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Improve Writing

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Work to Improve Article Writing Skills

There are thousands of writing websites on the Internet. Practically anyone can write, without being interviewed, and for the most part, no proof of competency is required. Simply register with the site, start writing and publish your work over the Web.

The upside is that a writer can display his or her talents, but the inherent downside is that often you get a display of poor quality coupled with a rudimentary level of incompetence. More often than not, the latter is the case as the rules of grammar, writing, and punctuation are consistently violated.

Articles all over the Internet are poorly written by many who actually believe they are competent writers. There's room for improvement with every freelance writer on the web. The problem: if you don't consider yourself a bad writer, you will not pursue the tons of free assistance on the Internet. The art of writing cohesive articles takes practice and experience just like any other endeavor.

It's time to see more quality material on the Internet. The buck stops here! The purpose of this Lens is to begin the process of propagating quality content throughout the web. It's not about trying to change anyone's opinion about a particular topic, but being able to improve the overall quality of writing on the World Wide Web.

On this page you will find numerous free tools to help improve writing skills. This Lens will be updated on a regular basis so please return as often as possible. Suggestions and tips are welcomed, simply enter your advice as a comment at the bottom of the page.

15 Tips to Becoming a Better Writer

  1. Brief Sentences

    Poor sentence structure usually originates from long, drawn out, awkward sentences. Keep your sentences brief, concise, and make your point in as few words as possible.

  2. Write like you Talk

    The novice writer tends to go overboard with trying to make a point. A rule of thumb to follow for any writer, with or without experience, is to write like you talk. If what you've put on paper would not make sense in conversation, don't write it down. Stop trying to be Mark Twain and just write in plain English (or whatever language you happen to be writing in).

  3. Present Tense, Second Person

    Present tense, second person writing is the most professional way to appeal to the reader. Use "you" as often as possible and eliminate "I" and "Me" altogether.

  4. Don't Bore the Reader

    Blah, blah, blah; the readers have heard it all before, and read numerous boring pieces just like yours. Add spice and controversy to what you write, especially if you're writing fiction.

  5. Know your Audience

    There are a plethora of categories to write under. Whichever one you choose make sure you know a little something about this particular genre. This way you're not writing to a sector that is not interested in what you're writing about.

  6. Outline

    An outline does not need to be complex. It's only for your eyes and should consist of a rough draft introduction, numbered bullet points, and a brief close. That's it. Use this outline to create your article or short story.

  7. Tell Stories, Paint Pictures

    Your job as a writer is to tell a story or paint a picture. The blank piece of paper or blank word document is your canvas. Be descriptive and use examples. Describe what may be unfamiliar by using the familiar. For example: "John's first day at work reminded him of the awkwardness he experienced on his first day of school." Find crafty and cleaver ways to get the reader to see your point without being monotonous.

  8. Write Extensively

    Make it part of your daily ritual to write. Many of the writing sites on the Internet give you a little reward for writing without missing a day. It amounts to a virtual "pat on the back" but its recognition nonetheless. It's also a good way to stay focused and improve your writing skills. Practice makes perfect.

  9. Read Voraciously

    Read as often as you can. Read the works of talented writers like Samuel Beckett, James Joyce, Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Toni Morrison, Charles Dickens, and Jean-Paul Sartre. It doesn't matter whether you like their work or not, the key is to get a grasp of their writing style and use it to enhance your skills.

  10. Six Sentences of Less

    Long paragraphs with more than five or six sentences can be intimidating to the reader. Paragraphs with less than six sentences break up the page and make the article appear less formidable to the reader.

  11. Eliminate Distractions

    Eliminate all distractions when writing. Find a quiet spot and make it your writing sanctuary. Some writers can write with music playing others cannot. Make yourself as comfortable as possible. Sit in a chair that allows for maximum back support and comfort.

  12. No Capital Letters

    Capital letters tend to express anger in writing. Writing in caps is also a sign of an inexperienced writing. The only capital letters in your articles should be at the beginning of every sentence and direct questions in quotes (see "Capitalization Rules" link).

  13. Active Verbs

    Active verbs are more engaging to the reader. These type words help to help the writer to get her point across more succinctly. Many people shy away from the use of active verbs because they are attempting to take up space. Ultimately, keeping the message short and sweet, serves the author better in the long run.

  14. Write down ideas

    Throughout the day various constructive thoughts come to us but we don't capitalize on them by writing it down. Pen and pad should be available at all times because this keeps your writing fresh and innovative.

  15. Strong Introduction and Conclusion

    The most critical parts of any article or short story are the introduction and the conclusion. In the intro you want to capture the reader's attention. Captivate your audience and make them want more. In the end, summarize, tie lose ends together, and leave them fulfilled, but wanting more.

Breaking the Sound Barrier

Amy Goodman

Breaking the Sound Barrier

Breaking the Sound Barrier

by: Amy Goodman

Amazon Price: $2.39 (as of 06/02/2012)Buy Now

Breaking the Sound Barrier proves the power that independent journalism can play in the struggle for a better world, one in which ordinary citizens are the true experts of their own lives and communities.

Article and Freelance Writing Tips

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Adjectives

from grammar.ccc

Definition: Adjectives are words that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence. The Articles - a, an, and the - are adjectives.

  • the tall professor
  • the lugubrious lieutenant
  • a solid commitment
  • a month's pay
  • a six-year-old child
  • the unhappiest, richest man
If a group of words containing a subject and verb acts as an adjective, it is called an Adjective Clause. My sister, who is much older than I am, is an engineer. If an adjective clause is stripped of its subject and verb, the resulting modifier becomes an Adjective Phrase: He is the man who is keeping my family in the poorhouse.

Before getting into other usage considerations, one general note about the use - or over-use - of adjectives: Adjectives are frail; don't ask them to do more work than they should. Let your broad-shouldered verbs and nouns do the hard work of description. Be particularly cautious in your use of adjectives that don't have much to say in the first place: interesting, beautiful, lovely, exciting. It is your job as a writer to create beauty and excitement and interest, and when you simply insist on its presence without showing it to your reader - well, you're convincing no one.

Continued on grammar.ccc.commnet.edu

Article Introduction

by Barry Shaw from Firehow.com

You're surfing the web, looking for something that peaks your interest. You come across and article of interest, at least the title is, and the first couple of sentences will decide whether you read it in its entirety or you move on. That's how important it is to capture the reader's attention in the introduction or first paragraph of your article. This is the critical area that will make or break the success of what you wrote and in most cases determine whether or not you make money on the article.

If you're writing for the sheer enjoyment of it then you're not concerned about the monetary value of your article but you should be concerned about your reputation as a freelance writer. No one actually has to give you the title "author," or "freelance writer," because if you publish a book, article, journal, manuscript, or any other publication via one of the many media outlets, including the Internet, that makes you an unofficial author. You may or may not be a very good one, but you could technically label yourself an author nonetheless. This refers primarily to the Internet because if you're not a good writer you can forget about getting an article published in any decent magazine or newspaper.

Establish a solid "lede" or lead to your story. The lede, as it's termed in journalistic parlance, is the first paragraph of a story. It should focus on the main points of the story, capture the reader's interest, and do this in as few words as possible. Somewhat daunting tasks because you will need to mix flash with what you are attempting to portray. However, with practice, you will improve your ability to balance your intro with a little wit, pizzazz, and substance.

Avoid being too vague when introducing the subject of the article. Utilize the "Substitution Test" which is, if you can swap another noun for the subject, you have more work to do.

The next portion of your article should justify what you're writing by telling the readers why they should care. It should explain your introduction briefly and how it relates to the subsequent paragraphs.

Include supporting references or information that tells your audience why this is a timely and important article.

In journalism, this section is referred to as the "Nut Graf." Wall Street Journal writer and editor, Ken Wells described the nut graf as "a paragraph that says what this whole story is about and why you should read it. It's a flag to the reader, high up in the story: You can decide to proceed or not, but if you read no farther, you know what that story's about."

It's crucial that you tell the reader why she should care. Explain the relevancy of your topic by completing this statement,
"This is important because..." Being able to succinctly finish this sentence will increase the value of your publication.

Make sure your adjectives compliment the article and not take away from its substance. Avoid empty, useless adjectives like "fun, great," or "fantastic" and use definitive words "that describe or modify another person or thing in the sentence."

Benefits of Article Writing

The more you write, the more you read. Reading is research and to research you must read. One works hand-in-hand with the other and you find yourself reading more than any other time in your life. An added benefit, and a direct consequence to writing is, your typing speed improves.

Writing online increases your productivity. Idle chatting and solitaire playing is reduced to a minimum or cut out entirely. Those who start writing online and continue, do so because of the enjoyment, relaxation, and a sense of accomplishment.

Article writing makes you a better note-taker. Note-taking to a writer is like a script to an actor. Taking good notes makes article writing that much easier and more fluent. The more you write, you'll take better, more concise notes. Ultimately, the notes you take help to organize your thoughts and create a smoother flow for your article.

Online writing makes you more attentive. Your awareness is heightened because you find yourself looking for a potential article in almost all your interactions. Road trips, going to the mall, restaurants, where ever you go, your thought process will always lead you to, "I can write about this."

Writing can be contagious. When others find out you're writing online, and getting paid for it, they want in. You've added a "follower" or associate to your network and it creates a domino effect from there.

from listmyfive.com

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Emma Riley Sutton's Blog

Keyword Crazy

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Finding topics for Articles

Signup to Bukisa, Get Paid For Publishing your Knowledge!Social networking sites are a great place to find popular, up to date topics. The micro-blogging site Twitter is a real time search engine and can be used for various research projects. It is a good source to find material. From the Twitter home page, check the right hand side of the screen for up to date trending topics.

Read message boards to find topics related to your area of expertise. Message and bulletin boards are filled with article topics. Browse through magazines and newspapers for additional ideas.

Freelance Writer's Glossary includes essential terms needed to maximize your earning potential. It's important to learn the language of Freelance Writing because it gives your writing that professional look and feel and helps to sell your ideas. Knowing how and when to utilize these terms also assist in coming up with topics for articles.

Freelance writing has it's own professional language and the Glossary teaches you that language. It works for emails and for writing and speaking with editors and publishers by using language they understand.

The Write Prompts - Writing Prompts

Freelance Work Online

10 Freelance Writing Sites
E Byline, Helium, Bright Hub, Squidoo, Triond, Auction Bytes, Info Barrel, List My Five, Suite 101, Seed, Tutorial Tub.
Bukisa
BUKISA is the Zulu word for "Display". What we do is let you share your knowledge with the world and get rewarded for it.
Info Barrel
Post your content and make money based on a percentage of the advertising revenue. Authors are free to write on almost any topic, there is no up-front payment, once your article is reviewed it is published on the web.

Great Letters

Letter from Birmingham Jail
While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities "unwise and untimely." Seldom do I pause to answer criticism of my work and ideas. If I sought to answer all the criticisms that cross my desk, my secretaries would have little time for anything other than such correspondence in the course of the day, and I would have no time for constructive work. But since I feel that you are men of genuine good will and that your criticisms are sincerely set forth, I want to try to answer your statement in what I hope will be patient and reasonable terms.
Romantic Love Letters
Since time immemorial, we have been writing Love Letters to our beloved. Writing Love Letters is a way of expressing your love through words.
10 Greatest Love Letters
Millions have written love letters in thousands of styles about thousands of things for thousands of years. But are these the 10 very best, the greatest love letters of all time?

"How To" Articles

In the introduction of a "How to" article you have four seconds to capture the readers attention. The intro is your best opportunity to make a lasting impression and convince the reader that it's in her best interest to finish the article.

It is incumbent upon the writer to create a delicate balance between substance and flash.

Cheat Sheet for a Successful Introduction

  1. Write a good opening sentence. Your opening sentence must provide the reader with context so she immediately understands the focus of the article. Citing a credible source in the opener takes a vague statement and makes it concrete. Don't introduce your topic with a string of generic observations. Utilize the substitution test, which is: If you can swap another noun for the subject, your intro is too vague. Avoid questions in your opening sentence.

  2. Create a solid "nut graf." In journalism, a nut graf puts the story in context and tells readers why the story matters. The nut graf is considered by the majority of editors to be the most important section of a story, since it tells the readers why they should be reading the story, and establishes your credibility in writing the story.

  3. Tell the reader why he should care. Make sure that at least one of your sentences could follow the imaginary preface, "This is important because%u2026" It's imperative that you're able to explain why your topic is relevant and valuable to the reader.

  4. Avoid empty adjectives like "nice," "beautiful," "great," "awesome," "fantastic," "terrific," or "good." Use adjectives that are particular to the subject you're describing. Empty adjectives are descriptors that are unnecessary or do not add any additional value. Examples are, "the child's little hand" .. little is not necessary; or "In the dark night" .. dark should be omitted.

  5. 75 - 100 words in your introduction. Don't put too much information in the intro because most of the facts should be located in the body of the article.

Article Steps

  1. Steps should be in chronological or logical order. Choose the order that best suits the article and that provides the most concise steps. Outline the actions a reader must take to complete the stated objective.

  2. Start each step with an action verb, and tell readers precisely what they need to do, without generalizing.

  3. Steps should be short and concise, two or three sentences. If there is pertinent information needed to further explain it's OK to have one or two more sentences in a particular step.

  4. Refrain from stating the obvious, for example, "Open box and remove." Readers are aware of the fact that they need to open the box. Start with the task. Don't refer to the order of the tasks within the steps. For example, "The first thing to do is ..." in Step 1, 2, or 3. Also, do not refer to the action in a previous step unless it is necessary for clarity.

Tips and Warnings

  • Tips are additional information and further advice. Order tips from most to least important. Do not repeat or summarize steps. Warnings should be listed from most important to least and should note possible risk or dangerous consequences associated with the article.

Imperative Sentences

Imperative sentences make a request, give a command, or express a wish. They are usually simple sentences but it's not uncommon to find a complex sentence is also an imperative one. Depending on the strength of emotion behind the request, command, or wish, a period or exclamation mark punctuates the sentence.

Examples:

Raise your hand before speaking.

Be courteous to your classmates.

Bring pencil and paper with you everyday.

Improve writing skills

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"In Spite Of" or "Despite"

Although "in spite of" is perfectly standard English, some people prefer "despite" because it is shorter. Be careful not to mix the two together by saying "despite of" except as part of the phrase "in despite of" meaning "in defiance of." And note that unlike "despite," "in spite" should always be spelled as two separate words.

Jane Sullivan's RSS Feed

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Most Searched Article Topics

Computer Repair and Virus Protection

Articles about computer repair and anti-virus software gets tons of views. Working as a tech support specialist, over 50% of the calls are virus related.

Web Hosting

Surprisingly, articles about Web Hosting are extremely popular. That's because more and more people are looking to establish a web presence. Also, more people are designing and maintaining their own web site. This fact increases the number of searches done on web design, maintenance, and hosting.

Building Wealth

Whether you're writing about investing in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, Internet Marketing, or creating multiple income streams, it all falls under the banner of building wealth. Any time you're writing about the potential to make money, you'll attract lots of attention.

Phone Apps

How popular has smart phone apps become? There are apps for apps and the number increases daily. Most apps are beneficial time savers, and some are just for fun and games. Whatever the case, write about it and you'll reap the benefits of one of the most popular I.T. gadgets of the 21st century.

Travel

Articles about travel are popular because at some point and time every one will go on vacation. Because of the current recession, the travel agency business has taken a hit but people are still searching for travel ideas, cheap airfare, and hotels.

Overcome Writers Block

by JanieWrites from ListMyFive

Writers Block is a phenomenon most writers have faced at least once. It occurs when the mind simply goes blank and the writer can't think of a single word to put on the page or type into the computer. It is frustrating, and time consuming. The worst time to be faced with writers block is when the writer is up against a deadline.

There are ways to get past it, however. The first thing a writer needs to do is acknowledge that he or she is blocked. This will free up the writer to take steps to unblock his or her mind. Not acknowledging will make the writer even more frustrated and he or she will continue to spin wheels instead of getting down to work.

Continued

10 Ways to Overcome Writers Block

  1. Ask a question

    Think about the topic you'd like to write about and ask questions about it. Ask as many as you can think of. Then, all you have to do is answer them.

  2. Start with one word

    Think of a good word to start out with. Add another word. Add more words until you make a sentence. Add some more sentences. Make a paragraph. Add some more paragraphs. Before you know it, you'll have something.

  3. Ask for help

    Ask someone for advice. Moms are great at giving advice. Anyone will do for advice.

  4. Research

    Go on Bing Search Engine, try Wikipedia, open an almanac, or go to a library. There's a lot you can find if you look.

  5. Be Unique

    Look for the biggest, smallest, newest, oldest, most expensive, least expensive%u2026you get the point.

  6. Make Connections

    Think of a person and something that you don't usually think goes together. How might they fit?

  7. Numbers

    How can/do numbers affect what you are thinking about?

  8. Make a list

    Think about what you know about a subject. Create a list, outline, or mindmap.

  9. Adapt

    Think of something you know about and adapt it to something you are thinking about.

  10. Ask one question

    Think of a really good question and ask many people the same question. Ask the same direct, open-ended question. If you put together enough responses, you'll have something good to write about.

Overcome Writers Block II

Just Write Baby

Longtime Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis coined the phrase, "Just Win Baby." He was being interviewed after the last Raiders Superbowl win in 1984 against the Washington Redskins. Apply a similar affirmation to assist in overcoming writers block, "just write baby."

What to Write About

Write about anything that comes to mind. Don't worry about grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Put the pen to the paper and jot down whatever thoughts pop in your head. It's OK if it turns out to be gibberish or scribble-scrabble.

Keep Pen and Pad Handy

Keep a pen and pad available at all times. Every room in the house, in your car, and your place of employment, make sure a pen and pad is at arms length. This way, when ideas come to you, you'll be ready to write them down.

Return to the Gibberish

The gibberish and scribble-scrabble that you wrote earlier in the day, or the previous day, pick it up and you will begin to make sense of what you wrote. As you start to put the pieces of the puzzle together, guess what? No more writers block. You will come up with crafty and creative ways to tie it all together.

Avoid Procrastination

Most battles with writers block stem from procrastination. Work to improve your typing speed and you will be able to type myriad paragraphs and pages in no time. So stop dragging your feet, making excuses, and "just write baby!"

Read some of the great works of all-time

.. to become a better writer

  1. Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
  2. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
  3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
  4. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
  5. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
  6. Hamlet by William Shakespeare
  7. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
  8. In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust
  9. The Stories of Anton Chekhov by Anton Chekhov
  10. Middlemarch by George Eliot
Writing can be an escape; it can be therapeutic, a marvelous way to relieve stress. The "power of the pen" means a lot more than being able to express oneself on paper. The pen, like the voice, is mightier than the sword.

One of this author's favorite letters of all time, you could even call it an article, is Dr. King's "Letter From a Birmingham Jail," one of the most powerful pieces of literature ever written.

A well written document forces the reader to take heed to its contents. If it is meant to get things done, or accomplish something, and it's well written, placed in front of the right audience, a letter can and will be extremely effective. Couple a well written letter with the mass appeal and power of the Internet, and your letter could literally move mountains.

Review and Proofread

The first impression will either make or break an article. The writer has four to five seconds to capture the reader's attention. This is especially true on the Internet because a web surfer will quickly move on to the next site if he is not enthralled by the first couple of sentences. Create a solid introduction by reviewing and proofreading. Read it aloud to be sure the sentences would make sense in normal conversation. Walk away from your introduction for five to fifteen minutes. When you return, any mistakes will be easier to locate and correct.

A good introduction establishes the theme of an article and lets the reader know what's in store in the subsequent paragraphs. It should wet the readers' appetite and create a genuine interest in finishing the commentary. Your audience has myriad choices therefore it's vital to your success to devise a solid introduction.

Do not use unnecessary adjectives in the introduction, such as great, fantastic, or fun. These words should be used sparingly in the body of your article. There should not be too much information disclosed in the first three to four sentences. This creates "run-on" sentences. A run-on sentence contains more than one complete idea without the use of punctuation or proper conjunctions. There are two types of conjunctions; coordinating and subordinating.

Coordinating ConjunctionsSignup to Bukisa, Get Paid For Publishing your Knowledge!

  • and
  • but
  • or
  • nor
  • for
  • yet
  • so
More info on Coordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions

  • although
  • because
  • since
  • unless
More info on Subordinating Conjunctions

Rules for Using Semicolons

A semicolon is most commonly used to link (in a single sentence) two independent clauses that are closely related in thought.

When a semicolon is used to join two or more ideas (parts) in a sentence, those ideas are then given equal position or rank.

Example: Some people write with a word processor; others write with a pen or pencil.

Use a semicolon between two independent clauses that are connected by conjunctive adverbs or transitional phrases.

Example: However they choose to write, people are allowed to make their own decisions; as a result, many people swear by their writing methods.

Use a semicolon between items in a list or series if any of the items contain commas.

Example: There are basically two ways to write: with a pen or pencil, which is inexpensive and easily accessible; or by computer and printer, which is more expensive but quick and neat.

Use a semicolon between independent clauses joined by a coordinating conjunction if the clauses are already punctuated with commas or if the clauses are lengthy.

Example: Some people write with a word processor, typewriter, or a computer; but others, for different reasons, choose to write with a pen or pencil.

Avoid using a comma when a semicolon is needed:

Incorrect: The cow is brown, it is also old.
Correct: The cow is brown; it is also old.

StyleEase Software

Tools for Academic Writers

StyleEase products work within Microsoft Word to simplify writing papers in Apa, Mla, and Chicago/Turabian styles.

StyleEase handles citing of sources, and automates formatting of all aspects of the paper, freeing students to focus on content.

Download StyleEase

Some of the Greatest Writers of Our Time

Most of the people who will actually read this article are those who write for Ehow, Hubpages, Squidoo, Associated Content, Helium, and many other writing sites. Also, those who are looking for tips on becoming a better writer will also read this article.

Many writers on the Internet aspire to be decent authors. We may even have a secret fantasy about one day being mentioned as one of the top writers of all time.

One can dream can't he or she? Surely you can see your name mentioned with some of the greats. You want to become a good writer, study the work of some of the greatest of all time.

Here's a list of just a few of the great writers/poets past and present.

  • Maya Angelou
  • James Baldwin
  • Truman Capote
  • Agatha Christie
  • Charles Dickens
  • Emily Dickinson
  • Isak Dinesen
  • William Faulkner
  • Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Ernest Hemingway
  • John Keats
  • Jack London
  • Herman Melville
  • Homer (Odyssey)
  • Tyler Perry
  • Edgar Allan Poe
  • William Shakespeare
  • George Bernard Shaw
  • Ngugi Wa Thiong'o
  • Mark Twain
  • Walt Whitman
  • Oscar Wilde
  • Virginia Woolf
  • William Wordsworth

Submit Your Articles

  1. Yahoo! Buzz pulls in the hottest stories from a broad assortment of web publishers throughout the day. It gives members the chance to be editors by voting or "buzzing" stories up or down. You can submit your own to Buzz, or have a conversation around one, by commenting on buzzed articles. For each Yahoo! Buzz story there's a ranking. The stories ranking is based on votes received, comments on the story, related search terms, and the times it's been shared to others by email. The highest ranked Buzz story might be featured on the Yahoo! homepage.

  2. Digg is a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web. Publishers receive predictable, relevant traffic from a highly engaged community. Small bloggers to large media brand publishers use Digg to engage with their readers and increase web traffic.

  3. StumbleUpon delivers high-quality pages matched to your personal preferences. The pages have been recommended by your friends or one of 8 million or so other websurfers with interests similar to you. Rating the sites and articles you like automatically shares them with like-minded people.

  4. Delicious is a combined view of everyone's bookmarks with a given tag. For example, the URL "http://www.delicious.com/tag/wiki" displays all of the most recent links tagged "wiki". Its collective nature makes it possible to view bookmarks added by other users. Delicious has a "hotlist" on its home page and "popular" and "recent" pages, which help to make the website a conveyor of Internet themes and trends.

  5. Reddit members provide all of the content and decide, through voting, what's good, and what's junk. Links that receive community approval move up towards number one. Therefore, the Reddit front page is constantly in motion and filled with fresh, interesting links.

The Elements of Style

by William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White

"All writers should read this book from cover to cover and heed its advice. It's invaluable, a book every writer should own and frequently consult."

~ Demand Media

While this book was originally aimed at writers (of books and newspaper articles), solid writing skills are important for everyone. In these days of the content-rich web, people spend a lot of their collaboration time online. Blog entries, comments, forum and mailing list posts are quite a bit of writing, and one has to follow some simple but important rules to write correctly and effectively.

What's best about it is the size. These days, when the feeling is that writers and publishers get paid by the weight of their huge tomes, it is refreshingly pleasant to hold a small pocket book of only 100 pages, packed with useful information. The guidelines for correct writing are presented as a list of rules, divided to a few subtopics, with a well-selected index making things easy to find.

~ Eli Bendersky (Israel) .. Amazon.com
The Elements of Style (4th Edition)

The Elements of Style (4th Edition)

by: William Strunk, E. B. White

Amazon Price: $8.97 (as of 06/02/2012)Buy Now

Using "Furthermore" in a Sentence

"Furthermore" is an adverb that can be used within a sentence to denote additional information. Synonyms are "besides" and "what's more."

Example: The car I considered purchasing was getting rusty, furthermore its breaks were fading.

"Furthermore" can also be used to begin a sentence that is providing additional information.

Example: I believe that I can complete the marathon in under 3 hours. Furthermore, I believe that I can win it.

The word is typically used in formal language within legal and academic texts.

Write Articles in Less Time

Written by Kerry from LM5

Write and publish your articles faster without compromising quality. Time is money, and the faster you can turn out articles the more money you can earn. Here are five tips for producing quality articles with very little effort.

Write articles faster by jotting your draft on notepad. You do not need to edit anything, just open notepad and start writing whatever comes to mind. If you are a meticulous writer, this will be against your better judgment, however, it does make the process of writing articles so much faster.

After you have spilled three or four minutes of information onto your notepad, read it over and divide it into paragraphs of desired length. Be sure that each paragraph transitions smoothly to the next, so you are not jumping from one point to the next and then back again.

Rearrange paragraphs into the best order for them to make sense. List the most important to least important points. Highlight, copy, then paste into a word document for editing. Read the draft aloud and replace repetitive words with synonyms using your thesaurus. Click "review" and check for spelling and grammatical errors you may have overlooked.

Clear your notepad and start again with a new topic. Rinse and repeat for five short articles or lists, then go to the website and publish all five, one after the other.

Good habits are as easily formed as bad habits. Repeat the above process each day you set aside for writing and this will eliminate any time you spend reading and being sidetracked in between writing your articles. Writing should be your top priority. Clear some time for reading after your five articles or lists have been published, not before.
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Write to Accomplish

A carefully constructed, concise, grammatically correct, letter can get things done. Letters have been written that have caused incompetent people to lose jobs, as well as competent people to get jobs.

Letters have been written that have changed the dynamics of a city; letters have been written to alter the outcome of court cases. If you're a participant of a legal battle you're warned not to write the judge because he or she must remain unbiased, but a well constructed, non-threatening letter, outlining your case, actually won't hurt. It will get you reprimanded but by that time it's been read and the psyche of the reader has already been affected. It's been done countless times throughout history. Therefore, never underestimate the power of the pen.

Valuable Writing Links for Freelance Writers

5 Ways to Overcome Writers Block
Writer's blocks is something everyone experiences at times, and it is especially frustrating for bloggers that are dedicated to regularly publishing unique and interesting content. I am not going to lie, I have had writer's block over the past few days. What better way to overcome writer's block than to write about writer's block? Here are 5 ways to overcome to writer's block:
10 Writing Tips from a Real-Life Editor
Blog posts containing tips are a dime a dozen, but every now and then you come across some real gold-tips offered by someone who actually knows what they're talking about. This is one such occasion.
Am I a Writer?
Are you a writer? In order to be a writer you need as many 'yes' answers as possible.
Creative Writing Prompts
Interested in incorporating a freewriting habit into your day, but afraid of the blank page? Or maybe you just want to take your creative writing session in a new direction. Either way, these creative writing prompts, helpful for poetry and fiction, will get you writing.
Daily Writing Tips
Whether you are an attorney, manager or student, writing skills are essential to your success. The rise of the information age - with the proliferation of e-mails, blogs and social networks - makes the ability to write clear, correct English more important than ever.
Glossary of Literary Terms
Allegory - a narrative that serves as an extended metaphor. Allegories are written in the form of fables, parables, poems, stories, and almost any other style or genre.
How to Choose a Point of View
Point of view is the perspective from which a story is told. We may choose to tell our story in

* first person, using "I" or "we";
* third person ("he," "she," "it"), which can be limited or omniscient; or
* second person, "you," the least common point of view.

As a writer, you must think strategically to choose the point of view that will allow you to most effectively develop your characters and tell your story.
Six Steps for Writing a Twitter Bio
Twitter is fun. It also can be very useful. If you want to maximize the effectiveness of Twittering follow these basic Bio tips%u2026
Story Starters
Almost everyone could use a little help in filling a blank page from time to time. The following story starters were all submitted by readers, in response to a blog post in April. Choose one and see where it takes you. You might be surprised.
Storyteller Exercise
Imagine that you're sitting against a tree. A storyteller is sitting on the other side of the tree. On a piece of paper, list five stories you would like to hear. Choose one of the ideas, and write down what the storyteller says.
The Procrastinator's Quiz
The Procrastinator's Quiz...or am I a procrastinating writer? Answer these questions truthfully to see if you are a procrastinator?
Tips for Demand Media Writers
Our writers often ask how they can avoid the low ratings that restrict their article allotments and may eventually result in termination. Here are 15 surefire tips that will help you avoid rejections, limit rewrites and maintain high rankings:
Use Freewriting to Get Short Story Ideas
Freewriting is one of the best and easiest exercises you can do. It requires a minimum of time and prep, and is perfect for those suffering from writer's block. Freewriting is a way to generate new short story ideas, and to go places with your creative writing you wouldn't go otherwise. At the very least it will get you to set pen to paper.
Writer's Helper
Writer's Helper offers these writing tips so your book will be the highest quality possible.

People respect high quality writing. If you deliver your work in a strong and error-free package, people take you seriously. Your message comes through clearly.
Writing and Publishing Tips
If you are a new writer searching for writing tips or publishing tips, this is the place to start. On this lens, I will share a few things I learned while writing and self-publishing my book. I will share some writing tips and insights, and a mind-boggling set-back every now and then. ~ by Dellgirl from Squidoo ..
  • Formosangirl Sep 19, 2011 @ 10:51 am | delete
    I enjoyed reading this lens. Thanks for visiting and liking a number of my articles. Hope you visit again. Since you are such a seasoned writer, I am very honored. Thanks again.
  • 23squidoo May 10, 2011 @ 8:57 pm | delete
    Lots of great writing resources here! Blessed by the How to Write Online neighborhood Squid Angel!
  • Janie Sullivan Mar 9, 2011 @ 12:12 pm | delete
    Great lens! Excellent tips for writers. You might want to review my website: The Center for Writing Excellence (www.janiewrites.com) where I have a blog for writers, a contest, several courses and a few webcasts.
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taskeinc

Barry Shaw, founder of Work Home Union, over 25 years in Information Technology, web/graphics design, network marketing. WHU aka taskeinc has written... more »

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