1-10 Write What You Know? Ha!, by Bob Freiday

You won't go wrong by subscribing to WritersWeekly (http://www.writersweekly.com/) and you'll get great articles like the one in this handout.

Disclaimer: A requirement to reprint the article below from WritersWeekly is "reprinted in it's entirety" as it appeared on that site. This handout is not intended to be a plug for Bob Freiday's book. The choice of whether to have it in your bookcase is yours to make. YOU are the judge, and YOU decide whether to accept offers for products or instructions, FREE or FOR A PRICE, that you encounter on any web-resource you find through use of this course material.

Write What You Know?! Ha!
By Bob Freiday

Excerpted from 10 Golden Rules of Freelance Writing and How I Broke Them - available in paperback and ebook formats.

This article may be freely reprinted/redistributed as long as the entire article and bio are included.

Write what I know? Yeah, sure! I'm going to write about running a high-speed slitter in a plastics factory? I'm going to write about operating a gigantic vacuum metallizer? I'm going to write about blowing up three cars in two years while running around the state as a rock-n-roll advertising salesman? I'm going to write about baking bagels in a small bakery?

I'll tell you this much-- I sure didn't know much about Credit and Collections before writing over 40 articles about that. I sure didn't know much about Corporate and Industrial Security before writing around 50 stories about that. I sure didn't know much about Warehousing, Logistics, Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM), Robotics, Just-In-Time (JIT) Distribution and JIT Manufacturing and things of that nature before publishing probably another hundred stories about those topics, as well.

I mean-- really! What kind of stupid writing rule is that? "Write What You Know." Give me a break! You write what editors want, and you write about what you want to learn about!

I often read something fascinating in the paper, or see it on the news, or read about it in a trade publication-- then pursue an article about it so I can interview the experts, learn about the topic more deeply, and then write a fascinating article. Thats half the pleasure to be gained by being a freelance writer: the non-stop, ongoing education you get on a gazillion different topics. I don't think I've ever written an article wherein I didn't learn something new. That's the fun of it! Writers know a little bit about a lot of different topics, wherein the average professional knows a lot about a single topic, or two or three.

Don't write about what you know-- write about what you want to learn more about. That's what real writers do. They don't write about picking daisies in their back yard, or weeding their gardens. Really. They write about fascinating topics they want to learn about-- and usually with the assignment already in the bag.

Writers write about all kinds of things. Yes-- some writers do write only about what they know, but their opportunities for getting published are rather limited, as are their incomes, I would bet.

But, as a general rule, don't ever believe you must "write about what you know" in order to make a living as a writer.

Contrarily, 90% or more of my 500+ articles were written about subjects I knew little or nothing about before digging in and researching, interviewing, then writing the articles. [I should also note that (Phew! Please!!) few, if any, of my 200 or so published erotic stories had anything whatsoever to do with my personal experiences!]

Yes-- doctors write papers on medical topics. Lawyers write essays about law. But professional writers-- those who aspire to make their livings at it-- write about whatever it is that the market (or the editor) is hungry for. What does the editor want? That's what I'm going to write about. Right? Make sense?

"Write what you know." I genuinely cringe when I hear that crazy rule. It's so untrue. I had an editor call me up one day. "Bob-- I just read about this fantastic robot they built and are testing at Glaxo Pharmaceuticals, down in Research Triangle Park (NC). It sounds fascinating, and I'd like you to look into it and interview the guy who designed it and the guy who's running the project. I have their names and phone numbers for you, but I haven't contacted them and they have no idea you'll be calling. Let's make it a Close-Up," he said to me, meaning it would be a $550 story.

Take a guess: Did I say, "Sorry, Buddy. I don't know anything about robots or robotics. I guess you'll have to give the assignment to somebody else?"

Good guess. That would be just plain stupid. Again-- I knew absolutely nothing about robots or robotics. Zilch! But my editor knew I was a smart guy and a good interviewer and a darned-good writer. So he called me up and gave me the assignment, obviously not caring very much about whether or not I knew anything about robotics.

You write about what editors would like you to write about. You write about what you know will help you crack a specific market. You write about what you think might enhance your resume. You write about subjects that interest you, because you look forward to doing the research, interviewing experts or big shots in that particular field, and learning more about the topic.

As far as being intimidated about writing articles on subjects you know nothing about-- forget about it! Never be intimidated. You can learn from simple research at your local library (and now so easily online), and you especially can learn from your interviewees. Yes, you've got to do enough research on the topic to be able to come up with a list of intelligent questions to ask the interviewees, but that's about it. Most of your knowledge on a subject will come from interviewing experts-- or at least that's been the case with me. You get a general, overall knowledge from your research, but a more in-depth, detailed knowledge and understanding (not to mention a better context) from your interviews with the experts.

I was amazed, when I first began working with high-level people at relatively large companies around the country, at how eager many of them were to help me learn more about their particular industry. People solidly entrenched in a specific industry or business or discipline are often very gung-ho about it, and eager to explain it or teach it to "newbies."

The flip side to that is that, once you've published one or two or three articles about a specific topic-- run with it! Become "the expert" that all the editors will want to turn to when an opportunity for a story on that topic pops up.

Over a period of years and hundreds of articles, I somehow found myself an "expert" in many, many different topics, simply because I'd researched them, interviewed the real experts, and written quite a few articles about those topics.

You learn by osmosis. Surround yourself in corporate and industrial and computer security stories and research and experts and interviews long enough-- and POOF! You're suddenly the expert. It happens without you ever realizing it's happening.

"Write what you know" is a useless, deceiving rule. The more it's promulgated, the more damage it does to the self-confidence of aspiring writers. So let's kill this rule once and for all!

Bob Freiday has been a business journalist and writer for more than 15 years and has published over 750 articles in more than 50 publications. He was a Contributing Editor at Inbound Logistics Magazine (Thomas Publishing Co., New York, N.Y.) and a Field Editor for Prentice-Hall's Bureau of Business Practice and Simon & Schuster's Business & Professional Publishing division. He also is past Executive Editor of the Velvet Specials and The Best of Velvet (Eton-Vanity Publishing Co., New York, N.Y.). Originally from New Jersey, he now resides and works out of Ft. Myers, FL.
Bob's new book, 10 Golden Rules of Freelance Writing and How I Broke Them is available in paperback and ebook formats at the link above
End

Bob Freiday died in 2004 and the link to a free aptitude test on writing children's stories for testing yourself was lost to me. However, I found a test offered online, but I can't say that it won't obligate you. Try it at your own risk: http://www.breakintoprint.com/T5964/aptitude_test.htm.

I found it also at the Longridge Writers Group site, http://www.longridgewritersgroup.com/aptitude_test.htm.

Apparently the aptitude test was about writing for children. If that is your interest, run online searches and you may find one.
###

Next: 1-11, Other Uses For "Mailbox" Information: http://tinyurl.com/3akkb4w

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-9 Treasure Hunting For Markets

(c) 2010, Mona Leeson Vanek

Object: Analyzing Markets: Becoming Super Familiar With a Magazine's Format and Style.

Use this form to help you build your marketing base. Print out copies and use them as you study magazines. Type a copy of a story into your word processor from a magazine that you want to sell to (or paste one from online source.)

• Run a word count on it.
• Count the number of lines.
• Count the number of paragraphs.
• Run grammar check and see what grade level it's written in.
• How many two or three syllable words are used?

Try to make your own article the exact size and format.

• Vary sentence lengths just like the magazine does.
• Vary paragraph lengths just like the magazine does.
• Discover the 'pattern' the editor likes!
• Make your article fit that pattern as exactly as you can.

In other words, blueprint the layout of yours to match theirs.

FIND:
1. The pattern used. Viewpoint person:

• "I" or "we" = 1st
• "You" = 2nd
• "He," "she," "they" = 3rd

2. Kind of lead:

• Anecdote (A)
• Quote (Q)
• Provocative Statement (PS)
• Question (QU)
• Summation (S)
• Straight Declarative Summation (SDS)
• Statistical (ST)

3. Find and identify the theme focus statement: It states the THEME the article intends to prove. It's generally located immediately after the lead.

4. Count the number of Anecdotes and Quotes. List them:

• A
• Q

5. Who are the "authorities? What kinds of quotes are used? Note how many, also. List them:

• General (G)
• Specific (S)

6. Count the negative phrases, How many include don't, none, not, or similar words or thoughts?

7. Find and list "Information" and "Exposition." Put down the ratio: "I"/ "E"

• "I" = information (where to, costs, etc).
• "E" = explanation (paragraphs such as background and explanation.

Count them and compare the total number of paragraphs in the article to get an idea of how much I/E the magazine prefers.

8. Rank the magazines "jargon" = Formal (F); Informal (I); Flamboyant (FL)

9. Rate sentence structure - # of LIC and # of BC:

• Long, packed with Information, Complex in terms of ratios per article (LIC)
• Brief and Conversational (BC)
• Number the ration (ie: 20LIC/50B

10. Define the ending:

• Recap (R) Recap can be thought of as TMI, an acronym for Techniques of Military Instruction. Essentially it means "Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em, tell 'em, then tell 'em what you told 'em."
• Full Circle (FC) Full circle- relates with a sentence back to the beginning sentence.
• Progression (P). Progression explains everything, every term, every procedure, fully, clearly, offering frequent examples and using words of progression; i.e.: "first", "second", "now", "next", "finally" to stitch the parts together.

11. Rank the magazine by ratios of the number of:

• How-To (HT)
• Inspirational (I)
• Expose (E)
• or ( ) any other acronym that defines kinds of feature articles major emphasis and number of magazine articles and stories used.
• (Humor, is a good example of "kinds of emphasis".)
• Don't skip regular feature columns, fiction and poetry.
• List the number of cartoons, too.

12. Count the advertisements: How many?

List the major companies that advertise:

Analyze what audience they're after:

• Age (A)
• Income (I)
• Education level (E)
• Marital status (M)
• Occupations (O)

Target your idea to their interests.

13. NAME the editor.

Define his/her style - using the criteria from the above "treasure hunt" guess:

• age
• marital status
• income, $
• educational level
• personality traits

Form a mental picture of the editor. Get "friendly" with it and "comfortable" with keeping in touch with THIS SPECIFIC PERSON.

14. MAGAZINE NAME by **** (That stands for "Four Star" Magazine:

**** 4.

*** 3.

** 2.

* 1.

Rank your magazines as you complete reviewing and studying them, filling in a slip like this for each, until you know each market you INTEND to make friends with the editor of!!

!! EDITORS LOVE WRITER FRIENDS!!

TIP: When you're ready to search for markets, give duotrope' digest a try: http://www.duotrope.com/
End

Chapter 2 - Careers and Marketing, http://tinyurl.com/286848e

Next, 1-10 Write What You Know? Ha!, by Bob Freiday: http://tinyurl.com/2gxetrx

1-8 Let One Idea = Endless Writing

(c) 2010 by Mona Vanek

Writers who successfully grow their business begin by mastering essential steps. This series of Insider Tips will show you proven steps to success.

Say you've just seen, learned or experienced something for the first time. Wow! You want to write about it! You're going to make money! But wait -- if you want your writing to pay off big for you, there are steps to follow before you sit down and write.

Your "point of view" turns your material into many stories. The best brief discussion of POV can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_view_(literature).

Most topics have too much potential for one market. You need to "topic spoke" your experience or idea into twenty or so topic ideas. How many ways can you think of to slant your idea? Some writers call this exercise brainstorming or mind mapping.

Using a a large sheet of paper (or legal-size tablet) for this step. Write the idea in the center and circle it.

• Then, like a wagon wheel, draw a few lines out from the circle around your first idea.
• At the ends of each "spoke" write something about the central topic.
• Circle each of those ideas. Then pick one circle and draw lines out from it.
• At the ends of those lines, write all the ideas that comes to mind when you think of what was in the circle you spoked from.

 Keep going until you're drained of ideas. Force as many different articles ideas out of it as possible. Apply how-to, why, what, when, and where possibilities.

For example, a story on road killed deer could be topic spoked to the following separate idea-circles:

1. A general piece on animals in the road
2. How insurance companies rank road-kills
3. Which states have the highest deer road-kill rates
4. How to safely avoid hitting an animal in the road
5. Why animals jump in front of vehicles
6. Is the auto industry doing anything to prevent this phenomenon? (ie: different head lights, sound-emitting devices, reflectors, etc.?)

Using other slants, you might write about:

1. How to handle hitting an animal when your kids are in the car
2. How to explain a road-killed pet to a child.
1. Think parenting publications
2. General magazines
3. Men's magazines
4. Children's magazines
5. Religious magazines
6. Handouts

Near each spoke, jot down as many different TYPES of magazines as you can.

Think of your topic from many points of view. By each idea, make notations of potential market categories for them. (Check categories in Writers Markets.)

Rearch and read everything you can find on your topics. Set up file folders for each one and put every scrap of information you find into the folders. Then, don't limit yourself. Keep your topic spoked idea files growing. Nothing you learn will be wasted.

You'll use and reuse your research as you spoke out different articles from each research project you pursue, and find yourself writing endlessly.

Check into the Java application, Free Mind (a free software download) which allows you to make mind maps very easily: http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page.

For more options,scroll to the the Alternatives Link to get here: http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page#Alternatives_to_using_FreeMind.

Now you're equipped to let ideas lead to endless writing.

End

Next, 1-9 Treasure Hunting For Markets: http://tinyurl.com/23dqt4b

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-3 Let Toggle = Efficient Writing

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

It's bound to happen sooner or later -- an editor requires the URLs and contacts of sites you visited while researching an article for an assignment. You panic, and rummage through an untidy pile of papers, frantically scrabbling to find sloppy notations. Naive writers rely on re-visiting a web page. There are many reasons why you can have difficulty accessing a web page again.

You can avoid that pitfall, and become more productive by mastering a few steps that help you work smart: Toggle, Save, File Methodically, and Quickly retrieve Misplaced Data.

The following instructions are for computer-based e-mail. They explain how to use your computer-based e-mail program to improve your writing efficiency.

Computer-based e-mail lets you:

• Minimize research time
• Maximize writing time
• Store project-related information and documents
• Retrieve misplaced data.

It's similar to using word processing software, but with added capabilities accessible within the computer-based e-mail program. It allows you to e-mail what you've written, create filing "cabinets" with folders, each individually alphabetically arranged and indexed, and transfer material into files. A touchpad tap or a mouse click instantly sorts file contents by name, date, subject, etc. Plus, a good computer-based e-mail program includes a powerful search engine that will locate misplaced or related data within seconds!

All you need do is toggle between your Internet Browser and your E-mail program, clip and save, and then file methodically.

Begin first with mastering how to "toggle" between programs. (*Also explained in Insider tip Multi-task, Week 1-2.)

Open your e-mail software program. Notice how that puts an Icon into the taskbar. Taskbar-icons let you switch between programs without closing them.

Create a new e-mail message -- referred to here as "file-message"

• Move your pointer to the "-" sign in the top right hand corner of the e-mail program
• Click it. That sends the e-mail program to the taskbar

Open your Internet browser. Its icon also appears in the taskbar when the browser is open on the screen.

• Move your pointer to the e-mail icon in the task bar.
• Click it. That returns the e-mail program to the screen, on top of the Browser.

Icons will also be in the taskbar if you click the "_" sign in the top right corner of open programs.

Practice moving from one program to the other and back again by clicking their icons in the taskbar.

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

Next: 1-4 Let Clip and Save = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/2dlte72

1-4 Let Clip and Save = Efficient Writing

(c) Mona Leeson Vanek

This is not advice about software programs used to organize big writing projects such as novels. To learn about what's used for big writing projects, like novels, many writers rely on software programs. Explore them here, http://www.literatureandlatte.com/links.html. Read more about each program by checking them out at http://www.wikipedia.org./

However, for articles and such, you can easily minimize Internet research time and maximize writing time. All you need do is toggle between programs, clip and save, file methodically, and quickly retrieve data as needed. Here's how to Clip & Save your research.

Copy material on the Internet and paste it into your file-message.

Copy and Paste are actions done when you Right mouse button, and select from the drop down list by moving your pointer to the one you want and clicking the Left button.

1.) Start your e-mail program and send it to the taskbar by clicking your mouse on the "-" sign at the top right hand corner of your screen. Open your Internet browser program. To move back and forth between these two programs as you copy and save research material.

• Toggle will mean to click on the e-mail icon in your task bar.  
• Until you close your e-mail program, Toggle will return you to the open message you left. 

2.) With your Internet browser open (on top), Toggle e-mail.

• Press "ctrl n" to create a file-message. Later, it will become a mailbox folder.
• Type your research project name into the To: line. This identifies the project.
• Use the Subject: line to elaborate on message contents.

3.) Toggle. The "http" line at the top of your browser screen is the URL (what got you to this web page, either because you typed it there, or you clicked on it's link somewhere.) 

• Click mouse pointer on URL to highlight it.
• Right click (opens the drop-down list.
• Click "Copy." This places an invisible copy on your Clipboard, ready to be pasted wherever you want it.

4.) To save what you just copied

• Toggle the e-mail icon
• Right click mouse pointer inside the new message, and then click "Paste" from the drop down list. Anything you copy can be pasted where you want to save it.

Every time you insert material into your file-message, press "ctrl s" to save all that you've collected, in case the power goes off unexpectedly shutting the computer down, or some other computer crash happens. (When you close your e-mail file-message it goes into your OUT mailbox (or Draft, or whichever folder (mailbox), depending on your e-mail program, where it remains, ready to be reopened and added to. If using your word processor, save the named document after each insertion.)

5.) Toggle, and on the web page, look for the Site Map.

Not all web pages will have a site map, but it's very useful. It's often a link on the Home page, usually either near the top of the page or near the bottom. If you don't see it, try pressing ctrl f to open your computer's Find function, where you type 'Site Map.' Also, ctrl End will quickly get you to the bottom of the page, where you may find who owns the site.

6.) Locate the web page owner's name, and highlight (by holding down left mouse key while scrolling) and Right click. Choose "copy". Finding the owner often takes persistent searching, and not all sites list the owner. Sometimes it's a corporation. Check also in "About Us" and "Contact Us" (where you might also find the president or CEO's name), or in the Copyright information, which is also usually at the page bottom.

7.) Toggle, and in file-message, Right click and "paste" the owner's name.

8.) Toggle, and find out how to contact the web page owner. Save the contact information in your e-mail message. Include an e-mail address and a phone number (if available) in case you need to get in touch at some later date. Even if you aren't sure you have the right e-mail address, someone will generally reply to your e-mail.

Some editors only require citing your source URL, however many editors expect you to obtain permission to cite material from a web site.

If there's a contact's link, often the address will be automatically inserted into a new message in your e-mail program. Copy and save it. Other times, an on-line reply form will open. Save a copy of the web page URL in your file-message in case you want to use that form later.

When you send a message via an on-line form, it disappears, so when you contact a web site owner using the online form, before sending (or submitting) ALWAYS create a copy of the message you type ("ctrl a" inside of the online message box to highlight all, and then "ctrl c" to copy.) Paste ("ctrl v") your copy into your file-message.)

9.) As you explore the links on the web page and highlight, copy and save the snippets you'll use later when you flesh out your article or story, remember to also save the URL from every new page you gather data from.

Also check for a "last updated" note. Many pages were last updated years ago, and few say when, but if you find a recent update note it's a much more valuable resource. More and more editors will accept only recently published online citations.

When finished, the important information you need to cite your facts will be readily available when needed -- in the e-mail folder (mailbox) you create to store them.

10.) Close the file-message. It's now ready to Transfer.

11.) If you haven't attempted to create new mailboxes, the process is similar to saving word document files, and your e-mail program Help file will walk you through it. (*See Step 3.)

While you're searching online, you may find information for a different article. Save it into a new e-mail message message.

CONTROL KEY FUNCTIONS:
In many software programs, keyboarding is supported. In other words, when you press a combination of the control (ctrl) key simultaneously with another key a function is available:

Ctrl while rolling your mouse over a line (or picture) highlights it.
ctrl c = COPY, whatever is highlighted
ctrl v = PASTE, whatever you have copied.
ctrl f = SEARCH, opens a box with a line where you type the number, symbol, letter, word or words you want to find quickly.
ctrl a = HIGHLIGHTS, the entire open file. Highlighted material can then be copied, deleted or moved to somewhere else within the document.

If you accidentally delete something (and you will!) ctrl v should paste it back! IF ctrl v does not, then use ctrl z.

ctrl z = UNDO, last typing (ie: like if you've deleted something and decide you want it back, pressing ctrl z will return it to wherever it was.)
ctrl o = OPENS, Offers you a box showing all the files in your computer from which you can choose the one you want to open.)
ctrl p = PRINT, the file (message) that is currently open.
ctrl s = SAVES, the current message, and keeps it open so you can continue typing into it.
ctrl w = CLOSE, messages, mailboxes, documents, and some programs, such as Internet Explorer, etc.
ctrl e = SEND, messages. (Send is immediate IF you are connected on-line, otherwise you'll get a 'can't send' message.)
ctrl d = DUMP, messages into your trash mailbox.
ctrl l = OPEN ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl k = COPY, highlighted message sender's ADDRESS INTO ADDRESS BOOK
ctrl 6 = will start a spell-check on words in the open message. (you chose what you want to do about them and cancel out of the spell-checker at anytime.)
ctrl works with home and end keys, too. They are useful ways to speed moving around in the open file and can save you lots of time.
ctrl tab = toggle between open pages.
ctrl p = print and save this so you can refer to it anytime!
ctrl q = QUITS, a program (exits the program and the message will be gone, gone, gone, as in erased and gone forever! It's as final as putting your mouse pointer on the little "x" in the top corner to EXIT.

DO NOT QUIT or EXIT documents you've written without first using ctrl s to save, or ctrl w to close and save the current message you're typing, or ctrl e to send it.

Next: 1-5 Let Filing Methodically = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/2dtx7cp

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-5 Let Filing Methodically = Efficient Writing

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Create "filing cabinets" and folders
Consult your e-mail "help" for instructions on creating mailboxes.

I'll share with you how my program creates mailboxes, but you'll need to consult your software help files to learn how yours works.

• I Toggle the e-mail icon to bring the open file-message to the screen.
• Naming my project
• I type the research project name into the message To: line. This identifies the project.
• I use the message Subject: line to elaborate on message content.
• Since many folders can be needed, I use the Transfer option in my e-mail to Create a Folder (mailbox) by first putting my pointer on Transfer
• Left mouse button opens a drop down list.
• Choose New
• Type the name
• Check Make Folder so it becomes a mailbox folder, which allows a nested mailbox to contain messages.
• Check OK
• Next, I type a name in the new box that opens (which creates a nested folder.)
• Check OK again

The open message-file transfers into it. The name in the message Too: line identifies it from other message-files I later store there also.

I'm subject-specific when labeling my filing system. For example, my mailbox, AAINHOLDING (a folder) in which I created another folder, CURRENT RESEARCH, and in that, many sub-folders such as, Iron Sculpture, Medical Mishaps, Publishing Scams, Ideas 2010, Digital cameras.

This process, referred to as "nesting folders", should be limited; don't nest folders more than two or three deep. Note my use of capital letters for folders and lower case for files. I use the TO: line of each message in the files to identify the file-message contents. Some files contain many file-messages while other files have only one. ie: AAINHOLDING\CURRENT RESEARCH\Ideas 2010 (a file) contains Sister Things, ER-Code Yellow, Rejections Are Good, etc.

It's great to have many Mailboxes, each storing ideas waiting to be developed. Think of your Mailboxes and labels as your file cabinet, or library.

Transfer each file-message into the "mailbox" you prepared for filing. Later you can transfer or copy the messages to your word processor with the hyperlinks intact.

You'll devise your own particular way of naming folders and files in both your e-mail program and your word processor program. Don't panic if you think you've made a mistake. Changing a file or folder name is easy.

Consult your e-mail software program help file to learn how to display a complete list of the mailboxes you've created.

You can rename by Right clicking the folder or file you want to change, then select Rename, and type the new name.

**** Be careful! DO NOT accidently click Delete.

Delete in e-mail programs is not reversible!
The folder does not go to your Recycle Bin.
Delete destroys the file!

Re-opening a stored draft (unsent message) brings the file-message onto the screen, ready to be added to if needed.

Increase your efficieny:

1. Master nested mailboxes, folders, filing and indexing the contents your projects.
2. Copy and paste directly from a "file-message" when you want to use the material in a manuscript you're composing.
3.  Highlight the message contents and copy and paste them into a word document for a duplicate.

Next: Insider tip: 1-6 Let Retrieving Misplaced Data = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/23oth76

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-6 Let Retrieving Misplaced Data = Efficient Writing

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Retrieving forgotten file names
Take the time to learn the search functions in your computer because Search functions save hours of frustration, and allow you to retrieve misplaced and related pertinent information quickly.

You will never regret the time spent learning, and by doing so you will increase your efficiency and output considerably.

Operating system search option locates keywords in word documents, and e-mail software search option sifts through e-mail files lightening fast. Each returns a list of files containing the precise word or words you enter into the Search.

Most searches will operate in the background while you continue writing, if you're pressed for time.

Because operating systems vary widely, and so do e-mail software programs, you will need to read your program's help files to learn how to use your search functions.

About software programs essential to writers
Internet browser: A software program enabling users to navigate the Internet.

Web-based e-mail: e-mail messages are stored in equipment owned by an Internet service provider, but is not stored in your computer unless you copy it into a file in your computer.

E-mail software program: Let's you download your e-mail messages from equipment owned by an Internet service provider, into a file folder in your computer, and you choose to either save or delete messages from your computer.

Alternative methods for web-based e-mail:

1. Save material as a draft message, which makes it is easy to access anywhere on any computer, and backup as both word documents and messages to minimize any loss due to both online-site and computer failure.
2. When doing research, open two web based email accounts, e.g. one Hotmail and one in another, such as a Gmail or Qmail account. Send the mail to both email accounts (e.g. you have the Hotmail open and send it to yourself, and put your other account address in the CC line). It is very unlikely with this double system that you will ever lose data. To be extra safe, use three instead of two accounts. Some people won't like it because you give away part of the control, and some people will use three accounts to be extra safe.
3. Word processor documents work just as well as a computer-based e-mail file-message.
4. See http://www.carbonite.com/ for another option.
5. It's possible to use Microsoft with Gmail. You'll find instructions here: http://tinyurl.com/5zhggn.

End

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

Next: 1-7 Let Right Mouse Button and\or Ctrl Key = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/28ftla3

1-7 Let Mouse Button and\or Ctrl Key = Efficient Writing

(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

I think of my computer mouse and the ctrl -- which stands for "control" -- key on my keyboard to magic genies, ready to do my bidding!

Like the touchpad on most portable computers, the mouse has a right button and a left button. Each performs what's known as a command function. By taking full advantage of the ctrl key and\or the right mouse button, I give commands that improve my writing efficiency tremendously.

Computer operating systems commonly support a command function that provides pretty much the same command functions as the right mouse button. Windows 95 and all later versions command the ctrl key -- sending a genie into action when the ctrl key is pressed simultaneously with another key --  similar to the way pressing the right mouse button works.

Consult your operating system and software help files to see if there is a command function to help you work more efficiently. Eudora Pro, my prefered e-mail program, also supports ctrl key function.

Using the command fuctions (below) and the right mouse button method allows me to use both hands interchangeably, to double my flexibility.

Here are the commands operated by the ctrl key:
Ctrl while rolling your mouse over a line (or picture) highlights it.

• ctrl c = COPY, whatever is highlighted
• ctrl v = PASTE, whatever you have copied.
• ctrl f = SEARCH, opens a box with a line where you type the number, symbol, letter, word or words you want to find quickly.
• ctrl a = HIGHLIGHTS, the entire open file. Highlighted material can then be copied, deleted or moved to somewhere else within the document.

If you accidentally delete something (and you will!) ctrl v will paste back the copy that was deleted! IF ctrl v does not, then use ctrl z, which undoes the previous action.

• ctrl z = UNDO, last typing (ie: like if you've deleted something and decide you want it back, pressing ctrl z will return it to its previous place.)
• ctrl o = OPENS, Offers you a box showing all the files in your computer from which you can choose the one you want to open.)
• ctrl p = PRINT, the file (message) that is currently open.
• ctrl s = SAVES, the current message, and keeps it open so you can continue typing into it.
• ctrl q = QUITS, a program (exits the program and the message will be gone, gone, gone, as in erased and gone forever! It's as final as putting your mouse pointer on the little "x" in the top corner to EXIT.

DO NOT QUIT or EXIT documents you've written without first using ctrl s to save, or ctrl w to close and save the current message you're typing, or ctrl e to send it.

• ctrl w = CLOSE, messages, mailboxes, documents, and some programs, such as Internet Explorer, etc.
• ctrl e = SEND, messages. (Send is immediate IF you are connected on-line, otherwise you'll get a 'can't send' message.)
• ctrl d = DUMP, messages into your trash mailbox.
• ctrl l = OPEN ADDRESS BOOK
• ctrl k = COPY, highlighted message sender's ADDRESS INTO ADDRESS BOOK
• ctrl 6 = will start a spell-check on words in the open message. (you chose what you want to do about them and cancel out of the spell-checker at anytime.)
• ctrl works with your 'home', 'PgUp', 'PgDn', and 'end' keys, too. They are useful ways to speed moving around in the open file and can save you lots of time.
• Ctrl tab = toggle between open pages.
• Ctrl p, to print and save this so you can refer to it anytime!

End

Next: 1-8, Let One Idea = Endless Writing: http://tinyurl.com/29ukqp8

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-2 Let Multi-tasking = Efficient Writing

Access The World And Write Your Way To $$$
(c) 2010 Mona Leeson Vanek

Multi-tasking Results in Efficient Writing

Using the power of your computer makes it possible to do two or more things simultaneously, or in closely related incremental steps.

*Caution: Install security software on your computer if you don't already have it, and configure it to the level of protection you want.

1. Open your e-mail program and create a new message
2. Open your Internet browser program
3. Open your word processor program and create a new file document
4. Connect to your dialup, cable or satellite network.

If you are using a Windows operating system, near the bottom of your screen you'll see a bar with the names or icons of the three programs, E-mail, Browser and Word Processor ~~ that's the 'taskbar'. (*On some operating systems you can configure the taskbar to reside along the top of the screen, or the side of the screen, instead of at the bottom of the screen.)

Now you are ready to Multi-Task, or in other words, switch between the programs you've opened ~~ while you are connected to the whole wide world!

By clicking the "-" in the box at the left of the red "X" in the top right corner of your screen, you can send that program to the taskbar without closing it. Anytime you want to return to using it, just click its name in the taskbar. Send all running programs to the taskbar anytime and return them to your desktop, as you need them, just by clicking on their name.

Practice this until you are familiar with using Multi-tasking. You'll find it very useful as you compose your stories or articles in your word processor, and then move them to e-mail to send.

TIP: Set up your word processor AND your e-mail programs to automatically spell check, so when you misspell a word, you can right click the word and select the correct spelling from the list displayed by the computer program and make the correction with a tap of your finger!
End

Next 1-3 Let Toggle = Efficient Writing: http://tinyurl.com/22tb57x

Chapter 1: http://tinyurl.com/2es3w63

1-1 Daily Warmups

Access The World And Write Your Way To $$$
(c) 2010 by Mona Leeson Vanek

Flexing Your Creative Brain Cells

Just like exercising your muscles, flexing your brain cells should be a daily affair. One ten-minute exercise ensures that your brain will create strong visual images and present you with story ideas. Within a month, your brain will become better conditioned for creative writing and you'll see a remarkable improvement.

1. On one half of a sheet of paper, list 10 nouns.
2. On the other half, write the name of an occupation.
3. Below it, list 15 verbs used in that occupation.
4. Create a sentence using one of the nouns and one of the verbs.
5. When you've created 10 sentences, use them to make a vignette, a scene, or a little story.

You'll be amazed at what your well-conditioned brain creates.
End 

Chapter 1 - Ideas and Basic Information- http://tinyurl.com/27fzovn

Next: 1-2, Let Multi-Tasking = Efficient Writing, http://tinyurl.com/29vrxkv