Fixing the Flaws in the 10 Principles of Clear Writing

Author: Philip Yaffe

by Philip Yaffe

I recently did an Internet search for “clear writing” and frequently came up with the same list of “10 principles of clear writing”. Each one is a piece of very good advice; however the list has two faults.

First, I am viscerally suspicious of all 10-item lists. They seem contrived. It’s as if the writer decided that any self-respecting list should have 10 items, then set about inventing them to meet the challenge.

More importantly, these 10 principles of clear writing are not really principles at all, but rather tips and technique.

What’s the difference? Tips and techniques tell you what to do; principles tell you why you are doing it.

Understanding why you are doing something, i.e. the benefit you will gain, helps ensure that you will actually do it and do it consistently. Too often when we are told only what to do, we follow the instruction half-heartedly, inconsistently, or not at all.

For example, my last year at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), I tutored writing to make a bit of much-needed cash. One day a first year student came to me with a note from a professor, saying: “Young lady, I advise you either to leave my class immediately or prepare to fail it.” I concluded that she was misapplying a fundamental writing principle, so I explained it to her and had her do a few simple exercises to be certain she understood it. By the end of term, her almost certain “F” had shot up to a gratifying “B”.

This was not an isolated case. When students were having writing difficulties, it was generally because they were: 1) unfamiliar with a fundamental principle, 2) inconsistently applying it, 3) improperly applying it, or 4) not applying it at all.

I am a marketing communication consultant, after having been a newspaper editor, a writer with The Wall Street Journal, and European marketing communication director for two major international companies. Over my 40 year career, I have been continually appalled by how poorly top business executives, academics, researchers, and other clearly intelligent people express themselves, both in writing and speaking.

Some years ago I tried to analyze this depressing phenomenon. As a result, I defined three key principles that underlie virtually every kind of expository (non-fiction) writing and speaking. To give them strength and substance, I cast them in the form of quasi-mathematical formula. As formula, these principles not only tell you what to do, they also tell you why you are doing it and how to go about it.

I would first like to briefly explain these three principles, then see how they coincide with lists of tips and techniques that masquerade as principles.

Most people accept that a good text should be “clear” and “concise”. There is a third principle that is seldom mentioned. A good text should also be “dense”.

Clarity Principle

Being clear is not a matter of personal appreciation. Do you find your text clear? You should; after all, you wrote it. But how can you be certain that it will be clear to others?

According to the clarity principle, to be clear you must do three things:

1. Emphasize what is of key importance.

2. De-emphasize what is of secondary importance.

3. Eliminate what is of no importance.

In short: Cl = EDE

If you follow the formula, before you start writing you must first determine what is of key importance, i.e. what are the key ideas you want your readers to take away from your text?

This is not always easy to do. It is far simpler to say that everything is of key importance, so you put in everything you have. However, unless you do the work of defining what you really want your readers to know, they won’t do it for you. They will simply get lost in your text and either give up or come out the other end not knowing what they have read.

Next, as you write your text, you must be certain to de-emphasize what is of secondary importance. Why? Because if you really want your readers to recognize and retain the key ideas, then you don’t want them getting lost in the details. Details (information of secondary importance) explain and support the key ideas. They must never overwhelm them.

Finally, you must ruthless eliminate what is of no importance. Why? Because any information that adds nothing to explaining and supporting the key ideas will tend to obscure them, which is exactly the opposite of what you want.

Conciseness Principle

According to the conciseness principle, your text should be as:

1. Long as necessary

2. Short as possible

In symbols: Co = LS

“As long as necessary” means covering all the key ideas you identified under “clarity”, and all the information of secondary importance needed to explain and support them. Note that nothing is said here about the number of words, because it is irrelevant. If it takes 500 words to be “as long as necessary”, then 500 words must be used. If it takes 1500 words, then this is all right, too.

“As short as possible” means staying as close as you can to the minimum. Not because people prefer short texts; in the abstract the terms “long” and “short” have no meaning (so-called “weasel words”). The important point is: All words beyond the minimum tend to damage clarity. Subconsciously, readers will continually be trying to understand why those words are there, and will be continually failing because they serve no purpose.

Density Principle

Density is a less familiar concept than clarity and conciseness, but is equally important. According to the density principle, you text should contain:

1. Precise information

2. Logically linked

In other words: D = PL

Using precise information rather than wishy-washy weasel words in a text aids clarity. For example, if you say it is a “hot” day, what do you mean? One reader might interpret hot as 24° C while another might interpret is as 36° C. However, if you say the temperature outside is 28° C, there is no room for interpretation—or misinterpretation.

Using precise information also generates confidence, because it tells the reader that you really know what you are talking about. This helps to hold the reader’s attention and makes it easier to get your points across.

However, precise data (facts) by themselves are insufficient. To be meaningful, data must be organized to create “information”. There are two important tests to apply when converting data into information.

A. Relevance

Is a particular piece of data really needed? As we have seen, unnecessary data damages clarity and ultimately confidence. Therefore, any data that do not either aid understanding or promote confidence should be rigorously eliminated.

B. Misconceptions

The logical link between data must be made explicit to prevent the reader from coming to false conclusions. Example: A singular occurrence may be misinterpreted as part of a broad pattern; a general policy may be misinterpreted as applying only in specific circumstances, etc.

To ensure that a logical link is clear, place the two pieces of data as close to each other as possible, preferably right next to each other. When data are widely separated, their logical link is masked. If you don’t make the logical connection, it is unrealistic to expect readers will do so for themselves.

Keeping these true principles – clarity, conciseness, density – firmly in mind allows us to re-evaluate the oft-quoted ten “principles” of clear writing” (i.e. tips and techniques), thereby making them significantly more meaningful, and significantly more useful.

1. Keep sentences short

This is usually interpreted to mean an average sentence length of 15 – 18 words. Not because readers can’t handle longer sentences. However, when length rises above this average, sentences are likely to be poorly constructed, thereby damaging clarity.

But remember, 15 – 18 words is an average. Don’t shun longer sentences. A well constructed long sentence is often clearer than two or more shorter ones. Why? Because the longer sentence betters shows the logical linkage among the various elements, which would be lost by splitting it apart.

2. Prefer the simple to the complex

If the precise word is long, don’t hesitant to use it, because not using it would damage clarity. On the other hand, if a shorter word would do just as well, prefer it. Examples: “dog” rather than “canine”, “change” rather than “modification”, “entrance” rather than “ingress”, etc.

3. Prefer the familiar word

This is just a variation of point 2. If you have a choice between two words, use the one that most people are likely to recognize and use themselves. Examples: “insult” rather than “imprecate”, “daily” rather than “quotidian”

4. Avoid unnecessary words

In other words, be concise.

5. Use active verbs

In an individual sentence, whether you use an active or a passive verb is of little consequence. However, over an entire text it becomes very important. Active verbs tend to enhance clarity; conversely, too many passive verbs tend to damage it.

6. Write the way you speak

This is a very useful technique, but don’t take it literally. When we speak, we generally use simpler vocabulary and sentence structures than when we write. Writing the way you speak is a good way to produce a first draft. However, when we speak, our sentence structures are often confused and our vocabulary imprecise. These faults must be rigorously corrected in the second, third or later drafts.

7. Use terms your reader can picture

In other words, be dense. Use specifics; avoid weasel words. When making a general statement, be certain to support it with concrete data.

8. Tie in with your reader’s experience

We are again talking about density, i.e. using precise information. Be certain that the terminology you chose is compatible with your readers’ experience. If you need to use a word not likely to be familiar to your readers, define it the first time it appears. If it is really key, define it again later on in the text. Also be wary of words that look familiar but have a very different meaning in the context of your subject.

Example: “Insult” is medical jargon for an injury or trauma. However, talking about an “insult” to the heart without first explaining this unconventional meaning of the word is likely to leave your readers scratching their heads.

9. Make full use of variety

This suggestion is almost superfluous. If you conscientiously apply the three writing principles of clarity, conciseness, and density, you will almost automatically introduce variety of sentence length and structure into your text.

Avoid introducing too much variety of vocabulary. Constantly changing terminology for the sake of variety damages clarity. If several words mean essential the same thing, pick one or two of them and shun the others. Introduce equivalent terms in such a way that the reader clearly understands they mean the same thing.

Example

1. (Confusing) Manned space travel to Mars is once again being considered. The Red Planet has fascinated mankind for centuries. The “God of War” is the fourth planet from the sun – our own Earth is the third – and it is our closest celestial neighbor except for the moon.

2. (Clear) Manned space travel to Mars is once again being considered. Popularly known as the “Red Planet”, Mars has fascinated mankind for centuries. Being the forth planet from the sun (Earth is the third), it is our closest celestial neighbor except for the moon.

10. Write to express, not to impress

The purpose of expository (non-fiction) writing is to inform or instruct, not to show off your literary prowess. The fact is, the better you write, the less people are likely to notice. And this is how it should be. The reader’s full attention should be on what you are saying, not how you are saying it.

Philip Yaffe is a former reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal and a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches a course in good writing and good speaking in Brussels, Belgium. His recently published book In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional is available from Story Publishers in Ghent, Belgium (storypublishers.be) and Amazon (amazon.com).

For further information, contact:

Philip Yaffe

Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 660 0405

Email: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com

About the Author:
Philip Yaffe is a former writer with The Wall Street Journal and international marketing communication consultant. Now semi-retired, he teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English as a second or third language, his approach to writing and public speaking is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He is the author of In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/fixing-the-flaws-in-the-10-principles-of-clear-writing-326181.html

Columbo: What Can a Bumbling, Inarticulate Los Angeles Cop Teach Us About Effective Communication?

Author: Philip Yaffe

by Philip Yaffe

Decade after decade, perhaps the most popular type of television program has been the detective story, the traditional “who dun it?”, presumably because people enjoy being held in suspense. It is therefore instructive to note that one of the most popular TV detective shows of all time has no suspense to it whatsoever.

Remember “Columbo”? Reversing the conventional format, this show tells us exactly “who dun it” within the first five or ten minutes. The remainder of the show then invites us to accompany the dishevelled, seemingly bumbling Los Angeles cop (played by Peter Falk) as he bit by bit exposes the murderer’s errors until the culprit has no option but to confess.

If people love being held in suspense, why has this decidedly un-suspenseful series been so unfailingly successful? Because people also love clarity. If they are going to be led on a journey, they want to know where they are going and why they are going there before they set off.

You are probably now wondering, “Where is all this TV nostalgia leading me?” Quite simply, to a crucially important principle about writing and public speaking.

“Creative” writers, i.e. those who produce short stories, novels, television scripts, film scripts and other forms of entertainment have a choice. They can be mysterious at the beginning, revealing all only at the end (the conventional approach). Or, like Columbo, they can reveal all at the beginning and then delineate the process that leads to the denouement.

“Expository writers”, i.e. those of us who produce memos, reports, proposals, newsletters, textbooks, training manuals, research papers, etc., don’t have this choice. Unless we tell our readers or listeners exactly where we are taking them and why they should want to go there, they are unlikely to come along.

This is because fiction and non-fiction serve two very different purposes.

By simplest definition, the fundamental purpose of creative (fiction) writing is to amuse and entertain. In other words, people come to a work of fiction expecting to be drawn in and are willing to help you in the task. After all, who doesn’t want to be amused and entertained?

This is the conventional “who dun it” approach.

The fundamental purpose of expository (non-fiction) writing is to inform and instruct. Most people don’t relish being informed and instructed. In general, they would prefer to be doing something else. If you want them to follow where you lead, you must make it worth their while from the very beginning. In short, you must be certain that they know almost instantaneously where you wish to lead them and what benefit they might get from coming along.

This is the Columbo approach.

In practice, this means that before you type a single word, you need to answer a fundamental question: “Why the hell would anyone want to read what I am going to write, or listen to what I am going to say?” If you can’t give at least one or more good answers to this question, you have no business striking a key.

But caution. Don’t fall into the trap of saying, “Well, they should want to read this or listen to this because it’s important to them.” This is viewing the world from your point of view, not theirs. In general, you cannot force people to read what they don’t want to read or listen to what they don’t want to hear. To be truly successful, you must demonstrate to your audience that what you have to say is important, not simply shout it. Once they decide to follow you of their own free will, success is almost guaranteed.

This crucial point is perhaps best expressed in what I immodestly call Yaffe’s Law.

“If you give people what they want first, they are likely to accept anything else you want them to have. If you give them what you want first, they are likely not to accept anything at all.”

Philip Yaffe is a former reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal and a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches a course in good writing and good speaking in Brussels, Belgium. His recently published book In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional is available from Story Publishers in Ghent, Belgium (storypublishers.be) and Amazon (amazon.com).

About the Author:

Philip Yaffe is a former writer with The Wall Street Journal and international marketing communication consultant. Now semi-retired, he teaches courses in persuasive communication in Brussels, Belgium. Because his clients use English as a second or third language, his approach to writing and public speaking is somewhat different from other communication coaches. He is the author of In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional. Contact: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com.

For further information, contact:

Philip Yaffe

Brussels, Belgium

Tel: +32 (0)2 660 0405

Email: phil.yaffe@yahoo.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/columbo-what-can-a-bumbling-inarticulate-los-angeles-cop-teach-us-about-effective-communication-384662.html

How to Write a Best Seller

Author: Joan Clout-Kruse

A best seller is every author’s dream. You can write a best seller if you follow some key writing tips and it isn’t just the inside content. Besides helping your readers solve problems or achieve goals you need to focus on the book cover design. That is the key to getting readers to pick up your book and browse through it.

I recall years ago I was stuck figuring out how to accomplish some tasks. Working in corporate America at the time I was always challenged to try new ways to get things done: improve productivity, identify ways to improve the bottom line, write a report, etc. Some things I tried wouldn’t work. I realized that I had a fear: If I couldn’t do it I would go so far and if I got stuck I would stop.

Then one day as I meandered the bookstore I saw a book entitled, “Getting Unstuck: Breaking Through Your Barriers To Change,” by Dr. Sidney B. Simon. It was published in 1989 and it was a best seller.

The title caught my attention, “Getting Unstuck.” In fact it is a popular title that has been used dozens of times since 1989 and probably before that. With the book in my hand I read the rest of the front cover and the back cover. I opened it up and read the testimonials on the inside front cover and browsed the Table of Contents. I fanned through the pages to see if it was my kind of book: lots of sub-headings, some activities to practice and lots of white space.

“This is it,” I thought. “This is the book that has the answers for me.” I bought the book home and read it from cover to cover. I read that book over and over again, made notes, highlighted important sentences, did some of the activities, and in time I got unstuck. In fact I chose to leave corporate America and get out of my comfort zone and try new things: speaking, writing articles and books, and helping others achieve their goals.

It all started because I bought a book that helped me make a change in my life and know that I could do it with a plan.

Nonfiction books bring us many new ideas and ways to solve our problems or achieve our goals if we apply what we have learned to our lives. We purchase these books because of the change we believe they will make in our lives.

Are you writing a book that can help your reader like Dr. Simon’s book helped me? Let’s review the steps that attracted me to this book in the first place.

1. Attention-Getting Title. The title captured my attention because it was something I needed at the time. Be sure that your title is short but to the point. You can have a subtitle that describes it further.

2. Attractive Book Cover Design. The book cover design must catch the reader’s eye when browsing the many books in the bookstore. Even when searching on Amazon and other online bookstores the colors, artwork, illustrations and photo placed appropriately are important.

3. Sales Information on Back Cover. It is amazing how much can be put on the back cover. This is your sales piece. A brief bio, 2-3 testimonials, 3-4 benefits; all will entice your reader to go further and buy your book.

4. Testimonials on Inside Front Cover. Before your book is finished send a few chapters to people such as CEOs, Presidents, health professionals if your book is about health or fitness, and leaders in the community that are willing to give you a testimonial of 2-3 sentences. Better yet after asking and getting an okay to send you materials on the book, send them the book proposal you have already prepared. Remove the marketing and promotional information, as they aren’t interested in that. Send them everything else that pertains to the inside content of the book.

5. Eye-catching Titles for Table of Contents. Create great eye-catching titles for your Table of Contents that will intrigue your reader and make them want to see more.

6. Good Content is still King. If you have done a good job with these five elements for your book you could have a buyer for your book. Remember though, the most important thing is the content you write. It must be helpful information that your reader wants. It must be written in a way that your reader understands and can apply to his or her life. Your book must help your readers solve a problem, achieve a desired goal or be a book of inspiration.

Follow these tips: Have an attention-getting title, attractive book cover design, sales information on back cover, testimonials, terrific titles for your Table of Contents, and good content. You have the formula for a best seller!

Copyright 2008, Joan Clout-Kruse. All rights reserved.

About the Author:

America’s Book Coach, Joan Clout-Kruse, helps entrepreneurs and business professionals write a book that will get them recognized as an expert, attract more clients and boost their income. Sign up for the Free Sneak Preview of Joan’s Writers Retreat where you’ll learn how to write, market and publish your book at http://www.BizBookWritersRetreat.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/how-to-write-a-best-seller-390798.html

Writing Tips – Five Ways to Immediately Improve

As a writer it is all too easy to concentrate on the mechanics of submitting work to editors and to forget that the writing itself is of primary importance. We should all be constantly seeking to improve. If we do that, editorial approval will become that much easier.

To that end, here are five things you can start doing today that will immediately improve your writing, and with it your chances of getting published.

Improve your vocabulary

Buy a good dictionary, and learn a word every day. Play around with it, using it in sentences, in dialogue and description. As you go along, make a list of the words you’ve learned. At the end of the month, try to write down a definition beside each word. If you can’t remember what the word means, look it up again, play with it again, and leave it on the list for another month. I guarantee your vocabulary will grow in leaps and bounds.

Read more

You can’t come up with an original idea unless you know what isn’t original. So read as widely as you can, both within your chosen area and beyond.

I write, and read, horror fiction, but I also read the classics, crime fiction, science-fiction, fantasy and the occasional airport blockbuster. I also read non-fiction, in the fields of astronomy, biology, parapsychology, archaeology, religious history and mythology.

Everything is grist to the mill, and little is ever wasted. If nothing else, it allows you to feel superior while watching “The Weakest Link”.

Deconstruct Writing that Works

When you read something that strikes you as a fine piece of writing, or something that has had success in your chosen area, go back and read it again. This time take notes:
What caught your attention about the writing?
What does the writer do that you don’t?
Would you have done it differently? If so, what makes what you’ve just read better?
You can also do this when you see bad writing. After a while, you’ll find yourself doing it automatically with almost everything you read. From the notes you can make up a list of writing tips for yourself. Add to it as you go along, read it often, and follow your own guidance. Improvements will follow.

Edit yourself

You have to develop a thick skin, and an ability to look at your work dispassionately. After you’ve written something, put it away for a few days, then come back and look at it critically.
Cheque yure speling
Grammar your check
Remove any superfluous unnecessary adjectives
Remove any repeating repetitious repetition
Are your verbs will use the right tense?
If you are writing about a man, is she the right gender?
Never use a long word when a short individual will do

Hone your work until it is as good as you can make it. If you don’t respect your writing, how can you expect anyone else to do so?

Read your work out loud.

Reading aloud enables you to check the rhythm of your work. Check that your writing flows. If it feels uncomfortable to say it, it’s time to rewrite.

At the same time check your sentence lengths. If you need to take a breath in mid-sentence, then it probably needs editing. You might feel self-conscious at first, but stick with it. I’ve found this to be one of the best ways to find your writer’s voice.

Go on. Start now. You’ll feel the benefits immediately, and you’ll be a better writer for it. And that’s what we all want, isn’t it?

Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ – Free Articles Directory

About the Author

William Meikle is still improving after seven published novels. Read his latest novel, Generations, and see dragons battle giant bugs in a YA Fantasy now available at Amazon, or visit his site at http://www.williammeikle.com

7 Ways To Get Paid To Write Online

by: David Drake

More and more people tend to earn at home nowadays. However, the catch is that stay-at-home jobs don’t work with many fields. If you are a good writer, then you are among the lucky lot and we are about to discover how it is so.

Usually freelance writing work is available through various resources through freelance exchange websites such as rentacoder.com, scriptlance.com etc. There are also a number of sites for classified advertisements where these work can be easily found; e.g. craigslist.com. If you search through such sites, you will understand that you have many options.

? Blog writing and reviewing is one popular option open to writers. Many freelance exchange websites have openings for this kind of projects with an increasing trend. The task at hand could either be to write on a given topic which will become a blog or to make comments on already written blogs with a back link to the buyer’s account, so as to increase search engine rankings to a particular site.

? Writing for SEO is another popular method. Many website owners are interested in getting a high rank in SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) as it will be advantageous for increasing web traffic and their sales. Therefore, website owners will provide writers with sets of keywords to be included in the article. The writer should be skilled enough to meaningfully use these contents without harming the flow and the originality of the article.

? Writing Newsletters is another method. Various institutes now outsource their newsletter writing through many websites. The writer is given specific topics to be written in standard or specific newsletter formats. This work can be considered relatively easy due to the nature of the work. In most cases, you will be given a newsletter template where your job will be to fill in the content according to the given format.

? Writing auto-responders is an ideal job for creative freelance writers. It is usually a very simple task requiring high creativity. Your task as a freelance writer in here is to come up with attractive auto responders with plenty of creative thought.

? Content writing for websites is a highly paid job because it is the writing that turns visitors in to buyers. So if you are a writer with high language skills and if you have a very good creative mind, this job is for you.

? Ghost writers are those who get paid the most. Whenever you are expected to become a ghost writer, it has to do something with publishing the content be it an e-book, research paper or a single article. As a ghost writer, you are expected to come up with the general outline of your project. Once everything is discussed, the writer will start on the project.

? However, if you want to retain your copyrights and take credit for what you do, you still have the choice to do that with websites such as associatedcontent.com. It’s a place where you can simply publish your article and get paid for the number of page hits you receive. In other words, the more popular your articles become more money you will earn!

About The Author

Get the real insider secrets to make money writing online. David Drake is the author of the ebook6 Figure Freelancer.It reveals powerful strategies and a step by step blueprint to lay out a 6 Figure action plan with online freelance writing.Visit at http://6figurefreelancer.com

source: articlecity.com

Opportunity Spotting : Freelance Writing Is Booming.

by: David Drake

The word freelance was first coined by Sir Walter Scott, a renowned Scottish historical novelist and poet when he wrote his novel Ivanhoe to refer to a medieval mercenary warrior. In 1903 the word was officially recognized by etymologists and made it to the Oxford English Dictionary.

Simply put, a freelancer is a person who is self employed. Freelancers seek out different projects which vary in their size, scope and variety. In case of freelancing writing, projects may include article writing, book writing, ebook writing, Technical reports, editing, proofreading, white papers, direct mail, copywriting, newsletters, Ezine writing… and much more.

A Look at Current State of Industry

The freelance industry has literally boomed. $60 billion of work is now outsourced to specialists’ worldwide. According to the US Department of Labor “35 million Americans class themselves as independent professionals.”

In the past three years, companies have increased their outsourcing by 22%

A survey done predicted that companies using freelance services will more than double from 20% to 50%.

This trend is not a localized trend to be seen in USA or a few countries but is slowly becoming a global phenomenon.

Looking at it ,being part of a $120 billion industry won’t be bad!

But why exactly has freelance writing boomed?

Though there are many reasons behind this phenomenon ,two reasons which clearly stand out above the rest.

The explosion of the Internet

The Internet is a relatively new medium when you compare it to other mature mediums such as television and radio and is still in its Wild West days. Apart from being a huge information resource it is also a huge advertising medium where companies get their businesses from.

Shift in business practices:

Back in the good old 60’s and 70’s you could set up a successful business and could expect to reap profits for a long period of time. Businesses could afford full time employees in all areas. With hyper competition and large fluctuations in technology, businesses have adopted a different model. They only do the thing which they do best and outsource all other activities to specialists.

So rather than having a full time writer on the company’s payroll, it’s more efficient to find a writer who specializes in a particular type of writing. If a company needs articles written for their website they would post a bid on a website such as Elance.com for a web content writer, get it done and move on. Another time they need a good copywriter they would post a bid for a copywriter, get the job done and move on. The key point to understand is that companies now place more value on specialists – freelancers who are more skilled in a narrow focus of work.

For freelancers, this literally means a world of opportunity. You can work from home, doing interesting and rewarding work, working with customers all over the world. You can be paid directly into your bank account, and earn more than you ever dreamed possible in your 9-5 day job.

About The Author

Get the real insider secrets to make money writing online. David Drake is the author of the ebook6 Figure Freelancer.It reveals powerful strategies and a step by step blueprint to lay out a 6 Figure action plan with online freelance writing.Visit at http://6figurefreelancer.com

source: articlecity.com

Writing An eBook – How To Think Up A Grand Plan For Your eBook And Structure Your Chapters

Author: Paula Brett

This article will concentrate on adding some structure to your eBook idea. We will be creating the GRAND PLAN that will define your ebook and make the writing process easier…a roadmap leading to your success. Exciting!!

Here we go!

Take a moment to recognize what images you have in your mind when you think of having your ebook completed. Can you see a picture of the finished product, like on all those websites with very pretty ebook covers? How about an image of $100 bills flying into your bank account? Are you seeing a new car in your garage, like you see on every other sales page you’ve ever visited?

Those are very stimulating end-of-the-creation-process images, but they might get you to rush through the next few steps and blow all your hard work right out the window. So, take a few minutes to daydream about your success and all the benefits it will bring to your life. Enjoy it for a few minutes and let’s get back to the real work ahead of you.

The first undertaking you need to think about, and complete, is an outline of your ebook’s layout. Think about this as designing your chapter structure. All successful ebooks have a simple and logical manner of organization. This organization includes very clear and concise sections of information that flow from the beginning to the end of your ebook. Those sections will become your chapter headings.

So, first, get some paper and let’s brainstorm a little about those chapter headings. Write your favorite title at the top of the page. This will give you a mental anchor and strong focus on the steps to come…something concrete to write around.

Thinking about your topic, how do you want to present it to your readers? You have several options and they all have their benefits.

One way is to pick a list of basic facts or strong statements from your content pile or list of notes. If you don’t have a pile of notes and content yet, just list the 5 or 6 or 10 major points you would like to cover in your ebook. Each statement or major point has to be revised to attract your reader and make them want to read the chapter.

For example: “How To Make Chocolate Chip Cookies” or “Quick Chocolate Chip Cookies To Delight Your Kids.” Which one would you be more interested in reading?

Your task with this type of chapter headings is to make the points you listed interesting, intriguing or exciting. You can use slight twists on common phrases, a little bit of humor or some “drama” statement, like “How I Regained My Reputation After Making The Worst Batch of Cookies Ever Made.” See what I mean?

Another technique, and often a very effective one, is to use questions as chapter headings. Then, you can fill the chapter with answers or solutions to the dilemma posed by the question. This is a simple technique to let you create some powerful chapters, full of great content for your readers.

Example: “Are Ants Running You Out Of Your Home?” Chapter contents: Discussion on why the ants are in your home, where they came from, both natural and chemical ways to get rid of them, strategies to keep them from returning and so on.

** Here’s psychological a tip to keep in mind when you are creating your chapter headings: Look at the heading

“Are Ants Running You Out Of Your Home?”

There were specific reasons for choosing the two emotional words in there. “Running” insinuates hiding, escaping, danger and “Home” is where the heart is, so to speak. “Home” is a highly charged word that denotes safety, warmth, family, etc. It is totally emotional while “House” is not.

The chapter title would not have the same impact stated like this; “Are Ants Being A Nuisance In Your House?”or “Do You Have Ants In Your House?” See the difference?**

You can do this same process with any topic you want to do it with, over and over. Create some questions on your topic and research the answers. There’s your ebook!

If you decide to use this technique on your own topic, start listing some problems and questions you’ve had in your life or in the lives of those around you…family, friends, neighbors… that are pertinent to your topic. Everyone you know and everything you see or hear is a possible source of new content and a new ebook.

Do not get too far from your notebook. Start listening and watching. You will be surprised by how many ideas you can generate for future use. Do you think this first ebook is going to be your last one? I don’t!

This step in your journey concludes with some notes on what to do with the outline you are creating. Work on it for a while (couple of hours or after dinner) until you think you’ve got it all in there. Put it away for the night and go hug your kids or something else relaxing.

When you come back to it tomorrow, new ideas will be popping out of your mind. Some of the fantastic chapter headings you loved yesterday will not seem so great today. That’s normal. Make the additions, deletions, revisions and start listing content points under each chapter.

Do not stress over this step…just keep listing the points you think belong in each chapter. If you run out of steam, take a break and go to your favorite search engine for some more research. For a day or so, keep editing your chapters and shuffling your information points until you are satisfied. When you are, quit.

Don’t you wish you’d paid more attention in school when your teachers were trying to teach you to focus and outline your essays and reports?

About the Author:

Paula Brett is an internet marketer and eBook author. You can sign up to her FREE 7-day product creation eCourse at http://www.operationebook.com – you can visit her blog at http://www.paula-brett.com/blog/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/writing-an-ebook-how-to-think-up-a-grand-plan-for-your-ebook-and-structure-your-chapters-268244.html

Write a Book, Be an Expert

Author: Joan Clout-Kruse

“Write a book and get recognized as an expert.” How many times have you heard that? Hundreds? Thousands? It is a fact that people acknowledge you as the expert when you have put your knowledge in print. It could be a book, a column, a booklet or a white paper that has been published. If people find what you wrote helpful to them, you become an expert!

The good news is you can write about anything and become an expert. It doesn’t necessarily need to be something you know right now. Yet, I do encourage my writers to write about what they know as it is the easiest way to write your first book. It is important to write about what you know if you are promoting your business and want your clients to recognize you as an expert in your business.

Yet, I have learned from my clients that you can write about what you don’t know and be highly successful at it. Here are some tips to get any writer started writing about what he or she doesn’t know.

1. Have a passionate idea. Some of my clients wanted to do something different: Write a Zen book, a comic book, and produce a positive, motivational rap music CD. These passionate ideas had a thread of relationship to their business, yet they were obsessed with creating these projects. And that is the key: You have to want it so bad that it becomes an obsession. You think about it day and night and you know you will not rest until you do it.

2. Research your idea. Get some basic ideas and resource information by doing research. For many writers this is not fun: Then get a college student to do it for you. Tell the student what information you need to get started. For example, the comic book author would want to see if anything like an educational comic book for adults has been done before in the same topic she has chosen. She will want to check out comic book publishers and their criteria. Also, find some articles on comic book publications and “how to” articles. You can use the Internet, the library, and even the bookstore to get the information you need.

3. Find and ask the experts to help you. “Flattery will get you anywhere,” the saying goes. Experts love to hear that their ideas are helpful. They are willing to help you if you ask. For example, the author who wanted to create a comic book knew nothing about how to do that. She met someone who was a graphic designer. She told him about her dream to create her comic book. The designer was excited about it and showed her his drawings. Collaboration was born to create a comic book. Just keep on asking people who you know that can help you with your idea. The Law of Attraction will take over and in no time you will have the right person to help you write your book. Other ways are to visit networking groups or visit organizations that are related to your topic.

4. Go to seminars or take classes. There are many great writing seminars and classes available to learn more about your subject. We even have Internet online classes and teleseminars we can take without even leaving our house. Learning in an environment with other students is a valuable opportunity to make new like-minded friends. So don’t be a wallflower and keep to yourself. Share your ideas and be actively involved in the class so people will get to know you. Class participants could give you some great ideas for your book, especially if you are writing on a new topic and gathering information for your book.

5. Be an eagle-eye observer. Pay attention to what is going on around you. Read everything with an eagle eye. What are the latest, hottest topics? Do they fit your criteria? Is it something you might want to write about? Start watching TV differently–instead of just for entertainment watch special shows that give you information and news that might perk your interest in writing a book. My rap music CD client wanted to produce a positive rap CD to reach young adults. She began observing Gospel rap musicians and listening to music that had a positive influence. Observe other people’s point of view. Keep your eyes open and watch people in their daily lives. So by following these five simple steps–passionate idea, research, ask the experts, take classes, and be an eagle eye observer–you can write about what you don’t know. Remember you must be passionate about what you want to write, set up a writing plan, follow the plan, take action and write every day. In no time you will have written your book that makes you the expert.

About the Author:

America’s Book Coach, Joan Clout-Kruse, helps entrepreneurs and business professionals write a book that will get them recognized as an expert, attract more clients and boost their income. Claim your Free audio and tips on writing your great book at http://www.writemybizbook.com/ezine.html

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/write-a-book-be-an-expert-268628.html

7 Exciting Reasons to Write a Book Now

Author: Earma Brown

Have you been dreaming of writing a book this year? According to a recent survey the New York Times reported, 81% of people feel that they have a book in them and should write it. Why not join the list of authors who acted on that thought?

Writing a book is a great way to position you to charge higher fees, create additional income streams and go on more vacations. A book will expand your exposure, add credibility and increase your opportunities for adventure. Still not convinced? Here are 7 more exciting reasons you should write a book now:

1. Write a book now; for now is better than later. Kill procrastination by acting now. Sign up for a course? Read a good book about book writing. Sketch out your book writing plan. Remember you become a successful author the minute you start moving toward your worthwhile book goal. I don’t know anyone that regrets they wrote a book. But I know plenty of people that regret they didn’t do it sooner.

2. Extend your reach to the world. When your book is ready for purchase, many people will get it from all over the world. With your extended reach, opportunities for you to interact with people outside of your local area will come. Write a good book; make it easy for your subscribers and customers to tell their friends and associates. Remember, referrals always make the best customers and bring a higher rate of sales.

3. Write a book and go places you’ve never gone. At the least, your book will travel to countries and places you’ve never gone. Better yet, add speaking about your book’s topic to your list of services and watch new doors and opportunities for you open. Either way, writing your book will open opportunities to go places you may not get to go any other way.

4. Write a book and create multiple income streams. Don’t just plan a one book event but plan a series of books. It’s important to expand your thinking to the possibilities after your book is published. Plan to produce articles, books and updates that help your readers and help you profit from your passion. Each new book or related material will create new profit opportunities, further enhance your visibility and reinforce your credibility as an expert.

5. Write a book and become famous. Grow your name to fame. Write a book filled with success experiences that motivate your audience to give more, do more or share more. Share your experiences to inspire your audience. Share how you overcame seemingly insurmountable challenges in your field. It will motivate your audience to think if you did it; they can do it too.

6. Write a book and make your mother proud. Intertwine stories into your non-fiction manuscript. Entertain your audience, make them laugh; they’ll love you for it. Best of all, your family, your friends and your mother will be so proud to tell all their friends about your book.

7. Write a book and get paid higher fees. Writing a book elevates you to expert level. You gain instant credibility just by having author behind your name? And that added credibility gives you the power to increase your fees to expert level up to 400% and more.

Are you ready to join the ranks of successful authors? You don’t have to call your family to tell them you’ll be late again today. You won’t even have to pull in more people to help you work harder. I can’t think of a more opportune way to change your bottom line and even your life than by writing a book. Go ahead; write your best book now and prosper.

About the Author:

Earma Brown, 12 year author and business owner
helps small business owners and writers who want to write their best book now! Earma mentors other writers and business professionals through her monthly ezine “iScribe.” Send any email to iscribe@bookwritinghelp.com for free mini-course “Jumpstart Writing Your Book” or visit her at Book Writing

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/7-exciting-reasons-to-write-a-book-now-306671.html

8 Ways to Sell Your Book

Author: Joan Clout-Kruse

There are many ways to sell your book. Be creative and think of unique ways to sell your book in your community and online. It is important that you feel comfortable talking to others and asking people to buy your book. Take a sales course to get you going. Eight ways to sell your book are listed below. Choose one of them and get everything set up so that by the time your book is published you are ready to sell your book.

1. Get listed in online bookstores. Barnes and Noble and Amazon are two you can list on if your book has an ISBN number. Find online services that specialize in your type of book such as, religious, self-help, personal success, business, etc.

2. Your Website. If you already have a Website then set up a page for your new book and promote your book on it. You need to develop words or phrases that you feel someone will enter into a search engine to find a book like yours. The Internet is the most powerful and inexpensive way to sell anything if you know how to do it. However, you are competing with millions of Websites out there who want to do business. If you are not familiar with the importance of knowing how to attract people to your site (traffic) and how to do keyword search and use it, then hire a keyword expert to do this for you. It is worth the money to have it done right the first time.

3.”Pay-per-click” advertising. With pay-per-click, the advertiser only pays if someone actually visits your website. You buy keywords that you think your type of reader would search for. You don’t want to buy the most popular keywords because it’s too expensive. Test different words or phrases that your prospect would search and only buy ones that are reasonable. Keywords can cost $1.00 per click — that is too much. You need to keep your keyword under 25 cents. Be careful with this. Sign up only if you know what you are doing. Get an expert to help you with this. Check out the local colleges. There just might be a student out there waiting to help you.

4. Book signing events. Find some independent bookstores in your community as they can give you more attention than a big box bookstore. Also find big events that offer exhibit space. Share the cost with another small business where you each use half of the table top. Create an attention getting display for your book. Use flowers, bright colors, banners, etc. Be proactive and invite visitors to your table to sign books. Ask them an open-ended question to get them involved in interacting with you. For example, as a book coach I could ask, “What is more important to you — attracting more clients or getting recognized as an Expert?” A good conversation could begin once I know the answer to my question.

5. Sell to libraries. Send a mailing to the libraries to order your book. Most libraries buy books that are on the review list of Publishers Weekly, the Booklist, or the Library Journal. Your book must have created a lot of buzz for libraries to take an interest in it. You can sell a lot of books to libraries if your book is a good one.

6. Sell to book clubs. Don’t forget to promote your book — include some reviews — to book clubs.

7. Sell your books to corporations as gifts. Phone the corporate executives you know and ask them if they would be interested in buying books for management and key people in their company. You will have all of them personally autographed for them. Check with your publisher to find out how many copies does a corporation need to buy to get a discount. If they are interested send them a copy of the book with a personal letter.

8. Sell your books to corporations with company imprints. Invite companies to buy large volumes with the company imprint. They can give them out at company annual meetings, parties, etc. Check with your printer and ask what the minimum volume is to print with a company imprint.

Close The Sale

Once you have a potential book buyer ask the right questions to get him or her to buy the book. You can’t be shy. If you can’t get rid of your introverted style then ask a dynamic friend who you feel could sell anything to help you. Award your friend with a Starbucks or American Express card for a selected dollar amount to give them as a gift of appreciation. Once you’ve attracted a prospect, once you’ve explained the book, shared the benefits, it’s time to close the sale. Assume they want the book and ask something like, “Shall I dedicate this book to you, or to a friend?” Or, “If you buy one for a friend I can ship it for you.” For business owners you can ask, “Would you like to give some of these autographed books as gifts to your employees?” Always be enthusiastic and have fun promoting and selling your book. Be persistent and keep on planning ways to sell your book. You are on your way to a best seller!

Copyright 2008, Joan Clout-Kruse.

About the Author:

America’s Book Coach, Joan Clout-Kruse, helps entrepreneurs and business professionals write a book that will get them recognized as an expert, attract more clients and boost their income. Sign up for the Free Sneak Preview of Joan’s Writers Retreat where you’ll learn how to write, market and publish your book at http://www.BizBookWritersRetreat.com

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/8-ways-to-sell-your-book-354561.html

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