I have a variety of “rules” I try to follow as a writer.  Many of them include things related to writing rituals and good habits that writers should stick with as often as possible. Sometimes, I do not adhere to these rules. I break them.

Do writers set themselves up for failure by creating a set of good habits that are not reasonable to follow? Do we set up rules that are too strict? Is is simply too hard to have any consistent writing habits or practices?

I don’t think so. These rules, or guidelines, or even commandments, are in place to keep us on track. To help us stay on the chosen path as a writer. They essentially keep us in check when we start to drift or become complacent.

Some writers have rituals in place that they follow each and every time they write. They may even be considered a bit pathological or compulsive.

Maya Angelou went to a hotel early in the morning with a bottle of sherry, cards, the Bible, a Thesaurus, and writing pads in hand.  The hotel staff removed all the art from the walls, and by the time she left, Maya had written 10-12 pages of work.

I recently cam across this article titled, Ten Brutally Brutal Writing Commandments, describing what the blogger considers important rules to live by.

I don’t know if these would be MY commandments, but there are some good points in there.  A couple that stand out to me relate to the importance of being a reader and a writer.

Writers MUST Read and Write

Just these two commandments sum it up nicely. Sure, there are more, and the others are also important, but these two are the greatest commandments. In my opinion. If you can only stick with two, I would go with these two: read and write.

Just as Jesus states the two most important commandments to follow are to love God and love thy neighbor, the two most important “writing rules” to follow are read often and write often.

The other commandments (whatever they are) will help you improve your writing skills, and become a better writer. But if you neglect these two, you can’t really be a writer.

Writers Must Write

Obviously, if you don’t write, you are not a writer. Nothing else to say about this. Except this: don’t get lazy or your creative mind will atrophy! Write as often as possible.

Writers Must Read

Many wonderful ideas and creative genius begins in the imagination of writers. Writers feed off of words. Ingesting words are part of thriving as a writer. Words build the creative strength that writing demands.

Take in words. Read. Get inspired by other people’s words.

As a matter of fact, this post was inspired by the “ten commandments” blog post I mentioned above. Just like that, I found an inspirational spark to get this post rolling. It works.

I don’t know what your rules of writing or rituals are and maybe you don’t have any. But I want to tell you that it would not hurt to find some that work for you, are reasonable to follow, and you can habitual stick to. No matter what though, regular reading and writing should be on all of your lists. Trust me. Everything else comes from those two habits, or commandments.

Now go. Be a writer.

Related articles

• You ARE a Writer (christinalibooks.wordpress.com)
• Henry Miller’s 11 commandments for writing (holykaw.alltop.com)
• Stress Less, Write More (sluttydj.wordpress.com)
• Deconstructing the Greatest Commandment (benartboy.wordpress.com)
• The Importance of a Writing Routine (lulu.com)

Kindle (via Amazon)

Becoming a better writer involves becoming a better reader. Reading inspires, implanting ideas that will soon transform into a writer’s own words.

Reading offers fresh perspective and provokes many of our own opinions and values that we can turn into an essay, poem, short story, or memoir.

A writer’s own life experiences and perspectives are often merged with the ideas that have already been written down by others. I always think much of writing as just telling the same story in a different way, through different eyes. We have all experienced a fantastic sunset or tasted a savory meal, but writers can recreate and make each one of those experiences completely different. Words are magical in that way.

Reading also helps writers recognize good writing from bad. Weak writing from strong. Some of the best writers read with a critical mind and revise the piece in their own minds in order to make it better. Or improve their own writing.

You may read a particular passage that creates an impact, making you pause and contemplate the meaning before reading further. Often times, a meaningful sentence can instigate a whole flood of thoughts.

Best selling author, Stephen King tells us that to be good writers, we have to do two things: read a lot and write a lot. King also states, “Books are a uniquely portable magic.”  With the Amazon Kindle, books are even MORE portable!

The Amazon Kindle holds a place on the Amazon.com bestseller list, and sales are not slowing down. With each generation, Amazon improves Kindle’s features and interface. (When I am talking about the Kindle, I am not referring to the Kindle Fire, since that is more of a tablet.) If you are still contemplating buying the Kindle or another eBook reader/ tablet computer, here are five reasons why the Kindle is a winner.

1. Only Used for Reading

There are so many gadgets out there for reading ebooks, but many of them provide more opportunities for distractions with games and Internet browsing than for productive reading. Many people ask, why buy a Kindle when you could buy something like an iPad? An iPad is more of a large smart phone without the ability to make a phone call.

For one thing, the Kindle costs significantly less. The main difference is that the Kindle focuses on one thing: reading. Yes, you can read eBooks on the iPad, but you don’t get the benefit of the e-Ink screen, and instead get the glare that can tire out the eyes quicker.  In addition, the battery life of a Kindle is significantly longer than a tablet, and you can read the screen in bright sunlight.

2. Easy On The Eyes

As I mentioned above, the e-Ink technology for the Kindle screen means that it’s extremely easy on the eyes. When you are typing all day long on a computer screen, staring at one while enjoying the simple pleasure of reading can be irritating. The downside is that the Kindle doesn’t display color, or have a backlight for night-time reading. However, this is how Kindle maintains its feeling of a “real” book.

If you love reading and want a device that won’t ruin the experience of reading physical books then the Kindle is definitely the option for you.

3. Can Annotate and Highlight the Good Stuff

This is probably one of my favorite features of the Kindle. When I read something that sparks my creativity, I can instantly highlight it or take notes. To bring the good-readers-make-good-writers theory back around, this is called active reading. As an active reader, I feel the need to jot down some of my own ideas that can spur writing of my own. The Kindle makes this super easy.

4. Multiple Books in One Lightweight Gadget

If you are a writer, most likely you carry around a laptop for long trips to stay on top of your writing. With the Kindle, you can also bring along multiple books, without any significant additional weight. It gives you the opportunity to not only carry around your favorite novel, but writing reference books, or other resources, all at less than one pound.

The Kindle also gives you the best eBook store at your fingertips, in case you get the urge for something new. When you do decide to buy an eBook, it takes mere seconds to pay, and in just a few moments, you’ll have the book ready to read on your device.

5. Free Network Access

With all the smart phones, home Internet access, and tablets making a dent in your monthly bills, the last thing you want is another data plan. If you buy the 3G version of the Kindle you will benefit from 3G connectivity around the world without signing up for a monthly plan and no data limits. The 3G connectivity is included in the one time price of the Kindle and allows you to buy from the Kindle store or even use Amazon’s web browser.

Although the Kindle is not just beneficial to writers, I wanted to point out some of the benefits I find useful as a writer. I think a Kindle is the closest thing to curling up with a book. But be careful, buying books can get addictive.

Related articles

• Today’s FREE eBooks for Download (February 25) (randomizeme.net)
• Buy and Read Kindle eBooks on PC and Mac (connectwithyourteens.net)

More Resources:

Writing (courtesy @hashmil)

Some of you (especially the contributors) may be wondering the status of my book, Calling All Freelance Writers. It is moving forward, but it won’t be ready for publication until early next year. I just ask for your patience!!

Last week, I sat down and read all of the interviews in print form.  I attempted to do it online, but I wanted it in front of me, in print.

I took notes in the margin for questions I have, ideas for the book, and comments to myself.  Just by sitting down for a few hours and reading all those responses, I, myself, felt enlightened.  So much valuable advice!

Although I detected some common themes threaded throughout all of the interview responses, perspectives existed across the entire spectrum.

Writing the Book

I created an outline.  I also began my first chapter and my last.  There are some random thoughts that will end up in the middle somewhere.  I know some left-brained people would shutter at the thought of that illogical order.  But us right-brained writers don’t always think (or write) logically.

When the idea of this book first formed in my mind, I thought I would just compile all the interviews into one book and hit print. Since then, I decided I want to add my own perspectives and have other writers “back me up” with their own experiences.  This creates a better flow, and produces more of book instead of just a compilation of interviews.

Since some of the responses were similar, it also didn’t make sense to just “cut and paste” the interviews.  Instead, I want to pull out what I believe are the important and relevant messages.

All of the writers who will be in this book will have their full bio placed in the end of the book. By setting it up this way, instead of mixing the bios in with the book, it avoids disruption of the book.  It also provides an easy reference for each writer’s bio.

Now for the bad news. . .

Some of the interview responses were detailed and verbose (the more, the better) and very helpful, and other responses were basically one or two word answers.

While I appreciate the inputs from each of you, some of the  writers’ responses just did not provide enough substance to be included.  I apologize, but I can’t squeeze water out of a rock.

I will be contacting a few of the writers for clarification, questions, or comments.  I will also let the writers who I have excluded know, so they are not wondering what happened to their input.  If these writers do want to add more, I would definitely welcome it, and keep them on the book’s free distribution list!

The Finishing Updates

Once the book is complete, I will obviously have to edit it, and get it published.  I should probably not even think about editing and publishing until I get the book complete.  But once again, creatives don’t always think in logical steps.

Editing

I am currently seeking professional editors for the book. A few editors have contacted me, but the more I have to choose from, the better.

The worst thing that can happen is I write the book, publish it, and find out there are typos and grammar mistakes!  AHHH!  I don’t plan on skipping that step, but my budget will also dictate when that will fit in.

Graphics

In between editing and publishing will be the design work.  The good news is many of the self-publishing businesses include custom cover design in their packages.  Therefore, this should not be too much of any issue unless I decide to go completely POD, by myself (doubtful).

Publishing

As far as publishers, I have a couple in mind.  This will be a self-published book. This book is targeted to a small niche – freelance writers, so I am not interested in “traditional” publishing.  (I am no Stephen King after all.)  There will be an electronic (Kindle and Nook) version and paperback copy which I will sell on my own website and on CallingAllFreelanceWriters.com.

I read The Fine Print of Self-Publishing by Mark Levine (highly recommend if you are self-publishing) which has helped me a TON in choosing a publisher.

Thoughts on the Book

Between reading Linked In discussions, blog posts, and other media conversations, I realize this book is needed.  Hopefully, it will open the eyes of writers who are struggling and think it is impossible to succeed.

This book makes no guarantees of success, but presents insight into the minds’ of successful writers.  That should not only inspire writers, but give them hope that it can be done.

It is up to the writer on how to use that advice.  It is ALWAYS up to the writer.

Related articles

• Calling All Freelance Writers (inspiredtowrite.com)
• Writing eBook

The Man Behind the Apple (Image via CrunchBase)

Steve Jobs will be one of those names that will be in history books and museums for years to come.  Great inventors of our time.

We may not know the full extent of it now, but he will be a true legend from our century.  Forty years from now, iPod’s will be on display at the Smithsonian. The iPad and the iPhone will be right alongside it on the Wall of Jobs.

Today that legend took his last breath. He was 56 years old.

At 21 years of age, Steve Jobs launched a company that is now a household name.  He continued to impress people with his new iVentions over the years, convincing people they could not live without a device that they somehow were living without before.

He was creative.  He was smart.  He was a marketing and engineering genius. Steve Jobs is the creator of products that many households own at least one of.

I own a MacBook.

I own an iPod.

I use iTunes.

Yes, Steve Jobs has affected my day to day life.

I make my living as a writer using his computer.  I keep in shape by running to the sound of music I downloaded from his software onto his MP3 Player.

Although, his products are handy, Mr. Jobs impresses me most with his marketing skills, his genius, and his inspiration.

In a 2005 speech to Standford University graduates, he told them this:

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

We all should take this to heart.  Fight for your passion and follow your dreams.  Your happiness is depending on it.

He will be missed. But remembered by all the technology he left behind.

This video, courtesy of CNN.com sums up the innovative and passionate soul of Steve Jobs.

T-shirt Design

Not all creatives are created equal.  While I know of people who can play an instrument, paint, write, and take amazing photos, many creative people are not the jack of all trades.  I think this is especially true with writers. We claim to master the art of creative writing, but can’t do much more than draw really good stick figures.  At least this is true for me.

In addition, some creatives have an eye for graphic design, yet can’t take a paintbrush to canvas and create a masterpiece.

There are all types of creative people looking for an outlet to express themselves.  For writers, it can be a blog or articles or a book.  For graphic designers, the list is endless, especially for online work. Headers, banners, advertising, newsletters, logos, and more.

However, what about displaying your work offline?  There are brochures, flyers, and corporate design work.  But, sometimes creativity is limited when the product will be on the header of a large corporation.

The T-shirt canvas

For graphic designers who want a little more creative freedom,  and want to display their art on canvas,  what about creating design work on t-shirts? Graphic design is not one of my strengths, but I have seen some creative t-shirt designs for companies, non-profits, and charity events.  Even political statements. Really, the t-shirt becomes your canvas.

Having your design on a t-shirt offers a great way to advertise your work, or just have fun creating different type of designs.  Even if you are not a professional designer, Streetshirts, based out of the UK, allows you to express your creative side and design your own t-shirt.

Make the t-shirt as simple or elaborate as you want.  I spend a few minutes there playing around with designs and text.  Really, the options are endless.

It offers another creative outlet for visual artists. Not everyone gets a chance to show off their work.  Here’s a way to wear it so everyone can see.

Ahhh… life as a freelance writer.  It can often be equated to a roller coaster ride, especially the ones that you never quite know what is around the next corner.  But, you just hang on tight and enjoy the ride.  As a creative that has not been clinically diagnosed with ADD, my mind never seems to rest.  At least not for very long.

As a writer, I have learned to focus on a few things this last year.   While trying to find my way, I stumbled down dozens of roads that cost me money and time.  Worse – they led to dead ends.  I still meander a few steps down some luring paths, but usually not for very long.  Unless, I feel it actually is the path I SHOULD be following.

Not all roads lead to nowhere.

One of the unexpected pathways of my writing career has turned into the creation of a book.  A freelance writing book in the works.   Another one led to higher paying gigs.  My passion for travel has opened up more opportunities and I added a travel blog to ITW.  Lastly, the cumulation of fruitless detours has taught me a whole heck of a lot about online marketing – and I created a web consulting business.

Whew!  Sounds like a lot.  It is.  I’ve been busy!  But, ultimately, the hard work, the wasted time, the late nights, and all the frustrations all taught me one thing – it ain’t easy being a writer!  (I know “ain’t” is not the best word choice for a professional writer – but you get my point!)

So, what is the right path for a freelance writer? 

El. Oh. El.

There isn’t one!  This whole time I have been trying to carve myself in this little niche and I have learned, I am blazing my own path, a path that no one else has been on.  That is the beauty of being in a creative field.  No one tells you how to do things, no one gives you a blueprint, and no one guides you down a straight, direct path.  Nope.

Yet somehow, we often feel lost.

Where is everybody?  Did I miss a turn? Maybe I’m late!  Am I early?

Writing may have always been my destiny, but the journey to get there certainly was not laid out for me.  There have been times in the last few years I wanted to abandon the idea and live a simple life.  Give it all up an get a real full-time J.O.B.

Nah!

I knew from a young age I could never work in an mundane job like a factory or punch-a-clock-9-to-5 type job.  Probably why I joined the Air Force.  It is just not in my blood to be ordinary. My mom certainly doesn’t live a routine life either or have a boring job.  Runs in the genes.  Sometimes it can be chaotic and unpredictable.  I often follow rabbit trails to satisfy my curiosity.

As I move forward with all these writing projects, one thing I hope is always in focus, my love for writing.  My love for expressing myself and sharing with thoughts. And hoping someone on the other end is listening.  That’s what you are here for. 

One of the main benefits of being a copywriter is that you are constantly faced with new and exciting challenges. Every project you are set teaches you new things about the world leaving your written style better for the experience.

Well that’s a bit of a lie really. Not all projects are fresh and exciting; in fact some are tediously dull and extended. You know the ones. You get set 50 articles to write on gardening tools and you’ve got less than a week to get them done. The sort of project that really puts your creativity and discipline to the test. If you find it tough to keep your copy original when writing multiple articles on the same topic, I have listed some of the tips I use below to enhance my creativity.

These will help to keep your copywriting fresh, and your reader entertained

Mix up your narrative voice – I am not suggesting that you start your copy in the first person and then end it in the third. By narrative voice I mean the tone, personality and rhythm of your written style. In one article you should try and be humorously sarcastic yet in another be pompously astute. This will keep every article you write distinctly unique because each one will incorporate a different aspect of your own personality. It doesn’t matter if you are talking about the same topic; if the writer has a different voice then it will make for a completely different read.

Repeatedly research to find new angles – The problem that a lot of copywriters find when faced with these multi-article projects is that they simple run out of fresh things to write about. But that can only be true if you insist on looking at a topic from only one or two angles. Let’s make an example out of the garden tools articles that I referenced to earlier. For your first few articles you might talk about the benefits of having a nicer garden, but it is possible to go deeper than that. A different angle might be to look at the power that gardening tools gives to a homeowner. It puts them back in control of their own presentation and it gives them a reason to be proud of what they have done. Remember, there is always a new angle to be found.

Play around with sentence structures – One well known, yet often under-used, technique to maintain a reader’s attention is to utilise longer complex sentences and to then stun the reader with a much shorter one. The idea works incredibly well at the end of paragraphs when you need to summarise a point and increase its impact. Trust me.

Hopefully now you’ll bear less dread when your next multi-article project comes in

The important thing to remember is that it is possible to produce multiple articles on the same topic that are genuinely helpful or entertaining to their readers. As a seo copywriter you do have the skills needed to mix up your written style and produce killer copy that is always original.

Editor’s Note: This is a contest sponsored by AOL, Jeep, and Single Edition Media.  As part of  their “Life is Legendary” campaign, AOL wants to reach and convey to single women that they are each pioneers in their own right, living inspired lives, exploring the world on their own terms and embracing their freedom, achievements and the journey.

Contest Rules:

Single ladies are encouraged to create their own “Inspiration Board” on the Life is Legendary site. The “Inspiration Board” is a custom destination that allows you a chance to develop an online “Inspiration Board” chronicling all the things that represent you and what you aspire to become – it’s a forum to express one’s individuality that is sharable with friends on Facebook.

What do you Win??

This is the important part.  Everyone that engages with the micro-site (http://www.jeeplegendarylife.aol.com/) and creates an Inspiration Page is entered for a chance to win a random sweepstake rewarding a $50 gift card weekly, and all users are entered for a chance to win the Grand Prize, a $4500 gift card.

What Inspires Me?

I will focus here on what inspires me as a writer, what ignites my creative self.

While there are many things that can spark inspiration, it does not always come on your terms – while you are staring at a blank computer screen.  Often times, inspiration comes at times that are not so convenient for a writer – meaning times when one does not have access to a computer or even pen and paper handy.  Ask a writer how many great ideas were formed while taking a shower or while out for a run.  But, your environment and mindset are big contributors.

Most writers are thinkers.  We are always thinking, and writing is an outlet for those overflowing ideas.  Instead of ignoring the thoughts bouncing around aimlessly in our heads, keeping us up at night, we write stuff down. Most creative writers express themselves best in the written word. We are typically right-brained and thrive when in the company of other write-brainers (pun intended).

I travel a lot and over the years, I am always thinking about where I want to “end up.”  I decided that I need to live among artists, culture, and beauty in order to feed my mind with morsels of creativity.  As I blend in with the mundane, shallow crowds marching along in predictable fashion, it leads to insipid thoughts, uninspired to create.

People in fast towns live a fast life, even if they are only passing through for a weekend. It seems when you enter a fast-paced city, your own tempo increases involuntarily, even if you intended the time to be relaxing. The monotonous routine and lack of natural art or beauty leads to a lack of spontaneous inspiration.  With tall skyscrapers blocking beautiful sunsets, mountains, lakes or oceans, I feel lost in the crowd.  It is difficult in this environment to make time to even acknowledge a simple sunset or butterfly. You are on a mission of destination instead of creativity.

It is not that I can’t be inspired in a big city – after all I am from Chicago and appreciate cities that are brewing with life.  Different things inspire me in that environment – people, architecture, nightlife, etc.  Dynamic environments filled with culture and fascinating topics or subjects are also a source of inspiration.  But often times, I need to find a quiet place to let the thoughts be heard.

So, what inspires me?  Anything out of the ordinary. Deep thinkers or unusual situations, art, nature, beauty, music, people. Inspiration comes when your mind is open and you are able to acknowledge the surroundings.   Let the thoughts develop into meaningful ideas or stories.  Ideas formulate and start to build up.  Soon you must find an outlet to purge these thoughts.

We all have to live a legendary life in a fast-paced society.  Whether you live in a big city or a small town, life passes you by quickly. Ladies, find a way to stand out, make a difference.  Find your OWN inspiration and let everyone know about it!

Create your Inspiration Page today!

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post by Stephen L.  Stephen is a guest writer for Brookside Patio Furniture which specializes in resin wicker patio furniture available for storage in this recommended Toledo storage facility.

Online Business

There are several big differences between doing business offline and doing business online. So, if you want to make the transition into the World Wide Web, you need to learn about these differences first.

Fortunately, you can still use some of the entrepreneurial skills you have been using so far, but you also need to know that these skills will be much more vital in the world of online businesses.

Here is a list of the fundamental entrepreneurial skills you will need to know:
• Making a Proper Decision
• Systemizing and Managing
• Maintaining a High Level of Confidence
• Handling Individuals
• Communicating Well
• Making Sales

The skills mentioned above are all important to doing online trade – remember that. However, the most important skill of all would be maintaining a high level of confidence. After all, any online business will require you to have a lot of confidence in order to tackle various situations; and, with it, everything will simply fall into place. Think about it: if your confidence level is high, then you will have a much easier time dealing with people online and making sales, right?

Level of Confidence:

When running a business, a client will usually approach you and tell you what he wants or choose the things that he wants himself. Either way, you will make a sale in the end. Well, the same thing happens online. Someone will visit your website, check out your merchandise, and ask you about the things that they are interested in.

The difference is that, in a normal business situation, you will be able to see your customer’s expression, so you can judge whether they are doubtful or uncertain about your product.

With an online business, however, this judgment is simply impossible. Online, you won’t be able to see your customers’ expression as you do business, so you might have a hard time figuring out how they really feel about your product. Because of this, you might then have a hard time figuring out when the best time would be to make a sale.

What you have to do to remedy this is to put yourself in your online clients’ shoes. Since they can’t see you and they don’t know much about your business, they might be worried that they won’t be able to contact you if your product ends up having a defect. This factor alone might make them hesitant to buy your products and services.

This is why confidence plays such a major role in an online business. You need to give your brand and product enough confidence, so that potential clients will trust you despite their usual unwillingness to complete a sale.

Confident or Overconfident?

Now, keep in mind that being confident and being overconfident are two completely different things. In a nutshell, being arrogant refers to promising things that are difficult or impossible to do. Being confident, on the other hand, refers to promising things that you know you can deliver. Also, true confidence comes from knowing your business, your product and your market inside and out, while mere arrogance comes from pure unawareness.

Although every online business requires confidence, it would also be important to be polite, communicate well, and explain your product to your clients properly. When it comes to confidence, though, just make sure you don’t exceed your limits and you should find yourself on the right track to achieving success in your online trade in no time.