Archive for September, 2009

Articles Writing and Keyword Density

September 10, 2009 - 12:36 pm

Articles have been known to be the driving force in driving traffic to a website. Articles are a factor in giving site high rankings in search result pages. The higher a site ranks the bigger slice of the traffic flow pie he gets. With a huge number in traffic flow, there are more profits and more potential for other income generating schemes as well.

But, it is not just about stuffing your site with articles; they have certain requirements as well. These requirements must be met to obtain the maximum benefits an article will provide for your site.

Here are some tips to help you and assist you in making your articles. Below you will read about four things all articles must have to make it successful and helpful in making your site a profit earning and traffic overflowing site.

An article must always be centered on the keywords and keyword phrases. As each website visitor goes to a site, there are those who are just merely browsing but actually looking for a specific something. When this happens, a searcher usually goes to a search engine and types in the keywords they are looking for (e.g. Toyota Camry, Meningitis, Tax Lawyer and Etcetera). It could be anything they want.

The Important thing is that you have an article that has the keywords that are related to your site. For example, if you maintain an auto parts site, you must be able t have articles about cars and their parts. There are many tools in the Internet that provides service in helping a webmaster out in determining what keywords and keyword phrases are mostly sought out.

Keyword density is an indicator of the number of times the selected keyword appears in the article. But mind you, keywords shouldn’t be over used, but should be just sufficient enough to appear at important places.

If you repeat your keywords with every other word on every line, then your articles will probably be rejected as an artificial articles or spam articles.

Keyword density is always expressed as a percentage of the total word content on a given article.

Suppose you have 100 words on your article (not including HMTL code used for writing the article), and you use a certain keyword for five times in the content. The keyword density on that page is got by simply dividing the total number of keywords, by the total number of words that appear on your article. So here it is 5 divided by 100 = .05. Because keyword density is a percentage of the total word count on the page, multiply the above by 100, that is 0.05 x 100 = 5%

The accepted standard for a keyword density is between 3% and 5%, to get recognized by the search engines and you should never exceed it.

Remember, that this rule applies to every page on your articles. It also applies to not just to one keyword but also a set of keywords that relates to a different product or service. The keyword density should always be between 3% and 5%.

Simple steps to check the density:

• Copy and paste the content from an individual article into a word-processing software program like Word or Word Perfect.

• Go to the ‘Edit’ menu and click ‘Select All’. Now go to the ‘Tools’ menu and select ‘Word Count’. Write down the total number of words in the page.

• Now select the ‘Find’ function on the ‘Edit’ menu. Go to the ‘Replace’ tab and type in the keyword you want to find. ‘Replace’ that word with the same word, so you don’t change the text.

• When you complete the replace function, the system will provide a count of the words you replaced. That gives the number of times you have used the keyword in that page.

• Using the total word count for the page and the total number of keywords you can now calculate the keyword density.

10 Smart Moves For Getting Published In Top Magazines

September 9, 2009 - 9:35 am

Eager to see your byline in magazines like Smithsonian, National Geographic, Parade or Outside? Here are 10 tips on getting past the threshold of “Maybe” to “Yes” at top magazines.

1. Put timing on your side. You can change a perennial story, where there’s no special reason to do it now rather than next year, to one that prompts an immediate assignment by adding a connection to some upcoming season or event. For instance, “the disposable versus cloth diaper debate” lacks any time element. But you can peg it to Earth Day, coming up in April, or specific future environmental powwows. You can get the same effect by tying a perennial topic to recent front-page news. If devastating floods are lingering in North Carolina, use that to make a piece on adequately insuring a business sound timely.

2. Freshen up perennial topics. Some magazines revisit the same topics again and again because relationships, or toilet training, or camping in national parks lie at the core of the magazine’s mission. Hunt back about four or five years in the magazine’s archives for these central topics and update them.

3. Create cover-worthy article titles. Editors sweat over the blurbs that go on the magazine cover. If you study the kinds of blurbs they favor, and give a similar title to your proposed article, you may score an assignment from a title that is exactly on target.

4. Be brief and detailed. This combination of skills has great value in the magazine world, and a query offers a perfect setting to demonstrate your mastery of rich compression. Let every sentence sparkle with detail, but say just enough to get the idea across.

5. Stay ahead of the pack. I once heard someone say that if you’ve read about an issue in Time or Newsweek, you’re too late to query other top magazines on it. Spend energy pursuing stories that seem both trendy and unexplored.

6. Get your details right. Nothing kills confidence faster than factual errors! Recheck all information in your query before sending it.

7. Be truthful. Don’t exaggerate the facts of a story, don’t present fiction as real and don’t inflate your credentials. This should go without saying, but not long ago a freelance writer sold an article in which she had presented a story she heard from a fellow airline passenger as something that had happened to her. She claimed she didn’t realize that that was unethical.

8. Don’t have a hidden agenda. Forget about any kind of revenge story, or about hyping a company in which you have some sort of covert financial interest.

9. Show enthusiasm. Make sure your writing feels alive and flavorful, not parched and pinched. I’ve heard a number of editors say they like to work with writers who show enthusiasm for their work.

10. Flatter an editor. A good number of editors write on the side for other publications, and if you happen to spot his or her freelance work and mention it in your query, you win points. Mentioning that you liked a particular issue of the magazine, or a certain cover story, helps build rapport, too. Make sure that any praise is specific and sincerely enthusiastic.

Writing and Walking - Beating Writer

September 8, 2009 - 10:36 pm

Writing and walking are a seemingly odd mix of topics for an article, but they go well together. Particularly if you write during breaks in your walk.

Writing Journals

Whether you are writing articles or the great American novel, you will inevitably suffer from writer’s block. A good way to defeat the block is to go for a walk or hike in a park or open local area. Walking gives you a chance to think through things, let your mind wander and clear out the riff raff.

As you walk, your subconscious will be working and kicking out ideas to get you going again. You don’t want to lose these ideas, which can be a problem when you are a few miles from home and your computer. Frankly, nothing is more frustrating than getting an idea and then losing the thread while you hustle home.

I primarily write information articles for web sites. Unlike a novel, the pure volume of articles is problematic. Coming up with hundreds of unique topics can be maddening, particularly if the subject matter is rather dry. Just imagine trying to write 100 articles on tax issues! One tends to end up staring at the wall for hours on end.

I come up with my best ideas while walking on the beach here in San Diego, California. While the beach and tax articles might seem an odd mix, the ghosts of IRS agents apparently congregate on the beach and ideas become plentiful. I’ve tried two methods of keeping track of ideas while walking.

I first tried taking a dictation machine with me, but it didn’t really work out. You would be surprised how loud the ocean is on the recording. I also found it difficult to pick up the thread again when I sat down to listen to my ramblings. Fortunately, writing journals turned out to be a better option.

An author friend of mine that publishes novels suggested taking a writing journal with me on the beach strolls. He apparently had great success working out plot twists for his novels while hiking around Palomar Mountain, a good hiking spot to the east of San Diego. I gave it a try and the rest is history.

I prefer writing journals to dictating for a few reasons. Initially, it is easier to just sit down wherever you are and write out an idea and story lines. I also find it easier to pick up the thread when I plop down in front of my computer to actually start writing.

Writer’s block is a problem for every writer, regardless of the type of writing. If you’re having problems with it, you might try going on a walk and taking a writing journal with you.

What Name Do You Give That Article Or Book?

September 7, 2009 - 7:41 am

The title of my book is as important as the characters themselves. So the name of the book is as important as the characters themselves. You can choose an important event as I did in The title of my book is as important as the characters themselves. In my first I named my book La Roe’s after the Heroine in which the story was told from her POV, Secondly it also describes part of her. La Roe means The Red and her first name Emerald means Green she consequentially has red hair and green eyes. La Roe’s is also about an entire family in which her children will come to play mainly her daughter which according to family tradition will be named La Roe also.

So the name of the book is as important as the characters themselves. You can choose an important event As Fay’s Wish in which the mother a Fay makes a wish for her daughter. Then in Mystic Inn it represents the hotel, and Vampires Revenge represents the revenge our heroine will play on the hero. I think the name should give a clue to the reader of something grand about to take place.

So how to name you MS, well as you right it an important scene, place, person, or thing will stand out and hopefully shout use me. I find that I don’t know the name until that exact moment. It is as hard as naming your Characters themselves, esp. if they represent them.

One thing to remember though never force the name, it will come to you and if you feel the need to name it temporarily then use the heroine’s hero’s or even something such contemporary romance, fantasy, or even pain in butt book 3 or whatever number it is.

What Is Freelance Travel Writing?

September 6, 2009 - 10:20 am

Becoming a successful travel writer involves some imagination, some legwork, and a powerful eye for detail to transform the rich experience of a place into a clear, exciting article. If you can do all of that, and if you’re willing to put time into marketing your work, you can join the ranks of successful freelance travel writers.

The key to successful travel writing is putting yourself into the mind of the prospective traveler. When a traveler arrives at a new destination, what is he or she in the mood for? A bite to eat? A place to sleep? A sense of local color and history? A pleasant neighborhood to tour? And how important is familiarity? Do travelers want to feel like they’re “at home” even when abroad, with all the necessities and comforts they rely on readily available (and with very little language barrier)? Or do travelers want to feel excited and challenged out of everyday things, to accept the difficulties of living, as much as possible, like a native?

Since you don’t know what kinds of travelers are going to use your articles as references, you’ll want to cater to as many of these needs as possible when you gather your information. Depending on where you intend to sell your article, you might focus on certain traveler needs more than others. Many travel agents want to downplay the unfamiliarity of a place to present a more “tourist-friendly” image; while some adventure travel-oriented magazines prefer you ignore all references to American-based chain stores within a five-mile radius of the destination. The general rule in travel writing is to reverse the old clich

Content Writing is an Art

September 5, 2009 - 1:31 pm

Content writing is an art of providing a new look to your dull and mundane web business. If content writing is done as per the SEO norms then your business will prosper in full form. Ones your website is ready the next task on the cards is web content writing. You’ll be amazed to know that all the old and existing websites have started reframing their content so that they can attract more customers. It has been said that proper and exact web content establishes the delicate relation between targeted web content and commensurate increase in web business.

While doing content writing theme of the website should be kept in mind as content has direct relevance with the website. If your website looks attractive but written content is stale and out of focus then you end up loosing some of your potential customers. That’s why it should be done according to central theme of web site as well as nature of web business. Relevant content always contribute to your business and attracts more and more customers. As we know the fact that the traffic is generated from targeted content which is dependent on the chosen set of relevant keyword and key phrases. Thus, web writing should be done keeping those keywords and key phrases in mind. The crux is that when you write keyword centric content, you’re directly related to the central theme of your web site. And mind you this is the easiest of the method.

Prior gearing up for web content writing it is wise to decide on the main direction the web site is to take. As we know content development is a never ending necessity and constant updating is required. Thus, maintaining targeted content is an art and follows the logic of convergence of ideas. In big organizations, generally content writing is divided among cluster of content writers. This results in haywire of the content development and its theme. Thus, to avoid such events there should be frequent and close coordination among cluster heads and among cluster members. However, in small organizations these are rare incidents as particular content writing is headed by a particular content writer. But on the flip side, small organizations cannot cater heavy work-load which only big organizations can.

Thus, a successful web business is entirely dependent upon the proper content writing and content-development. In content writing and its management there should be a consensual approach and long-term planning which will be in tune with the central theme of the website. A lost focus can create havoc in the long term which will result in business loss. So, the final words are slow and steady wins the race.

Great Technical Writing: Sell Your Readers On What’s Important

September 4, 2009 - 4:56 pm

Overview

Our humdrum, sterile headings and writing manner do little to encourage our Users to read parts of the product documentation that would be especially beneficial for them. This article presents two real-world examples, how they fail their users, and how to correct the problems.

Not the Legal & Disclaimers

Although the Legal and Disclaimer sections of your documentation are important for the protection of your company (and protection of your company should be a primary goal in your work), this is not what we are talking about here. Instead, we are discussing the Document topics that are often overlooked, but are important to your Users.

We will look at two examples where the Document writer should push the Reader to investigate additional material. My suggestion is to “advertise” the topics, by using tempting writing, to urge the User to read the relevant topics.

A Rule of (Writing) Life

If a User knows one way to do something, he/she is hesitant to bother learning about other ways. You, as a Document writer, have to sell the Reader on the benefits of the “other” (better) way.

Example: Microsoft Word ™ Styles

Most power users of Microsoft Word ™ use “styles,” rather than manual formatting, to format their documents. New and casual Users do not know about this powerful tool (available in most word processors ). Word’s User Documentation does little to encourage the User to learn about styles.

The Word’s User Document talks about manually formatting characters, paragraphs, etc. Later in the document there is a section on “styles.” But why should the User ever read that section? Styles seem to be just another way of formatting characters, paragraphs, etc. The formatting section just told them how to do this.

Power Users know that for anything longer than a few page letter, styles provide many benefits.

Documenter: Sell the Reader on important topics! Encourage your User to read the additional material. Microsoft should have added something like this at the end of the section on manual formatting:

“We recommend that you use ’styles’ to format any documents longer than a few page letter. See Chapter XX to learn about styles.”

Example: Gas Barbecue Safe Shut Down

A Gas Barbecue User Document headline says: “How to Shut Off Your Barbecue.”

The Reader Thinks: “I know how to do this,” and doesn’t read the material.

If your Users are doing things unsafely or incorrectly then that bland headline will do nothing to help them correct their ways. Let’s try a more convincing headline for this:

“Most People Shut Off Their Barbecues Unsafely: Here’s the Correct Way”

Or even more focused:

“You Probably Shut Off Your Barbecue Unsafely: Here’s the Correct Way”

This wording sounds like you are selling a product to the User. But you are not. You are using marketing techniques to get Users to read important material.

By the way: If you have a gas barbecue, compare how the instructions tell you to shut it off, versus how you actually shut the barbeque off.

“See Also” is too Bland

Don’t fall into the trap of simply adding “See Also” sections where relevant. These are OK for telling the Reader where to find additional information, but do nothing to convince your Reader to read important additional material. If the material is of real benefit to the Reader then sell them on reading it. Compare these:

* See Also: Styles, Chapter XX

* We recommend that you use “styles” to format any documents longer than a few page letter. See Chapter XX to learn about styles.

If you were reading the User Document, which of the above two headings would get you to learn about styles? (If you gave the ‘wrong’ answer, then ask some other people;-)

The Bottom Line

By selling the Reader on what you (or your subject matter experts) consider important (beyond the legal and disclaimer statements) you are adding your knowledge to the document. In effect, you are saying, “I think you should read this topic because it may help you.” That’s a good thing to say, especially because it reflects your good attitude to your Reader.

How To Start Writing An Article

September 3, 2009 - 10:49 am

The hardest thing you’ll ever have to do is to ‘start’. When you want to travel, the hardest part is to just ‘go ahead and go’. But once you start, everything follows. The same goes with writing. I don’t know about you, but when I write, the first sentence in the article gets erased five times before one becomes permanent. But once you get through the first sentence, writing the whole article will be a breeze.

There are actually a lot of ways by which you could begin your article. You could start it with a quotation, a question, an anecdote, or you could go straight to the point. There is no exact formula for starting. You can start your article with any sentence, as long as it suits your purpose.

What’s the Purpose of the Article?

So think about why you’re writing that article. What is your purpose? Is it to entertain, to inspire, to persuade, or simply to inform? If you want to entertain, then a funny anecdote might do well. If you want to inspire, then a famous quote may do. If you want to persuade, then maybe you could start with a question. If you want to inform, then you could go straight to the point.

Let me give you a concrete example. Let’s say that your aim is to persuade people to buy your product. I mentioned that if you want to persuade, starting the article with a question might do the trick. Let’s say that your product is a water bed. Maybe you could start your article with a question like, “Have you ever had a night when you couldn’t sleep because of your lumpy mattress?” or “When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep?” This is a good strategy because you’re automatically creating a bond with your reader. If your reader answers “yes” to your question, he will be able to relate, and if he is able to relate, then he will be interested.

The First Line

But asking a question isn’t the only way to start an article. If you can make it work, then an anecdote might be perfect for your article. Maybe you could tell a story about a friend of yours who didn’t want to buy the bed at first but was persuaded to do so after a bit of prodding. And then give them a punch line. It has to be funny, or at the very least, unexpected. Maybe you could end your anecdote by saying that your friend went to your office, fuming. He kept on glaring at you so you asked him what was wrong. And then he answered, “I got into trouble at work because of your bed”. And so you ask him why and he answers that he woke up late because the bed was so comfortable. You’ll have showcased how comfortable your bed is and entertained your readers at the same time.

Again, there’s no exact formula for starting to write an article, just let your imagination run wild.

Love At A Higher Level

September 2, 2009 - 8:10 pm

Is it possible to achieve a higher romantic love than the resigned complacency we see all around us? If so, can it be sustained for long? Would many people really want it? Sure, nonfiction literature is replete with books, courses, and seminars on how to achieve romantic or marital bliss. But few of us seem to achieve it, and fewer still ever sustain it. Worse yet is that many people seem disinterested or, worse yet, disheartened.

Far fewer are works of fiction that explore such higher love as literature for readers to savor and enjoy. Coinage of Commitment was written to explore this rarified territory. It attempts to go where few have dared to tread, testing the limits of what a couple can achieve, the altitude of orbit they might be able to soar to.

Don’t be misled. This is not an easy topic. Life imposes a lot of restraints on reaching the emotional altitude we are discussing. And it cannot be obtained for free. It requires thinking as well as feeling, planning as well as carefree fulfillment. It requires risk taking, and there are payments and sacrifices that have to be made. So would it be worth it? What would you be willing to give to obtain it? What if there was just a chance to obtain it? What then?

How does this particular romantic ambition affect story production? Well, for one thing, at least in my view, it means that the main characters need to take an intellectual as well as an emotional journey to attain the level they seek. They need this just to get prepared and be capable of what they want to experience emotionally. And this opens up all sorts of literary issues to explore. How do our characters come to want such an exalted level of fulfillment for themselves? What conditions in their lives produce a hunger for it? What do they do to nourish its development? Just how do they find their way? How are they different from their peers?

Deciding to write a novel featuring higher love made the manuscript harder to sell. This is not standard fare; it defines a new category, hence it was viewed with suspicion as a risky project. Many agents dismissed it out of hand and refused to read sample chapters. Others who did, refused to change their mindset, and misunderstood the work. One criticism I got was that the characters didn’t seem quite…typical. Duh? Of course they’re not typical. How could they be?

Another criticism was writing style. Coinage has plenty of plot movement, including some exciting heroics, but it features more reflection on the main characters’ feelings and their emotional evolution and turning points. Agents and editors who criticized this approach as unfashionable had nothing to offer as an alternate to describing characters loving at a higher level. Simply describing plot developments from an action standpoint won’t cut it for a work with this ambition.

I portray higher love as something feasible, but difficult to achieve, hence likely to be attained by very few. When Wayne and Nancy achieve it, they feel that they have no one to compare themselves with. I think that is the correct answer for our current culture and societal situation, but there is no data on this that I am aware of, hence it is difficult to rely on anything but your own experience. I heartily welcome reader views on this topic.

Copywriting Tips For You - Is It Time For A Copywriting Course

September 1, 2009 - 6:04 pm

There just never seems to be enough time in the day for all of the things we must accomplish. Unfortunately education sometimes takes a back seat to the every day challenges of living. A copywriting course you can do in the privacy of your own home may be just what you need to help your writing skills. There is a growing job market for copywriters and with a little instruction and practice you can write professionally.

A copywriting course can be found in many different places and in many different instructional formats. Some courses can be found online whereas others may be taught from videos and personal one-on-one interactions.

If you decide to enroll in a copywriting course, consider what you want to write. Web copywriting aims more towards online advertising whereas SEO articles are designed for companies that rely on internet search engines such as Google or Yahoo. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization or Optimized. They are articles that have keywords or phrases written into the article. If you were to search for the terms “red dog leash collars” it would turn up specific ads or articles that contained those exact words.

When you find the specific copywriting course that suits your needs, check the course work. It should include instructions on how to write persuasive copy. Copywriting is exactly that: writing meant to draw the reader or watcher’s attention to whatever the business or company is promoting. Copywriting courses can also teach the fine art of dissuading articles. An example of these would be the anti-smoking ads that we read about in magazines, watch on television and even receive mailers on in our mailbox.

A good copywriting course offers the student the ability to interact with the instructors. This is very important. If you purchased an eBook or program, there should be a way to email or otherwise contact the author of the course. Often there are questions that cannot be answered just by reading the material. The point is not memorization, but gaining knowledge from the coursework so that it benefits you in practical application.

Advertising copywriting or SEO copywriting are always looking for fresh talent and an influx of new writers. A copywriting course can help you on your way to a new career path or simply help you refine your skills in your old career. The possibilities are endless for good copywriters. Companies need writers that can bring in new customers as well as maintain existing customers.