Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors and proofreaders you'd think the biggest problem would be attracting employers who are willing to pay a decent hourly rate for freelance writing.

You'd be wrong.

Actually, the biggest problem is dealing with freelancers who're absolutely determined to offer their services for free. This week I was forced to suspend the account of one of our writers for just this reason. She had repeatedly responded to requests for tenders on our jobs board with the offer of free writing, which she would provide on the basis that if the employer liked it, they could arrange a fee. And if not? well, if not, she would have wasted time that she could have spent finding a paid writing job.

Why "freelance" shouldn't mean "free."

Unfortunately, this kind of scenario is all too common in the world of freelance writing, where there are so many writers chasing the same jobs that it's hard not to feel that you have to be as competitive as possible in order to win the tender.

Writing for free isn't "being competitive", though. It's being taken advantage of. Unfortunately, this is another concept which many freelance writers are all too familiar with. We're asked to write "for the experience" or for the byline. We're expected to want to spend hours of our time and a huge chunk of our talent working on a writing project just for the fun of it. Sadly, many of us do.

The problem with freelance writing

It's a problem which is peculiar to the freelance writing business. So-called "employers" who wouldn't dream of asking a mechanic to repair their car "just for the experience", or offer an accountant the "opportunity" to deal with their tax returns "for fun", think nothing of asking talented writers, who've spent years honing their skill, to work for nothing more than their name on the bottom of their article, and maybe a link to their website ? if they're lucky.

There are a lot of unscrupulous "employers" out there. In the scenario above, there's a good chance that the writer never would have been paid for her work. When you offer to write for someone with the promise that "if you don't like it, you don't have to pay me, and if you do, we'll work out a fee", there's always a risk that you'll get stung. What's to stop the "employer" from telling you "thanks, but no thanks" ? and then using your work anyway? What if they agree to pay you, but want to pay far less than you're worth?

How to make sure you're paid for your work

We all know how competitive freelance writing is. But that doesn't mean you should simply give your work away. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned pro, try to always bear these rules in mind:

1. Always agree your fee upfront

Never start work on a project unless you know how much you'll be paid, and how the money will change hands. Some writers insist on 50% upfront and the rest on completion, others are prepared to be paid when they hand over the work. However you do it, make sure both yourself and the client are clear on the details.

2. Get it in writing

One you've agreed your free, and the project details, it's a good idea to get things in writing. You can download standard contracts online, or get your lawyer to prepare one for you, but make sure you have something to prove what's been agreed, especially for larger projects.

3. Join a reputable agency

WritingWorld.org was formed based on the principle that freelance writers deserve to be paid, just like any other professional. All job postings on our boards are closely monitored, and we do not allow our freelancers to work for free.

Check it out at http://www.WritingWorld.org

Amber McNaught is the owner of http://www.WritingWorld.org, an agency for freelance writers.

Amber is also a director of Hot Igloo Productions Ltd., the website design and small business specialists.

Free Traffic Course - Day 7

When you work with web site traffic, you must have the tools that show you the real picture about this traffic. You must know for sure how targeted your visitors are, what they want, what offers they like more, what offers cut down their motivation to use your product/service.

Only professional URL tracking tools can show you the real picture about your online business. And those who do not want to see real picture, venture their business to a great risk of losing everything.

HOW TRACKING WORKS.

Nothing difficult at all. You create a special link and put it inside your copy, mailing message, autoresponder letter, pop-up window, web page - anywhere you wish. Your URL gets special 'counter' that is activated every time someone clicks your link. When you know the statistic information about clicks on any of your links, you see the response that your business gets with clients, subscribers and web site visitors.

A simple example will show how URL tracking can help you to qualify the motivation for your products among subscribers. Let's say you have 3,000 subscribers in your car driving tips course. Using URL statistics you can see how much clients exactly are ready for special action with your web site.

You write email letter to your subscribers, saying: "bla-bla-bla. You are my subscribers. I have terrific car related offers to you."

Then you place several trackable links with text:

"...Click this link if you want to get discounts for car wash: http://www.YourWebSite.com/link1

Click this link if you want to get car insurance: http://www.YourWebSite.com/link2

Click here if you do not have a car and want to get loan for car purchase: http://www.YourWebSite.com/link3 ..."

This example is simplified, but you can get the idea. People will click on particular links if they like any particular offer. And you just look at the statistics for the number of clicks on each link and know:

1. How many people from your list have a car (link 1 + link 2)

2. How many people from your list do not have a car (link 3)

3. How many people from your list are interested in lower prices car wash services (link 1)

4. How many people from your list need new car insurances (link 2)

5. How many people from your list ignored all your offers (3,000 - link 1 - link 2 - link 3)

This info is very useful. Maybe after such a test you will find out that 2,600 out of "your" 3,000 subscribers did not click any of the links at all. Then you should think it over: maybe you do not have a car targeted traffic.

That was an example of URL tracking aimed at qualifying the subscribers into different groups by their interest. But tracking can give more useful info about your online business.

You can check what type of your ad copy is more effective with a simple URL testing technique. Write two ad copies that will differ in some copywriting elements. Put two different links in these copies. Track both links and you will immediately know what ad copy works better. No hypothetical suggestions, only real facts.

The technique is universal: you can test different variants of texts, offers, products and services and see what works and what not. This technique is called split testing in Internet marketing. You make several variants (i.e. split you offer into several testing variants) and see what variant gets better response. Then you choose that variant that works better and stick with it, do more and more split testing to get a better and better effect from your web site.

Now that you know the benefits of using URL tracking, you should know what features professional URL tracking tools should have.

PROFESSIONAL URL TRACKING TOOL SHOULD HAVE THESE FEATURES:

- you can create and test as many URLs as you wish;

- you can make two types of links: HTML and TXT links;

- you must be able to edit your URLs;

- you must be able to track link statistics to see: when the link was clicked, how many times it was clicked, how many unique clicks were made, etc.

URL tracking does not bring you traffic, but it shows the most truthful picture about what traffic you get to the web site. This is a very important tool: it is always better to dodge troubles in advance then to face problems all of a sudden.

Nickolay Bokhonok - CEO And Owner Of DesktopMoney LTD. Inventor of Internet marketing software and scripts. Successful Internet entrepreneur. Learn more about web site traffic building strategies, tips and tools at http://www.FreeTrafficSystem.com - Free Traffic System - Your Web Site Traffic Doctor.

Two Halves Dont Always Make A Whole

Be Yourself

Here's the thing... you still have to make every marketing and sales message all about the WIIFM* for your target audience. But it's how you do this ? the words you choose and your behavior ? that makes the connection with the marketplace all about you.

Let's look at what the experts advise. By the way, while these tips sound bizarre -- they're real nuggets, so stay with me:

1. Be an authentic liar.

2. Be your own valentine.

3. Fight bull.

Here's how these successful experts connect with the marketplace ? and you can too:

Be an authentic liar. In his latest book, All Marketers Are Liars, Seth Godin explains "the power of telling authentic stories in a low-trust world." Mildly unsettling at first, he makes the case that our buyers are actually the ones who are lying. To themselves. About why they want to buy from us.

Successful marketers are just providing the stories that our buyers choose to believe. But here's the rub: you have to really live the story you're telling. The second a potential buyer smells anything less than complete dedication to what you're selling, you "cross the line from fib to fraud." It's simply not good enough to have a good story. You have to live up to it as well. If you're a cobbler with no shoes, why should your clients take your advice?

Be a role model for what you sell, and nothing less. Then tell a good story about it, to buyers who want to believe.

Be your own valentine. In his hot little book, Little Red Book of Selling, Jeffrey Gitomer takes a tough-love approach to helping us be the best version of ourselves we can be.

My personal favorites are:

? No Whining ("Don't whine to me that the customer won't return your call. Study voicemail. Don't whine to me that your boss is a jerk. Get a new one. Don't whine to me that your company won't give you a laptop. Go buy one.")

? Kick Your Own Ass ("Ever have a bad day? Ever lost a sale you thought you had? Ever had someone say yes to you and three days later just evaporate? Wanna know what to do about it?? Kick your own ass. No one is going to hand you success?that's something you have to do for yourself.")

The heart of Gitomer's message is put your heart into your work?and if you don't love what you sell, go sell something else. No amount of cleverly packaged marketing spin can camouflage a missing heart. Your clients will see right through it and won't buy from you.

Research shows that people buy professional services because of trust. In Gitomer's words, "If they like you, and they believe you, and they trust you, and they have confidence in you?then they MAY buy from you."

Let your heart shine through in your words and actions. If you do, your clients will like, believe, trust, have confidence, and buy from you.

Fight bull. In their recent book, Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: A Bullfighter's Guide, Brian Fugere, Chelsea Hardaway, and Jon Warshawsky give it to us straight. Stop using words that are meaningless, boring, indirect and obscure. Start communicating with your own voice, personality, and style.

How many times have you sat through mind-numbing presentations, meaningless PowerPoint slides, or felt no connection with (no trust in?) the person trying to sell you on their idea, service or product?

So stop. Just stop adding to the bull that piles up every day in business communications. Talk and write to your target audience person-to-person. Ask them simple questions that get to the heart of their wants and needs. Tell them that you've thought a lot about their situation and have some ideas that might help them. And do it without the crutch of slides, silly business-speak, or slick messaging.

In other words, just be yourself.

*WIIFM: What's In It For Me?

References

Fugere, B., Hardaway, C., and Warshawsky, J. (2005). Why Business People Speak Like Idiots: A Bullfighter's Guide. New York: Free Press.

Gitomer, J. (2004). The Little Red Book of Selling. Austin: Bard Press.

Godin, S. (2005). All Marketers Are Liars. New York: Penguin.

(c) 2004 TurningPointe Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. Marketing educator, Kelly O'Brien, is creator of the "Create a TurningPointe!" Marketing Bootcamp. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FREE how-to articles and 20-page marketing guide, visit http://www.turningpointemarketing.com

How to Make More Money from the Google Adsense Ads on Your Blog

Numerous bloggers these days are looking to earn extra cash through the google adsense ads that they post at their sites. Actually the spreading of pay-per-click ads by leading search engines in recent times to smaller sites and blogs has had a major impact on the net. Firstly it has helped to improve on the quality of content on sites as webmasters pay much closer attention to their content so as to attract the right kind of high value google adsense ads that will earn them more revenue.

Still one needs to know how to maximize on their google ads revenue. There are a number of things that you will need to do regularly to ensure that you keep earning a good regular income from google.

Check the value of keywords before posting new content

It is not too difficult to insert most keywords in your area of specialization into your article while leaving your article attractive and useful to readers. You may require the services of a writer, but this should not be a problem as online writers are very affordable.

Do not spend money buying a list of valuable keywords, this information is available for free online. What's more in your initial experimental stage with keywords buying a list will not be a prudent thing to do. One of the reason is that there is no guarantee that your using certain keywords will automatically and quickly attract the desired high value click ads. There is no certainty in these things. However by consistently using high value keywords you will ultimately enjoy a much higher income than somebody who does not.

Here is a useful link for checking keyword values. It is an overture tool but will also give you a very good idea of what their competitors Google charge for the same keywords.

http://uv.bidtool.overture.com/d/search/tools/bidtool/

Write interesting relevant content

Writing interesting, relevant and captivating content for your website or blog will yield many useful benefits that will ultimately impact on your google adsense earnings. To start with, it is a well know fact that the longer you can keep your visitors in your site, the higher the chances of you selling them something. The same is true with clicks the longer you can keep them wandering around your site the higher the chances that they will end up clicking at some of your google ads and thus earn you something. Well written, relevant content will also make cause your visitors to return again, another vital and highly desirable reaction that makes a website successful. It is much easier to attract back a previous visitor than to win over a new one.

Having interesting and relevant copy at your site is the most effective way of attracting visitors and keeping them longer at your site. Interesting content will also cause your visitors to return again and again. All this will have a very positive impact on your google adsense earnings.

Post your content elsewhere

Posting your quality, attractive content elsewhere will increase the number of quality links leading back to your site. This will help build up the traffic to your website which should have a direct bearing on your google earnings. The higher the traffic a site has, the higher the clicks and this means higher earnings.

The position of your adsense ads matters

Do not ignore advice given by google to affiliates on where ads work best. For example posting them on the left is always better than the right because the eye' attention will always be caught by the left before the right. Another good place to post ads is at the bottom of the page.

About the author: Lois S. is a Technical Executive Writer for Website Source, Inc. http://www.websitesource.com. Her established writing skills coupled with experience in the website hosting industry have provided internet professionals with marketing, product and service ideas for many years.

Is it ADHD or Bi-Polar Disorder?

Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings, sometimes extreme, ranging from depressed to normal moods, or from depressed to manic episodes. Manic behaviors are often very similar to "hyperactive" behaviors, including motor restlessness, irritability, temper outbursts, sleeping less, or having higher levels of energy. It is rare. But it does happen.

About three times per year a child is brought to my office for an assessment for ADHD who ends up having "Early Onset Bi-Polar Disorder." These children are typically displaying very extreme behaviors, such as throwing their bicycle -- off of the roof -- at the policemen who have been called, and so on. (When I received that call I wasn't sure what to ask first. "What was he doing on the roof with his bike?" was the best I could think of. "He was going to ride off of the roof, of course." was the answer from the child's mom.)

The behaviors may not be constant or consistently displayed as one might expect from an ADHD child, and may be more extreme than one would expect from ADHD.

The big clue is taking a family history and seeing if either of the parents, their brothers or sisters, or their parents, have/had a bi- polar disorder. If so, then this clue will be very helpful in making a proper diagnosis. I usually refer families to UCLA for a better evaluation, but in your community you may need to rely on an evaluation by a very good psychiatrist (never go to a bad or even average psychiatrist, only good ones!). Ask about experience with bi-polar disorder in children.

Telephone teaching hospitals in your area if there are any, or call your local private psychiatric hospital. Don't ask the switch board operator for a referral, instead ask for the children's unit or the adolescent unit. Once transferred there, ask the unit nurse who they would recommend ("If it were your child, who would you take your child to see?") The nurses know.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

Serzone Side Effects Lead to Serzone lawsuits

Serzone is a prescription medication that is given to patients who are seriously depressed (Dysthymia,Major Depression, and Bipolar Disorder) to alleviate the symptoms of depression such as sleep and eating habits, changes in weight, coordination, fatigue, unjustified feelings of worthlessness or suicidal thoughts which prohibit normal functioning. It balances levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain which doctors think will help alleviate symptoms of depression much like the phenylpiperazine antidepressant, Trazodone (Desyrel).

Between nerve endings in the brain, there are synapses. When a signal is transmitted, you feel it when chemicals are released from one nerve to another. Seratonin is a brain chemical associated with happiness. When these chemicals are released they are either taken in by the next nerve, thus continuing the signal, or if the next nerve doesn't absorb them and they are left in the synapse, the nerve that released them will re-absorb them and the signal doesn't pass. Some antidepressants work by blocking the reabsorbing (reuptake) of Seratonin by the releasing nerve. That means that more Seratonin stays in the synapse for a longer amount of time and the hope is that it increases the chances for it to be absorbed by the new nerve which, in the case of Seratonin, would continue the signal of happiness.

A serious side effect of this drug was shown to be liver failure. Signs of impending liver failure include a loss of appetite, an upset stomach, or a jaundicing (yellowing) of the skin and eyes. Two women who had taken Serzone for just 14 to 28 weeks had such severe liver damage that they suffered liver failure and needed immediate transplants. Serzone Lawsuits have been filed charging that Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (Serzone's manufacturer) knew and ignored the life-threatening aspect of their drug. However patients taking Serzone weren't aware that the drug had such serious side effects even though studies conducted prior to the release of the drug clearly indicated the likely chance of their occurrence.

Contact an experienced Serzone Lawyer today. Find information about Serzone Side Effects associated with a major Dangerous Drug Lawfirm today at hugesettlements.

Increase Your Business Growth and Cash Flow Through Equipment Leasing

"If it can be manufactured, it can be leased." For the past decade or so, this statement has become more and more true to fact. From computer software to commercial aircraft, equipment leases are utilized day in and day out in a constantly changing and highly aggressive business environment worldwide. To gain or to keep the edge over their competitors, companies of every type and size are constantly looking for creative ways to conserve working capital while expanding operations. Many have turned to leasing their equipment to help in the effort. For this reason, the leasing industry is being defined as a major player in equipment financing today.

So, why should you join these businesses in choosing to lease? Well, one key factor is that the commencement of a lease can be done with very little out of pocket expense. Two advanced payments or an equal security deposit is usually all that's required. Couple this with the fact that for many leases, particularly those under $75,000, a simple one page credit application is all that is needed to be considered for approval. Compare this against an equipment loan, with it's more extensive paperwork and the resulting 10 to 50 percent down payment required to begin the transaction.

Leasing will also allow your business to maintain credit lines with the banks. This preserves the company's borrowing power for future expansion, investing, or other types of growth where leases cannot satisfy the need.

Many business owners don't like the idea of paying a premium rate in order to both own and use equipment. If obsolescence is an issue, such as in the hi-tech sector, most companies find it more desirable to be able to walk away from outdated equipment having completed a short term lease. The average term runs anywhere from 2 to 5 years, after which the business can begin another lease and acquire more, up-to-date equipment. This progression can give your company a vital edge over it's competitors. Other leasing benefits could be expounded upon, such as the tax advantages, lower monthly payments, fixed expenses and the off-setting of inflation, but you can see the point.

Now, simply realizing that leasing is beneficial for your business and then pursuing it as a course of action is only the start. Like bank loans, there are elements of a lease request that increase the chances of funding. That may seem like a no-brainer, but many business owners expect more leniency from lessors than any lending institution is able to provide. Leasing companies, like your business, are in the process to make money. Therefore, some consideration on your part is in order. You should try to give the lessor at least a 70 percent chance of funding your request. Below are the most crucial points of review:

Your Time in Business - Since about 90 percent of all businesses fail in the first three years, most lessors will require of the lessee a minimum of two years in business. In addition, there is generally a maximum transaction amount of $10,000 to $15,000 for businesses under three years old. However, some lessors, in order to compete in their market, have relaxed those requirements or developed special programs for startups and young companies. These types of programs will obviously demand higher lease rates, but the ability for a new business to obtain necessary equipment fairly quickly and with a minimum of paperwork still makes the process very worthwhile.

Credit History of Guarantor(s) - Lessors will make decisions based on a lessee's credit history after reviewing their consumer and/or business credit report. The leasing company looks for numerous late or delinquent credit commitments, lawsuits or judgments, bankruptcy, unverified residence, short credit history, and debt larger than what is stated on the application. Keep in mind, however, that some of the above problems can still be overcome during the approval process.

Bank Relationship - Your business should have a checking account that has been established for at least two years and has had an adequate average daily balance for that period of time. If there have been any NSF's, they must not be recent.

Trade Relationships - It's a strong indicator that your business has good cash flow if discounts are offered (i.e., 2% 10 days: net 30 days). The leasing company looks for trade accounts that are paid on time and within the terms of agreement.

Financial Statements - Generally, if the lease amount is more than $50,000 to $75,000, a full financial package is mandatory. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, the last two year end financial statements, with a complete balance sheet and profit and loss statement. An interim statement for the current and last year's comparative period is often required as well if the year-end financials are over six months old.

Other considerations include: the type and cost comparisons of the equipment (collateral), the extent of the lessee's trade credit and bank borrowing lines, and leasing history of the business.

Though it isn't crucial to have every one of the afore mentioned points strong, an above average ranking in the majority of them greatly increases the probability of funding. It also increases your likelihood of receiving a better rate. If your business demonstrates strength in only one or two of these areas, it is still possible to secure the financing, though the choice of lessors becomes a bit more limited and the elevated risk is reflected by a higher lease rate.

It's always in a company's best interest for the decision-makers to consider leasing as a means of capital conservation. And as you can see, it's also important to prepare for the transaction should the decision be made to pursue it. The majority of businesses that utilize equipment leasing each year in the United States and Canada continue to do so with at least some of their equipment thereafter. Contacting a leasing company representative or a broker can help you determine if leasing can create an environment of improved cash flow and an opportunity for growth in your business.

Mark Uptain is a Business Finance Consultant residing in Washington State. His website, http://www.EquipmentLeasingSource.com offers free equipment leasing information and quotes to businesses throughout the United States and Canada.

Opportunity: Could You Be Colour-blind?

Do you consider your vision perfect? You may never have needed an eye specialist in your life, but this is no indication of perfect vision. And if you just happen to also think that opportunity has not been fair to you, you could be suffering from what I refer to as "Opportunity Colour-blindness!"

Colour-blindness, as we know it, is the inability to see the difference between some colours, especially red and green. Opportunity Colour-blindness (O.C.B.) however, is the inability to see the difference between opportunity and problems, especially when they're happening in our own lives.

Self-limiting beliefs give rise to O.C.B. We think negative thoughts about ourselves and our abilities, and soon our whole vision is tainted negatively. The resulting low self-esteem prevents us from seeing opportunity when it comes; we either don't see it at all, or complain about the noise when it knocks!

What is it you desire to do with your life? What goals and dreams have eluded you so far? Have you waited in vain for opportunity, and given up? I have interesting news for you: Opportunity comes to every man and woman. We just aren't prepared when it does, and often fail to recognise it. The very wise King Solomon once said that, "Time and chance happen to (every man)." (Ecclesiastes 9:11) and "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Your Creator gives you dreams and desires, and He ensures that you get the time and the chance to pursue and realise them. Your dream has a season, whose time you may not know. The wise thing to do therefore would be to prepare as thoroughly as you could, and be ready and waiting for opportunity when it knocks. Because it surely will. Abraham Lincoln once said, "I will study and wait. Perhaps my time will come." You would be wise to do the same.

Preparedness attracts opportunity. Similarly, unpreparedness repels it. Rather than grumble and grow bitter over your "lack of opportunity" you need to realise that your problems could be caused by your own Opportunity Colour-blindness, and your failure to prepare for your goals. Remember, you attract what you think about most of the time; you get what you expect; you reap what you sow; what you see is determined by what you believe. In summary, every man paves his own way; it's all up to you. You will get ample opportunity to realise your dreams. Sometimes opportunity visits over and over. Sometimes it visits just once. But whatever the case, you will get all the "time and chance" that you need.

Are you looking for a job? Do you seek wealth? Would success make you happy? To attain whatever you desire in this life you must realize that your success depends on you, and no one else. When you embrace this empowering belief, opportunity begins to seek you out. But be aware that opportunity often bears a striking resemblance to problems! Be wise and be ready.

Put off the colour-blindness today by receiving a change of heart. Our country is full of opportunity. Unfortunately, many suffer from Opportunity Colour-blindness and do not realise this. Thankfully, you now have the chance to exit this group. You can see opportunity where others see adversity. You have the recipe to turn straw into gold!

Copyright 2005 Oma Edoja

Oma Edoja is a freelance writer, motivational speaker and publisher. She publishes an inspirational ezine, The Up-Mobile Ezine, at http://up-mobile.blogspot.com. This article is excerpted from Issue 4. Visit to see current issue. Subscribe and get bonus booklet: Four Steps to Success -- Your easy-to-follow guide to getting what you want and keeping it by Oma Edoja

Safety Glasses Can Be Fashionable

Safety glasses have evolved from the days of poorly fitting plastic protection we used to put on our eyes. Today, we expect more from eyewear and eyeglass manufacturers and the same is true for the companies that produce glasses for safety. It's not enough for protective or safety eyewear to be of tempered glass or plastic, having temple and side shields for maximum coverage. These safety eyeglasses must be stylish, well fitting, and come in different colors too. Employees all over the world actually enjoy wearing their protective glasses making it a win win for everyone.

If you are an employer looking for top quality protective safety glasses, or a weekend warrior remodeling your home, you can find a large selection of styles on the internet. Many home improvement centers also carry styles of safety glasses, but they will be a more one size fits all basic style. They are a larger style and usually fit over your existing eyeglass frames. These work, however, they can fog easily. It has never been easier to find what you are looking for by the click of a mouse. If your employees like how they look and feel in their protective glasses, they will find themselves not wanting to take them off ? making it safer for everyone.

Safety glass is usually made from a polycarbonate material as in a bullet proof window. In order for them to be rated as safety glasses, the lenses and frames need to comply with the ANSI standards. Protective glasses are extremely durable, safe, and can be very clear and opaque for the best in eyeglass and eyewear users. Color tints are popular for function and fashion. Amber tinted glasses are good for overcast days, gray lenses reduce glare in sunny conditions, and mirror coating is a very fashionable look. The job generally dictates what kind of eye protection you will need. If you have questions about what kind of safety glass is best for the job you are doing, you can always ask OSHA. They will tell you what is necessary if there is a question. Are you working around lasers, or flying debris? Are you in a high impact area, or around fumes? If you are in an area where liquid is a problem, some styles are better for protection from splashing than others. There are colors of frames available where even an outdoorsman can find safety glasses that have frames that are camouflage. The safety glass industry has come a long way from just clear plastic protection. If you do your research prior to purchasing a pair of glasses, you will be assured you are finding the best match for your specific requirements to keep your eyes safe.

Beverly Marshall is a successful freelance writer offering guidance and suggestions for consumers buying safety glasses, contact lenses, reading glasses and more. Her many articles found at http://www.contact-lenses-4u.net/safety_glasses.htm give information and tips to help you save money and make informed buying decisions.

Visit her website: http://www.contact-lenses-4u.net

Are You A Creative Meathead?

Remember Archie Bunker's description of what a Meathead was on All in the Family?

Dead, from the neck up!

When it comes to creaivity, innnovation, coming up with ideas that magically turn into money - are you alive?

Ever wonder how some of the big names in business are able to continually come up with new, innovative product ideas, marketing programs and publicity projects?

New ideas are the lifeblood of leaping to the top of your field.

Without diving into the bowels of scientific theory, it is absolutely true that to fuel creativity, your brain needs new input.

Great ideas are not developed out of ether, but rather are the result of multiple experiences, thoughts and knowledge combining to trigger new offshoots.

The more you feed your brain, the more great ideas it will reward you with.

Here's a couple of tips to become more creative - even in the busiest of lifestyles:

1. Get Tuned In. Notice everything around you and how it could relate to your business. You will find that hundreds of things pass us by each day because we are just not tuned in. Live IN the moment - suck up everything. Feed your brain and it will respond by automatically becoming more creative.

2. Break Your Rouine. Most of us follow a very regimented routine (how we wake up, morning routine, route to work, when we take breaks, etc...). Routine, while comforting, lulls the mind into a sleepy blob - break routine and re-activate you mind.

3. Believe you are Creative. Deep down, most of us believe we are creatively inadequate. Using affirmations, meditation, exercises, visualization - you can break down those beliefs. Write positive statements about what you want to be and go over them each and every day for 2-weeks - you'll see results!

There are some great books on this topic - the best one I come back to again and again is "Thinkertoys" by Michael Michalko, you can pick it up on Amazon or through your local bookstore.

If you are looking for a resource to help you generate and test ideas for your next information product, then we've put together The Ultimate Information Entrepreneur's Success Package" over at http://www.infoproductcreator.com to help you do just that.

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Jason Seeleys War - Book Review

"Jason Seeley's War" is centered in the heart of a small American town where two youth are deeply in love, and have been since high-school. Jason and Natalie's love runs with a flexible strength that endures her recovery from a horrible drug addiction. A very promising athlete and student, Jason is welcomed to University, but Natalie won't let him go without extracting a promise from him to stay faithful to the love of his life. This promise ? he meant to keep. But then the Vietnam War happened and Jason was assigned a draft number just before graduation. He knew government agents were about to collect.

Jason was forced to go against his patriotic upbringing because he refused to play a part in a war that he did not support. Now labeled a 'draft dodger' Jason is a fugitive in America and for his own safety he runs to Canada. Luckily, he stumbles on an underground organization that attempts to protect people like him from FBI Agents. Jason eventually begins a new life dream of becoming a history professor through the help of kind friends. However, he fears this new dream will mean leaving behind everything and everyone he ever loved. Jason is haunted day and night by the question 'Will he ever be with Natalie again?'.

I felt that Dean Salter did a wonderful job portraying this aspect of war. How this young man running from a war he could not believe in, tore families apart. The community was also torn in their perception of this 'criminal' in their midst. New customs, new friends ? a new life to try to fit into somehow, without the people he grew up with confused this frightened young man. Betrayal and grievances create miscommunications and a rift between his family begins that may never be repaired. Strangers along the way helping in the capacity they could at that time, never fully realizing their small aide was a turning point for this young man's journey. This is a side of the story of war that is rarely told so eloquently.

ISBN#: 0973066318
Publisher: Still Meadow Press
Author: Dean Salter

~ Lillian Brummet - Book Reviewer - Co-author of the book Trash Talk, a guide for anyone concerned about his or her impact on the environment ? Author of Towards Understanding, a collection of poetry.
http://www.sunshinecable.com/~drumit

Buying Radio? Read This and Dont Waste Your Money

Pay close attention and make it work the best for you.

No doubt you've listened to, and then quickly deleted, messages from account execs from your local radio stations. Maybe you've even entertained them in your office. Hopefully you didn't have to sanitize your phone or office afterwards.

Well, radio can be great way to garner awareness cheaply... ahem, inexpensively... if you do it right. Remember... 97.823% of all radio ads S-U-C-K. That leaves you to carry the banner for great radio advertising. And when you do, you will get noticed. Believe me, you will get noticed.

Why do so many radio ads suck? Between the screaming car ads, nasally voiced business owners who should never get anywhere near a microphone reading their own ads, and the next "turnkey" business opportunity, they are all dressed in their plaid suits and resorting to hucksterism. They want your money and they want it now.

They forget one thing. Well, actually a lot of things, but the main thing they forget that people are not tuning in for their ad. Listeners want Rush, Rome, Al, Laura, music, sports, news, or whatever. People aren't saying, "Gee, I gotta hear great heating and air conditioning ads today!"

Your ad is interrupting what they listen for. By nature, you are already behind the eight ball before you start in radio. But there is hope.

First off, do NOT let a radio station employee write your ad.

If your exec isn't a writer (you may luck out in that some radio execs are copywriters in training looking for an agency gig) and you don't speak up, your ad will probably get written by either: the station producer- who may have already written 4 or 5 other ads that same DAY,who doesn't have enough time to fully attend to your needs, and thereby wasting your money; OR a disc jockey (strange term- they don't spin wax anymore, Daddy-O) whose annoyed he or she has to write an ad, or who's not a talented writer to begin with, also wasting your money; OR by an intern, secretary, or other employee - who may relish the opportunity, but may not have the chops yet, or is being pressured to write something "quick and dirty" so it can produced and on the air -- also thereby wasting your money.

You have creative control and the ultimate yay or nay, so feel free to choose your writer. Hint and Shameless Plug : There is a link here to direct you to an excellent radio writer. It's http://www.brandedbetter.com.

Now, when it comes down to concepting and reviewing scripts, remember this: Radio is called Theater of the Mind for good reason. Use it to your advantage. Recall your disadvantage before starting.

Cleverness will grab attention. But... it must be on strategy to be effective. Give your writer ONE benefit to express. How does that benefit resonate with the target audience? Don't think if you have a "mundane" or "boring" product or service, there's no cleverness to be had. Give a good writer enough information, and they will find it.

A few of the BEST radio ads I've ever heard was for a soil conditioner. Yup. A soil conditioner. Two voices. One performed by the writer. The other performed by midlevel (read... talented, and nonunion) voice talent. Writer as The Hick Farmer. Nonunion Talent as the Smart Farmer.

Hick Farmer: "Hey, nay-bor...Whatzzat on yer roof?"

Smart Farmer: (obviously) "It's a satellite dish."

Hick Farmer: "Whazzit fer...? Talkin' to the Martians?"

You can almost hear the slack jaw in your head. And it makes you want to hear more. That's your goal for radio.

Another ad for the same product was even better.

Smart Farmer: "Hey, neighbor... Why so glum?"

Hick Farmer: "Aw... the weeds, the bugs, the disease... my crops are about ruined... I've had an awful year. The wife has been pickin' her tooth for leftovers."

Now, I'm not a farmer. I never heard of conditioning soil. But, you can bet I understood what it did after these ads. And did I mention I was wondrously entertained when receiving this information?

To be fair, these ads were produced by an ad agency with a good sized budget. The campaign also won some ad awards and some industry awards. The point is-- a good ad isn't loud, repetitive, trite, condescending, or tries to jam as many words possible into the time frame. In fact, silence works to your advantage. Silence in radio (or even TV) is like white space on a print ad. It tastefully surrounds the content for maximum effectiveness, drawing the eye (in this case, ear) in to read (hear) the copy.

Voices are important, too. Ever listen to the radio and hear the same voice all over the ads? That's usually Mr. or Ms. Producer-- the person who makes sure the ad gets made. That's why they don't have time to write a good one for you. Many freelance writers, myself included, know something about voices and casting, and can probably get you the best talent for your dollar. Some writers can even voice their own copy. And think twice, no... three times about voicing it yourself. Better make that four times.

Oh, and if you're wondering what length of ad to buy? In most cases, go for the :60. For just a few dollars more, you get twice the time to play with. If you are spending money on radio, use ALL the resources available to you to create the best possible ad. And that usually entails going outside the radio station walls to get it. ~~

John is a freelance commercial writer based in Omaha, Nebraska. He publishes a free monthly e-zine focusing on branding, advertising, and marketing from his website http://www.brandedbetter.com. Speaking with both agency and in- house experience, he knows the most valuable asset of a businees is its brand.