Signs of Christmas

You know that Christmas is near when the cards start coming through the door. I love opening Christmas cards because it makes me feel that the festivities are near at hand. Another thing that most of us enjoy with Christmas cards is finding out who they are from. This is the time of year when people will send cards to all those that they may not see from one year's end to the next. This sort of rememberance is one of the signs of Christmas, a sign that always makes people feel better.

When people are sick or ill then they appreciate a card at any time but at this time of year it is a good idea to send those people a special card to let them know that you are thinking of them. Even if you don't know somebody who is ill many people will make a point of buying cards where the manufacturer/retailer donates a portion of that revenue to a charity or cancer research facility. If you look online you will find www.astonishingcards.com, who are making a point of advertising their cards to get more money for cancer research. If you are reading this blog then why not take a look at the website and if you still need to buy Christmas cards order some from there.

Writing and Christmas

Writing Time

If you write for a living then holidays do not always happen in the same way for you, partly because you have deadlines to meet and partly because for most writers, writing is their passion. This can result in other people viewing you as a bit of a scrooge and a spoilsport.

Christmas

The fact of the matter is that writing and Christmas don't go well together. Traditionally Christmas is a time for socializing and being with friends and family. No matter how much you love your writing you should try to negotiate deadlines and your own desire to write to allow for quality time with your loved ones. Writing and Christmas are not mutually exclusive but sometimes it is good to take a break.

Card Power

Not had time to pay the gas bill yet? How about paying for your utilities online? The rise of the internet and online buying has meant that more people than ever are using some sort of credit card. Even our utilities can be paid for with utility specific cards like Gas Credit Cards. Getting the right sort of card for your needs involves comparing what different companies have to offer, the traditional Visa or Master card is not always the answer.

If you want to get a clearer picture of what is available and the different rates that card suppliers offer, it is well worth taking the time to look at credit card comparison sites. Some of these are better than others as not all of them offer quite the same variety of cards as others. Busy housewives, students and business owners can benefit from having cards that are directed at a specific area such as untility payments. You can get low interest and reward cards and cards are also available to those with a bad credit history.

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Working Writer Hat

Most working writers have days when they lag behind on their work. Either the brief they are working on is getting them down - when you have written thirty or more articles on the same subject your writing seems to lose its freshness. It is on days like this that the writer has to remind her or himself that their writing is their bread and butter. You might prefer to be writing about damsels and dragons or cops and robbers, in which case take out twenty minutes and write it out. Once you have done this put your working writer hat back on and finish the brief. Sometimes a short foray into the fiction world can bring back the freshness to your words.

Searching For Lost Coins

Have you ever dropped your purse and then had to scramble around the floor looking for the coins you have dropped - or maybe it was not closed properly and everything fell out into your bag? Searching for lost coins is something we all seem to get involved in at some point in our lives. Even scripture has a woman searching for the lost coin as though it was something rare and valuable.

The truth is that many a rare cointurns up where we least expect it. Sometimes we only hope that it is rare rather than know it. It is at times like these that we need an expert who can tell us the real value of what we have. Monaco rare coin is part of the Monex group of companies, their expert staff will soon be able to help you discover the worth of your coin. Unlike smaller dealers Monaco has access to a range of resources and people which together with their own specialist knowledge will be able to give you a more exact valuation of your property.


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Original Sin

Many different things concern us as writers, one of those is original sin, are we actually born to evil or is it something that we learn from life? I find it very hard to accept that a newborn baby is a sinner or carries the mark of the original sin of Adam and Eve. Most people when they look into the eyes of a baby see only innocene and inquisitiveness, not original sin.

Augustine came up with his version of original sin in the fifth century and we are still dealing with the fall out from this today. While scripture might say that we are all sinners it does not hold within it any basis for Augustine's concept of original sin which results in a child being born sinful. Any answers out there?

Writing Woes

There are times in any writer's life when they get the writing woes. Whether they blame their problems on writer's block or a lack of interesting things to write about the fact of the matter is that what they are really experiencing is writing woes. Writing woes can come on any writer at any time, you may not be a freelancer making a living out of your writing but there will still be times when writing becomes a chore and ideas are thin on the ground. There are two things that I have found to be of use under these circumstances, the first is take a break and go out to the pub for a pint; the second is to engage in some freewriting. This is where you put pen to paper and don't take it off for at least ten minutes, even if the only thing you can write is I can't write. Free writing eventually releases the writing that is within you, especially when it is helped along by a glass of ale.

Pay to View

With the arrival of high definition flat screen televisions the tv manufacturers are now preparing to sell to a whole new load of buyers - this means that there is a lot of competition out there to catch the dollars of people who are looking to pay to view. Time was when people would go down to their local store and buy what was available; the rise of the internet has meant that an increasing number of people do some online research before they buy anything.

People who are ready to pay to view the new televisions that are flooding the market may look online to see what is on offer. When it comes to buying a television however, most people will want to see what they are buying in the flesh so to speak. This means that television manufacturers and retailers need to be on the ball when it comes to the internet. One company who have decided to give the customer exactly what they want is Krillion. Customers can look online for Magnavox HDTV and get the television they want at the best price and in the store nearest to them. Retailers and manufacturers need to realise that while people may search online for most things, there are some things that they still want to purchase from a store.


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The Feel Good Factor

You hear a lot about what manufacturers and advertisers choose to call the feel good factor, without actually defining their meaning. I suppose that feeling good is something that you really have to define for yourself. I find that even though there are times when I procrastinate when I should be writing that once I actually start I feel better. Writing, I suppose is something that gives me the feel good factor, what is your feel good factor?

Weekend Working

Freelancing is great. You can work at a time of your choosing and stay in your pajamas all day if that is what you want. The downside of working from home is that you inevitably find yourself engaged in weekend working. TGI Friday does not apply to freelancers, if you are looking for a five day week then don't choose to work from home. Deadlines have to be met and clients are not concerned if the date they have chosen is a Saturday or Sunday rather than Friday or Monday. Freelancing can sometimes mean that you don't have as much free time as the nine to fivers, but you are doing something you love to do.

Online Learning

Many people who finish high school don't go onto college and then regret it later on in life. It is not always easy to go back to school especially when you have family responsibilities. The internet has changed all that because it is now possible for stay at home mums and others who may not be able to go the conventional route to higher education to do their learning online.

If you do an internet search for online learning you will find that there are plenty of courses and that some of them even offer learning up to degree level. There are, however, few fully accredited online degree courses. This is why many returning learners have invested their time and money incapella university. This university was founded in 1993 and offers graduate degree programs in many different subjects. Capella is dedicated to academic excellene and is a member of the North Central Association of colleges and schools and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

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The Ups and Downs of Freelancing

One thing that you can say about freelancing is that no two weeks are ever the same. If boredom with routine is one of your problems then maybe the ups and downs of freelancing might be the answer to your prayers.

When you have a regular job that you get bored with you do at least know that there is going to be a pay packet at the end of the month, this is not always the case with freelancing. One day you can be up to your ears in work and wondering how you will get finished and the next you find yourself with nothing to do. This is not only a nuisance it can cause real problems. Freelancers need to be on the lookout for more projects all the time if they are to keep the wolf from the door. If your writing pays the bills then the ups and downs of freelancing can make a steady, boring job with a regular pay packet very attractive - but not for long, because you are of course a writer.

Computer Love

This last fortnight without a computer has made me realise that I have developed computer love. The last couple of days in particular have had my fingers itching and my mind racing; even last night when we went on an air trip to view the Northern Lights computing was on my mind.

I have now managed to borrow a computer until mine is sorted out - now I have to think of things to write about.How much importance does a computer have in your life?

The Good Old Bad Old Days

Last week I was writing about the kinds of days that I have in my writing life, just as I have seen others do. I think that I had underestimated some of the things that can go wrong on a bad day, as early on Monday morning my computer gave up the ghost and I freaked because I had not backed up my work for a while. Luckily a friend managed to retrieve everything from my hard drive so the day was not a complete disaster, although I am still without my laptop and using a borrowed computer. I have to say that this week has been mixed so I wanted to add to the type of days that can happen in the life of a freelancer. Besides the good, bad and indifferent there are also the good old bad old days like the ones I've been having this week.

Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer

I have noticed that that, like me, other writers take some time to journal their writing lives. We may not all use exactly the same terms as my Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer, but the subject matter is much the same. I tend to have three kinds of working days, so below are my daily experiences, if you can think of a kind of day that I've missed off then please let me know.

Good Days

On a good day in the life of a freelance writer I start work between 8.30 and 9.30 am. I take my first break at around one and get back to work at about 3pm and work until 7 when I stop for dinner and maybe a tv program. I get back to work at about ten thirty pm and unless I have made plans to go out, or am attending a writer's chat, I will continue working till one or two thirty am. This means I get between 11 and 12 hours work done, this incudes invoicing, bidding for work and promotion as well as the actual writing.

In between and Bad Days

In between days mean that the writing gets done inbetween my supervising postgrad students and working on whichever research project I am involved in. The writing gets done in between the other two activities or simply waits till the late slot after ten.

Bad days are when I don't know where the next project is coming from, I get incessant phone calls, ghost it to avoid missing a deadline or be besieged by unexpected visitors. On these days I am lucky to get any writing done at all.

Get Paid For Your Articles

If you are new to paid writing then you may be finding it difficult to find clients to write for. There are still a number of avenues open to you and these often lead to other work.

Get yourself more than one blog and blog on a regular basis - at least three times a week for the following reasons:

1. You may earn money from Google if you work hard on your blog

2. There are paid blogging opportunities such as Blogitive, Blogsvertise and Pay per Post.

3. It is a place where you can direct prospective clients to see your work

4. Submit articles to places like Triond and Ezine this gives you publishing credits and gets more traffic to your blog.

5. Submit articles here and it is possible to earn as much as forty dollars for one article.

6. Write good content so that people will read your blog and comment

You should also write for Helium and Review Stream. You have to do quite a bit of writing before you hit the payout level but it is well worth trying. Happy writing.

Writing Every Day

Whatever kind of writer you are if you want to succeed in your chosen field then you should get into the habit of writing every day. Once you have settled into a routine with your writing it will be much easier for you to set writing goals to achieve whatever you have in mind.

Daily Word Count

If you need to write articles for your blog or website then you should start by writing at least one every day. Published authors write on a daily basis and generally they set themselves a certain number of words to accomplish in that day. Freelance writers work on the same basis, whatever project you are working on should have scheduled time every day - that makes it easier to keep track of your work, particularly if like most freelancers, you write for more than one client. Plan to write a certain number of words for each project every day, that way you are less likely to miss a deadline.

SEO and Blogging

SEO or search engine optimization is an important tool for bloggers who want an audience for their blogging. This means that bloggers need to be aware of the type of keywords or tags that they use in a post if they want more traffic. The type of keywords that are important to blogging are easily discovered with a Google keyword search. All of the search engines take note of how bloggers and other writers use keywords and where those keywords are placed. Try it and see for yourself.

Keep On Trucking

If you drive a truck for a living then you need to be fully aware of road safety. A driver's cab can be especially prone to some of the dangers of the road. If you want to relieve yourself of this worry then you need to look at some of the safety tips available on the internet and at major truck dealers.

One of the most effective safety devices on the truck market today is the backrackIt is not always possible to be aware of everything that is happening on the road when you are driving a truck, safety features such as emergency and warning lights can help to dramatically alleviate some of these unseen dangers. Your cab and any load that your truck may be carrying are much better protected when you have a decent backrack.

When Your Writing Sucks

We all have days when the words on the page don't look right, when we overload an article with keywords, or when our grammar and spelling go for a walk. That's when you know your writing sucks.

How do you cope when you realise your writing sucks? Well you take a break and you think of something other than writing; you read a book with your writer's eye closed so that it is just for pleasure and you slow down and relax.

I find that my writing sucks when my head wanders anywhere other than what I am trying to write and I have learned that the only thing to do it to take a break. This is the only way I've found of getting some freshness back into my writing.

Writing Days

Writing days should be every day if you are a freelance writer or a creative writer hoping to get published. All too often things get in the way of our writing days and we end up producing very little. If we have a deadline to meet then this can often mean that we are sat up most of the night trying to get the work finished and keep our clients satisfied. If you are a writer what do you do to keep your writing days off limits to other people's problems (especially if they could sort them out by themselves)?

Don't Knock The Clock

When you write for a living you often find that you are chasing your tail trying to get finished before the deadline. Sometimes it is because a writer has unavoidable problems; more often they have either put things off til the last minute, or thought that they had all the time in the world to write and researhc the articles.

We all have to wake up and smell the coffee if we are going to be professional in our attitude towards freelance writing. One way I have found of cutting the time spent on a single article and having a bit of fun in the process is to take a race against the clock and see how fast I can get the first draft done. Sometimes I use a kitchen timer and sometimes I use the progress bar on Google. You specify a period of time and then start writing, I often find that the first draft is ok with a few minor modifications. Don't knock the clock when you are writing; give it a try.

Get a Quote

Bloggers help fuel their blogging by getting a quote from the news or from another writer; it helps to make connections and keep the content flowing. Clever bloggers know the advantages of weighing up the value of different quotes to whatever they are writing.

Many bloggers are also drivers but because a lot of their time is spent in front of a computer then one way of getting good cover for their car is to look for insurance quotes online. You read a lot about rich bloggers but most of us are just about breaking even and whatever type of vehicle you own you'll probably spend some time looking around for better car insurance rates.

If, like me, you're a blogger who has to watch your budget then it's great to find that there are companies out there who can source you the best type of auto insurance plans. Which just goes to show that getting a quote is as important for insurance purposes as it is for blogging.

Blogging Breaks

It's not every day that bloggers get offered a break; but it does happen, there are people out there who recognize the value of blogging. Not only do they recognise the value of your blog but they are willing to put some cash behind that value. All you have to do, is what you do best, blog about something that interests you include a link to them. This lets them know what you are posting and if they like your style then you get paid. So why not try out blogvertise and see just what they have to offer bloggers.

Women Writers' Alter Egos

I have been considering women writers'alter egos. It is often said of male writers that their primary characters are drawn from their own subconscious and probably contain elements of what that person would like to be had they the choice.

Alter egos are rarely mentioned when it comes to women writers but I am sure that the same process occurs. In the novel that I am still trying to finish and the new one I intend to embark on the primary character is a freelance researcher, which is part of what I do; she is also a reluctant private detective. I don't think I would be quite so reluctant were I single and twenty years younger, because being a private eye has always appealed to me. Well we all have our foibles.

Freelance Writing Deadlines

Freelance Writing

If you are going to make a living as a freelance writer then you should keep to your freelance writing deadlines. Freelance writing can be a great way of making a living. For those who do it every day most of them will tell you that it is great to be able to do a job that you love. One of the problems for many writers is that there is a tendency to procrastinate in all of us. One of the things you will either love or hate about professional freelance writing is sticking to a deadline,

Deadlines

I find that having a deadline for my work can be a great motivator. It is, for example, great to see several articles that you have completed, it's even better to know tha you are going to get paid for them. But more to the point a deadline means that the work must be done. If you want more work and you don't want to disappoint the client who gives you that work then it's best to incorporate the idea of freelance writing deadlines into your writing life.

Writing Articles

Write For Free

Writing articles without any pay may not be what you had in mind for your freelance writing career but it is a good way of getting your name and your work on the internet. Many writers will tell you that writing articles for free where you can add a link back to your own site has often got them started on the career ladder.

Articles

Articles are the mainstay of many websites. There are some sites out there for example Helium and Triond. Where you can write articls and submit them and eventually you will get paid some royalties - in the meantime you are getting a lot of publicity for your writing as these sites are quite well ranked in Google. Many full time freelancers still write for these sites when they have some time to spare between assignments.

Work and Writing

Work

Work, especially freelance work can expand to fill the time available, largely because we spend time procrastinating or reading the latest Harrry Potter review. If you are going to make it as a freelance writer then you need to limit your surfing and procrastinating time and get on with the work.

Writing
Writing seems to be one of the worst professions when it comes to attracting procrastinators - we like to call it writer's block. Whatever tricks you use that stop you from getting on with the writing need to be isolated. If you have to sharpen your pencils every day then do it but once it's done start writing. If you have to surf everyday limit it to those times when you have earned a break i.e. when you have written at least three of those articles on your list.

Writing, Computers and Deadlines

Any writing that I do today is by way of catching up with things after my computer went down. Working writers, like other writers have to cope with any number of things in their writing life and still try to meet deadlines. I make deadlines a priority but when a bug strikes your computer then you could spend the few days after the bug is fixed ghosting to meet your deadlines.

Write for Life

When you're a writer it is a lifetime project. You may have days, weeks or even months when you wonder why you do it and what would happen if you stopped altogether. The problem is that for most writers writing is in their blood. It gurgles and bubbles away inside you until you have to put words on the page.

Writers like to keep company with all kinds of people but especially they like the company of other writers. Only someone possessed of the same drive to express themselves in words can really understand what makes a writer tick. The writer's dream is to live by their writing and so many of us end up working as freelancers. However, many of us also write fiction and get involved in daft endeavors such as nanowrimo where you try to write a novel in a month. For a writer that is part of the process of their writing life.

You Know What Thought Did

Do you know what thought did? I'm not even sure that I can remember but I do know that as a writer every thought that goes through your mind could end up in your writing.

Writers can be their own worst enemies because what goes through a writer's head, their daily thoughts and ramblings all too often end up on paper. Does this mean that we should stop thinking, or that we should censor everything that inhabits our heads, God forbid - but perhaps we should sometimes think twice before we write things down.

Thought is a necessary part of all our lives and in writers it is sometimes changing at such a pace that our fingers can hardly get the words out in time. At other times thought either seems to be absent or we have to scrunch our eyes and hold our breath in the hope that a useful thought will appear. I think I know what thought does it governs the writer's life to such an extent that a lack of it can be frightening.

Thar's Gold at That Thar site

The Monex group of companies deal with precious metals so if you are interested in gold investing then you might like to know that this outfit has been a leader in investment for more than thirty years.

When you invest in precious metals you are investing in silver and gold in the form of ingots. Since 1990 the production of silver has been exceeded by world demand at a time when stockpiles are at an all time low. This means there has never been a better time for investing your money in silver and gold. Everyone loves the magic of gold and it has fascinated man since ancient times. Buying gold bullion is a unique way of preserving your cash and improving your purchasing power so why not take a peek at Monex now - thar's gold at that thar site.

The Write Life

Wanting to write but can't find the time
Can't write a sentence,
Can't write a line.
What happened to words
And all that jazz.
Where's the excitement,
Where's the pezazz.

Why is it hard to find what to say
Where are the words
That I had yesterday
They just left my head
Deserted my pen.
One day they'll return
But I don't know when.

Mr Bones

Mr Bones has got no clones
He is the only one.
He's lost in space without a trace
No bullets in his gun.

Though Kirk may call to end it all
Bones is not in that position
It is no fun to have a gun
And no bloody ammunition.

Bones can't beam down to your home town
For Star Trek is long over
He sits up there with gun and frown
While Kirk and Spock are in clover.

Paradise is Just a Click Away

If you are considering booking some time away from it all then you might want to look at vacations net. This site is user friendly, not surprising since the site was developed after research and feedback from both consumers and industry professionals.

Vacations net has a customised booking engine along with decent content and imagery. It sets a new standard for high end hospitality sites. Visitors to the site will find great rates with around fifty percent off regular rates for those looking for a vacation in an all inclusive resort. Whether you are looking for pastures new or prefer to stick with your favorite inclusive spot, as the man says, paradise is just a click away.

Why Blog?

Why blog is a question I am often asked by people who don't blog. My answer is usually quite simple, I enjoy blogging. I enjoy writing about things that I have seen or about things that just cross my mind at times. It is also the case that you can earn some money if you blog. It may not be a lot of money but that is not the point. The point is that you are doing something you enjoy while making a little bit of extra cash. Good enough reasons to blog to my mind

Keeping up with the blogs

Keeping up with what is happening in blogosphere has been difficult recently with some sites going down never to return. I have had trouble accessing this particular blog since the changeover to new blogger started but have now managed it.

I intend to keep up with this now and stay true to what I have called this blog which is writeon.