Increase Your Traffic by Writing Articles

If you want to increase you website traffic quickly there is only a few ways to it. One of the ways is by Writing good quality articles that people would want to read.

It is not easy to increase your website traffic without cutting corners and this is something you should never do. There are a few things that can increase you traffic that are legal as long as you have the time and skill to be able to write interesting articles.

So you've built your wonderful new website and submitted it to the search engines and directories. In your eyes you are so proud of all your hard work that Google and all the search engines will just fall over themselves to add you to the top page.

So you wait...and you wait...and nothing happens. It takes a very long time for a newly developed website to get any form of listing in search engines and directories and even longer to get any meaningful listing. So, what's the solution to speeding up the process?

The best way you can increase traffic to your website for a short period of time is to write and submit newsletter articles. The beauty of this method is that anyone can do it all you need is a good idea, the ability to write accurately and some spare time. I'm not talking here about working for a magazine or website but the wonderful world of free articles. If you are short on cash and can't afford to promote your business then this technique is especially suited to you.

There are many websites that require constant content on a daily basis and most Newsletter editors are always looking for well written content. This is more so if their newsletter or blog is updated daily or weekly. As you can imagine it would be very difficult to maintain that level of content and prohibitively expensive and so they turn to free articles to ensure their website is relevant and interesting to their visitors.

As with most things on the internet if a gap appears it's very quickly filled and so we have the wonderful world of free articles. The deal is that in exchange for allowing the authors content to be published for free, the author of the article is allowed to place a link or advert at the bottom of the article without any charge.

Just imagine that for a minute, if your article is interesting enough and good enough it could be included in hundreds of websites in a matter of days and what does that mean, one way in-links. This of course is great for your pr ranking and will no doubt increase your traffic for as long as the article is placed high on the publishers website pages. The thing to remember is that you are not giving the article away just given away the rights to use the article on other peoples websites...you still own the article.

These links or adverts are usually placed just below the article and are called "resource boxes". The resource box is your chance to sell yourself or your website or both. It usually contains information about the author and a link to his website.

It's important that you take some time over the content of the resource box because if it is well written then more people will be tempted to click through to your main website and let's face that's the main reason you're given this information away in the first place. Don't add a affiliate link or straight link to another persons site as most publishers are wise to this and would not add your article.

Once you have written your article you now need to find the write publishers and newsletters that will take your work of art. This can be a long and boring job but it is a very important one. I would suggest you find at least 20-30 newsletters of a decent size and don't give up until you have done so.

The main reason why taking a little time over this part of the process is simple: It does not take much longer to submit your article to 500 sites that only main difference is the amount of traffic you will receive.

It's hard to say how much this type of approach will increase your traffic because it's very dependent on how well your article is written and how well you market it. In the best case scenario your article could be accepted at several larger ezines that have 150,000+ subscribers each and could result in 1000+ visitors to your website.

On the other hand you could end up with nobody publishing your article and not single hit. My personal opinion and experience is that a reasonably well thought out and written article usually produces around 500+ unique visitors per article.

There is another way you can get help with the tiresome job of finding publishers and newsletters and that is to pay one of the many companies out there to submit your article for you. I have used several of these companies and the quality and cost of their work can vary enormously. Some of these companies charge per submission ad some charge a flat monthly fee. The most important thing is that you are getting your article to enough quality publishers.

Brian is the editor of Bee Ltd a domain acquisition and development company that has many years experience in the domain name and internet market. You will find many useful articles and advice on all manner of subjects associated with domains names at our site: Bee.eu.

Writing Press Releases - Step by Step

When it comes to writing your press release, it can be a lot easier to write than you would think. Just remember these simple tips:

Keep it simple. Potential customers aren't interested in every detail of your site; they just want to know how it applies to them. If you go into every detail, your message will be lost and you won't get any new viewers. On the other hand, if you show why the site should interest them, then you should be gain a number of new customers.

Summarize. If there is something that you need to go into detail with, summarize. People do a lot of reading for their jobs and so dislike reading when they don't need to, especially when it comes to advertising. If you have a lot of unnecessary verbage, it is unlikely that your entire message will be read before it gets deleted.

5W1H. You need the basic information, so don't forget the basics: Who is this going to benefit? What will do for them? When will it be effective? Where is this information found (i.e., what is the website's URL?)? Why does it work? How will it help me? Answer those questions, and your press release will be effective.

Let it rest. When you have finished it, put it away for at least two hours, and then come back and re-read it. Don't be afraid to re-write it, even completely. The professionals do it; why shouldn't you?

Writing a press release can be difficult the first time, but it gets easier. Just remember to have some fun with the writing, and it should go fine!

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide

Download it free here: Internet Article Marketing

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

I Am a Slave to Writing

I have a confession to make - I am a slave.

I have been slaving away this summer to complete a first novel and neglecting my body by not feeding and exercising it right. I have become a slave to writing; my back aches and muscles ache. I sit at my computer for more hours than it is accustomed, slaving over a word, a paragraph, sentence structure, plot, character, theme, scene. I am a slave, a lonely writer sitting at the computer with the intention of one thing - completing a 70,000 word manuscript.
Shouldn't I be doing something else; something I enjoy?

Well, I am doing what I enjoy - writing. No one ever told me in journalism class what it takes to write a novel. Journalism and creative writing are two separate cats in a sack - fighting and clawing at one another. The creative think tanks in novel writing chide me to "show," not "tell," when writing fiction. As a journalist it was my duty to tell. Now I've got to show? If I wanted to "show," wouldn't I be producing films or movies? I get it, however. People want to see action, suspense, horror, death, romance, magic, mystery. Readers want to feel, see, hear and touch your characters as your words spill across a stupid piece of paper. The readers want to ride along with you every mile of the road to the climax. You bring them there by pacing the novel so your reader is set up to be thrilled or chilled.

This has been part of my scheme, however, since as far back as I can remember. It was one person's dream, mine alone. My goals were set four to five decades ago when someone told me I was a good writer. I decided back in those renaissance years to write. My plan after I retired would be writing fiction. Well, here I am. I'm not getting any younger and I have become a slave to writing fiction. I never knew there were so many ingredients to writing a good novel. I am still learning as I age.

I know this can't be right. I don't own my body any longer. That was never my intention.
While some retirees stress over what they would like to be doing at this stage in their life, I am writing a silly novel. You've got to wonder what I am thinking.

I actually know what I should and shouldn't be doing, but I do it not.

Healthy aging is the process of taking charge of your wellbeing as you age. Healthy aging is one of the few things in life that's actually in our control.

Although most people don't start talking about healthy aging until they hit mid-life, true healthy aging begins when we're young. It continues until we can continue no more in this physical body on earth. But we can control healthy aging in the development and maintenance of optimal physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing.

Enjoying healthy aging depends on two things: what you do (your actions) and what you think (your attitudes and your beliefs).

Along the way, however, I have learned to have an open mind. If you think in terms of possibility not in terms of impossibility and willing to accept new concepts and new ways of seeing the world; you are aging healthy.

An open mind gives us access to healthy aging tools you wouldn't consider if your mind was closed. It also uses those brain cells more.

If by letting go of the past, thinking what might have been, should have been, or could have been; you are aging healthy.

There's just what was, what is, and what will be. No judgment.
Regrets, resentments, and grief are major barriers to healthy aging. They create stress on our body's cells.

Be grateful for what you have. Gratitude is one of the most positive vibrations you can have.
Healthy aging is all about healthy energy. When you can fill yourself with healthy energy, exude healthy energy, and vibrate at a high energetic level, you slow the aging process and optimize your well being.

Live like you have plenty of time. Forget the "live as if each day was your last" advice. Yes, you want to cherish each day, but don't expect your days to be finite. Plan, dream, and grow, and expect to do so indefinitely. Your expectation can create your reality.

Healthy aging is in my/our control. Your actions and your thoughts will determine the level of health and wellbeing you get to enjoy. Choose the best actions and the best attitudes and beliefs, and you'll enjoy healthy aging.

Slaves are chattel property. Their bodies are owned by someone else. They are not empowered to make decisions about their bodies and they are powerless to decide upon, or protest, its use and misuse. If someone determines for you what happens to your body without your consent or participation, you are a slave.

If you do not own your body, you are a slave.

I learned this lesson the hard way last weekend when my wife had to help me out of the recliner due to an achy, breaky back.

I'm taking my body back, but I am still going to write. Praise God.

John W. Cargile, Msc. D, D.D.

Ways to Get Freelance Writing Jobs

These days, it's important to find ways to earn additional income. And asking yourself "How do I become a freelance writer?" is your ticket to exactly that. Of course, I assume that you do have an interest in writing; otherwise, this might not be fitting for you.

If you have a flair for writing, then finding freelance writing jobs is going to be easy. All you have to do is follow these steps and you're well on your way to writing yourself a good paycheck.

1) Surf the net for online "wanted" signs.

So how do I become a freelance writer? Well, try the net. A lot of people are actually looking for online writers at the moment. All you have to do is type "freelance writers" or "bloggers wanted" and you're all set.

I know this might sound too easy and so must be impossible, but that's not entirely true. To be honest, that's exactly how I first started my writing gig.

2) Don't be afraid to contribute.

If you want to know how to become a freelance writer for a magazine, you have to submit your articles to them yourself.

Many magazines accept contributions that are useful and valuable, so make sure your work is in line with what that magazine stands for and send your article!

3) Prepare sample works.

Whether online or in real life, you have to prepare sample works for your potential employers. This is one way they can gauge if you're fit for the job or not.

Sometimes though, they'll ask you to create a new article out of a topic they chose. When this happens, make sure you do your research. Never plagiarize and stick to what you know.

Trying to deal with the question "How do I become a freelance writer?" is an exciting journey. You're going to have to put yourself out there, trust in your instincts and in your own writing skills. Never be afraid to use creativity and imagination, too!

Want to earn a 5-figure monthly income through freelance writing jobs? Go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com/5figurewriter.htm and discover how to earn massive amounts of money by becoming a freelance writer.

Should You Update Your Website Copy?

We all know the old adage "If it's not broken, don't fix it"-but there are plenty of website owners who don't heed that sage advice. As a freelance copywriter, I regularly have clients who contact me asking to rewrite web content that's only been up for a few weeks or months. When I ask them their reason for wanting to update it, the answers run the gamut:

"We were #7 in the Google search results last month, and now we're #15."

"I'm just tired of looking at it."

"It's been up there for six months. Seems like it should we should mix it up a bit."

The reality is that none of these reasons is necessarily grounds for a web copy overhaul. A short plunge in organic search rankings may not have a noticeable impact on leads or conversions. And by making a change to achieve one goal (seeing your business' name "up in lights" in Google's Top 5) you may end up sacrificing some other key initiatives. Plus, with the well-known fickleness of search engines, Google and Yahoo may end up having less of an appetite for your new website copy as they did for the old version. And remember: just because you're tired of your web content doesn't mean your customers are.

Instead of gutting and replacing content that's still earning its real estate, why not have a professional freelance writer create some keyword-rich web articles for publication in online directories? A cost-effective Google AdWords campaign can also help give your web presence-and your conversions-a boost.

Of course, there are instances when a web copy update is warranted:

• Your conversions have taken a hit. If a lower percentage of your visitors are converting into customers, it may indeed be high time for a content refresh. But before you assume your website copy is the culprit, consider any other recent changes that may have impacted your users' experience.
• Your offerings have changed. If you've added or removed products or services, your web content should certainly reflect the change in your business' direction.
• In light of new market developments impacting your industry, new keywords have recently been popping up in your analysis reports, and you want to incorporate them into your web copy.

Whatever you decide, be sure to test as much as possible. Copy updates shouldn't be an "all or nothing" endeavor. Tweak a little here, sneak in a Google AdWords campaign there, and test the heck out of it. Just be sure to keep a version of the old copy so you can revert back if it doesn't work out as you'd hoped. And if writing isn't your forte, enlist the services of a trained freelance writer to give your content a professional touch.

Melissa Rudy is a full-time freelance copywriter with Words by Melissa in Cincinnati, Ohio. Melissa provides a wide range of businesses with web page content, articles, product descriptions, brochures, postcards, press releases, and other marketing collateral for web and print. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Journalism. Prior to launching her freelance writing business, Melissa spent 5 years as an E-Commerce Content Manager and 3 years as a Technical Writer for a software company

Website: http://www.wordsbymelissa.com
Email: melissa@wordsbymelissa.com

What Do You Do When You Are a Writer and Witness History

What do you do when you are a writer and observe a historical event unfold and you know the truth? Should you write the truth and burst the lies of the present period so that those in future periods can know the reality of the era, or should you promote the lie in hopes that somehow this might change the world?

It has always been my contention that political correctness is other than reality and thus, is a dangerous marker from which to judge and make decisions. Once we forgo the reality of human nature and the primate politics of humankind, we deny ourselves decisions that will be free from the laws of unintended consequence.

As a retired Franchisor Founder, I've made a little bit of history in my esoteric Industry sub-sector niche and as I've both participated and observed history over the last four decades. Now as a writer in early retirement I write about present and know that my record will live on.

It pains me to know that others who have mastered the power of the pen are so ethically challenged and confused, and purport falsehoods of our time while covering the truth with their wordsmith ways. Today, we have a new President of the United States, and we are to celebrate how diversity has overcome glass ceilings and barriers.

What a great day for America indeed, yes, but only in name. You see, there is a reality behind this election of the first Black President, a story that is known, but goes untold. Is it fair to history and to truth to sugar coat now? If we do, as others have in the past, are we any better than they, have we learned nothing?

Is all history a lie, just like the present? If we sweep truth under our carpet and modify the textbooks of the next generation to suit - where is the integrity in that? If we really want to do something great in our time, there is no need to pretend or fake it. We can make a difference without fakery, propped up propaganda, and pretending in the present period.

Is our whole civilization and society going to live a lie to themselves - is this what America has become? We are better than this. There is nothing wrong with having an African American President, that indeed is commendable, proof if you will of our strength and vision, but allowing so in a manner that is far beyond the span of rules we have set for ourselves is a disgrace.

We are to blame, we have traded our promise for a myth, and into the gates of hypocrisy we do march.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

Writing Articles and Earning Money

If you are planning to write articles for the web and forge a successful financial career out of the same, there are few points that you should keep in mind. Remember, nobody has time to waste online and the average surfer will browse a site for a maximum of 10 seconds. That is all the time you have to catch his attention. Can you imagine the outcome of your carefully planned 500 words article if nobody even stops to read the first paragraph completely?

Remember, the heading and the first paragraph constituted the most important part of an article and hence special care should be taken to compose the same. One should put eye catching headlines and follow up the same with an interesting introductory paragraph. I do not know about others, but I generally write the entire body of the article first and then compliment the same with an interesting heading and an introductory paragraph. The initial section should act like a table of contents for the rest of the text.

One might be well inclined to put false statements in the preliminary paragraph, but that is akin to committing suicide. After you have composed the body of your article, just read through it a couple of times and try to understand what you want to convey to the viewers. This information is what should be used to make up the first paragraph.

Earning money by writing articles is not tough as long as you are willing to work hard and do a bit of research. There is a huge content writing industry waiting for you and all you need to be successful (check out the last word in my heading, it contains the word successfully) is to write content rich articles that might be of use to others. Do not expect to get orders overnight. Remember, Rome was not built in a day.

Initially, you should dream up articles and post them on sites like the one where you are reading this. These are the basic stones for writing money-earning articles. Most of the people who want to outsource their article writing jobs check sites like this one and if your article has managed to catch their attention, you can be rest assured that they will get in touch with you.

There are some pitfalls too which one should avoid. Do not use `article spinning' software. All they do is search for words at random and replace them with their synonyms. The end result can be horrendous and senseless. Use a proper email identity that has your name in it. I would rather contact joesmith@domain.com than joemaddywriter@domain.com. Try to be honest with yourself and do not plagiarize the net for articles. You will be caught and in all probabilities, blacklisted too. Do use the net for your research, but the content should be yours. You might have no ideas about autism (one of the hottest blog topics nowadays) but just study the net about it and before long you will feel comfortable with the same. Bingo... you can now write articles about it too, for you have managed to understand what that term, autism, is referring to.

When you will start receiving orders for writing articles, you will be presented with a primary keyphrase and some secondary keyphrases. In my next article I shall be touching upon these subjects. If you have been interested in this article, and if the same has appealed to you, there is no doubt that you will be on the lookout for my next article. This is one more way of making people interested. Write something that they will cherish and follow it up with more.

Writer's Block - Try This and You'll Never Be Stuck Again

When I think of writer's block, images of Jack Nickolson slowly going bonkers in that big old hotel send chills down my spine. But after 20+ years of making my living as a writer, I can honestly say I've never come close to murdering anyone - not even my (ex)spouse - while trying to find the right mix of nouns and verbs to fill an empty page. I've heard all sorts of advice over the years about how to be a more productive writer and frankly, most of it makes me cringe. The idea of setting goals for writing X amount of words or for X amount of hours each day is much too rigid for my taste. After all, I'm a creative soul, not a corporate slave. Do I really need a seminar to develop efficient time management skills? I don't think so. I've never missed a deadline in my life. Have I procrastinated? Sure. Like most professional writers, I spend more time on the hourly French Press ritual than actually writing.

I go for walks, lots of them, because it makes me feel self-righteous about taking care of my health. And occasionally I remember that I haven't called my best friend back in Oregon in a while and well, that's just rude so why not chat him up now while I'm thinking of it? But back to the matter at hand: Writer's block. I figured out very early on in my career how to avoid the beast. It's simple yet effective, just a little trick that I play on my own mind whenever: I resist sitting down at the computer, motivation eludes me, or writing feels like work. If you're like most writers, you've left notes for yourself all over the place.

They may be story ideas or bizarre facts or snippets of conversation you overheard at the supermarket or great titles that just need a few hundred thousand words to turn them into best sellers. You never have any trouble scribbling these notes, right? So the next time you feel stuck, grab a mug of coffee and tell yourself you're just going to jot down a few thoughts on the subject at hand. You're not "really" going to write anything today and you're not going to work. Tell yourself that tomorrow you'll look over the notes before you buckle down and get to work. So what happens now? While you're relaxed and not paying attention, your inner writer escapes his cage. He's doing the work for you and it's brilliant! Tomorrow, you'll see what I mean.

I can't tell you how many times I've scribbled my notes while telling myself that I'll clean it up tomorrow, thinking it's just a mess of disjointed thoughts. And on the following day when I take a look at my ramblings I'm blown away by what I've done - without thinking! More often than not, I don't even have to do a rewrite. You've probably heard the advice, "never let the reader see you at work." That's because the harder you try, the more you shut down the natural writer within. So loosen up. Pour a fresh cup. Go for a walk. Chat up some strangers on the street. Scribble some notes. And don't even think about working today. Tomorrow you'll see what a writing genius you truly are!

Lynie Arden is an award-winning author of 24 books and hundreds of magazine articles. She likes good coffee, long walks, talking on the phone, and green Post-it Notes

Ends of the Spectrum For Online Writers

Amazingly enough, most authors speak of writer's block, but if you are an online author, you'll never survive if you have writer's block. To me writer's block is a false reality where the individual through negative bio-feedback believes that they cannot write well unless they are in the mood.

So, they do everything they can to get in the groove or in the zone, so they can write as well as they did during their very best writing session. This type of thinking will prevent authors from being successful, reaching their goals and achieving their dreams. I refuse to go there.

Still, there is the other side of the coin, writing so much that you burn out, when writing becomes a chore, a bore and well, something you dread. Many folks that take their hobby and turn it into a job talk about this. They say when I did it for fun or a hobby it was great, now that I do it for a living, I hate it. This is something that is very common amongst writers and it is rather unfortunate, it does happen. How do I prevent this?

Well, first off, I write about stuff that I wish to write about, fun stuff, things that I like or enjoy. When you do that writing can be a lot of fun actually. You know, I never considered myself a writer. I never even really liked writers. I've always considered myself a doer, not a writer.

In fact, I received a D+ in journalism in the seventh grade, worst grade I ever got in all of my schooling. I guess I have my revenge being the most prolific online article writer on record now, but more importantly, I'd say that proves if I can do it, then anyone can!

Burn out in article writing happens for two reasons, one is you just flat run out of things unique and interesting to write about or you have written about nearly everything you know already. This is why you need to have balance and seek new input and apply what you learn, see and observe to your writing.

Think of it like recharging your batteries; go out and do new things, meet new people and see the world from different perspectives, when you are done you will find new ways to approach old topics and find new topics to apply to your current knowledge.

By doing this you will keep your mind fresh and allow your creative juices to continue to flow over the rim. Just be sure to carry a note pad with you to write down the ideas you have will seeking out new adventures and activities.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

Writer's Block - The Curse Of Perfectionism And How To Overcome It In Your Creative Writing

As a creative writer, you know all about writers block. Sat at the blank page or screen, trying to come up with the right paragraph, the right sentence, even the right WORD.

And it feels about as easy as juggling custard. Blindfold. With both hands tied behind your back.

One of the biggest causes of writers block is perfectionism not being happy with your creative writing until every sentence, every word, ever syllable is utterly perfect.

Theres a fine line between wanting to write the best work you can write and getting dragged down in a never ending quest for perfectionism.

Here then is how perfectionism takes hold and causes writers block, and how you can overcome it:

How perfectionism causes Writers Block:

You cant write a sentence without there being one word not quite right in it. Rather than change the word, or leave it to come back to and change later, you discard the whole sentence.

You write a page of 20 sentences, then dismiss and delete each and every one because a certain word wasnt quite the perfect choice, in your opinion.

This is the smallest scale example of this kind of habit and behaviour. It only gets worse when you junk whole paragraphs, pages or chapters just because a few parts werent perfect.

This then leads to the attitude of If I cant write a complete sentence well, whats the point of me even trying. Hence, exasperation, writers block, no new writing and an anguished time for you the writer.

How to beat it:

A tiny shift in perspective is actually all thats needed. Say you write your page of 20 sentences. Each has a word thats not quite right, in your view. Rather than say This is a page full of imperfect and therefore unusable sentences you could look it at this way:

This is a page thats 90% brilliant. Theres some great writing here, I just need to change the odd word here and there.

It sounds almost too simple but sometimes the best techniques are. Try it, leave the page, come back to it a day or week later with fresh eyes and make any extra tweaks and changes then if you feel theyre necessary.

Your approach now becomes: I can right a near perfect page without much effort. It flows easily and I write freely this way. I can then come back and make any fine adjustments later. I might not even need to.

The curse of perfectionism is a major cause of writers block if you let it be.

Try this small change in your approach from today and notice the difference it makes to your creative writing.

Want to find more ways to become a better creative writer and unlock your creative writing potential? Get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at http://www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com.

Creativity Coach and keen creative writer Dan Goodwin helps people who are frustrated they're not using their creative talents as well as they could be. See more at his website: http://www.CoachCreative.com

Writing Press Releases - Step by Step

When it comes to writing your press release, it can be a lot easier to write than you would think. Just remember these simple tips:

Keep it simple. Potential customers aren't interested in every detail of your site; they just want to know how it applies to them. If you go into every detail, your message will be lost and you won't get any new viewers. On the other hand, if you show why the site should interest them, then you should be gain a number of new customers.

Summarize. If there is something that you need to go into detail with, summarize. People do a lot of reading for their jobs and so dislike reading when they don't need to, especially when it comes to advertising. If you have a lot of unnecessary verbage, it is unlikely that your entire message will be read before it gets deleted.

5W1H. You need the basic information, so don't forget the basics: Who is this going to benefit? What will do for them? When will it be effective? Where is this information found (i.e., what is the website's URL?)? Why does it work? How will it help me? Answer those questions, and your press release will be effective.

Let it rest. When you have finished it, put it away for at least two hours, and then come back and re-read it. Don't be afraid to re-write it, even completely. The professionals do it; why shouldn't you?

Writing a press release can be difficult the first time, but it gets easier. Just remember to have some fun with the writing, and it should go fine!

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide

Download it free here: Internet Article Marketing

Do you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List Building

Writing Internal Newsletters: How to Build Your Network and Your Reputation

To help build your profile and reputation within a large company create or contribute to, an internal newsletter. Your company collegues are an excellent network for you - lift your internal reputation by writing an internal newsletter that people will read. This article is full of tips to help you get started.

Write for the company newsletter. Offer to provide articles or updates for the internal newsletter. This is a great way to work with the production team (who are often volunteers looking for content for the newsletter).

When writing for internal correspondence here is a couple of questions and tips:

What do you know your topic? List on one piece of paper all the different aspects to your topic. You may like to create a map of your brainstorm to identify major headings or important points. This map will also help you locate sub points for each major heading.

Who will use the information or tips? Make a list of the people within the organisation that would be interested in your topic, and make a note of how to write this in a way that will appeal to them.

Why will they use it? This question will help you to structure your thoughts and write them in a way that is appropriate for your colleagues. Is it just for information? Will it help them do their job better? Will it boost their productivity? Will their lives be easier as a result of knowing your information consider these questions when you write about your knowledge:

Why will people read it? This is similar to the question above, make it interesting and assist your team by explaining the main points of the article in the title or first sentence.

What tips can you give your co-workers about your knowledge? Try and turn your information into easily applied tips that people can apply straight away if appropriate.

Create an opening and closing paragraph in the first paragraph or sentence state the premise of your article. In the closing paragraph or sentence remind your readers of the main points.

Create a call to action from the article in the closing paragraph you might like to suggest action they can take to apply this knowledge or improve their understanding. You might suggest further websites they could review, books to read, other articles or texts on the subject give them suggestions for what to do with this information you have shared in your article.

Create a promotional box at the end of the article to allow your colleagues to get in touch with you if they want more information. This should have your name, contact information including phone, fax and email. If you have a website for your department that would also help your readers.

Sharing your knowledge with others is a great gift and personally rewarding so start writing today and structure articles that are easily read and understood for your teammates.

Neen is a Global Productivity Expert: by looking at how they spend their time and energy and where they focus their attention Neen helps people to rocket-charge their productivity and performance. A dynamic speaker, author and corporate trainer, Neen demonstrates how boosting your productivity can help you achieve amazing things. With her unique voice, sense of fun and uncommon common-sense, Neen delivers a powerful lesson in productivity. Find out more at http://neenjames.com/

Are You Letting Travel Writing Opportunities Skip Town?

Here's a news flash for everyone: many people thrive in the midst of economic turmoil. Did you know that more millionaires were made during the Great Depression? Do not let opportunity pass you by because you are buying into the limited thinking of your fellow countrymen. What do they know? These people signed their name on the dotted line knowing they could not afford their purchases.

You may believe travel writing opportunities are non-existent. This is far from the truth. My writing has taken off because I write on other topics besides travel. That's the key. In order to support your dreams, you may have to take on other work. I'm a die-hard writer who is passionate about many topics and genres of writing. I've written articles on how to install shelving to dog sympathy cards. Believe me, my writing muscles have been stretched in more ways than one.

Ideas to support your travel writing

1. Take a road trip and write about your experiences.

2. Edit guidebooks.

3. Search Craigslist.

4. Enter writing contests - submit your "travel fiction."

5. Sign up with Elance.com and Guru.com.

6. Post an ad on Craigslist advertising your writing services.

7. Go to the new restaurants and write about the food and wine.

You may have to take a full-time or part-time job to support your travel writing. Will you be all right with this? Are you an all-or-nothing person? If you have a dream, you'll do whatever it takes to see it come to fruition. This may require a full-time or part-time job outside of travel writing. Of course, you could always get a job within the travel industry. Become part of the crew of a cruise ship and sail around the world. You'll have no shortage of travel writing articles.

Get a vision for your life. You may have to write on other topics other than travel writing - so be it. This will make you very valuable as a writer. If you know and understand SEO marketing, you're writing services will be in demand. This is a "hot commodity" right now. Organizations always look for people who can help them. "Ask not what an organization can do for you, but what you can do for the organization." Does this sound familiar?

Travel writing can be a fun job and you can earn extra cash. Look around and you'll discover travel writing opportunities that you are just waiting for you. Remember, your area is a destination spot for people. If you're passionate about golf, visit a few golf courses and write about them. If you enjoy horseback riding, find a couple of dude ranches and ride off into the sunset. Sometimes you must create your own opportunities in life. Brainstorm for travel writing ideas and you'll find a few gold nuggets!

Our website is dedicated to aspiring and experienced travel writers. You'll find inspiration, encouragement, and education on everything travel writing.

Sign up for our weekly blog recap. If you're about to travel this is a great way to keep up-to-date with the latest in travel writing. Also, check out our forum. If you have a question, login, and with a click of a button you'll have the answer to your question.

URL: http://www.Travel-Writers-Exchange.com

Six Tips to Improve Your Online Writing

Depending on who you ask, writing is either an arduous craft that takes years to develop, or something anyone with a keyboard can easily turn into a million-dollar enterprise. As it is with most controversies, so it is with writing: both sides are wrong.

Yes, you can start writing right now, and there are plenty of venues for doing so. Free web sites like Blogger.com will let you get started without even so much as an investment in a domain name. But unless you're an unusually gifted writer, you shouldn't worry too much about the risk that ladies will swoon over the stark beauty of your prose after a few minutes' work on your part.

The good news is that you don't have to be an off-the-cuff Chaucer or an out-of-the-box Hemingway. Writing is a skill that improves with time if you apply a few basic principles.

1. Write Something Every DayThere is something about writing that makes writing easier. I can't tell you what it is, but I can tell you that when I'm writing a lot, I find it easier to write even more. Ideas take shape. Connections form.
2. Writing is One Step, Editing Is AnotherIn general, your writing direction should be forward. Writing quickly helps you avoid the inner editor, who otherwise would want to wreak havoc on your brilliant ideas (that's just the kind of person your inner editor is). This is not to say you can't occasionally move back if you find a fatal phrase that simply cannot stand as it is, but make it a rule to try to save most of your edits until the end. Tell your inner editor you'll be happy to let him come out to work just as soon as you're finished playing.
3. Keep ScoreA wonderful writing exercise is to try to count your time and your words. Simply make note of when you start and stop, or use a stopwatch or stopwatch computer program. Many word processors and blogging tools have a word counter you can use. If all else fails, copy and paste the finished product into one that does. There's something like watching your word count every day that helps you stick to your writing schedule, and there's something about seeing the article or story count go up over a few weeks that really helps keep you motivated. Set up a simple spreadsheet in Excel and track your progress. (Hint; don't watch the clock as you're writing, when you're writing, write!)
4. Get a JournalEven though I spend my day at a keyboard, I find it helps to jot down the basic article ideas in an old fashioned paper journal. Also, sometimes I need to sketch something visually, and writing by hand seems to work better for doing this than a drawing program. You don't have to spend the day "journaling", just have a book where you can jot down a quick idea from time to time, because if you're writing often, you're going to have a lot of them.
5. Set Goals I find that when I set a specific goal for myself for the week ahead, and remind myself of my goal in the morning, I get more writing done. I try to make my goal just a little bit challenging, but not one that's realistically out of reach given my current numbers (remember, we're keeping score).
6. Be Gentle With Yourself No matter what profession you choose for yourself, life is going to happen to it. Physicians have to meet with Pharmaceutical salespeople, even if their big love is working with patients. Writers are no different. You'll still need to do your taxes, take the kids to school, and whatever else you need to do as part of the business of living. If you have a particularly grueling day of interruptions, don't try to stick to the same schedule as you would if you have a day clear for writing.

John Lockwood is a freelance Internet writer working in Sacramento. He realized one day he was a professional writer after the top-ranked web sites he'd written for his real estate business totalled more than 3,000 pages. He is the author of Inklit.com, an Internet Writer's Blog as well as many other web sites and blogs about real estate and Internet marketing.

This article is Copyright(c) 2008, John Lockwood Associates. Permission is given to copy this article, but users of this article must maintain the article and the author signature box in its original form. No other use is permitted.

7 Elements of a Perfect Website Copy That Converts

A perfect website copy is the one that converts visitors into clients. In order that this happens, there are 7 key elements that a writer must incorporate in the article before it can work this way. Let us consider the elements and see how they are relevant in the conversion.

1. Has a compelling offer

Maybe we should define the meaning of the term compelling so that you understand how this element works. When an offer is compelling, it is probably irresistible. You would feel the temptation to take the offer any time. So, a writer would need to make sure that they give a reader such an offer.

The best way a writer can do this is to explain to the reader in clear and concise terms how the products and the services being marketed would be of value to them. It is the value that readers look for, not the cost, not the name either.

2. Targets the right audience

Yes, a writer must first of all identify the audience before they can start writing a copy. This is very crucial because in the writing, the writer needs to connect with the readers and certainly you will all agree that you cannot connect with someone you do not know.

Understanding your audience is about understanding their needs, fears and above all what they would want most. Try to figure out what you target market would appreciate most before you start communicating.

3. Must have reasons

The reader is very smart. They must not see that you are into marketing strategy. You need to convince they why they are the right people for the message, products, site and why they are not lost being in the site. These answers must flow and they should be convincing.

Never try to bring so many points together at once. At least, you need to be sure that the reader will not have any 'why' questions unanswered while reading the copy.

4. Must call for action

Even though you are not forcing the readers to take action, it should be clear from the copy that there is an action they are supposed to take. So, you need to state clearly what you want your visitors to do in the copy.

5. Does not give room for next time

It should be clear at the copy that the time for action is now. This can be done when you answer all the visitor's questions and they have nothing else that they would want to think about. As in, they feel the information is adequate and what they need is just to make their orders.

You must be focused in the call for action. Do not expect so much from the readers. You must have one intended outcome and let it be.

6. Must have sense of credibility

Readers are very wise. You have to give them enough proof that your claims are true. They need to see some testimonials and even case studies at least so that they are sure.

7. Finally, a perfect copy must use the right words

While trying to craft a professional website copy, perfect choice of words is the number one thing you need to ensure. This would invoke emotions hence the readers would take the desired actions without coercion.

No doubt, this is one of the most crucial services that a copywriting agency would offer. It has the power to build or break a business.

Cleva Smith is an expert author who writes SEO articles and strategies tips. She also works for copywriting company, Content Axis, one of the best copywriting agencies that offers premium copywriting services, article submission services, press release writing and eBook sales packages. To know more about the services, please visit Content Axis Inc

Writer's Block Can Be Cured, Starting Today

Writer's block is related to procrastination, but is much more serious. It stops us dead in our tracks and strikes fear in our hearts. It doesn't have to be that way. If you follow the same writing plan every time you write, it will eliminate stress and help you avoid the dreaded WB.

You might be surprised to learn that if you procrastinate and/or have writer's block, there is a good chance that you are a perfectionist. Deep down, you fear that you won't do a good job, or that your ideas are not the best.

Sometimes, you just need to figure out what is bothering you about your article and make the needed adjustments.

Here are some other techniques you can use to start your fingers flying over the keyboard:

You Are The Boss: If you are having a tough time with a certain part of your article, delete it and go in a different direction. Replace it with something on which you feel better able to concentrate. Make A Plan: A step-by-step plan can help you avoid writer's block because you will always know what your next step is, and you won't have a chance to over-think it.

Switch Things Up: If you can't write your introduction, write your conclusion!

Google It: Use a search engine to read what others have written on your topic. Don't copy them but do use their points to stimulate your own creativity.

Take A Walk: Get away from your computer and get a fresh perspective. Or, take your laptop outside and let the sun warm you up while you write.

Just Do It: If you can't write on your topic, just write about anything that comes into your head. Write about how you have writer's block, write anything you can think of. Sometimes, just getting your fingers moving is enough to get your creative juices flowing.

Whatever you decide to do, don't give up. Only those who give up have no chance to succeed. Sit back, relax and read some articles written by someone you admire. When you least expect it, the clouds will part and your writer's block will fade away.

WRITE AN ARTICLE-A-DAY, THE EASY WAY by Georganne Fiumara will help you write an article in just one day or an e-book in 7 days for fame, fortune or web traffic. To learn more, go to http://www.WriteAnArticleADay.com. Get your article questions answered by going to Georganne's informative new blog at http://www.Article-Answers.com

Internet Marketing Tips - 6 Inches Between Your Ears

As I am writing this, Tiger Woods is about to begin the final round of the US Open. In spite of recent surgery and great pain, he is the leader going into today's round and the favorite to take it. It's no wonder he's the favorite since he's won 13 out of 13 tournaments where he was the leader or co-leader going into the final round. While his skills are certainly great, many think the reason that he's so successful is the 6 inches between his ears...his mental toughness.

Okay, you're probably wondering what this has to do with Internet marketing. Well, it has more to do with it than you realize. In spite of all my success, I am not the most knowledgeable marketer in the world. I'm certainly not the most gifted writer. As a matter of fact, I consider myself just average in many areas. But there is one area where I consider myself to be above most, maybe above more than most...my mental toughness.

I get up each day believing that I am going to make sales that day. I make sure I make a schedule for each day and stick to it. It doesn't matter how sick I am or what day it is. For example, today is Father's Day. I could have easily decided to take the day off, but instead I decided to get a jump on all the folks out there who are taking the day off. I'll get a piece of the market that they're leaving behind today.

Some say I'm obsessed. Maybe I am. But nobody can ever say to me that I'm not going to succeed because I don't have the mindset for business. What about you? Do you get up each day believing that you're going to have a good day? Do you have a schedule for your day? Do you work even when you don't feel like working? Do you have the mental toughness to run a successful business?

You don't have to be the smartest or the best. You just have to believe that you'll be successful if you put your mind to it.

I'm living proof of that.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Looking for a solid 4 step plan to building your own business...FREE? Pick up my free report at http://www.stevewagenheim.com/4steps.html and get started TODAY!

Before You Write

A writer writes, by definition. We often imagine that professional writers sit down and simply write, with beautiful strings of elegantly crafted words simply streaming onto the page or screen with an inhuman grace. Such a mental image couldnt be further from the truth. The reality of it is that writing is real work, a labor of care and love and obsession, with anything remotely graceful coming only after hour (if not days) of painstaking, plodding work. Even for most professionals, the art of writing is one filled with multiple drafts, numerous revisions and countless edits. Despite all of this, a few simple steps can reduce the time lost to labor and increase the speed with which completed articles go out the door.

The keys to efficient writing arent necessarily used when youre actually writing the article or polishing it for publication; instead, efficient writing begins before the writing even starts. The two keys to more efficient writing are planning and preparation. While such words may cause the artistic free spirit to balk, these two elements will often mean the difference between an extra week of writing the same article, or a fat paycheck for an article thats in under the deadline. The steps are simple, and just need to be followed.

Selecting a Topic Before you can write effective non-fiction, you must select a topic. Without a topic, you dont even have a direction in which to go. Very often, when a non-fiction writer speaks of writers block, that writer is really speaking about a lack of topic. Once a topic is chosen, fleshing it out is more a matter of cold logic than anything else.

Clarifying the Topic Once you have a topic, you have a broad, general direction to go in. While this may be enough to get you going, its rarely enough to base an article on. Often, our topics may be either too broad, encompassing too much information, losing any potential impact, or it may be too narrow, not leaving enough room for development. Ask yourself the following questions, with example answers given describing the article you're reading now:

- What is the general topic? (writing)

- What differentiates it from the rest of that topic (the pre-writing process)

- Who is my audience? (writers, mostly experienced amateurs, non-professionals)

- What is the purpose? (instruct writers on pre-writing)

- What does my audience need to know? (Details regarding the steps of the pre-writing process)

- What questions are there about the topic and the needed information?

Doing the Research Once you have clarified what your topic is, youll now have the beginnings of your information gathering. Continue asking yourself questions, looking at your topic from as many ways as possible. Looking at this list of questions, identify potential sources of information that you can turn to for answers. These may be individual experts, reference books, websites, and many more. As you answer the questions, look for additional questions that the audience wouldnt even know to ask, but still should know. As your information accumulates, you may find that some questions become unimportant, or unnecessary; other questions, like the original topic, may be either too broad or too narrow. Continue to research and revise until you are satisfied that every base has been covered.

Thinking and Planning Looking now at your clarified topic, your refined list of questions and the information youve accumulated through expert research, its time to think about your article. Bearing in mind both the intended audience for this article and the purpose, how might this information meet those needs? How should it be presented for maximum effect? How can this raw information be shaped into a marketable work of art? Now is the time to ponder these questions, and to find answers.

Making a List Finally, with all your prior work completed, make a list of the points that must be covered in your article. Sequence this list in the most effective manner you can so that it wont confuse readers or misrepresent your topic. List the points again, this time in sequence. Ta-da! You now have a step by step blue print for your article, with all of the necessary information laid out for you. Without a single visit from your muse or even one case of artistic distemper, youve built the majority of a great article, and youve done it quickly, and effectively.

Brian Westover is a freelance writer. In addition to writing articles for publication in standard print venues (such as magazines and newspapers), he is also a skilled copywriter, offering a variety of services to anyone who needs great online content, polished business writing in a professional format and editing and coaching to improve your own writing. In addition to his professional site, Brian also runs WriterSpot, a website dedicated to finding and organizing online resources for either the beginning writer or experienced writing professional.

How to Write More Articles

Does it take a lot of time for you to write an article, a single blog or to post them online? Do you take a lot of time to think about how to write an effective article? If your answer is 'yes' for the above-mentioned questions, then you should this article to get a solution for your problems. Whether you are a freelance writer, an article writer or a blog writer, you should be able to write effective articles in less time. If you are into a full time job as a web-writer then you need to manage your time in a manner in such a way that you write more articles in less time.

Here are few tips, which will help you to write an effective article or a blog quickly.

Stay focused

When you sit to write an online article, close down all other applications, as, they tend to distract your attention. For instance, the application that most commonly disrupts the working pace is chat application. Therefore, it is always better to close down all the chat windows, when you are writing an article. Other application that you should close down is the email window, as chatting email also tends to divert your attention. Close the browser application, which you open for reference work, immediately after you are through with your work. It is better that you stop checking blog traffic stats and Adsense earnings.

Exhaustive research

You should always do a little bit of research work before you begin to write the articles. This will help you to write an effectual article in less time. The research work will help you to enhance the quality of the articles and the articles will undoubtedly show the effort you have put in behind researching. Most of the articles that make it to the first page of the social bookmarking sites are well structured and researched. The research work will make you article factual, informative and will give a depth to your article.

Schedule yourself

Prepare a schedule before you begin your article, as it will help you to save on a lot of time. On the schedule, fix a time limit for every work that you will have to do because of the article. Assign maximum time for writing as writing the article will take most of your time. Also, allocate some time for research work, thinking a title and for deciding subtitles. By following this kind of a schedule, you can easily write an article in an hour.

Go for proof reading

It is important to do a proof reading after you have finished your article. Generally, most of the people leave out proof reading paucity of time or patience. Once you are through with your writing part, give it a reading and check whether there is any mistake or not. If you come across any mistake, rectify it.

Edit your work

The formatting works should be done once you are through with you writing. See to it that the images are at their place, give a caption to the pictures and acknowledge the person you want to. While editing see to it that the article is precise, concise and does not have fillers.

Writing high quality articles in few minutes is a difficult task, but you can easily master the art if you follow the above-mentioned points.

The author is dynamic web content writer and budding SEO. He has got the experience in writing quality content for various websites and getting them optimized too. You can view his website for more information

Writing a Powerful Summary Statement

Looking for new work? If you are, then I do not have to tell you how important it is to have an awesome resume. Tailoring our resumes to each new job posting is now a requirement. Recruiters spend less than 60 seconds scanning our resumes. The summary statement is an extremely powerful section. This collection of sentences plays a key role. It determines if the rest of our resume will be read. It determines whether or not we will be interviewed. It determines whether or not we will get the job. OK, it does not determine all that however it does determine if a recruiter will take the time to look at your accomplishments. Recruiters will not get to your great accomplishments with a weak summary statement. So how do you write one that will get noticed? Read on fellow job seekers.

1. Know what they want. Really understand the requirements of the position. Really understand them. Doing this well is the foundation for a great summary statement. Read the posting at least 10 times. Sometimes you can get to the point where you can almost read between the lines of the posting. This is a good spot to be in.
2. Make a list of the requirements and personal qualities. Get a piece of paper and a pen. Sit down and make a list of the requirements. List everything. Then list the personal qualities. Do not leave anything out.
3. Know your competitive advantage. Think about what you will bring to this position. Have you held similar positions in the past? Do you have transferable skills? You need to be very clear about this. Imagine yourself in a waiting room with 10 other job seekers all competing for your desired job. What will you say to the hiring manager? How will you do the job better than your competition? What have you accomplished in previous positions that directly relate to this one?
4. Tie your skills and experience to the position.Having a grasp on exactly what the employer wants and your competitive advantage will help you out here. Make sure that you are a match with the skills and experience. Can you make it so obvious that the recruiter does not have to think? Excellent!
5. Do not be modest. Forget about modesty. Feel good about your accomplishments and do not be shy about including them in your summary statement. This is important because we have a tendency to feel like we may be bragging. Repeat after me It is not bragging. It is not bragging. It is not bragging.
6. Avoid boring words. We all know about those overly used words that we should not include on the resume. These words show up in job postings however do not use them. These tired words will not impress a recruiter.
7. Get some input. Share your resume and job posting with a trusted friend or career counselor. This is a great way to get some valuable feedback. Do this before you send it out.

There you have it, fellow job seekers. Do you have an interesting resume story to share? Let me know.

Kathleen Johnson is a business development professional in Silicon Valley, California. Her profile and contact information is available on LinkedIn.