Thursday, December 31, 2009

Get Paid to Write


By Sana Lakhani



Speak, and what you speak will be forgotten. Write and it will be etched into the mind. Yes, there are ways of earning extra money through writing. How? By submitting articles, reports, writing reviews etc. The sites that pay you to write are:

Associated Content

AC is The People's Media Company. You can submit your content there (story, articles, reports) and they pay you a certain amount depending upon the quality, length etc of your content. That is they pay U.S. Residents. They do accept content from Non U.S. as well but don't pay them (there is a performance bonus which I think is minimal). Get paid to write with AC now.

Ehow

Earn money by writing How to articles. Share your knowledge about anything and everything, and get paid.

Helium

Submit your articles at Helium. If approved, they are published and depending upon the content and its popularity, you will be paid. You can also participate in writing contests. Payment through PayPal once your reach $25.

Constant Content

At Constant Content, writers can sell articles or accept writing projects. Get paid through PayPal when your balance reaches $50.

ReviewStream

Reviewstream pays the visitors to write reviews on anything or everything. (products, areas, services). Payment through PayPal when you reach a minimum payout of $50. Get Paid to write reviews

Ciao

Ciao is a very popular consumer community where members are paid for writing product reviews and participating in surveys.

Dooyoo

Dooyoo, is similar to Ciao, and pays members for sharing their opinion on products.

Write Jobs

Lists jobs for freelance writers, as well as career resources. Find the job you love at Write Jobs.

Monday, December 28, 2009

eBook Writing - 6 More Ways To Write Your eBook Now!


By Ellen Violette


1. Write 7 or 8 free tips to give away for your autoresponder sequence. Then turn each one of those into chapter headings and write your ebook from there. If you can’t come up with 7 or 8 tips then you don’t know enough about your subject to be writing about it!

2. Talk into a tape recorder and just let your ideas flow. You’re already an expert in your field so you have the knowledge in your head that you need to create an ebook. When you just start talking, you’ll be surprised at how much information you already have for your ebook. Also, don’t judge or edit while you are getting your ideas down. Once you are done, have it transcribed so you can look at it later and organize it into an ebook.

3. Use a software program like Dragon Speak Naturally. This program allows you to talk right into your computer so it transcribes as you speak. Again don’t judge or edit, just talk. Then go back and see how you can organize it into an ebook

4. Talk to a friend on the telephone. Some people need someone to bounce their ideas off of. If that’s you then this is a great option. Be sure to record it, then have it transcribed. You may want to do some editing later or it may be great just the way it is. But for many people this removes the pressure of a formal teleseminar situation.

5. Learn how to write an ebook from an ebook on ebook writing! Many people have written ebooks from an ebook on ebook writing, but it doesn’t work for everyone. If it works for you, it’s an inexpensive way to get your ebook written the right way. But be sure to buy from someone who is getting the results you want.

6. Take a workshop on ebook writing. If you can’t do it on your own, let somebody walk you through the process! Again make sure they have a proven process that works and that they are getting the results you want.

eBook writing is easy once you get over the idea that writing is hard. In fact, it should be very conversational and we all know how to talk! So whether you actually write it or speak it, the main thing is that you have good information to share and that you connect with your audience. Anyone can create an ebook if you know your material so pick the process that's easiest for you and create your ebook now!

Visit http://www.theebookcoach.com for more tips and tools on ebook writing and marketing. You can also subscribe to 9 Free Secret eBook Tips To Making Money Online and The eBook Profit Secrets Newsletter ($147) at: http://www.theebookcoach.com for insightful articles, technical tips, q & a's and more! You are also invited to visit http://www.quickstartebooks.com where frustrated writers become bona fide authors in 72 hours or less!

Friday, December 25, 2009

How To Write Emails - How To Write Emails That Make Money


By Gary Baker


In order to actually make money online, you need to know how to write emails.

If you do not know how to write emails effectively then your chances to make money are limited.

Learning how to write emails that make money is not hard it just takes practice.

For starters, you must know what your audience wants.

If they are looking for information on the best golf clubs then you need to make sure your emails give out the correct information on the best golf clubs.

When you are learning how to write emails that make money be sure to speak to your readers as you would to a friend.

Be on point, courteous, and write in a simple to understand structure.

Always personalize your emails so that your readers get the impression of a one on one relationship.

When you are practicing on how to write emails that make money one of the best things you can do is to make sure you nurture a relationship with your readers.

Relationship building is of the highest order when learning how to write emails that make money.

That is how the real money is being made.

You can read every article, book, or report available on how to write emails that make money, and you will see that in each and every publication, it states pretty much the same thing as this very article does.

It is all about creating and fostering a close relationship with your audience and or readers.

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Learn To Speak German Pretty Easily


By Riley Wells


Your approach to how you learn to speak German can be fun or a lot of seeming drudgery. It's really up to you. When you have a positive approach, you can learn to speak German pretty easily.

If you have set out to learn to speak German, here are some suggestions of ways you can make your project to learn German much easier:

One way to learn to speak German more quickly is to practice your German vocabulary every chance you get. Learn to speak German as you practice phrases outload to yourself while you are getting ready for the day or waiting in line at the bank drive-thru lane or wherever. It's best to be a little discreet, though, as some people may think you are crazy talking to yourself, although some people might think you are crazy for trying to learn to speak German. But that is a whole different topic.

Learn to speak German faster by using flash cards. They are helpful for learning to speak German. Write the English word on one side of a card and the German word on the other side. Grouping your flash cards into groups of related topics will help you learn to speak German faster by association. Carry them with you to have on hand throughout the day when you have a moment or two when you can practice a few words and test yourself with the flash cards.

Learn to speak German in short learning sessions. It's better to study 15 minutes a day instead of 2 hours once a week. You will absorb the information better and learn to speak German faster.

If you want to make it seem easier to learn to speak German, another key is to make your formal study session to learn to speak German happen at the same time each day. In a very short time, your study time to learn to speak German will be almost automatic as it becomes a routine part of your day.

Expedite your learning to speak German by pushing yourself to learn a couple of more words than is comfortable for you. This will help learn to speak German more quickly. All of a sudden, one day you will have a great breakthrough.

If you make mistakes while you learn to speak German, don't fret about it. Remember, even native speakers make mistakes and don't give it a moment's thought.

As you learn to speak German, you will learn more quickly if you use as many senses as you can when you study. For instance, as you study to learn to speak German, say the words outloud as you study them. Your faculties of sight and hearing are anchoring the words in your mind.

As you learn to speak German, it would be even better to see the words, say them and and write them as well. In this way you are hearing them and seeing them and writing them physically.

Using as many faculties as you can will help you learn to speak German more quickly and easily. This one tip alone is a great key to success as you learn to speak German.

As you learn to speak German, immerse yourself in the language. Read German newspapers and books if you can. If possible, find a German television station to watch. This will help you learn to speak German much more quickly.

Also, use the technologies that are available today to help you learn to speak German. CD's and podcasts available online will help you learn to speak German well. There are some excellent courses that help you learn to speak German in just a few short weeks. Inside of three months you can be speaking fluent German anywhere in the world!

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Learn To Speak German: Conversational German Should Come First


By Riley Wells



When you set out to learn to speak German, it's important to put emphasis on learning to speak German rather than reading and writing it right away. Why is this so?

You will learn to speak German more quickly if you learn it just the way you learned English. If English is your native tongue, you learned to speak English quite awhile before you learned to read it. The same goes for your study to learn to speak German. Learn how to speak German before you learn how to read and write it.

With this in mind, to learn to speak German, your study should emphasize speaking it rather than reading and writing it until you reach an intermediate level of proficiency. Once you learn to speak German at that level with some basic conversations with understanding on your part, then you can begin to add some reading and writing to your study of German.

This makes sense, doesn't it. How many people have taken 3 or 4 years of German in school and yet they cannot speak the language? It's because of the emphasis on reading and writing in school courses rather than speaking German.

When you learn to speak German by listening to native speakers on tape or online or via CD instruction, you will learn the proper pronunciation and emphasis when speaking German. This is very important to help you avoid learning German with an American accent. Every language has nuances of emphasis and lilt that you just don't learn in a textbook. Learning to speak German in a conversational way is a key to learning these speech patterns properly.

There are several products available today to help you learn to speak German. The best courses make it fun and efficiently lead you to learn to speak German fluently within a few weeks.

Most products have a guarantee of some kind, so you can try them risk-free. You may try a couple before you find the one that it is a good fit for you to learn to speak German. You can find the one that I think is the best one in the link below.

Remember to make your studies to learn to speak German fun. Find some fun ways to use what you are learning right away. Go to the library and check out some German movies and watch them to see how well you can understand the conversation. This will help keep your enthusiasm for learning piqued.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

How to Write a Speech


By Naomi Hulbert



It is said that public speaking is the number one fear of human beings. People are more afraid of public speaking than they are of dying. That’s why writing speeches and presentations – whether for yourself or someone else – is often such a daunting and pressure-filled task.

This article will not teach you how to speak well – that’s for someone with a lot more expertise than I have – but it can help you prepare your thoughts and write them down in an orderly fashion so that when you come to speak and present them, you can feel in control.

It is important to note here that I am indebted to fellow writer Michael Meanwell, and his book The Enterprising Writer (Hardie Grant Books, Australia: 2003), whose advice on speechwriting I have used many times since in my professional career, and which I now combine with my own suggestions in the following paragraphs on writing presentations and speeches. If you wish to read through Meanwell’s guidance on speechwriting, they may be found in Chapter 11 of The Enterprising Writer.

Think first It is essential that you know your audience. In the case of speeches and presentations, your ‘audience’ means not only the people who will physically be present, but also the occasion and venue. Consider the following:

Why are you writing the presentation? What is the occasion, and therefore, what is the most appropriate way to present the speech? It might be on a podium in front of an audience; with the use of audio-visual support; or using a PowerPoint presentation.

What do you hope to achieve? What is the purpose of your speech or presentation? What is it intended to accomplish?

Who will be listening? Who will be hearing what you say, what are their expectations? How are they likely to respond?

Who will be speaking? If you are not writing this speech or presentation for yourself, who is it for? What are the speaker’s hopes and requirements for the speech? Do you know their style, the way they like to present and the way they like to speak? If not, ask some questions or seek out copies or footage of previous speeches and presentations that this person has made.

Structuring a presentation It is a good idea to prepare an outline before you start writing the speech. Include all the key points of what you wish to cover, then as you write, work through them systematically.

Just as you would any other form of writing, prepare your speech in logical order with an attention-grabbing introduction, a main body (structured with your most important messages first), and a conclusion.

In written documents, the purpose of this structure is to ensure that the most important information is imparted even if people stop reading part way through. This remains the same in a presentation, just in case people have to leave, or worse, lose interest and stop paying attention.

As in any other form of writing, avoid jargon or technical language: whether your audience is listening to or reading what you say, you still need to provide the courtesy of communicating in clear, professional language.

Make it easy to read The last thing you want is to have prepared an excellent speech, but when it comes to presenting it, your writing is so messy or your typing so small and cramped that you can’t properly read it and your presentation suffers.

Use a large enough font size to read without needing to squint or bend too close, and double-space your lines. Emphasise significant points in bold, and clearly separate out sections of your speech.

You may wish to provide sub-headings for each new point, so that if you lose your way, you only need to scan down the key headings to find where you are, rather than re-read through a page or more of text.

If you are using any visual aids in your presentation, be sure to write down references to them in your speech, at the appropriate point, so that you do not forget to refer to them.

Practise When you have finished, read the speech out loud to yourself. This will help you hear any clumsy sections that may not be evident on paper, but when spoken, break the rhythm of your language.

Incidentally, reading any other form of writing out loud also helps you maintain elegance in your writing style and rhythm, and improves almost any document.

NOTE: This article has been adapted from Naomi Hulbert's business writing book, Talk Without Being Interrupted: a guide to writing in the workplace (2006), available online at www.urashima.com.au.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Author Naomi Hulbert is founder and managing director of Urashima Writing Services, an Australian company that provides writing, editing, translation and training services to clients in the corporate sector. Naomi is an experienced journalist, author, radio broadcaster, ghost writer, corporate writer and educational writer, and teaches at the majority of Urashima's writing workshops. Visit http://www.urashima.com.au

Sunday, December 13, 2009

How to Write and Deliver a Dynamite Speech - Part Three


By Doug Stevenson



Phase Three of the 21-Step Dynamite Speech System is Preparation and Delivery.

I was a professional actor in Chicago and Hollywood for 16 years. One of the nice things about being an actor on stage was that someone else had done the hard creative work of writing the play. The playwright had spent hundreds if not thousands of hours getting the mechanics right. Once the play was cast and rehearsals started, our job was to add the emotional and spiritual elements, the dynamics.

Phase One and Phase Two of the Dynamite Speech System focus on mechanics – content and flow. (Phase One: Strategic Design; Phase Two: Creative Development) While there are essential things to learn about writing and creating a dynamite speech from studying these two phases, proper mechanics are not enough. If you want to blow people away, you also have to master the dynamics of speaking.

The dynamics are the intangibles – what people watching refer to as power, presence and poise. These dynamics are the things you do to connect with your essence, that in turn help you connect with your audience. As speakers, we have to know how to create these dynamics. They don’t just happen. Fortunately, there are attitudes, rituals and preparation exercises that you can use to help you master these dynamics and “get in the zone” so that you can truly be amazing.

In this article, I’m going to briefly mention some of the skills that are helpful in mastering the dynamics of speaking.

Two skills that have helped me the most as a speaker come from my many years in theater – knowing how to memorize and rehearse.

Acting is a precise medium. Actors are responsible for delivering each line exactly as the playwright wrote it. Speaking is very different. Much of what is said in front of an audience is “in the moment.” It’s spontaneous and from the heart. Or it is customized and to the point.

There are many similarities between acting and speaking, too. Both theater and a Dynamite Speech can and should be a moving experience. Both can and should be entertaining. And both can and should convey a message.

I’ve studied hundreds of professional and celebrity speakers and have interviewed many of them. Whether they write and memorize their material up front; or find that over time, certain stories, lines and comedic bits have become memorized, the best speakers have material that, like the lines in a brilliant play, are spoken the same every time.

The Dynamite Speech System goes into more detail about how you can add rehearsal and memorization to your speech preparation. In brief, if you want to be amazing, write some memorable lines and memorize them. Find a place where you won’t be interrupted, and rehearse out loud and on your feet. (Listen to Steps 16 & 17 of the Dynamite Speech System for more.)

Another thing that I learned from performing on stage was how to make the transition from my normal walking around personality, to my “show time” personality. I call this “getting in the zone”. The zone is both a state of mind and a state of being. In my experience, it requires physical, mental, emotional and spiritual preparation. The mistake many speakers make is to simply prepare mentally.

Speaking is a physical medium. If you’ve ever had sweaty palms or experienced shortness of breath, you know what I mean. Nervousness manifests in the body. It also attacks the brain and turns it into mush. To ensure that you are at your optimal mental state, you have to work your body.

Have you ever worked out – done any physical exercise that caused your heart rate to accelerate for an extended period of time? If so, you’ve probably also experienced a state of mental clarity while exercising. All of a sudden, you’re finding solutions to problems and coming up with all kinds of great ideas. Does exercise make you smarter? No!

What exercise does, however, is send an incredible amount of oxygen to your brain and increase the endorphins flowing through your bloodstream. This awakens your brain and accelerates synaptic activity. That’s why physical stimulation is essential to enhance our mental preparation.

I suggest two separate routines before you step in front of your audience. One is called the “warm up” routine and takes place upon awakening. The other is called the “show time” routine and takes place in the 15 to 30 minutes right before you speak. (Listen to Step 19 for more.) Both routines include elements of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual preparation.

The last, and most important, step in the preparation process is to set your intention. Let me share a story:

For many years, I’ve been privileged to share The Story Theater Method with speakers and trainers at ASTD, Toastmasters and National Speakers Association chapter meetings. I usually speak at these meetings for free. I love speaking at these meeting because we’re all speakers and trainers and share a common bond. It’s just US. My intention is to be of service to my colleagues.

Of course I also speak and train for a fee. That’s how I make my living.

Well, many years ago I was speaking for free at an NSA meeting in Nashville. I was on fire. The audience was completely into it. It was an intense emotional experience.

A few days later, I was in Seattle giving a fee-paid keynote. Because I had just come from speaking at a chapter meeting for free, I noticed that my experience beforehand was different. I was a little nervous and concerned with my content. I was worried about making a positive impact and pleasing the meeting planner. I could feel myself “efforting”. I was trying too hard.

As usual, the speech went well. But I wasn’t on fire. And while the audience was into it, I could tell that it wasn’t the same. The emotional connection wasn’t as intense.

In retrospect, I discovered that it was my intention, not my content, that made the difference. I realized that when I was speaking for a fee, my confidence wasn’t as high. I felt like it was ME versus THEM. When speaking at a chapter meeting, it was just US.

So I went out to my next fee-paid keynote with a new intention – to be of service. I determined that no matter where I was and no matter who I was speaking to, it was just US. After all, we are all just people! The results were immediate and positive. I was on fire. They were totally into it. And I got a standing ovation. Setting your intention before you speak makes a powerful difference for you, and for your audience.

If you want to be an amazing speaker, you must master the mechanics of a Dynamite Speech. However, the hard part, the part that is your life’s work, is to master the dynamics as well. The dynamics are all of those energetic, emotional and spiritual dimensions that make you a one-of-a-kind original. To master the dynamics, keep working on yourself. Tell your truth. Strip away any artifice or mask that prevents you from being authentic and real.

After all, who else is there for you to be?

Doug Stevenson, president of Story Theater International, is a storytelling in business expert and the creator of The Story Theater Method. He is also the author of the book, Never Be Boring Again - Make Your Business Presentations Capture Attention, Inspire Action, and Produce Results. His 10 CD - How to Write and Deliver a Dynamite Speech audio learning system, is a workshop in a box. It contains an 80-page follow along workbook.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Want to Write Great Articles? Get Jury Duty


By Kevin D Browne



I can't imagine that there's a regular among us who doesn't want to write great articles. And by constantly sharing writing techniques that we know to be valid, we'll all become even stronger with our writing and our articles will, over time, approach greatness. (Which is why I like it in here so much!)

Okay, let's get to a juicy piece of learning that will definitely help your articles and find out how jury duty could possibly help anyone do anything.

Many writers, especially those who are new to the game, get into the habit of finding comfortable formats for their writing. Four sentences per paragraph. Three sentences per...you get it. Similarity.

The problem is: while this may be their comfort zone, one format is NOT how people read comfortably. And more importantly, it's not how people 'hear' writing.

When people speak, they start and they stop. They have long winded moments. They say something small. They have a medium amount to say...then they say next to nothing and MEAN a lot.

In essence vary their 'copy.' And you can take great writing clues from this varying of copy.

It's very easy to know if you fall into this group. Just bring up your articles on your screen and if they all LOOK the same, without getting into the content, then you'll need to make an adjustment.

If you REALLY want to know how people speak, get yourself JURY DUTY. Yes, dreaded jury duty will clue you in as to EXACTLY how people 'vary their copy.' Once you sit in that jury room with your cold coffee you'll have access to the court transcripts. This is where you'll see for yourself how people REALLY SPEAK and how people really listen. You will see in a flash just how varied people's speeds are of their 'copy.'

In fact, many new copywriters that I have taught are given jury transcripts as a way of making them well aware of how people REALLY speak and how their readers really 'hear' that copy. It has a tremendous effect on the honesty of their copy.

So a great way to continue to find ways to write great articles is to vary your copy speeds. Sure, get into it for a paragraph or two, but then give yourself much needed relief. Follow up long paragraphs with very small little ones. Then follow two short ones with a medium length one.

It works.

Not only does this make your copy easier to read (it does) but it more accurately approximates the way people listen to the written word.

Enjoy.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Why Babies Can Write


By Eliane Leao



Yes, babies can write as well as they can read!

In this article we will discuss writing and the baby. The baby has to discover that s/he not only draws objects, but also that s/he can draw what s/he speaks! Furthermore, language and the representation of objects and action in writing can be taught -- and not just in the writing and/or combination of letters.

It is observed that, in general, the baby starts to draw and/or is stimulated when spoken language is already in progress and is already habitual for him/her. However, nowadays, speech seems predominant in the current early childhood dealings, modeling, as such, great part of one’s inner life, submitting it to its laws. However, if we observe the way in which the baby draws, we learn there are further possibilities. The baby may know what composes a doll and draw it. Initially, s/he draws from memory and does not need to look at a model doll to draw. Therefore, the baby does not draw what s/he sees; instead, s/he draws what s/he knows. But if you lead him/her into knowing other shapes, s/he adds more elements to his/her observation and really starts to draw what s/he knows aided by the shapes s/he already masters.

The baby may start to look at models to improve what s/he draws. S/he does this before totally mastering speech, which demonstrates that s/he can free him/herself from the imposition of speech to demonstrate s/he has an inner world. S/he observes and knows, before s/he speaks.

How to discover these elements?

At just 12 months we can show the baby samples of shapes, i.e., circles, rectangles, and squares, among others. We show samples utilizing hand movements, following the shape the pictures have, using a finger (or a crayon), and we have the baby imitate the movement and the sample and s/he will discover s/he can look and make what is shown, also reproducing the movement which will lead to construction of the shape.

Another way to develop observation is to teach the drawing of body parts. It begins with the learning of the parts of the body, pointing each one out when asked. If the baby knows which is which, s/he perceives a part is missing when s/he draws a body. S/he looks at what s/he drew and perceives the imbalance, acting very provoked, looking to add to the drawing what is missing. The baby has a vision of the whole for s/he knows the whole. The drawing reflects what the baby knows.

If drawing, as it’s defined today, is a graphic language which appears having verbal language as its basis, the baby has to draw what s/he knows how to express. And we see that even without speaking much s/he already draws what s/he knows, changing our concept of what is his/her drawing. Therefore, the drawing may be stimulated well before speech.

There is an agreement amongst psychologists that the baby discovers the strokes made on paper may mean something. It is as if s/he made magic. The baby feels s/he can represent on paper that which s/he knows and perpetuates the sensation of seeing the object. S/he loves that! We think that s/he knows s/he is representing because s/he says s/he will make a frog, a baby crying, or any other thing, and tries to produce what s/he thinks s/he’s producing. S/he sees the drawing fulfilled as an object and not as a symbol of the object represented on paper.

Based on what’s been said until now, every time the baby writes a phrase it is best that we ask him/her to draw the equivalent, or vice-versa. This practice helps him/her to perceive the content of both actions. When we do this, we are educating for reflection and learning, and we help in the development of his/her capability for abstraction.

At another phase, when s/he has an extensive vocabulary, the baby discovers s/he can draw beyond the things of which s/he speaks. Therefore, the problem with writing is already overcome as a starting point. In other words, s/he will not have problems with writing; s/he will love the game of writing what s/he speaks.

A Pedagogical Viewpoint

From a pedagogical viewpoint, this transition should be provided by the dislocation of the baby’s activity of drawing things to drawing speech. It is possible to observe how this dislocation occurs when we are teaching the babies to draw what they know to later draw what they speak. It’s important to take into account that they draw what they know before drawing what they speak, because speech occurs later.

Up until recently, the teaching of writing came too late. At the same time, we know that it is not just the teaching of writing that came too late; that of reading too. Truth is, great part of children is already reading at four years of age, and the parents perceive this; the teachers, however, do not. At any rate, the teaching must be organized so that reading and writing become necessary to babies, for they add to what they learn every day, to what they know. It is not in any way an abstract activity, neither painstaking nor difficult.

Writing is not just a motor ability that is taught to the baby at a predetermined moment. It is a complex cultural activity! It must be taught naturally; it must be cultivated, not imposed. It must be a pleasure, a result of play as is the activity of drawing. Writing is the drawing of the meaning of what is spoken in the mother tongue.

In the same way and at the same time the babies learn to listen and speak, they learn to read and write. To read and to write while playing. It is a revolution, a paradigm shift.

The environment should provide, should be favorable to the baby so that the necessity to read and write may happen in daily play. It is necessary to play reading and writing with the baby for we are the intermediates between the baby and the world. It is up to us to make them happy!

Dr. Eliane Leao is a native of Brazil, South America. She has a background in Education from Purdue University (Masters) and a PhD in the Department of Educational Psychology from the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)/Purdue University (Ph.D.). Dr. Leao has also three Bachelor’s degrees, one in Piano, another in Musical Education, and a third in Voice. Dr. Leao is currently a professor of Music Education and Music Therapy conducting research on the influence of Music in Early Childhood Learning.

Her ‘babies’ have grown to become productive members of their communities. Dr. Leao hopes that the trials and successes of her family may inspire and convince other parents to stimulate their children during early childhood so that they may enjoy a rich, stimulating, integrated, and happy life always.

Friday, December 4, 2009

Write Website Copy That Sells


By Paul Matthews



Your website looks great: solid words, easy navigation, graphics just so, and maybe even a bit of flash with some multimedia.

But customers are not buying.

You wonder if it’s the writing. How can that be? You remembered the two key mantras for website content - “write for the search engines” and “write for the medium.” You used appropriate keywords to help search engines find you and traffic is up. Surely, customers enjoy reading your content because you laid it out with the internet in mind using short sentences, brief paragraphs, and bullets to list your key points. Customers might be reading, but they still are not buying.

Chances are your site copy has been optimized for technology not people.

Even on the internet, selling is still about connecting to people. So how do you press the flesh across broadband? Start where brick and mortar relationships do – trust. Why not become the trusted provider in your marketspace? You can use words to raise your credibility in at least 25 different ways.

Here are two of them:

1)write the way customers speak and

2) replace your pitch with a theme.

People instinctively trust strangers who speak like them. If you find this article useful, how would you tell someone? Are you really going to say, “I read an unusually amazing article that fundamentally increased my sagging sales”? Not likely. Weak copywriters, not people, use too many modifiers. “Amazing,” “fundamentally,” and “sagging” weaken trust. How’s your site for modifiers?

Give it the finger test.

You might not want fingerprints on your screen, so I suggest printing a copy of your homepage content. Now, put your baby finger on the first modifier you can find. Put your ring finger on the next adjective or adverb. Repeat until you run out of modifiers or fingers. If your page is a handful, you’ve got too many modifiers and your copy is hype heavy, not trustworthy. In addition to giving readers copy that matches how they speak, it helps to give them time to get to know you.

Customers need time before they trust.

They will get used to your site in tiny steps, so hold off selling; buy some time. Have a theme for your site, introducing your offer only after your customer feels comfortable. Themes are a subtle form of repetition because they continually reinforce a single concept. Repeated exposure to an idea usually makes it familiar and safe. Remember the first time you used instant messaging or the family car - not so scary now.

Let’s say your site is selling dental floss.

Instead of listing the benefits of DentaThread, you could tie the presentation together under the central idea “Some people have nothing to smile about.” The opening section could point out how the discomfort of gingivitis wipes the grin off a person’s face. Another segment would show how ugly cavities make someone too self- conscious to smile. Yet another piece would reveal how the high cost of root canal causes an individual to frown. In this way, three versions of one idea help the site grow on the visitor: one idea, three versions. Does your homepage have a theme? How many chances does your site give visitors to get comfortable with you?

In this article, I tried to use the language of my readers and hang it on a central idea, trust. Did it work? Did it help? If yes, I guess I proved my point. If no, I have 23 more ideas to go.

Best wishes with your site.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Five Ways to Write About Your Anger


By Lael Johnson


Most people have mixed feelings about feeling and expressing anger. Various influences suggest everything from practicing extreme self-control, holding it all in (end result: stoicism) to showing no boundaries about sharing anger at all(end result: anarchy). Finding the middle ground is the place where you can communicate feelings and the facts of a given situation, without hurting or blaming the other party, and vice versa. When this first scenario occurs, you are creating more space for positive communication changes to occur. When communication is less than ideal, continuing to express anger in old ways will reinforce old habits., aggravating an already difficult situation.

I’m recommending the following journal exercises to assist you in finding more positive ways to express your anger, and become a better communicator. When I have shared my feelings, and the other party has been receptive, I’ve been surprised at how calm I became, compared to how uncomfortable, I felt prior to sharing my feelings. I also have had some situations where I either didn’t receive a response or the other party remained silent. What is most important in any situation, is that I reached out and began the process.

Here is the your exercise list:

ANGER SCRIBBLE:

When you have a strong reaction to a situation, start to pray and write about it. Remember to include a detailed description of your strong feelings including the facts of the situation. Remember to use as much space on a page as you can when you scribble. After filling a page, choose one scribble, and start drawing a specific shape over your scribble. Continue to scribble over the shape until you are finished. (e.g. You may feel tired or relieved. Your words may slow down or you may run out of time to write.) When you notice any of these reactions, it’s time to stop writing. Wait a few minutes for everything to settle, then move to the next exercise. (Note: You may substitute any ritual here if praying isn’t a good fit for you.)

UNSENT LETTERS: This exercise is an effective way to communicate feelings and information to yourself or to someone else. You can write unsent letters, when it might otherwise be hurtful to speak directly to the other party(ies) You can also write unsent letters on any topic (positive or negative). Unsent letters also provide a great place to practice your lines. Whether you write a series of unsent letters or one letter, your feelings will become less intense. Then you can prepare to have a calm conversation with the other party. You can write as many unsent letters as you want. When you write your unsent letters, you give yourself permission to feel the intense emotions that surface around a specific event. At some point either during, immediately or after you’ve written your letter, you will gain clarity about your part in the situation. You will also learn to evaluate your responsibility as well as the other party’s responsibility in the same situation. When you are calm again, you will be more prepared to make changes, including asking for a more specific communication change from the other party. You can continue to follow-up your unsent letters with prayers of blessing for the other party. As you continue to bless the other party, room is made for positive changes to happen in yourself and the other party. When you write an unsent letter, it demonstrates your courage and willingness, to make serious changes in a difficult situation.
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WRITING A DIALOGUE: Writing an imagined or real conversation you had with the other party, can help let out some of your anger. It’s useful to put words or images to your feelings.

Start your dialogue with two voices, the letter “A” (for your voice) and “B” (for the other person’s voice).

Be sure to allow both voices time to speak.

Don’t worry about writing a perfect dialogue.

Use as much detail as you can. Your descriptive skills will improve with each unsent letter that you write. For example, if I feel my anger burning like fire, then I would want to say “I’m burning up over this situation.” If I am feeling a sense of resentment (something deep, quiet and very intense, that never quite goes away, then I might say, “I’m really frustrated about _______ now, can we talk about it for a few minutes?” Remember that no intense feeling is worth ignoring. It’s much better to express your feelings a few at a time, than to pay the price of those same feelings causing problems for you in the future.

“I AM FEELING” STATEMENTS:

Writing sentences that begin with “I am feeling …” is a good way to verbalize all of your feelings about a difficult situation. I want to remind you that may express other feelings along with your anger. When you start your journaling, focus on your anger first, then write about your other feelings. I suggest that you write a minimum of ten feeling statements. Put the list away. Move on to the next exercise.

DRAW A PICTURE:

Draw several pictures of your anger. All types of drawing are allowed. Remember what I said about “My anger is burning…” Write a visual image of your anger. I want you to use as many senses in your picture as you can. (Note: you may also use this exercise to visualize other strong feelings)

COMBINE WORDS AND PICTURES:

Now look at your list of “I am” sentences. Match as many of your picture(s) with your “I am feeling…” sentences as you can. (For example: I am feeling angry about…put a picture of a fire next to the written statement. When you are finished, circle one or two combinations that best describe your current feelings. Be sure to write a summary sentence about your two choices.

STARTING CLOSURE:

Let’s stop and review the work you’ve already done. You have written an initial unsent letter about your anger. You’ve explored some of your feelings in detail. You’ve summarized your feelings using a combination of drawing and writing. Now write one action you could have taken to keep the earlier situation from accelerating. Write another sentence describing one action that the other party could have taken. Write down one positive action you are willing to take to change your anger expression now, remember to include a specific completion time and date. If you pray, start praying for good to come to the other party. I would recommend that you pray for at least a few times a week working up to praying daily for a month or until your strong negative feelings disappear.

Take your time working through these exercises. If you find yourself, unable to move on to the next exercise. Then write a short paragraph why you don’t want to move on. Take a break and start the new exercise the next day. Look forward to celebrating your freedom from past buried feelings.

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Tongue Tied When it Comes to Condolences? Simple Strategies Help You Speak and Write With Ease


By Gail Hamilton



It can happen to us all. When faced with conveying condolences, we freeze up, mumble miserably or mouth a bunch of stilted cliches that in no way communicate the real sympathy we feel in our hearts. Then we just want to escape the presence of the bereaved as soon as possible, all the while beating ourselves up about our ham-handed behavior. "Why couldn't I do better," we demand of ourselves. "It looked as though I don't care - when I really do!"

Something about the face of grief can make us deeply uncomfortable so that we often perform worst just when our comforting words are needed the most. Below are some simple strategies to deal with this very human situation.

1. Be prompt. The longer you wait, the more uneasy you will be. A face-to-face visit it is best, though a personal letter, hand written, is also good if you cannot meet. Call upon the bereaved and begin by expressing your sympathy.

Say something like, " I want to give you my condolences on the death your Aunt Emma. As soon as I heard, I started thinking of you. You know that all my sympathies are with you." Make sure you mention the name of the deceased.

Most of us get this far before we find we don't know what else to say. Then the discomfort really sets in. So before you start shifting from foot to foot, plunge straight ahead.

2. Come up with some memories of the deceased. While you may fear that these will distress the bereaved, it's much more likely they will really appreciate knowing how their loved one touched your life.

"Your Aunt Emma," you can relate, "used to give my brother and me peppermints if we met her on our way to school. Peppermints are still my favorites because of her. And remember when she coached our drama club? That year, she had even me convinced I could be a star."

As you go down memory lane, your nervousness will vanish and you may even find yourself and the bereaved smiling fondly.

3. This will lead so easily to the next step which is to offer any help you can. Make sure your offer is sincere, and that the bereaved knows you will really come though. Now is the time for thoughtful consideration of what the bereaved might need.

"I'd love to look after your little dog while you are away clearing up your aunt's estate." Or, "We'd love to have you over for dinner if you're feeling up to it." Or "I'll be happy to drive you to the train whenever you want."

4. On leaving, repeat more words of comfort.

"Your Aunt Emma used to talk about you all the time. I'm sure you know how proud she was of you. She is leaving you a lot of happy memories."

If you take some time to plan ahead, decide on some special things to say, and follow the simple steps above, you will find that you can give condolences from the heart and never have to fear awkwardness again.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Help Your Child to Read and Write Better


By Steve Thornton



Phonics: The relationships between letters and sounds.

Phonics Checklist:

When we speak, we join sounds together to make words which all people that speak our language have an agreed meaning for. We form these words into sentences. The sounds of the English language are sorted into 2 groups:

1) Vowel sounds
2) Consonant sounds

English has 18 vowel sounds and 25 consonant sounds that are used to make hundreds of thousands of words. Words are a collection of vowel and consonant sounds blended together. Every word must have at least one vowel sound.

A syllable is a word or part of a word with only one vowel sound. Most English words have 2 or more syllables.

We use the 26 letters in the English alphabet to represent the 18 vowel sounds and 25 consonant sounds. The English Alphabet has 26 letters to spell 43 sounds. This means that English is more complicated than if there was one letter for every sound. Also, English vowel sounds may be spelled in different ways. This is why English spelling can be confusing at times.

Reading and spelling are linked. 87% of English words follow the English spelling rules. About 13% don't and that is usually because of a vowel sound that has a different spelling.

The first stage in learning to read and write English well is understanding how the system works. With that basis, your child will start to handle the words that don't follow the rules with more confidence. Your child will learn the sounds of English and the combinations of letters that represent them. He or she will learn how to blend sounds into words as well as how to spell them.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Practical Article Marketing Tips - How to Discover the Myths in Your Niche and Write More Articles


By Jeff Herring



Article marketing works best when you have a high volume of articles. One of the best ways to increase your article volume is to write about myths in your niche, the things people believe that are just not true.

But how do you discover the myths in your niche?

How to identify myths in your niche

Here are three strategies to identify myths in your niche.

1. What are the commonly held mis-beliefs in your niche?

One of the ones in my niche is that you can't make money with articles. You can't make money with article marketing. I love that myth. I love busting that myth.

Step back and consider. What are the ones in your niche that are commonly held misconceptions or commonly held beliefs?

2. What questions are you frequently asked by your list community, your members, your clients?

What questions are you frequently asked that reveal a myth? Those of you that have been following me for a while know I laugh every time somebody asks me about duplicate content because of the big myth about how deadly it is and what you've got to do to avoid it.

A lot of times in frequently asked questions, there is a myth in there that you can pick up and exploit for the good of you and for the good of your clients, giving them the right information and demonstrating that you're in fact an expert in your field.

A little known way to discover myths

3. Pay attention to the questions asked by other people on teleseminars and at live, in-person seminars that reveal a myth.

Many times when I speak at conferences or go to conferences, one of the things I'm listening for are the questions that come from the audience.

Those are great articles. Those reveal a lot of myths and that's even a great place to discover products in your niche. What are the questions that people are asking? What do they need?

You can build products, articles, content, and teleseminars all around that. They will also reveal different myths and misconceptions that you can write about and show your expert ability.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

How to Speak French - Learn French Fast With This Amazing Secret!


By Franck Silvestre


Do you want to learn a new language and be able to speak like a real native?

It's not as difficult as you may be thinking. Let me show you my method to learn French or any other language of your choice.

The truth is that there is not only one way to learn a new language, but there are several methods to do so. I'm a French native, and I speak and write several languages. I'm fluent in English, Arabic, French (my mother tongue), and creole. I also speak Spanish.

So how I do it, and most importantly, how you can do this too?

1. Think out the box

I know many people who try to learn a new language, but they fail because they try to do what everyone else is telling them to do. You need to understand that you are different, and that something working for John Doe might not work for you. You need to review the various ways of learning French, and then, go with the one that work best for you.

2. Immerse yourself in a French 'ambiance'

You don't really need to travel to Paris for complete immersion. You can do this without any French native at all. For this to work, you need to have friends that are also passionate about French, just like you. Do this now. Pick up the phone, and tell to your friends that whenever you meet together, you will speak French for the first ten minutes.

Believe me, this is powerful. Just imagine doing this every time you see your friend. If you see him every day at work, you'll be talking almost one hour of French in real life situation.

But what's even more powerful is that whenever you can't find the French word you need to express yourself, all you need to do is to search for it in the dictionary. And believe me, if you do this every single time, you will progress pretty quickly.

Do you want to discover MORE killer tips and secrets to become fluent in French FAST? Get your French Learning Secret now at my: http://www.learnfrenchexpert.com website

Monday, November 16, 2009

5 Ways to Break Grammar Rules and Write Stellar Articles


By Jan Verhoeff


Everyone wants to know how to write articles that command attention and get noticed by the readers. Few are willing to go the distance and learn the secret of breaking grammar rules that will help them attain their goals. You will have those secrets if you follow these five simple methods of skipping over Grammar Rules and just write.

1. Don't write like a professional writer.

This is really awesome! Once you know how to write like you talk and make people listen, you'll understand the simple basic of writing to be heard. No matter how many professional papers I write, I'm astounded by the number of times my readers go back to my casual documents and comment on the ease of reading. I've left out the big words, wrote in common language and had a blast sharing knowledge. Write like you talk.

2. Use some slang.

Slang is like the current dialect. It's that wholesome, I gotcha kind of thing that tells people you're on their level. When you come down to what's being said today, you'll use language people understand. The kind of words you use determine your audience.

3. Punctuate for tone.

Because you're writing for the reader, rather than the topic, you'll want to pause for effect now and then. A comma works well for a pause, as does an ellipse... On rare occasions when you want the reader to take note of something - important - a variation of the old 'dash' works well. Grab a quote and "identify" difference.

4. Startle your reader with conjunctions.

And they'll be more aware of what's being said. Normally, you'd never start a sentence with the words 'and' or 'but' - however, if you want to grab the reader's attention, dare to do something different. Arrest their thought process by eliminating commonalities. But use them only if you can make the word sound natural and comfortable in the flow of your articles.

5. Know your reader and speak directly.

This is important! Listen to me, because I don't want you to miss any of this. If you're going to write to an audience of one (and there's only one reader at a time reading) then you need to write to that one person. Write as if you know their name, get into their lives and let them know you recognize them, from the first word.

Are you ready to write articles that grab attention and compel the reader to click on your links?

Friday, November 13, 2009

Is Learning to Speak Spanish More Important Than Being Able to Read and Write Spanish?


By Daniel Major


Why this question is ever asked is beyond my comprehension. It goes without question that it is far better to be able to communicate verbally than spend your time passing slips of paper and using the written word, especially when Spanish is concerned. OK, so maybe I'm going to the extremes of interpretation but I'm just trying to put a point over.

Language purists and scholars demand that languages are spoken and learned correctly, and quite rightly so, that is their calling in life but, for the normal Joe, who needs to be able to fill his car with gas at a Spanish speaking service station or is desperate to find a men's room in a Mexican bar he's never been in before, the requirement for perfect grammar tends to hold little relevancy.

So the answer to the question isn't necessarily that it is more important to learn to speak Spanish first, but that it is the most logical way to learn Spanish because it is both quicker and more efficient.

The reason why is important for people to learn to speak Spanish first is because the need to communicate quickly far outweighs the need to communicate perfectly and in the case of Americans, who now share their country with the fifth largest population of Spanish speakers in the world, it has never been more important than it is now, to be able to communicate quickly.

Learning Spanish without worrying about verb conjugations and other grammatical gotchas is a far easier and much more natural way to learn the Spanish language. Eventually, the student will need to learn how to read and write Spanish and also learn the finer aspects of Spanish grammar, but these will all be skills that will be made a whole lot easier because of being able to understand and communicate in the spoken word.

The easiest and most cost effective way to learn conversational Spanish is to purchase an online interactive Spanish course, however if you have the funds and the spare time an intensive immersion course will get you fluent in no time at all.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Learn How to Speak and Write Japanese


By Kenneth H Jones


To learn a language you need a good motivating reason. It is pointless trying out a bit of one language and then a bit of another simply because you feel like. You need one solid good motive that will drive you to successful language learning. To learn how to speak and write japanese you need a good reason.

My Reason For Learning Japanese

For me the reason I started to learn Japanese was because 10 years ago my daughter had an exchange student staying with us who was from Tokyo. One evening the student's mother rang up to speak to her. I didn't know a single word of Japanese and she couldn't speak English. We were at the end of a phone completely unable to communicate. I couldn't explain that her daughter was out.

I found this event very embarrassing and decided to at least learn some of the language. For some reason this episode motivated me to learn a language. Very soon after this we made friends with a person from Japan now living near us in the UK. We hit it off from day one and she helped me learn the Japanese language.

The point of telling you all this is simply that you need to have a similar impetus to start language learning or you will not persevere with it. Much of the problem with the UK schools language program problems are simply motivation. We are told that our Foreign counterparts are so fluent that you do not need to learn their language. Actually I have found this to be quite incorrect. I have visited Japan, France, Germany and Spain in the last 5 years and had to fall back on my language skills to order food, book a room and get a hire car.

3 Reasons to learn Japanese

1. I need to learn a language to do my job. You can get posted overseas or have to deal with a foreign company who needs to have dialogue in both languages.

2. My new life partner's first language is not English. This could beg the question how you got this far without a common language but it can and does happen.

3. I am moving to Japan and want to become part of the local community. If this is you start now before you get there.

There of course a host of other motivational factors to language learning but there is one more worth mentioning which happens when you have started to learn. This is when you successfully communicate with someone in a foreign language who knows no English. You know enough to make yourself understood and have understood the other half of the conversation. I remember the first time this happened to me in Japan. I had to catch a train but was running late. I simply asked for the platform number of the train to the next city and got a clear cut answer that I understood in Japanese. I got on the train so keen to learn more of the Japanese language.

So learn Japanese by all means but make sure you have a good reason that will give you the discipline to stay with the course.

Saturday, November 7, 2009

How to Write in Chinese


By Ari Alhadeff



Learning how to write in Chinese, or any other language, will be a tedious process. However, it will prove to be well worth the effort and patience in the long run. There are multiple benefits to learning a second, third, or even fourth language. Everything from economics to health care is becoming a global affair. Factors such as employment options, education opportunities, health well being, travel ease, etc.. all can be improved if a person is bilingual. The benefits and demand is growing daily.

Prestigious colleges have a limited number of spaces. Scholarship awards are sparse. Superior grades and exam scores are common on numerous applications. But, knowing something like how to write in Chinese is an eye catcher, a great interview talking point, and an application entry that will set the student apart.

Most large corporations are focusing on a global presence. For example, many companies in China are headquartered out of multiple cities across multiple continents. Employees are often transferred from one country to another, expected to function without translators, and need to be able to communicate with other company locations. An employee may work in the United States, but be expected to know how to write in Chinese. In a competitive job market simply knowing a second language can make all the difference in getting a gainful job. Language skills also expand the available employment opportunities. Advanced language skills are not only just important to business and economic professions. Even blue collar professions, like nursing and law enforcement, are in desperate need of bilingual employees.

There have been several studies done on the health benefits of learning multiple languages. All of the studies have shown that the brains' language regions grey matter is larger in those that speak multiple languages. Essentially, this gives credence to the theory that learning language results in a greater mental acuity, and a lesser chance of developing age related dementia.

Anyone that frequently travels abroad can attest to the pains involved with language barriers. Simply paying for an object is a matter of trust, if you do not know the native language. Furthermore, knowing the native language of your travel destination will substantially enrich the entire tourism experience. Imagine actually being able to read the writing on historical landmarks, know what you are ordering from a restaurant menu, and actually be able to converse with locals.

Learning other languages also expands social networking. Learning how to write in Chinese will mean another country full of potential friends, blog buddies, pen pals, and relationships... that would otherwise be excluded.

To open up this new world of friends and opportunities, Start Learning Chinese

The benefits and added opportunities from learning how to speak and write another language are endless.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Add Romance to the Wedding and Write Your Own Vows


By Naomi West


There are many important days in our lives. But none of these great days compare to the one where we get to walk down the aisle and commit ourselves to the one person that we will love and cherish for the rest of our days.

Our wedding day is by far the best one to experience and therefore it must be perfect in everyway. Every bride dreams of having everything she wants for her wedding and they want it all to look like it is from a fairytale. But when all is said and done they just want to see the man at the end of the aisle and be in his arms.

It is possible for brides and grooms to get caught up in the details, decorations, and attendees part of the wedding day - but the most important part is the ceremony itself. One of the best ways to make it truly romantic is for the couple to write their own vows to each other.

I know that this task seems daunting to many and those some of you may not even like to speak in public - but it is one of the best gifts that you could give to your partner. Obviously reciting the traditional vows that your pastor has drawn up for you is still romantic and special. However, who doesn't like to hear true passion and real words from someone's heart? It isn't everyday that you will be able to profess your love to someone in front of everyone that you love.

Writing wedding vows is easier then it looks. All you need to do is sit down with a piece of paper and pen and begin to think of all the ways that you love your partner and how they make you happy. If you want you can include how the two of you met and what you love most about them. This is your time to shine and to show them exactly how much you love them. Make it count!

Sunday, November 1, 2009

When it is Great Learning to Speak Spanish at Home


By Peter O'Reilly


Anytime is a great time in learning to speak Spanish at home. Unlike in language centers where time has to be cultivated well, learning to speak Spanish at home makes the process fun, enjoyable, comfortable, and more productive for any student, both the young and old learners.

So how do you go about learning to speak Spanish at home? You don't need a professor, you only need computer software to purchase and download. This computer software is your professor at home or in the office, anywhere you want your lessons to be taken. The software has all the lessons and guides that will help you speak and write Spanish like a pro in your proper timing.

The lessons are audio-formatted or multimedia materials; you can listen to the instructional and run over it as many times as you wish to master the language. Educational notes on vocabulary use, grammatical correctness, and other conversation-related matters are taken up for your easy understanding. The creators have also incorporated fun conversational games that help your practice your speaking skills without to much worries and pressures. The program makes it sure you are learning and having fun at the same time.

To have doubts on such creative programs is normal, but good thing there are reviews on the net that can assure you that language program or software are trusted educational tools for everyone. To pull out that doubt out of your head, you can surf the web and check out rocket language sites that has perfectly created a program for hungry language learners.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Learn How To Speak Conversational Spanish Fast! Before You Learn To Read And Write Spanish


By Karen Xavier



Why should we learn how to speak conversational Spanish? Well, there are millions of Spanish speaking Immigrants living in the United States who have difficulty speaking the English language and therefore if we are to communicate with them or employ them, then learning to speak Spanish would only serve to benefit.

English is the most spoken language in the World, and the second most spoken language in the United States is Spanish. It is the language embraced by many who were born in Central America, Latin America and some Caribbean islands. .

Excellent Start.

Conversational language is the most natural way to learn. Therefore, if you are to learn to write and understand Spanish, then the most important step is to learn how to speak conversational Spanish. Speaking in this way is natural and it enables you to carry on a conversation with anyone at the level of the native tongue. This is important because an integral part of learning any language, is the tone and accentuation used. In fact, Spanish word inflections can mean different things to different people.

This level of learning reduces the need to worry about verbs and conjugation and other grammatical gotchas. You will learn how it is spoken without the frills or pressure to memorize. Learn how to speak conversational Spanish and everything else will eventually fall in place. Most of the learning and retaining will come from picturing how the words and the phrases that you learn apply to the situation and the context of the conversation. This allows you to retain much faster as there will be an emotional attachment between the words, actions and the picture you create in your mind about the conversation.

So can anyone learn how to speak conversational Spanish?. Yes, and it is very simple! You will need to find a good interactive training course. Not just any, but one that will allow you to interact in real time conversation. There are many of them out there, but two of them I have used in the past and have found to be very effective.

Monday, October 26, 2009

How To Speak In German


By Anastacia Huang



Want to know how to speak in German or a new foreign language? You can learn German through many different ways. What is the best way to learn German fast and interesting? Many find the old traditional ways of learning German like attending classes or learning through a book very boring.

Basically, there are 4 points to take note when it comes to learning a new language. Read, Listen, Speak and Write. With all the 4 basic elements, you also have to practice because practice will make it perfect.

Reading

Firstly, you need to read German Language Phrase Books or books for German Language beginners. It is best to read the books accompanied with CD so that you can pronounce the words accurately.

Listen

Repeat the German Language Cds continuously. I would suggest you playing it over and over again such as when you are driving, lying on the bed or even cooking. This would allow you to familiarize and memorize the words better as our brain tend to forget what we have seen or read easily. Still in doubt? Can you remember what kind of advertisements you saw yesterday? That is the logic I am trying to explain.

Speak

Practice will make it perfect. Visit the place where the language you are studying is commonly use or practice your German language with your German friends.

Write

Writing will make your German language better and at the same time you can understand the grammar and vocabulary more easily than you read or listen.

Picking up a German language can be easy if you are eager to learn. Perhaps you must be giving yourself excuses like "No time to attend lessons", "Too expensive to hire a German tutor" or even "Boring" etc. Actually learning German can fun and cheap with Rocket German. Everything are taught in trendy and interesting ways.

Stop giving yourself excuses not to learn German. Click Here to find out how you can learn German in cheap and interesting ways.

Friday, October 23, 2009

How to Speak Japanese in Two Months


By Andrew Takuya



Have you always been wanting to go Japan but were worried that you could not understand a single word? Are you able to speak Japanese with your Japanese friends, colleagues or clients? Are you going to work in Japan? You thought of learning how to speak Japanese but due to your busy schedule, you do not have the time to learn. You may have thought that learning to speak Japanese can be time consuming, difficult and expensive. Do you know you will be able to speak and understand basic Japanese in two months time if you are serious in learning how to speak Japanese.

Learning a new language can a challenging task. To fully understand the theory and culture of Japanese is also amazing. So, if you want to speak Japanese language in two months time, you need to prepare a few things.

- A good Japanese language guide that include translation, transcript, audio and explanation of Japanese culture.

- Set aside some time to learn Japanese every day.

- A Japanese serial drama.

To really understand the Japanese language, you need to set about an hour of time aside everyday. This is to make you understand the Japanese Culture and learning the right ways to speak and write Japanese. When you learn Japanese language on your own, you may meet up with some difficulties in remembering or understanding the words. Hence, being able to get some help from some Japanese teachers, natives or friends would greatly help to correct your ways of learning how to speak Japanese. After a month of learning, you should start to watch Japanese serial drama in their language, find those with subtitles that you can understand. If possible, you can get a few friends to learn together so that all of you will be able to motivate and practise speaking Japanese language with each other.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Why You Should Know How To Speak And Write In Japanese


By Nadav Snir



In today's world, Japanese is becoming more and more important. It is almost impossible to work your way into this world without knowing even some Asian languages. The reasons for knowing Japanese become stronger every day. People who know this language get a competitive edge over their colleagues who don't, and it looks like this trend is not going to stop in the near future.

Japanese is important in the business world. Japan is one of the biggest economies on earth, and as such it is an important market for almost every company. Research has shown that speaking the native language with a person makes him feel more confident, and confidence is everything in business. Speaking Japanese with a native will most likely give you an edge over competitors in your market.

Fluency in many languages makes people smart and knowledgeable. When people are faced with a multilingual person, they perceive him as an intelligent person who is worthy of their trust. An Asian language is agreed to be a "hard" language to master, and people who speak it are treated as experts in oriental cultures. It is also easier for them to make friends and meet other people.

The culture of Japan is one of the most fascinating cultures on this planet. To know a culture, you first need to know the local language. The key to the Japanese culture goes through the Japanese language. Only this way you can truly realize the beauty of the local culture. The Japanese culture is very beautiful, and well worth knowing.

To learn Japanese the best possible way, you need to get a course that enables you to learn and practice your language skills in your own time. Researchers found that self studying this way is the best way to learn this language outside of Japan.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Learning To Speak French - An Astonishingly Simple Method You Can Use To Learn French Fast!


By Franck Silvestre



There is not only one way to learn French or any other new language. In fact, everyone is different and the truth is that the more you practice, the better your spoken language will become.

However, French is not easy and it will require a lot of time, passion and determination.

Let me give you some tips that will help you to learn new languages fast. I am a French native speaker and as you can see I write in English, and I speak fluently as well.

English was pretty easy to learn. I also speak Spanish and Arabic. Arabic is even more difficult than French, and I learned the basics of the language pretty quickly.

Spanish and English are both Latin languages, but Arabic is totally different. I can speak and write like a native of these different countries.

So how I do it?

1. Listen

You need to listen a lot. Get an iPod and plug some stories and French lessons inside.

2. Learn in your car

Whenever you have time are you are commuting, be sure to hear some French, and repeat what you hear to grab the accent. Don't worry, nobody will actually hear you.

2. Immersion

Find someone who is native and tell him that you want to learn how to speak. A native will help you improve your language skills tremendously.

4. Travel to a French speaking country!

This will force you to speak and to learn the modern language. Just a week or two will be fine the first time. Be sure to know your basic sentences and have a lot of vocabulary before you decide to go there.

5. Read a lot

This is perhaps even more important than immersion. You need to read everything you can. Whenever you see a new word, research the definition in a good dictionary.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Learn To Speak and Read Japanese Easily With This Secret Method


By John J Thompson



Perhaps the best ways to learn to speak and read Japanese are to speak and read it. Joining a few tutorials and following the lessons alone will not help, and even if they do, you will not learn the proper accent. This will be something like learning English from the books alone, without interacting with anybody else.

Constant interaction with Japanese speaking people and living in Japanese environment is very much necessary to learn to speak and read Japanese correctly. Try to make as many friends with Japanese people (or at least those who speak it efficiently) as you can. Because it is them from whom you learn the proper usage of Japanese language in day to day life. And once you know the proper usage in speaking, writing is no problem. Then you only need to master a few alphabets. Actually, be it any language, even your mother tongue, you first learn to speak and much later, to write. So, follow the natural path.

Start with the simple greetings, salutations, etiquettes etc. Try to introduce them gradually along with English, or your mother tongue. You may also use them to pull attention among your friends or just to pose off. But remember, you are still benefiting yourself. The more you use, the more you achieve perfection.

Now, the problem is that you won't always find Japanese speaking people around you. So, what to do then? Why not watch Japanese movies, TV serials, cartoons (of course, don't keep the "Mute" button on) etc. Then you may also buy tutorial CDs and listen to them and try interacting with them. Another important thing! This will also help you a lot to learn to speak and read Japanese. Make Japanese way of life your way of life. Decorate your rooms with Japanese decorations, try their paper arts and learn about their culture, drink tea their way and many such things. These will not only add spice to your daily monotonous like, but will help you learn Japanese too. Because, the more you look at them, the more you try to recall their names or the phrases associated with them, in the way remembering them. So, I don't think it is that tough to learn to speak and read Japanese. Till then, Sayonara!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Make Your Resume Speak and Find the Right Job


By SC Mishra



Your resume is one of the most important documents that you will ever have to create in your life. And yet, many people spend no more than an hour creating their resume! Perhaps their resumes are accurate then? Maybe their entire work history can be hastily written in an hour - all their skills, knowledge, qualifications, interests and experience! Or are they just underselling themselves?

Take a step back from your resume. Think about it for a minute about what you have written. You are giving these few sheets of paper to a complete stranger and hope they will help you change your life! Sure, you know what you meant in that summary you wrote....but do they? Often, people miss out certain important aspects of their capabilities because they assume that the person reading the resume will know what they meant. But is this the case? Not always.

Pretend a complete stranger handed it to you and have a think about what your resume really says about you. Consider even passing it to a friend or relative and ask them to read over it. This is particularly effective with people who do not know much about your profession - chances are the recruiter will know just as little! Well, that usually is not true, but if you assume it is, then you cover yourself!

Tragically, those who don't lie on their resumes stand to lose jobs to those who do. That's where most candidates go wrong and are tempted to give in to peer pressure or exploitation at the hands of a head-hunter. In times of temptation, it is important to remember that it is what you do with the document, rather than what the document can do for you. A resume is only a marketing tool.

Split up each section of your resume and write in on a separate document and have a look at it on its own. Remember - recruiters will be focusing on individual parts of your resume more than the resume as a whole (it's all new to them - they are reading it and learning about you for the first time).

Another benefit of doing this is that it lets you refine areas of your resume one by one. Sometimes we tend to jump from section to section, doing little bits here and there. This can lead to your resume having an inconsistent feel.

Having read your resume as if it were not your own, can you honestly say you liked what you read? Is the person you describe on your resume the kind of person you would hire for the job you are applying for? What have you missed?

Try to figure it out sincerely, this is your first step towards your dream job!

So just do not just churn out a resume and send it out to apply for jobs. It's a very important part of your job search and if you don't get it right, you will get more practice because you will be applying for lots of jobs!