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Information
Becoming the Total Package
Being a great writer is no longer enough if you plan to score a big publishing deal, especially as a nonfiction author.Particularly if your book idea falls into the how-to or self-help categories, you not only have to sell your terrific writing, but you also have to sell yourself as the books conduit to the world.Publishers want to minimize their risks, so they dont haphazardly award big book contracts to unknown writersunless, that is, the writer is the total package.Read more…Voice in Narrative and Dialogue - A Contrast of Writing Styles
One of the nice things about being an author is that we can break any rule we want. (I just did.) It's part of our job description.Read more…Common Writing Mistakes
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.Read more…5 Reasons People Like Technology White Papers
A good white paper is a paper that makes you look good.You look good when your white paper makes sense, when it’s readable, when it concentrates on benefits and examples, and when it’s easy to get. Here’s why:Reason #1. Many people would rather die than talk to a sales representative right off the bat, but they will read a white paper.Read more…Unusual Points of View
Most writers are familiar with first and third points of view and their variations. But have you ever experimented with alternative points of view? Below are some less used points of view, what I call “unusual points of view.Read more…Top 10 Tips to Complete a Creative Writing Project Without Losing Your Creativity
Have you ever started a creative writing project with great excitement, only to have your interest dwindle as the process, itself, interfere with your creativity? How do you keep the momentum going and continue to enjoy the creative process? Follow these tips for high creativity, fun and success!Read more…Seven Compelling Reasons to Get Your Name on a Book Cover
Have you ever considered writing a book? If so, maybe you’ve already established firmly in mind your exact purpose for becoming an author. Your reasons may match one or more of those below.Read more…Documenting Everything: Your Journal is Your Logbook
Sailors had it for years. Great explorers had it as well. If you go on an expedition to an ancient Aztec mound, more than likely the archaeologist will have one too - so, why shouldn't you own one?Read more…Writing Without Style
Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact, highly desirable for newspapers. The average reading level of newspaper readers is the sixth grade. Over the years it became imperative that newspaper writing be simple, consistent, and use basic punctuation, even when that violated some elementary rules.Read more…Dialogue Tags - A Study in Common Errors
Verb and SubjectIncorrect:"I bet you two had a fine time," said Ben.When using tags, it’s unusual to have the verb before the subject. The general rule of thumb is to use this construction sparingly, as a rare change in pace or flow.Read more…An Inside Look at Proofreading
This is the ideal topic for us all to think about. We do it everyday, especially those of us that use the Internet the majority of the time. Web pages, business letters, articles, news releases, documentation and most certainly, advertisements.Read more…Self-examination vs Self-indulgence
Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the author to be harshly candid about motive, intent, and goal, which, of course, mean self-examination.Read more…Understanding The First Rule Of Writing - Before You Start The Great American Book
Chaos and confusion come when established rules and procedures are not followed. Even mixing and matching systems to favor one’s own position can cause a great deal of consternation. In writing a book, the first rule is to know and understand why you want to write in the first place.Read more…Should You Write a Book?
One morning, you open your inbox and find several e-mails that will boost your business. There is an invitation to speak at a local group comprised of your best prospects. Several emails have arrived from people who've "heard of you" and inquire about your services.Read more…Platform Development Tip #1: Switch Writing Hats!
Around eighty percent of nonfiction books today are written by “experts,” that is people who have a) earned credentials in the field they’re writing about, b) germinated information via articles, live presentations or other media, or c) had extraordinary, unique or memorably told life experiences relevant to their topic.For an autobiographical work, such as a memoir, an author needn’t have any special expertise—she is the foremost authority on her own life. For a how-to or self-help book, however, the first thing mainstream publishers want to know is, “Does the author have a platform?Read more…Baby Boomers and Booklets - Share and Share Alike
As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own a lifetime of valuable experiences, experiences that are useful to other people. You’ve given so much to your family all these years. It’s dawning on you there may be a larger audience who would benefit from your knowledge.Read more…How To Write Thank You Letters With Class
When I first started tracking the information preferences of people visiting my Writing Help Central Web site I was surprised to find how many folks were seeking information on how to write thank you letters. In fact, "thank you letter" information and sample templates are the third ranked destinations at that Web site.However, I caution you to be careful if you conduct a "thank you letter" keyword search using an engine such as google or yahoo.Read more…Writing Business Letters That Get The Job Done
Despite the widespread use of e-mail in commerce today, traditional business letters are still the main way that the majority of businesses officially communicate with their customers and other businesses.This is especially true when businesses want to formalize an agreement or an understanding. So far, emails are great for all of the preparatory work, but a formal business letter is still most often needed to "seal the deal".Read more…Water to Swim In
Not long ago, I took stock of my unrealized desire to be a published writer, or maybe I should I say ???Writer??? with a capital ???Read more…Publish Your Novel on the First Try
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side of John Grisham. It stops many writers in their tracks and often leads them to a new line of work.Read more…
Most Recent Articles in Speaking category
- Five Surefire Effective Communication Techniques - By: Crizza Reyes
There are many skills and techniques you must master to bean effective communicator and instructor. Many of these skills you already possess, all that is required is that you use them to their best advantage. - Eight Most Frequent Mistakes People Make in Front of an Audience - By: Suzanne Bates
Everyone makes mistakes in public speaking. The key is to identify a lesson learned and try to correct it your next time out. Knowing these eight common mistakes will help you to avoid such gaffes. - 6 Speed Reading Myths Debunked - By: Ed Caldwell
There is so much misinformation about speed reading that as a user for over 30 years, and as an instructor of tens of thousands of learners from all walks of life and all levels of education, I feel compelled to debunk some of the most prevalent and popular myths. - Speak and Touch the Heart - By: Balwinder Singh
Presentations and seminars become all too familiar in the business world. Jim Speaker is there with the overhead projector and PowerPoint slides-each with four of five points. Hours later the seminar is over. Seminars are informative but can be deadly. Just give me the handout and I'll read it at home! - Interviewing Your Characters - By: Sonu Kumar
One of my favorite techniques for getting into the head of my characters is, interviewing them. This relies heavily on rapid writing, so be sure you fully understand that concept first. If you don't, you can read my article "Rapid Writing" on my den. Interviewing characters is exactly how it sounds. You sit down with your characters and interview them, just like you would if you were a reporter. - From You v. Me to We: Seven Strategies to Talk to Your Communication Opposite - By: Meryl Runion
Research concerning communication style uncovers four different communication styles that are determined by two factors - pace and people-orientation. - The Changing Role of Language Interpretation - By: Nate Rodnay
Interpreting involves the orally rendering the meaning of dialog which is spoken in one language into another language while retaining its essence. Interpretation is often thought of as an extension of translation, which is the other basic language service. - The Company Identity - By: Nawaz Lakho
A company Identity is a simple, well formulated and designed, yet self expressing logo or signage, which is the company’s visual identity, it is also called Company brand or Brand Identity. Company Identity designing is a visual aspects of any organization. - Three Explosive Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention and Keep It - By: Arvee Robinson
Your goal as a presenter is to grab your audience’s attention and keep it. Although there are numerous ways to open a presentation, I have found three methods to be the most effective, especially when making business presentations. - 9 Secrets to Better Speaking - By: Arvee Robinson
These are just a few of the secrets that professional speakers use to deliver powerful presentations. By using these simple techniques, you too can command your audience’s attention, keep their interest, and move them into action.