139 followers
383 daily readers
rank of 11
Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:
|
|
|
WritersNotes.Net: Helping Writers Follow Their Dreams Through Information, Inspiration, and Encouragement!
September 21st 2009 19:00
Blogging Friends Help Keep Us Informed!
Thanks to my blogging friend, Lillie Ammann, I learned just this morning that today is World Alzheimer's Day. (I can always count on Lillie to post about the less-widely publicized days that are worthy of note. Thanks, Lillie!) To read Lillie's post, follow this link: World Alzheimer's Day: Wear Purple.
Alzheimer's: A Widespread Problem That Hits Close to Home
Over five million people in America alone currently live with Alzheimer's. Many of my Writer's Notes readers know that my mom was one of them until this devastating illness took her life on May 17, 2009. That was an extremely difficult period in my life, which makes this a cause that's close to my heart. That's one reason I want to do all I can to help raise awareness about Alzheimer's.
The Alzheimer's Association: A Lifeline to Patients and Their Families
Another reason I feel pulled to publicize World Alzheimer's Day is to draw attention to the Alzheimer's Association and the wonderful job it's doing to help support Alzheimer's patients and their families. I've personally experienced that support, through my own local chapter, and I can't stress strongly enough what a godsend it was to have that lifeline to hang onto as I plunged deeper and deeper into a world I didn't understand and didn't possess the skills to cope with effectively. I didn't even avail myself of all the services the Association offers; yet, I found its support invaluable.
Bloggers: Join the Cause by Spreading the Word
If you have a website or blog—or even if you only have a Facebook or other social media account—and you'd like to help spread the word about Alzheimer's, visit this webpage and choose one of several widgets to display on your site and/or profile. (While the animation doesn't work on Facebook, the logo will still display, though it will only show one side rather than switching back and forth between the front and back.)
If you have a Facebook account, you can also show your support by becoming a fan of the Alzheimer's Association on Facebook.
How You Can Learn More
To learn more about Alzheimer's, visit the Alzheimer's Association's blog or read and/or download a copy of the 2009 World Alzheimer's Report.
Many people are wearing purple today to commemorate the Alzheimer's cause. Whether or not you choose to do that, you can still get the word out about Alzheimer's!
Thanks for reading!
Jeanne
AbleStable: An Inspiration to Writers and Other Creative Types
In keeping with the theme of my series, Inspiration, I'd like to introduce a website, which many of my readers may not have heard of, but which I think would prove a real inspiration to you in your creative endeavors. And if you happen to be an artistic type who expresses your creativity in a variety of different ways, other than just through writing, you'll like this site even more.
What Is AbleStable?
AbleStable is a unique website which brings together information, inspiration, and a wide variety of resources for creative individuals who work their magic in a number of different disciplines. Whether you choose to express your personal creativity through writing, music, visual art, acting, or more than one of a broad array of artistic modes, you'll find something on this website to interest, inspire, empower, and equip you for your specialty.
What Does AbleStable Have to Offer?
From articles on a variety of creative topics to competitions and exhibitions featuring readers' work, there's something here for everyone. Helpful tools, e-books, freeware, a glossary of terminology used on the site, games, puzzles, and other activities make this a site with broad appeal for artistic personalities everywhere. In addition, the site provides a free listing service, where "creatives" can present their own services to the world.
Who Runs AbleStable?
Mike de Sousa, director of AbleStable and obviously himself a highly creative type, as can be seen by his About Us page, as well as his articles, is the personality behind the site. Mike has a great deal to offer the artistic visitor to his website. With a background in music, writing, art, photography, and both graphic and website design, he understands the differing needs of individuals involved in a variety of creative areas and can therefore provide on-target information, resources, inspiration, and encouragement to which each type of artist can relate.
AbleStable Articles to Inspire You
Being a writer, myself, I enjoy reading Mike's articles about How To Be Creative, Emotion and Creativity, Finding Balance, and The Purpose of Art. I find that his articles also Inspire Me and encourage me to Write from the Heart. The foregoing are just a few examples of some of the fascinating articles you'll find in the archive of Mike's monthly feature, The Column. Mike's articles are engagingly written and will definitely appeal to your creative, contemplative side. Speaking as one artist to another, through The Column, Mike shares the considerable insights he's gleaned from his own creative--and not-so-creative--experiences.
Visit AbleStable and Be Inspired
Whatever your creative specialty, check out AbleStable. There's something for everyone on this fantastic site!
Enjoy your visit!
Jeanne
This is not a sponsored post.
Did you enjoy this post? Find it helpful? Have any thoughts to share? I'd love to hear from you!
Please note: If the StumbleUpon and other social bookmarking buttons aren't visible, please click the "Add Comments" link beneath this post. Thanks!
Your One-Stop Shop for Freelance Writing Info
FreelanceWriting.Com is simple, straightforward, yet attractively laid out--a site that packs a huge amount of helpful information into one convenient corner of cyberspace.
An Extensive Variety of Resources
You'll find newsletters covering everything from the craft of writing, the business of marketing your writing, and a wide variety of markets you can market your writing to. You'll find writing contests, writing articles, writing news and events, and even writer's guidelines--enough to keep you busy for quite some time. You'll also find free e-books and essays on various aspects of writing and publishing, author interviews, discussion forums, podcasts, videocasts, job feeds, RSS feeds, and freelance recruiter lists, as well as Private Label Rights producers to help you earn income. You name it; this site offers it.
Writing Success Awaits!
Visit FreelanceWriting.Com and take full advantage of all the tools it provides to move you closer to your writing goals. I believe you'll find it a useful addition to your present list of favorite writing resource sites. If you haven't got this one bookmarked yet, I'd highly recommend it. Its many resources could provide just the push you need to propel you forward toward writing success.
Hope they will!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? What are your thoughts about this writing resource site? Have any others you'd like to share with your fellow writers? We'd love to hear about them!
Please note: If the StumbleUpon and other social bookmarking buttons aren't visible, please click the "Add Comments" link beneath this post. Thanks!
Freelancers' Holiday Visions
With both the holidays and the end of the tax year drawing nigh, freelancers tend to have a slightly different version of the line from the popular poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas on their minds. For us, Christmas is the time when "visions of tax returns dance in our heads"!
Some Helpful Links to Lighten Our Mental Load
So, to help take a load off our minds this Christmas, I've listed links to some really helpful info on filing taxes for freelance writers. Some are lists of links to other resources about income taxes, and others are discussions of tax-related topics of interest to freelancers. (You'll find some very slight overlap in these offerings.) My hope is that knowing we have these great resources at our fingertips will help us to have a merrier Christmas this year, as well as an easier job filing when tax time rolls around in just a few short months.
Excellent Online Tax-Time Guidance
Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Tax Tips and Resources for Freelance Writers
Write Stuff's Tax Tips for Writers
Freelance Factor Tax Tips for Freelance Writers - Articles by Julian Block
Deborah Ng's Weekend Discussion: Tax Tips for Freelance Writers
Amy Derby's Blog Post: Don’t Sweat the Audit Threat
Chris Bibey's Blog Post: Health Insurance for Freelance Writers and Other Self-Employed Professionals
A Great Head Start
No doubt there are many other great online tax resources for freelancers; but these links ought to give us an excellent start in preparing for tax day 2008!
If you know of any great tax-related resources for freelancers, please feel free to share them with us in comments!
Here's to smooth sailing at tax time!
Jeanne
This is not a sponsored post.
Did you enjoy this post? Have any of your own tax tips, techniques, experiences, or resources to share? We welcome your comments!
Feed Rinse Cleans Up Your Feeds
K-IntheHouse, over at ShanKri-la, wrote an excellent blog post a while back (which I just discovered today) called How to Overcome RSS Feed Overload? Just thought I'd share this really comprehensive introduction to and explanation of a fantastic free online tool that can help you organize your feeds, selectively filtering out the items you aren't interested in and "filtering in" the ones you are! This powerhouse of an RSS-feed organizer--which can be thought of as a spam filter for RSS feeds--is called Feed Rinse.
Too Many Great Blogs!
I don't know about you, but I know that I, for one, have not yet gotten a handle on my feeds; simply because it seems as though I'm always too busy to keep up with them. Lately, it's all I can do to visit and comment on my favorite blogs, much less go through all the posts of the significant number of other great blogs I've subscribed to so I wouldn't lose track of them. If you tend to have this problem, you might want to check out this free resource. It can help make a difference. Haven't tried it myself, yet, but K-IntheHouse has, and he seems to feel it's worthwhile.
I'm certainly thinking of checking it out. How about you?
To cleaner RSS feeds!
Jeanne
This is not a sponsored post.
Did you enjoy this post? Learn anything new? Have anything to add? Please feel free to comment!
A Great Article on How You Can Develop Confidence as a Business Writer
The following article was written by my friend and fellow blogger, Joanna Young, of Confident Writing. This article is offered for free distribution by EzineArticles.Com; so I thought I'd share it with my readers to help you become a more confident business writer, as well as to highlight the wonderful content you'll find on Joanna's blog. (Many of Joanna's tips and techniques also apply to other types of writing, as well; so bear that in mind as you read, and look for places in your own writing where you can practice these helpful principles.)
_____________________________
Business Writing with Confidence - An ABC Guide
By Joanna Young
Confident writing is an essential part of effective business communication. Most people would agree with this statement but how many of us have the skills or the confidence to put it into practice? Anxiety about grammar rules can leave people tongue tied. All too often business writing is seen as a barrier, a stumbling block rather than something that can add value to your contribution at work.
But here’s the thing: you don’t need to learn the rules of a grammar book to write with confidence at work. You just need to work on three basic elements of good business writing: authenticity, brevity and clarity. It’s what I call the ABC guide to confident writing at work.
Writing with authenticity
Writing with authenticity means being real, sounding human, sounding like yourself. It’s great for creating rapport with other people, whether that’s your colleagues, customers or potential clients. Most people want to do business with another human being and it’s even better if that’s someone they feel they can get to ‘know’ and trust.
To make your writing more authentic:
* Make use of plain, everyday words: go for short, simple words; avoid jargon and clichés; use everyday words rather than corporate or business speak
* Use a conversational style: this doesn’t mean slang – it does mean feeling free to use short sentences and contractions like “I’m” or “we’ll” or “let’s” (all great for the flow)
* Find your own words: spend a little bit of time jotting down your own words for the things that are most important to you (ideas, your business purpose, your values) and start to work them into your writing. This is a great way to sound like you really mean business!
Writing with brevity
Most people are drowning in information overload. So much for the paperless office – most of us are suffering from too much paper, a deluge of e-mails and more reports than we’ll ever have time to read. You’ll really start to win friends and influence people if you keep your writing short and to the point. Your readers will thank you for the time and effort saved, and you’ll also make your message more punchy, powerful and memorable.
To write with brevity:
* Keep each sentence short: aim for an average of 18 – 25 words a sentence. This is good writing practice and will get you into the habit of writing less
* Cut out excess words: go back and edit your work once you’ve written a draft. Cut out as many excess words as you can. Then do it again (and again till it’s done.) Enjoy seeing your message emerge more clearly!
* Write within limits : set yourself a word limit and practice working to it. It’ll improve your skills of writing with brevity and help you stick to the point
Writing with clarity
You’ve got something important to say so you want your writing to stand out. Clear writing makes it easier for people to read, follow and understand what you’re saying. Now this is the place where grammar does come into play because there are some rules – whether you like it or not – that are there to help us understand your meaning. You need to master these basic rules if you want your message to be clear and easily understood.
To write more clearly:
* Know your point : be clear what you’re trying to say, and why, before you start to write. Boil your message down to no more than 10 words. That’s your message: focus on that and it will shine through your writing
* Manage your writing: work out which grammar points are stopping you from writing with clarity (like use of apostrophes). Ask a colleague or friend to help identify them. Then take responsibility for learning and applying the rules. There are plenty of books, websites and writing coaches who can help with this
* Keep it simple: use short sentences, cut out excess words, use plain, everyday language
I don’t know if you noticed some common themes running through these writing tips. Keep it short, keep it simple, use plain language, know your point and stick to it. These are the fundamental rules of good business writing and if you apply them you will find it easy to write with authenticity, brevity and clarity. Effective business writing needn’t be hard – it can be as easy as ABC.
Joanna Young is a writing coach who helps people to write with confidence - to realise the power of their own words. You can find out how to work with Joanna or read more of her writing tips at Confident Writing.
Article Source: EzineArticles.com expert=Joanna Young
_____________________________
Hope you've enjoyed these great tips on confident writing by a very confident writer! Don't forget to visit Joanna's blog for more great content on writing confidently!
Happy writing!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Was it helpful? Have anything to add? If so, please feel free to comment!
And, while you're at it, why not visit Joanna' s blog and do the same?
Remembering My Commenters
Last month, I started a tradition here at Writer's Notes of writing a post on the first of each month listing the names of all the previous month's commenters, complete with links to their blogs, and I want to welcome you to Volume 2!
September Link Love
It's that time again: time to send some link love out to everyone who commented at Writer's Notes during the month of September. Thanks, everyone! I truly appreciate your feedback!
Here's the list of September commenters, in no particular order:
Yvonne Russell, Grow Your Writing Business
Laura Spencer, Writing Thoughts
Lillie Ammann, A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye
Calvin Warr, CalvinWarr.Com
James Rickard, Angling Fish
AmyHuang, Travel String
Louie, Climate Red
Jon, Tech News
Tracy, Movies and Life
Lilla, Enviro Warrior
Danielle, The Bipolar Diaries
Brad Shorr, Word Sell, Inc.
Bob, Every Every Minute
Michael Martin, Pro Blog Design
Sharon Hurley Hall, Get Paid to Write Online
Rosemary, Alpaca Notes
Julee Ann, Write of Passage
JoH, Persistent Parent
PetulaW, It's a Woman's World
AdTracker, AdSense Tracker
Keep Spreading Your Comments Far and Wide!
Thanks for your comments, everyone! Each one is greatly appreciated, and each has helped to make Writer's Notes just that much more interesting for its readers! You've all added so much to the Writer's Notes conversation, and your generosity in doing so is hereby recognized! Thanks again!
You're welcome at Writer's Notes anytime! So be sure to stop by again very soon! And remember to keep visiting as many other blogs as you can and passing along the comment-kindness--not to mention the link love! You'll enjoy it as much as the other blogger will!
Keep those comments coming!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? You know what to do!
September 13th 2007 21:34
Join Yvonne and Other Fellow Writers for a Great Time of Sharing Each Weekend!
On Friday, September 7th, Yvonne Russell, at Grow Your Writing Business, kicked off her new Writers (and Bloggers) Cafe. In her own words, her purpose for instituting this writers' gathering every Friday through Sunday is to share "marvellous mini milestones and super successes," as well as links to writing- or blogging-related articles or websites that might be helpful to your fellow writers, your plans and goals for your writing/blogging--in short, anything relevant to writing or blogging.
For Further Info About the Cafe, Visit Grow Your Writing Business
You may read more about Yvonne's new weekend gathering in her Writers and Bloggers Cafe--Now Open at Grow Your Writing Business post. (Also, check out Share Your Marvellous Mini Milestones and Super Successes, the post in which she first introduces the Writers and Bloggers Cafe.) Sharing these small and large successes will be the focus of the Writers Cafe during the month of September.
Visit Yvonne's Site During the Week, As Well, for Other Helpful Writing-Related Content
There are many other reasons to visit Yvonne's blog, in addition to the Writers and Bloggers Cafe. At Grow Your Writing Business, Yvonne offers a great deal of valuable info and many helpful resources for writers and bloggers that can move you closer to the realization of your writing goals.
What Are You Doing This Weekend?
Why not drop by Grow Your Writing Business this weekend and check out the Writers and Bloggers Cafe? (It starts tomorrow, Friday.) Pull up a chair, grab a muffin and a cup of coffee, and enjoy a great time of fellowship with other likeminded creative people, as you share your own goals, aspirations, and accomplishments, relate to, celebrate, and learn from theirs.
I think you'll enjoy it!
See you there!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Have any thoughts? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
A Write-from-Home Reminder
Write-from-home.com is a website that I've written about before. In my May 11th, 2007 post, Write-from-Home.Com: A New Site for Freelance Writers, I introduced this site to my readers, as the excellent resource that it is for writers.
Recently, Amy Derby, who runs the site, purchased a reprint of one of my articles, which appeared on my blog back in June and which she has just published in her September online e-zine. And, although this isn't really the reason I'm bringing her site up again (since my blog's readers have likely already read the post in question), it's as good a reason as any to remind everyone of a great site where writers will find helpful writing-related articles, writing markets and contest listings, and even a blog with some really great content.
The Write-from-Home Blog
With all the other helpful info on the site, it would be easy to overlook the Write-from-Home blog--but don't, because it's loaded with helpful tips, information, advice, and resources that can help you succeed. One post even contains a warning about a possible scam currently being advertised on Craigslist. So, check it out. I know you'll get a great deal out of this blog, as well as the rest of the site.
Some topics covered on the blog, in addition to the possible Craigslist scam, are these: dealing with stress as a freelance writer, the freelance workload "rollercoaster," setting up a home office on a budget, getting published as a new freelance writer, and freelance writing terms explained (quite a long list of them, too).
The Write-from-Home Market
So, if you've never been to Write-from-Home.Com--or haven't been there lately--drop by for a visit. You'll find a great deal of helpful information there.
And, if your forte just happens to be writing about selling your writing, you might just be able to sell some of your writing right there--since Amy buys both original articles and reprints for her Write-from-Home e-zine. (She pays $75 for unpublished articles and $30 for reprints.) Check out her Guidelines to find out what she's looking for.
Stop by Write-from-Home.Com--and give your freelance writing career a boost!
Happy reading!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Have any questions? Please don't hesitate to leave a comment!
Love Thy Commenter
Mark, at ProBloggers Matrix, penned a post recently, which asked the following question:
How Do You REWARD Your COMMENTERS and Those Who Have BACKLINKED to Your Blog?
August Link Love
In the spirit of giving--and the spirit of Blog Day (which, as many of you may know, was yesterday)--I thought I'd designate today, September 1st, Comment Appreciation Day and send some link love out to everyone who commented at Writer's Notes during the month of August. Thanks, guys and gals! Love you all!
Here's the list of August commenters, in no particular order:
Yvonne Russel, Grow Your Writing Business
Laura Spencer, Writing Thoughts
Lillie Ammann, A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye
John Doe, Film & TV on DVD
AmyHuang, Travel String
Kleonaptra, Kalikapsychosis
Fiar, Radioactive Liberty
BigMike, N.A.D.S.
Louie, Climate Red
Jon, Tech News
K-IntheHouse, ShanKri-la
Tracy, Movies and Life
Mandy, Pop! In the Name of Love
Charles Young, Top Site of the Day
Danielle, Musings of a Middle Aged Woman
David, Mind Orgasms
Phil, Contest Blogger
Chic Critique, Fashion.org.au
Brad Shorr, Word Sell, Inc.
Bob, Every Every Minute
Loz, Written Life
Joanna Young, Confident Writing
Chris Kitamura, Dude Check Out My Site
Sylvia C, Sylvia's Insight
Melissa Garrett, A Writer's Woolgatherings
Malathy, Blog Avenues
Lily, Ars Poetica
Ash, Australian Traveller
Faisca, Faisca's Corner
Michael Martin, Pro Blog Design
Sharon, Get Paid to Write Online
Mark-Blogger, ProBloggers Matrix
Mark Goodyear, Good Word Editing
Tavi Nemet, Loop 44
Rosemary, Alpaca Notes
Robert Hruzek, Middle Zone Musings
Keep Spreading the Magic!
Thanks so much for your comments, everyone! They've all been greatly appreciated; and they've helped make Writer's Notes a much more interesting--and far less lonely--place than it would have been otherwise!
Stop back by again to chat anytime! And remember to visit lots of other blogs and continue to pass on the comment-kindness! You'll get as much out of it as the other blogger will!
Keep those comments coming,
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? You know what to do!
Blog Day 2007: Celebrating New Blogs Worldwide
Today is Blog Day 2007: A day to celebrate new blogs all over the world! In honor of Blog Day, bloggers have been asked to list, describe, and link to five new blogs--preferably representing a different country, culture, or focus than our own.
Here's what the Blog Day website has to say:
BlogDay was created with the belief that bloggers should have one day dedicated to getting to know other bloggers from other countries and areas of interest. On that day Bloggers will recommend other blogs to their blog visitors.
After writing our Blog Day posts, we are also asked to notify the bloggers we've chosen, which I plan to do via a comment on each one's blog.
Five Great New Blogs You Should Definitely Visit
Here are my choices (in no particular order) for five of the best new blogs from different parts of the U.S. and around the world. (Well...only one is currently outside the U.S: Confident Writing, which comes to us from Scotland; though one will soon be moving to Germany: Content Done Better. Yet, for some of you, the U.S. is on the other side of the world!) All these blogs are either only several months old or under new ownership.
I will let the bloggers who create the magic of the written word on their blogs speak for themselves, via quotes from their About pages and blog posts.
Pro Blog Design
Pro Blog Design. Michael Martin has this to say about his very helpful blog and also about blog post formatting:
I have been designing websites for a few years now, and enjoying every minute of it.
Over time, I’ve learnt a lot about working with blogs, and through Pro Blog Design I hope to share that knowledge with others. Content on a blog is of course, King, but does the King get the attention he deserves when draped in ragged garments? Of course not! In the same way that the grandeur of the King is crucial to his success, your blog’s design is crucial to yours. (from Michael's About page)
As bloggers, we write pages upon pages of content each week. We spend hours promoting the articles, choosing the right words and trying to get our point across as clearly as possible. How can formatting be used to further improve our posts?
There are a few basic tools that you will have heard mention of time and time again, such as bolding words. The first section re-explains their purpose, and the second will explain how to perfect your usage of them to achieve optimal formatting. (from Format Blog Posts for Readability and Legibility)
Confident Writing
Confident Writing. Joanna Young says the following about her quality site and about why she writes:
Hello I'm Joanna Young, The Confident Writing Coach...My aim is to get people writing with confidence. To realise the power of their words. How we work is partly up to you - but my approach is based on a blend of coaching, teaching, editing and writing - tailor made to your needs. (from Joanna's Welcome and Work With Me sections)
(Post Title: Why Do You Write?.) For me, it's something to do with the power of connection: the connections we can make with other people, the connections we develop between our own ideas, making sense of our experience, pulling together spaghetti strands of random thoughts and creating something new, connecting back to our roots and our selves and coming out with a stronger sense of who we are.
But then again maybe it's that thing I call realising: the sweet, slow dawning of realisation. Recognising the things that you always knew to be true. Recognising - with a jolt - your self in your words. Realising the power of your words, and taking responsibility for their power and impact: on yourself, on other people, on the world. Grounding yourself with the specificity of words. Validating your experience with words which are not real - but can make us feel that our experiences are. Allowing ourselves to be changed by the words that we write. (from Why Do You Write?)
ChrisBlogging
ChrisBlogging. Chris Bibey describes himself and his insightful blog and shares a few words of wisdom on freelancing:
For more than three years I have been earning a full-time income online. My main sources of income include a wide range of freelance writing projects, and of course, blogging.
But although I do not know the first thing about web design or coding, I still earn three times as much as I did as a corporate slave.
The goal of Chrisblogging.com is to show you how I make money, how you can join me, and much more! (from Chris's About page)
There is no denying that a few big jobs make up a large part of my monthly freelance writing income. But guess what? I also believe that smaller jobs are every bit as important. Sure, I would love to work on high paying jobs only, who wouldn’t? But the reality of the freelance writing industry (at least for me) is that this is not always possible. For this reason, I always think twice before I turn down any small jobs that I am offered. (from Don't Always Turn Down the Small Jobs)
ProBloggers Matrix
ProBloggers Matrix. Mark gives us this inviting welcome to his blog, and some great info about blogging (taken from one of his excellent posts):
Hello, I’m Mark.
Welcome to ProBloggers Matrix. I’ll be sharing blogging tips. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to post them in the comments. (from Mark's About page)
If you’re like me, you love to write, you love to publish great articles on your authoritative blog and you also enjoy reading excellent articles in many fantastic blogs. That can be very time-intensive, but you need to get out and exercise! Get the blood flowing! Get into The Zone! (from How to Stay in the Zone and Keep Wowing Your Readers with Spectacular Articles)
Content Done Better
Content Done Better. Michi Beck's blog has an intimate, inviting atmosphere, due to her personal, engaging writing style. Her Under New Ownership section tells us this about her background, followed by an apt quote from one of her posts:
During her career she has written many informative articles on various subjects including economics, technology, local happenings, and human interest stories.
In addition to the newspaper and Internet work, Michi has had poems published and is currently working on her first novel, of which the first draft is nearing completion. She enjoys both fiction and non-fiction writing, and often takes the time to write about the smaller things in life, as she believes those things have lessons behind them that most people do not realize. It is not only the big things that are important in our daily lives, and since she is often reminded of that it appears frequently in her particular style of writing. (from Michi's Under New Ownership page.)
(Post Title: When It Rains, It Pours.) Have you ever noticed that? You could be in a ‘dry spell’ in your work life and then all of a sudden things go crazy, and you’re left shaking your head and wondering how you’re going to get it all done.
I mention this because it happened to me, rather recently. I’m not sure whether to be overwhelmed and annoyed that everything showed up at once or happy because of the work and income. Hmmm…..I think I’ll go with “happy because of the work and income.” (from When It Rains, It Pours)
Five Great Blogs to Bookmark and Visit Again and Again!
Be sure to visit the above blogs soon--and often! And don't forget to give these hard-working and insightful bloggers a little link love! It will be more than worth your while, as you continually enjoy their latest words of writing wisdom.
Congratulations go out to these five new bloggers for making their blogs places where we can go to pick up the best info, tips, techniques, and advice, to make us all better, more responsive, and more productive bloggers!
Happy Blog Day!
Jeanne
Technorati Tag: Blog Day 2007
P.S. I realize I posted this a little late in the day--particularly for those of you on the opposite side of the world to the U.S., where I live! My apologies. But, I believe I did manage to post it in time--though barely! If I missed the deadline in anyone's time zone, Happy Belated Blog Day!
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
Are You Wondering What Your New Google Page Rank Will Be?
With the next Google Page Rank Update right around the corner--and, in fact, expected to occur any day now--perhaps you're wondering where your blog or website will place along the new ranking spectrum once the update takes place. I know I've been wondering about it, myself, quite a bit lately, with my blog's current Page Rank of 0! I know that Writer's Notes has a good number of inbound links, so I've had my fingers crossed that that fact would translate into a decent Page Rank once Google does the update.
Check out the iWebtool Google Page Rank Predictor!
Just today, I learned about a free online tool that can help give both you and me an idea of the Google Page Rank we can expect once the update occurs. I learned of it, compliments of K-IntheHouse at Blog About Your Blog, in his response to my comments to his 2 Great Ways to Check Your Blog Health post. Before replying to my comments, K-ItH very kindly plugged my blog's URL into the tool and later informed me that my own predicted G-PR is 5. (Thanks, K-IntheHouse! I definitely needed that confidence boost!)
Here's a link to this nifty tool: Google Page Rank Predictor. Check it out and find out what you can probably expect in the way of Google Page Rank for your website or blog after the upcoming--and imminent--Google PR Update.
Happy Google PR predicting!
Jeanne
By the way, don't forget to visit Blog About Your Blog--often! This site is packed with valuable information for bloggers. For your convenience, I placed a link to them, a while back, in my Helpful Sites for Writers list, near the bottom of my left sidebar. Now you'll have no excuse not to visit and do something good for your blog!
You might also want to visit K-IntheHouse's own blog, ShanKri-la, where you'll be able to keep up with all the latest tech info for daily life. And, when you visit either of the above sites, don't forget to comment!
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
A Virtual Trip Around the Blogosphere
In my latest travels around the blogosphere, I've uncovered some excellent content that can truly be a boon to any writer interested in a fresh approach, a new inspiration--in short, any writer seeking the motivation to write with renewed vigor and vitality.
Confident Writing: Posts to Both Inspire and Get You Thinking
Please check out Joanna Young's excellent post, When Writing Means Spirit Spilling, at Confident Writing. This piece explores the process of writing from the deepest parts of ourselves and, through quoting the wisdom of several knowledgeable bloggers, links out to other blogs you'll find most helpful in your quest to grow your own writing.
Two of Joanna's other pieces, The Ingredients of Confident Writing, and How to Learn from Your Writing, are also insightful looks into the components that help make our writing fresh and engaging. They also link to other related posts on her own blog and/or elsewhere in the blogosphere.
The Golden Pencil: Pieces on Perfectionism, Freelancing Dos and Don'ts, and Marketing Your Work Objectively
Anne Wayman, at The Golden Pencil, has written a succinct, yet very helpful post called, Don't Worry About Perfection--Go for Effective, reminding us that perfectionism is a trap and wisely counseling us to let it go.
Anne has also posted two guest pieces that offer practical guidance to help writers more effectively run their writing business. Top Dos and Don'ts for Freelancers, by Lori Widmer, offers 14 basic tips to help writers "make a go of freelancing," and Sending Out Ships, by Charlotte Rains Dixon, counsels us to write personally but submit our work objectively.
Passionate Blogger: Giving and Receiving Series to Help You Reap the Same Recognition You Sow, and How to Avoid Information Overload in Research
Wild Bill, at Passionate Blogger, has posted the first two parts of his excellent and informative multi-part series on giving and receiving: Give and Receive Series - Part 1 - Technorati Favorites and Give and Receive Series - Part 2 - StumbleUpon. These two posts explore the importance of giving lavish recognition to other writers/bloggers and letting the "getting" take care of itself, specifically covering how to do so through Technorati Favorites and StumbleUpon. The upcoming third post in the series will explore how to do this using Alexa.
Another excellent post on Wild Bill's site, about avoiding information overload when researching and writing blog posts (and which could also apply to other types of writing), is Stop Cramming for a Post! This insightful piece is an apt reminder that focusing on what we do know (known, in blogging, as our niche), can help us steer clear of excessive and unnecessary research, saving us valuable time and making us more productive.
A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye: Customer Service and Productivity for Freelance Writers
Lillie Ammann, at A Writer's Words, An Editor's Eye, has written a brief but inspiring post, called The Simple Truths of Service: Will You Be a Johnny Today? that points us to a helpful video and serves to remind all freelance writers how important good "customer service" is to writer-client relations--despite the fact that, as freelancers, we have no "Customer Service Department." This piece--along with the video it introduces--tells us, in effect, that we must be our own "Customer Service Department."
A second great post, entitled How Do You Stack Up Against the Average Worker in America? asks us, as homeworkers/freelancers, to weigh our own productivity level against that of the average American working outside the home, providing an interesting comparison of the two, and hopefully providing writers with a little incentive to work on becoming more productive.
Four Great Blogs to Bookmark and Return to Again and Again!
It is my hope that the above posts will help you become more effective at both the craft, and the business, of writing. Why not bookmark these four great blogs, so you can return to them later to check out the other valuable content they are certain to post in the future! (You may also want to search their archives for buried treasure!)
Until next time,
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
Full-Text Books and Periodicals Literally at Your Fingertips
The Free Library is a website that features full-text versions of a fairly large number of books and periodicals, listed under ten main categories. They are the following:
-Business and Industry
-Communications
-Entertainment/The Arts
-General Interest/Information
-Health
-Humanities
-Law/Government/Politics
-Recreation and Leisure
-Science and Technology
-Social Sciences
Each of the above categories contains anywhere from 2 to 30 subcategories. (Business and Industry tops the list, with 30.)
The Free Library Describes Its Site
Here is The Free Library's own description of its site:
Since 2003, The Free Library has offered free, full-text versions of classic literary works from hundreds of celebrated authors, whose biographies, images, and famous quotations can also be found on the site. Recently, The Free Library has been expanded to include a massive collection of periodicals from hundreds of leading publications covering Business and Industry, Communications, Entertainment, Health, Humanities, Law, Government, Politics, Recreation and Leisure, Science and Technology, and Social Sciences. This collection includes millions of articles dating back to 1984 as well as newly-published articles that are added to the site daily.
The Free Library is an invaluable research tool and the fastest, easiest way to locate useful information on virtually any topic. Explore the site through a keyword search, or simply browse the enormous collection of literary classics and up-to-date periodicals to find exactly what you need.
Browsing and Search Options to Suit Any Purpose or Preference
In addition to the customary search capability offered by most websites, (with the ability to search by Keyword, Title, Author, and Topic), The Free Library offers several browsing options to help you quickly and easily locate the information or publication you seek.
You may browse by Category, Name (of publication), Date (of publication), Author, or Literature, each of which will generate a list of available works appropriate to the selected criterion. (The default is Category, and, therefore, when you first access the site, you'll see a Category list on the homepage.) These five options are listed at the top of the page.
You may also browse by Topic, simply by scrolling down to the bottom of the homepage, where you'll find a second list of browsing options. (Most are the same options found at the top of the page.)
A Great Resource for Reading and Research
While some categories do not contain more than a handful of periodicals (and some even fewer), the number of available books appears to be quite extensive. In both cases, there's little doubt that this site would prove a valuable resource for meeting many of a writer's reading and research needs. (As mentioned in the site's introduction, new periodicals are added daily.)
There's also little doubt that, for the writer--or reader--who would enjoy reading entire books online (or would appreciate being able to refer to them for research or review purposes), this site would be a logical--and helpful--choice!
Have a look, and see if you don't find some valuable resources on this site!
Happy reading!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
Join the Party!
Hello, there, fellow readers and writers! Come on in and join the party! This is Writer's Notes' 100th post, and I'll be serving up a luscious list of literary links to help spark the celebration.
Over the past day or so, I've been scouring the internet for especially sagacious 100-lists, in preparation for the party. So, take a seat, grab a tall, cool drink, and prepare to tantalize your intellectual tastebuds with this scrumptious spread of literary 100-lists, specially designed to satisfy your voracious literary appetite!
Links to Luscious Literary 100-Lists
Here they are, in no particular order:
From The Absolutely Weird Bookshelf/Stranger Books:
David Pringle's 100 Best Science Fiction Novels (through 1984)
David Pringle's 100 Best Fantasy Novels (to 1987)
From TIME Magazine:
100 All-TIME Best English-Language Novels from 1923 to the Present (2005)
From the BBC (British Broadcasting Company):
The Big Read: The UK's Top 100 Best-Loved Novels (2003)
From the MWA (Mystery Writers Association):
Top 100 Mystery Novels of All Time (PDF)
From Guardian Unlimited:
The Top 100 Books of All Time (2002)
From the NEA (National Education Association):
Educators' Top 100 Children's Books (2007)
From Modern Library (Random House):
100 Best Novels (The Board's List & The Readers' List)
100 Best Nonfiction (The Board's List & The Readers' List)
Radcliffe's Rival 100 Best Novels List
From the National Review:
100 Best Non-Fiction Books of the Century
From Madison Public Library:
100 Best Works by Women Writers
From Martin Seymour-Smith:
100 Most Influential Books Ever Written (1998)
From the Independent Mystery Booksellers' Association (IMBA):
The 100 Favorite Mysteries of the 20th Century
From Sci-Fi Lists:
Top 100 Sci-Fi Books
From Columbia University Libraries:
Africa's 100 Best Books of the 20th Century (2002)
From National Geographic:
Extreme Classics: The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time (2004)
From Spirituality & Health:
100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century
From Everything2:
Top 100 Works of Journalism in the United States in the 20th Century (2002)
From Mount Mercy College:
Webliography: The Literary 100: Children's Authors
Beneficial Blog & Book Links
Hope you've enjoyed meeting and mingling with all the literary and journalistic geniuses we've invited to this party--including all the famous ones you've met in the lists above! But the gathering wouldn't be complete without including a fellow blogger who generously offers advice to other bloggers on how making top 100 lists can help simplify and improve our blogging and our blogs.
From Productivity 501 blog:
Productive Blogger: Make a Top 100 List
And for all of us writers, whether or not we blog, the following book, available at Amazon.Com, can give us a whole slew of ways--100, to be exact (how appropriate is that?)--to help make our writing everything it can be.
From Amazon Online Reader:
100 Ways to Improve Your Writing, by Gary Provost (book)
Hope you've enjoyed the party! Thanks so much for helping me celebrate my 100th post at WritersNotes.Net! It's been so much fun!
Thanks again for dropping by!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
Well-Read, Well-Written?
To become good--or at least better--writers, we are often told, we must be well-read. And while it is not my purpose here to be dogmatic about whether or not one who has a natural gift or talent for writing must absolutely have read a wide variety of literary works in order to become so, (among them, the so-called classics), there's little question that reading good literature can enlighten, inspire, and through a sort of osmosis, cause us to absorb many of the finer literary habits that can infuse new life into our prose.
In other words, when we have the good fortune to experience fine writing craftsmanship in action by seeing it modeled for us by authors whom we respect and admire, we naturally begin to imitate their techniques, often without even realizing it.
A Classic Site
Bibliomania is a website which contains literally "thousands of e-books, poems, articles, short stories and plays all of which are absolutely free." Categories under which a reader may find complete works that can be read in their entirety online are the following: Articles, Drama, Fiction, Interviews, Poetry, and Short Stories.
If you've never visited this site to see all it has to offer, you'll want to stop by soon and look over its extensive selection of quality reading. You're bound to find enough there to keep you enthralled--and inspired--for a very long time.
Classy "Companions"
We've all heard the saying that a man is known by the company he keeps. And this is so true. It's equally true that a man (or woman) is influenced by the company he or she keeps, whether for good or ill.
It follows, then, that the writer who remains in the company of great books, stories, poetry, plays, essays, and the like, will be widely regarded as intelligent, knowledgeable, creative, and intellectually credible. And this well-read writer, who has determined to become a companion of great literature, will not only literally become the wiser for it, but will also take on many of the finer traits of the well-known authors whose works he so values.
So, why not visit Bibliomania--and hang out with a few great books! Your readers will thank you!
Enjoy!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
McGrath Dot Ca (formerly Steve's Tech Blog) Hosts Another Blogger Contest with a Cash Prize
Since I've been writing on the subject of blogger contests that have monetary prizes lately, I'll tell you about another such contest that I just came across: The Blog About My New Download Site and Win $100 Contest, being held at McGrath Dot Ca (formerly Steve's Tech Blog).
A Little Background
For quite some time, Steve has dreamed of owning a freeware/shareware download site, and, apparently, his dream is becoming a reality. Now that his new site, 1 Cool File is up and running--and acquiring new software every day--he wants the world to know about it!
Hence, the contest.
Requirements to Enter
To enter, bloggers simply have to copy and paste the following paragraphs from Steve's contest blog post into one of their own blog posts. (Don't forget to add all the links when posting the quoted text.)
Steve is launching his brand new site: 1 Cool File. It is a directory of cool files(shareware, freeware, plugins). For example, you can try a new media player after you have just finished a music download. You can add your ebook about making money or a screen saver. That’s not all, it has a section just for blogs(plugins). You can also rate a file or make a review about it. It does support PAD files so tell authors about it.
And just by linking to the contest post, I can win $50. You should read the contest post to win 2 other prizes of $25/each if you don’t have a blog. If your entry is before the next Google page rank, Steve will double the main prize. So, don’t wait to long. It’s coming soon!
And one more thing… You can read Steve’s blog while there.
Not a Blogger? You Can Win a Prize, Anyway
While bloggers may win $50 (or $100 if they enter before the next Google page rank update,) non-bloggers who visit and register for free membership at 1 Cool File, will be entered into a random drawing for $25. And another random $25 drawing will be held among all who point out "relevant" errors they find on the new site (with a few limitations that Steve mentions in his blog post). So, pretty much everyone has a chance of winning something, whether or not they have a blog, which sounds like a pretty fair deal.
Contest Details
Deadline: August 31st, 2007
All prizes paid in Canadian dollars.
All prizes paid via PayPal.
Want More Info? Visit Steve's Site
For more details about the contest, please visit McGrath Dot Ca.
What have you got to lose? Even if you don't win, you'll have found one cool site that will be offering an increasingly great selection of freeware/shareware that can satisfy most--if not all--of your software needs.
Happy "shopping"!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
Notice Anything Different About My Blog?
You may have noticed quite a few changes at Writer's Notes today: changes in my blog's template, in the style and placement of Google ads displayed on my site, and in the relative--and actual--placement of virtually everything in the Writer's Notes sidebar! My blog's new level of organization and more visually pleasing symmetrical look is a natural outgrowth of the guidelines received from a very savvy blogger/reviewer who graciously took the time to drop by and check out my site.
A Writer's Notes Review
Charles Young, of Top Site of the Day, reviewed Writer's Notes yesterday. I was very honored to have this opportunity, to not only receive a largely positive assessment of my blog, but also to be the recipient of some great feedback on how my site scored and why, which helped me implement some positive changes here at Writer's Notes. These changes should make my site a little less confusing, a lot easier to navigate, and a great deal more attractive than previously--which I hope my readers will like as much as I do!
The Review Itself: Short and Mostly Sweet
If you'd like to check out the very succinct review my blog received--and become acquainted with an informative blog-review site, while you're at it--Charles's review of Writer's Notes may be found at the following link: Notable Site: Writer's Tips and Help.
Value Added: The Personal Touch
The review itself goes into far less detail than Charles was gracious enough to do, for me, after receiving my e-mailed inquiry about the "missing elements" that would help make my blog a Top Site.
I'd just like to say a hearty "Thank you!" to Charles Young, at Top Site of the Day, for not only taking the time and effort to visit and review my blog, but also for very graciously explaining the criteria upon which his review was based, the possible scores compared to my blog's actual scores, and the specific reasons why some of my blog's scores fell short of the mark.
Lesson Learned: Blogs Are Dynamic, Not Static
His patient explanations have been incredibly helpful in reminding me that a blog is a dynamic, rather than a static entity, and that, just because our blogs may not be all that we want them to be today, that's no reason why they should remain that way tomorrow!
Why Not Submit Your Site to Top Site of the Day for Review?
If you'd appreciate a fair and sensitive review of your own blog, or if you'd like to submit someone else's blog who you believe should be recognized for doing a great job, visit Charles's site at the above link. Find out how you can make your blog a Top Site of the Day!
Thanks, Charles! Now, if only you would review my blog again! I'm sure I'd do a little bit better this time around!
Here's to a better blog!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
Darren Rowse, over at ProBlogger, is running a project, throughout the month of August, called 31 Days to Building a Better Blog - 2007. The project is, at its core, a resurrection of an earlier project of the same name which Darren ran back in August, 2005, with great success.
The current project will, however, be a bit different, containing two components: Darren's own Daily Blogging Tips (as in the first project) and a compilation of ProBlogger readers' own personal blogging tips, learned through each participating blogger's research or experience.
If the first group of submitted links is any indication, posts yet to be written during the next month promise to provide a veritable windfall of helpful information for improving your blog's quality, visibility, popularity, user-friendliness, SEO compatibility, profitability, page rank, searchability, and more.
Whether you participate by penning a post--or 30 (one posted tip per day per blogger is allowed during the month of August)--or take part in the project through one of the other methods Darren suggests, you're sure to find--and hopefully also contribute--many words of blogging wisdom.
So hurry on over to ProBlogger and check out a writing project that could just transform your blog--and your blogging--into an activity/enterprise that is not simply successful, but also beautiful to behold!
Happy posting!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
Yesterday, I mentioned the Blogger Spelling Test, which I learned about through Laura Spencer's Writing Thoughts blog. In the same post, from which I got the Blogger Spelling Test info--her Of Note post--which featured The Copywriting Maven blog, Laura mentioned the Online Identity Calculator from Career Distinction. (Laura had, herself, learned about both of the above from The Copywriting Maven blog posts, entitled Loose or Lose? The Blogger Spelling & Grammar Test and What's Your Online Identity Brand Score? Calculate It Here!
The Career Distinction Online Identity Calculator is a great way to get a fairly accurate idea of the extent to which your online identity branding is likely to benefit you over the long run by providing you with the positive exposure and name recognition you seek as an internet personage.
By entering your name into the Google Search box, checking your search results, and answering several pertinent questions, you'll be able to get a fairly good idea of where you stand in the online branding game.
This handy survey will help you find out just how far you may still need to go to in creating an influential internet image that will translate into an online presence that is both widely recognized and (hopefully!) highly sought after.
After completing the survey, myself, I was very pleased--and somewhat surprised--to see that I scored a 10! (My results are reproduced below.)
Online Identity Calculator (beta)
Your online identity score is 10 out of a possible score of 10.
Congratulations. You are digitally distinct. This is the nirvana of online identity. Keep up the good work, and remember that your Google results can change as fast as the weather in New England. So, regularly monitor your online identity. Read Chapter 11 of Career Distinction for more ideas on how to continue to build your brand online.
This perfect score is, however, no doubt partially attributable to the fact that my name is not an extremely common one--and it also shows that no generally applied survey can ever be either perfect or foolproof, since, if I really did rate a perfect 10, I should be relatively famous (which I'm not) and should have absolutely no need for improving my online branding strategy (which does, in fact, need work.)
According to the above results, my name should practically be a household word by now--which it definitely isn't! (In fact, my blog's Google page rank is still a big, fat Zero!) But, be that as it may, these results do, at least, make me feel as if there's hope, and for this I am grateful!
If you're at all curious about this survey, why not check the Career Distinction Online Identity Calculator and find out where you stand in online identity branding. It should give you some insight into what you may be doing right, what you may be doing wrong, and what built-in hurdles you may need to develop effective strategies to overcome (such as having a very common name).
If you don't like your results, you can always keep them under wraps!
Happy Googling!
Jeanne
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
|
|
|
Comments (2)
Add Comments
