Ali Luke reports:
"Write for ten minutes without stopping (set a timer) about any topic you like...You don’t even need to write in whole sentences. The idea is just to get the words flowing...[T]ry out a writing challenge which gives you a prompt of some sort. You could give Creative Copy Challenge a go – the idea is to create a short, coherent piece by using all the words supplied, and you can make it as crazy as you want!...Instead of sitting down and trying to come up with something to write about, make sure you’ve already got a stock of ideas. You can jot these in a notebook whenever you think of them, or even set aside time to deliberately come up with a list of ideas to write about – challenge yourself to get to 50, and don’t worry whether they’re 'good' or 'bad'...When you’re writing, you’ll find that your words rarely come out perfectly the first time. This isn’t because you’re a bad writer – even experienced professionals often go through many drafts. The whole point of a first draft is to get your ideas down onto the page, however imperfectly, so that you’ve got something to work with for the second draft. [No one] ever needs to see your first draft, so don’t censor yourself while you’re writing it...[D]on’t be afraid to try something new. It often takes a while for newer writers to find their voice...so don’t get stuck in writing in just one way." Ethan Risso reports:
"To have legal protection for your book, you must provide three things on your copyright page, even if you include nothing else. 1. Identity of the copyright owner: either the name of the author or, in the case of traditional publishing, the name of the publishing house who owns the rights. 2. The copyright symbol: ©...the abbreviation Copr. or the word Copyright. Although not required, copyright owners often include both the word “Copyright” and the symbol. 3. The year the work was first published. Some new authors make the mistake of including the range of years in which they wrote the manuscript...Following the copyright notice, standard practice dictates an inclusion of the reservation of rights. A simple, common line of All Rights Reserved is often written purely out of a sense of tradition...After the rights are conveyed comes the publishing data including the publishing house’s address and any trademarks which may be in the book. Generally, a statement about environmental friendliness and the location of printing is included just below the publisher’s address...You may have also noticed a seemingly-random string of numbers on a copyright page. Used by the publication department, the ones on the left are indicators of the years and those on the right indicate the number of printings the book has gone through...If a new printing is needed, the plates for the book do not need to be remade. One digit is removed from each series of numbers, effectively updating the notice. Therefore, you would never see a book listed as a first edition without the group on the right ending with a one. As printing moves more to digital printing processes, this practice largely fades into antiquity...[The ISBN] is an internationally recognized identification number assigned to each variant of a book...[The LCCN is a] serial number assigned to the book’s bibliographic record using the cataloging system developed by the US Library of Congress...[T]he PCN is mutually exclusive from the LCCN, as it is assigned to books most likely to be acquired by the Library of Congress...Prepared before publication by the national library in the book’s native country, [the CIP] is a basic cataloging system used by many libraries and academic institutions...[A]uthors and publishers may choose to include credits for those who have had a hand in the publication of the book. If there is not enough room on the copyright page, or as a stylistic choice, the credits section is included in the book’s colophon in the end matter. When it is time for you to create your own copyright page, remember to only use the elements of the page you need." Monica Carter Tagore reports:
"Many freelance writers have questions about pricing their services. They wonder if they are too high or too low or even what the norm is for a particular type of writing...Many freelancers...err on the side of being the cheapest or lowest-priced competitor, thinking that will surely land them clients. And it might, but not the type of clients you want. It’s usually never good to price your services very low when you are a solo professional or running a service business. That is because there are only so many hours in the day and you could very well find yourself working at a full-time rate for what, essentially, is part-time money. But overpricing yourself isn’t a great option either. This does not mean you can’t charge a rate higher than the average or higher than your competition. You can do that, but only if you can back it up. Some clients don’t mind paying a higher rate if it means some added benefit...In fact, some clients will steer clear of the low-price option when it comes to service providers. They wonder why there is such a low rate...A good way for a freelancer to price her writing services is to consider how much she would like to earn in a year and break that down into an hourly rate. For instance, if she would like to earn $50,000 a year and assuming she would like to take two weeks of vacation, then her weekly income should be $1,000. Let’s say she wants to bill 30 hours a week...That would bring the figure to $33. But she can’t just charge $33 an hour because it doesn’t account for taxes, operational expenses, etc. So a better figure may be $50 an hour...Seeing how much other writers charge can help you know if your rate is in the right neighborhood, so you’re not too far out of the range. But it’s not necessary to hit it on the head exactly. Remember, your needs and experience may mean your rate will be different...The more experience you have, the more you can charge. So if you are a beginning freelance writer, you may set your base rate as $45 or $50 an hour, but you may give yourself a raise after some time. Your experience will mean you’ll likely write better, know how to handle certain client issues and concerns better, and produce an overall better product. Extras also earn more...Your hourly rate is just one piece of the equation when it comes to charging for what you do...Unless there are specific reasons for sending a quote with an hourly rate, go for a per-project rate. You can create your quote on a calculation based on your hourly rate, but the quote you give the client can simply show the rate. No need to go into the fact that it’s based on X number of hours. That’s for your internal estimation. All the client needs to know is that it will cost X amount for this service. You can detail what the service includes, so the client has a full understanding of what she is paying for, but it shouldn’t matter what time you do it or how long it takes. After all, what you are doing is about the value you provide, not when or how long you work. Whether you work at 10 in the morning or 10 at night is your business...If you quote based on an hourly rate, do you really want a cheap client cross-examining you about how many hours you spent on a project? And what happens if you finish the project early, but do a great job? Should you be penalized for being efficient and good? Besides, you left your 9 to 5 because you wanted more freedom; you certainly don’t want a client breathing down your neck counting your hours rather than looking at the quality of work...[T]he per-project rate is...a lot more transparent. The client knows from the outset what he will pay...This makes for a smoother experience all around. Your client gets to count on the rate you quoted, and you get to focus on doing the best job possible. A per-project rate can also allow you to add in some extras that can boost the value of what you provide. These extras can help justify a higher rate and set your business apart as the quality solution. Remember, setting your rate is about more than simply X dollars an hour. It’s about the service, experience, and value you provide. Calculate that equation to set your rate." Cari Bennette reports:
"Ghostwriters...have to watch their own backs in order not to be taken advantage of in ways that aren’t common for other writers and artists...For larger projects, it’s worth it to get a lawyer to work out a contract that specifies dates, payment, terms and conditions. You’ll also want to include transcription fees in your deal (imagine spending countless hours doing your transcription work at your own expense). Besides saving you from a possible legal battle, a contract helps you understand your partner’s needs and expectations. Some clients may ask you to sign a non-compete contract. Just say no...One of the best tips for ghostwriters is to not start a large project without securing a deposit. Sometimes a client will offer a percentage of a book deal to you in exchange for paying you a lower fee. This is a serious risk to take. A lot of projects never come to fruition due to lack of funds or other issues on the client’s end...People who write often have dreams of achieving fame and success with their writing. Whether you’ve ghostwritten a best-selling book or a popular blog post, it can be much more difficult than you imagine to give the credit to someone else. You must maintain the level of quality, creativity and ingenuity that you would...if you were signing your own name. Just don’t sign it...If you’re contracted to work on a memoir or family history, you will need to get very close to the client to understand their story. Doing so, you’ll be able to tell it from their perspective and speak in their voice as much as possible. But keep professional boundaries...Above all, you need to have enough objectivity to write about them without your emotions clouding your perspective...On the other hand, you may have...clients who’ve contracted you to write their book or blog and then disappear. Or are so busy they don’t have time to be interviewed by you, don’t return your phone calls or [don't] answer your emails in a timely manner. This is where the contract comes in handy...It’s best to include a clause in the contract that the client needs to provide you with enough time and material for you to be able to complete the work...[S]et up a professional website where you offer your services. Provide sample articles for your area(s) of expertise on the website. Apply to jobs you see on freelancing sites like oDesk and Elance or writing services like JetWriters...[Y]our customer may occasionally have feedback that you don’t agree with. If you feel something should stay the way it is, express it. However, if an issue starts to become a conflict, yield to their wishes and make the changes...Sometimes the client won’t be satisfied with the work you’ve presented. In many cases, it’s worth [it] to put in extra unpaid time making sure your client is happy. The willingness on your part to go the extra mile will allow you to see what it actually takes to deliver [top-quality] work. Most importantly, you’ll earn the respect of this customer who will be likely to give you more work in the future and recommend you to others...Bottom line is you’re getting paid not to exist. Don’t talk about your work to people. The higher rated the project, the more discreet you need to be. In this line of work, discretion is synonymous for professionalism...[I]f you do come forward as the true writer, you’ll likely be breaking the conditions of a contract and could face a lawsuit...There’s a lot of encouragement out there for ghostwriters to develop a niche and market themselves to it, whether for books or [for] online writing. That’s a great strategy for some writers. Another strategy, however, is to diversify. If you’re a writer who has the expertise to write about a lot of different topics, then why settle for one? There’s plenty of work out there. If specializing isn’t for you, don’t do it." Sean Stein Smith reports:
"How can accounting professionals, with improved business communication skills, deliver more value to their organizations? Memos and other communications about accounting can prove to be very technical in nature. Additionally, accountants must understand the needs of other organizational members, as well as how the information being communicated is used...Sustainability, corporate governance, and risk management are all buzzwords in the business landscape, particularly since the financial crisis, but what do they really mean? The ability to quantify these phrases, as well as the effect they will have on organizations, is critical to the continued success of the accounting profession...[M]anagement teams in virtually every business are swimming in regulatory data. Accountants, well-versed in parsing technical language to drill down to the most important pieces, are uniquely positioned to understand these regulations. Translating these regulations into bullet points and action items that other departments can understand highlights the value of the accounting function, possibly also saving the organization costs associated with noncompliance...Using examples can be a tremendous benefit to communicating your points, especially in a business context. The sheer volume of information, communications, and deliverables that occur during a given week can make it nearly impossible to keep track of what is occurring, as well as keep track of what items really will have an organizational impact. Accounting professionals...are also well situated to construct clear and concise examples to illustrate the points...With training and expertise centered around quantitative analysis, an increasing amount of work is being conducted with other departments. Stating it simply, if people do not see what is in it for them, or what benefit they will receive, any additional effort spent on the communication will be wasted energy...Keep it simple...Grab your audience's attention with a headline...Play to the strengths of accounting...Follow-up! Accounting is...how the information of the business is processed and reported. Improved business communication is critical to the accounting profession as accountants transform themselves into strategic business partners." Clarity Recruitment reports:
"Generally speaking, accountants and finance professionals are known to be fairly “left-brained” – that is, exhibiting a strong head for numbers, good problem-solving skills[,] and high analytical intelligence. While many accountants are blessed with strong verbal-linguistic intelligence, which entails ease with reading and writing, others may feel less comfortable with the written word...[M]ost accounting or finance positions will require at least some written communication. And that means you’ll be expected to be able to string together a coherent sentence or two (among other things)...We might think of accountants as dealing mostly with numbers, but their jobs actually require a fair amount of basic communication with others. As an accountant, you need to answer clients’ queries, as well as pose them questions of your own. You may have to communicate with the government – preparing notices of objections, voluntary disclosures, and other special letters – and ensure proper documentation of purpose...No one expects prose worthy of a Pulitzer Prize; they do, however, expect that writing that meets professional standards of intelligibility...A financial statement might make perfect sense to you. All the technical data and terminology will, after all, be [crystal clear] to someone trained and versed in the principles of accounting. But for most of your clients, these documents will probably read like gibberish – as indecipherable as a foreign language...Sure, you might find it easy enough to explain this kind of complex financial and tax information to your clients when you’re able to sit down and chat with them. But your job also requires that you provide lucid and comprehensible explanations in writing...Gone are the days when picking up the phone and calling their accountant was the only way clients communicated (outside in-person meetings). As modes of communication continue to evolve and proliferate, extending to various forms of social media and ever-more miniaturized mobile devices, the written word is increasingly pervasive...Whether it’s by e-mail, texting, or instant messaging, your correspondence with clients, [coworkers], and supervisors will throw a spotlight on your ability to compose readable sentences. What’s more, you need to adopt the appropriate tone for each platform, while maintaining a consistently professional and straightforward idiom...If you run your own accounting practice, you will, like most professionals, be compelled to raise your online profile across various social media, so that you don’t miss out on any important networking opportunities...In short, you’ll find that writing is a valuable skill to be able to draw upon, when you’re looking to build your capital (or that of your company) and generate promotional materials. Whether you’re trying to craft a killer LinkedIn profile, a pithy Twitter status update, or a thought-provoking blog entry, the ability to write well can make all the difference for your efforts...In the final analysis, clients want accountants who can crunch the numbers and understand tax laws. But while a facility with the written word won’t clinch their judgments of your expertise, an inability to write competently or to convey your points clearly will tell against you. Poor writing makes you look unprofessional and unimpressive; good writing, on the other hand, can command respect and confidence." Darren Rowse reports for Allen McDuffee:
"There certainly are some risks involved [in political writing] but if you get it right, the potential rewards can range from sparking a heated debate to informing your readers about something important to testing the waters on going a little off the beaten path in the future...Do your best to simplify the post as much as possible. If your readers are interested, you can always tease out some of the nuances in the comments section. Or, if there is real interest, you can write follow-up posts. Think about your organizing principal...Focus on the exact reason the issue is important to your readers, who the key players are, and what the potential outcome is. Once you’re done, edit away anything that isn’t necessary...On more than one occasion when I’ve written about subjects that I knew would be important to my readers but weren’t exactly comfortable, I received reader emails asking if somebody else wrote the post or why I was dispassionate (unfortunately, politics writing has a higher propensity for getting boring). Work hard to make it your own and what your readers are used to seeing from you stylistically...If readers aren’t used to seeing politics posts on your blog, you should help them understand why it’s there. And right away! Try tying it into a previous post you’ve written. Or express outrage that your readers would likely share...Get an official statement. This sounds daunting, but you don’t always have to call a press officer to get one. Almost every governmental agency posts dozens (and sometimes hundreds) of press releases on their website each week...You don’t have to agree with the statement, but using it lends credibility to your post and your readers will know exactly what you’re standing for (or against), officially...Sometimes all the background knowledge required to write a good politics post can scare bloggers with otherwise good ideas away. Let seasoned reporters take that pressure off of you...The great thing about writing on political issues is that you can use photographs from governmental websites on your blog because you’ve already paid for them in taxes. Not only does it dress up your post, but it also connects a name with a face...Check to see if you’ve reached the outcome you wanted...These tips might not make you Andrew Sullivan, but who wants to post every 90 seconds anyway?" Pamela Wilson reports:
"Writing less and styling your text so it’s easy to read could be all you need to do to attract and hold attention...Think about how you use the web. You’re in search of information. And if you don’t find it on the page you’re visiting, you click away and look elsewhere. The web is a 'lean forward and participate' medium. Television, by contrast, is a 'lean back and let it wash over me' medium...Accept that people scan web pages rather than reading them in detail, and work with this reality rather than fighting it. If you want to cover a complex topic, consider breaking it into a series of posts. It’s a great way to keep people coming back for more, and your reader will find it easier to digest your content if they get it in portion-controlled sizes. Structure your paragraphs in the inverted pyramid style. This means stating your conclusion first, then supporting it with the sentences that follow. This helps scanners to move from point to point, and decide where they’d like to dive in deeper...Even complex content can be made much more reader-friendly with the simple introduction of lots of white space. Feature one idea per paragraph, and keep them short — three or four sentences at most. And try writing some paragraphs with one sentence only...A strong headline (and therefore a strong premise) is vital to getting readers to come check you out in the first place. And solid subheads keep the reader engaged, acting as 'mini headlines' to keep them moving through the rest of your content. Make your subheads intriguing, but informative, too...Once you’ve written your subheads, review them to see what your reader/scanner will understand if he or she reads only that part of your article...[Bulleted lists] create fascinations your readers can’t resist...[are] an easily-scannable way to present multiple points...[and] look different from the rest of your text, so they provide a visual break for your reader...Try pairing a strong image with a 'deep caption.' Deep captions are two to three sentences long. That’s long enough to intrigue your reader to dig in to your whole article...Internal links back to your own cornerstone content will keep people on your site and reading your best material. External links demonstrate that you’ve researched the topic and want to highlight other experts. Good content uses both to expand your reader’s understanding and add value...Add emphasis to your web copy by bolding important concepts...Don’t highlight everything (which would have the same effect as highlighting nothing). Instead, emphasize the key points so the scanner can quickly pick them out...Numbers are an incredibly effective way to both capture attention and...keep the reader oriented...You can often make a post more compelling just by numbering your main points. Give it a try...Once you’ve used subheads, numbers, bulleted lists and other formatting to highlight the key elements of your post, read through it again — looking only at the text you’ve called special attention to. Does the reader get the gist? Have you pulled out the most interesting and relevant words, the words that will pull your scanner in and turn her into a reader?" Rocket Lawyer reports:
"A Letter to Appeal a Medical Claim Denial can help you figure out why your claim wasn't approved and challenge that decision. There are many reasons why your medical claim may have been denied but if you feel the reason given to you was inadequate then it may be a good idea to challenge that decision...Medical bills can be expensive, so don't pay out of pocket for costs that should be covered by your insurance...You have a right to challenge decisions you believe are erroneous or are insufficiently explained. Sometimes, you can correct problems with a little more information: a letter from a doctor, or supplemental information about your claim or policy. No matter what the issue is, sending a Letter to Appeal a Medical Claim Denial can help you get answers, fix errors, and set things right." Erin O'Neill reports:
"If you think big words from a thesaurus would be [a] good idea for your cover letter addressed to a recruiter, you may want to think again. Yes, vocabulary is important, but so is knowing what you are typing. Words can have very different meanings and if you don’t know what you are saying, the recruiter is probably going to think twice about hiring you. Write how you would talk in person...If you are going to use jargon, pretend you are explaining the concept to someone who knows nothing about it...Using short paragraphs and bullet points makes it easier for the reader to 'breathe' and to enjoy your writing even more...Challenge yourself to write with as few words as possible, while still getting your message across. More often than not, you can cut out unnecessary words like 'some', 'that', 'very', 'seem' and 'got'...Repetition is unnecessary. Reiteration is rather useless." |
Writing and editing can be pretty rigorous processes if you want to do them well, but that's what this page is here for. Check out the latest tips here. Archives
May 2024
CategoriesJ.D. Parsons
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