Archive for the 'Writing' Category
March 14th, 2009 - Audio Books on Mp3 are Convenient and Versatile
There’s a reason why audio books on Mp3 are quickly becoming the most popular way to listen to audio books. The selection of compatible file formats for listening are so vast, including devices like an iPod, MP3 player, mobile phone, personal computer, portable Play Station, Personal Digital Assistant, and CD and DVD players.
Audio books on Mp3 can help students study because their convenient accessibility means studying can be done on the run, while commuting to class, during a meal break, and, when possible, on the job. They also make note-taking effortless, thus improving listening and vocabulary skills and the overall learning process. In addition, people with ADHD or ADD benefit from the freedom of moving around while learning and being better focused on the spoken word. Because of the advantages offered in the educational arena, many textbooks are being made available in digital download format.
Audio books on Mp3 are especially beneficial for people who have lost their eyesight or have visual impairment. Enjoying a novel and being enthralled with the story becomes more realistic because of the digital clarity provided by the technology. People who work in front of a computer all day will find that audio books give their mind and eyes a break, providing a more relaxing and entertaining way to experience a story.
Through audio books on Mp3, parents and children can come together in a fun family night. Instead of watching television or playing video games, families can listen to audio books together and create accompanying entertainment or just enjoy great conversations.
Audio books on Mp3 fit perfectly into a person’s busy life. Commuting time is more productive, whether the method is by train, car or bicycle. Many times, people don’t read a book because they don’t have the time to get immersed into the story. Audio books change all that because they can be enjoyed while walking, waiting in a doctor’s office, shopping, doing household chores, exercising, or while doing other daily activities, errands, or tasks.
When it comes to selection, audio books on Mp3 can’t be beat. Because of their popularity, many new books come out first as digital downloads before being released in print, tapes or CDs. Audio books offer a large selection in all genres, among them new releases, bestsellers, romance, mystery, science fiction, religious, history, culture and other areas. Even magazines, self-help topics and reference materials can be accessed in digital format.
Audio books on Mp3 are recorded in digital form so downloading is easy, takes just a few minutes and is ready for listening immediately. There’s no need to make a stop at your bookstore or wait for mail delivery. In most cases, downloads are less expensive than buying the printed book version or a CD audio book. Several audio book vendors have subscription deals and frequent promotions that make the costs even less.
So many advantages are provided through audio books on Mp3. Among them, they are compact, easy to carry, can be taken anywhere and hold a larger number of audio books than any other medium. Storage is easy because, unlike printed books, they take up minimal space. Audio books can be played as many times as you like, which means you have endless access to a good book anytime.
January 24th, 2009 - Help for Beginning Article Writers
Does the thought of writing articles that millions of people could read over the Internet intimidate you? If your answer was ‘yes’, then I can assure you, you have lots of company.
There are many things that hold people back from even attempting to write their first article. To begin with, they are not sure about their subject matter. There are those people who write strictly for pleasure and for them they can just go ahead and write about whatever they are passionate about. However, many people are interested in generating leads through their article writing and they have to think carefully about what they are going to write about. They are going to want to have a smooth transition from their article to their website.
A stumbling block for many is the feeling that they just don’t have enough material. This is probably the easiest hurdle to overcome. If you just Google search your subject, you will come up with thousands of postings dealing with that very subject. I suggest you read quite a few of these postings to get a general idea as to where you would like to go with your particular article. A word of warning here though…..it goes without saying, that you would not copy another persons material.
Everything has been written about before. There is nothing new under the sun! There are no patents on thoughts and ideas, so you can get as many ideas from these other people as you think you need. Everyone has their own way of expressing themselves so even though the ideas may be the same, each posting or article on the subject will be quite unique. What I am writing here in this paragraph has been written numerous times before but no one has said it exactly the same way as I have said it. If you can get over this stumbling block, you will be well on your way to producing articles.
You will find that the article directories recommend that your article be between 400 – 600 words. I can assure you that this is nothing like writing a book…..well, perhaps one page of a book!! You are not going to get writers block while writing a short 400 – 600 word article. In fact, what I have found is that sometimes my articles has ended up being too long, and I have had to cut them back.
You want to really grab your reader’s attention in the very first paragraph. Of course you will want to have good content throughout the article but your first and last paragraphs are crucial. Sometimes the reader will scan through the middle portion of the article, but that is not always the case. That last paragraph has to wrap everything up neatly for them. You want your personality to show in your writing so I suggest you write as you speak. Some people who do not want to write their own articles outsource them. However, it is very difficult for a cohesive personality to shine through when your articles are written by numerous people.
The rewards of writing your own articles and having them published are fantastic. I would highly recommend that you give it an honest effort. Even though I had no prior writing experience, my first article got on the first page of Google within a matter of hours of it being published over the Internet. Just remember, you are not writing an article for your English teacher to critique. You are writing it for people who are hungry for information on the subject that you have chosen to to write about. Give them what they are searching for and they will be happy….and so will you!!
May 4th, 2008 - Getting Started In Online Freelance Writing
The online market is as robust as it has ever been. And this time around, unlike the late 90’s, companies are actually putting money in their web sites.
In 2004 Google had 4.28 billion pages in its database .The real figure of the number of web pages on the internet is predicted to be closer to 14 billion pages. Can you estimate how many writers would be needed to write this colossal amount of information?
On the Internet “Content is king”. The whole internet economy functions on content. There are informational websites, websites selling products , news portals, blogs , forums and the basis of all of them are words….that’s where writers come in.
As of March 2007, approximately 1,114,274,426 people worldwide use the Internet, according to Internet World Statistics. This number is expected to grow much more. As of 2006 only 15.6 % of the world population had access to the internet.
Fasten your seat belts: You are at the right place at the right time! The future of freelance writing is on the Internet and in company Websites.
The best thing that ever happened to freelance writers may be the demise of the typewriter. As typewriters died – and computer keyboards and the Internet thrived – a world of opportunity opened for people who write for a living, says Peter Bowerman, an Atlanta-based author of The Well-Fed Writer: Financial Self-Sufficiency as a Freelance Writer in Six Months or Less.
Back in 1991 a published author once remarked that you could expect an average 70 rejections when you could write something and send it for publishing, whether you are a newbie or a seasoned pro.
Using traditional methods such as direct mail, cold calling, networking… all took a lot of time and drastically reduced the income. The Internet made the freelancer’s life much easier. You can communicate with your client sitting in your pajamas.
Most of the freelance writers who make great money at it these days have diversified their client bases away from print media and toward the world of ecommerce. As a result, when you’re just getting started, the best place to collect a writing paycheck is online.
The freelance industry is literally booming. Sixty billion dollars of work is now outsourced to specialists worldwide. According to the US Department of Labor, “35 million Americans class themselves as independent professionals.”
In the past three years, companies have increased their outsourcing by 22%. A survey conducted predicted that companies using freelance services will more than double from 20% to 50%. Being part of a $120 billion industry won’t be bad!
Freelance writing is a competitive field as it is today. There are many people joining hands from around the globe and this means, services given away for competitive prices. Employers or buyers (as they are commonly known) prefer outsourcing their writing jobs because it is a way of reducing the employee tax they ought to bear and other responsibilities they’d have towards formal employees.
Here’s a prediction.With the ways things are moving the freelance industry will only increase in size and scope. Keep on the lookout where you can make your mark!