How to Irritate Your Readers - 2 Things to Avoid

by Desolie Page

So often people write basically the way they speak. That has its advantages - friendly, chatty, empathetic.
But it can also have its problems when used in non-fiction.

As writing has always been a more formal way of communication, some aspects of speaking don't transfer well into written language. It can be very embarrassing to read a transcript of, say, a workshop presentation or a discussion. Often sentences are incomplete or poorly structured. It's successful when speaking because there are visual and auditory clues that help the listener understand the message.

However, when writing, those clues aren't present. The writer has to compensate for that by using clear, precise words, and making the text as easy as possible for the reader - lessening the possiblity of irritated readers who don't finish reading the document.

The first item that can be irritating for readers is the use of 'double-speak'. That's when you say the same thing more than once. In formal terms - using a tautology. Because of the speed at which we speak, and the frequency with which tautologies are used, they're often not noticed. But they can be quite noticeable - and possibly irritating - in written language.

• free gift: can a gift be anything but free?
• extra bonus: a bonus is always something extra
• a choice of options
• unite together
• simultaneously at the same time
• continue on
• future predictions
• new innovations
• reduce down
• 5 am in the morning

Yes, such 'double-speak' can be used to stress a point, but generally in non-fiction, you're wanting to get your message across to your reader as clearly and precisely as possible. So it's best to avoid tautologies unless you have a specific reason for them.
The second area is the use of cliches - you know those well-used phrases that we use simply because they're the latest buzz words or because they've been around for ever.

• window of opportunity
• move the goalposts
• bottom line
• the greatest thing since sliced bread

No, there's nothing wrong with any of those phrases in themselves, but finding a fresh way to express your thoughts makes for interesting writing that will hold your readers' attention.

So how about 'Preventing disruption is our most important issue' instead of writing 'Our bottom line is preventing disruption'. The readers' attention is immediately focused on what it is that is so important.
Your task as a writer is to get your message across so that your readers will take the action you're wanting them to. So avoiding 'double-speak' and cliches can reduce the possiblitly of irritated readers who won't be responsive to your message.

For more tips on increasing the effectiveness of your non-fiction writing, visit www.perfectpages.net.au

Desolie Page is an accredited editor and owner of Perfect Pages, a boutique practice that helps business and technical writers sharpen their writing. When you need help with editing, proofreading, copywriting or web content writing, contact me to find out how I can help. Needing to set up a style guide for your organisation? I can help you with that, and train your writers in how to use the guide. I've developed and present workshops for business and technical writers, an excellent way to sharpen your writing. All aspects of my work focus on the use of plain English and ways to increase the readability of your document. I can help you sharpen your writing: your readers will thank you. Find out more about me by visiting http://perfectpages.net.au

How to Write a Proposal for a Non-Profit Organization

by Ian S Lauder

It's hard enough when times are good to get people to fund non-profit projects. When times are tough, deserving organizations have to compete for fewer and fewer resources. People who typically fund non-profits are stretched to their limits, and you need to put together a solid presentation to get their support.

You probably know your organization inside and out, but you might be new to proposal writing. Don't panic. Creating a non-profit business proposal might seem like a daunting task, but there are ways to make your job easier. Plenty of resources exist that will show you how to introduce yourself, highlight your organization, outline your needs, and help donors and supporters understand that you and your cause are worthy of support. Here's the key: you don't have to start by staring a blank computer screen. Using a product that includes pre-written topics and similar sample proposals can help you efficiently create your own winning proposal.

It doesn't matter if you are involved in retraining, education, helping the homeless, providing shelter, saving the environment, improving medical access, recruiting volunteers, or gathering goods for the holidays. The general structure of a non-profit proposal is the same.

New proposal writers sometimes make the mistake of talking too much about themselves and not focusing on the company or organization they are asking for support from. Don't do that. Simply asking for funding or talking about your organization is only part of the challenge. You write a non-profit proposal to persuade another party to give you their money or material support. This means you must gain the trust of the decision makers and convince them that you can effectively deliver the goods and services to those that need them.

In today's competitive environment, you may also have to do more than just show you have a worthy cause. While there are foundations and companies that will provide support and funding without strings attached or expectations of anything in return, you may have to think of asking for support or funding in terms of a potential marketing avenue for the donor. Your proposal will be more persuasive when you can outline all of the benefits you can provide to the supporting organization.

So you would benefit from including topics such as your Constituency, Market and Audience, Demographics, and so on. Combine these with a Marketing Plan and list of Benefits to show how the funding company would benefit from supporting your cause. Use topics such as Social Responsibility and Philanthropy to explain how supporting your organization will raise the visibility of the company in the community and show them in a positive light. You not only want to highlight your organization and what you have to offer, but also describe how beneficial the association of the two parties would be to the funding company.

As a general rule to prepare for writing your non-profit proposal, your first step should be to do research and gather information about the potential funding company so that you can present a proposal that is tailored to that funder. Yes, that might take some extra work, but the effort will pay off by making your proposal more likely to be accepted. You don't win in a competitive market by doing things half-way. Established organizations that provide funding usually have an established culture, strategy, and rules for accepting or rejecting requests. If you understand how those organizations operate and the types of projects they typically support, you can tailor your request accordingly.

After you've gathered information about your prospective funder, writing the proposal should be a reasonably straightforward process. That's because most proposals seeking funding or support follow a similar structure: an introduction, then a summary of the needs that are not currently being met which you are addressing, followed by descriptions of the services you will provide or the project you are proposing, as well as details and costs. Next, provide information to help the funder understand how their organization would benefit from supporting your cause. Explain the benefits you can provide to them in exchange for their support. Finally, the proposal should conclude with information about your organization, such as History, relevant Experience, Credentials, and Capabilities, Vision, Mission Statement, and so on.

The introduction section is usually only a Cover Letter and a Title Page. The Cover Letter should deliver a personal introduction, provide your organization's contact information, and state your request. The Title Page is just what it sounds like: a name for your proposal that indicates the project or scope of services you will provide. Some examples might be "Northridge Community Center Needs 100 Bed Expansion," "South Sound Wildlife Refuge Needs Cleanup Volunteers," "HIV Awareness Tour," or "Healthy Moms, Healthy Children."

Next, add topic pages to show the issues faced by the cause you support. Describe the financial and political support that you need and explain your goals. In this section, you would add pages with titles like Executive Summary, Needs Assessment, Goals and Objectives, Implementation Plan, Project Background, and so on.

After your cause is covered, add topic pages to show that you understand the organization you are requesting support or funding from. This is where you would outline what they would receive for supporting you: the pages here would have titles like Benefits, Philanthropy, Marketing Plan, and Social Responsibility.

After the sections describing the needs and showing the benefits to the funder comes your turn to talk about what you can do. Include topics like Project Management, Project Methods, and Personnel. The final section should be all about generating trust in your organization. This is where you will put topics describing your organization, such as Evaluation, Resources, Sources of Funds, Use of Funds, Sustainability, Future Potential, Supporters, Partnerships, Mission Statement, Tax Status, Legal Structure, Credentials, Capabilities, Programs and Activities, Awards and Achievements and so on. In other words, include everything you need to convince the funder that you can be trusted to deliver on your promises, that you have the resources to deliver, and (if needed) that you have a plan for the longevity of the program. Conclude your proposal with a call to action. You can use the Funding Request template to specifically ask for the funding, request other support such as Volunteering, or ask to schedule a meetin for further discussion.

After you have all the information written for your proposal, it's time to focus on making your proposal visually appealing by adding color and graphics. Incorporate your company logo and use a matching title page cover. Consider colored page borders and or adding custom bullet points and fonts that match your business style.

Once you feel your proposal information and formatting is complete, carefully proofread and spell-check all the pages. You should have someone who is unfamiliar with your proposal proof it as well, because it's very common to miss mistakes in your own work.

Finally, save your proposal as a PDF file or print it and then deliver it to the potential funder. The best delivery method will depend on your organization and your relationship with the funder. You might want to email a PDF file to your potential funder, but keep in mind that a printed and hand-delivered proposal might prove that you value the relationship enough to make a personal effort.

As you can see, a non-profit proposal will vary in details for each organization and project. But it's nice to know that non-profit proposals follow a similar format and structure, and you can find all the topic pages you need in a proposal kit. A kit of templates contains explanations of the information that particular proposal pages should contain, and they will guide you in writing and formatting your proposal sections. To further help you out, a proposal kit also contains a wide variety of sample non-profit proposals. Perusing these will spark your creativity and help you quickly craft your own winning nonprofit proposal.

About the author:
Ian Lauder has been helping businesses and individuals write their proposals and contracts since 1999.  For more tips and best practices when writing your business proposals and legal contracts visit http://www.proposalkit.com

Citing References in Research Papers

by Celia Webb

Style manuals contain standards for written works including how references should be listed. There are two widely accepted standards for citing references. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, usually called the APA style, is used for psychology papers. Also, many high schools, colleges and universities require the APA style for research papers. The other accepted standard is the Modern Language Association Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, normally called the MLA Handbook. Find out which standard is required prior to starting your research as the information needed for the citation varies slightly depending on the required style manual.

Style manuals are updated annually so check for the latest version at your library or on the internet.

The full list of all works cited in your paper should be included in a section called References or Works Cited. Bibliographies follow the same formats as the References or Works Cited section but include all works consulted in the development of the paper. Arrange the reference citations alphabetically. Double-space the lines of the entry. Use one space after any punctuation mark.

APA Style. There are two formats for references.

1. The first format is used for notes included in the text. These documentary notes are parenthetical. The author's last name is followed by a comma and the date of publication. If the reference is to a specific page or pages in that text or includes a quotation, a page or chapter number must be included.

(Rosati, 2001)

(Rosati, 2001, p. 37)

(Rosati, 2001, pp. 37-110)

If the documentary note is for a publication without author credit, use the title and date of the publication. Italicize or underline such titles to match the way they appear in the reference list, but omit quotation marks.

2. The second format is in the reference list at the end of the paper. The reference list must include all citations in the text. Entries are double-spaced with a hanging indentation. The second line and following lines are indented a half an inch, which is a default setting in word processing programs. The examples below show entries for different types of reference material -- book, article in a journal or magazine, website, in that order. Note that website references are hyperlinked, but not underlined. To remove the underlining automatically supplied by software programs, highlight the URL, press CTRL, and then press the letter U twice. The linked reference will be displayed in blue or purple.

Book:

Rosati, P. (2001). Bookbinding Basics. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing.

Article:

Allen, M. (2004, January). The e-publishing shakedown. The Writer, 117(1), 15-16.

Website:

Halsted, J. W. (1990). Guiding the gifted reader. ERIC EC Digest E481. Retrieved from



"http://kidsource.com"
MLA Style. The MLA style also has two formats for references.

1. The first format is the in-text references (or documentary notes) which are parenthetical and include the author name and a page reference.

(Rosati 36).

2. The second format is for the reference list at the end of the paper. Examine the examples below which use the same example references as before. Note the differences in order, information included, and punctuation.

Book:

Rosati, Paola. Bookbinding Basics. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing, (2001). Print.

Article:

Allen, Moira. "The e-publishing shakedown." The Writer Jan. 2004: 15-16. Print.

Website:

Halsted, Judith W. "Guiding the gifted reader." ERIC EC Digest E481. 1990.



"http://kidsource.com"
There are exact specifications for each type of reference material. For a comprehensive list containing examples of different types of reference material, search the internet for "APA style examples" or "MLA style examples".

Celia Webb

President, Pilinut Press, Inc.

http://www.pilinutpress.com/

Publishers of advanced readers for children and ESL students

Beginning a Sentence with AND - a Violation or Not?

by Brian Scott

Writers violate the laws of grammar most frequently when they use the conjunction "and" at the beginning of a sentence. A sentence begun with "and" weakens it rather than strengthens it by its use. If "conjunctions connect words and sentences" and "a period at the end makes a declarative or imperative sentence," then it is incorrect and improper to begin a sentence with the conjunction "and" immediately after a period.

No sentence, whether followed by a declarative, imperative, interrogative, or exclamatory sentence, should begin with the conjunction "and."

In almost any book, magazine, newspaper and on websites and blogs, we can find many instances where the writer could have avoided starting a sentence with "and" without any loss to the language. We can also find improper uses of "and" in works on grammar. Many writers on the subject of grammar are inconsistent with their own rules in this respect.

You should avoid using "and" to begin a sentence, especially if the sentence makes complete sense without it. If a sentence cannot sustain itself without the conjunction "and" standing before it, then the punctuation is faulty and you need to change it. You should supersede the period preceding the conjunction with a colon, a semicolon, or a comma.

Grammar 101 - When to Use Who Or Whom

by KJ Hutchings

Knowing how to correctly use "who" and "whom" may seem a little out-dated and persnickety, reminiscent of grammar lessons by strict English teachers, but the correct usage remains important when writing in a formal manner. Awareness of the distinction is essential in this respect otherwise you could risk sounding rather pompous, not to mention grammatically confused. So, what is the distinction between "who" and "whom" and how do we use them?

Both words are pronouns but the crucial distinction is that "who" is used as the subject in a sentence, whereas "whom" is the object. Here's an example:

Who paid for the newspaper? Who photocopied the report? Who likes ice-cream?

Here, "who" is the subject in each of the sentences. Now we'll see how "whom" is used when we need to refer to the object of a verb:

To whom does this bag belong? To whom it may concern. Whom do I love the most?

Okay, so we know about subjects and objects, but it can still be tricky to decipher the usage. One way to do this is to ask yourself if the answer to the question is "he" or "him". If you can answer with "he", you need to use "who" and if you can answer with "him", you need to use "whom". This is a straightforward way of remembering how to use "who" or "whom" correctly. Let's see some more examples:

Question: To (who or whom) did the award go?

Answer: It went to him.

Therefore, the correct pronoun for the question is "whom" - to whom did the award go?

Question: (Who or whom) went to the beach?

Answer: He went to the beach.

So, the correct pronoun here is "who" - who went to the beach?

Finally, here is a handy mnemonic to help you remember the distinction between an object and a subject. In the phrase "I love you", the "you" is the object of your love and the object of the sentence. The "I" is the subject. Therefore, it is correct to say "Whom do I love?" because the answer is "you" (whom), the object.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
KJ Hutchings is the founder of KJ Language Services, offering editing, writing and proofreading services and advice on how you can make your English language documents the very best they can be. For more information, visit http://www.kjlanguageservices.com/

Use Metaphors and Similes to Find Nonfiction Writing Ideas

by Katherine Ploeger

Two writing methods useful to spice up your writing and make it more fun is to use a metaphor or simile to illustrate a point in your writing.

METAPHOR OR SIMILE DEFINED

Both a metaphor and a simile are statements of comparison between two different items that share one aspect or trait in common. Unlike analogies that use five or six points of comparison, a metaphor or simile uses only one and lets the reader extend the thought on their own.

A metaphor uses the wording, "X is Y." For example, "Life is a banquet." The reader thinks about a banquet, picturing all the food, people, fun, and activities and then relates those images back to life, with the reader seeing the similarities. The point(s) of comparison are implied but rarely explained.

A simile uses the wording, "X is like Y" or "X is as Y," with the comparison being explicit, that is, with more of an explanation. For example, one of the famous line from Forrest Gump is "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you will get." That simile actually gives an explanation in addition to the simile itself, just in case we do not realize that a box of chocolates usually have different flavors or types contained within.

In selecting the right metaphor or simile, make sure the point you are making with that figure of speech matches exactly the tone and topic of your writing. A mismatch will either sound strange or become unintentionally funny, neither of which would be a good reaction.

These comparisons are trickier to come up with than, say, examples, but they can add spice and interesting content to your writing when you get them right.

WHEN TO USE METAPHORS AND SIMILES

Use them when you have found one that really fits the writing situation. Do not overuse them, as their use should be a little added spice. Too much and the spice becomes overwhelming.

With that said, if you are trying for humor, an excessive number of metaphors and similes could work in your favor, but again, be careful to get them right.

TWO EXAMPLES

Here is another metaphor: "Life is a bouquet of flowers, varied and beautiful."

Here is another simile: "Life is like a picnic: it is best when shared."

QUESTIONS FOR DETERMINING USE OF METAPHORS OR SIMILES

1. Do you have a point being made that could really benefit from one of these?

2. Do you have a metaphor or simile that you would like to use in the writing? Find the right place to put it, making sure it fits exactly.

3. Do you need to give credit to an author for providing the metaphor or simile or is it considered common knowledge? Do check this out and give credit where credit is due.

4. If you feel you need to put a metaphor or simile someplace in your writing but cannot find one that someone else said, then come up with one of your own. Focus on the point you want to make with the figure of speech and then think. If one does not come to mind, think about something else, and let it come to you unheeded.

Using metaphors and similes can add spice and fun to your writing, but only if done well and sparingly.

Katherine Ploeger, MA, MFA, is a writer, editor, writing coach & consultant, and publisher. She writes practical, process-oriented publications for writers of all types. She publishes at Quilliful Publications ( http://quillifulpublications.com ). Her latest book is "Write That Nonfiction Book: The Whole Process." She also writes workbooks for writers. Two recently published are "Common Writing Errors Workbook" and "Time Travel Workbook for Fiction Writers." She also offers lots of free and helpful information at her blog, Katie's Writing Notes at http://katieploeger.com.

Creating the Positively Perfect Title For Your Writing

by Lindsay Price

Titles are important and it's careless to think otherwise. The title is the doorway into whatever world you've spent time and effort to create. If you or your writing are not a known quantity, an audience will decide whether or not to pick up your novel based on the title. An audience will decide whether or not to see your play or movie based on the title. Titles can draw an audience in or turn them quickly away. Titles can make you a lot of money, or a little. That's a lot of pressure to place on a few words that took considerable less time to write than the work itself!

The art of the title is tricky. It's a tightrope. Titles have to convey something about the particular work. Titles have to entice an audience and make them want to know more. Titles have to be interesting, specific and efficient. But if they're too specific and too clever that can confuse an audience. A good title will put you on the right path toward finding an audience for your writing. How do you create the perfect title for your writing?

First or Last?

There are just as many how-to lists that will urge you to come up with the title at the start of the writing process as there are for you to wait till the very end. The truth is 'when' doesn't matter. If you come up with something right away, that's great. Write it down and once you've finished the particular project, use the title test below to see if it's still suitable. If nothing comes to mind right away, do not worry. Focus on the task at hand and when you're done writing, then worry about the title.

The Most Important Words.

The best starting point for any title is the work itself. Go through your writing and highlight individual significant words. Words that mean something to the story, to the characters, to the theme. Individual words are better than going after sentences or paragraphs: you're always looking to write a leanefficient title. Write out the words in a point form list. Are there any that go together? Any synonyms that might work? Is there alliteration? What is the most important word?

The Most Important Images.

After you search through the text for the most important words, write a list of images that come to mind when you read your work. Images are a powerful tool for titles: aim to create an image in the minds of the audience. If the audience can 'see' your work through an image in the title, it creates a connection between them and you. What are the most important images in your writing? What pictures come to mind?

Quotes Can Be Key.

Still stuck? Start looking up quotes inspired by the themes in your work. Famous quotes, inspirational quotes, quotes from literature. Lines of poetry are useful because more often than not they're written as images. Shakespeare is also another imagistic writer. What famous Shakespeare quotes can be connected to the theme of your work?

The Title Test.

You have a couple of titles you're kicking around but you're not sure which to go with. Give the titles to your family, friends, fellow writers,colleagues , anyone and everyone, and have them answer the questions below. It would be better if these outside eyes haven't read the work before hand; you just want to know the impact of the title.

• Based on the title, what's this (novel, short story, play, movie) about?
• Who is the main character?
• What's the first image that pops into your mind?
• What's the first emotion that pops into your mind?
• What question does the title make you ask?
• Do you want to know more about this work? On a scale of 1-10 how badly do you want to know more?

You'll want to give the title test to at least five people. This way you can see which questions garner similar answers, and which widely vary. And if every person talking the test would not want to know more, strongly consider changing that title!

Lindsay Price is the resident playwright for Theatrefolk, an independent publisher of playscripts for schools and student performers. http://www.theatrefolk.com/blog