How to Write Articles That Sell
by James @ Men with Pens moneytipsArticle writing for web content is one of the hottest things in the virtual world these days, and it is a great way for new writers to start turning their talent into dollars. Writing articles that sell, though, isn’t always easy. Here are some tips that may help.
The Introductory Paragraph: Building the Foundation
by James @ Men with Pens blog structuretipsThe first few words of your article are the ones that build the foundation for the rest of your writing. A good introductory paragraph sets the stage and provides context.
Catchy Article Titles Make a Difference
by James @ Men with Pens blog structuretipstitlesA selling article starts with one important part: The title. The title of your article is probably one of the most important factors in whether you attract readers’ interest or they move on. You can be writing about the most boring thing in the world, but a catchy title makes all the difference between a hit and a miss.
The Way of Writing
by Harrison McLeod @ Men with Pens series: the way of writingWhile cleaning off my bookshelves, I came across a book I hadn’t read in years: Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings. I bought it back when I studied martial arts in the mid-80s. At the time, the Book of Five Rings was a big hit in the corporate world. Musashi’s teachings proved useful in the art of kenjitsu (the sword) and in the business world as well. Many CEOs studied his writings on tactics meant for warfare, applying them to the boardroom. Some people saw this as insight to the Japanese mindset. They studied Musashi in an attempt to understand what made the Japanese such successful businessmen. How could I apply Musashi’s lessons to writing?
Netbooks – Good Geek’dm for Writers
by Robin @ LitCentral netbookstechnologytoolsNetbooks are the latest piece of hardware to target the geek scene. Every manufacturer worth its salt is rushing to get their version of the netbook on the market. Not to be confused with laptops/notebooks, netbooks are optimized for light computing tasks like word processing and heavy internet usage – hence the term “net”. They are the latest craze in computing and are spreading like wildfire. I’ve been watching the netbook craze since Intel introduced the Atom in the spring of 08’. And while the netbook truly has benefits for writers, I believe its greatest purpose will be in offering the ultimate low-cost web portal to the world at large. Mark my words, these things will soon inhabit the Amazon jungle.
Writing Flow: Turning Off the Worry Faucet
by Charlotte Rains Dixon @ Word Strumpet tipswriters flowA few days ago I wrote a post titled, What About Not Writing? which pondered the question of whether it was ever a good idea to take a break from writing. As is often the case, the post garnered some interesting responses, because, well, I have fabulously interesting readers (Brief aside: as a general rule, writers are the most fabulously interesting people in the world, except for the occasional odd duck crank).
Are You Earning What You’re Worth?
by Susan Johnston @ The Urban Muse life balancemoneyI can’t tell you exactly how much you ought to charge for writing, because there are too many variables, and frankly, I’m still figuring this out myself. Experience, geography, and the complexity of the project all factor in. Still, there are some instances where I think it’s safe to say that you’re getting screwed. Here they are…
Write a Novel While Working for a Living
by Bill Henderson @ Write A Better Novel life balanceHey, novelists, might as well face it. Reality for most of us, whether we’re published or not, is keeping those balls in the air. It’s “working for a living”–meaning teaching, technical writing, tending bar, whatever–that will put food on the table. Unfortunately, maintaining the writing life as “Priority Number One” will always be a daily, monthly, yearly struggle. If you’re able to make novel writing pay the bills, bless you & keep up the good work. For the rest of us, here’s a montage of fragments from comments I received on my last post “A Novelist’s Dilemma – To Teach or Not to Teach”.
5 Ways a Book Club Improves Your Writing Skills
by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen skill developmentwriting groupsHow can belonging to a book club improve your writing skills? O, let me list the ways… But first, a quip from Canadian icon, poet, and novelist Margaret Atwood: “They [the book club members] are ready to reveal…their own reactions, their own biases and doubts and convictions, and above all their own tastes,” said Atwood. “The beauty of a book group for the members is that you don’t get passed or failed for your opinions.” And the beauty of a book club for writers is what you can learn, learn, learn about readers and writing! If you’re looking for book ideas for your book club, click on The Readers’ Choice: 200 Book Club Favorites by Victoria Golden Mcmains. And, read on for my five ways a book club improves your writing skills…
How Writing Grows In a Group
by Joanna @ Confident Writing writing groupsDo you ever write in a group as well as on your own? I tend to be a solitary writer, with the occassional dabble into writing in the company of others for workshops and classes. Spending a week with other writers in Sardinia gave me the chance to experience what happens when you write more regularly as part of a group. (Although I was supporting and facilitating the retreat I also took part in the exercises as a participant. The reflections below are based on that participant perspective.)
Be Serious About Your Skills
by James @ Men with Pens grammarpunctuationtipsThere is more to writing than putting words on paper. Just because you have good imagination and can come up with interesting text doesn’t mean you’re a good writer. Knowing how to write properly is vital to freelance writing success. Nothing you write will read well if you haven’t used language skills to pen your text.
How to Be a Professional Freelance Writer
by James @ Men with Pens client relationshipsfreelancingtipsThere is only one way to be a professional freelance writer: Be a professional. If you are going to break into freelance writing to earn money through your talent and skills, talk the talk and walk the walk. Act like a professional, think like a professional, write like a professional.