Creative Writing Exercises

Many of us who write will turn our noses up at the thought of writing exercises. We feel either that we're already a creative writer, so why would we need to do any exercises to learn how to be one. Or we associate exercises with bad memories of our school years, and being forced to do things we know we're not good at, the pressure of sitting exams, and so on.

If you have either of these trains of thought, it's completely understandable why you're not jumping around with eager excitement at the thought of trying some new writing exercises.

But the fact is, you're missing out. You're depriving yourself of the chance to enrich and expand your writing repertoire into new areas you may not even know exist.

Another concern that's often voiced is that by using the guidelines of someone else's exercise or prompt, the writing will not be your own. Why would you want to spend your precious creative time writing something that you don't feel you can claim as your own words at the end of it?

When you use a writing exercise, you're simply giving yourself a starting point.

It's like taking your car out on the road, pointing in a certain direction and saying: "I'm going to head for California (or Calgary, or Canberra or anywhere else specifically named) and I'm going to enjoy the sights along the way."

As opposed to sitting in your car on your front drive thinking about all the wonderful places you COULD drive to, but not even starting the engine.

Creative writing exercises give you the starting point and the direction. Beyond that, the writing is all yours.

Where you go, and how you get there is entirely up to you. The exciting thing is, you don't know where you'll end up, and you don't know how you'll get there.

After all, isn't that what writing is all about? Unfurling the adventures within you, that you didn't even know you had within you?

Right now the possibilities of what you could write about are so limitless they're overwhelming. But give yourself a little scenario or outline and notice how your creativity roars into life.

Imagine writing a letter to a male relative who left under emotional circumstances and you haven't seen for 5 years. Why did they leave? What do you feel about seeing them again?

Just this few lines of premise will trigger your creative mind into thinking about the possibilities. It's what it does best, you can't switch it off!

There's a girl in a red dress stood at the side of the road, clutching a doll with one arm and an tattered envelope. Why's she there? Where are her parents? What's in the envelope?

Notice again how your creative mind fills in the gaps and your curiosity kicks into action? Again, you're engine started!

Now get out on the road and have a wonderful creative writing adventure!

And to get started with some creative writing exercises and ideas right away, get your FREE 5 part creative writing ecourse at http://www.YouAreACreativeWriter.Com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

Easy Ways to Break Through Writer's Block and Land the Job You Want

Is it time to update your resume? Are you finding it hard to describe what you did in your most recent job? Are you trying to write a new resume, but don't know where to start? Writer's block happens to a lot of people writing their resume.

People who are currently working often face two difficulties when writing their resume. First, is seeing the forest through the trees. When there's so much detail about what you do, it can be very hard to step back and see the big picture. Second, if your job is boring, it's difficult to imagine that what you do is valuable and interesting to others.

If you're unemployed, it's natural to have conflicted or negative feelings about the job and the company. In that case, the struggle is to be positive about what you write.

Recent graduates may not have a lot of material to work with when writing their resume.

Here are some easy ways to overcome writer's block and write a powerful resume that will help you land the job you want:

1. JOT DOWN A FEW DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES.

Think about what needs to get done on a daily basis. What needs to get done weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly? These activities show that you have the requirements to do the job function, and work in the industry. Use words and phrases like "manage," "oversee," "understand," and "capable" in your resume.

2. WHAT QUALIFICATIONS ARE REQUIRED TO DO THE JOB?

If a brand new person, with no training at all, was put into your job, could they do it? Probably not. What skills, procedures, and systems would they need to learn? Most candidates know more than they think. Just because the skills, procedures and systems have become second nature to you doesn't make them less valuable to employers. Terms like "senior," "experienced," and "seasoned" will show that you have deep knowledge of the job and industry.

3. WHO WOULD COMPLAIN IF YOUR JOB DIDN'T GET DONE?

Remember the brand new person who tried to do your job in the previous paragraph? When that person fell short on the job, who would complain? The boss, customers, or coworkers? These are the people that rely on you. These are the benefits you bring to the table. Write something along the lines of "Provide _________ for_________ so they can _________." If you work with top decision makers, you can also say "Work closely with _________."

4. WHAT PROBLEMS DID YOU SOLVE?

There are two types of problems:

The first type of problem is a onetime problem that needs to be solved right now. It can be a problem that prevents the group/department/company from moving forward (a missed opportunity). Or, it could be a "meltdown" such as a computer crash or a lost delivery. In either case, there is a real sense of urgency.

The second type of problem is the recurring, nagging type. Did you build a better mouse trap? Did you face the same problem over and over? These are the problems that force businesses to lose time, money or energy because they are just plain frustrating.

Be straightforward in describing your problem-solving skills: "Resolved recurring issue of _________ resulting in _________." Or, "Overcame the _________ problem and saved the company for _________."

5. WHAT WERE YOU GREAT AT?

Were you recognized for being great at one or two things on the job? Is there anything you wanted to be recognized for? Even if your boss overlooked your strengths, you can highlight them on your resume. Describe yourself as an "expert _________"

6. NEW GRADUATES NEED TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

Apply the five tips described above toward your scholastic career, extracurricular activities, and hobbies. Remember, no one expects you to be a superstar straight out of school. Be bright, happy and responsible, and you'll be a valuable candidate.

Ready to learn more about how to write a resume?

Download my FREE 12-page report, "Anatomy of a Perfect Resume," at http://www.magneticresume.com so you can learn:

• The 4 most common deadly mistakes that people make and how to fix them!
• How to create the perfect Career Objective & Career Summary sections
• How to maximize your resume so you're the candidate your next boss wants to meet!

Scott Shane Holt has seen it all while hiring over 100 people on Wall Street, in good times and bad, and as an executive coach helping managers and other professionals accelerate their careers.

Article Writing - How to Make Real Money Online

You have probably learned by now that you could make good income through writing and have been looking for resources that can help you with ways on how to make money writing articles. The business of article writing is not actually complicated, although it could need a lot of work when you're still starting.

How To Make Money Writing Articles By Writing for Others

While you are still trying to check the waters in this industry, you may start by writing for others first. Be a ghost writer. You write articles and sell them to others. By selling your articles, you give the buyer ownership of your articles.

There are several webmasters looking for writers to regularly update their site's content. One of the secrets to a successful site is quality content and many webmasters are willing to pay good writers to provide them that. How do you contact these webmasters? There are forums which provide a venue for article buyers and writers to meet. You can join a few of them and meet your prospective clients.

You may also post your work and contact information in article directories to help you reach more people. It is crucial that you post meaningful articles as these will serve as your tickets to possible writing offers.

You could also sign up in open content networks. You simply submit your articles to them and the administrators contact you in case someone is interested with your content or your future services. Other similar sites offer you a percentage of the income they make from the visits your content has generated.

Once you have established yourself as a reliable writer, you can get more writing offers or start your own content site. You can even create a site that helps others on how to make money writing articles just like you did.

Fabian Tan is a well-known Internet Marketing expert and the author of the popular 45-page Report:

"Murder Your Job: How To Build Cash Sucking Autopilot Businesses In 30 Days Or Less!"

Head over to http://www.MurderYourJob.com to get your FREE copy now!

Also, quickly download his FREE "Explosive Traffic System" report that shows you how to generate 10,000+ targeted visitors per month at no cost! => http://www.ExplosiveTrafficSystem.com

Online Writing Therapy

Writing was invented for expressing, conveying and communicating. Whoever invented writing would have never thought what writing is going to do in future. We write down to learn as student, we type or write in office for office work, writers pour their feelings on paper and convert them into books. As hobby some people write their daily activities in paper diary or online diary on internet. Every one expresses themselves through writing in different ways. Writing is expression which brings out feelings and messages from your mind on paper or on your computer screen.

Doctors from certain parts of the world have been busy in researching about writing since 1970s, according to them; writing has certain advantage which is yet to be known to the world. The use of writing down feelings is "Therapy". It has certain medical advantages associated with it. Doctors have researched for many years and finally concluded that writing down feelings twenty minutes every day can cure many diseases. This technique is know as "Writing Therapy" it is just as if physiotherapy is done for physical exercises, writing therapy is very useful for keeping mind healthy and can help do wonders.

Writing therapy can cure diseases like depression, stress, cancer, asthma, different abuses etc. WT is helpful in developing a sense of recreation and identification. Writing helps in in identifying potential of one self. According to research conducted by Doctors, writing therapy sessions can help in overcoming fears by just writing out feelings on piece of paper, it also helps in identify the inner strengths and inborn sense of one self.

The purpose for writing therapy lies within the writer. Writer can pick different topics, then choose how to express feelings and in what time frame. Twenty minutes a day is a proven remedy. Writing therapy is useful method in re-creativity, self administration and also helps in improving wisdom by exploratory writing methods. Writing can help in get you started and can be launch pad for you. Writing will make you feel more in control of your self, utilizing twenty minutes a day will help you notice positive track records of your vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, stress etc. Writing therapy has been proven very useful for prisoners as well. Now you can have writing therapy sessions on internet by using online journal. Write your feelings and live healthy life.

Conduct Online Writing therapy session through Online journal

Fiction Tips

Capture the Idea

Many years ago, a noted author said to me, "I had rather write a note on the cuff of my blouse than to lose a good idea." Wow! That stuck with me.

Capture the idea at the moment it comes! I guess that's why I have so many file cabinets in my home. I can hardly bear to throw away all those scraps of ideas! And while that's a good place to store old manuscripts (and new ones), and ideas and plain old stuff, you can't very well carry a file cabinet around with you. So what to do?

Notebooks! Use notebooks! Use notebooks like an artist uses a sketchbook.

Yes, the computer is quick and easy. But the computer is not selective on its own. It may hold information longer than your mind, but it cannot bring all the information together as your mind can. While you can feed those ideas into the computer, still and yet, a writer NEEDS a notebook (or notebooks!).

A Writer's Laboratory

I still have on my bookshelf two small loose-leaf notebooks that I filled when I first began to write seriously. One is yellow, the other is blue. Yes, there they are in all their glory. In it, I wrote snippets of overheard conversations; names I felt were different or interesting; town names that caught my fancy, descriptions of sounds, sights, smells, and then there were the cute and funny things my kids did. They created for me a writer's laboratory as I recorded their actions and conversations.

Entry Sample

One entry from a winter day goes like this:

Clouds of fog were surprised to find themselves held captive in the night by the icy hands of the frigid air. Countless millions of droplets, soft and fat with moisture, were squeezed in the icy grip, then transformed into exquisite crystallized formations and designs. Each was individually fastened with miracle adhesive powers to every tree branch, every blade of dead brown grass, every strand of fence wire, in a sort of dress-up, flocking occasion. The first glow of dawn revealed that nothing had escaped the sparkle-tinsel effect. It later turned to fiery sparkles in the bold winter sunshine.

Stop - Write It Down

Insights and perceptions will flit through your mind like a quick firefly, lighting for a brief moment then gone forever into the darkness. Oh, you think you'll remember that little idea. Or that reaction. Or that snippet you heard. Guess what? You're kidding yourself. You will not. Stop whatever you are doing at that moment and write it down. Keep notebooks in purse or pocket, by the bed, in the car and in the john. Will you be laughed at? You can pretty well count on it. But when the novel comes out, when the work is published, and it contains the content that you hurried to write down (sometimes almost impolitely) you will be forgiven.

And even if you aren't forgiven, you shouldn't really care. Because you are only doing the WORK that is required of a serious writer.

Don't rely on the cuff of your blouse (or shirt as the case may be)! Buy notebooks and fill them! In the days to come, you be so thankful you did.

Are you a fiction lover? Are you a student of fiction? A teacher of fiction? A reader of fiction? Let veteran, published author, Norma Jean Lutz help you enhance your knowledge and appreciation of fiction writing. Author of over 50 published books as well as hundreds of articles and short stories, Norma Jean is a popular workshop and writer conference instructor. She shares tips, concepts, and intricate writing techniques right here: http://www.fiction-aire.com/fictionaire.html

5 Tips On How To Position Yourself As An Expert

Writing articles will help you in many ways. You can build an online or offline business with your articles. You will also gain visibility and credibility when people see that you are an author. The word author come from the word authority, and it is this fact that will help you to position yourself as an expert in your field. Here are 5 tips on how to write articles that will build your business in a very short amount of time.

• Keep your articles short. No one wants to read a one thousand word article by someone they do not know. People reading online have a short attention span and want information in small chunks. Three hundred word articles will serve you best.
• Write in a conversational manner. Make it easy for the reader to understand what you are talking about and how it will help them.
• Give people useful information that they can put into action immediately after reading your article. There is so much fluff out there, people will appreciate and remember someone who honestly gives good, solid tips and suggestions in their articles.
• Show both sides of what you are writing about. Your readers need to know what will work for them and what will be a waste of their valuable time.
• Write as though you were talking to a prospect or client. If you learn to do this well enough, many of your readers will turn into clients.

Follow these five tips and you will position yourself as an expert in your field very quickly by writing articles for your business.

And now I invite you to join me for free weekly teleseminars that will teach you how to write, market, and sell your articles and ebook to increase your visibility, credibility and passive income by visiting http://www.EbookWritingandMarketingSecrets.com and download two free article writing templates at http://www.WriteArticlesWithJeffHerring.com to get started right away

Three Ways an SEO Article Writer Boosts Your Profits

If you're in business, and especially if your business has a strong online presence, the benefits of contracting a good Search Engine Optimization article writer can be substantial. Here is a brief look at three ways having a steady supply of unique, original SEO niche-market-targeted content professionally written for your business can be of benefit to you. These three website content areas can be an integral part of every online business. Having well-written Search Engine Optimized content in these areas will certainly boost the bottom line of your online niche-marketing business. Here's what a good SEO article writer can do for you and your niche marketing business:

1. Write "Quality, Informative E-books and Reports

When a batter swings at a fast-thrown ball not every hit is a home run. The same is true for your customer contacts. Each time you contact a previous or potential client, you need to present a positive message that lets them know you truly have their best interests and a viable solution to their problem at heart. This is where contracting a good Search Engine Optimization article writer comes into play by writing a library of information products for you to have available for offer to your clients. Why not have the ability to offer your customer list and potential clients forms of information which will benefit them at a very low cost - even for free if you wish. This can be done by offering short e-books or reports on their area of interest.

2. Write "Quality, Informative Newsletters

Looking for a unique, but sure-fire way to keep your customers and potential clients informed of what's happening in your business and in their fields of interests? Then consider providing a periodical newsletter to your client list upon request? Whether it's weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or any other frequency you require, a good Search Engine Optimization article writer can keep the latest, the greatest and most interesting aspects of your niche business constantly circulating on the minds of your employees, customers and associates world wide. With regularity, people will have your information flow directly into their e-mail in box, automatically triggering their remembrance of your products and services.

3. Draft Focused, Customer Niche-Topic E-zines

Quite similar in style and format to a newsletter, the strictly online version is often referred to as an e-zine or electronic magazine. These are delivered by e-mail to your niche target market list at a frequency you specify. A top quality SEO niche market article writer can easily keep your supply of information flowing to existing and potential customers alike, having continual growth as a distinctive part of your online business year-round, even in tough economic climates. And all this at affordable rates with top quality, regularly to you, too.

Showcase Your Products and Services in Their Best Light

Using any or even all of these techniques you can more easily build your client list, maintain regular contact with current and potential customers, showcase your products and services in their best light and promote the utmost in customer satisfaction. Your niche marketing business can thrive as never before. So just how much growth would you like to see in your business and sales this year? How about next year? Or even in the future beyond? It's all up to you and your decision to boost the statistics of your niche marketing business by contracting the services of a top quality, professional niche marketing SEO article writer who could boost your business in any or all of these three ways.

Need an experienced, professional blogger or copywriter to promote your school, institution, service or business or an experienced writer and vibrant SEO content for your website, blog, e-zine or newsletter? Why not visit my website or contact me today? For details, rate card, writing samples and testimonials from previous satisfied clients visit my SEO article writer website at: http://lmlynchcreativecopy.blogspot.com/