The WMF Archives

Yes, I have a ton of kids. Yes, I homeschool. Yes, my husband sometimes travels a lot. While I’ve tried many things to keep my sanity and focus on my kids and writing, I’ve found that I do a better job at everything if I stay off any substance other than caffeine or chocolate and ESPECIALLY stay away from games like Diner Dash and Chuzzle. So here’s a little piece of my life lately only as far as writing goes (you’ll be appalled at how little time I spend):

Monday: Write eHow piece on making a chore chart, which takes longer than I thought it would. Figure the more articles I have on there, the more potential I have to make some money (making about a buck a month currently). Work on posts for Writing Mommies blog.

Tuesday: Write eHow piece on reducing toy clutter. Crank out blog posts for The Kerrie Show through the end of the month.

Wednesday: Write eHow piece on getting kids ready for church without cussing. Crappy writing day due to doctor appt. for daughter.

Thursday: Work on KC Parent Magazine pieces (3) … not finishing any of them because I have to wait until the weekend to do the Internet research and interviews. Write some of the Mothering Magazine essay I’ve been working on for 2 years. Write draft 1 of sales letter for guy who needs it by Saturday (sales letters = not my thing, but they pay actual money).

Friday: Ah, Internet access tonight! Upload eHows. Get mad because eHow is not working and send e-mail to eHow. Post to blogs. Check email. Jack around on Facebook. Try to promote ebook but get distracted by the urge to answer ALL email in my Inbox.

Saturday: Sneak in as much Internet time as I can while not neglecting my kids entirely (set up playdates for them, visit the RedBox for a movie, etc.). Do research and interviews for KC Parent pieces. Send sales letter and invoice. Mass submit Christmas article way too early.

Sunday: Day of rest. Yeah, right. Sneak in any writing I can at my computer while husband keeps asking me to get off the computer and read to the kids or play with them. I tell him I’m with them all week long and play with them plenty. Possibly fight with him about how he doesn’t support my love of writing. Maybe throw something at his head. And miss.

Keep in mind I don’t have a bunch of assignments; I have to make myself focus on a specific project or none of my projects get done. I’m kind half-assed that way. While I was working on my e-book or a marketing manual, I felt good if I got 3 hours total in for the day. Remember: I’m a cheapskate and only hire sitters for my twice-annual date night with my man. I would totally hire a Mother’s Helper (no, not Valium) if I start making some real cabbage writing.

I would LOVE to see blog posts from the other Writing Mommies on here about a week in THEIR life (or is it lives?). They seem to always have tons of money-making projects going on at once, and I’d love to take a peek into their mind (or is it minds?).

A Week in My Writing Life

Anyone who lives with or is close to an avid writer knows they tend to be workaholics. Whether this comes from a need for funds or just plain getting carried away with the ideas blasting out of your fingertips doesn't really matter. The fact is that we need to be reminded..possibly forced to unplug. This is especially important for us parents who fund our children through our writing. So, I put the writer to the challenge. Please note that I am actually a selfish individual who does love to do things for others but only because it makes ME feel good. Hence I am putting this challenge on here to give writer an excuse to take a break and in doing so must meet the challenge myself.

It's the weekend. Summer is over soon. Why are you inside with your computer? I dare you...no, I double dog dare you (I'm such a child) to take this challenge.....

It's Saturday. Pick one of the three things on this list and do them. It's okay if you do them with notebook and pencil in hand, but only for brief notes. If none of these fit you then find your own. I promise, you will feel better and your work will be enhanced because of it.

• For the love of God, go OUTSIDE. Yes, that door by all those shoes..it leads to a whole other world. Check it out while it's still warm enough to do so.
• Play with your child. Bust out the play dough or drawing pad. There is no inspiration for writing like watching a child in the act of using their imagination.
• Go to the park.
• Sit and do nothing. Or walk for no reason. Just exist for a moment and decompress.
• If you like to be alone, take a book to restaurant and have lunch while reading. I always tell the waitress that I will put my cup on the corner of the table when I need a refill so she needn't come back and check all the time.
• Play on the swings, play in the dirt, just do something stupid.
• Sit and watch an entire movie without doing anything else. (Good luck on this one. I haven't been able to do this in years.)
• Go outside and observe 3 forms of wildlife. Again, that door by the shoes actually does lead somewhere.

Now, why did this come up? Well I recently found out I had a Vitamin D deficiency. There is not even 1/2 the amount in my blood that there is supposed to be. I am stressed from being a single mom and work all the time. I never get outside anymore. Vitamin D comes from sunlight. (Notice a pattern here?) The lack of it makes your joints hurt and can cause muscle spasms. I thought I was just getting old.

The worst thing for your mind and body is to be trapped at the computer all day long. We have to remember that there is life out there or suffer the consequences.

Writing Time Out

Many people use blogging to share their interests, life experiences, and basically a place for people to jot down their life. But did you know you can get paid for blogging? There are many different ways you can get paid to blog. There are many different pay rates and payment options you can be paid by to blog. If you enjoy blogging already, why not make a little money while doing it. Here is how many blogging companies and sites pay their blogger's.

Pay Per Post
Many blogging sites will actually pay you each time you post on a blog. The rates for a pay per post blogging job vary, but depending on how often you post, the money can really add up. Although this payment arrangement is a great option, you do have to be careful. If you spend time working on a post and it is not approved for payment, your efforts can go unpaid. It is important to follow the guidelines of the blogging site to make sure you receive your payment for your posts.

Revenue Sharing
Revenue sharing is a common payment method for blogger's. Despite the claims that revenue sharing can make you a lot of money, it is almost always false. This payment method is where the blogger gets paid a portion of the advertising revenue that is made off a blog. This rarely makes a lot of money. You also do not have to do this through a company. You can do this same thing on your own through your personal blog. If you blog with google, you can add AdSense to your blog and make your own money. It usually does not add up to much, but why not get paid for what you normally do anyway.

Monthly Pay Rate
Many blogging sites will pay their blogger's a flat monthly fee to blog for them. Usually, you are required to post a certain number of blog posts a month. The guidelines for acceptable posts are usually stricter as well. Payment is sent out once a month for the work you have completed.

Page Views
Receiving payment for the amount of page views your blog receives is a common form of blogging payment. You can be paid strictly for page views or it can be combined with another form of payment. Often, you can receive a monthly rate or a pay per post payment plus your page views. When page view payments are combined with other forms of payment, you have a high chance of making decent money through blogging.

Getting paid for blogging is a great way to make extra money. Want more information on blogging? Look for these upcoming posts to learn more:

How to Land a Blogging Job- Tuesday, September 1st
Sites that Pay for Blogging- Friday, September 5Th
How to Increase Traffic to Your Blog- Tuesday, September 9Th

Learn How to Get Paid for Blogging

By Angela Atkinson

Good news for our poet friends! Writer's Digest is sponsoring the 5th Annual Writer's Digest Poetry Awards Competition! Twenty five winners will receive prizes ranging in value from $500 to $50. First through tenth place winners will have their poems printed in Writer's Digest Magazine. All winners will receive a copy of the 2010 Poet's Market, and the first through fiftieth place winners will have their poems printed in a special competition collection.

Below, the rules for the competition (taken from the WD website.)

Competition Rules

1. The competition is open to poems 32 lines or fewer. Entries longer than 32 lines will be automatically disqualified. Long poems may not be broken into segments and entered as separate entries. Each poem must be self-contained and must be titled. Style and subject matter are open. Judging is blind. Type the line count on a separate cover sheet along with your name, address, phone number and email address. For entrants submitting online, the entry form you fill out replaces the cover sheet. You must not include your contact information when you place your poem in the box reserved for your poem. Entries received with names and other identifying information on the poems will be disqualified. No refunds will be issued for disqualified entries.

2. The entry fee is $15 for the first poem submitted and $10 for each additional poem. You may enter as many poems as you wish. If you are submitting your entry via regular mail, you may send one check (in U.S. funds) and one entry form for a single entry or batch of entries. Entries received without an entry fee will be disqualified. Entry fees may not be sent after poems have been received. There will be a $10 fee for declined credit cards or returned checks. Credit cards will be charged within 90 days of the contest deadline. Charges will appear on your statement as "F+W Contests."

3. All entries must be in English, original, unpublished, and not submitted elsewhere at the time of submission. "Unpublished" means poems may not have appeared in print or on the Internet for public consumption (i.e., poems posted on a public forum or on your Web site may not be entered). Writer's Digest reserves the one-time publication rights to the 1st through 50th-place winning entries to be published in a Writer's Digest publication, on Writer's Digest's Web site, or in other digital materials.

4. If you are submitting your entry via regular mail, all entries must be typewritten on one side of 8-1/2 x 11 white paper (computer printout acceptable) or A4 white paper. Unusual typefaces, colors, and graphics should not be used. Poems will not be returned so keep a copy for your records. No refunds will be issued for disqualified entries.

5. Entries must be postmarked by December 15, 2009. Online entries will close after midnight EST on December 15, 2009.

6. Winners will be notified by March 15, 2010. If you have not been contacted by this date, you may assume that your entry is not a finalist and may be marketed elsewhere.

7. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard with your entry if you want to be notified of its receipt. We cannot notify you personally of your poem's status before the winners are announced. This includes phone and email status inquiries. If entering online, you will receive a confirmation email for each entry you submit. Please note, the emailed confirmation will come from writingcompetition@fwpubs.com.

8. Winners' names will appear in the August 2010 issue of Writer's Digest magazine. Afterwards, their names and poem titles will be posted at www.writersdigest.com.

9. The following are not permitted to enter the competition: employees of F+W Media, Inc., and their immediate families and Writer's Digest contributing editors and correspondents as listed on the masthead.

To submit your entry online, visit our secure online entry form.

To enter via regular mail, use the printable form, and send it with your poem(s) and entry fee(s) to:

Writer's Digest Poetry Awards
700 East State Street
Iola, WI 54990



**Not a poet? Check out other writing opportunities listings!

Writing Opportunity: 5th Annual Writer's Digest Poetry Awards Competition

I had to write this one because classes started back up this week. Every semester there is at least one mega long paper that I have to write. And for a while, I was a bit peeved that I wrote these papers and then they just sat there in my hard drive.

Okay, well actually my computer had a meltdown with more than half my portfolio stuck in it so I guess they aren't really sitting in there anymore, but that's not the point. My point is that you can do more with those papers than just lock them in a hard drive. (On a side note, I HIGHLY recommend a flash drive or spare hard drive.) Why not sell them and sell the services along with them?

Now, I'm not talking about writing a paper for someone else to turn in. May each college student fight with their own personal MLA and APA formatting issues. I'm talking about publishing the paper on an article broker site or hiring out to edit these papers. I actually do have people who come to me, usually first semester college students. They want me to check the formatting and content of the document. Why not?

I choose to do this because I love to write and I hate to waste time or anything else. So, why would I want to write a piece and let it just sit there and collect dust? I don't and in my first semester of college I thought I was living a nightmare trying to format those. I'm glad that skill now serves a purpose. And, I'm proud to say that I've never helped someone with their paper without them receiving an "A" on the paper. I'll give myself kudos for that.

Thesis Papers

One area of online writing that I often struggle with, is creating a great and catchy title for my online articles. I know I am not the only one that struggles in this area, so I thought today would be a great day to share some tips I have learned to help me create that killer title.

A well titled article is very important. Your title is your first chance to capture a readers attention and draw them into reading your article. If a title is dull, chances are, the reader is going to think the article is dull as well. But how do you create a catchy and engaging article title? Well here are some tips to follow--

Search Engine Optimization
If you are an online writer, I can not stress enough how important SEO's are. Not only is it important to use SEO's in the article but in the title as well. Correctly placing SEO's throughout the article and title will help increase the likeliness your article will appear on a search engine. This of course increases your PPV's and profit. Keyword research is vital to creating a great and well searched article.

When placing the SEO's in the title, doing it correctly is also important. The first keyword should be placed in the title no latter than 3-4 words into the title. For example, if your keyword is "unique fall activities" you may want your title to read "Create Unique Fall Activities for Home Schooled Preschoolers". You do not want it to read "Creating Home Activities for Home Schooled Preschoolers: Unique Fall Activities".

It is also important to remember, if you are using multiple SEO's in your title, make sure the are spaced apart from each other. Try to place one keyword at the beginning of the title and the second keyword at the end of the article. So, say your keywords are "feline illness" and "natural remedies" a great way to write the title with both keywords would be "Discover Natural Remedies to Treat Feline Illness".

Proper Format
Most people know this, however some often get confused with all the rules involved with writing a title in proper format. Titles should always be written in Title Case format, unless stated otherwise. In simple terms, this means all the main words of the title need to be capitalized and all the minor words remain lower cased. For example, "How to Dye Hair with Peroxide".

Here are other format tips to remember:

Never place your name inside of an article title!

Never put quotation marks around the article title!

Never use punctuation in a title, this means no periods!

Use a numerical value if possible.


Remember, when creating an article title it is important to capture the readers attention. So try to put yourself in the readers shoes. What would you want to read? Also, if you have trouble coming up with a great and catchy title, try looking in a thesaurus to grab some words for an amazing title.

Tips for Creating a Killer Article Title

How does YOUR writing space look? It’s hard to do your best work when you have a huge mess staring at you. Here’s a “before” photo of my writing space.


Keep in mind I also have a bunch of little kids who think my desk is the landing space for all artwork, rocks, toys, junk and unfinished homeschool projects. Here’s how I did it:

1. Before you start, make sure you have the right supplies, like hanging file folders, manila folders, removable folder labels, Post-Its, chocolate, coffee, etc.

2. Next, purge because you need space in your drawers to file the crap stacked on your desk. Some things you can store somewhere else (basement, closet) in their own box:
A. Archived stuff (projects you’re long done with but don’t want to get rid of).
B. Projects you aren’t ready to work on yet (memoirs, books, etc.)

3. Set up a file system that suits you. Mine has one hanging file folder for:
A. each blog I write for (ideas, a calendar of what I’ve posted when)
B. book ideas
C. article ideas
D. articles in progress
E. published articles so I know what to pimp as a reprint
F. general writing info (stuff ripped from Writer’s Digest or printed from the Writing Mommies blog)
G. financials (pay stubs, print-outs of your financial spreadsheets showing how much you made each year, receipts for office supplies).

4. Sort! First I went through my huge stack of papers and pulled out any artwork by my kids. That went into a special box in the basement. Then I pulled out all my private journaling notes (yes, some written on napkins) and filed them. Then I went through looking for article ideas to file, old magazines I could recycle (after trying to remember why I kept it in the first place), typing up a list of books to read from pieces of paper torn from magazines, etc. Some people who aren’t me prefer to go through a stack ONCE and sort it into piles. That’s not an option at my house since the stacks would get strewn, so I have to go through the stack several times.

It took me about 10 hours, stolen over the course of two weeks, to make it look like this:


All this junk was holding me back. It sucked all my energy, and when I passed my desk I wanted to take a nap. Here’s my advice:

1. Do it in spurts … take lots of breaks. Seeing all your papers and unfinished masterpieces will make you feel sleepy, frustrated and overwhelmed.

2. Touch 10 pieces of paper each time you sit at your desk. You’ll have to actually read pieces of paper with ideas on them and determine if anything can ever be made from the ideas. If you’re a maniac about ripping things out of magazines and newspapers, either STOP IT or file this stuff in your “Ideas” folder.

3. Don’t try to act on every piece of paper as you touch it. I would come across something I’d copied so I could put it in my blog as a quote and finally made myself just FILE pieces of paper like that. LATER I could type up future blog posts, query letters, research plans for articles.

Good luck!

An Organized Writing Space

Today is a good day to talk about pen names and why authors use them as well as the benefits and downfalls.

When I started writing online I started with a pen name. That was for my ego's sake. This way if the general population thougt my writing sucked I wouldn't take it so personally. Honestly that's just a mind game we authors play with ourselves. Now I write under my own name or my screen name. I have sold enough work that I realize it must not suck entirely or it would never be bought.

Pen names actually have a few uses. Some of the reasons and positive points of using a pen name are addressed below.

• Protecting privacy. Maybe you just don't want to live your personal life in a fish bowl.
• Developing a name in a specific genre. Some writers use different names for different types of writing. Once they build up enough work and people google the name, they'll find the same genre for the same name.
• Market tests. Lots of famous authors use pen names to see how popular their work is under an unknown name.
• Comes with the job. It's like slipping on your work uniform. For instance, I feel more focused when I have my hair pulled bakc and glasses on. Now, I obviously don't have to wear  uniform or a name tag, but setting the stage for a day's work can be quite helpful.
• Change sexes. Some topics are more likely to be sold by a specific sex. For instance if a man wrote a book on breastfeeding, he really isn't likely to sell too many copies. Well, okay maybe he will to someone twisted like me who would be wondering what the crap a guy has to say about breastfeeding, but you get the picture.
• Attract attention. Some people just don't like their name and want something a little different. Imagine you are searching for a romance novel. Which name is going to attract more attention (by the way I made these names up so if this is actually your name I apologize) Jane Jones or Elizabeth Devereaux?

Okay there has to be something bad about these too right? Well, really the worst part of a pen name is the limited access it gives your readers. If someone wants to contact you it may be difficult for them to if you have a pen name. So, just make sure that you always provide some sort of contact information. The other thing is that it limits what you can show people depending on the level of privacy you want. I belong to a forum and sometimes I post my work in there. But, if I went under a pen name for it and my real name in the forum then I would have to post my work as someone elses or come clean about the pen name.

Pen Names

Online forums are great places to be involved with if you are an online writer. They can offer multiple different things to a writer; including job tips, site reviews, and new friends. But, online forums have a downside as well. If you become involved with an online forum, you will quickly notice the inappropriate behavior that can occur within the site.

Job Tips
Online forums are a great place to find job tips. You can find new sites to write for within forum communities. You are able to gain other peoples advice that have previously worked with the company, as well as tips to become successful on those sites.

Site Reviews
Forums can also offer site reviews. In online forums, you can learn which sites are great to work for and which sites you should avoid. You can learn from fellow writers experience with certain online companies.

Great Connections
Participating in online forums can allow you to meet other fellow writers and make great contacts in the online writing world. Once you have made good contacts, it is very likely your ppv's will increase and make you more money.

The Downside
The downside to online forums, is many people do not maintain a professional response on the sites. You will quickly learn many forums have certain individuals that are very immature and rude. Some forums even form little groups within the groups the exclude outsiders.

There are definitely benefits to participating in online forums. However, you must be prepared for what lies ahead.

The Benefits of Online Forums

Many people start writing at a young age. They find that is relieves stress and expresses emotions in a way that nothing else can. Personally I started before the Internet was invented (yea, I'm that old). I love the feel of a pencil or pen in my hand and a fresh piece of paper. I can't say that I have been very shy about showing my work to my friends. Showing it to the public is a bit different though. After all, your friends probably aren't going to say that your work sucks. A stranger may not hesitate.

That's why there are pen names. While we we writers can still see the comments that people make on our posts, the commenters can't see us. It's the illusion of control. I suggest that beginning writers use a pen name. The only problem is that at some point you may want to use your real name and then you have to go back and change it on your other work. Why? So you can be easily googled and found!

Writer's egos are fragile things that will eventually become calloused after enough rejections. Below are a few tips to help writers get your ego where it needs to be.

• Get a pen name if it makes you feel better.
• Use a personal journal or blog to get those heavy emotions and erratic writings out. Then it won't overflow into your serious stuff.
• Read your work out loud to yourself. Is it the best you can do? If not, then fix it.
• Consider writing to be like a relationship. If you are putting your best foot forward and giving it all you can, there is nothing more you can do. It may not work out. If it doesn't, don't take it personally. Just move on to what works for you.
• If you aren't happy writing it, chances are your readers won't be happy reading it.
• Use every advantage. Use your dreams, your conversations with your children and your friends. These are the things that make us who we are and cannot be duplicated.
• Practice rewriting. If you are uncomfortable doing ghost writing, then don't publish it. Rewriting can serve the purpose of letting you get a glimpse of your own style.

A Writer's Ego

When you decide you want to write online content, there are a few tips you need to know about what needs to be included in every article. Following these tips will make your career as an online writer more successful.

1. Stay on Topic!!
When writing online content, topics can often offer a lot of "extra" information to include. However, it is important to stay on topic and to the point. For example, if the article topic is "How to Housebreak a Puppy," write specifically about that topic. Although many other topics can be tied to that topic, such as how to clean up a puppy's indoor accidents, strictly stay on topic about the process of housebreaking a puppy.

2. A Great Title
It is vital to your article to create a great title. A title is the first thing a reader see's, therefore, it is important a title captures their attention and draws them into read what you have written. A great title can increase the number of ppv's you receive and keep your audience strong.

3. Use Strong Keywords
A large aspect of online content involves the use of keywords (SEO's). These increase the probability of your article being viewed online. You can read out previous article on the Importance of SEO's to get a better grasp on the concept.

4. Involve the Reader
People like to be engaged in what they are reading. For this reason it is important to involve the reader in the article. You can easily do this by asking the reader a question. This is very simple to do. For example, in an article about the flight of birds you could ask--have you ever wondered how a bird flies?

5. Follow Proper Format
Online format is different than that of print. Online format requires the article to be broken down into short paragraphs. General paragraphs for online content are usually no more than 5 sentences.

6. Do Not Write in 1st Person
Very rarely is there an occasion where an article will require a first person account. Unless stated otherwise, do not include yourself in an article. That means keep the I's, My's and Me's out of your writing.

7. Use Hyperlinks
When searching for information on the Internet, people like to read a lot of useful information. For this reason, online articles should include hyperlinks to other web pages. This can be to other web pages you have written or even to the sources you used for your information. For more information about Hyperlinking read our past article The Hype Over Hyperlinking.

Online Writing Tips

By Angela Atkinson

Science fiction writers, this one's for you.*

Analog is a science fiction magazine which features both stories and factual articles (related to science fiction.) The mag has featured many well-known authors over the years, including the likes of Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Spider Robinson, Lois McMaster Bujold, and Michael F. Flynn.

Submission guidelines from the website below:

Story Content--Analog will consider material submitted by any writer, and consider it solely on the basis of merit. We are definitely eager to find and develop new, capable writers.

We have no hard-and-fast editorial guidelines, because science fiction is such a broad field that I don't want to inhibit a new writer's thinking by imposing Thou Shalt Nots. Besides, a really good story can make an editor swallow his preconceived taboos.

Basically, we publish science fiction stories. That is, stories in which some aspect of future science or technology is so integral to the plot that, if that aspect were removed, the story would collapse. Try to picture Mary Shelley's Frankenstein without the science and you'll see what I mean. No story!

The science can be physical, sociological, psychological. The technology can be anything from electronic engineering to biogenetic engineering. But the stories must be strong and realistic, with believable people (who needn't be human) doing believable things–no matter how fantastic the background might be.

Fact Articles--Fact articles for Analog should be about 4,000 words in length and should deal with subjects of not only current but future interest, i.e., with topics at the present frontiers of research whose likely future developments have implications of wide interest. Illustrations should be provided by the author in camera-ready form.

In writing for Analog readers, it is essential to keep in mind that they are, in general, very intelligent and technically knowledgeable, but represent a very wide diversity of backgrounds. Thus, specialized jargon and mathematical detail should be kept to a necessary minimum. Also, our readers are reading this magazine largely for entertainment, and a suitable style for our articles is considerably more informal than that in many professional journals.

Manuscript Format--Manuscripts must be computer-printed or typed, double-spaced, on white paper, one side of the sheet only. Please avoid unusual or very small typefaces. Indent paragraphs but do not leave extra space between them. Please do not put manuscripts in binders or folders. We do not accept e-mail or fax submissions.

Author's name and address should be on the first page of the manuscript. No material submitted can be returned or acknowledged unless accompanied by sufficient postage, stamped and addressed envelope (not a postcard), or stamped International Reply Coupons. No simultaneous submissions please.

Payment--Analog pays 6-8 cents per word for short stories up to 7,500 words, $450-600 for stories between 7,500 and 10,000 words, and 5-6 cents per word for longer material. We prefer lengths between 2,000 and 7,000 words for shorts, 10,000-20,000 words for novelettes, and 40,000-80,000 for serials. Fact articles are paid for at the rate of 6 cents per word.

Other Information--Please query first on serials only. A complete manuscript is strongly preferred for all shorter lengths.

Payment is on acceptance.

Our Editorial Address

Dell Magazines
Stanley Schmidt, Editor
267 Broadway, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10007-2352
E-mail: analog@dellmagazines.com

*Not a science-fiction writer? Check out other Writing Opportunities posts!

Writing Opportunity: Analog Magazine

Some regional parenting magazines (RPMs) say they only work with local writers, but if they are desperate for material in a given month, they will consider your work. Once you get a body of work under your belt, you’ll want to periodically send an e-mail to all editors to let them know about your author web site, which will list all of your available reprints. The reason you’ll do this is to keep your work fresh in their mind for when they need filler pieces. For a great sample author web site, see Jessica Fisher's (yeah, I push her stuff a lot, but she's a good writer).

SIDEBARS
It’s a good idea to offer a local sidebar with any article (but not with essays, of course). These are usually easy to come up with, such as tracking down some local volunteer opportunities by zip code to go with an article about volunteering at Christmastime.

QUOTES
Getting local quotes can be a pain, so you decide whether you want to do this or not. If so, you have a few options:

1. Go to your network. E-mail everyone you know in a specific area of the country, put out a request on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, your Yahoo Groups, etc.

2. Try PeterShankman.com … type in your request and see if he can get you some quotes from the region you need.

3. Ask the editor of the RPM for some ideas of where to get local quotes. The editor may want a “regular” person quoted in the article or an expert.

Next Sunday I hope to be able to talk to you about having an organized writing space. I’ve got the “before” picture … now I have to actually do the work to get that “after” picture. Wish me luck.

Going Local: Sidebars and Quotes

By Angela Atkinson

MethodShop.com is currently looking for writers. They pay $20 to $200 per article/piece and authors get to keep sample items they're paid to review. I checked around and didn't find any negative press on this opportunity*, but I haven't written for them personally. Here's the ad from their website:

Are you a starving writer? Why not earn some extra cash and write articles for us? We are looking for reviews, tutorials, humor and lifestyle articles relating to the iPod, Palm Pilot or just general technology.

We pay ~$20-$200 (or more) per article or piece depending on depth and quality of content. Writers also get free eval products for reviews they write.

Interested parties should do the following:

1) Join our Writers Mailing List. We will send you an email when something comes up.

2) Send us sample work and article ideas here.

Here's a few examples:
http://www.methodshop.com/mp3/articles/rejectedipods/
http://www.methodshop.com/tech/articles/cableshare/
http://www.methodshop.com/mp3/articles/iMix/
http://www.methodshop.com/palm/articles/SpacewardHo.shtml

Read more: http://www.methodshop.com/about/writers.shtml#ixzz0OIx5lYQj

*Not the gig for you? Check out other Writing Opportunities posts!

Writing Opportunity: MethodShop.com

The pressure of being a writer can often become overwhelming. I myself often struggle to stay afloat with the pressure of deadlines and increasing amounts of work. Although many writers work better under a certain level of pressure--myself included, too much pressure can cause a writer to lose focus, lose motivation, and even lose the desire to write. Pressure can cause a serious issue of writers block. The trick is to learn how to deal with the pressure before it becomes too overwhelming and you burst.

1. Assess the Situation
Often, when you are already stressed about work and another problem or complication arises, it is normal to want to over react. But the key to dealing with the pressure is to assess the situation before reacting. Sit down and plan out your strategy of attack against the cause of the pressure. Figure out which is most important and has to be accomplished first. You can create a checklist or a schedule to help knock out the causes of the pressure.

2. Focus
Although it is often difficult to stay focused under pressure, you need to remember to stay focused on the task at hand. Do not worry about the things you are not able to control, such as the approaching deadline. Only focus on the things you can control, such as your fingers on the key board. Try to knock out any distractions blocking your concentration; TV's, radios, loud people, or barking dogs.

3. Take a Break
When the pressure begins to become overwhelming, take a break. Walk away from the pen and paper (or computer screen) and go for a walk. Sit out side and drink a cup of coffee for a minute. Give your self a breather and a minute to relax before jumping back in the chaos.

4. Deal with the Deadlines
When you have a deadline to meet, nothing can be more distracting and stressful than a clock. Stop looking at the clock!! This is a great way to loose focus when you are stressing out about time. You are much more likely to meet a deadline if you do not keep watching the second hand.

5. Stay Positive
Although you are under a lot of pressure, it is important to remain positive. Remember you love your work, and if you don't maybe you are in the wrong profession. Remaining positive will help you cope with the pressure and become more productive.

Handle the Pressure Before you Burst

By Angela Atkinson

When I started this post, I planned to make a legitimate list of types of writers. It occurred to me that our readers might be interested to find out where they fit into the spectrum. Plus, I thought, those who were still searching for their niche might find a post like this really helpful.

But then, I read this article written in 2000 by Terje Johansen. It is such a comprehensive list that I wanted to share it with our readers. So here's the link.

Be sure to check it out--tons of good info.

Then it occurred to me that a link wasn't much of a post. I thought hey, our readers could probably use a laugh today. In that spirit, please enjoy the following.

The Lost My Real Job Writer

This is that guy down the street who either lost his "real" job or who can't seem to find one. One day, he learns that he can make a few bucks writing articles on the internet, so he figures what the heck--let's do this.

He cranks out sub-standard article after sub-standard article, filling the internet with his poorly worded, un-punctuated drivel. He never attempts to sharpen his skills--after all, that "anybody can write for 'em" website is paying him two bucks an article. If he churns out ten a day, he's made a whole twenty bucks. All while he sits in his undies eating soggy cereal. And don't forget the headphones on which he listens to the 80s station too loud (most likely to drown out the sound of his wife begging him to get off his butt and get a real job.)

The Resume Conscious Writer

This writer is similar to the "lost my real job" guy, but she's actually trying. She is likely a stay at home mom who plans to go back to her "real job" when her kids are in school. She writes because she wants to avoid a "hole" in her resume (because even though it's illegal to discriminate against a woman for taking time off to mother her children, it happens--and she knows it.) She's a smart one.

She may not have always "wanted" to be a writer, but she can write functionally and is willing to keep learning as she goes. She may be very driven (mostly by the need to help pay the bills) and writes between changing diapers and doing dishes.

The Wanna Be

This writer is one who may be very talented, but who has no motivation to get the work done. Or, she may feel that she's not good enough or capable enough to actually submit a query letter for that book she has had written for years.

In either case, the wanna be writer is mostly held back by her own mind. She need to learn to believe in herself and stick to the plan, man.

The Editor's Nightmare

This writer is super-prolific, cranking out pages and pages of work every day. And, much to the chagrin of every editor within a thousand mile radius, he is also a prolific query writer and manuscript-submitter.

Unfortunately, this writer isn't capable of constructing a proper sentence and hasn't met a typo he didn't like. Oh, and he uses fancy, colorful fonts on matching paper--you know, just to give his work that extra "something."

The good news? The editors find that his colorful paper makes beautiful confetti that really dresses up the slush pile.

The Natural

The Natural has been writing since she could hold a pen. She was probably a staff member for her school newspaper and/or yearbook. She has always known that she would be a writer, and it comes very, well, naturally for her. She takes it very seriously and is offended when people call writing a hobby. It's a passion, dammit. Just ask her.

Even when she wasn't actively pursuing publishing, you could find her scribbling into a notebook. She can't NOT write. (She knows, because she's tried. And subsequently went insane, only to return to sanity after composing a haiku in the bathroom at that party.)

The Guru

This is that guy who knows EVERYTHING there is to know about writing because he's seen it/done it all. He's an award-winning writer, he's been around the block a few times--and the best part?

He's willing to share all of his secrets with anyone who wants to hear them. In fact, he seems passionate about helping his fellow writers. Maybe this is because he loves doing it, but somewhere, deep inside, we suspect it may be that he's trying to rid the world of poorly written crap. Just saying.

The Snob

We all know this one. She thinks that her poop doesn't stink, and she likes to tell everyone else all about her accomplishments. And she's got them to brag about.

Like the guru, she has been around the block a few times and may even be well known in the publishing community.

But don't ask her for advice, my friend. Step away from the snob. She will only tell you what you can read in an 8th grade composition book. Why? Because secretly, she's insecure and afraid that if she shares her insider knowledge with you, you might just take her place in the publishing world.

Now, would you please stop looking at her agent that way? She already told you that he's not taking new clients!

What Kind of Writer Are YOU?

This is probably the most dreaded moment in a writer's life. It's the day they sit down to write and find that the most creative thing they can come up with is the grocery list for the week. It happens to all of us from time to time, even if only for a brief period. So, what's the cure? Well, there really isn't one persay, but there are several things you can do to get over this hump. Check out some of the tips below to find what works for you. Mind you, I personally didn't come up with all of these. They are simply tips that I have picked up along the way.

• Get old fashioned-Actually sit down with a pen and paper and let yourself just write whatever you want to. This IS one that I personally use because I enjoy the physical act of writing.
• Create deadlines- For some reason, alot of writers (myself included) actually work better under pressure. In fact, if I have a lot to do or I'm just not "feeling it", I purposely wait until the last minute because that's when I do my best writing.
• Writing exercise-Open a book. Pick a sentence out of the book. Write a page to precede the senetence and one to follow it.
• Take a break-Sometimes your brain just needs to step away. Give it a chance to refuel it's creative fountain.
• Read- Writers get so busy they forget to read sometimes. This is the very foundation of what we do and cannot be oeverlooked! Lose yourself in a story and you may kick in your own imagination.

Writer's Block

Creating a writing piece of absolutely flawless work can sometimes be difficult. Even the most experienced writer can miss a typo, forget a comma or even forget a word completely. After staring at the same writing piece for hours on end, we often cannot see the piece for what it actually is after a while. Luckily, there are a few simple tips that can help create a flawless writing piece.

1. Know your Mistakes
After you have been a writer for a while, you begin to learn your strong points in writing, along with your weak points. When you write, have a piece of paper ready to jot down common mistakes you often make when writing. The list can build over time and show you exactly where you need to improve. Also, it can be used as a check list after you have finished writing a piece of work. Simply go down the list you created, look for the mistakes you have listed, and check them off as you go.

2. Walk Away
As I said earlier, after starring at a writing piece for awhile, it can often begin to look distorted. You can loose the ability to see the piece for what it really is. If you take a moment to walk away and then come back and reread the piece you have been working on, you are more likely to catch mistakes you may not have seen earlier.

3. Use Spell Check
Although it may seem like stating the obvious, it is important to use spell check. This can catch the majority of the mistakes but not all of them. Although spell check is very helpful, do not rely on spell check to correctly make all the revisions needed.

4. Print the Piece
Printing the work you are revising can be very helpful. You are often able to see revisions that need to be made on paper than when looking at it on a computer screen. Printing the work out is a great tip to use when editing work.

5. Read Aloud
When proof reading work, it is a very good idea to read it aloud. This allows you to hear exactly what you have written, allowing you to catch mistakes. Reading aloud will make you slow down and pay more attention to what is actually written than when you read to yourself and often skim over the work.

6. Revision Partner
When all else fails, have a revision partner. This is a great way to catch mistakes in a writing piece. Often, you write a concept that makes perfect sense to you, but can be confusing for other people. This is a great way to catch those mistakes.

There are numerous things you can do to create a flawless writing piece. What are some of the techniques you have found to be helpful when revising writing pieces?

Tips to Creating Flawless Work

By Angela Atkinson

This is a good one. 1500 words, cash prizes starting at $3,000 for the first place winner. Rules below reprinted from the WD website. Click here for full details and to enter.

The Rules

1. The competition is open to manuscripts of 1,500 words or fewer (word count includes title of entry). Entries outside the word limitation will be disregarded. Type the word count on the first page of your entry along with your name, address, phone number and email address. No refunds will be issued for disqualified entries.

2. The entry fee is $15 per manuscript. You may enter as many manuscripts as you wish. If you are submitting your entry via regular mail, you may send one check (in U.S. funds) and one entry form for all entries. There will be a $10 charge for all returned checks or declined credit cards. Credit cards will be charged within 90 days of the contest deadline. Charges will appear on your statement as “F+W Contests.”

3. All entries must be in English, original, unpublished, and not submitted or accepted elsewhere at the time of submission. Writer's Digest reserves one-time publication rights to the 1st- through 25th-place winning entries to be published in a Writer's Digest publication.

4. If you are submitting your entry via regular mail, all entries must be typewritten and double-spaced on one side of 8-1/2 x 11 or A4 white paper. Manuscripts will not be returned. Entries must be stapled.

5. Entries must be postmarked by Tuesday, December 1, 2009.

6. Winners will be notified by February 15, 2010. If you have not been contacted by this date, you may assume that your entry is not a finalist and may be marketed elsewhere.

7. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped postcard with your entry if you want to be notified of its receipt. We cannot notify you personally of your story's status before the winners are announced. If entering online, you will receive a confirmation email for each entry you submit.

8. Winners' names will appear in the May/June 2010 issue of Writer's Digest magazine. Afterwards, their names and story titles will be posted at www.writersdigest.com.

9. The following are not permitted to enter the competition: employees of F+W Media, Inc., and their immediate families and Writer's Digest contributing editors and correspondents as listed on the masthead.

Writing Opportunity: Writer's Digest 10th Annual Short Story Competition

Call me lazy – or perpetually gestating – but following is an excerpt from my e-book “Get Published in Regional Parenting Magazines” since that’s my area of expertise … thought it might help you a little.

“In an ideal writing world, you would have time to read back copies of every regional parenting magazine (RPM) to get a feel for what kinds of articles they publish. But with so many demands on our time that’s just not possible. Below are some steps to follow when submitting your first article:

1. Come up with a good idea. Keep a notebook in your bag, keep paper and pens all over the house and in your car. Read. Eavesdrop on conversations. Go through your old blog posts and journal entries to find essay or article material.

2. Before you start writing, do an Internet search for your article idea to make sure it hasn’t already been overdone and that you have a new or different angle on it.

3. Check out other authors. Because she’s been published in over 70 RPMs and has a large body of reprints, I check out Jessica Fisher’s author site to see what she has written about so I’m not working on the same idea. Other authors you’ll often see (and will want to Google) in RPMs are Denise Yearian and Claire Yezbak Fadden.

4. Read the writer’s guidelines for the publications that provide them (included in the following pages). They took the time to write them, and they expect you to take the time to follow them. Your article is more likely to be published if you follow the writer’s guidelines.”

And of course I won’t send you out into the world of RPMs empty-handed. My e-book supplies you with general submission guidelines, writer’s guidelines, tracking spreadsheets AND e-mail addresses for over 200 RPMs.

I’m not trying to get rich here, fellow Mommies. I truly want to see you get published and get paid by some RPMs and hear your success stories. It’s truly satisfying when that first editor asks you to start taking on some assignments!

Writing Success: Regional Parenting Magazines

Recently a topic came up in my writing forum and I thought it would be a good idea to write about it in here. The topic was mystery shopping. Now, you may wonder what mystery shopping has to do with writing. I'm here to assure you that it does. So relax and get ready to absorb some information.

The fact is that the companies that mystery shoppers work for rely solely in the shopper's report. A well written report is a must. It's also good practice for aspiring writers because the criteria of the report is very specific. If you don't write what they want, then they will let you know. However, too many instances of this means you won't be their favorite shopper.

What is Mystery Shopping?
Mystery shopping is a marketing assessment tool. Companies hire individuals to pose as consumers and rate the quality of service provided. Then they can make changes as needed based on results of the shopper report.

For example, a mystery shopper might go into a restaurant that is a member of a franchise. There are specific things the customer service people are supposed to say in the way of greetings and promotion. There is also a specific quality that is expected of the food. Mystery shoppers rate these factors based on the questions provided by the people who hired them.

Can You Make a Living Mystery Shopping?
Yes you can. The key is to be organized. You can work for as many different companies as you like. That means that you can do as many shops as you want to in a day. Some are better paying than others so it's best to combine as many as you can.

Tips for Mystery Shopping
I thought I would give some tips here for those who wish to begin mystery shopping. So, here they are!

• Never pay to be a mystery shopper. There are plenty of companies that hire without any kind of fee. If you have to pay them then chances are they are making their money off you and not the other way around.
• Develop a system. Like any other business, you need a system that will ensure that you are spending your time wisely.
• Schedule by location. You really need to take shops that are close together to save you time and therefor money.
• Apply to as many places as you can. There is not set amount of shops that you have to do, so get your name into as many places as you can so that you have a variety to choose from.
• Start at the Mystery Shopping Providers Association (MSPA). Here you can easily browse through the various companies that put their information up here.

I also decided to put together a couple of places that are my favorites to shop for. Honestly I have done this as a single parent with this being my only job. So can you if you do it right!

• Bare International- They pay decently and usually don't require a purchase. One of their best shops is shopping at a Harley Shop!
• Ellis Property Management-These are apartment shops. They pay $40-$50 per shop. These are my favorites!

These are just a couple of the ones I enjoy working for. Once you start researching, they aren't hard to find at all. And let's face it, in this economy mystery shopping is more important than ever. People don't want to spend their money and when they do, they expect quality service. You can be the key to that service!

Writing in Mystery Shopping

Often, when new writers enter the world of online writing, they can easily become confused with all the new writing terms that are thrown at them. One of the common terms that can be confusing is "hyperlinking". In simple terms, hyperlinking is the process of linking one web page to another. Although it sounds complicated it is actually very simple to do.

Hyperlinking
Hyperlinking is very easy to do. There are a couple different ways you can hyperlink a web page. One way you can do this, is to hyperlink a web page into an article using an anchor word.

1. To do this you pick which word you want to use. For example, it the page you want to link is about cats, and your article includes the word "cat" that would be a great anchor word to use.

2. To begin, highlight the web page address from the address bar and right click the mouse to copy the address.

3. Next, highlight the word "cats" in the article.

4. If you are on an article submitting page, there will often be a globe looking icon with a chain option on the submission form. Click on the icon and in the box that pops up paste the web address into the area that has "http" listed.

If you are working with a word processor, follow the steps except instead of clicking on the hyperlink icon, once the word is highlighted, right click on the highlighted anchor word and choose the hyperlink option. Continue the remainder of the process using the rest of the steps above.

Another way you can hyperlink in a web content piece, is when you are adding references to a piece. When doing this, type the name of the web page and highlight it after you have copied the address for the web page you are linking it too. Follow the steps that were used when hyperlinking an anchor word.

This is good to do because this Writing Mommies looks better than this http://www.writingmommies.blogspot.com

Why Hyperlink?
Hyperlinking has many benefits. It can increase traffic to your sites and articles. Often, you will be able to hyperlink multiple pieces of your work in one article. This will increase your ppv's (per page views) and make you more money.

The Hype Over Hyperlinking

By Angela Atkinson

Are you a writing mommy? If so, we may just have the perfect gig for you. Mothering Magazine is accepting submissions for articles. And, according to their guidelines, they "welcome unsolicited articles." Pay is between $200 and $500. See writer's guidelines from the website below.

Writer's Guidelines

Thank you. We greatly appreciate your interest in writing for Mothering. Our magazine is based on a foundation of reader-submitted work. We welcome unsolicited articles, and we encourage you to familiarize yourself with our publishing goals.

Our main objective is to be truly helpful, to provide information that empowers our readers to make changes, and supports them in being their own experts. We like articles that have a strong point of view and come from the heart, that are challenging or evocative. We also take pride in publishing well-researched, extensively documented articles. When submitting this type of article, please use only the most updated research, from primary sources. Our choice of articles depends on the other material we have published on the subject, how new the topic is to us, and how unique the presentation is. It helps if you include photos.

Familiarize yourself with Mothering. We are more likely to publish your article if you are a Mothering reader and are familiar with the issues we discuss. Think about the subjects you know well, and those that are not over-exposed. The "Your Letters" section of the magazine is a good place to find topics of interest to our readers. Mothering is a bi-monthly publication with an international readership of more than 250,000. We regularly cover the following subject areas:

The Art of Mothering focuses on the inspirational and spiritual side of nurturing. Here is where we share ideas and philosophies that help us to be the kinds of parents we want to be.

Health explores new approaches to health care for the whole family. We welcome coverage of a wide range of topics, encouraging articles on approaches to common childhood health questions that incorporate integrative medicine.

A Child's World contains articles that reflect the world as a child sees it. In this section, we especially like to feature activities, crafts, arts, music, and stories for children.

Pregnancy, Birth and Midwifery features all aspects of pregnancy and birth as well as actual experiences and stories of childbirth. While we regularly feature homebirth stories, we welcome stories of birth in a variety of settings. We also like to feature stories of freestanding birth centers. We like well-researched articles on the politics of childbirth and how-tos on avoiding unnecessary medical intervention. Inspirational, practical, and advocacy articles are welcome.

Breastfeeding We regularly publish articles on breastfeeding. We like stories of moms overcoming obstacles to breastfeeding, how-to articles on breastfeeding, and breastfeeding advocacy articles.

Ways of Learning features articles on innovative, multidimensional, people-centered approaches to education. This section focuses on how people learn as well as where they learn, and includes learning about traditional subjects as well as subjects usually thought of as outside the realm of education: responsibility, ethics, adventure, travel, intuition, spirituality. We want to know about new, as well as rediscovered "old," ways of learning, with attention to schools and methods that support the full potential of the human child.

Family Living contains informative, general interest stories that share helpful hints, practical suggestions, and insights into the daily realities of parenting.

Peggy's Kitchen is our recipes section. Recent topics include Winter Soups, a toddler cooking class, and holiday-themed recipes. Generally, an introductory block of text of about a thousand words is followed by 5-7 recipes.

Poetry We publish at least one poem in each issue. Please send us no more than three poems at a time. Poems can be submitted directly to Candace Walsh, our poetry editor, at candacew@mothering.com, as an MS Word attachment(do not send them in a zip file). Please include your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address with your submission. We generally do not print rhyming poetry.

Web Publication Our site hosts a mix of content from prior magazine issues, as well as web exclusives. Articles may be submitted via email to webarticles@mothering.com in consideration for exclusive web publication. The added venue of our website offers us the chance to publish new online content weekly. Articles submitted to the magazine may also be considered for web publication.

Queries. We encourage you to send a query if you are unsure of our interest in the topic of your article. A query is a one-page specific description and outline of your article. You can query us on more than one topic at a time.

Length: We recommend that essays run 1,500 to 2,500 words. Longer, researched articles can be up to 3,500 words.

Fact Checking Your article will be scrupulously fact-checked before being published in Mothering. Therefore, we require that your research be as current as possible. You should source actual published studies, not books in which the studies are quoted. The latter is called a secondary reference, and is not reliable. Your research should also be organized and readily available, so you will be able to respond to fact-checkers questions quickly and accurately.

Double-space your manuscript and leave wide side margins for possible notations. When submitting an electronic file, please save your article as a Word Document and e-mail it as an attachment. We accept hard copy submissions in the mail, but prefer to receive submissions via email.

E-mail: candacew@mothering.com
Mail: Candace Walsh, Articles Editor, PO Box 1690, Santa Fe, NM 87504
Fax: Candace at 505-986-8335

Please do not send us an article that you have already submitted elsewhere unless you have had the article returned or have heard that it is not going to be used. Please, also, do not send book-length manuscripts. We prefer to publish only original material, but will occasionally publish excerpts from books.

Keep a copy of your article. We will return mailed submissions after consideration only if a SASE is included with your submission.

Please include a brief bionote (1-2 sentences) at the end of your submission, so that we can print it if your article is used.

Please include your name, address, phone number, and e-mail address on the first page of your manuscript, as well as your name and the page number on each subsequent page. Include your phone number and e-mail with all correspondence.

Our procedure is to read and respond to articles within four to six weeks of receiving them. This can be a long time to wait, especially if you are eager for a reply. Please be patient. Contact us if you wish to inquire about your manuscript before hearing from us.

Once an article is received and we retain it, we may want to keep it for up to a year; we plan quite a bit in advance and may have already selected articles for upcoming issues before we receive your article. Final decisions are made only after all articles on hand are evaluated. Even when an article is selected for an issue, it may be pulled for lack of space. These uncertainties make it difficult for us to be as specific in our acceptance as we would like; we appreciate your understanding of this creative process. We try not to keep an article longer than 6 months because, although we may like it, we feel it should have a chance in another market.

Our hardest task is returning articles that we cannot use. We try to be honest in our replies, but it is not always possible to provide in-depth feedback. We evaluate all articles in light of the other articles we have on hand, when last we covered the subject, and our readers' interest in the subject matter. We retain only a small percentage of the articles we receive. Returning a manuscript is not a personal rejection; it is a practical consideration. We encourage you to submit your manuscript elsewhere if we cannot accept it.

We pay between $200 and $500 for a magazine article, the amount to be negotiated at the time it is selected for and laid out in an issue. Payment is made 90 days from publication date for one-time use of the article. In addition to payment, all authors receive a one-year complimentary subscription to Mothering and two copies of the issue in which their article is published. Inquire if you would like additional copies.

We accept articles on a speculative basis so even if we have expressed an interest in, or given you the go-ahead on, a proposed article, we cannot guarantee its publication.

Writing Opportunity: Mothering Magazine

As promised, today I will tell you what steps to take to write a lesson plan. Though these steps do not include measuring against state standards, keep in mind that some places may want you to do that. The problem is that every state has different standards, so it's hard to make it a global lesson plan if you're going to include those.

1. Objective- The first thing you have to do is come up with a reason for writing the lesson plan. What is it you are trying to teach your students?
2. Prior Learning- What do the students need to know to be able to do this lesson plan? It's usually a good idea to include some type of brief brush up on whatever skill they need to complete the lesson plan in order to prepare the students for the lesson plan.
3. Teacher Prep- What does the teacher need to do to carry out the goals of the lesson plan? For instance, does the teacher need to ready the craft area?
4. Literacy- Is there a book or some reading material that is needed to complete this lesson plan? If possible include a link to the book.
5. Materials Needed- This is usually a bulleted list unless it is very short. Not only does a bulleted list look more professional but it attracts viewers and makes it easier to help the teacher check off materials as they go.
6. Step by Step- This is where you give specific instructions as to how to complete the lesson plan. This should be a numbered list.
7. Summary-A good lesson plan will summarize what the student should have learned as well as any followup discussions or activities that should be done to round off the lesson plan.

And that, my friend is how to write a lesson plan!

How to Write a Lesson Plan

Writing Fees: How Much Should I Charge?

By Angela Atkinson

Freelance writers are like diamonds. That's right, I said it, we're freakin' diamonds. Wait, don't stop reading yet...just go with me on this for a second. :)

Ok, here goes...

We're multifaceted--part writer, part business person and part marketing department. And, while there are those who flawlessly balance the logical and creative aspects of this craft (and then there are those who have agents), others struggle in one or two areas--sometimes all three.

So why not take a class?

Don't worry, we know how it is. We feel your pain.

Freelance writers, especially early in our careers, aren't known for our fat bank accounts, am I right?

But hey, since we're right there with you in the trenches, we thought we'd offer you a little ray of sunshine today. With a little research, you can find all kinds of great free online classes to get you moving in the right direction!

And even better, we're going to save you some time and give you a little help getting started. Don't we rock? ;)

Below is a list of free online classes that we think could benefit our freelancing colleagues.



United States Small Business Administration

This organization offers free business classes.

Says the website:

The Small Business Training Network (SBTN) is a virtual campus providing quality and targeted online training to meet the information needs of prospective and existing small business owners .

It is an E-Government initiative, powering a comprehensive menu of business courses, designed to serve more customers, more efficiently. The Training Network operates like an electronic umbrella under which many SBA and agency resource training programs are captured, aggregated, sorted by content and made available in multiple formats.

About University

About University has classes on everything from Art to Travel and everything in beween. Are you writing in English as a second language? Try Beginning English. Need to brush up your vocabulary? Try Improve Your Vocabulary. Want to save money by building your own author site? Check out Beginning Web Design. How about amping up your social networking and marketing skills? Try Advertising and Marketing Psychology.

These are just a tiny sample of the free classes About University offers.

My Own Business

A website dedicated to an online business course, offered free. For small business owners (much of which can apply to freelancers.)

News University

Free online journalism classes. Says the website:

News University is one of the world's most innovative online journalism training programs ever created. From multimedia techniques to writing and reporting, we've got more than 85 courses to help manage your career. As the e-learning project of The Poynter Institute, NewsU extends Poynter’s mission as a school for journalists, future journalists and teachers of journalism.

Diploma Guide's List

This is a great list of free writing and editing classes, covering everything from poetry to creative writing to selling your stories (and more!). The really cool part about this list is that a lot of the free classes listed here are actually offered by accredited universities. Good stuff.

Check out other writing opportunities here.

Free Online Classes for Freelance Writers

It's me, the Newbie ... Kerrie McLoughlin. I’m just going to get my first nervous post out of the way and pimp out my e-book by way of introduction.

Have you (or do you know someone who has) always wanted to write for a print publication, but don’t have the time to tediously gather information and read over sample and online copies? Are you a Mom Blogger sitting on some pretty good essay material? Don’t worry, I’ve done the upfront legwork for you with my latest e-book called “Get Published in Regional Parenting Magazines”.

My valuable 400-page e-book kit contains information for over 200 regional parenting publications in the United States, Canada and Australia. Your first sale will pay for the small $25 cost of the e-book, and then you’re on your way to more success, including getting assignments from editors where you don’t even have to come up with the ideas!

There’s also an Excel e-mail address database so you can get started quickly. Then, once you have some published credits under your belt, check out the BONUS SECTION of 29 national and online publications. The kit also includes spreadsheets for keeping track of submissions, time and money.

Jennifer Gregory of Raleigh, NC said this before she had even used the e-book: “This is very complete and will save a TON of time. The listings for the publications are very comprehensive and save so much time looking up the writers guidelines. I also really like the spreadsheet and how you note things like no reprints and exclusive. This will be great as a quick reference.”

After submitting an article, she wrote, “I just wanted to thank you! I used the information in your book already. The publisher of [one] RPM contacted me and said that they had just run a similar story, but wanted to see more of my stuff. I sent her samples and she called me to talk her publication because she said my stuff was really good. We talked for a while and she asked me to submit 5-6 ideas based on their upcoming calendar. I sent 6 ideas and she replied that she loved all of them and wanted me to do write them. So, thank you... You've already got me some work and a hopefully regular client.”

Here’s the link to buy “Get Published in Regional Parenting Magazines” … available for only $25. If you know anyone who would benefit from this e-book, please pass on this blog post or the buying link. You can even view the Table of Contents before you buy.

Anyone interested in knowing more about e-book creation, marketing, etc.? Leave me a comment! Otherwise, I'll just torture you with e-book posts over and over every Sunday til you show me some love.

Get Published in Regional Parenting Magazines