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Horses For Courses

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:17:00 +0000

Online Education

You may not believe it but the state of education is changing; particularly with the rise of the internet. There are even fully accredited online universities now; although you do need to make sure that the one you are looking at is genuine. Capella University is a genuine, accredited online university offering all kinds of degree programs as well as their Online Masters Degree Programs.

If you already have a first degree but you want a higher qualification then an online master's course with someone like Capella may be just what you are looking for. Capella is a rapidly growing business with more than 20,000 students across the world. Still not sure? Then why not send for details before you make up your mind.

This is a sponsored post and this blog post is based on information provided by Blogitive.

What is Education?

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 01:08:00 +0000

Getting Educated

Most people,when they think about getting educated, tend to think of school or going to university but there are many different ways of getting educated - not least of these is the school of life. Whether we like it or not; want it or not; life will give us an education. It may not be the ususal reading, writing and arithmetic, but it will certainly be an education. What does education mean to you?

Blogging Buddies

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:53:00 +0000

Blogging

When you first start blogging it really is just you and the computer screen. As time goes by and you read other people's blogs and comment on them then they will start to read yours. That is when blogging gets to be fun because you can exchange tips and comments with each other and recognize each other at other places on the internet.

Buddies

Once you have been blogging for a time, had your work read and read the work of others that is when you begin to realise that you have made some blogging buddies. These are people who will return to your blog as you return to theirs. Sometimes you will talk about things other than blogging and really get to know people online. This happened to me when I first started blogging at the now defunct writingup. I met a lot of good people on there, people that I came to see as my blogging buddies. The list included Dana, Inklings, Sharon and Gracepub. So if you are new to blogging then don't give up because it sometimes seems lonely. Keep on blogging and you will soon have a bunch of blogging buddies.

Don't Put That Money in Your Purse Mrs Worthington

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:50:00 +0000

Many of us have coin purses that we keep separate from our pocket books or wallets and we're used to seeing good old dollars and cents; or pounds and pence depending on which side of the pond you are. What you wouldn't want to put in that purse is a rare coin as it's probably worth more than a couple of dollars and cents - which is why you shouldn't put it in your purse Mrs Worthington. If an expert such as someone at Monaco Rare Coin can tell you that it's worth thousands of dollars then you could be on your way to a whole new future in rare coin investment.

First of all you want a company who can give you the best price for the coins you may want to sell, and offer you the best value in further coin investment. It takes a dealer with expertise along with a great deal of resources and experience to get you the best price on something as rare asmorgan dollars. So if you want the best recommendations, market information and service; don't put that coin away, take it to the best dealers on the net.

This is a sponsored post

They Think It's All Over - It Is Now

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:43:00 +0000

Christmas and New Year are funny times; you spend weeks buying presents and deciding how much extra food you are going to need and who will fall out with whom on Boxing day and suddenly it is the 27th December and you and they think it's all over.

For a couple of days after the main event things ease off into an almost normal kind of routine and then it is New Year's Eve and recuperation on New Year's day. After this it takes you a while to get your bearings because on the 27th you thought it was all over - well it's the 4th of January and it is now.

Signs of Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 19:00:00 +0000

You know that Christmas is near when the cards start coming through the door. I love opening Christmas cards because it makes me feel that the festivities are near at hand. Another thing that most of us enjoy with Christmas cards is finding out who they are from. This is the time of year when people will send cards to all those that they may not see from one year's end to the next. This sort of rememberance is one of the signs of Christmas, a sign that always makes people feel better.

When people are sick or ill then they appreciate a card at any time but at this time of year it is a good idea to send those people a special card to let them know that you are thinking of them. Even if you don't know somebody who is ill many people will make a point of buying cards where the manufacturer/retailer donates a portion of that revenue to a charity or cancer research facility. If you look online you will find www.astonishingcards.com, who are making a point of advertising their cards to get more money for cancer research. If you are reading this blog then why not take a look at the website and if you still need to buy Christmas cards order some from there.

Writing and Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:50:00 +0000

Writing Time

If you write for a living then holidays do not always happen in the same way for you, partly because you have deadlines to meet and partly because for most writers, writing is their passion. This can result in other people viewing you as a bit of a scrooge and a spoilsport.

Christmas

The fact of the matter is that writing and Christmas don't go well together. Traditionally Christmas is a time for socializing and being with friends and family. No matter how much you love your writing you should try to negotiate deadlines and your own desire to write to allow for quality time with your loved ones. Writing and Christmas are not mutually exclusive but sometimes it is good to take a break.

Card Power

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 12:39:00 +0000

Not had time to pay the gas bill yet? How about paying for your utilities online? The rise of the internet and online buying has meant that more people than ever are using some sort of credit card. Even our utilities can be paid for with utility specific cards like Gas Credit Cards. Getting the right sort of card for your needs involves comparing what different companies have to offer, the traditional Visa or Master card is not always the answer.

If you want to get a clearer picture of what is available and the different rates that card suppliers offer, it is well worth taking the time to look at credit card comparison sites. Some of these are better than others as not all of them offer quite the same variety of cards as others. Busy housewives, students and business owners can benefit from having cards that are directed at a specific area such as untility payments. You can get low interest and reward cards and cards are also available to those with a bad credit history.

This is a sponsored post.

Working Writer Hat

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 13:21:00 +0000

Most working writers have days when they lag behind on their work. Either the brief they are working on is getting them down - when you have written thirty or more articles on the same subject your writing seems to lose its freshness. It is on days like this that the writer has to remind her or himself that their writing is their bread and butter. You might prefer to be writing about damsels and dragons or cops and robbers, in which case take out twenty minutes and write it out. Once you have done this put your working writer hat back on and finish the brief. Sometimes a short foray into the fiction world can bring back the freshness to your words.

Searching For Lost Coins

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 03:27:00 +0000

Have you ever dropped your purse and then had to scramble around the floor looking for the coins you have dropped - or maybe it was not closed properly and everything fell out into your bag? Searching for lost coins is something we all seem to get involved in at some point in our lives. Even scripture has a woman searching for the lost coin as though it was something rare and valuable.

The truth is that many a rare cointurns up where we least expect it. Sometimes we only hope that it is rare rather than know it. It is at times like these that we need an expert who can tell us the real value of what we have. Monaco rare coin is part of the Monex group of companies, their expert staff will soon be able to help you discover the worth of your coin. Unlike smaller dealers Monaco has access to a range of resources and people which together with their own specialist knowledge will be able to give you a more exact valuation of your property.

This is a sponsored post

Original Sin

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 03:19:00 +0000

Many different things concern us as writers, one of those is original sin, are we actually born to evil or is it something that we learn from life? I find it very hard to accept that a newborn baby is a sinner or carries the mark of the original sin of Adam and Eve. Most people when they look into the eyes of a baby see only innocene and inquisitiveness, not original sin.

Augustine came up with his version of original sin in the fifth century and we are still dealing with the fall out from this today. While scripture might say that we are all sinners it does not hold within it any basis for Augustine's concept of original sin which results in a child being born sinful. Any answers out there?

Writing Woes

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 03:13:00 +0000

There are times in any writer's life when they get the writing woes. Whether they blame their problems on writer's block or a lack of interesting things to write about the fact of the matter is that what they are really experiencing is writing woes. Writing woes can come on any writer at any time, you may not be a freelancer making a living out of your writing but there will still be times when writing becomes a chore and ideas are thin on the ground. There are two things that I have found to be of use under these circumstances, the first is take a break and go out to the pub for a pint; the second is to engage in some freewriting. This is where you put pen to paper and don't take it off for at least ten minutes, even if the only thing you can write is I can't write. Free writing eventually releases the writing that is within you, especially when it is helped along by a glass of ale.

Pay to View

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 02:49:00 +0000

With the arrival of high definition flat screen televisions the tv manufacturers are now preparing to sell to a whole new load of buyers - this means that there is a lot of competition out there to catch the dollars of people who are looking to pay to view. Time was when people would go down to their local store and buy what was available; the rise of the internet has meant that an increasing number of people do some online research before they buy anything.

People who are ready to pay to view the new televisions that are flooding the market may look online to see what is on offer. When it comes to buying a television however, most people will want to see what they are buying in the flesh so to speak. This means that television manufacturers and retailers need to be on the ball when it comes to the internet. One company who have decided to give the customer exactly what they want is Krillion. Customers can look online for Magnavox HDTV and get the television they want at the best price and in the store nearest to them. Retailers and manufacturers need to realise that while people may search online for most things, there are some things that they still want to purchase from a store.

This is a sponsored post

The Feel Good Factor

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 02:44:00 +0000

You hear a lot about what manufacturers and advertisers choose to call the feel good factor, without actually defining their meaning. I suppose that feeling good is something that you really have to define for yourself. I find that even though there are times when I procrastinate when I should be writing that once I actually start I feel better. Writing, I suppose is something that gives me the feel good factor, what is your feel good factor?

Weekend Working

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 02:39:00 +0000

Freelancing is great. You can work at a time of your choosing and stay in your pajamas all day if that is what you want. The downside of working from home is that you inevitably find yourself engaged in weekend working. TGI Friday does not apply to freelancers, if you are looking for a five day week then don't choose to work from home. Deadlines have to be met and clients are not concerned if the date they have chosen is a Saturday or Sunday rather than Friday or Monday. Freelancing can sometimes mean that you don't have as much free time as the nine to fivers, but you are doing something you love to do.

Online Learning

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 02:27:00 +0000

Many people who finish high school don't go onto college and then regret it later on in life. It is not always easy to go back to school especially when you have family responsibilities. The internet has changed all that because it is now possible for stay at home mums and others who may not be able to go the conventional route to higher education to do their learning online.

If you do an internet search for online learning you will find that there are plenty of courses and that some of them even offer learning up to degree level. There are, however, few fully accredited online degree courses. This is why many returning learners have invested their time and money incapella university. This university was founded in 1993 and offers graduate degree programs in many different subjects. Capella is dedicated to academic excellene and is a member of the North Central Association of colleges and schools and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

This is a sponsored post

The Ups and Downs of Freelancing

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:07:00 +0000

One thing that you can say about freelancing is that no two weeks are ever the same. If boredom with routine is one of your problems then maybe the ups and downs of freelancing might be the answer to your prayers.

When you have a regular job that you get bored with you do at least know that there is going to be a pay packet at the end of the month, this is not always the case with freelancing. One day you can be up to your ears in work and wondering how you will get finished and the next you find yourself with nothing to do. This is not only a nuisance it can cause real problems. Freelancers need to be on the lookout for more projects all the time if they are to keep the wolf from the door. If your writing pays the bills then the ups and downs of freelancing can make a steady, boring job with a regular pay packet very attractive - but not for long, because you are of course a writer.

Computer Love

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 10:40:00 +0000

This last fortnight without a computer has made me realise that I have developed computer love. The last couple of days in particular have had my fingers itching and my mind racing; even last night when we went on an air trip to view the Northern Lights computing was on my mind.

I have now managed to borrow a computer until mine is sorted out - now I have to think of things to write about.How much importance does a computer have in your life?

The Good Old Bad Old Days

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 10:08:00 +0000

Last week I was writing about the kinds of days that I have in my writing life, just as I have seen others do. I think that I had underestimated some of the things that can go wrong on a bad day, as early on Monday morning my computer gave up the ghost and I freaked because I had not backed up my work for a while. Luckily a friend managed to retrieve everything from my hard drive so the day was not a complete disaster, although I am still without my laptop and using a borrowed computer. I have to say that this week has been mixed so I wanted to add to the type of days that can happen in the life of a freelancer. Besides the good, bad and indifferent there are also the good old bad old days like the ones I've been having this week.

Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:03:00 +0000

I have noticed that that, like me, other writers take some time to journal their writing lives. We may not all use exactly the same terms as my Day in the Life of a Freelance Writer, but the subject matter is much the same. I tend to have three kinds of working days, so below are my daily experiences, if you can think of a kind of day that I've missed off then please let me know.

Good Days

On a good day in the life of a freelance writer I start work between 8.30 and 9.30 am. I take my first break at around one and get back to work at about 3pm and work until 7 when I stop for dinner and maybe a tv program. I get back to work at about ten thirty pm and unless I have made plans to go out, or am attending a writer's chat, I will continue working till one or two thirty am. This means I get between 11 and 12 hours work done, this incudes invoicing, bidding for work and promotion as well as the actual writing.

In between and Bad Days

In between days mean that the writing gets done inbetween my supervising postgrad students and working on whichever research project I am involved in. The writing gets done in between the other two activities or simply waits till the late slot after ten.

Bad days are when I don't know where the next project is coming from, I get incessant phone calls, ghost it to avoid missing a deadline or be besieged by unexpected visitors. On these days I am lucky to get any writing done at all.

Get Paid For Your Articles

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 00:46:00 +0000

If you are new to paid writing then you may be finding it difficult to find clients to write for. There are still a number of avenues open to you and these often lead to other work.

Get yourself more than one blog and blog on a regular basis - at least three times a week for the following reasons:

1. You may earn money from Google if you work hard on your blog

2. There are paid blogging opportunities such as Blogitive, Blogsvertise and Pay per Post.

3. It is a place where you can direct prospective clients to see your work

4. Submit articles to places like Triond and Ezine this gives you publishing credits and gets more traffic to your blog.

5. Submit articles here and it is possible to earn as much as forty dollars for one article.

6. Write good content so that people will read your blog and comment

You should also write for Helium and Review Stream. You have to do quite a bit of writing before you hit the payout level but it is well worth trying. Happy writing.

Writing Every Day

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 01:05:00 +0000

Whatever kind of writer you are if you want to succeed in your chosen field then you should get into the habit of writing every day. Once you have settled into a routine with your writing it will be much easier for you to set writing goals to achieve whatever you have in mind.

Daily Word Count

If you need to write articles for your blog or website then you should start by writing at least one every day. Published authors write on a daily basis and generally they set themselves a certain number of words to accomplish in that day. Freelance writers work on the same basis, whatever project you are working on should have scheduled time every day - that makes it easier to keep track of your work, particularly if like most freelancers, you write for more than one client. Plan to write a certain number of words for each project every day, that way you are less likely to miss a deadline.

SEO and Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 14:14:00 +0000

SEO or search engine optimization is an important tool for bloggers who want an audience for their blogging. This means that bloggers need to be aware of the type of keywords or tags that they use in a post if they want more traffic. The type of keywords that are important to blogging are easily discovered with a Google keyword search. All of the search engines take note of how bloggers and other writers use keywords and where those keywords are placed. Try it and see for yourself.

Keep On Trucking

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 13:27:00 +0000

If you drive a truck for a living then you need to be fully aware of road safety. A driver's cab can be especially prone to some of the dangers of the road. If you want to relieve yourself of this worry then you need to look at some of the safety tips available on the internet and at major truck dealers.

One of the most effective safety devices on the truck market today is the backrackIt is not always possible to be aware of everything that is happening on the road when you are driving a truck, safety features such as emergency and warning lights can help to dramatically alleviate some of these unseen dangers. Your cab and any load that your truck may be carrying are much better protected when you have a decent backrack.

When Your Writing Sucks

noreply@blogger.com (Sue Jeffels Writing) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:40:00 +0000

We all have days when the words on the page don't look right, when we overload an article with keywords, or when our grammar and spelling go for a walk. That's when you know your writing sucks.

How do you cope when you realise your writing sucks? Well you take a break and you think of something other than writing; you read a book with your writer's eye closed so that it is just for pleasure and you slow down and relax.

I find that my writing sucks when my head wanders anywhere other than what I am trying to write and I have learned that the only thing to do it to take a break. This is the only way I've found of getting some freshness back into my writing.