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Turn Your Blog Into A Business

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

I have recently read a fantastic article about how to turn your blogging to a source of living. Two bloggers, Debbie Ng and Darren Rowse, the brains behind Freelance Writing Gigs and Problogger, respectively, have shared their insights on how they turned their blog sites to a very profitable business. To read the articles, click here.

This Is It: Michael Jackson’s documentary leaves an unparalleled legacy

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

Starring: Michael Jackson

This Is It Movie released by Sony Pictures and The Michael Jackson Company

Director: Kenny Ortega

Released by: Sony Pictures and The Michael Jackson Company

Release Date: November 27, 2009

The documentary shows Michael Jackson at his best—unparalleled, over the top, and larger than life.

What would have been a documentary intended for the King of Pop’s private library has become the last piece of proof of his legacy—one that spanned 40 years. This movie reveals behind-the-scenes footage of what MJ’s called his “curtain call” performance. This movie covers more than 100 hours of rehearsals for MJ’s series of concerts known as the “This Is It” tour which took place from March to June of this year.

For the entire review article, click here.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures and The Michael Jackson Company

Jazz It Up With Lemon

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

Jazz up your dishes with a squeeze of lemon

Lemon is more than being a citrus fruit. This yellow oval fruit can jazz up your dish–gourmet style.

Being the Lifestyle Network junkie that I am, I learned the use of lemon in almost every dish through the Network’s food shows. Giada de Laurentiis, host of Everyday Italian, almost always uses lemon in preparing her simple but classic Italian dishes. I tried it and it really works!

You can turn simple meals like a simple Puttanesca or Bolognese into a very satisfying dish by adding a squeeze of half a lemon into the sauce while cooking. This will bring out the flavors of the dish and give it a very appealing aroma. You can also use the lemon as a better substitute in marinating steaks for a more citrus-ey flavor. Lemon works here both as tenderizer and flavoring agent. But before you slice the lemon, make sure that you roll it underneath the heel of your palm and your wrist, over a hard surface. This is necessary to bring out the juices of the fruit.

No need to worry about the price. A piece of lemon is available in supermarkets for only Php18.00 ($0.39). The price is worth it. Once you try it, you will definitely make it as one of your kitchen must-haves.

Photo source: http://cdn-write.demandstudios.com/upload//9000/500/70/4/19574.jpg

The Lowdown On Skinny Jeans And Full Figures

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

I do not understand the craze for skinny jeans. Perhaps the term is identified with the word, “skinny,” which could draw a certain appeal to women. Maybe some women believe that if they wear a skinny pair of jeans, they feel that they can fit into a skinny cut. This idea has caused a trend in the fashion retail industry to tailor skinny jeans for plus sizes. The word skinny has now been redefined, in a more bizarre sense than ever.

Skinny Jeans not for the un-skinny.

Used to be known as cigarette pants, skinny jeans are a pair of tight fitting denims which is similar to the tights that are prevalent in the current fashion, except that for skinny jeans, the material used is, well, denim. The cut for this kind of jeans is for a particular body type, say for those with skinny legs or a skinny bottom, since the purpose of this style is to emphasize the narrowness of the lower part of the body and create a balance with the upper portion.

But I see a lot of women, especially voluptuous ones, who still sport this kind of cut. They do not realize that skinny jeans tend to magnanimously emphasize their bottom half hence, making them looking much fuller than they are. Because a skinny pair is too tight, it highlights a huge bottom, generous thighs and legs, and chunky calves. Certainly not appealing for full figured women. This will create an imbalance with the upper half of the body, making it look smaller and the woman like a full dimensional pyramid.

Voluptuous women should avoid wearing skinny jeans like a plague. It may seem that I am writing with dark humor on this matter but the fact is, I am just as full sized as the women I described. I strongly recommend cuts that are more flattering for those with heavy bottoms like a loosely flared pair of jeans, or those that are a little snug until the knees and slightly flares down to the heels. This works best with espadrilles or wedges. Everything looks better in high heels.

Photo courtesy of Honeymoonphase.

Manila, Philippines

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

About Manila

Situated in the heart of Luzon, Manila is where ancient ruins and urbane lifestyle naturally merge. Centuries of colonial rule manifests its rich western influence with a twist through the locals’ lifestyle and impressive edifices surrounding this former Paris of the Orient. Leisure walks around this city will take you to historic sites and impressive nature-inspired walk-through malls. Taste the unique native delicacies from thousands of restaurants and you will still find yourself craving for more. Because of its unique charm, you will never get enough of this ancient beautiful city.

Hotels and Resorts

Manila’s hotels are some of the best and most affordable five-star hotels in the world. With sprawling gardens and breath taking landscapes, these hotels offer the best views of the city straight from your room accommodations. A home away from home, the hotels’ exquisite comforts wrapped in utmost luxury will surely envelop your presence. These hotels provide easy access to Manila’s hot spots. Experience first-hand the warm smiles that will greet you as you enter the lobby. The hospitality of the locals is above par all over the world, making your stay comfortable. This tropic destination will not only give you a warm ambiance, it will definitely warm your heart too.

Spas and Medical Tourism

The Philippines lands on the top spot being recognized as the most famous medical tourism destination in the world. Manila is home to some of the best and the brightest in this field. Luxurious spas are located all over the city, offering treatments and relaxing atmosphere that will make you feel pampered like royalty. The spa ambience will appeal to your senses, as you enter the serene and tranquil atmosphere of these establishments. It will seem like you are warped into another world, totally in contrast to the busyness outside its walls. Royalty treatment does not have to cost a fortune though this may be rare. But that is possible only in Manila’s luxury spas.

Client Interviews: Connecting Bridges, Not Burning It

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

The online writing community is a great source of information and support. I am a member of two online writing communities and have benefited a great deal from the expertise and wisdom of more experienced writers. One of the great insights I have learned (from Anne Wayman) concerns interviews with potential clients. When you find that the job you applied for does not interest you, you build bridges. How can this happen when you are subtly turning down a job offer? By simply telling the client that you think you are not the best person suited for the job and informing them that you can refer someone better suited should they need it (and should you know other writers). This way, you are fostering relationships. Who knows? They might have another writing gig that suits your interest if not connect you to another client who has one. The Internet is a huge social network; building relationships can expand your own network and may lead to a better writing opportunity. It wouldn’t hurt to pay it forward.

Six Steps in Starting Your Freelance Writing Career

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

A recent conversation with a friend of mine led to the topic on starting a freelance writing career. She wants to break in the writing market but does not have a clear idea on how to jumpstart. I did not begin my pursuits with a well laid out plan either. I learned things by experience. I wish I was able to minimize the damages I have incurred had I known the steps on getting to where I am now (later I found out there are lots of support online). But just like my friend, I was once a newbie. And I would like to share here some of the “golden nuggets” I have discovered as I began my journey to what is known as freelance writing.

Create your portfolio and yes, online. I thought sending my writing clips as an attachment would just be the fix I need as I sent my applications out. Unfortunately, none of these potential clients responded. The document attachments did not do the trick (unless the clients specify that arrangement). Only when I started my own web log did I see some progress and responses to my job applications. Having an online portfolio does not literally mean posting an online resume, rather it is more of creating your presence online by posting your articles and clips where clients can easily view it. By providing them with a link to view your writing credits, you are giving them the convenience of viewing your writing credits—all in one area. I created mine at WordPress and that seemed to work well. I get to see view page stats, too.

Create a writer’s resume. When clients ask for a resume, do not give out one that is generally-formatted. Place experiences and accomplishments that are related to writing. After all, that is the job you are applying for, right? Lay out your accomplishments starting with the most recent and then go from there. A maximum of two pages would do for a resume. But if you can come up with a page and all your writing experience are already laid out, that would be great as well.

Always write and modify your cover letter. This was one lesson I learned in the long haul. I hated writing my cover letter and I felt it unnecessary to make changes for each job application. I only changed it if my default format was entirely different from what the job description entailed. In the end I realized that my default cover letter was not working. Only after reading Anne Wayman’s tip on writing queries that encouraged me to always start writing cover letters for each job application from scratch. You want to convey to your potential client that you can provide the solution to their problem (from Anne Wayman). By writing from scratch every time you apply, you are not only communicating that solution but improving your cover letter writing skills, too. And boy, did I see positive results! Also, the cover letter needs to be concise. You do not have to lay down every specific writing experience you had. Try to bear in mind that the reason that clients are looking for writers is because they need an extra hand for a huge load of work. Most of the time, they cannot afford to read a lengthy application letter. Try to be brief, but not at the expense of substance.

Set up your payment mode. Online freelance writing is mostly done by telecommute. At most, you will not see the person you are working with face-to-face. Payments are usually done via wire transfer. By initially setting up an account where you can receive your fees, you are saving yourself and your client from additional worries in the future. Make sure that the account you are registering for is available in your area and in your client’s as well. One example (which I use) is Paypal. I have set up my account in Paypal for two reasons: first, it guarantees secure transactions; and second, it is widely used all over the world. Having foreign clients require me to set up an account that is available to them, so I use Paypal.

Look in the right places. There are a lot of writing job markets online. For more details, you can check out my blog about Seven Great Sites for Freelance Writing Jobs. I have updated it from five to seven sites.

Join an online writing community. This was a lesson I learned very late. I wish I had found out earlier but joining an online community of writers provides you great support. Through the forums, you can ask questions from veteran writers about the nitty-gritty of the profession, from getting a writing contract to setting your rates. These online forums also provide great leads for better-paying writing jobs. Most of the writers here are giving in their knowledge and you can benefit from their experience too. But when you learn the ropes, try to pay it forward.

These are the initial insights I have learned in starting my freelance writing career. I hope it will save you from a lot of trouble and become more productive in landing great jobs.

Concession to the 44th US President

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

To date, Barack Obama is the presumptive president. How I wish it were not so. But John McCain in his speech gave a gracious concession, encouraging all Americans to stand as one and support the new president of the United States. His speech was one of the most compelling and the most powerful I have heard–someone who does not rant that he was cheated (contrary to Filipino politics)–and acquiesced to the will of the American electorate. Spoken like a true leader. Spoken like a true president. Congratulations to Sen. Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States.

Standard Writers’ Fees

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

If you are a writer and you have no idea how much you should charge your client for your work, here are the standard rates that you can use as basis. This used to be in the Manila Craigslist site but was flagged down for removal for some reason. Good thing one writer (bless his or her soul) was able to upload it in his or her site.

Writers’ Rates Anywhere

Standard Market Writing Rates for Professional WritersFor those of you who are unsure of what to offer a writer for pay … here is a current standard market writing rate schedule. Of course, all rates can be negotiable to a certain degree, but this should provide you with a strong point of reference. Good luck!

Advertising Material
Copy/Scripts/News Releases
$350 to $500 per page
$750 to $1,000 per project for brochures
$75 to $150 per hour

Articles
$0.40 to $2 per word
$100 to $3,000 per article
$40 to $100 per hour

Corporate/Business Writing
Reports/ Marketing Plans/ Technical Writing
$1 to $2 per word
$300 to $12,000 per project
$50 to $125 per hour

Editing
Varies according to publication/project
$30 to $60 per hour
$500 to $20,000 per project

Ghost Writing
Articles or Books (no credit to writer)
Generally 2-3 times the usual article rate

Books (credit to writer)
$10,000 to $50,000 flat fee
Entire advance + 50% of royalties

Press
News Releases/Studies/Reports
$1 to $3 per word
$500 to $100,000 per project
$50 to $125 per hour

Newsletters
Writing only; layout extra
$0.30 to $1.50 per word
$400 to $6,000 per issue
$50 to $80 per hour

Newspaper Writing
Large Daily Newspapers
$0.30 to $1.00 per word
$250 to $2,500 per article
$330 to $1,250 per column

Smaller Community Newspapers
$0.10 to $0.50 per word
$75 to $1,000 per article
$75 to $500 per column

Online/Web Site Writing
Varies widely; “business” sites pay higher
$1 to $3 per word
$60 to $100 per hour

Periodical Writing
General Interest/Consumer Magazines
$1.00 to $2 per word
$500 to $10,000 per article
$400 to $1,500 per column

Trade/Special Interest Magazines
$0.30 to $2 per word
$500 to $4,000 per article
$300 to $1,000 per column

Scripts
Radio (highly variable)
$40 to $80 per minute of script

Television (highly variable)
$60 to $130 per minute of script

Speech Writing
$500 to $8,000 per speech
$60 to $130 per hour

Teaching/Instruction
$25 to $80 per hour
$200 to $800 per day

Translation/Adaptation
Literary
$0.10 to $0.20 per word

Other
$0.25 to $0.60 per word
$40 to $80 per hour

Seven Great Sites for Freelance Writing Jobs (Updated)

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:21:02 +0000

I have been in the freelance writing block for quite some time and I would have to say that my experience in hunting for writing jobs was not easy. In fact, it was one of the most difficult experiences I had (and still do). While there are many freelance writing jobs out there in the market, not all freelance writing jobs pay well. If you have been into the job sites that I have been to, it is as if you’re offering your intellectual property for free. Sadly, many writers who are trying to break into the freelance market for so long find themselves looking for jobs in the wrong places. Receiving $2 to $3 for a 500-word article is quite low in exchange for the time, talent, and skills that were put into producing quality content. And Because I experienced the rut of being in these wrong places and being paid really low, I am driven to spare other aspiring writers from experiencing such tragedy. This is why I am providing here some great sites to search for freelance writing jobs. These sites have been my favorite go-to places for better paying freelance writing jobs.

http://freelancewritinggigs.com – A site created by Debbie Ng. She has a freelance job section that she regularly updates (almost daily). The job posts provided here pay a minimum of $15 per article. A haven for freelance writers, Debbie also provides tips on improving your craft as a writer.

http://online-writing-jobs.com – This is a database of jobs gathered from the international Craigslist job postings. This is a great site and conveniently so. You can see how many hits a job post has incurred. This site is updated daily, offering a large number of telecommuting positions. Average rates are between $15 to $20 per article. I got my political writing stint here. Be careful with scammers though.

http://aboutfreelancewriting.com – This is Anne Wayman’s site. She is a prolific writer and a successful freelancer. She has authored several ebooks about writing and you can subscribe to her newsletter for free. There is a section about writing gigs which you can check. I think this is updated 2 to 3 times a week.

http://problogger.net – Obviously, Problogger is a job board for bloggers. I have not had any writing engagements from this one so far, but the pay is equally great.

http://writersweekly.com – Writer’s Weekly is Angela Hoy’s site. Angela is also a successful freelance writer. Her site has a freelance writing jobs section which is refreshed every week. One of the great things about her site is she also has a section for magazine publishers. Writers who are interested to send queries will get an idea about the process and how much the publishers offer per word or per article.

http://bestjobs.ph - This is for Filipino writers. I got an excellent paying gig above the standard rates here. You just need to be patient though. And check the client’s background first. If it sounds dubious, don’t go for it.

http://prospectsolution.com – I haven’t written for this site yet. This is a research company based in UK. They are known to pay above the international rates. They pay in Euros and they claim that if you write for them full-time, you can earn as much as 700 Euros in one week. One member in our online community swears by this site. Once your application is approved, they would require specific documents for authenticity though.

I hope these sites will help you land great freelance writing jobs. Receiving $2 to $3 per article is still a writer’s choice. But if you believe you deserve more for your talents and skills (and I believe you do), you can check out these sites and get your application going. But remember, be patient. Just keep trying. Perhaps you are just one click away from a great writing opportunity.