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A competitive and cutthroat look at writing
Let me start by saying, humor that is hurtful or at the expense of other writers has no place in the writing industry. Board fights and flame wars do not belong in the writing community. This should be about writing. Online writing communities have...
Start and make cash from your online writing - You must draw blood first
Writers write just like painters, paint on canvas. This is one of the reasons why it is important that you launch your writing career by getting some freelance writing work that you can get paid for doing. It does not matter how small the job is...
Take Baby Steps In Your Writing To Yield A Book
The thought of writing a book is usually daunting for many writers. After all, how and where do you begin writing a book that's anywhere from 25,000 to 100,000 words? Big numbers can be pretty intimidating. But there's a way to get around this....
Writing Benefit-Driven Web Copy – 4 Steps to More Sales
You've identified the benefits you offer your customers, but how do you turn a list of benefits into engaging web copy which converts visitors into customers? Recently I wrote an article explaining how to identify the benefits you offer your...
Writing For The Web: More Places To Get Ideas
There are many places all over the place to get article ideas. Part 1 of this series explored some of the locations on the internet. This part goes into some of the places you can find ideas outside of the web. Libraries - Believe it or not,...
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A FEW THOUGHTS ON WRITING INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH
Here is my "dime's worth" (see learning "American English" , or at least your expressions already) on the subject of writing for an international audience on the world wide web. The Web offers you an opportunity, unique in history, to speak directly to millions of potential customers. Some commentators advise that if you want to be listened to, speak to them "in their language". I only partially agree (but then, I'm always breaking the rules!)...
When I write articles for "the international market" of the net, I don't target particular countries and try to adapt my writing style. I've found that people around the world don't seem to mind the fact that I may use "funny" words or spelling - small details, like "s's" instead of "z's", color or colour...as long as the grammar is reasonably correct. I just try to write in my "natural style" - one in which I feel comfortable (seeing I was brought up in South Africa with British English) and suggest you writers do the same.
Incidentally, I put this short note at the end of all my articles...
"PS: Dear Americans, please excuse my British English spelling. Very Colonial! I just write and use my
own style and spelling, one that I'm accustomed to (sounds funny that ending sentence in a "preppie"). I am quite happy for these articles to be used and distributed by other electronic and other magazines. If they help others out there in any way, then I'm happy."
To sum up... My advice is just find your "natural style" by writing as you speak- as practice writing in your "natural style" breeds confidence. Then submit your articles to ezines and announcement lists, like Article Announce, Free Content and Publish In Yours. I find this marketing method by far the most effective means of getting traffic to our various sites (and one thing then leads to another)... and best of all it costs nothing, but a little time and effort!
Make sure your layout is good (not one of my strong points!), as this greatly enhances your prospects of getting published.
Hope this may help you readers "out there in cyberspace".
Happy writing and
Just GO FOR IT
Craig Lock
About the Author
Craig Lock My various books* may be viewed at: http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/books.html and http://www.novelty-gift.com/
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