A Novel Space/ From Concept To Print…Bringing Your Thoughts & Ideas To Life

Creative writing competitions can serve several purposes. One of which is to have you writing. Should you have a maximum word count and a deadline it concentrates the mind and may result in work that otherwise would never have been written.. If you’re given a subject to write about it’s even better.

An additional consideration is fame and fortune. Not a poor incentive, but here we should be sensible. Competitions are generally for short stories and are held by magazines or publishers. The competitions can vary from really small to really big. A few are absolutely free but most have entry fees. This is quite acceptable, as prize money must come from somewhere. Nevertheless entry fees could be very high and should you enter quite a lot of competitions the price of fees adds up alarmingly.

The small creative writing contests have a couple of hundred entries and give you a definite opportunity of winning. In fact some of the} entries are going to be very poor, some will be excluded, because the authors have not studied the submission guidelines correctly, along with a couple will miss the deadline totally. This reduces the opposition to some thing manageable. If you’re a good writer you have a opportunity of being within the top two or three. But what do you get for your trouble? The prize money will probably cover your entry charge as well as the cost of a coffee at Starbucks. You may only obtain a free of charge copy of the magazine sponsoring the competition. That’s about it. Your name will appear on the list of winners, but couple of individuals will read the list. So entering a small competition is little a lot more than writing practice, whatever the outcome. But writers have to begin somewhere and a win or perhaps a shortlist can cheer you up a lot and inspire you to greater things.

Big creative writing competitions are different. They attract an international entry of thousands. The winner gets an amazing prize and a lot of publicity. Not free publicity, do not forget the entry fee, but valuable publicity that may push a career forward. The standard of winners are going to be really high. They may be competition specialists who are not only superb writers but know precisely what the judges are looking for. Perhaps they are published authors who, by definition, are very experienced at their work.

You ought to never think you are not good enough to enter any competition but a reality check is required right here. Simply to be on the shortlist of maybe 100 writers is to have performed well. If you win you’ll have earned your fame and fortune.

Obviously a single sure way to avoid winning a competition isn’t to have entered within the first place. Have a go, you may not win – not at very first anyway – but you will have written your entry. If you don’t achieve the success you expected in the competition. move on to the next writing competition.

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Postcards, if used wisely, can be a great marketing tool. It can transmit your business’ information by just hand transfer. It is one of the most convenient and economical tool that you can rely.

Sound marketing is easy if you just know where to put emphasis. Here are the vital points to watch:

1. Create a good marketing message. You have only a few seconds to attract readers so do not spoil that. Make a brief and easy to read text. Complement it with an attractive graphics. Simple yet catchy that’s the idea behind postcards.

2. Maximize space. Use the space to inform your readers what you can give them. Of course they want to know. That’s the very reason they are reading your postcards. What you can give the and how they can get it are vital.

3. Do not forget the ‘call to action’. The most crucial content is the ‘call to action’. You must say what you want them to do next. To buy, to subscribe – these are calls to action. Thus, if you have established it you also have to support it. Place in your postcards important details like your phone number, address and the likes. By this, you will be contacted easily.

4. Print and mail the postcards. There are a lot of postcard mailing and printing services available these days. Choose the postcard printing services that are appropriate for your needs. Make the process special. You can inquire with the printer’s services to boost the appearance and result of your postcards.

5. Put some spice to it. One way to build a great business relationship is to make your offer special. You can pass on coupons to your potential customers. If they do not intend to use it, they can pass it on to others. This process can result to new clients, new purchases and repeat purchases as well.

Business industry is growing more and more competitive. Businessmen are getting savvier thus, the need to keep the pool of customers has become even harder – much more is to get a bigger market. Moreover, we have to get the most out of our marketing techniques. Postcards can do us a very good favor. It is low-cost and effective. Why let the opportunity pass without taking advantage of its charisma?

Postcards can quickly and inexpensively convey your marketing message. Use them to keep the customers and making them return for more!

In modern day generation we have a growing amount of experts and internet writers. Everybody really likes to examine books and also the way we go through catalogs is altering. Recently there have been a growth of electronic digital machines to make it possible for us to read guides on the go. Now we are able to go through many guides within the fly. I wanted to do this eBook reader review so that you know exactly what to buy when you are looking to buy Ereader.

So why is Ereader becoming so popular? Ereader allows you to take your catalogs around the go if you travel no matter where you go. This is usually extremely convenient for you as there may perhaps not be several things to try and do exactly where you will be going. Let’s face it, not all the places we go are enjoyable so what better fun than to bring our favorite book or catalogs with us. Traditionally, this would involve carrying a whole suitcase of guides but now you don’t ought to simply because of Ereader. Ereader stores numerous various catalogs for you on a person electronic gadget so that you can take it pretty much anywhere you will be going. This ability to understand any book for the fly is a person of the factors Ereader is so common.

Secondly, I wanted to let you know in this eBook reader review that eBook readers are wonderful for your eyes. Unlike the conventional catalogs that you have to strain difficult to examine at times specially in areas of low lighting Ereaders come with its own backlight so you could understand as significantly as you would like without having hurting your eyes. Poor lighting is the range one particular reason many people suffer from headaches when they examine. Moreover, headaches force you to stop reading and this may be an inconvenience especially when you’re bored with nothing to perform. So Ereader makes finishing that Indiana Jones, or solving that Sherlock Holmes mystery that a lot simpler.

Thirdly, you desire to acquire Ereader mainly because it is quick to get new books. Physical publications can be very pricey in particular if you’re someone that loves to examine. The dollars saved from purchasing books on Ereaders is usually sometimes seven times the amount of a physical book. Wherever as a physical book might cost about $79, whenever you obtain Ereader publication it could be as inexpensive as $5.00 or less.

Now for an Ereader comparison. While there are several Ereaders out in the world very few are up to par. The Nook Ereader isn’t bad but the Kindle seems to be the crowd favorite, especially on websites like amzazon.com. The Nook seems to have quite a few attributes on it but the kindle, due to the fact it has fewer functions, has a longer battery life. This may be incredibly efficient, particularly when you’re travelling for long distances. The kindle also includes a far better speed of navigation. So those are the results I find when investigation an Ereader comparison.

Do you want a big challenge for your writing career this year? Why not aim for the sky? Set yourself the goal of being published in an in-flight magazine, one of the publications provided by airlines in the seat pockets in front of each passenger.

Many writers dream of being published in an in-flight magazine. Imagine your article being read by travelers as they fly across the globe. Many of those magazines will eventually find new homes – from coffee tables to banks to dentists’waiting rooms – after passengers carry them away after their flights.

Why Write for In-flight Magazines?

There are several good reasons why being featured in an inflight publication is a appropriate target for your writing career.

Firstly, there’s exposure. Secondly, you will have a very impressive publishing credit to add to your writing portfolio. Winning other high-paying assignments will become much easier. Thirdly, you will be well paid. Most inflight publications pay very well, with many paying in the vicinity of a dollar per word.

Diverse Passengers, Diverse Topics

Don’t limit your article ideas to traditional travel writing. Although a lot of airline passengers are on holiday others are travelling for business or other reasons. Also, because passengers come from various walks of life in-flight magazines publish feature articles and departments on quite a wide selection of topics. Their content often includes articles on travel and adventure, dining and entertainment, business, cultural events and the environment, and many other subjects.

Don’t forget when pitching ideas to an in-flight publication that the airline’s route destinations are critical. Every article must have a connection to the destinations and routes of the airline.

Did I Tell You About The Competition?

There’s got to be a catch, right? Well, getting published in an inflight magazine is not going to be a walk in the park. You certainly won’t be the only writer pitching your ideas to these editors. To inform you that it will be highly competitive is possibly an understatement.

Editors of inflight magazines demand a high quality of freelance work, and they usually prefer to work with freelancers who have proven their professionalism. 

In-flight Magazines Are Not For Beginners

What if you have just starting out as a freelance writer? Start someplace else. Try targeting your local publications. After you have several features published begin building up to regional magazines. As your portfolio grows you will eventually be ready to target in-flight magazines and other leading publications.

Check out this huge list of inflight publications

I just discovered there is a Grammar Day celebrated in the United States.  I learn something new every day.  Thinking about this brings to mind something I heard perhaps two years ago on Making the Band.  One of the band members said in response to something, “I don’t know what he done did…”  On national television!  Every time I hear bad grammar, this phrase pops into my head.  I find I have a tendency to compare other poor grammar phrases to this one, trying to find one that is worse than this one.  So far, “I don’t know what he done did…” tops all. 

I know we all have grammar lapses, but I must admit if I had said this in front of cameras, I would want to correct myself immediately.  In a lapse moment what words did you say that you wish you could retract?  Do you think you can go an entire month using proper English, no slang?  It might be harder than you think especially, if you use slang a lot.  Give it a try for the rest of March and see what happens. 

Recently, on one of the networks I’m a member of, I was asked how I found clients.  A good question. 

Finding clients I’ve discovered is harder for some and a piece of cake for others.  Since opening my business I’ve changed how my website looked, how I viewed finding clients, how I marketed and presented myself.  I’ve added services to the list of administrative services I offer and deleted those which I really didn’t want to do.  In addition, I’ve finally added a whole different range of services for authors – publishing tasks, which can be applied to both self and traditional publishing. 

Now that I’ve begun working with the kind of clients and on the projects I want, I’ve been doing a lot of social networking.  Reluctant at first, I’ve come to enjoy it, have made some good contacts and found some clients through it.  I have profiles on LinkedIn, Facebook, Virtual Assistant Forums, IVAA and a few others. 

My latest one is Twitter.  I resisted joining for a long time; guess I didn’t think I had much to say.  However, after networking on other sites, I decided to bite the bullet and create a profile.  I’ve found it useful, interesting, fun and somewhat addictive.  In the typical business arena, I tend to be quiet most of the time, just observing things as they come along.  Being able to network online has helped me to approach individuals and companies with my services. 

It’s starting to pay off.  I have a client (found through a networking forum) who I am in the process of finalizing details of the duties needed.  I’ve started working with a publishing company utilizing my new publishing skills and I have two more potential clients due to come on board hopefully by mid-March at the latest.

So for those of you who are reluctant to join the social networking craze, please reconsider.  If you keep at it, you will begin to see positive results.  For me, a nice side benefit is now I’m considering networking more — in person. 

As a Virtual Assistant or independent contractor, it’s up to the individual to find clients.  When I first started A Novel Space, I thought with the small businesses and entrepreneurs out there, finding clients would be hard at first, but get easier over time.  Right?  Not necessarily.

I have discovered that despite my years of experience, many businesses are hesitant to enter the VA world.  I think I knew this somewhere in the back of my mind.  There are probably many reasons for this reluctance, one of which could be the perception that if you are paying someone to work for you, they must do the work in front of you.  In the eyes of some, with a VA, they are the unseen employee whose word you have to take on faith and hope the results are what you expect them to be.

Fortunately, I believe the idea of hiring a virtual assistant is catching on more and more every day.  I recently read an article where a community college was offering a 27-credit virtual assistant certificate.  Excellent.  I believe the more the mainstream corporate world acknowledges this industry, the less we’ll have to explain what a VA is, and more time we can spend demonstrating our skills.

When I first began thinking about being a VA back in 2006, I was still working the typical 9-6 everyday job.  I knew I needed and wanted to make a change, so I looked into starting a home business of some kind.

I suppose I had the same reasons for wanting to work from home as most do: my commute was a major pain.  When I first started with the company, I could get from my garage to the office garage in 25 minutes or less.  By the time I left, the drive took anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes each way.  Sometimes I felt as if I needed a helicopter to get to the office on time.  Also, it was no longer exciting once I got to work.  Usually working for an entertainment public relations firm is fun, interesting, and different everyday.  By the end, everyday seemed almost a carbon copy of the day before.

Anyway, the time had come for a major change.  Finding a way to work out of my home seemed like the best choice for me.  However, in trying to find just the right thing, I kept coming across Work-At-Home businesses and jobs for the stay at home mom.  Many required the applicant to be a mom in order to apply.  I’m not a mom so despite my 16 years of experience, I didn’t qualify for most.  Still others were call center jobs for much less per hour than I was currently earning.  I already handled a busy switchboard amongst my many other duties; I wanted to get away from the phone for a bit.

Finally, I realized I needed to be more specific to achieve my goal.  Eventually after some more searching, I came across the term Virtual Assistance and better yet, a book on the subject.  I bought the book, read it from cover to cover and knew this was it.  Often, since I left my 9-6 job people have asked me ‘Do you think you made the right decision?’  It’s the same question I asked myself when I first left.  Ultimately, the answer is yes.  I had gone as far as I could in my last regular job.  It was time to shake things up.  True it was (and sometime still is) a gamble, but I had to take a chance or always wonder.

Almost 2 years later, I still think it’s the best decision I’ve recently made.