12 Simple Tips to Write Better Articles

Perhaps for some people to write a good article is a natural gift. But for the rest of us, normal people without having that particular ability, it is perfectly possible to learn how to write quality articles if you can keep some "very easy to learn" tips:

1.- Write a headline that describes the article in less than 7 words:

Many people get subscribed to more and more RSS feeds every day, so is important that your articles have a striking headline. A short and shocking message in your title will give you more chance of being read.

2.- To attract more to the reader make always a brief introduction:

The introduction must includes clarifying and non-developed ideas, you can expose the structure of your work. As you saw on the above step a great way to get your readers engaged is using a good title, but the strength of your first paragraph will determine whether they are inside or not. The first sentences of your article should be the title expanded using more specific terms about what the content has to offer.

3.- Be Explicit:

Start exposing your ideas in short phrases. The reader is a busy person with little time. The long sentences can bore or distract the reader. The short phrases are built more easily. For each important idea use always short and direct phrases. The short sentences produce more impact and are stored in the memory better.

4.- Divide up and you will win:

If the article is too long just creates different blocks using a subtitle on each one.

5.- Always follow a thematic order:

Divide your article into logical parts and put a subtitle on each of them.

6.- Use direct verbs:

Avoid the weak synonyms. Never use metaphors. Use adjectives or substantive keeping them: short, unambiguous, accurate and understandable for everyone.

7.- Be careful of interspersed phrases:

The interspersed phrases make unnecessarily long sentences. Some deep introductory ideas may confuse, obscure or blur the big picture.

8.- Do not change the subject without warning:

When you are developing a theme, all the ideas in their respective sentences run in parallel. If you talk about the difficulty of studying the history of the Mongols, finish the subject before moving on to the status of historical studies of the Mongols. Do not mix apples with pears. For each subtopic, use a different paragraph.

9.- Do not repeat the obvious:

The key for make unique articles is the innovation; try to say something new or memorable.

10.- Do not hesitate to use the dictionary; it is your best assistant:

Take care with the spelling and the grammar. Make that the writing flows effortlessly and easily. The text do not need to be complicated, the simplicity works better.

11.- As a rule, make it short:

Deletes unnecessary words and sentences. Keep only the minimum amount of information needed to reach the point. Readers will probably rely on something they know can be finished. Maybe you could make a long article for a very specific topic or reason, but as a matter of fact, you will be benefited by doing it shorter. If the minimum length for your article is just 500 words, do not make a 1200 words article, if you do so then is better to split it on a 2 part's article of 600 words each or maybe 2 different articles.

12.- Put some clear conclusions:

The better conclusions are always those that are composed in a clear outline form that resumes the main idea in a single paragraph.

An article is adorned most of the time for the perfect harmony among clear ideas, direct propositions, an appropriate language, simplicity, reflections and applications to the natural reader's life. Maybe you can ask if all this can be achieved in the same product. So, my answer is a simple one: Sure! Maybe not in a first try, but with persistence and a bit of effort, you will be writing excellent articles in short time.

About the Author:
Den Ari is webmaster of http://literature.tagdir.info/ where you can find a tags directory related to literature and writing, also you can find more information about http://movies.tagdir.info/ and http://music.tagdir.info/ .

Keyword tags: articles,writing,tips

Why Online Term Papers Are Not a Good Source For Educational Articles

When you're a newbie at search engine optimization, you are told that content is "king." If you want to succeed at Internet marketing, you must have keyword-enriched information in the form of educational articles… the type of content Internet users are looking for. However, some people get mislead at the term "educational article." Thinking that the content must be formal or academic, they may turn to an inappropriate source for their information… essay mills.

What are essay mills? Essay mills are sites that try to pass off college term papers as educational articles. These papers are often written by college students desperate to make money. However, things get shady because the content is meant to be used for dishonest purposes.

Yet, if you receive all of the rights associated with a term paper, why can't it be used as an educational article on your site? Well, first off, essay mills are not organizations that can be trusted. And even though there are students that submit their own papers, there are others that try to game the system. They submit plagiarized content from other sources, such as websites, books or magazine articles. From there they try to piece together an 'educational article' that is original. But once your site is up, Google will know differently because of its duplicate content penalty.

With Google's duplicate content penalty, sites that have content similar to another get a black mark with Google's bots. This means they will be indexed lastly, even if the site is worthwhile in other ways. And, if it is found out that all of the sites educational articles are plagiarized, it's possible the site could get blacklisted. When this happens, the site will not get indexed at all, even if it had been listed previously.

So, if essay mills are not an appropriate place to find your content, where can you find educational articles for your site? Well, if you don't have time to write them yourself, you could consider getting educational articles from article directories. You will have to include the URL of the author, but in return, you receive high-quality content that should rank well in Google. Just make sure you use content that has the least number of visits, so you limit the possibility of the duplicate content penalty.

Another option could involve buying educational articles from sites that sell private label content. With this arrangement, you own the rights to the article, so you are not obligated to post any of the author's original information. You can even put your name on the material if you wish. The only downside is if the content is distributed to a large group of people, you lose your SEO advantage. That's why you will want to try to buy plr content where you are the sole owner. In the plr world, this arrangement is known as "exclusive rights."

In conclusion, don't get your educational articles from essay mills. It's not worth risking your site's reputation. Instead, use article directories, buy plr content or even better, write your own.

About the Author:
Download Almost 30,000 Products Including Business to Business Education Industrial Management Promotion Publishing Reports Web Design Computing & Internet Browsers Domains Email Services Graphics Network Administration Programming Site Design and much much more at http://www.ebayjam.com

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6 Effective Writing Tips for the Internet

Don't Over Write

When you are writing for the Internet, writing too much is not good. In this case, less is more. It is a known fact that it is more difficult to read off of a computer monitor than reading from a written copy. It just is more difficult on the eyes and easier to get a case of eye strain. Try to cover your thoughts thoroughly and concisely as possible, avoid writing anything that is not necessary. Don't use more than 5-6 sentences in any paragraph. Keep them as concise and brief as possible .If you are writing about a comprehensive subject that cannot be covered thoroughly in a short article, make two articles out of it by calling them Part 1 and Part 2.

Keep Your Thoughts Focused

Concentrate on the main idea you want to get across for every paragraph. Make sure you go over everything you write to make sure you have stayed on your subject at hand. If you feel you have gone off track, get rid of the bad content and rewrite again focusing on your train of thought. The subject matter you are writing about should closely match up with the title of the article, or the heading. Your introduction should inform the viewer of the entire purpose of the article. Deliver what you promise in the title and introduction.

Always Come Across As Being Yourself

Be engaging in conversation, but write like you are in control at all times. Writing in a formal manner is not for the Internet. Writing in a casual, relaxed way is the right way. The exception to this is writing to highly trained professionals, or technical people about highly professional, or technical subject matter. Otherwise, don't be afraid to write in terms of first person and give your view of things. You can build a bond with your audience by sharing your experiences with them and showing your true personality. Don't be afraid to show that you are human just like them and share the same feelings and emotions, wants, and desires. They will think more highly of you, and you will gain their trust that way.

Don't Try Too Hard By Coming Across Too Strong

We have all seen it online. We see hyped up sites with outrageous claims, excessive exclamation points, over usage of fonts, different size fonts, etc. This is not the way to go. This only aggravates and irritates the reader, turns them off, and makes then want to run away from your site. You need to stress the positive points, avoid outrageous claims and don't make promises that you can't and won't keep or honor. Forget about hard selling. Make your products do the selling. Stress benefits, features, and give them honest comparisons between your products and others to get their respect and their business.

Write For The World To See

You need to think in terms of the world seeing your website. This is the World Wide Web, you need to remember that. That is what the www stands for. Because of this, people from various backgrounds, cultures, values, etc will be looking at your site. You couldn't get a broader audience if you tried! Be careful not to offend anyone with borderline photos and language that some may be inappropriate to foreigners. What may be ok for the American or British audience may not be for those in the orient or Arab countries. A lot of countries are a lot more conservative than the United States or Great Britain. You can have humor on your sites, but keep it in good taste, and don't offend any one by coming across as being racist or sexist.

Go Over Your Work

You will find that little mistakes that you don't think much about can stand out in the minds of some people. Also, keep in mind that one big mistake can undermine the professionalism you are trying to convey in your work. Make sure to reread everything you write, use spell checkers if you are a poor speller, and even have someone like a family member or good friend read it for you to get their opinion. Avoid grammatical mistakes, duplicating too many words, and missing punctuation.

About the Author:
Mark Barkow is a CPA affiliate promoter for enticements to people in exchange for just an email address or zip code. Get the complete setup for a very profitable FREE CPA campaign ready for you to copy in a step-by-step video tutorial, and start making money today. http://www.Make-Money-Easily.com

Keyword tags: home business,work at home,work online,money from home,internet work,work over internet,quick cash

Creative Writers Found Guilty of Murdering Babies!

When creative writers think of parenting, they normally think of someone biologically bearing a child, but there is more than one kind of parent. There is the unmarried parent, the divorced parent, the parent to be, and the adoptive parent, to name a few. But still there is another kind of parent we haven't named, and that is parenting the created word. Although it may not conjure up the same status as that of physical parenting, the labor is just as real.

Every writer knows their words are their babies, and heaven help the critic who says we should strike or change a few words here for there. Not only is it unforgivable, it cuts to the core of our being. This is one place that writer's groups provide an invaluable service. There is no better place to grow a thick skin than in a writer's group. After all, would you rather hear stinging criticism from another newb, or would you rather hear it from an editor who cares nothing about your pain?

There is a simple trick to avoiding this kind of literary suffering, and that is to murder your own babies. You will recognize them when a part of you cries out, "That doesn't really fit," and another part cries out, "But I like it!" You know in your heart it is time to pull out your scalpel and begin cutting. Although the wound will bleed, you will know you are maturing as a writer.

But far better than discarding the phrase altogether is dropping it into a special file. One of these days you will find the perfect place for that phrase.

The best time to murder your babies is when you edit for verbiage (wordiness). Say the same thing in fewer words. Trim away the fat and leave only the lean. That means edit scenes, edit dialog, and edit the plot in general. Brevity is the key ingredient that must stay. Say it with less. Say it better. Jazz your verbs.

Especially look for prepositional phrases. You should never have more than three prepositional phrases to a sentence, whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction. Let's be honest – all writers use padding. It is a little-thought-of procedure whereby we writers drag on a scene or dialog.

Have you ever seen a jokester who has his pulse on the audience drag the joke out… and out… and out… until you just wish it was over with? That is a sure sign of someone enjoying their 15 minutes of fame and not wanting it to end. It's the same thing with us writers. We have the audience in the palm of our hands and we hate to let them go. But let them go we must, because the readers need time to rest their minds so they can better absorb the chunks of meat we have just fed them.

So the next time you are editing, get the scalpel and bandages out and prepare to dissect. Although the parent will barely survive, the baby will be perfect. See more writing tips below.

About the Author:
Ms. Deb is the CEO & Founder of two writing schools. Her newest school, http://creativewritinginstitute.com, majors on tutoring.> Deborah and her husband live in an RV and tour America as they have opportunity. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Keyword tags: creative writers,creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tips

Creative Writers Can Make Money 6 Different Ways

When there are so many creative writers out there, why is it that so relative few are published? Could it be that they don't have the self-confidence to move forward to publication? Or is it because they don't know how to get published?

Every creative writer soars when they see their first byline. Every writer should have that experience. Seeing your work in print is something that will never grow old. Call it a pride thing, if you will. Call it an ego trip. Call it self-centered. Call it what you want. Published writers call it slavery and reward, zest and zeal, salary and bonus.

So how do you get your work published? It really isn't that hard. The hard part is in your self-discipline to follow through. Try these things:

1. Go to your local newspaper and ask for a reporting job. Local papers usually have an opening for a reporter that will cover such things as Chamber of Commerce events, School Board reports, and sports functions.

2. It makes little difference whether or not you get that job. There are other ways to wiggle your way into a newspaper. Look for accidents to report. While you wait for the mess to be cleared away, interview people who saw the accident and take pictures. (The paper will give you $5 extra for each picture they use.) Ask one of the policemen which officer is in charge. Go up to that officer with all the brass in your bones and tell him you are a stringer for _________ (name of local paper). (Anyone can be a stringer.) Ask if you can see him after the accident is cleared away. At that time, he will give you the names, ages, and perhaps addresses of those involved in the accident. This is time sensitive reporting, so get it to the newspaper quick.

3. Look for people who have unusual hobbies and interview them. Turn the interview into your local newspaper, and don't forget the pictures.

4. Look for people doing weird things – like skiing down a dry street in the spring. That really happened. That was a news story waiting to be written!

5. Keep the money rolling by resubmitting the same stories to small newspapers all over the United States. The library will supply you with an extensive list of thousands of newspapers. One article regularly resubmitted can net you hundreds of dollars!

6. When you have shown your local newspaper editor that you can get the job done, and done well, go back and ask for that reporting job over and over. Fill out an application. One of these days a spot will open up and guess who he will think of first. You.

The great thing about submitting news articles is that it doesn't take much talent; beginners have a good shot at being published; and it is a great way to get your first published clippings. Newspapers pay on acceptance, too, so it is quick money. Start reporting today!

About the Author:
Ms. Deb is the CEO & Founder of two writing schools. Her newest school, http://creativewritinginstitute.com, majors on tutoring.> Deborah and her husband live in an RV and tour America as they have opportunity. They have two children and four grandchildren.

Keyword tags: creative writers,creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tip

Creative Writers Build 2-D and 3-Dimensional Characters

Every main character must be a three-dimensional person. Exactly what does that mean? It means they must be like real people who have nuances, nervous habits, attitudes, bad habits, good habits, a past, present, and future, and are often unpredictable. This is what it takes to make a believable character.

Minor characters can be two-dimensional. Their history need not be so deep, and all of their little quirks need not be revealed. However, you should know them and their quirks just as well as your 3-D characters.

If you will do the following exercise just twice, you will never have to do it again. It will come to you automatically from then on. Every story will have a protagonist (white hat guy) and an antagonist (villain). For these two characters, create a long and detailed background of what they are like.

1. What are their attitudes?
2. How do they talk?
3. What flaws do they have?
4. What emotional problems do they have?
5. Where are they from?
6. What was their childhood like?
7. What was it like?
8. What are their actions like?
9. Do they walk fast or slow?
10. What is their mood most of the time? Somber? Dramatic? Joking? Angry?
11. How do they get along with their family?
12. Describe their past life.
13. What is their Holiday season like?

What kinds of "warts" do your characters have? (Warts are something that distinguishes one character from another.) It can be a limp, a real wart on the nose, a person's bald head, lots of make-up, strange clothing, an emotional disturbance, or anything else you decide upon. These warts help the reader keep the characters straight in their mind.

Let's look at some warts on characters: Let's say a woman's son is getting married. She is overweight and she goes to the story to catalog order a dress for the wedding. The dress is for her, but she orders it two sizes smaller than she is. What does this tell you about this lady?

a. She has high hopes of losing weight before the wedding
b. She is proud
c. She has high hopes of losing lots of weight
d. She is determined
e. She is the kind of person who will see things through to the bitter end.

You can learn all these things by an emotional wart. Let's try another.

A woman is insanely stressed over the varicose veins in her legs, yet she eventually changes to wearing shorts and bathing suits in public. Why? This is a classic demonstration of a character change (directly due to the wart), based on the man vs. man conflict. (Search 4 conflicts of writing.) This can be one of the strongest types of stories if it is done well.

To make your 3-D characters, make a list of 50 things that will answer every question there is to ask about your character. Now make a list of very basic traits for your 2-D characters. For additional writer's tips, see below.

About the Author:
Private tutoring, $185 for 8 wks. at: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com - the only fully mentored writing school on the net. Take your classes any time in the next year. Sale ends Jan. 1, 2009! Only 15 to a class. Reserve your space now!

Keyword tags: creative writers,creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tips

Creative Writers Should Know These 5 Things About Entering Writing Contests

Most creative writers have a secret desire to enter a writing or poetry contest at some point in life. Yet they stifle that desire by thinking they aren't good enough to enter. It's one thing to analyze your writing and know that you are not a Thoreau or Stephen King, and it is altogether another to think so little of your writing that you won't take the chance on entering contests.

It is a fearsome thing to write and let others read your writing – particularly when you're not used to it. This is where writing clubs come in very handy. Join with other writers. Post your work in your port where other writers can see it and leave comments on it. Then you can read their work and comment on theirs. Don't be concerned if you feel inadequate to critique someone else. You will learn as you go.

The writing groups hold lots of different kinds of contests. The prizes are very small, but the point is, it is a wonderful place to begin entering contests.

But for those who are ready to venture forth to something larger, search "writing contests" on the net and you will find all you want. The trick becomes, how to sort them out. Which ones do you enter? Use this as a guide:

· Watch out for contest scams. These contests will want you to pay $50 entry fee, and virtually all of the entrants receive a letter telling them they have won. When you reply, they will want another $20 for a biography, and later on you can pay a little more and become a grand prize winner. The "winners" are told their work will appear in an anthology (collection of short stories or poetry), but of course, you have to buy that, too. Then you are supposed to sell them to your friends and neighbors. A little common sense goes a long way in this kind of thing.

· Follow the direction to a tee. This cannot be expressed strongly enough. Do exactly what you are told or your entry will be thrown out.

· By entering smaller contests, you will have a greater chance of winning. Larger contests such as Writer's Digest has over 16,000 entrants.

· What you should expect to pay: your entry fee and reading fee should be all you have to pay. These fees are what subsidize the awards, so the fees are necessary. Fees for lesser expensive contests will total $20 to $35. Yes, that is per entry.

· Winning the lottery is much akin to winning a writing contest. Against all odds, even when you think you don't deserve to win and then you do, it is the ultimate high! No writer should cheat himself/herself out of this great learning experience.

Choose the contest that best suits you and your pocketbook and go for it! Contests usually come out in the spring and fall, so plan to gamble that much on yourself twice a year. See more free writing tips below.

About the Author:
Private tutoring, $185 for 8 wks. at: http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com - the only fully mentored writing school on the net. Take your classes any time in the next year. Sale ends Jan. 1, 2009! Only 15 to a class. Reserve your space now!

Keyword tags: creative writers,creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tips

Freelance Writing Jobs - Tips to Help Writers Handle Tough Clients

As an online freelance writer, you'll deal with clients from all walks of life. Some project will be perfect, and when that happens, you can hopefully turn that one project into a long-term relationship. However, no matter how well you write, you will sometimes run across clients who make your job extremely hard. Here's a guide to handling the toughest kinds of clients out there:

THE WRITING JOB CLIENT WHO DOESN'T PAY

As a freelance writer, especially online, you need to protect yourself. There are tons of people who will try to get free work out of you, and online, it is easy to delete an email address and disappear. Before you start a project, make sure you exchange offline contact information (and verify it). You should also sign a contract to protect both of you. If the project is for a significant amount of money, it is also a good idea to arrange for pay in increments, especially when dealing with a client for the first time.

Of course, this doesn't help you if you are already dealing with a client that hasn't paid you. If this is the case, you can pursue the matter in court if you have a contract and contact information. Otherwise, you can use a web search service like www.copyscape.com to look for your work. If you find it online, you might be able to do a search at www.whois.com to find contact information. You can also contact the host provider to alert them that the work has been stolen, and they should respond by taking it down.

THE CLIENT WHO CHANGES HIS OR HER MIND

Nothing is more infuriating than throwing away your hard work because a client changes his or her mind half way through the project – or worse, after you've submitted first drafts. As a freelance writer, you should expect that your clients will want revisions from time to time. After all, no one is perfect. However, if you followed directions and provided a good copy the first time around, clients do not have the right to request major rewrites just because they changed their mind about something.

Be accommodating. If revisions will only take you a short amount of time, sometimes your best course of action is to do the revisions with a smile on your face, collect your payment, and decline future projects or more carefully discuss needs in the future. Your contract should always clearly define what revisions are free and what revisions must be bought.

If your client is asking for total rewrites, even though you did a good job on the originals, be wary. Sometimes, scammers use this technique to get double the amount of work from you, correctly suspecting that most writers never check the web for drafts they didn't officially sell. You should also be wary of clients who cancel the project after you've already done most of the work. Be respectful, but always voice your concerns and ask for payment for the work you've done. You deserve it.

THE CLIENT WHO IS NEVER PLEASED

If you're receiving negative feedback from all of your clients, you might want to reconsider the quality of your work or your readiness for the writing industry. However, if you mainly have happy clients, chances are that continuous negative feedback from one person isn't a reflection of you. Some people are just really hard to please.

It can help if you have very clear expected standards. Here again, a contract comes in handy, but it might also help you if the client sends you an example of the work he or she is looking for from you. Sometimes, you just aren't hitting the mark, and a simple change can clear that up, saving both you and the client time.

Keep in mind, though, that you can never please everyone. If you're dealing with a client who doesn't like your personal writing style or who gives you feedback in a condescending way, sometimes it is simply best if you go your separate ways amicably at the end of your current project.

No matter who your client may be, try to do the best job possible. Some people clash personalities or try to take advantage of one another, but remember that you can always turn down projects and look for new jobs.

About the Author:
Never rely on a single client for most of your income; that way, you'll always have the freedom to choose the clients best for you. Learn about writing jobs from Lisa Jenkins, who contributes to http://www.JobMonkey.com/ - the job board for ambitious job seekers. Kick start your writing career!

Keyword tags: clients,jobs,writing job,freelance writer,online

Affiliate Marketing For Beginners: Writing With a Plan

How to Create an Outline for Your Article

Article Writing

Pick a Plan and Stick to It

Writing of an any sort requires some forethought and a plan. The plan varies according to what you are going to write and who your intended audience is. For example if you are writing to your loved one, you will let the thoughts and words flow from the heart. In that case, stream of feeling or consciousness frames your plan.

If you are writing a sonnet, you will need to respect the rules of sonnet writing; iambic pentameter and fourteen lines of rhyme.

When you are going to write an article for your blog or website, then a more accepted form to use is the Cartesian formula. It is what I remember being taught in school and it has worked for me ever since because it makes sense.

Here is how it works:

Headline

A bold statement announcing about the issue, problem or idea you are going to write about.

Introduction

This is where you present the idea or issue outlined in the headline. It is the place where you are telling your audience what you are going to do. If you have done your research, you are going to cover a problem or offer a solution you know your reader would like to read about.

Paragraph One –The Problem

This is where you lay out the issue and problem that is of concern to your reader. In the case of a product or service, this is where you introduce the information from the point of view of the reader. You demonstrate that you know how the reader feels and thinks about a problem or life experience and you establish a rapport with your reader.

Paragraph Two-The Solution

With the problem well defined and articulated, you can now move to offer some ideas about how to find the solution and make things better. A list of remedies that take care of each concern, one by one, is what is needed here. This gives your audience the chance to process the information and think about the outcome and what it means to them.

Paragraph Three-Proof

In this section you offer proof. This is where testimonials, reports with data, and corroborating information is presented. Testimonials are living proof and often are instrumental in helping your reader overcome any doubts they may have. If they identify with the people in the testimonials, then they are more likely to build a sense of trust.

Reports and any information with data are also important. They can be verified to make sure that the information is reliable. They can also be checked out to test for any bias or slanting of the data. They can legitimize the stated testimonial and benefits offered. They are ways your readers can overcome objections they are feeling.

Conclusion

The conclusion is a restatement of your introduction. In the introduction you tell your reader what your are going to do. In the conclusion, you tell the reader what you have just done. You can also add a call to action if the article calls for one. Generally you want to recap the benefits of the information you have just offered and move the reader to internalize what they have just read. If you have connected you have achieved the ultimate goal.

With this structure, you should be able to write articles for your product or service with ease and confidence.

May Your Travels Be Prosperous

About the Author:
Over the past 20 years Claude Pelanne has worked in a series of startup ventures including some of the first commercial webcasts. He is an internet marketer and serial entrepreneur. Feel free to distribute this article in any form as long as you include the resource box. For tips and resources to get into internet marketing visit http://affiliatestartingline.com affiliatestartingline or http://www.twitter.com/cpelanne claudepelanne

Keyword tags: affiliate marketing for beginners,article marketing,article,ariticle writing,affiliate marketing,internet marketing,affiliate marketing programs,internet marketing programs

Creative Writers, Unite!

When I started creative writing, I felt like the Lone Ranger. I didn't know a single writer, or a single writing rule, for that matter. Further, I had no idea where to go to get the knowledge. Creative writing classes were too expensive, and it never occurred to me that the library had a wealth of information at my disposal (duh); thus, I was totally on my own. There is no worse way to learn writing than that.

After writing for two decades, I accidentally stumbled into a creative writing group. It made a huge difference in my life. It was there that I found leadership capabilities; it was there that I ventured into the vast, empty space beyond anything I had ever dreamed. As a direct result, I have founded two writing schools.

Here are six good reasons why you should join a writer's group:

· Find other writers who think and act as you do. You can talk in forums, by email, or chat privately. Other writers understand how you feel.

· Other writers can critique your work, and you will critique theirs. By this simple but effective method, you can improve your writing by leaps and bounds. (Don't get your feelings hurt by someone criticizing your favorite story. On the contrary – use 95% of their suggestions to edit it, and then put it out again for more reviews.)

· Being part of a writing community gives you awesome opportunities to search out latent talents and bring them to life. You can create contests (or help others who create them). If you like graphics, you will have a wonderful opportunity to sell them and gain exposure.

· You can browse various ports and read material by other authors. Then it will be your duty to give a review on their work. The more detailed your critique, the more they will appreciate it. Tell them if they miss a comma, or should have used a semi-colon; tell them if their plot was thin or the scenery didn't convey to an image in your mind. This is what they need to know to improve their performance. By interacting in this way, you will soon learn what is good and bad writing, and what you want to emulate, and what you should avoid.

· If you are an experienced writing, stretch yourself by experimenting with a new genre. A writing group is the perfect place to try out new material.

· Prove all the people wrong who said you will never finish what you start, and that you will never be a real writer! A writer's group is the best place possible to practice your trade to perfection.

You will find dozens of writing sites to choose from. Yahoo has an unlimited number, but another site that you should check out is Writing.com. It is one of the leading writing groups on the net. It has a lot to offer. Membership is free, and you will receive lots of instructions to help you get started.

Find more free writer's information below.

About the Author:
Have your own private tutor at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com - the only fully mentored writing school. Bargain basement prices until Jan. 1, 2009. Take your classes any time in the next year. To receive our newsletter or a free evaluation of your writing, write to deborahowen@cwinst.com. S

Keyword tags: creative writers,creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tips

Creative Writers, Learn the Five Laws of Conflict

Creative writers know that every climactic scene is emphasized by the conflict within it. The conflict can be anything that creates tension, anxiety, uncertainty, incompatibility, or opposing forces. It can be an argument, a scene of abuse, a rapist resisting the urge, two sisters fighting over a boy, or a man in a sailboat trying to survive a storm. All of these conflicts and more are normally divided into four groups. I have added a fifth group.

1. Man versus Man

James Bond would fit in this category – a spy who is out to save the world from a terrorist. Or it could be a war between the north and the south, a mother against a child, a captain against his crew, a couple breaking up a romance or even fairy tales like Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel – all of them would fit here.

2. Man versus Nature

Survival stories are a great example of man versus nature. This could be a person fighting a pack of wolves, the Titanic against an iceberg, farmers surviving a dust storm, or the Gulf Coast bracing for a hurricane. This could even include a person who is dying of cancer, or someone on a dialysis machine. Fairy tale examples would be Little Red Riding Hood (a girl against the wolf), and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

3. Man versus Self

Man versus self places the character in conflict with himself, his will, emotions, thoughts, or fears. The resolution to the story will come when the character finds the solution to his problem. Some of the greatest battles ever fought are when a person fights within himself. It could be a priest who is in love with a woman, a killer deciding on whether to kill his victim, or a repentant robber who is thinking about returning the loot. Pinocchio would also fit in this category.

4. Man versus Society

Man versus society pits the protagonist against the greater whole of the social traditions or concepts. Sometimes, this is represented as a single character. Good examples of this would be social literature like 1984 by George Orwell or some Victorian literature, like Wuthering Heights. Almost all of our modern Disney adaptation fairytales have a bit of this element. This would also apply to Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, who wants to break free of the traditional roles of women as property; or Princess Ariel, who wants to become a human.

5. Man Against Machine

A movie that has men pitted against robots would be a good illustration for this category. Lots of sci-fi films would fit into this division. Star Trek's own robot/man, Data, would qualify. Think of the many times this "machine" outwitted men. This category is pretty self-explanatory.

Every story you can think of will fall into one of these five categories. When you want to write a story, develop a conflict scene using one of these divisions, find the resolution to the story, add the beginning, and voila! You have a full-fledged story!

See below for free writing information.

About the Author:
Have your own private tutor at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com - the only fully mentored writing school. Bargain basement prices until Jan. 1, 2009. Take your classes any time in the next year. To receive our newsletter or a free evaluation of your writing, write to deborahowen@cwinst.com. S

Keyword tags: creative writers,creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tips

Grammar Writing Software - Easily Fix Your Broken English!

English writing can't be easily automated. Fact is, writing is still a very human task with many flavors, styles but foremost: rules to obey. Writing is a process which involves several steps like: pre-writing, revising, drafting and editing. Next fact is, writing is not that easy, especially if you are proof reading or editing. Writing is a skill which you can improve through time, hard work, but also with proper tools and training. You do not need to go back to school just to learn it again because it might take you ages to perfect it, if you wish too. The newest technology in writing, advanced grammar writing software is the solution for your writing problems in case you missed something in school, or just want to instantly write professional English without going back to school. This software has the latest checking technology built-in, also called a Natural Language Processing system which is a sophisticated way of correcting spelling, complicated grammar mistakes, typos, and punctuation marks.

Grammar Writing Software is both beneficial to English native speakers and ESL students. It helps out in proofreading, editing and change the way you write in English. It focuses on one very important goal, and that is to improve English writing by analyzing your letter or text, identify grammatical and spelling errors as well as correcting and editing.

It is important to note that grammar writing software works in three ways: Analysis, comparison and correction. There are several important aspects that are common to most of these solutions and it includes quick analysis for proper grammar, spelling and punctuation, and even text enrichment suggestions.

Can this English grammar writing software really help us? Can it really make our life easy? There are many advantages we can get if we use the software.

* It improves your grammar level

* Improves your image you want to project to people

* Saves you time and cost like hiring experts

There are more advantages that might not be mentioned here but for sure it will would help you to write better and on an advanced level in a minute, improving your English to sophisticated.

If you are one of the millions who must write in English well because what you're doing now demands you too, then the software is best for you. Imagine it will help you improve your writing naturally. Having this software is like having a virtual teacher built into your computer and in the comforts of your home or anywhere.

Actually, English is not one of the easiest languages in the world, a native speaker or not both commits mistakes in grammar. Improving your writing skills will also improve your speaking skills. Here are five reasons why you need to use the grammar writing software.

The Natural Language Processing technology which was mentioned earlier is one of the most powerful advantages (benefits) you can get from the English grammar writing software. This technology will surely enhance your existing text editors, improving your word choices with synonyms, adjectives, and adverbs suited to your text. It assures to provide you with extra capabilities that do not exist in conventional word processors like your spellchecker.

Such software surely is the new technology that you need to avail to improve your English writing skills. It is never to late to start writing on a high level. It is actually the right time to take advantage of this technology.

About the Author:
Watch how innovative English Writing Software instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write better English than your English teacher. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: Grammar Writing Software, Grammar Writing, Grammar Writer, Grammar Writing Program, Writing

Software Grammar Check - Check Grammar & Write English Like a Pro!

Writing is a skill which only can be improved through time, with proper training and proper tools. Well, this might be true. But tools can give you the edge and also make you write like an expert in a matter of a mouse click. If you use the right checker. While it is good to attend English schools for you to improve your writing skills, if you do not have the time, then most likely you cannot have the proper training you desired. If you think this is so, then you are wrong. With the help of a software grammar check, you are given the privilege to improve your writing skills. It may not be in a normal school but having the software means you have a virtual teacher that teaches you at the comfort of your home.

How can a software grammar check teaches you how to write properly? While you are writing, the software is also proofreading and editing your work and makes sure that it is correct. This continual process will be your key in your learning. The software will continuously correct and check your grammar, while you are writing to make it more stylish and elegant. The ideas that have been suggested by the software will slowly but surely improve your proofreading skills. It will then help you develop perfection in your writing skills.

Taking a closer look:

The software grammar check is using a system called NLP or >Natural Language Processing system which is an advanced text checking technology that checks articles or text. It works by checking the text as a whole not only in single words like what the common spellchecker do. In other words, it will not only check for spelling errors but so with grammar and punctuation. It also has the capability to suggest a variety of words for you to use and will even suggest how you will use the words. The use of the software gives us some advantages:

* The integrated grammar and writing checking engine checks your grammar and spelling and instantly gives a feedback as you write. Not only to write but also to learn English. By writing down the basic ideas of what you intend to write or want to say, the software goes trough your written content, checks for mistakes and corrects them by giving you a feedback. Obviously you'll also learn something by writing proper English. It even remembers your mistakes and suggests alternatives based on them. If you're not an English native speaker but have to communicate in English every day, this is the perfect software for you.

* If you are a businessperson, it will improve your business communication skills and you will be able to write better business correspondence letters, emails, notes, notices and more.

* People will look at you as a very professional and well-educated person.

* If you are just an employee, it will be an added asset in your part

* If you are as student, it will help you with your writing problems like thesis writing.

* It will make your life easy

* It will help you save time and money. No more paying expensive professional fees for professional proofreaders or editors.

This new technology (software grammar check) in grammar correcting helps you to improve your writing style. This is very important because it will help you write like the pros!

About the Author:
Watch how innovative software to check grammar instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write better English than your English teacher. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: software grammar check, grammar check, software to check grammar, grammar checker, grammar

Grammar And Spelling Software – 3 Reasons To Start Using It!

Proofreading is one thing you may want to consider after having written a first version of your document, email or message. Grammar and spelling checking software can help you with that. It can help you to solve three major problems concerning writing.

1. It solves spelling mistake. This is a very common issue that people sometimes encounter. This usually happens when you are typing so fast like doing many articles and most of the times you may not be able to think about spellings or any possible mistakes that can be made. When you are in a business, this can be possibly be harmful for you or even in social life since it might happen that people will misunderstand on what you are trying to say or explain because of the spelling errors. You do not want that to happen, right? So you might want to use software that checks the grammar and spelling of your composition. Having errors on your spelling may cause you to have a bad image. Just like when you are in a business, when you make a mistake on your writing and then people notice it can create a negative feedback in a way they think of you.

2. It corrects grammar and punctuation errors. There are still a lot of people does make mistakes on their grammar as well as using punctuation which they do not even recognize or realize it. With grammar and spelling software, it will correct your mistakes in grammar so you will not be worrying anymore sending documents if you have a poor grammar. It will also help you in choosing on what word you are going to use just in case you will be confuse since you can look up on the built in dictionary for reference and sometimes give you suggestion on words and phrases that you can possibly use to improve your style in writing.

3. It can improve professionalism and clarity. With grammar and spelling software it can help you make your writing composition clearer, professional, and persuasive. Effectiveness of your message will improve if you have written your document with no mistakes whether in writing personal or business document or even if just you are a student.

If you are looking for a solution that not only checks for grammar mistakes - which many older program tend to do, but also want to check for spelling errors, this is the final solution for you.
Many years of experience made this product what it is. A full-fledge premium writing, grammar and spell checking solution, recognized as the number 1 tool in the English writing software market by many professional magazines.

It's technically also able to give hints on sentence structure, therefore analyzes a document in a whole and not only word by word, or sentence by sentence. Alone that feature gives you an important edge over your competition, co-workers or within a job recruitment process (by showing up with the best resume i.e.).
All in all, grammar and spelling software can improve your writing style with minimum or less time and effort. If you do lots of writing activities and wants your tasks to be easier, then, grammar and spelling software is an excellent choice.

About the Author:
Watch how innovative software to check grammar and spelling instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write better English than your English teacher. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: Grammar software, spelling software, grammar spelling, spelling checker, spell check, grammar check

English Grammar Software – 6 Reasons to Grab It!

Are you one of those people whose job needs an incredible amount of writing?

Or are you a student who has to write a thesis and wants the written text being checked on grammatical, punctuation or sentence construction errors and faults?

Or you may be just someone who wants to improve the English writing skills.

So, possibly you want to avail of English software that will help you with your entire writing tasks, problems and issues now and in the future.

The so-called English software we are talking about is an advanced grammar checking program used by many professionals like English teachers, proofreaders or tutors. It corrects your mistakes way better than the built-in checking engines in Word resp. MS Office in example. It can help you to write better than the old-fashioned spell checker that you are already used to. Some functions are the same, like it checks spelling and is also compatible with your text and word processing programs. But you may be surprised because it does far beyond what you think English software programs are able to do
Here are five reasons why you need to use the English software:

1. The software program reads sentences contextually. Unlike the spellchecker which only read single words, this software program reads the whole context in a sentence. It simply means that it understands how a sentence should read and it is able to spot and correct errors.

2. It helps you use correct punctuation as well as grammar. Because of the NLP system or the Natural Language Processing system this software is using, it is able to find not only spelling errors but also punctuation and especially grammar. This enables you or anyone using this software to write in confidence.

3. The software has the capability to suggest alternative words and phrases. It cannot only correct your mistakes, but it can also suggest alternative words and phrases. In the process, it helps you widen your vocabulary and a better command of the English language.

4. It makes you write clearer than before. Whatever you are trying to convey in your writing, it can be made clearer, more accurate and more persuasive than before by having your errors corrected using the software.

5. It is a powerful tool to save time and money. Instead of using your time proofreading, editing and worrying if your writing is correct, you can use it by writing more articles. Also, you do not need to pay for someone to edit your work. Totally this software program is a time saver for writers and people whose work demands writing.

An English software program on expert-level is not just very handy, yes almost indispensable if you have to write proper English on a daily basis or need larger documents to be checked, it is also very easy to use because it was made by English teachers for English students and of course other professionals. Easily get around the hassles of not knowing how to apply grammar rules. The built-in checking engine also helps you to learn from your mistakes by giving an instant feedback on what you write. Once you've used it for a while you won't miss it anymore and you will easily get use to it. So, whatever your job is as long it includes or demands you to write, this software is a sure and effective way to get the work done perfectly.

About the Author:
Watch how innovative English grammar software instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write better English than your English teacher. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: English Grammar Software, Grammar software, Grammar program, Grammar checker, Check Grammar

Creative Writers, Should You Take a Writing Course?

We creative writers are an odd bunch. Sometimes we can write. Sometimes we can't. Sometimes we need inspiration. Sometimes we don't. Sometimes we really feel like a writer. Other times we feel like we're only playing at writing.

For all the wannabe writers out there, you need to know that if you can sit down and write about a picnic, a family function you attended, or a dream you had – you can be a writer! You just have to channel your abilities in the right direction. The writing trade isn't that hard to learn.

· Do you need a challenge in your life? A challenge to be something more than you are? Look inside yourself and what do you see? A new self trying to get out? How would you like to evolve into that new person? There is no better way to do that than through a writing course. As you create characters and look at the world through their eyes, you will drift into a new dimension of life. In addition, every piece of research, every piece of creativity will broaden your horizons and open your mind to new challenges. Become something you aren't by honing your writing skills. Dare to see what you can be.

· Are your writing skills gathering rust? Wouldn't you like to stir the muse until you are compelled to write? Sometimes it takes a writing course to overcome the tediousness of daily life and help set a new routine. Do yourself a favor. March out the rhythm of your life to a new beat set by a writer's course.

· Or perhaps you are an advanced writer. Maybe you think you would be bored in a class, and that you might not learn anything new. If that is the case, branch out into a new field, if only for the experience of new zeal. Stretch yourself. If you have always written romance, change to writing for children, horror, sci-fi, or fantasy – there is so much to learn! The point is, don't stagnate where you are. Grow by taking a writing course.

· Do you dangle your participles like worms? Do you split your infinitives like wood? Do you even know what dangling participles and split infinitives are? If not, a refresher course is definitely in order.

Perhaps you would like to write articles to make money. *ka-ching* Or spread your wings in Short Story writing, Fantasy writing , Wordsmithing, Sci-Fi, Horror, Romance… the possibilities are endless.

Prove the naysayers wrong by taking a writing class and showing them your homework and grades. It will help you gain independence and you will earn new stability in your life. You know, sometimes you have to encourage yourself because no one else will do it. Taking a writing course is a great way to put lift into your life.

Any way you look at it, taking a writing course is a good choice, and this is the best time of year to catch writing course specials. Do it today! See below for today's specials!

About the Author:
Deborah invites you to check out the biggest writing course value of the year - eight week, fully mentored writing courses for only $185! Take your classes any time in the next year. Check it out at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Sign up for our newsletter for more writing tips.

Keyword tags: creative writers, creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tip

Book Review: Tsunami by Gordon Gumpertz

Could a tsunami hit Southern California? The answer to that question is a resounding yes. The whole area is geologically very active, so it is certainly a possibility. This is the premise behind Gordon Gumpertz's new book Tsunami.

I enjoyed this novel a great deal, Gordon has done a very good job of building his characters and also developing the plot. The heroes are knights in shining armor, and the bad guys are straight from the loins of Satan, this is what a true adventure/thriller/action novel should be.

Our heroes are Dr. Leilani (Lani) Sanches a seismologist who is convinced by her computer model that a huge seismic event is going to occur offshore, and cause a colossal loss of life. Unfortunately Lani finds herself at odds with other leading researchers and her University, who for a variety of reasons, not least of which is monetary, would prefer to down play the issue. Our other hero is Coast guard Commander Dave Steel, who also believes Southern California is in imminent danger.

Our bad guys are a motley assortment of thugs and criminals. most notably George Hacker international shipping magnet and gun smuggler, his main hit man Ho Kai Fat who seems to have been loosely based on the James Bond villain Oddjob, and Harley Wamp, a greedy land developer.

Gordon Gumpertz has done a great job of intertwining what are really three separate stories into one. We have the 'disaster' aspect of a predicted tsunami, we have David Steel trying to solve how huge amounts of cheap illegal weapons of Asian origin are finding their way to the west coast of the US, and we have Harley Wamp who stands to make or lose billions of dollars on a land development in Camp Pendleton. For those of you not familiar with Southern California, Camp Pendleton is a huge marine base that lies between Oceanside and San Clemente, should the marines ever move out, this would indeed be 26 miles of very prime beach front real estate!

Tsunami is a tsunami from page one. Gordon Gumpertz wastes no time, the story starts with a bang, and the reader is off on a 300-page wild adventure. Will a caldera form offshore, will the source of the gun smuggling be found, and what will happen with the land speculation?

I will not give the plot away, but I will say this. Using a very subjective guide, the Simon system of book rating, you can determine how good a book is by the total elapsed time that it takes me to read it. Most books I read 50 pages, and go do something else, read another 50 pages, go do something else, so the normal book takes a couple of days. With Tsunami I sat on the porch, and read it cover to cover in about 4 hours! I could not put it down. I know this is a cliché, but I have to say it anyway, Tsunami is a page turner.

You can pick up your copy of Tsunami from Amazon.

About the Author:
Simon Barrett is the senior editor for http://www.bloggernews.net and maintains a personal blog at http://zzsimonb.blogspot.com. Now semi retired in the depths of Mississippi he has plenty of time to read books by up and coming authors.

Keyword tags: tsunami, weather, natural disasters, nature, man-made disasters, thriller, adventure novels

Destined to Fight Hitler

Grandma Annie, who often took me shopping in preschool and grammar school days, on two occasions took me on foot to the nearby synagogue for Friday night services, called in Yiddish shool. My impression was that she attended frequently and was the only one in my family who could be considered religious. I recall at the services only a few were present and they seemed to me all grandmothers, certainly no other children. I was much taken by the service, and comforted with its prayers, singing by the cantor, response of the participants, and perhaps a sermon and organ music. I never attended a synagogue again until, acceding to the desires of a few Jewish classmates, I went on the high holidays, Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana, once or twice during my MIT undergraduate years.

When I was a preschooler a playmate asked me if I was Jewish. No one had ever asked me that. My mother heard me answer, "I don't know." She made this into a family joke, repeated a few times to the great enjoyment of relatives. Some years later I studied a little Hebrew in supposed anticipation of a bar mitzvah, including some private lessons for me and a cousin my age. When I was not enthused by the private lesson teacher, my mother stopped the process and I was never bar mitzvahed. I was certainly not converted to religiosity of any kind by such experiences.

What did involve me deeply were the discussions at dinner between Mom, Dad, Annie, Uncle Eddie, Grandpa Max, and sometimes others about what was happening to the Jews in Germany. Mostly I listened. Over the dinner table, Hitler and his gang were discussed as archvillains, the world's greatest evil. Every piece of national and international news was parsed as to whether it was good for the Jews or bad for the Jews. Much of the news available in the U.S. was sketchy. Before I was ten it came through to me that I would have to fight the Germans someday. When I walked home from school in the fourth grade for the first time with two classmates, David Haggerty and Heinz Moes, the war was still years away. Heinz had a German accent and was smaller than me. I began pushing him around. David did nothing. I soon realized I was bullying Heinz, not Adolf Hitler, and I desisted. I got along fine with Heinz thereafter.

My grandparents on my mother's side, Max and Annie, had separately immigrated from the Austro-Hungarian empire, Annie not far from Vienna, Max more in present-day Hungary. They came through Ellis Island in the early1890s, worked their way out of the Lower East Side of New York City, loved America, and were very patriotic, especially Max, who had unsuccessfully tried to enlist in the Spanish-American war. I can remember him taking me to see a Memorial Day parade, the year 1930 or close. At one point he got very excited as he caught sight of a small contingent of old soldiers, more ambling than marching. "I didn't know any of those guys were still alive." They were Civil War veterans. Much later I figured out they had to be at least eighty years old—about the same age I am now.

My father's father, Wolf Kay, came about the same time from Russia to London, where he worked for a few years learning the tailoring business. All my grandparents left the old country to avoid pogroms and military drafts. A word about names: My parents and grandparents were given Yiddish names by their parents before they adopted American (i.e. English) names when needed in the U.S. Not true in my generation. We were 100 percent Americans. I never even learned Yiddish, in part because my relatives used the language to talk over the heads of the children. Well, let them do that, was my reaction. I'll never learn their dumb language. So there!

When I was nine or ten, Max decided to go back to see his relatives and to assess the Eastern European situation. I was excited by the prospect. There was some discussion about his taking me with him. He decided against it. When he came back from Europe, in my hearing he said little about what he witnessed. He had traveled around quite a bit, including risking going into Germany, the belly of the beast. I did hear him say with great sadness in his voice that the situation was "much worse" than he expected.

When I entered MIT in the fall of 1942, the effect of the heating up of WWII was emerging in many different ways. First, MIT went on a year-round schedule, three semesters per year instead of two. Then ROTC became mandatory for most students. Classmates were beginning to volunteer for military service, with an increased chance of getting a better assignment than waiting to be called up in the draft. At age sixteen, I could not enlist unless I lied about my age, which I was not going to do.

More life-changing developments ensued. In one issue of The Tech, a free weekly MIT newspaper, a headline exclaimed that there was no truth to the rumor that the military was going to take over the campus. In the very next week's issue the headline made it very clear: No ifs, ands, or buts, all of the on-campus dormitories and the cafeteria would have to be vacated within one week to let the army move in. We students rooming on campus immediately started looking for rental space. We split into groups that took a half day off to go in different directions, working every possibility. I and about five others decided to move into a boardinghouse on Mass. Avenue, a mile north of MIT. Hyman Fisher and I doubled up in one room.

Then the two of us found a place still further north. The distance wasn't so important. We were biking by that time, and later my father, knowing I was going to be drafted in a year or so, gave me a used Plymouth coupe. With gasoline severely rationed, I used it only occasionally. The place we found was close to a couple of inexpensive restaurants and closer to Radcliffe.

With all this, we managed to keep up with our studies. In addition, about every second or third night for a year or so, I ambled over to Eliot Hall at Radcliffe whenever my workload was not too pressing. Having had no sisters and not much understanding of women, I learned a lot, made acquaintances, had a few dates, and sometimes got into a bridge game. Occasionally there were distinguished guests and bright, even eloquent, conversations about almost every subject of interest. I loved those evenings.

I received three six-month deferments that allowed me to complete the first semester of my junior year and a few weeks into the second semester, when I had to report back to my home draft board in Maplewood, New Jersey, that needed to meet its quota of draftees every month.

I was not inducted in early August 1944. Sick at home, I got a one-month extension. I was required to show up at an armory in Newark a month later. The arrangements were in a little disarray when I got to the armory, and after some standard orientation about what was going to happen in the next few days, we were told to go home and come back early the next day. I was called aside by someone there who knew my father (who at that time was a captain in the New Jersey State Guard), who told me he could do me a favor and get me into the navy. Most guys would have preferred the navy on the theory that you wouldn't spend days and nights in muddy foxholes. I didn't, because I had a greater fear of drowning than spending days in a foxhole. Besides that, I had been saying good-bye so much I didn't want to go home overnight. I told them I was staying there. They gave me a meal. I'm a pretty flexible eater, but that slop was ridiculous.

After I somehow finished that, I said I was going out for a while. That was no problem. What I really did was take a twenty-minute walk to Max and Annie's house, the place in East Orange where I lived for eight years from age four to age eleven. My appearance surprised them. I realized it was the only time I ever spent with the two of them without other relatives, particularly my mother, present. I don't remember a thing we said, other than that I felt more like an adult then I ever did with the relatives around. It was a very pleasing way to say good-bye. I walked back to the armory. They both lived a decade or two longer, but I never again saw them at home together without others around. It had been a unique, precious moment in my lifetime.

The next morning we draftees were inducted and sent by train to Camp Croft in Spartanburg, South Carolina, for infantry basic training. The first day's orientation included some tough talk. "You're all young and full of piss and vinegar," and advice: If you get an erection too distracting to deal with, "Put it on the windowsill and slam the window down." Clearly army life was going to be blunt and tough.

There are some things all WWII soldiers seemed to learn in their earliest training days and retained forever, unless they became commissioned officers. Here is the wisdom of years of militarism: (1) If the sergeant was about to explain something, he began with, "There are two ways to do things: the right way and the army way." Lesson: It was supposed to be a joke but it wasn't. (2) If the sergeant asked for anyone who had certain special skills, like math… Joke: "Well, is anyone good at math?" No answer. He looked around in disgust. He hadn't fooled anybody. He hit back: "Police the ground. Each soldier picks up thirty pieces of paper, cigarette butts, or any junk… if you can count. Show it to the corporal." When you reached the corporal with your thirty pieces, he didn't even look at your collection, just pointed to the trash barrel. Are you so dumb to think the corporal wanted the junk? Lesson we followed: "Never volunteer." (3) Rushed through lining up to be ready to march off for training might be done at double speed. Then we stood around, waiting for something else, maybe the next squad to show up or whatever. Sometimes waiting took a long time. Lesson? The army does this all the time: "Hurry up and wait."

(This is an excerpt from MILITARIST MILLIONAIRE PEACENIK: Memoir of a Serial Entrepreneur by Alan F. Kay and reprinted with the permission of the author)

About the Author:
For more about Alan F Kay see http://www.alanfkay.com.

Keyword tags: memoir, authors, books, memories, World War II, advice, peace

U. Of Minn.

When I arrived at Pioneer Hall, our quarters for the University of Minnesota year, it was the day before Christmas and no one in charge was around. I went into the cafeteria for dinner, which after basic training chow looked like a banquet—turkey and all the trimmings. There was only one other arrival. I took my loaded tray to his table, sat down, shook hands, and exchanged names. He was Gus Tanaka. I had finally seen my first Japanese, well hmm, born in the USA, perhaps not. We exchanged a few stories, backgrounds, and experiences. Very friendly and interesting, he spoke accent-free American English.

I knew that Roosevelt, whom I much admired, had incarcerated most persons of Japanese descent on the West Coast to keep them out of harm's way, implying that real (read non-Jap) Americans would be so angry that they might kill Japanese-Americans if they ran into them anywhere. With that motivation FDR could imply that incarceration was to protect innocent people among those in the camps. That distinguished it from the Nazi concentration camps. My conversation with Gus encouraged me to ask him a tough question. "Gus, I never met a Japanese person before. How can I tell that you are not secretly a liege of the emperor of Japan?"

Obviously annoyed by my ignorance, he said, "Look, I've never been to Japan. I've been an American all my life, schools, friends, even family. Why would I serve the emperor when the Japanese in Japan are at war with us?" We continued in that vein for a bit. I was soon convinced. Roosevelt had made his detention decision almost the day after Pearl Harbor, ordering Japanese-Americans into internment camps. After entering the camps, most lost their homes, their jobs, their income, and most of their possessions.

It occurred to me that if Roosevelt had had a face-to-face discussion with people like Gus Tanaka, he would not have made that stupid decision. Meeting with Gus may have been the first encounter where I was more favorably impressed by listening to the view of an "ordinary" person than by accepting whatever our political leaders were telling us. It certainly wasn't the last.

In orientation sessions, it was made clear that we were to be soldiers first and students second. We had been placed in a detached infantry regiment to pursue an Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP). All of us had the lowest rank, private, not even private first class. There were no women in the program, and most of the guys had come directly from infantry basic training.

The agenda included "area studies" of not only Japan but the vast Pacific and East Asia. Academics assigned by the army to lecture us taught us what they knew a great deal about in the "area"—the history and the evolution of religion, governance, warfare, health care, technology, industry, culture, family values, crops, construction, education, and lifestyles. Their lectures and the materials they handed out to us were full of facts and statistics. We also had one professor whose expertise was the Balkan states, where WWI was started. Perhaps the many Balkan wars and ethnic clashes bore some similarities to East Asia. I never noticed such a similarity.

We were expected to take notes and to read the materials, but we were never tested in area studies. I had trouble staying awake in class, especially when it was just after lunch or followed late-night language studying.

Most of our time was committed to learning Japanese, the spoken language, that would turn us into interpreters when we completed the program. I was fascinated by the language, grateful for no gender (unlike French or German). No prepositions, only postpositions. The spoken language is composed of fifty-one syllables that can transform speech into written language, similar to the way the alphabet works in English, but with one character for each of the fifty-one. Unlike English and many Western languages, every syllable is pronounced the same way no matter in what word it appears, and in any given word with two or more syllables every syllable has the same weight. I found Japanese a fun language to learn. The word for a syllable-based written language is a syllabery (sometimes spelled syllabary), in analogy to the "alphabet." In fact most of Japanese written language is in Kanji (which in Japanese means Chinese language). Kanji words generally mean the same in Chinese as in Japanese, but are pronounced very differently. For the most part Chinese and Japanese can understand one another's newspapers.

There are two different Japanese syllaberies: (1) Hiragana is used to add endings onto words, similar to changes of English verbs (for tense and case) and English nouns and verbs (for singular/plural). (2) Katakana is used to write foreign names after adjustment to ease enunciation by Japanese. We ASTP students learned the two syllaberies very easily, but learning Kanji as well as the spoken language would have at least doubled our workload. Since we worked on spoken Japanese about forty hours per week, the additional work of learning the Kanji for all the spoken words we would learn (about four thousand in a year or sixteen per day) was considered by us as almost impossible. In hindsight I have come to think that was a mistake. Yes, it would have taken more time to learn the Kanji, but it would have been worth it for what I had to do in the occupation of Japan. Now sixty years later I've come to believe that learning and knowing the spoken and written languages together reinforces the remembrance and facilitates the usage of both.

Once we got used to it, it was not hard to learn sixteen new words a day. The difficulty that came from remembering them all as the year went on was overcome by repetition aided by mnemonic techniques, sometimes by ad hoc combinations of English and Japanese song snippets, rhymes, doggerel, and bilingual jokes, which with great amusement we tossed out to each other.

We were also taught about a hundred Kanji characters, selected from thousands as representing common words or words with simple brush strokes, like "–" and "=," pronounced "ichi" and "ni," respectively, and meaning the numbers "one" and "two"—pretty obvious from the Kanji, right? Well, Kanji rapidly gets much more complicated. The preceding information was relevant to our studies and later to my duties in Japan. We'll stop there. I promise there will be no more language lessons.

Unlike area studies, learning spoken Japanese was serious business. Within a short time we were organized into about twelve small groups with eight to ten per group. I realized that I had been put into the top group of fast learners. All the groups covered the same material. A very few students, who apparently strongly preferred to be discharged with good conduct as soon as possible, did leave the program before the year ended. I never knew whether that happened as a result of medical problems, political influence, bribes, or zero interest in learning Japanese. The rest of us enjoyed the great opportunity we had received. It was certainly better than going to fight in Europe. Don Gold and I were the only two from the thousand-man Camp Croft battalion sent to Minnesota, as mentioned in the last chapter. There were three people in the battalion who were Jewish: Gold, me, and Louis Fullenbaum. Gold was in touch with Louis's family and learned that Louis had been killed fighting in the drive across Europe. So I could believe that in Minnesota I had avoided a bullet with my name on it.

As an assignment I read a classic Japanese book by Murasaki, The Tale of Genji, a sophisticated and lengthy novel written a thousand years ago by a woman courtier in the eleventh century. Reading in bed at night, it took me months to finish. Each night the book took me into a totally different world. Murasaki wrote as a keen, friendly, feminine, and enchanting observer living in the court of Prince Genji, a youthful, handsome, much loved potential successor to the throne, or shogunate. She appreciated and encouraged artistry within the court in its many forms—tempering and performing the classical musical instruments, graciously brush-stroking poetry script and recitals, and the beauty and techniques of stylized painting.

Genji had to travel occasionally and clearly was under pressure to secure his position. Such developments were only treated in the novel on the personal level with no mention of the underlying power struggles. Genji also had many sequential love affairs. The book develops in exquisite detail the characters and the activities of the key players, friends, and confidantes of Genji and the ladies who adored him when he politely, protectively, and intriguingly entered their bedrooms.

Reading about a world more different from anything in the modern world I knew or could imagine, I was carried away for a brief time each evening to a world of enchantment.

When the guys fell in for reveille one day, the officer in charge looked us over for a while and then chose four to be the "color guard." I was one of them. We later learned of two duties. One was going with the officer in charge to the bank in downtown Minneapolis, carrying loaded rifles to get the monthly payroll in cash (about $7,000) to be distributed that night when each private signed off and received his money.

A second duty came later. The color guard was to march four abreast in a parade down the field at halftime of the university home football games. All four of us shouldered rifles, this time unloaded. The two in the middle also had to carry an American flag and one other. I may never have even noticed whether the other was the flag of the state of Minnesota, the infantry, or the university. To hold the flag with one hand and shoulder the rifle with the other required wearing a special leather flag holster over the hips. Then for the four of us it was heads up, body erect, and stay in step. Minnesota had a ferocious prewar football reputation that tanked by 1944, when almost all the top players had been drafted and were fighting overseas. I recall only one time when our army color guard actually paraded. Perhaps it was the lack of interest in the team or a decision that an army color guard was not such a good idea. I cannot say.

(This is an excerpt from MILITARIST MILLIONAIRE PEACENIK: Memoir of a Serial Entrepreneur by Alan F. Kay and reprinted with the permission of the author)

About the Author:
For more about Alan F Kay see http://www.alanfkay.com.

Keyword tags: memoir, authors, books, memories, World War II, advice, peace, University of Minnesota

A Review Of The Netwriting Masters Course

When you go to make money online, you'll find that you will be looking at lots of great examples from people who have done it before you. When you look at their sites and read their success stories, you'll find that they all have at least one thing in common and that is good writing!

When you are considering making sure that your information is getting out there in a clear and straightforward way, you'll find that your writing needs to be a prime considering, and this is where the Netwriting Masters Course can help you figure out what you need to do. Despite video and audio media, you'll find that the written word is still king when it comes to drawing the crowds, and this goes double if you want to sell!

Essentially, what writing and the Netwriting Masters Course in particular will help you do is pre-sell your product. The fact of the matter is, good sales have a lot to do with who you are, not just what you are selling. The audience that you are selling for needs to be softened up, so to speak. Not only do they need to understand the virtues of the product, they need to figure out why the need it and why you are the perfect person to sell it to them. This is what good writing can tell them about, and in many ways, it can be the most important part of the process.

Chances are, you know all about how to get traffic to your site. You know all about good keywords and link building and optimization, but the important thing that you need to keep in mind is that you need to think about what to do with these people when they get here! You'll find that unless you can get them to stay and look around that all of your efforts are going to be wasted. It only takes them a bare moment to press the back button, and you'll find that there are a dozen different reasons that they might do so; what you need to do is to give them a good reason to stay!

When you are considering what you need to do to make sure that people look at your site, you are really thinking about how to convert traffic to sales and at the end of the day, that is what Netwriting Masters Course is trying to help you do. You are trying to make your site more interesting and readable to the people who come there, and with this program, you will be able to succeed.

There are a number of different reasons to work on your copywriting and when you have a resource like this one, you'll be able to make it count. Making sure that you stand out from the crowd can be difficult, but you'll find that if you only take some time that it could be a lot more straightforward that you might have thought originally.

Don't be left out while other people are getting all of the traffic they need when it comes to content. You'll find that having good solid content can presell your goods better than anything else, so make sure that you know what your options are. It's getting more competitive by the day out there, so learn what you can do to stay ahead.

About the Author:
Let Internet Marketing Review Kings http://www.imreviewkings.com/web2.0.html Brian Garvin and Jeff West teach you more about MySpace Social Networking Secrets at http://www.imreviewkings.com/myspacesocialnetworkingsecrets.html. Feel free to use this article but please leave all links and author bio

Keyword tags: MySpace Social Networking Secrets

A Review of the My Article Site Article Submission Service

Whether you are just starting out when it comes to getting the subscribers that your business needs, or you are in the mood to look around and really get the goods on various pieces of information, you'll find that one of the first things that you need to think about is taking a look at articles.

When you think about articles online, you'll find that you are looking at a short piece of work that has been expertly written and put together and that at the end of the day, you will soon realize that there are many different ways that you can use this. For people who are looking for text, you will find that there are many resources that you can look at, but one of the best ones for you to consider is the My Article Site Article Submission Service, which you will discover has plenty of advantages.

When you are looking at the My Article Site Article Submission Service, you will soon discover that you can move ahead quite quickly with your needs for general printed material. When you are looking for free articles, you will find that this is one of the best places to go, and whether you are doing research or you need some raw content for your newsletters or blog posts, this is one of the things that you need to consider.

Take some time and really think about what you can do when it comes to getting the right amount of work taken care of, and really consider what quality of work you need to get out of the articles themselves. When you are thinking about getting your articles online, you'll find that you need to think about your options very thoroughly and make sure that you can get many of the different options that you can use together and seriously evaluate them.

First, when you are thinking about using the My Article Site Article Submission Service, take some time to think about the mode in which you need your articles written. If you are advertising a product that is mostly related to entertainment, you might choose to use a very gentle, very sweet and conversational tone and to find articles that will help you figure out what you are looking for. Otherwise, if you are selling a medical or supplement product, you will need to adopt a tone that is very serious and more down to earth to impress upon your reader the sincerity of what you are trying to do. Choosing the right tone for your articles is quite important.

When you are looking at the My Article Site Article Submission Service, take some time to really look at what it is you want. Think about the articles that you are after, and chances are you will be able to find them in this fashion. There are many different paths for you to take, and you might be surprised to realize that this site can take you there. Really sit down and judge your options and really consider what you are looking for.

About the Author:
Let Internet Marketing Review Kings http://www.imreviewkings.com/articlemarketing.html Brian Garvin and Jeff West teach you more about My Article Site at http://www.imreviewkings.com/myarticlesite.html. Feel free to use this article but please leave all links and author bio intact.

Keyword tags: My Article Site

School, Scholar, War Clouds

When the day came for registering me for the neighborhood kindergarten, my mom walked me the five short blocks to Stockton School and decided I could manage the walk on my own most of the time. The teachers registered two classes, one morning, the other afternoon. The younger children were put into the "slower" afternoon class, and the older ones were assigned the more mature morning class. Their first reaction was that I was a little young even for the afternoon class. Mom argued them into accepting me. Otherwise I would have had to go home and wait another year. I didn't like that. Then after a few months, the lead kindergarten teacher decided that I could keep up with the older kids and switched me to the morning program. I was about the youngest in the class. That began a phase of sociophysical backwardness lasting till I reached MIT.

I received Christmas presents, but there was no Christmas tree. That was my Jewish parents' compromise with living in a primarily Christian neighborhood. When I was seven the big gift I received was an Erector Set. I found it difficult to understand the instructions and to fit the little bolts, washers, and nuts together that erected many things —a wagon, a house, even moving items, depending on a motor included. I put it all aside, but two years later I enjoyed doing it all.

The second-grade teacher mentioned once or twice that one of the children in our class, William, was doing things at home, and later said we were going on a unique trip to his house to see for ourselves what he did. We saw impressive stamp and coin collections, beautifully arranged in books. (I had a small stamp book at home, not really well put together.) We saw pages of butterflies William had netted, pinned, and identified. He had built model cars and airplanes, neatly stored on shelves. Three reactions swept over me: (1) Really?, (2) I could do all that if I wanted to, and (3) I was jealous. Now I recall that as the first time I felt jealous. In my life thereafter I was less and less jealous of anybody.

When I was beginning the third grade, I complained to my mother early in the year that I did not like the teacher. She was unfair and annoying. Duly alarmed, Mom spoke to the Stockton principal, Dr. Miller, who decided to interview me in his office, a place generally associated with disciplinary action. He asked me some questions, had me take a written test, and conveyed his findings to Mom, who shared them with me. He planned to take me out of the third grade and move me up to the fourth grade. He believed I was bored.

I was flattered by the grade skipping, of course. I did not think I was bored—more annoyed. I recalled an episode in the third-grade class.

Out of the blue, and not related to previous work, the teacher had asked the class, "What is the population of the United States?" I had recently heard the number somewhere and my hand shot up. When she called on me, I said, "A hundred million." ( I knew it was a little more than a hundred million). She shook her head and went on to another child, who said, "A hundred thirty million." He got her smile and the class's applause. Not then articulate enough to express what annoyed me, I can explain it now in two ways. First: Neither 100 nor 130 million is exact. They are round-offs of the rapidly changing number of inhabitants (today 300 million). But more important they are very big numbers for anybody—and for a third-grader just infinite. Third-graders were not called upon and had no understanding of demographic analysts, actuaries, marketers, investment managers, and others who dealt with such large numbers with considerable if not total accuracy. Teacher was making a ridiculous distinction, annoying to me, a budding mathematician who loved working with numbers. Second explanation: I was annoyed at not knowing the right answer. There was nothing wrong with the teacher.

In hindsight, skipping a school year had a downside. For years thereafter I was younger than my classmates, socially somewhat awkward, incompatible, and withdrawn. I had few friends and little interest in learning the names of schoolmates. I turned to concentrating on learning and going after good grades.

Much to my embarrassment, my father, Harry Kay, carried my latest high-school report card in his pocket to show friends what a brilliant student his son was. I did not think of myself as brilliant. I liked learning. There was a huge amount I did not know and just liked to study and learn. That's the way I thought. He clearly expected me to become a scholar. Without discussion and without knowing what it really meant, I accepted and internalized the scholar role.

In high school I took the chemistry course in my junior year. The teacher, "Doc" Summers, did a great job covering the subject at high-school level and encouraging students to ask him questions. One day I asked about carbon monoxide poisoning, not just in a garage or kitchen without fresh air circulation but, "How about the CO from all the world's automobiles slowly poisoning us?" His response was, "In the atmosphere CO gradually oxidizes to CO2. No problem." But there was a problem and the world was in the earliest stage of its recognition. Neither Doc Summers nor anybody else in 1940 knew what was probably to become the number one question for science for the next sixty years and continuing even more dominantly into the twenty-first century too. I guess it would be expecting too much for Doc Summers so long ago to properly introduce the issue of global climate change. Funny, in all the discussion of ominous greenhouse gasses and other effects on the biosphere's weather, I have not heard anything on the role of carbon monoxide.

I took physics in my senior year, 1940 to 1941. To my family the word physics meant the consumption of pills and supplements to improve you physically. The physics teacher was not so good. The years 1939 to 1941 corresponded to the slow-motion explosion of WWII. In my last two years in high school, the effects of WWII were hitting high school students too. Some were old enough to be drafted as soon as they graduated. I was much too young for that, but I lost something I was looking forward to: a course offered in auto mechanics. The shop for it was great. The teacher left just after I had attended its first classes and no replacement was thereafter available to use the shop until the war ended. One last peaceful summer, then, thanks to those good grades, off to MIT to join the new class of '45. Because of the impending war, MIT graduation was not to be in 1945 but was delayed several years.

(This is an excerpt from MILITARIST MILLIONAIRE PEACENIK: Memoir of a Serial Entrepreneur by Alan F. Kay and reprinted with the permission of the author)

About the Author:
For more about Alan F Kay see http://www.alanfkay.com.

Keyword tags: autobiography, technology, books, authors, publishing, memoir, peace, entrepreneur

Technology in Early Years

I, an only child, was brought to life October 28, 1925, by my mom, Ceil Kay. No one in my family had ever even thought about a career in technology or, for that matter, math or science. What headed me that way? I was exposed to the technology of the day with little understanding of how it had evolved or where it was heading. Only in hindsight can I evaluate the evolution of technology and realize how it affected society and me, a little boy in that era.

When I was four years old, Dad and Mom and I had to squeeze in with Mom's parents, Max and Annie, and Mom's only sibling, my uncle Eddie. My father, Harry, born in 1900, was very protective of me and a fine person. He was a lawyer and studied New Jersey statutes like a Talmudic scholar. He became a lawyer's lawyer, widely recognized as knowing more New Jersey statutes than anyone. I was closer to my mom and to Uncle Eddie than to my often inaccessible father.

Grandpa Max owned a wholesale candy business, a customer pickup bus he drove daily, and several rental properties including the first floor of the house we moved into. Eddie, who was nineteen years older than me, with my father's support in a few years became a lawyer. For three years, until I was seven, when Eddie married and brought his new bride, Carolyn, into the house, I got the benefit of lots of time with him and less afterward. Eddie taught me checkers, chess, Battleship, and other games that fascinated me; let me look at his magazine, Popular Science (intriguing but to me hardly intelligible); and once took me down to a room in the cellar to see his new "chemistry lab." He performed an experiment. He put a clear liquid in an eyedropper and dripped it into a test tube holding another clear liquid. Both looked like pure water. Each drop turned red as it fell into the test-tube liquid, which then turned pink. This was the most marvelous thing I had every seen, and ranked in my boyish mind as advanced chemistry.

When a bit older, I liked to go down to the cellar and do secret things. In one small room for a while my father had a steamer trunk that on several occasions I opened and soon understood that they were about a Scotsman whose life and times I found puzzling and interesting. I was very careful to put everything I opened back as it was. My secret was never uncovered. I learned later that these papers were the remnants of a man who died intestate. My father was handling his estate for the probate court. I never told him that I had opened the steamer trunk.

I was fascinated by the technology I saw. A bin in the cellar was fed coal by an adjustable metal slide into the bin. The other end of the slide was attached to the delivery truck. The truck driver set up the rig. The coal rolled down the slide through a ground-level window accessible to the truck parked in the street. Grandpa Max got up early every cold weather morning, emptied the hot ash bin, shoveled coal from the coal bin into the furnace, and relit the tinder. In the winter the house was freezing until the coal fire heated water in a tank, producing steam or hot water that circulated the heat to radiators in the rooms on the floors above.

In the summer, my grandma Annie placed on the windowsill (just above the coal window) a sign with three numbers: "10, 25, 50." She rotated the sign till the desired size ice block (in pounds) was at the top. When the iceman came later in the day, he grabbed, with an ingenious one-arm ice pick, the requested size block from his truck, and Annie held the icebox door open while the iceman pushed it in. The ice had been cut during the previous winter from a frozen pond with large two-man ice saws and kept in an insulated icehouse where the blocks lasted until late in the year. It was only when home-refrigeration technology became widely available in the late Thirties that the iceman's job was no longer required. We got one refrigerator for the whole house around 1935.

Grandpa Max chose his bus routes for some passengers who waited for him. Others he picked up ad hoc, taxi style. He would go off the route to accommodate customers. Before we moved into Max's house, Max would pick me up at our house in Newark, New Jersey, and later return me to Mom so Grandma could relieve Mom for a few hours or maybe a day. Into the 1930s some trucks were motorized, but many still were horse-drawn. Max's bus was motorized.

Before coal was available, logs were used to heat homes. Home central heating was not common prior to the twentieth century.

How much was new technology affecting consumers when I was a boy? Residential air-conditioning was unknown. Trains, trolleys, and horses had a capacity and usage exceeding that of automobiles and trucks. In the ensuing seventy-five years, the internal combustion engine increasingly dominated ground transportation. Trains, trolleys, and horses have, relatively speaking, almost disappeared, replaced by trucks and autos. Airplanes, accessible to very few travelers at the earlier time, only relatively recently became mass transport.

The technological changes in agriculture and food distribution over the years have also been enormous. Unlike the vast variety of food provided today by big-box supermarkets available in all but the most rural areas, buying food seventy-five years ago even in dense city populations was much closer to farm harvesting. Houses were mostly three stories with twenty-five-foot frontage where we lived in East Orange, a few blocks from even more crowded Newark. On foot Grandma daily shopped for a chicken, sometimes with me. In a kosher butcher shop she picked out her chicken from a cowering flock. The butcher wrung its neck. Sometimes, perhaps to amuse me, he let it down to run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Usually he just plunged it into a hot-water barrel, plucked its feathers, and handed it over to Grandma. Milk and other perishables came by your door down the street on horse-drawn carriages. It was not today's farmers market. Mom told me that her grandfather, Charles Leitener, had owned a farm in downtown Newark. He had a horse, named Baby, that, hitched to a buggy, occasionally took Mom and other relatives up to the South Mountain reservation for a picnic in South Orange. Unused to cars and not looking, Mom's grandfather stepped off the curb and was killed in 1920.

Telephones were uncommon in homes. In 1934 we had the first on the block, phone number Orange 5-8798 (amazing, what trivia I sometimes remember). Children were not allowed to use phones in my neighborhood. Operators making hand connections, plugging and unplugging switchboards, had just been replaced by automated connection within a few exchanges.

Radio was big. In some homes, then as now, radios were on all day listening to music. My mother loved Bing Crosby. I listened to that and to shows after school, like Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. (Talk about technology of the future: Buck Rogers could fly around in his "space suit" decades before Star Trek.) "Victrolas" providing recorded music were available but rare. No television until after WWII.

At one point I was frustrated because Uncle Eddie was not continuing chemical experiments with me in the cellar. At age seven or so, I decided to take the matter into my own hands. I took the tin lid off a used paint can and poured a little kerosene, turpentine, or whatever into it and set it on the concrete cellar floor. Just a few teaspoons. Of course nothing happened. A little heat was required. I struck a safety match and let the fluid on the can lid start to burn. It was burning away for what I felt was an enormous amount of time. The whole thing was silly. Nothing interesting was going to happen. Time to end it.

I stamped on it with my shoe. The burning fluid splattered and some landed off to the side on a few rolled-up carpets protected by brown wrapping paper. I looked up and saw the paper beginning to burn. I panicked. I ran upstairs to my mother and told her. She peeked at it and called the fire department. It seemed to me the fire had become enormous by the time the firemen came. They put it out quite quickly, just as my father was coming home. As requested by him, the fire chief gave me a stern lecture. When he towered over me, wearing fireman's gear and carrying an axe, I wanted to disappear or at least shrink to a puddle on the floor. Then Grandpa Max showed up and reacted quite differently. To the grownups he said, perhaps jokingly, "Should have let the whole house burn. The insurance would pay for it."

(This is an excerpt from MILITARIST MILLIONAIRE PEACENIK: Memoir of a Serial Entrepreneur by Alan F. Kay and is reprinted with the permission of the author)

About the Author:
For more about Alan F Kay see http://www.alanfkay.com.

Keyword tags: autobiography, technology, books, authors, publishing, memoir, peace, entrepreneur

Why Your Book Isn\t Selling

Over the past several days I've fielded a number of calls from authors frustrated with their progress. "Nothing is happening," "Am I doing this right?" and "My book isn't selling" are some of the biggest complaints I hear when authors are marketing on their own. Especially now, when we feel the pressure to make every marketing effort count, marketing effectively is becoming more of a concern. Authors like to blame it on the downturned economy, but the truth is, books are a low dollar item and likely to sell better over the holidays than the spiffy new iPhone. So here's a little reality check, mixed with some inspiration and a few ideas to hopefully kick-start your momentum!

1) Goals: it's good to have them, but make sure they are realistic. If you're not sure, ask someone who can be objective. (We're here to help, email us at info@amarketingexpert.com if you have nowhere else to turn for an honest answer). Yesterday I was speaking to an author who was really discouraged she hadn't met her sales goal for the year. She had set herself a goal of selling 20,000 books. Now that's a great number to aspire to, but not a realistic figure. Why? Because it was her first book, because she self-published it and because she didn't have a distributor in place and didn't have a platform. All of these things are factors to consider when setting these types of goals. What's more realistic? Well, it depends on your market, but 2,000 to 5,000 - especially if you're starting out - is a much better target. Keep in mind, though, that if your book has limited distribution, this number could drop drastically.

2) What's your plan? While setting goals is important, it's equally important to have mini-goals or milestones that you can reach and check off your list. I outline my big goal, let's say it's finding a traditional publisher for my book, and then I outline the hundreds of mini-goals I need to reach before I can even be considered by a mainstream house. When you work your goal-setting this way, it will feel like you are accomplishing things because you are. So often the larger scope of what we do is comprised of micro-efforts, things that might go unnoticed and unseen if you don't write them down or somehow keep a log of them. In all the years I've worked in marketing and publicity, the single most discouraging thing is when you do a million pieces of invisible work and don't keep track of it. Make a roadmap: you would never drive from San Diego to New York and not have a map. Much like a trip from West to East, you'll need a map to keep you on track. It doesn't have to be formal, just a list of things you want to accomplish today, this week, this month and the next six months. Keeping yourself on track will keep you on the right road; if not you could end up being someplace you never planned on. Like Peoria.

3) Am I doing the right thing? No one markets well in a vacuum, so if you have questions, get answers from someone you trust. You might be doing all the right things, but it might just be a matter of timing, patience, effort, and oh, did I mention patience? The important thing is to ask someone in the industry and someone who will give you honest feedback without trying to sell you their stuff.

4) Brainstorm and get creative: again, no one works well in isolation so get out there and brainstorm with people who are in a similar situation. If that's not possible, then start attending classes whether in person or teleclasses (we offer these, they're totally free: authors@amarketingexpert.com). The point is, get out there and start those creative juices flowing or just sit with a speaker you like and get inspired. Re-ignite your campaign.

5) Reevaluate: if you keep hitting a brick wall, it's time to reevaluate your marketing. Are you hitting the right targets? Are you going after your niche market or are you shooting too wide? Are you spending time and money on things that aren't leveraging results? If so, ask yourself, why? Are you doing it because everyone else in your writing group is? Ask yourself some critical questions.

6) Stuff only works if you do a lot of it: whatever you focus on you should plan to do it consistently. If you blog, blog consistently. Radio? Same thing. Get yourself in a social networking site then be social. Don't "dabble" - someone once told me they've dabbled in this and that. Trust me, dabbling doesn't work. Diving headlong into marketing does.

7) Put a lot of lines in the water: I don't fish so I'm not sure where that analogy came from, but you get the idea. Put a lot of stuff out there. Don't just blog and expect that to be your singular source of marketing. Blog, social network, do radio if it's appropriate to your book, do talks, book events, network, and go to conferences.

8) If you do nothing, expect nothing: your book is not the field of dreams, if you write it people won't just beat a path to your door. Get yourself out there, do whatever you need to market the book. Sending postcards to your mailing list might get you a few "Hey, great to hear from you" emails but it won't sell books. Surprisingly enough, most authors don't sell but a few books to their immediate social circle. Break out of that circle. Mom can only buy so many of your books. I queried this on my Facebook page earlier and someone responded by saying that she's frustrated that her clients don't market the books they publish. Hmmmm.

9) Realism will keep you sane: the truth is that unless you get a ticket to her show, you'll probably never meet Oprah. That's ok. There are a million other things you can do instead of sitting by the phone waiting for her to call. Realism will not only keep you sane, it'll keep you on target. Having dreams is a great thing, everyone should have a dream, but realism will keep you from being discouraged and keep your marketing momentum on track.

10) Don't throw money at something just to feel like you're doing something: throwing money at a problem isn't always a good thing, in fact, sometimes it's the worst thing. If you're going to invest in your marketing (and you should), make sure you're investing your money wisely. There are great deals out there, but some of them are a waste of your time and certainly, your money. Make investments wisely. I've known authors to blow through a $5,000 marketing budget $99 at a time and still have nothing to show for their efforts. Also, while it's tempting and easy to do, don't place ads. Ads (especially online) don't work. Media blasts aren't recommended either. It's tempting, I know. Blasting thousands of media at one time with your message should result in something, right? Not always. Be smart with your marketing dollars. If you're blasting the media, ask to see the media targets first. You don't want to be pitching your romance novel to Car and Driver.

So what's the solution to all of this? Here are some guidelines to help you navigate this marketing and pr path:

1) Become part of the conversation, wherever that conversation exists. If your book is a New Age topic, go to web sites, blogs, and even consider attending some conferences. If you're following blogs, comment on those blogs, get to know the big bloggers out there. If you have a social networking site, work it, make friends, comment, be helpful.

2) Don't get into the Internet with the idea you'll make a lot of money. Get online and be helpful, the money will follow. If you do it in reverse, you'll have a very short lived time online. Offer tips, link to other blogs or web sites you find helpful. Offer guidance, insight, wisdom, inspiration, whatever works for your market.

3) Want to sell books? Then go for exposure. Repeat after me: marketing and pr doesn't sell books - it gets you exposure. Exposure gets you an audience and an audience gets you book sales. Whatever effort you're going to put into your book, understand it's for the exposure, not for sales. Much like point #2, if you attack your marketing with the idea of selling books, you'll be disappointed. If you tackle it with the idea of gaining exposure, you'll be pleasantly surprised and it's likely that book sales will follow.

4) When you make up your list of things to do to market your book, ask yourself what can give you the best exposure. That's one of the reasons I love the Internet, because the exposure is limitless. Don't go for flash in the pan marketing ideas, go for substance.

5) Having 35 social networking accounts is only a good thing when you use them all. People ask me how many social networking pages should they have, I say: how many can you manage? If you can't keep up 35 pages then start with one and go from there. Better to have one very active page than a bunch of pages that are blank.

6) Do one to five things a day to market yourself and your book. Keep on track with your marketing efforts and stay in the marketing "zone" by crafting a list that lets you chip away at your goals, one goal at a time.

7) Please, please, please get a web site. It's your 24/7 sales tool and should be one of the first things on your list of must-do marketing tasks.

8) Get help from a professional you trust. I know you're loving this "going alone" thing, but let's face it, at some point it might make sense to bring in a professional who can help you, someone you trust who will give you a straight answer and good, solid advice. Stay away from anyone offering guarantees in sales. This is a huge red flag, no one can predict this, nor can anyone predict a bestseller.

The more you can approach your marketing plan with a plan, a dash of realistic expectations and a lot of hard work, the more successful you'll be. The truth is there are hundreds of thousands of books that get published each year that end up dying a quiet death due to lack of focus, goals, and exposure. Get yourself on a path, and then find a manageable plan that will work with you, not against you!

(Originally published at Author Marketing Experts' blog and reprinted with permission of the author, Penny Sansevieri).

About the Author:
Penny C. Sansevieri, CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, Inc., is a book marketing and media relations expert whose company has developed some of the most cutting-edge book marketing campaigns. Visit http://www.amarketingexpert.com.

Keyword tags: book promotion, book marketing, book publicity, Internet marketing, book sales, social networking

Book Review: Recovering Charles by Jason F. Wright

Take my advice, you don't need to read this review, you just need to read the book! Just go to Amazon and buy it!

Oh, you are still reading, I guess I will have to explain why this is the book of the year in my mind.

Jason Wright is no newcomer to the literary world and his two prior books, Christmas Jars and The Wednesday Letters, both achieved critical acclaim and also a New York Times bestseller. With these credentials you would expect Recovering Charles to be well laid out plot wise and eloquent in the use of language. It most certainly is!

Some might argue that Recovering Charles is a little slow getting out of the starting blocks, however, in retrospect the first part of the book is fundamental to understanding the entire story, Jason Wright took the correct approach.

The plot itself is deceptively simple, Luke is a young successful freelance photographer on New York, he has it all, career, some money, pretty girlfriend, he is in someways the epitome of today's American Dream. There are skeletons in his closet, a mother who died from addiction to prescription drugs, and an estranged father who fell victim to the demon bottle following his wife's death.

Luke has not spoken to his father Charles in over two years, in fact he doesn't even know where he is. Two days after Hurricane Katrina hits Luke receives a phone call from a stranger claiming to be Charles' friend, and informs him that his father had been living in New Orleans and is missing.

Luke must decide if he is willing to let his father back into his life. Should he go to New Orleans and help the search, or try to ignore the plea for help? He makes the decision to go.

I feel a very personal attachment to this book. My wife is from Slidell, which was devastated by Katrina. She did not sleep for days, frantic trying to get information about her family, all of which were in the New Orleans area. The phones were not working, the images on the TV were horrific, this was not America, it could not be happening here. These disasters happen in other countries, not at home. We spent countless hours in the internet, bits of that infrastructure were still working. We scoured NOAA reconnaissance photography, satellite pictures, we searched the lists of evacuees, we left messages on bulletin boards, and we kept dialing phone numbers.

Jason Wright has encapsulated all of the emotions that we felt during that time. His descriptive writing is unparalleled, he picks up on small things, a child's broken toy, a picture frame showing a happy mother and her newborn baby. These are powerful images.

Luke's journey is one that occurs on two levels, on the outside it is one of search and rescue, on the inside it is one of self discovery and reconciliation with his past.

There is also a very unique twist at the end of the book, actually two twists, these are unexpected and a masterful use of the plot.

Recovering Charles is an evocative and emotional read, and even though a work of fiction, I can guarantee that you will have a lump in your throat when you finish reading it. This book deserves to be on the New York Times best seller list, it certainly is one that I will remember for a very long time. As a reviewer I rarely have the luxury of time to read a book twice, I will make time for Recovering Charles.

You can pick up your copy of Recovering Charles at better book stores everywhere, on online from Amazon.

About the Author:
Simon Barrett is the senior editor for http://www.bloggernews.net and maintains a personal blog at http://zzsimonb.blogspot.com. Now semi retired in the depths of Mississippi he has plenty of time to read books by up and coming authors.

Keyword tags: books, authors, reviews, Hurricane Katrina, Christmas Jars, Jason Wright, fiction

Creative Writers Study 13 Points on Short Story Structure

All creative writers are bound to an invisible law of journalism. From the beginning of time, the same structure has been used. All of the great writers use it. But after this lesson, you will see that story structure is far more than the initial breakdown:

· Exposition – the beginning, what the story is about
· Conflict – conflict with man vs. man, man vs. nature, or man vs. internal conflict
· Climax
· Resolution

If you Google "story structure," you will find variations of the story structure. You might find plot, conflict, conclusion – or theme, climax, and conclusion. No matter how you word it, the basic answer is the same. Without any one of these elements, the story will flounder.

But you must expound on the following things, no matter what kind of story you are writing:

· Point of View
· Plot
· Theme
· Setting
· Characterization
· Dialog
· Action
· Writing style
· Genre

If you want to transfer your reader from their sofa or chair to the scene in your mind, you must use settings. This can be anything from an open window with a curtain blowing in the breeze to a murder scene in progress. The best idea is to open midway of an action scene. This will grab your audience quicker and keep them longer, as they read to find the outcome of the actions.

There is a difference between plot and theme. Plot is the series of events that occur in the story. Plot is what the story is about. Theme, on the other hand, is the underlying motivation that drives the story. The open window with the curtains blowing in the breeze is part of a setting, which in turn is part of the larger picture, the plot. Every time there is an event in the story, you must ask yourself these questions: "Why is the window open? How did the window get opened? Obviously, someone opened it. But why?" – then you are in the theme of the story. Always ask yourself, who, what, when, where, why and how. The answer to these questions is the theme that drives the story.

Point of view is how the reader sees the story. If you tell it in first person point of view (I went the store… ), the reader will see the story through your eyes. If you tell it in third person point of view, (He went to the store… ), the reader will see the story through the character's eyes. New writers usually like to write in first person, but most editors are now buying mostly third person. This new trend makes a huge difference in choosing your POV.

A few brief words on some of the above: Characterization – make your characters real to the reader by concentrating on descriptions, attitudes, failures, and quirks. Dialog – it's okay to use accents, but preferably not on the main character. And for settings – use anything that describes where a person is, or will be.

For more fantastic writer's tips, see below!

About the Author:
Deborah invites you to check out the biggest writing course value of the year - eight week, fully mentored writing courses for only $185! Take your classes any time in the next year. Check it out at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Sign up for our newsletter for more writing tips.

Keyword tags: creative writers, creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tip

Creative Writer\s Study on \"Voice\"

Every story and every article has a "voice". What do we mean by voice? It is the angle from which your story is viewed. No one point of view (POV) is right or wrong.

* First person point of view pronouns are: I, me, my, mine, and we. New authors usually write in first person because they feel more focused and closer to the story when using "I". And it truly does draw the reader in closer.

But there are at least two problems with this approach. For one thing, the constant use of "I" is a problem. For another, the story's character can only know what the writer knows, and can only see things from that point of view.

For example, if John says, "Susan is going to meet me at seven o'clock," and in the meantime, Susan falls, breaks a leg, and lies helplessly on the floor, John will not know what happened to her until someone tells him. First person POV is better reserved for memoirs, journal entries, and specific stories that should be told from that angle.

* Second person POV pronouns are you, (singular), you (plural), and yours. Example: "You must come with me to the Christmas play. You and I will have popcorn and lots of fun. Your hat is on backwards." As you can see, this point of view is even more limiting, and is never used.

* Third person POV pronouns are: he, she, it, and they. There are two kinds of third person writing. In third person omniscient, the reader is like a fly on the wall. They can even see into people's minds. This POV limits the suspense since the reader is left with very few unanswered questions – but it is easy to write because the author can provide solutions to questions by making a character think it, or by changing perspective. He doesn't have to work at "showing" the scene.

* In third person limited, your story won't show internal dialog (thoughts), and the characters won't foreknow things. As in first person, the reader can only see through the character's eyes, but they can see through the eyes of various characters. The difference is that the writer can skip from one character to another to see through their eyes, whereas in first person, we can only see through one character's point of view. Thus the word, limited.

In third limited, the suspense builds as the writer shows the scene instead of telling it. The reader lives the story as the character lives it. Here is an example from The Perfect Crime:

"Harrison slumped against the car, collapsed on the ground, and rolled in agony as he clutched his chest. Vision blurred. His eyes rolled back and eventually settled into an empty glaze that resembled a blind stare."

Editors buy more third person limited than first person; however, it takes a little longer to learn because it depends on showing, not telling. Let your readers feel your characters as they experience the gamut of emotions.

See below for more writer's tips and the sale of the year!

About the Author:
Deborah invites you to check out the biggest writing course value of the year - eight week, fully mentored writing courses for only $185! Take your classes any time in the next year. Check it out at http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. Sign up for our newsletter for more writing tips.

Keyword tags: creative writers, creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tip

Earning Adsense Revenue With Educational Articles

Millions of people dream of earning money from home. Yet, due to all of the scams out there, the dream becomes more elusive every day. Fortunately, thanks to Google's Adsense program, it is possible to earn a living without having to deal with the rat race. You just need to know how to work magic with Adsense-based websites and even more importantly, educational articles.

However, don't get mislead with the term "educational articles." You don't need A+ essays to earn money with Google Adsense. In fact, if your content is too formal, it could be a turnoff to your visitors. Remember, even with educational articles, Internet users are looking for content that is informative yet easy to understand.

So, how do you use educational articles to earn money with Google Adsense? First, you must find or create them. To find them, you could buy pre-existing articles, (also known as plr content), or you could get free ones off of article directories. If you do the latter, you will have to credit the author by including their byline and their URL. This puts you at a disadvantage because there's the possibility that visitors will browse away from your site. You want to keep them there in hopes that they view even more of your site's educational articles.

This is why some Adsense gurus opt to create their own educational articles. They do this by researching existing articles. From this research they create a new article that now has their own unique spin.
But writing in and of itself isn't where it's at when it comes to Adsense and educational articles. In order to make money, you need to ensure your articles are optimized for search engines. To do this, you need to include the keywords that people are researching.

For example, within this content, the main keyword is "educational article." And, since it is mentioned often, there is a high likelihood that the keyword will get noticed by Google. When it does, all of the content gets indexed accordingly.

What happens if you have variants of a keyword? They will get indexed as well, though it will be under different search results. The variants don't even have to be major. Even making your keyword plural could be enough to have it indexed under another listing. And when it comes to Adsense earnings, the more your educational articles get indexed, the better!

Anyway, after your educational articles get indexed, the next step involves waiting for traffic. As the traffic comes in, people will begin clicking on your Adsense ads. This is where the revenue comes in, as you will get paid based on each click that is made. Revenue ranges from .01 to as much as $60 per click. That's right… it's possible that educational articles could earn you $60 per click. This means that 1,000 clicks, (which isn't that hard to get), could net you $60,000!

Yet, what does a person do if they lack the knowledge for creating their own Adsense site? They will need to find a network that will 'create' one for them. A good example is Hub Pages, where members can create an unlimited amount of Adsense sites free-of-charge. All they have to do is enter in their educational articles and within just minutes, their site will be up and running!

About the Author:
Download Almost 30,000 Products Including Business to Business Education Industrial Management Promotion Publishing Reports Web Design Computing & Internet Browsers Domains Email Services Graphics Network Administration Programming Site Design and much much more at http://www.ebayjam.com/

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Learn How to Write a Strong Essay

As you probably are already aware, to achieve any kind of decent grade in your college essay you will need to be able to produce one that satisfies certain requirements. Besides the actual knowledge needed as it relates to the specific topic or area of expertise your success will be based upon ensuring that the essay is well written and demonstrates your ability to logically argue your point of view. This brief article will explore some of the considerations you should make in order to write a good essay.

The first and perhaps most important step in writing an essay is to give yourself enough time to complete the task. This sounds simple enough, but it is remarkable how many students think that they have enough time, but instead find themselves panicking as the deadline looms because they have not given the essay enough time. It is better to have written the essay with a week to spare then have to rush it through whilst watching the clock with hours to go. Despite what you might think, no-one writes well under pressure.

The next stage is the planning stage. This is important because once you have mapped out the basic structure of your essay then you are able to more clearly define the arguments that will ultimately create the core of the essay. So at this stage you should spend time researching the relevant literature and construct a coherent argument in response to the essay question.

Develop a skeleton outline of the argument by briefly writing down what each section of the essay aims to discuss. This planning will also help you to complete the task much more quickly than if you were to muddle through trying to find the relevant information as you went along.

Once this is complete then you are ready to write a draft version of the essay. At this stage it is important to focus on simply getting the argument down on paper. Do not worry about the finer details as these can be easily refined later on. So many students procrastinate after they have done the research and the planning as they try to discover the perfect essay. Instead it is far more productive to just get something loosely related to the research written down. Follow the structure and write about each of the points that you have outlined.

Write the essay in a clear format. The essay needs to have a clear defined introduction and then each of the key points of your argument should be written in separate paragraphs. The conclusion is the most important aspect of the entire essay as this is where you collate your argument and offer a viewpoint on the question you initially posed in the introduction.

The final consideration that you should make when writing a good essay is proofreading. Once you are happy with the essay, it is vital that firstly you read through it to check for basic spelling and grammatical errors and that it also makes sense in the context of the question. It is wise at this stage to always have the original question in your mind as you are reading and you should constantly ask yourself, is the essay answering the question?

It is also a good idea to ask a friend or relative to read the essay once it is complete. Often a second point of view can help to highlight a problem that may have been missed by the original writer.

About the Author:
http://www.essaytown.com

Keyword tags: term papers, Thesis Writing, writing, Research Papers, Essay Writing, Dissertation, college,

Component Breakdown of a Research Paper

Most research papers follow a standard structure that anyone can follow to compose one. The reason that many students fear research papers is because they think they are too confusing. However, if one properly follows the steps to writing a research paper and adheres to the general structure, the process is actually quite painless.

The first part of a research paper is the introduction. In this section, you lay out a brief overview of what the paper is going to be about, and include any assumptions that are made. While the introduction should be comprehensive, it should not be too detailed that it takes away from the other parts of the paper.

In addition, the introduction should also present the thesis. A thesis is technically defined as, an unproved statement put forward as a premise in an argument. In other words, you need to make a statement upon which you will argue. For example, if you wanted to say that alternative energies must be heavily invested in, then that idea should be the central theme of the thesis.

A thesis is supposed to be one sentence, and it sets up what you will write about in the rest of the report. There should also be a question posed, and it should offer the opportunity for a two sided debate.

Sticking with the alternative energy idea, an acceptable question would be, "Would investing in alternative energy be good for the United States from an economic and social standpoint?" Two contrasting points can be drawn from that question, and while the answer you personally support should be elaborated upon primarily, the alternative solution should also be positively (and negatively) acknowledged.

The next section of the paper is the body. This is by far the longest portion of the assignment, and can range from anywhere between two and twenty pages. For most people, the actual range is around five to eight pages. The body includes many sub-segments, as it is too large to not be further decomposed. First, you should reiterate some of the main points made in the thesis.

Next, start intensively analyzing specific arguments, in the order that they were mentioned in the thesis. Depending on how many arguments you have, you will have to break the text in to an appropriate number of paragraphs. The entire body is where the highest concentration of references is, and in some cases there will not be any citations in the introduction or conclusion. Therefore, you will have to include parenthetical citations at the end of statements that you paraphrased or quoted.

After you have made all your arguments, the research paper is wrapped up in the conclusion. In this section, you reinforce the ideas supporting your point of view, and ultimately claim that your perspective is the correct one. This is where most of your own ideas are included, so there will be very few, if any, parenthetical citations.

The last page of any type of research paper is the works cited page. All of your sources should correspond to at least one parenthetical citation in the body of the paper. The sources should be arranged in alphabetical order, and should be structured according to either Modern Language Association (MLA) or American Psychological Association (APA) guidelines.

About the Author:
http://www.essaytown.com

Keyword tags: term papers, Thesis Writing, writing, Research Papers, Essay Writing, Dissertation, college,

How to Write a PhD Thesis

The task of researching, planning and writing a thesis for a PhD is probably one of the most soul searching tasks that you are likely to undertake in your life. The process is a complete journey of excitement and despair that will test your character to the core.

Writing a thesis is not as easy as it sounds and at times can become a very lonely space that will leave you doubting your ability and your interest in what you are actually writing about. However, completing the thesis will also be one of the most satisfactory moments you can experience.

With this in mind it is absolutely crucial that you give yourself the best possible chance of working through the thesis until its completion. This article will talk about some of the major considerations that you should make in order to reach the finish line.

The first major consideration is planning. If you do not start as you mean to go on and properly organize your work then you can expect to become incredibly frustrated by the disorganized and slow progress. I suggest that you create good habits early by developing a simple filing system; this should be done both on the computer and in paper format.

You should create and allocate folders to each chapter and sub-chapter. Remember to regularly back up all important computer files. You should also plan any important deadlines in to your schedule so that you are not forced to rush any part of the thesis.

At the planning stage you should also develop an outline of the entire thesis, so that you have a roadmap and a structured path to finishing the project. At this stage you should construct chapter headlines and also a brief description of what each chapter aims to address. This is especially useful in helping to break the entire thesis down so it feels far less daunting. You will complete the project quicker by finishing smaller parts of it one at a time.

A major consideration of the PhD thesis is the style of the work. This is important because you need to engage with your target audience correctly. So for example if you are writing a thesis on a scientific subject then you would be expected to use the relevant technical and scientific language. Conversely, the use of slang will make it harder for the reader to understand the meaning of your work. It goes without saying that that your work needs to use the correct grammar and spelling.

As you approach the end of the thesis do not become distracted by the need to make the thesis look visually attractive. There are many candidates in the past that have neglected the actual work by focusing on improving diagrams or creating fanciful cover sheets. At the end of the day your success or failure will be decided by the words on the page and not by any other factor.

The final advice that I have for writing a PhD thesis relates to finishing the project. As I have already stated the writing of a thesis is a long and arduous task and no matter how much time you spend on it there will always be something that you could improve. My advice is not to become driven by perfectionism and instead aim to complete the work by the deadline set. Providing you have covered all of the major expectations for the thesis then you will be fine in achieving success.

About the Author:
http://www.essaytown.com

Keyword tags: term papers, Thesis Writing, writing, Research Papers, Essay Writing, Dissertation, college,

Steps to Writing a Research Paper

Every single person who enters nearly any educational system around the world is required to do research reports in at least one of their classes. Research papers can start being assigned in the third grade, and the requirements for them become stricter as one ages. While most people dread the thought of having to do research, if the process is taken in steps and done slowly, it really is not too bad.

The first step with any assignment is to identify the topic you are tackling. This is usually easy to do, as the topic is whatever you have been assigned. If you have to pick a topic yourself, you have a lot more freedom to do something you would enjoy, so take your time in deciding what to research. You will be spending a fair amount of time on this, and if the subject bores you, it becomes all the harder.

After determining what your topic is, you need to find sources you can use to make claims. For example, if your research paper is on global warming, you could find books in the subject that support, refute, and describe the phenomenon. The Internet also holds a wide variety of resources, but because the Internet is completely open source, you need to be careful about what sources you use.

You need to make sure that your sources are valid, and this can be determined quickly if the website is governmental or educational (just look for .gov or .edu as the domain extension). Your school or university also likely provides databases to use.

These are guaranteed to be accurate, and they are packed with information that is hard to find in other places. In fact, you can often find all the information you need from databases. Normally, to get access to these resources, you would need to pay money, but since the school does it for you, it is wise to take advantage of this opportunity.

Once you have gathered all of your sources, it is time to do the actual research. You can continue finding new resources, though, even up to the point where you are writing your paper. When doing research, it is best to write down everything on note cards, along with information in the corners that states where you found the information.

Eventually you will need to parenthetically cite your sources, and writing this information down beforehand saves you a lot of trouble. Therefore, along with the content itself, write down the source and, if the source is a book, the page number.

Next, you can either go on to writing your research paper or, as many people prefer, do an outline. This is an informal document that charts what you will write and where, and after completion, you just need to roughly follow it to complete your paper. It makes writing a lot easier, faster, and allows you to organize your thoughts before you start composing.

The structure of a research paper is fairly universal throughout all schools. The font should be Times New Roman, twelve point font, double spaced, with one inch margins. Spelling and grammar should ideally be perfect, and can be with the proper editing. As long as you follow the rules and take your time, your research paper is bound to receive a high grade.

About the Author:
http://www.essaytown.com

Keyword tags: term papers, Thesis Writing, writing, Research Papers, Essay Writing, Dissertation, college,

English Grammar Program – Write Like a Pro!

Today, many countries have considered English as a second language where the language is being used as a medium of instruction. With this, communication from across the world has been made possible. But amidst the widespread use of English, many people are still perplexed by the complexity of the said language, this applies most especially to those whom which English is not a native language. Although it is not surprising to know that even English native speakers have difficulty in using the language correctly. You might be one of them. But there is no need to fret, for the reason that we now have an English grammar program to assist us with this problem.

Here are top 3 reasons why you should need an English grammar program:

1. So what if you are not American?

If English is not your native language then who says you will never write English well? You may have been troubled with that. But think really twice. The English grammar program can definitely help you improve your English skills by spotting out errors in your writing and offers significant suggestions for that excellent English article you have been dreaming about. So you are not an American? Then an English grammar program will help you write just as if you are one.

2. NLP software in assistance

What is NLP software? The NLP basically stands for natural language processing. This software is sophisticated software which differs greatly from simple spell checkers out there. It spots out errors a simple spell checker misses out to see. It interprets every word you have written, and compares each and every one of them with a range of words pre-stored into its own database. It makes out corrections as you write.

3. Write faster and better

With all the writing you have to do, are you still capable of checking on your errors and your grammar? We bet not. But with an English grammar program, you never have to worry about not having the time to check on that. An English grammar program acts as an automated proofreader and correction maker all in one package. It lets you save the time you spend on checking your writing.

An English grammar program enables you to write as if English is your natural language. It consists of NLP software which spots out all the errors for you. With the English grammar program, all you have to do is sit back and write confidently without worrying about the complexities in the language of English. The software offers suggestions on how you can improve your writing style and skills. It comes with advanced and up-to-date databases and smart algorithms for processing language. This helps in editing and analyzing text and offers high-level punctuations and suggestions for grammar. Grammar programs also aid in automatic correction of wrong spellings.

An English grammar program deciphers the words that writers use in their text to determine if they are appropriate for the flow of ideas. If they are not in relation to the topic, alternative words are given for the writer to use. Such a program also aids in brainstorming ideas by generation of correlated text offering writers with valuable writing ideas. This software also aids in correcting grammatical errors offering proper punctuations to use when writing. For those writers that are more accustomed to oral English, English software comes in handy to offer advanced grammar checks and tools for editing. Additionally, a comparison is made between the work you write and other works that have been published. Suggestions are also given on ways of improving your writing skills.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative English Grammar Program can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: english grammar program, english, grammar, english grammar software, grammar program

Grammar Program - Easily Check Your Grammar!

If you do a lot of day to day writing for office, school, or perhaps you frequently write articles, you may be too occupied with the thought of finishing up what you are writing that you do not have the liberty of time to check your spelling or worse enough your grammar. The word processing program that you are currently using to write may spot out errors in your spelling. But does it have the capability to check your grammar? If you think so, then we doubt on that.

Introducing the ultimate Grammar program! An innovative high performance program that does the checking for you. Its functionality was designed to assist people like you with demanding schedules. It does far more than that Jurassic word processing program you have been using. Aside from analyzing your grammar, it actually makes corrections after spotting erroneous ones. Also, it gives you good suggestions and lets you decide on which better alternatives you prefer. Plus it checks on your punctuations and spelling.

Still not convinced? Here are some of the pros on why you should consider getting yourself the grammar software:

1. Better communication skills.

You may have been quite confident on what you are writing, but are you sure it is written perfectly enough? Little do you know that somewhere along those sentences and those catchy lines are embarrassing wrong grammars. This affects your efficiency and reputation to people reading your writings. That is the least thing that you would wish to happen right?

2. Absolute zero spelling mistakes.

As mentioned earlier, the word processing program you are using may check out errors in spelling. But are you sure enough that it hits all the wrong spots? The Grammar program is a contextual spell checker too. It hits all the phrases containing correctly spelled words yet in the wrong context simple word processing programs miss to notice.

3. Improve the way your write.

If you frequently encounter time consuming and mind boggling dilemmas about when to end a sentence and when to start a new one, or when to use commas and other punctuations, then you definitely need a grammar program.

The best thing about a grammar program is that it could aid a user to drastically advance on their writing abilities. All this is conveniently accomplished, while the user of the software is in the comfort of their living room at home or at other location where they feel comfortable to embark on their writing activities. Moreover, grammar software accomplishes this readily and easily, thereby exterminating the need for a writer to enroll in unnecessarily costly writing classes. The basic and easy to comprehend charts and models should significantly aid the user to come up with a relevant story line that fuses among other things a prose free flowing story. This is especially a superior function towards avoiding inconsistencies within the flow of the story.

Get better with your grammar, your writing, and your reputation. Those and the other things mentioned here are just a few reasons on why you should consider using a grammar program. With a grammar program, you will never ever have to deal with embarrassing wrong grammars ever again.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative Grammar Program can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing.
Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: grammar program, grammar software, grammar programs, english, grammar

Grammar Program - The Incredible Story of English Student George

This is the story of George: George was set for an interview in a big company. He had long wanted to be part of this company. He worked so hard and tried his best to have a good track record so when the time comes he would have the opportunity to be part of the company he would be credible. During the interview, he met some of the other applicants. He realized that he is getting into the eye of a needle. It seems everyone there has a good record and is worth the position too! When he was interviewed he felt nervous but he still manages to keep himself from showing the uneasy feeling. After the interview, he felt drained and his guts were at its lowest. He thought he will never be able to get the job. He was proven wrong however because he was hired. He beats all the other applicants! Want to know his secret? He got grammar program!

Grammar program is really perfect for every one. Of course you learn about grammar since you were a kid. You would be seated in your chair and the teacher is so boring would be talking about all these things. Maybe you are already tired of listening to the words like subject, verb, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, modifiers, punctuation and many more. You already talk the language why still mind the grammar?

Later you would realize especially when you get into the work force that grammar does matter! Grammar is very essential in making the best business letter or making the best corporate report. You know that grammar would be pressing it self on you like a slug that is so hard to remove.

When you realize that your grammar is not so acceptable you would regret all the times you slept in your boring language class or the many times you chose to move out of the class and eat in the cafeteria.

Well, beginning a grammar program is not too late. You could always start new. You will be surprised how grammar program could patch up the hole in your communication skill. You might just be like George, able to reach the goal because of the perfect grammar he has. Now, you choose is it now or never? Grammar or never? Will it be too late for you? Of course not! It should not be! Give your self a chance and you will realize that it is never too hard to acquaint your self with your grammar.

Before buying a grammar program, imagine the features that come with these programs. While many word processors come with a spell checker, English software come with a contextual spell checker that identifies not only incorrectly spelled words, but also words in the wrong context. These errors include using words like 'to' where the word 'too' should have been used. A regular spell checker system will usually not spot errors of this sort. To make writing more professional and presentable in a corporate setting, then the grammar and punctuation feature is the answer. To be a proficient writer will almost always require one to use some kind of writing program. This is because in writing, quantity is just as important as quality. Thus, writing software will usually automate repetitive tasks that will leave one to concentrate on writing resourceful material. A good grammar program helps you to maximize output by also handling simple content development that is both grammatically correct and has sentence flow.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative Grammar Program can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: grammar program, grammar software, grammar programs, english, grammar

Grammar Software - Easily Write Like a Pro!

For sure you have been asked to talk in front of a number of people. You know it is not really a big deal if you would be in front somewhat talking to a crowd about something. The burden really is how to do the talking without thinking that there are just as many eyes looking at you as there are ears "listening" to your speech.

It is an uneasy feeling to stand in front of a crowd and you know most if not all of them would laugh at your every wrong use of word, mispronunciation, wrong diction or grammar. Face it, people are naturally like that. They would feel good if someone would stutter in front of them. It is a great pleasure for them to say that "Hey, that is wrong!" or "His grammar is ridiculous! Some would laugh their lungs out and you will be stunned, feeling sorry for yourself and regretting you are there in front facing all these people who just can't seem to stop laughing at your mistake.

Grammar seems so elementary. For sure your first encounter of the word grammar was when you are in kindergarten or in primary school. There you think you are up to a very boring lesson. Well who needs grammar when the language is your native tongue right? You would be very bored with the lessons of the teacher and mind you the word grammar is present every single year in school! You recall those times that you slept in grammar class and you regret it now because it haunts you. You wish you were a lot more attentive, and then perhaps you could have learned the points and applied them in your speech. Well, there is no point regretting something that you can't ever turn back. Time had passed but you can make it up with your grammar by using grammar software.

Here's a story: Leanne is an executive in a company. She always presents proposals to potential investors. Once she met with a potential investor, Leanne, confident as she may seem presented her proposal. She kept wondering why the investor would seem to laugh at her presentation. She got irked and thus she asked out right, well politely, the former what was wrong. And then the investor told her about the grammar problem she has. Little did she know that the investor had a master's degree in language thus an expert with it. She felt humiliated and she marked that day. She bumped into the grammar software. Even without the aid of a grammar expert she was able to master her grammar. She felt even more confident when she needs to do presentations and proposal.

See? There is no reason you will feel doomed by the mishaps you have in grammar. There is still hope as long as there is grammar software. You know that you need it so grab your own now. Who knows? Maybe the next time you talk in front of a crowd you will not be laughed at but you will have a standing ovation.

Grammar software can help you to catch a reader and turn your English knowledge into the proper sentences and words which express the meaning and message you want to spread in the best manner. It can help you to let everything flow. No searching for the right word anymore, such software gives feedback as you write and offers your word alternatives and sentence structure tips which make your writing look like written by shakespeare or George English. In the end it's just pure fun, because you can write fast and effective. Save time and learn something when the integrated English tutor (Almost like a built-in English teacher) gives you hints and alternatives to your written text.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative Grammar Software can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: grammar software, grammar, english, grammar program

Grammar Writing Software – The Ultimate Grammar Writing Solution!

Are you having difficulty with your grammar? Do you find it hard to choose and use the right words? Or you simply do not have the talent in writing? Worry no more because Grammar writing software is already available! So, what can Grammar Writing Software actually do? What are this software's main benefits? Mainly Grammar Writing Software checks and corrects your grammar. Unlike the spell checker which only read single words, the Grammar Writing Software reads the whole sentences in a context. As it reads the sentences, therefore it is assured that it understands what and how the sentence should read.

Checking some errors in your writing grammar and correcting it is not just what Grammar Writing Software can absolutely do. It can perform a whole lot of other useful tasks too, to help you improve your writing. This software can spot and correct the punctuation errors in your writing and this software also suggests alternative words and phrases which you can use to make your writing look and sound better. In this way, what you are trying to say in your writing can be made clear and accurate.

Everyone agrees that time is precious. With this Grammar Writing Software you can definitely save a lot of your time. This software uses a system called NLP or the Natural Language Processing which simply saves you from the extra minutes or hours of your manual proofreading and editing, very ideal for both professional and non-professional writers who are assigned with large amount of project per day.

Grammar Writing Software not only simplifies your writing task, it also contributes in the enhancing of your writing skills and capabilities. This software also helps in the improvement of your written communication. When you use this Grammar Writing Software you are assured that the errors will be corrected, you can then be more confident about what you wrote.

Writing is one form of communicating to other people and it is just as good as talking. So, it is therefore important that what you write is both clear and understandable so as not to make your readers confused. Writing in wrong grammar can alter the original message you are trying to convey to your readers. Imagine the mess you can get yourself into? Grammar Writing Software can absolutely save you from all this mess!

Grammar writing software is in addition very relevant in bringing together and fusing secondary plots within the prose work of the writer. It adds on subject matters that will most importantly assist the reader of the final draft move smoothly and comprehend the story. With writing software any one is empowered with the ability to carefully and consistently systematize and sort out their work. The wonderful thing about it is that you as the writer are presented with the opportunity t first sketch out the story and later one the plot has been established and characters have been adequately developed return to fill in the specifics. Recent revolutions in technology have proven to the contrary the notion that software programmed through computers could not correct and improve your grammar.

Grammar Writing Software is definitely your grammar writing problem's solution!

About the Author:
Watch how innovative grammar writing software can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: Grammar Writing Software, Grammar Writing, Grammar Writing Check, Grammar, Writing

Sentence Check Tool – Features to Look Out For!

Ever heard a person talking as if he doesn't know how to breathe? How about a person talking as if all the topics available under the sun are squeezed in into one statement or two? How do you usually react to such people? There are two possible outcomes. One is that you continue listening yet end up not getting anything from the conversation. If you are the bold and tactless type, then probably you end up doing outcome number two: reprimand the person and ask him to restate it again.

When reading some articles or instructions, readers sometimes have to read a sentence repeatedly just to make sure they got the exact meaning of it. Other sentences are just too long, and look too complicated, that they end up not reading it at all. Unlike speaking, writing doesn't give the writer any chance to rewrite sentences that were not fully understood by the readers. That's why it is important to make sure the sentences writers use are very effective when stating a point or giving a direction.

People often have a wrong mindset when it comes to writing. They think that the best way to impress readers is to make their sentences and words too long and scholarly-looking. They fail to see that the very goal of writing is to clarify something and carry a message across as clearly and concisely as possible.

A sentence check tool must solve that problem by giving the writer an assurance that their written message is clear and understandable. It must do that by giving suggestions to the writer as to how the sentence they highlighted could be shortened and made clearer. The suggestions must be based from basic guidelines in sentence constructions like subject-verb agreement and proper placement of modifiers.

Aside from giving suggestions when it comes to sentence construction, the sentence check tool must also come with a feature that checks how punctuation marks are being used in the sentence. Oftentimes, very long sentences end up being run-on sentences because either there's no punctuation mark used or the punctuation mark used is wrong. The punctuation mark checker must be effective enough to present different placement scenarios of punctuations, depending on how the writer wants the sentence to come out.

Another feature that a writer must look for when it comes to getting a sentence check tool is simpler word suggestions to complicated words. It must come with a thesaurus and dictionary to fully help the writer in making his writing more articulate and effective. A community based dictionary is always one leap ahead of common dictionaries. A Sentence check tool as well checks for grammar, punctuation or any other writing error and gives instant feedback as you write. Almost like an English tutor built into your computer.

If there's one thing that a writer has to be constantly aware of, is that there's power when it comes to the written word. Thus writing down a clear, concise and effective sentence is needed. And to make things easier, the writer must avail of a sentence check tool.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative Sentence Check Tool can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing.
Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: sentence check tool, sentence check, sentence checker, check a sentence

English Grammar Programs - Avoid Run on Traps!

Run on sentences are often called fused sentences. They are two independent clauses connected incorrectly. Most English grammar programs do not dwell much onto these kinds of sentences because some include this when they discuss about punctuations. English grammar programs identify most run-on sentences as comma splices, wherein two independent clauses are connected only by a comma. Read on and learn more about how to avoid run on traps and get the proper remedy for these dilemmas.

Trap#1. A sentence falls into the run-on trap when a pronoun in the second clause refers to a noun in the first clause. The sentence may be logical in thought but it indeed is a run on. Consider the sentence: Judy is pretty, she never get pimples on her face.

Remedy: Instead of putting a comma after the word pretty, it would make the sentence more effective if the two clauses are separated by a semicolon. Better version: Judy is pretty; she never gets pimples on her face. English grammar programs would teach you that semicolons are used when the clauses are related to each other.

Trap #2. A sentence falls into the run on trap when a suggestion or directive word occurs in the second clause based on the prior clause. Consider the sentence: The party starts at 8pm, dress nicely and don't be late. Note the command in the second clause.

Remedy: in cases like the mentioned sentence above, it would also make the sentence effective by separating the clause and make a new sentence. The better version: The party starts at 8pm. Dress nicely and don't be late.

Trap#3. Be careful when you read two independent clauses connected by transitional expressions like however, moreover and etc. these conjunctions will fool you ad trap you into run-on sentences. Consider the sentence: My mother has sent me to a reputable school, however, she has risked her health in that old factory.

Remedy: Putting a period and separating the clauses would be the safest way to correct this run-on sentence but it would also read gracefully if we use the semicolon after the word school. Better version: My mother has sent me to a reputable school; however, she has risked her health in that old factory.

Remember that when you are unsure of the usage of punctuations and how punctuations are helpful in correcting run on sentences, consult your grammar programs.

In example: Let's say that you mix up the word to and too a lot. Since you are spelling them right, the computer is not always going to tell you that they are wrong. The word itself is not wrong, but where you used it at is wrong. Many people still have a problem with this kind of stuff, so you still have to work on your English grammar.

Check out the English grammar programs available and see how easily your writings are improved. The new technology will help you proofread your work and be able to impress your teachers the way you have improved on your writing.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative English Grammar Programs can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: English Grammar Programs, English Grammar Software, Grammar Programs, Grammar Program, Grammar

Software For Grammar – Your English Tutor Built Into Your Computer!

Not every people are good in using the correct grammar. In fact, many have problems writing because they are either confuse on what word or phrases to use or they are simply bad at it. You will surely have a tough time if your writing grammar is bad because writing is in so much use everywhere. In school, writing is used almost everyday especially in English classes. Teachers do require so much paper works and reports and if you cannot do something about your writing grammar problem then you are in a real mess. Just the same when you are already working, writing is still being used. If you are bad in your writing grammar then you cannot definitely communicate well with other people such as business partners and business clients. These are the reasons why software for grammar was created. This different software for grammar can surely help you with your writing problems.

All software for grammar is designed to check and correct wrong grammars. This is indeed the perfect software for those who have problems in their writing grammar. This software is guaranteed user friendly, meaning it is not hard to install and use.

Are just checking and correcting grammars the only benefits of this software for grammar? A good question to ask, the answer is no. Although the primary function of this software for grammar is to check and correct the errors in your writing, this software has a whole lot of other functions in it. It can check for wrong placement of punctuation marks in your writing and correct them. Another is this software for grammar gives you some ideas about better and right words or phrases you can use in your writing. It suggests alternative words like synonyms, adjectives and more. So, aside from its primary use, this software also adds words to your vocabulary.

Grammar software is able to assist you as a writer to eradicate the occurrence and recurrence of ordinary day to day mistakes within your English grammar. Many individuals would be surprised to learn that this application is to their surprise intellectual and highly resourceful. Such software will incorporate within it a wide range catalog, that harbors the accurate practice of the English language, fostering an interface that will be able to interact with the your manuscript as you are writing out your story and readily match this up to some basic examples it houses within its database. Software for grammar checking is especially of consequence to individuals that are forced to carry out a lot of writing within the confines of their operations, whether it is school assignments or writing in an occupational setting.

For writers, the software for grammar proves to be very useful. First because it saves you the time you spend in going over your work and checking for errors like wrong grammars and misplacement of punctuation marks. It saves you from spending too much of your time editing your work. Second, since it saves more of your time, the number of work done will most likely increase. Ideal for those who are given loads of work per day. Lastly, it improves the quality and style of your work. The software for grammar absolutely makes your writing more professional in a hassle free way!

About the Author:
Watch how innovative software for grammar can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: Software for Grammar, Grammar Software, Grammar, English Grammar

Sentence Check Program – 5 Reasons to Try It

A rule of thumb when it comes to writing is this: an effective sentence brings about an effective paragraph. Considering that, it is therefore very important to make sure sentences written are effective. How can you make sure? It is by seeing to it that the words used are simple yet powerful enough to drive home a point, that the modifiers used are near the object it modifies, that the punctuation marks being used are in the right places and are accurate, that grammar usage is accurate, and that the sentence construction is logical.

It takes time to go over all the rules available in English books and in the online library, so wouldn't it be great if there's a program that helps you do just that? It's a good thing that sentence check programs are now available to aid writers on how be more effective when it comes to writing down sentences.

Here are some reasons why you should get your hands on one:

1. Saves time. A sentence check program helps you cut off time in making sure what you're writing is grammatically correct, among other concerns that a writer needs to take care of. This is very important when you're writing for clients that are very pressing when it comes to deadlines. It not only makes your work load less-stressful, it also helps you in submitting your written materials way before the deadline thus impressing your client or person you're working for.

2. Avoids run-on sentences. A run-on sentence is usually made when the punctuation marks are not placed in the right places or if the usage is not accurate at all. A good sentence check program sees that need and thus presents sentence suggestions in a way that helps the writer see how his words can be best expressed.

3. Makes sentences clearer. A sentence check program sees to it that the sentence construction is something that is easily understood by a reader. It also helps in delivering a thought well, without any misinterpretations from the readers. Thus your sentences are more effective.

4. Suggests easy to understand yet powerful words. It is important to use everyday words rather than the complicated ones so that readers will easily understand and doesn't have to get a dictionary whenever they encounter your writing. When a writer writes for simplicity and clarity, it's guaranteed that whatever he wrote will be fully understood.

5. Avoids dangling modifiers. Sometimes the modifiers are placed in the wrong places that the sentence comes out comical even though the goal of the sentence is to drive home the point. The program helps you in placing the modifiers at the places where they're supposed to be, thus it sounds right.

In writing it is important that you always write to be understood. Never write to impress. A reader is more impressed and thankful if the writer of the material he's reading is very clear in stating a point. To aid you in that goal, a sentence check program is just what you need.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative Sentence Check Program can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: Sentence Check Program, Sentence Check, Sentence Checker Check a Sentence

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Self Publish Your Own Books

The sad news for the book publishing industry is that book store sales are down. One of the biggest book publishers have recently reported that their book store sales are down by a whopping 10%! This is all scary news for publishers and most of them have already started evasive action against this down turn in sales.

Some publishing companies have already gone out of business while others have started cutting back on the number of books they publish. And even others have stopped accepting new book manuscripts altogether.

But if you were considering self publishing your own book, don't be disheartened because all this news of lower book sales is great news for the self published author, or anyone thinking about self publishing.

You see most self published authors never see their books available through book stores, unless customers order it. Some self published authors never expect to see their books sitting on book store shelves and have still become millionaire authors.

The trend in book sales now is that more and more people are buying their books online. Online book stores will happily list self published books on their web sites because they don't need to stock them so if they don't make a sale then nothing is lost.

You see most self published books are sold by POD (Print On Demand). This means that unless someone specifically orders a copy of your book – through a book store or an online store – your book isn't printed.

So self publishing through POD means that you don't have to keep a huge stock of you books and they can be sold all over the world automatically.

But how many book sales can you get using POD publishing?

Well, that obviously depends of the popularity of your book and how well it's marketed.

And with all the big publishing companies struggling to make sales now, you may wonder what hope there is for the self published author. And there answer is that there is more hope than ever for the self published author to prosper.

You see the problem with the big publishing houses is that they have so many overheads (stock, premises, staff, transport, etc) that they need to make huge book sales to survive. So if they publish a book they need to feel reasonably confident that they will sell tens of thousands of copies.

Whereas the self published author will be happy with less sales.

If you want to look at it as dollars and cents consider this:

If you self published a book and sold it through online book stores, libraries, etc and you sold only 2,000 copies per year. To a publishing company that would be disastrous. But to the self published author who is earning around $10 or more per book , it is good news, even with so few sales.

And if you wrote several books and sold 2,000 copies or more of each book every year, you'd be earning in excess of $100,000 a year. And remember that selling 2,000 books a year is actually very low sales, and you could easily sell twice that many.

And the more books you write, the more book you can sell. We all have favourite authors and will usually buy all the books they write. So if you could write and publish several books and build up a loyal fan base, then the number of books you could sell is unlimited.

But don't take my word for it. Self publishing a book costs very little and is easy to do. If you know the steps to publishing a book, know which companies you can use to help you and know how to market your book with minimal effort and outlay, then you could write book after book and feel safe in the knowledge that every one of them will be published.

So take advantage of the of the currently publishing climate and start publishing all your own books.

Can you imagine how great it would be to work at home as a self published author and wave goodbye to the 9-to-5 rat race forever?

About the Author:
You can learn how easy and inexpensive it is to write and publish every book you write and sell them worldwide at http://SelfPublishWorldwide.com.

Keyword tags: self publish, self publishing, make money, book, books, work from home,

Writing Check Tool - Write With the 4 C’s!

The English language has been so useful that without it we can't seem to communicate with others especially those of the other countries. Writers who would love to reach a wider audience use English to be understood across the globe. But most writers today, freelance, amateur or professional still have problems with their articles polished. It is not in grammar books that you get to be an excellent writer but it is how you construct your sentences. Some writing tools though useful, are not those comprehensive but here are some guidelines how to improve your writing by using the 4 C's.

1. Be correct.

In your English classes, year by year you are thought on how to construct sentences in such a manner that it would be understandable and in correct composition. In writing, you should be correct with your grammar. Your subjects should agree with your verbs. This is just the basic to get understood on the point you would like to express.

2. Be concise.

Once you become correct with your grammar that you feel like you're the most expert on it, you should also be concise. Beating around the bush will do no good for you. You should be straight to your point to avoid confusion. This also applies to reporters who write so many words that readers no longer understand the point carried across. Be straightforward.

3. Be consistent.

Correct composition of sentences and concise points are not enough to be hailed as a good writer. In the composition of your article you should also be consistent of your stand. There should be coherence in the flow of your thoughts. Your article should be like a river that is flows in a straight to the sea. Each idea should relate to the other.

4. Be complete.

You may be coherent about your ideas but you should also take into consideration that the ideas you express should have a complete thought. The whole article should express a complete idea. Each sentence should have a complete thought that relates to the other ideas within the article. Completeness comes when you are consistent with your message.

Use these guidelines and you'll see how much improvement you have attained. There will still be uncertainty involved and if ever this happens so you may consult your writing checker tools. Those tools help professional writers to do their job in a clean and simple way on a daily basis. Proofreaders need them to proofread, English teachers need them to correct student writings, English tutors need them to prepare their lessons, ESL students to prepare for their writing exams and of course English students to craft their documents.

If you are an ESL student it may be especially helpful to use such writing check tools, because they give instant feedbacks on what you write, respectively on the errors you make. Be it grammar mistakes, punctuation errors, writing style crudities or sentence structure contradictions.

It's almost like having a virtual English teacher built into the computer and it can be used in your normal writing software, but also on Facebook, Firefox, MSN Messenger and in any other tool you use text.

Learn how these writing tools helps in your goal of becoming a good writer and how new technology instantly corrects your mistakes.

About the Author:
Watch how an innovative Writing Check Tool can help you to write perfect English on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology easily and instantly turns your simple English into an impressive art of English writing. Visit: http://wwww.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: writing check, writing checker, check writing, writing software, English checker, English checker

Article Writing: How to Write Articles For Money

Article writing can be very lucrative, and if you know how to write articles for money, you should be able to get through the current economic squeeze unscathed. This article will explain how you can learn to write articles in a form needed both for website content and for directory submission.

The economy at the moment is in such a state right now that all round the world many people are getting worried how to make ends meet. An equal number are starting new internet ventures and are seeking online content and articles for submission to article directories that can be used to advertise their websites, products and services.

This type of advertising is free, and one good article can attract a large number of people to a specific page on somebody's website. Not only do people read articles that are published on directories from the directory itself, but these articles are also listed on Google if they are sufficiently optimized to persuade Google to give them a high listing.

People are currently paying from $5 to $50 for good articles, and although you can't expect much for $5, the average is around $15-$20. This is cheap when compared to the cost of other forms of online advertising. For example an article can get at least 2,000 reads on a directory, which equates to 0.75 cents a click for an equivalent PPC ad. Even if you paid $20 for an article, you be paying only 1c a click for equivalent exposure on Google Adwords - the title of an article can attract prospects just as much as that of an advert.

Now consider you being the writer and not the user of the article. Even a slow writer can write three articles of 700 words in an hour, and if you charge $15 for each article, you could make $45 an hour, or $180 a day for just 4 hours work. That's $3,600 a month for only 20 days work, and you don't even have to give up the day job. Even at only 2 articles an hour that's $2,400 extra a month. Alternatively, if you are a bit short of ready cash for something specific, just write a few articles until you have what you need.

You could use that income to join one of the many lucrative money-making programs available online, or just spend it on whatever you like. However, there is more to writing articles than you think, and even if you are good at English you still have to learn how to write articles for money. Even English teachers have to be taught how to write articles that they would have otherwise been unable to write, because articles written for directories have to be written in a specific way while those for web content are written in a different way.

Not only that, but there is the effective use of keywords to consider, without overusing them. The vocabulary used in the article has be contextually related to the topic so that it supports the keyword, and makes the topic and the targeted keyword clear to search engine spiders without endless repetition. Writing articles for money also involves a specific approach to style, that for one topic might appropriately be friendly and directed personally to the reader, while for another topic might be of a more formal nature.

There are no article writing schools available as such, so you have to learn all of this in other ways. You also have to learn how to carry out keyword research because your customers will likely be relying upon you to choose the best keywords for their topic. Learning how to write articles for money is more than just learning how to use English grammar properly, and that, incidentally, is another important aspect of article writing. Your grammar must be as good as possible.

Some of the more common grammatical errors are excusable, such as improper use of semi colons and the difference between the way the Americans and British use punctuation and quotation marks: "like this," in the USA and "like this", in the UK. However some are not excusable, such as "the person what wrote this" should be punished for not being "the person who wrote this".

All of this apart, learning how to write articles for money is well worth the time and effort, and even the expense, if you are going to be earning upwards of $2,400 extra a month doing it. Some people will pay more than $20 for top class articles, and it is not unknown for over $100 to be paid for top-class work by the major players in the internet marketing game.

So, take your time and check out what is available online to help you to write articles properly, but make sure that your teacher is a practicing freelance writer of articles for online use because it is a specific skill of its own. A good newspaper or magazine writer will not necessarily make a good writer of internet marketing articles in which use of keywords, vocabulary and content are of the utmost importance.

If you want to make money online with article writing, you should learn how to write articles for money from somebody who is skilled and successful at doing so. It is a source of income not dependent on luck or how much traffic you drive to a website, but on your own skills, how well you have learned them and how well you apply them. Keep in mind that extra $2,400 - $3,600 a month you will have to spend, and you are sure to succeed.

About the Author:
Pete is a successful professional internet article ghost writer, and you can learn how to write articles for money from his book Article Czar. Visit http://www.articleczar.com/gift.html for a free gift and to find out what he can offer you.

Keyword tags: Article writing, writing articles,how to write,how to write articles,articles for money

Writing Templates - 7 Reasons to Use Them!

Good writing templates can help you to accomplish any writing tasks more quickly with fewer mistakes. Templates are meant to make your life easier, as they give you the basic set-up you need for the type of writing you have to do. Here are some examples of what they can do for you.

1. Resumes

Resume templates are among the most useful. You choose the template you like and fill it in. This can help you to send out more impressive and professional looking resumes. They can be customized to different kinds of jobs as well.

Having a resume that catches the attention of prospective employees is essential. If your resume does not impress the person who sees it, you will never get a job interview, so your chances of getting a job depend a great deal on your resume. Fortunately, free resume templates are available that can improve your odds!

There are many different kinds of jobs that people are applying for. The idea that one kind of resume would be equally suitable for someone applying to the banking industry, a literary agency, a legal job or a teaching position does not really make sense when you think about it. Resume templates that can be suited to your particular type of industry can make all the difference.

No matter what template you use, try to make your qualifications distinctive as well. Don't just make lists, find a way to explain why your particular set of skills, values or personality traits make you a suitable candidate for the job!

2. Letter Writing

Letter writing templates can help you to send out more polished business letters for any purpose. You can write your letters without having to worry about the proper format.

3. Legal Writing

Whether your are a legal professional or someone who has to write legal documents for personal reasons, legal writing templates will help you do if more easily.

4. Medical Writing

These can help you with documents that require any kind of medical terminology. This is a growing field with a very specialized vocabulary, so medical writing templates can help you if you work in this field.

5. Screenwriting

If you want to write a screenplay, you have to format it perfectly if you want anyone in "the industry" to take it seriously. Software that has screenwriting templates can make this much easier.

6. Academic Writing

Term or research papers must have the proper format. There are templates that can help you with this.

7. ESL English Writing Templates

There are also templates designed to help people learning English for the first time --and for teachers of English as a second language (ESL).

These are some of the English writing templates that can help with all of your writing tasks.

No matter which template you choose, your document will have a distinctive look. With a well-designed template, your resume, letter, report or email will stand out as being professional and attractive. This can make a much better first impression.

About the Author:
Watch how innovative English writing software instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write even better English than your English teacher. Visit: http://www.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: English writing, English writing software, English, Writing

Grammar Help - 10 Ways Grammar Tools Can Help You!

An online spelling, punctuation and grammar guide can be a helpful tool for anyone who does any significant amount of writing. Many people send out emails, letters and other documents without being aware of all the mistakes they are making. This can affect how people think of you, and how they respond to your messages. A grammar guide can help you in several ways:

1. No More Spelling Mistakes

You may use a spell checker, but you really need a contextual spell checker to catch many errors. There are many spelling errors that are correctly spelled words, but in the wrong context. For example, if you say, "I am going to right a letter," a regular spell checker won't catch this as a mistake, since "right" is a real word. A contextual spell checker, however, will notice this!

2. Punctuation and Grammar Check

It's easy to make errors in grammar and punctuation, especially if you have a lot of writing to do. An online grammar guide can correct your mistakes, acting as a virtual proofreader for you.

3. Style Checking Feature

This software also has a feature that goes over your sentences and suggests alternative words and phrases. This improves the style of your writing.

4. Better Sentence Structure

If you aren't sure when to end a sentence and start a new one, or when to put in commas, then you should definitely consider an online grammar guide. This will help you create smoother, more readable sentences!

5. Improves Your Efficiency

Having a built in grammar guide and proofreader can allow you to get more done in less time. You won't have to spend hours going over your writing, or worrying that you made mistakes.

These are some of the ways an online grammar guide can help you with all of your writing needs.

Another way of improving your writing skills is using grammar software that can automate many of your editing and correcting tasks as you write. There are many things such a surprisingly advanced software can do. Here are five ways it may be able to help you:

6. Cut Your Writing Time in Half

If you spend time rewriting or editing your reports or other correspondences, grammar correction software can save you a lot of time by automating these tedious tasks.

7. Raise Your Level of Communication

As you send out more grammatically correct correspondences without errors, your ability to communicate effectively will be enhanced instantly.

8. Improve Your Writing Skills

As you use this software, it can help to teach you to naturally improve your writing. It's like having a virtual writing teacher built into your computer.

9. Write More Creatively and Persuasively

Grammar correction software not only corrects your errors, it suggests alternative words and ways to phrase things. So you can write more creatively, which means you can be more persuasive.

10. English Language Tutor

If English is not your native language, or if anyone in your family or on your staff has to communicate in English when it's not their first language, this can be a real challenge. Grammar software can make someone instantly more understandable in English, and can help teach them correct usage.

If you have to do much writing, for any reason at all, grammar correction software can help you to communicate faster and more effectively!

About the Author:
Watch how innovative grammar software instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write even better English than your English teacher.
Visit: http://www.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: English writing, English writing software, English, Writing

Writing Templates - Are They Useful?

Writing templates are tools to help you with all of your different kinds of writing tasks. In our society, everything you have to write has its own format. Business letters, legal and medical documents, scripts and so forth all have their own format. If you don't follow it, what you send out will not look professional. Yet it takes time to look up the format for what you have to write. If you specialize in one kind of writing, you can find the one that suits you. If you have to do many kinds of writing, you may want to get a variety of templates. If you are busy, you can take advantage of writing templates, so it's all set up for you!

Business Writing Templates

Business letters and resumes are examples of business writing templates. You can easily send out professional looking documents using these.
English has become the universal language of business and international relations. It is now more essential than ever to be able to communicate effectively and accurately in English.
With any kind of business writing, you are trying to convince someone of something. You want the person reading the letter, report or email to buy something, subscribe to something or perhaps hire you for something. In any case, you have to get and keep their attention for at least a few minutes and hopefully get them to take action on your behalf.

Legal Writing Templates

If you are a legal professional or have the need to write legal documents, this is something you should consider.
If you need to write up legal letters or documents, you want to be sure they are in the right format. Legal writing software makes this easy by providing you with templates that are all set up for you to fill in.

Medical Writing Templates

The medical field is always growing, and many people have to write up documents that are involved with this since more and more people have to write medical documents.

Scriptwriting Templates

If you want to write a play or screenplay, you have to follow the right format. There are templates that can help you do this.

Academic or Student Writing Templates

You can also find templates to write reports, term papers, scholarly papers or even college admissions essays!

Everyday Writing Templates

If you write resumes or write many business letters, you may want templates that will ensure you use the right format. These can also be customized based on your specific needs.
Many people are generally good speakers and can think well on their feet but have trouble putting their words down on paper or on the computer screen. Their words often sound awkward, and their message does not get across. These people could benefit from using writing templates or a software that analyzes and improves their crafted documents.

Writing templates are not a substitute for your own creativity, but they can help you with the correct format. This saves you time and ensures that your document has the right look!

If you do any amount of writing, you may want to think about advanced writing software with built-in templates, which serves many functions that make your writing tasks easier.

About the Author:
Watch how innovative English punctuation software instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write even better English than your English teacher. Visit: http://www.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: English writing, Writing Templates, English, Writing

Art of Writing English - Importance of Writing Skill

Most that is good in life comes from men's ability to make their fellows share their thoughts and feelings. But it is not always an easy thing to make others see how we feel or think. The young child is called an infant, a word that means unable to speak. Half his miseries arise from his inability to communicate his notions. Men are but children of a larger growth, and much of their misery results from inability to tell what they think or feel. In a sense the case is worse for the man than for the child. The child makes gestures and grimaces to help his meaning out, but the grown man has to communicate by letters and other compositions.

Both in English writing and speaking there are many special laws that must be observed if there is to be real communication. The special laws of spoken language are not so numerous as those of written language. Written language has to be much more careful than spoken; the writer has no chance of correcting himself on the spot if not understood. All writing consists of sentences that may be defined as series of words so arranged that they express a thought. Sentences are the basis of written and spoken language. Words do not make sentences unless they are arranged in accordance with the rules of grammar, logic, or common sense. Nevertheless knowledge of how to communicate by written words is a very great help in communicating orally.

The art of communicating by means of written English words is called English composition, or rhetoric. A matter of prime importance to each man is that, in business or in society, he should be able to say or write exactly what he means. A businessman may lose money by failing to make himself clearly understood; misunderstandings and quarrels arise between friends because some one has failed to write just what he meant; a man is liable to be taken for a boor if he abuses the English language.

Writing is a trade in which every educated man, woman, and child should be skilled. Writing is a trade, which any one can master if he goes about it in the right way. It is true that writing skill is often the only trade of some people like the poets, novelists, newspaper reporters and editors. These might be called specialists in writing, and writing is their main occupation and way of making a living. But writing skill is a universal trade and it is necessary for every person to know it to a certain extent.

A person will never regret the time he spends in perfecting his instrument of expression. He should work steadily toward the point where he may come to have an abiding love for that which is lucid and beautiful in expression by words. No matter how practical the life he plans to lead, the power of writing down his ideas in good English, in a way that will leave no doubt as to what he meant and how earnestly he meant it, will always profit him.

Writing softwares like English writing software or business writing software with text enrichment tool can be used for writing a good personal or business communication. Writing software can also be used to check and correct English grammar, spellings and for proofreading.

About the Author:
For details on softwares for English writing and grammar corrections, please visit http://www.writingsoftwaretool.com website.

Keyword tags: Writing, English writing, writing skill, language, writing English

Punctuation Help: 3 Common Mistakes and the Ultimate Solution!

You can consult a good punctuation guide for your writing tasks, but it's still easy to get confused about certain things. Learning good punctuation skills can go a long way to making you a better and more persuasive writer. Many people barely learn them in school and quickly forget. Yet writing is not one of those skills that you learn in school and never use in real life. Most of us have to write every day, for work, our business or social reasons. See if you make any of these common punctuation mistakes:

1. Incorrect Use of Quotation Marks

Many people use quotation marks when they mean to highlight something. This is not correct. Quotation marks are meant to indicate dialogue in fiction, as in, "Let's go to the movies," Joe said to Mary.

Another use of quotation marks is to indicate the title of a book or film. However, this is going out of style and is not necessary. You can use italics, as well as capitalizing the words, as in Star Wars, The Simpsons, or Romeo And Juliet.

Quotations are not meant to be used to stress or highlight something, as in "On Sale Today!" Use bold text, italics or larger print for this.

2. Extra Apostrophes

Apostrophes are used to indicate possession, as in John's house or Susan's car.

They also indicate contractions, as in "can't" for "cannot," or "they've" for "they have."

There is no need to use apostrophes to indicate plural, as in "Car's For Sale."

This is incorrect, though commonly done.

3. Run On Sentences

Commas, and the word "and" help to clarify sentences and break up long sentences. Long sentences can also be separated into two or more sentences.

Consider this:

"I woke up late this morning was late for the bus and got to work late and missed an important meeting."

Without commas, this sentence is awkward. It can be rewritten to read:

"I woke up late this morning, and was late for the bus. I got there late and missed an important meeting."

Remember to consult with a punctuation guide if you are unsure about something.

After getting to know the three most typical mistakes. How familiar are you with English punctuation rules? If you still think it's way to complicated, consider getting an automated checking -a software that automatically corrects your spelling, grammar and punctuation as you write.

Automatically "Enforces" Punctuation Rules

This software uses a sophisticated system called Natural Language Processing (NLP), which reads your sentences and compares them to a stored database of correctly written English texts. This enables it to correct your spelling. grammar and punctuation mistakes in a way much more sophisticated than a simple spell checker, which only reads single words.

Suggests New Words

In addition to making sure your writing is in accord with grammar and punctuation rules, and correcting your spelling, NLP software also suggests better words for you to use. If you have ever used a thesaurus, a book that lists synonyms, you can appreciate how easy it would be to have a software program to perform this function for you. In essence, you are expanding your vocabulary when you use it, as you have instant access to new words.

Improves Your Writing and Saves You Time

This software can instantly improve the quality of your writing, and make you more efficient. You can write faster and not worry about making mistakes or having to go back and proofread for grammar, spelling or punctuation errors. This will enable you to get more done, and make the work, emails, reports or term papers you send out more clear and precise.

So, if you don't want to worry about all those grammar and punctuation rules, you may want to consider this automated solution to your writing needs!

About the Author:
Watch how innovative English punctuation software instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write even better English than your English teacher. Visit: http://www.englishsoftware.org

Keyword tags: punctuation, English punctuation, English writing, Grammar

Creative Writers - Can You Write Good Transition Sentences?

Creative writers and journalists sometimes have the problem of smoothly transitioning from one paragraph to the other, especially when they are changing the subject. This is a learned skill that is not hard to master. By the time you read this article, you will fully understand the trick to it.

When we writers hop from one topic to another without a transition sentence, we "jar" our readers. While sentence transitions may be the last line in a paragraph, they are more commonly used as the first line in a new paragraph. They are like a bridge, connecting one idea to another.

Warted characters are memorable. The warts help the reader identify the characters in their minds.

Huh? What happened to the discussion on transition sentences? Were you trying to figure that out? If so, now you know how a "jarred" reader feels. Warts don't relate to transition sentences at all, but we can make them relate by connecting the topics like this: (repeat)

"While sentence transitions may be the last line in a paragraph, they are more commonly used as the first line in a new paragraph. They are like a bridge, connecting one idea to another.

[transition sentence]
We could compare sentence transitions to 'warts' on characters. 'Just as a 'wart' will blend readers minds with the character's identification, transition sentences will blend readers minds to the change of topics."

(Notice that we can use more than one transition sentence to help the reader follow our train of thought.)

Here is another example from a camping article. We're picking up toward the end of the article. The subject was preparing for a vacation and using a credit card for gasoline purchases. It will now blend into an after-vacation recap of never paying interest. See if you can pick out the transition words.

"For every $1,000 you charge on a Flying J credit card per month, you will receive a $10 coupon, which can be used at the online Flying J, or in their restaurant.

By combining the above suggested methods with this plan, you will seldom, if ever, run out of vacation money or have to use an ATM machine; further you will never owe interest, never make a physical payment, and never carry a balance."

What were the transition words? I'll tell you - "By combining... " and the word "further". Those three little words exited a financial camping program and carried the subject to the after-vacation recap.

Certain words make good transitions. Some of them are: further, besides, in addition to, instead of, specifically, to sum up, although, beyond, close, for instance, again, moreover, accordingly, as a result, during, to illustrate, finally, on the contrary, to compare, consequently, if, then, meanwhile, but, nevertheless, therefore, subsequently, otherwise, so, formerly.

Your Assignment: pick up something to read and pick out the transition words. They will always be in the first sentence of the next paragraph. After you've done this a few times, look at some of your own work and see if you can improve your transitions.

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About the Author:
Ms. Deb is CEO & Founder of Creative Writing Institute. Her school brings new meaning to "$ave money" on writing courses. Ask your writing questions: deborahowen@cwinst.com! Send your stories in for a FREE writing analysis. No string, no spam, no kidding! http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Keyword tags: creative writers, creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tip

Creative Writers – Learn to Write Your Emotions

As a creative writer, you must feel the mood your are writing about. It is imperative if you want to reach your audience. And how are you supposed to do that? By experiencing the mood.

Let's suppose you want to write a scene that displays anger. Maybe the story is about abuse, a mom and dad arguing, or sibling rivalry. Maybe it's about a girl breaking up with her boyfriend because he was playing around on the side. If the scene is intense, you have to get into the mode. I mean red, piping hot angry.

Remember the guy or gal that dumped you 30 years ago? Remember the time you had a bad dream about your mate and you wouldn't speak to him all day? How about when you got steamed at the boss, or got into a heated argument over politics, world affairs, abortion, women's rights, etc.? As a writer, you must capture those emotions again and write them into your scenes. It should be so real that you will need to attend anger management classes to get over it.

Do you need to be happy? Then think of some very happy occasions. Sing really crazy! Laugh like an idiot! And when you begin laughing at yourself, it's time to write that joy into your scene.

Another way to develop the needed emotions is to imagine yourself as the character and write entries in a diary from his/her point of view. Live the make-believe life. Do whatever it takes to crawl into your character's skin. You can't write effectively what you don't know or aren't in the mood for. (You can, however, write a draft for the scene and come back to build it in a more realistic way later.)

Remember that your protagonist (main character, hero) and antagonist (villain) must be three-dimensional characters. They must have a past and a future; they must have problems in their lives and they must work through those problems like real, live people. Those characters should be real enough to walk off the page in your reader's mind and sit next to them. If the reader can't identify with the characters, they aren't likely to stay with the story.

I remember when my daughter was 16-years old. It was not uncommon for her to sit on the floor Indian style, and bawl her eyes out over a drama TV show. One night I winked at my husband and said, "That actress is playing her part really well, isn't she?" He picked up on it and we talked back and forth about the actress' career and wondered out loud what movie they would play in next.

Our daughter turned around, tears dripping off her cheeks, and said, "Quit it, you guys. You're ruining the show!" But what she really meant was, "I'm into the character. I feel what she is feeling. Don't move me out of the scene."

If your characters aren't three-dimensional, you'll lose your readers. Put yourself into the mood and into the groove. Live what you write.

See Christmas $ale below!

About the Author:
Ms. Deb is the CEO & Founder of Creative Writing Institute. She brings a new meaning to "save money" on writing courses. Ask your writing questions at deborahowen@cwinst.com. Send your stories in for a FREE writing analysis. No strings, no spam, no kidding. http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com.

Keyword tags: creative writers, creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tip

Creative Writers Learning To Deal With Rejection

Creative writers have a hard time dealing with criticism – constructive or otherwise. After all, our written words are our babies, and how dare anyone criticize them or try to change them! Right? Wrong. That is a beginner's point of view. You will be light years ahead when you can accept and actually use constructive criticism to your advantage.

One of the best ways to do this is to join a writing club. There are dozens of them, but the one I like the best is http://Writing.com. You have the opportunity to publish your stories on site and let other writers read and rate your article from one to five stars. Then it's your turn to visit their port to read and rate some of their articles.

I will admit that there is a very small percentile of nasty people who take pleasure in jabbing newbies, and one such encounter is enough to cripple you for a long time, but I credit the site's head master for taking proper steps in dealing with such riff-raff.

As an example, I had one story that consistently drew a five star rating and one day a woman rated it one star and wrote this message: "If you really want to be a good writer, you need to read good authors so you'll know what good writing is. I rated your story one star, and I would have rated it less if I could have, but I admit I only read the first paragraph."

Whoa! Talk about someone running over you with cleat shoes! I felt like a wooly worm that had just been stepped on. However, I learned two things. Firstly, you can't pay attention to everyone. There are some real weirdos out there, and secondly, I learned to write snappy first paragraphs!

My defenses were up for a long time after that, but I remember the day when I let them down and actually heeded a helpful critique. I decided to use the lady's suggestions, and I even thanked her for them. From that day on, I used 95% of all the critiques I received. At first I did it as an experiment, but when my ratings soared, I did it because I knew I was learning.

Dealing with rejection is a part of every writer's life. Learn who you should share your work with. Don't let family members or friends (who are not writers) read your work. They don't know what they're talking about, but they will try to teach you how to write. It's easier to learn from strangers.

When you try to sell your stories or articles, you are sure to receive rejection slips. I wish so much that I had kept mine so I could put them into the album that now holds all of my published clippings.

Rejection is a learning time in every writer's life, but ultimately you must learn to grow a thick hide and you will be the better for it.

See below for a Christmas sale!

About the Author:
Don't read this! Christmas Sale on 8-wk. writing courses reduced to $185 until Jan. 1, 2009! Creative Writing Institute, the first fully mentored writing school on the Internet, http://www.creativewritinginstitute.com. ATTENTION: Submit your Christmas story or article and we'll print it!

Keyword tags: creative writers, creative writing course,writing sites,writing tutor,writing assistance,writing tip