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How To Write Magnetic Marketing Copy

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Magnetic Marketing Copy: Writing from a Position of Partnership
By Melinda Copp

Do you ever feel sleazy or inauthentic when you write marketing or sales copy? Like you're pushing people, rather than pulling them in? I know I have. Let me tell you a story. A few years ago I wrote my first sales letter for my business. I'd written sales copy before, but always on behalf of clients, and I quickly learned that doing it for myself was very different. Even though I knew what made copywriting effective, I had trouble writing in a voice that felt like me.

And let me tell you, the sales letter was a complete train wreck! I recently pulled that letter out and read it and thought, "What was I thinking?" It sounded nothing like me-it was jazzy and hypey and really not good. No wonder the letter didn't sell anything!

Many writers face this same challenge-they think they need to set their natural voice aside and put on their salesperson hat to write marketing and sales copy. But that's the completely wrong approach. Your copy will work (and feel) much better if you kick the salesperson out and write from a position of partnership instead. In other words, you're not just trying to make money; you're trying to help people by providing solutions that will make their lives better.

When you come from a position of partnership, your readers will know you're there to help and they'll naturally be drawn to you and your products and services. Whether you're writing web copy, a sales letter, a special report, or whatever, consider the following tips for making your copy authentic AND magnetic.

1. Be Confident

You are the leader or expert, and if your readers do what you say, their situation will improve. I don't have to tell you this, but make sure you don't forget it as you write. It's easy to get a little wishy-washy because you don't want to feel pushy. But keep in mind that people want to be led. If you can lead them, they'll often be more than willing to follow. So be confident and write with authority.

2. Be Yourself

What's the one thing you have over all your competitors? You. You have a unique personality and outlook that makes you different from everyone else. Sharing who you are, flaws and all, with your readers helps them identify with you and your story. What mistakes have you made? When did you look foolish? And how can you help your readers avoid that same situation? Adding tidbits about yourself to your marketing copy will naturally attract people to you.

3. Give Good, Useful Information

Being seen by your readers as a resource is one of the most important things you can do to build trust. And when you give good information, they will only want more. This is particularly important for the content that you're giving away, like articles and lead generation reports, but it also applies to things like web copy and brochures. Even if the underlying point of the piece is to sell, think about how you can make it helpful.

4. Tell Your Reader Where to Get More

Whether you want the reader to sign up for your e-zine, comment on your blog, or buy your book, you have to tell them. You can write a compelling marketing piece that keeps readers hooked through to the very end, but if you don't end on a strong call to action, then all that good writing gets wasted. So don't be shy. And don't worry about being pushy. Come right out and say what you want your reader to do to get more of what you have to offer.

Writing Your Magnetic Marketing Copy

If you've been communicating with your clients and leads for any amount of time, they'll know when you're wearing your ugly sales hat. And if you're anything like me, you'll read that sales letter later and roll your eyes. But your marketing voice and your natural voice can be one in the same. When you use these tips for writing from a position of partnership, you won't have to push-your readers will naturally be pulled in.

To comment on this article or to read comments about this article, go here.

About the Author:
Melinda Copp helps speakers, coaches, consultants, and self-employed professionals write and publish to establish expertise, build relationships with their clients and prospects, and make more money. Go here for a free copy of "Write to Grow Richer; The 7 Secrets of Writing to Sell Your Services."

Source: Money and Business Newsletter
Publisher: David Riklan - SelfGrowth.com

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How to Write Mostly Useless Article Titles

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Not picking on anybody in particular here, but there is a lot of crap out on the Internet.

I have read articles that I could not understand; they made no sense. Other articles just rambled on and on with no destination in mind, jumping from one thought to the next, often with no tie-in between the two.

While you could probably get away with writing a crap article like this, as far as article submission goes (some directories have almost no standards) you are going to have a hard time getting people to read your articles through to the end in order to get to your resource box (more on that later).

And for the better directories, like Ezine Articles, they will never accept your work.

So it's in your best interest to write articles that are decent.

You don't have to be a Hemmingway, but you at least need to put together a coherent article that people will want to read and directories will want to place. Those are ultimately your goals. So forget about your so called "art" and learn the basics of how to write. Then you can write art.

What Rules? What Sucks?

So what are some of the good, the bad, and the ugly?

Let's take it from top to bottom as far as how people will actually see your article, since that is the logical approach.

The First Thing that a person is going to see is your subject or topic. Call it the title if you want. It's still the first thing they will see.

So, what's a good title?

While taste is in the eyes of the beholder, if you're going to get your article read, you better have a title that grabs your potential reader by the throat and doesn't let go.

Let's take the title for a book about ... Article Writing.

"The Complete Article Writing And Marketing Guide"

It's not a great title. It's good, but it could be better.

Why?

Because some people may not know what complete really is or what marketing has to do with writing articles. We're using terms that don't seem to go together, unless of course you already understand that they do.

A better title would have been...

"Write Killer Articles In 30 Minutes That Sell "

Now we know specifically that the subject is about writing great articles in 30 minutes time, and you can pretty much assume the subject matter will teach you how to write an article that is going to sell.

So we have a good title, a great title, and now we need to show you a bad one.

Here it is ...

"How To Write Articles"

Can you say BORING?

What about the ugly?

"I Teach You Article Writin'"

First of all, it should be I will teach, not I teach and second, never use slang like that unless you are targeting a specific market that uses it.

Okay, again: A good title will grab your potential reader by the throat. This is probably the most important piece of advice you are going to get in this whole book because if your title doesn't grab the reader, your article doesn't get read.

Here's to your Article-Marketing Profits overflowing -- quick, fast, and in a hurry!

Trevor James
Simply-Free-Article-Spinner.com

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2 Ways To Make Money Writing Articles

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:35:00 +0000

By Trevor James
Simply-Free-Article-Spinner.com

Why write articles? Good question.

Some people write articles for the sheer joy of it. Let's be honest. One of the reasons you're reading this is because somewhere inside of you, you decided that you wanted to be a writer.

When you were a kid, maybe you wrote short stories. I know when I was in school, I had no choice. Every English class they made us write short stories, poems, and other tidbits. But as I think back to those days, I realize that if it weren't for my teachers cramming Hemmingway down my throat, I probably never would have wanted to become a writer.

Sometimes school is a good thing.

Others have less noble intentions. Let's face it. Writing is big business.

You think I'm kidding? Hah! Look at the New York Times best seller list. Those people are making a ton of money. Make no mistake about it.

Now, I'm not saying that you're going to make a fortune writing articles, but if you follow a structure for writing for the Internet (I'll explain that in posts to follow) plus a plan for marketing your articles (also in following posts) then there is no reason why you can't make a decent living online, just from writing alone.

For our purposes, we're going to write articles for two reasons.

1. We're going to write articles for the purpose of getting immediate payment for our writing. There are a number of places online where you can submit articles for pay. Personally, this is something worth doing every day. Not so much the writing for pay (who has the time anymore?) but the finding of places to share with people. The list of places where you can submit your articles and get paid is growing.

2. The second reason is to make an income from our articles in what I call an indirect manner or "going through the back door." This is one of the most popular means of earning a living on the Internet, which mixes article writing with affiliate marketing and just about everything else you can think of that has to do with making money.

But how? How is it that people can write articles and not only get paid for them but also use them to earn money from other sources?

Here's the scoop ...

It's actually very logical. A person who "surfs" the net, is most likely looking for information. With today's search engine technology, you can find information on anything. Simply go to your favorite search engine (Google will be fine) and type in anything at all.

Let's take..."Skydiving"

I just did that and came up with 5,420,000 results, or web pages that contain the word "skydiving."

Now, obviously you're not going to go through all 5,420,000 results. It would take you about 50 years of Sundays. Most people go as far as page 3, if that, and then either find what they're looking for or stop.

Experienced search engine users will know how to narrow that down to what they're looking for specifically.

Let's say you just want information about "skydiving history." Well, you could either type that in, with the quotes, or you can type in "history of skydiving."

Let's do both.

Typing in "skydiving history" we get only 13,700 web pages.

Wow, that is quite a difference.

Typing in "history of skydiving" we get only 1,800 results.

Now we're really narrowing down our results a lot.

The point is, the people who are typing in these keyword phrases are looking for something specific. Your mission, as the writer, is to give them EXACTLY what they are looking for. To do that, you simply write an article on that subject.

So, if you wanted to target people who are looking for information on the history of skydiving, the "spin" on the article that you will write will be to concentrate on just that specific topic.

We'll cover all these things in more detail as we continue in subsequent posts.

What's the point? What you need to get out of this is that as a writer, if you are doing this for the money, you MUST first figure out what people want to read.

If you write on topics that are not "profitable" then you're simply wasting your time, unless of course you love writing that much. I'm going to teach you how to write for fun and profit, because you CAN have both.

Add it up: We are writing articles, so that we can earn a small income from doing so. Over time, as you get more experienced, you will earn more money as a freelancer and the articles you've written for search engine lookups, as I like to call them, will be bringing you even more money because of all the backlinks and visitors they'll be getting you. Don't worry, we'll explain all this in detail as we go along.

Stay tuned ...

May your coffers overflow -- quick, fast, and in a hurry!
Trevor James
Subscribe: Spinning SEO Heaven Newsletter

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Want To Know What It Really Takes To Be A Ghostwriter?

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:48:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered how a busy celebrity, doctor or political figure has the time to write a bestselling autobiography? How does a CEO of a Fortune 500 company write articles for magazines while working hours on end for the business? They hire ghostwriters to complete their work.
Ghostwriting is a lucrative business for talented writers.

Types

There are many areas of writing for ghostwriters. The writers are highly professional. They are hired most of the time by editors or publishers to work for or with a specific individual. They complete autobiographies, magazine and journal articles, business reports, musical scores, songs and screenplays. Businesses need writers for blogs and Internet content.

At times they are hired to finish a book an author is not able to complete due to illness or personal problems. The family of bestselling author V.C. Andrews hired a talented ghostwriter to continue her series of novels after the author's death.

Function

The ghostwriter is the shadowy work force behind the author of a book. The ghostwriter is given an outline or even a rough manuscript by an individual who wants a book or article published.

The ghostwriter will interview the author, do in-depth research where needed and compile the materials to flesh out the entire manuscript. They are also hired to write series of books that complement television shows or movies.

Effects

The ghostwriter is contracted to write the material the author, screenplay writer or music composer needs to have completed. The ghostwriter may earn a fee from $1 a word for articles up to thousands of dollars for screenplays and manuscripts.

The ghostwriter may also be contracted to be paid a set fee for the work or will receive a percentage of the royalties. The ghostwriter rarely receives any acknowledgement in the publication. An author may choose to list the writer or publisher in the thank you message at the beginning of a book.

Considerations

A ghostwriter is a valuable writing partner for a busy executive, celebrity, sports figure or politician who is wise enough to know that he is not capable of writing a piece worthy of publication.

The original author may lack talent to pull a manuscript together in an interesting way. Time is a major factor for a person who has a consuming career. The ghostwriter enjoys the challenge of deadlines and writing in a voice that is not their own. It is important that the ghostwriter be versatile.

Warning

When a writer contracts to ghostwrite a book he must realize that his name will not show up anywhere in the rights and acknowledgements. The contract will establish the payment for work done and the set payment will be final unless royalties have been mutually agreed to. Private contracts will control the fact that the ghostwriter must remain anonymous.

The ghostwriter takes a chance of being involved in a lawsuit if he tells or writes about any private manuscript worked on. The ghostwriter will also ruin any chance for future work if proved to be untrustworthy. A successful career could be over.

S. Faloon
Source: eHow.com

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7 Tips For A Successful Ghostwriting Career

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:45:00 +0000

Ghostwriting tips are not just about being able to write well, the art of communication is the one tip that all ghostwriters recommend and if applied correctly it will win you most of your work and keep it coming.

This post brings together some of the best tips for ghostwriting. Be sure to read them well and follow them and you can guarantee a successful ghostwriting career.

Tip 1:

Being able to “talk” to your client is of utmost importance. It doesn’t matter if you are speaking to them face to face, on the phone or by email, always make sure you are clear on what is expected of you. If in doubt ask. Your client wants the best and you want to give them the best, and in order to do this you need to fully understand exactly what it is that they require from you.

Tip 2:

Be professional at all times. Remember this is not only your business but your client’s credibility as well so ensure that deadlines are met and that all your written communication is kept professional.

Tip 3:

Being prompt is a biggie, projects should always be finished on time, and it shows professionalism. If you are running late, inform the client, tell them why you are running late, and advise them of the estimated time it will take to complete the project. Let them know a little in advance though, don’t spring it on them at the last minute. Remember they may have deadlines too.

Tip 4:

Never be rude, no matter what is going on always be polite and treat clients with respect, they are your bread and butter and a bad recommendation from a client could mean the end of your career. Word of mouth is a key factor in successful ghostwriting and just one bad word could spell disaster for you.

Tip 5:

Above all, always be available. Make sure you can be contacted either by phone or email. Get an answering machine and return all calls promptly. Emails should be checked at least twice a day, more if possible and make it a rule to answer clients straight away.

Tip 6:

Make it clear how you wish to be paid. You are the one selling the service. You may want the work but your client also needs the work done. Decide on your terms in advance and stick to them. Remember you are running a business and your bills have to be paid.

Tip 7:

Advise your friends and family that although you may not go out to work, you are still working and there are certain times when you cannot be disturbed. Often those close to us like to “drop in” during the day, this can cause havoc with timetables and schedules.

These are just some of the techniques that you should use daily in your ghostwriting business. The most important one has to be communication. I firmly believe that strong communication is what got me where I am today.

Until next time,
Keep writing.
Amanda

Source: Amanda at Ghostwriting Uncovered Blog

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Ghostwriting: Should You Use Your Real Name Online When Looking For Writing Gigs?

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:02:00 +0000

Ghostwriting: Should You Use Your Real Name Online When Looking For Writing Gigs?

See: Become a Paid Ghostwriter-here!

Some budding ghostwriters are fearful of their real world employer finding out they are looking for writing work on the side or as a new career. There is also the problem of potential clients being wary of doing business with someone hiding behind an alias. What to do?

My advice: Use your real name when applying for gigs unless your employer has rules against you having a part-time job. Most employers really don't care as long as your outside job does not negatively affect your work for them.

You can also consider advertising using your last name but using initials for your first name - "J.V. DeSantis" - for example. This should keep you anonymous enough to not get caught and to look more professional to prospective clients.

Freelance Writing: A Career From Anywhere

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 03:43:00 +0000

See: Become a Paid Ghostwriter-here!

Maybe you are interested in a freelance writing career but you worry about whether you live in a suitable location. Well, think again. Freelance writing is a job you can do from anywhere. It is true that if your home is near New York's editorial offices you may be able to use your proximity to some advantage. But many, many freelance writers are working successfully from more distant locations, and in many cases enjoying a better lifestyle in the places where they live.

An island in the Mediterranean. A beach in South Africa. The east coast of New Zealand. What do these locations have in common? In each of these and in many other remote places, there are writers who are freelancing with a fair degree of success. Indeed it is possible for freelance writers to work from anywhere.

Take Ron Irwin, for example. An American, Ron freelances from a small house on the beach in Cape Town, South Africa. The majority of his work is still for North American markets.

Consider Vella Corinne, a native of Malta in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. From this island steeped in history - the Order of St. John was based here and the temples are thought to be older than the pyramids. She writes travel and lifestyle features.

Writers in locations such as these, far from being at a serious disadvantage, can actually enjoy a number of benefits. For a start, these writers are in an excellent position to write about their own locations, the people and the culture. Also, the living costs are often less expensive than for writers in major cities. And if that is not enough, how about fresh, clean air?

Writers working from remote locations usually live in a cleaner, more peaceful environment, and may live closer to outdoor and recreational activities. Vella reveals how she enjoys the warmer days: "Once I pack up my computer, I just head to the beach. Distances are short and, the island being small, I'm always close to the center of whatever is happening here. I can control my own time in a way that I could not if I lived in a busy city."

Twenty years ago writers in remote locations were often frustrated by the slowness of communicating with editors on the other side of the world. It would always take months to receive a reply from an editor. Waiting for a response to a query was about as exciting as watching grass grow! In recent years the availability of the Internet has made it easier than ever before for freelancers to communicate almost instantly with anyone, anywhere in the world.

Kathy Crockett freelances from Gisborne, New Zealand, on the east coast of the North Island. She cites the difference technology makes when working from such a location. "It's a city of 35,000", she explains, "the closest to the international dateline, and the first city in the world to see the sun each day. Its closest city-size neighbors are three hours drive on windy roads...the Internet, mobile phones...technology lets me be wherever I want to be... and fool others into thinking I'm where they'd like me to be!"

Of course, working remotely is not always easy and there are a number of challenges that writers typically face. Isolation is a common issue. Vella explains her way of dealing with it. "At times it feels like I have a totally atomized existence. I balance that by scheduling some 'face time' each day", she explains. I agree with her. Sometimes you must make a conscious effort to spend time with family, friends, or other writers.

Another challenge may be difficulties with technology. Finding a PC repair shop may be next to impossible. Internet access may be unavailable or unreliable. There are many, many places in the world that don't even have telephone lines yet, not to mention email access. You can still work as a freelance writer from these locations, but it will not be as convenient. If you have any choice where you live, always try to choose a town that has telephone lines with reliable Internet access. And, that goes for working while you are on holiday too. Check the available technology in advance.

Are writers in remote locations at a serious disadvantage? No way! You can work as a freelance writer from anywhere. And while you will face some challenges, none of them will be insurmountable.

So, if you're looking for a career you can do from anywhere, look no further. The writers I referred to and many others are working successfully right where they are. And so can you. Open up your notebook. Start writing. You can begin to build a rewarding career as a freelance writer starting today.

Gary McLaren is the editor of Worldwide Freelance Writer. For more information on freelance writing and a database of more than 2,200 writing markets, visit Worldwide Freelance.com

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'I Can Write A Book In A Weekend,' And Five Other Annoying Things Beginners Say

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 15:19:00 +0000

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Since every literate person can write, most people think they can be writers. Interestingly enough, we all can speak quite well, but few of us would deem ourselves ‘speakers.’ However, this prevalent belief encourages beginners to say the oddest things that make professional writers want to cringe (or preferably strangle them with a thin wire). Please stop if you find yourself saying the following:

1. “I can write a book in a weekend.”

I’m certain you can mutilate a couple hundred pages with words; however, that doesn’t mean that anyone will want to read them. Yes, I know there are prolific writers who can write a book in two weeks (Voltaire supposedly wrote Candide in three days). Usually they are professionals who have mastered a style and understand the craft of writing. Have you?

2. “I can write those ‘trashy’ books and make tons of money.”

I love this one.

Many new writers see a 200-page romance or mystery and scoff. These things are so easy, they tell themselves. I can write this in a day. I doubt it, but maybe you can. If you do, will anyone pay you to read it? That is the difference. Those who sell in these genres usually have a passion for the craft that translates onto the page. Hate romance? Think mysteries are ridiculous? Believe sci-fi is for loonies? Then don’t write it, editors and especially readers can tell.

3. “If this crap gets published, I bet I could get a contract in six months.”

Define crap. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Don’t be arrogant and think the world should concede to your every taste (that’s what critics are for). Every writer is not meant for every reader. Just because you don’t like a book doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s just not good for you. I don’t like okra; however, that doesn’t mean I need to start an anti-okra campaign. Diversity is what makes life interesting.

Okay, okay you’re not talking about taste. You’re talking about horrible, poorly written books. Yes, I know there are some truly bad books out there. Here’s the hard truth. Some bad books (poor grammar, poor structure and poor execution of a plot simpler than a fairy tale) get published. Writers have plenty of dents in the wall from an effective toss. However, these books are probably ‘placement’ books to fill a hole in a publishing list. Usually, these books sink and their authors are rarely heard from again.

Unfortunately, the existence of these books convinces people that getting their book published should be a breeze. Sure, and every person with a dream to sing will become the next American Idol. Is it fair? No. Do they care? No.

4. “I can write better than that.”

If you can, shut up and write. Nobody wants to hear about it. It’s as annoying as listening to someone explain what they would do if they ruled the world—well you don’t. Next!

5. “I’d write, if I had more time.”

You’ll never get more time; steal it. That’s what the rest of us do.

6. “I have the perfect book already written in my head.”

Sure, and I have the secrets to the universe taped to the bottom of my shoe. People who say this remind me of the naked emperor walking down the street trying to convince his kingdom that he’s clothed. You’re fooling no one except yourself and you look ridiculous.

Writing is work. Writers make it look effortless because that’s our job (imagine the disappointment you would feel seeing a dancer straining to leap off the ground).

I encourage anyone with a desire and passion to write, to do so. Write with meaning; write with truth and skill. Write because you must, not as a path to riches and stardom. It may come; it may not.

The real writers (beginner and pro) don’t talk about it; they do it. Be one of those.

Maybe you can start with simple Article Writing? Here's a Free Course:

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Why Ghostwriting4You?

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:12:00 +0000

Our blog is merely an attempt to give you samples of writing on various topics. Each sample may be used as a guideline as you try your hand at writing, however, the samples are copyright protected so you cannot use them in any manner whatsoever. They are merely "samples" to guide you.

Jim DeSantis
Editor

This Could Be the Backdoor into Hollywood Fame and Fortune

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 01:47:00 +0000

by Jim DeSantis

Sell your Writing for Instant Cash!

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Before I discovered blogging, I dabbled for some time with Screenwriting for Movies and TV. I have trolled a multitude of sources trying to find a way into Hollywood without moving there, struggling, banging on doors, or tending bar to make ends meet. My wife and I visited Hollywood three times, did the studio tours, and we have friends there. My wife hates it but I am in love with the place.

If you are a regular reader of my blogs, you know I have a background in journalism and producing radio, TV, and Cable shows. So, I can say, with some authority that I have a realistic view of the entertainment industry and what it takes to break in.

So, why tell you this? Well, I ran across a unique website that just might be your Backdoor into Hollywood.

I discovered StoryBay. Here are just two testimonials from top Hollywood professionals:

"If I was an unknown writer sitting out there in the ether, wondering how I could get somebody who's reputable and professional to read my script, I would definitely send it to Storybay."

Tony Bill - Oscar-winning Producer/Director: The Sting, Five Corners
____________________________________________

"Storybay provides qualified writers unparalleled industry access. It is simply the best resource available for writers to reach key decision makers."

Andrew Meyer - Producer: Fried Green Tomatoes, The Breakfast Club
____________________________________________

I can tell you - Screenwriting can be hard, if not downright impossible, when you try to go it alone. Telling your story takes all of your inspiration, imagination and persistence.

How do you know if your story is good enough for a "first look" as they say in Hollywood? Without someone experienced to take that "first look", you have a tough road ahead because, honestly, you don't have a clue. Let me give you a clue right now.

Guess who reads that script you sent in without anyone requesting it? An intern! Likely an unpaid intern at that! How do I know? I know one personally. He interned for a major Hollywood production company and he, along with other interns, was handed a stack of unsolicited scripts nearly every day. If they, as a group, liked a script, it was forwarded up to the next level where another reader would give it a thumb-up or thumb-down. If the interns did not like it, the script immediately went into a trash can! Bam! Gone! Not even a thank you letter to the writer.

That's Hollywood! It's nothing personal, just business, as far as they are concerned. After all, it's their money they would be risking on a property, not yours.

Here is the major reason StoryBay can be a backdoor to getting your script read:

They help get your script past the interns and into the hands of a professional reader at a studio. Now, be aware that your script has to have a marketable idea or scenario or not even StoryBay can help you. Be realistic!

Here is what StoryBay can do. Storybay is an innovative, multimedia, distance learning and mentoring program created by industry professionals for budding writers. Storybay’s membership community is designed to help mentor, develop and market your property to Hollywood and even to the publishing industry.

Storybay members have access to an experienced Hollywood Producer or a seasoned executive for one-on-one mentoring sessions. This is one of the most valuable features of being a member. Plus, you get the assistance of top producers, entertainment executives, and professional story analysts to help you to:

1) Dramatically improve your writing.

2) Prepare your work for high-level presentation.

3) Teach you how to satisfy not only the artistic but the commercial requirements of the entertainment industry.

Most writers fail because they do not have a property that is polished before presentation.

Why does StoryBay do all this?

Have you been to the video store lately? The racks are packed with "straight-to-video" junk movies that are almost laughable. They are so bad they never made it to a theatre screen. What is really amazing is someone got paid for writing those junk scripts! Hollywood is desperate for material.

Hollywood, TV, and cable are hungry for big money material. This means money in the bank for everyone - big money. StoryBay is Hollywood's way to find that blockbuster material. It's a business after all. They need product to sell and they need writers to supply that product, good and bad.

So, where are the big money scripts? Are you sitting on one? Thinking about writing one? Have you tried to market one to Hollywood on your own?

We all fall in love with what we have written and we are almost reluctant to have anyone we know critique it. Pride or fear of rejection often stand in the way of success. That's why many writers try to market their script to strangers. The rejection is easier to take from a stranger, from someone you don't have to look in the eye. You already know this if you have tried to market your work on your own. It's a big hurdle to jump.

Do you realize now that, when it comes to success in Hollywood, it is who you know, not what you know or even how good a writer you are?

Short Story Creator Software!

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Short Stories for Fun, Fame, and Profit!

Many budding writers buy some scriptwriting software to get a technically perfect script but they soon learn that scriptwriting software does not deliver the storytelling creativity that Hollywood craves. It takes humans to figure that out.

You might even have a compelling short story that could make it big. It does not have to be a full blown script. A studio will assign top writers to your short story to expand it into a complete movie script if it's a winner idea.

It takes professionals to know what sells theatre tickets, DVD's, and Rentals. I believe that StoryBay will help you write a marketable story, make connections, and break down the barriers to show you the Backdoor into Hollywood Fame and Fortune.

It's worth a look if you are serious about a career in Hollywood.

Jim DeSantis

P.S. - Each month Storybay awards one talented writer over $1400 in prizes. Whether you are an aspiring or working screenwriter, you want to check that out!

Check out StoryBay here!

Sample - Blog Moneymaking

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:29:00 +0000

A Free Blog and Make Money Too!

It's true! You can have a blog Free from Google and Google will pay you for allowing them to run Ads on your blog.

Welcome to On Line Tribune, my blog. It was created with very little "techie" knowledge in less than 60 hours of work. I posted this article on May 30, 2006. I am still adding FREE stuff to all sections of Inside On Line Tribune (see sidebar) so come back again for updates. I can tell you, for the most part, once you get past the learning curve, it's fairly easy to do. Look, I'm 63-years old. Don't let your age stand in your way. You can do this too!

What's a blog, Jim? I'm glad you asked! A blog is your own address in cyberspace where you can post your comments, ideas, plans, loves, hassles, or pet peeves to share with the world - and - the world will talk back to you! I invite you to take a few minutes and browse the sections of my blog to get an idea of what I have done so far.

What could your blog be about? For example: I have told my daughter that she should start a blog on Home Birthing or Midwifery. She does this for a living in Vermont and knows all the inside information. Well, she did it! Her blog is at http://www.midwifedreaming.blogspot.com .

I also told my adopted son that he should have a blog on NASCAR, his first love, or on Auto & Life Insurance, his career. He has tons of knowledge in both. Actually, he could have blogs on both! I told my new daughter-in-law that she should have a blog about custom furniture. She designs and builds furniture. These are on-of-a-kind pieces. I think she could make a nice income from her talent. They haven't done it, yet.

Get the idea? You choose what your blog topic is.

Let me point you to the most helpful Free resources, that's right, FREE RESOURCES and some not free, to get you started. Browse each of these to get an idea of what it takes to have your own blog:

I learned a lot about the technical stuff by joining Google Groups. Bloggers ask each other questions and learn together and learn from experienced bloggers who teach you how to avoid making mistakes. It cuts down the learning curve significantly! Yes, it's FREE. Click this link:
Google Groups

Next is one of the most helpful FREE blog building resources. It's run by Peter and he has helped me over and over and over. Some of the stuff is rather technical so start from the beginning, the Basic page. He will walk you through the steps. Click this link:
Blogger For Dummies

This is an excellent tour of the Google program that pays you every time someone clicks on an Ad. It's easy to set up once you have your blog set up. Get the service FREE by clicking this link:
Google Adsense Tour

If you decide you want your own FREE BLOG. Click this link:
Blogger Tour

Once you build your blog, make sure you add plenty of content. Content is articles by you, or others, that will draw the Search Engines to your blog. A Search Engine got you here didn't it? The Search Engines need content to find you. They search by the words ( they're called "keywords") in your articles and in your page "Description" which you create when you create your blog. Look at the top of this page, under the title "On Line Tribune | You Can Blog Too" to see what I mean. Those are keywords under the title.

If this sounds too complicated, don't worry, be happy! Here is FREE software that makes it easy and automatic. Click this:
Web CEO

Maybe you don't want a blog but want a website instead. There is a difference. A website is usually a strictly commercial venture that sells something. It usually doesn't have a blog format where customers can talk to each other. If you have something to sell on-line or even in your local area and don't have a website, I urge you to check out Ken Evoy's all-in-one website creator package. This does it all from building your own website, to choosing the right name, to choosing the most profitable keywords, to getting listed with the Search Engines automatically, to tracking results, and more!

It isn't free, but they do have a great money-back-guarantee and great Customer Service anytime you need it. Check it out. h
Ken Evoy

That's it for now. Take a look at my other blogs for more helpful FREE stuff. As my Dad always said: "You can't beat Free!"

Jim DeSantis, Editor
_________________________________________________

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Sample - Christian Topics

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 16:10:00 +0000

Tithe Your Way Out Of Debt?

In the course of being active in the local church and attaining Associate Degrees in Pastoral Counseling and Theology, I became convinced that "tithe your way out of debt" is false teaching.

There is no scripture that justifies this, not even Malachi.

In fact, much of the church teaches Malachi wrongly. They do not teach the entire passage on tithing. The leave out its beginning that speaks of "you have gone away from mine ordinances". The word "ordinances" means "laws". And, as Paul said -" he (Jesus) released us from the curse of the law".

This teaching that you can give your way out of debt, or, to put it another way they teach it, "you can't out give God", has ruined many Christian families.

We had an evangelist come to our church and teach "Want a better house? Give yours away and God will give you a better house!" One woman in the church actually put her wedding ring in the plate because she was so far in debt she had no money to give. She would have been better off pawning the ring for cash and putting it towards a debt! You can imagine, her husband was not at all pleased! The Pastor had enough sense to give her back the ring.

Listen - if you are giving to get, you will be disappointed and go broke!

Jesus taught a lot about money. He taught that we should be good stewards of God's money. He taught that we should be smart investors of God's money. He taught that we should pay our taxes (render unto Caesar what is Caesar's). And, Proverbs tells us - "neither a borrower nor a lender be".

The Bible is full of advice about money, debt, work, and responsibility. Unfortunately, most Christians don’t read it and study it. They would rather take the word of some evangelist because it sounds good and they are desperate!

Someone said to me - "I tithe faithfully but God is not blessing me. I can't figure it out"

I answered - "Well, maybe it's because you spend $50.00 a week going to a massage parlor and another $20.00 a week on beer. That's $70.00 a week you could be giving to God's work."

I believe God does not look at how much you give. He looks at your heart, you motive for giving, and, He looks at what you do with the money he has put into your hands. There are many scriptures to support this. Take some time and read the book of James. It's a short and powerful book.

Because of Malachi, many people believe that all we need to do is give God 10% ("tithe means 10%) plus an offering above the tithe amount and we have met God's law. But, we are no longer under the law, remember?

Case in point: When I was a fund raiser for a major Christian ministry we received a check from a gentleman for $15.97 each and every month. No doubt, this was a tithe (10%) from his income.

So, Jim, how should I give?

1) Pay off your debts! You are a Christian. If you are a deadbeat, what does this say to non-Christians? Get a second job if you have to. But, get out of debt. Get Christian Credit Counseling if necessary. But, get out of debt!

2) Give what you can for now. Even one-dollar! Give it cheerfully!

3) Don't give to be blessed. Give with the idea you are helping the work of the church to bring others to Christ.

4) Stop squandering God's money (like the example above). Spend on what you need, not on what you want.

In my own life, once I understood Malachi, my financial situation changed dramatically for the better. I began by asking the Holy Spirit how much I should give, ignoring the 10% rule.

Once he said - "Give $200.00".

I said - "We only have $300.00 in our checking account".

He said - "Give $200.00".

I said - "OK".

Another time He said - "Don't give anything. You're going to need it".

I said - "OK". and, guess what, we needed it for an unexpected Bill.

Did the Holy Spirit talk to me out loud? No, of course not! It was a clear thought, a knowing that it was Him speaking. After a while you will get to know when it’s Him talking to you in your thoughts.

Ever since my wife and I have been giving this way, most of our debts are gone, our bank account has grown, and, best of all, our needs are always met. Now, you have a Mortgage or pay Rent, maybe a car payment, food on the table, clothing, etc. These are debts that almost everyone must incur. The point is, always ask yourself, “Do we need this or just want this?” That simple question will keep you out of debt better than any budget plan devised by man.

This will get you started on the road to abundance.

You will be blessed!
Jim DeSantis

P.S. - Please forward this to someone who may benefit from it.
______________________________________________

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Use the "Email Jim DeSantis" link in the sidebar to get a quote. Just tell us what you need.

Sample - Weddings

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 03:24:00 +0000

6 Tips for a Musical Wedding

Picking out a disc jockey for your wedding entertainment can be very key to the success of the event. The first question is NOT - "how much do you charge?" That's the last question you will ask after you ask 5 other key questions!

My background is in broadcast news reporting but I am now retired and blogging. I am always searching for great tips and self help articles to publish on my blogs. A good buddy is a successful professional DJ who specializes in weddings. I asked him to share his secrets of success so I could write about them. He gave me 6 key things you should check before hiring a DJ for your wedding.

1. What type of party experience does your DJ have? Is he or she experienced enough to handle unforeseen circumstances that may arise. They should offer appropriate music at appropriate times. Dinner and cocktail music should be played during the meal and change to dance or upbeat music after, whatever you feel is appropriate. Additionally, the DJ should work well with other professionals, such as the caterer and photographer.

2. What type of events does your DJ regularly play? Obviously one would prefer the answer - "weddings". Many disc jockeys serve anyone and everyone to make a living and only do weddings when one comes along. Weddings are unique from proms or club crowds and should be treated that way by the DJ. There is certain etiquette that needs to be displayed during a wedding. An inexperienced DJ can quickly ruin the emotional mood of your reception, sending you on your honeymoon a bit angry and disappointed. This is your day. Do not allow some idiot to ruin it.

3. Can the DJ provide local references? The key to a professional disc jockey service is repeat business and word-of-mouth advertising. A word of caution here. Do not trust someone else to hire the DJ and do not just settle for word-of-mouth. Ask for phone numbers or email addresses of past customers and have questions prepared to ask them about their experiences with the DJ. If possible, ask where the DJ is performing and drop in to see the show. The other couple will not mind, according to my buddy. They may even ask you to stay for some food, drink, and a dance!

4. Will the DJ play a wide variety of music and entertain the crowd? You want to find a DJ who will play the right music and entertain everyone at the same time. For example, my buddy said he often runs a music trivia contest and gives away prizes that are provided by the bride and groom.

The DJ's music library should contain everything from big band , oldies, disco, country, rock, and should be on digital compact disc. They should also offer to purchase any of your special songs that they do not have in their music library. Be sure to insist on seeing a sample music listing. The DJ's library is important if you want a certain mood or style in your music to match a wedding theme. If you do, tell the DJ well ahead of your wedding day so he/she can plan accordingly.

5. What type of equipment will your DJ use? Make sure it is all professional equipment, no home speakers and home-built lights. Ask someone you know, who knows about equipment, to check this for you. You are hiring a professional and professionals take every job seriously. Make sure they have made an investment in the latest equipment. Only expect the best. No bride and groom should have to worry about the microphone or speakers dying or screeching in the middle of their reception!

O.K, now you are ready for the price question.

6. How will you know if the disc jockey’s price is a good value? Shop around and compare and don’t just grab at the lowest price. You might find a bargain DJ service where you get more than your money’s worth but they are extremely hard to find. There are also services that will charge you too much. There are always companies that will try to take advantage of you especially if you wait until the last minute to hire a DJ. Plan well ahead to avoid making a decision under pressure.

Yours for a Happy Life and, please, forward this to someone who may benefit from it!

Jim DeSantis
______________________________________

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Use the "Email Jim DeSantis" link in the sidebar to get a quote. Just tell us what you need.

Sample - Marriage Troubles

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 03:02:00 +0000

The 100% Solution To Marriage Bliss!

So often we hear the statistic - "more than half of all marriages end in divorce". And, it is true. But, why? Does it have to be this way? Is there no escaping it?

Yes, you can escape it. The 100% Solution is how to escape being one of the 50% that end in divorce.

We have also heard - "marriage is a 50-50 proposition". Really? In fact, successful marriages are a 100-100 proposition. This means I accept my mate 100% and she accepts me 100%. We allow the person on the inside to be the person on the outside, completely exposed. Absolutely nothing is hidden. Nothing is kept secret. No walls between us. No manipulation. And, most of all, No Expectations of certain behavior.

The 50-50 solution implies you and your mate are holding back 50% from the relationship. This rarely works.

But, you might say - "you don't know what he/she has done to me", "he/she is a liar", "I can't trust him/her". May I boldly say - "Get over it". If you want your marriage to prosper, you must put away the past and start fresh because, honestly, you aren't perfect either. No one is the perfect wife or perfect husband or perfect mate. No one is without "sin", so-to-speak. No one does everything perfectly in relationships.

Now, this does NOT mean you stay with a mate who is physically or emotionally abusive. Do not be any one's punching bag. Get away as fast as you can and get help.

How do I know The 100% Solution works? My wife and I have lived the 50-50 solution and we both ended in divorce from our former mates. When we married each other we had some rough spots in the beginning because we both were playing by the old 50-50 solution. Then we discovered The 100% Solution.

We have been happily living The 100% Solution for over 10 years with no stress in our marriage and no heated arguments. When we don't agree on a course of action, we don't do it. It's simple. Why do something your partner doesn't agree with? Why create stress? Support your partner 100% and they will support you.

So, what exactly is The 100% Solution? First, I will give it to you and then tell you where we found it. As you read it, you just might recognize it. Here it is.

1) Love is patient.

2) Love is kind.

3) Love does not envy and is not pretentious. It is not ambitious or self seeking.

4) Love bears with all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

5) Love keeps no record of wrongs - it does not delight in evil, but rejoices in truth.

6) Love is the eternal tie that binds us.

And we have added - Love never criticizes, condemns, or complains. If you are critical of your mate, condemning your mate, complaining about your mate, you are a psycho-abuser. You need help - now.

Do you recognize the 6 points? We found The 100% Solution in the Bible in 1st Corinthians - Chapter 13. We have been living it successfully because we determined to put the past behind us and create a new future - together.

If you are not interested in the Bible, another helpful resource is the book - "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus" by John Gray, PhD. We read this book together and discovered a few little personality quirks we were not aware of. It was a great help. You can get it from any major bookstore and on-line.

Try The 100% Solution and we know your marriage will be bliss.

Jim DeSantis

P.S. - Please forward this article to someone who may benefit from it.

______________________________________________

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Use the "Email Jim DeSantis" link in the sidebar to get a quote. Just tell us what you need.

Sample - 0% Credit Cards

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:38:00 +0000

Play the 0% Credit Card Game and Win!

If you use credit cards properly, they can be your most powerful financial tool. But, mishandled, they can be draining your fun money. By borrowing smart, you can Play the 0% Credit Card Game and Win!

The average credit card user does not calculate how much money they waste paying the expensive rates of most credit cards and blindly sign up. Lurking in the backround, buried in the fine print, is the credit card company's loophole. If you are late, even a day, your rate could go as high as 24% and there is nothing you can do about it. This is where the 0% APR credit card comes in.

It's the best tool you can find for using OPM, other people's money, at no interest or fees whatsoever.

My wife and I have not paid credit card interest in over 10 years - Zero! Nada! Not one penny of interest, and we have had balances of up to $4,000.00 on our cards. In a minute I will share our 0% percent shuffle. No, it's not a country & western dance but we do make the money shuffle from one card to another.

Are we just lucky? No. We have been smart with our finances!

If you have been a wise money manager and pay your bills as agreed, you likely have received 0% offers in the mail. You should take advantage of them as we have. There is no doubt we have saved thousands of dollars in interest over the years. Low APR cards are nearly as good to have but only if you pay at least double the minimum payment each month. It's smart money management to pay off those cards as fast as possible because your credit score will soar. Then you too will be getting 0% offers in the mail.

What exactly does APR stand for anyway? Why do you need to trouble yourself with a definition? Don't you want to know how to keep more of your money?

Basically, APR is the cost of credit as a yearly interest rate. APR stands for “Annual Percentage Rate” which must be used to compare different credit and loan offers. The APR on credit cards is usually calculated monthly based on the current outstanding balance which gives you that so-called "minimum payment". Credit card companies must tell you how they calculate APR. It's in the ol' fine print that you need a magnifier to read.

There is an old saying - "figures don't lie but liars can figure"! So, read the fine print!

APR, of course, does not really apply to 0% cards because, well, it's Zero! You do want to look closely at the terms of any 0% card you are considering. Make sure you know the number of months the 0% is in effect and exactly when it expires. You want to know what the interest rate will be when 0% expires, which can get tricky.

Watch out for rates tied to the Prime Rate. This will allow the company to hike your rate in line with hikes in the Prime Rate and that could get really expensive.

Although the arrangements and terms may vary from one lender to another, the 0% or a low APR credit card are obviously what you want because the lower the APR, the better the deal for you, the more extra cash you have to spend on other things. A nice benefit, eh?

For the sake of argument, let's say you are unable to get a 0% card because your credit score is a bit low. The alternative is to apply for the lowest APR credit card you can find and work your way up until someone says - Yes. You have to start somewhere, right? This is especially true if you are into tight financial budgeting. So you see, APR is the most important factor of a credit card because APR determines how much interest you are handing over to them and how much you can save for the fun spending. Now, are you glad you got that definition?

If you are looking for a 0% card or a low APR credit card right now, you don't need to wait for the mailman. Simply go online and begin searching. You will find plenty to choose from.

Again, read the fine print of every offer. What are the charges or fees? Is it a variable rate or a fixed rate? We only accept a low fixed rate that will take effect when the 0% expires, just in case we get caught short. That has not happened yet but we are prepared for it anyway.

Say No to optional charges like payment protection insurance or credit protection plans. If there are any such charges, make sure that you understand what they are and when you have to pay them. We never take the options because most credit cards automatically protect you for fraudulent charges up to $50.00. One card we have protects us 100% at no extra charge.

Now, here is the 0% shuffle I promised to tell you about. It's really simple and we have been doing it, as I said, for over 10 years.

When the 0% on one card is about to expire and we have a substantial balance, we simply get a new 0% card and transfer the old balance to the new card! We have done this numerous times over the years with no adverse impact on our credit score. Some people will tell you that doing this will have a negative effect on your credit score but we have not seen that happen. In fact, we received two 0% offers just this past week. They even included blank checks for us to fill in the amount we want, up to our credit limit. Our credit limit, by the way, has grown from low 4-figures to high 5-figures over the years without us paying a single fee or penny in interest. Sweet.

Indeed, having a credit card can be useful and convenient, and can even help build a strong credit history that will help you with future goals like home-buying, paying for higher education, and even finding a job.

Using OPM, other people's money is the only way to go.

Yours for Financial Success!
Jim DeSantis

P.S. - Please forward this article to someone who may benefit from it.
_____________________________________________

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Use the "Email Jim DeSantis" link in the sidebar to get a quote. Just tell us what you need.

Sample - The Abundant Life

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:29:00 +0000

7 Days to Creating an Abundant Life

What are the keys to having a more abundant life? How to make money? How to find Mr. or Ms. Right? Having better health? You may be surprised at the real answers to these and other desires of your heart.

An abundant life is as individual as you are. You determine what abundance is for you. It's not what the world says it is. A rich person can feel poor because of family trouble. A poor person can feel rich because of a happy family life.

I have been on the planet for a long time and I have struggled along the way to find the keys to my personal version of an abundant life. To give you some incentive, I was a high school dropout and factory worker who became a respected Radio and TV News Anchorman.

Here is how I changed my thinking and my life:

1. Know your purpose. Before you can have an abundant life you need to find your purpose. Are you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth North every time.

This may seem tricky at first if you see your life at a dead end. You may be evaluating yourself as you believe the world sees you or by the standards of the world. Finding your purpose is that little loophole that will turn your thinking around and begin making a big difference by focusing your thinking and emotions.

2. Know your values. What do you value most? This is so important. Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development, learning. As you think about your purpose - check your purpose against your values. If your purpose does not align with any of your top five values - you may want to reconsider it or revise it.

Picking 5 values will motivate you to do more than you can ever dreamed of because it will allow that creative and imaginative inner you to dream of the possibilities.

3. Know your needs. Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. You may have thought that your needs were not important or could never be met. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? There are so many people who live their lives without realizing their dreams. Many end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. Is that your experience? I know it used to be mine.

List your top 4 needs. Be sure they line up with your purpose and values and imagine ways to get them met before it's too late!

4. Know your passions. To know who you really are what you truly enjoy in life are your passions. You may have kept these passions hidden because of mental obstacles like doubt. Doubt kills enthusiasm. Doubt will only hinder you and has derailed your chance to become the person you ought to be. Find role models to inspire you to become the very person you wanted to be.

When I was starting out in broadcasting, my mentor was CBS News Anchorman Walter Cronkite. He was who I wanted to be as a broadcaster. I learned to write and voice news by copying him until I could develop my own style. You see, sometimes you need to copy someone you admire in order to find yourself and have your own version of whatever your passion is.

5. Live from the inside out. Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting inward. Take a walk outdoors. Let nature touch you. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind. I love the smell of fallen leaves and crisp Fall air. They stimulate my emotions and my creativity. Another way to get focused is to just sit in a dimly lit room and play some classical music through headsets. There's sound, yes, but music does stimulate the emotions which will stimulate your creative thinking.

6. Honor your strengths. What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List 3 that line up with your purpose and values. If you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify these. Are you imaginative, witty, good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you can share what you know with others.

My talent is writing and creativity in Radio and Television programing. I can create an entire program format within hours, write the script, secure the guests, get commercial sponsors, etc. It is what I am good at.

I love to play guitar too and I have been in a few Rock bands but I am not good enough to be a Rock Star! No sense in kidding myself. I just do not have that much talent or the commitment it takes to get there. I know my passion and my talents. They have served me well.

7. Serve others. Or, to put it another way - Give to receive! When you live authentically, you will find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose, and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others -your spirit - your essence.

The high you get by sharing your gift with those closest to you is indeed rewarding but much more when you see the "Thank you" in the eyes of a stranger you just helped. This act of giving opens unseen doors for blessings to flow back to you.

Self-improvement is indeed the one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn't always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room. The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better and how much we want to give our talents to the world around us.

Yours for success in life.
Jim DeSantis

P.S. - Please forward this article to someone who can use it.
_______________________________________

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Use the "Email Jim DeSantis" link in the sidebar to get a quote. Just tell us what you need.

Sample - Mental Health

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:21:00 +0000

10 Key Signs of Depression

Recognizing depression is complex, a matter usually left to professionals. However, there are 6 key signs that can give clues that you, or someone you love, needs professional help.

Let me say at the outset - depresssion is nothing to be ashamed of or to feel guilty about. It afflicts millions of people. It can be a chemical imbalance or a mental disfunction. Most importantly, it can be treated successfully.

How can you know when someone is suffering from depression or a manic disorder? You may not realize that each and every kind of symptom of depression are actually not hidden or mysterious. They are plain to see if one knows what to look for. At the same time it is actually quite easy to overlook such symptoms and not be able to help yourself or others who are suffering from depression. One can be too close to the forest to see the trees, so to speak.

There are actually many symptoms of depression. Some are not seen or felt every single day which makes them more difficult to identify. Also, since symptoms of depression actually vary, the time of their "attacks" varies as well.

Here are 10 of the most common symptoms of depression:

1) Prolonged period of sadness or not feeling "up to it". This is always that feeling of "not in the mood". This person would rather mope around the house and feel sorry for themselves.

2) A feeling of hopelessness, perennial pessimisism, speaking of feeling sorry for one’s self. This is coupled with actually feeling like he/she has nothing to look forward to in his or her life. As for being the perennial pessimist, those who show this symptom of depression are usually very negative about things, again, the feeling of hopelessness comes in to mind.

3) Guilt-driven and loss of self-worth. Feeling overwhelming guilt over something can actually make you very sad and make you feel like you do not deserve to be happy. Thus, the loss of self-worth. If you feel you are not worthy of being happy or enjoying yourself, that’s a clear tell-tale symptom of depression. Add to this a feeling that things simply will not go your way reinforces a feeling of being a victim of circumstances.

4) Has lost taking pleasure in simple things in life, a spirit of adventure, or hobbies, anything one used to enjoy doing. This is especially true when you begin shunning activities that involve family or friends and become reclusive.

5) Fatigue, always feeling tired or run down physically or mentally. People suffering from depression, having lost whatever interest in life that they may have had before are actually depleted of physical energy. Moping around, not eating properly, not getting enough restful sleep, all lead a depressed person on a path to not just a mental illness but to physical illnedd as well.

6) Having trouble concentrating, having bad memory and is indecisive. A person who is suffering from depression easily gives away this tell-tale symptom of depression. Wherein one’s lack of interest in the outside world, or in just about anything for that matter, can lead to an inability to keep track of things, not be able to remember things that happened, or recent conversations. Lack of interest actually makes depressed people very inattentive and their living quarters quite disorganized and messy.

7) Sleep and eating disorders: Lacking enough sleep, sleeping too much, waking up at wee hours of the morning, appetite lossor eating too much. Watch for sudden weight loss or weight gain.

8) Being suicidal, talking about death, about wanting to die, are clear indications of depression.

9) Being restless and irritable, physical symptoms such as headaches, digestive disorders, and various body pains.

10) Finally, and perhaps the most common warning sign that takes in the 9 already mentioned is when those people closest to you continually ask - "Are you O.K.?". This means they see behavior that you are not seeing because you are too close to the forest to see the trees.

Call your physician and make an appointment soon!

Jim DeSantis
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Author: Jim DeSantis has Associate Degrees in Pastoral Counseling and Christian Theology.

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Sample - Motivation

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:14:00 +0000

If You Think You Can't - Read This!

Achieving a level of success, a level we can be comfortable with personally, varies with expectations and goals.

Often we compare our level of success with that of someone we admire or, in fact, someone we envy. We want what they have. We want to be where they are in life. We want it NOW!

This desire is what fuels public fascination with celebrities. They seem to live the abundant life of fame and fortune. What is not seen is their struggle to get there.

Someone once said - "Overnight success takes about 15 years." It might not take you that long depending on the level of success you are trying to achieve and how many obstacles you must overcome.

Take heart! Read the struggle of this young man:

Failed in Business - Bankruptcy, 1831

Defeated for Legislature, 1832

Sweetheart/Fiancee Dies, 1835

Nervous Breakdown, 1836

Defeated in Election, 1836

Defeated for U.S. Congress, 1843

Defeated again for U.S. Congress, 1846

Defeated once again for U.S. Congress, 1848

Defeated for U.S. Senate, 1855

Defeated for U.S. Vice President, 1856

Defeated again for U.S. Senate, 1858

Elected President of the U.S.A., 1860

Yes, this was the struggle of President Abraham Lincoln!

If you had been faced with this many obstacles, would you have quit somewhere along the way?

In your own journey towards success, are you ready to quit?

Have you ever quit?

Has anyone ridiculed your efforts, laughed at you, told you that you’ll never amount to anything?

Remember Abraham Lincoln and keep at it!

Jim DeSantis, Editor

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Sample - Blog Traffic

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 12:49:00 +0000

10 Proven Ways to Boost Traffic to Your Web Site or Blog!
One of the most asked questions I see online is - "How can I boost traffic to my blog?". There are numerous tips and tricks available all over the web. Here are 10 Proven Ways to get you started toward becoming an internet star!

1. Provide your visitors with free content, that is, articles or blog posts. Your content will be more attractive to your visitors if it's up-to-date or original. You could also offer people the option to reprint the content in their e-zine, blog, or web site. Don't foget to add your URL at the end of the articles so people can find you. This further attracts new and returning visitors.

2. Give people a free subscription to your e-zine. Almost everyone is publishing a e-zine nowadays so it's important to give something extra with the free subscription. You could offer a free gift or advertising when people subscribe. Don't have an ezine? There is a free program to start one on one of my blogs.

3. Offer a free online directory or page of links to helpful resources like I do with my Newsman's Favorite Links Blog. The directory should be full of interesting ebooks, e-zines, web sites, etc. If people find your directory to be a valuable resource they will visit it over and over.

4. Give your visitors a free ebook. I give links to these throughout my 15 blogs. I love Free! Some ebook writers even allow you to include your own ad or website URL in the ebook and allow other people to give it away when they get it from you. This is called Viral Marketing. Another way to spread the word about you! Hey, you could even write your own ebook and give it away! There are programs for this as well.

5. Hold free online classes or seminars. They could be held in your web site's chat room. The idea of "live" information will definitely entice people to visit your web site. You will become known as an expert on the topic. You can even offer courses or classes via email to people who sign up.

6. Give visitors a free entry into your contest or sweepstakes. The prizes should be something of interest or value to your visitors. Most people who enter will continually revisit your web site to get the results. This doesn't have to be cash. It can be a valuable ebook that you got free from a Viral Marketer.

7. Let visitors download free software. It could be freeware, shareware, demos etc. You could even turn part of your site into a free software directory. If you created the software, include your ad inside and let other people give it away.

8. Offer free online services or utilities from your web site. They could be search engine submitting, copy writing, article proofreading, etc. The service or utility should be helpful to your target audience.

9. Give free consulting to people who visit your web site. You could offer your knowledge via e-mail or by telephone. People will consider this a huge value because consulting fees can be very expensive. In fact, you can give them links or ebooks covering their area of interest but sign them up for email to get access to the information.

10. If you have an online Club, give your visitors a free membership. People want to belong to something that benefits them, why not your online club. It could be a game club, video club, music club, writing club, etc. You could also give away a free e-zine for club members only.

These are just 10 great ways to persuade visitors to keep in touch with you and that means a better page rank in the Search Engines!

Yours for success!
Jim DeSantis

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Sample - Blogging

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 12:23:00 +0000

What Should You Blog About?

Face the fact – your blog needs to be regularly updated to maintain its readership! Face another fact - you must always find fresh topics to write about. It's called "creating content". But, how do you keep up a steady flow that will keep readers interested and maybe make a living at it?

First off, the only topic that you should be writing on is a topic that you are passionate about and are interested in. Seem pretty obvious? Many bloggers miss this crucial point. They load their blog with disjointed topics, even nonsensical topics that are all over the map. They try a "shotgun" approach rather than a "high powered rifle approach" (sorry anti-gun lobby!).

Many bloggers hoping to make blogging a career because they want to escape a mundane job, force themselves to write about something that they are not interested in. Blogging then becomes as torturous as their mundane job! It becomes work. And, trust me on this, you will never be successful at this if it feels like work. Why? Because you will need to devote hours upon hours to make your blog stand out and generate enough income for you to quit your day job. It can take months of initial work. There is a bright side. Once the mechanics of your blog are set up, adding content is then easy and fun.

The other reason you must write about something you’re passionate about is because your thought process and emotions show through your writings! If you feel indifferent to a certain subject but still write about it just because it's popular, your readers will notice your indifference. It's all about writing with your personality showing.

Forcing yourself to write will not allow your personality to show through at all unless you are a great writer. Blogging is about being yourself in print. Write like you are telling a story to a good friend about a topic you love. If you are excited, your readers will catch that excitement and come back for more. Great writers can make this happen on any topic but the average blogger lacks the skill to pull this off.

Once you have chosen your main theme, start posting to your blog about it and make it a habit to post at least once every day, even if it’s only a comment on that newspaper article you read today. Think of yourself as a long train, pulled by an old fashioned steam engine. You know the kind of train I'm talking about. Just think - The Polar Express! It takes a lot of effort to get you moving. First, you might just budge inches as the wheels spin on the rails gaining traction. You gain momentum until you finally reach your cruising speed.

No matter how well you know your topic, your engine is bound to run low on steam over time, the engine will need more coal in the firebox, so here are methods to generate new content for your blog.

1) Brainstorm. The very best way to brainstorm is to see what other bloggers have to say about stuff happening in your field of discussion. And the very best way to find related blogs is to use http://blogsearch.google.com/ or www.technorati.com. There are other decent search tools too, you just have to look around. From other blogs, you can gather more knowledge on your subject and you can also comment on what others have to say on your own blog! You can give it your own "spin".

2) Stay in touch with the world. Once you’ve established contacts with other bloggers in your field, you will have quite an inexhaustible “conversation” going, so you should not need to actively search for content to write about. However, if you are still stuck, search for news articles related to your niche in the local newspaper or online through sites like http://news.google.com and http://news.yahoo.com.

3) Nurture relationships. You should develop relationships with people with the same interest as you in the particular niche you choose, so you will eventually build up a bank of questions and answers and interesting discussions to write about in your blog. To do this, join forums related to your niche, but don’t join every forum. Stick with one or two with the biggest number of members or the one which is most focused on your niche. This will also come in handy much later in gaining traffic and, if you want to quit that day job, in generating profits.

4) Wash, Rinse, & Repeat. Remember to keep up your momentum of posting at least once per day so that the major search engines will know that your blog has fresh content everyday. This will attract the search engines to spider your page on a more frequent basis, hence gaining you extra traffic.

One word of caution: If you are using Blogger.com and you post too many articles in one session, Blogger may see your blog as spam and block it for review. I run 15 blogs and this happened with 8 of them. It took over a week to get them cleared by Blogger. Now, I try to post only a maximum of 2 items per 24 hour period on any single blog.

Now here is the hardest part of generating readers and profits: Generating traffic through search engines! But, don't worry. I write about this in a 6 part series. Part 1 is here! In the sidebar of this page you will also find several resources for Search Engine Optimization and programs to help you make your blogging dream come true. For now, remember to keep up a consistent effort everyday and build up momentum like that of The Polar Express!

Yours for success!
Jim DeSantis

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Sample - Article Marketing

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 12:15:00 +0000

5 Article Marketing Secrets

If you are new to blogging and Article Marketing, there are just 5 things you should do immediately to boost traffic to your blog. Best of all, these five things will not cost you a penny!

Article marketing is most probably the most effective link building strategy in existence. Article directories allow you to include a resource box for every article you submit. Inside this resource box, you include a link to your website. If you submit just one article to 100 article directories and it is approved for publication, you will immediately receive 100 back links to your website. There are thousands of article directories in the World Wide Web!

Now, if you submit, say, 5 articles to a hundred directories, you may get 500 back links easily! How? Again, by including the link to your website or blog in the Author Box at the end of your articles. The best part about this strategy is that quite a number of article directories have high page ranks (PR). We’re talking about PR4, PR5, and on occasion, PR7 websites! Having a link to your own website in a website which has a high page rank would give a significant boost to your search engine standing!

There are many questions about this tactic of submitting articles to directories. I have tried to answer the top 5.

1. If I submit the same article to many article directories, won’t it violate a search engine’s policy against duplicate content?

No, it won’t. Since we’re dealing with high ranking websites, the search engines will assume that the submitted content is your original work. This is the reason why a lot of article directories are pretty confident about the articles they display. The problem that they encounter, really, is with regards to the credibility of their services. They don’t want to be known as a repository of junk content, that’s why they have outlawed the posting of PLR (private label rights) articles as well as articles loaded with Affiliate links.

2. Should I submit articles which I have already posted in my own web pages?

If the article was posted on your website or blog first, the answer is "Yes, do it"! However, if you submit your articles to directories first, then the search engines may assume that where the articles first appeared is the originator of the content. In that case, your articles could be distinguished as duplicates and this could possibly lead to the de-indexing of your articles but not your website. The key is, you want your articles to appear on your website or blog first and be indexed first. Then, submit them to directories.

3. Can I submit as many articles as I want to as many article directories as possible?

Absolutely, that's what I do and I do it often! This is very much advised as a fast way to build up your link popularity and secure for your website a great page rank.

However, please bear in mind that search engines, Google in particular, become quite wary about a website that suddenly experiences a great increase in the number of its back links. It is advised that before you submit another article to the article directories, wait a few days between submissions..

4. My page views are quite low. Does article marketing really work?

Yes, article marketing does work! If your article’s page views remain in low levels, ask yourself the following:

a)Is the subject of your article interesting enough? Does it cater to a wide audience?

b)Is your title enticing enough to merit a reading of your entire work?

c)Is your article informative enough to merit recommendation?

d)Is your article readable enough to give your audience an easy time in digesting the information you want to share?

These are the factors that contribute to low page views. Doing some necessary editing to correct these problems can dramatically increase the number of times your article would be viewed. I have some articles that were viewed 30+ times in just a few days! Remember, some article directories really attract few visitors so viewing will also be low. The key is, your article is published and your back link in your Author Box is pointing to your website or blog and that helps your page rank even on a low viewed directory.

5. Can I be sure that my articles will be kept intact by people who would use it in their own websites or eZines?

You can never be sure. This is why you have to run your own check from time to time. Search for unique phrases in your article and click on the results. Determine if the webmaster honored your resource box. If he did not, you could ask him to include your Author Box, or you could file a complaint with the article directory so that they themselves can act on the matter. Vigilance is the key.

Yours for success!
Jim DeSantis

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Sample - Family Life & Character

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 11:55:00 +0000

Your Word Reflects Your Family Name!

It's difficult to live up to the expectations of others, especially Adults, if you are a young person. Individuality is so important these days. Going with the flow, with your peers, is called the "herd mentality". Follow this simple rule and you will be a leader of the herd, not merely one of the herd.

When I was a teen I was a "greaser", a rebel. I had the "pegged pants", leather motorcycle jacket, belonged to a car club, played in a 50's Rock n' Roll band, slammed a few beers, and dated the "chicks". It was a typical life, right out of the movies, and real.

In the 60's I had the second chopper motorcycle in our city. My buddy "Spesh" (nickname for Special) brought his custom chopper back from California and I went wild over it. We all did. Within several months about 10 of us had choppers. The cops never saw one before and just didn't know what to do about us. It was comical, really! But, I digress. Back to the topic at hand.

One thread ran through our lives back then - "a man's word is his bond". This applies to women, too. My Dad would say - "If your word is no good, you are no good!". No matter what we did, no matter how much trouble we got into, that one thing could not be avoided - Word! We could pull all kinds of tricks, even lie when needed, even bend the Law when needed but that one thing could never be broken - giving one's word. It was never to be taken lightly, ever!

Giving one's word was a trap, of sorts. It was a trap because, once your word was given, and no matter to whom it was given, it had to be kept - period! It was how we were measured among our friends, relatives, and loved ones. It determined our reputation as someone who could be trusted or not trusted. It opened doors when kept and slammed them in our face when broken. So, what does this mean to today's teen?

Truth is a habit and so is giving one's word. These are habits that will serve anyone who develops them, serve that individual for a lifetime. They apply in every facet of life, especially in loving relationships and, of course, in our careers. A mate wants to know we can be trusted and we want to trust them in return. A boss wants to know he/she can promote us or confide in us. The only way to build trust is to keep one's word.

A businessman friend of mine had a rule about giving one's word. We were in his office one day, he ran a used car lot, when a friend of his came in and needed to borrow some money. My friend Johnny was glad to do it but said this to him - "Now don't tell me your going to pay me back at the end of the month and not pay me. If you don't pay me when you say, I'll never lend you another dime. I'd rather you tell me you don't know when you can pay me back so I won't be disappointed." This was a great lesson for his friend to learn and one you should learn as well. Be careful what you promise to do.

By now you're wondering what this has to do with your Family Name, right? Well, it's simple really. When you break your word or get into trouble with the law for that matter, you are telling everyone that you have lousy parents. Maybe you do but do you really want everyone to know that?

Do want them to hear your family name and think - "liars, can't be trusted"? What if you have really loving and caring parents? You will damage the good name they spent a lifetime protecting.

Do you want someone to tell your boss about your habit of breaking your word? You know how nasty office politics can be. Why give your enemies an excuse to kill your chances for success?

Do you want to disappoint your significant other by not keeping a promise and destroying the trust between you? Breaking your word will do just that!

The major reason children are out of control could be the fact that parents do not keep their word or their promises. Their children no longer trust them.

Jesus, of the Bible, said - "Let your Yes be Yes and your No be No. Everything else comes from the evil one". Pretty strong stuff, eh?

James, of the Bible, said - "The tongue is the most evil organ in the body". Wow! And, in another place in the Bible it says - "Life and Death are in the power of the tongue".

Let me ask you - Do you want to be someone everyone can count on, can trust? Do you want to be someone that people confide in with their secrets? Do you want to be someone that anyone would feel comfortable loaning money to?

Keep your word!
Jim DeSantis
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Sample - Media Coverage of Politics

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 03:46:00 +0000

Bottom Feeder Politics & Media Oversight

The Congressman Foley Page scandal has embroiled the Republican Party in yet another political battle but, worse, it has plunged the Democrat Party to a new low. With the evidence still being sifted as to what House Speaker Dennis Hastert knew and when he knew it, at least one Democratic Party candidate is already running attack ads against Mr. Hastert and the entire Republican Party leadership.

It is bottom-feeding politics at its worst.

In my 15+ years as a broadcast journalist I have seen the sleaziest of campaigns. They were based upon a thread of truth but most of the finished garment was woven by experts in the art of dirty politics. This is the case of the Foley Scandal - a thread of truth about Mr. Hastert, a finished garment of distortion. At the very least it is distortion regarding the facts as we know them at this moment.

I am not in a position, nor are Democrats, nor are you, to know what the full story is. For the purposes of this commentary, what Mr. Hastert knew, when he knew it, what he did about it (or didn't do), are irrelevant. My purpose is simply to ask whether attack Ads are ever justifiable. In the case of the Foley scandal and Mr. Hastert, the answer is an emphatic - "No".

When are attack Ads justifiable? When they expose the voting record of an incumbent or the political philosophy of a challenger that can be fully verified by the facts. No one would argue against a fair game. Professional Sports has strict rules forcing both sides to play fair. When players cheat, they are penalized. They lose yardage or get ejected or pay a fine or get suspended. Pete Rose gambled and likely will never get into the Hall of Fame. He broke the rules.

Maybe it's time for such rules in politics. Maybe it's time Media took responsibility for vetting Ad content, something I have advocated for more than 30 years. During my years as News Director/Editor I would not allow political Ads in my News programs. None.

I am not calling for censorship of free speech. Vetting political advertising is the same as preventing a product advertiser from scamming the public. The unfounded attack Ads are, in fact, scamming the voters and should be prevented. They will stop when they have no outlet or, at the very least, when Media exposes them for what they are.

Recently, a local TV news program (WICU) examined a particular attack Ad for accuracy and aired their conclusions. The Ad was by an incumbent attacking the challenger for the sources of the challenger's campaign contributions. They exposed that the facts did not support the Ad content. There was a thread of truth but the finished garment was distortion. The Ad was pulled by the incumbent. Local Media did its job. National Media should do the same. They owe it to us. After all, Media has a free license to the airwaves that we, the public, own. They are in business because we allowed it through our government.

The Democrat Party should do the honorable thing - pull the attack Ad. It's bottom-feeding politics. Media should also do the right thing - expose the Ad for what it is.

Jim DeSantis
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Sample - Writing

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:46:00 +0000

The 3 Rules for Writing Articles

You can write just about any article, even an eBook, if you know what great writers know. All great writers know the "3 Rules for Writing Articles".

Writing articles is nothing more than common sense coupled with a spell-checker program and a little imagination. Plus, the 3 Rules I am about to share with you.

First, though, let me tell you about how a high school dropout learned how to write by copying former CBS News Anchor, Walter Cronkite and by using his local newspaper. All he did was apply the "3 Rules for Writing Articles".

I know you want to know the rules right now, right?

First, these are not my rules. These are rules known by all good writers. I didn't invent them. They were taught to me and I simply use them every day.

Here they are:

Rule #1 - "Tell them what you are going to tell them". This, of course, is your headline like my headline - "3 Rules for Writing Articles".

Rule #2 - "Tell them". I am already doing that, right? I started with the first sentence at the beginning of this article and I am telling you right now!

Rule #3 - "Tell them what you told them". This is the summary, a sentence or sentences that bring the whole point of the article into focus to give you something to remember. That comes at the end.

What about the high school dropout? He simply took a cheap tape recorder, recorded Mr. Cronkite's newscast every evening, played it back and typed exactly what Mr. Cronkite said. He studied it to see how the three rules applied. He did this over and over and over until he could write his own version of the story. When he felt confident he showed his work to his wife and best friends for critique. He even recorded himself saying the stories into that little recorder, over and over and over. His dream was to be a radio newsman.

Our high school dropout also took the daily newspaper and re-wrote lots and lots of stories, reorganizing the facts, creating his own catchy headlines. Most important? He applied the "3 Rules for Writing Articles" to every article.

When he had articles he had some confidence in, he showed them to his wife and best friends for critique. He followed the 3 Rules for several months, working on his writing after getting home from his regular factory job in the evenings. He did this for hours and hours and hours. Practice, practice, practice!

So, where did all this hard work get him? You will be amazed.

Our high school dropout landed a part time job on Sunday mornings as a on-air newsman at a local radio station! His writing and a passable radio voice got him that job. His fellow factory workers laughed at him. Made jokes. "You? C'mon, get real!". But, did he quit there? No! He kept working on his writing and voice delivery. Hours and hours and hours!

Within 3 months he was full time on the graveyard shift. He quit the factory job. About 3 months later he was on days, Monday through Friday, in prime afternoon drive-time! Within 2 years he was a local TV News Anchorman! Two years later he was Anchorman and News Director!

Now, I must point out another key factor in his success. Many professional broadcasters and writers helped him grow along the way. He was never afraid to ask for help to improve his writing and delivery on-air. Pride never got in his way. You will find that professionals are more than willing to offer advice and valuable tips! Just ask! It is better than a college education.

Now, you may be thinking, "Jim, you made this guy up. This story can't be true".

Well, friend, that high school dropout is me!

My broadcast news career spanned more than 15 years. I won several national and local news awards. Check out the Read About the Editor link in the sidebar. You will find a photo of me posing with Walter Cronkite in a promotional session for my news program. I also have promotional photos with Dan Rather and Diane Sawyer and photos with many other famous people. I have interviewed every type of news maker from Presidents to killers and rubbed elbows with the rich and famous.

Am I bragging? Maybe. But, the point is, the "3 Rules for Writing Articles" plus determination and practice helped me to become a successful writer and news reporter. They can help you, too!

I have given you the starting point. It's up to you. By the way, you can find other writing guides in the sidebar that will help you become an accomplished writer as well.

And, in case you have not guessed, the last few sentences in this post is the "Tell them what you told them" rule!

Yours for success!
Jim DeSantis
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Sample - Blog Writing

jimlinda_16511@yahoo.com (Jim DeSantis) — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 14:13:00 +0000

Blog Content Is About You!

No matter what your blog focus is about, no matter the topic, the genre, your blog is really and mostly about you. Here is how to get your personality into the light and create a compelling blog.

To make your blog worth reading and revisiting you need to think about the type of content that is suitable for your blog in order to make it readable and, possibly, profitable.

First off, I want you to understand that many blogs have no fixed scope, which means many bloggers write about whatever they are interested in at the moment. They blog about music, art, politics, food, cultural interests, all on one blog. This is not wrong because blogging is supposed to be about our lives and how we think about things.

Other bloggers will target specific topics and stick to those. This approach is, in my opinion, the proven way to blog. However, while a one topic blog may be the reason a visitor first comes to your blog, it is not what will keep them coming back, again and again.

The difference between a blog worth revisiting and one that is forgotten about is the way the blog is written. Ask yourself this: would you prefer to read your university professor’s lecture notes or the latest novel by your favorite author?

I will say you prefer to read the novel because it appeals more to your interest and because it is not as mind-numbing as the lecture notes by your professor. The most important point to remember is people like to read “light” stuff most of the time. You see, when people log on to your blog, they are not only looking for information – they are also looking for information they can obtain easily. They want it in a relaxed manner and entertaining if possible.

You might be thinking - "I can't write that way. Never could get the hang of it". I assure you, you can write that way.

Here are some key points that will transform your writing style.

Before you write one word of your post, write a compelling headline to grab their attention. For example, the title of the article you are reading right now - "Blog Content Is About You!". This title must have attracted you to my blog. Why? Because it is about "You"! I also posted it in Article Directories which will attract even more readers, like you. The article in the Article Directories has my blog link in the Author Box which drives traffic to my blogs.

To attract more visitors as well as to keep your current visitors coming back for more, it is very important to add a human touch to your blog posts. This can be done by simply imagining you’re talking about a certain topic with your personal friend. An extra bonus for your readers would be a great sense of humor, so try to add funny comments in your articles where they are suitable. Do avoid using vulgar language unless you don't care about turning off a major audience of blog readers who will be offended. There are many blogs I will never visit again just for this reason.

Another important key point is to avoid addressing your reader as a plural unit, that is, as - "we", "us", etc. Sometimes this is appropriate but most times it is to be avoided. You should not write as if you’re preparing a lecture. Instead, you should write as if you are having a conversation with one person because this will make your visitor think of you more as a personal friend rather than a professional writer or professor. I used this one-to-one technique as a Radio and Television News broadcaster. I imagined I was giving the news to just one friendly person who was interested in what I had to say and who trusted me. I wrote it and voiced it as if I were telling the stories only to them. In other words, I write like I talk.

The most important change in your writing style is to establish your own personality through your words. Because you are reading this article I assume you are a very curious person, just like I am. Based on the headline, you wanted to know what this article was all about. As you read, you likely are thinking - "Who is this writer?". It follows that your visitors come to your blog to find out as much about you as the information you’re offering them. I hope I am giving you some insight into who I am as a person and how I think because, in reality, I am using all the pointers in this article to demonstrate that they work.

You make your blog distinctive - not the subject of your blog! Having your distinctive personality show through in your blog will make all the difference between your blog about gadgets and all the other blogs about gadgets out there. Get the idea? Let me repeat for emphasis: You make your blog distinctive - not the subject of your blog! This is a lot like creating your own brand name, where people immediately remember your blog’s name when they need to find out information about gadgets, or whatever you regularly write about, in the same way people immediately think of McDonald’s for burgers or Nike for sportswear.

Still think you can't do it? I challenge you to write just one blog post using the pointers I have given you and see what happens. Call it - "My Personal Opinion about (whatever)!". And, let your personality out of prison, just once!

Yours for success!
Jim DeSantis

____________________________________________________

Would you like articles like the above written with you as Author? Maybe you have some rough articles that need editing or need to be rewritten but you just don't know how to do it yourself? Let professionals do it for you! You get the byline and copyright! You own the finished work and each article is one-of-a-kind!

Use the "Email Jim DeSantis" link in the sidebar to get a quote. Just tell us what you need.