Ways to Keep Your Writing Skills Sharp Over the Summer

The summer months are a great time to practice your writing skills and hone your craft. Whether you’re working on a novel, short story, or essay, there are plenty of ways to keep your skills sharp over the summer.

1. Read

Reading is the best way to expand your knowledge of the world and the people in it. It’s also a great way to improve your writing. When you read, you can use your imagination to fill in the gaps in your knowledge. You’ll be able to see the world from a new perspective, and that will help you write better.

2. Watch Movies and TV Shows

Watching movies and TV shows can be a lot of fun, and it can also help you learn a lot about the world. You can learn about different cultures, and you can even learn about yourself.

3. Read Non-Fiction

Non-fiction books are great for expanding your knowledge, and they can also be a great source of inspiration for your fiction writing.

4. Listen to Audio Books

Audio books are the perfect way to listen to books on the go. You don’t have to worry about losing your place in the book, and if you want to take a break, you just turn off the audio.

5. Write

Writing is an excellent way to get your thoughts out of your head and onto the page. Writing is a great skill to develop, and the more you write, the better your writing will become.

6. Write in Your Journal

Keeping a journal is a wonderful way to keep track of your thoughts and feelings. Writing in a journal can help you work through your thoughts, and when you get back to your writing, it will be easier to organize your ideas.

7. Write Short Stories

Short stories are a fantastic way to practice writing. They can be fun and easy to write, so you can get a lot done in a short amount of time.

8. Write Memoirs

Memoirs are great because you get to write about your life. You get to share your experiences with the world, and writing a memoir can be an incredibly cathartic experience.

9. Write Essays

Essays are great practice for writing because they require you to think about a specific topic and write about it.

10. Write Blog Posts

Blogging is a fun way to express yourself and share your thoughts with others. If you have a lot to say, you should consider starting a blog.

11. Write Poetry

Poetry is a fantastic form of writing because it requires you to express your thoughts in a different way.

12. Write Fan Fiction

Fan fiction is the act of writing a story that is based on a popular TV show, movie, or book.

13. Write a Novel

A novel is a huge undertaking, but it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your writing career.

14. Write an Anthology

An anthology is a collection of short stories written by different authors.

15. Write Screenplays

Screenplays are a popular way to write fiction because they can be turned into movies.

16. Start a Blog

Starting a blog is an easy way to share what you have to say.

17. Start an Instagram Account

Instagram is a social media site where you can share photos and videos with your friends and followers.

18. Make a Youtube Channel

Youtube is a popular site for sharing videos, and making a Youtube channel is a simple way to do that.

19. Make an Etsy Store

Etsy is a site where people can buy and sell handmade items.

20. Start A Facebook Page

Facebook is the most popular social networking site, and starting a Facebook page is a quick way to connect with your readers and fans.

21. Create a Website

Creating a website is a good way to promote yourself and your work.

22. Get Published

Getting published is the ultimate goal of any writer, and there are many ways to get there.

23. Join a Writing Group

Joining a writing group can be very helpful because you can connect with other writers and learn from them.

24. Join an Online Writing Community

Online writing communities are great places to get feedback on your work, and to learn from other writers.

25. Read a Lot

Read as much as you can, and read widely. You never know what you might learn.

26. Read for Pleasure

There are many reasons to read, and reading for pleasure is one of them. Reading for pleasure can be relaxing and enjoyable.

27. Read to Learn

You can read for pleasure, but you can also read to learn. Reading to learn can be helpful because it gives you a better understanding of how the world works.

28. Read Online

If you don‘t have time to read in the traditional sense, reading online can be the next best thing.

29. Read the Classics

The classics are some of the best books ever written. Reading the classics can give you a deeper understanding of history and culture.

30. Read Biographies

Biographies are great ways to learn about the lives of famous people.

31. Read Historical Fiction and Historical Non-fiction

Historical fiction and historical non-fiction are great sources of inspiration because they allow you to immerse yourself in another time and place.

Horrible Mistakes to Avoid When You Write

I’m sure you’ve made some mistakes when you’ve been writing. Here are a few things to avoid when you write.

You think you know it all, but you don’t.

This is the biggest mistake you can make when you’re writing. You think you’re an expert on your topic, and you know everything there is to know about it. You’ve read every book on the subject, you’ve talked to every expert in the field, and now you’re going to write a book about it!

The problem is, you don’t. You don’t know everything about your topic. You haven’t talked to all the experts in your field, so you can’t be sure that you’ve covered all the important points. And you haven’t read all the books on your subject, so there’s a good chance you’ve missed some important points that other people have already covered. So when you sit down to write your book, you have no idea what you’re talking about, and that’s going to show in your writing. It’s not going to be as good as it could be, because you’re not as good a writer as you think you are. You need to spend some time learning about your subject before you write, and then you need to read other people’s books on the same subject. That way, you’ll be able to see what’s important and what’s not. You’ll know what to write about and what to leave out. You won’t make as many mistakes as you would if you didn’t know what you were talking about in the first place. And your book will be much better than it would have been if you hadn’t made any mistakes at all. So the first thing you should do when you start writing is to read as much as you can about the subject. Then you can write a better book than you would have if you’d made all the mistakes you’re about to make. So don’t make the mistake of thinking that you know more than you really do. That’s a mistake that can cost you a lot of time and money, and it can also make your book a lot worse than it could have been. So if you want to write the best book you possibly can, don’t be so sure of yourself that you make the mistakes I’m about to tell you about. Read a lot, talk to other people who know more about the topic than you do, and make sure you know your subject well enough that you can cover it in a way that’s interesting and helpful to your readers. If you do those three things, then you’ll have a much better chance of writing a good book than if you just sit down and start writing without doing any of the things I’ve just told you to do. So that’s the first mistake you should avoid. Don’t make that mistake.

## The First Mistake You Should Avoid

When you write your first book, the most important thing you can do is to avoid making the mistake I’m going to talk about in this chapter. That mistake is thinking you know enough about your book’s topic to write it. If that’s what you think, you’re in for a big surprise. You’re not an expert, so don’t try to pretend that you are, or you’ll end up with a book that’s full of mistakes. So let’s talk about that mistake now, and I’ll tell you how to avoid it. I’ll also tell you why it’s such a big mistake, and how you can avoid making it in the future. Then I’ll give you some tips to help you avoid making that mistake again. But before we get to those tips, let’s take a look at the mistake itself. So here it is:

1. You Think You Know It All When You Start Writing Your Book.

2. So You Write a Book That’s Full of Mistakes Because You’re Not as Good a Writer as You Think You Are.

3. That Makes Your Book a Lot Worse Than It Could Have Been.

4. And It Could Cost You a Lot of Time and Money

5. Because You’ll Have to Rewrite the Whole Book.

6. If That Happens, You’ll Spend More Time Doing That Than You Would Have Spent Writing the Book in the First Place.

7. Which Means You’re Going to Spend More Money on Your Book Than You Should Have Had to Spend, Because It’ll Take You Longer to Write the Book than It Would Have Taken You to Write a Better Book

## The Mistake

Here’s what I mean when I say that you shouldn’t make this mistake. You shouldn’t start writing your book until you’ve read a lot about it, talked to other experts, and read as many books about it as possible. You should do all those things before you even think about writing your first draft of the book. And if you do that, then when you do start writing, you won’t be making this mistake:

– You’ll be writing the book because you really want to, not because you feel like you have to, or because you think it’s the only way to get your book published.

– You’ll be doing it because you want it to be the best possible book that it can be, and if you’re doing it for the right reasons, then the book you end up writing will be a lot better than the one you’d have written if you had started writing before you’d done all those other things.

So let’s look at some of the reasons why this mistake is such a bad one to make, and why you should make sure that it doesn’t happen to you. Then we’ll talk about some ways you can prevent it from happening to you, and some other things you should keep in mind when you’re writing. But first, let me tell you a little bit more about this mistake, so that you’ll understand what I’m talking about when I talk about it later in the chapter, and in the rest of the chapter as well. So what is this mistake? It’s when you think you know everything there is to know about a subject when you first start thinking about writing a book about it. You think you’re an expert on the subject, and that’s why you decide to write a book on it. But that’s not the way it works. You don’t need to be an expert in order to be a good writer, and you don’t have to have read every book on a subject in order for your book to be good. You just need to know enough to write something that’s worth reading.

How to Write a Standout Marketing Email?

## Introduction

A standout email is an email that stands out from the rest of the emails in your email list.

It’s not the email that you send to the most people, but the one that gets the most attention from your subscribers. It is the email you send when you want your subscribers to pay attention to you and your business. It could be an announcement of a new product or service, a sale, a special offer, a promotion, or anything else that you’d like to get your subscribers’ attention and get them to act on it.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to write a standout marketing email that will get the attention of your subscribers and convert them into customers.

## What Is A Standout Email

Before you start writing your standout email, you need to understand what makes an email standout. A standout email doesn’t just stand out from other emails, but it also stands out among all the emails that your subscribers have received in the past.

An email that gets a lot of attention is called a “spammer” or “scammer.”

## What Makes an Email Standout

Here are some of the things that make an email stand out:

1. The Subject Line

The subject line is one of the most important parts of an email because it is the first thing your subscribers see when they open your email. The subject line should be short, catchy, and relevant to the content of the email itself. It should also be clear and easy to read. Make sure that the subject line of your email stands out and is different from the subject lines of all the other emails that they’ve received from you. You want your email to stand out, not blend in with all of the other email messages that they have received from your company. Here are some examples of good and bad subject lines:

Good Subject Line:

Hi [name],

How are you doing today? I just wanted to send you a quick email to let you know that we’re having a special sale on [product name] right now. If you act now, you can get [product price] for [discount rate]% off. Click the link below to take advantage of this limited-time offer.

2. The Content of the Email

Your email should be well-written, well-formatted, and well-thought-out. Every email should have a clear call to action. Your email should tell your subscribers what you want them to do. For example, if you are offering a discount on your product, you should tell them what they need to do in order to get the discount. This is called the “call to action” and it should be clear, concise, and easy for your readers to understand. Also, make sure that your email has a clear unsubscribe link so that your readers can unsubscribe from your emails at any time if they no longer want to receive your emails. Finally, it is a good idea to include an “opt-out” link at the bottom of your emails so that you can continue to send emails to your subscribers even after they have unsubscribed from your list.

Here is an example of a good and a bad email:

Hi [subscriber name],

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for subscribing to my email newsletter. I hope that you are doing well. In this email, I would like to tell you about a new [product] that I just added to my [website]. I think that you will find this new product to be very useful, and I am offering it to you at a very special price. Please take a look at it and let me know what you think.

[Product Link]

Thanks

How to Unlock Your Content Writing Skills?

In this chapter, you will learn how to unlock your content writing skills. You will learn:

– How to become a content writer.

– What are the qualities of a great content writer?

– Why content writing is a great career choice.

## How to Become a Content Writer

A content writer is a person who writes content for websites, blogs, e-books, and other digital products. Content writers can work for a company or freelance. Content writing is one of the most sought-after career options in the digital marketing industry. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the demand for content writers is expected to grow by 22% from 2018 to 2028, which is faster than the average growth rate of all occupations. So, if you are looking for a career in content writing, you have come to the right place. In this section, we will discuss the following topics:

1. What is content writing?

2. Why should you consider content writing as a career?

## What is Content Writing

Content writing is the process of creating content for digital products such as blogs, websites, social media posts, emails, and so on. The content can be in the form of text, images, videos, infographics, and any other form of content that can be used on a website or a blog. Content is the most important part of any website or blog, and content writers are the people who create the content for the website or the blog.

As you can see in the figure above, content is the lifeblood of any digital product. If the content is not good, then the digital product will not be successful. Therefore, content writers play a vital role in the success of a digital product and the company that owns the product. For example, if a company has a blog, then it is the responsibility of the content writer to write the content that will be published on the company’s blog. Similarly, if the company has an e-book, then content writers will be responsible for writing the content of the book.

## Why Should You Consider Content Writing as a Career

There are many reasons why you should consider a content writing career. Here are some of the reasons why content writing can be a good career choice for you.

– You can earn a lot of money.

You can earn anywhere from $30,000 to $50,000 per year as a freelance content writer, depending on the size of your client base and the number of hours that you work. If you are a full-time freelancer, then you can earn more than $100,000 in a year. However, it is important to note that you will need to work hard to earn a good amount of money in the content writing industry. You need to be very good at what you do, and you need to have a large client base to be able to make a good income.

– Content writing can help you build a great portfolio.

If you want to build a portfolio of your writing skills, you can do this by writing content for different websites and blogs. You can also write articles for magazines and newspapers. These articles will help you to build your portfolio, and they will also give you the opportunity to practice your writing and editing skills.

In addition to building a portfolio, content writing will also help you become a better writer. When you write content for a website, blog, magazine, or any other digital product, you get to learn a lot about how to write a good piece of content. This will help to improve your skills as a writer.

## The Importance of Writing Good Content

Writing good content is very important. If your content is bad, then no one will be interested in reading your content, and your content will not get published on a blog or a website. In addition to writing good content, you also need to write content that is interesting and relevant to your target audience. In other words, you should be writing content that your audience wants to read and that they will want to share with their friends and family members. This is why it is so important for you to write good content for your blog or website, and it is also why you need a good content writing strategy. In the following sections, we are going to discuss the importance of good content and the different types of content writing strategies that you can use to create good content.

The 20 Best HTML Fonts to Use in 2022

what are the types of lettering - Lettering Daily

Classifications

Old Style
This category includes the first Roman types, originally created between the late 15th and mid 18th centuries, as well as typefaces patterned after those designed in this earlier period. The axis of curved strokes is normally inclined to the left in these designs, so that weight stress is at approximately 8:00 and 2:00 o’clock. The contrast in character stroke weight is not dramatic, and hairlines tend to be on the heavy side. Serifs are almost always bracketed in old style designs and head serifs are often angled. Some versions, like the earlier Venetian old style designs, are distinguished by the diagonal cross stroke of the lowercase e.

Old Style Serifs

Transitional Serifs
English printer and typographer John Baskerville established this style in the mid 18th century. These typefaces represent the transition between old style and neoclassical designs, and incorporate some characteristics of each. Baskerville’s work with calendered paper and improved printing methods (both developed by him) allowed much finer character strokes to be reproduced and subtler character shapes to be maintained. While the axis of curve strokes can be inclined in transitional designs, the strokes normally have a vertical stress. Weight contrast is more pronounced than in old style designs. Serifs are still bracketed and head serifs are oblique.

Transitional Serifs

Neoclassical & Didone Serifs
These are typefaces created within the late 18th century, or their direct descendants. The work of Giambattista Bodoni epitomizes this style of type. When first released, these typefaces were called “classical” designs. Early on, however, it became apparent to printers that these were not updated versions of classic type styles, but altogether new designs. As a result their classification name was changed to “modern.” Since the mid 20th century, they have also been classified as neoclassical or didone. Contrast between thick and thin strokes is abrupt and dramatic. The axis of curved strokes is vertical, with little or no bracketing. In many cases, stroke terminals are “ball” shapes rather than an evocation of a broad pen effect. These tend to be highly mannered designs, with clearly constructed letters.

Neoclassic & Didone Serifs

Slab Serifs
Slab serif typefaces became popular in the 19th century for advertising display. These typefaces have very heavy serifs with minimal or no bracketing. Generally, changes in stroke weight are imperceptible. To many readers, slab serif type styles look like sans serif designs with the simple addition of heavy (stroke weight) serifs.

Slab Serifs

Clarendon Serifs
This category includes the typefaces patterned after the Clarendon type styles first released in the mid 19th century. Clarendons were designed as bold faces to accompany text composition. Their stroke contrast is slight, and serifs tend to be short to medium length. Later, many of these designs were released at larger point sizes as display types. Character stroke weight that is more obvious, and serifs that tend to be longer than earlier designs, mark more current interpretations of this style.

Clarendon Serifs

Glyphic Serifs
Typefaces in this category tend to emulate lapidary inscriptions rather than pen-drawn text. Contrast in stroke weight is usually at a minimum, and the axis of curved strokes tends to be vertical. The distinguishing feature of these typefaces is the triangular-shaped serif design, or a flaring of the character strokes where they terminate. In some type classification systems this category is sub-divided into two groups: “glyphic” and “latin.” “Latins” are faces with strictly triangular-shaped serifs.

Glyphic Serifs

20 Best Web-Safe HTML Fonts

1. Arial

The letters and numbers of Arial.

2. Arial Narrow

The letters and numbers of Arial Narrow.

3. Times

The letters and numbers of Times.

4. Times New Roman

The letters and numbers of Times New Roman.

5. Helvetica

The letters and numbers of Helvetica.

6. Courier

The letters and numbers of Courier.

7. Courier New

The letters and numbers of Courier New.

8. Verdana

The letters and numbers of Verdana.

Verdana is an excellent on-screen font due to its readability in small size and when displayed on low-resolution screens. This is primarily due to its generous width and spacing between characters.

9. Candara

The letters and numbers of Candara.

Moreover, Candara achieves a contemporary look thanks to its curves and open forms. This font is suitable for informal typographic settings such as blog post titles and taglines on websites.

10. Geneva

The letters and numbers of Geneva.

The font is versatile and widely used for both display and body text. The bold colors and slim strokes make this font legible in any size – it offers generous spacing with consistent length to ensure readability.

11. Calibri

The letters and numbers of Calibri.

12. Optima

The letters and numbers of Optima.

13. Cambria

The letters and numbers of Cambria.

14. Garamond

The letters and numbers of Garamond.

15. Perpetua

The letters and numbers of Perpetua.

16. Monaco

The letters and numbers of Monaco.

17. Didot

The letters and numbers of Didot.

This typeface is known for its high contrast and increased stress, making it stand out. If you’re looking for a display font for your website’s heading, tagline, or titles, consider Didot.

18. Brush Script

The letters and numbers of Brush Script.

19. Lucida Bright

The letters and numbers of Lucida Bright.

20. Copperplate

The letters and numbers of Copperplate.

Dishonorable Mention: Comic Sans

The word'seriously' in comic sans font

Why Should You Use an HTML Web Font?

Add HTML Fonts Manually

Adding fonts manually using HTML can be a challenge since the HTML tag is a deprecated font tag in HTML5. Instead, people now use CSS properties to change font-family properties, color, face, and other font attributes.

Add HTML Fonts Using Plugins

An overview of Easy Google Fonts, a WordPress plugin.

The banner of Use Any Font, a WordPress plugin.

After the verification is complete, add your .ttf, .otf, and .woff font files and click upload to let UAF convert the custom fonts into web-safe fonts.

5. GOTHIC / BLACKLETTER CALLIGRAPHY

Gothic letters have a very strong resemblance to medieval times and it can be a great choice of style if you are trying to represent something with a long tradition, old and strong.

What are the types of lettering? - Lettering Daily

Graffiti can be characterized as a more ‘’free’’ art form, meaning that there aren’t really any firm rules on how to create it – like for example blackletter or copperplate calligraphy does.

Thick, thin, round, sharp – graffiti gives you total freedom of doing whatever you want, but just keep in mind that it still needs to be well balanced, have good contrast between colors etc.

What are the types of lettering? - Lettering Daily

What are the types of lettering? - Lettering Daily

What are the types of lettering? - Lettering Daily

TO KEEP IN MIND – if you are just starting out, or if you are simply trying a technique for the first time, don’t get discouraged if you don’t like what you’ve created at first. Repeat the same artwork 5 times and compare the first and the last one –

Resource:

https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fontology/level-1/type-anatomy/type-classifications
https://www.hostinger.com/tutorials/best-html-web-fonts
https://www.lettering-daily.com/types-of-lettering/

The Absolute Best Sources on How to Use QuickBooks Online

how-to-use-quickbooks-online

Quickbooks for Personal Use: A Comprehensive Guide

Data will always be a part of your workflows, no matter where you work or what you do, be it your business organization or your personal finances. In organizations, you have to work with data related to Customers, Employees, Orders, Marketing, and Advertising Costs. Whereas you deal with personal expenses, investments, mileages, and taxes. Irrespective of whether it’s your business or your personal life, all the data needs to be accounted for properly to keep the cash flow under check. This is where Accounting Systems like QuickBooks comes in handy.

Have a hard time keeping track of your personal finances? Well, worry no more, here’s an ultimate guide on how you can leverage QuickBooks for Personal Use. QuickBooks, one of the best Accounting and Finance Software in the industry, makes it easy to keep track of your finances with its accounting functionalities. Moreover, it will also help you visualize your data by accumulating it into Financial Reports. This makes sure that you have a better understanding of your personal finances. Before diving into how you can utilize QuickBooks for Personal Use, let’s discuss this robust platform and its salient features in brief.

Third-Party Training

6. and 7. Intuitive Accountant Newsletter and Scaling New Heights – Both of Joe Woodard’s (a longtime QuickBooks guru) vehicles are amazing QuickBooks Online resources. Intuitive Accountant is an online resource for product info, human interest, technical articles, and event listings. Scaling New Heights is a dizzying affair of nothing but training that is related to QuickBooks—both Online and Desktop. There is certification training, add-on training, business management, and so much more.

8. Twitter – So much stuff here, right? Just do a search for QuickBooks and you’ll be able to create a list based on hashtags and people that fit right in with whatever you are looking for.

12. The QB Show – We saved our favorite for last. Started over four years ago as Radio Free QuickBooks, this is a weekly show, talking about QuickBooks. Now that it’s live on hangouts instead of an audio podcast, there is lots of screen sharing. Plus, there are a ton of how-to videos on the YouTube channel. (Full disclosure: This article’s author is the host).

Fundera Resources

On top of third-party resources, Fundera offers a variety of free how-to guides on using QuickBooks Online. Use these articles to learn how to perform a variety of essential QuickBooks Online functions.

How to Create an Income Statement in QuickBooks

In this article we walk you through how to create an income statement in QuickBooks, including formatting your income statement, customizing it in accordance with your desired preferences—like statement basis, dates, columns, and notes—plus how to produce and send out your income statement.

How to Find a QuickBooks ProAdvisor

A QuickBooks ProAdvisor is a certification awarded by Intuit to accounting pros who demonstrate an expertise with QuickBooks. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to go about finding a QuickBooks ProAdvisor for your business.

How to Create Financial Statements in QuickBooks Online

There are a variety of financial statements you can create in QuickBooks Online, including profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and statements of cash flows. You can even customize the time period and drill down into detailed information—we’ll show you how to do it all.

How to Reconcile in QuickBooks Online

Bank reconciliation is one of the most important things your accounting software can do. Here we’ll walk you through how to reconcile your bank statements in QuickBooks Online, and also give you a few tips to make the process go more smoothly.

Understanding QuickBooks Definitions

How to Create a Budget in QuickBooks Online

How to Set Up QuickBooks Credit Card Payments

By setting up a QuickBooks Credit Card Payments account, you’re making it easy for your customers or clients to pay you, as well as reducing the time it takes for you to record payments. Allow us to show you how it’s done.

The Best Apps to Integrate with QuickBooks

How to Perform Job Costing in QuickBooks Online

How to Write and Print Checks in QuickBooks Online

How to Become a QuickBooks Power User

How to Become QuickBooks Certified

Answers to the Most Commonly Asked QuickBooks Questions

As if all these articles weren’t enough, we’ve also provided answers to the most common QuickBooks questions, such as “How do you perform transfers between accounts?” and “Can you create a budget sorted by customer and service item?”

Resource:

https://hevodata.com/learn/quickbooks-for-personal-use/
https://www.fundera.com/blog/how-to-use-quickbooks-online

How to Start Freelance Writing as a Beginner

Freelance Writing Advice - How to Build Your Portfolio When You're Starting Out

How to Start Freelance Writing as a Beginner

How to Start Freelance Writing as a Beginner

Getting paid to write, sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? The exciting news is it’s not a dream, and you can do very well by starting a career as a freelance writer! Today we’ll talk about the different opportunities that exist for freelance writers, plus how you can start freelance writing as a beginner.

make money freelance writing

What is Freelance Writing?

Freelance writing is when you work for hire to write something for someone else. In most cases, a freelance writer today will be writing articles which will appear on websites and blogs online, as well as potentially in print magazines, newspapers, and other publications.

As a freelance writer, you can work for a number of different types of people. For example, you could be hired by a company which needs blog posts on their website, and they hire you to write these posts.

There are also websites where you can sign up to be a freelance writer and they will pay you based on the articles you submit. These types of sites however are typically referred to as “content mills” – and it’s easy to burn out fast as you often have to produce quantity over quality to make it worthwhile.

Today I will share how I have done well as a freelance writer, and how today I charge anywhere from 50 cents to 800 per word when I am hired to write. I often meet people at various conferences who beg me to write – so learning how to write well and what to write about is important!

I’ve also hired freelance writers in the past, so hopefully these tips will help give you a nice understanding of how freelance writing works and what you can do to start your freelance writing career on the right foot!

Here’s How to Start Freelance Writing:

Step 1: Start by Creating a Portfolio

Your portfolio as a freelance writer is critical. You will want to write articles and pieces which are easy to read, informative, and accurate. Having examples of your written work is critical in helping people decide whether or not they would want to hire you as a writer.

You can also create a portfolio of writing samples online. This could be your own blog or website, or you could easily set up a google docs account to upload your writing samples to be viewed by potential clients.

Step 2: Create a Profile at Freelance Job Boards

Creating a profile at most freelance sites is relatively straightforward. Some freelance job boards will require you pay an application fee, which is typically a relatively small price, such as $5. This is usually how they try to keep out spammers. You will also likely need to authenticate your account with a phone number and possibly even a copy of your photo ID and tax information.

These steps can be annoying as a new writer, but it is helpful to do this, as it will make your life a lot easier for billing and taxes. It also adds a level of trust to the website, because if someone goes through all of that trouble they are more likely to be reputable and trustworthy as someone who will actually pay you!

For example, if you are a psychiatrist, you can get paid more simply for your credentials as an expert in the field of psychology. If you are a licensed plumber, people will pay more to have someone who is knowledgeable in that subject.

While a good writer can write about any topic, even a topic they know very little about, having experience will show through. It’s important to list any type of experience you may have that would make you a desirable writer for hire!

Step 3: Begin Submitting Proposals for Writing Jobs

It is important when you first start submitting for work that you do not underbid your worth! Many writers think, oh, everybody else is charging $5o to write a 500 word article, I’ll charge $35 and hopefully win more writing gigs that way. Unfortunately, there are a lot of problems with this!

First of all, it devalues the work of all writers everywhere. In order for writing to be taken seriously, we have to know our worth as a writer. The myth of being a starving artist of a writer is silly, and we can’t keep feeding into that idea. Writers need to make a living wage, because the work they do typically does cause a lot of return for the businesses and individuals that hire them.

A website that hires you to write articles is likely making a lot of money off your writing – otherwise they would not pay you to write those articles! One single article on a popular website can translate to thousands of dollars per month for that website in income.

DO NOT SELL YOURSELF SHORT!

If you charge $50 per article, and your goal is to make $3,000 – guess how many articles you have to write? You would have to write 60 articles, or two articles per day every single month.

Now, let’s imagine you find a client who is willing to pay you $350 for every article you write. If your goal was to make $3,000 in a month, now you only have to write 9 articles per month. If you write 10, you’ll actually make more money than your original goal.

See the big difference? Know your value as a writer. Don’t compromise. If you are a good writer, tell people you are a good writer. If you are a good writer, people will expect to pay top dollar for your writing.

It’s true, in the beginning as you build up credibility, you will likely need to charge a little bit less. However, this does not mean cutting yourself short. As you build credibility and a proven track record with the success of your writing, you will be able to soon be able to charge more for your writing.

freelance writing for beginners

Step 3: Build More Credibility as a Writer

Building credibility is not as difficult as it seems. The portfolio you created in the first step is a good starting place. However, it’s good to also know what people who are hiring writers want and need – this way you can have these qualifications to outshine the competition.

Many freelance writing gigs online are to create content for websites and blogs to rank in search engines. This is called SEO writing. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty details of writing for SEO here, but it is something that a lot of freelance writers simply don’t understand.

Why? Because those of us who do know how to write well for this type of writing aren’t too quick to spill all of our secrets – after all, that is what makes us valuable as writers!

The good news is you can easily take a course online on this, and all of the information out there is basic common sense. Write good content, people will share it, and people will find it.

Organize your notes

Note: If you don’t organize your notes, writing your article takes practically forever, what with all the leafing through the pile to find that one quote you wanted. You might think skipping organization is a time-saver, but trust me, it’s not.

The secret to writing a first draft…fast. I want to give you a big article-writing tip for creating a strong first draft: Try putting aside all your notes and quotes, and just writing the story.

This ‘spit draft’ will often be a lot better than what you’ll come up with if you cobble the draft together slowly, shuffling through your notes, stopping and looking up names, and rechecking exact quotes as you go.

I’ve often spent a grinding, 8-hour day making all that happen. Instead, see if you could create a first draft in short order. Then, refer to your notes and outline to fill in details and make sure there isn’t an important point you forgot to include.

Now that you have that big-picture, ‘how to write an article’ process tip, it’s important to understand article structure, so your draft has all the key pieces needed to impress your editor.

The lede

This is journo-speak for the lead sentence or three, or the beginning of your article. Simply put, the lede needs to be fascinating. Its job is to compel readers to continue reading the rest of the story.

Don’t write a ‘wind-up’ or ‘throat-clearing lede,’ where you take five paragraphs to get to the point (unless this is a very long article, and the publication’s style allows for this). Readers generally don’t have the patience for that anymore.

Instead, cut to the chase with something that makes us just have to keep reading. For instance, I once began a reported story with, “Briefly, it was Bambi in bondage.” You want to know what that’s about, no?

Everyone told Tom Kennedy to expect flooded trails when he hiked through Big Cypress National Preserve in the spring of 2015. But as he sloshed through miles of waist-deep swamp water that hid alligators and aggressive snakes, the trail quickly got the better of him.

It’s a hallmark of amateur freelance writers that their ledes are boring. You want people to read your whole article, after all the hard work you put in, right? Make that lede shine, and they will.

Remember, this lede serves double-duty, as you may also use it in your proposed query letter to try to get hired. Spend some time on it — I’d say I rewrite mine dozens of times, typically, before I’m satisfied.

The ‘nut graf’

A paragraph or three on from the lede, after you’ve finished that opening anecdote, interesting fact, or brief expert quote, it’s time to orient readers. They won’t read through a long piece without having a sense of what they’re going to find out if they do.

If you believe the news, we’re a country full of half-awake zombies who need to chug caffeine just to make it through the day. While the reality isn’t quite that bad, many Americans are sleep deprived, and it’s harming their health. We spoke with health clubs and sleep medicine experts about why health clubs should help their members get the Z’s they need—and how to do it.

Note: A strong nut graf sends your reader on to complete the story with the confidence that they understand the direction this article will take — but not with enough info that they feel fully informed and stop reading.

The body

      • Simplify. If you research and interview like I do, you likely won’t be able to fit everything you’ve learned into this article. Look for side issues you could prune out and possibly spin into another article.
      • Watch your transitions. Your article body shouldn’t jump abruptly from topic to topic. Read the last sentence of one paragraph and the first sentence of the next. Do they make sense together? If not, adjust.
      • Organize sources. Try not to ping-pong back and forth between your sources and quotes…it’ll get confusing for the reader. Introduce an expert, use them, and then use the next one. Maybe come back to the first expert toward the end.
      • Quote short and zingy. Usually, 1-2 sentences is good. Don’t use a quote where you could sum up a point narratively. Quotes should add insight, show the personality of the subject, or convey something that would be lost if you rephrased it in narration. Don’t overuse quotes.

    Tip for longer articles: Outline the sections you’ll need, and give each a proposed wordcount. This will help you write to length and avoid having to do a ton of cutting later.

    The conclusion

    Writing a strong conclusion also helps prevent editor chopping from the bottom (a habit many editors have). If you have a strong final point, the editor’s more likely to come to you and ask you where to shrink the piece down, giving you more control over your article’s final form.

    Resource:

    https://thinkwritten.com/freelance-writing-for-beginners/
    https://www.freelancewriting.com/freelance-writing/
    https://makealivingwriting.com/how-to-write-an-article/

How To Get Technical Writing Jobs in 2022

The image is about how to get technical writing jobs

How To Become a Writer for a TV Show (With Steps and Salary)

Television writers consistently develop new ideas for individual television episodes or create entirely new television shows. This high-demand job is ideal for someone who loves watching television and has a knack for inventing new plot lines or imagining an entire television series. Becoming a television writer results from a combined effort of education, patience and networking. In this article, we put together a list of steps you can take to become a television writer, along with job outlook and salary expectations.

When a favorite television show makes you laugh, cry or think, credit a television writer. These professionals take story ideas and shape them into a weekly or daily television show. Television shows may run for a short period of time, or they may attract numerous viewers and run for decades.

Television writers come in many shapes and forms and generally write for a certain genre. These writers must be familiar with the characters and how they behave and interact with other characters. Television writers must be consistent and cohesive so that character development makes sense and reconciles with historic behavior and storyline.

How to become a television writer

1. Take classes and read books

Writing for television is different from stage or screen in that deadlines and length limitations dictate the writing process. Taking television writing courses can help aspiring television writers learn the basics while developing a network of industry professionals. Some television writers may pursue a degree, typically in screenwriting, film and television or media production.

Read books written by industry professionals for in-depth information about television writing, the industry and tips for success. Consider a wide range of classes and books that teach you the fundamentals of writing for television:

Television writing and production classes: These classes can give you inside knowledge into the industry and guide you in creating scripts. These classes may offer guidance and advice on how to advance your career as a television writer.

2. Watch your favorite television show for educational purposes

3. Apply for an assistant position

Television stations hire writing or production assistants, jobs that can position you for a television writing career. Working for a local station presents opportunities to meet contacts you can add to your network and the assistant role establishes relationships to help move your television writer career forward. The role of assistant exposes you to the industry for a better understanding of how television stations and writers work. If you pursue an assistant position, find a mentor to provide insight and advice to promote and advance your career.

4. Keep networking

No matter where you are in your television writer career, keep networking. Market yourself as a television writer and update your resume to match your skills. Approach networking as a way to build your brand, so people get to know who you are, what you write and why you write it.

Building a network creates awareness and positions you for inside information on who to contact, or how to secure a writing job. Networking is a mutual relationship, be sure to share your knowledge and insight with others to nurture reciprocity. Find networking opportunities in:

5. Write spec and pilot scripts

Formally called a speculative screenplay, the spec script is a sample script written as a regular episode of a favorite television show. Pick a genre or television show you know well and write a teleplay. In some cases, you can obtain a sample script to get a feel for the writing style. Watch plenty of episodes and take notes so your teleplay sticks to the format, follows the storyline and stays true to the characters.

Television writers can showcase their abilities by writing a pilot script. A pilot is an entirely new show where the writer will create characters, conflicts and dialogue. Once you’ve finished the spec and pilot scripts, keep writing to hone your craft and strengthen the flexibility of your style and voice. Essentially, your scripts will prove you:

6. Proof, edit and refine

Once you’ve written scripts, you’ll edit the first draft. Proofread and edit for grammar, context and continuity. Refine your scripts, so they meet the requirements while telling a compelling story.

Ask friends or family members to read your scripts and offer feedback. Take suggestions with emotional detachment and apply suggestions or advice where needed. If you know someone in the business, ask them to read your scripts for further guidance on its quality.

7. Write a query letter and shop your script

Once your scripts are ready, prepare a query letter. Most decision makers prefer a brief query letter that explains the premise of your idea and inspires hiring personnel to read your scripts. Look up key people, such as showrunners or producers, and submit your query directly to them. Remember to write your letter specifically for the station or television show and follow submission guidelines exactly, including those for query letters. Since requirements can vary, always check with individual stations or networks to find out how to submit your work.

8. Find an agent

Some television writers work with agents to find work. Writer’s associations frequently provide names of agents along with their specific genre(s) and contact details. Working with an agent means you’ll pay a commission, but the opportunities and contacts you make may be worth the extra expense.

9. Join online platforms

Television writers can join online platforms for additional networking and possibly gain access to services that showcase your work or promote you as a writer for television. Services might include online portfolios or similar ways to present samples of your work. Some organizations list writing contests you can enter while other platforms may offer open submissions or provide exposure for aspiring television writers.

Technical Writing as an Opportunity

Technical writing is a technique involving all the technical or correct details about the product. To be a technical writer, you need good expressing skills. It is writing in such a style that makes complex information easy to understand. It is a procedure to express clearly all the objectives, research, and usage to its audience. If you think, you can describe an action in the simplest way. Then, you can be a good technical writer and can flourish in a technical writing job.

As words are the most reliable source of knowledge, but in technical writing graphs or images also play a pivotal role in communicating more efficiently. In this opportunity, as a writer, you must choose ways to make technical things easy to understand with the usage of graphs and images.

Nowadays, technical writers are in real demand. They can prepare a concise, easy-to-understand, and informatively correct small document. Hence, it will save the cost of printing. A well-drafted document will help save money, making fewer chances of correction and reprinting.

A better-looking and professionally written document will reflect a good image of the company. Poor documentation generally refers to a poor product. So, to improve the chances of promoting a good product, the companies require skilled technical writers.

Professional writers can create documentation faster than the product’s developers. Product developers can provide all the information required but might not be able to write as efficiently as a professional writer. And a product developer can cost twice comparing with a technical writer. So, to save money, companies hire technical writers. Thus, making an increase in the demand for technical writing jobs.

Many business firms are using online publishing. They publish their documents online by using various platforms. As a result, the need for technical writers who can design and write on the web has upsurge.

When deciding to take technical writing as a career, you can choose various platforms to write- depending on your genre. You can even earn generous earnings. Many organizations depending on their strength and capacity- hire technical writers. An organization can offer technical writing jobs as contract employees or as permanent employees. Freelancing options are also available for many writers who want to explore more with technical writing.

Being a fresher, you can start your career with 25,000 rupees per month. As you gain experience, your flare of writing will also evolve. Your technical certification also contributes. Every successful project will take you higher with more earnings.

10 Ways to become a technical writer and to get technical writing jobs

The objective of a technical writer to get them better technical writing jobs

Ability to simplify – Efficient technical writers can simplify difficult words in simple language. Their knowledge of appropriate words makes it easy for consumers to understand.

Thinking like a consumer – Technical write job is not just to prepare a document. But it is to write a document that is easily compiled in an understandable language. Instructions mentioned should be relevant and to the point.

Concise – The document prepared should maintain a high level of important details. In professional technical writing, writers make it concise. So information can be stored in small boxes or written in such a way that they consume less space and paper.

Capability – They can understand the unique needs of the audience, the product developer, the designer, and the organization, which will allow them to create effective technical communications that will reflect satisfactorily.

Sample Job Application Letter

Screenshot of a sample job application letter

Sample Job Application Letter (Text Version)

I was so excited when my former coworker, Jay Lopez, told me about your opening for an administrative assistant in your Portland offices. A long-time Veggies to Go customer and an experienced admin, I would love to help the company achieve its mission of making healthy produce as available as takeout.

I’ve worked for small companies for my entire career, and I relish the opportunity to wear many hats and work with the team to succeed. In my latest role as an administrative assistant at Beauty Corp, I saved my employer thousands of dollars in temp workers by implementing a self-scheduling system for the customer service reps that cut down on canceled shifts. I also learned web design, time sheet coding, and perfected my Excel skills.

Resource:

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/how-to-become-writer-for-tv
https://iimskills.com/technical-writing-jobs/
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-write-a-job-application-letter-2061569

Business Communication Skills for Managers

7 principles of business communication

When you put pen to paper, you should be considering every principle. We’ve looked at these principles before, but now let’s take a deep dive into how they might impact your writing.

Let’s assume that you’re writing a communication to let everyone know that the corporate office phone system will be down for a certain period of time next Friday morning. Let’s take a look at how each of the principles of business communication figure into that written message.

  • Clear: When you craft the message, you should make sure that it’s clear to your readers. In this case, you want the entire company to know that the corporate office phone systems will be down between 9 and noon. Being clear means that you add a.m. and p.m., even if you think it might be obvious. You should indicate that you’re talking about Pacific Standard Time, and so on.
  • Concise: Since it’s a message about the phone system, it should be a message only about the phone system. And then, a message only about the outage. If you’re inspired to include, “Tom broke the phone system last week and now it needs to be repaired,” resist this urge. Even if Tom is responsible for the outage, it may be appropriate to joke with Tom about it if he’s a personal friend, but this is not the kind of messaging that should go out to the whole office.
  • Objective: Your own personal feelings and comments do not need to be a part of the phone communication. For instance, “Even though the timing is poor for those working on the polling project, we intend to repair our phone system on Friday” is a great example of not being objective.
  • Consistent: If the phone system has been out three or four times before, your message should be similar in nature to those that came before it. If one of the details of the phone system is that it’s being upgraded so we can add a new satellite office to the trunk line, don’t include information contrary to this fact unless it is explained. Consistent means that the details are the same each time–that the communication looks the same, sounds the same; and that any new details are called out.
  • Complete: If you set out to tell the company that the phone system is going to be out at 9:00 a.m. on Friday morning and then fail to tell them when it will be back up, then your message is incomplete. Strive to be complete in your written communication by anticipating any question a reader might ask: “Is the phone system going down this Friday or next Friday?” “How long will it be down?” “Is the whole corporate office affected or just a portion?”
  • Relevant: When considering whether a message is relevant, you can ask yourself, “Are these readers affected by this information?” “Does it matter that the phones will be out on Friday if the office is closed for the holiday?” It also means not including information that isn’t relevant to the reader, such as, “The repair people think that, by replacing the left widget on the main switchboard, they may solve the problem, but it could also be the right widget, in which case they’ll need to order a part.” This is not relevant.
  • Considerate of Audience Knowledge: Always keep in mind the knowledge your audience brings to the message. If you’re communicating the details of nuclear fission to a group, you would talk to them differently depending on how much they knew about science. In this case, everyone understands what a phone is. (Though those two extraterrestrials just hired in real estate may need to know it’s the black thing on their desk with the handset you can put up to your ear.)

It’s incredibly important to measure your written communication against the seven principles of business communication because in written communication, the “feedback” portion of that social communication model isn’t always accessible. When noise enters your written communication, you often don’t immediately know that your audience doesn’t understand, sometimes until it’s too late. Make sure you measure your message against the seven principles to stay ahead of any misunderstandings.

Practice Question

When you consider the difference between communication on a personal level and communication on a professional level, the first thing that comes to mind is the level of formality. In personal communication, you typically use relaxed language, and the level of knowledge your audience brings into the communication is usually significant and personal. The need to be clear and concise, to be objective, is thrown aside. Personal communications are often meant only for a single audience and are oftentimes understandable only to that audience.

Professional communication, on the other hand, is read by an audience that you don’t know as well. You find you need to make an effort to be clear, concise, relevant and objective. You make an effort to appeal to and be understood by a more diverse group.

However, with the advent of technology and social media, the lines between personal and professional communication are becoming blurred. Your customers are looking to connect with your company on a deeper, more personal level. Technology has turned the 9–5 worker into an always-accessible team member, and because of it, professional relationships are evolving into something that straddles the line between formal and informal. Customers, vendors, and even co-workers want to deal with a human being, not someone hiding behind the curtain and operating the great and powerful talking head that runs the company. Add to that myriad methods of informal communication platforms like texting and social media, and you can see there’s a revolution going on here.

Your business communications are destined to be affected by this shifting tide. If companies with strong brands are going out of their way to connect with their customers on social media and share the “human side” of their businesses, then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t follow suit as long as you feel comfortable doing so.

  • Don’t give up the seven principles of business communication: No matter how personal you get, those principles are still the hallmark of a successful message. Your wider audience still needs clarity, uniformity, and so on. Your goal is to be understood, to yield a particular business result, and that doesn’t change.
  • Don’t get personal to the point of irrelevance: Your co-workers and vendors might enjoy knowing that you’re a huge football fan, but they don’t need to know what you had for lunch today.
  • Don’t share details that might not be easily embraced: People don’t always receive the message well if you express strong political beliefs that don’t fit with theirs. Be careful about sharing your “ideals.” GoDaddy.com CEO Bob Parsons got called out in 2011 when he made a video of his exploits hunting elephants and posted it to his company’s site so he could “share” himself with the world. The attention he got for his moment of personal sharing wasn’t good.

Even though professional communication and personal communication are quickly becoming just “communication,” your success still hinges on being successful at it. Strengthen your command of the seven communication principles and move forward bravely with your list of shareable personality traits.

Recommended

Sources:

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-businesscommunicationmgrs/chapter/writing-in-business/
https://worldofwork.io/2019/07/the-7-cs-of-communication/
https://www.slideshare.net/SMRakib3/principle-of-business-communications

15 Powerful Strategies to Increase Online Sales in 2022

increase online sales cover image

15 Powerful Strategies to Increase Online Sales in 2022

The economic crisis created by COVID-19 has significantly accelerated the shift to digital space and shaken up the business landscape. While it was a reality check for businesses that have been reluctant to embrace digital transformation, at the same time many industries have taken the consequences in their stride.

Post-COVID, apart from the eCommerce industry, many B2B and B2C businesses have now realized the importance of having a digital-first strategy. Hence, businesses have to strengthen their place and focus to increase online sales to grow.

A staggering 120 million online customers, with a CAGR of 28%, online shoppers are expected to reach over 200 million by 2025. Aside from being present where your prospects are, another reason it is important to focus on digital-first as it prioritizes targeted marketing in a way that traditional marketing does not.

Pinpoint your unique selling point

A unique selling point is what differentiates you from your competitors. It can be your unique service features, committed customer service, or even the production methods you use. You should make your unique selling point clear and easy to understand for your customers. This will help you convince them that they should choose you over the competitor and help you increase sales online.

A powerful unique selling point can help you focus your business strategy around satisfying your customers, which can help you increase your position in the market. You should put your unique selling point forward in a value proposition for your website visitor to easily spot. This can help you demonstrate that you know who your shoppers are, and you know how to help them achieve their goals.

Use PPC To Test Your Keywords

It’s a great method to measure those keywords’ impact on your targeted audience. After looking at traffic rates, you can create organic campaigns consisting of those high volume keywords to boost your website’s traffic!

Social networks are very helpful to maintain your brand’s fame. People like to feel that they have a unique experience with your brand on different social media channels. You should pick the right channels in terms of your business.

For example, Facebook is a great social media channel to engage with customers through your FanPage. Also, you can invest in sponsored ads, as well as broaden your range of action by reaching a specific audience.

Example image of Facebook Ads.

As another example, Twitter is also a great social media channel for you if you’re planning to post news and spread them fast. You should search for different characteristics of various social media platforms to enhance your usage of each!

Twitter promoted tweets example.

It’s a great chance to analyze the amount of traffic that is driven to your website by particular social media channels. To track your social shares, it’s better to use analytics tools to segment and test your campaign sharing.

Incorporate Videos Into Your Site

You may convey a message related to your particular product and service or guide your website visitors about new trends in your industry! Believe me, it will be helpful to increase your sales eventually!

People tend to have stable brand experiences across different platforms and channels. To provide this experience to your customers, you should integrate your marketing channels. Your campaigns should work in unity to best reflect your branding.

integrated marketing cycle image

Meanwhile, the team behind the Paid Searches or Ads can promote your page before these keywords gain natural traction. Also, to promote the created content, Social Media and Email teams can work together.

By doing that, you are conveying a very important message. Your customers will probably indicate that you work systematically, you have a common goal and you’re working to create your brand voice. You will build your trustworthiness. As a result, you’ll drive more traffic and increase sales!

Sources:

https://www.revechat.com/blog/increase-online-sales/
https://www.tidio.com/blog/increase-online-sales/
https://popupsmart.com/blog/how-to-increase-sales-digital-marketing