Selling Your True Life Story - Your Unique Tale Is Worth Cash!

The internet is chock full of crazy schemes to raise cash. All you need to do is search on relevant keywords on Google to find every money-making trick in the book. Sadly most of them are hyped up scams where the only thing you are likely to earn is a bad back from sitting hunched over the computer clicking ads all day.

However, there is one way to make a healthy chunk of change that is legitimate and even fun to do: sell your real life story!

Most people have read real life stories in magazines you know the type, My Boyfriend is a Love Rat or I Won a Million and Spent the Lot.

Sometimes the stories are sad; true live tales of love lost or parental bereavement. Sometimes the stories describe events in which the protagonist showed amazing courage or endurance and sometimes they are tales of recovery or triumph, but they all have one thing in common - true life stories touch the reader in ways that fiction cannot.

But Nothing Ever Happens To Me!

Many people reading this will scoff and say 'But nothing ever happens to me! What would I write about?', and yet everybody has their own unique experiences to share.

Were you bullied at school? Have you lost a ton of weight? Did you have to deal with a stressful /romantic/scary situation at work? You have no doubt lived through several experiences that have touched you deeply or changed you in some way.

And that is really the secret of a successful true life story. It is the tale of an ordinary person who has experienced something extraordinary and lived to write about it.

But I Can't Write!

Told that if they get their experience down on paper it may be worth a considerable sum of money, many people will still protest, "But I can't write....". Thinking about the polished articles in magazines that they have read in the past, they instantly doubt their own ability to create something similar. What they don't realise is that the real life stores you read in magazines have most likely been ghost written by an agency writer to get them ready for sale to a publication.

Selling Your Real Life Story

Popular magazines each have their own policy for accepting real life stories. Some offer a flat rate to everybody who has a half way decent tale to tell regardless of the importance or uniqueness of the situation. For example a story about surviving a murder attempt might sell for the same as a story about a romantic break up/make up.

However entertaining the romantic tale is, it could not match the story of murder for thrill factor and suspense. It does not seem fair that both stories should be offered the same payment.

Other magazines have a representative who is responsible for sourcing real life tales. The drawback is that these people have a budget and her job is as much about getting your story for as little amount of money as possible as it is in sourcing new material.

So what to do? Well, if you have a real life story to sell, get in touch with a content agency. With experience in the media business, the content agencies have contacts in the editorial departments of hundreds of publications. They know what kind of story sells and who will pay the most for it. As their agency fee is a percentage of your own, it is in the agency's best interests to get you the best possible deal for your unique tale and what is more, they will have professional writers on staff to help you get the words down.

As Features Editor of Paparazzle Celebrity Picture Agency, I have the pleasure of not only being in the front line to receive celebrity gossip and tip offs, I also accept real life stories so if you ever thought about selling your true story and seeing your words in print in a national magazine like Hello or OK!, please don't hesitate to get in touch via our Sell Your Story page on Paparazzle.

By Stephanie Darrall

Television Writer

Becoming a successful television writer is the dream of many TV script writers who are interested in creative writing for this most popular means of entertainment. A television writer holds a prominent position in bringing programs to television because he or she is responsible for penning the plotline, the dialogues, characters, and creating situations for the story. The TV writer furthers re-writes and polishes the script until it is ready to be used for filming. The "show runner" or producer takes care of hiring the crew, cast, budget, and overall quality of the TV program.

Typically, each television writer contributes to writing the TV show, collaborating with several writers who work as a team of 4-20 writers. There is a well-defined hierarchy among the group of people working together on a script for the television. This consists of the following:

1. Executive producer - The executive producer is the main man to oversee the development of all the aspects of the TV show in making. This person performs the task of the chief television writer, hiring the directors, crew and the selection of the cast. The executive producer is the central figure who takes all the important decisions.

2. Co-executive producer - The co-executive producer helps and works closely with the executive producer. The co-executive producer is the spokesman and assistant to the executive producer.

3. The core group of middle level writers - This team consists of supervising producer, producer, and co-producers. All have clearly-defined tasks, each one assisting in the show's production.

4. Lower level writers and editors - The executive story editor, story editor, and staff writer form the lower level of writers and editors who carry out the work of composing the story and developing the characters and dialogues.

Anyone who wants to become a television writer in any capacity must have the dedication and yearning to write. An inherently prolific writer will be a successful candidate to take up the reins of composing scripts for TV. An inner craving to give an overt expression to creativity can be a wonderful motivation to turn to writing for TV. When wanting to step into this profession, you are hired based on your quality of work output. As a sample of your writing prowess, you should keep ready spec scripts to show others that you are comfortable with the format and style for writing for television.

There are a limited number of positions for a budding television writer, but if you practice endlessly to hone your skill, you can be sure to carve out a niche for yourself. Write in the genre of your choice. This is a piece of the most practical advice because by following it you are likely to put your best foot forward and be a raving success. Watch a lot or TV. This is a self tutoring method and an enjoyable one too! Brainstorm and come up with novel ideas to compose scripts that are totally engaging and worth turning into great TV programs.

If you're looking for a screenwriter for hire, visit http://ScreenwritersForHire.Com/, call (716) 579-5984, or email ezine[at]GhostWritersForHire.Com

By John Halasz

How to Write For Money in Ways You Might Not Expect

With the economy still on shaky ground, more people than ever want to learn how to write for money. The thought is that since this is a skill that everyone learns in school, it can't be all that hard to do. Well, the answer is that anyone can learn how to write for money. However, if you want to write for money and do it in a way that not everyone is doing it (so that you don't have as much competition), you need to be a little creative.

Technical Writing

Every time you buy an electronic device or a software program, it needs to have instructions included with it. Now while the instructions included with that product may seem like they were written by someone for whom English is a second language (and it many cases, that's true since India and Pakistan are both common markets for getting writing projects outsourced to them), some such manuals are written right here in the United States. This is especially true for very complicated products such as telecommunications mainframes and the like.

You can easily learn how to write for money by learning how to do technical writing. There are dozens of courses available, some of them online which will teach you everything you need to know. The biggest problem you'll have is landing your first job. Most companies that hire technical writers prefer to hire people who have previous experience in the field. Keep in mind also that technical writing is very much a job for people who are not very creative and don't really enjoy writing things like stories. You simply need to have an analytical mind so that you can write clear instructions.

Grant Writing

Another area of growth that many people who want to learn how to write for money overlook is grant writing. Grant writing involves writing requests for money from various foundations. Tens of thousands of such foundations exist in this country and they are in the business of giving away money for various charitable projects. Most charitable organizations however don't know much about how to write grant requests and as such they hire professional grant writers.

You'll need to do research, including asking lots of questions from the people who run the charity in order to write effective grant proposals, however the money can be quite good. Typically, starting grant writers are paid around $8-$12 per hour while those with proven track records can easily take in as much as $100-$150 per hour. Keep in mind however that no ethical grant writer will take a project to write a grant request on commission. That's because grant requests cannot include the cost of the grant writer meaning that the organization would effectively be fudging their own numbers in order to pay you. Not to mention the fact that you will have no way of knowing that a grant was actually paid since it often takes months to get an answer.

Greeting Cards, T-Shirts, Bumper Stickers, etc.

Believe it or not, a third idea that many people want to learn how to write for money tend to overlook is writing slogans, jokes and short poems. Every time you pick up a greeting card or a T-Shirt with a slogan on it, someone had to come up with the material that was written there. Bumper stickers also require professional writers to pump out ideas. While this is often not what people have in mind when they want to learn how to write for money, it is a great way of earning cash if you have a creative mind and can come up with pithy slogans and commentary rather than long articles.

Copyright Aaron Aberson. Learn more about how to write for money, and get free money-making newsletters and courses at: http://www.EveryWayToMakeMoney.com.

By Aaron Aberson

Writing Grants - How Do Technical Writing Skills Affect Grant Funding?

Writing grant proposals can be an intimidating process. Some people never undertake the challenge because they assume they need specialized technical skills in order to win grant funding. That assumption is false. Though grant writing can be a labor-intensive task, the most critical aspects of writing a winning proposal are not technical secrets available only to professionals. They are tools and techniques available to anyone willing and able to prepare the necessary groundwork, take advantage of available resources, and follow some basic but often neglected strategies for success.

Because technical writers work primarily in information technology-related industries, they need specialized capabilities and knowledge which may be beyond the skill set of the typical grant writer. However, good technical writers are also experts in less technical areas critical to those pursuing grants. Developing those common areas is something you can learn -- that's the "science." By also honing your skills in areas specific to the "art" of grant writing, you can greatly increase your odds of winning a grant.

Common Areas (The Science):

    * Technical writers and grant writers must thoroughly understand the purpose of their document.
    * Both must understand that they are communicating to a specific audience for a specific purpose.
    * They must communicate information in a clear, concise way that can be easily understood. Good grammar, correct spelling and organization are critical in both cases.
    * Their writing must be "presentational" - i.e., they should use appropriate headings, bullets and layouts that make their documents easy to read.

Grant-Specific Areas (The Art)

    * In addition to understanding the purpose of your document, as a grant writer you must also understand and convey a compelling sense of purpose for your organization. The most successful grant seekers are "purpose driven" and clearly communicate that in their writing. Be sure you are clear about the problem you are trying to solve.

    * The grant writer must know far more about the audience, or grant maker. Beyond knowing who the audience is, you must be very aware of what is important to that audience, what drives them. Grants are offered for very specific purposes; the needs you are addressing must be important to the grant maker.

    * While the technical writer follows basic rules for organizing data, the grant writer must absolutely conform to the grant maker's specifications. There are no exceptions to this rule. Even if you think the grant maker's guidelines are nonsensical and irrelevant, those are the guidelines you must follow if you wish to be considered.

    * Be clear about what you are trying to achieve and specific about how you will measure success. Most importantly, communicate how your proposed plans and programs will transform lives. You are asking a grant maker to give you money; be sure your reader can see the impact that decision will have.

In summary, some technical writing skills can help you write a stronger grant proposal. Learning the skills specific to grant-writing, however, will have a major impact on your success. We have touched on major areas here; many free resources are available to give you more insight and help you obtain grant funding.

Learn more now at http://www.gofreegovernmentmoney.com/

We provide fast, free, clear and factual information about finding and winning public and private grants, scholarships, and alternate funding sources.

By N. S. Jenks

Proofreading - Some Basic Do's and Don'ts

The writing process can be divided into three stages;
1) Prewriting -- research and planning.
2) Writing -- putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and producing your document.
3) Post-writing-- perfecting the language in your document and ensuring it is of the highest quality that you can produce by proofreading for errors.

It is this last, post-writing stage, which is most often neglected. You have written your document and believe that you are almost finished. But this is not true. The last stage is where you are able to add extra value to your writing. It is this stage where you can go from a good mark to an excellent mark.

In this article I will present some do's and don'ts that should help you fully maximize the marks you get from the last stage by using some of the strategies that professional proofreaders use.

Do -- Work in an environment in which you are able to concentrate and not be distracted.
Don't-- Try to proofread while also watching television.

After you have finished writing your report or essay it is easy to think that the hard part is over and that you can relax, move away from your work desk and sit somewhere more comfortable and relaxed while proofreading your final copy. This will not help you. You need to maintain focus and concentration. You should work in an environment where you will not be distracted, the same sort of environment where you would write your document.

Do -- Take a break and come back to your document after a time away from it.
Don't -- Finish writing and start proofreading straight away.

Ideally you need to be able to take a break and come back to your work with a fresh set of eyes. If possible finish writing your document and leave it at least 24 hours before proofreading it. However, is not always possible to do this; often due to tight deadlines you are not able to let it rest for 24 hours. You should take a minimum of 10-20 minutes away from your desk. Go and have a cup of tea or a walk outside to refresh you before starting the proofreading. You need this break so that you can read what is on the page rather than what you thought you wrote.

Do -- Focus on one aspect of proofreading at a time.
Don't -- Try to fix everything at once, especially if English is not your first language.

Read your document several times when proofreading, each time focusing on a different aspect. Read once to make sure that your punctuation is correct, once to check for miss-spelt works or wrongly used words (e.g. there/their) and another time for poorly written sentences which need to be rewritten.

Do -- Print your document and proofread the hard copy.
Don't -- Proofread your document on a computer screen.

If you proofread your document on a computer screen, then print a hard copy and proofread it again you will be surprised at the number of mistakes you are able to find. Your eyes often miss the mistakes when you are reading on a computer screen, so you should print your work and read the hard copy when proofreading.

So, if you are able to take a break after finishing writing your document, print a hard copy, work in an environment without distractions and proofread for one type of error at a time you should be able to maximize the marks that you get or the quality of your document by spending in the right amount of time on the post-writing stage, which is just as important as the prewriting and writing stages when producing a high quality document.

Of course if you don't have time or need your document to be the very best it can be you could always employ a professional proofreader.

Copyright Jolyon Dodgson PhD. Jolyon, the author of this article, is a research scientist, qualified TEFL teacher (teaching English as a foreign language) and freelance proofreader specializing in scientific, academic, website, business and ESL proofreading. Much more useful information about writing and proofreading, written by him, can be found at his website http://www.excellent-proofreading-and-writing.com. Where you can also submit your documents for his proofreading and copy editing service.

By Jolyon Dodgson

Good Speaker - The Soul Of An Event

A function or an event is incomplete without a good speaker. Organisations conduct meetings for various reasons and for ensuring the event to be successful companies engage in speaker. Earlier even companies would give this task to someone within the organisation and the result would be a bored audience who would be ready to run away from the event giving any excuse. Sometimes some famous personalities are invited to take over as the orator for the occasion. Famous personalities are able to draw and hold attention of their audience. People are always ready and happy to listen to them.

Even for personal events when you take the task of giving a speech you need to hold the attention of the audience otherwise it makes people to wander and talk among themselves. A good speaker is one who knows how to make people listen to him. A person who is talented in this task will make his way into people's heart. There are various corporate events like seminars, product launch or conferences. Every such event needs a speaker to make people understand the importance of the event and participate in them. Organisations spend large amount of money on all this events and to make it successful hiring a good orator is a must. You cannot have an audience of about 1000 guests and make them listen to someone who is not able to deliver a good speech and not develop interest in the event. The whole purpose would be lost.

A good speaker is the soul of the event. There are people who have taken up the job of a speaker and they are very good at it. They are professionals in this field and do their job perfectly. They know what message they have to pass and how to generate interest among the audience by delivering an enjoyable speech. Every speaker charges differently depending upon his skill and experience. But incurring this expense is worthwhile as it will guarantee the success of an event. An expert will generate willingness in audience to learn by captivating their attention.

Motivational speakers are hired by organisations to bring positive changes in their employees. There are group of employees who would need to be motivated to work hard towards achieving organisational goal. Changing the negative thought process in some of the employees is needed and that is what exactly the speaker does. He will stress at stopping the negative influences from affecting the employee's performance and growth. A good speaker will shape up the emotional attributes of the employees towards company's growth.

At an event a good speaker will be able to put across the point that the organisation is trying to put forth effectively and engaging in their service will be a good investment for the organisation. You can get speakers through references or organisations that will avail you the services of speakers needed by you depending upon the event. A professional speaker will leave his audience motivated, well-informed and ready to take up new challenges.

By Anita Dsilva

How To Write An Article In Under 8 Minutes

Article marketing is a great way to drive lots of targeted traffic to your website, but it can take time. I remember sitting down to write my first article. It took me two days to finish it and I was still not convinced it was good enough to publish. Over time, I got better and faster at writing quality content, but it would still take me an hour or so per article. Let me show you how I changed that and can now write an article in under 8 minutes.

Then I heard about something called "Pavlov's Law". Yes, that's the guy with the drooling dogs, but this is different. Pavlov's Law states that any task will take the amount of time we allot for it. Let's apply that to writing articles.

If my only goal for Monday morning is to write an article, it'll take me all morning. I'll start with some research, read a few related blogs and jot down some possible article ideas. I'll go grab another cup of coffee and sip on it while mulling over which of the topics to choose. By 10 am I'm finally opening a word doc to sit down and start writing.

Fast forward to 2pm; I'm finally wrapping up a 400 word article for my Affiliate Marketing Blog, having done most of the writing in the past 15 minutes because I realize it's almost time to pick up my daughter from school.

Now let's look at a different scenario to that shows how we can train ourselves to write much faster. Again, it's Monday morning and you need to write and submit an article. At 8:30, just as you're sitting down to write, your best friend calls inviting you to go have coffee at 9:00. It takes you 5 minutes to get ready and 10 to drive to the coffee shop, leaving you 15 minutes to work. You sit down, write your article and submit it to your favorite article directory before you head out the door.

Because you only had 15 minutes to get it done, you wrote much faster. The trick to writing articles in under 8 minutes is to train yourself to do so with a time. Grab your cell phone or the kitchen timer. Set it for 20 minutes and do what you can to write your article within the allotted time.

The next time you sit down, change that time to 18 minutes, then 15 and so forth until you find the minimal amount of time it takes you to write a quality 400 word article.

And yes, in case you're wondering; it did take me less than 8 minutes to write this article for you.

And now I would like to invite you to learn more about affiliate marketing at http://www.DailyAffiliateTasks.com

By Susanne Myers

Do We Have "Ivory-Tower-Itis"?

A conversation with a local business owner the other day prompted this whole thought pattern and THIS is what came out.

Don, a 2nd generation business owner and a pretty good offline marketer, asked this question almost word for word...

"Do I need one of them "Bee Logs" I see you writing about all the time?" It took a second, but inadvertently Don had hammered home something that I had been taking for granted for quite a while.

Most business owners, heck, most people in general, don't know things that I take for granted! Like what a "Bee Log" is and what it can do for a business as a part of its marketing efforts.

In national politics, I'm always railing against "eggheads" that talk down to us common citizens about economics, trade and all those fancy topics from high atop their ivory towers.

Don didn't mean to, by any stretch of the imagination, but he DID throw it right in my face that I was being just as bad as those "eggheads"!

All of those 5 paragraphs, 166 words took place in my mind while I was trying to come up with a brilliant answer for Don.

What I did say was, "Don, I appreciate you for being so patient with me. I haven't done a very good job of talking about things in a way that you can use right here in your business. I'll do better, I can promise you that!"

We then went on to discuss what a blog is and if it would be an asset for his business. It ended up that Don thought a bee log would be a good addition to his marketing. But, all the while, I was feeling like a real dummy for taking for granted that Don knew what a blog is and how it could be used in his business.

I've always prided myself on being able to discuss things with people in a very down-to-earth manner which I thought was very effective...now I'd have to say MAYBE NOT!

In the end, the same person who had started all these recriminations in my mind...good old Don...put a lot of my worries to rest when he said, "Hey man, don't beat yourself up. You don't know what the knapp of a carpet is or how to work with it, but I do. I can talk about knapps all day long and you'd have the same blank look I have when you talk about blogs. I just have to make sure you're following along enough to be able to choose which knapp you want and BUY a carpet that's right for YOUR home! That's my whole job."

Good old Don!

I'd be willing to bet that a lot of us have a pretty good case of "Ivory-Tower-itis".

Just remember good old Don and make sure your target audience is following along and understands enough to choose the right strategy or tool to get the job that THEY want done completed.

Thanks Don!

If you enjoyed this article and would like to read more, just go to http://www.tourismlearningcenter.com where you'll find over 400 articles like this one.

By Dennis Lively

Ghostwriting Jobs

There are ghostwriting jobs for writers who want online writing jobs. Ghostwriting jobs for experienced writers and newcomers are both available if you know where to look. Most large websites that offer ghostwriting services are constantly looking for new ghostwriters to join their team. Projects are also available on a multitude of freelance websites, and they often turn into full time jobs. In such cases, ghostwriters bid on the individual project. Classified ads also offer many ghostwriting jobs.There are all sorts of ghostwriting projects to accommodate every individual writer's tastes and needs. Some of these key jobs include ghostwriting SEO content, articles, ebooks, blog posts, press releases, screenplays, novels, and books.

Ghostwriting can be a very lucrative way for a freelancer to make money online. There is a genuine demand for ghostwriters of virtually all levels. Several ghostwriters are already published authors in their own right, but most have never been published. Some websites offering ghostwriting services create entry level positions and train new writers to become better writers. It is important to determine which of the many types of ghostwriting jobs best suits you. For instance, do you have a talent for book ghostwriting? If so, go further and establish more specifically what type of books you want to ghostwriter. For instance, first decide if it is fiction or non-fiction. From there, which genre of writing do you like -- romance, action, horror, etc. Once you have narrowed down your search this far, you can still choose among novel writing, screenwriting, and short story writing. Versatile ghostwriters who can write many types of projects tend to be more successful because they are qualified for more projects.

One way to get yourself out there as a professional and profitable ghostwriter is to get your name on the market. A good way to achieve this is to use a ghostwriting company as the go between for yourself and their clients who needs the writing services of a reliable ghostwriter. In essence, the client would hire the ghostwriting service provider who could hire you as the ghostwriter. Having a resume and writing samples is a must when applying for ghostwriting jobs. You can also post these credentials online for others to find and hire you directly.

You can work for a ghostwriting company that has constant, on-going work or you can search for new projects yourself. Just determine how much effort it is to consistently find new paying projects. Being an independent ghostwriter affords you the opportunity to accept only the ghostwriting jobs you want, but to make a decent living most people cannot be too choosy. Ghostwriting jobs from a company may require you to take what is assigned to you by the project manager. Other ghostwriting companies permit writers to choose from several projects.

Find ghostwriting jobs by visit visiting http://GhostwritersForHire.Com/ghostwriting-jobs

By John Halasz

Writing Sympathy Messages for Cards

Having to write a bereavement or sympathy message for a card can be a daunting task and finding the perfect words to write nigh on impossible, as words will never convey the depth of comfort you wish to send to your grieving family or friends during their very difficult time of sorrow.

Unfortunately the loss of a loved one is something that we will all have to endure, and so writing a sympathy card is a task that we will all need to do at some point, so it is a matter of trying to choose the best words to convey a genuine and thoughtful message to the person grieving the loss of their loved one. Try to send the sympathy card as soon as possible after the death.

When writing sympathy messages for cards, the words you pick are very important. It is best not to try to say too much, so keep the message simple and short, particularly if you did not know the person particularly well. A card is not the appropriate medium to inform the recipient of your own news, or to offer an explanation as to why you haven't been in touch for a while.

If the deceased person was well known to you, then you should try to be more personal by conveying what the person meant to you, and how greatly they will be missed.

Here are some common phrases used in sympathy cards: "I am sorry for your loss"; "With deepest sympathy"; "Our thoughts and prayers are with you"; "[Name] will remain in our hearts forever". However it is important to write something in the card that sounds genuine, and not overly clichéd. Avoid using a message that suggests that you know how the family is feeling or that suggest that the deceased may be better off as his or her suffering has ended.

If the person has died after a long term illness it is appropriate to mention this in your message, but avoid mentioning details of the death, as the pain and memories will still be very raw to the recipient.

One must also be careful to observe the correct etiquette in these difficult circumstances. Always neatly handwrite, rather than type, both the sympathy card and the envelope. When signing the message it is also usual to use your surname, even if you know the person well, and use proper titles when addressing the envelope, ie Mr, Mrs, Miss etc. The card should be addressed to the closest person to the deceased, unless you did not know them personally, but you knew another family member - in this case you would address your sympathy card to the person that you know.

If you feel a card is not enough consider sending flowers - any good florist should be able to help you select flowers that are appropriate for the occasion. Often, a charitable donation will be the preferred gift by the family.

The recipient will often follow up the sympathy card with a 'Thank you' card. Remember that the time following the passing of a loved one can be challenging, so remember to keep in touch, or follow up with a 'Thinking of you' card.

If you're looking for suggestions for Sympathy Messages for Cards, take a look at some of the messages listed at http://www.messagesforcards.com

By Simon Spanglehurst

Writing From the Heart for Newbies

I am not a good writer but I love to write. I go by the saying, "Love conquers all." It has helped me conquer one writing deficiency after the other. A newbie wanting to write for a living can make good use of it, as well.

The road from scratch to riches, for a writer, is littered with potholes, obstacles, dead ends, detours and what have you. Hercules' trials are child's play compared to what your trials will be. And you need no less a bigger heart to conquer them all if you are to make a living out of it.

Many have trod this road before, that's the good part. The bad part is that only a very few made it. You can take valuable lessons from these guys. No need to reinvent the wheel.

Before taking the plunge, play the little game of "mirror, mirror on the wall..." on yourself, asking if writing is really what you want in life.

There are mountains and mountains of writing tips in the Internet. They all boil down to aptitude and attitude.

Sean Platt thought he can't write, never having had any formal writing education. But when he put his heart into it, he found out that he can and is now earning a fortune from it.

On the hand, a lot of people put up blogs believing they can write (I've read of lot of these). But their writing suck, their contents the dime-a-dozen type.

Aptitude answers the question, "Do you know how to write?"

Writing is both a skill and an art. As a skill, it can be learned. As an art, it can be developed and is very personal. We are all born with a gift. But this gift is useless unless we make use of it, polish it to make us stand over the others. That requires practice, practice and more practice.

Attitude answers the question, "Why do you want to write?"

More often than not, wanting to write and actually writing are poles apart. I write because I love to write. Nevertheless I sometimes have to fight against myself to sit down and start crafting an article.

Without a very strong and compelling reason to write, it is so easy to put things off till the "right time." There is no "right time" for a writer but "now."

"Writer's block" is another convenient alibi many writers seek refuge in. Hard core writers don't have writer's blocks.

Some writers struggle through an article a day for lack of interesting subjects to write about Prolific writers won't settle for anything less than two.

The Internet is a written world. And it is large enough to be perpetually in need of people with the aptitude and attitude to write. You, a newbie, can very well make a name and fortune for yourself if you put your heart into it.

Joseph Dabon, freelance writer and blogger on motivational, online business for newbies and happiness and fitness issues.

Come, visit my blog at http://homebizresources.net/ and message me.

By Joseph Dabon

Writing An Article - 3 Tips To Keep Going

If you or someone you know is trying to continually make money online through affiliate marketing, or even article marketing, it's important to never stop throwing sentence together. Much like a journey takes one single step to start, writing an article takes one sentence, one word, and an idea to begin. If you're not sure how to move forward, or are tired of seeing no results, it's important not to let it stop you from progressing with your craftsmanship. Consider the following tips to keep yourself in the game, even when you're tired.

   1. Read Bad Writing - This might not seem like a great thing, but you should consider reading bad writing for a change. Well, within reason, don't read something a child writes, as they aren't quite sophisticated to create truly technical writing that can be critiqued as bad. Read things that are not on topic with what you're doing. For instance, read an action sports magazine like skateboarding, surfing or even snowboarding. The types of magazines that feature action sports aren't written with high caliber vocabulary and paint pictures with.... pictures.

   2. Read Bad Blogs - Go to the Internet and search anything you'd like, then add the world blog to your search. You'll find millions of websites with terrible content, and lackluster display. Use that to inspire you, because you know that you can probably come up with something better and more enlightening.

   3. Never Stop Writing - If you're serious about becoming a professional online, write like there is nothing else to do in the world. People that make it in affiliate marketing; know that writing an article is something that is done daily, no matter what. If you start doing 1 piece a day, you'll have 365 pieces to upload to a site. Now if you did 2, or 3 a day, in less than 1 year's time you'll have so much content, you'll rival ay competitor hands down.

Writing an article is easy, but doing that over and over again to generate traffic and interest in all your work is hard. If you're not keen on writing, then purchase a service to help you and make sure you never stop. The moment you stop trying, is the moment your competitors come in and take over all your niches. Select a niche that isn't going to bore you, and go through the motions to become the best at what you do, even if you're in a small sector the Internet. Sometimes it's the small genres that make the most money.

Trying to learn how to write articles? 99centarticles offers the best quality and lowest priced articles for 100% native English speaking USA writers - check out the best service online at www.99centarticles.com

By Miranda Hewitt

How to Remove Writer's Block

Writer's block... Dictionary.com defines this odd condition as "a usually temporary condition in which a writer finds it impossible to proceed with the writing of a novel, play, or other work." The causes of this phenomena are many and the resulting effect is characteristically difficult to shake off. Despite this there are ways to remove writer's block partially if not fully.

A few simple methods are simply:

1. Force yourself to write. Sit down and don't allow yourself to do anything til you produce some writing.

2. Go read a book. Reading books that you enjoy and reading books that are relevant to the subject you are writing about can give you inspiration and get your creative thoughts flowing again.

3. Take a break. Go for a walk, jog, exercise swim, bike ride, etc. Breaks allow your conscious mind to rest while your subconscious mind works at the problem. Sometimes producing the eureka effect in which you seemed to have randomly come up with a solution to a problem (or in this case writing you work).

4. Write down every thought you have (no matter what the thought might be). Such things can be used later in your writing and if they are not written down upon the moment of thinking them they tend to slip away and become difficult to remember - if at all possible.

5. Attend a writing class or workshop. Regardless of whether or not you have writer's block, a writing class puts you in a position of having to produce work. This demand forces your creative mind to work and inevitably produce content regardless of the quality (quality not being important because writing workshops are meant to improve the quality of the work you produce).

6. Keep a journal. Write down what happens in your life, thoughts, and your dreams (dreams tending to be the most useful and inspiration-inducing). These events can: be used later in your writing, give you an assuring writing project each day, or at the very least used to refer back to so that you may be able to determine the cause of your writer's block. Make sure to note that day if you could produce any content or not.

7. Practice in other creative hobbies. If your stuck in writing working on another creativity-required hobby can get your mind running and primed for when you are able to sit down at the writing desk.

8. Remove clutter from your room. Make sure that your writing space and your sleeping space are clear of any junk and random messes (as opposed to an organized mess for those who know what I'm talking about). This is almost always a cause of writer's block and you could be amazed at the difference of just simply sprucing up.

9. If you can't work on your project directly, than work on it indirectly. If you have trouble producing content than try: outlining, word association, flash cards, sticky notes, writing prompts and so on. This almost always gives you somewhere to start writing content.

There are many ways to break writer's block. Here are just a few methods for doing so.

For more methods on breaking writer's block visit www.writersde-block.blogspot.com or visit your local library and inquire about any writing workshops.

By Michael Salerno

How Do You Find Jobs Abroad?

The majority of my work comes from clients in the States, but I have written for people and companies in Australia, New Zealand and the U.K. I've gotten the jobs abroad through a mix of things. In one instance, I wrote for a site that has offices in both North America and Australia. When my North American editor heard I was moving to Australia, she connected me with the site editor here and I got work from there. Another current gig came from networking at a travel meetup.

The remaining jobs abroad have come from a single source, however: Twitter.

I write for two sites in New Zealand. One gig came strictly from a relationship built with an American travel blogger on Twitter. Another came from a tweet I answered about someone needing writers. Guest posts I did for a site based in England emerged from meeting up with the site owner while he was in Sydney. It is sometimes hard to network when you do most of your work online, but every little bit counts.

Twitter can work for finding jobs abroad because the connection is quick and to the point, as you have only 140 words to use. You don't have to craft some sort of hook necessarily - you only have room to tell the person what you're after. It's easy to make the initial contact that way, then follow up with a longer email in which you pimp out yourself and your work.

Make sure you follow people in different countries who may need writers at some point. Search "writers" or "writing" - try them with a hashtag, too - in the little box at the left to see if anyone's made calls for writers. If you're in the same country as the person, ask to meet for coffee to discuss opportunities.

You can also do something I've talked about before: cold email. If you see a site in the new country you have moved to or are moving to, contact the editor to see if he or she needs writers, even if the site has not advertised it. Even if they cannot bring you on right now, you've formed the initial contact and they can get in touch if something comes up.

If you are already abroad, go to Meet-ups geared toward the writing or blogging industry or the industries about which you write. Collect business cards and send follow-up emails asking about work opportunities.

By Lauren Fritsky

Freelancers Are Good for Business

Whether your business is large or small, growing or slowing, a qualified freelancer can help you produce more and better work at higher profit margins. The most successful freelancers produce excellent work with a high level of customer service and further differentiate themselves by offering something that other freelancers don't, e.g., extensive knowledge of a particular industry, exceptional creativity, or a breadth of services. Freelancers (also known as 'independent contractors') are responsible for their own office space, health care benefits, and job-related equipment. The only cost to you is the fee you pay for the work they produce.

If you're not sure whether a freelance partnership makes sense for you, consider these five facts about freelancers:

Freelancers live and die by their reputation. Anyone who "makes it" as a freelancer has figured out how to consistently deliver high quality work on time and within budget.

Freelancers have nowhere to hide. Unlike a traditional employee, a freelancer bears full responsibility for the work she or he produces. There is no other department or team to blame for a missed deadline or inferior quality work. A good freelancer is motivated by this transparency, and strives to exceed client expectations every time.

Flexibility is a hallmark of a freelance professional. Because they primarily work solo, most freelancers are able to adjust to changes in timelines and project scope more easily than a traditional employee or entire department.

Non-traditional working hours are the norm. Many freelancers are willing to work evenings and weekends if necessary to satisfy a client, and since their rate is usually based on the number of hours worked, clients do not pay any overtime fees.

Freelancers freelance because they choose to, not because they have to. Many leave traditional employment because they feel stifled, either creatively or strategically, and they believe in their ability to compete in the open market. Freelancing is like a never-ending game of King of the Hill. In order for a freelancer to survive, she or he must be better than most other freelancers. Successful freelancers continually innovate and stretch their skills in order to satisfy clients and grow their business.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that more than 10 million workers are classified as independent contractors, and freelancers earn one in every eight dollars in the U.S. If you're not taking advantage of the professional freelance pool, someone else clearly is. Perhaps it's your biggest competitor.

By Sally Bacchetta

How to Make Author Events Effective

When starting out, many authors wonder how they should promote their books, and many are disappointed when they hold a book signing and no one shows up. An author might sign books at a bookstore in his or her hometown and have a dozen or so friends and family come, but then the second book signing in a neighboring town might be a flop with only one or two books sold at the most. For a long time, book marketing experts have said that a bookstore is the worst place to sell a book. I don't think that's true-over time, authors sell the majority of their books in bookstores-but a book signing in a bookstore usually is a colossal failure for most authors.

What makes an author event effective? Participation by the author in terms of spreading word about the event is a large factor. You can't rely on the bookstore or organization to promote your event. You still may not get a crowd of people if you do, but the more effort you put into advertising the event yourself, the more likely you will attract a crowd. Here are just a few ways you can help to promote your event:

    * Send out invitations via Facebook, Twitter, and other Social Media.

    * Send out an email invitation to your email list-remember not everyone is on Facebook, and not all your Facebook friends are on your email list so cover your bases both ways (and don't discriminate and fail to invite friends in other states or across the country-they may not come, but they may cheer you on from afar and the positive energy helps a lot-it's also a reminder to them to order your book.)

    * Send out postcards to people on your snail mail list-especially your older readers who may not be on Facebook or even have email.

    * Post the scheduled event on a prominent place on your website.

    * Make up posters and distribute them around the area-grocery stores, libraries, restaurants, anywhere there's a bulletin board or a door where you can tape something-always ask the manager's permission before doing so (and invite him or her and the staff to the event while you're at it). Be sure to give some posters to the event planner, bookstore owner, etc. to distribute.

    * Send out an event listing, or even a press release, to local media-many television stations and newspapers have community events calendars. And you never know when the newspaper might write up the event, or the TV station might come to cover it.

Promoting your event yourself can be a lot of work, but it gives you a better chance of having an audience and selling your book than if you don't promote it. Making posters might especially seem like a waste of time and money, especially if you can't place them all, so I recommend making up a generic poster for all your events and then leaving a place where you can list the time, place, and location details for each specific event. Then you can later print up stickers or just handwrite that information on the posters so you always have posters available and don't end up throwing any away.

Making an event effective also has to do with how you "sell" it to your prospective audience. Saying "John Smith will sign his new book on X day at X place" may not excite too many people, especially if they can always get the book at that place any other day of the week and don't care if it's signed. But spicing up the event can help a lot. Here are a few additional ways to give that bonus reason for why people should attend your author event:

    * Invite fellow authors to attend. They are not your competition. They are your greatest resource. If you get other authors to do the event with you, they can help you to promote it, and their fan base will show up and discover your book as well. People are also more likely to show up for six authors than one author. You might have to spend a little more time coordinating the event with everyone, but it also extends your chance of making the event a success, and if no one does show up, at least you'll have other people to talk with, and network with-slow author events are often where you can get some of your best ideas for marketing your book just by talking to the other participants.

    * Have a contest or giveaway. Have a drawing-sell tickets, or give away a ticket for everyone who buys a book-you can give away free books, or it can even be non-book related items. You might even want to find a sponsor, someone who will donate an attractive or desirable item as a prize for the event-a great way to advertise for the sponsor. Don't be afraid to get creative. I know of one author who held a contest for the chance to be named as a character in the author's next book.

    * Entertain your audience. People may not be willing to show up just so they can buy a book, but they may show up if you are going to give a talk on a topic that interests them. If you have five or six authors, make up a schedule and each of you can give a twenty minute talk during the event. If you know anyone musical, it doesn't hurt to have someone sing during the event or play an instrument. You can also show a short film or your book video. People want to be entertained, and they like free entertainment. Entertain them and they'll be more likely to buy your book. And even if you don't sell books, you planted a seed, so they might later buy the book as a Christmas gift for someone else.

No matter how hard you work, some events are going to end up being failures. But even if an event is a flop, if you are invited back to participate in the event the next year, give it a second try, and analyze what you could have done better to promote the event so you have a better chance the second time. If it still flops, then perhaps you might reconsider not participating in the future-especially if you are busy or could spend that time writing or doing something more fruitful-but if you have the time and want to keep going, the worst that can happen is you spend your time, and you never know who might show up the third time around.

Eventually, you might end up deciding not to attend certain events any longer, but also remember that sometimes it just takes the one right person showing up to make the event worthwhile. For example, I know an author who held a book signing and only one person showed up for it, but that person was the right person. She was the head of the library book club, and she liked the author and his book so much that she got the book club to read the book. The author spent two hours at the book signing and only sold one book, but it resulted in the other sixteen members of that book club buying his book a couple of months later. Not only that, but the book club invited him to their book club meeting, which included a free dinner and they paid him to come and talk. I'd say those are pretty good results from a book signing where only one person showed up.

Author events can be a success if authors are willing to make the effort and be a little creative to bring in the crowd. Don't just show up for an event. Create the event, own the event, be the event. Then your author event can be a success.

Irene Watson is the Managing Editor of Reader Views, where avid readers can find reviews of recently published books as well as read interviews with authors. Her team also provides author publicity and a variety of other services specific to writing and publishing books.

By Irene Watson

The Unfinished Dictionary

My pocket dictionary stops at 'T". It cuts out at 'Triella', defining it as 'a bet placed...' and there it ends. It has every intention of continuing, but it cannot because the following pages have gone missing. They have not been been ripped out. They are just not there. The cover is conclusively glued to that last page as if there is nothing more to be said.

It was quite some time after I bought this dictionary that I discovered its shortcomings. My hunt for word meanings/spellings had not taken me past 'tr'. Which says something about the tail end of the alphabet: it must have been an afterthought and somewhere to file words of little interest.

I had found this dictionary in a newsagent bargain bin. As a conscientious consumer, I should return it to the shop and point out the error of its ways. But I won't. It is a freak of publishing; a dictionary with a surprise ending. In truth, the dictionary hasn't ended at all.

Whether it is the dictionary embedded in your computer or a fat volume on the shelf, it is unfinished. It is still being written - a work in progress - because the English language won't sit still. Veteran words are tweeked, contorted and, some people fear, defiled. Novice words are waiting in the wings, so the dictionary is growing ever fatter, never thinner.

Admittedly, my dictionary, by going on its involuntary diet, made the point that the English language may need pruning - but not an amputation. Without 'Tr' through to 'Z', we would have to do without twaddle, unicorns and worms. There would be no wheels, vegetables or, for that matter, vocabulary.

For the dictionary is merely somewhere to stow all our words when we're not using them. And new words are continually being coined to define a shifting world where every fresh invention, fad or fashion needs a label.

No one knows where or how a word germinates. It is born on the whims of change and without fanfare, makes its debut in casual conversation. We give it a test run, and if it fits smoothly into sentences, it is picked up and passed along. As it gathers momentum, it is aired on radio, television and YouTube, and this further weakens people's immunity to it. But to make its mark, it must be seen as well as heard. And it starts its printed life in emails and texts, then infects websites, blogs, newspapers and magazines.

At which point, editors rise in wrath. Not knowing how it slipped by them, they defend the rights of good English: what the hell does that word mean, and can't people spell, and isn't anything sacred, and there's no such word and to prove it, they look it up in the dictionary. It isn't there.

This does not end the matter. No one owns language, not even the dictionary. As soon as people deny a word's existence, it is too late. Controversy breeds familiarity, and it could pass for the real thing.

Once a word starts evolving, it can't be stopped. It refuses to be expelled - or unspelled.

When it turns up in a book, the dictionary-makers are called in. They lift it out, complete with its sentence or relevant paragraph, and peel back the layers of meaning. They search through reputable news sources - soft and hard copy - for further proof of its relevance.

When all the evidence is gathered, the word makes its debut in the dictionary's new edition, and it becomes an official word. It can now take its place in the English language. At which point, editors about-face and make it one of their own. Now it is a protected species, to be guarded with their lives, because words are their coinage - and their weapons. Despite their vigilance, this word will go out in the world and be as maltreated as any other word. It will be misspelled, misunderstood, misprinted and misread. But it will never go missing.

I am Robin Robertson, a writer who takes on the little issues and tries to make something big out of them.
You are invited to cheer on my attempts at greatness by visiting my blog: kitten-on-the-keys.blogspot.com.

By Robin Robertson

Those Who Teach Voice and Those Who Think They Teach Voice

I recently read an article by a man who teaches presentation skills. He was discussing the fact that most people hate their voice on recording equipment because it is unfamiliar to their ear. What 'floored me' about his message was that he was suggesting you accept it and live with it.

While I would assume that this man probably shows others how to speak with more color and more life (gosh I hope he at least is doing that if he is teaching presentation skills!), he has no idea what voice training is about. None whatsoever.

What he doesn't know is that everyone - and I mean everyone - has a better voice inside of them. You may have a voice as great as that of James Earl Jones or Diane Sawyer or George Clooney or Julia Ormond. You will never know just how great your voice may be, however, until you use your chest cavity to power your sound. Presently it is likely that you are not aware of and not using your 5th resonator - your chest - as your primary sounding board.

Yes, we have 5 resonators which aid in the production of voiced sound. Those resonators include the chest, throat, voice box, mouth, and nose. Each of these vibrators is a cavity in which your sound resonates. Most people use only 4 of their resonators: they are not taking advantage of the size and breadth of their chest cavity. That is why so many speaking voices are high in pitch and lack any real depth and power. They tend to be thinner in quality, young-sounding, and possibly nasal.

What I do guarantee is that once you find your 'real' voice in which you are powering your sound by means of your chest cavity, you will discover a voice that is warmer, richer, and more mature-sounding. In addition, it will probably be deeper in pitch and will most definitely resonate in your chest because you will be focusing on the optimum range of your voice - not your habitual range.

When I discovered my real voice in graduate school, it had depth and fullness which was quite a difference from my habitual, New Jersey sound. It got me the jobs I wanted in New York City because I sounded more mature than I was. It also got me jobs I wasn't seeking.

The question I would ask you is whether you want to work on the voice you already have or discover the one you don't know you have? That is the difference between those who teach voice and those who think they teach voice.

By Nancy Daniels

Tips for Curing Your Fear of Public Speaking

For many individuals, there's nothing more terrifying as the thought of having to get in front of a crowd to deliver a speech. But as people are thinking more of going into business for themselves, they are finding that may not be able to avoid it-especially if they're going to have to speak to an audience about their business, products, or their services.

Being a little nervous is natural. It's a sign that you want to do well, but being overly nervous might pose a challenge. With a some training you can learn to overcome your anxieties or fears and make good informative speeches. Here are five tips on how to gain confidence in public speaking.

(1) You would want to wear a favorite outfit that makes you feel confident and comfortable. Choose professional clothing for the day of your speech. Your outfit should not be too casual or too flashy. You always want your attire to complement your speech.

(2) Good eye contact with you audience is very powerful in public speaking. Try at first to include everyone in the audience equally when you look out over the crowd. Then select a couple of faces you wouldn't mind speaking directly to throughout most of your delivery. Good eye contact increases your credibility as a speaker.

(3) Speak clearly. A good speaking voice is important for delivering an effective talk. You naturally want your voice to be pleasant, natural, and dynamic. Remember to speak directly into the micro-phone. If you don't have a microphone, then pay close attention to the volume of your voice in order for everyone in the room to hear you. Don't talk to fast! Use pauses when appropriate for effect, laughter, or applause.

(4) Turn your fears into positive energy. This is no doubt the biggest challenges of public speaking is the fear you may have that something awful or publicly humiliating is going to happen to you. Just try concentrating on channeling your nervous energy into an enthusiastic delivery simply because you have something valuable to say. So just be conversational. A good conversational style will aid you to be relaxed as a public speaker.

(5) Practice! Experience builds confidence, which is the key to an effective delivery. Every speaking opportunity will help you become more relaxed and confident. You can start small and work your way up to bigger audiences and events. In time you will begin to develop trust in your own ability to be a true public speaker.

Many books have been written for over a century now on the art of public speaking. But in just 40 pages you can not only learn how to speak to an audience with confidence, but also how to present an effective presentation with visual aids, in the eBook entitled "Public Speaking and Public Presentations."

In this book you'll learn such things as how to train the memory, how to take control of your audience. Are you a student? You will learn how to speak confidently in front of your class. If you need to present a presentation using visuals, this book will help by giving some tips on how to effectively get the most of visual aids tools such as Power Point, videotape, or a 35 millimeter slides and more.

With the help of this publication, "Public Speaking and Public Presentation," you'll be provided with the basics to excel in one, or the other, or perhaps both. Whether you have an agenda to speak on, or if it's a matter of choosing a topic and doing research, you can no doubt be successful in becoming a confident public speaker.

For more information on this comprehensive 40 page eBook, go to http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EM6THC.

RTJ Online blog at http://regjackonline.com/?page_id=5, provides self-help informations and tips on social media topics, to help you get the most of using social media tactics and ideals.

By Reginald Jackson

The Reasons Why We Must Never Rely on Scripts When Handling an Audience

Public speaking is counter-intuitive. That would be to say what your gut instinct tells you is a good thing isn't necessarily the truth. And also what your instincts say to avoid is often the most important. Once you find out you need to do a public speech, most of the time you will write it all out and read it to the listeners word for word. That way, you will not depend on the speech by pure memory and you won't find yourself in a situation with that sinking feeling up there where your brain empties out and you've got nothing to talk about.

Nevertheless even if you don't use the method of penning your entire speech out, there are circumstances in which reading for an audience is called for. You could have a passage from a portion of your research or there may be quotations which can be too lengthy to remember and you have to read them. The situations are varied where reading to your group of people is necessary.

The fact remains that men and women don't like to be read to. To add to the problem, once you glance down to read, your voice is not really projecting over to the audience but right down to the script below. You lose at least half of the force of the diaphragm because you are looking downward so the strength of the speech is immensely lessened by that little disruption. When you look up once more, you might have no idea that you've lost the attention from your crowd.

A good way to lesson the interruption of reading a speech is to hand out the script to the crowd beforehand and then direct them to the paragraph where you want them to read. This provides them a focus point while you read rather than looking around. Then when you do read the content, don't put it on the stand and start looking down at it. Hold it to just under chin level. That way you can make out the print and still conserve the force of your diaphragm and importantly having eye contact with the audience.

Don't allow yourself to believing that because you are going to read the entire speech, you can cut down on the preparations. On the contrary, you should prepare even more. Make sure that you are very familiar with the contents of your speech to the extend almost all your attention is given to your listeners.

Train yourself by studying the script well. Avoid the mistake of reading without any expression at all. Learn the simplest way to read the script with emotion as well as with emphasis. These techniques address the major problems reading to any crowd. Using them you'll find good results as the reading will run naturally in the other areas of the presentation. Also when you can make it happen you will not lose your target audience, you will have made a breakthrough on your presentation development.

We all know that public speaking starts from young. Let your children be subjected to to speaking in public in the younger years. To find out more, have a look at http://helppublicspeakingtips.com/great-public-speaking-tips-for-kids.

By Fray Alonso

If You Don't Pause It Looks And Sounds Like This!

The P-A-U-S-E

A Major Element of Verbal Communication

Question:

What if my entire Post was written with no space between the words?

How long could you read it and what would you understand?

Answer:

Not Long and Not Much!

The same applies to your audience if you Talk, Talk, Talk and don't PAUSE.

The people watching and listening to your presentation will never GET IT! if you don't give them the opportunity to ingest and digest your material. We think by associations and our brains need to take in and process what information we're bringing in and determine what "files" in our brains they belong in. That's pretty hard to do if you don't PAUSE every once in a while.

Claude Debussy, the famous French composer, said, "Music is the silence between the notes."

That analogy can also be applied to speaking.

Pausing lets the audience know you are in control, better keeps their attention, and increases the odds they'll GET IT!

PAUSE:

    * Before you Open your presentation.
    * PAUSE almost so long that people are starting to say, "He's lost it!"
    * When you do speak, you will have their total attention.
    * After stating something you want to sink in.
    * The silence forces this.
    * Before repeating something for emphasis.
    * The PAUSE gives the repetition more emphasis.
    * To separate thoughts and allow the audience to absorb it before moving on.
    * If you want to build anticipation.
    * It will get the audience wondering, "What's next?"
    * Before answering a question.
    * You're showing the audience:
    * It's not a canned response.
    * You've thought about your reply before answering.
    * You'll better have their attention.
    * After asking the audience a question.
    * It makes them think and get more involved with your presentation.
    * In delivering a Parenthetical Statement.
    * A Parenthetical Statement is a temporary departure from the main theme. It is a statement that, if you were reading it, would be in parentheses. In delivering your talk, you speak that thought to your audience. It can add a new dimension to your presentation.
    * It can be an extremely effective way to step out of your speech, make a specific point, and reinforce your connection with your audience.
    * For instance, I might be talking about hard work, then PAUSE, and state, as if in parentheses: "Speaking of hard work, tonight's program would have never happened had it not been for Jackson Smith's untiring efforts and attention to detail."

Consider using the Spontaneous Pause.

(It will seem spontaneous to the audience because you've rehearsed it so well!)

If you stop yourself part way into a statement, pause, then go in another direction, that next set of statements can be powerful.

Example: In the closing of one of my talks, I say, "The next time someone gives you the opportunity to speak, (Pause) Check that statement! Don't wait for the opportunity - Seek it out! Look for it at your..."

PAUSING is not easy for most of us.

We're often nervous, talk quicker than normal, and "want to get it over with!" It's also natural to want to fill "blank" air with something. If it's not continuing to talk, it's speaking "fillers": um, ah, and like. Those "fillers" can be very distracting, and if you drop them, you've picked up your PAUSE!

Practice PAUSING just like you practice all the other elements of verbal and nonverbal delivery.

OK? Ready - Set - P-A-U-S-E!

Fred E. Miller is an author, speaker and coach specializing in Public Speaking and Presentations.

He teaches people how to Develop, Practice and Deliver a 'Knock Your Socks Off' Speech with - No Sweat!

Contact Information:
Fred E. Miller
314-517-8872
Fred@NoSweatPublicSpeaking.com
http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com

By Fred E. Miller

What Can Public Speaking Do For Your Business?

Would you love people to think of your business name first when they are looking for the product or service that you provide?

Then you really should be using Public Speaking as your marketing tool!

Using Public speaking to position yourself as a Topic Expert is possibly the quickest and most effective shortcut to grow your business. This is the way to become "A Star In Your Industry" to become acknowledged as the go-to expert in your industry. I can tell you that it certainly helped me to build my coaching practice over the past 12 years.

Why is it such as great marketing tool?

Well........ think about all the time that it takes you to find 5 new clients. The phone calls, the emails, the time sitting face-to-face promoting your business, the follow-up's etc. Now imagine a different scenario. Simply putting the word out that you will be sharing information about your speciality - your area of expertise. A hundred people - who live and work locally - pitch up to hear you talk. You have ½ hour to talk about your area of expertise and answer a few questions at the end.

How easy is that! You have just impressed 100 people with your knowledge and immediately become the go-to expert in their eyes.

So...... how many of them do you think may eventually become your clients? Or - how many other opportunities could arise from that one simple talk? It is like doing your whole month's marketing in the space of just 1 hour.

If you have done a good job, there should be people ready to come and chat with you further after the speech. Ready and pre-disposed to do business with you. Wouldn't that be great! Now imagine doing that on a regular basis. No more chasing clients.... Just a short talk to a group of interested people...... then follow-up the leads that arise.

Just think of the clients that may also come to you later, even a year or so later. They heard you talk, kept your business card or your information that you gave away at the event - just waiting for the moment when they were ready and able to hire you.

So....... If you want to become know in your Industry, want to become a "star" in your industry and build your business massively this year..... then public speaking is the way to go!

What are you waiting for? Make it part of your marketing this year.

Adele Howell-Pryce is the C.E.O. and founder of International Speaking Professionals Association (I.S.P.A), and an accomplished public speaker in her own right. She started the ISPA to give Topic Experts and Professionals an easy way to find speaking opportunities as well as a platform to market their Topic of Expertise for anyone looking for an Expert. The website http://InternationalSpeakingProfessionals.com caters for Experts wanting to speak for free or for a low fee in order to market their business and expertise & to get new clients.
She is the past president of her local Toastmasters Chapter as well as a member of PSASA (Professional Speakers Association in South Africa)

By Adele Howell Pryce

Lighten Up When You Speak

Roger Ailes, Chairman of Fox News, gained prominence first as a speech coach for top executives and political leaders-with Ronald Reagan becoming his best-known client. To make his coaching tips available for the general public, Ailes wrote a book titled You Are the Message.

One of his chapters gives this counsel: "Lighten Up, You're Wearing Everybody Out." He asserts: "There's nothing more tedious than a person who takes himself too seriously."

Consider whether you need to lighten up when you speak to audiences. Think about these strategies.

First, lighten up your attitude about the potential consequences of the speech situation. Make an accurate-concentrate on that word accurate-assessment of the "worst case scenario" that might happen if you gave a speech that either bored, confused, or offended your audience. In your private thoughts, you might predict:

    * getting fired from your current job
    * not getting the promotion you wanted
    * failing to close a sale
    * suffering permanent embarrassment among your colleagues
    * losing all confidence in your ability to persuade a group
    * demolishing your reputation

Now think this through. How many times have you seen speakers endure reprisals like those? Name the speakers, the incidents, and the disastrous aftermath. What, you're drawing a blank now? Probably so, because those dire repercussions happen quite rarely. For the most part, your constituents-even your clients-allow you a bad presentation occasionally without labeling you a failure. Usually, they will forget your rambling remarks quickly, as they move on to their own demanding responsibilities.

Second, lighten up when you enter the group you're going to address. I'm sure you have seen speakers dart through the group, sit near the podium, and start flipping through their notes repeatedly. Often they will have a pen in hand, so they can underline or scribble their additions to their text or notes.

By contrast, the lightened up scene would have the speaker mingling with the crowd, introducing herself, sharing available refreshments in moderation, asking people their opinion about the speech topic, and catching names to use informally during the speech.

Third, lighten up your nonverbal message. Even while your host is introducing you, make eye contact with your audience-all sections of it. Throughout your presentation, smile regularly, indicating you are enjoying the occasion and your own material. Become mobile as well, walking away from the lectern to demonstrate that you are not tied to a script or a physical prop.

Fourth, lighten up your language. Stilted language makes you come across too formally. Substitute well-understood, commonplace words and phrases for those that seem obsolete, even mysterious:

    * Replace "penultimate" with "next to last"
    * Replace "fortuitous" with "lucky"
    * Replace "optimal" with "ideal"
    * Replace "peruse" with "read
    * Replace "surrogate" with "substitute"
    * Replace "eschew" with "avoid"

What novelist Stephen King said about writing applies to speaking also: "Language does not always have to wear a tie and lace-up shoes."

Fifth, lighten up your content. Keep in mind that even though your audience might expect you to provide specific information, particularly at a board meeting or training session, you will keep them interested and involved through tasteful humor, folksy illustrations, biographical snippets about people they respect, relevant quotations, and your own personal experiences.

Sixth, lighten up your length. Let's assume you give a weekly update in a departmental staff meeting, which usually has you speaking for twenty minutes. Next week, cut your presentation time to ten minutes by omitting nonessential matters. Try speaking in bullet points instead of lengthy paragraphs. Abbreviate your report for a few weeks in succession, and your colleagues will become more attentive. Although they may not comment about your shortened speeches, they will appreciate your respect for their already jammed schedules.

In sum: Contradictory as it might seem, your speaking will be much more appealing when you quit trying so hard. Lighten up, and you'll become the speaker audiences want to hear again and again.

Bill Lampton, Ph.D., "Speech Coach for Champions," helps clients speak with "poise, passion, and power," so they will generate "attention, agreement, and action." His top-tier client list includes Gillette, Duracell, Procter & Gamble, Willis Investment Counsel, Celebrity Cruises, Ritz-Carlton Cancun, British Columbia Legal Management Association, and National Pest Management Association. Visit his Web site and sign up for his newsletter, "Winning Words and Ways": http://tinyurl.com/otlcgz Call him: 678-316-4300 Subscribe to his weekly podcast, "Speech Coaching Radio": http://tinyurl.com/4jype49.

By Bill Lampton, Ph.D.