You are here: Home / Archives for Communication

Catch Writing Mistakes with These Tools

January 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Even the best freelance writers make mistakes from time-to-time; it does happen. The key is to find and correct your mistakes before you submit your work to an editor or client. Proofread your work twice if you have to because you don’t want to turn in sloppy work. Your client and editor wouldn’t appreciate unchecked work. It could cost you work!

Use these tools to catch writing mistakes

WhiteSmoke. This writing program helps you with grammar and spelling. You can download a free trial to see if it’s the right program from you. NBC, CNN, and Yahoo! have endorsed the product. I don’t think they’d be associated with a company that didn’t deliver a stellar product. If you have problems with the program, contact the company.

Read your writing out loud. Sometimes it helps to hear your writing out loud instead of in your head. If a sentence or paragraph doesn’t sound right, read it silently to yourself and then out loud. You may need to rewrite a sentence or the entire paragraph. This is extra work but at least your writing will flow.

Have someone else proofread your work. If you can afford to hire a proofreader or ask someone who lives with you to read your writing, do it. A fresh pair of eyes will be able to spot errors you may have missed. This is a great way to see if your work will ‘hook’ someone and make them want to read more.

Spell check. If you use Word then you’re familiar with spell check. Use this one with caution because it won’t catch every error, especially if you spell a word correctly but misused it.

Dictionary. Whether you use an online dictionary or the old fashioned big book of words, check the meaning of words. You could use a word that is inappropriate and doesn’t add to your writing.

Freelance and ghost writers can make writing mistakes. It’s not a big deal as long as you locate your errors and correct them. There’s no shame in making writing errors because they appear in newspapers, magazines, books, newsletters, websites, and blogs. You’d be surprised how many media organizations publish books and articles that contain writing errors. It happens to the most seasoned and not so seasoned writers. Don’t sweat it — correct it!

Rebecca

What tools do you use to catch writing mistakes? Share.

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Tips and Tricks, Travel Writing Tagged With: , ,

Freelance Writers Use Paragraph Headers in Your Blog Posts and Articles

January 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Freelance writers, sometimes writing long winded blog posts or articles can lose its vitality if you don’t use paragraph headers. Too many rambling paragraphs can be boring, not to mention the strain it puts on the eyes. Using thoughtful headers can add life to your blog posts and articles. And, it will hold a reader’s attention.

If you’re writing a ‘how to’ article or blog post use paragraph headers for each section because it can help move your writing along. For example, if you’re writing an article about ‘How to Lose Weight with Nintendo Wii,’ break up paragraphs with headers such as ‘Physical Benefits of Using Nintendo Wii’ or ‘Top 10 Fitness Games for Nintendo Wii’ and other headers. This way your writing will flow and it will keep the reader interested.

Benefits of adding paragraph headers

Freelance writers, sometimes it’s necessary to use headers if you’re writing a technical article. You don’t want the reader to get lost within the article. Help them move through the article by providing paragraph headers. The information won’t overwhelm, and they’ll be able to read the article with ease.

Another benefit of paragraph headers is that it will keep your writing on track. Sometimes a freelance writer will get lost in thought and ramble on (Led Zeppelin fans will like that one). Paragraph headers keep your writing on track; you won’t leave out important information.

How else can you break up paragraphs?

You can always incorporate a list if it’s important to the blog post or article. Some writers don’t like to incorporate a list within a blog post or article but a reader may find it useful. A reader can ‘zero-in’ on pertinent information — the reader gets in and gets out.

Freelance writers, using paragraph headers can add life to your blog posts and articles. It’s a great way to vary your writing style, and your reader won’t get bored with your writing. If you’re unsure about using paragraph headers, try it out. You can always go back to your old writing style.

Rebecca

How do you break up your paragraphs? Share.

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Tips and Tricks, Travel Writing Tagged With: , , ,

How to Pitch Your Idea to The Travel Channel?

January 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I have a couple of ideas for The Travel Channel and decided to send them an email. They won’t accept unsolicited ideas or material and will dismiss or disregard ideas sent to them. Here’s an excerpt from their website, “Travel Channel only accepts proposals from established production companies who have previously discussed their idea with a network development representative and been asked to submit a summary of the idea or who have received an RFP.”

If you want to host a program, align yourself with an established production company. The programs on The Travel Channel are “filmed and submitted by independent production companies and/or agents that are responsible for selecting the participants on our programs.” If you want to be on The Travel Channel, align yourself with a production company or agent and submit your ideas.

Before you pitch your show, you may want to speak with some executives at The Travel Channel and hosts. Interview them to get a feel for what they’re looking for. Speak to hosts to find out what the work schedule is like. It may be too grueling for some people. It’s best to know what you’re getting into before you submit a pitch.

I wouldn’t mind hosting a show on The Travel Channel and have been researching production companies. I need to find a company that is a good fit for me and my shows. The shows that I want to pitch are timely and would grab the audience’s attention. Stay tuned!

Rebecca

Have you ever pitched a television show? Share.

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Tips and Tricks, Travel Writing Tagged With: , , ,

Create Backlinks with Yahoo! Answers

January 10, 2011 By 10 Comments

I receive Google Alerts for freelance writing, screenwriting, and non-fiction writing. An alert came through for Yahoo! Answers. I clicked on the link and lo and behold, someone asked a question about non-fiction writing. Since I completed my non-fiction book, I answered the question because I had a lot of information to share with the person. Yahoo! Answers provides a ‘What’s your source?’ box. Of course, I entered Savvy-Writer.com which created a backlink to my website.

Creating backlinks doesn’t have to take a lot of time. In fact, you can incorporate it into your social media regime. Find forums and blogs that you can contribute to by leaving thoughtful comments. Enter your website’s URL in the space and provided and Voilà, you created backlinks to your website.

The more backlinks you create the more web traffic your website will receive. Be patient because it may not happen overnight. You may want to create a schedule for creating backlinks such as Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or Tuesday and Thursday. Stick to your schedule and over time your web traffic will increase.

Tips for creating backlinks

  • Choose blogs and forums that relate to your product or service or at least complement your product or service.
  • Leave thoughtful responses. Please don’t type “Nice blog post or Excellent post!” because it doesn’t show you took the time to read a post or forum question.
  • If you don’t have to time to create backlinks, hire someone to do it.
  • Create a schedule and stick to it. Backlinks don’t create themselves. You must commit to a day(s) and time; otherwise you’ll miss out on an opportunity to gain web traffic.

If you’d like more web traffic, check out Yahoo! Answers and start contributing to the discussion. Enter your website’s URL in the ‘What’s your source?’ box which will help you gain web traffic. Leave helpful comments and show that you’re an expert in your field. Good luck!

Rebecca

Have you answered a question on Yahoo! Answers? Share.

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Networking, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Traveling in 2011: Write about Your Travels and Make Money

January 5, 2011 By 2 Comments

I wrote a post about easing into freelance writing through travel writing. If you’re traveling in 2011, write about your travels to establish yourself as a writer and earn extra cash. For example, I entered a contest to win a trip to Japan in 2011. To help me get there, I created a vision board and placed a picture of Japan on it. I visualize myself visiting the temples and partaking in Tai Chi with the locals. I also say ‘thank you’ for having won the trip. I also intend and plan to visit the U.K. in April 2011 to be apart of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding. I didn’t receive a formal invention but I’ll show my support by standing alongside the British people as they celebrate this historic event. I’m torn between staying at a budget hotel or hostel. I stayed at Budget Backpackers in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2007 and it was an awesome experience. You have to be comfortable with sharing the kitchen and bathroom along with rooming with strangers who may not speak English. It was an awesome experience and helped me ease into freelance writing and travel writing.

Travel tips

  • When it doubt, please leave it out. You don’t have to pack your entire closet, unless, of course, you plan on staying for six months or more. Believe it or not, you can buy toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, clothes, and other items when you arrive at your destination.
  • When you travel to foreign countries, remember that you’re the foreigner. Don’t expect the laws of your country to apply elsewhere in the world. Don’t expect stores to be opened 24-hours a day or on Saturday and Sunday. Most travelers, especially U.S. citizens, believe other countries are just like the U.S or believe they should be. It pains me to say that but I’ve experienced behavior by U.S. citizens that made me cringe. Be respectful and remember that you’re a foreigner in a foreign land.
  • Travel with a backpack or carry-on bag. You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches if you leave your luggage at home. You’ll be able to breeze through airports and will have plenty of time to get something to eat or buy a magazine or book (if you didn’t bring one with you).
  • Give yourself plenty of time to get through airport security. Who knows, the security measures could be loosened in 2011. Until then, make sure you arrive on time to go through security.
  • Learn to speak the language. You don’t have to be fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Italian, French, Hungarian, Spanish, or Arabic but it will help if you know some key words and phrases. You’ll score points with the locals if you attempt to speak their language. They’ll be more than happy to assist you should you need help.
  • Bring a netbook, laptop, paper and pen, and recorder with you. In order to efficiently record your travel, you’ll need to record your thoughts. Bring whatever is most comfortable for you and won’t take up much space.

Travel writing tips

  • Write what you know. If you’re passionate about adventure travel, write about it. If you’re passionate about dude ranches, write about it. Also, think about what you liked and didn’t like about your past travels. How would that information help your fellow travelers? How would it benefit them? Once you find the answer, you’ll be on your way to become a travel writer.
  • Travel throughout your state and or country. Believe it or not, where you live is a destination for tourists. You could establish yourself as the ‘go-to’ travel writer in your area.
  • Find your voice. It’s flattering to emulate your favorite writers but write in your own voice; it will sound more authentic.
  • Decide what you want to write. You can write blogs, articles, a travel journal or memoir, guidebook, or fiction book based on your travels. Don’t limit yourself but chose a line of writing that’s best for you.

Freelance writing and travel writing are fun careers. If you’re traveling in 2011 and the coming years, why not turn your travels into cash? You’ll never know where it will lead you if you don’t take the plunge. Who knows, you could have your own show on The Travel Channel (I’m finding out how to pitch them ideas). Good luck!

Rebecca

Where are you traveling in 2011? Share.

Filed Under: Freelance Writers, Freelance Writing, Tips and Tricks, Travel Writing Tagged With: , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »