28 Sep 09 5 More Ways to Improve Your Writing Part-VIII

The actual process of writing is indeed a lonely undertaking, but many things happen before you sit and start writing, and these many things shape your writing, therefore going out is as important as is sitting alone to write. In this part of the 5 Ways to Improve Your Writing series, I will talk about the benefits of socializing.

Writing group

Join a writing group in your neighborhood. Make sure it is not very far because distance works as a deterrent for many new writers. If you could not find a writing group in your neighborhood, form one.

Book reading club

Become a member of a book reading club. This will help you refine your existing ideas, and it will also help you get new ideas. Reading is the best advice that can be given to a writer. A writer who does not read cannot produce a good quality work for long. If there is not any book reading club in your neighborhood then form one.

Socialize with writers

Talking to fellow writers will help you unearth many hidden issues, and it will also help you find answers of many unasked questions as well. A practicing writer can become a better guide in telling you how to write, how to use different writing tools, and how to keep your writing simple yet powerful.

Meet someone who is not like you

Meeting a person who is not like you, and who has different point of view, desires, values, etc., will give you a good understanding in human nature. Meet a person of such standing and reflect on the experience you have by meeting him, and the experiences he or she shared with you.

Leave your couch

This is important. Your couch has become your comfort zone, or is it your chair that has become your comfort zone? Challenge yourself and break free. I am asking you to leave your comfort zone, and try meeting new people, and experiencing new things. The more experience you will bag, the better accomplished writer you will become.

Tags: Book Reading, Comfort Zone, Couch, Desires, Different Point Of View, Experiences, Fellow Writers, Good Understanding, Human Nature, Many Things, Neighborhood, Point Of View, Quality Work, Reading Club, Shape, Sit, Unasked Questions, Undertaking, Writing Group, Writing Tools

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17 Sep 09 Make A Great First Impression

Knowing how to make a fantastic first impression is ridiculously important. Not only could this make or break a job interview, but it could also have a huge influence on your candidacy for promotions at your job. By giving a good first impression, you instill a positive memory into everyone meeting you for the first time. Ensuring that when they look back on potential job candidates, you’ll have a warm place in the selection. Not to mention the fact that it’s extremely hard to repair any damage done by making a bad first impression, especially at a job interview.

Work on your body language. You want to have a good healthy natural posture, and to look positive and upbeat. Smile, not a ridiculous fake smile, but a genuine smile that shows you are a positive person. People want positive attitudes in the office, as they make getting work done all the easier. Nobody wants more negativity in the air, and appearing as though you’d only add some is a very bad thing. So make eye contact, keep that smile working, and stay relaxed and comfortable.

Make sure that you’re a friendly and fun person through professional, and appropriate joking or laughing, or conversation. Stay away from politically charged topics that people tend to have strong opinions about, like religion, government, etc. Stick to more simple ideas or topics, or anecdotes about your own life and experiences. Anything to show that you’re an open person, and one that is genuinely interested in communicating with others.

Keep your attire professional, and make sure that you match. You want to choose clothing that’s flattering, as well as professional. Anything to help you look more positive and friendly. Pick an outfit that says you’re a friendly open person. Hardworking, but also a good person to have around, to make the environment more comfortable for everyone around.

Tags: Anecdotes, Body Language, Candidacy, Communicating With Others, Experiences, Eye Contact, Fake Smile, Genuine Smile, Good First Impression, Good Person, Great First Impression, Interview Work, Job Interview, memory, Natural Posture, Open Person, Positive Attitudes, Posture, Promotions, Strong Opinions

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29 Aug 09 Freelance Writing Checklist Part -2

Taking our discussion on freelance writing forward, I will give you some more items that you need to include in your Freelance Writing Checklist, before you jump on the bandwagon. Without wasting our precious time in stretching the introduction, let us begin with the checklist items.

Is your résumé ready?

Sounds familiar? Yeah…every job requires you to have a résumé, and freelancing is no different in this regard. You will need an up-to-date résumé throughout your freelance writing career, and particularly when you are starting out when you have no portfolio to show. Your résumé will tell your prospective client about your experience.

How good is your cover letter?

You cannot do without a cover letter ever in your freelancing write. You will need this every day and for every project you bid on. It is a thousand times more important than your résumé. You need to know that you are not alone when you apply for an online writing gig. You are competing with hundreds of freelancer who is vying for the gig. Hence, to get noticed, you need to have a very attractive cover letter properly outlining your skills and experiences.

The things written above were good enough for any freelancer, but what makes a cover letter more important to a freelance writer is the fact that through your cover letter your prospective client will get the first glimpse of your writing; hence, if it is very impressive then consider your job half-done.

Do you know how to apply?

Well, doing this is not very difficult. It is just time consuming. Before you apply for a gig, you need to find out how the employer or the freelance board through which you are applying wants your application to be.

Some boards just need one cover letter, which you post with your bid, while others may ask you to write a brief introduction while posting the bid, and the rest of the details in a private message.

There is one more difference. The difference is in the way your client will accept your samples: some will ask you to send them links to your sample, while others will be okay with your attachments, and you will also find a handful of clients who will ask you to paste a brief article in the body of a private message. It is also not uncommon to find a client who wants you to write a custom sample for him on the topic or on the subject chosen by the client himself.

Get these things ready, I will be back in the next installment with some more checklist items. Meanwhile, I will also request you to tell me what you feel about the items I have listed above.

Tags: Bandwagon, Cover Letter, Experiences, First Glimpse, Freelance Writer, Freelance Writing Career, freelancer, Freelancing, Gig, Job, Online Writing, Precious Time, Private Message, Prospective Client, Regard

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28 Sep 09 5 More Ways to Improve Your Writing Part-VIII

Writing group

Book reading club

Socialize with writers

Meet someone who is not like you

Leave your couch

17 Sep 09 Make A Great First Impression

29 Aug 09 Freelance Writing Checklist Part -2

Is your résumé ready?

How good is your cover letter?

Do you know how to apply?

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