Lets celebrate... It's time for the new year celebration ..

I wish a happy successful new your for all of you and your families , enjoy your time today for the last time this year , but remember our brothers there in Iraq because they feel very lonely without us . I hope they'll be back home in 2007 .

My new website will work normally at Monday 8th of January ( this day is a special day for my family ) Please join me and be sure that I'm working extremely hard to help and serve all the freelancers .

Warm Regards

Sally Alhady

Contribute to Freelance Way

Hello,

Now you can contribute in the new site The freelance way by your articles submission ,

I'll provide a portfolio page for each writer , this page contains his resume with a photo and all his submissions in The Freelance way as much as he likes to submit.

I think it'll be helpful for Journalism students , or any other writer who wants to rich his resume with an online experience .

By the way if any one needs a help with building his resume please contact me and I'll send him a good free resume form .

Please send your submissions with your resumes to writers@thefreelanceway.com
No attachments please.

Please remember it's unpaid submissions .

Thank you for all these e-mails and advices.

Warm Regards

Sally

Christmas present.

Dear visitors ,

I'm considering all of you as friends so it's time to tell you about your Christmas present . I was thinking about a better way to help freelancers to find all what they need in one place without paying money , they can find jobs , tips , new freelance ideas and many more services .

Now I'm building a new website www.thefreelanceway.com for all freelance jobs especially writing jobs , this site will start working after holiday vacation .

Please I really need your support with advices , requests , ideas or what you think you need in this new site , everything will be important because it'll help me to provide you the best.

Feel free to contact me any time via this e-mail : freelancesteps@yahoo.com, I'll be happy to discuss the new ideas with you , I'll miss you all , I'll miss this blog so much and I'll miss my daily post for these 2 weeks .

Mary Christmas for you and your families.

Warm Regards

Sally Alhady

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Thursday....

#Freelance Daily Post

Today in Freelance Fingerprints

Who Am I Being ?
by: William Frank Diedrich

Who am I being right now? Who was I being in that situation? These are questions I ask myself every day? I want to know. If I am interacting and the interaction feels uncomfortable--who am I being that this feels so bad? Over the years I have created many images of myself which I find myself defending, attacking, or portraying to others. In my book, The Road Home, I call these false views of self. The Arbinger Institute, authors of Leadership and Self Deception (a must read book), call these self justifying images.

A few weeks ago I found myself in a conversation where the other person became very impatient with me. I, then, became impatient with her impatience. I called attention to her impatience and made it clear I didn't like it. The next day I asked myself: "Who was I being that the person talking to me became very impatient?" The answer came: "I'm the kind of person who deserves to be treated with respect". This person wasn't giving me what I deserved, so obviously she was out of line.

To read more please go Freelance Fingerprints

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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Should You Talk about Your Book Idea Before You Finish It?
by Diane Eble


There are two schools of thought on this.

One is that you should never talk about your book idea. There are two reasons for this viewpoint. One is that if you talk too much about your book, you will dissipate the energy it takes to actually write your book. The other is that if you talk about your book and get negative feedback, it could discourage you from writing it as well.

Better to just keep your ideas to yourself, this perspective says, and focus on writing.

The other side of this debate says that you should talk about your book idea to people. How else can you test if anyone will be interested in your idea or not? Why waste so much time and energy writing something nobody will want to read, and nobody will ever publish?

Which side is right?

Well, both are right, to an extent. At least, I'll tell you my perspective from 28 years in publishing as an author and editor.

First, whether you should talk about your book or not depends in large part on what kind of person and writer you are. Extraverts--people who are outwardly focused and who get their energy from interacting with people--probably must talk to people. Often, these kinds of writers don't even know what they think unless they do talk things out and get feedback.

The important thing here is: Choose carefully the people with whom you share your ideas. Make sure they are 1) your intended audience and 2) the kind of people that tend to be supportive. Don't go to the "naysayers" who like to shoot down most of your ideas anyway. In fact, make a vow never to mention your book idea to anyone who tends to be negative about your ideas.

Introvert writers get their energy from their inner world, from reflection and solitude. They may be particularly sensitive to criticism. They often need time to mull and ponder their ideas to develop them fully.

They need to do this pondering alone. If they present their ideas too early, someone may rightly point out flaws, which will cause the Introvert writer to doubt and second-guess him or herself, and perhaps abandon the project as unworthy after all. The energy for the project will ebb away, and the writer won't know why he or she has lost interest.

If you're an Introvert writer, develop your ideas until you have a good feel for the overall shape of your book. When you do talk about it (and you must, eventually), be very careful to whom you reveal it. Again, choose someone who is supportive and who would be the intended audience.

Another factor that affects the answer to this question has to do with whether you tend to be what I call a "structure" writer or a "discovery" writer.

A structure writer is someone who likes to plan what to say ahead of time. These writers outline things and gain energy and ideas from doing so. They like to make a plan and then work their plan.

These kinds of writers will also benefit from talking about their ideas with people. Of course, you always want to follow the two rules--only talk to people who you know would be interested in the topic, and people who are generally positive and supportive of you. Nevertheless, structure writers usually welcome new ideas and feedback and can easily see where to put them into the overall book plan.

"Discovery" writers, on the other hand, take great pleasure in the story or ideas unfolding as they write. If the story is told too often, or the ideas hashed and rehashed verbally, they tend to lose interest in and energy for the project.

These kinds of writers should not talk about their book ideas too soon. They need to lay the groundwork that I discuss in "Jump Start Your Book: 12 Questions You Must Ask Before You Write Your First Word"--every writer does--but they should not plan the actual book or story content too thoroughly.

Here's where the Extravert/Introvert factor also comes in. Introvert discovery writers are the only kinds of writers who should write their rough drafts before they ever talk about the book to anyone. Extraverted discovery writers may need to talk their ideas out as they go, but the key here would be for them to get it down on paper as they go.

Discovery writers need to "get it out," one way or the other. Though I believe that most people waste their time writing a book too early (before laying the necessary groundwork), some people enjoy the writing process so much that for them it's a wonderful form of recreation, and I say do it!

Just know that there is an inherent danger here: Once you write the first draft, before any kind of feedback at all, you can become so attached to your book that you are closed to the feedback you do need to know if you've communicated or not. This problem comes up especially with fiction authors. Their challenge is to force themselves to be open to the feedback they must have if they want a publishable and salable book.

So the answer to the question, "Should you talk about your book?" depends on knowing what kind of writer you are. If you're not sure, contact me. Part of my coaching involves helping your discover your particular strengths as a writer and working with them, rather than fit yourself into a box based on what works for someone who (who may be quite different from you).


About the Author

Diane Eble has 28 years experience in the publishing industry as an editor (magazines, fiction and nonfiction books), author (11 published books, more than 350 articles), and copywriter. She is now a book publishing coach as well. Visit her site at http://www.wordstoprofit.com for information on writing, publishing, and selling books and other information products.

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Today in Freelance Fingerprints

The Big Question for Any Relationship
by: Neil Millar


I’ve got one big question. It’s a question that will make everything in your relationship completely worthwhile… even the bits that get on your nerves and cause you head and heart aches…

It’s the type of question you wouldn’t ordinarily ask - but that’s okay, because you didn’t know to ask it… until now!

For most people, relationships don’t go smoothly. Undercurrents, disputes, emotions, periods, children, habits, morals, values, work hours and workloads, these are just a few of the kind of things that can cause conflicts. But what if I told you something…

What if I told you it’s not about the issue?

To read more please go Freelance Fingerprints

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Don't Put Off Retiring Because You Don't Want to Give a Speech
by Susan Dugdale

For many people one of retirement's biggest hurdles is not what they're going to do afterwards but what they're expected to do on the way. The part of the rite of passage causing all the anxiety is the retirement speech.

Understandably, most people want to say something of value. They would like to be warm, witty and wise. The fear is they'll be the opposite. They'll stutter around, mutter a few clichés, and forgetting whom they wanted to honor or thank stumble off the stage.

That image is so awful the search begins for a free retirement speech: a pre-prepared template. The thinking goes along the lines of: 'once I weave in my personal details nobody will know the difference.' Then all they'll have to do is print it off and deliver.

What they don't realize is individualizing a speech is going to take time just as it's going to take time to find a suitable ready-made template in the first place.

So if you don't want to pay a professional speechwriter to craft a unique speech, then the solution is to spend the time you would ferreting for a flexible freebie, writing your own.

The keys to writing the retirement speech you'll be proud to deliver are straightforward.

*Give yourself time. Don't do a last minute rush.

*Collect your ideas together. You may wish to use these headings as starting points. Put down as much as you can under each. Do not self-edit. Let the ideas flow. You will trim, add or delete later.

I remember...
Colleagues...
Tributes...
Milestones...
Anecdotes...
The future...
Philosophy...

This is your raw material. Once you have it, you're ready for the next step: preparing to shape it in order to write your speech.

Before you begin the actual writing consider:

*How long the speech is expected to be. Is it the standard 3-5 minutes or more?

*Where is the speech to take place? This will help you decide tone: informal or formal, light or solemn.

*What is the theme or main underlying idea you want running through your speech to unite it?

*Do you want to use quotations at the beginning or end of it? If you do, you'll find

http://www.write-out-loud.com/retirement-quotations.html

a retirement themed collection here ready for your use.

And now you are ready to write.

Go back through your notes, selecting what you want to suit the theme you've chosen. You'll need an opening (setting the tone and introducing your theme), a middle (expanding your theme with, depending on the time allowance, 2-3 main points and examples) and a conclusion which generally summarizes and reinforces your opening idea/theme.

When writing, 'write out loud'. That is write as though you are talking to a respected friend. Use your natural vocabulary and speech rhythms. This will guarantee the speech fits you well. Your audience will know when they hear it; it comes from you and nobody else.

Once you've done the first draft, read it aloud. Listen carefully, making sure the ideas follow sequentially, the tone is appropriate and that it fits the time allocated. A good idea is to try it out on a friend for feedback. Another pair of ears will pick up impossible leaps of logic needing transitions to make sense or omissions such as people you've inadvertently forgotten to include.

When you're satisfied make a final copy. If you intend to read it, use a large clear font. If you are going to use cue cards write clearly and use one per main idea. Number them for safety.

Before delivering your speech, allow yourself time for at least three rehearsals. This will ensure you know the flow and be able to speak with confidence.

Go well. Retire with aplomb.

For more about writing & rehearsing retirement speeches go to

http://www.write-out-loud.com

You'll even find a helpful sample, not to use as a template but to give you ideas!


About the Author

Susan Dugdale is a former English and drama teacher who now freelance writes when she's not playing on her website:

http://www.write-out-loud.com

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#Freelance Daily Post

Shhh...How About a Little Quiet Time?
by: Kevin Eikenberry
I often say that our world is very different than it once was. And when I do people often shake their heads knowingly – I suppose that statement conjures a variety of ideas based on how old they are and from what vantage point they compare today with the past.

As our world continues to change, I believe there are some things getting lost that need to be re-found. The good news is many of these things can be re-discovered, and we have that power completely in our hands.

One thing we are losing is quiet.

We don't make room for quiet in our lives. When we are in the car, the radio is on. When we are walking or riding a bike or mowing our lawns or waiting for an airplane (add your own favorite activity here), we are listening to an iPod or something similar. When we are at home, or in many public places, the television is on. When we are working, the sound is turned up on our computers so we can hear the funny email, podcast, audio message from the CEO, or radio program on the Web.

To read more please go Freelance Fingerprints

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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Profit From Article Writing
by: Carol Anne Strange

Top Tips on how you can sell your articles to magazines and newspapers

Writing articles for print publications can be profitable but you need to implement the right approach to gain those much-sought after commissions in what has become a highly competitive market. To enhance your chances of success, consider the following guidelines:

Do Your Research

Many writers fail to gain commissions because they haven’t studied their target publications. You need to be in-tune with the title’s readership and be familiar with their house-style. Good research leads on to commissions so make time to study your markets carefully.

Emulate the Publication’s Style

Make sure that you write to suit your target publication in terms of article topic appeal, style, tone, length and type of vocabulary used. The editor is more likely to commission you if your material fits the publication’s format.

Find New Angles to Old Stories

Editors have published just about every topic imaginable so your greatest challenge when writing about a subject that has been extensively covered is to come up with a new angle. If you can focus on a different slant, you will more likely capture the editor’s attention.

Make Sure Your Article Has Substance

Where appropriate to the publication’s requirements, provide fact-rich articles which include statistics, quotes and information that will appeal to your target audience. Follow the editor’s guidelines.

Aim for Error-Free Copy

Check your work carefully to avoid typos or poor delivery. In fact, check your copy several times until you are absolutely certain that it is error-free and suitable for publication. Look out for mistakes in the spelling of names or places. Also check for statistical or factual errors.

Think like a Reader

Read your article through the eyes of a typical reader of your target publication. How does your article rate compared to other features? Is your copy informative, appealing, practical and /or entertaining? Have you covered both sides of an argument? Be objective. If you think your article is lacking, go back to it and make the necessary revisions.

Think like an Editor

Can you improve your article by writing more concisely? Read your article as if you are the editor and make any necessary revisions that will enhance your writing style. If you can save the editor from additional work by submitting succinct but sparkling copy, this will work in your favour.

Source Images

Some publications like to commission a complete package of words and pictures. This saves the editor time and the inconvenience of sourcing specific images. If you have access to images which you have permission to use (preferably ones you have taken to avoid copyright issues), then mention this to the editor. Quality needs to be good though. If you have suitable images, this will further increase your chances of gaining a commission and there may even be an extra fee for the pictures!

Be Professional

Keep your cover letters concise and business-like. Follow the contributor guidelines and ensure that your approach is timely and professional. If you impress the editor with your approach, this will bode well for gaining future work.

Look at All Your Options

Many writers aim to sell their articles to high-paying mainstream publications but competition can be incredibly tough. It’s worth sourcing a selection of lower-circulation publications or specialist trade titles. Some do pay reasonably well … in some instances much better than the mainstream publications … whereas the lower paying ones can be a source of more regular repeat commissions if you have the right material.

Ultimately, the editor is looking for a great feature that will enlighten their readers so focus on producing quality work with a captivating title and introduction. Your copy needs to come alive on the page. With the right application, you can gain regular commissions and make a good income from writing for magazines and newspapers. Good luck!

About The Author

Carol Anne Strange

Writer and Creative Consultant, Carol Anne Strange is co-owner of publishing company Red Arc Media http://www.redarcmedia.co.uk and editor of the writing success website http://www.writingupdate.com. She has been making a living as a writer since 1985.


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#Freelance Daily Post

Today in Freelance Fingerprints

Top 10 Excuses People Make For Dating Failure (Part Two)
by: Scot McKay

Last week we talked about the first five of the "Top Ten Excuses" single adults make for dropping out of the dating pool. Today we'll cover the second half of the list. Fair warning-the bottom half of the list is even more hard-hitting than the first five, so fasten your seat belts. If you are making excuses for dating failure, prepare to be challenged…in the best possible way!

The first five "excuses" centered around physical limitations, advanced age, kids, game playing and finances. Let's continue where we left off:

1) Shyness

If words are hard to come by and meeting people is not easy, you certainly aren't alone. For better or worse, women still largely expect men to approach them first, so men especially have to get around shyness. This is probably the #1 excuse men give (along with the next one), and citing it can only point to one thing: you simply lack the guts to go for it. Women love men who are confident, and being able to start a conversation with an attractive woman is a key indicator of this. So guys, you just have to find the courage to make conversations happen. There are innumerable books and articles written on this elsewhere, but the best place to start is simply to make conversation with waitresses, bank tellers and any other women you meet during the course of daily life. Once you realize they will be friendly back, you are on the road to getting over shyness. If, on the other hand, you find women are NOT responding well, it's time to address creepiness-because women will normally respond very favorably (if not necessarily romantically) to any man who is friendly and non-threatening.

To read more please go Freelance Fingerprints

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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Editing Secrets
by: Laura Backes

Once you've plotted out your book, developed the characters and written the last word of text, the real work begins. As busy editors are bombarded with hundreds or even thousands of submissions a year, it's more important than ever that authors apply their own editing skills to their manuscripts before putting them in the mail. Checking your basic grammar and spelling are of course important, but authors need to go beyond surface editing if their work has a chance of catching an editor's eye.

* Trim, tighten, hack away. First, second and even third drafts of manuscripts are almost always laden with extra words and scenes. Take a break from your book and then read it through with a fresh eye. Write down your theme in one sentence (what the book is about, such as working through shyness on the first day of school or showing how Thomas Edison's childhood experiences influenced his adult life). The plot (or progression of facts and events in nonfiction) is your vehicle for conveying the theme to the reader. Ask yourself if each character and scene advance the plot toward communicating this theme. And decide at the beginning that you will give up your precious words and finely-crafted scenes for the betterment of the book. Pithy dialogue may be fun to read, but if it pushes your story off track, it's just a literary dead end. Take the publishers' suggested word limits seriously: no, you don't really need 3000 words to tell your picture book story about Freddy the Frog's adventures in the Big Pond.

* The elements of speech. Well-crafted dialogue can be a writer's most important tool. Dialogue is not just there to break up the paragraphs or show that your characters know how to talk; ideally, it adds to character development, moves the plot along and replaces sections of narrative. Each character should sound like himself, with speech patterns and phrasing that are unique. This is especially true with talking animal books. I see many of these manuscripts where, if I took away the words that identify the speakers, each character would sound exactly the same. Don't have dialogue repeat the narrative and vice versa; "Did you hear that? Someone's at the door!" does not have to be preceded by "They heard a sound at the door".

* Show don't tell. How many times have you heard this? It's still true. Comb through your manuscript for sentences that tell the reader how a character felt (Sara was sad) and replace with sensory descriptions (Hot tears sprang to Sara's eyes and rolled down her cheeks.) Avoid telling the reader what to think about the story (Jason foolishly decided to trust Mike one more time.) Instead, present your character's actions and decisions to the reader, and let the reader draw his or her own conclusions (incidentally, this is how you "teach" without preaching).

* Wipe out passive writing. Search for verbs preceded by "would" (would go, would sleep, would eat) replace with the past tense (went, slept, ate). Also look for actions that seem to happen out of thin air. "The door was opened" is passive, because the sentence lacks a "doer". Remember, the reader needs to visualize what's happening in the story. "The wind blew the door open" is better, because the action can be attributed to something, and it puts the most important element (strong wind) at the beginning of the sentence. Simply rearranging the words ("The door blew open from the wind") puts emphasis on a door that won't stay closed, making that the subject of the sentence.

* Be precise. One of the best ways to make your writing come alive for the reader is to use exact nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. One well-chosen word is always better than three vague ones. Adjectives like big, little, cold, hot, beautiful, scary and silly; adverbs such as quickly, slowly, loudly, and softly; and general verbs like walk, went, stayed and ate don't draw a vivid picture for your reader. Of course, sometimes these words are appropriate, but try as a rule choosing words that describe specifically what you want to communicate. Words that sound and look interesting are also a plus. Tremendous, tiny, frigid, scorching, plodded, sauntered and gulped are more fun to read, and they each lend an emotional overtone to the sentence (if your character gulps his food, you don't have to tell the reader he's in a hurry).

And finally, make sure there's a logical cause and effect relationship between the scenes of your book. Each event should build upon the ones that came before. The plot should spring intrinsically from your characters; nonfiction should unfold because of the nature of your subject and your slant on the material. It's when everything comes seamlessly together that you have a winning book. Make it look easy, but don't skimp on all the hard work it takes to get there.

About The Author

Laura Backes is the publisher of Children's Book Insider, the Newsletter for Children's Writers. For more information about writing children's books, including free articles, market tips, insider secrets and much more, visit Children's Book Insider's home on the web at http://write4kids.com

Copyright, Children's Book Insider, LLC

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#Freelance Daily Post

Today in Freelance Fingerprints

Top 10 Excuses People Make For Dating Failure (Part One)
by: Scot McKay

One of the most unfortunate truths in the dating world is that a disproportionately large number of single adults have actually given up on dating completely. Interestingly, some such people really have no concrete answer as to why this is. Others are readily able to come up with an excuse or two (or ten). Either way, it's tragic that so many people voluntarily choose a life without any chance of meeting a "significant other".

My personal feeling is that just about any one of us walking this planet could theoretically join the throng of those who have thrown in the towel on dating. Each one of us could cite some excuse of our own and be done with it-after all, nobody's perfect.

Yet there are plenty of people who experience wild success in the dating world despite their own subset of imperfections. The secret is figuring out what negative thoughts are theoretically limiting us and addressing them effectively.

While there are an infinite number of reasons people can cite for dating failure, there's a definite "Top Ten List" of excuses people tend to cling to for dating failure. Today we'll consider the first five:

To read more please go Freelance Fingerprints

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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Things All Articles Must Have
by Phyllis Wasserman

The importance of articles in today's websites and internet based companies are immeasurable. They dictate a lot in the success and the drive of traffic into one's site. It has become a key element in making a site work and earns a profit. A website operator and owner must have the good sense to include articles in his or her site that will work for them and earn them the many benefits articles can give to their site.

Articles have been known to be the driving force in driving traffic to a website. Articles are a factor in giving site high rankings in search result pages. The higher a site ranks the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie he gets. With a huge number in traffic flow, there are more profits and more potential for other income generating schemes as well.

But, it is not just about stuffing your site with articles; they have certain requirements as well. These requirements must be met to obtain the maximum benefits an article will provide for your site. A well written article will catch the eyes and interest of your customers and keep them coming back for more. They would also be able to recommend your site to others.

Here are some tips to help you and assist you in making your articles. Below you will read about four things all articles must have to make it successful and helpful in making your site a profit earning and traffic overflowing site.

* Keywords and Keyword Phrases.

An article must always be centered on the keywords and keyword phrases. As each website visitor goes to a site, there are those who are just merely browsing but actually looking for a specific something. When this happens, a searcher usually goes to a search engine and types in the keywords they are looking for (e.g. Toyota Camry, Meningitis, Tax Lawyer and Etcetera). It could be anything they want.

The Important thing is that you have an article that has the keywords that are related to your site. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you must be able t have articles about cars and their parts. There are many tools in the internet that provides service in helping a webmaster out in determining what keywords and keyword phrases are mostly sought out. You can use this tool to determine what keywords to use and write about.

* Keyword Density

Know that you have your keywords and keyword phrases, you must use them fully. An article must have good keyword density for a search engine to "feel" its presence. Articles should at least have ten to fifteen percent of keyword density in their content for search engines to rank a site high in their search results. Getting a high rank is what articles do best for a site.

Keyword density is the number of times a keyword or keyword phrase is used on an article. The number varies depending on the number of words used in an article. An effective article must have a keyword density that is not too high or too low. With a very high density, the essence of the article is lost and may turn off a reader as well as the search engines. It comes off as overeager. A low number may be ignored by the search engines.

* Good Article Content

Like what is stated above, you cannot just riddle an article with keywords. They must also be regarded as good reading materials. Articles must be able to entertain people as well as provide good information and help for their needs. Articles should be written well with correct spelling and good grammar. If you want people to trust you, make your work good and well thought out.

People respond well to figures, facts and statistics. Try to get great information and as many facts as you can. A good and well written article will boost your reputation as an expert in your chosen field or topic. As more people believe in you. They will be able to trust you and your products.

* Linking Articles

And another important thing to remember. If you are going to submit articles to ezines and/or contribute your articles to newsletters and other sites, DON'T ever forget to include a link to your site. A little resource box with a brief description of your site and you should always be placed right after your articles that you have submitted. If people like your articles, they will most likely click on the link directing them to your site.

Join Pay Per Leads Today http://www.payperleadads.com/amember/go.php?r=1003&i=


About the Author

New Safe List Send your ad to 1000's of buyers direct from our sever spam free! 100% safe advertising. Become a member today for only $12.00 per year! Join Now! http://www.newsafelist.com

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#Freelance Daily Post

Today in Freelance Fingerprints

Affirmations To Give Yourself a Break this Christmas
by: Rebeckh Burns

Once upon a time the celebration of Christmas evoked a warm relaxed feeling. In today’s world it seems more like a manic, overly stimulated blur. We get pressure from all angles! Finishing off our last projects at work, not to mention the Christmas party, spending endless amounts of cash, overeating, organizing everything, dealing with the in-laws, and keeping the kids entertained during their holidays. This leaves us little or no time to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

However all the over stimulation can be quite fun. It gives us a buzz to have everyone united at this time, reflect on loved ones, catch up with friends and eat yummy food. But if you’re a mess then you won’t be much fun to be around, so don’t feel guilty, treat yourself, be yourself, don’t lose yourself in the madness remember balance is the key.

To read more please go Freelance Fingerprints

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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How to Create Great Dialogue in Your Book
by Steve Manning

Dialogue isn't so much read as it is heard by the reader. The eyes see the words on the page, the brain processes the thought, but then that little voice we all have in the back of our head becomes the character and actually says the words.

We immediately hear those words and decide whether the dialogue is legitimate. We decide whether the character, as we know him or her so far, would actually talk that way. If we don't know the character at all, we use a very broad baseline and decide whether we'd accept a stranger on the street talking that way.

So to develop a winning technique for writing dialogue, you've got to listen to the way people speak. Family members, relatives, strangers, people on the telephone. What do they sound like?

You'll notice that they almost all speak in short sentences. Two, perhaps three sentences at the most before they expect someone else to chime in.

Their paragraphs really do focus on just one thought or idea.

Our society abhors a vacuum, so a pause happens between speakers, not in the middle of one-person's thought. That's also why a pause can be one of the most powerful dialogue tools when it's used in a play. The audience wants someone to say something, anything, to relieve the level of anticipation.

When people speak, they use simple language. Yes, I've know a few people who can speak wonderfully with an extensive vocabulary and make it sound totally natural. But that's the exception. Make your dialogue very simplistic.

If you actually transcribed what people say as they talk, and then read it a few days later, you'd really have a tough time understanding what they were saying. The ums, the ahs, the tics, the embarrassed laughter, the stops and starts. They'd actually read like idiots.

But when we listen to those people, we filter out all that verbal debris. So when you write dialogue, don't include it. You become the debris filter. Your dialogue doesn't become more realistic simply because the character reads like an imbecile... unless you want your character to actually come across that way.

Unless you're writing a play, keep dialogue to an absolute minimum. Don't tell, show. Don't have a character explain a situation if describing the scene that does the same thing.

Also, people don't talk to themselves out loud, and their inner thoughts rarely take the form of dialogue. You'll have to come up with a solution to that one for your story. An excellent example of this is the movie Castaway, with Tom Hanks.

It isn't until we need some explanation that Wilson, a companion volleyball, makes an appearance.

Accents are fun, and Mark Twain received high praise as a writer who finally wrote the way people spoke.

But if you have a lot of dialogue, a heavy southern accent can become tiresome on the printed page. Tell the reader the character speaks with a southern accent and let them mentally fill in the drawl.

Finally, keep the "he saids," and "she saids" to a minimum. At any point in great dialogue the reader should know who's talking without much assistance from the author.

About the Author

Steve Manning is a master writer showing thousands of people how they can write their book faster than they ever thought possible. Here's your free Special Report, http://www.WriteABookNow.com/main.html

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#Freelance Daily Post

Today in Freelance Fingerprints

Hard to Change?
by: Miami Phillips

How many times in the past have you tried to change something about you?

Have you read an article discussing the benefits of time management and made a promise to your Self to follow the steps? Or, maybe the last seminar or teleclass you attended had some great ideas for changing your financial standing. Writing a book? Losing some weight? Self improvement?

How far did you get?

Don't worry, you are not alone. Most of us at one point or another decide to do something for ourselves or someone else. We have the best intentions in mind. We might even make some changes towards our goals, and go so far as to take some action steps. Have you ever bought an exercise machine? Yes, me too.

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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Common Writing Mistakes
by Michael LaRocca

Most books aren't rejected because the stories are "bad." They're rejected because they're not "ready to read." In short, minor stuff like typos, grammar, spelling, etc.

I don't mean places where we, as authors, deliberately break the rules. Those are fine. They're our job. Language always changes with use, and we can help it on its way. No, I'm referring to places where someone just plain didn't learn the rule or got confused or overlooked it during the self-edits.

I've been editing novels since early 2000. Looking back at my experiences, I feel like sharing the most common mistakes I've seen. If you'll go through your manuscript and fix these before you submit it to a publisher, your odds of publication will increase dramatically.

Once you've found a publisher who publishes what you write, you want to present yourself in the best way possible. Submitting an unedited manuscript is a bit like going to a job interview wearing a purple Mohawk, no shoes, torn jeans, and a T-shirt. Your resume may be perfect, and your qualifications impeccable, but something tells me you won't get the job.

The publisher's investing a lot in every book it accepts. E-publishers tend to invest loads of time, and print publishers tend to invest an advertising budget and the cost of carrying inventory. Why ask them to invest hours and days of editing time as well? If the publisher gets two or three or ten nearly identical submissions, you want yours to be the one requiring the least editing.

The first thing you need to do, and I hope you've already done it, is use the spelling and grammar checkers in your word processor. They're not perfect, but they'll catch many of the "common mistakes" on my list. I've been asked to edit many books where the author obviously didn't do this, and I confess that I may have been lazy and let a couple of mine get to my editors unchecked. Bad Michael!

Here's a list of the mistakes I see most often:

Dialogue where everyone speaks in perfect English and never violates any of the points below. Okay, I made that up. That's not really a common problem at all. But I have seen it, and it's a terrible thing.

It's is a contraction for "it is" and its is possessive.

Who's is a contraction for "who is" and whose is possessive.

You're is a contraction for "you are" and your is possessive.

They're is a contraction for "they are," there is a place, their is possessive.

There's is a contraction for "there is" and theirs is possessive.

If you've been paying attention to the above examples, you've noticed that possessive pronouns never use apostrophes. Its, whose, your, yours, their, theirs...

Let's is a contraction for "let us."

When making a word plural by adding an s, don't use an apostrophe. (The cats are asleep.)

When making a word possessive by adding an s, use an apostrophe. (The cat's bowl is empty.)

A bath is a noun, what you take. Bathe is a verb, the action you do when taking or giving a bath.

A breath is a noun, what you take. Breathe is a verb, the action you do when taking a breath.

You wear clothes. When you put them on, you clothe yourself. They are made of cloth.

Whenever you read a sentence with the word "that," ask yourself if you can delete that word and still achieve clarity. If so, kill it. The same can be said of all sentences. If you can delete a word without changing the meaning or sacrificing clarity, do it. "And then" is a phrase worth using your word processor's search feature to look for.

Keep an eye on verb tenses. "He pulled the pin and throws the grenade" is not a good sentence.

Keep an eye on making everything agree regarding singular and plural. "My cat and my wife is sleeping," "My cat sleep on the sofa," and "My wife is a beautiful women" are not good sentences. (I exaggerate in these examples, but you know what I mean.)

I and me, he and him, etc. I hope no editor is rejecting any novels for this one, because I suspect that most people get confused at times. In dialogue, do whatever the heck you want because it sounds more "natural." But for the sake of your narrative, I'll try to explain the rule and the cheat. The rule involves knowing whether your pronoun is the subject or object. When Jim Morrison of The Doors sings, "til the stars fall from the sky for you and I," he's making a good rhyme but he's using bad grammar. According to the rule, "you and I" is the object of the preposition "for," thus it should be "for you and me." The cheat involves pretending "you and" isn't there, and just instinctively knowing "for I" just doesn't sound right. (I think only native English speakers can use my cheat. For the record, I have great admiration for anyone who's writing in a language that isn't their native tongue.)

Should of, would of, could of. This one can make me throw things. It's wrong! What you mean is should have, would have, could have. Or maybe you mean the contractions. Should've, would've, could've. And maybe 've sounds a bit like of. But it's not! Of is not a verb. Not now, not ever.

More, shorter sentences are better. Always. Don't ask a single sentence to do too much work or advance the action too much, because then you've got lots of words scattered about like "that" and "however" and "because" and "or" and "as" and "and" and "while," much like this rather pathetic excuse for a sentence right here.

On a similar (exaggerated) note: "He laughed a wicked laugh as he kicked Ralphie in the face while he aimed the gun at Lerod and pulled the trigger and then laughed maniacally as Lerod twisted in agony because of the bullet that burned through his face and splattered his brains against the wall and made the wall look like an overcooked lasagne or an abstract painting." Now tell me this sentence isn't trying to do too much.

Too means also or very, two is a number, to is a preposition.

He said/she said. Use those only when necessary to establish who's speaking. They distract the reader, pulling him out of the story and saying, "Hey look, you're reading a book." Ideally, within the context of the dialogue, we know who's talking just by the style or the ideas. When a new speaker arrives on the scene, identify him or her immediately. Beyond that, keep it to a minimum. I don't mean delete them all, because it's really frustrating counting backward to see who is speaking because you forgot. Just don't go overboard with them. Oh yeah, and give every speaker his/her own paragraph.

Billy-Bob smiled his most winning smile and said, "What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" I don't like this. Use two shorter sentences in the same paragraph. Billy-Bob smiled his most winning smile. "What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" Same effect, fewer words, no dialogue tag (he said).

In the previous example, I don't like "smiled his most winning smile," because it's redundant, but I'd probably let it slide. But please, if you find yourself writing something like that, try to find a better way to express it before you just give up and leave it like it is. During the self-edit, I mean, not during the initial writing.

"The glow-in-the-dark poster of Jesus glowed in the dark." This editor won't let that one go. Much too redundant, and it appeared in a published novel.

Lie is what you do when you lie down on the bed, lay is what you do to another object that you lay on the table. Just to confuse matters, the past tense of lie is lay. Whenever I hit a lay/lie word in reading, I stop and think. Do that when you self-edit. (Note: Don't fix this one in dialogue unless your character is quite well-educated, because most people say it wrong. I do.)

Beware of the dangling modifier. "Rushing into the room, the exploding bombs dropped seven of the soldiers." Wait a minute! The bombs didn't rush into the room. The soldiers did. To get all technical about it, the first part is the "dependent clause," and it must have the same subject as the "independent clause" which follows. Otherwise it's amateur, distracting, and a real pain for your poor overworked editor.

Okay, so these are too much fun to let go. Here are a few more from http://www.uis.edu/writestuff/gaffes.htm: Just like men, heart disease is the number one killer of men in the U.S. Mixing Bowl Set designed to please a cook with round bottom for efficient beating. We will oil your sewing machine and adjust tension in your home for $10.00.

When something dark gets lighter, that is lightening. Them things that flash through the skies during a thunderstorm are called lightning bolts. No e, okay?

If you are able (many readers are not), keep an eye out for missing periods, weird commas, closing quotes, opening quotes, etc. When I read a book, be it an e-book or a printed book, I can't help but spot every single one that's missing. They slap me upside the head, which makes me a great editor but a lousy reader. If you're like me, use that to your advantage. If not, that's what editors are for.

About the Author

Who Moved My Rice? http://www.chinarice.org You can't eat grits with chopsticks

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#Freelance Daily Post

Today in Freelance Fingerprints

How to Find the Perfect Gifts for Everyone On Your List
by: Chris Robertson

With the holidays just around the corner, many people are wracking their brains, trying to think of the perfect gifts for every person on their list. It can be hard to find gifts that convey the right emotional tone and that the recipient will enjoy. Here, then, are tips to find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list.

Friend, Family or Colleague?

First, write down the name of every person for whom you'd like to (or are obligated to) buy a gift. Next, give each person a rating on a scale of one to five, depending on how close they are to your intimate inner circle. If it helps, draw a series of five concentric circles, with the center circle representing those who know your dreams and aspirations and experience your joys and tribulations as they happen. The outer circle represents those people who may not know the "real" you, such as your boss or a business associate. There may be people on your list, such as your child's teacher, who isn't close to you, but who has made a tremendous difference in your child's life. Even though she may not know you well, you might decide to put her name in the second circle.

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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Top 20 Abused, Misused, And Mistreated Words
by Christine Harrell

Many words in the English language are used incorrectly. Every writer can benefit from a refresher that outlines some of these most commonly misused words. If you are not always sure of when to use some of these words, you're in good company. Many intelligent and well-educated people continue to use these words incorrectly. But before you publish your next document or click the 'submit' button on that email, double check for any violations of these 20 abused, misused, and mistreated words.

accept: to receive; to answer positively except: not including; everything but anxious: worried/nervous eager: excited/looking forward to affect: to pretend; to influence effect: a result assure: to make certain (such as with a person) ensure: to make sure (such as with a thing) insure: to provide or obtain insurance beside: at the side of besides: in addition to between: two items that are related among: three or more things related choice: a decision or an option choose: to make a decision chose: past tense of choose compliment: to praise complement: something that completes farther: literal or physical distance further: to a greater extent fewer: comparative with plural items less: items that are singular imply: to suggest infer: to deduce its: possessive form of it it's: contraction for it is or it has lay: to place, which is always followed by an object lie: to recline **For present tense only. Tip: If you can replace the word in question with put, then use lay. nauseated: not feeling well nauseous: disgust set vs. sit: In general, set refers to an object ("Set the materials down on the table") and sit does not ("She sat for an hour, waiting for the bus"). that vs. which --"Which" is frequently used to introduce a nonrestrictive clause, a phrase that isn't necessary or supplies additional information and is usually set off by commas. For example: The burned CD, which she received from a friend, wasn't as great of quality as the original from a music store. --"That" is used for introducing restrictive clauses that refer to things, phrases that ARE essential to the meaning of the rest of the sentence. For example: The CD that consists of all of the band's top-ten singles is her favorite. that vs. who/whom In most cases, "who/whom" is the standard form when referring to human beings, especially in regards to an individual person. "That" is used when referring back to a class, species, or type. "Which" should never be used in reference to humans. A correct example with "who": She goes to the hairstylist who is the best. A correct example with "that": He is the type of hairstylist that should charge more because he is the best. their: possessive form of they there: in or at that place they're: contraction for they are whose: possessive form of which, who who's: contraction for who is your: possessive form of you; belonging to you you're: contraction for you are

While spell check quickly catches misspellings, misused words can easily slip past spell check and into your documents. One way to identify words used out of context is by turning on your word processor's grammar check feature. However, though grammar check will identify a majority of misuses, it shouldn't be your final proofreading expert. Some misuses, particularly those that involve uses of 'that vs. who/whom,' can pass through grammar check but still need repair.

For important and published works, consider sending your documents to a professional proofreading service. Even professional writers use proofreaders. After staring at your document for hours on end, it's easy to skim over sentences with missing words, typos, and words used out of context. Professional proofreading services are affordable, fast, and ensure that readers always associate you and your company with top-notch quality work.

About the Author

Author is a skilled and professional copywriter. For more information about proofreading your work, visit http://www.WritersRelief.com

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Emotional Infidelity: A KEY Tactic to Save the Marriage
by: Dr. Robert Huizenga

Hearing that your cheating spouse is “in love” with someone else is devastating. I hear often, “I can handle her having sex with someone else. I think I can live with that. But, for her to give herself emotionally and “love” someone else…man, that is hard.” (Feel free to substitute the word he for she in this article.)

What can you specifically do to increase the odds of saving the marriage?

So often the offended spouse reacts with intense feelings and pulls out all stops to “win her back.”

He applies pressure. Begs. Cajoles. Makes promises. Gets in her face. Sends flowers. Arranges for dates. Talks to her family and friends. Calls her on the phone. Asks questions… daily, sometimes hourly. He is on her like a fly on doo-doo.

It doesn’t work.Why? Well, for one reason she has found all the stimulation and excitement she supposedly needs in her new found “love.”

At a deeper level this is confusing enough for the cheating husband or cheating wife. Any additional input will be overwhelming and she is liable to close the door on the marriage even further. Plus, she is really looking for some stability, some solid centered core that will hold her firm when the wind of drama entices her and blows around her.

If you bombard her with your neediness, you are certainly not the person who can help her in ways she really seeks.

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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10 Things To Avoid In Your Cover Letter
by: Heather Eagar

Like it or not, your cover letter is the first document that creates an impression about you (good or bad). Because first impressions really count, you need to take a careful approach to writing cover letters in order to avoid rejection. Here are the 10 major don’ts you need to avoid:

1. Don’t use cover letter templates, however good they may be. There are three things you must know that go against these templates: 1) they are stale & boring 2) most templates are likely to have been downloaded from internet 3) therefore, yours will be exposed as being identical to many. Use samples to get ideas on how to write your own unique letter.

2. Don’t write a lengthy first paragraph that will only bore the reader. A lengthy first paragraph also dilutes your impressive qualities and eventually weakens the entire letter - this is the last thing you want to happen.

3. Don’t exclude your Unique Selling Proposition, or USP. Remember that the cover letter is your sales letter; you should highlight your main strengths and prepare the reader psychologically to want to read further.

4. Don’t write a vague letter without mentioning specifics, such as the job title and job code/number if you are responding to an advertisement.

5. Don’t address your cover letter ‘To Whom It May Concern’. It shows that you don’t care enough to do your research to find out who is receiving the resume packages.

6. Don’t use fanciful fonts. Don’t unnecessarily use capitalized or bolded words, or grandiose phrases. Don’t send the letter without nixing silly spelling or grammatical mistakes.

7. Don’t use cliché language such as "As afore mentioned, I am enclosing…" This will only irritate the recruiter. Instead use simple phrases such as, "enclosed please find my resume."

8. Don’t include personal information like your race, sex or marital status in the cover letter. These things are against the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, and as such will not impact the decision whether or not you are called for the interview.

9. Don’t use copies of the same cover letters with just the address and date lines changed to send for similar jobs. If you don’t customize the entire body, the letter may either be irrelevant or a mistake may silently make it into the final draft.

10. Don’t brag or make statements that can't be quantified. You should be humble, yet accurate – employers these days often verify your statements for accuracy (and uncover exaggerations).

The trick with the cover letter is to capture the reader’s imagination as soon as they begin reading. This entails keeping your cover letter neat and tidy with a simple format, and avoiding common errors, such as the 10 listed above.


About The Author

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer who is now dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that promote job search success from beginning to end. If you need cover letter samples and tools, go to http://www.NothingbutCoverLetters.com.

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#Freelance Daily Post:.

Today in Freelance Fingerprints

Improve Your Self Confidence In 15 Minutes
by: Mark Tyrrell

I used to be frighteningly under confident in social situations. And although people who know me now would never believe I used to doubt myself so much I literally had to learn confidence until it became a natural part of me. I can tell you relaxed optimistic confidence is just, well so much more fun.

Here I'll tell you about the things that made the most difference to my confidence levels...

Some people have naturally high levels of confidence but everybody can learn to be more confident and

Firstly, it's important to get a clear idea of what self confidence really means, otherwise you won't know when you've got it! So, self confidence means:

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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8 Myths about Writers and Writing
by Dawn Arkin

Have you ever read a book and said "I could have written that"? Or thought you could write the great American novel and become rich and famous? Or maybe you just want to get all of those ideas out of your head?

When you think of a writer, what comes to mind? A guy hunched over a typewriter, pounding out his story in a darkened room? Someone who can barely function in the real world, who is only able relate to his writings?

The answer is all and none of the above. Writers come in all shapes, sizes and types. So why are there so many myths about writing?

To find the answer to that question, let's examine some of the myths regarding writers and writing.

Myth #1 - All writers make lots of money
Not every writer will make money off their work. Some writers work years without ever selling a single thing. Others never send their work out, which is a guaranteed way not to be published. While making money would be nice, most writers write to get their thoughts on paper.

Myth #2 - All writers are unhappy or crazy or both
Writers are extremely creative people and think in ways non-writers would never think. Most of the writers I know are happy people. They have their up days and down days, just like everyone else. The only difference is they use those emotions in their stories.

Myth #3 - You have to know someone in the business in order to get published
The publishing field is very subjective. What is acceptable to one editor might not be to another. That's not to say no one will ever get published unless they know someone in the business or are already famous. Having a contact would be nice, but honing your craft and making sure you've sent out the best work you can is really the only way to be published.

Myth #4 - In order to write you must have a quiet office devoted to only writing
Writers can write any where; sitting in a coffee shop, waiting at the doctor's office and even standing in line at the grocery store. All a writer needs to get their thoughts and ideas down is a pad of paper and a pencil, and the desire to write.

Myth #5 - In order to be a real writer, you must pay your dues
A lot of people think the only way you can be considered a writer is if you've been writing for many years, or endured many rejections and hardships. Real writers are the people who write. Regardless of how long they've been doing it, or how many times they've been told no.

Myth #6 - In order to write, you must be an intellectual egghead
Writers come from all walks of life. The only requirement is the desire to write. You don't have to be a college graduate to write, you don't even have to have graduate from high school. But you do need an understanding of grammar, punctuation and sentence structure. Otherwise, you are only writing for yourself.

Myth #7 - To be a writer, you must make writing your number one priority
Writer's have families, jobs, lives and hobbies. Yet they still find the time to write. They juggle all aspects of their life so the can put words to paper. That's what makes them writers.

Myth #8 - Anyone can write the Great American Novel
Anyone can write. This is true. But not everyone can write well. The first draft of any story isn't going to be perfect. Honing your skills as a writer is the only way to be able to write. Being able to accept criticism and suggestions is how good writers learn to be great writers.

Writing is a career bathed in mystery. So many want to write, but don't know how to being, or what to write once they start. The only true advice is to just pick up your pen and start writing. And never stop.

About the Author

Dawn Arkin is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Poetry Contests. Her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/darkin so stop by and read for a while.

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Sunday

The blog is Under Construction today .

Thanks

Sally

Saturday

Reading Difficulties ...

Hi ,

I've received few e-mails last two days from visitors had reading troubles with the new design , I don't know maybe there are others having the same problem so I'll change the design and replace it with a new one this weekend , However the post will be back tomorrow or maximum on Monday so I'm very sorry for all of you .

Thank you for your patience , enjoy your time and have a nice weekend

Warm Regards .

Sally

#Freelance Daily Post:

Today in Freelance Fingerprints


Body Language Secrets You Need to Know
by: Royane Real

Some body language experts claim that only about 7% of our messages to other people are communicated through the words we speak. The rest of our messages are conveyed through our body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions.

During your entire life you have been sending messages to others through your posture, gestures, and facial expressions.

Even if you never say a word, your face and body are constantly sending out messages to other people about your state of mind, your happiness, and your level of confidence.

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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The Crusades Of Writing
by: Tushar Jain

This article does not discuss what to write or how to write, but merely a favorite – why to write.

The world appears in its dissatisfactions. Potential lies in the prospect that desires to change it, and prosperity lies in the chaotic chase that has already begun. Writing is barely a provision of the many to choose from.

Any man can breathe. Any man can disembowel liquid. Any man can write.

Writing becomes a necessity when the worthier elements of life like love and joy, become pursuits instead of possessions. Those who like to mouth ‘I love to write’ might as well have ‘loved to bungee jump’. So often, writing is an escape rather than a commitment, an alternative rather than a motive, a hobby rather than an involvement.

The difference between writing, when writing is the object of a desire, and writing, when it is the dearth of one, is similar to the difference between consuming food through your mouth or your nostrils. One is precise; the other is either foolhardy or deliberate.

A failure in one’s life is an achievement in one’s vanities. A hurt pride resorts to dissimilar paths of self-absorption eluding the one that confronts its vulnerabilities. Those who fail as intellectuals, rise as diplomats, but never cede to be individuals – because compliance with circumstances defeats the purport of the indomitable convictions of man, so likely, we forge more humane opportunities. Opportunities that are severely consistent, ripe and simple. Opportunities like writing.

Once again, take notice – Any man can breathe. Any man can disembowel liquid. Any man can write.

The object of scrutiny when two things are placed in contrasting contest is not spurious triumph, but progress through aptitude. Sometimes, it is essential to lose, and sometimes it is downright pivotal; it is forever substantial to remember that neither is success a construct of victories, nor is it a servant of one. Success lies deep in the path of experience and often, unknowingly, people who disembowel liquid, bungee jumpers, writers - pass it demurely. It is a fervent moment writhing within several unnamed others; it cannot be achieved, it has to be a yielding harvest.

In writing, there are no discoveries, only inventions – those, that either concoct interest or intrigue. If anything in the written connotation is a function of the former, it is languid and specious. If anything, at all, as it has been a rarity for so long, compromises with the latter, it is grand, unique, most welcome, and most awaited.

Uselessness is an innate, inherent part of writing anything. Futility, you see, is perfect and the only thing that is so. Those who master it are legends, those who come across it accidentally are writers, and those who tend towards it are fools. Those who come closest are renowned as professionals.

Precision in any sort of writing is a triviality and a widowed cliché. There is no ‘bull’s eye’ in perspectives, in predilection or in opinion; it is consequential to generalize. A thing that is meant to socialize with more than a single existent word should never focus or centralize acutely. It’ll fail to stand ground, and eventually fail to impress.

The diversity one writer inures to delineate himself from another is only in an unrealized, imperfect conformity of perseverance. Hard work is an unknown realm, a world within a world, a most secret horizon of each written syllable – when we expand these realms and horizons, when we free our worlds, we can hope towards hope… to be writers. A just and lively hope to be good writers, and if not, efficient in the least.

There is still a last truth to reckon with, again and again, until it is defunct and old and as gray as cement stripping off naked walls –

Any man can breathe. Any man can disembowel liquid. Any man can write.

Learn to survive it.

About The Author

Tushar Jain
Any queries - shoot them at mosaics12@rediffmail.com

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Today in Freelance Fingerprints

Women Hold Up Half the Sky
by: Arthur Buchanan

Women and Mental Health Research

Mental illnesses affect women and men differently. Some disorders are more common in women, and some express themselves with different symptoms. Scientists are only now beginning to tease apart the contribution of various biological and psychosocial factors to mental health and mental illness in both women and men. In addition, researchers are currently studying the special problems of treatment for serious mental illness during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Research on women's health has grown substantially in the last 20 years. Today's studies are helping to clarify the risk and protective factors for mental disorders in women and to improve women's mental health treatment outcome.

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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Tight Lines, Writers!
by: Jenna Glatzer

“Tight lines” is a good luck wish among fishermen. When you’ve hooked a fish, your line tightens up.

I was musing on this expression as my husband critiqued my lousy casting skills on our latest fishing expedition. Anthony’s as accurate a caster as they come. He can pinpoint a particular far-away reed and cast an inch in front of it.

We were going for bass, and he explained that bass like to hide out on the perimeters of a lake, under rocks and in between plants. Problem is, I can’t pinpoint anything. I aim my pole right and the line somehow flies left. I aim fifty feet away and it somehow shoots straight up in the air and plunks down five feet in front of the boat.

Fishing is part plain luck, but there’s a lot of strategizing to it, too. You have to pick the right spot, the right time of day, the right bait, the right rig, the right technique. You could just toss a worm out and hope something hits, but your odds are a lot better if you make the effort to put a tasty-looking treat right in front of the fish’s mouth.

Kind of like querying.

Oh, you knew there was a writing reference in here somewhere!

As I aimlessly hurled my plastic worm into the middle of the lake, I got more and more frustrated watching Anthony pull in fish. Smug show-off! But really, he was doing a much better job of appealing to his target than I was.

When you have a great idea, write a query, and toss it out to every editor you can think of, you’re the Jenna fisherwoman. You figure that if you just toss that line out there enough, some smart editor is going to come snatch it up. And sometimes you’ll get lucky, but more often, you’ll come up empty. What you really want is to be the Anthony fisherman.

So let’s go over those editor-luring techniques.

The Right Spot:

This is the most important part of the equation. You have to know where your idea will fit. Don’t assume that just because your topic is about weddings, it’ll be right for every wedding magazine. Pick a magazine genre and get to know it well. Read at least five or six wedding magazines, cover to cover, and jot down the names of the sections and columns. How long are the articles in each section? What is the tone? Is the magazine targeting brides on a budget or no-expense-is-too-silly ones? Which topics seem to come up in every issue? Know exactly where your article would fit within the magazine and be prepared to tell the editor.

The Right Time:

Magazines have long lead times (the time between an article’s acceptance and the time when it’s published), sometimes a year or more, but typically more like four to six months. Your great Christmas pitch is not going to get accepted in October. Think ahead and pitch ahead. Want to pitch an article about picking a flattering swimsuit or how to choose a summer camp? Do it in the early winter or you might as well wait until the following year.

The Right Bait:

This is your query itself, and it has to be irresistible. A small weed stuck to your lure will tip off the bass that it’s fake. Every sentence of your query has to reek of professionalism. Mimic the tone of the article in your query. The first paragraph of the query should read like the first paragraph of your proposed article. Include samples of your research and names of those you plan to interview. Throw in a juicy quotation from one of them if possible.

The Right Rig:

These are your clips. If your query doesn’t work, the clips probably won’t even be read. But if your query is good, your clips can make or break the deal. Don’t blow it by including samples from your blog, Epinions, WriteforCash, your high school newspaper, or an e-zine that runs anything people send in. This will automatically tell the editor that you have no professional experience. Even if that’s the case, you don’t want to flaunt it. Build up those clips any way you can, preferably in print (community newspapers, regional magazines, and trade magazines are less competitive than national consumer magazines, and all respectable places to earn clips).

Understand that if you’ve never proven yourself in a particular area of writing (health writing, let’s say), you probably won’t get a plum feature assignment that requires heavy research. Either write the article on spec to show you can handle it, or start by pitching shorter, front-of-the-book items to prove your chops.

The Right Technique:

Some editors prefer longer queries, some prefer shorter. Some accept reprints, some don’t. Some are okay with simultaneous submissions, multiple submissions, e-mail queries, and informal letters of introduction – some aren’t. You’ll learn some of these things in the writers’ guidelines that you find on a magazine’s website or in the Writer’s Market or the American Directory of Writer’s Guidelines. Others, you can find out by networking with writers on message boards like http://absolutewrite.com/forums/ and www.mediabistro.com/bbs, or joining groups like www.freelancesuccess.com and www.asja.org. And some you’ll learn along the way through trial and error. There is no one-size-fits-all technique that’ll work for all editors. About all they seem to agree on is that they hate it when their names are misspelled!

My biggest mistake as a beginning freelancer was the same as my biggest fishing trouble: I didn’t target well. I’d come up with an idea and send it to every editor I could find in the Writer’s Market who sounded remotely appropriate for my topic, whether I’d read the magazines or not.

Now I know that it’s a sign of respect for my profession and my industry if I take the time to study the detailed guidelines editors provide every month: their magazines. Before I can figure out how to bait my hook, I first need to find out what the fish are biting. And if I’m feeling strapped for cash, I don’t even need to buy copies – I can head to the library and spend my afternoon reading and taking notes there.

Part of the thrill of fishing is that you don’t catch a fish every time you throw your line out. It wouldn’t feel like an accomplishment if you did. Sometimes, you can do everything right – the perfect cast, the perfect spot – and not even feel a nibble. When this happens with a query, there may be something going on behind the scenes you don’t know about: Maybe they’ve recently assigned an article on your topic, or the section is about to be redesigned, or the editor’s budget for freelancers just got slashed.

What matters is that you get that line back in the water fast, and target your next mark just as carefully. Soon, you’ll reel in assignments with ease.

Tight lines, writers!

About The Author

Jenna Glatzer is the editor of http://www.absolutewrite.com (pick up a FREE list of agents looking for new writers!) and the author of 14 books, including MAKE A REAL LIVING AS A FREELANCE WRITER, which comes with a FREE Editors' Cheat Sheet. She's also Celine Dion's authorized biographer. Visit Jenna at http://www.jennaglatzer.com

jg@jennaglatzer.com

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#Freelance Daily Post:


Today in Freelance Fingerprints
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The Simple Secret for Making More Friends
by: Royane Real

When you meet new people for the first time, do you usually like most of the new people that you meet?

Or do you find that you usually dislike new people, unless they can eventually prove after a long time that they deserve your friendship?

Perhaps you have never thought about this before. And you may even wonder if it’s really important. Does it really matter very much if you like most people when you first meet them, or if you decide to like them much later, after you get to know them better?

To read more please go Freelance Fingerprints

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#Daily Writing Tip :
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How to Write a Great Combat Scene - Advice for Fantasy Writers
by Will Kalif

A great combat scene is a memorable event in your reader's life. It is a microcosm of the struggle that is contained in the book itself. And good combat scenes are often dog-eared by readers and returned to over and over again. You can give your reader a great combat experience if you follow a few simple guidelines.

A combat scene is something that may take up only a few minutes of your character's time but will take up significantly more of your reader's time. In a combat scene the reader's sense of time changes and because of this he or she is very sensitive to the details and the flow of the scene. This affords you the opportunity to write something very special that your reader will remember. Here are five tips for writing great combat scenes.

1. Do Your Research - You write fantasy, which means you can write anything you want. After all, it is a genre of imagination with few boundaries. But, today's fantasy reader is very savvy when it comes to the genre. He or she has access to books, movies, websites and all sorts of sources of information. And this means that he or she probably knows a bit about the weapons, armor, and combat techniques of different cultures and periods. He or she probably knows the difference between a Claymore and a Cutlass. And even though your writing is fantasy it still has to make sense to your reader. Research weapons, armor and combat techniques as they apply to your fantasy writing. This research will not only make your scenes more realistic it will also generate interesting and memorable ideas that you can incorporate into the scenes.

2. Take advantage of the Dilation of Time - A combat scene may take a minute or less in real time but in your writing you have the freedom to expand on this and absorb much more of your readers time. This ability to take up time will make a memorable impression on your reader. Be more descriptive in the motions, thoughts and reactions of the combatants.

3. Writing style and exposition - Above all else you have to pay close attention to the way you write combat scenes. A combat scene is a microcosm of your novel in that it describes something that often involves only a few minutes of action, yet the actual exposition can last several pages and take up quite a bit of your readers time. The most important rule of the actual writing is to avoid passive sentences. The sword was not thrust into your Protagonist's thigh; your Antagonist thrust it! Remember this rule and always edit your scenes to eliminate all passive sentences. The very nature of a combat scene is that it is active and not passive.

4. Handle Strange Creatures Realistically - When writing a creature into a combat scene whether it be a Troll, Ogre, Goblin, Orc, or any other type of exotic fantasy creature it still must follow the rules of flesh and blood. You probably don't have a real fantasy creature to model combat motions after but you will have a familiar creature that you can use as a template for motion. Fantasy creatures are almost always distortions of real creatures. Trolls become very large men, Goblins are wiry and quick, and Centaurs follow the template of horses. What you can do is to transfer your thinking about the creature in terms of what it is similar to. How would a horse move in this situation? How would a very large man move in this combat scene? These transferrances of physique work well and make the combat realistic.

5. Give your reader something Extra - In researching and thinking about your combat scenes you will come across some great ideas that will take the scenes to new levels. Here are three examples of what I mean. A Samurai sword is sharp on only one side but was that the only side of the weapon that the Samurai Warrior used? No! The blunt side was also a very effective weapon when the warrior wanted to subdue an enemy without killing or maiming. An observation like this can add a very strong distinction in the scene and can give you an interesting angle to think about and to have your characters think about. Many hand weapons of the medieval period had a spike or metal cap on the bottom end of the handle. This was a very effective means of striking an enemy when the fighting got real close and it became difficult to swing the business end of the weapon. An observation like this can have a dramatic effect on the flow of a fight scene. The Flamberge was a large two-handed weapon that was swung much like a baseball bat but the bottom portion of the blade was often wrapped in leather so when the fighting got close the wielder could choke up on it and swing it in a tighter and more controlled arc. Adding a detail like this lends a note of authority to the scene.

Just because you are writing fantasy doesn't mean you can write implausible and over the top fight scenes. Even fantasy worlds have rules of body and weapon to follow. If you know a little bit about weapons, armor and the rules of body motion you can write some truly memorable combat scenes that will give your reader an experience that will be fondly remembered and oft returned to.


About the Author

Will Kalif is the author of two self-published epic fantasy novels. You can download free samples of his work at his personal website: Storm The Castle - Creativity and Fantasy with an edge

Or you can visit his blog devoted to all things medieval at: The Heroic Dreams Medieval Blog

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