Happy New Year

New year, new goals and aspirations all around. This is the perfect time of year to pull up any half-written articles and get researching so that you can finish them. Start a new blog, or two or four. Get that e-book started. Finish what you didn't last year and start something new for this year. These are my goals for writing this year. I am going to finish whatever I left half-finished last year and then start several new blogs, build them up and then get them onto their own domain throughout the year. I also plan to write several fiction and informational non-fiction e-books. This is going to be a big year. This should be a big year for all of us because you are truly the writer of your own destiny.

New Post

The Writing Tutorials page has a new post discussing overviews and introductory paragraphs that is chock full of information.

Freelance Writing 101: Why You Should Cite Sources in Your Articles

Why should I cite my sources in my articles? I see this question all of the time. First, AC wants you to cite sources 99% of the time. Many other writing sites and clients also require, or strongly recommend, it.

Adding Credibility to Your Articles Through Citing Sources
Second, citing sources adds credibility to your article as long as the source is credible. For example, if you were writing an article about the symptoms of multiple sclerosis sites such as the Mayo Clinic, University Medical Centers, Hospitals, and WebMD are credible sources. About.com can also be used because all medical information is medically reviewed. However, personal blogs and Wikipedia, or any Wiki sites for that matter, are not credible. Citing Wikipedia makes your article less credible and there is a chance that the information on this site will not be accurate. I've found inaccurate information on Wikipedia before and unfortunately the inaccurate information was medical information that could lead to a person becoming seriously ill.

Verify Your Facts Through Citing Sources
Third, even if you are an expert, it does not hurt to take five minutes to verify your facts. As a nurse, a medical writer, and a patient, I have a lot of medical knowledge, however, I ALWAYS take five minutes to verify all information in my medical articles. Sometimes, the smallest inaccuracy could kill someone or make them very sick. Once you verify your facts, use the site you used to verify them as your resource.

I know that when I read an article, I always look for solid, credible references. This is especially true with medical information. When it comes to medical articles, if there is no sources listed, or if non-credible sites such as Wikipedia or blogs are listed as sources, I immediately click away from that article. If I cannot trust the information, there is no point in reading it.

We are all experts at something, be it medicine, cars, gardening, parenting, etc. But, taking a few minutes to verify our sources and list them goes a long way in making sure we are writing the best possible articles that we can.

Citing Sources in Articles:
Your sources must be cited at the end of each article. Simply put the header "Resources", "References", or "Sources" at the end of the article. I prefer it to be bolded, but it doesn't have to. If you are using a website, just place the link that goes directly to the page you used under your heading. For example, if you used the Mayo Clinic as a reference, do not just use the Mayo Clinic's main site address, but the link to the exact article you used.

When I am citing any other type of resource, such as a book or a magazine, I like to use APA. Of course, you do not have to, but I feel APA is the best for citing non-internet resources. For information on how to properly use APA format to cite sources check out Purdue APA Style and Citing Information

These are the basics when it comes to how, why, and when to cite sources in your articles. If anyone would like to add anything or ask questions please contact me anytime.

How to Write Great Article Titles for Web Writing

Writing an excellent title for your article adds immense value to your article and it also attracts readers. A good article title can mean the difference between your article being read and not being read.

First and foremost, your article title needs to tell your readers exactly what your article is about. Save the cutesy stuff for your subtitle. Your title is your article's label. It must tell readers exactly what to expect to read in your article. If your article is discussing the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, your title must state this.

You need to get your keywords in your title, preferably as close to the front as possible.

Keep your title short and focused. Three to six words is ideal. You can add a few more, but more than ten most likely means that your title isn't focused well enough. Google only displays the first 8-10 words of your title.

Are the keywords in your title what a typical internet user would search for? Think about how you would search for something. If you were seeking to find what the symptoms of multiple sclerosis were you would search "multiple sclerosis symptoms" or "symptoms of multiple sclerosis". You wouldn't search for "muliple sclerosis: what are the signs and symptoms" or something similar.

Put business, product or company names at the end of the title. For example, you would title your article on problems with Skype "Problems and Issues with Skype" and not "Skype: Problems and Issues".

To test your proposed article titles I suggest checking out the major search engines for quantity, quality and relevance before committing to a title. This is what I do and it hasn't failed me yet. If you see several articles with the same exact title, you should definitely pick a new one. If the title you choose pulls up little to no relevant search results there is a good chance no one is searching for it.

Word of the Day for September 29, 2009

Today's Word of the Day is ameliorate.

Ameliorate
Definition #1: To make better; to improve.
Definition #2: To grow better.

Writing Tips: Proper Word Usage #1

We are all writers or aspiring writers, but sometimes we will make mistakes. This is an inevitable part of our job. This post will discuss using the proper spelling of certain words that are often spelled wrong and used wrong. Using these in a sentence is the best way to explain their proper usage.

Their - There - They're

Their - "Their shoes are cuter and less expensive than Wal-Marts."
There - "When I go over there I will pick up some milk and bread."
They're - "They're not coming until later because he had to work late."

*Keep in mind that "they're" is actually "they are".

Your and You're

Your - "Where is your coat?"
You're - "You're sure to win the writing contest."

*Keep in mind that "you're" is actually "you are".

Loose and Lose

These two words have two completely different meanings. However, they are often used in place of each other.

Loose - "That string is loose."
Lose - "I really hope the Brown's don't lose this Sunday."

This will become a series that I will publish at least weekly. Keep checking back for more writing tips about proper word usage.

Preventing Writer's Block #1

As writers most of us will face writer's block at least once. However, there are several things we can do to prevent writer's block from ever happening again. I will share the things that I do that are very simple and take very little time.

WordPad
All computers have Word Pad or a similar program. Use this to your advantage. I always have a Word Pad open I have titled "Article Topics and Resources". When I am at my computer and an article idea pops into my head I type it into this Word Pad document. I also copy and paste and website addresses I find interesting for future article material. I have had this document for at least six months and have not had writer's block since. Try this for a little while and I am sure it will help you to prevent your writer's block as well.

Notebook
Carrying a notebook with you can help you to prevent writer's block. I do this and I know many other freelance writers carry a notebook with them as well. Take this notebook with you everywhere and do not forget to bring a pen or pencil as well. Your notebook can be a standard-sized one or one of those smaller ones that are about the size of a wallet. The size doesn't matter. What matters is that you have something to jot down ideas in as soon as you have them. This notebook can be a great tool in preventing writer's block. I have used it to write down article ideas such as products to review, events I have witnessed and just random articles that have popped into my head. This notebook can also be useful if you need to write down contact information for potential writing clients.

These two methods for preventing writer's block will cost you less than a dollar and a minute of your time. I highly suggest both using Word Pad or a similar program and a notebook to jot down ideas and websites. Good luck and happy writing.

How to Balance Time for Writing, Networking and More at AC

CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE

The article I linked to above provides some of the best insight and advice I have ever read about balancing your time for writing, networking and everything else involved with being a freelance writer. This advice can also be applied to just about any writing site you write for. It can also be applied to private clients. If you are a freelance writer, new or old, read this.

Lyn Lomasi discusses the importance of determining your best writing time and how important it is to stick to it. She also discusses how beneficial carrying around a notebook can be. I carry a notebook everywhere I go. It doesn't matter if I am running to the store for cat food or going to a doctors appointment, I carry my notebook. Your next article could come from anything such as the price of milk, a pamphlet you read in your doctors waiting room or that car accident you just witnessed. She also discusses taking advantage of your free time to write. If you are bored, write. The more you write the better your articles will be and the more you will learn about writing and yourself.

She also discusses research. So many writers see research as daunting. Personally, I love researching, but I am a nerd. I will discuss my research techniques in another post, but Lyn offers excellent advice in this article.

Lyn also talks about reading and commenting. I also avidly read and comment on articles on AC and most of the other sites I write for. I get an average of 100+ articles everyday to read and comment on. This is however impossible with my writing obligations so I pick and choose and try to read at least 2-5 articles from each person I subscribe to per week. Read Lyn's article that is linked above for some fantastic advice on how to balance reading and commenting. Her methods are much better than mine.

Forum participation. This is pretty important and can greatly benefit you. She talks about this in the above-linked article as well.

She also discusses how to balance your time helping fellow AC'ers. I personally feel that helping others is very important and it actually benefits you as well. Keep in mind that you were new once and most likely had your questions answered by another Contributor so why not take a few minutes a day to give back and share your knowledge with new Contributors?

This article also discusses using the AC tools and promotion. I suggest you take a few minutes and read this article. I have been freelance writing for a while and I still learned several new things from this article. It provides a wealth of information and is perfect for new writers and old writers alike.

To read more from Lyn Lomasi check out her Associated Content Contributor page HERE

Here are some other fantastic articles written by Lyn Lomasi to help you with your freelance writing career:

Tips on Writing for AC and the Web Part 1: SEO Tips: CLICK HERE TO READ

Tips on Writing for AC and the Web Part 2: CLICK HERE TO READ

Why Am I Working so Hard with Little to No Results?: CLICK HERE TO READ

This next article by Lyn Lomasi is a must read for anyone who participates in forums, on social networking sites and well anywhere where you interact with other humans.

How to Be an Objective Reader in Social Writing Circles: CLICK HERE TO READ

Happy Writing!