by Phoenix Desertsong, Proofreading Expert

Wish you could become an expert proofreader? You can! While some people may seem to be born editors, proofreading is an acquired skill that you can become an expert in if you work at it. Whether you already are or want to become a professionalarticle writer for hire or apublished author, proofreading is a must-have skill you need to develop  Follow these 8 ways to improve your proofreading skills, and you’re well on your way to becoming an expert proofreader!


Know Your Own Common Writing Mistakes

Becoming an expert proofreader starts with you! Knowing your own common mistakes in your own writing is the first step in becoming an expert-level editor. It might be forgetting “i before e except after c,” leaving out punctuation such as commas or semicolons, or overusing certain words. Being familiar with your own common mistakes makes them much easier to spot in other people’s writing. It also helps you improve on your own writing significantly.


Be Aware of Common Misspellings and Commonly Misused Spellings of Words

Most word processors have spell checkers that catch most misspellings. Of course, spell checkers don’t catch words that are correctly spelled words, but are misused by accident. That includes cases like “sea” and “see.” be aware of as many common spelling errors as you can. Even expert writers may have certain words they commonly misspell without thinking about it. Once a writer misspells or misuses a word enough times, it becomes a very difficult, if not impossible, habit to break. 


Proofreading is More Than Misspellings

Proofreaders must not only catch misspellings and misused words. You also must watch for things like incorrect sentence structure, unnecessary repetition, and awkward wording. As a proofreader, you not only want to watch for bad or awkward grammar, but the flow of the text as a whole. Writers depend on proofreaders to make sure their text reads not only correctly, but also in a clear and understandable way. If it sounds like it reads wrong, it probably should be worded differently.


When Proofreading, Be Sure to Take a Break and Return with Fresh Eyes

Especially when proofreading your own work, leaving the work for a while then returning with fresh eyes is important. During that break, your mind will have refocused. You’ll be able to spot errors that may not have been obvious before because you were too close to the work. Even if you’re proofreading someone else’s work, it’s good to leave it aside after a first pass. You never know what you may have missed when you come back for the second look.

Reading Aloud While Proofreading Helps You Read What’s Actually on the Page

It’s true that our subconscious mind has a way of making us read what we think should be written on the page. But, as a proofreader, you need to not let your subconscious trick you and read what’s actually on the page. The best way to overcome this is to read out loud and do so slowly. You will catch far more errors and awkward things this way, realizing when sentences read strangely or words are repeated too many times in a paragraph.


Having Extra Help With Proofreading is Good

Especially when proofreading your own work, having a friend or another professional gives you a fresh set of eyes to check your work. Even when you’re proofreading others’ work, after awhile you become too familiar with the work. Having an unbiased third party gives fresh perspective. Even a quick glance can afford you extra insight you wouldn’t otherwise have. Even expert proofreaders will ask for an extra set of eyes on occasion. 


Remember the Mind Works Faster Than Your Fingers as a Writer

As we writers get into the flow of writing, we sometimes don’t pay attention to how we are spelling certain words or structuring sentences. Especially when proofreading your own writing, you may not even catch some of these things. In your mind, you know what you were meaning to say. As a proofreader, you will run into passages that either are confusing or make no sense at all. In that way, proofreading others’ work can be easier, because you can catch mistakes others make much more easily than your own mistakes. So, when you’re proofreading and run into some passages that make no sense, the mind being faster than the fingers is probably why.


Never Proofread Your Work or Others’ Work Only Once

Don’t just settle for glancing over work just once, whether it’s your own or someone else’s. In fact, some writing professionals will proofread their work ten times or more! It’s important to read over a piece several times to make sure that it’s free of spelling and grammatical errors. It also ensures that you ensure that the text reads well. Expert proofreading, like any skill, takes lots of practice. If you do it enough, not only will your own writing improve, but you’ll be able to help many other writers, too!

by Phoenix Desertsong

I feel as if it should be unnecessary to say, but writers are people, too!

A lot of people seem to feel writers lead double lives. One life is “real” and the other is some online life where we can seem infinitely more interesting. Sure, some writers use pen names and sometimes even create alter-egos online. That’s fine. Artists have been doing this for centuries. Writing is most certainly an art.

Whether writers use their real names or not, writers are real people. It’s easy sometimes to forget many writers are just looking for new ways to connect with people through the things they love. While a writer may have a pen name or even an alter ego, online life and real life are unavoidably linked.

Oftentimes, web writing and blogging are often seen as a “get rich quick” appeal. But, for most of usarticle writers for hire, that’s not it at all. For most writers, web writing is a creative outlet and often a necessary stress reliever. It’s also a way to say things we may not find ourselves able to say in everyday conversation.

For those of us who aren’t social in so-called “real life,” some of us really need web writing to network. But networking in online writing is no less real or fake that in “real life.” Sure, some people on the web are genuine, and others are just looking out for themselves. That’s no different than any “real life” social gathering, though. It’s just easier to be anonymous online, and while that’s certainly a thing in itself, it doesn’t make it not “real life.”

While there are certainly major differences between interacting face-to-face and through a computer or mobile device, they are no more or less real. Even in “real life,” we have facades. Sure, online, it’s often more for safety purposes. But, so is the case in real life. There are other reasons, too, that deserve their own treatments. Really, online people are often allowed to express themselves more freely. The online writing world is so vast now that you can always find new connections.

Really, online writing and blogging allow you to socially network in ways that Facebook, Twitter, and so on can only begin to allow you to do. Web writing and blogging gives you a home base, so to speak, to build your own personal social network. You can do this in real life, too, with clubs and other social groups. The only difference online is the people you’re connecting with can be a world away.

Writers are people, too, and online writing is “real life,” too!

by Stacey Carroll, Contributing Writer

Writing great dialogue takes a lot of practice. Many authors spend years perfecting their dialogue so it both sounds authentic and moves the story along. Here are 3 dialogue writing tips that will ensure you can write natural, dazzling dialogue.

1. It Must Move the Story Forward

Unlike normal speech, the dialogue in fiction must move the story forward. It must be part of the plot.
Here's an example of what good dialogue shouldn’t be:

“Hi, Bob.”

“Hi, Jill. How are you?”

“Oh, I’m okay. How are you?” Bob said.

“I’ve been better. My boss just laid me off,” Jill said.

In the above example, the two characters are chitchatting. While you will find this in normal conversation, it is not advisable to write it in fiction. You risk boring your reader with needless banter. Instead, get write to the point. Keep your reader gripped and entertained.

Here's an example of what good dialogue should be:

“Oh my god, Jill, I just heard the news. What are you going to do?” Bob asked as he ran up to Jill.

“Apply at the Moon. I hear they’re hiring,” Jill said as she turned to view Bob.

“Yeah, but the Moon? You know what kind of publication that is.”

“I know, but I need income,” Jill said.

“I don’t like it. Three of their last new hires have disappeared while on assignment,” Bob said.

2. Sentence Fragments Are Okay in Dialogue

Very rarely will you ever hear people speak entirely in complete sentences. It’s usually a combination of sentences and fragments. The best way to examine this is to go to a restaurant or café. Sit and listen to how people talk. Write down what they say. Look at the ebb and flow of the conversation.

Here's an example of a complete sentence conversation:

“Joe, what are you going to do today?” Jason asked.

“I’m going to go to the store. Then I think I’ll go to the gym. After that, I might just take a nap.”

“That sounds nice. I might take a nap too or head to the gym,” Jason said.

Here's an example of the same conversation in sentence fragments:

“Joe, what’s your plans for the day?” Jason asked.

“I think I’ll head to the gym, the store. Might take a nap.”

“Yeah. Sounds like a plan. Especially that nap. Just worked 12 hours.”

That second dialogue example sounds much more natural. If your characters are the type to speak in a more relaxed way, this is the perfect way to write their dialogue.

3. Dialogue Can Add Description

Do not be afraid to add description to your dialogue. It serves a two-fold purpose. It lets the reader know what your characters are doing while they're talking. Also, description provides dialogue beats (breaks and pauses in the dialogue without using “He said”, “She said.”

Here's an example of the above dialogue with description:

Jason opened the refrigerator and pulled the pack of baloney. He grabbed the bread off the counter before sitting out at the kitchen table. “Joe, what’s your plans for the day?”

“I think I’ll head to the gym, the store. Might take a nap,” Jason said as he made himself a sandwich.
“Yeah. Sounds like a plan." Jason grabbed the baloney and bread from his brother. "Especially that nap. Just worked 12 hours. Midnight shift is killing me.” He pulled out two slices each of bread and baloney.

Now when you sit down to write your next story, keep these 3 dialogue writing tips in mind. Your readers will be happy you did. Readers definitely appreciate the natural dialogue and they will want to read more of your stories.

Author Bio:

Stacey Carroll is the author of the thriller series - Avia.  She also authors the paranormal erotica series - The Blooddoll Factory. Stacey grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. she went to college at Indiana State University (ISU) and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in aerospace in the professional pilot program. She has flown Cessna 152s, Cessna 172s, the Piper Seneca and the King Air. She also graduated with a minor in computer science that specialized in web design.

She has always been interested in reading and writing, and the first book she was ever read was the Grimms Brother's Fairy tales. From the ages of 6 to 11, she read the Nancy Drew series. By the age of 11, she had graduated to Stephen King novels. A few of her favorites include Carrie, Tommyknockers, The Dark Tower Series up to book 3 (That's where it stopped in the late 80s/ early 90s), Pet Semetary, The Shining, Night Shift, The Stand, It, Cujo, Christine, The Eyes of the Dragon and Thinner (Richard Bachman). In her teen years, she moved on to Anne Rice and got through about four of those books before they degraded. If you've ever read Anne Rice, you know book 5 isn't readable. Stacey has read a couple Harry Potter books as she was introduced to them in the early 2000s, and she's never read or watched anything Twilight or 50 Shades. Sorry. I'm a vampire purist, and nothing needs to be said about the latter. You already know.

She is currently an author and freelance writer. She received an honorable mention in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine in 2008 for a short story entitled The Field. In 2014, she was published in 13 Stories by Us by MacKenzie Publishing.

Other books by Stacey

• AVIA II
• AVIA Memories

by Stacey Carroll, Contributing Writer

Even though I’m a writer, I don’t have a constant and endless supply of ideas. Every once in awhile I’ll find myself idea-less and in need of writing something. Most writers will call it writer's block.

I don’t actually believe in writer's block. There’s always something to write about. There’s always an idea somewhere. It’s just a matter of finding it and pulling together enough thoughts to make it happen. Here are six idea tips and tricks for finding something to write.


Read the News for Writing Ideas

The first thing I do every morning and read the news. The news can be a plethora of potential ideas and plots. This morning there’s an article about the Yemeni president refusing to leave. Europe is on alert for an Icelandic volcano ash cloud. There’s something about Newt Gingrich’s Tiffany’s account. Lightening struck two Indianapolis homes. Purdue is thinking about raising fees for foreign students. There was a tornado in Missouri.

The trick is to think about all those headlines and to think about what you know. If you know something about Yemen and the president, that might make a plot for a short story or novel or political commentary if you’ve read enough previous articles. The same can be done for all the rest.


Think About Things That Make You React: Angry, Sad, or Happy

The second thing to do is to sit back and think about what makes you angry, sad, or happy. Just pick an extreme emotion and an event that would trigger that emotion. The only thing I caution on is writing about recent family strife or death. A good first draft can be gotten immediately, but a polished draft doesn’t happen until six months or a year later. Raw emotions take time to heal, and the mind needs time to objectively process the events.

Sit and Observe at a Favorite Spot

The third idea would be to go to once of your favorite places; coffee shop, bookstore, store, park, or parking lot and sit and write everything you see and hear. This is an indirect way to find an idea. Still, it's a very good way to set a future scene.


Write About Something That You Want to Know More About

The fourth idea is to think about something you would like to know more about and start researching it. I like history especially ancient history and the Roman Empire. I also like the Victorian era. I few years ago I started purchasing all the books on ancient civilians and Rome I could find. I’m currently in the process of writing a historical novel from the books I’ve read.


Purchase Writing Idea Books

The fifth idea involves purchasing writing idea books. I own several of these as well. My most recent purchase was “The Writer’s Idea Book” by Jack Heffron. I like it. I haven’t used it extensively but I like some of the ideas in it. Some of them I’ve heard before. The book goes through brainstorming, clustering, cutting pages into sections and literally tossing them on the floor and rearranging them. I’m not a fan of the latter because it makes a mess. But, I am a fan of brainstorming as a last resort.


Just Write Whatever Comes

The last idea involves just writing through it. If you have a topic, but nothing concrete sometimes the best solution is to just write it out. I have started off many a paper and a story with the words “I cannot think of anything to write,” then I go from there. A lot of times the topic forms within the page, and I can take out that initial line and edit the work into something concrete.

Author Bio:

Stacey Carroll is the author of the thriller series - Avia.  She also authors the paranormal erotica series - The Blooddoll Factory. Stacey grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. she went to college at Indiana State University (ISU) and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in aerospace in the professional pilot program. She has flown Cessna 152s, Cessna 172s, the Pipe Seneca and the King Air. She also graduated with a minor in computer science that specialized in web design.

She has always been interested in reading and writing, and the first book she was ever read was the Grimms Brother's Fairy tales. From the ages of 6 to 11, she read the Nancy Drew series. By the age of 11, she had graduated to Stephen King novels. A few of her favorites include Carrie, Tommyknockers, The Dark Tower Series up to book 3 (That's where it stopped in the late 80s/ early 90s), Pet Semetary, The Shining, Night Shift, The Stand, It, Cujo, Christine, The Eyes of the Dragon and Thinner (Richard Bachman). In her teen years, she moved on to Anne Rice and got through about four of those books before they degraded. If you've ever read Anne Rice, you know book 5 isn't readable. Stacey has read a couple Harry Potter books as she was introduced to them in the early 2000s, and she's never read or watched anything Twilight or 50 Shades. Sorry. I'm a vampire purist, and nothing needs to be said about the latter. You already know.

She is currently an author and freelance writer. She received an honorable mention in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine in 2008 for a short story entitled The Field. In 2014, she was published in 13 Stories by Us by MacKenzie Publishing.

Other books by Stacey

• AVIA II
• AVIA Memories

by Phoenix Desertsong

There are many schools of thought when it comes to the best article length for SEO. The good news is that there isn’t a perfect article length that ranks best for SEO. Both short articles and long articles can perform well in SEO. The best length for an article really depends on the topic itself and how in depth you’re looking to write about it.

Are Short Articles Good for SEO?

At one time, a common piece of SEO advice was to write 300 and 500 word articles based on a very specific keyword phrase. But, are these still best for SEO? With the focus appearing to be on longer content that covers a topic more in depth, this no longer seems to be the case.

Still, short articles do have SEO value. Many content marketers argue that 300 to 500 word articles are a good length for readers who want a specific question answered. For awhile, 500 words was considered a solid length for a useful article. Short articles are best for topics that don’t require a lengthy look. So, it comes down to just how specific the topic you are looking to cover is and if a more in-depth look is even necessary.

What is true is that many internet readers are looking for quick answers to their questions. They’re not sitting down to read a book, after all. Sometimes, if a topic can be split into several articles, it’s probably a good idea, as long as each article answers a reader’s question.

One suggestion is to create a short series of articles with a keyword phrase as part of the title. Then, break it into several different articles that are accessible from one another. That way, you can list them so readers can pick and choose the specific topic they’re looking for. The advantage of this for you is that if someone is truly interested in everything you’ve written on the topic, they’ll read the entire short series.

Can Long Articles be Good for SEO?

While short articles, and series of short articles, are a good idea, long articles can be good for SEO, too. Just as there are those that preach that short articles are best for SEO, there are others that preach that long articles are even better for SEO. The argument for long articles is that search engines consider longer articles to be more valuable resources. So, they tend to rank better in search results.

But, just as is true for those that say shorter articles are better for SEO, this isn’t the complete truth. If a topic deserves an article that’s 1000 words or even 2000 words or more, then it’s probably worth doing. If your article is really long, one really good idea is to use subheadings that separate your longer article into shorter chunks. You may even consider a short table of contents at the beginning of your article that links to the different sections of the article. That way, readers who may otherwise just skim will click on that specific section.


The Best Articles for SEO Are Targeted and Relevant

If you’re looking to write the best articles for SEO, just be sure to stay on topic. It’s fine to write about multiple ideas in an article. But, for the web, it can be best to split it into multiple articles, or use the subheader tactic mentioned above.

Basically, see what articles that keep visitors on your own sites. Watch for the lengths of those articles. If your audience likes shorter articles, write shorter articles and break up longer ones. If they favor longer articles, see if you can combine some shorter pieces into longer ones, and create more long-form articles. If it’s somewhere in between, just keep up what you’re doing already! Essentially, the best article length for your content is whatever your audience likes best.

What do you find is the best article length for your own web writing?


Need to make sure that your article or blog post is properly copy edited for grammar mistakes, free of typos, and optimized for SEO? Check out the Editing services from Brand Shamans & Intent-sive Nature!

by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

Some of the best advice I've ever read on outlining an article came from the book “How to Write a Book for Beginners" by Ryan Stephens. While this advice had to do with outlining a nonfiction book, it’s applicable to any kind of nonfiction writing, including article writing. When you think about it, a nonfiction book is really just an article or a collection of articles that’s dozens or hundreds of pages long!

When Ryan asked his friend about how he outlines his books, his friend told him it's as simple as answering two types of questions. There are the questions people actually ask and the questions they should be asking. In the case of a nonfiction book, you want your chapter titles to be the questions people ask. Then, the subheadings are made from the questions you believe people should be asking.

The best part about this advice is that it works for article writing, too. As someone who used to be rather allergic to traditional outlining, this simple approach is refreshing. But, while it looks simple on the surface, how easy is it to know what questions to ask, and how can it help you write better articles?


What Questions Do People Actually Ask?

The type of research involved in finding the questions people ask on a regular basis on a given subject used to be rather time consuming. Fortunately, today we have good old Google Autocomplete to give us a treasure trove of what people actually search around a given word or phrase. Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines offer a similar question to help us dredge up further ideas. 

The idea is that if an autocomplete feature is suggesting particular search queries, then there’s obviously more than a handful of people asking that same question. These autocomplete features are helpful places to begin keyword research for your articles. Or are they? 

As I set to writing on this topic, I ended up asking myself: ”What if the best questions people want to ask aren't even being typed into Google?” Now, that is a question that I wouldn’t see people typing into Google! It's funny how when you start asking yourself questions how you come up with more questions. 


What Are the Questions People Aren’t Asking Google?

This is when I figured out what Ryan's friend was really onto when he said you should outline using questions. The thinking behind using topics people search online is that they are questions that will continue to be asked. But, when people have questions, do they always turn to Google or another search engine?

As a writer of web content, it seems like I began to sort of assume that if people don’t search for it online, it’s not relevant to what I have to write. For so long, I’d dredge up keyword phrases based on my autocomplete research. But, after reading that Ryan Stephens book, I started to wonder how learning the secrets of successful nonfiction books could help me write better articles. 

The idea dawned on me that I should seriously look into learning more about writing nonfiction books. But did I Google it? Nope. I searched Amazon for free Kindle books on writing. That's right. People still look for answers in books. Who would've thought? Believe it or not, though, there isn't a book readily available for every topic.


Articles are Great, But Books Can Be Better

What I learned through this exercise is this: even if people write a hundred thousand articles on a topic, it doesn't mean there's a good book on it. So, why does it matter if you can't find a book on Amazon for a question you have? To me, it screams opportunity. As a writer, this smells like fresh blood does to a shark.

So, now we've established that people search Amazon sometimes before they even think about Google. That's not a tip you see everyday. But, I do have a friend of mine that suggested using Amazon to see what titles are out there on a given subject you want to learn more about. I’m positive he’s not the only one who does that.

Yes, Amazon has its own autocomplete feature in its search bar. It’s actually going to give you some different results to Google, as people are searching for subjects they are looking for books about. But, beyond Beyond, there are a lot of other places to look for answers to your questions. You can't possibly check them all. So, where do you look for your questions to answer?


So, How Do I Find the Questions People Should Be Asking?

The best way I've been finding questions to ask - the ones people should be asking like Ryan’s friend said - is not by doing keyword research. You certainly should still do some initial keyword research, because you can find some good opportunities to target your content that way. But, when you set yourself to answer a question, you should never limit yourself to just what people type into a search engine. The best way to know what questions people should be asking is to think of the questions you would ask yourself.

If you have a topic or question in mind, write it down. Then, ask yourself the questions you would ask in order to be satisfied that your question has been sufficiently answered. But, how do you know you’re asking the right questions when outlining your article?

I'm loath to say it, but I'll say it anyway because it will help illustrate a point. There's no such thing as a stupid question. Some will rebut that with: until you ask it. Others will follow up with: only if you don't ask it. I'm inclined to agree with the latter rebuttal.


So, What’s the Best Way to Find the Questions People Need to Ask on a Subject? 

It turns out we’re not all brilliant masterminds who have billions of unique thoughts everyday. In fact, none of us are. But, I do have good news. The genius is in making the connections between thoughts and ideas. Anyone can do this if you work at it. 

So, yeah, if you're thinking something, it's highly likely someone else has thought the same thing. But, if you're acting on it, then you're doing something creative. That's an important distinction that people don’t often realize.

As someone who usually skips outlining an article entirely, why do I suddenly seem keen on taking a step back and really asking some hard questions? Because by asking questions, I find myself asking even more of them. Eventually, I'll recognize which ones seem the most important to answer. Then, I set to work.

What people actually ask is what you'd probably be asking yourself anyway. Yes, seeing what people are asking through a sort of social proof is important, too. But, when you are trying to write an article, you turn the idea faucet on and let it flow for a bit. Then, when you’ve come to a point where you need to turn to finding answers, this is when you know you have a whole bunch of good questions.

So, how do people even look for answers in the first place? It’s not always as simple as...

Should I Google It?

...or, in place of Google, insert your favorite search engine. Keep in mind people use Amazon and YouTube search to look for answers, too. There’s also Quora and other Q&A websites. Google can be a great discovery tool, but that is all that it is. Finding the answer you’re seeking may in fact be a click away. But it may not be. Even if there are results, will they satisfy you? 

In my experience, if it's not a simple question, most of the time you'll find irrelevant results or feel underwhelmed by what you do find. Don't blame Google. No one has answered it well enough yet anywhere the Google spiders can find it. For writers, these queries are fresh blood for article writing!

But, not everyone asks Google their burning questions. Not too many people actually type into Google “should I Google it?” when they’re figuring out how best to find answers. Choosing to use Google is an internal decision. There are so many other search engines out there. While Google is the most-used, by a crazy large margin I may add, not every good question people ask will be easily revealed to you that way.


Should I Look for Answers in a Book?

Turning to books to seek an answer to your question may seem like a quaint solution to some people. If you are even considering turning to books, though, I applaud you - even if it’s an ebook. There’s solid reasoning to this decision making process.

By no means is a Google searcher lazy or lacking in any sort of capacity. But, there are some questions that require some digging for good answers. You can do this through Google, too, of course, but hitting the books means you want more than online articles can give you - no matter how well-written and researched they are.

I hate to break it to you, but what you read online is not always accurate. I also hate to break it to you that what you read in a book isn't always accurate. However, books seem to be much more trusted. Why is that?

Yes, it's true that books tend to be more robustly researched, edited, scrutinized, and peer reviewed. But, online articles can be all of these things, too. Plus, pretty much anyone can self publish both e-books AND print books in our on-demand age. So, there isn't too much difference between what you find online or in books, right?

Here's the key difference: books are longer. Even short ebooks are longer than the vast majority of articles published on the web. Books require more effort to create on the part of the writer and a lot more research to be done right. If you’re turning to books to answer your questions, you're no longer just a searcher, but a researcher. Likely, you’ll have to visit your local library or buy books to seek answers. If anyone goes to that much effort to learn more about a subject, it must be important.

This is where we must bridge the gap to what people should be asking. 


What Questions SHOULD We Be Asking in Outlining an Article?

Many questions people are probably only asking internally, but not actually searching. Others have questions that may require more research than many people actually want to do. So, because we writers are wonderful human beings, we go do the hard work so others may benefit from our immense labor. 

Or, we're self absorbed jerks who hope to get paid the big bucks for becoming the top expert on subject X. 

Either way, same result.

The questions that require the most digging, the ones not answered well by existing literature, or at all through the results of a Google search, are the ones we should be asking in our articles. Those are the ones we should be writing about and answering. Yes, it can be hard work, but the end result is going to be something pretty cool that probably hasn’t been done before. 


How Does Asking a Bunch of Questions Help You Outline an Article?

It's quite ironic that when I first began writing this very article that I neglected to even outline it. But, as I went along, I realized that I had something rather profound here. At first, I began to ramble and lose focus. Fortunately, I found a way to right the ship before the article turned into a complete mess. I took a step back and just asked the questions I felt I needed to answer for the article to feel complete.

So, is there a process to outlining an article using these questions? 

Turning the more common questions into chapter titles helps you get into the mindset of your audience. If you’re writing an article, this is how people are going to discover it in search. If you’re writing a book, people will find these in your table of contents, if you choose to make that part of a free book preview (which you should). You also show your audience (and potential publishers) that you have your finger on the pulse of your audience for a given topic.

People also like it when you’re asking questions that echo the ones they themselves have been asking. You position yourself as an authority by asking the right questions. It may entice them to follow you or actually buy something you have to offer!

While turning your article or book into an FAQ of sorts isn’t a terrible way to go, you want to get down to creating something more. That’s where the sub-headers come in. They’re quite useful in keeping your audience’s attention and allow skimmers to  get some value from your work without reading closely. By turning your subheadings into questions, you force yourself to answer them well.

While asking these questions are really helpful in outlining and focusing yourself on the questions you need to answer, they’re good to keep in the final version, as well. Many people, myself included, have long used subheadings that read as statements or even like commands. While there isn’t anything wrong with this, asking questions instead adds a new dimension to your writing. Not only do people appreciate that you’re asking good questions, but you make your readers ask more questions of themselves.

By asking the right questions people really ask and those that should be asked, your article writing will be a lot more focused. You’ll also find yourself driven towards writing good answers more quickly and more often. These questions can serve as the backbone to any piece of nonfiction writing that you’re doing. Once I started writing this way, I can say I write more quickly and more effectively than ever before.

Plus, I started asking a lot more questions on my own. Is that ever a bad thing?

by R.A. Rowell; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

If you’re a first-time writer, you may be reading a lot of different writing advice about how to get started. There’s plenty of writing advice out there, some good and some bad. Here, we’ll ask some questions about common advice that’s given to first-time writers. But, we’ll expand on these ideas a bit more and give you some actionable advice for your writing. Even if you’re not a first-time writer, these are questions you probably still should be asking yourself.

Before we get started, keep this in mind: You can be the most talented and skilled writer there is, but neither talent nor skill is a guarantee for writing success.  What you’ll find is that passion is the most important thing when it comes to writing. We’ll get to why this is later.

Now, here are six key questions first-time writers should ask, or any writers, really.


Question #1: Why Must Writers Must First Be Readers?

A writer must be a reader, first and foremost. Whether you are a writer of nonfiction, novels, songs, poems, or even technical manuals, writers must read. While we each develop our favoritism for certain genres or topics, we must each always look to broaden our knowledge.

Why is diversifying your knowledge so important? True genius lies in making connections that others simply haven’t made yet. By diversifying your reading material and spheres of knowledge, you expand your mind and allow it to make connections with seemingly unrelated ideas.

If you limit yourself to a single genre or a handful of topics, you will limit your ability to discover new ideas. Also, by opening yourself to other genres and topics, even if on a whim, you expand your ability to learn. In a world that becomes seemingly more specialized everyday, the writer must learn to do the opposite.

First-time writers often struggle finding their writing niche, and that’s OK. Even experienced writers feel the need to branch out and find something new to write from time to time. The best way to find new ideas to write about? It’s reading.


Question #2: How Should You Choose a Topic to Write About?

You’re probably sick of hearing the same old advice of “write what you know.” First-time writers hear that a lot. As with a lot of common advice, though, there is a lot of truth to it. However, there’s more to choosing a topic than that. You might know a lot of things. Of course, there are always going to be more things that you don’t know than you do.

Yes, to be a successful writer you have to know what you’re writing about. But just because you know a lot about something doesn’t mean that’s the topic you should choose. Whatever you write about, it should either be something you love or something you hate. The truth is that you need to write about something that you’re passionate about, because that will show in your writing and make it better!

Can I Write Something I Don’t Know? This is when the common  “write what you know” advice seems limiting. If you’re interested in some topic that you don’t really know a lot about, then, by all means learn about it. As you research this topic, if you find you’re actually rather passionate about it, then keep learning about it! You can eventually turn what you don’t know into something that you do know a lot about! Just make sure that you really love it before you dive into writing about it.


Question #3: Can You Ever Stop Learning?

No writer is ever going to be perfect. It doesn’t matter how skilled or knowledgeable you become. There is always room to grow, both as a writer and as a person. If you don’t continue to expand your mind, you will find your writing suffer as a result. There’s so much pressure to keep writing the same thing and sharpening your focus. As a writer, you should write what you love, but keep learning other things. Even if you focus on writing nonfiction, you should never stop yourself from reading fiction or poetry. You just never know where your next good idea will come from.

A mind that becomes too focused on just one kind of writing, one way to tell a story, or one anything will eventually become complacent. This can cause your writing to become stale. Much of your audience will grow bored with the same thing after a while. This is why you must keep expanding your mind. For example, even if you’re an established horror writer, you may draw inspiration from science fiction and romance. If you focus too much on what’s already been done without introducing new combinations of ideas and new perspectives, you and your writing will suffer for it.

Also, your writing will never be perfect. So, there’s always room to learn from other writers, whether it be through their style, their storytelling, or just their ideas in general. First-time writers certainly have the most to learn about the writing craft, but even the best writers still learn all the time; that’s how they stay the best!


Question #4: Why Should You Keep Building Your Vocabulary?

If you’re a writer, you should know as many words as you can, right? This seems obvious at first. But, one common piece of writing advice is to actually use the simplest words you can. Of course, Ernest Hemingway is quite famous for his poignant use of simple words in the narration of his stories. But we’re not all Ernest Hemingway, are we?

Yes, using uncommon words, often called “big words,” “college words,” or “SAT words” can be daunting for a lot of readers. So, yes, when a simple word is fine to use, just use that. It can be very tempting for writers to show off their vocabularies. But just because you don’t use them every day in your writing doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know them. It’s actually good for your readers to have to look up a word in the dictionary once in awhile, after all. But, then, why use them at all?

Words are surprisingly complex when you actually study them. Etymology is the study of the origin of words and how they have changed in usage or form over time. The etymology of even common words is pretty fascinating. In fact, the study of individual words alone can actually help you develop writing ideas.  

And, of course, building your vocabulary will allow you to reduce the chances of not being able to find just the right word for an idea. After all, words are little encapsulations of ideas, and the more of them you know, the more ideas you can easily express.


Question #5: Should I Write Down Every Idea I Get?

Here’s a question that many first-time writers ask: should I be writing down every writing idea that I get? Yes, the most important thing about ideas is to not let them get away. Ideas often occur to us at the most inopportune times. Writing an idea down on the back of a napkin might sound cliche, but it does actually turn out that doing that has saved some great ideas. Always be prepared to capture ideas when you least expect them.

The beauty of the human mind is its ability to come up with pretty amazing ideas unexpectedly. The idea for the next great novel of all time could occur you to just about anywhere. Even a piece of character dialogue could hit you as you’re walking down the street. If an idea sparks your interest, write it down in whatever way you can. Yes, even carry around napkins if you have to!

Don’t fool yourself that you might simply remember the idea later. Yes, sometimes you may remember it perfectly. But another beautiful, and often tragic, thing about the human mind is that it can be at time impossible to remember something you came up with just five minutes ago. Ideas are always racing around and can bury one another. We’re all brilliant in a way, and we all have ideas. Most aren’t going to be good, and some will be OK. But all it takes is one great idea to get you writing. That one idea could take you further than you could ever now imagine.

Question #6: What’s the Best Writing Advice of All?

Every writer can ask this question, and the answer is actually quite simple.

Write Because You Love to Write!

A lot of writers make publication the end goal for their writing. While wanting to be a published author is definitely an excellent goal, it shouldn’t be the only one. Your main goal in writing should always be writing what you love to write. You may not always love what you write, but you should love the very act of writing itself. No, not everything you write is going to be published. Even Stephen King has unpublished manuscripts.

You should only publish when you feel you’ve written something that you actually feel is worthy of publishing. So many writers spend so much time on trying to write something to be published and are frustrated when no one wants to publish it. Lots of times, there’s going to be nothing wrong with what you’ve written.

The truth is that publishers have to make money. If they don’t think an idea will make money, no matter how good it is, then they will likely pass. This isn’t your fault and you shouldn’t let it discourage you. If you’re looking to publish, you can always self-publish to get it out there. Then, just write something else. You can always follow the money with your writing, but it shouldn’t be ever be your only end goal.

As a writer, following your passion is all you should be doing. Your writing is going to be better when you’re not writing just to publish. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have publishing as a writing goal. What it means is that when you sit down to write, don’t worry about the publishing being the end goal. Passion is everything with any art, and it especially shows in writing. Writing what you know and love is what drives a writer to create. If you’re not driven to create, then you’re going to have a hard time writing. It’s as simple as that.

So, with these six important questions answered, get out there and just write!

by Lyn Lomasi; Co-Owner of Intent-sive Nature & the Brand Shamans network

Most web writers will get questioned about their price at least once, but usually quite often. Who doesn't like a bargain? But your writing's worth is dependent upon what you make it. Here's why.

Discounts Are Fine, To A Certain Point

It's fine to have sales or deals for new or regular clients. But you still should keep the worth of your writing in mind. The lower you are willing to go, the less valuable people will see your content as being. Give discounts, but don't go so low that it's not worth both your time, as well as the value the client will get from it.

The Proof Is In Your Work

Quality web writing is getting more difficult to find. More and more people are discovering they can put their words online. This is a good thing, as far as communication. But those looking up specific information need accuracy and quality. This is where you come in as a web writer and prove to your client that your work is worth top dollar. Sometimes it takes that client paying a low quality writer less and finding out the hard way that they should have continued coming to you. I’ve had clients return after doing this more than once. It’s like the old saying goes “You get what you pay for.” Some people charge less than they’re worth, but in many cases, quality writing will cost more because of the time and energy put into creating a quality piece. 

Word Gets Around

Remember that business owners talk to each other often. This includes many topics, but who they hire for writing and other services essential to success is very common. If you charge one client a fee that is significantly less than you usually charge, other business owners will learn this and expect the same deal. The reason for the deal often doesn’t matter. Keep things consistent and accurate where your prices are concerned. You want the word to get around regarding your quality, instead of your low price.

Price According To Actual Value

The lower your price, the less value is likely to be given to your content. Remember that word gets around. So, whatever one business owner feels it’s worth may be what others are saying as well. In order to keep your value high, you need to keep your quality high and price your work accordingly and consistently. Obviously, there is some customizing involved in most web projects, based on topic matter, research, word count, and so on. But try to be as consistent as possible and consider the value of your time, as well as what the client will potentially get from said work.

Your work is worth what you make it worth. So, be sure to price it accordingly, limit the bargaining to a reasonable point, and show your clients what your worth via quality.

by Amy Kampstra, Contributing Writer

An independent and voracious reader tends to be a better author. That may be partly why bonafide word addict, Sarah Winter, effortlessly weaved together a spicy, character-driven plot in her romance novel, Snowbound. 

Throughout the pages, Liam and River are two 30-somethings stuck together in a Wyoming cabin during the blizzard of the century. He is a flourishing movie star from Europe, and she’s a tomboy living in the middle of nowhere after cancer rips her life apart. Is this change meeting merely life-saving or will it allow them to live their lives to the fullest?

Then, Winter didn’t stop with writing the thing! She took the reins, embracing the newness of self-publishing with an open mind, navigating through the steps like a bright reader charting the dark waters of a Stephen King novel. 

Yes, self-publishing involves a plethora of tasks that can make any top-notch writer stuff their manuscript in their nightstand and dream about their dream of words in print -- instead of actually going for it. 

Whether you love or hate her first novel, Winter vows to accept all positive comments and criticisms with open arms. Yet, she makes no apologies for her first effort. She believes authors need to give themselves permission: to read, write and explore self-publishing. 

Heed her words! Winter’s Snowbound (2014) was a quarter-finalist in the most recent Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest.

Amy Kampstra: Can you share a bit about the scope and process of self-publishing for fellow authors that may be considering or even starting their own self-publishing venture?

Sarah Winter: It takes longer to design a cover for the book than to actually have it ready for sale. Createspace is an Amazon company, so getting the book on paperback and Kindle at the same time is part of the process, and choosing your sales channels is another. Through just one simple step-by-step online process, I was able to make Snowbound available through every channel that a traditional publisher can. Self-publishing, once you have a finished manuscript, is easier than I expected.


AK: As a self-published author, how do you market or advertise your book? And, is it more work to write the book or actually market it yourself?

SW: I use social media and have the book listed on every website I can find that doesn't charge to list books that are available for sale. Tweets, Pins, and Facebook posts drive traffic to the sales pages and
to my blog as well. Also, by entering the Amazon contest, my book got exposure to the other entrants through the message boards associated with the contest.

I think the ratio of work on a self-published book is about 15 percent writing, 30 percent editing, and 55 percent marketing, especially if you don't have money set aside for marketing. If you're looking through free marketing options, a lot of time and effort get spent on that. Everything that a publisher handles for you when they sign you to a book deal, you have to do yourself. It's quite an undertaking.


AK: What is the best thing about having your words in print?

SW: Seeing a book on a shelf with my name on it. It's satisfying to have done something even I wasn't sure I would ever do. I can't lie though; royalties aren't bad either even if they don't amount to much.


AK: Now that you've penned your first novel, is there anything you'd do differently if you could do it all over again? For example, the recent buzz is that author J.K. Rowling now seems to have regrets about her choice to have Harry Potter characters, Ron and Hermione, end up together. And, she's written a short story about Harry and friends in their 30s. A) Would you have done something different with your plot or certain characters? B) Is it a possibility that you will resurrect your characters in future projects?

SW: I don't think I've had time to really think about what I'd do differently. I'm happy with the way Snowbound turned out, and don't think there's really anything I would change about it right now. It's always possible I could resurrect them in a new work, but I don't see that happening just yet, either. I've left the cabin for now.


AK: Do you have any goals left for "Snowbound"? That is, are you looking at shopping it around to publishing houses, selling a certain amount of books in a set amount of time, or entering more contests?

SW: I would love to get it published by a traditional house, and I will probably shop it to agents starting next summer, once I have another work released. (I'm shooting for a January release of my second novel).

I intend on entering one of the two in the Amazon contest next year, and hope it works out as well as it did this year.


AK: In retrospect, would you have done something different with the marketing or publishing of your book?

SW: The only different choices I could really have made are ones that are still available to me, even after publishing. I still have the option of getting my work accepted by agents and publishers, so I don't think
I went wrong or made a decision that I regret. I would have set aside some funds for marketing campaigns, but with two young kids there's always somewhere that money needs to be other than paying for promotion.


AK: Why do you write under a pseudonym? Would you advise other authors to do so?

SW: There are several reasons people choose pseudonyms. My motives are really simple. I like the surname Winter, but also it's for a separation of the two versions of me: the mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend; and the writer. It’s a matter of personal choice and, if you have a pseudonym you want to write under, go for it.

Pseudonyms have been used since publicized writing began for people who are trying to break into a genre dominated by the opposite gender. The Bronte sisters each used male names when they were first
published. Benjamin Franklin wrote under three different women's names, one of them in direct protest to women being punished for having illegitimate children while the fathers went unpunished. Romance author Leigh Greenwood is the pseudonym for Harold Lowry, who served as the president of the Romance Writers of America for two years.


AK: Are more Sarah Winter novels (or other works) on the way?

SW: I mentioned it in an earlier question. I have another romance novel in the works that I hope to release in January just like Snowbound. We'll see how it goes, as I plan to go back to work part-time this fall.


AK: On your blog you've written a past post in regard to authors giving themselves permission to write. Can you tell readers and any fellow writers a bit more about this concept, and do you have any other honest and helpful tips for anyone stuck on penning their first novel?

SW: Giving yourself permission, to me, is just about letting go of your hang-ups. They're your hang-ups to have, but they're also your hang-ups to let go of. It ultimately comes down to a choice: you either give up
your hang-ups or you give up your dream. It's unpleasant to think about those two options, but they're really what it all boils down to.

I don't mince words so for other advice, I say this: stop dicking around and write the damn thing. It's not going to get written by the excuses you make for not getting it done. If you're stuck on page five and make excuses for why [you] don't write for ten years, you're still only going to have five pages of a novel and 10 fewer years to write it in.

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

You're in the midst of a writeup and everything's going great. You just got an amazing quote from the perfect source. But suddenly, you've forgotten the rules surrounding that. Does the period go after the quotation? Or does it belong within? That depends on your sentence. In my years of experience in web writing, this has been a popular question. This tutorial combines my experience along with the time I've spent studying the Yahoo! Style Guide. The following is meant to help readers solve that and other mysteries surrounding punctuation and quotations.

Example of correct placement of a period when quoting a source:

--Tina Baker stated that "fries are better than chips when accompanied by hamburgers".

Because the noted quote was the end of a sentence containing it, the period belongs outside the quote. Had the quote been by itself, the period would have gone inside the quote.Example of correct placement of a period when the quote is a stand-alone sentence.

--Yesterday I spoke with Dr. Allen. His comments: "Looks like we're going to have to do surgery. This a rare occurrence."

Since this quote contains complete stand-alone sentences, the punctuation belongs inside the quotes.


Proper Punctuation When Quoting Exact Text

If there is a string of text that must be typed in an exact way, the punctuation belongs outside the quotation. For instance, if you want to put emphasis on a phrase, you would put any following punctuation after the quote. Some get confused on this because it may not look right to see a period after quotations. However, this is the correct way to construct such a sentence.

Examples of correct placement of punctuation when using exact text:

--To submit that assignment, click on the button labeled "submit".

--To check your daily views, first click on the "content" tab.


When In Doubt With Exact Text, Try Boldface Instead

If you are confused about the exact text and where to put the punctuation, consider using a boldface font instead. If you put emphasis on the text with bold characters, that avoids the need to use quotes.

Examples of using boldface to avoid quotations:

--To submit that assignment, click on the button labeled submit.

--To check your daily views, first click on the content tab.


Exclamation Points and Questions Marks Used With Quotes

When using question marks and exclamation points with quotations, unless that punctuation is a part of the statement being quoted, it belongs outside the quote. If a person exclaims something and you quote that, the exclamation point belongs inside the quotation. But if your sentence including the quote was an exclamation, it belongs outside.

Examples of correct placement of exclamation and question marks in quotes:

--Tommy said he "ran 150 miles today"!

--When Amy saw that yummy taste concoction, she exclaimed "It's all mine!"

--I ran into Brook today and she asked "How do you find the time to write so often?"

--Do you enjoy those sweet pickles - you know, the ones called "bread and butter"?

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Writing articles online has quickly become a popular way to earn money. This is in part due to the loss of income from layoffs and other job loss. However, many find out the hard way that the ability to maximize earning potential in online writing actually takes some thought. Online article writing is indeed a legitimate way to make money. Anyone can earn a few dollars at it here and there, but to turn it into a business, you'll first need to discover things that will help maximize the earning potential of each article.

Spelling, Grammar, and Proper English

Accurate spelling, grammar, and English can maximize your earning potential on every article you write. Potential clients look at writing for those strengths. If you spell and write so poorly that even spell check and grammar check can't save you, it's time to get back to the basics. That's right. You're going to have to study. Can't afford classes? Grab a book and teach yourself. Find free online resources. Study with a friend. Practice, practice, practice! Every good writer starts somewhere - the sooner you learn the basic skills, the better.

SEO Skills

If no one can find your article, no matter how good it is, no one is going to read it either. Take the time to learn to SEO skills, including LSI. SEO will greatly maximize your earning potential in online article writing. Many online writers get paid for their content per page view either solely or in addition to other payments. This is why it is so important to learn SEO to draw traffic to articles. This is one method that is always changing and doing the wrong thing could give you the opposite results you intended. So be sure your knowledge stays up-to-date.

Focused Headline and Topic

Readers need a clear picture. They need to know from the start what your article is about. Focus your headline directly on the topic at hand, not just part of it. The headline (or title) "Maximize Earning Potential in Online Article Writing" tells me this article offers advice on how to earn more money with articles written for the web. If the title instead was "Pay Attention to Grammar, Titles, and More" that could refer to a book, a lesson at school, or any number of things. It does not tell me it's about article writing on the internet or how I can earn more money. When writing headlines for articles, maximize the earning potential by fully focusing on the topic at hand.

Abstract Focus

Focusing on the topic, as well as the SEO in the abstract is one more great way to maximize earning potential in online writing. Just as the headline needs focus, so does the abstract (or first few sentences). This is what search engines show with your article link. Therefore, it should clearly represent the complete focus of the article. Take out all the fluff and just get straight to the point.

Focus and Readability

Web readers want to find their info fast. That's why they search for it online - instant gratification. This means that content needs to not only be discoverable, but straight to the point and in simple language. If a reader can't understand the language and focus right away, they likely won't read the rest of the article.

Clean Formatting

Online article writers also can maximize earning potential by using clean formatting. There is no exact format o recommend because it will be different depending on the venue. However, if your article looks like one long paragraph, readers may stray away. Generally you need to break up articles into sections. Subtitles can also be used if desired. Whatever formatting you choose, be consistent throughout the article for the best readability results.

Promotion

In line with the SEO skills mentioned above, promotion is another great way to draw readership. To be the most effective, they should go hand-in-hand. Article writers can maximize earning potential with promotion in many different ways. Post links in forums (where permitted), on your blog, in other articles, on social networks, and more. If you have a website, share your work there as well. There should also be a way for readers to subscribe through both RSS and email. If you have an RSS feed of your articles, it can be submitted to online article directories. There are many, many ways to be promote. The main thing to remember with promotion is to be consistent and to do it only where allowed and by the rules. You don't want to be known as a spammer. The goal instead is to be a source of interesting and informative content.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

I've said it before and I'll tell you again. Helping others is an important part of being a web writer. Not only can you use your words to do good in the world. But you can also use them to help other writers get where you are.

But I just started. How can I help? No matter where you are in your web writing career, you've done something or learned something that can benefit someone else. Maybe you discovered a new venue others may not know about. Perhaps you learned of a resource that might help. Maybe you struggled in life and you can help someone else with a similar struggle.

Won't helping others hinder my success? No, no, and NO!! There is plenty to do for everyone. We each have our own unique goals and talents. We also each have our own styles and areas of expertise. For more insight, I discussed this aspect at greater length in the post: "Am I Creating Competition by Helping Others Succeed?"

But I don't have time to help others. What? Sure you do! You can help others while doing your normal work. Help can occur within the posts you might already make daily. Also, think of some of the moments you might waste in the day, such as time on meaningless forums or Facebook posts. Instead, use that time on forums and Facebook posts that might help others. You don't have to ditch all of your fun. But it's not that hard to find some time to help others.

Why should I help other people? Why not? It's simply a good thing to do. For me, this is always my favorite part of what I do. But there are other benefits as well, if that's not enough. Oftentimes, those who help others have the most success. They usually find something people need and help them achieve it or maybe they are just so nice and helpful that people are attracted to them or their business. It also may help you build important business connections.  There are various reasons helpful people succeed. Therefore, if the joy of helping someone isn't enough, at least think of the possible financial rewards.

Have you helped someone today? What are some of the ways you help people?