Interesting Information about Online Video Production & Distribution - Part One

Filed under: Lots Of Video Resources, Publishing, Marketing Infos — admin at 11:18 am on Saturday, November 29, 2008

The bright old Chinese proverb has a very strong implication; the catchphrase explained the fact that each and every person acknowledges an event a great deal if it is seen. Through video production or videography it is practical to capture a sequence of events.

At the present time in different commercial presentations, video recording is repetitively utilised. By using video production services it is feasible to offer the crucial info to quite a lot of different potential consumers to help convince them. Online Video production at present is employed for numerous purposes; however, more than a few promotional videos and awareness related presentations are usually made in order to achieve certain company objectives.

Audio video presentations are currently in vogue and are therefore used in almost any type of corporate activity. Video production agencies normally interact with a specific client or a firm that seeks to produce an online video commercial, a presentation or a series of video clips. The total work of video production is frequently carried out by individual freelancers; nonetheless there are a couple of online video production agencies around at the moment.

Input of music composers, cameraman & script writers can also be very common when creating internet video productions. Furthermore, marketing agencies & public relations agencies have very recently become involved with video publishing and distribution. If you are looking for a company that specialises in corporate video production in London then look no further than Vidify.

Spell Checkers Are Rubbish

Filed under: Publishing — admin at 11:09 pm on Monday, June 9, 2008

On one of those days when I was feeling quite proud of my ability to string a few words together, I decided it was high time I stopped depriving the United Kingdom’s quality national newspapers of my talents, and started to prepare a cheeky-but-endearing email to each of their editors.

I’d written a four-hundred word article on the politically sensitive but prominent issue
of the alleged agreement between Prime Minister Tony Blair and Chancellor of the
Exchequer Gordon Brown to effectively time-share the position of Prime Minister in
order to resolve a personal feud - a bizarre and highly questionable arrangement, yet
one which the UK media seemed quite happy to let go unchallenged.

Knowing how seriously accuracy is taken in the industry, I ran my article through a
spell-checker a dozen or so times, and, certain beyond any doubt that it contained not
a single spelling error, I published the article on my website, whose address I then
included in my cheeky email.

Several days later, while watching the news, I was reminded that the new leader of the
Conservative Party - the second largest political party in the United Kingdom - was in
fact called David Cameron, rather than David Campbell.

I haven’t yet heard back from any of the newspapers yet, but I imagine they’re
probably just very busy at the moment.

Seb Carroll

http://sebcarroll.blogspot.com/

Writing fiction can be fun too!

Filed under: Publishing — admin at 10:41 pm on Thursday, March 27, 2008

Writing fiction is something that all of us have trouble with
at one time or another. The thought of coming up with a story
which didn’t even happy can sometimes even result in shock.

The best way is to approach this the same way as you would a
non-fiction story. First, you want to brainstorm. You don’t have
to do this all at once, you might want to do your daily chores
or watch some television… This always helps with the
brainstorming. The ideas will come quickly so you might want to
take a pencil and paper with you so you don’t forget it.

Next, choose which idea you think is best not which is easiest.
You want this story to be exciting and thrilling with lots of
events.

After you have chosen which idea you want to use, begin creating
your characters. Write out the main characters of your story
with short descriptions of each. Describe what their
personalities are like and what they look like as well. This
will later prove to be very helpful in the story making process.
You don’t have to give “concrete” names to any of the characters
as of yet. That can come later; this is just to give a hint at
what your limitations will be for each character.

Now that you have done this, write out the setting of where the
story will begin and perhaps where it will end. Again, this
gives you a better understanding of what the character can and
can not do. You don’t want to go too far off course and end up
doing something completely different than what you were first
expecting.

The last step is what you have been waiting for, writing the
story. Now that you have a main idea of what your story and
characters will do you may begin. While you are writing you may
change your characters a bit, but don’t go too far out of place
or it may change the entire story. If you come up with an idea
of what you want to happen later on, be sure to write it down.

The best thing about writing fiction is that we don’t have
limitations on what can happen. We are our characters. If we
want them to be a cowboy in the Midwest we can. If we want them
to be a pro basketball player on hemorrhoids we can. This is
what makes writing so great. We create our own world through our
words… Isn’t it wonderful?

Brain Freeze? Hire A Ghost Writer

Filed under: Publishing — admin at 11:31 am on Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Does this sound familiar? You have a newsletter that needs to go
out in a few days, but you just can’t come up with a good
article to write. You have a serious case of writer’s block. Or,
you know you should be adding more content to your site on a
regular basis to keep the search engines (and of course your
visitors) happy, but you just can’t find the time to sit down
and write articles every week. There’s an easy solution to both
problems. Hire a ghostwriter to write the articles for you.

Basically, a ghostwriter is someone that writes articles for you
that you get to claim as your own and publish under your own
name. No one other than yourself and the ghostwriter has to know
that you didn’t write the article yourself. Once you pay for the
article, you hold all rights to it and can publish it wherever
and however you see fit.

Now let’s talk about the hard part. How do you find a good
ghostwriter? You can start by posting a small project on elance
or guru.com. Anyone interested in writing for you can bid on the
project and you will get to choose your writer from the bidders.
I mentioned posting a small project because you just don’t know
exactly what you are going to get until you receive the finished
articles. A small project in elance or guru terms would be about
15 to 20 short articles on a subject that’s either common
knowledge, or easily researched. You want to make it worth the
bidders (to attract good writers) without having to spend too
much per article.

Other great ways to find a ghostwriter is to network with others
in your field, ask friends and post on message boards related to
the topic you want the articles written about. Just ask if there
is someone interested in writing for you. There are also quite a
few freelance writers that offer ghostwriting as well. Search
for ghost writing in your favorite search engine to find sites
like momva.com .

Pricing for ghostwritten articles can range anywhere from $2.00
to $65 per article. Most writers will charge about $5.00 to
$12.00. Keep in mind that you will pay less for shorter articles
than long ones. The average article size is from 300 - 1200
words. Shop around, but don’t shop by price along. Like anywhere
else you will get what you pay for. Articles in the $2 to $6
range tend to be pretty simple and to be honest quite boring. To
get any decent hourly rate, the writer has to crank out 4 - 5
articles per hour and it will show in the quality of the
article. You can however find some great articles in the $8 to
$12 price range.

When choosing a writer, start by asking for sample articles.
Find a few writers who’s style you like and ask them to write a
few articles each. You should be able to tell who will work out
and who doesn’t. If you have done a good bit of writing
yourself, you may want to provide the writers with some of your
own articles before they start, so they can get a feel for your
style and personality. Pick one or two writers to write for you
on a regular basis. It may also be worth staying in touch with
the runner-ups in case a writer doesn’t work out, or doesn’t
have time for additional projects down the road.

So, will it be worth paying someone to write your articles? It
sure does for me. Submitting article and adding them to your own
site is one of the fastest and cheapest ways to get traffic to
your site. When you add the articles written by your ghostwriter
to your site, optimize them by a particular keyword, or key
phrase to get more search engine traffic. Then submit the
un-optimized version to the various article directories. As your
article is used on other sites and in newsletter the traffic
will start coming in.

How much are you paying right now to advertise on various
websites and in newsletters? $25 per ad or more? For $25 you can
easily get 2 to 5 quality articles from a ghostwriter. These
articles can then appear in countless publications and websites
over and over again. Don’t forget, your resource box, with a
link to your site will be included each time the article is
published. Your articles may appear in larger newsletters or
even print papers and magazines that you could never afford to
place an ad in. If you ask me, hiring a ghostwriter and getting
more articles with my resource box out there is a great
investment.

Defy the Myths, Get Your Book Written–Fast! - Part 2

Filed under: Publishing — admin at 5:00 pm on Sunday, March 16, 2008

Why don’t you write a book?

Most people complain it takes too long. They are too busy. One professional coach said she was not a natural writer. An entrepreneur feared it wouldn’t sell, or it would be too much effort. A professional speaker says she is so busy marketing herself, she doesn’t know where to find the time to write.

These are reasons, but they aren’t real, they are myths. You can write a profitable book–even a lot of books–fast!

Fast depends on you, your intention, and attention that you will give your book Fast depends on your creating a blueprint of simple step-by-step strategies to write a fast, focused book.

Getting Your Book Written–Six Myths and Options

Part one of this article is available at www.bookcoaching.com/freearticles/article-41.shtml.

4. Takes writing ability.

If you can talk you can write. Readers want books written by a wise and savvy friend who will guide them gracefully to success. They want passion and natural writing more than perfect syntax.

After you write your book, you can get it edited by a professional, or if you want to save time and money, edit it as you go by using proper headings that state your audience’s problem he wants solved, and following that with a concise answer. A book coach can help you with this.

5. Needs an agent or a publisher.

You know what a book could mean to your career, or your life. If you didn’t write a book, you’d miss a lot of fun, you’d miss being a star or on radio/TV talk show with your popular or trade nonfiction book, or you’d miss sharing your unique and important message with others.

All well and good, but how will you get people to look at your book? Maybe an agent or publisher? The sad truth is they will only accept on 1-2% of submitted manuscripts and it takes up to two years to publish the traditional way. Agents and publishers bet on big name authors they know can sell books.

Some authors think that the publishers will market and promote the book. Maybe for a few months, but the author must pay from book sales to take those painful book tours. Publishers let you go after a few months and you are on your own to promote. Instead, start a computer promotion file of contacts and organizations just as you write that first chapter.

6. The book may not sell well.

Know that if you have a book that shares new, unique and useful information, it has enough significance to sell well. A book is far more saleable when you know your particular audiencetheir habits, fears, habits, complaints, desires and dreams.

Write an audience profile before you write your book, so your book has an angle, and will stand out from the crowd.

Ray Bradbury said, “I wrote the first draft of “Fahrenheit 451″ in just nine and a half days.” He also advises us to write short articles or stories. They can become a longer book. A page a day will yield two to ten books a year. If Ray Bradbury can write a book fast, so can YOU.

Think of your benefits in writing a book! Your book expresses who you are. Your clients, associates, and companies who need speakers or coaches need your book. Your fiction audience wants new entertainment. A book ensures a constant stream of contacts who consider you a leader in your field. People Online are looking for your topic every day.

Whether you market your book offline or Online, people want your solutions, inspirational words, and stories. What follows? A lifelong, constant stream of income.

Judy Cullins © 2004 All Rights Reserved.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people’s lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” and “Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz,” she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com or call 619/466-0622.

Which Witch is Which? Part IV: O-R

Filed under: Publishing — admin at 2:52 pm on Sunday, March 2, 2008

  • oar………….boat propulsion system

  • or……………comparitive article
  • ore………….mineral-laden dirt

  • odd………….see: awed

  • offal…………see: aweful

  • oh……………interjection

  • owe………….to be indebted

  • ohs………….more than one letter “O”

  • owes…………in debt

  • one………….singularity

  • won………….victorious

  • oohs………..as in “oohs and ahs”

  • ooze………..slime

  • oracle, see: auricle

  • oral, see: aural

  • ordinance……a decree

  • ordnance…….artillery

  • ought, see: aught

  • our, see: hour

  • ours, see: hours

  • overdo………carried to excess

  • overdue……..past time for payment

  • paced……….measured by footsteps

  • paste……….thick glue

  • packed………placed in a container

  • pact………..agreement

  • pail………..bucket

  • pale………..light colored

  • pain………..it hurts

  • pane………..a single panel of glass

  • pair………..a set of two

  • pare………..cutting down
  • pear………..bottom-heavy fruit

  • palate………taste

  • pallet………a platform for transporting goods; bed
  • pallette…….a selection of paint

  • pall………..to become wearisome

  • Paul………..a man’s name
  • pawl………..locks a ratchet

  • passed………approved; moved on

  • past………..before now

  • patience…….being willing to wait

  • patients…….doctor’s customer

  • pause……….to hesitate

  • paws………..cat transportation

  • pea…………round, green legume

  • pee…………urinate, slang

  • peace……….free of war or calamity

  • piece……….a part of

  • peak………..mountain top

  • peek………..secret look
  • pique………..ruffled pride

  • peal………..ringing sound

  • peel………..fruit outer covering, the act of removing a covering

  • pealed………rang with sound as with a bell

  • peeled………having removed the covering

  • pearl……….round, luminescent gem from an oyster

  • purl………..to edge with a chain of small loops as in knitting

  • pedal……….foot control

  • peddle………to sell

  • peer………..an equal

  • pier………..wharf

  • pencil………writing implement

  • pensil………thin, swallowtail flag

  • per…………for each

  • purr………..endearing cat hum

  • pharoah, see: farrow

  • phase, see: faze

  • phased, see: fazed

  • phew, see: few

  • phial, see: file

  • philter, see: filter

  • phlox, see: flocks

  • pi………….3.1416…

  • pie…………filled crust pastry

  • picnic………outdoor meal

  • pyknic………physiological type with thick neck, large abdomen and short limbs

  • pieced………assembled from pieces

  • piste……….a ski run of compacted snow

  • pincer………claw-like gripping action

  • pincher……..one who pinches
  • pinscher…….terrier

  • pistil………seed-bearing organ of a flower

  • pistol………hand gun

  • place……….a location

  • plaice………a flounder

  • plain……….not fancy

  • plane……….a surface

  • plait……….braid

  • plate……….a dish

  • planar………flat

  • planer………one who planes

  • pleas……….crys for help

  • please………good manners

  • pleural……..related to lungs

  • plural………more than one

  • plum………..purple fruit

  • plumb……….straight up and down

  • polar……….relating to the North or South poles

  • poler……….one who uses a pole

  • Pole………..a person from Poland

  • pole………..big stick
  • poll………..a voting

  • poled……….a pole was used

  • polled………lacking horns

  • pone………..the dealer’s opponent in two-handed card games

  • pony………..a small horse

  • poor………..no money

  • pore………..careful study; microscopic hole
  • pour………..to flow freely

  • popery………a disparaging term for Catholics

  • potpourri……a miscellaneous collection

  • praise………to commend

  • prays……….petition to God
  • preys……….hunts

  • pray………..worship God

  • prey………..hunt

  • precedence…..priority

  • precedents…..established course of action
  • presidents…..commanders-in-chief

  • presence…….the state of being present

  • presents…….gifts

  • pride……….ego

  • pryed……….opened with force

  • pries……….wedging open

  • prize……….the reward

  • prince………son of the King

  • prints………impressions

  • principal……head of school

  • principle……causative force

  • profit………money earned

  • prophet……..seer

  • pros………..multiple experts

  • prose……….ordinary language

  • psi…………twenty-third letter of Greek alphabet

  • sigh………..sad and weary breath
  • xi………….fourteenth letter of Greek alphabet

  • quarts………several fourths-of-gallons

  • quartz………crystalline rock

  • quay, see: cay

  • queue, see: cue

  • quince………small, round fruit

  • quints………multiple quintuplets

  • quire, see: choir

  • quoin, see: coin

  • rabbet………a groove cut in a board

  • rabbit………small mammal

  • rack………..shelf

  • wrack……….wreckage

  • racket………illegal moneymaking scheme

  • racquet……..woven bat for tennis

  • rain………..precipitation

  • reign……….sovereign rule
  • rein………..horse’s steering wheel

  • raise……….elevate

  • rays………..thin beams of light
  • raze………..to tear down completely
  • (”raise” is the antonym of “raze”)

  • rap…………a sharp knock

  • wrap………..to encase in cloth

  • rapped………knocked sharply

  • rapt………..spellbound
  • wrapped……..encased in cloth

  • ray…………arrow of light

  • re………….musical note

  • read………..having knowledge from reading

  • red…………a primary color

  • read………..to get the meaning by looking

  • rede………..advice
  • reed………..tall, thin water plant

  • reading……..what you are doing now

  • reeding……..a small semicylindrical moulding or ornamentation

  • reads……….gets the meaning by looking

  • reeds……….more than one aquatic plant

  • real………..authentic

  • reel………..armature for winding, a type of group dance

  • recede………to move backward

  • reseed………to plant again

  • reck………..to care

  • wreck……….a ruin

  • reek………..smells bad

  • wreak……….to inflict

  • resinate…….to impregnate with resin

  • resonate…….sympathetic vibration

  • resisters……protesters

  • resistors……electrical restrictors

  • rest………..stop working

  • wrest……….take away

  • retch……….call Ralph on the porcelain telephone

  • wretch………a ragamuffin

  • review………a general survey or assessment

  • revue……….a series of theatrical sketches or songs

  • rheum……….watery discharge of mucous

  • room………..partitioned space

  • rheumy………having a watery discharge of mucous

  • roomie………colloquialism for “roommate”
  • roomy……….lots of space

  • rho…………seventeenth letter of Greek alphabet

  • roe…………fish eggs
  • row…………aisle; pull an oar

  • rhumb……….a constant compass direction

  • rum…………liquor distilled from sugar cane

  • rhyme……….a verse with regular recurrence of sounds

  • rime………..frost

  • rigger………one who rigs

  • rigor……….discipline

  • right……….correct

  • rite………..ritual
  • wright………a maker
  • write……….to inscribe

  • ring………..circle

  • wring……….twisting

  • rise………..to stand up

  • ryes………..varieties of grain

  • road………..a broad trail

  • rode………..past tense of ride
  • rowed……….to propel a boat by oars

  • roam………..to wander

  • Rome………..capital of Italy

  • roil………..to make turbid

  • royal……….worthy of a king or queen

  • role………..part to play

  • roll………..rotate

  • rood………..a cross

  • rude………..coarse

  • roomer………a tenant

  • rumor……….gossip

  • root………..subterranean part of a plant

  • route……….path of travel

  • rose………..a brush or shrublike flower, a pink color

  • rows………..linear arrangement

  • rot…………decay

  • wrought……..made

  • rote………..by memory

  • wrote……….past tense of write

  • rough……….coarse

  • ruff………..pleated collar

  • rout………..to force out

  • route……….path of travel

  • roux………..cooked butter and flour

  • rue…………regret

  • rude………..impolite

  • rued………..regretted

  • rye…………grain

  • wry…………twisted

    AE Wise is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/
    which is a site for Writers. AE Wise has been in education for over 20 years.

  • In Your Own Words

    Filed under: Publishing — admin at 11:54 pm on Friday, February 8, 2008

    More Tips For New Writers (Part I)

    Explain in your own words

    Familiar phrase? Yes, we have all heard it many times in many
    different situations. This little phrase is used to convey
    subtly different meanings depending upon the circumstances in
    which it is used. At school, the teacher means “Don’t just copy
    chunks out of a book; show me you can write an essay”. In an
    examination the words mean “Prove that you understand the
    question and know the answer”. On an insurance claim form it
    means “Tell us what happened from your point of view”. From a
    Judge it means “Tell the truth without embellishment”.

    What do all these people have in common? They want to hear what
    you know, what you think about things. They don’t want something
    you have copied from somebody else, they don’t want regurgitated
    chunks of something learned by rote, they don’t want to hear
    somebody else’s words repeated, they don’t want to hear excuses.
    They want to hear what you have to say. They want honesty.

    Honesty is the best policy

    If you want to write, you must learn to write honestly. By this
    I do not mean that it is essential for you to always tell the
    unvarnished truth (this article is not about personal
    development: it is about writing and moral debate has no place
    here). I mean use your own words, your own style, your own
    “voice”. Do not try to imitate a writer you admire. Imitation is
    said to be the sincerest form of flattery. That may be true
    enough but most imitations turn out to be poor copies of the
    original item. Make your writing the real deal; don’t give
    people the chance to say: “He’s that guy who tries to write like
    Stephen King”. Believe me, they won’t mean it as a compliment;
    what they are really saying is: “He’s that guy who tries to
    write like Stephen King but fails and (snigger, snigger) he
    doesn’t realise it”. Being honest has the undoubted advantage
    that it saves you having to remember what lies you told
    previously. It should also make you feel good and that’s a bonus.

    There have, of course, been instances where an unknown artist
    has created a painting in the style of a master and the work had
    been painted so skilfully that experts declared it to be
    authentic. Remember, though, the forger had skill of his own in
    the first place. Whether you are forging a masterpiece or a bank
    note, you need to possess skill as well as the appropriate
    tools. If you are new to writing, it is highly unlikely that you
    will be able to manage a convincing imitation of a famous
    author’s style. Indeed, you will probably find it difficult to
    even begin to analyse what makes a particular author’s writing
    uniquely personal. Writing “in the style of” can be a valuable
    exercise for trainee writers but it should only ever be an
    exercise, not a substitute for authenticity. If you have what it
    takes to be a writer, get out there, write and make sure your
    fingerprints are all over your work declaring it to be yours and
    yours alone.

    Voice recognition

    No, not the computer software type: the type that happens when
    Joe `phones a friend. Joe says: “Hello.” and the friend
    instantly says “Hi, Joe.” If you write as yourself, your loyal
    readers will reach the stage where they recognise your work from
    reading a fragment without needing any clue from a by-line.

    If you have something interesting to say, there is no need to
    put on a phoney voice (unless your intention is to make your
    audience laugh). You will probably not get to be President if
    you make all your speeches in the style of Homer Simpson. If you
    decide to put your message in writing, you should write it in
    your own words and in your own way. When you write, you have
    your own voice and you should not try to disguise it. Allow your
    audience to hear your voice and become familiar with it. Of
    course not everybody will like your voice one hundred percent
    all of the time: there is not one thing in this world which is
    liked by everybody always.

    None of us is perfect

    I don’t mean this in terms of never making a mistake: I just
    mean that, as human beings we all have imperfections. Keats says
    “Beauty is truth, truth beauty”. I heartily concur but
    imperfections are, like beauty, in the eye of the beholder; a
    matter of personal taste. What is a blemish to you might be an
    endearing feature to me. There are also degrees of imperfection.
    A minor imperfection in an otherwise excellent work may be
    overlooked. A similar imperfection in bad piece of work might be
    the final straw which prompts the reader to throw the book
    across the room and vow never to read anything else by that
    author.

    Whilst reading works of horror fiction by some of my favourite
    fiction writers, I have found the repeated use of certain words
    irritating; for some reason I dislike the use of “umbra” and
    “orb” in place of shadow and eyeball. (The subject matter of
    these books is of necessity dark and grisly things frequently
    happen to eyes.) As the remainder of the work is perfection (in
    my orbs, anyway) I am able to forgive this minor irritation and
    still eagerly anticipate each new publication by these authors.
    Other readers might be impressed by the use of these alternative
    nouns or not even notice them. Whatever your imperfection might
    be, never ever compound it with sloppiness. You cannot help
    being less than perfect, that is part of being human; there is
    no excuse for offering sloppy workmanship.

    Fiction Tip: Do You Really Have a Story?

    Filed under: Publishing — admin at 8:35 am on Friday, November 30, 2007

    All writers get rejection slips. It’s just part of writing if you submit your work to publishers. But if you’ve been seriously writing fiction for quite a while, yet ALL you’ve received for your work are rejections, then take a closer look at one of your short stories. In fact, do you really have a story - or do you have what editors call “an incident”?

    A story has a protagonist who has a big problem to solve. As the plot
    thickens, this character struggles and struggles to solve the problem. As
    he does, he encounters obstacles at every turn until, finally, he is able to
    solve (or at least resolve) the problem. In doing so, this character
    changes or grows somehow, so he is no longer the same person he
    was at the start of the story. He may be a little wiser now, or a bit more
    careful, or maybe he just has a better understanding of what he wanted
    in the first place.

    An incident is simply a series of actions and occurrences in a character’s
    life. But these things don’t change the character. By the end of the final
    page, he is exactly the same person he was on page one.

    Does your fiction contain all of these story elements? If not, chances are
    you have written an incident and not a full-fledged story, and that just
    may be why your work keeps getting rejected.

    Give your main character a big problem to solve right at the start. The
    problem could be something he wants, or somewhere he must go, or
    someone he must find. As he tries to solve his problem, give him plenty
    of obstacles to make things get harder and harder for him before he is
    able to solve the problem.

    Finally, before you mail your manuscript off to an editor, ask yourself this
    question, “How has my main character changed or grown as a result of
    struggling to solve his problem?” If you can easily answer this question,
    and your manuscript is well-written, then you probably have a great
    story. And it should be only a matter of time before you receive your first
    acceptance letter.

    Suzanne Lieurance is a children’s author, freelance writer, writing
    instructor and mentor and owner of the Three Angels Gourmet Co.
    Learn more about her books at http://www.suzannelieurance.com and
    find out about her writing services at
    http://www.lieurancegroup.blogspot.com or read her daily food tips at
    http://www.threeangelsgourmet.blogspot.com

    The Heart of The Delay: Harnessing The Wisdom of Procrastination (AKA Writer’s Block)

    Filed under: Publishing — admin at 5:40 pm on Tuesday, November 6, 2007

    The Heart of The Delay: Harnessing the Wisdom of
    Procrastination, AKA Writer’s Block

    I am sure that at in some era, at some desk, with some kind of
    paper (and perhaps some very special ink), some writer has
    breezed through a lengthy and challenging project from beginning
    to end with no delays. No one in her household has suffered,
    she’s felt pleased at each step of the process, and her
    shoulders have never cried out for massage. I’m sure of this.

    I am equally certain that for most people, writing projects have
    at least some period of delay. Sometimes, it takes the form of
    distraction, and a bit of discipline works just fine to bring us
    back. Other times, our life’s work or inspiration of the moment
    sits there, waiting for us to get back to it, and every
    incomplete we’ve ever taken in school, every shaming message
    we’ve ever heard, or self-doubt we’ve ever felt encrusts the
    project like so many barnacles.

    Worse still, “procrastination” and “writer’s block” pop up in
    writer’s tracts like names of diseases that need “cures,” the
    right sledgehammer, or perhaps simply to be ignored. While some
    writers may find it helpful to have a name for what gets in the
    way of what they’re trying to achieve, “writer’s block” or
    “procrastination” can falsely universalize very different
    phenomena. My obstacles, yours, and hers may be different
    animals, different species or even perhaps silicon-based
    non-organic entities. Framing them as negative blocks the
    opportunity to learn something about ourselves or our writing.

    For example, my reluctance to finish my novel may reflect a
    correct hunch about a major flaw in the story structure I’m
    loathe to face, while yours may stem from guilt about being the
    first in your family to succeed at an intellectual task. Each of
    us has an opportunity to notice and deal directly with the heart
    of the delay, rather than its limbs which trip us. Dealing with
    the heart of the delay could lead us down a more effective and
    sustainable path than the one we’d forge by simply steamrolling
    over the delay, or walking around it. I might need to bring in a
    book doctor to raise the quality of my work, while you might
    need to have a heart-to-heart with a family member, neutral
    third party, or both about what it means for you to succeed as a
    writer.

    I humbly suggest the following: When next you find your mind
    meandering anywhere but to your work, don’t beat yourself up.
    Instead, give a listen to what’s guiding you astray. The answer
    may surprise you—and give you some clues about how to proceed
    with your project on the clearest path possible. Here are some
    questions to help you determine what’s tripping you up, as well
    as some responses to each.

    1) Do you have in mind an ideal way of doing things, and then
    get paralyzed when you start to do things in your own natural
    quirky way? Here’s permission, then. Write out of order. If
    ideas for the middle or end of your book come before the
    beginning, go with it. You can always move things later.
    Multitask—use one project to procrastinate from doing another.

    If you’ve done your emotional homework and find that you still
    procrastinate (and many great writers do), have other projects
    in the pipeline so that when you find yourself drifting from the
    one big project, you’ve got others to work on to fill your time
    until you can get back to that one. If you’re stopped in your
    tracks because you think you have to work in a certain way, get
    back to the drawing board! Work on the pieces that compel you
    when you feel like working on them.

    2) Is it possible that you lose the big picture of what you’re
    doing in the daily details? Connect your deepest desires and
    visions to each moment of your work.

    Distill your longings into a sentence or paragraph such as “I am
    a published writer who gets great reviews and makes my entire
    living through my writing,” and post this in a visible place.
    Say it out loud to your mirror each time you begin your work. It
    might seem hokey, but many writers find that it actually helps
    to keep the big picture in mind.

    3) Do you have a realistic image of the quality of your work?
    Find out what if any kind of help you need, then get it.

    A society of journalists was asked how many writers were in the
    room. Nearly all the hands went up. Then the speaker asked how
    many of the writers considered themselves “good writers.” Nearly
    half the hands went down.

    While even the best writers doubt their skill, others suffer
    from overconfidence. Well, maybe overconfident writers don’t
    experience suffering themselves, but their careers (and perhaps
    their peers) can suffer for their lack of help getting their
    writing to a publishable place. If you find yourself putting off
    work because you don’t know if it’s any good, find out. Get a
    professional in the field with obvious credentials to help you
    make that determination, or do it yourself.

    If you find out your work stands up content-wise, you may still
    need an outside eye to tell you whether your writing is okay on
    its own, or you need professional assistance to make it
    publishable. An editor experienced in your type of manuscript
    will be able to help you polish your prose to a high sheen.

    Another option is ghostwriting, or hiring a professional writer
    to pen some or all of your manuscript. Many of the most famous
    authors hire ghostwriters to help them get their message across.
    Sometimes they’re credited on the cover with an “and” or “with,”
    but often they’re silent partners, hence the term “ghost.”

    Having marketable ideas is one thing—finding the language to
    best articulate them is another entirely. Don’t kill yourself
    trying to develop a skill that takes years to hone when you’ve
    got other more compelling plans, and when there are plenty of
    people already prepped for that task. We live in a specialized
    society expressly for not having to kill ourselves trying to
    deliver garbage, make contact lenses, paint all the artwork on
    our walls, and yes, craft and polish all our own prose.

    4) Who is in your immediate environment? Take a look, give a
    listen. Is what you observe conducive to writing?

    On one end of the solitude-contact continuum is the person who
    works best alone. On the other end is someone who needs a
    partner to check in and collaborate with at each stage of the
    process. What are your needs around other people’s involvement
    in your work? For the solitary type, the solution could be
    finding a “room of one’s own,” or at least a borrowed space with
    peace and quiet enough to think and write.

    At the other end it could be finding a buddy, coach or
    collaborator to check in with regularly. In the middle, where
    lots of people find themselves, are authors who attend local
    writers groups or participate in online communities. Take the
    time to notice and get to know your own needs, and to create the
    space and/or support you need to move forward.

    5) Is some healing in order? At the deepest level of your
    awareness, what do you feel and believe about yourself and your
    writing? On another plane entirely from practical concerns are
    wounds of the soul that need healing. It’s difficult to allow
    our excellence to shine when we truly believe we’re not worthy,
    or that to succeed would betray some unspoken agreement about
    staying small.

    If everything within you wants to move forward into the world
    with your writing, and something inside you is holding you back,
    realize that only you can make the decision to find the
    therapist, spiritual counselor, coach or practice to move you
    through that place. Procrastination could be a signal to finally
    heal an old wound.

    6) Is this project the best expression of what you love and want
    to put out into the world right now? Ascertain or revisit what
    made you put your energy behind this project.

    Whether it’s money, prestige, self-expression, career
    advancement or something else, ask yourself if your original
    reasons are congruent with your current needs. If not, give
    yourself permission to do something else.

    7) Are you afraid of the impact you’ll make on the world,
    whether positive or negative? You should be—if you’ve never been
    published before, you’re about to lose your anonymity.

    Consider using a pen name, at least for the time you’re writing.
    You can always change it back later. I did this for the very
    first essay I ever published, because at the time, I felt shy
    about writing about sex, and also wanted to protect those whom I
    discussed in the essay.

    guerilla tip: Most writers will not become all that famous, and
    the feedback most of us receive is damned scant. So—consider
    using your real name before going to press. If you go on to
    build your career around related material, you’ll be grateful
    you did.
    8) Do You Need to Reassess your Pace? Maybe the goals you’ve set
    aren’t realistic for you.

    Procrastination can be an utterly human attempt to create a
    sustainable work pace. If you expect eight hours of writing a
    day from yourself six days a week, no wonder your body’s
    rebelling. If your goals more clearly meet your known
    capabilities, and you’re still having difficulty meeting them,
    ask yourself honestly whether your timetable makes sense for you
    today.

    Your life may have changed since you last set the pace of your
    writing treadmill. If so, change your expectations to ones
    you’re more likely to achieve—then reward yourself when you do.
    If you still have trouble, consider structural supports, like a
    writing buddy, group, or some form of coaching.

    9) Do you think your first drafts have to be perfect? Come on.
    You’re slinging mud on a wall. Or, if you prefer, as one of my
    clients put it, “I just put one word in front of the other.”

    You’re going to go through so many revisions from the time you
    put those first few words down to the time you’re polished, that
    you might as well bulk up the page now. There will be plenty of
    time for trimming later.

    10) Do you hate the idea of rewriting yet one more time? Of
    course you do. People in other fields get to be finished with
    their tasks when they stop working, and enjoy the fruits of
    their labors. But nooooo, not writers! There’s always another
    draft in the wings.

    Face it—endless rewriting sucks. You know and I know it needs
    doing, but isn’t there a better way? The bad news is, the only
    way around is through. The good news is, you can reward yourself
    for each phase, and I encourage you to do so.

    11) When was the last time you saw the sky? Get outside, for
    crying out loud. Humans were never meant to spend all day
    immersed in words.

    Some days, your procrastination may be telling you to Get A
    Life. If so, listen. Enjoy yourself. However talented you are
    and however important your work, you aren’t your writing. At
    least not entirely. Breaking up your day with physical
    activities, or anything very different from writing will give
    you a fresh perspective on your text. Plus, when this project is
    all over, you’ll want to have had a bit of sunshine from time to
    time, maybe a friendship or two.

    Remember, not all bouts of delay are alike. Yours might carry a
    message. Take the time to listen, heed and respond to that
    message. Your writing—and your life—will be better for it.

    You are welcome to reprint this article any time, anywhere with
    no further permission, and no payment, provided the following is
    included at the end or beginning:

    Author Jill Nagle is founder and principal of GetPublished,
    http://www.GetPublished.com, which provides coaching,
    consulting, ghostwriting, classes and do-it-yourself products to
    emerging and published authors. Her most recent book is How to
    Find An Agent Who Can Sell Your Book for Top Dollar
    http://www.FindTheRightAgent.com.

    How To Write A Newsletter Using Articles

    Filed under: Publishing — admin at 7:20 pm on Friday, November 2, 2007

    Learn how to write your newsletter in as little as twenty minutes. You will have all the help in creating and writing your own newsletter. There are over 100 copyright articles that you can use to create your own newsletter. There is a step by step manuel that helps you write the newsletter of your dreams. You will be provided with layouts, easy to understand information, on which you would prefer, online or offline newsletters. There are bonuses that help you learn how to post your newsletter online or offline. You also get a resource pack that helps you with everything you need.

    You can advertise with little to no expense. You can also learn how to make a presentation to present to your club, at work, at church and etc. You can learn how to create newsletters, eZine, presentations, learn how to play golf, it is up to you. You can use the newsletter for personal and business or you can create your business online. The cost is minimal for what it brings into you in wages. You can create and produce in your off time with just 2 or 3 hours a day or you can make this your full time job and still only work a few hours a week. It was my dream fulfilled and it can be yours too. With little or no computer experience.

    My recommendation is that you do not sell anything that you have not used. How can you give it your approval if you have not tried the item. You will be using your reputation and your reputation is what you are trying to build for an online business.

    I am Vickie D. Dingman. I am nurse who is looking for a way to work at home and spend time with my family instead of working for someone else. If I can do, you can do it to. I am a wife, mother of two, and grandmother of three, and now I can spend my time with them instead of working for someone else.

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