http://www.a1articles.com en-us editorial@a1articles.com A man came to me last week because he needed help writing his book. He told me that he’s had this project on his to-do list for years, but he just couldn’t seem to get started. He’s literally been staring at the task—start writing my book—almost... http://www.a1articles.com/article_612112_50.html 01st September 2008 Creating images in a reader’s mind is what writing is all about. But oftentimes, finding the right words to express the meaning we want our readers to gain can be tricky. Writers toil over their words and nothing seems quite right. And this problem can ... http://www.a1articles.com/article_579416_50.html 17th July 2008 So you’ve taken the plunge and started writing a book? Congratulations on taking the first step. But now you have to find ways to keep yourself motivated to keep going. If you’re like most people that are trying to write a book, you started off strong... http://www.a1articles.com/article_573869_50.html 10th July 2008 When most writers think about marketing materials, press releases, and how-to writing projects, they assume creativity is a waste of time and energy. Why not give it to them straight—right? But business writing doesn’t have to all business. Business w... http://www.a1articles.com/article_566201_50.html 30th June 2008 Every writer at one time or another suffers from writer's block. It's that painful inability to get your thoughts down on paper and it comes after all different kinds of writers. Unlike other ailments, writer's block is not cured by taking two aspirins an... http://www.a1articles.com/article_563939_50.html 26th June 2008 Have you been struggling to finish your book? If you’ve been working on the project for what seems like forever, and made little or no progress, you might need to reconsider your motive for taking on the project in the first place. So why are you wr... http://www.a1articles.com/article_562942_50.html 25th June 2008 Letters—and even e-mails—are person-to-person communications; they are usually written by one person and read by one person. They have the power to win you’re your reader like no other marketing material can. However, there is no such thing as a rou... http://www.a1articles.com/article_561846_15.html 23rd June 2008 Writing projects often take longer than anticipated and that's simply because many writers don't have a process that helps them work efficiently. All experienced writers develop a rhythm to their work with practice and experience. They understand how they... http://www.a1articles.com/article_559740_50.html 20th June 2008 Years ago, business writers wrote all their communications in a formal tone that sounded the same throughout the piece—passive verbs, jargon, and the editorial “we” were all characteristic of this business writing style. Only radical writers broke ... http://www.a1articles.com/article_559006_50.html 20th June 2008 Marketing is important for all writers who hope to sell their work—whether that means books or articles or writing skills. I used to work for a book publishing company, and for several months I was in charge of marketing my boss’s book. It was a writi... http://www.a1articles.com/article_558345_50.html 19th June 2008 When you take a job at a company, whether you’re hired as a writer or not, being asked to write a memo or some other kind of document for someone that you work with is pretty common. Perhaps the person who's asked you to do the writing is busy or perhap... http://www.a1articles.com/article_554915_15.html 11th June 2008 Time is precious, and readers need a reason to keep reading—it’s a fact of life these days when information is available almost instantaneously. Especially in the Internet, you must get to the point right away, as studies have shown that on average yo... http://www.a1articles.com/article_553462_50.html 09th June 2008 Think of written materials like a shop window—the transparency a well-put-together document affords a company is most likely the best advertisement they can get. However, any mistakes that are not caught and get into print or published online reflect ba... http://www.a1articles.com/article_552693_15.html 09th June 2008 One of the greatest challenges of writing a book is staying motivated throughout the project—this is something every writer struggles with at one time or another. And that’s okay. No one can stay focused 100 percent of the time. What’s important is ... http://www.a1articles.com/article_544247_50.html 21st May 2008 Writers write because they love to do it. They look forward to sitting down at their desk to write each and every day, and they don’t feel “normal” unless they do. However, not all writers make a living doing what they love. So, why are so many pass... http://www.a1articles.com/article_539044_50.html 15th May 2008 We are a quirky bunch—that’s for sure. Every writer has different habits, unique strengths, and mistakes they always make in their work. For example, some can’t get started without a cup of coffee. Some always forget when to use “that” or “whi... http://www.a1articles.com/article_539042_50.html 15th May 2008 When most people think about reporting, they think about journalists at the newspaper—those are the real pros. But reporting is going out and observing the real world, interviewing real people, and researching real places. And regardless of what you’r... http://www.a1articles.com/article_539041_50.html 15th May 2008 Whether you’re working on a narrative or instructional manuscript, self-editing skills are important to your success as a writer. However, many writers don’t know where to start when it comes to looking at their own writing objectively. They can easil... http://www.a1articles.com/article_539040_50.html 15th May 2008 If you’ve always wanted to write a book but put it off because it seemed too difficult or you just didn’t know how to start, it’s time to stop procrastinating and start writing. Sure, it may seem hard. But writing a book is really more about organiz... http://www.a1articles.com/article_517913_15.html 16th April 2008 Do you want to write a book detailing all your business knowledge and your experiences in the business world? Writing a book is a great way to increase your sales, broaden your customer base, brand your business, and establish expertise. But if you’ve n... http://www.a1articles.com/article_515571_50.html 11th April 2008 Writing for the web is one of the most important types of business writing most people have to do—especially if you conduct business online, and these days, who doesn’t? Maybe you have a web site that needs updated content, or you need a press release... http://www.a1articles.com/article_515569_50.html 11th April 2008 If you’re a business professional and you’re ready to try something new, think about writing a business book. Writing a book about your expertise in a specific industry or even business in general is an excellent way to expand your business and branch... http://www.a1articles.com/article_514735_15.html 10th April 2008 If you’re writing a book, eventually you need to get feedback on your writing skills, the material itself, and whether or not your goals were accomplished in the manuscript. After all, the goal of writing a book is to communicate with readers, and if no... http://www.a1articles.com/article_514733_15.html 10th April 2008 The world of online advertising is very competitive, and writing ad copy that sells can be quite challenging. Generic ads are seldom effective and to successfully sell your product your ad needs to stand out from the crowd of ads for your competitors. It ... http://www.a1articles.com/article_514007_15.html 09th April 2008 As a published author, your web site should become the clearinghouse of your marketing efforts. Every ad you place online, every article you publish in electronic publications, and even every e-mail you send should link back to your web site, where a visi... http://www.a1articles.com/article_514005_50.html 09th April 2008 If you have a web site you probably know the importance of web copy—the words that cover your pages. The expression “content is king” is very true, as quality content adds value and interest to your site and encourages repeat visitors. Sure, keyword... http://www.a1articles.com/article_512997_15.html 08th April 2008 At some point in your career you will have to produce some type of written content, and this can be stressful for many people who think their writing skills are less than perfect. Written content is an important part of business—especially these days wh... http://www.a1articles.com/article_512995_15.html 08th April 2008 Writing for the web is a whole different animal than writing for print or any other medium. Web readers operate in a different way than readers of other mediums, and therefore you should approach writing for the web in a slightly different way. Web cop... http://www.a1articles.com/article_512444_15.html 07th April 2008 A press release is a great method for informing the public about your business, whether you are just opening, expanding, or have other important news. An effective press release will catch the attention of readers and spread the word about your business. ... http://www.a1articles.com/article_512443_15.html 07th April 2008 The purpose of business writing is to effectively express your message to your reader, whether that is a potential customer, associate, or a person interested in joining your business. In business communication your message must be clear, concise, and com... http://www.a1articles.com/article_511660_15.html 07th April 2008 If your web site content is not attracting visitors, selling products, or keeping your readers’ interested, then your copy is not reaching its intended goal. Writing compelling content starts with an enticing headline, continues with interesting and app... http://www.a1articles.com/article_511659_15.html 07th April 2008 Writers sometimes develop poor habits, and end up doing more thinking about writing than actual writing. I know, because although I write for a living, and I still don’t always spend enough time on the writing that I most want to do. And for those peopl... http://www.a1articles.com/article_511091_50.html 07th April 2008 People write e-books for many reasons. You may want to market your web site, product, or business through an e-book giveaway. E-books are a great way to share your expertise with prospective clients. Or you may want to write an e-book that you can sell an... http://www.a1articles.com/article_511089_15.html 07th April 2008 Congratulations! You’ve finished writing your book. Now, it’s time to start thinking about how to get that manuscript published. The publishing industry grows every day, and authors have numerous options for getting their book into print. However, not... http://www.a1articles.com/article_503301_50.html 02nd April 2008 Everyone has at least one book in them—I firmly believe that. But bookstore shelves are packed with titles, all competing for readers’ attention. So how can you tell if your book idea is ready for the competitive publishing business? The key is to... http://www.a1articles.com/article_499310_50.html 28th March 2008 Okay, you’re finished with your first draft. Congratulations—that in itself is a big accomplishment. However, don’t celebrate for too long because all first drafts need a good clean-up before they’re ready for the reading world. When it comes t... http://www.a1articles.com/article_492670_50.html 19th March 2008 Writing and publishing articles, both online and in print, is an excellent way to build a buzz around your book, business, and/or web site. People will see a sample of your writing, your expertise, and the solutions you can offer. And articles tend to end... http://www.a1articles.com/article_492669_50.html 19th March 2008 When you’re perusing the shelves at your local bookstore, what’s the first thing you notice about almost every book you pick up? The title! Titles are important because they attract attention, and some book biz experts even believe that a title ca... http://www.a1articles.com/article_492667_50.html 19th March 2008 How long have you been working on your book? A year or better? When you sit down at Thanksgiving dinner next month with your family members, and they ask you how the book is coming along, will you be able to honestly say that you’re making progress? If ... http://www.a1articles.com/article_492664_50.html 19th March 2008 Life is the raw material from which all writers work. Personal experiences and relationships with people often stir the urge to create and inspire the stories we put on the page. Whether you’re working on a memoir or a work of fiction based on your life... http://www.a1articles.com/article_492663_50.html 19th March 2008 When you’re working on a book or ebook—any writing project you intend to sell—the question, “Will people actually want to buy this?” inevitably comes up. Although in most cases this is your inner critic trying to sideswipe your creative efforts,... http://www.a1articles.com/article_492662_50.html 19th March 2008 As a writer, the most important person in your work life is your readers—the people who pick up your book, buy it, and take the time to read it; the people who see your article and contact you for more information; and the people who go to your web site... http://www.a1articles.com/article_492658_50.html 19th March 2008 In the age of e-newsletters and e-mail, you may not consider a sales letter, sent through the regular old postal service, as a viable means of contacting your target market. But the traditional sales letter has not gone completely by the wayside. Need pro... http://www.a1articles.com/article_202441_15.html 16th August 2007 Have you ever wondered why some people can make millions writing books, and others (maybe you) can’t even complete a simple business letter worth reading? Sure, natural talent probably accounts for some of their writing success. But really the best-sell... http://www.a1articles.com/article_202439_50.html 16th August 2007 One of the best ways to get free publicity and build expertise is to garner media attention. Although it takes time and work to get noticed by reporters, the foundation of a good publicity campaign is the press release. If you want build a relationship wi... http://www.a1articles.com/article_202438_50.html 16th August 2007 If you aren’t in the publishing business, the idea of creating, writing, editing, and distributing your own publication may feel impossible. But in the electronic age, literally every business with an email account can don the role of publisher and prod... http://www.a1articles.com/article_202436_50.html 16th August 2007 Ever sit in front of a blank word processing document, cursor blinking on the screen, mind searching for what to do next? If so, you’re not alone. Every writer struggles with where to start, how to keep motivated, and where to go next with their work. T... http://www.a1articles.com/article_202435_50.html 16th August 2007