Writers Write!

Have you ever sat staring at the blank paper or computer screen with only a blinking cursor sitting there?  I have - and it stinks. My head will be devoid of all thoughts and ideas. You want to churn out a classic, a memorable piece of work, but nothing will come to your mind - at all.

What I have found to be helpful is to just start writing. Just write! It doesn't have to be about anything in particular; maybe just some silly, little, made-up story that you throw together, or take the first thought that comes to mind, whether it be a thought about a piece of fruit or a medication you saw advertised on television the night before, and just start writing about it. Many times, just getting the thought process going again can be enough to shake the clog loose in your brain and before you know it, your thoughts and ideas are running freely. For me, sometimes they even gush!

When you are a writer, it is easy to lose your train of thought, forget, lose your idea, and run off in the wrong direction. When any of these happens, you have to get back on track, and one way to turn your derailment around is to just write about something - anything. It can help to bring your original thoughts back-to-mind and get your creative juices flowing again!

So, next time you get stuck, remember...it doesn't matter what it is...just write!

Be Open Minded

Like with anything, you get nervous trying something new when it comes to your writing. Many people get complacent in life, and when something seems a bit of a challenge, a little scary or unknown, they run the other way. There is no difference in your writing business. Maybe you are used to one style of writing, one type of writing, and you are afraid to step out of the box to accept a new challenge.  Well, don't be. There are too many opportunities out there to close your mind, off, into looking into all opportunities.

As a freelance writer, there is so much out there and available on the web that it is almost impossible to "not" find what you need or are looking for. If you are expanding your horizons to include, offering other services, you can do it just by researching some on the web and learning how to offer these services.

I started, barely knowing the business at all, and now although I feel I still have a lot to learn, I know so much more than I did when I began my own writing business.  All I did was get online and start researching every topic I ever had a question about.  I learned as much as I could about as much I could.

Freelance writing is a, never-ending learning experience.  It is a constantly changing and growing field, and I never assume I know everything.  I am constantly looking, learning, and trying.  My motto has become: It never hurts to try. And when I do, I usually find that I really enjoy that new type or style of writing. Sometimes I have found that I don't enjoy a particular type of writing, but that just leaves that much more time to hone in on the types and styles of writing that I do enjoy.

For your learning experience, there are online writing courses, writing blogs full of information, writer's groups to join, and more. There is really no excuse in not learning what you want to learn to progress your writing career. With everything imaginable at your fingertips, there is really no excuse in not being open-minded to learning something new; something different.

Being open-minded and 'taking a chance' can mean the difference between opening more doors for yourself, or shutting them. And the more you open, the more opportunities you will see flood through them.

Keeping an open mind in the writing business is a crucial stepping stone to furthering your career. If you want to see your career blossom, look beyond your limits for a wider, brighter horizon.

How to Get Your Writing Career Started

When I first started out writing, many years ago, I liked to write but I wouldn't have called it my passion. I dabbled in writing short stories, greeting cards, wrote children's books, even tried my hand at starting a novel. But back in those days there really wasn't much information for writers. The Web was just getting off the ground and information you found you had to either check out at the library, join writer's organizations, talk to fellow writers or publishers, or just wing it. Needless to say, my writing career wasn't much of a career.

Today, the sky's the limit. With everything you could possibly ever want or need to know about starting a writing career sitting right at your fingertips, there isn't much of an excuse not to pursue your dreams. You don't even really need to know exactly what you are looking for when you begin searching, you just have to start typing-in what you are interested in knowing and go from there. Information is all over the web. You can find answers about every facet of writing you can imagine. Most answers will lead you to other topics to consider, other web pages, and other ideas.

For those of you who have always dreamt of starting a writing career but didn't know how, don't let the unknown hole you back. Don't let the fear of "not knowing" keep you from pursuing your dreams. Today, in a world where information is at your fingertips, there is literally no excuse for not learning or trying your hand at your passion.

To get started, you can visit these websites:

http://freelancewrite.about.com/od/breakingintofreelancing/a/startwrite.htm

http://www.writing-world.com/basics/first.shtml

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/freelance-writing-career/

"It's all in Your Head"

Things are moving along great with my book, "It's all in Your Head," and at this point it is presumed to be released sometime in October.

This book has so much meaning to me and I am very excited to see and hear about others that have found encouragment to keep going during their darkest days by reading it.  That is my goal; to let others know that despite the circumstances, there is always hope.  There is always tomorrow.

While participating in the production of my book, I continue to write articles, white papers, and continue to work on my next book; a novel.

The one thing about writing is that no matter what kind of day I'm having, I'm always in the mood to write, and I often let my mood dictate what I write.  It is a great way to release any pent-up energy and emotion; whether it be excitement, frustration, enjoyment, happiness, sadness, whatever.  There is always something to write about to channel my emotions.

My New Book

I have a new book coming out this year, titled, "It's all in Your Head."  This is my story of what I endured living with a brain cyst.  I was diagnosed in 2004 at the age of 35 and subsequently had a heck of a road to go down to get, first, anyone to believe that the symptoms I was dealing with, were related to the cyst, and then....what I went through with my treatments and having to find a "new normal."

My book will be out for pre-sales in the summer this year, 2011, and on the shelves in the fall.  I will keep everyone posted as to its release.  My hope is that my book will encourage others to never give up.  It will give others hope, educate them, and let them know that they are not alone.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a long term medical condition, remember to look for, "It's all in Your Head."  I will post about it again as the time nears for its release.

Creating Content

Creating an article that is well thought out, informative and gets your readers' attention, is one of the best ways to gain a following for your site. It is the content that drives your readers to you. Articles are golden nuggets of information. If you create articles that are weak, boring and airy, readers and followers will soon lose interest.

Your readers and followers are coming to your site to gain information and insight. Don't disappoint them by posting articles that don't deliver. You want to make sure that when someone stops by your site, they leave feeling more informed about the topic they just read about. You also want to intrigue them enough that they want to come back, and revisit your site.

Articles are the driving force behind a successful site. They are what entice your readers to return to your site, add your site to their "favorites," and pass the word along to their friends about you. So don't disappoint them. Give them rich, well-thought out articles to read and learn from.

If you need help creating articles that deliver a real message to your readers, contact The Article Barrel.

What I do....

Article writing at its best!



Maria's articles from; The Article Barrel

mariarich37@yahoo.com



Do you need articles? Whether it be for your website, magazine, anything you can dream of? Well I write articles - articles of all genres, all styles, lengths, and formats; even white papers.



My name is Maria Richmond and I have been writing for many years; writing on a variety of topics from; pop culture, medical topics, home improvement, business, marriage and family, and just about any other topic you can imagine.



My articles are always professional and are always original content - I do not tolerate plagiarism. I go to all lengths to make sure that what I write is accurate and up-to-date information. I also use the best resources, including professionals like real medical people. I use quality websites with accurate reliable information.



I am diligent in making sure there are no spelling errors, there is correct use of grammar and the articles are smooth in transition of paragraphs. I do not skimp on material and create thin material for the readers. The readers will get what they are looking for with my articles. They will not walk away and wonder, "Where's the beef?"



I meet deadlines, work well under pressure and never overload myself with work so that I cannot give each article my full attention.



When you choose The Article Barrel for your articles, you get top quality work with quick turnaround times. Whatever your needs; I can provide:

• Articles (of any length)
• White papers
• Poetry
• General editing
• Article re-writes (spins)
• ebooks

My fees are reasonable. It can be expensive setting up a website and to help keep costs down, I can create articles for you at reasonable rates.
Pricing Articles:
25 - 150 words: $15.00
150 - 300 words: $25.00
300 - 750 words: $35.00
750 - 1000 words: $45.00
1000 - 1500 words: $75.00
1500 - 2000 words: $125.00
White papers:
8 - 12 pages - $250.00 - $300.00
Editing and Re-writes:
Vary in price but always low and competitive fees
Contact The Article Barrel for your next writing job!
Or: mariarich37@yahoo.com