From time to time, freelance writers get asked to write for websites. Most of the time, they tackle the assignment as any other, that is, as a work-for-hire arrangement. The writer creates an article and earns a few bucks. But most writers never ask themselves how the business actually works.

The Internet is many things, and one of them is a business model. While there are websites run by kids or old ladies or self-important pundits, most websites actually are fueled by a great force than mere idle time. Most of them are extensions of a business and some are a business unto themselves.

A writer can be asked to contribute an article to a website that is run by a traditional brick-and-mortar type business; in other words, some websites are just cyberspace business cards for traditional enterprises.

For example, a hospital may have a website and hire a writer to do some articles on cancer prevention. In that case, the hospital is the business and the website is a vehicle for that business. The website does not make money itself, but it reflects favorably on the hospital.

Some freelance writers have gotten gigs writing product descriptions for websites that sell things. It is pretty easy to understand that business model. In such cases, the website is an online version of a catalog. The company is a mail-order type business.

But what about sites that seem to have no such tight link to a real business? Take a website that talks about bankruptcy or another that provides information about studying accounting or another one that offers advice on how to beat a traffic ticket. Why would anyone create a site like that? Writers are often hired to write articles or other material (special reports and e-books) for such sites. But how do they make money?

A content-rich website is one that provides a lot of information. On the surface, the site does not sell anything. But the site often contains advertising of one sort or another.

In this case, the website functions based on the old business model of the magazine. A magazine provides a lot of information targeted to a specific audience. The publisher then sells advertising space in the magazine. The concept is simple. If you can get fashion-hungry women to spend some time with a magazine like Vogue, these particular women are likely to be very responsive to ads in that magazine for things like clothing, perfume, and shoes.

A website that contains lots of high-value content may also sell advertising. Some of these sites use the traditional model for advertising; they sell real estate on their site to somebody who wants to put his or her message up. But it gets even easier.

You can also use a system with Google called AdSense that allows you to reserve real estate on your site for ads that Google hires and places. You don’t bother with selling ads or dealing with the advertisers; you just reserve space and work with Google.

That’s one business model, and it can work great. It works well when the content is targeted and useful to a particular niche market and when that content inspires and motivates the visitor to want to buy products or services.

But what about a site that talks about accounting degrees? They may be selling advertising and they may also have their own products. There are websites that offer electronic reports, e-books, online courses, podcasts and even physical products that relate to the topic. You often find a section on the site called “Shopping” with their offerings.

A website about how to beat a traffic ticket might tempt visitors with a promise but then offer to sell the full information in the form of an e-book or report. These sites are often set up like sales letters, that is, they make a pretty hard pitch for a product.

Sales sites like this can seem frivolous, ineffective, ugly, or even stupid to you, unless you’re in a situation where you really and truly need the help. If you’re facing a serious traffic ticket, you may just find that ugly sales page website is not nearly as offensive as it was when you did not have a ticket.

The point for writers is that many of these business models are things that they could use. Rather than sell articles, reports, or manuscripts to other sites for money, a clever writer can set up a website with a business model and go into business for himself.

For example, a freelance writer who specializes in gardening and lives in Houston might create her own website on gardening in zone 9. He or she would fill the site with articles and sell advertising space. Since gardeners need things-plants, tools, soil, fertilizers-this is a good type of site for selling advertising. Then the writer could write some special reports, for instance, Growing Roses in Zone 9 or Citrus Trees in Zone 9, and sell them as well. The writer might even one day write and publish a physical book on gardening and offer it along with a line of gardening tools.

The point is, writers have practically been handed the ability to run a full business rather than work for a publisher. The hard part is developing the content. The other aspects to running an Internet site (things like how to construct a website, shopping carts, how to set up a legal entity as a business) are all things that can be learned.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jo Ann LeQuang is a freelance writer and owner of several websites who is encouraging writers to recognize what just happened with the Internet in terms of giving writers the tools to earn a great living. Find out more about this at http://www.workingonlinewriter.com

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“The pages are still blank, but there is a miraculous

feeling of the words being there, written in invisible

ink and clamoring to become visible.”

~ Vladimir Nabakov

Writer’s block is what many writers dread the most. Famous novelist and adventurer Ernest Hemingway was once asked about the most frightening thing he had ever encountered as a writer and he replied: “ A blank sheet of paper.”

Bloggers must write to create content for their blogs. Just imagine you want to write and you are facing a blank PC screen, would that be as scary as facing a blank sheet of paper?

Today, it’s so much easier to use a desktop computer or a laptop rather than an old beat-up typewriter to write. If you type something you don’t like you can always delete the sentence and rewrite it. You don’t waste sheets of paper.

So, how does one unlock that writer’s block?

Usually writers can’t get started because they try to concentrate too much on the introduction and that bogs them down.

Don’t worry too much - or just don’t be fussy - start at any point. Just write away in the middle and by the time you come back to the front, you will have a clearer picture of how the introduction will run.

So there. Just don’t feel anxious and frustrated. Throw out those negative feelings, be motivated and inspired by whatever that’s cooking in your mind. And right away…write!

Another good way to start is to work on the title first. You can come up with several titles, decide which one can wow the reader and the rest of your writing will start to flow. The right title helps to give your writing the ‘write direction.’

Let’s look at it from another writer’s viewpoint about how to unlock that writer’s block. Author Jeffrey Deaver has this advice: “I’ve often said that there’s no such thing as writer’s block; the problem is idea block.”

Here’s another quote from American science fiction writer Octavia Butler (I like this one): “You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”

Finally, here’s a little tip from James Thurber: “Don’t get it right, just get it written.”

So, have you overcome that writer’s block and got your mojo working?

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As a blogger, sometimes you might wonder which way you’re heading as you spend hours blogging and  losing sleep while increasing your intake of caffeine.

If someone who doesn’t understand this “blogging madness” sees you at it, you’ll probably be told to get a life!

When you started out with a new blog, you’re usually filled with great enthusiasm and expectation…but then, as you plod along, you realize that maybe it isn’t all that enjoyable anymore because you are confronted by unforeseen ‘roadblocks’ along the way.

For example, when you don’t see your blog being ‘ordained’ at least a Google PR3 or PR4, are you gonna sing the PageRank blues?

How many of us do experience this kind of angst somewhere down the line?

It’s the same feeling we get when we’re dealing with other projects like your job, hobby or business venture.

For each person, there are always reasons, either to push on or call it a day. Where do you stand in the Ups and Downs of your career?

Are you a winner?

According to bestselling author Seth Godin in his book, “The Dip,” winners are the ones with the ability to escape dead ends quickly. They are focused and motivated. They usually bounce back.

To them, a Dip is just a temporary setback. They’ll push on until they break the barrier and go on to better things.

Are you a loser?

The Dip need not be permanent, but to a loser it’s a Cul-de-Sac which will never get better no matter how hard he or she tries. There’s no escape. It’s the moment of truth for the loser. Quitting is the final solution.

Godin had written two other interesting, thought-provoking business books - “Purple Cow” and “Small Is The New Big.”

“The Dip” should make you sit down for a while to ponder whether you’re in for the long haul no matter what comes in between or you’re gonna throw in the towel in the face of adversity.

*Markk*

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Everything has got to have balance, just like Ying and Yang. Writing posts, I guess, is no exception.

Being prolific as a blogger is fine. But what you write can say a lot about you. Yes, your content input has got to measure up to the theme or philosophy of your blog. Mashing up is not a very good idea if you get my drift.

The writing part is important, too. Avoid convoluted sentences, keep it snappy, concise and straight to the point. Inject a bit of wittism, make them grin a bit. Maintain a conversational style.

Your topics can be diverse but still follow a set pattern of the theme or philosophy. That’s how to maintain focus without going off tangent.

Some may not agree but if you want a captured audience you have to sort of “toe the line” and deliver the bacon.

For example, take RSS feed subscriptions. Do bloggers continue to subscribe faithfully or do they unsubscribe from blog RSS feeds after a while?

And why? Well, it has been written elsewhere, based on the bloggers’ experiences with RSS feeds, that for various reasons some people stay on or drop out of their subscriptions.

The top reason why most subscribers quit is because of too many posts coming from RSS feeds. And surprisingly, as opposed to the main reason, people also turn off the RSS because there are too few posts.

So, what do you do? There’s no easy answer. The safest bet is for a blogger to…well, strike a balance. Give it a thought and dream about it!

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Inspiration can be drawn from many sources if you know where to look, and sometimes, it comes from the most unexpected source you wouldn’t have thought of in the first place.

A book written by award-winning Malaysian journalist Gerald Chuah has surprisingly revealed powerful inspirational life lessons from movies that featured action star Sylvester Stallone.

If you’re a fan of Stallone, you’ll know that his films draw on the tradition of the underdog, the downtrodden man who comes out on top.

How is that so?

According to renowned philosopher, author and coach Bob Proctor, Chuah’s book, entitled “In The Eye Of The Tiger: Survival Principles From Sylvester Stallone’s Life & Films,” has captured the inspirational nuances of “The Secret,” a best-selling book authored by Rhonda Bryan and which has been turned into a documentary movie.

Chuah has compiled all the life lessons and inspirational quotes from Stallone’s Life and Films since the 70s, and for the first time - 30 years after - he has published the book of which you can download the first chapter for free here to get a taste of what Proctor describes as “a phenomenal book.”

The book was launched by Stallone’s mother, Jacqueline, in Kuala Lumpur in conjunction with the last episode in the Rocky series, “Rocky Balboa.”

“It’s absolutely incredible,” says Proctor. “Chuah went against all odds to deliver the book. He had asked himself: ‘What would Stallone do? What would Rocky Balboa do?’ ”

From all Stallone’s movies, the man always go the extra round. So did Chuah to get the book out.

Going the distance with Stallone is summed in this quote by the actor:

“I want to give audience positive symbols, heroines, and heroes who pull themselves up from the depths of despair. As they struggle and claw and finally attain their goals, viewers can realise ‘My God, I can do that,’ or ‘That’s the kind of person I want to be.’”

As an entertainment journalist, Chuah has interviewed many international celebrities including actors Mel Gibson, Richard Dreyfuss, Jean Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Chow Yun-Fat, and Zhang Ziyi.

He also interviewed film directors Ridley Scott and Renny Harlin, and musicians Phil Collins, Carlos Santana, Baby Face, Alanis Morisette, Vanessa Mae and many others.

“I will always remember what Rocky means to me, the silhouette of a man triumphant with his arms held high, symbolizes hope for all who persevere and are willing to go the distance,” says Chuah when asked about his pet subject.

*Review - by The Red Onion*

Verdict: A motivational book that reminds us that only losers give up without a fight.

P.S. If you’re interested in the book, please contact Gerald Chuah at gchuah@gmail.com.

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The simple truth about improving your writing is that you have to practice your craft continually and consistently. Experiment with your writing, do some planning, revision, then revisit what you have been doing. Challenge yourself by establishing deadlines and competitions. Push yourself, find out about your limits and your writing will soon reward you. Try writing something that another writer inspired you, then write a few lines completely your own.

However, you won’t improve your writing style by writing in a vacuum. You must also make efforts to improve by reading the works of other writers, be it fiction, nonfiction or poetry.

Get acquainted with all writing styles: argumentative or persuasive, informative or biographical, fantastic or scientific. Go through the works of talented, consecrated professionals, and also read those writers who are still finding their style.

Your readings should help you gain confidence and inspiration. They should also sustain you in building your vocabulary and help you learn more writing tricks and techniques. This way you will learn more about the patterns and rhythm of language. Try to understand what makes you different from the other authors you are reading, because by doing this you will soon be able to understand what is your own unique voice.

Becoming a better writer is not a task you can accomplish in a weekend or in a few months. Learning to be a better writer by constant improvement is a life’s work.

Genuine writers never see their work done. They don’t accept their condition and sit back, no matter how good they are. It’s true… it will not take you a lifetime to gain professional status, but this shouldn’t be your only goal. If you will think in these terms, you will only prevent yourself from becoming the great writer you can be.

For instance, perhaps your writing was not the reason your writing project was rejected. Instead, it could have happened because of the chosen topic, the needs of the publisher, or simply the mood of the editor when she looked over your submission.

It’s a fact that you cannot control the moment when you reach professional status, but you can influence your progress toward constantly improving your writing. And one is not far from the other, as the more valuable your writing gets, the easier it will be for you to become a better (and published) writer.

About the author: Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com

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Hey, didn’t they tell you that blogging is as easy as eating apple pie and it’s fun? Well, that depends on how you want to go about it. Truth be told, it takes passion, determination and true grit to really achieve some kind of notoriety as a blogger.

We know bloggers come in all sizes, shapes, temperament. Some blog for fun, others blog for money. But once you take the plunge, you’ll soon realize that keeping a blog updated on a regular basis is different from having breakfast, lunch and dinner as a day-to-day routine.

So, have you got what it takes to put your nose to the blogging grindstone? Onion Spirit will take up the challenge to embark on this blogging journey.

No doubt, the blogging terrain is full of potholes but if you know your way around, you might end up feeling like a blogging prima donna with your head in the clouds.

But let’s not forget those bloggers who, after the initial flourish of posts, would be going through a period of inactivity known as “writer’s block. ”

Sooner or later, this dysfunctional factor will creep into you and you’ll be going through a period of non-productive angst. It happens to most of us.

Blogging burnt-out has taken its toll of a number of bloggers. But then, there are others who seem to be able to churn out post after post like they are coming out of a factory line. Are you one of them, or do you think it’s crazy? Or is it cool?

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