfortable speaking in front of an audience, then don’t hesitate to go for it. Even a small group may generate leads which in turn may convert to sales.

So try them all, or just one of them and see if they don’t work for you!

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Freelance Writing Rules to Boost Your Career

2010-08-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Freelance writers starting out a new career often find it bewildering - lack of visible support, job sites with low paying projects and fierce competition can often make even the strongest throw up their hands in dismay.

There are so many things that I now look back in retrospect and wish I had known about. The following are the top 5 list of things I had to learn the hard way.

Writing with direction:

When I developed my first blog and website, I had no real aim. I just knew I wanted to write. And so I spent hours and hours developing it, sourcing story ideas, free images (I had no spare change to spend at photo sites) and writing about the things I loved or felt strongly about. Was that a wrong thing to do? Not at all. But it would have been better if I had invested all that passion and energy into writing with a more focused aim. It would have allowed me to capture a larger audience and diversify into something more meaningful.

The importance of social networking:

It took me longer that it should have to get onto the social networking bandwagon. Why? Because I didn’t know the benefits that could be achieved by being on it. Once I did get on though , I began to see immediate results. A lot of my subscribers and clients come to me via sites like Twitter and I’ve gained a lot of followers and friends through blog chat forums.

Marketing on a daily basis:

Now I market myself on a daily basis. Nearly 30% of my online time is spend promoting myself and my work. And because I do so, I can afford to spend an equal amount of time on Facebook and other chat forums solely for the purpose of having fun and connecting with other excellent bloggers and friends.

Weeding out undesirable job sites:

As a freelance writer, you will spend a large proportion of your time job hunting. There are a number of job sites and potential clients with promises to make you a millionaire before 30 (or in my case, before 40)and it’s really quite difficult to weed out the good ones from the scams. Nowadays, I do a quick Google search before I sign up for anything. If there are a healthy number of poor reviews, I treat the site with scepticism. If the ads that pop up are mainly craigslist ads, I also avoid them. And remember, if you are a newcoming, it doesn't mean settling for low paying jobs. Persist and build up a good portfolio and you can ask for the money you feel you're worth.

Having a mentor:

A mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be someone you’ve paid to learn from. While you will no doubt benefit tremendously from having a full time mentor, even for a short period of time, you can also learn from someone more experience than you by subscribing to their ezines or e-courses. If they have books and eBooks out, you may want to invest in a few of them.

Stick with these 5 rules and you’ll definitely enhance your freelance writing career in a short while!

3 Copywriting Tips That Work!

2010-08-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

Copywriting is an intense craft that has a lot of tips and tricks to
remember. You can use a play on words, keep is simple and straightforward, or
make the audience guess at what you're trying to say - they all work simply
because there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to writing creative copy.

There are however plenty of tips. The following three are ones to pin up
and apply to any copywriting project you're about to undertake:

Visualize your target audience.
Who are they? What do they look like? Where to they live? What do they like/dislike? Some copywriters actually tear out photographs of their demographic group and tape them up for inspiration. I write mine down on a whiteboard and make sure I refer to them. If I'm in the mood, I might even doodle some figures to give it more color.
Whatever works right? The point is, never forget your target audience - not even
for an instance.

Don't speak down to them.
That's an insult. Most books on copywriting will tell you to keep it simple. And that's the truth.Unless your audience is extremely sophisticated and knowledgeable about your product, it's best to avoid using technical jargon and complicated words. On
the other hand, I'm not sure what 8th grade lingo is either - possibly the liberal use of cute, like, awesome and chillaxin - which is what some courses and books recommend you adopt. Instead, speak to them as you would a friend.

Focus on your headline.
That really has to be captivating. As does
your first line. Make them too long, too vague or too clever, and you've
already lost your audience. Keep it catchy and concise and focused on what you
want to say, and who you want to say it too (check your blackboard, doodles, photographs).

And then have fun with your words. There's nothing nicer than seeing
your brochure, your ad or your website - don't let the web designer fool you
into believing it's his creation - out there for others to use.

Ps: If there are any 8th graders out there reading this who disagree with my interpretation of their lingo, I apologize. I have a few years to go before my kids reach that age!

4 Ways To Reach Your Ideal Clients:

2010-07-29T20:14:00.000-07:00

“How can I get more business?” is probably the number one question on everyone’s lips.

While there are many avenues to get to your end goal, and you need to explore them all, the following will eliminate those unnecessary steps that we often taken in search of those elusive people called ‘clients’.

1. Identify your client: While everyone may have the potential to be your client, you need to identify those people who will be your primary targets- your daily bread and butter so to speak. Spend a few minutes thinking of whom you really want to target. Is it Ad. Agencies specializing in automotive clients or perhaps Direct Mailing Agencies. Be as specific as possible.

2. Tie up with others who are already in the queue. Do some research to determine who and what are the publications, stores etc. that your ideal client reads, visits, frequents. Then speak to them to see if you can tie up with them. Affiliate programmes, link exchanges, advertising etc. are some of the ways to get onboard their sites.

3. Try indirect methods such as getting them to review your products or services, writing on their sites as a guest writer, accepting their articles onto your own website etc.

4. In addition to the above, identify which sites your clients are most likely to frequent and make yourself known as an authority figure by doing the following:

-Article Marketing, using sites such as EzineArticles.com

-Blogging- Creating your own blog and/or linking to other blogs using free blogging tools like Blogger or WordPress

-Using social networking sites such as twitter, MySpace, Facebook etc. to target a specific audience

-Using Weblinks and Web forums to get your message out (note that with web forums, an indirect approach is often the better approach. Publicizing yourself too strongly on forums may in fact backfire and get you banned from the site)

-Creating free teleseminars which offer added value to your service

-Uploading podcasts which link to the speaker’s site

-Sending out press releases when you have something newsworthy to report

-Create an ezine like Getting It Write to offer free and usable information

Learn Ali Brown's powerful list building strategies

2010-07-06T15:26:00.000-07:00

Question for you... What's the best way to grow your business without having to go out and sell every day?

Answer... Create your targeted list of prospects.

That's how you'll always have new potential buyers and new opportunities to promote your services or products...and make new sales.

But not just by filling up your mailing list with everybody and anybody. The real trick is adding interested, qualified leads who are much more likely to actually buy your product or service! As you may know, building a list properly has been a huge factor in Ali Brown's business growing from zero-figure idea into a company today that brings in millions of dollars per year.

In fact, it's so important for YOUR business growth that Ali is hosting a complimentary teleseminar to give you the latest information on list-building:

=====

"Grow That List! The 7 Streams of List-Building That Are Working Right Now"
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
7:00pm Eastern
Learn more and register here:

http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=992093

=====

On this special complimentary call, you'll learn…

* the 7 list-building "streams" you should be directing to your
site right now — to create a river of traffic

* how to create slow and steady flows of prospects as well as
fast gushes of list growth (and why you need both)

* 3 of the latest list-building methods that are relatively NEW
and that you should try

* which list-building methods are now outdated (cross these off
your to-do-list!)

* which software/applications Ali recommends to automatically
manage your list

* the MOST important thing you have to keep in mind when growing
your list

* how to get your list growing now... even if you don't have a
website yet

* details about Ali's BRAND NEW four-part telecourse on list
building that she will be personally teaching this summer!

Whether you're just starting a list for your new business, OR
you're experienced online and need a "list building checkup" to
step up your list, you'll learn how to discover new
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that will help grow your business successfully.

Ali hasn't hosted a call like this in quite a while, so don't
miss it! I sure won't!

Sign up now here to reserve your space on this complimentary call:
http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=992093

Sing Praises for AIDA

2010-06-19T13:30:00.000-07:00

AIDA is one of my favourite operas. Coincidentally, it's also the simplest, yet most effective methods of converting visitors to buyers.

Attention: The first thing to keep in mind when writing copy is – grab the reader’s attention. You do this by writing striking copy and making your product or service as attractive as possible. Your copy does not need to be long; in fact, short copy is often more attention grabbing than long winded sentences.

Interest: Get their interest going. You can do this in a number of ways- offer a bonus, a discount, a limited time offer, a guarantee. Whatever you offer, it has to be something of value to your potential customer.

Desire: This refers to their desire to have what you’re offering them- a product or service that they feel they must have, and must have now.

Action: And finally, their desire leads them to take positive action- visit your shopping cart, click on a subscribe to link or pick up the phone and call a toll free number.

While reading Jonathan Gabay’s Teach Yourself Copywriting, I learnt an expanded version of AIDA, which is AIDCA.

Convince: With all the given competition, you need to work extra hard at convincing your client that they do indeed need your product or service. This is in fact one of the most important steps in any sales pitch, and even if you’re not face to face with your prospect, your website should have an in-built convincing tool in it.

Get your copy of Teach Yourself Copywriting here:
Teach Yourself Copywriting

Dramatically boost your writing!

2010-06-08T14:57:00.000-07:00

Content is king, but what happens when you find it hard to write as much as you should? The following are quick and easy ways to get into a set routine, without the boredom that’s often attached to it:

1. Pick a time and stick to it. If you can manage to get up early, it’s probably the best time of the day to write. The world is quiet and ideas can flow freely without any distractions. After a good night’s rest, you also have the energy to jump-start your thoughts. If you are however not a morning problem, this could be a problem. I know a lot of writers who say they prefer working till 2 or 3am! I certainly am not in that category, but I have no qualms about setting my alarm for 4am to wake up and write. Pick a time which suits you and stick with it. Even if you have no work at the moment, continue to get up early (or work late) and fill this time with freewriting exercises (http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2008/12/freewriting.html), drafting query letters or even writing the first draft of a short story/novel or poem . Just keep writing.

2. Make your writing zone a private zone. You’ve heard of writers penning their bestsellers in cafes and parks, but for the most part, writers will prefer working in a quiet environment. It’s said that Stephen King wrote for days in isolation, and this is not an exception, but generally the rule to producing good, quality stuff. Shut yourself up in your office, den or any private room and get to work.

3. Forget 15 minute gurus. These are the clients who ask for 4 easy blogs per hour or writers who claim they can produce them! No one can write a draft or even a short blog in 15 minutes. Pencil in a decent number of hours per day to write and work your schedule around these hours. If you have limited time, set a timer for one hour. Use it to write. Not check emails or get distracted by the shelf that needs dusting or the plant that needs watering. Write until the timer goes off. Take a 10 minute break and if you still have time, get back to writing for another 1 hour.

4. Aim for perfection but know when to stop. There’s no such thing as a perfect article, simply because perfection in writing varies from person to person. The trick is knowing where to stop. I usually write, print and edit and make the changes, and then give it to someone to read it. If they come up with changes, I take those into consideration and then add them in if I feel they need to be included. I then read and re-read my final piece. Definitely not a 15 minute process, and it's what clients (and readers) pay for.

Interview with upcoming novelist Melissa McNallan

2010-06-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm ashamed to say I did this interview almost a month ago, and haven't had the chance to post it. But now that it's up, I hope you'll read, enjoy, and share it. Melissa is writing her first novel, and I can't wait for her to complete it. She has some great advice to offer other first time novelists. You can learn more about her work here: http://melissamcnallan.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/i-a-m/

What will your book be about? Can you give us a sneak preview?

My book, tentatively titled Independence, is about a pool hustler's daughter named Independence (Indy for short), who is desperately seeking her own independence. On the way to finding it she opens a lot of wrong doors. She leaves life on the road with her Dad behind for Billy, Billy for Patrick, Patrick for home - only to find that home doesn't fit either. For a sneak preview, the flash fiction version of a section of the novel can be viewed at http://www.facebook.com/l/07644;melissamcnallan.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/i-a-m/

How did you get started?

Ten years ago I had the idea and started writing it down. I joined a writer's group. I've been an avid reader since I was five and a dedicated journal writer from the age of 12. I had little experience beyond that back then, so I struggled to put the words and punctuation down right. My tenses switched and slipped easily.

Laurel Winter, author of the award winning book, Growing Wings, was a member of our writing group back then. She encouraged me a lot by telling me that I had a strong voice. She said that punctuation and tenses can be learned but voice is hard to teach.

I still ended up shelving the book for a while. I'd get to a certain point and just get stuck. I began to read writing magazines. I started getting work writing newspaper articles for our small town paper, getting work in a local women's magazine and finally writing a flash fiction version of I.A.M. I love revising and synthesizing, breaking a piece down to its essentials. I entered it into WOW! Women on Writing's Spring 2009 Flash Fiction competition and placed in the top 25.

Then I earned an Artist's Grant to work on a revision of my book with the assistance of a mentor during the summer of this year. If I don't complete the revision, I have to pay them back.
I highly recommend working with money on the line or as if it is.

Probably the number one reason most writers don’t write a book is because they find it hard to make the time to get started. Did you find it hard to make the time, and how did you overcome this obstacle?

With money on the line, I have come to discover the lack of time to be a bullshit trick we let our mind play on us. I've had that trick played on my mind for years! I wrote 15 chapters in six weeks while: working 30 hours a week, taking two college courses -earning A's in each, being a Mom and wife, writing a 10 minute play for Olmsted County's History Center and serving as a member of the editorial board for the Yellow Jacket Review (a community college literary magazine). Be tenacious. Keep your fingers on the keys. If you don't like sitting down, stand. I do that a lot. The laundry suffered. Those 15 chapters have organic, lovely moments in them that I'm really proud of. There's plenty of rewriting to do yet. Once I realized that I could pound out 5,0000 words in one day, the idea of revising a whole novel became much less intimidating.

Did your inspiration for this book come from a particular situation, or did you have to sit down and think up a unique idea around which to create your story?

The biggest piece of inspiration I had for this piece came back in 1996 when I took a bus from Rochester, MN to Orlando, FL to help a friend move back home. I couldn't afford a plane ticket, so I took a Greyhound bus down. I am a huge fan of Kahlil Gibran and was obsessed with Beat and '60s literature and culture. I was big into the idea "you're either on the bus or you're off the bus" as espoused in The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, so I stayed engaged and talked to people. I kept myself open. I met a man who was going to be bartending for a while in Florida and then moving back home to Portland. He was laid back, had a sweet disposition and he talked like I'd never heard anyone talk before. I gave him my address and he sent me a letter from a hotel in Portland. He served as inspiration for Indy's main guy.

That summer, on his advice, I started waitressing in a bar that was rough around the edges and had a pool table in the back. I was 18. I did my best to listen, observe and take things in. I did a lot of journaling at that time. Indy grows up in the bar scene and that comes from me kind of growing up in that scene myself. Like many 18 year olds I didn't know nearly as much about life as I thought I did.

Any other words of wisdom?

Listen to people, really listen. I think developing an authentic voice and strong dialogue comes from that. Then listen to your characters. Be patient, they'll talk. Everyone has the ability to hear their characters talk and to be lead by them, you just have to stay relaxed and open to possibility.

Actors have to really listen to each other when they're working or they come off as being generic and 2-dimensional. I think the same is true for writing.

Outsourcing to get a life

2010-05-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I last wrote on this blog, as I've been swamped- with work, the kids' activities, a car which needed fixing... the list is endless.

And then one day last week, I received not one, but four emails from blog and marketing experts I subscribe to - John Chow, Jonathan Volk, Jeremy Schoemaker, and Yaro Starak about John Reese's outsourcing. My inbox was flooded with reasons as to why I should subscribe, and NOW!

I didn't, and his program is filled, so I'm interested to see the feedback it receives. Incidentally, have you noticed that most marketing gurus have John or Jeremy as their first name? That aside, the reason I've linked to their sites is because they do offer great advice. My own advice to you though, is to select one or two of them to begin with. Most of them make their money via affiliate programs, and if it's a popular offer (like John Reese's coaching), you'll get the same message from all of them.

Anyway, it got me thinking about the services I outsource in my life. I did consider outsourcing my housekeeping, but at CA$130 for two hours, that's sometimes more than what I make! So that leaves me with the occasionally babysitter for evenings, the sitter for the kids when I'm working, summer programs to keep them busy and out of my hair, my site's web design and maintenance, and my accounting and financial matters. I haven't started outsourcing extra work like some writers do, but that's something to consider.

Any ideas on what else a freelancer can outsource to maximize time and efficiency? Write me.

And in the meantime, I'm off to scrub the sink and load the dishes!

eBooks and their money making potential

2010-05-16T09:25:00.000-07:00

I’ve been writing eBooks for a long time now on a variety of topics- business, health and wellness, and even a Feng Shui eBook for a client who was getting into the Feng Shui business. I’ve always enjoyed writing them and they are a great way to make money.

eBooks are often ghostwritten, in that their writers do not take credit for the material written. Not a problem- if you don’t mind your name not appearing on the site, then ghostwriting jobs do pay well. Novice freelance writers can charge anywhere between $10-$30 per page, and that’s only for the writing. If you’ve been asked to design it as well, then you can go above this amount, bearing in mind that you will have to deliver a top quality design with a linked TOC (Table of Content).

If you’ve never written an eBook before, I recommend buying some books or visiting some sites before you start bidding for a job. One of my favourites is a book created by Jim Edwards, and Joe Vitale. Jim is a journalist and writer and have worked on a number of eBooks. Joe Vitale is a legend in himself, having helped over 200 authors write their books. Both these gentlemen have years of writing experience, so when they put their heads together and came up with, How to write and publish your own Outrageously Profitable eBook in as little as 7 days, you know it’s a winner.

In this ebook, you’ll learn:
-The secrets to creating an ebook that sells like crazy
-How to quickly avoid the #1 Mistake authors make that causes them to take months or years to write a book... so you can finish in just a few days.
-The absolute "bullet-proof" best ebook to write and sell online -FAST.
-The "right" way to publish your ebook so virtually everyone connected to the Internet can buy it and read it.
-3 *Proven* methods for turning out a highly profitable ebook in record time• The "7 Commandments" of ebook formatting

You can order your copy of How to write and publish your own Outrageously Profitable eBook in as little as 7 days here, and remember, there’s a return guarantee if you decide that ebook writing is not for you.

Once you’ve written your ebook, if it’s for a client, he/she will most likely want it delivered in a word or Pdf format, which they directly upload on their sites. On the other hand, if you’ve written your ebook to sell it for profit, you’ll need to self publish it. One great site to visit is eBook Mall Publishing Center. Here, they’ll help you with formatting and publishing your ebook, so it’s ready to be uploaded and sold!

On Becoming A Novelist, with Michael C. Bernard

2010-05-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

As a freelance writer, I know I harbour a dream of one day writing a novel. But where do I begin and what do I write about? The problem is not that I don’t have any ideas- I have too many ideas, and too little time. So it was fascinating that I could pick the brains of a published author, and see how he came up with the time, ideas and determination to complete his book.

Michael C. Bernard has been writing steadily for six years, mainly short stories and articles for smaller magazines and writing sites. Recovering Roads is his first endeavour at bigger fiction, examining a youthful story of adventure and hope in desperate times. He lives and writes on the west coast of Ireland. Read on to see how he made the move from freelance writer, to published novelist.

Most writers always dream of one day writing their very own novel. You are on your second one. And like most readers of this blog, you began your career writing for magazines and writing sites. How did you make this transition?

Okay, well moving from one area of writing to another is not as difficult as we first imagine. With only a small shift of focus, it is actually more achievable than we think. Because I am an avid reader and I love reading great fiction, as well as, good books on writing fiction, I’ve always found that my pen was willing to roam, wander and dabble in things - just a little more creative, than say, writing letter’s or articles. It has to begin initially with the fiction itself. If this is what the author is aiming for, then a short story is crucial. Get it out there fast, so people can read it. The feedback which will come back to you is always better than you expect – can and will inspire you to try something bigger, as it was for my first book “Recovering Roads.” If you are already comfortable writing for magazines, sites or blogs, then you’ll already be familiar with that crucial kind of feedback. Try something new, write something else....

Is there any special training you’d recommended a writer take before he or she sits down to write a novel?

Yes, grab a pen and paper, then sit down and read, read, read, read, especially in the genre you like! Writers are incredibly friendly souls who just love to share their very own insights, hints and tips. Needless to say, there are some truly excellent books available for aspiring author’s who’d like to learn more or basically enhance their craft. Books for beginners which currently spring to mind and have helped me out more than once; would be the likes of Stephen Kings “A memoir of the craft” Julia Cameron’s “The artist’s way” And for a complete concise set of gritty and oily details “The Nuts and bolts of writing” by Michael Legat - is a must!

Although, to have these tools is marvellous, the spirit to write is a very personal one and must strongly be there in order to begin. My advice would be to be brave with the page, just write what feels right at the start, the nuts and bolts can come later.

We hear of drafts and half completed ideas gathering dust in drawers. How long did it take for you to complete your first novel, and what was the key reason you persevered to get to the finish line?

I felt I had a story to tell, my novel seems to fall under the category of “ Fictionalized Reality” which also seems to be a bit of a buzzword today, it was directly constructed from personal experience and so, the nostalgia present in my memories, made me say to myself, “ wouldn't it be great if people heard this story.” I admit, the concept for me was an arduously long one, but I am a bit of a perfectionist and it took me three years dissecting a first draft before I was ready to release it. Perseverance, I feel, tends to come within the writing itself. You can get so involved with your character’s lives and the story; it is almost like it begins to play out once more. Again, I feel it’s personal and how much an Author really wants to tell a particular story....

How would you describe the new book you’re working on?

Well, after writing the first, I’ve gained much more experience & confidence which I’m hoping will make this book shine... I’m writing a mystery set at Christmas, a whodunit, where an unlikely bunch come together because they are just where they are - and have no other place to go. There’s a wild party, kids sliding on sleds and a burglary in the vicinity where a highly renowned member of society is found dead. It’s also a collection on the lives of these people and an exploration of what brought them to this place, at this particular point in time, so it skips back into their past to give the reader a fascinating insight. Dare I say, it’s full of charm, romance, rock and roll and all the trimmings of the festive season – watch out people! LOL

How do you derive your characters? Are your scenes based on real-life people and situations?

In a nutshell yes, but you must remember, characters will always unravel all by themselves and begin to take on a life of their own, simply because of the author’s own personal views and perceptions. While you may have a grand idea of somebody who’d make a wonderful character in your book, in theory, they may have similar traits, but you cannot know everything about them, which is good, because the characters begin to live and breathe alone - and this is what you’re aiming for. As for the situations, well, in order to begin, you need to first have a plot in mind. The more interesting this will be, will always determine how fascinating the characters turn out to be.

Do you believe anyone can write a novel, or does an author require certain special traits?

I believe anybody can write a novel. Of course, good grammatical skills are imperative, as is the basic love and respect for literature, language and the arts and a strong personal wish to tell a good tale and share it with others. Unfortunately, it is true that writing is not for everybody, this is perhaps why a lot of potentially good manuscripts end up dusty.... It’s more of a vocation than a hobby and the will and patience has to be there from the outset, so, the author is at least enjoying what he or she is doing - with no other reason for doing it, and a full commitment to see it through. I think if these traits are there, then sure, yeah, anyone can write a novel.

Any other words of wisdom you’d like to share with our readers?

I’d like to thank you so much for the interview and to say a big hi to the readers here and perhaps introduce my own book, plugged somewhere above LOL The best advice I feel I can give is that the author themselves will know deep down if they have what it takes, however, long that process for them will take. For anyone who really wants to write a novel but is perhaps afraid to begin or make a mistake, know that we've all been there and please, send out that short story or join that writer’s circle and never be afraid to share your work. Remember, it’s not the grammar or punctuation that stands out at the beginning; it’s your own voice, your own unique way of seeing things and sharing things, just as important as the next person’s, so don’t afraid to say whatever comes to your mind.

Julia Cameron, in her book “the artists’ way” speaks of morning pages, which is pretty much a notepad kept close by and in the morning when you wake, write three pages very quickly without dwelling, of whatever is on the tip of your tongue. Don’t look back, just, keep doing this for about two weeks initially. Well, let me tell you - those morning pages for me have turned into evening pages, night time pages, out and about pages, the beginnings of poems, short stories, character’s dialog. It is truly amazing what you can and will write when you allow yourself the freedom to do so. Most of all have fun; it’s what being creative and artistic is all about.

My very best wishes and high regards to all the aspiring Author’s and Writer’s here and good luck with that first book!

You can learn more about Michael here: http://www.facebook.com/MikeC.Bernard

What do you think?

2010-05-09T09:27:00.000-07:00

I received this from one of my readers:

Dear Usha

Thank you for the most informative emails that keep popping through my inbox. These are always very helpful.

May I query something with you? A friend has asked me to go over an ms in which the writer has used names of well known places and people but giving them a slight twist, e.g. Harrod's becomes Harood's, Buckingham Palace becomes Buck Ham Palace, and Westminster Abbey becomes Eastminster Abbey. The writer has also used well known first names of people and then added different surnames which are quite similar to the names of the real people, and has them doing the same jobs.

I am not comfortable with this and am of the opinion that the writer should rather make up names that are very different from the original ones as although the story is not libellous or defamatory in anyway it such doesn't seem right.
What is your opinion? I'd love to hear from you.

Since then, I posted it on Facebook and asked a couple of friends what they thought, and the general consensus has been: If it's a paying editing job and she feels there's no malice or legal complications which will arise from this, then she should take the job.

Others have written to me saying that it's very uncreative on the part of the author create characters using real first names and jobs. And, in certain instances, it can give rise to legal issues, especially if the characters are completely recognizable.

I know from writing for magazines that if you want to use a person's real name, you need to get them to sign a waiver.

So, what do you'll think? I'd love to hear from you.

Making Millions With Ali Brown and Anne McKevitt

2010-05-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

Were you on the recent call, "Your First Million: Keys to Creating Your Business Cash
Windfall," with Ali Brown and her business mentor, Anne McKevitt?

If for some reason you couldn't make it, Ali and Anne have announced a BRAND
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overcome these barriers and create your million-dollar destiny.

=========================

"50 Reasons Why You Haven't Made Your First Million... Yet:
Life-changing advice to redirect your financial destiny"
8-Week Telecourse with Anne McKevitt
May 11 - June 29, 2010
Get all the details here now.

=========================

Here's a sampling of what you'll gain from this eight-part
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*The 50 REAL reasons that consistently obligate people to a
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*Specific tools and simple steps to creating "neural" pathways'
that redirect your financial destiny -- and what you need to STOP
doing right now that's getting in your own way

*How your vision AND your habits shape your future -- and
step-by-step strategies for creating the right habits to
fast-forward your business and personal success

*BONUS: You get specially-designed worksheets, forms, a
"mindmap," and daily log to keep you on track, PLUS transcripts
and MP3 recordings of every call!

=========================

Every day you wait is another day that those unconscious barriers
stop you from breaking through to your first million. This course is being offered only ONCE... and it starts on Tuesday, May 11.

I and three of my students will be registering for it, and if you'd like to, here's the link:
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Love and Success!
Usha

Bookkeeping Basics For Freelance Writers

2010-05-02T19:06:00.000-07:00

I admire my friend and writer Brigitte A. Thompson very much. She's the author of eight financial books including the just released Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers published by Crystal Press. If you find yourself making a good income as a freelance writer, but struggling to get your finances in order, this books helps you make sense of it all.

Brigitte is currently working on a new book, and takes some time to share her thoughts on Bookkeeping for Freelance Writers.

Tell us what Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers is about.

Writers have many important questions to ask about income and expenses, but no single source for answers. I created this book, Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers, to be that source. It is an easy-to-understand guide to organizing a writer’s financial life.

This book addresses issues writers face daily such as how to deduct travel expenses, determine taxable writing income, and claim home office deductions. Navigating through the recordkeeping required for a small business owner can be difficult. This book is written exclusively for those of us who earn money by writing.

Readers will also find that each part of this book works together to assist in forming an overall business plan. The chapters take the writer through a comprehensive process that works as a building block towards a successful writing business.

Have you found that freelance writers require a different set of bookkeeping rules?

Many bookkeeping rules are universal such as the requirement to record income, but there are some areas of the tax law that are of more interest to freelance writers. This includes dealing with royalty payments, bartering, personal property and agent fees. My book addresses the universal tax rules as well as the infrequently discussed rules that apply specifically to freelance writers.

Learning how to document expenses and how to track income will give writers the best chance at overall business success.

What are some tax deductions that freelance writers might not be aware of?

There are many tax deductions available to writers. Some expenses are common, such as the cost of purchasing a case of paper or paying for a computer software upgrade. Other costs incurred in the operation of your writing business may not jump out at you as expenses when they could be. For example, consider the following accounts.

Mileage: Trips made in your vehicle to pick up office supplies can be counted as a business deduction if you record the proper information to support it.

Meals: Treating your agent to a restaurant meal with the discussion focusing on your next book can also generate a tax deduction when properly documented.

Shipping: UPS charges and postage used to mail a query or review copy of your book can be a small expense, but it should still be tracked. Those small deductions add up and every penny spent as a qualified business expense will reduce the amount of income tax you owe.

Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers devotes an entire chapter to expenses including a comprehensive listing of expenses and detailed information regarding what documentation is required to support each one.

I'm sure you've observed other freelance writers making accounting missteps that cost them time and money. What are some of the most common issues and how can we avoid them?

The most common misstep I’ve seen with writers is not taking themselves seriously as business owners. This can lead to financial pitfalls. Many writers have been honing their craft for years so it’s hard to identify an official starting date for their self-employment. Without this point to mark the beginning, it is easy to put off tracking income and expenses. This can be an unfortunate mistake.

The IRS will consider you to be in business when you are actively pursuing projects intended to generate income and expenses. This means they will expect you to file a tax return to report those transactions. Keeping track of your income and expenses from day one will enable you to pay the least amount of income taxes on the money you earn.

Many people find numbers, especially when related to bookkeeping and taxes, intimidating. Will this book make these things easier to understand"?

Yes, my book breaks down complicated number crunching into easy to follow steps. By reading the book, readers will understand why it's important to keep certain receipts and how those pieces of paper factor into the overall success of their writing business. Sometimes knowing the reasoning behind a task makes it easier to complete.

Writers can take advantage of some wonderful tax deductions, but only when they are aware of the possibility and know how to accurately document the expenses. My book explains it all in a reader friendly format.

What are some of the challenges readers face with regards to bookkeeping?

I found the most common challenge writers face revolves around what they can claim as income and what counts as a tax deduction. For example, if their first job is writing the school newsletter, is the money received really income? Do they need to do something with the Internal Revenue Service before they can be considered a business? How do they handle self- employment tax?

The second most common concern for the freelance writers is related to proper documentation. What receipts did they need to save? How should they be kept? What information needs to be recorded to prove the expense? These are all great questions and they are addressed in the book.

Why is it important for writers to understand bookkeeping?

Writers are earning money and this money needs to be reported as income on their income tax return. If writers do not have any expenses to claim, their taxable income will be higher and they will owe more income tax.

Understanding what can be claimed as business expenses when you are a writer and how to properly document these expenses will help ensure the success of your business.

The most important thing you can do as a writer is to become organized. There are many books available on how to organize your writing, but this is the best book available about how to organize the financial side of your writing business.

Obviously, your book is a great place for writers to get information on bookkeeping. Are there are any other resources you recommend?

Yes, I recommend writers visit the IRS web site to research specific tax issues and the Small Business Administration for general business information.

I also recommend joining professional associations for writers such as American Society of Journalists and Authors, The Authors Guild and National Writers Union. There are many groups to choose from so consider the benefits of membership before joining.

How can we purchase your book?

Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers is available through Amazon.com and my publisher. Any local bookstore can order my book by ISBN-10: 0963212389 or ISBN-13: 978-0963212382. List price is $17.95.

If you want to learn more about Bookkeeping Basics for Freelance Writers, visit Brigitte’s Web Site for the Book.

Building a Freelance Career on a Budget

2010-04-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

If you’ve just started out your freelancing career and making a pittance, the one thing you don’t want to do is give up your regular job. But how about if you’ve been laid off and are trying to make ends meet? You’ll have no extra money to spend on your freelancing career, and here’s where learning to cut costs helps. The following are five areas you can try and reduce your spending budget in:

1. Phone and net bills: Do you really need to have a landline, work phone and cell phone? Can you make do with one? If so, then give up the remaining connections, and check with your service providers to see which one will offer you the best deal. Bundling a phone and Internet connection can prove cheaper, but surprisingly, not always so. So double check to see how you can get the lowest rates possible.

2. Web hosting: You will eventually need a website to showcase your portfolio and direct clients to. Be sure to check around for some good webhosting deals before you make a decision. One such webhosting site is Bluehost, where for as little as USD 6.75 per month, you can setup and start your own site. There are no hidden fees, and a free domain is included. I’ve used them for over 2 years, and highly recommend them. If you do plan to sign on, I appreciate you going through my affiliate link here.

3. Software: You do need basic software and I use Mozilla which works really well. I also have Microsoft outlook, but you don’t need to have more than one software to begin with. MS Word is a popular choice, but it does cost a pretty package to buy and install the software. An option to consider is jarte , which is a free word processing software based on the Microsoft WordPad word processing engine.

4. Hardware: You can pick up refurbished computers, printers and even phones for a fraction of the price of a new one. Laptops especially lose value very quickly, so scout around before you rush to buy a new one.

5. Marketing: And finally, you do need to market yourself, but you don’t have to do so on a big budget. Consider setting up a free blog using Blogger or WordPress. I started my blog on Blogger, and it’s a really easy site to use. But if I had to do it again, I would use WordPress, because it’s more professional and has a lot more options. Once you’ve done this, tap into social networking sites like twitter and Facebook and use them to promote yourself. You can also design and print inexpensive business cards at VistaPrint and give them out whenever you meet someone new (even if they don’t immediately come across as being potential clients).

So there you have it- 5 great ways in which to save money and promote yourself as a freelancer.

Key Sentence: A Great Tool For SEO Writing

2010-04-23T13:45:00.000-07:00

If you write ads for clients, you know how difficult it can be to get the correct keywords. And with almost everything being online, it’s all about SEO to get high rankings. I personally recommend sites like Google Adwords which allow you to check your keywords. But I recently came across a tool called the Key Sentence. It allows you to type in your sentence to test your key phrases and sentences and get a “score” for them. Think you may be able to do better? Simply alter the words to see if you are able to score higher.

The site itself is rather basic looking and funnily enough, the grammar on it is not 100% correct. But it’s a web application, and it works. So if you write a lot of SEO material for yourself or your clients, then check it out:
http://efbf2p34dm0a6yd7jp37wgpgd3.hop.clickbank.net/

Love and success
Usha

Guest Post: The World Of Online Copywriting

2010-04-22T18:56:00.000-07:00

Online copywriting has become a multi-billion dollar resource for companies that utilize the Internet. There are ads, publications, banners, websites and articles that are written by freelance copywriters through the Internet. Copywriting persuades or draws attention to whatever is being promoted. Good online copywriting invites a person to actually read the ad whereas bad copywriting can quickly be navigated away from.

The Internet has turned into a billion dollar revenue source for thousands and thousands of companies throughout the world. Online copywriting is more often associated with a form of article called a Search Engine Optimized (SEO) article. The SEO copywriter writes articles, varying in lengths, to fit a series of keywords or phrases that will turn up prominently in an Internet search through such search engines as Google or Yahoo.

The web copywriter must be Internet savvy. Often links are used within the article that will direct the reader to an additional webpage. Online copywriting is a valuable tool used by companies who want to reach a wider demographic audience. Many website articles are tailored to meet the demands the customers are expecting and as a way to draw potential visitors in, the web copywriter must have online copywriting articles that are suited to that audience.

Words have power. We see that day in and day out through the commercials and ads we see each day. But one form of online copywriting we do not often take into consideration when thinking about copywriting in general is that essays or reviews against a particular subject are considered a form of marketing. Take for example the government and organization ads against smoking. The articles and commercials are very much against use of any form of tobacco. Their use of health statistics show the detrimental effects that smoking has on our bodies, not only as a tobacco user, but through second hand smoke as well.

As more people turn to the Internet for personal enjoyment, shopping and to stay informed, online copywriting will continue to be a formidable force to be reckoned with. Jobs will be created and the opportunities to advance in this career field will continue to rise. If you find yourself intrigued by the idea of being a copywriter, it is definitely worth checking into.

Networking and Joint Promotion Opportunities for Writers/Editors

2010-04-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

I'd like to make this blog a little more interactive, and a little more about 'you' too. So I've given it some thought and come up with these ideas. Let me know if anyone is interested (and I hope a lot of you are), and we can chat further.

1. I’ll be happy to do an interview with you on www.writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com. This would be similar to an earlier one I did: http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2009/06/bookkeeping-basics-for-freelance.html

2. Host a Guest Post. You can see an example here: http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2009/07/why-every-writer-should-also-be-editor.html

3. Paste a short bio or paragraph talking of your site or work.

The posts will automatically get promoted via twitter, facebook and linkedin.

Just remember they should all be related to writing/editing/freelancing, or even marketing, and I will need to approve/edit the guest posts and bios. With regards to the interview, we can come up with relevant topics together.

Love and success,

Usha

Creative Ways To Generate Ideas

2010-04-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

Ideas are everywhere, but nowhere to be found when you most need them. Which is why most writers complain of 'writers block' when it comes to generating those much needed 'lightbulb' moments.

Here are some ways which have helped me in the past and may help you nudge your noggin into some creative thought:

Read outside the box: Most often we are told to write about what we know. But it's great to take a break from (Online marketing and health and wellness for me) your routine topics and grab a book or a magazine you wouldn't normally touch. Read it, skim through it, and you might be surprised at the thoughts that pop into your brain (including in some instances- whatever was I thinking by checking this book out from the library!)

Play a brain game: Gather your friends and family around you and pass out pieces of paper and pencils. Then take turns in shouting out a word, e.g Black and see what comes of it- Laundering black money, Ways to clean a blackened pot, Games to play during a blackout etc.

Shake it up: Get out of your 9am - 5pm (or in my case, 5am - 3pm) routine, and do something different. It's often hard to make new friends or meet people with a similar interest if you are sitting behind your computer in your home office. Stir the pot a bit and join a club or a class. I've recently committed myself to going for yoga classes twice a week. Granted, it's not an active sport, which is what I also need to reduce my expanding waistline ;), but I've already chatted with some friendly, wonderful people. And I feel good about myself. It's also providing me with an insight into community and rec centers and how they work - I smell several stories already.

So, the next time you're stuck for ideas and have run out of magazines to inspire you, try doing one of the above instead.

What do you do to generate ideas?

Getting in touch with your inner grammatical Goddess (or God)

2010-04-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

As we’ve often seen, there are plenty of freelance writing myths which hound us to our early retirement. One such myth is that you have to have a journalism background or an English degree to become a successful freelance writer. If this were the case, most freelance writers would be out of a job. It doesn’t matter you’re background, but what matters is that you put it to good use. A stay at home parent with two kids? Look for ideas that would appeal to parenting magazines or websites. A yoga instructor with an interest in acupressure? Holistic websites will welcome you.

What you do need to have is a good grasp of the English language (or language you’ll be writing in) and ensure your work is grammatically correct. If you rely on MS Word spell check tools, you could be in a lot of trouble. As a writer, your editing skills need to be perfect. Nothing will annoy an editor or employer more than receiving a query letter or proposal which is filled with grammatical errors, and sentences which don’t read well.

Invest in a few dictionaries and grammar guides and use them, or ask someone to help you edit your work before its sent out.

And if you think you never make mistakes, read on to see if your guilty of any of the following:

It’s versus Its : The former is a contraction of It is, or It has. The latter is a possessive pronoun. If you are unsure, say the sentence out loud, e.g. It is a lovely morning (It’s a lovely morning), and The cat chased its toy around the room.

Your versus You’re: Again, this is a fairly simple mistake to avoid. Your is a possessive pronoun- This is your book, and You’re refers to You Are, as in, You’re disturbing me, let me work.

Affect versus Effect: This one is probably one of the most common mistakes made, and I always have to think twice before I use either word in a sentence. Affect is a verb. For e.g. Your inability to articulate will affect the outcome of this meeting. Effect is a noun as in The effect it had on him was magical.

I, Me and Myself: I is a subjective pronoun and as such it belongs in the subject of a sentence. A simple way to figure this out is to remove the second person from the sentence: Give the toy to Bob and I – remove Bob and you are left with, Give the toy to I. Is that correct? Of course not, so replace I with me. Myself is a reflective pronoun and should be used only when you’ve referred to yourself already: e.g. I myself would not do this.

Still think you’ve got it all in the bag. Have you spotted the FOUR grammatical mistakes in this post?

Hope To See You Here!

2010-04-10T10:08:00.001-07:00

Hello,

A quick updates as to the social networking sites I'm active on. Hope to catch some of you there!

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Write-Choice-For-You/109945982368723

http://www.facebook.com/people/Usha-Krishnan-Sliva/100000931725208

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/UshaSliva

LinkedIn:
http://ca.linkedin.com/in/ushakrishnansliva

Quick Fix Social Networking Tools

2010-04-04T12:17:00.000-07:00

I write mainly for coaches and motivational speakers, and in this context, I write a lot of SEO related articles. In fact, I specialize in writing on Social Media, so it seems a bit strange that I did not make the time to get my business- Write Choice For You- onto Facebook.

The reason for this is simple: my day is divided into a)Finding suitable writing jobs, b) Working on the projects I elect to undertake, and c) Marketing my skills and the company via various online and offline plans. If the former two occupy a lot of my time, than the latter must suffer, as it has been for the last two months. Can I complain? Of course not. if money comes in, that's good! And since I work a short work-day, something has to give. In another 6-12 months, I hope to be able to extend my working hours and that's when a stronger marketing plan will need to kick in.

In the meantime, I'm always looking for shortcuts to help me build up my marketing on a tight time-frame. And so when I came across the following links, I was thrilled. The former show you easy ways to upload/update your business on Facebook:

http://kristenluke.wordpress.com/2009/07/26/how-to-setup-a-facebook-business-page/#comment-726

http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/07/28/8-tips-for-effectively-updating-your-facebook-page/

These are sites which will allow you to write out your posts and set a time and date for when you want them sent out. They also have other nifty features like letting you automatically unfollow those who have unfollowed you, and tallying statistics as to the number of posts versus your followers.

http://www.tweetdeck.com/
http://www.socialoomph.com/
http://www.tweet-u-later.com/

Do you have any marketing tools that provide quick fixes? Write and let me know.

Build Up Your Business By PLANNING In Advance

2010-03-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

Am back from Mexico - tanned, rested and looking forward to plunging back into work. For those of you who follow my ezine, Getting It Write!, the last issue contained an article on the importance of a marketing plan, and why every business should have one.

I'll be including the plan that I use to grow my business in my next ezine (due out on the 31st March 2010), so don't forget to subscribe to it. It's fast and free to do so, and I guarantee, it comes with a lot of advice and free goodies.

And speaking of goodies, here are some excellent free resources you can use to build around your own plans:

Create Your Own SWOT Analysis:

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/worksheets/SWOTAnalysisWorksheet.pdf

Build Your Business Plan(You may need to modify them for your own business)

http://www.bplans.com/sample_business_plans.cfm

Craft Your Goal Plans

www.businessballs.com/goal_planning.htm

Enjoy!

Why your business needs a social media plan.

2010-03-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

If you've been contemplating expanding your business into the social media platform, this article might help you make a decision : http://www.mninteractive.com/business-social-media-plan#more-972

It's great to be on the MN Interactive team and as the blog is new, your comments, thoughts and feedback there surely would be appreciated!

And now, am off to Mexico for week,so keep an eye out for my next post/download on a One-Page Marketing Plan, when I return.

Enjoy!

What do you indulge in?

2010-03-18T15:51:00.001-07:00

All work and no play does make Jack (and Jill) rather dull. My last ezine, Getting It Write! carried a question in it: What do you indulge in?

Some of my top indulgences include:

• Taking an extra half hour out of my schedule to go for a run.
• Tea with milk and sugar
• Truffles
• Getting my hair washed at the parlour
• Indian curries
• Reading a novel before I nod off to sleep

Glynis from Cyprus has these as hers:

• Dark chocolate
• Manicure and Pedicure
• Agios Onouphrios red wine
• Sitting writing next to my jasmine on a balmy afternoon
• Picnic with DH on the beach

Alison says:
• Olives
• Window shopping
• A glass of red wine

Marta says:

• A walk on the beach
• Dark chocolate
• Coffee with extra sugar
• A babysitter (for my toddler)
• Date night with my husband

Mike says:

• A movie
• Good Italian wine
• Venice
• Sitting down with a good book for an hour of undisturbed reading

• Anything with cream
• A bubble bath
• A stroll in the mall
• A good glass of brandy
• Getting to write without the kids popping in every half hour

Beata says:

• A good book and an hour to read it
• A girls night out
• A trip to the spa
• Shopping for clothes before my cheque’s come in
• An Indian head massage

What's yours??

Pant In America

2010-03-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

I got the following email from Margie Wilson from South Africa:

Dear Usha

Having watched some TV programmes on fashion from Canada and America recently, the use of the word 'pant' came up a few times. Now I am not talking about the effect of heavy breathing, but of an item of apparel. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word as PANTS taken from the word pantaloons and the word Trousers (also with an s), the reasoning here being that there are two trouser legs making a pair of trousers or two pant legs making a pair of pants - one can't have this in the singular unless you are the proverbial one legged man or woman. My question is therefore, why is 'pant' (singular) used by American and Canadians? The dictionary definition is very precise in this regard. I find it quite fascinating how the language that we speak has so many variations from country to country.

Thank you for your interesting articles which continue to pop up in my mail box. Rest assured that they are enjoyed and have been of great interest.

Kind regards
Margie Wilson
South Africa

It’s true, I did have to relearn the term pants when we moved to North America. But there are so many terms that are interchanged: e.g. I used to use the word pavement for footpath, but here, the pavement is the road, and footpath is sidewalk).

With regards to finding a suitable explanation for the term pants, this is what I got from the BBC website:

In America, a 'pair of pants' refers to an item of clothing used to cover the entire lower torso and pelvic region of the body, but often also includes clothing that covers from the hip right down to the ankle. If the article of clothing doesn't cover the knees and below, it is usually referred to as 'shorts' or something, even though it's really still a pair of pants.

In England, a 'pair of pants' refers to an item of clothing used to cover the main areas of the lower region of the body (from hip down to just below the groin). Pants are usually covered (at least in public) with another article of clothing called 'trousers'. Trousers cover the body from below the torso to above the feet, and Americans call trousers pants.

What Americans refer to as 'shorts' or 'underwear' is actually a pair of pants to the British. Americans are much less specific in the definition than the British. In America, trousers are called pants and pants are called shorts or underpants. In Great Britain, underpants are called pants and pants are called trousers. British speaking people generally find this more amusing than American speaking people, who oftentimes don't understand why the Brits are laughing at them.

Pants is generally used as a plural word. It’s actually only in North American fashion catalogues that you’ll see it being used in a single form: Pant (as does the word, tight). Does that answer you question Margie?

For the insanely curious, the ones who ask how the word pants came about, its origin is rather interesting. It can be traced back to Pantaleon, the 4th Century Roman Catholic patron saint of Venice. He was so revered by the Venetians, that they actually began to be referred to as Pantaloni. Fast forward a couple of centuries and a Venetian character in Italian commedia dell’arte who was the butt of the clown’s jokes and who always appeared wearing pantaloons was called Pantalone. The abbreviation of Pantaloons of course is, Pants.

And why are pants generally used in the plural?

Words for garments below the waist (and with two parts or ‘legs’ all seem to be used in plural throughout history: A pair of breeches, panties, tights, trousers, and of course, pants. By strange contrast, those used items of clothing above the waist are singular: bra, signet, vest etc.

So, thanks for the question Margie. I sure learnt something new today!

Are You Undercharging Your Clients?

2010-03-01T13:17:00.000-08:00

Even the most experienced of freelance writers can sometimes get stuck when it comes to setting a rate for a project. Unlike working in a 9-5 office job, where salaries, overhead costs and profits are factored into a project bid, when it comes to freelancing, most writers tend to charge what they think is a fair price. But how do you know what’s a fair price?

If you've ever been in a position where you've found it hard to think up a bid price, you're not alone. Sign up for my free ezine, Getting It Write! to find out what methods writers usually use to set their freelance writing rates.

To sign up for this free thrice monthly ezine, simply fill in your name and email address in the box to the right of this post. And as an additional thank you, I'll send you my free report on 'Becoming A Freelance Writer'.

Ps: I hate spam as much as you do. Your email is kept confidential and if you'd like to unsubscribe, you can do so at anytime.

Hope to see u soon!

Winter Olympics 2010 in Vancouver

2010-02-12T06:09:00.000-08:00

We're really excited, the Olympics start in Vancouver today. The kids have the day off from school, and I'm making some time too - so you'll find us in front of our telly watching some of the ceremonies.

For those who'd like to view the Olympic Village and get a better idea of what Vancouver's downtown looks like, here's an excellent link: http://www.aerialphotoimage.com/panoramas/GreaterVancouver/OlympicVillageVancouver.html

Click on the cameras to get a close up shot, or drag to the selection you want.

Hope you enjoy it!

What Editors Really Want (In A Query Letter)

2010-02-09T19:48:00.000-08:00

The following link is to an article I had written for my ezine, Getting It Write! It's a summary of what editors really want to see in query letters.

Brigitte Thompson, author of Bookkeeping Basics For Freelance Writers, runs a super blog entitled Writers In Business. She liked the article and has very kindly published it on her popular site. You can view it here:

http://writersinbusiness.blogspot.com/2010/02/what-editors-really-want-in-query.html

Hope you enjoy it!

If you'd like to subscribe to Getting It Write!, please fill in the box to the right of this post or on www.writechoiceforyou.com. This well-followed thrice monthly ezine is free, and caters to novice and experienced freelance writers.

Social Networking: Why Your Freelance Business Needs It

2010-02-07T21:17:00.000-08:00

Mention Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter a decade ago and you would have got a blank look from your clients and colleagues. In fact, the very term social networking is a recently coined one. Yet, with the inception of these sites, corporations large and small have jumped on the bandwagon, most claiming to see results and business growth within months of adopting these new marketing techniques.

As a freelance business owner, what are the implications a social networking site has on your business?

For one, using a networking site to boost your campaign can be a cost effective strategy. It is also interactive, allowing you to pull in more visitors. And finally, it’s allows you to grow your visibility with 24 hour, 7 days a week marketing strategies which can be easily implemented by even those with basic Net knowledge.

Select your correct target audience and you’ll find a social networking site that allows you to effectively target them. Need feedback or advice? You’ll find a site appropriate for that too. Want to gain a larger audience following? There’s a site for that, and so it goes on. Cultivating individual and personalized relationships will allow you to forger stronger client relationships.

Some of the sites to network on include:

Twitter- www.twitter.com
Facebook – www.facebook.com
Myspace – www.myspace.com
Youtube – www.youtube.com
LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com
Friendster – www.friendster.com
Stumbleupon – www.stumbleupon.com
Hi5 - www.hi5.com/
Stickam - www.stickam.com

FREE Teleseminar TODAY on 'How To Build A Successful Brand'

2010-01-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

In order for you to stand out against your competitors, you need two things: Great writing skills and good BRANDING. Yet, most of us don't focus enough on the brand we're building.

One person who's built her brand (and business) up exceedingly quick is my favorite success story: Ali Brown. And today she's offering a FREE teleseminar on how it's done.

It's called, "Behind the Scenes of a Million Dollar Brand, & How to Create
Your Own." It happens TONIGHT, January 26 at 8pm Eastern.

Ali is the living proof that rebranding your business can take you from the kitchen table to one of Inc 500's fastest growing businesses. So join over 2,000 people who have signed up for this *free* call already.

Guiding Ali through her business transformation was her mentor, Anne McKevitt, known as "the billion dollar woman." Anne will join Ali on the call and demystify the branding process and make it accessible to entrepreneurs like yourselves.

(Ready to reserve your spot now? Get all the info here:
http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=992093)

On this free call with Ali and Anne you'll learn:
* Exactly WHEN is the time you need a brand for your business to
move forward

* Should your brand be YOU the person... or a company name?
(Anne's answer may surprise you)

* What's involved in creating and building a brand (it's more
than a logo)

* How Ali took her brand from successful solo-preneur to Inc.
500-ranked international multimedia maven, step by step

* Anne's views on social networking (like Facebook and Twitter)
for branding, and what she said on stage at Shine that ticked
many people off!

* Details about the exciting new "Million Dollar Brand Secrets"
telecourse you can participate in, taught personally by Anne
McKevitt herself!

Again, learn more and register for this complimentary call
TONIGHT, 8 pm Eastern at:
http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=992093

I'll be on the call. Hope to see u there too.

Happy brand building!

Usha

Why You Must Read

2010-01-23T07:29:00.000-08:00

Anon and I have been having a conversation with regards to books. It started after he read my recent post, Bob Bly is in my Home. Anon wonders if reading books is worthwhile at all?

Reading for me is second nature. I read just about anything, anywhere- advertisements, kid's story books, the odd comic lying around at the doctor's office, scraps of newspaper my glass bowls are wrapped in, and books I select because something in them has tickled my fancy.

Having said this, I do know people who don't read books the traditional way. Take my husband for instance. His bedside table is piled higher than mine with books. But I've yet to see him read a single one. He'll spend hours though on his laptop, reading articles on topics which interest him. He's also much more up to date on current events than I am.

How you read isn't really important. I don't believe I would enjoy a kindle as much as I do holding a paper novel in my hands. But I do know that if the choice was down to kindle or nothing at all, I'd grab the kindle in a second.

Why is reading important? Simply put, it broadens your horizons. It takes you to places and events you otherwise might not be able to visit. It stimulates your mind and challenges your thoughts. It's like a physical exercise for your brain.

Reading expands your current knowledge and can makes you an expert in your field. No matter your education level, you can keep up with what you've learnt simply by picking up a book. Also, things change and books allow you to delve deep into the history of a certain subject, and trace it up until it's present day, and even go along with it well into the future.

A couple of months ago, I also wrote this post: Read a lot, Write a lot.

If you want to get into the book-reading habit, but are not sure where or how to begin, consider this- Brian Tracy talks about effective habits. Try anything for a certain number of days in a row, and it becomes a habit. Some examples could be - drinking 8 glasses of water each day, or getting in 10 minutes of exercise each day, or reading a book each day.

Try reading a book each day. It may take you a week or a month, but set yourself 10-30 minutes each day. Don't vary in the time you've selected or the day's you've chosen to apply this - and by the end of 21 days, your book reading habit should have taken root.

Enjoy your reading!

Kindle:

Brian Tracy:

Bob Bly is in my Home!

2010-01-17T07:53:00.000-08:00

I ordered some 'teach your kids to play the piano' books for my daughter, as as postage was higher than the cost of the books themselves, I decided to add on a few more books for myself. In keeping with my New Year's Resolution to read more work related material, I avoided spy thrillers (am not as yet attempting a novel ;(, and stuck to books I believe every freelance writer should read.

This one is for your bedside table, desk, bookshelf or wherever you keep your well-read books. Robert Bly is a copywriting and freelance guru, who (and I didn't realize this) has written over 60 books! Whether you are a novice writer or someone who's had a number of years of writing under your belt, this is still the book for you. Bob Bly also has a website http://www.bly.com/new/index.html and is a BIG believer in ebooks, but bewarned: if you do sign up for his newsletters, he will inundate your inbox with emails.

GRAB THIS BOOK:

GRAB THIS BOOK:

And if you feel your career is sagging and needs a boost, GRAB THIS BOOK:

Quick Revising

2010-01-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

If you're lucky to be loaded with projects, then you possibly won't have the time to spend on extended revisions. Yet, revisions are the very essence of good writing.

Quick revisions are a 'clean and polish' operation and work well in the case of creating say a final draft or an 'in-house' piece which you need for your own use. There is also another situation where you can use quick revision- it's 9pm and your deadline is for the next morning. You've made a mistake understanding the nature of the project you have to deliver and you've just realized the mistake. You have to create something new and something good. In such a situation, you have to contend with both anxiety as well as a tight deadline. Quick revising can get you to your final goal.

1. Think of your final audience. Who is going to be reading the piece. Is it for the client (a business plan?), a web-audience, a direct marketing brochure which will be mailed?

2. Read through what you have and select the parts which can be used.

3. Highlight your single main point and arrange whatever you can use around it. Jot down any thoughts or ideas which spring to your mind. If you need to do further research, you'll have a few starting points from which to begin.

4. Now begin your draft. Fill in the blanks as you go along. Leave spaces for those sentence you've yet to create.

5. If you are stuck for a main point, a freewriting exercise (http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2008/12/freewriting.html) might just help. True, you won't feel like wasting time freewriting, but setting 10 minutes aside may just give you the breakthrough you need.

6. Once you have your draft, run through it and add an introductory/concluding paragraphs. This is also a good time to fill in those empty spaces.

7. Print it out, read through it and make any changes needed.

8. Finally, get rid of grammatical errors.

Quick revisions usually 'cut' a piece so that the final product is compact, yet well organized. Leave the longer, verbose pieces for when you have plenty of time to revise and reword.

Word of the day

2010-01-02T09:32:00.000-08:00

Abrogate: To abolish formally or official; annul; to terminate with authority.

The judge would not abrogate the law.

Word of the day

2010-01-01T10:53:00.000-08:00

Abeyance : temporary inactivity, cessation or suspension

To hold a question in abeyance

A New Year With New Resolutions

2009-12-26T19:10:00.000-08:00

Most writers will make resolutions at the start of each year and promptly fail to keep most of them. Nothing new in that. It happens to the best of us. For 2010 however, I'm determined to start off small and remain focused. As a writer, some great resolutions to make include:

1. Write everyday. Even if it's a single paragraph, find the time to write it. There's nothing quite like putting pen to paper (or hands to the keyboard) to inspire fresh output and get the creative juices flowing.

2. Learn a new word each day. Keep a dictionary on your desk and start at the alphabet A and work your way through it. Or pick random words as you go along. Either way, by the end of the year, you'll have 365 new words to include in your own writings.

3. Read everyday. It could be the newspapers or fliers pushed through your mailbox. By making a conscious effort to read, you are automatically learning something new or refreshing an old memory.

4. Increase your attempt to work on crossword puzzles or mind challenging games. They serve to tone your mind and keep your thoughts agile.

5. Re-evaluate your writing goals. And make the appropriate changes as needed. Do this at least once every two months.

6. Keep promoting yourself. Print up some business cards, join a networking association, volunteer at your local community centre. Find methods which you are comfortable using and then use them.

7. Take a course. Depending on what you can afford, sign up for a course on writing. If you can't afford to pay university fees, there are always online learning options. Invest as much as you can in courses throughout the year.

8. Overcome writers block. If you face writers block, you know how paralysing this can be. Find out what's causing it and then take actions to overcome it.

9. complete unfinished projects. Devote a couple of weeks, days or even just hours to completing any unfinished projects you may have laying about in your desk. Dust off old work and give it a new take.

10. Try something new. If you've never written an article for a magazine, make 2010 your year to try your hand at article writing. If you shy away from writing press releases, give it a shot. You may need to take courses to brush up any old knowledge you've had (or learn from scratch), but it'll be well worth your time and effort when you have a new genre to add to your writing skills.

Want to use this article? You can if you include this blurb:

Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com or sign up for her course, Article Writing And Selling 101 on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html

Season's Greetings And A Big Thank You!

2009-12-23T15:48:00.000-08:00

A big thank you to those who've signed up for my free ezine, Getting It Write! and for my course, Article Writing And Selling 101, available here: http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html

I appreciate your support and I've enjoyed working with you through 2009. Without your readership, encouraging comments and honest feedback, I don't think I would have come as far as I have.

As the year comes to a close, I'd like us all to take a moment to consider what we've achieved this year: the friends we've made, the clients we've helped and the lessons we've learnt. For me it's been a tremendous year and apart from experiencing a lot of personal growth and learning, my business too has expanded. I look forward to entering 2010 with bigger goals and loftier dreams. And I wish you all the best in achieving the same.

With love and success to you, your families and loved ones,
Usha

Ali Brown's Holiday Sale

2009-12-11T06:55:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of Ali Brown. The way she's built her business up is quite incredible. And so I join her on her calls each month and wait eagerly to receive her magazine (currently, out to subscribers only).

Each year, Ali has a end of year sale. TODAY is the last day of her special 2009 Holiday Sale on her award winning products for business and personal success.

The sale just started yesterday, but TODAY, Friday, December 11,
is the LAST DAY. Eager to snatch your products right away?

If you are looking to treat yourself to a Christmas gift and have enough of coats, boots and hats, then try giving yourself one of her packages. They vary in price range and what they do for you, but I can guarantee that you'll find them useful. And what better way to start 2010 than with some information you can actually use!

Here's the link:
http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=992093

Which ones do you want to grab for 30% 0ff?

1. "Online Success Blueprint System" - Follow this easy 7-step
program system on how to use the Internet and information
products to skyrocket your profits AND your free time.

2. "Beyond the Blueprint" - Learn how to add multiple streams of
income to your current business, including teleseminars,
affiliate programs, masterminds/retreats and other revenue
generators.

3. "Business Building Blocks, Your Solid Foundation For Growing
A Million Dollar Company," - Get "back to the basics" and learn
the secret to running your business like a million-dollar
company.

4. "Simply Irresistible! How to Sell More From the Stage …
Easily, Effortlessly, and Authentically" - Learn the authentic
way of selling from the stage and generate greater income from
your speaking engagements.

5. "The 7 Mindset & Manifesting Secrets of Multimillionaire
Entrepreneurs" - Understand how to tap into faith to help
manifest miracles in your life over and over again -- whether it
be clients, sales, money, opportunities, or love.

Learn more and get your products here:
http://www.autowebbusiness.com/app/?af=992093

The Many C’s of Customer Service

2009-11-30T07:31:00.000-08:00

Many years ago, I worked in one of the largest shopping malls in Dubai, the Deira City Center in charge of their newly formed Customer Service department. This was a unique job in that none of the malls in Dubai had a Customer Service department. Ours was the first to set one up and to offer a wide-array of services including simple things like gift wrapping, selling postcards and stamps and setting up customer service kiosks to answer any questions the mall customers might have. It was my job to hire and train the staff and work with the design team and architects to create the booths. Needless to say, it was challenging at the very least, and exciting at the same time. But thanks to this, Deira City Center suddenly became an ‘example mall’ which the other centers soon learnt to imitate.

From Dubai, I moved to Cyprus and it was a great shock to learn that the town of Limassol not only had no mall, but didn’t understand the term ‘customer service’. While I have a lot of happy memories of sandy beaches and blue, calm waters, I also recall a number of frustrating moments where I had to deal with appalling service and a galling lack of customer care.

When dealing with clients, you can’t laugh off poor service. And you don’t get second chances. Even if you have a sound business plan and a list of clients lining up at the door, you can’t afford to offer anything but the best when it comes to your services. Having read countless books on customer service and been in the field for a number of years, there are a few points I believe any provider offering a service should follow.

Want to read more about this article? Sign up for free to my thrice monthly ezine, Getting It Write! at the box to the right or on this link: http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/index2.html and receive this article, a free ebook on 'Becoming A Freelance Writer' and lots more.

How Do I Hire You?

2009-11-18T06:56:00.000-08:00

I've visited a lot of blogs and there's something that I notice in quite a few of them: no contact details! The only way a person can get in touch with the blog author then is via a comment, which can be made open to the public.

This is not a problem when the blog author is not a writer, designer or someone who is selling his services. This becomes a BIG problem when the person is open to receiving clients, does not have a website with a contact form and conducts all the correct marketing procedures to get an audience to visit his site.

If you are looking to attract potential clients or even are open to the idea of getting new business, ensure there's a way you can be contacted. Put an email or phone number up on your blog where it's visible. And don't make it complicated. There's nothing that's going to send a potential client running off to your competition faster than if he has to play 'search for the contact details' on your blog.

Cut to the straight and narrow

2009-11-16T20:42:00.000-08:00

Want to get an audience to actually read your prose? Get off the meandering path and stick to the straight and narrow.

Strip it down
Along with being a writer you need to be an editor and this means, being brutal! Cut back on your word count dramatically by snipping off the excess word-fat and keeping it lean. This holds all the more true in the case of query letters where concise information is required, not a long drawn out account of how brilliant your article is. Check the ratio between the number of words you use and the amount of information you offer. A 50% ratio is good.

Get rid of relative pronouns: Avoid as much as possible using ‘that, which, who’ and their verbs.
E.g. The report that was submitted by Mr X is on my desk versus The report submitted by Mr. X is on my desk.

Avoid repetitions
It’s quite common while editing to find a word repeated, not necessarily in the same sentence but in an adjoining one. Getting someone else to give your work a once-over can help reduce this problem immensely as can taking a break and getting back to the piece to view it with a fresh pair of eyes.

Stop being passive: Use the active voice as much as possible. Take action, tell your readers what they should (or should not be doing) and get straight to the point with doable advise.
E.g. I give versus You are given; Do this versus This should be done

Be animated: Start your sentence with an animate subject. Using animate subjects also allows you to select more colourful verbs.
E.g. We solved the problem versus The problem was solved.

Twitter Headlines Which Work!

2009-11-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

I sporadically use twitter- when I have the time, I love browsing through it, when I'm busy, it's relegated a back-seat. Twitter however can be a powerful tool, not just to make friends and online contacts, but also to keep abreast with what's happening in the market, sell you products and services and gain new clients.

Because of the limited number of words you can use each tweet, try and keep in mind the following:

Your headline should be interesting. Funny too is good. Most people will retweet your tweets without actually clicking on the link, if your headline captures interest.

If you promise something, always be sure to deliver.

Ensure readers understand the urgency of action- Buy Now, Last Day Offer, Click Now- are all great ways to get readers to click on the link.

Stick to one topic. Tweeting on your restroom activities and what your dog ate is really of no interest to people. A well written article which offers advice, is.

Avoid blatant selling. I have to say I sometimes indulge in it, but it's never got me any hard core fans, just those who want to gain more followers. Keep promoting your work subtly and you'll find it a better way to capture audience interest.

Happy tweeting!

Read A Lot, Write A Lot

2009-11-06T07:15:00.000-08:00

No, that isn’t my line but one borrowed from Stephen King in his book, On Writing: A Memoir Of The Craft. Reading is essentially what makes a writer, write, and it always surprises me when people say- I love writing, but I don’t read much (actually, I haven’t heard anyone say that, but I have heard of it being told). How would you know of the mysteries of Egypt without reading about them ? (Please don’t say the Discovery Channel, though I do love it! ;) Or delve into murders aboard trains, planes and old English manors with an Alfred Hitchcock novel. I don’t read Stephen King’s books much, but I do know what he says about writing- and that comes because I enjoy reading.

Reading helps your writing to improve and here’s how:

It helps you understand your genre or niche: All writers should have a niche, even generalist writers. By reading about topics you are interested in and want to write about, you’ll learn how to create the required structure, sentence flow and particular terminology which may (or may not) apply.

It helps you build a better command of the language: Read in the language you will be writing and you’ll build up your vocabulary, learn to identify grammar and sentence syntaxes and improve your writing style.

It acts as an idea bank: Reading can stir up the imagination and allows you to come up with ideas you may not have previously thought of. Lacking blog ideas? Pick up a book or read through online blogging sites. Need to pitch an idea to your local magazine or newspaper? Browse through catalogues, brochures and online newsroom sites. You never know when or where an idea will strike, but reading certainly helps speed up the process.

Want to use this article? You can if you include this blurb:

Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com or sign up for her course, Article Writing And Selling 101 on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html

What Makes Keywords Important?

2009-11-02T21:05:00.001-08:00

You've heard of the importance of SEO (search engine optimization)-http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2009/10/seo-tactics-for-site-optimization.html and often, clients will ask for the use of certain keywords in their articles. What makes keywords so special and why use them?

Keywords can form a very important tool to your writing process. For one, they are accurate. Used appropriately, they will provide you with the correct words for the correct context. They will also ensure your article gets a higher ranking on search engines. And finally, clients looking for research will be directed to sites which use the key words they've typed in.

Selecting keywords is simple and sites like Google are user friendly. All it requires is that you put in a list of options you're targeting and the site will spew out a number of relevant keywords for you to select from.

When selecting keywords from the given options, bear in mind that popular keywords are not always the best choice. You'll be fighting with hundreds of other articles which have opted for these 'popular' keywords. It may make more sense to base your selection on researched demand; i.e. a more narrow niche rather than a more popular choice.

So the next time you're writing an article, whether it's for a client or your own site, take some time to research the keywords you can use in it. And watch your page rankings rise!

Want to use this article? You can if you include this blurb:

Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com or sign up for her course, Article Writing And Selling 101 on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html

How To Exact Your Money...Or Revenge

2009-10-23T06:54:00.000-07:00

Payment at times can be hard to extract, especially from oversees clients. We’ve all been burnt sometime or the other and mostly by applying to craigslist type ads which are perfect for scam-artists and clients who want all, for free!

If you feel you are not making any headway with collecting fees, contact Angela (angela@writersweekly.com). She’ll offer valuable advice and puts out warnings on your behalf.

I’ve also received ‘warnings’ from other members of a writing group to which I belong on the following two clients:

Warning One:
please, please, post something to your writers about this guy: mnsavage@yahoo.com . His name is Jordan, and he doesn't pay his writers. I have been in contact with several of his writers who have been burned by him!
From S.

Warning Two:
I would be wary of working for this company, Plutoz (ad which appeared in craigslist below) - I did a lot of work for them a few years ago and never got paid (I tried, of course, but with me being based in the UK and them in the US, I couldn't use my usual ports of call, such as resorting to Small Claims Court to try and get the unpaid money, so eventually just had to write it off). Back then, it was also supposedly a 'new and exiting' search portal launch.
From R.

WRITERS WANTED
Plutoz, an exciting new shopping and lifestyle search portal
(plutoz.com), is seeking web-savvy, motivated, prolific, and witty writers
to research and compose capsule reviews of websites. Write sincere,
unbiased, quick, and accurate copy for our online consumer audience as
well as producing short articles about various web consumer topics
(shopping, travel, lifestyle, home, fashion, entertainment, video games,
electronics, food and hundreds of additional titles and categories).
Please send a brief e-mail reply to the following questions:
• How long have you been writing web copy? What is your most recent
professional web/other writing experience (if any)?
• What are your web content areas of expertise/interest?
Past experience as a talented writer or editor for a media channel (print,
web, radio or TV) is highly desirable. This job can be done on your own
time but you must meet our deadlines and follow our editorial guidelines.
Please send us your resume and answer the above questions.
Compensation: Writers will be paid based on experience and the amount of content that they generate (following our editorial guidelines).
Reply to: job-mtqhx-1430259258@craigslist.org.

SEO Tactics For Site Optimization

2009-10-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

Someone new to Internet marketing may well ask, what is SEO and why does my site need to be optimized? SEO or Search Engine Optimization is the result driven process of increasing the traffic volume or audience flow to a website via natural or organic search strategies, as opposed to using paid marketing techniques (SEM: search engine marketing). SEO can be strategically targeted toward image search or video search or the most popular usage, keyword search.

Nowadays, most online companies will use SEO alone or in conjunction with other marketing tactics to draw in large audience numbers to their site. SEO may require certain HTML coding implemented, and if this is the case, it should be incorporated at the web design/web content stage. What is to be avoided is Black Hat SEO or unscrupulous methods to ensure your site gets high ranking. Black hat SEO includes article spinning, keyword stuffing and invisible text. Techniques which maintain the integrity of your site are considered ‘White Hat’ techniques and while they may appear to be more time consuming and resource needy, they are in fact the correct strategies to draw long term audience and ensure high SERPs (search ending results pages).

Search Engines (popular examples being Google and Yahoo) work by allowing spiders to crawl the web and locate sites and pages and index them. Without aiding and assisting them by using relevant SEO tactics, it’s likely that your site or page will remain buried and un-indexed. Your second priority would be to get your page as high a rank as possible. Surfers will generally not go beyond two pages worth of searching. To find your site or page’s current Google rank, visit, http://www.prchecker.info/check_page_rank.php

So, what are some of the organic SEO tactics which work?

Descriptive title tags and meta tags: It goes without saying that the URL of your site should be as descriptive and relevant as possible. However, your title tags and meta data should also be relevant. These use keywords to describe your site’s products and services not only to your audience, but to the search engines as well. Use free keyword search sites like http://nichebot.com, http://keyworddiscovery.com, http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com/ and http://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal to find out what word descriptions would work best for your site.

Site accessibility: Your site needs to load well and be accessible to visitor in seconds. This means, you will need to constantly check and recheck graphics, images and file sizes to ensure they are not too large. Visitors and unfortunately, search engines too, have short attention spans. Make sure your site is quick to download and graphically and visually pleasing to the eye.

High speed server: This links with the earlier point. Your site should be hosted on a high speed server to ensure it loads quickly. Given the competition you’ll be facing, visitors are quick to move away from slow-loading sites.

Linking (internal and reciprocal): When linking to an internal site map, ensure your links don’t blog spider navigation. By transferring your internal links to the bottom of the page, you’ll give search engines an unobstructed path through your page. When using internal links, try making them keyword dense for an additional pull. If you are considering reciprocal links, try and do a search to find out high ranking relevant sites and connect to them. One such paid site which allows you to track and find page rankings of competitor and relevant sites is PR Prowler : http://www.prprowler.com. However, you can also use free tools like PR Checker to find this information.

Captivating content: Creating captivating content will also ensure your pages get read more often. The more content-rich your site, the more likely it will be read by a larger audience and picked up by search engines. Do not get caught up however in article spinning which can result in your site getting penalized.

Strong starting sentences: Begin always with strong sentences; these are the ones most important. Ensure they are audience captivating and search engine friendly.
Keyword density: Your web content should be keyword rich, but avoid keyword stuffing, which is considered black hat SEO and will result in search engines giving your site a miss. A good keyword density is between 2%-5%, depending on the length of the content. You can analyze your keyword density here: http://www.keyworddensity.com

So there you have it, excellent SEO tactics which are time-tested and proven to work. As with any tactics though, success does not come overnight and you will need to invest both time and energy resources if you want to get it right.

Want to use this article? You can if you include this blurb:

Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com or sign up for her course, Article Writing And Selling 101 on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html

Thanksgiving With A Twist

2009-10-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

Since my husband and I were not born in Canada but truly love our adopted country, we celebrate all festivities with our own added flavours! So, Christmas is all about a Czech celebration: fish and potato salad, walnuts and honey and lots of Czech drinks; Becherovka, Slivovica and the ubiquitous Czech Beer!

Thanksgiving on the other hand will see us tucking into roast rabbit and authentic German Apfel Strudel (baked last night and already almost finished ;)! This is one day I can't wait for the sun to set!

With your writing too, think about giving it a twist to make it your own unique voice. Experiment with different tones, languages and grammatical options; perhaps an article written only in the passive voice? Or one using more colourful verbs to describe actions? Give it a go and see what you come up with.

And enjoy your weekend!

English In South Africa

2009-10-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

The last ezine issue of Getting It Write! dealt with the subtle and not so subtle differences between British and American English. And the response to it was tremendous. Quite a few people have written in about South African English. And so I also questioned my South African friend Dirk, who now lives in Vancouver. Here's what Dirk had to say:

"SA English is no different from other national languages, its evolution has been driven by other languages spoken in the region. I believe that French and English led to a bastardised French in France in the mid 20th C, so-called Franglais. Some may argue that linguistic incorporation derogates from the original culture but in fact it indicates the culture is evolving - very much alive and aware of what's going on around it.

I'm no etymological expert, but suspect that it starts with colloquialisms and slang. Whether or not they get picked up by popular society may be related to their value in describing something foreign to the language (for which no other word exists), or perhaps provide a handle that is cute or convenient.

Anyway there are some interesting sites consolidating South Africanisms / slang. Try this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_South_African_slang_words

You'll note that where slang is concerned, the language of origin is listed. What's nice about the link above is it includes examples of African language words that have entered mainstream language in SA. "Hau" or "Haw" (pronounced "how") is a great Zulu exclamation, often used to convey disbelief or dismay. Eish and yebo are also goodies that have become quite popular in spoken if not written language.

There are also a few references to words originating from out of Africa. In that department there are plenty, since Afrikaans as a language is simply bastardised Dutch (also called kitchen Dutch). But some of the ugliest SA words - kaffir, for example, actually originated from Arabia."

Here's what Sandi, also from South Africa, adds:

"It’s good to know that your ezine elicited such a response. It’s an indication of how precious our own languages/dialects are.

I thought I’d tell you of a few South African terms.

What you would call a traffic light, we call a robot. (Believe me, that creates much mirth among visitors.) Our term for a sidewalk is a pavement and the trunk of a car we call a boot (those are similar to British English). On a glorious Summer’s day like we’re having today, our favourite meal would be a braaivleis, (pronounced bry-flace) the equivalent of your barbeque. One last seemingly nonsensical expression we use is now-now, which in fact means later, just the opposite!

How fascinating this topic is. As an aside, my sister-in-law and her husband have recently returned from a month-long camping holiday through Botswana and Namibia. They spent time with a 4th-generation Bushman woman, whose sister incidentally lives in England and speaks like a pukka Brit. The most astounding discovery for them was to hear this woman converse in pure Bushman language with the locals."

And Margie, also from South Africa says:

"Glad that we are opening up the topic of English in all its forms. South African English has its own vernacular with many words now becoming standard English usage, i.e. "braai" for barbecue. Many words that we use as standard are taken from the Dutch and also from Malaysian. On a trip to Malaysia we were quite intrigued to find words such as 'pondok' ( a word meaning a small outbuilding or shed) and commonly used here, 'busie' (bus) which is the Malaysian although the Afrikaans word is the same as our bus. Words in the Oxford English Dictionary like 'veld' (open plains) and 'stoep' (a terraced veranda or porch) and 'velskoen' (a soft leather shoe) come directly from the Dutch as well. And whilst on the veranda or porch - (veranda taken from Hindi and porch used in America), that can open up a whole new discussion. We find that our Afrikaans speaking and African speaking compatriots generally have difficulty with the correct usage of 'is' and 'are' and vowel sounds become distorted and changed. Isn't language fascinating?"

If you've enjoyed reading this post, consider signing up for Usha's thrice monthly ezine-Getting It Write! on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com

5 Steps To Start Blogging

2009-10-06T13:45:00.000-07:00

Are you considering starting a blog, but wondering how and where to begin? The following is blogging made easy in 5 steps. Use it as a checklist, but don’t expect to make money from it. There’s a very small percentage of bloggers who actually earn a living from blogging. For most bloggers, blogging is a great way to share information and news with friends and family members, grow an audience interested in what they have to say or just have fun expressing their thoughts and feelings. Posts can be updated regularly, graphically enhanced and deleted when done with, which makes it a great medium to play with. Here’s how to get started:

1. Select a subject: There are thousands of subjects being blogged about on a daily basis. Select one you are interested in or one that relates to your work, and you’ll be more likely to update it on a regular basis. Better still, research the market and come up with a topic that's lacking. Fill this need and you'll have visitors flocking to your site.

2. Come up with a catchy title: Your title should be a reflection of what your blog is about and easy to remember and type up.

3. Select a blogging platform. A lot of websites come with their own inbuilt blogging platforms which are easy to use. Word press is the most popular amongst them(http://wordpress.org). If you are going to use an independent platform, consider browsing sites like http://blogger.com and http://today.com

4. Find a flexible site design: Designing your blog is important, more so when you want to upload pictures and images of products on offer. Select one that is easy to edit and which accepts images, links etc. both within the posts, and within the design structure.

5. Load a tracking widget onto your site: A tracking widget will allow you to determine where your audience comes from, how long they stay, what they purchase, their feedback if any etc. Most sites will have some sort of tracking device already installed or as an option. If not, sites like http://statcounter.com are a good place to begin.

Once your blog is built, remember to update it with useful content on a regular basis and use other marketing tactics to draw in audience.

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva

Want to use this article? You can if you include this blurb:

Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com or sign up for her course, Article Writing And Selling 101 on http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html

Word Play Of The Day

2009-10-04T18:45:00.001-07:00

A dog gave birth to puppies near the road and was cited for littering.

Rainy Days!

2009-10-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

I guess I spoke too soon and the rains have begun! Or maybe it was my jig around the block when I landed 5 jobs in one day, that had the Gods mistake it for a rain-dance. Whatever the reason, it's begun to pour. And if getting up at 5am is difficult, so is finding topics to write on. I don't have a case of writer's block, just a burning desire to crawl back into bed and sleep off the rest of the day. Which of course is not going to happen.

So, what do you do when clients, unconcerned with the weather or your sleep problems, impose seemingly short deadlines, which you then have to meet? Usually I find taking a walk quite inspiring or at least, refreshing enough to clear the cobwebs from my head. But it's raining and muddy boots never did inspire me. There are many places online where you can begin your search, including Yahoo stories, www.askjeeves.com, www.askme.com, www.Dmoz.com and a whole list of other newsrooms and Q&A sites. If that doesn't work, try ezine directories such as www.ezinearticles.com or www.goarticles.com. Browsing forums and networking sites like www.twitter.com and www.facebook.com can also help spark a bright idea. If you are visiting the latter though, beware that it's easy to get caught up in chatting with friends and browsing irrelevant links. Set a timer or give yourself 30 minutes to surf these groups and jot down ideas, and then log out.

If staying at your desk is proving to be more stressful than helpful, a good cup of tea (or coffee, if that's your poison) and a magazine is a great way to regain focus. I tend to steer clear of books; if the plot is interesting, I begin to forget I'm supposed to be working. Magazines or newspapers work well in that they're easy to browse through and easier yet to put down.

An Exercise To Get You Going:

Perfect for a rainy day, this exercise gets you going no matter the weather. Take a magazine and at random, cut out an advert. from it. Keep it on your desk. Now set your timer (cell phone, watch, egg timer...anything works) for 15 minutes and begin to write about the picture. If it's a male model selling a cologne, write about the model: what does he look like? What is the message he's trying to convey? Is he young and trendy? Older and more sophisticated? Is he wearing boxers? A suit? Why do you think he's dressed the way he is? Try exploring other angles. Perhaps you can imagine a little bit about the model itself. Is he American? Italian? Does he live in New York? Paris? Milan? Have you seen him before? Do you think he'd be good on the catwalk? Now what about the cologne: Is the bottle design something that catches your attention?

Article Writing And Selling 101
Interested in learning to write for magazines? Anyone can. Click on this link to find out how you too can earn money writing for magazines and newspapers: http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html

Sunny Days

2009-09-23T16:05:00.000-07:00

Speaking of procrastination; it's been a while since I got onto any of my blogs. Of course, I could justify it by saying that I do wake at 5am to work, pretty much 7 days of the week. Or that now school has started for both the kids, it's harder to get chunks of free time given the extra activities that parents are roped into. My daughter's doing a Terry Fox run this coming Friday (she's just 5) and my son is going apple picking with his preschool; parent participation required. And I've launched my new Article Writing And Selling 101, course online (http://www.writechoiceforyou.com/WritingCourses.html). All in all, it's been busy and blogging has taken a backseat.

But today is too perfect a day to resist. The second day of autumn and it's 27C. The kids are cycling in the front of the house and I'm enjoying what may well prove to be the last intense day of sunshine; netbook on my lap. Finding pockets of time to do anything lengthy is really hard; but with writing exercises, blogging and online social networking, days like today are a perfect Godsend.

So I shall forget about pending projects, unwritten assignments and payment collection and enjoy instead an evening with children's chatter, long glasses of lemonade and warm, sunny weather!

Stop Procrastinating! Start Writing!

2009-09-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

Ask any freelance writer what one of the top challenges he faces is, and chances are he’ll talk about procrastination. Delaying or putting off writing by coming up with a number of excuses is something we all excel at, and dare I say it, can get very creative about! For me at times, an untidy desk or surroundings act as a perfect reason to put off editing or blogging.

If you find procrastination is becoming more than an occasional excuse to delay writing, the following may help:

1. Jot down a to-do list of your writing projects. Next, create a to-do list for your other tasks, such as sending out invoices, preparing media briefs etc. Once you have it down on paper, it’s easy to see just how much needs to get done.

2. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Then begin to freewrite. Freewriting is a great exercise to get the creative juices flowing. And once you begin, you’ll be surprised when the timer goes off to see just how much fun it can be!

3. Complete other tasks before you begin to write. If your desk needs to be cleared, shirts need to be ironed or the hockey game taped, get them done before you sit down at your desk. A mind which is full of incomplete tasks is never going to let you write.

4. Learn relaxation techniques to help you focus. The better your focus, the more work gets done. If you find yourself daydreaming or losing your creative focus, gently bring your mind back to the matter on hand. If you still find yourself getting restless, it may be time to take a break. By practising focusing techniques, you’ll find you are able to concentrate and get more work done in shorter periods of time.

Analyze Your Writing Process

2009-09-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt like you’ve spent a lot of time in front of the computer, but your word output has declined? And while online poker games and chat sites may be partly the culprit, a lot has to do with your writing process.

Your what?

Your writing process is the one that’s unique to you and which you use to create everything from business letters, sales pages, ezine articles and blog posts. However, most of us are so busy job hunting and once we have a job, then meeting deadlines, that we fail to think about our actual process. But each of us will write with an actual structure, even if we do so unconsciously. And certain components on this structure will exist, not matter the order in which we choose to do so.

• Generating an idea
• Creating a draft
• Conducting research and interviewing experts
• Revising
• Editing
• Submitting a completed piece.

How to draft, revise and edit a piece; in fact, how you create it from scratch, may differ vastly from how another writer in your same area of expertise does so. In fact, it’s this diversity which comes through in your article and makes it unique and a pleasure to read. However, it is understanding the process you use, and then streamlining it to make it work effectively, which will allow you to write with abandon, yet achieve the maximum through your efforts.

Once you recognize your writing process you will also learn to recognize which tasks take up time and which tasks you can breeze through effortlessly. I for example, love to write motivational pieces and ideas come to mind constantly on topics I can write about. On the other hand, give me a sales page to create and I will spend a lot of time on my draft. By knowing your limitations and strengths, you will learn how to juggle your schedule and work your limited hours to your maximum benefit.

So, spend some time analyzing your writing process. In the long run, it’ll be well worth the time and effort your put in to do so!

Word Play Of The Day

2009-09-04T16:16:00.000-07:00

No matter how much you push the envelope, it'll still be stationery

Where's My Calculator?

2009-08-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

Over the years, I've written down just about every organizing tip I've ever found. I even studied to become a professional organizer in my spare time. And it's paid out 10 times over, though I mainly use it for my own personal needs. 'Where's the keys honey', I know the answer to that. 'Mum, I can't find my sticker'. I know the answer to that too. You ask me for something, anything at home and chances are, I'll know where it is. And that carries over to my desk too. If I don't find the time to file my invoices or put away cheque stubs, I will still know where they are and when they've been moved.

You don't have to be so overly conscious of everything in your home and desk, but as a freelancer, it's important to have your time and space organized. It's simple logic; the less time you spend trying to find a calculator or client invoice, the more time you have to write. And your organization has to cross physical boundaries to permeate your mental faculty as well. Jumbled thoughts are great when you have time and access to a computer or pen and paper to write them down; they are not so great when you are trying to meet deadlines and unable to concentrate.

Organizing yourself is much easier than you think. The key as always is to start small so as not to become overwhelmed by the chaos around you. I have on either side of my desk, a whiteboard and a pin-tack board. On the former, I write down my Statement Of Intent (how much I want to make for the month and how I need to make it) and my projects with their dollar figures besides them. This way, I see at a glance how many projects I've booked and how many more I need to.

On my left hand side, I print and tack out all the client briefs and project guidelines I need to follow. This makes for easy reading.

I also have a little folder with white cards in them. I use these to mark down project ideas and potential clients. You can have a number of these for different purposes. Or files with coloured tags to differentiate them also work well.

I tried having two schedule organizers; one for the family and one for work. But that didn't work well for me. So now I have one large one on my desk, which is divided into two halves each day. And I can see all my work deadlines and personal appointments at a glance.

And finally, it's also important to break up my day into portions, each of which has something specific for me to do. I write best in the mornings, so that's my 'writing time'. I also spend a part of my day hunting for jobs, updating blogs, writing my courses and coaching. And then there's marketing my work too. It all adds up to the limited time on hand. And so dividing it makes it more efficient a way to handle each individual tasks.

Reflect on your organizing habits. Do they align well with your work methods? Can you do anything to enhance your efficiency?

And write me what works well for you (and what doesn't).

The Top 8 Reasons Freelance Writers Fail At Their Career:

2009-08-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

#8: Working for peanuts: Honestly, I love peanuts as much as any monkey, but to work for them? I think not. I did do that once however, when I first started freelancing. I accepted $5 per blog post for a site that was ‘just setting up’. It wasn’t bad in that I had the freedom to select my topics and post as much or as little as I wanted to. But then two things happened; I spent a lot of time blogging for this $5 cheque and I was hesitant to ask clients to pay me a very much higher fee. And then one day, it struck me; I have years of professional writing experience, I am a good writer and I love what I do. I really don’t need to be blogging for next to nothing. And so I stopped and demanded a higher fee from clients who not surprisingly, said yes. Deliver quality and demand a decent fee for it.

# 7: Failing to treat your writing as a full-time career: Working freelance doesn’t mean working part-time and it’s very easy to confuse the two terms. While you’d like to work your own hours and be your own boss, the fact remains that unless you put in a 9-5 time sheet and realize that your clients are in actuality your boss, you just won’t get paid enough to have a career.

# 6: Not seizing business opportunities: Freelance writers must also be business people and seize new and exciting opportunities to write for. If you write for blogs, then how about online publishing houses? Writing web content? Perhaps you can also specialize in biographies. There are tons of possibilities out there but the competition is tough. So acting quickly and effectively makes all the different between getting a job and losing an opportunity.

# 5: Not specializing in a niche: You could become a general writer and compete with thousands of other writers, or you could become a niche writer and specialize in a chosen field. Writers of the former category will spend more time and earn less money than those in the latter.

# 4: Getting distracted: It’s so easy to get distracted. It’s a nice day and a jog seems tempting. Also the laundry needs to be picked up and you did offer to do the cooking today. And yes, there is that thing called a marketing plan, which is waiting to be written. Which one gets priority? If it’s during your working hours, then there should be no question about it- your housework and fun-time can and should wait until you’ve shut off the computer and turned off your desk lamp.

# 3: Not having a marketing plan: Which brings me to this very important point. Most freelance writers do not have a marketing plan! They spend so much time job hunting that they do not have time to market their services. A percentage of your time needs to be spent each day marketing your services to both current and potential clients.

# 2: Chasing the wrong kind of clients: If you find yourself chasing the wrong kind of clients; the ones who ‘do not want your services immediately but may need them in the future’, or the ones who are ‘just setting up and cannot afford to pay you much’, then step back and reassess your efforts. It may be better to give these clients a miss or put them on hold and begin to seek better paying projects.

# 1: Failing to set goals: This is one of the biggest problems with any business, not just freelancing. Your goals will keep changing as will your work methodologies and ethics. But the core values should always remain the same and it’s these values which need to be translated into short, medium and long term goals. Without them, your career will be like a ship set adrift without a compass; you cannot see the shore and you are unsure as to which direction to set sail in.

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write, today.

Living Their Dream- A Day At The Allen Berg Racing School

2009-08-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hello,

This one is for auto racing fans! It's also about networking and taking time out to enjoy something you love. It has nothing to do with writing (though of course if you are interested in racing, you could always pitch to car magazines ;), but it's something that our entire family is very interested in. And it's also for a little girl, A.M. who shared the day with me in the pouring ran, cheering her dad on. If you're reading this A.M, you were a star and real good fun to hang out with.

A little while ago, someone from the HOBN (networking) group sent out a general email about the Allen Berg Racing School. They have formula cars and this time, Allen was bringing them to Mission (BC). So of course, being big Formula One fans, I had to sign up my husband for a course. No, he didn't sit in a formula one car, yes, he had a lot of fun despite the crappy weather! Thanks Jason and Allen! It was a super success and I know we'll be back.

Enjoy!

Start of Round #1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG1Fx-YwViU
Finishing 1st lap of round #1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qQz9dWoFvg
Start of Round #2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69sMjLZnUyY
Finished round #2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVJJrUcDSYA

For more information on them, you can visit their site at http://www.allenbergracingschools.com

Interview Writing 101

2009-08-07T21:45:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited, I had to share this right away! I was interviewed by friend and author Brigitte Thompson, who recently released her book, Bookkeeping Basics For Freelance Writers. It's an honor to be interviewed by her, and you can read the complete interview here: http://www.writersinbusiness.blogspot.com

Speaking of interviews, they are great fun to give and write, depending on which end you're at. If you are researching a particular topic, interviews can be useful for getting the story behind the story. They can also be an excellent means of gleaning further information in a campaign or market survey, by interviewing participants and getting their point of view.

If you are conducting an interview, the following points may help you go from start to finish smoothly.

1. Give yourself plenty of time to prepare. A nervous interviewer will not make for a calm and stress-free atmosphere in which the interviewee can relax. Start your preparations in advance and practice your questions in front of an audience (or even a mirror) till you get them right. Preparation will also include having a pre-interview chat with your subject to lay out how, when and where the interview will take place. If you are videotaping it, or using a recording device, let them know in advance.

2. Opt for face to face interviews where possible. Conducting an interview in person allows you to get a stronger feel for interviewee’s personality, thoughts and emotions. This is particularly important if the interview forms the center of your piece. If you are using an interview as a filler, a phone or online interview would work just as well.

3. Never skimp on research. Researching your subject and the topic in advance gives you the chance to explore both in more detail. And this definitely makes for a more captivating story. And you never know what valuable nuggets of information you may pick up along the way.

4. Phrase your questions in a non-threatening manner. You do not want to put your subject on guard and make him defensive or nervous about answering your questions.

5. Draft out your interview questions beforehand. And then sleep on them. You'll be surprised at the new questions that pop up overnight or the ones that seem quite banal after a good think. If possible, go through them with colleagues or friends. They may have ideas and suggestions you never thought of.

6. Use open ended questions. These are questions that don't allow the person being interviewed to get away with a simple yes or no answer. While a good candidate will always elaborate on their answers, it's the interviewer's job to make it as easy as possible for them tell their story. Some great ways to begin a question could include, "tell me about" or "how did you feel" or "what do you think"...

7. Accessorize your interview. Add a photo or links to make it more personal.

8. Mind your manners. The person you’re interviewing has taking the time and trouble to speak to you. No matter the final outcome of the interview, remember always to thank them for their time.

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva

Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write, today.

How To Spot a Scam - Part 2

2009-08-06T07:00:00.001-07:00

If you've been scammed, have visited dodgy sites or just have thoughts or ideas you'd like to share, please do send them in. I'll upload them so other writers get a chance to avoid getting caught in the same trap.

In the meantime, here are some links to check out:

http://www.work-at-home-forum.com/14_7144_0.html

http://www.writersweekly.com/whispers_and_warnings/005525_08052009.html

http://www.freelancedaily.net/freelance-writing-scams/

http://www.thelightkeeper.com/wah/scams/writerscams.htm

http://www.writingworld.org/freelance_writing_scams/

How To Spot A Scam

2009-08-04T08:27:00.000-07:00

With writers, we apply for quite a few jobs before we land some really good ones. And one example of a site with numerous jobs on it, is of course, Craigslist. If you've seen my earlier post, you'll recognize there are a number of jobs which don't quite make sense. But how about scams?

1. One way to recognize a scam is by the wording of the ad. If it's worded incorrectly and asks for a lot of your information without giving out some of theirs, you may want to avoid it.

2. Another is a 'paid only upon approval' type ad, which offers to pay you only if your sample is approved. If there's no legitimate website listed, you'll be unable to verify if they've used your work without paying you for it.

3. A third type is where the ad itself seems very legitimate and a site is given in order for you to browse through it. But the email address of the person in question does not sit quite right. Below is a response I received recently from a craigslist ad I had written to. The language used is questionable as is the email address.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: "mridrjohn@aol.com"
To: usha_sliva@yahoo.ca
Sent: Sunday, August 2, 2009 4:21:00 PM
Subject: ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE ARTICLE.

Hello,

How are you doing today?
Thanks for the prompt reply,Midwest Research Institute(MRI),wants you to write an article of 400 words about JOB OFFER.The company will like to offer you $200 for 400 words,the faster you write the better you get more topics of articles from us.
The company will be making payment to you as soon as you agree to make the payment.
We need you to write an article that will contain us offering people jobs,but before you preceed,i will like to tell you more about the company.

About the Company :
MRI was established in 1944 with a mission to supply needed research for industry and to encourage programs using regional resources. Today MRI is an internationally acclaimed center for applied research and technology development. Our accomplishments range from pioneering efforts in environmental and cancer research to cutting-edge work in drug development and high-precision automation technology.
That is little about the job,we want you to incluse that in your article,we will like to know more about you,kindly answer the questions,
And moreover

Where are you from?
How many hours will it take you to write 400words?
What kind of form of payment do you prefer?

I want a prompt reply,get back Asap.

Thanks
Dr.John Stanley.

It's sent by a Dr John Stanley. I googled the company and there was a John Stanley in it, but his email address was different. So I wrote him and this is his response:

Usha,

Thanks for contacting me. The information that you received is a scam and has no connection with our company. We are aware of this activity which has taken many different forms over the past few months. We are working with the authorities to address the problem. I suggest that you alert your friends and colleagues that this type of activity is occurring.

Regards

John

So the next time you apply for a position or receive a response, always double check to see if it's a legitimate case before parting with any financial information, work samples or personal details.

Interested in learning more? Try these reads:

Don't You Just Love Craigslist!!

2009-07-31T07:20:00.000-07:00

Explain to me why you'd want to hire someone who doesn't have any 'brains'???

WRITER NEEDED
Searching for creative writers with 5+ years of experience. Brains not
required, but a proven track record of writing bang-up copy is a must.
Paste all writing samples and resumes into the body of your email;
attachments will be deleted.
http://losangeles.craigslist.org/lac/wrg/1290888526.html
Compensation: DOE
Reply to: gigs-e2aqj-1290888526@craigslist.org.

Why Payment for 'Accepted Work Only' Is Unacceptable!

2009-07-29T21:32:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of jobs out there which offer payment for ‘accepted work only’. What this essentially means is that the ‘potential’ client expects talented writers to write a piece and submit it, allowing him to select the one he likes best. How the client makes his selection is never clarified and after submitting a piece, you can only hope you’ll hear back from him. However, hope doesn’t feed a hungry mouth or fill an empty pocket. In order to do that, you’d need a guaranteed paying job.

There are two reasons why ‘accepted work only’ jobs don’t work. Firstly, there’s the fact that most talented writers have paying jobs on hand and don’t have the time to work on a possibly unpaid project. The second reason is simply that most clients who don’t appreciate the amount of time and effort it takes to produce a good piece will not pay market value for it anyways.

No matter your current income objective or financial status, it’s wise to avoid ‘paying for accepted work only’ listed jobs. Instead, if it sounds interesting, send it a query letter with reasons why you’re suitable for the position. If it’s a genuine client, he’ll take the time to read your bid and respond to it accordingly.

Another wise move on your part is to ask for an upfront payment. It can be a small percentage, but it at least shows the client you are serious about the project and time-commitment. By adopting this new policy, you can definitely wave goodbye to ‘accepted work only’ clients, but you will be saying hello to some serious money!

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write, today.

Write A Poem...How About Two?

2009-07-22T20:48:00.000-07:00

I am not a poet. In fact, I probably suck at writing poetry. Contrary to popular belief, a writer need not be a poet. And to the many people who've asked me what I do for a living, and in response to my 'I'm a freelance writer' go; can you help me write my wedding vows?; the answer is a resounding - no!

Having said this, I do find that at times, mostly at night and when I really do need to be asleep; inspiration strikes. I feel the urge to pen a poem! And so I dig out my pad and pencil from my bedside table and scribble away. And I fall asleep with no nagging thoughts of undone deeds left for the morning.

Most of us 'feel' poetic occasionally and despite the fact you might not be a Tennyson, I'd say, give it a go. It's wise not to try and stem this creative urge, and while you may not want to share your work with others (I certainly don't), writing poetry for yourself can be quite uplifting and even exhilerating. It's also a great way to recover quite speedily from writer's block.

If you do enjoy reading poetry, then may I recommend two of my favorite contemporary poets; AJ Johnson and Glynis Smy; both on blogspot.

You can view their work on:
www.writeandrewrite.blogspot.com
www.apoetsword.blogspot.com

Enjoy them, get inspired and give it a go!

Word Play Of The Day

2009-07-21T06:58:00.000-07:00

The butcher backed into the meat grinder and got a little behind in his work.

Building A Writer's Portfolio

2009-07-19T20:53:00.000-07:00

Want to learn more about how and why a portfolio is important? That's the subject of my latest ezine, Getting It Write!

To subscribe, please enter your name and email address in the box to the right of this post. All Getting It Write! issues are filled with tips, hints and advice from seasoned writers and best of all, they are completely free to subscribe to.

Hate what you receive? You can unsubscribe just as easily (though I promise you, this won't happen ;)

Thanks for visiting and looking forward to sending you our next issue.

Until then, happy writings!

Usha

Take My Survey Poll

2009-07-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

Take my SURVEY POLL and help me tailor-make my upcoming course to suit your own personal writing needs!

Interested in being amongst the first to receive the course straight to your inbox? As a valued subscriber to Getting It Write! you will receive course material free and ahead of the rest.

Both the POLL and the SUBSCRIPTION BOX are located to the right of this post. Subscribing is free and you can unsubscribe anytime you like.

With thanks and warm regards,
Usha

10 Ways Twitter Can Help Writers

2009-07-10T07:08:00.000-07:00

I got this off Maurice Johnson's tweet post. It's an interesting link entitled '10 Ways Twitter Can Help Writers' written by Debbie of the MIG writers group.

Check it out:http://links.chango.com/links/redirector?siteID=KY8G86GgQoVGeDJk1sb4gp8v8&imageURL=http%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FMaurice174&linkURL=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fnfwzy8%22%3E%3Cimg+src%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Ftweetbucks.com%2Fimages%2Fbanners%2F728_90.png%22+%2F%3E%3C%2Fa%3E&brandingFrame=true&linkUID=7875ed82-cd60-436b-9a1b-47570e7fedd9&short=tinyurl.com&href=http%3A%2F%2Ftinyurl.com%2Fn58sbr

Are You Ready For A Multiple Income Lifestyle?

2009-07-09T06:21:00.000-07:00

ARE YOU READY TO EARN EVEN MORE MONEY THAN YOU CURRENTLY DO?

Most successful freelance writers know that their money does not come just from paying jobs. They will earn their wealth through a number of additional sources.

Are you ready to learn what they do? Do you want to increase you income but don't know how to start? It's not easy and it does take a lot of hard work, but it can be done.

Learn how by subscribing to my free ezine. The next issue (out on the 10th July) will teach you how you too can make additional income.

Just fill in your email and click on the box to the right of this post and you'll automatically be subscribed. Don't worry. If you don't like what you read, you can just as easily unsubscribe!

Why Every Writer Should Also Be An Editor

2009-07-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

My today's guest post is by Chesley Maldonado, a full-time freelance writer and friend. Chesley is also an editor and is gracious enough to share her knowledge via this post. So enjoy reading it!
________________________________________________________

Writing and editing go hand in hand. No matter how good you are at writing, you are bound to make mistakes. Not only will you make mistakes, but your first draft will never be the best you can do. It is so important to proofread your work, and to look at it objectively. Making changes to what you write is just as vital as doing the initial writing. If you don't think that it is important to have an editor's eye as a writer, consider the following.

Typos happen. I have learnt that it is quite easy to forget an "s" at the end of a word, or put an "f" in place of an "r" when typing quickly. Reading over my work, I often spot a missing or misplaced letter. Some of the typos that I make could change the meaning of a sentence entirely, and if I didn't edit my work, there would be careless mistakes in it all of the time.

Sometimes the best ideas don't come to you until after you finish writing a piece. Revisiting your draft and adding new ideas, strengthening old ones, and getting rid of weaker ideas will always make a stronger piece. Why settle for what you wrote when you can edit the work and make it that much better?

Editing can help you notice your writing habits. You might use the same word or phrase repeatedly without realizing it. Some writers have the habit of emphasizing the same point. Awkward sentence structure used to be a habit of mine. It was sometimes difficult to explain certain things or find the right words, so I would write out my thought in any way that I could. The trouble was that other people didn't understand. That is, of course until I edited.

Editing your own work will simply make you a better writer. Taking an objective look at what you have written will force you to see where you can make improvements. It will also allow you to take notice of what you do right. The changes that you create, big or small, will always make for a more polished piece.

Being an editor is an important part of being a writer. Even the best writers edit their work, or they pay someone else to do it for them.

Chesley Maldonado is a full-time freelance writer (and editor) who posts regularly to http://dailyfreelancewritingtips.wordpress.com, a blog full of practical tips and first-hand (or researched) advice about the freelance writing career. She specializes in web content and works with clients and writers from all over the world. Her main interests are personal development, relationships, and personal finance. Visit her website to learn more: www.freelancebychesley.com or follow her on Twitter @writtenquality.

The Magic Of Autoresponders

2009-07-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

I’m back from a glorious Californian vacation, tanned and ready to start work again. Everyone should visit California at least once in their lives. It’s a city that’s full of marked contrasts, all of them larger than life itself! And the glorious sun shone down on us each and every day, so in the end, the kids and I came back looking and feeling healthier than ever (and yes, I do believe in the generous application of sun block)

While I was away, I relied on a wonderful thing called ‘autoresponders’ to keep my ezines going. Autoresponders are essentially, especially if you are the kind of person who is often away from your desk. They are also wonderful tools for those who manage to squeeze out some extra time in their day to prepare their ezines and sales pages ahead of schedule. They are essential to business growth and can be lifesavers.

Autoresponders can be free or paid for (aweber.com) and both have their pros and cons. When I first started out, I used the services of a free web tools company (bravenet). They allowed me to send free ezines as often as I wanted (though there’s a minimum daily clause attached). They did not however have an inbuilt autoresponder service to let me send out immediate pre-built in responses. Do I regret it? Absolutely not. It allowed me to build my ezine business from scratch. However, while free software may seem like a boon to those on a tight budget; beware. They are not necessarily easy to use and often have very limited applications, making them less user friendly than most of us would like. On the other hand, paid services can be excellent and usually, the cost is quite nominal. With unlimited amounts of newsletters and broadcasts that you can send, and easy to navigate site structures, you are sure to come up a winner.

So, before you begin to download your autoresponder service, consider the pros and cons and go in for one which works for you.

Usha recommends the following excellent kindle reads, based on your budget:

Five Tips for Beginning Freelance Writers

2009-06-19T07:05:00.000-07:00

My today's guest blogger is an up and coming freelance writer. Here, she doesn't hesitate to share what she's learnt with others. Check out her advice!
________________________________________

You've made the decision to make a living as a writer, hopefully out of love for the art and the fact that you've been scribbling away in notebooks and on computers for most of your life. Here are a few tips that can not only get you started, but help you out of a slump if you are in one.

1. Get some career experience first

Freelance writing isn't something I would recommend doing straight out of college. Get a job, any job, for a year or so in order to understand the head space that your future customers will be in. Even if you are working in a related field, such as publishing or journalism, get in somewhere where you are exposed to an office and management environment. You'll learn how to be diplomatic when presenting ideas, you'll understand what "busy work environment" means, and a million other small things that you just won't learn if you work out of a home office forever. You can also use this time to build your portfolio part-time so that when you are ready, you come out of the gate with a strong showing.

2. Look everywhere

Don't restrict yourself to looking on Craigslist and online bidding sites for work. These are really the low rungs of the freelance writing ladder and good jobs await you in other places. Sign up with an agency for creatives, such as The Creative Group, Aquent or another high-end agency. While they may seem like temp agencies on the surface, these agencies are actually the source of some lucrative contracts that can result in a killer portfolio. Also, explore sites such as freelanceswitch.com, Darren Rowse's ProBlogger and Deb Ng's FreelanceWritingGigs.com.

I know that some will have fervent objections to my dismissal of online bidding sites such as Elance and Guru. However, my views are based on personal experience after giving these sites a good try for more than just a few months. Despite the opportunities that are available there after you spend a lot of time wading through the muck, you shouldn't have to pay a membership fee or commission for your job leads. The exception would be well-vetted sources like FreelanceSwitch.com, which provides excellent leads for their low membership fee. Freelance Switch, in addition, wouldn't dream of asking for a commission on your project.

3. Join a professional association

In Canada, we have an association called PWAC (Professional Writers Association of Canada) that offers its members access to premium job leads, a profile on its websites that prospective buyers look at, and seminars to upgrade your skills. There are similar associations in the US at both the State and the Federal level. These are sources of quality leads and excellent networking opportunities with your fellow writers.

4. Hone your skills wisely

I haven't had any formal training in creative writing since I left University in 1995. To keep myself sharp, I practice writing daily in my various blogs and read various books on writing from authors that know what they are talking about through proven results, like a long list of clients or a significant industry background. It is more important to write than read; start a blog journaling your experiences on Inked In, Blogger, or your own domain.

5. Learn Wordpress

Buy a domain name and hosting and start your own blog using Wordpress. This may seem like a huge step for most of you, but it is so vital that you have Wordpress skills if you want to get blogging gigs. Setting up your own personal portfolio site is the best way to start and it is dead easy. I recommend BlueHost.com for their one-click Wordpress installation, and the fact that you can host multiple sites on their server for $10-$30 a month, depending on the plan you choose. Blog owners will like that you recognize what they are working with and are much more likely to hire you.

Lastly, recognize that you are in an industry where writers are in demand, not the other way around. Low payers often like to put down writing and editing skills as being worthless in order to manipulate you into accepting low pay. Don't fall for this. You are the one who is in demand, not the other way around. Adjust your rates accordingly.

About the Author

Angela West runs www.freelancewritingjobs.ca and has found success as as freelance writer after a year and a half researching various methods of finding contracts. She believes that anyone else with a talent for writing also can and has set up her blog to help her fellow Canadian writers drill down on the jobs that they are eligible for. Her professional site is Working Web Copy.

Online Arbitration- It does work!

2009-06-18T16:13:00.000-07:00

Now that my 'arbitration' case is behind me, I feel comfortable enough to write about it in the hope that others who are going through something similar will benefit from this knowledge.

This case is in particular reference to Elance. There's always been mixed feelings in the freelancing community towards this site; some make their living from clients via Elance, while others feel outraged that they charge not only a subscription fee, but also a hefty commission.

I enjoy working with Elance. I pick and choose my projects and submit bids I feel comfortable with. If they come through, then well and good; if not, there are other sites I also use.

If you happen to get into a tussle with a client (or provider) with regards to payment; then Elance has a fairly good arbitration process in place. This is how it works:

The provider (or client, as this is a two way street) needs to get in touch with Elance and file a 'Dispute Claim Form'. Someone from Elance will get in touch with you and you have up to three days to try and resolve the problem with the other party. If you cannot reach an amicable conclusion after three days, Elance sets up a Dispute Assistance conference call with the provider, the client and someone from the Elance dispute committee. Both provider and client are given time to have their say.

If you still cannot resolve this over the conference call, Elance then gives you the option of filing with an online arbitration company called, Net Arb (www.net-arb.com)
The party who had initially filed the dispute gets the first opportunity to file with Net Arb. Elance issues a unique registration code to file the case and transfers all documentation and Private Message communications over to net-ARB once both parties accept net-ARB's Arbitration Agreement.

Following net-ARB's registration process, everything is handled via e-mail only. The cost to file the case is $199.00 for a single arbiter or $399.00 for a panel. This cost is split equally three-ways, between each party and Elance. In the event an arbitration case is filed and the other party does not respond, the non-participating party’s account will be suspended and any funds held in Escrow will be released to the party who filed the case.

In the event the case is filed, then the arbitration process begins. Both parties get the opportunity to make an opening statement. Each party is then allowed to present evidence and ask questions of the other. All this is done only via emails. Finally, each party needs to make a closing statement. The arbitrator then makes a binding decision; which is communicated to Elance, and accordingly, the funds get released to the person who has won the case.

It's very straightforward; less intimidating than you would imagine; and there is no time frame or deadlines to be met. So you have ample time to prepare all your statements and evidence.

If you still have questions, do visit their site; www.net-arb.com or contact me and I'll be happy to share the information I have.

Bookkeeping Basics For Freelance Writers

2009-06-11T21:46:00.001-07:00

Networking is wonderful. Through it you meet so many other talented men and women, who will help you grow your writing business. Most freelance writers don't realize that in order to make a successful career from their writing, they need to treat it as a business. And what could be more important in any business than bookkeeping!

My guest today is Brigitte Thompson. Apart from being the President of Datamaster Accounting Services LLC; Brigitte has also written a book especially for freelance writers. We spoke a couple of days ago about the wonderful work she's produced.

Usha: Hello and welcome. Why don't we start by you telling us a bit about yourself.

Brigitte: I live in Vermont with my husband, three children, three cats and two dogs. I operate an accounting business, Datamaster Accounting Services, LLC, am an author of 8 books, and freelance writer. I’ve been self- employed for 17 years and am very thankful to have found a way to balance everything. I enjoy what I do and don’t consider it work.

Usha: When did you begin to think of writing a book specifically on bookkeeping for freelance writers?

Brigitte: The idea for this book was born in 2006 when I was answering questions from writers that were part of online forums I belonged to. Many of the same questions came up so I began to keep the answers in a file on my computer. As this file grew, the concept of writing a book about the financial side of a writer’s life became a reality.

Usha: Have you found that freelance writers require a very different set of bookkeeping rules by which to play?

Brigitte: Many bookkeeping rules are universal such as the requirement to record income, but there are some areas of the tax law that are more common to freelance writers. This includes dealing with royalty payments, bartering, personal property and agent fees. My book addresses the universal tax rules as well as the infrequently discussed rules that apply specifically to freelance writers.

Some writers may not see themselves as business owners which can be detrimental to their career. Learning what is reportable income and what deductions are allowed will give them the best chance at overall business success.

Usha: Does your book offer advice on issues such as difficulty in fee/payment collection? I know this is a topic that every freelancer must address at some point in his or her career.

Brigitte: I recommend writers work with contracts which are legally binding. There are copies of these written agreements in the book for writers to use. Unfortunately, even written contracts can be broken and eventually we will encounter a client who is not willing to pay us for the work we have completed.

I strongly encourage writers to utilize Small Claims Court and report the problem to the local Better Business Bureau. For more detailed information, I recommend Michelle Dunn’s series of books on collection. She shares a wealth of information on this topic.

Usha: Would writers living outside of the States benefit from picking up a copy of your book?

Brigitte: Yes, the organizational information and tips included in this book benefit writers both in and out of the United States. However, the book is based on the Federal Tax laws of the United States, so the tax portions of the book would not necessarily apply to business owners outside of the United States.

Usha: You’ve interviewed a number of freelance writers while doing research for this book. What are some of the challenges they’ve faced with regards to bookkeeping?

Brigitte: The interviewing was one of the best parts of writing this book! It was so nice to connect with other writers and to learn about their experiences.

I found the most common challenge writers face is an understanding of what they need to do to organize legally as a business. If their first job is writing the school newsletter, is the money received really income? Do they need to do something with the Internal Revenue Service before they can be considered a business? How do they handle self- employment tax?

The second most common concern for the freelance writers I interviewed was related to proper documentation. What receipts did they need to save? How should they be kept? What information needs to be recorded to prove the expense?

These are all great questions and they are addressed in the book.

Usha: You've also incorporated different sections such as Writer’s Block and Tips for Success into your book. Could you tell us a bit more about these?

Brigitte: Yes, these two sections in the book were fun to put together. Tips were shared as part of the interview process and offered insight into the lives of a variety of writers. For example, one tip from noted author, Brette Sember states, “I think that it is very important for a writer to find a niche. You’ve got to find an area in which you have expertise or experience that makes you stand out from others. It’s also important to build a platform to create that expertise. Start with a blog, articles on Web site, maybe a Listmania list on Amazon, and build up to articles in national magazines. Eventually you will have created credentials for yourself in the area you’ve chosen and can possibly make the jump to selling a book on the subject.”

The Writer’s Block section was created to include questions from writers I interviewed and the answers offer additional insight. An example from the book is listed below.

Question – “As a non-fiction writer, my articles appear nationally in a variety of magazines. I am paid by check from each publication, but they don’t all send me Form 1099- MISC. Do I still have to report the income when the company paying me doesn’t bother to send me the tax form?” — Celia in MD

Answer – “Yes, even if the payer does not send you the 1099-MISC tax form, you are still required to report the earnings on your tax return as income.”

Usha: Thanks Brigitte. Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Brigitte: That the most important thing you can do as a writer is to become organized. There are many books available on how to organize your writing, but this is the best book available, written by an accountant who is also a writer, that will help you organize the financial side of your writing business.

Usha recommends you buy this book:

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write!, today.

Read, Spell, Write and Fix

2009-06-11T20:42:00.000-07:00

Something I had to share..because apart from being a full-time writer and coach (and wife ;); I'm also a very proud parent.

This morning, my three year and five month old son (who in most ways is a very typical boy; into Nascar, Formula One racing and anything that moves fast) announced that he would spell jam for me. So he stood in front of me in his pyjamas and said, J-A-M. Being busy these last few months has meant that I've not devoted as much time to his reading/writing as I did my older daughter. So I was all the more surprised when he went on to spell CAR and DOG. The look on his face when done was incredible! Never have I seen someone look so proud or pleased with themselves. That look I have to say is very inspiring!

This evening and not to be outdone, my daughter (who turned five last week) read me an entire book from start to finish without any mistakes. It was a Diego's Level 1 reader; and while she's read similar books in the past, it's always been stop and go with a little bit of help from mum. Today, it was all go-go-go.

And so, their night ended with my son spelling HUG, giving me a hug and my daughter adding- what a clever family we are- you write, Vik can spell and I can read!

Ps- When asked what my husband could do, my son responded by saying-"Dad's a fixer. He doesn't really read or write (er, yes he does!), but he can fix things! ;)"

So there you have it, a very literary family, and a fixer too!

Facebook Link

2009-06-11T10:34:00.000-07:00

I've just created a page on facebook for Write Choice For You.

How To Make Your Money Work For You

2009-06-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

For most of us, we will work hard throughout our lives for someone else, in return for a waged income. Think then of how profitable it could be to channel this working energy toward our own personal benefit. And then think of how much better it would be if the money earned began to work for you, 24 hours a day, each and every day of the year!

This is known as passive income; where the money you’ve saved or invested generates ongoing income, without you having to do much more. Freelance writers can make a great deal more money via passive income. You can earn passive income by uploading online, products or services, which sell by themselves. Millions of Internet top-end earners earn most of their income via this method.

Once you’ve understood how passive income works, you can begin to generate income from multiple streams- affiliate marketing, selling eBooks and reports online etc. are only some ways in which you can rake in the big bucks.

The following are four ways in which to make your money work for you:

Create a budget: It’s often hard to hear the budget word, especially if you are not used to saving or living frugally. However, until your income generates more money by itself, you will need to create a budget and stick with it. Ask yourself; do I really need this product or service I’m investing in? And if the answer is a no; then postpone or defer it for a later date.

Dig yourself out of debt: If you are in debt, then your first priority is to get out of it. You will never be in the plus with regards to your finances, if you are still in debt. This debt becomes a heavy burden to carry, can be passed on to your family and will prove limiting in allowing you to move forward.

Save: You’ve heard the saying, saving for a rainy day. However, savings should be made not just for rainy days, but for all days in your future. Automatically funnel a part of your monthly wage into a separate savings account, so you have no excuse not to save in a particular month.

Invest: And finally, invest your savings. Your money lying dormant in a bank, earning minimum investment, is not going to work for you. Instead, put it towards a high-return investment. The stock market, though challenging for beginners, can provide excellent returns on your investment. So too can investing in real estate. You can also invest in a new business or purchase into an already existing one. There are a number of ways to invest your finances online to gain returns, which can then be reinvested. If you are new to investing, then it’s best to seek professional advice. You should also read up as much as possible, books on finances and investments.

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write, today.

If you'd like to read books on Investment and Financial advice, then Usha recommends the following:

Thank you to all Getting It Write! subscribers

2009-06-09T06:44:00.000-07:00

Thanks to those who've re-subscribed to Getting It Write!

Don't worry, the content still stays the same, valuable and interesting material I know you can use in your quest to become a better and richer writer! What changes is the format and ease at which it is written (my end) and delivered to you.

Thanks again and I look forward to learning and growing our writing skills and businesses together!

Becoming A Freelance Writer

2009-06-04T20:16:00.001-07:00

Everyday you hear of Internet marketers and other online merchants who all have one thing in common- they are jealous of YOU!

Yes, you, a writer can do what millions only wish they could- Turn plain words into magic. Craft sales letters and eBooks, email blasts and ezine articles that turn other peoples IDEAS into MONEY.

But being a writer is not enough. There are hundreds, no thousands of would-be writers out there who are looking for jobs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Unless you want to join them, you need access to resources which will allow you to develop a niche and find jobs that fit your writing skills. And get PAID for it. Not the $1 and $2 per 500 word requests, but BIG BUCKS!

So why not turn what may be a hobby or a budding career into something full time?

This is your opportunity to grab a FREE copy of my Ebook ‘Becoming A Freelance Writer’.

In it, you’re going to find the following questions answered:

• Can anyone become a freelance writer?

• How do I start?

• Experience versus Education – do I need either?

• Easy ways to find your writing niche.

• Easy ways to find clients.

• Where should I work?

• The top rules every freelance writer must follow.

• And so much more.....

And with it, you get a BONUS! Special access to my thrice monthly (soon to be weekly) ezine, Getting It Write! In it, you’ll find links to resources and have the first chance to read valuable articles on freelance writing, Internet marketing, building your own ezine etc.

All this and more and best of all, it’s all FREE to you if you sign on immediately.

So hurry up and click on the box to your right. Signing on takes a minute and if you are unhappy with it (which I guarantee you won’t be); you can unsubscribe at any time.

Work hard, be smart and create your own luck!

How To Write When The Beach Beckons

2009-06-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

As summer fast approaches; most of us are looking forward to taking some time off and spending it with family and friends. Think beaches, barbecues, summer holidays, camping trips and resort stays.

Whatever your flavor, your writing and business is bound to suffer if you don't have a built-in time off plan.

1.Schedule in extra time for non-work related activities: You will probably need to pen in a lot more time planning barbecues and trips to the beach and just spending some fun, quality time with family and friends. Clear out your schedule or don’t take on newer projects, so you won’t have to cancel any assignments or events at the last minute.

2.Try and get in some extra work time: This may mean getting up an hour earlier each day, or working for a couple of hours during the evening. But by deciding on these extra hours in advance, you’ve automatically shifted your work load to accommodate your additional non-work related plans.

3.Update your communication tools: Think of investing in an iPhone, blackberry or a laptop to help you work faster and more efficiently. If these are not in your budget, then there are ways to adapt. I always have my netbook and notebook (and pen) with me. And there are tons of little notebooks and pens in my car, bedroom, kitchen, handbags and even beach totes. This way, I'm never scrambling for that elusive slip of paper when my 'wow' idea strikes.

4. And finally, outsource your odd jobs: Think nannies and sitters, cleaning crew and personal chefs. Workwise, think marketing assistants, virtual assistants, financial advisors and sales staff. By delegating certain tasks to others; you are automatically creating extra time for yourself. Time which you will hopefully enjoy with your friends and family.

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write, today.

If you'd like to read books on Time Management and Finding Time To Write, then Usha recommends the following:

10 Ways To Write Killer Sales Copy

2009-06-02T09:27:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was informed by Ezine Articles that one of my articles had appeared on another site under a different author's name. I reported it to Associated Content (the site in question), along with proof that the article was indeed mine and they immediately removed it.

It's now on Ezine Articles and you can view it on the link here: http://ezinearticles.com/?10-Ways-to-Write-Killer-Sales-Copy&id=2396877

Thanks to all those who sent in messages of support!

If you like this article, you may also be interested in buying this book:

When life throws you a curveball...

2009-05-30T22:25:00.000-07:00

This month has had some crazy ups and downs for me, work wise. To start with, I’m undergoing arbitration with a company called www.net-arb.com, to get money due to me from a client. The process is quite similar to a court of law; you get a chance to make an opening statement, present evidence, counter-question evidence presented against you and conclude with a closing statement; after which the arbitrator makes a decision (hopefully in your favor!). Will keep you posted as to the outcome of this process.

Next, I was contacted my Ezine Articles where I regularly submit my articles (http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Usha_Krishnan_Sliva), to inform me that my article had appeared on Associated Content, but under someone else’s name! Right enough, the person hadn’t even bothered to change the title of the piece, but had copied it word for word with his name as the author!- http://writechoiceforyou.blogspot.com/2009/05/when-your-article-gets-ripped-off.html.

And finally, I received a notification from Pay Pal, which asked me to reset my password. I sent off an email to www.Paypal.com to verify this request, and they came back to me to say this was a phishing attempt, which they are now trying to sort out.

So there you have it! Three very different attempts to cheat me, at three very different levels. I’m quite excited though about the opportunities I’m receiving to learn something new each day, even if it’s how to counteract fraud and copyright attempts! Take what’s thrown at you and learn from it and not matter the outcome, you will emerge victorious!

Learn about how you can take negative situations and turn them into positive ones, which work in your favor, by subscribing to the latest FREE copy of Getting It Write! Simply click on the link to the right of this post and fill out your name and email address. And you'll also receive as a BONUS, a FREE ebook on 'Becoming A Freelance Writer'.

Alexandra Brown's Silver Mastermind Group

2009-05-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

I joined Ali Brown's Silver Mastermind Group last month. So far, I've received her magazine and participated in her teleconference call. I love her enthusiasm and motivational spirit. If you feel you need an extra 'push' to get you going, or don't quite know where to start, then a great place to begin is her 'Silver Mastermind Group'. In addition to her fab magazine, you also get access to her training and coaching sessions.

Check it out on the link below.

When Your Article Gets Ripped Off!!

2009-05-28T14:24:00.000-07:00

I recently submitted an article, 10 Ways To Write Killer Sales Copy, to http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Usha_Krishnan_Sliva. For those of you who receive my ezine-Getting It Write!, you would have read this article on the 20th February 2009 issue.

So, surprise, surprise, when they contacted me to say that someone had already used this article and sent me a link. Clicking on the link, I found the same exact article (the person hadn't bothered to change even the title!!) on Associated Content, dated 15th April 2009; under a different author name!

It really ticks me off when people assume they can 'borrow' articles, without author permission or link-backs! Please don't do it folks. It takes us time to research and write an article, and while we are mostly happy to share our work, we really would like credit (or money ;) for it. It's copyright infringement and will treated as such.

8 ways to have a flourishing writing career during recession

2009-05-26T10:46:00.000-07:00

No matter the state of the current economy, you will find certain companies continuing to rake in the big bucks and certain individuals continuing to amass their wealth. It doesn't matter the kind of business you are in, or if you work part time or full-time. As a freelance writer for example, you may elect to put in only a few hours of work each day. However, it's what you actually do in those few hours that counts.

Creating a successful business is built on a number of time-tested principles.

1. Stay in touch with potential clients: Someone may have once mentioned they would be looking for a writer, designer, marketing consultant etc. in the near future. Nothing might have materialized from it, but keep them on your potential clients list and send them annual or bi-annual updates. They are more likely to contact you if you remind them of your existence.

2. Continue to build on existing relationships: Never hesitate to ask a current client if they need additional work. You'll be surprised at how many do, but have just been busy or sidetracked and have never come to you with a request. If you are too shy to ask, then send them a short reminder email to say that you appreciate their services and list the additional services you/your company offers.

3. Be competitive: You don't have to go down on your price, but you can offer extras in terms of regular communication and updates, quicker turnaround time and longer revision periods.

4. Expand your services: Having a niche is great. In fact, most people who specialize in a certain area find they can earn far more money doing this. However, keep in mind that you can also expand your niche to include related services.

5. Study and learn: You always need to update your knowledge. Take online courses, join evening classes or just read as many books you can. There's always something new that can be learnt.

6. Make excellence a cornerstone in your business: How can you exceed your clients expectations? How can you better yourself and your services? Customer service is the key to keeping clients and never slack off on it.

7. Explore underused avenues: Visit job sites and see if you can bid on projects where there's less competition. You may need to conduct in depth research into this subject matter, but the returns should far exceed the investment you make.

8. Always have a goal plan in mind: You plans should include short-mid-long term goals. Revisit your plans frequently to see if you are indeed meeting your goals and exceeding them.

© 2009 Usha Krishnan Sliva
Freelance writer Usha Krishnan Sliva has years of article and copywriting experience. To get more free tips and writing ideas, subscribe to her ezine-Getting It Write, today.