Writing Today

by Karon Thackston © 2005 .copywritingcourse.com If you’ve been in the copywriting realm for very long at all, you’ve heard the phrase “features vs. benefits.” It’s a fundamental copywriting principle and driving force behind much of what we, as copywriters, create. But there’s also another aspect to this equation. What happens after customers buy your product or service? Once they’ve used what you have to offer, what will be different in their lives? What will the end results, of their buying decision, be? Getting your customers to look at the end results of their actions can be an extremely powerful persuasion tool that you’ll want to incorporate into your copy. Let’s look at features, benefits and end results and see how all three work individually and collectively to create a targeted push to the point of purchase. Features - The Basic Outline of Your Product or Service Features, in copywriting, are a starting point. They provide a basic outline for what your customer needs to know. Features describe (most often) the attributes of a product or service. If we’re using the example of a cordless, telephone-answering system, some features might be: • 5.8GHz FHSS • Talking caller ID • Expandable to 4 handsets • Selectable ring tones • Speakerphones For a person who knows nothing about cordless phones with answering machines, this list might not mean much. It’s a basic blueprint of the telephone and nothing more. Benefits - Make the Product or Service More Personal Benefits enliven the features. Benefits make the features, and the product or service, more personal. They explain how the features will improve the customer’s life in some way. Using the features list above, see what the benefits might be. (The list below was taken from Panasonic™ marketing materials and relates directly to their KX-TG5230M model phone.)

Have you ever wanted to travel the world and make money for writing about what you see? It’s not as hard as you may imagine. Using a few underground techniques, you can be making a healthy income in no-time flat for writing about traveling the world! Here are the ways you can make money as a travel writer: 1) Traditional Method: Selling Your Stories To Travel Magazines and Newspapers This is the most common and most well-known method. Ironically, it also pays the least of all the methods. You can take two paths when selling your article to a magazine. First you can query a magazine on their interest about a particular subject. If interested, they will agree to buy your article if it meets their standards. The second method is to write the article, then try and sell it. To find magazines and periodicals that purchase travel stories, go to the library and check out the most recent Writers Market and you’ll have over a dozen periodicals that pay anywhere from a few hundred bucks to a few thousand dollars for an article. The risky side to this is that there are no guarantees of payment, and you must either have a great story or be a great writer to make this work. Not impossible, just tough. 2) Writing For Other People’s Blogs If you can write a 400-1500 word post on any given subject, you can sell the post to a blog at a set price. Heres why: Blogs constantly need new content. It’s how they stay fresh with their readers and how they stay well-ranked in the search engines. However, writing a new post every few days is a difficult task! If you take over that task for a blog owner, you’re going to be saving them a TON of time and effort, providing their readers with great value, and making an income for a project that is relatively easy for you to complete. You can get paid anywhere from 20 bucks to a few hundred dollars for this kind of writing… and it’s a LOT easier to do that writing for a magazine. Think of it: You spend a day writing 5 articles and sell the articles for $30 dollars each. Now you’ve made $150 dollars for a couple of hours of work and everyone is happy. 3) Writing for Your Own Blog Another option is to write your own blog and use your travel stories to drive traffic to it. You’d be surprised at the number of bored, lifeless people who want to live vicariously through someone traveling the world. You can then monetize your blog by selling adspace or selling products related to your blog. This sounds basic, but it has made many-a-traveler tens and even 100’s of thousands of dollars per year. 4) Completing Writing Projects on ‘Project’ Sites There are literally hundreds of writing projects posted every single day on Elance, Guru, DoMyStuff, and other ‘project’ posting websites. All you have to do is set up a free account as a content provider, then answer people’s requests for writing projects. Once you’re done, the funds will be electronically deposited into your bank account, and you can withdraw the money from any ATM in the world. You can then pick up another project… or complete several projects all at once! Many projects go for $1000+ dollars, so it doesn’t take a lot of these to be able to travel well and travel often. You can even do the work on the airplane ride to your next destination! If you have any writing skill at all, you will be able to pick one of these methods and become a well-paid traveler. To get your copy of our free step-by-step guide showing you how to make money as you travel without ever holding a ‘job,’ visit .moneyfortraveling.com. The expert authors at .MoneyForTraveling.com have all made a substantial internet income while traveling or they have been hired and paid well to travel the world and will show you how to do the same. **Attn Ezine editors/Site owners** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave all links in place. You may not modify the content and must include our resource box as listed above. However, you may sign up as an affiliate at MoneyForTraveling.com and insert your affiliate links to earn income for your efforts.

Content drives the power to make heads turn. A single word sometimes can attract or turn off its audience. Your prospective clients might be thoroughly convinced that you are the product or service they are looking for or might be completely convinced otherwise. Content writing can work both ways, to your advantage or to your disadvantage. Keeping content to your advantage in any and every situation requires a certain amount of experience, maybe a tablespoon or two of intellect and of course a whole lot of talent. Words having the power to sell, compel or unite are the ones that are crafted with the help of exceeding talent and unending intellect. Content changes with its purpose, audience and message. The same content writing style and tone are not understood the same way by diverse persons who are looking within your content for fulfillment of their unique purpose. Your customers might read your flyer to understand more about your business, your prospective partners might sit through your corporate presentation to understand your investment potential and a visitor to your website might do so buy your product/service online. For precisely this reason, the style, intention and tone of the content on these cannot be the same. Understanding this minute yet blatant differentiation helps create content writing services that individually speaks to your different clients, shareholders, and prospective. Business presentations require content to be concise and to the point. You cannot afford to be verbose as your audience might lose interest and render your presentation useless. Business content writing services must broach the subject immediately and thoroughly. This understanding helps create business presentations that are compelling yet concise and effective. Website content can be wordy or brief depending upon the purpose of the website. In general though, website/online content is kept brief as reading from a screen is slower than reading print. So get your message across, convince prospective clients that you product/service is the best or incite volunteers to join your cause in 450 words or less. Website content writing services are most effective when sprinkled with a balanced dose of well-researched keywords. But that’s the story of another article… Corporate communications should spell three things professionalism, professionalism and still more professionalism. The corporate image that you are trying to project must be of foremost importance when writing for corporate communication. The business intention should be the next. Both these things need to be blended into stately content that speaks clearly and with marked elegance. Marketing material

NEW REALITY SHOW: MAHL G TAKES OVER MYSPACE!!!!!!!!!! Go check him out: .myspace.com/mahlg Mahl G. is creating a serious buzz on myspace. His music is different, real, and heartfelt. He’s temporarily unsigned but that won’t last long! He has such a strong mic presence and he speaks about many different topics. Mahl G. brings to hip hop what has been missing since the deaths of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G. Todays hip hop music is filled with a bunch of Mickey Mouse, bubble gum songs! Mahl G. changes that mold and actually speaks about real life. He has been writing for a long time and is probably the most talented rapper on the market. It’s no competition for this guy and won’t be for awhile. His upcoming album “UNDENIABLE” is going to be a certified classic. Mahl G. is platinum in the making! He is what you call an all around M.C. He can write, perform, freestyle, battle rap, ghost write, the whole nine! Mahl G. is going to put New Jersey back on the map for sure. The one good thing about Mahl G. is that he’s easy to work with unlike a lot of these artists in the game. I suggest everyone visit his site and check out his material. Also, ADD HIM AS A FRIEND and send comments to his page. When his album drops in stores make sure to go and get that ASAP! Do not get bootleg copies or bs internet downloads! Mahl G.’s album is worth having a hard copy. I guarantee you won’t find another rapper like this in a long time. He can do love songs, dance songs, cry songs, and pretty much any song you want! Make sure you show support: .myspace.com/mahlg

“The only reason to self-publish is because you can’t land a publisher.” Call me crazy, but I disagree. For me, self-publishing was the first choice. Why? I wanted to keep control of the project and timetable, keep the rights, and, most importantly, keep most of the profits. How did it turn out? Well… A Full-Time Income For over four years, my first book supported me full-time. Not “picking-out-chateaux-in-the-South-of-France” kind of money, but it paid all my bills (including two printings each year), allowed me to take some nice vacations, save a chunk of money and incur no new debt. When your per book profit (after expenses) is many times what you’d make with a publisher, you can be nicely profitable with much lower numbers. A few caveats. My genre

Hamlet has inspired more critical speculation and comment from critics and scholars than any other play by any dramatist in English literature, including Shakespeare himself. The play has become a cultural icon of our times. The first performance of Hamlet was in all probability within 1601 to 1602. Shakespeare put together the story of Hamlet on the basis of his familiarity of Ur-Hamlet, which in turn was based on an account of Hamlet in Belleforest and Saxo. But Shakespeare’s play was still distinct from the original Hamlet. Hamlet is a revenge play. Revenge as an aspect of plot structure of the plays appears in many plays of Shakespeare, for example, in the “Richard II,” and “Tempest.” Hamlet has not one but four revenge plots. Hamlet commits himself to avenge his father’s death at the hands of Claudius, his uncle, who also marries his mother and usurps the throne of Denmark. Another son, Laertes, vows to take revenge for the killing of his father by Hamlet. Fortinbras invades the kingdom of Denmark to avenge his father’s death at the hands of old King Hamlet. And there is yet another son who vows “revenge” in Hamlet: Pyrhhus slaughters Priam, whose son had killed Pyrhuss’s father. Each plot of Shakespeare’s revenge play followed a structure, beginning with an “exposition” followed by “anticipation” and “confrontation” and “delay” leading to “fulfillment” or “completion” of the revenge. But what makes Shakespeare’s Hamlet a different and superior work is that even though, Hamlet is a revenge play, the focus of the play is on higher principles of life and living. The great poetic richness of the play raises it to a higher plane of enriched creativity and distances it away from the average revenge play and their insistent focus on blood, violence and amoral and villainous unthinking protagonists. Hamlet is less of a revenge play than a play about revenge. Theatre is a theme in Hamlet. The play within the play is the central action of the play and is the key to the very mystery of the plot. Hamlet is full of references to the language of theater, like “ play,” “ perform,” “ applaud,” “prologue,” “part,” etc. the play contains numerous private jokes, as if, shared between the actors of the play, such as the comment in act III by the actor playing Polonius: “ I did enact Julius Caesar.” All the characters in the play have an obsessive compulsion to act a role. In the play, no opportunity is missed to exploit the potential of a theatrical situation: eight deaths, high pitched rhetorical speeches, the play-within-play, the fencing match, the graveyard scene, the duel between Laertes and Hamlet and numerous rhetorical speeches including Hamlet’s own soliloquies. In the end, Hamlet turns out to be a great tragedy rather than a mere revenge play. In Hamlet, the extra human agency takes the form of the ghost and the tragic disaster occurs on account of Hamlet’s acts of commission or omission. Hamlet also is a religious play. The Christian element so predominates the play that Hamlet comes across as concerning himself with the theological questions of sin, damnation and salvation. Elizabethans had an obsessive concern with afterlife and believed in heaven, hell and purgatory. In conclusion Hamlet has been treated as a study in melancholia and madness, as a study in ambition and political manipulation, as a philosophy can inquiry into a number of issues that feature in the writings of Montaigne, of even as a study the back part of characterization. The article was produced by the writer of Essay-Paper.net. Olivia Hunt is a 4-years experienced freelance writer of Custom Essay Writing Service. Visit our website to learn more about discount program to buy custom essay, buy essay.

In the world of art, the term ‘showdown’ is interpreted in an optimistic way. It is a medium of promoting art and rewarding artist for acquiring some excellence in his work of art by conducting competitions. Additionally, it is also an effective task of collecting opinions from public on the work produced by bright and industrious artists. The showdowns are usually conducted by well-known art galleries. They arrange this sort of contests in both local and international degree aiming to encourage artist to participate. To take part in this competition artists have to submit their works. Many galleries accept only one piece of art work from each artist as eligibility criteria and display it to public for ratings. Taking the help of internet, this tradition of promoting art and inspiring is executed in a more brilliant manner. Online platform allows the fresh artist to exhibit his work on the websites by signing up and building profiles and portfolios. Online application is an innovative way to attract audience across the world. Visitors of all ages can view the work and rate it considering the merit of the work. An unusual trait of the showdown section is that visitors can vote for each work on a scale. Besides this, the online platform facilitates handy links with each image so that visitors can email their favourite works to their friends in an easy manner. The entire voting process consists of several rounds and after tallying the score the winner is declared at the end. Online showdown practice is seen to be adopted by famous Saatchi Gallery, London with the objective to hold promises of favouring careers to not only talented artist but also who desire to become a great artist. For view in the world of art, the term showdown is interpreted in an optimistic way. . It is a medium of promoting art and rewarding artist for acquiring some excellence in his work of art by conducting competitions.

The New Year’s parade in Hong Kong is an event not to be missed! The city is dressed up with bright decorations and colorful lights for its biggest celebration of the year, and thousands pour into Hong Kong to take part in the festivities. Winding along Hong Kong’s picturesque waterfront, the New Year’s parade is filled with colorful, lavishly decorated floats. Representatives from Hong Kong and countries all over the world sing, dance and play music. The songs of marching bands fill the air along the parade’s route as performers in bright costumes prance along the streets. The forthcoming year (2006) is the Year of the Dog. No matter which zodiac animal is being celebrated for the coming year, there are always plenty of lions and dragons in the parade. Energetic dancers wearing giant lion heads leap in the air as long dragons held aloft by more than twenty people snake past the enthralled parade watchers. The New Year’s parade is the biggest event of Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year celebration. Close to 300,000 people attend the parade and millions more watch it on television. In recent years the parade has taken place in the evening, featuring vivid, dazzling light displays. The Lunar New Year is one of Hong Kong’s most important and well-loved holidays. Each year one of twelve different animals is celebrated, according to the Chinese zodiac. Many of the city’s towering skyscrapers are decked out in glittering lights for the holiday. Throughout the three-day celebration, dancers in colorful costumes perform lion and dragon dances in the streets, malls and hotel lobbies. Traditionally, people exchange small, red envelopes filled with money as gifts. Flower markets show up all over the city during the holiday, selling plants and flowers with special significance, and stores and restaurants display flowers meant to bring immortality and good luck. The New Year celebration usually begins anywhere from January 21 to February 19, depending on the year. While the holiday officially lasts fifteen days, in Hong Kong it is celebrated for three days, with the New Year’s parade taking place on the first day. January 29, 2006 is the first day of the forthcoming new year. The day after the New Year’s parade a brilliant display of fireworks lights up Hong Kong’s famous Victoria Harbour. The fireworks can be viewed from the waterfront or from boats cruising the harbour. On the third day of the celebration a large horse race takes place at the Sha Tin racetrack. This lively race is a favorite for gamblers and horseracing enthusiasts. It’s no wonder why so many travel to discover all that Hong Kong has to offer, with the vibrant fusion of ancient customs and modern day fun at one of the world’s biggest Chinese New Year celebrations. About the author: John Riggin is Executive Editor for .SeeYouInAsia.com the largest and most comprehensive US to Asia travel website. Where you’ll discover the best deals on flights, tours, hotels, cruises and more to welcome in the Chinese New Year.

“Can a marketing brochure bring in business?” That’s one of the first questions I’m asked when I talk to corporations and business owners about their promotional efforts. The answer, of course, is: “Yes and no.” No, because a brochure cannot represent your firm the way you or your sales force can. And yes, because an effective brochure can help you build the relationships that lead to new business. Unfortunately, most marketing brochures fail. Here are 8 reasons why. 1. They don’t describe the benefits. An effective brochure shows prospective clients why they should work with you or your organization instead of simply describing what the business does. Ask yourself: Does my brochure tell prospects what they will get out of a relationship with me or my organization? 2. They fail to paint a picture of what it’s like to work with you or your organization. If a brochure’s message is limited to a canned description of your business process or a laundry list of services, it will make you look like everyone else. Ask yourself: Does my brochure tell a story that would be recognizable to satisfied clients? 3. They take the easy route. Many brochures recycle existing corporate material and don’t say anything to make the business stand out. Ask yourself: Does my brochure tell potential clients something they don’t know about me, my business or my industry? 4. They speak in jargon. Some brochures try to impress their readers. But if you want to convince prospective clients that you’re smart, tell them what they want to know in terms they can understand. Ask yourself: Is my brochure written in plain English? 5. They try to “wow” prospective clients. Adjectives are no substitute for substance. Maybe your brochure has a jazzy style, but superlatives do not tell prospective clients why they should do business with you or your organization. Ask yourself: Does my brochure get to the point? 6. They have no unifying theme. A good brochure defines your business and tells potential clients what makes you unique. Ask yourself: Does my brochure have a clear message to deliver and does it do the job? 7. They go on and on

The Declaration of RE-Independence [Prospectus: The Individual vs. The Corporate Conscience] While the term “individual”, as regards each of us, has “gone to seed” in the human race, the ethics of the corporate has gone to hell. We humans have lost sight of our own horizon. While a nation of participants (”We the People” turned into a loose collection of spectators, the business of America morphed into a monster of business. Instead of “In God We Trust”, on our money, money is now the god we trust [the love of $money$ having replaced real love]. While the stock market crash of 1929 was catalyzed by over-extended margins, the morality crash of our recent business climate is the result of under-extended ethics. It is now left to us citizens, “We The People”, to prevent our Titanic ending and reverse this trend, where the Fates have become the Furies, the Muses became the Harpies, and the Sages have become the fools! …..Let us change our form of government overnight to the better, to something that works, as outlined in our primary legal document, The Declaration of Independence**; and except for vital and emergency services, put the current forms of government “on hold” until our ship of state is repaired and functioning for everyone’s best interest, with equal opportunity for ALL, in the most powerful yet anemic country on earth; no longer FantasyLandUSA, but the land of the brave and free again! [The mechanism by which we change our form of government is about the only unused portion of our original, founding documents, and it’s time to see it put to good use] …..We will go back to the future we were detoured from years ago when people sought after $money$ instead of love, and business/sports/entertainment instead of family. We must not again mistake our tools and their methods for the life in our lives! “Without a sign his sword the brave man draws, And asks no omen but his country’s cause”. Homer [Homer could have been just as easily speaking of someone like Cincinnatus, a 5th Century B.C. Roman {the Ohio city, Cincinnati, was named for him} who George Washington was likened to. —> even our own founding fathers would be in open revolt and rebellion against our current national government !!] **[[Dec. of Indep., 2nd paragraph: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. —>>> That whenever ANY Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”]] >>>James Sorrell E-mail: jamessorrell2003yahoo.com or JamesSorrellnativeweb.net