How to Write & Publish a Short Story - Writing Tips & Advice

Every writer has to start somewhere. Whether you are a hobbyist looking for a creative outlet, or someone who aspires to be a bestselling author, the Beginning Writer’s Answer Book answers all of your questions about writing and getting published. Each of the book’s 29 chapters will give you get a better understanding of writing and provide insight into the publishing industry.

The Best Advice For Beginning Writers

The book features hundreds of questions and answers about the craft and business of writing. You’ll find tips and techniques about writing fiction and nonfiction, starting a freelance business, and more. Author Jane Friedman explores questions such as:

Do I have what it takes to be a writer?
How do I get published?
How do I format and submit my work?
How do I find an agent?
How do I edit and revise?
Why am I getting rejected?
How do book publishers operate?
How do I start a freelance career?

Not only will you get the answers to these questions and more, but you’ll also get valuable insight into the way things work within the world of publishing. In addition to practical writing advice, each chapter features resources for writers, and information you need to get started in writing.
What does it take to become a writer?

You’ve committed to becoming a writer. Now what? A good place to start is to discover your personal preferences. At what time of day do you write best? What is your preferred writing environment? Do you like absolute quiet or do you work best in noisy surroundings? Once you figure out your preferences, it’s time to explore the tools and equipment you’ll need, such as a computer, printer, telephone, Internet access, and more.

How do I get published?
Getting published is every writer’s dream. In order to make this dream a reality, you have to do your research, understand a publication’s or publisher’s submission guidelines, and write a query letter. You’ll learn how to research the market and target the agents and editors that are right for your work. You’ll discover where to find listings for agents who specialize in your genre, and specific submission information. You’ll also get etiquette pointers so you know how to initiate contact and respond to editors and agents. Plus, you’ll get tips on writing and submitting a query letters for both books and magazines.

The Beginning Writer’s Answer Book guides beginning writers through the publishing process–from start to finish. It’s an essential resource that every writer should have on their bookshelf. No matter where you are in the writing or publishing process, you’ll refer to it time and time again for advice and guidance.

How to Write & Publish a Short Story - Writing Tips & Advice

Below are some writing tips and advice which, in my humble opinion, can help you write better short stories and give you a much better chance of being published. They are based on my own experiences of writing and publishing stories, so I’m not just spouting nonsense (I hope).

Some of the points might seem like I’m stating the bleeding obvious, but sometimes common sense needs to be kept abreast of what’s common and sensible. Plus, it can be reassuring to know that other people have already found success by practicing tactics you intend to employ – I’ve certainly found this encouraging and helpful in the past.
I hope the advice is useful.

Read a Lot & Write a Lot

I find being hands on is the best way to learn. You need to read a wide variety of books and short stories. Then you need to write a lot to hone your writing skills and style. It’s like anything – practice does make perfect.

For example, I had a drum teacher called Terry O’Brien. He came from a military background. When he taught me a new rhythm, first I’d listen to him play it and then he’d make me play it 100 times while pacing around the room encouraging me, albeit in a Full Metal Jacket style while puffing on cigarettes. After 100 repetitions, I’d be able to play the rhythm.

Exactly the same principle applies to writing. The more you read and write, the better you become. The main difference with the drumming analogy is that it’s probably best not to have an angry sergeant shouting at you the whole time – it doesn’t do much to aid concentration.

Read

Get your eyeballs roving through loads of books. What do you like? Why? Read more. What don’t you like? Why? Read more.

There are many magazines (I recommend Scribble and Writers’ Forum) and websites which can give you access to inventive and inspiring stories. But also consider reading short story collections by authors like Roald Dahl, Philip K Dick, Ray Bradbury, Stephen King and other renowned short story writers. Why are their stories so successful? What makes them good? You can learn a lot from reading the work of quality authors – they have a large readership for good reason.

Write

Get your fingers on the keyboard and write. Then try and look at your work with the same critical, unbiased eye you use when reading someone else’s work. What do you like? Why? Write more. What don’t you like? Why? Edit accordingly.

You’ve read. You’ve practiced. What do you do next?

Research Your Market

This is probably the most important piece of advice I can offer. I know, all writing resources say the same thing, but that’s because it’s true.

If you’re starting out in short story writing and want a chance to win a competition, the best way to begin is by reading the previous winning stories so you can see what style the judges seem to prefer. If there are any comments about the stories the judges have chosen, read them and learn from them. Then write a story with what you’ve learned in mind.

It’s the same with approaching magazines. Buy a back issue. Read it. Learn what style the editor seems to favour. Would your style fit? What edits can you make to give yourself a better chance?

OK, now it’s time to start writing for real. Below are some tricks I use which often work.

Keep it Simple

Don’t crowd a story with too many characters. Loads of different names confuse readers.
Yes, I’m a drummer and have the attention span of a tiny fish, so I favour simplicity. But having only 1,000 to 5,000 words (ish – most short story competitions have word count limits between these figures) doesn’t give a lot of room for character development, especially if you’re introducing a reader to an entire football team. One, two or three central characters seem to work best to me.

Choose Character Names Carefully

Don’t confuse readers by using names which sound too similar. If you write a story about Ken, Len and Ben, it’s going to be hard to keep track of which character is which. Carter, Bronson and McGregor will be much easier for a reader to identify.

Use Novel Characters in Short Stories

If you’re writing a novel, use the book’s characters in your short stories. You’ll be so familiar with them, they should be easy to write and add believability to your short tale. Plus, it gives you the opportunity to test them out. Do they work? Do readers identify with them? Did they help you win a competition or get noticed by a magazine editor? If so, that bodes well for your novel. If not, you can catch problems early and fix them.

You can also use simplified sections of your novel’s plot for a short story, again, testing them out. Most novels have sub plots which will often make excellent short stories.

Short Story Titles

Give your story title the attention it deserves – if you don’t take the time to come up with an interesting title for your story, why should anyone take the time to read it? Make them enticing and entertaining.

If you need inspiration, buy a magazine like Scribble (which has lots of short stories in each issue) and see which titles stand out. Which stories do you feel drawn to, just by reading the title?

Beginning a Story

Try and make the first few paragraphs of your story gripping. Use hooks to grab the reader’s attention from the off. A good way of doing this is by providing a question the reader will want answered early on. For example:

I’m tied to a tree, living a nightmare set amongst a panorama of beauty. Over the past week I’ve been dragged up a mountain by my captor, his cruel eyes betraying a desire to which he’s unable to succumb. He needs me as he believes me to be – untouched.

This is taken from my story, The Treasure No Thief Can Steal which was published in Scribble. This opening paragraph sets the scene and places questions in the reader’s mind: Why has the narrator been dragged up a mountain? Why must she be untouched? What will her captor do when he finds out she isn’t virginal? My aim is to engage with the reader from the off, (hopefully) making them want to read more.

Dialogue & Speech

Dialogue can develop character and drive the plot forward. Use it to do both. For example:

‘I’m sorry to interrupt at such an ungodly hour,’ he says, his voice as deep as hell’s gong. ‘Put the gun away. It is useless to you.’

I do as he commands, not because I want to, but because I am unable to disobey. There’s a mesmerising quality to his voice which I realise I will have to fight if I want to act of my own free will.

‘You are Sergeant Joshua Purvis?’ he says.

I’m aware that I’m gawping. I try and say, ‘Yes,’ but all that emanates from my mouth is a kind of slurping mumble. I decide to forget talking for a moment and just nod.

‘Do you know who I am?’

‘Satan?’ I guess, pleased that I manage not to drool as I force the word from my mouth.

He snorts laughter, smoke spiralling from the holes in his face which I assume must be nostrils. ‘No,’ he says. ‘My name is Colin.’

I hear myself snigger.

‘I’ve taken a human name to seem less threatening,’ Colin continues, in a tone that suggests he is only imparting this information so he won’t find it necessary to tear my head off. ‘Names aside, you must concur, my master has excelled with the physical manifestation conjured for my eternal servitude?’

This is taken from another one of my stories, Devil’s Crush, which was published in Writers’ Forum. Joshua, a legless war veteran, has just discovered Colin, a demon, in his kitchen. I’m trying to allow the reader to learn about Colin through his speech, interspersed with the visual hints necessary to maintain the image of a demon in the reader’s mind. At the same time, I’m attempting to push the story forwards, by imparting information in the verbal exchange which builds character and plot. This is an important technique with short stories as, with strict limitations on word count, you have to make every word count. And throughout, I’ve also tried to use humour, keeping the style consistent. Have I succeeded? You tell me.

Ensure dialogue sounds convincing. If you’re unsure, read it aloud. Speaking the words can help you determine if the dialogue is working with you or sabotaging your plans with the deployment of excessive commas, adverbs and the use of perfect English even though no one ever says it that way out loud.

Situations & Characters

Concentrate on how the situation and the events in the story affect or change the central character.
I received this advice when I attended a ‘how to write a synopsis’ course at the Folk House in Bristol. It was run by a published writer called Billy Muir and was well worth the money. He suggested treating a synopsis like a short story – as you have so few words, use the central character to show how the events of the plot affect and change them. Interesting and sound advice – it works, and helped my short story writing greatly.

Sadly, I still can’t seem to write a decent novel synopsis, but that’s a different story…

Maintain Believability

Don’t make a character act in a certain way to suit your plot. Keep characters in character at all times. Let the character react to the situation as they would react, not as the plot dictates to be necessary. This helps believability and will make your story stronger.

Avoid Cliché

Always find a new and interesting way of saying something, rather than going for hackneyed phrases which have been used a gazillion times before. The only time I intentionally make exceptions to this rule is in dialogue, if I feel the character is likely to use clichés, although this is still best used sparingly.

Writing with an End in Mind

I’m not a fan of excessive plotting as I find it can be too restrictive on the imagination as you write. But having an end planned helps you drive the story in the right direction as you create it. Without an end goal, the plot can twist into an unsalvageable mess.

How to End a Short Story

Make the end of the story satisfying for the reader. Stories which fail to answer all the questions raised or resolve the situation can be disappointing. I know, this is a matter of taste, but satisfying endings appeal to the majority of readers. No, I’m not a fan of David Lynch.
Hopeful endings seem to work well. Again, this is personal taste and not appropriate for every occasion, but I’ve found tales that offer hope deliver a satisfying conclusion for the reader and have a good success rate in competitions.

You’ve written a masterpiece. What should you consider when entering competitions and approaching editors?

Obey the Rules

When entering a competition, read and obey the rules. If you don’t, you’ll be disqualified. When approaching a magazine editor with your work, read and abide by their submission criteria. If you don’t, your work will not be considered.

See what I mean about the bleeding obvious? Well, I mention this for good reason.
I’m currently involved with running the GKBCinc short story competition and the amount of entries that don’t comply with the rules is astounding. By undertaking this simple step, you put yourself ahead of about a fifth of the competition. Yes, that’s right. One fifth. Literally.

Correspondence

If you have to write covering letters (more common with approaching magazine editors than short story competition judges), keep them concise, informative and professional. And give it the same attention as your stories. A covering letter filled with typos looks awful.

Personalising a letter, rather than just sending a generic ‘to whom it may concern’ type creation, can also mean your work is more likely to be read. And if you can slip in a genuine, researched compliment, the person you’re writing to is likely to appreciate it. I’m not talking about a ‘your magazine is great’ kind of comment, I mean an ‘I particularly enjoyed the story by Mavis Von-Dinkle-Burp in your last issue – I was impressed with the realistic dialogue between the spider and the fly’ kind of comment – something that shows you’ve actually read the magazine and give a shit.

If you are fortunate enough to receive feedback from short story competition judges or magazine editors, read and learn from any constructive criticism they might offer. If you become angry and write snotty, argumentative replies, you destroy relationships. Be thankful they have replied to you. In these rare instances, the criticism is coming from a professional. Read it. Learn from it. Use it in a constructive way. Thank them for it. If you think it’s appropriate, ask if they’d be interested in considering the story again once you’ve edited it.

Never Give Up

If you think a story is worth writing, write it. Don’t listen to anyone else, including the Demon of Doubt who whistles his merry tune inside everyone’s head from time to time. Just do it.

If you don’t win the first competition you enter, don’t give up. What fails to appeal to one short story competition judge or magazine editor may still appeal to another. You will see that a lot of the stories on this website have been entered into many competitions before winning anything. If you gain any feedback from competition judges or editors, take it on board and see if you can improve your story before entering it in the next competition.

Maintain a Healthy Imagination

I promise you, I’m not suddenly turning into a tree hugging, druidic eccentric. I still love my motorbike, drinking beer and utilising my drumming to make ears bleed. This really is practical advice which does help creativity and productivity. Honest.

Exercise Regularly

In my experience, keeping fit really helps my writing. At the end of last year, I went into an unhealthy spiral of doom. On New Year’s Day, I woke up feeling like a big fat forty year old bag of shite. While stuffing down my first full English of the year, I encountered some horrific indigestion which failed to be quelled by a vat of Gaviscon. I decided it was time to embrace a healthier lifestyle.
I find that taking regular exercise, be it walking, running, cycling, swimming – whatever suits you – helps to keep creativity and the imagination alive. It also aids concentration and focus.

healthy body = healthy mind = better writing and story telling

Don’t believe me? Try it. Take daily exercise for a month. I’d be amazed if it doesn’t help your writing.

Eat a Healthy, Balanced Diet

It’s helped me lose weight. It’s made me feel healthier. I feel more alert, more creative, more inspired. My imagination is prolific and I’m writing a lot more. Combined with exercise, it really helps.

Don’t Drink too much Alcohol

There are tears running down my cheeks as I write this, but even I, a man who literally delights in supping beer, wine and other alcoholic wonderment, has to admit that overindulgence seriously knackers one’s ability to write.

I’m not saying don’t drink, I’m simply saying don’t drink excessively. Yawn. Snore. How dull. But it works.

In the left menu at the top of the page, there are links to pages listing short story competitions, short story magazines and book competitions, all offering chances for you to become a published writer.
I wish you the best of luck.

17 Self-Publishing Tips That Have Helped Me Sell Over 25,000 Books

When I was in my early 20s, I was fascinated by club promoters. How did they know so many people? How did they reliably fill up the clubs? I tried to be a promoter myself with a friend but we never brought more than 50 people each to the four parties we threw. It was fun, but we weren’t exactly successful.

What I didn’t understand was that those promoters brought value to other people, not just once, but continually and consistently. Even before they started throwing parties, they’d be the go-to source for asking advice on where to party. They’d always be at the clubs making sure people were having a good time. They’d buy rounds of drinks and make the night a little more enjoyable.

They already had a huge following by the time they decided to throw their first party. This is how bookselling works today. The book is the party, an afterthought to the value you’ve been bringing before it hit the Kindle store. Readers give you money not just for the book, but for all the free value you gave them before it was released.

I get a lot of emails from guys asking how to make money from selling books. This list is for them…

1. Ask not how to make money—ask how to bring value. How are you going to help or entertain people? No one cares about your goal to make $3,000 a month in book sales. They want to know how your writing will positively affect their lives. If you don’t know the benefits that people will receive from your writing, you will not be successful.

2. The blog is more important than the book. I don’t know of a single non-fiction self-published writer who is successful without having a blog. We’re not in the old times where you can drop a book out of thin air and have it be a best seller. Before you start writing the book, you should have a plan to blog for one year to build an audience. After one year of selfless writing where you ask for nothing in return, you may then start writing a book that you will sell to your readers. If you don’t have enough material to maintain an active blog and a book, you won’t make it.

3. The snobby author is dead. Readers want to correspond with the people they follow. You can’t pull a J.D. Salinger and be “mysterious” by disappearing from the face of the Earth. I remember once I asked an author if his book was available in ebook. He didn’t bother responding and I didn’t buy it. While I can’t reply to every tweet or comment left on my blog, I do respond to over 90% of my emails, even though it takes a considerable amount of time. Today’s writer should be more like a friend than an aloof celebrity.

4. The cover is more important than you realize. I know you’re thinking, “But Roosh, your covers suck!” This is true, but in my genre guys want nondescript covers that don’t get noticed in public. This is becoming irrelevant as we move to e-reading so don’t be surprised if my future covers become more descriptive and pretty. The most important thing is to have a cover that looks great as a thumbnail. Take note of Amazon’s “Customers also bought” section. If your thumbnail looks like crap there, it will get less clicks. I know you’ll be broke when doing your first book, but plunk down the $299 and get the cover done via 99 Designs.

5. You don’t need an editor, but you need a copyeditor. Readers hate typos. For them it feels wrong for a book to have them. They’ll put up with meandering prose and even grammar mistakes but typos get to them. Go to Elance and find a copyeditor to proofread your book before publication. It’s okay to send rough drafts to your friends for free to receive general comments, but you really need a pro to catch all the typos.

6. Don’t be stingy with review copies. You have to think long-term with your book, not just the first month of sales. Even if your audience is small, I wouldn’t give out less than 10 review copies. For Day Bang I gave out over 30.

7. Price the book at what your readers want, not what you want. This is how most authors price their book: “I want to make $2,000 a month, so if I price it at $20, I only have to sell 200 copies!” Newsflash: your readers don’t care how much you want to make per month. They want cheap books filled with content that makes them feel like they are getting a good deal. Therefore your book should be priced low, with absolutely no consideration to how much you want to make. Even I’m surprised how price sensitive customers are.

If someone buys my book for $9.99 and sees yours for $20, they’ll ask, “Well, it better be twice as good as Roosh’s.” If not then they will feel ripped off. You must price your book based on the market, and right now the market is driving prices down. Price it too high and you might as well just announce that you don’t want to sell any books at all.

8a. Fighting piracy hurts your readers more than the pirates. If I were to put a password on PDF files, or enable DRM on the Kindle edition, I would just be annoying readers. Pirates can’t be stopped, and caring about them shows that you’re more concerned about how much you earn than the reading experience of people who buy your book. Make it easier for customers by putting your book on all available outlets, such as Createspace (for paperback), Amazon (Kindle), and Smashwords (everything else). Again, pretend you’re a buyer. Wouldn’t you want the book easy to buy without DRM? You fail as a bookseller when you encourage a customer to go to Google and search for a pirated copy.

8b. Give so much value that your reader would feel bad about pirating your work. 80% of the information I give is free on my blog or newsletter. About 20% of my writing is packaged into books. So when a customer is faced with a choice to pirate the book or give me money, he chooses the latter. I lost count how many times guys told me, “Your book is the only one I didn’t pirate.” They know I’m not some soulless corporation, but one guy trying to put out good work.

9. Promote your book, but not too much. Imagine if I plugged my books on every post or tweet. You’d get annoyed because book promos are not value. Don’t think that having a large blog readership or Twitter following means people want to receive ads. Outside of book release days, the frequency at which you can promote your book should be “once in a while”. Leave a link to the book somewhere on your navigation bar and then shut up about it. People know about your book and reminding them every day is going to turn them off.

10. The blog is more important than the book. Yes I know this is at number two but I must stress how important it is. Even after your book drops, a project that took you god knows how many hours of blood and sweat to make, you have to keep blogging. You’re only just beginning! Your blog must be permanent and eternal, while the book is a secondary part of that. If you aren’t ready to accept this, your book will not make it in today’s publishing climate. Even when I go on a blog break of a couple weeks, I notice a dip in sales. Your blog is the heart that pumps oxygen to your book. Without the blog, your book dies.

11. Pray for luck on Amazon. If your book is in a hot niche and you have decent sales, it will be listed in the “Customers also bought” section of more popular books. My book Bang lists well under The Game and Mystery Method so it has enjoyed nice sales from people who don’t even know about my blog.

12. After releasing your first book, get to work on the second. To make a living from writing, one book is not enough. You need to keep going and put book after book after book, all while blogging. A lot of people see my ability to live abroad and don’t realize that my income came after blogging forever and putting out, as of this writing, thirteen books. Even though you think you only have one book on you, trust me when I say you’ll get the idea for a second after you complete the first. A good goal is to complete one book a year.

13. Use the end of one book to promote another. When you get to the end of Bang, there is a promotion for Day Bang. When you get to the end of Day Bang, there is a promotion for Bang. If someone finished my book, they probably liked it and will be willing to read another one of my books. Sales beget more sales.

14. Stay on top of self-publishing trends. For hundreds of years, bookselling was the same. You put the book on paper and it landed in a bookstore. Things are changing so fast that how I sell books now is completely different than just three years ago. PDF used to be the gold standard, but now I include EPUB and MOBI formats in all my direct sales. Paperback used to account for 100% of my sales, but now it’s less than 33%. Thankfully today there are sites like 99 Designs and Elance to hire contractors to help us, along with informative blogs like Joe Konrath and Self Publishing Review.

15. People buy you just as much as the book. Most of the sales from one of my recent books, Bang Poland, went to guys who will probably never step foot in Poland. So why are they buying it? Because they like my work and want to support it. I can open Microsoft Word, take a dump on my keyboard, and call it Bang Your Mom and it will have sales because people trust what I’m doing. This increases your responsibility as a writer because the last thing you want to do is make people feel like they are paying more for less.

16. Information products are still king. Even though I love my memoir A Dead Bat In Paraguay, it gets demolished in sales by Bang and Day Bang. The reason is that people want something that directly benefits them. Plus it’s easier to sell an info product—just list how it will help a person’s life. It’s much tougher to sell fiction and memoirs.

17. Say thank you. Times are tough and that ten bucks that someone just gave you could have gone somewhere else. Don’t take your readers’ support for granted, and even if it sounds trite, say thanks. You can even use smiley faces.

Article Marketing Tips: 7 Writing Tips for Beginners

When you’re just starting to distribute articles to market your website, it can be a little intimidating because most likely you’re not used to writing articles on a regular basis. Being a beginner isn’t a bad thing – in fact, it’s the perfect time to establish some excellent writing habits.
This article offers you 7 article marketing tips that are especially helpful for beginners, and you can take any combination of these tips and use them to create your own writing strategy.

1 – Don’t Try to Write an Article in One Sitting
Writing takes time, and there are different stages to it. In the first stage you’ll be jotting down ideas you want to include in your article. In the next stage, you start to write in complete sentences and paragraphs. The next step is the editing stage, and after that is the proofreading stage. Writing takes such mental effort that it would be very hard for you to do all of these stages in one day. Most experienced writers will spread their work out over several days. That way they can approach their article with a fresh mind several times, which produces a higher quality article.

2 – Write Early in the Morning
It’s an interesting fact that many serious writers prefer to work in the early morning hours when their minds are most alert (after a cup of coffee!) and when their working conditions are the most quiet. You may also find that it is easiest to write first thing in the morning, but it never hurts to experiment!

3 – Create a Mini-Ritual That You do Before You Write
This is a little trick that many professional writers use. Come up with some simple activities that you always do prior to sitting down to write. These activities could be as simple as having a cup of coffee while reading the newspaper (that works particularly well if you’re writing first thing in the morning). The mini-ritual helps your mind transition to the task of writing.

4 – Write in a Distraction Free Location
It’s just common sense that it’s easiest to write when you have the fewest distractions. Distractions can come from people, technology (such as email, phone, or the internet), environmental noise, or maybe even something as innocent as a window with a beautiful view.

5 – Prepare Your Topic and Research the Day Before
The hardest part of writing an article is coming up with the topic. When you’re writing articles for article marketing, your topic will always have something to do with the general topic of your website. Still, that leaves a lot of options. That’s why it’s best for you to sit down the day before and pinpoint what topic you’ll write about. Then, when the time comes for your writing session, you can just sit down and start writing.

The same goes for doing research – if you do need to look anything up or gather any information, do it the day before so you don’t get sidetracked during your writing session. Your writing session is just for writing.

6 – Write for a Limited Amount of Time
It’s easy to procrastinate when you know you have some articles to write. Setting a time limit on your writing session can help eliminate some anxiety (you know that there is an end in sight!). It may also help you write more efficiently, as oftentimes setting a time limit can help you focus and motivate you to think and write more quickly.

7 – Make It a Habit to Write with a More Structured Approach, Using These Tips as Your Guide
One of the most positive habits that a beginner can adopt is to have a structured writing routine. You’ll find that it’s easier for you to get started writing and that you don’t overtax your mind trying to do too much at one time.

These are simple tips that any beginner can use to emulate writers who have more experience. By using these tips, you will write more efficiently and improve in your writing skill.

20 Synonyms for “Expert”

Just as the many synonyms for beginner should be picked over with care to capture the correct connotation, the numerous alternatives available for referring to an expert have sometimes unique or specific senses appropriate for some contexts and unsuitable for others. Here’s a usage guide to such words:

1. Ace (ultimately derived from the Latin word as, “one,” “unit”): Originally, a combat pilot with at least five (later, ten) confirmed kills, or enemy planes shot down, and by extension a highly skilled person. The slang designation stems from the most valuable card in a deck and far predates powered flight; it was used to denote excellence, and eventually “top of the deck” athletes were so designated. The term is still employed in sports, as in gaining a point on a serve in tennis or hitting a hole in one in golf, as well as in the scholastic sense of performing well in a course or on a test.

2. Adept (from the Latin word adeptus, “having reached, attained”): Usually has the connotation of a mystical or secret pursuit or body of knowledge; this sense stems from the use of the term in Middle English to refer to an alchemist, and the term is widely used in heroic-fantasy literature featuring wizards and sorcerers and in writing about mysticism, though it is appropriate for general usage.

3-4. Artist (ultimately from the Latin word ars): Originally referred solely to a practitioner of art, but now often applied to someone who demonstrates skill with an artistic flourish in any pursuit. The French form, artiste, is used only facetiously or by or in reference to the pretentious.

5. Authority (from the Latin word auctoritatem, “advice, opinion”): Connotes the go-to source for, well, authoritative information or advice, or the governing agency or institution for a body of knowledge. As you may have guessed, the Latin term from which this word derives is also the source of author.

6-7. Connoisseur (from the Latin word cognoscere, “to know”): Usually employed in gustatory or artistic contexts, identifying someone with a refined taste in wine, for example, or a specific school of painting. The term, which comes to English from French, has an Italian cognate, cognoscente, which, when borrowed into English, has the same sense or that of “one in the know.” (The plural is cognoscenti.)

8-9. Doyen (from the Middle French word meaning “leader of ten,” stemming from the Latin term decanus, and ultimately from the Greek term dekanos, both with the same meaning): Carries a connotation similar to that of connoisseur or maven, of a person with knowledge about or skill in a rarified topic or area. Dean, sometimes used to denote an expert in or master of a specific field as well as in its academic sense, derives from doyen.

10. Guru (from the Hindi word for “teacher” or “priest,” from the Sanskrit term guru-s): Originally denoted a spiritual mentor, but the meaning was later extended to a secular sense and then generally to an expert.

11. Hotshot: Originally referred to a headstrong person or a headlong object; it now is usually employed in the sarcastically derogatory sense of someone who considers themselves more knowledgeable or capable than they are.

12. Initiate (from the Latin word initium, “beginning”): Originally, this word identified one who had undergone or was about to undergo an initiation ceremony, but now it is also a designation for one privy to certain knowledge or skills.

13-14. Maestro (from the Italian word for “master,” ultimately from the Latin term magister): A term for a gifted composer, later extended to orchestra conductors and now sometimes used facetiously to refer to those with pretensions of genius. The English form master denotes both an academic leader (hence “master of arts” and so on) and one who is eminent in any given field of endeavor.

15. Maven (from the Yiddish word, meyvn, “one who understands,” ultimately from the Hebrew term mebhin): Generally used in the sense of someone with expertise in a sophisticated area of study or skill.

16. Pundit (from the Hindi payndita, “learned man,” ultimately from Sanskrit payndita-s): Usually employed to refer to commentators, analysts, or consultants, often with a negative sense because of the widespread realization that one can find “experts” who will support or attack any position one favors or opposes.

17. Scholar (from the Latin word schola, “school,” ultimately from the Greek term skhole): Originally, referred to a student, but now, except in formal or jocular contexts, denotes an academician.

18. Virtuoso (from the noun form of the Italian word meaning “skilled, learned,” from the Latin term virtuosus, “virtuous”): Originally applied to highly talented musicians, but now appropriated in many other contexts to refer to manual or mental dexterity.

19-20. Wizard (from Middle English wys, “wise,” and -ard, “one who [is]”): The supposedly traditional connotation, that of a person with magical powers, supplanted the original meaning of “wise man,” and the modern sense, outside of fantasy-literature and computer-gaming circles, is of someone astonishingly good at a certain endeavor. Whiz is either a short form of wizard or a variant of the onomatopoeic whizz, “humming, hissing sound or movement.”

The Art Of Writing News

News writing is a key skill for journalists, but it helps with other types of writing as well. That’s because news writing is about telling a story quickly and concisely. Anyone can learn to do this, with a bit of help. Here’s how you can write the news and get your story across. The technique also works well for writing press releases.

News Writing Structure
News writing has its own structure. It’s called the inverted pyramid. This upside down triangle serves as a guide for how you include information in the story. Using the inverted pyramid means starting with the most important information, then putting the next most important info and so on. It can also serve as a guide for writing each paragraph in the story. Start with the most important point, then the next most important and so on.

The inverted pyramid has an interesting history. Before digital printing and desktop publishing, news was laid out manually. If a late breaking story came in and the editor needed to make room, then the editor would order another story to be cut. Having the most important information at the top meant that readers always got the essential parts of the story.

Writing The Facts
Another way to think of the inverted pyramid is that you start with the facts and then add the background. So, how do you know what background to add? It’s easy. You can use the 6Ws. Strictly speaking, there aren’t six, there are actually 5Ws and 1H, but the formula seems to work. That mnemonic reminds us to include the who, where, what, why, when and how of a story.

Why is this? Think about how you tell a story to your friends. You might say: ‘You’ll never believe WHO I just saw!’ Then you might go on to tell the story of where the person was, what they were doing, and why it’s scandalous. We all want to hear about people – and that’s what news is about? Look at any news story and you will see that all of this information is in the first two paragraphs. Anything after that is background to the story.

Let me give another example. If I were writing about a car crash, I would say who was involved, when and where it happened, why it happened and how it happened. Those would be the main points and my story might look something like this:

Two people sustained serious injuries in a car crash at Hill Road at 6am today. The collision happened when Mr. Smith swerved into the opposite lane to avoid a dog in the road. Ms Jones, who was in that lane, was unable to stop in time. Both Mr. Smith and Ms Jones have been taken to the local hospital.

This is not a perfect example, but you get the idea – and now you can write the news too.

Tips on Writing a Good Feature for Magazines

The process of writing a feature article for a magazine is not much different from writing an article for a newspaper or newsletter. One of the main differences however, is that a feature article is designed to be written in a way that the information is not time-based, but is timeless. The key to writing a good feature article is to select the proper venue for your article and then to write the article directed at that audience.

A feature article typically delves deeper into a story than a regular article. More than mere facts are presented and the creative writer finds other points of interest and information about the story. Feature articles sometimes even allow the writer to express personal thoughts and opinions on the topic.

Organization of the Story

A feature article takes a specific format and outline. There will always be a title, introduction, body of the story and a conclusion. This format is different from a general article. The title of the article should grab the reader’s attention quickly to keep them reading. It should highlight the general topic of the story.

The introduction of the story is contained in the first few paragraphs of the article. It should provide any background information relevant to the story and should create a relationship between the writer and the reader. The tone of the article will be set in the introduction.

The body of the feature should be broken into pieces with subheadings for easy organization. This section has most of the details of the story. It includes names, places, times and quotes from those interviewed. The opinions of the writer, those at the location of the story and from experts involved in the topic are presented in the body of the article. Any pictures that illustrate the story and diagrams or charts would also be included at this point.

The conclusion should leave a lasting impression on the reader and provoke some sort of reaction. The conclusion should prompt action on the part of the reader and encourage a change of opinion on the part of the reader or encourage the reader to make a decision.

Writing a Good Feature For Magazines

The leeway an author is given in the style of a feature article is much greater than in other types of writing.

• You have the ability to use colloquialisms, first person narrative and a conversational tone in your article.
• You are free to throw in a few rhetorical questions if it emphasizes your point.

Avail yourself of the added freedom to write a feature that you would want to read if you were on the other side of the print.

Remember to include all the facts and to comment on the location of the story. It is always preferable to bring in such facts to support your viewpoint. These extra facts will add force to your story. Sprinkle in relevant jargon to add authenticity to the information that you are sharing and to the opinions of those interviewed.

To enhance the relationship with your audience, make use of creative descriptions that will draw on the reader’s imagination.

• The imagery that you create in the telling of the story captivates the reader and keeps them with you until the end.
• The use of quotes from people involved makes your story more personal and generates emotion in the reader.

While these are not the only tips on writing a good feature for magazines, they will carry your writing a long way towards landing a feature article.

5 Simple Tips for Writing a Feature Article

Feature articles are a smart addition to your website and marketing strategy. This compelling content makes you an expert…makes your website more “sticky”…and makes your prospect want to take action.

With these 5 simple tips, writing a feature article couldn’t be easier. I use these steps every day for my clients and my own marketing as well, and I’ve found it makes the whole process absolutely painless.

1. Know your reader
Decide whom you’re targeting. Picture the reader in your mind, not just as a broad category but as a real, living, breathing person. What do you know about that person? Where does he work? Where does he live? What is he worried about? What information is he looking for?
Be as specific as you can, to the point where you can imagine that person is sitting down right in front of you.

2. Know your end goal
When the person has read your article, what do you want him to feel? Do you want him to feel confident? Insecure? Warm and fuzzy?

Even more than feeling, what action do you want him to take? Do you want him to go to a product page on your website? To forward the article to his boss? To call you?
Know what you want to happen as a result of your article.

3. Explain why the reader should care
This is the classic “benefits over features” marketing rule. Why should the reader bother with your article? What’s in it for him?

Don’t make the article all about you. Make it relevant to the reader, too. And tell him why.

4. Share your information
This is the nuts and bolts of what you want to say. What information is important for you to share? What is important for the reader to know?

Create a bulleted list of topic points.

5. Anticipate questions
Imagine you’re having a face-to-face conversation with your reader, where you’re sharing your information. What additional questions might come up?

Be proactive. Anticipate and answer those questions.

So here’s the great part. Once you’ve gone through these steps, you’ll find that the article is essentially written for you. Here’s how it works:

Numbers one and two set the tone and style you’ll use in the article. They tell you if you’ll be writing with a professional voice, or light and conversational, or even wry and humorous. Tone and style sets the stage for everything that follows.

Number three grabs your reader’s attention…which makes it a perfect introduction. Even better, it makes for a perfect way to wrap up the article, that is, a perfect conclusion as well. So now you’ve got your first and last paragraphs written. Moving right along!

Numbers four and five are your body, the bulk of your content. But now you know what you want to say, so it’s just a matter of organizing those bullet points and writing them out into complete sentences and paragraphs.

And voila! You’ve got great, compelling content that establishes you as an authority, holds your prospect’s attention, and helps to convert prospects into buyers.
In marketing, content counts. Now that you’ve got these 5 simple tips for writing a feature article, it’s never been easier.

21 Expert Writing Tips

Great content attracts links, builds credibility, and stimulates social media activity. Too many Internet publishers skimp on content because of costs. They forget that the cheapest way to publish great content is to write it themselves.
Some Internet publishers aren’t great writers though. That doesn’t mean they can’t improve. Sincere writing with a few mistakes trumps grammatically correct fluff any day, though. And by paying attention to these 21 expert writing tips, even struggling website publishers can improve their writing.

1. Use shorter words instead of longer words. Don’t use the word “obtain” when the word “get” is available. Shorter words make your prose easier to understand. Longer words make your writing sound stuff.
2. Stop trying to sound smart. This is similar to the first tip. “At this point in time” is a fancy way of saying “now.” It has the opposite effect of what you intended. Trying to sound smart just makes your prose boring and unclear.
3. Avoid adverbs. Most adverbs don’t add much meaning. Not all adverbs end in “-ly” either. The words “very” and “extremely” add no real meaning to an adjective, so leave them out. Want to describe something that’s “very ugly?” Write “hideous” instead. Is someone in your post “running quickly” to catch the train? Try using the word “sprinting” instead.
4. Avoid the passive voice. Here’s an example of the passive voice: the passive voice should be avoided. Sentences should have a subject that does something to an object. An object that has something done to it by the subject isn’t as direct or as easy to read.
5. Eliminate the phrases “there is” and “there are” from your writing. For example, “There are multiple ways you can improve your writing” reads much better as “You can improve your writing in multiple ways.”
6. Write shorter sentences. Longer sentences are fine sometimes. Amateur writers produce lengthy, convoluted sentences, though. Shorter sentences are more direct.
7. Write shorter paragraphs. Longer paragraphs work great in books. Internet writing is more like newspaper writing, though, and three sentences is long enough for a paragraph on the Internet.
8. Use fewer “to be” verbs and more “action” verbs. Your sentences need to have someone or something doing something to someone or something else. “Gambling is addictive” isn’t nearly as strong a sentence as “Gambling addiction ruins lives.”
9. Use stronger nouns and fewer adjectives. This is a corollary to many of the earlier tips in this article. Don’t use two words when one word is just as clear.
10. Be specific. Vague writing is boring. I see freelancers write long introductory paragraphs about a specific topic, but they start by writing about something so general that it’s almost off-topic. Good writing includes specific facts, dates, and examples. Don’t write that Texas hold’em was invented in the 20th century. Write that poker originated in the early 1900′s and was first played in Las Vegas in 1967.
11. Have an opinion. Don’t be wishy-washy. People want to read your intelligent analysis, so be direct and give it to them. This takes courage.
12. Draft first. Then edit. If you spend your time laboring over every word and every sentence, you’ll take twice as long to write your article, and it will be half as good. Write your first draft fast. Then revise it.
13. Practice. Writing is a skill. The more you write, the more you’ll improve.
14. Read. Don’t just read crappy writers, either. Read poems. Read classic prose stylists like Hemigway and Vonnegut. For a change of pace, try Faulkner. The more you read, the better you’ll write.
15. Read out loud. During the editing process, try reading what you’ve written aloud. You’ll find mistakes and clunky phrases and sentences that you might otherwise miss.
16. Schedule your writing time. Anthony Trollope had the right idea. He wrote every day from 5:30am to 8:30am, and he used a clock to time himself–his goal was to write 250 words every 15 minutes. He became one of the most prolific novelists in history, and he did so while working a full time job at the post office.
17. Provide examples. Don’t just state your opinion. Give examples. An example can make a point in half the number of words (or less) than an explanation.
18. Use great headlines. My partner shared some ideas for headlines with me on Friday. I used one of them for this post. You can find plenty of good advice about writing catchy headlines by doing a quick search in DuckDuckGo.
19. Use lists. They can make it easier to approach a hard subject. Lists are also more likely to be shared via social media channels. Readers enjoy lists.
20. Get feedback. Develop a thick skin and ask people for constructive feedback on your work. They might give you lousy advice about how to improve your writing, but they might provide you with gold, too. Even if they give you lame advice, they still might share your writing with other people, and everyone wants more exposure.
21. Consider your audience. When you approach a topic, think about what you’d like to read if you were researching that topic. Then do the research and write the article you’d want to find.

Those are just the first 21 writing tips I could think of. They’re based on my experiences editing the writing of freelance writers.

9 Expert Tips For Better Writing

One of the things I like best about social media is the way it helps me discover talented writers. They remind me a lot of distance athletes with their deep conversations about seemingly minor details and long periods of time spent practicing alone.
The web also has a downside. There seems to be a growing belief that having mobile access to information negates any need to regularly consume quality writing.
Some writers point to the popularity of the Twilight series and say it’s a sign the general population no longer cares about quality. In my reply I always point to the wise commentary of Juan Williams:
Pandering to base interests is very different from catering to real needs. (Paraphrased from his commentary on the notion that people of color only want to watch MTV.)
It’s possible that you’ll make money by pandering, but there are a lot of people doing the same thing now. Traipse around online for a bit and you’ll find thousands of desperate writers trying to predict the next fetish in hopes of fame and fortune. It’s sad to watch them trying so hard because in the end they’ll have nothing to be truly proud of. I want to write things for which my only explanation for writing is not, “I needed the money.”
Do you? If so, you may find some portion of the following useful. I’ve gathered some of my favorite quotes from brilliant, prolific, and plain crazy writers and share them here with some tips I’ve found incredibly helpful in my own journey as a yearning writer. I hope you enjoy!

1. Write to make a point, not a target word count

Vigorous writing is concise. ~William Strunk Jr.
Nothing makes me grimace quite like hearing somebody say they’ve reached 50,000 words and so have completed their first novel. Remember dully typing toward a minimum word count for an academic paper you had no interest in writing? If you start to get the feeling about something you’re writing, it’s probably time to stop writing and do some more research (or bribe your editor/professor/mother into accepting the shorter piece of work).

2. Help another edit their writing

I try to leave out the parts that people skip. ~Elmore Leonard
I have a short, round-bellied friend who turned me on to this quote. That said, I’ve found that helping another writer edit their work often leaves me with more insight into my own writing than I gave to the other writer! If you can find a trusted friend to trade nascent work with, you will have found a wealth of improvement.

3. Write something every day that you do not intend to share

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth
I have a private blog I update daily with rants, outlines, fears, and bits of nothing that stream out of me when I’m struggling to find focus for another piece of writing. You’ll never see it. There’s no value in my sharing it because the moment I know others can see it is the moment I no longer write just for me. I suggest you give this method a try. It doesn’t have to be a blog.  A notebook would work just fine.

4. Outline before drafting & Don’t confuse fiction with dishonest writing

If any man wish to write in a clear style, let him be first clear in his thoughts; and if any would write in a noble style, let him first possess a noble soul. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
I am still learning to to do the first part. I’ve taken great value from sharing outlines of my intended work with friends who are very logical and excel at criticizing arguments without muddling thoughts. The last part… is something I can only hope for. If I someday hear a reader say, “his writing is imbued with kindness” I think that will do.

5. Don’t get caught up in restating the obvious

The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say. ~Anaïs Nin
As one who writes a lot for the web, I am continually tempted by the low-hanging fruit of trending topics and morning news drivel. Restating the obvious is easy, fun, and very retweetable. But the obvious rarely seems to translate into any sort of real legacy. If I only had a list of all the things my readers already know collectively, it would be so simple to stay fresh!

6. Befriend a dictionary

The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug. ~Mark Twain
Imbue, conjure, nefarious… are just a few of the words I have as friends to help me clearly make a point, share an idea, or call something into question. There’s a joy in having the perfect words at one’s disposal that only a dedicated writer can appreciate. A thesaurus can be useful if you’re bored, lazy, or drunk. Nothing trumps having a word come to mind just as you need its help.

7. Keep a little notebook for moments of inspiration

Write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable. ~Francis Bacon
I use a moleskine to store my thoughts for later. Having thoughts and personal commentary all in one place has the added benefit of serving as a source of inspiration for later times of drought. Think of it as you would catching raindrops in a canteen. You’ll be glad for the moisture some day.

8. Not having a pen in your hand doesn’t mean you’re not writing

The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes. ~Agatha Christie
If you walked into my office at random, there’s a very good chance you’d find me sipping a glass of tea while staring off into space. Am I doing nothing? Not in the least. Contrary to my mother’s early suspicions, I’m not addled. I just like to silently try phrases out in my mind before writing them down. Agatha had a point about dishes, too. There’s no such thing as writer’s block. But there are times when washing dishes is a better use of time than staring at an empty screen!

9. Be kind to yourself

Every writer I know has trouble writing. ~Joseph Heller
I hope you are kind to yourself and forgiving when you cannot find the perfect phrase or paint a story just so! Writing, for me, seems a monumental task at times and I am always delighted to find others who understand my situation and reach out to help. There’s a joy in knowing that no matter how lonely a stretch of path may seem we are never entirely alone, no? We always have our writing and with it an entire community of people who care.
If you’re a writer, and you are one even if you simply compose witty text messages, I hope you’ll say hello.

The Absolute Beginners Guide to Writing a Book

There are three kinds of people in this world:

• Those who are going to write a book.
• Those who are not going to write a book.
• Those who are going fail in their attempts to write a book.

I’m an editor and it’s my job to help turn potential failures into potential success stories.
For more than 25 years, I have helped authors through every stage of developing manuscripts on topics as diverse as children’s books to church history to short stories to first-hand accounts of Hurricane Katrina to inspirational self-help books.
In this blog post, I’m going to share what I’ve learned from a quarter century of working with writers.

The Most Common Trait Among Authors

As with most ventures in life, those who complete a manuscript are not necessarily the most talented, the best educated or the most charming. The single most common trait among people who have written a book is they didn’t give up.
If you are a quitter, you should choose something less complicated, frustrating and tedious than writing a book. Sorry.
Do you want to write a book? Great!  Go for it … but don’t give up.

Who Should Write a Book?

Anyone who wants to.  Even you.
No, you don’t have to be a grammar geek. You probably know someone who fancies himself or herself as an editor. Buy them a couple of pocket protectors and a box of red pencils. Then, flatter them with the lie that you respect their opinions. Buy them dinner and convince them that you’ll take their advice, if they’d be so kind to offer it.
You won’t of course. You’ll become so attached to your “baby” that you will treat anyone who would deign to revise your uniquely inspired writing with the same contempt as you would a person who says your mother should grow a mustache.
Learn what you can from their advice and keep going.
“Real” writers will tell you this advice is crazy, but don’t worry about grammar. Writing is an art. I could train a duck to use proper punctuation.
At the beginning, focus on the substance, not the form. Begin to write, then continue.
Note to Those Who Disagree: Write your own dang blog post.

Where Should I Begin?

As with most ventures in life, examine your motives. If you want to write a book to become loved and adored, buy a puppy. If you want to get rich quick, buy a lottery ticket.  If you want to become famous, find a cure for cancer.
If you have a story that burns within your soul that you feel eerily compelled to share with anyone who will listen, write it down. You have the beginnings of a book.

Where Should I Not Begin?

Abandon the absurd folly that you do – or ever will – write as well as your favorite author.  Can you learn from other writers? Sure, but you’ll only be worth reading when people appreciate the way you express yourself.  In that way, you’ll be better than your favorite authors.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary says the word “author” means: “One who originates or creates.”  “Copycat” means: “One who imitates or adopts the behavior or practices of another.”
I love the award-winning writing of Dave Barry. Dave follows the same pattern in his columns so consistently that one wag came up with a fill-in-the-blank “write like Dave Barry” website.
Click Here for The Automated Dave Barry Column Generator.
Being similar to someone else might be flattering, but why read a clone when you can read the original?
Develop your own style. You may write in iambic pentameter or refuse to use capital letters or write the world’s longest single sentence. That’s your business. You’re the artist.  Write any way you’d like. Nobody tells painters what to paint or singers what to sing.  As an amateur, you have the freedom to choose your own way of putting your thoughts into words.
As with most ventures in life, “be yourself.” Be original. Be brave.
What do you have to lose?

What Should I Write About?

Choosing a topic might be your most difficult choice. Whatever you choose:

1. You must have a mastery of your subject matter.
2. You must have a mastery of the points you want to make.
3. You must have a mastery of how you will communicate your message.

Otherwise, readers will think:

• You have no idea what you’re writing about.
• You either the lack the skill, preparation or sense to communicate.
• Your writing isn’t worth their time.

Choosing a topic, however, might be simple because there’s only one thing that you KNOW you MUST put into print.
It doesn’t matter if your book is about the way your grandmother’s house smelled, those mean kids in middle school, how to turn cornbread into gold or Nine Things You Didn’t Know About Drawknives.
Pick something that brings out your passions. Sooner or later, the joy of writing will become a tedious rut. Choose a rut you’ll enjoy being in for the long bumpy ride to your destination.
Then, write.
Write some more.
And don’t give up.

Freelance Writing Jobs for Beginners

Thanks to the internet, freelance writing jobs for beginners are found just about everywhere.
Unfortunately, there is a somewhat popular belief that only experienced freelance writers get to make good money from home. While there is some truth to this, the vast diversity of jobs available today makes finding a gig easier than you may think.
The following steps can help you make money as a writer from the very beginning while also helping you gain valuable experience. After all, why not kill two birds with one stone and hit the ground running?
Thus, this article focuses on helping you start from the bottom and ultimately end up as an experienced writer. By the time you are done, no freelancing gig will be beyond your reach.

1: Create a Blog:

The very first step is to build a personal brand by creating a writing portfolio. This is where owning your own blog comes into play, as it allows you to write any amount of articles — based on any topic and length — while enabling you to have full control over your work.
Don’t just write about any topic under the sun, however, unless you’re a versatile freelance writer with a varied background under your belt. Generally speaking, freelance writing jobs for beginners and veterans alike tend to require specific skills (as opposed to a broad range of knowledge.)
That said, you may be able to write about your passion or be forced to learn a new skill altogether, depending on the work that you will eventually pursue. Thankfully, the internet provides plenty of varied opportunities if you know where to look, therefore you should eventually be able to find exactly what interests you later on.
As you build a well-researched and well-presented portfolio through blog posting, it is crucial that you also connect with fellow bloggers and writers out there. Find blogs that relate to your passion or subject matter by performing searches such as “[keyword] blogs” and “Best [keyword] sites.”
If you are into cooking, for instance, input search terms such as “cooking blogs” or look for how-to articles based on different recipes. Once you have found the websites that interest you, it is very important you do the following steps:

• Make a list of these blogs and bookmark them
• Provide helpful, constructive feedback by commenting on these blogs’ articles
• Contact them over time to say a simple thank you or to help them with anything you believe they may find useful
• Rinse and repeat; turn this into a habit

What’s the point? The above actions, when practiced repeatedly and in good faith, help you get to know fellow bloggers within your community. In time they come to know you as a valuable reader who contributes nothing short of excellent information to their already-great articles. Likewise, you two get to help each other by sharing mutual experiences. I must state the obvious and say that building relationships is priceless; not only in the freelancing community but in every other market in general.
Putting your connections to good use: Over time, offer your expertise to fellow bloggers by politely asking them if you could write an unpaid guest post on their blog. Remember this is all about expanding, which gives you a tremendous amount of credibility and experience.
But wait, you may be asking yourself how all of the above will earn you money. After all, your goal is to find lucrative freelance writing jobs for beginners! I hear you loud and clear. However, your blogging efforts are actually helping you build a solid foundation for future clients. This is very important if you want to succeed as a writer online.

2: Publish Digital Books on Kindle and Other Platforms:

As you’re working on your personal blog and portfolio, you may also wish to look into digital book publishing. Sounds overwhelming? Don’t worry, it’s not. Publishing a digital book on Amazon and Barnes & Noble is almost no different than posting an article on your blog. It merely involves creating an account (which is completely free) and posting away.
Simply fire up Microsoft Word or its equivalent, write about a topic that interests you and save it like you would save any other document. When ready, publish it on the aforementioned places and these will often earn you a few bucks indefinitely in the form of passive income.
While the publishing process itself is simple, however, I encourage you to look into potentially profitable subjects to ensure that your books sell and don’t just disappear in the vast sea of digital books.
Tip: WriterTown.com (this very website) actually provides a free newsletter containing digital book publishing courses. These teach you everything from publishing your first book to finding good topics to write about. Simply sign up by filling out the form available through this link if interested.
Over time your book sales will start growing while you simultaneously continue to expand your blog and establish yourself as a freelance writer.
Are you with me so far? Good.

3: Perform Gigs for Others:

The above suggestions are all fine and dandy, but what if you need money immediately? After all, growing your blog and writing digital books does take a good chunk of your time. Therefore, freelance writing jobs for beginners may also involve completing gigs and tasks for other people.
Websites like Fiverr.com and SEOClerks.com allow you to make a profit by creating gigs about any desired skill. Are you a decent programmer or developer, for example? Offer your service and earn some cash while you continue to establish your name online. Do you travel often? Create a gig offering to spread people’s flyers around certain popular locations.
All in all, anything you can think of can potentially become a profitable gig.

4: Sign Up as a Web Journalist

If handling gigs or publishing books isn’t your cup of tea, consider writing short news for websites like Digital Journal. This source offers freelance writing jobs for beginners by allowing you to publish short news articles based on many different topics.
They tend to pay writers based on the number of impressions your news article accumulates, and you can expect to earn anywhere from $3 to $6 per article, on average.
While this amount does not seem like much, it helps support you financially while you also build a more varied and reputable portfolio for future reference. In other words, you can show future clients your previous news pieces in addition to your own blog articles.

Next Steps: Reaching Out to Paying Clients:

In case you haven’t picked up on the aim of this entire article, your main goal is to establish yourself and grow a reputation as a freelance writer. Your blogging, publishing and networking efforts are the steps that will help launch your writing career.
Please note that at this point you are no longer a beginner, but rather a seasoned freelance writer with plenty of experience and a broad portfolio. Congratulations!
So what happens now, after all this time building your name and expanding yourself? How do you connect with high-paying clients? This is where your past efforts come into play, which ultimately allow you to land the gig of your dreams.
Just like you did before, go back to a search engine near you and search for websites based around your skill set. Ideally, look for established sources that are already popular with a big following — then contact them with a very friendly, personalized email.
This is the time to sell yourself and explain what your awesome expertise has to offer them. Show them what you’ve got and convince them why having you on board can — and will — help them in the long run.
Tip: Not every website clearly mentions that they are looking to hire, but that doesn’t mean they are not willing to give you a chance! This is the beauty of the internet; every website needs great content on a regular basis. This is your time to shine, and I assure you that if you previously played all your cards right, you will pass this test with pretty flying colors.
Other places to obtain high-paying clients also include this website’s newsletter. In addition to providing digital book publishing courses as previously stated, we also send you a weekly email disclosing clients that pay anywhere from $50 to hundreds of dollars per article.
Otherwise, I recently reviewed a great course that teaches writers which clients to pursue and shows a sneaky way to charge whatever you want per article. It’s my personal recommendation.

Conclusion:

This article taught you that freelance writing jobs for beginners are, in a sense, jobs for seasoned writers such as yourself, as making the transition “from new to established” can be quick, smooth and painless.
All that is required is a personal blog and the ability to perform other side-gigs in the meantime. These may include digital book publishing, writing for other websites or performing gigs while you grow your writing portfolio from zero to hero.

How to Write a Bestselling Business Book

“I don’t read business books,” says Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of The Black Swan, a business book that spent 36 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. “And I almost never talk to anyone who reads them.” He isn’t alone in his disdain. “I usually tell people not to read business books at all,” says Bob MacDonald, who’s written several popular business titles such as Cheat to Win and Beat the System. “They’re just ego trips. You’re not going to learn anything.”

Regardless, publishers keep cranking out as many as 11,000 new business books each year, according to the co-authors of The 100 Best Business Books of All Time, which doesn’t account for the untold number of self-published e-books. Publishers don’t seem to have any idea what works. The strategy, if it can be called that, is to flood the market and hope a book floats to the surface. So for every Tipping Point or Freakonomics, there are remainder bins filled with titles such as Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun.

For aspiring megasellers, there are ways to escape obscurity and mediocrity—and reason yet to try. “People trust things that look and feel like books,” says Survival Is Not Enough author Seth Godin. “In a world with too much media, books still represent some territorial skill.” So if you’re determined to venture into the fray and write something that likely won’t be read, will put you thousands of dollars in debt, and could feasibly make you the laughingstock of your industry, here are a few tips in honor of the late, great business writer Stephen R. Covey.

Jack Up Your Klout Score
Business books used to be a genre in which you could become famous because of what you’d written. Nobody knew the names of Covey (The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People) or Jim Collins (Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap … and Others Don’t) before they wrote their iconic books. Now you need name recognition or an impressive Klout ranking, a measure of Internet influence.

Story: Stephen Covey, 1932-2012

 

Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s Mad Money and author of the bestselling Stay Mad for Life, puts it in the most polite terms possible. “I’m not a celebrity, but I have a recognizable persona,” he says. “I have a brand, so to speak. It’s hubris for me to say this, but I think that’s how you get a book published these days.”
 
Photograph by G. Paul Burnett/The New York Times/ReduxCramer says he has the all-important 'I know that guy factor'

You have to expand your footprint online. “You’re not Keats writing a poem off in the corner,” says Barbara Monteiro, who runs a New York public-relations firm that specializes in business books. “You have to be part of the conversation. And that means being on Twitter or Facebook (FB).” You’ll know you’re ready when a publisher will put your face on the book jacket. “That’s actually a pretty good criterion,” Cramer concedes. “People need to be able to go, ‘Oh yeah, I know that guy.’ I’ve got the ‘I know that guy’ factor.’ ”

Know the Bountiful Beauty of Brevity
Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices, Peter Drucker’s 1974 classic of management literature, ran to 839 pages. “It used to be, whoever wrote the biggest book won,” says Michael Levin, ghostwriter, author of more than 100 books, and a regular guest on ABC’s (DIS)Shark Tank. No longer. “There’s nobody today who would read an 800-page Drucker book unless it was on the final exam at a business school.”

So what’s the ideal length? Kenneth Blanchard, co-author of bestsellers such as The One Minute Manager and Who Moved My Cheese? suggests 100 pages or less. “When we first shopped around One Minute Manager in the early 1980s, nobody in New York would touch us,” he remembers. “Everyone was like, ‘Who’s going to pay $15 for a book that’s 100 pages and most of it’s white space?’ ” As it turns out, quite a few: 13 million, if you go by Blanchard’s website; 539,000, according to Nielsen BookScan.

Story: At Amazon's Very First E-Book Author Lunch

“I saw a guy give a motivational speech recently,” Blanchard says. “He had seven secrets to success, and it took him 45 minutes to do the first four. You could see the audience squirming in their seats. They were, like, ‘Oh God, there are three more?’ ”

Animals Are Your Best Friend
Ninety-three-year-old Martin Levin, author of last year’s All I Know About Management I Learned From My Dog, is living proof that animal metaphors are still the industry standard. After struggling to find a U.S. publisher for a small first run, his book has since been reprinted in 10 countries—a global impact that even Levin, with 60 years’ experience in the book industry, never expected. “Nobody in the U.S. knows who I am,” he says. “Every day I get another copy of my book written in a language I can’t even read. It’s a riot.”

Pay Someone Handsomely to Write It for You
The typical advance for an unknown author for his or her first book is around $10,000. “Since the recession, publishers have tried to reduce or eliminate advances,” says Michael Levin, who’s co-written or ghostwritten books for Zig Ziglar, Michael Gerber, and Jay Abraham. “I’ve seen some extremely big-name people offered zero advances for their books. And I’ve seen them take it.”

How to write the first draft of a novel in 30 days

 

Writing a novel can be daunting. But introducing structure to the process can help you maintain momentum over the course of a month without hampering creativity

 

 

The outline you'll complete using the 30-day method will become a snapshot of your novel. After finishing a full outline, you should feel you've got the makings of an entire book (your story should feel complete, solid, exciting and satisfying) and you should be desperate to start writing the book itself.

This first draft outline is the equivalent to the first draft of a manuscript. Because you've revised it so thoroughly, it will read with all the completeness and excitement of a finished novel. Using this outline to write the first draft of your book (which, in almost all cases, will be the final draft, needing only minor editing and polishing) should be so easy you might even feel a little guilty about it. All the hard work will already have been done creating the outline.

Throughout this guide we'll work on the assumption that the first draft of your book isn't a fully completed draft in the traditional sense, but is instead a comprehensive outline – your first, whole glimpse of the book and a snapshot of what it will be once finished. The outline you create over the next 30 days will become the foundation upon which your entire novel will come to rest. This method is a way to lay out the full course of the story as it flows from beginning to end.

Your commitment to the 30-day method

 

Despite its flexibility, the 30-day method requires a great deal of commitment from you as a writer. The first thing you need to become a productive writer is self-discipline. This method will give you that in spades – if you're willing to dedicate yourself to it. Not everyone will be able to complete a first draft outline in exactly 30 days on their first try, but that doesn't mean you'll never be able to do it. This method, like all methods, requires a sufficient amount of practice. The more you use it, the more time and effort you'll eventually shave off your outlining schedule. In the future, you may even notice it takes you considerably less time to write the first full draft of your book.

Does it mean you've failed if it takes you 90 days instead of 30? Of course not. If you need more (or less) time to perform certain steps in the process, you can adjust your schedule easily. But this method will probably make you work harder than you've ever worked before.

Some will enjoy the challenge; others will use the method while setting their own deadlines for each step. And others still won't be willing to allow their muse to be harnessed in this way. Find what works for you over the long term, not simply for the moment. Even if you find the next 30 days difficult, persevere – it will get easier with experience.

Understanding the 30-day method schedule

 

Keep in mind that each of the six stages identified in this method has its own day-to-day schedule. These individual schedules are discussed at length at the start of each corresponding chapter. Don't worry if you need to allow yourself an extra day or two for some tasks. As you become more familiar with the method, you'll find it easier to stay on schedule.

The first steps to creating a comprehensive outline are very rough — each building on the previous one. The preliminary outline you create in stage one won't contain everything. You'll just be getting your basics down at this point. With each step, you'll be developing more details about every aspect of the book, and your outline will grow to reflect that.

As you're writing the first full draft of your book, you'll also be re-evaluating your outline periodically, as your story takes on a life of its own and moves in directions you might not have planned. You won't stop evaluating the strength of your outline until the book is complete.

Creativity and outlines

 

Writers who haven't tried an outlining system have many questions about the process. Is it possible for an outline to be flexible? Can it take into account my individuality as a writer? Can I continue to be creative using an outline? Can I use an outline for writing any fiction genre? Will using an outline reduce the number of rewrites I have to do? Will using an outline mean it will take me less time to complete a project from start to finish? Won't setting goals clip my wings, rather than allow me to spread them?

Authors tend to be suspicious, at best, of outlines. Despite this, many are looking for a method that can give them direction – a method that embraces an individual's way of working but takes away none of the joy of creating. They want something that will streamline the process and make them more productive, so they're not surrounding themselves with half-finished projects and manuscripts in need of major revisions.

An outline can be flexible, can be so complete it actually qualifies as the first draft of the novel. It can make it possible for writers like you to achieve more with less work, reducing the number of drafts required for each project – even to the point of creating just one draft.

Instead of viewing an outline as an inflexible, unchangeable hindrance, think of it as a snapshot of a novel – one that captures everything the novel will eventually contain, but on a much smaller scale. This snapshot can be adjusted and rearranged until it's smooth and strong. By revising a comprehensive outline of your novel, rather than the novel itself, you can revise 50 to 100 pages, instead of four times that.

Without robbing you of the joy of your craft, this guide will teach you how to become a systematic, self-disciplined, productive author – no matter your genre or level of experience. The 30-day method takes into account that you're an individual and may have your own methods of getting from A to B, while helping you to clarify your vision of the story before you begin writing your first (and possibly final) full draft. No more wasted time or endless overhauls and revisions. The clearer your vision of the story before you start actually writing it, the more fleshed out your story will be once it makes it to paper.