How do you deal with dead, empty space while speaking? Do you pause contemplatively letting your listener take in the information you are sharing? Or instead of quietly pausing, do you fill it up the space with something--anything--just to avoid the silence? If you have the tendency to fill the space with words, you are not alone!
Here are some common words and phrases that many people use to fill space while speaking. See if you recognize any of them in your own speech:
"um" and "uh" "You know what I mean?" and "You know?" "and stuff" "anyway" "like" "and" (or another conjunction used to string sentences together)
An alternative to this habit is the adoption of a unique phrase or word. For example, on a recent trip to the computer store, the gentleman working with me said, "BAM!" every time he showed me something on the computer. He would type in an instruction, hit "return" and say "BAM!" When he printed something off for me, he said "BAM! There it is." It was cute but none-the-less distracting.
One of the worse cases I've seen of someone using word fillers was seeing a colleague include fillers in writing! It was almost like his fillers were a part of his thinking process!
In spontaneous conversation or while making a presentation, fillers distract and bore the listener. Why? For one thing, the natural flow of speech is interrupted and the speech sounds disjointed. This causes the listener to be distracted making it more difficult to follow the story line.
Secondly, word fillers tend not to add value or meaning to the topic. Even "you know what I mean?" is meaningless if used too often and if the speaker doesn't actually wait for a response. Again, it distracts the listener from the speaker's message.
Fillers like the ones mentioned above aren't just distracting. They diminish our presence as professionals. Think of a polished speaker who you know. Does he/she have word fillers in speech? The recent presidential nominations offer us many opportunities to listen and observe many speakers. The speakers who use "um" are less polished and less effective.
Consider how you feel when you experience a person talking with word fillers. Do you get annoyed? Or feel impatient? Do you listen to the message or do you tune him/her out?
To figure out if you use fillers and just how often, ask a partner whom you trust to listen to you while you speak for a minute. Talk about yourself or your business. Ask your partner to count the number and type of fillers that you use in one minute. Another technique is to record yourself speaking on the telephone and then listen to the recording and count instances of "ums" or other fillers in your speech. Bringing awareness of this habit to a conscious level can be humiliating!
Once you have awareness of your speech, pick a time during the day that you can work on eliminating this behavior. An excellent place to start to making changes to your speech is while you speak on the telephone. Again, tape record your end of the conversation and listen to yourself after the call, you will be able to monitor changes even better. Establish a goal of reducing the number of "um"s you will use that is less than the number you use now. A few "ums" aren't distracting but a lot of them are. Work towards using none or 1-2 in a minute.
Like anything else, developing new behaviours takes time, patience and practice. Being an effective, polished speaker is hard work but reaps benefits if achieved!
Copyright (c) 2008 Lynda Stucky
Lynda Stucky is an expert at working with people who want to speak with clarity, credibility, and influence. President and owner of ClearlySpeaking, her background in speech pathology offers unique skills for consulting business professionals on communication skills including accent modification (regional and foreign), voice care, vocal dynamics, diction, grammar and how to speak concisely. http://www.clearly-speaking.com
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Saturday, September 27, 2008
English Language Learning Meets the Mobile Phone
Urban Planet Mobile has launched Urban English(tm), the first, biggest, and best audio English learning line created specifically for mobile phone distribution. Urban English(tm) is available worldwide, launching at the international wireless association (CTIA) conference September 10, 2008.
The English language learning market is explosive with over 1.1 billion people worldwide learning English today. That number is projected to reach 2 billion by 2020. The market spent $20 billion in 2007 on English learning materials. That amount is expected to reach up to $30 billion for 2008.
The market for English learning products is tremendous. Likewise, the mobile phone market has rocketed to 3.3 billion people using mobile phones worldwide.
Urban Planet Mobile CEO Brian OliverSmith immediately saw the combined market potential. "Having successfully built an audio publishing company, I researched the biggest audio market worldwide. Next to music, language learning products are it," says OliverSmith. "The mobile phone is fundamentally an audio delivery device. I determined to build Urban English(tm), audio English lessons, specifically for mobile phone distribution. Now I am introducing the markets to one another and watching the fireworks."
Each Urban English(tm) audio word-a-day, phrase-a-day, and learning comprehension conversation reaches more than 80% of mobile phones. The technology for delivery is in place. The devices are in the hands of the people already. With a simple, affordable subscription delivery model, people worldwide can have audio English programs at their fingertips.
The markets available September 2008 are native Mandarin, Spanish, Hindi, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Bengali, Russian, Arabic, and Portuguese speakers learning English. Urban Planet Mobile expects to expand to additional markets by January 2009.
Website: http://www.urbanplanetmobile.com/
The English language learning market is explosive with over 1.1 billion people worldwide learning English today. That number is projected to reach 2 billion by 2020. The market spent $20 billion in 2007 on English learning materials. That amount is expected to reach up to $30 billion for 2008.
The market for English learning products is tremendous. Likewise, the mobile phone market has rocketed to 3.3 billion people using mobile phones worldwide.
Urban Planet Mobile CEO Brian OliverSmith immediately saw the combined market potential. "Having successfully built an audio publishing company, I researched the biggest audio market worldwide. Next to music, language learning products are it," says OliverSmith. "The mobile phone is fundamentally an audio delivery device. I determined to build Urban English(tm), audio English lessons, specifically for mobile phone distribution. Now I am introducing the markets to one another and watching the fireworks."
Each Urban English(tm) audio word-a-day, phrase-a-day, and learning comprehension conversation reaches more than 80% of mobile phones. The technology for delivery is in place. The devices are in the hands of the people already. With a simple, affordable subscription delivery model, people worldwide can have audio English programs at their fingertips.
The markets available September 2008 are native Mandarin, Spanish, Hindi, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Bengali, Russian, Arabic, and Portuguese speakers learning English. Urban Planet Mobile expects to expand to additional markets by January 2009.
Website: http://www.urbanplanetmobile.com/
Friday, September 26, 2008
Understanding Parts of Speech For the Adverbialy Challenged by Mervyn Love
Don't know your adjectives from your conjunctions? Got only a vague idea that a verb might possibly be an action word? Fret no more. Here is the Janet and John training course for the parts-of-speech-challenged writer. Read on and you'll be conjuncting and interjecting before you know where you are. Really? Really! OK then, in for a penny...
1. Adjective. This is a word that adds a description to an object, person, place etc.
Example: 'Mary's house had a lovely blue door'. 'Door' is the object whilst 'lovely' and 'blue' describe what sort of door it is, These are adjectives that describe said door. Simple, eh?
2. Verb. As my old English teacher wisely said "A verb is a 'doing' word". It indicates movement; something going on. And here's the clincher: a word is a verb if you can put the word 'to' in front of it and it still makes sense. So we can have: to fly, to gravitate, to uphold, to petrify. You can't have 'to digestion', unless you're proposing a toast.
If you've been following along so far, you might perk up and ask: 'What's the difference between fly, flew and flying? It's not righ to say "to flew" is it?' Quite right, but 'flew' is the past tense of 'fly' so it's still a verb. 'Flying' however, describes what an aircraft, for instance, is doing, and is therefore an adjective.
3. Adverb. These are similar to adjectives except that this time they describe a verb. So we can say 'the plane flew swiftly through the sky'. 'Flew' is the 'doing' or action word, 'quickly' describes how the action was done. Again: 'Clarissa loved to watch the horse gracefully canter around the ring.' 'Canter' is the verb (to canter) and 'gracefully' is the adverb describing how the horse cantered.
4. Article. These are unbelievably simple. Yaawn! An article is one of three little words we use all the time: 'a', 'an' and 'the'. I read recently that they are "used to signal the presence of a noun". Gosh, what does that mean? Put simply it means they go before the name of something, like: 'a brick flew out of his hand...' Or: 'the brick hit Rodney on the nose.' Or: 'an brick fell off the wall'. No, no that's not right. We use 'an' when the next word starts with a vowel. OK, so: 'an extruded brick fell off the wall'. (Yes, there really are such things - I looked it up.) 'A' and 'an' are known as indefinite articles because they could refer to just any old brick, whereas 'the' is the definite article when we're talking about a specific brick.
5. Noun. This just means it's the name of an object or person, such as: door, bicycle, sandwich, skyscraper. Or it could be a person: Bill, Maisy, Trayci, Algernon, Kerryn. How easy is that?
6. Pronoun. A substitute for a noun: he, she, it, that. So instead of: 'Trayci stamped on Algernon's foot' (the little minx!), we could say 'she stamped on Algernon's foot' providing it is clear who the 'she' was in the first place. We can't have readers thinking it was Maisy, can we? She would never do such a thing.
7. Preposition. The secret here is the word hidden within 'preposition'. Got it? Yes, it's the word 'position'. A preposition describes where something (a noun) is situated (its position) in relation to something else (another noun). Not so simple this, but a couple of examples should make it clear:
'The telephone (noun) was on (preposition) the table (noun). 'The telephone gyrated gracefully three feet above (preposition) the table.' (Fantasy writers take note!)
8. Conjunction. Conjunctions such as 'and', 'or', 'for', 'because', or 'yet' are words that join words, phrases, and clauses together. There are more of these than you can shake a past participal at so we won't go too deep. And to make matters worse you can have different types of conjunctions. Scary.
Let's be satisfied with: Bread 'and' butter; I love Mary's door 'because' it's my favourite colour; They could find neither hair 'nor' hide of him.
Besides, I'm nearly out of single quotes.
9. Interjection. One of my favourite parts of speech this. Is it! Gosh! I didn't know that! Yes, dear reader, these remarks are interjections because they show surprise. They are exclamations, and they can stand alone even though they are often not proper sentences. Amazing!
So there you have it. You can go out into the literary world proudly confident that you can now amaze your friends and grandchildren with your arcane knowledge. Just don't show off too much. No-one likes a clever cloggs.
Mervyn Love writes on several topics including creative writing. His website http://www.WritersReign.co.uk has a mind-boggling array of resources, articles and links to keep any writer happy for hours. Subscribe to the WritersReign Article Writing course here: http://www.writersreign.co.uk/WRac.html
1. Adjective. This is a word that adds a description to an object, person, place etc.
Example: 'Mary's house had a lovely blue door'. 'Door' is the object whilst 'lovely' and 'blue' describe what sort of door it is, These are adjectives that describe said door. Simple, eh?
2. Verb. As my old English teacher wisely said "A verb is a 'doing' word". It indicates movement; something going on. And here's the clincher: a word is a verb if you can put the word 'to' in front of it and it still makes sense. So we can have: to fly, to gravitate, to uphold, to petrify. You can't have 'to digestion', unless you're proposing a toast.
If you've been following along so far, you might perk up and ask: 'What's the difference between fly, flew and flying? It's not righ to say "to flew" is it?' Quite right, but 'flew' is the past tense of 'fly' so it's still a verb. 'Flying' however, describes what an aircraft, for instance, is doing, and is therefore an adjective.
3. Adverb. These are similar to adjectives except that this time they describe a verb. So we can say 'the plane flew swiftly through the sky'. 'Flew' is the 'doing' or action word, 'quickly' describes how the action was done. Again: 'Clarissa loved to watch the horse gracefully canter around the ring.' 'Canter' is the verb (to canter) and 'gracefully' is the adverb describing how the horse cantered.
4. Article. These are unbelievably simple. Yaawn! An article is one of three little words we use all the time: 'a', 'an' and 'the'. I read recently that they are "used to signal the presence of a noun". Gosh, what does that mean? Put simply it means they go before the name of something, like: 'a brick flew out of his hand...' Or: 'the brick hit Rodney on the nose.' Or: 'an brick fell off the wall'. No, no that's not right. We use 'an' when the next word starts with a vowel. OK, so: 'an extruded brick fell off the wall'. (Yes, there really are such things - I looked it up.) 'A' and 'an' are known as indefinite articles because they could refer to just any old brick, whereas 'the' is the definite article when we're talking about a specific brick.
5. Noun. This just means it's the name of an object or person, such as: door, bicycle, sandwich, skyscraper. Or it could be a person: Bill, Maisy, Trayci, Algernon, Kerryn. How easy is that?
6. Pronoun. A substitute for a noun: he, she, it, that. So instead of: 'Trayci stamped on Algernon's foot' (the little minx!), we could say 'she stamped on Algernon's foot' providing it is clear who the 'she' was in the first place. We can't have readers thinking it was Maisy, can we? She would never do such a thing.
7. Preposition. The secret here is the word hidden within 'preposition'. Got it? Yes, it's the word 'position'. A preposition describes where something (a noun) is situated (its position) in relation to something else (another noun). Not so simple this, but a couple of examples should make it clear:
'The telephone (noun) was on (preposition) the table (noun). 'The telephone gyrated gracefully three feet above (preposition) the table.' (Fantasy writers take note!)
8. Conjunction. Conjunctions such as 'and', 'or', 'for', 'because', or 'yet' are words that join words, phrases, and clauses together. There are more of these than you can shake a past participal at so we won't go too deep. And to make matters worse you can have different types of conjunctions. Scary.
Let's be satisfied with: Bread 'and' butter; I love Mary's door 'because' it's my favourite colour; They could find neither hair 'nor' hide of him.
Besides, I'm nearly out of single quotes.
9. Interjection. One of my favourite parts of speech this. Is it! Gosh! I didn't know that! Yes, dear reader, these remarks are interjections because they show surprise. They are exclamations, and they can stand alone even though they are often not proper sentences. Amazing!
So there you have it. You can go out into the literary world proudly confident that you can now amaze your friends and grandchildren with your arcane knowledge. Just don't show off too much. No-one likes a clever cloggs.
Mervyn Love writes on several topics including creative writing. His website http://www.WritersReign.co.uk has a mind-boggling array of resources, articles and links to keep any writer happy for hours. Subscribe to the WritersReign Article Writing course here: http://www.writersreign.co.uk/WRac.html
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Three Easy Steps To Learn Business English
Most business English students spend hundreds of hours studying business English vocabulary and conversations from textbooks. Yet many fail to get results, often expressing frustration with their slow progress.
Fortunately, research in English language education has identified more effective methods for learning. In particular, the work of Dr. Stephen Krashen, a professor at the University of Southern California, points to a powerful new way to learn business English.
According to the research, three key methods can be used to maximize results.
1. Focus On Authentic Business Content
Most learners use textbooks and vocabulary lists when studying business English. They study business terminology in isolation, with a focus on analyzing the mechanics of the English language. A wide variety of research shows that students soon forget what is learned in this way.
To learn language quickly, learners must use authentic materials that create a strong connection to their own life. For example, a marketing intern should study authentic articles about marketing which relate as closely as possible to their own job. Ideally, the students uses materials that are created for native English speakers, such as magazines, books, and business podcasts.
Research done at Shenandoah University shows that by using “authentic materials” rather than text books, students learn more vocabulary and remember it longer when authentic materials are used.
2. Use Listen and Answer Business English Lessons
Traditional business English lessons encourage the learner to be passive. The student listens or reads, then repeats standard words or phrases.
Research by language education expert Blaine Ray shows that “Listen and Answer Story Lessons” are much more powerful. In Listen and Answer lessons, the teacher asks a large number of simple questions in English. The student must answer every question quickly.
The process of constantly and quickly answering questions trains the student to think and answer in English- with no time for translation. The result is faster and more fluent speech.
3. Learn Business English With The Ears, Not The Mouth
One key finding of Dr. Krashen’s research is that the key to speaking English well is listening. Contrary to popular belief, speaking practice does not improve speaking quickly. The key to fast improvement in speech is to listen to a large amount of understandable English.
A.J. Hoge, Director of The Effortless English Club’s Online Education Department at www.EffortlessEnglishClub.com, recommends that "students should spend 80% of their study time listening and 20% of their study time reading. Speech should not be practiced at all- but rather allowed to happen in an effortless way"
Research shows that these three methods, when used together consistently, produce results 4-5 times faster than traditional business English programs.
Dr. Stephen Krashen’s research can be found at www.sdkrashen.com
The Effortless English Club’s Business English page can be found at http://effortlessenglishclub.com/business-english-success
Fortunately, research in English language education has identified more effective methods for learning. In particular, the work of Dr. Stephen Krashen, a professor at the University of Southern California, points to a powerful new way to learn business English.
According to the research, three key methods can be used to maximize results.
1. Focus On Authentic Business Content
Most learners use textbooks and vocabulary lists when studying business English. They study business terminology in isolation, with a focus on analyzing the mechanics of the English language. A wide variety of research shows that students soon forget what is learned in this way.
To learn language quickly, learners must use authentic materials that create a strong connection to their own life. For example, a marketing intern should study authentic articles about marketing which relate as closely as possible to their own job. Ideally, the students uses materials that are created for native English speakers, such as magazines, books, and business podcasts.
Research done at Shenandoah University shows that by using “authentic materials” rather than text books, students learn more vocabulary and remember it longer when authentic materials are used.
2. Use Listen and Answer Business English Lessons
Traditional business English lessons encourage the learner to be passive. The student listens or reads, then repeats standard words or phrases.
Research by language education expert Blaine Ray shows that “Listen and Answer Story Lessons” are much more powerful. In Listen and Answer lessons, the teacher asks a large number of simple questions in English. The student must answer every question quickly.
The process of constantly and quickly answering questions trains the student to think and answer in English- with no time for translation. The result is faster and more fluent speech.
3. Learn Business English With The Ears, Not The Mouth
One key finding of Dr. Krashen’s research is that the key to speaking English well is listening. Contrary to popular belief, speaking practice does not improve speaking quickly. The key to fast improvement in speech is to listen to a large amount of understandable English.
A.J. Hoge, Director of The Effortless English Club’s Online Education Department at www.EffortlessEnglishClub.com, recommends that "students should spend 80% of their study time listening and 20% of their study time reading. Speech should not be practiced at all- but rather allowed to happen in an effortless way"
Research shows that these three methods, when used together consistently, produce results 4-5 times faster than traditional business English programs.
Dr. Stephen Krashen’s research can be found at www.sdkrashen.com
The Effortless English Club’s Business English page can be found at http://effortlessenglishclub.com/business-english-success
Saturday, September 20, 2008
PR News Releases DOA? Quick Tips for Better Writing, Media Relations
Wondering why your news isn't getting through? In some cases, it may be DOA (dead on arrival) and you may never have had the benefit of a crime scene investigation (CSI) to tell you why, until now.
With former journalists on staff, including a Pulitzer Prize nominee, Gable PR helps clients increase results in media relations and reduce wasted efforts. We regularly check with former colleagues and friends in the media to find out what they like and don't like, resulting in the following 10-point CSI on why releases arrive DOA:
1. Wrong Publication -- Major cause: not understanding what the media use or don't use, such as sending a color mug shot of the new VP marketing at a private start-up to The Wall Street Journal, blasting an earnings report from a local company to the business editors of every major daily newspaper in the country, sending new product stories to magazines that cover trends and vice versa.
2. Wrong Target -- The most egregious: sending something addressed simply to the Editor or an editor long departed. Also misdirection: A biotech pitch aimed at the telecom writer; a software story to the city columnist.
3. Lame Subject Line -- Bad examples include "See the attached" (with nothing in the message section); "for immediate release"; anything that includes leading, paradigm, synergy, best of breed, solutions, superlatives; an exclamation point (!); or no subject line. The best are like hot headlines in the tabloids - three to eight words that grab attention.
4. Obvious Spam -- Anything with more than one name in the "TO:" line.
5. Clogging the Pipeline -- Not every writer/editor is on DSL or a cable modem connection. Don't send big attachments that take forever to download. You may never get through. Email software can alert to any file over a certain size, say 100kb, so it can be deleted from the server without being downloaded, or read. Give them a link, or the option to reply and ask for more.
6. Bad Headlines -- Think like an editor. Simply ask yourself, from an outside point of view: so what and who cares?
7. Burying the News -- If it's not in the headline, first paragraph, or both, it's goodbye.
8. Lack of Style -- Beyond content, connect with the media in their own news style, which is dictated by the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual (Perseus Books). Typical errors: capitalizing every possible title after a name (Joe Smythe, Asst. Vice President of Outside Sales, Lower Echelon Division), leaving out a first or last name of a person cited in the story, or their titles, or both.
9. Content, of Course -- Lack of news, unsubstantiated claims (world leader), superlatives, lack of supporting data, hyperbole, self-serving quotes by the CEO or others, jargon-laden copy understood by only a few engineers, Ph.D. or cognoscenti in the business.
10. Credibility -- Some media employ a so-called Bozo Filter to automatically delete, unread, any email from certain companies and agencies based on their previous performance, or lack of same.
(For more information: http://www.gablepr.com/)
With former journalists on staff, including a Pulitzer Prize nominee, Gable PR helps clients increase results in media relations and reduce wasted efforts. We regularly check with former colleagues and friends in the media to find out what they like and don't like, resulting in the following 10-point CSI on why releases arrive DOA:
1. Wrong Publication -- Major cause: not understanding what the media use or don't use, such as sending a color mug shot of the new VP marketing at a private start-up to The Wall Street Journal, blasting an earnings report from a local company to the business editors of every major daily newspaper in the country, sending new product stories to magazines that cover trends and vice versa.
2. Wrong Target -- The most egregious: sending something addressed simply to the Editor or an editor long departed. Also misdirection: A biotech pitch aimed at the telecom writer; a software story to the city columnist.
3. Lame Subject Line -- Bad examples include "See the attached" (with nothing in the message section); "for immediate release"; anything that includes leading, paradigm, synergy, best of breed, solutions, superlatives; an exclamation point (!); or no subject line. The best are like hot headlines in the tabloids - three to eight words that grab attention.
4. Obvious Spam -- Anything with more than one name in the "TO:" line.
5. Clogging the Pipeline -- Not every writer/editor is on DSL or a cable modem connection. Don't send big attachments that take forever to download. You may never get through. Email software can alert to any file over a certain size, say 100kb, so it can be deleted from the server without being downloaded, or read. Give them a link, or the option to reply and ask for more.
6. Bad Headlines -- Think like an editor. Simply ask yourself, from an outside point of view: so what and who cares?
7. Burying the News -- If it's not in the headline, first paragraph, or both, it's goodbye.
8. Lack of Style -- Beyond content, connect with the media in their own news style, which is dictated by the Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual (Perseus Books). Typical errors: capitalizing every possible title after a name (Joe Smythe, Asst. Vice President of Outside Sales, Lower Echelon Division), leaving out a first or last name of a person cited in the story, or their titles, or both.
9. Content, of Course -- Lack of news, unsubstantiated claims (world leader), superlatives, lack of supporting data, hyperbole, self-serving quotes by the CEO or others, jargon-laden copy understood by only a few engineers, Ph.D. or cognoscenti in the business.
10. Credibility -- Some media employ a so-called Bozo Filter to automatically delete, unread, any email from certain companies and agencies based on their previous performance, or lack of same.
(For more information: http://www.gablepr.com/)
Friday, September 19, 2008
English Club International Launches Video Based Accent Training Programme
English Club International, Asia's leading English language Research and Training institute, launched its very innovative video based global accent modification programme- helping thousands of learners to learn to speak English in a global-neutral accent. Now learners can improve their accent by practicing just twenty to thirty minutes a day and they can do it when and where they want to at an affordable price.
"Undoubtedly this is the first Global Accent Training Programme in the world that features full motion videos of a certified trainer taking classes as if she is taking classes exclusively for you. This unique face-to-face delivery simulates a one-on-one instructor-led classroom environment and creates a more intimate learning atmosphere," says Alan Roberts, Project Head, of English Club International.
This powerful video based training program will dramatically improve the way one speak English. Whether they're studying for school or college, preparing for a job interview or business presentation, or mingling at a cocktail party, a good accent is essential to the overall success, and this training programme offers exactly the same. Both professionals and non-professionals, from teenagers to adults, will find this program effective as well as easy and convenient to use - at home, at work or anywhere.
Designed and developed by a team of experts, this video training programme allows the incredible flexibility of being able to click with mouse on the sounds one need to practice...and click over and over again until one mastered the target sound.
"This video training programme will get you closer to sounding like a native English speaker and equip you with a global accent -- and you will soon be speaking not American or British English, but correct English-the global accent. Imagine how great that will feel! If you could speak English the way it is spoken globally - clearly, correctly and confidently, imagine the doors that could open up to you at work, in school or in your social life" adds Alan Roberts.
This training material can be purchased on line by log in http://www.ecintel.com/
"Undoubtedly this is the first Global Accent Training Programme in the world that features full motion videos of a certified trainer taking classes as if she is taking classes exclusively for you. This unique face-to-face delivery simulates a one-on-one instructor-led classroom environment and creates a more intimate learning atmosphere," says Alan Roberts, Project Head, of English Club International.
This powerful video based training program will dramatically improve the way one speak English. Whether they're studying for school or college, preparing for a job interview or business presentation, or mingling at a cocktail party, a good accent is essential to the overall success, and this training programme offers exactly the same. Both professionals and non-professionals, from teenagers to adults, will find this program effective as well as easy and convenient to use - at home, at work or anywhere.
Designed and developed by a team of experts, this video training programme allows the incredible flexibility of being able to click with mouse on the sounds one need to practice...and click over and over again until one mastered the target sound.
"This video training programme will get you closer to sounding like a native English speaker and equip you with a global accent -- and you will soon be speaking not American or British English, but correct English-the global accent. Imagine how great that will feel! If you could speak English the way it is spoken globally - clearly, correctly and confidently, imagine the doors that could open up to you at work, in school or in your social life" adds Alan Roberts.
This training material can be purchased on line by log in http://www.ecintel.com/
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Liars Get Caught! What NOT to Put on Your Resume
"Everybody does it" as they say. Face it, the job market can be a very tough place to compete. If everyone inflates their experience then how can an honest person get a job?
Well, as tempting as it may be, you do NOT want to risk lying on your resume.
Whether it's personal information, job experience, or schooling - employers are finding new ways to sniff out liars and you don't want to be one of them.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
While some information may not be easily verified, information such as a criminal record, can be very costly to you in the event it is checked out. With sites like rapsheets.com you can never guarantee that an employer won't be able to find the information, even if your employer is hiring you for domestic work and is not a business.
JOB EXPERIENCE
Clearly this is not the place to boast about fake employment as you are going to list the businesses you worked for which may be contacted for verification. As this is the most likely area your interviewer will do a check on, avoid misrepresenting yourself at all costs.
EDUCATION
Think that nobody will notice if you slip in an education you don't really have? Perhaps you do have the skills, but you can't afford to claim education you can't provide proof of. EmployAct.com is a new service that will allow employers to have background checks - similar to criminal or credit checks - to verify your claim.
WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE
With all that said and done, how can you create a resume that will highlight your skills and abilities without needing to lie?
Give yourself credit. Your skills in the workforce can be weighty indicators of your ability to work in a given job. You may not know what an employer is looking for. With many jobs that don't require a particular expertise, you many find that they are looking for people who are able to learn on the job. Proof that you have gained skills as a worker (or even a volunteer if you're just starting out) can be very valuable.
Be certain that you focus on skills. Expand your descriptions. Do not say 'I worked in an office', rather say 'I was responsible for answering the phones in a professional manner and directing calls to the proper departments. In a busy work environment I was able to multi-task by providing supportive administrative assistance to the head receptionist including maintaining a filing system, processing inter office memos, delivering documents in a timely manner, directing clients to their meeting appointments and providing relief reception. I was quickly able to learn the filing and switchboard systems as well as create good working relationships with fellow staff.'
As you can see from the above example, it is perfectly acceptable to elaborate on your skills, but do so in an honest and ethical manner. If you need help you can find software programs which will give you suggestions on wording depending on the position you are describing or you can hire someone who writes resumes to help you. Have confidence in keeping the job you are sure to get by doing it right the first time.
(C) Lousy Writer
Well, as tempting as it may be, you do NOT want to risk lying on your resume.
Whether it's personal information, job experience, or schooling - employers are finding new ways to sniff out liars and you don't want to be one of them.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
While some information may not be easily verified, information such as a criminal record, can be very costly to you in the event it is checked out. With sites like rapsheets.com you can never guarantee that an employer won't be able to find the information, even if your employer is hiring you for domestic work and is not a business.
JOB EXPERIENCE
Clearly this is not the place to boast about fake employment as you are going to list the businesses you worked for which may be contacted for verification. As this is the most likely area your interviewer will do a check on, avoid misrepresenting yourself at all costs.
EDUCATION
Think that nobody will notice if you slip in an education you don't really have? Perhaps you do have the skills, but you can't afford to claim education you can't provide proof of. EmployAct.com is a new service that will allow employers to have background checks - similar to criminal or credit checks - to verify your claim.
WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE
With all that said and done, how can you create a resume that will highlight your skills and abilities without needing to lie?
Give yourself credit. Your skills in the workforce can be weighty indicators of your ability to work in a given job. You may not know what an employer is looking for. With many jobs that don't require a particular expertise, you many find that they are looking for people who are able to learn on the job. Proof that you have gained skills as a worker (or even a volunteer if you're just starting out) can be very valuable.
Be certain that you focus on skills. Expand your descriptions. Do not say 'I worked in an office', rather say 'I was responsible for answering the phones in a professional manner and directing calls to the proper departments. In a busy work environment I was able to multi-task by providing supportive administrative assistance to the head receptionist including maintaining a filing system, processing inter office memos, delivering documents in a timely manner, directing clients to their meeting appointments and providing relief reception. I was quickly able to learn the filing and switchboard systems as well as create good working relationships with fellow staff.'
As you can see from the above example, it is perfectly acceptable to elaborate on your skills, but do so in an honest and ethical manner. If you need help you can find software programs which will give you suggestions on wording depending on the position you are describing or you can hire someone who writes resumes to help you. Have confidence in keeping the job you are sure to get by doing it right the first time.
(C) Lousy Writer
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Nominalization: When Verbs Go Bad by David Bowman
The great thing about verbs is that they are intesting. Verbs provide most of the life to your writing. Nouns, on the other hand, are rather stoic creatures. However, many writers attempt to make their writing seem more professional by changing their verbs into nouns. This is called "nominalization." Avoidance of nominalization will allow your sentences to be more direct, clearer, more graceful, and more powerful. (Yes, If you avoid nominalizing your verbs, your sentences will be...)
At Precise Edit we frequently need to correct this issue, and we offer the information below to help you write well.
Sample:
Consider the following example: "His expulsion by school officials caused serious personal reflection." This has two examples of nominalization, which you can find by identifying the actions, implied or stated. In this case, you will find expulsion, caused, and reflection. Note that caused is already being used as a verb. The other two are being used as nouns. Expulsion comes from the verb expel, and reflection comes from the verb reflect. These two nominalizations make this sample sentence dry, ungainly, and a little tedious to read. They need editing, and you don't have to be a professional editor to do it. We'll show you how.
Solving this problem:
1. The first step to solving this problem (not: the first step of the solution) is to change those nouns back into verbs. This will give you: "His [expel] by school officials caused serious personal [reflect]."
2. The second step is to decide who is doing each action: school officials --> expel, him --> reflect.
3. The third step is to decide who will be the main subject of the sentence. In this sentence, we chose "him". [You may find that you can get rid of some words at this point. If we're emphasizing "him," then we don't need "personal"--that is redundant.]
4. Once you have gone through these steps to edit your sentence, you can create several revised versions of the sentence, such as:
a. He reflected seriously after the school officials expelled him.
b. After he was expelled by the school officials, he reflected seriously.
c. He reflected on his life seriously when the school officials expelled him.
d. Being expelled from school [Maybe officials isn't needed. Who else could expel him from school?] caused him to reflect seriously about his life.
[The easy way to sum up all these steps is to say: Find all your nominalized verbs, and edit your sentences to change them back into verbs.]
The last revision (d) is our favorite, but all these still seem to miss the mark for us. These are still a bit awkward, so we might think about more fundamental changes while editing. For example, if this is a novel or short story, we might write: "How had his life come to this point? How could he ever tell his parents that he had been expelled?"
More examples of editing to remove this problem:
Now that we have gotten this rather complicated example out of the way, let's look at some easier ones.
Their ability allowed them to make many rationalizations. --> They could rationalize many things.
Resistance to the dark side is futile. --> You cannot resist the dark side.
His absolute dedication to his visions resulted in overcoming all his obstacles. --> He overcame all obstacles because he was absolutely dedicated to his vision.
His adoration for her was endless --> He adored her endlessly.
Caveat: Yes, sometimes using a nominalization provides a particular grace to a sentence (e.g., "My acceptance is neither easily given nor lost" instead of "I accept don't accept people easily, but I also don't reject them easily"). A good editor or writer will recognize when this is useful. However, this is pretty rare. If you do use a nominalization, make sure it is the best choice-because it usually isn't.
When you are ready for professional editing assistance, contact Precise Edit.
About the Author:
David Bowman is the Chief Editor of Precise Edit, a comprehensive editing, proofreading, and document analysis service for authors, students, and businesses. Precise Edit also offers a variety of other services, such as translation, transcription, and website development.
At Precise Edit we frequently need to correct this issue, and we offer the information below to help you write well.
Sample:
Consider the following example: "His expulsion by school officials caused serious personal reflection." This has two examples of nominalization, which you can find by identifying the actions, implied or stated. In this case, you will find expulsion, caused, and reflection. Note that caused is already being used as a verb. The other two are being used as nouns. Expulsion comes from the verb expel, and reflection comes from the verb reflect. These two nominalizations make this sample sentence dry, ungainly, and a little tedious to read. They need editing, and you don't have to be a professional editor to do it. We'll show you how.
Solving this problem:
1. The first step to solving this problem (not: the first step of the solution) is to change those nouns back into verbs. This will give you: "His [expel] by school officials caused serious personal [reflect]."
2. The second step is to decide who is doing each action: school officials --> expel, him --> reflect.
3. The third step is to decide who will be the main subject of the sentence. In this sentence, we chose "him". [You may find that you can get rid of some words at this point. If we're emphasizing "him," then we don't need "personal"--that is redundant.]
4. Once you have gone through these steps to edit your sentence, you can create several revised versions of the sentence, such as:
a. He reflected seriously after the school officials expelled him.
b. After he was expelled by the school officials, he reflected seriously.
c. He reflected on his life seriously when the school officials expelled him.
d. Being expelled from school [Maybe officials isn't needed. Who else could expel him from school?] caused him to reflect seriously about his life.
[The easy way to sum up all these steps is to say: Find all your nominalized verbs, and edit your sentences to change them back into verbs.]
The last revision (d) is our favorite, but all these still seem to miss the mark for us. These are still a bit awkward, so we might think about more fundamental changes while editing. For example, if this is a novel or short story, we might write: "How had his life come to this point? How could he ever tell his parents that he had been expelled?"
More examples of editing to remove this problem:
Now that we have gotten this rather complicated example out of the way, let's look at some easier ones.
Their ability allowed them to make many rationalizations. --> They could rationalize many things.
Resistance to the dark side is futile. --> You cannot resist the dark side.
His absolute dedication to his visions resulted in overcoming all his obstacles. --> He overcame all obstacles because he was absolutely dedicated to his vision.
His adoration for her was endless --> He adored her endlessly.
Caveat: Yes, sometimes using a nominalization provides a particular grace to a sentence (e.g., "My acceptance is neither easily given nor lost" instead of "I accept don't accept people easily, but I also don't reject them easily"). A good editor or writer will recognize when this is useful. However, this is pretty rare. If you do use a nominalization, make sure it is the best choice-because it usually isn't.
When you are ready for professional editing assistance, contact Precise Edit.
About the Author:
David Bowman is the Chief Editor of Precise Edit, a comprehensive editing, proofreading, and document analysis service for authors, students, and businesses. Precise Edit also offers a variety of other services, such as translation, transcription, and website development.
ETS and Executive English Publishing Launch "Business English Now"
Educational Testing Service (ETS) and Executive English Publishing Corp. have launched "Business English Now," an audio program designed for intermediate to advanced learners of business English. Volume I of "Business English Now" includes 2.5 hours of audio materials that help learners improve their listening, vocabulary and idiomatic expression through dialogues and exercises related to common business subjects. The parties, which entered into a three-year agreement, plan to release at least two more volumes of the program."While ETS is known around the world for its TOEFL® and TOEIC® tests, we also are committed to providing English-language learners with a range of tools that will help them reach higher levels of fluency," says Phil Tabbiner, Senior Vice President of ETS Global, K-12 Learning & Development and Business Development. "'Business English Now' is a powerful addition to our suite of English-language learning products."
"Business English Now" is being offered as a digital product that customers can download immediately after purchase. It is available through ETS's global Preferred Vendor Network or at Executive English Publishing's website: http://www.businessenglishnow.com/.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
How to Write an Effective Newsletter
Printed newsletters are a really easy way to contact your prospective and current customers. They can even increase your sales while reducing advertising costs. Research shows newsletters get four times the readership of adverts or brochures, and customers are seven times more likely to buy from you than an average member of the public. A good newsletter can improve name recognition and brand awareness, establish your authority in your field, and differentiate your business from the competition.
Make the layout of your newsletter inviting. If it looks too packed with information it may seem hard work to read. Break up the copy with plenty of space and keep articles short. Use intriguing titles or ones that suggest the article provides quick and easy shortcuts. Also use photographs or cartoons on the cover to draw people's attention.
Choose your articles carefully so that each one promotes the correct image of your business. Decide whether the article is to reflect your expertise, customer care or some other aspect of your business. If you are not sure which areas are important and of interest to your customers slip a survey into your newsletter.
You should start the article writing process by deciding what specific results you want from the article. It may be to introduce a new product or service, or to counteract what a competitor is claiming, or to highlight why a customer might be interested in a special offer you have.
A good newsletter will have a longer shelf life than adverts and are more likely to be passed around to prospective customers. Get a balance between generic articles that would be of interest to your wider client base and those specifically about your products and services. Do not waste effort and space producing articles that are unrelated to your field. Also check that the views expressed in articles are unlikely to offend your customer base.
Try to keep copy simple and as jargon free as possible. Use short sentences. Involve the reader by asking questions. How could your business benefit from this advice?
A profile of a customer can show how your product or service is used, the results that it can produce, why someone would purchase from you, and what they are planning to do in the future with your assistance. If they are prestigious clients the article will give a positive reflection of your business as well as providing them with some useful and free PR.
Generate new leads by offering a free subscription to your newsletter on your business's marketing materials. Emphasize the news content and useful advice, and how it could benefit your prospective customer. Only a few of those who sign up for the newsletter will be time wasters. It is possible that as many as 80% could be converted to customers within six months. Without the constant contact that the newsletter offers they could drift into the arms of a competitor.
(C) Lousy Writer
Make the layout of your newsletter inviting. If it looks too packed with information it may seem hard work to read. Break up the copy with plenty of space and keep articles short. Use intriguing titles or ones that suggest the article provides quick and easy shortcuts. Also use photographs or cartoons on the cover to draw people's attention.
Choose your articles carefully so that each one promotes the correct image of your business. Decide whether the article is to reflect your expertise, customer care or some other aspect of your business. If you are not sure which areas are important and of interest to your customers slip a survey into your newsletter.
You should start the article writing process by deciding what specific results you want from the article. It may be to introduce a new product or service, or to counteract what a competitor is claiming, or to highlight why a customer might be interested in a special offer you have.
A good newsletter will have a longer shelf life than adverts and are more likely to be passed around to prospective customers. Get a balance between generic articles that would be of interest to your wider client base and those specifically about your products and services. Do not waste effort and space producing articles that are unrelated to your field. Also check that the views expressed in articles are unlikely to offend your customer base.
Try to keep copy simple and as jargon free as possible. Use short sentences. Involve the reader by asking questions. How could your business benefit from this advice?
A profile of a customer can show how your product or service is used, the results that it can produce, why someone would purchase from you, and what they are planning to do in the future with your assistance. If they are prestigious clients the article will give a positive reflection of your business as well as providing them with some useful and free PR.
Generate new leads by offering a free subscription to your newsletter on your business's marketing materials. Emphasize the news content and useful advice, and how it could benefit your prospective customer. Only a few of those who sign up for the newsletter will be time wasters. It is possible that as many as 80% could be converted to customers within six months. Without the constant contact that the newsletter offers they could drift into the arms of a competitor.
(C) Lousy Writer
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Use Press Releases in Your Internet Marketing Program
If you've ever felt reluctant to submit a press release because you weren't sure how to write an effective release, pay attention to the following advice. Writing a good press release is simpler than you may think.
A good press release is essentially a good news story. Any time your business releases a new product or does anything newsworthy you should create a press release to tell the world about it. The press release will be welcomed by journalists and internet writers whose job it is to educate and inform. They will either use your press release intact or use it as the basis for an article that they will write about your news and your company. The result? Publicity, credibility, and a stream of customers.
Therefore, you'll want to write as many press releases as you can. A good press release can be more valuable than an advertisement, generating more potential customers.
The elements of a good press release include three essential parts, the headline, the introduction, and the body. It is recommended that you put a lot of thought and attention into the headline. It should be informative and make the reader want to learn more. The introduction is short and interesting The body contains all of the who, what, where, why and when answers that a good news story requires. Since good news stories are people centered, these elements should be focused on the people aspect of the story.
Take care that the press release is timely, relating to something that has just occurred. It should also be brief and to the point, around 400 to 500 words in length. Be sure that the grammar and the spelling are standard and correct or else the press release will not be published. Lastly, make certain that the press release is factual and truthful.
It's a good idea to keep the paragraphs of the body short, about three or four sentences in length. This length will make the press release easier to read. Also, it is wise not to send extra material such as photos with the press release. If photos are important they can be posted on a website which is referenced in the body of the press release.
A couple of additional elements are commonly included at the end of good press releases. A short "about us" section provides some background information about your business and yourself. Some media contact information gives your contact person the information they need to be able to contact you.
The press release traditionally should close with the symbol, "###," which signifies that it is complete.
(C) Lousy Writer
A good press release is essentially a good news story. Any time your business releases a new product or does anything newsworthy you should create a press release to tell the world about it. The press release will be welcomed by journalists and internet writers whose job it is to educate and inform. They will either use your press release intact or use it as the basis for an article that they will write about your news and your company. The result? Publicity, credibility, and a stream of customers.
Therefore, you'll want to write as many press releases as you can. A good press release can be more valuable than an advertisement, generating more potential customers.
The elements of a good press release include three essential parts, the headline, the introduction, and the body. It is recommended that you put a lot of thought and attention into the headline. It should be informative and make the reader want to learn more. The introduction is short and interesting The body contains all of the who, what, where, why and when answers that a good news story requires. Since good news stories are people centered, these elements should be focused on the people aspect of the story.
Take care that the press release is timely, relating to something that has just occurred. It should also be brief and to the point, around 400 to 500 words in length. Be sure that the grammar and the spelling are standard and correct or else the press release will not be published. Lastly, make certain that the press release is factual and truthful.
It's a good idea to keep the paragraphs of the body short, about three or four sentences in length. This length will make the press release easier to read. Also, it is wise not to send extra material such as photos with the press release. If photos are important they can be posted on a website which is referenced in the body of the press release.
A couple of additional elements are commonly included at the end of good press releases. A short "about us" section provides some background information about your business and yourself. Some media contact information gives your contact person the information they need to be able to contact you.
The press release traditionally should close with the symbol, "###," which signifies that it is complete.
(C) Lousy Writer
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Online Tutorials make Learning Languages Easier
Today Babbel.com introduces the Babbel Tutorials, an especially effective and entertaining way to learn online. These interactive lessons give users the chance to learn new languages from scratch, incorporating grammar explanations and workbook exercises in the intuitive, playful style for which Babbel.com is already recognized.Akin to a multimedia slideshow presentation, Babbel Tutorials improve on traditional print language learning materials and simplify them for maximum effectiveness, but more importantly, for fun. While the lessons are designed as a progression, they are split into bite-size portions with audio, images and explanations in the user's native tongue, always allowing one to skip back or ahead, according to level and taste. "With the multimedia and communcative possibilities of the internet," says Ulrike Kerbstadt, language instructor responsible for Babbel content, "We can take exercises that up until now were rather dry and make them interactive and entertaining. Fun learning is always more effective learning." Babbel currently has learning materials in French, Spanish, German, Italian and English.
Students, travelers, business people and curious types worldwide are turning more and more to the internet to study foreign languages. Babbel will now also look to independent language instructors, interested users and educational institutions to design their own Tutorials to share with their students and the Babbel user base. This will be as a supplement to Babbel's professionally edited core content by the website's competent and experienced team of native speakers and language experts.
A growing registered user base of over 70,000 participants already takes part in Babbel's free, extensive offerings on a game-like, easy to use interface. These include theme-based interactive packages and community features that allow users through personal profiles to get in touch with learning partners or create a tandem(language exchange), as well as upload and rate images for use in lessons. The new Tutorials are only the first release of many new features which are currently in development.
Website: http://www.babbel.com/
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Using LAY and LIE Correctly by David Bowman
"Lay" and "Lie" are irregular verbs, but "perplexing" would be a better adjective to describe them. Once you get past the present tense, they change in some surprising ways. I have never figured out a way to remember their forms except by rote. When I got tired of looking them up, I got smart and made a little chart. That chart is currently taped to the side of my computer. This brief guide will help you use them correctly.
A. USING "LAY"
Definition: To put or place something. (Dictionary.com has over 40 individual definitions for "lay," but almost all of them can be summed up by this.)
Use: In its most common uses, "lay" is a transitive verb. This means that this is an action done to something. Remember: You lay something down, even if that something is yourself.
Present tense samples (lay): I lay the book on the table. Please lay the baby in the crib. He lays his toys on the floor.
Past tense samples (laid): I laid the book on the table. You laid the baby in the crib. He laid his toys on the floor.
Present participle samples (laying): I am laying the book on the table. You were laying the baby in the crib. He is laying his toys on the floor.
Past participle samples (laid): I have laid the books on the table. You have laid the baby in the crib. He had laid his toys on the floor.
B. USING "LIE"
Definition: As discussed here, "lie" means to be in a horizontal, prone, or resting position (not telling a falsehood).
Use: In its most common uses, "lie" is an intransitive verb, which means that it does not use an object. Remember: Something lies on something else.
Present tense samples (lie): I lie in the bed. The doll lies on the shelf. We lie on the floor.
Past tense samples (lay): I lay in the bed. The doll lay on the shelf. We lay on the floor.
Present participle samples (lying): I was lying in the bed. The doll is lying on the shelf. We were lying on the floor.
Past participle samples (lain): I had lain in the bed. The doll has lain on the shelf. We have lain on the floor.
C. CONCLUSION
Clear and correct writing is important for authors, businesses, and students. Using "lay" and "lie" correctly is just one step in that process. The Precise Edit Training Manual has many more writing strategies used by professional editors.
About the Author
David Bowman is the Owner and Chief Editor of Precise Edit, a comprehensive editing, proofreading, and document analysis service for authors, students, and businesses. Precise Edit also offers a variety of other services, such as translation, transcription, and website development.
A. USING "LAY"
Definition: To put or place something. (Dictionary.com has over 40 individual definitions for "lay," but almost all of them can be summed up by this.)
Use: In its most common uses, "lay" is a transitive verb. This means that this is an action done to something. Remember: You lay something down, even if that something is yourself.
Present tense samples (lay): I lay the book on the table. Please lay the baby in the crib. He lays his toys on the floor.
Past tense samples (laid): I laid the book on the table. You laid the baby in the crib. He laid his toys on the floor.
Present participle samples (laying): I am laying the book on the table. You were laying the baby in the crib. He is laying his toys on the floor.
Past participle samples (laid): I have laid the books on the table. You have laid the baby in the crib. He had laid his toys on the floor.
B. USING "LIE"
Definition: As discussed here, "lie" means to be in a horizontal, prone, or resting position (not telling a falsehood).
Use: In its most common uses, "lie" is an intransitive verb, which means that it does not use an object. Remember: Something lies on something else.
Present tense samples (lie): I lie in the bed. The doll lies on the shelf. We lie on the floor.
Past tense samples (lay): I lay in the bed. The doll lay on the shelf. We lay on the floor.
Present participle samples (lying): I was lying in the bed. The doll is lying on the shelf. We were lying on the floor.
Past participle samples (lain): I had lain in the bed. The doll has lain on the shelf. We have lain on the floor.
C. CONCLUSION
Clear and correct writing is important for authors, businesses, and students. Using "lay" and "lie" correctly is just one step in that process. The Precise Edit Training Manual has many more writing strategies used by professional editors.
About the Author
David Bowman is the Owner and Chief Editor of Precise Edit, a comprehensive editing, proofreading, and document analysis service for authors, students, and businesses. Precise Edit also offers a variety of other services, such as translation, transcription, and website development.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Writing The Personal Essay - Great Tips by Matthew Hick
We all love to hear about the trials and tribulations that others have experienced. We want to learn how someone overcame an obstacle, and found a way to move on. Personal essays allow those of us who have experienced life's woes (and sometimes abundant joys), to share what we've learned, and to help lead others more effectively through their own life journey.
The personal essay is just that - a personal account of something you have experienced. It can be serious, dramatic, or even hilarious. But it must have a reason - or purpose - for sharing it with the reader. It is structured around a theme, and is rooted in experience and emotion. Finding topics for your essays is as easy as taking a good hard look at your own daily life. Ideas are in everything - from your rocky relationship with your mother, and your husband's failure to put the cap on the toothpaste tube, to your teenager's new driving skills (or lack of), and your preschoolers' penchant for sharing your personal secrets with the strangers in the checkout line at the grocery store. We've all had moments that moved us to tears - not to mention tantrums - and we're more than interested to hear how others have both survived (and blown), similar experiences.
What Makes A Good Personal Essay:
A good personal essay comes alive for the reader in the way the experience is shared. It's not just a stream of consciousness account of your daily trials and joys, but a well-calculated and well-written story Use strong language and vivid images to transport your reader to the time, place and emotional state that you are describing. Make them feel and be part of the story. Make them laugh. Make them cry. Make them feel. Give them lots of action. Whether you're writing a more dramatic piece, or a humorous take on an old problem, that's what the personal essay is all about.
Written in the first person, it is true that the personal essay may start with an event that you experienced, but it isn't necessary to share every single moment-by-moment play of it. Pick and choose what gives the story the impact that you are striving for. Leave out ultra-personal things (especially if they have no real impact on the story), and by all means, change the names of those in the story to protect your friends and family's privacy. Remember to use all the qualities of good fiction in your essay: drama, good characterization, conflict, and more.
What To Watch Out For When Writing The Personal Essay:
Writing the personal essay can be therapeutic, for both the reader and the writer. Just be sure that you aren't turning your story more into a "session with your therapist," than a good, well-written, informative, and yes, interesting story. Readers want to come away with a sense that you've overcome some obstacle -- and that they've learned something - by reading your piece. Manage to give them all that, and more, and you will have accomplished your goal.
Where To Sell Your Personal Essays:
Every publication -- from newspapers, to magazines, to trade journals - are always on the lookout for well written personal essays. They are usually found on the last page of a publication and feature some topic found regularly in the pages of the specific magazine. Read at least a year's worth of back issues of a particular to determine if your topic and style meet their format. Be wary of sending in anything that is "too different." While editors do look for fresh and new ideas, they do have rather strict guidelines and rules for topics covered within their pages. Be diligent in your research and you're bound to find dozens of publication's that fit your writing style.
About the Author:
Want To Own a Website? Get Your Own Successful Adsense Money Network at http://eWebCreator.com. Website Home Business with eWebCreator.com
The personal essay is just that - a personal account of something you have experienced. It can be serious, dramatic, or even hilarious. But it must have a reason - or purpose - for sharing it with the reader. It is structured around a theme, and is rooted in experience and emotion. Finding topics for your essays is as easy as taking a good hard look at your own daily life. Ideas are in everything - from your rocky relationship with your mother, and your husband's failure to put the cap on the toothpaste tube, to your teenager's new driving skills (or lack of), and your preschoolers' penchant for sharing your personal secrets with the strangers in the checkout line at the grocery store. We've all had moments that moved us to tears - not to mention tantrums - and we're more than interested to hear how others have both survived (and blown), similar experiences.
What Makes A Good Personal Essay:
A good personal essay comes alive for the reader in the way the experience is shared. It's not just a stream of consciousness account of your daily trials and joys, but a well-calculated and well-written story Use strong language and vivid images to transport your reader to the time, place and emotional state that you are describing. Make them feel and be part of the story. Make them laugh. Make them cry. Make them feel. Give them lots of action. Whether you're writing a more dramatic piece, or a humorous take on an old problem, that's what the personal essay is all about.
Written in the first person, it is true that the personal essay may start with an event that you experienced, but it isn't necessary to share every single moment-by-moment play of it. Pick and choose what gives the story the impact that you are striving for. Leave out ultra-personal things (especially if they have no real impact on the story), and by all means, change the names of those in the story to protect your friends and family's privacy. Remember to use all the qualities of good fiction in your essay: drama, good characterization, conflict, and more.
What To Watch Out For When Writing The Personal Essay:
Writing the personal essay can be therapeutic, for both the reader and the writer. Just be sure that you aren't turning your story more into a "session with your therapist," than a good, well-written, informative, and yes, interesting story. Readers want to come away with a sense that you've overcome some obstacle -- and that they've learned something - by reading your piece. Manage to give them all that, and more, and you will have accomplished your goal.
Where To Sell Your Personal Essays:
Every publication -- from newspapers, to magazines, to trade journals - are always on the lookout for well written personal essays. They are usually found on the last page of a publication and feature some topic found regularly in the pages of the specific magazine. Read at least a year's worth of back issues of a particular to determine if your topic and style meet their format. Be wary of sending in anything that is "too different." While editors do look for fresh and new ideas, they do have rather strict guidelines and rules for topics covered within their pages. Be diligent in your research and you're bound to find dozens of publication's that fit your writing style.
About the Author:
Want To Own a Website? Get Your Own Successful Adsense Money Network at http://eWebCreator.com. Website Home Business with eWebCreator.com
Write A Better Press Release to Create Buzz
A press release is an announcement of something newsworthy that is submitted to journalists and other media representatives.
By submitting a press release you can instantly create a buzz with your message and receiving a boost of traffic to your site.
You could submit a press release about you, your business, a new site, blog or product launched. This could be anything to do with your business.
When creating a press release, there is a certain format you have to follow. But before you create your press release, you want to keep in mind of the Five W's: Who, What, When, Where and Why.
Your readers want the facts. You don't want to sound even slightly like an advertisement. There's other advertising methods for those - don't include it in your press release!
Here is the standard format for a Press Release:
1) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - place in upper left hand margin and use all capital letters.
SKIP ONE OR TWO LINES
2) Contact Information - include your name (or press contact's name), title, telephone and/or fax numbers, email and website address.
SKIP TWO LINES
3) Headline - use a catchy, attention-grabbing headline. Headline should all be in bold text.
SKIP TWO LINES
4) Lead Paragraph - this is where you include the all important Five W's giving the main points of what your press release will cover.
SKIP TWO LINES
5) Text - this is the main body of your press release in which you will expand on your message here.
SKIP TWO LINES
6) Re-cap - here you want to re-state or summarize your message, including any highlights such as product release dates or place your site's url again for good measure.
The worst thing that will happen is your site will receive an incoming link from a high ranked site.
Other tips on creating your press release:
- should be no longer than once page in length
- use short sentences and double space between your lines
- proofread it many times to ensure there is no grammar or spelling mistakes (don't look unprofessional)
- your headline and lead paragraph should grab your audience's attention
Other ideas for creating your press release:
- new contest or sweepstakes at your site
- an interview with an expert for your topic
- new membership or forum
- a free product you’re giving away
- if your business has received a reward
- results of a survey or poll that you hosted
- a coaching course or event that you hosting or associated with.
There are many other ideas you could use when creating your press release. These are just some to get your started.
(C) Lousy Writer
By submitting a press release you can instantly create a buzz with your message and receiving a boost of traffic to your site.
You could submit a press release about you, your business, a new site, blog or product launched. This could be anything to do with your business.
When creating a press release, there is a certain format you have to follow. But before you create your press release, you want to keep in mind of the Five W's: Who, What, When, Where and Why.
Your readers want the facts. You don't want to sound even slightly like an advertisement. There's other advertising methods for those - don't include it in your press release!
Here is the standard format for a Press Release:
1) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - place in upper left hand margin and use all capital letters.
SKIP ONE OR TWO LINES
2) Contact Information - include your name (or press contact's name), title, telephone and/or fax numbers, email and website address.
SKIP TWO LINES
3) Headline - use a catchy, attention-grabbing headline. Headline should all be in bold text.
SKIP TWO LINES
4) Lead Paragraph - this is where you include the all important Five W's giving the main points of what your press release will cover.
SKIP TWO LINES
5) Text - this is the main body of your press release in which you will expand on your message here.
SKIP TWO LINES
6) Re-cap - here you want to re-state or summarize your message, including any highlights such as product release dates or place your site's url again for good measure.
The worst thing that will happen is your site will receive an incoming link from a high ranked site.
Other tips on creating your press release:
- should be no longer than once page in length
- use short sentences and double space between your lines
- proofread it many times to ensure there is no grammar or spelling mistakes (don't look unprofessional)
- your headline and lead paragraph should grab your audience's attention
Other ideas for creating your press release:
- new contest or sweepstakes at your site
- an interview with an expert for your topic
- new membership or forum
- a free product you’re giving away
- if your business has received a reward
- results of a survey or poll that you hosted
- a coaching course or event that you hosting or associated with.
There are many other ideas you could use when creating your press release. These are just some to get your started.
(C) Lousy Writer
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