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If you’re reading this article, you’re most likely in the preparatory stages of writing an academic thesis: a substantial academic paper written on an original topic of research, usually presented as one of the final requirements for the Master’s or Ph.D. degree.

It is important to note that an “academic thesis” should not be confused with a “thesis statement”. A thesis statement is “a basic argument” that clearly articulates what the Master’s thesis/dissertation is expected to demonstrate.

One of the initial building blocks to your immense writing project is to prepare a thesis statement: a sentence or paragraph that summarizes the argument you plan to make in your thesis/dissertation, as well as the supportive evidence you plan to use to back up that argument. In short, it provides a “road map” for the reader of where you plan to go with your thesis/dissertation. Most importantly, it must convince the reader that the claim is important to your academic field, and that it is likely to be true based on the evidence provided.

A good thesis statement should:

• Make a knowledge claim that purports to offer a new approach or idea in a particular field, and to explain why it is new. The purpose of any academic thesis/dissertation is to add to the existing pool of knowledge in a particular area, or to “fill in the gaps of knowledge.” As such, your knowledge claim should clearly state why the information/knowledge that you have to offer is new within your field, and should also convince the reader that your claim is likely to be true based on the evidence provided.

• Make an argumentative assertion that summarizes the conclusions you have reached about your topic after reviewing the literature. This assertion should be focused and specific enough to be “proven” within the boundaries of your paper. It should also identify the relationships between the pieces of evidence that you are providing.

• Outline the scope, purpose and direction of your paper. After finishing your thesis statement, the reader should clearly know the essence of your intended project, and also the boundaries you intend to place on it. Your thesis statement should not make the reader expect more than you are prepared to present in your final document.

Keep in mind that your thesis or dissertation topic should address an unresolved problem or knowledge gap in your subject area that needs to be explored and that concerns society as a whole. Your thesis or dissertation topic should be unique in that it should add something new to the existing literature. Merely digging up answers that already exist does nothing to contribute to an academic or professional field of knowledge. Simply put, a thesis or dissertation topic should be based on new knowledge and new solutions to existing problemsnot on simply churning up old answers. However, conducting research on questions that have already been answered is considered part of the literature review and is a useful exercise to find out if someone has already conducted research on your proposed research topic.

About the Author: As a single mother, professor Wendy Y. Carter, Ph.D., completed three masters’ degrees and a PhD. Her motto is a Good Thesis/Dissertation is a Done Thesis/Dissertation. She is the creator of a new innovative interactive resource tool on CDTADA! Thesis and Accomplished. To learn more contact the author at drcarter@tadafinallyfinished.com. Or visit http://www.tadafinallyfinished.com

Most often the word “traditional” is used when “conventional” is the proper word. In fact, the confusion of the words “conventional” and “traditional, and their subsequent misuse is so common that it wouldn’t occur to most people to check a dictionary. Here are their meanings:

TRADITIONAL: the handing down of customs, beliefs, statements from generation to generation

CONVENTIONAL: conforming to accepted standards, common, ordinary rather than different or original

As you see, the two words are very different in meaning, and cannot be interchanged.

RAPPORT and REPORT have become hopelessly muddled.

REPORT is generally pronounced and used correctly. It is an account or statement describing in detail an event, situation, or the like, usually as the result of observation, inquiry or mathematical figures. It is pronounced ree-PORT.

However, RAPPORT is now frequently pronounced half-way between the two words! What I’m hearing more and more often is ree-POR. Wrong!

RAPPORT is a French word, and is usually given an Anglicized French pronunciation, which means that we say the “R” the way we’d say it in “run”–your everyday American “R”. (The French have a back-in-the-throat “R” sound which is difficult for most English speakers, and we do not need to try to duplicate it.) Here in America it is pronounced rah-POOR. The “T” is silent.

Fortunately, it is only the pronunciation which is amiss. People usually use the word correctly–to mean a harmonious or sympathetic relationship or connection between people.

Favorite utterances for those people who have a strong opinion on a subject are as follows:
As a matter of fact…” “In point of fact…” “The truth is…” “The fact is…” “The truth of the matter is…” Before you use these hackneyed phrases, you might consider that “truth” and “fact” are seldom that. Far more often, they are simply opinion. These phrases add unnecessary verbiage without adding substance, and they weaken rather than strengthen your point.

Favorite Little Verbosities:

“At this point in time…” Better: “At this point…” or “At this time…”

“On a daily basis…” Better: “every day”; “daily”; or that good old unambiguous wordNOW!

“Well, I mean you know” This is a meaningless phrase. Please weed it out of your language.
“I mean” You mean what? If you mean something, say it!
“you know” What am I supposed to know? Tell me!

Remember, Sydney J. Harris, journalist (1917-86) said, “The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.”

Let your message shine with the clarity of sunlight!

Carole McMichaels, Author: “Fearless Public Speaking: How To Get Rid of Your Stage Fright and Prepare and Deliver a Winning Presentation.” A lifetime as a performing musician and composer, coupled with over 30 years as a therapist/coach and public speaker has given me a varied and comprehensive background for working effectively with clients on the technical, structural and emotional aspects of public speaking. Besides that, it’s fun!

You are welcome to use this article, for free, to reproduce online or in print. When you do, please print my URL or add a link to my website. Thank you.
http://www.getridofpublicspeakingfears.com

From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters at www.managing-creativity.com

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more…

King Kong (2005) deconstructed

FADE IN: Context: monkeys and animals in the zoo.

Ordinary World: 20’s or 30’s; depression.

Meeting the Hero in her Ordinary World: Ann is an actress; performer.

Hero’s capabilities: juggler; acrobat.

Hero’s Challenge: may shortly be out of work.

Hero’s True nature: Anne invites the old man out to dinner.

Forced out of her Ordinary World: the theatre is closed.

Goodbye to the Old World: Old Man going back to Chicago.

Foreshadow of the Transformation: you find something you care about and someone comes along and snatches it away.

Meeting the Herald: Westin gives Ann the card.

Meeting the Mentor: Denham trying to raise financing for the film.

Call to Adventure: Denham tells finance about the map.

Refusal: Denham is ridiculed.

Pushed to the First Threshold: finance are about to sack Denham.

Time Pressure: Denham in a rush now.

Obstacle: someone tries to get Denham out of the car.

Mentor’s needs a Hero: Denham’s in the car with Preston.

Mentor finds Hero: Denham runs into Ann.

Mentor guides Hero toward the Journey: Denham buys Ann dinner and persuades her to the boat.

Refusal: Ann walks away.

Introducing the Romantic Challenge / Overcoming Refusal: Denham mentions Jack Driscoll.

First Threshold from afar: the boat from the harbour.

Meeting Allies: the Captain.

Warning: the Captain warns Ann.

Pushed to the First Threshold: Preston persuades Ann onto the boat.

Physical Marker of the Crossing: the bridge onto the boat.

Meeting the Romantic Challenge: Denham reads Jack’s script.

Resisting the First Threshold: Jack tries to get off the boat.

Forced to the First Threshold: Denham delays Jack until the boat leaves.

Meeting the Shape Shifter: the Captain.

Magical Gift: chloroform; the cages.

Meeting Allies / Developing Characters and Relationships: Baxter looking at his posters; Jimmy; Hayes, Ann meets the crew.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Ann meets Jack.

Middle Cave: Denham tells Jack about the island; doesn’t want the crew to know; Jimmy finds out; tells the crew.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Ann looking at Jack in the mirror; below deck; Ann cries in front of the camera.

Mentor pushing to the World of the Transformation: Denham persuades the Captain.

Inner Cave: the crew confront Denham; he tells them they’re going to find Skull Island.

Warning: the cook tells the story about the island.

Journey to the Belly of the Whale: on their way in the dead of night.

Developing the Romantic Challenge: Jack will write a play for Ann; the kiss.

Resisting the Belly of the Whale: the Captain turns around; there’s a warrant out for Denham’s arrest.

Warning: the compass fails; the skull on the map.

Pulled toward the Belly of the Whale: entering the fog.

Belly of the Whale: lost in the fog; running aground.

Warning of the Physical Separation: hearing the sounds of the island.

Physical Separation: Denham goes ashore on the boat.

Warning: Ann sees the rock in the shape of a skill; the skulls as they set foot on land; Hayes chat with Jimmy.

World of the Trials and Transformation: Ann et al look around the island.

Creatures of this World: the native inhabitants.

Foreshadow of the Transformation: the sound of Kong.

Pulled toward the Trials and Transformation: the natives capture Ann et al.

Resisting the Trials and Transformation: Ann et al are rescued by the Captain; back to the boat.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Denham toasts the dead on the ship.

Pulled toward the Trials and Transformation: the natives poll volt onto the boat and capture Ann.

Meeting the Transformation Mentor: Kong arrives and captures Ann.

Forced toward the Trials and Transformation: jack et al chase Ann behind the wall.

Time Pressure: 24 hours to return to the boat before the Captain leaves.

Developing the Transformation Mentor: Kong carries Ann around the jungle.

Trial and Transformation 1:

Resisting the Outer Cave: Jimmy can’t get a gun.

Outer Cave: shooting the super bugs; finding Kong’s footprint.

Resisting the Middle Cave: seeing the dinosaurs.

Middle Cave: dinosaurs and humans running from the Raptors.

Inner Cave: Ann plays dead with Kong; Denham is going to donate the proceeds of the film to the wife and kids of the dead; Baxter wants to leave Ann behind.

Ann tries to escape; Ann plays tricks with Kong; Ann tells Kong to stop.

Transformation: Kong gets mad and leaves. Ann escapes.

Trial and Transformation 2:

Outer Cave: falling back from the tunnel onto the log; Kong kills Hayes.

Forced to the Middle Cave: thrown into the cavern by Kong.

Middle Cave: Ann hunted by the Kimodo type dragon; the huge centipede.

Forced to the Inner Cave: Ann pursued by the Raptor.

Inner Cave: Kong battles the dinosaurs and saves Ann.

Transformation: Ann realises she must stay with Kong to stay alive.

Trial and Transformation 3:

Outer Cave: Jack, Denham et al wake up in the cavern; many are dead.

Middle Cave: attacked by the bugs.

Inner Cave: spider attack.

Transformation: the Captain comes to the rescue; Kong appreciates the sunset – he’s almost human.

Meeting the Oracle: Jack climbs the opposite side with the intention of rescuing Ann.

Warning against the Sword: the Captain warns Jack it’s useless.

Foreshadow of the Near Death Experience: Denham plans to capture Kong.

Journey to the Sword: Jack searches for Ann.

Guardians of the Sword: the bats and Kong.

Seizing the Sword: Jack rescues Ann.

Night Sea Journey: Jack and Ann in the river; Kong pursues Ann and Jack.

Resisting the Near Death Experience: Ann tries to stop them taking out Kong; Kong escapes the net.

Near Death Experience: Kong is taken out with the chloroform.

Reward: Kong is the centrepiece of the show back on Broadway, the Eighth Wonder of the World.

New Selves: Ann et al back on New York; Jack has a new play; Ann has a job again.

Atonement with the Father: Kong on show.

Apotheosis: Ann is not part of the show; they can’t hold Kong.

Ultimate Boon: Kong escapes; focused search for Ann.

Developing the Hero; Jack diverts Kong from Broadway.

Magic Flight: Kong on the ice with Ann.

Rescue from Without: the army shoot; Kong runs.

Crossing the Return Threshold: Kong climbs the Empire State Building.

Master of Two Worlds: Kong and Ann appreciate the sunset.

Final Conflict: Kong shot at and killed.

FADE OUT: it was beauty killed the beast.

Kal Bishop

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

The ideas have rolled around in your head for long enough. In making a commitment to writing your book, setting up a structure is important.

In order to set clear expectations for yourself, you must have sections or chapters listed with a general idea of what will go in each. You may not end up with the same sections you start with in your first layout so don’t be too worried about what you call the chapters yet. This gives a framework.

Once a general outline has been set, create a directory in the word processing folders with the proposed title. Within that directory, have two folders: Needing Work and Completed. You can make hard copy folders and print out the chapters as they are completed ready for the first reader to run through the whole book but this is optional depending how you like to review your work as you go along.

Take each section or chapter of the outline and cut and paste it into a new document. Save each by number and title or descriptive word in Needing Work. This breaks down the task of writing a book into smaller sections.

Writing the prologue or forward is the next task. In the prologue explain why you are writing and what you hope to tell your reader. This will help focus your intent and keep the reader in mind as you tell your story. You may or may not use it in the final book and that can be decided later.

If I want to tell how betrayal tested my faith in friendship, I make a note on the outline where I will introduce the character who betrayed me and in which chapter I want to disclose when and how I discovered the betrayal. I also add which chapter or chapters I deal with the issues and include points as examples. I will include what I did to resolve the betrayal. By having the details pre sorted through the story line, actually writing each sections is easier.

Many stories do not have an epilogue. The epilogue is written to tell the reader where the story went and what they have experienced or learned. By writing one early in the process you create an ending boundary so when you review the whole story you can see if you have accomplished your goal. Incorporating the information from this summation into the various chapters can help keep the story on track.

In the final version, there may not be a prologue or an epilogue but creating one gives a target that can be useful when editing. Ask: Does my story lead from a premise to a conclusion and if not what needs to change?

Do not get bogged down editing one chapter to make it “perfect” as this is too time consuming and there will be additions and sections deleted later.

I often find a section of writing that includes intense emotion can be written in one sitting. Writing about confronting fear involves getting into the feeling and paying attention to my physical reactions as well as my thoughts and feelings. Emotional relief cannot come until I have the experience poured out. This can be exhausting emotionally. I plan a break afterward and do something completely different to change my mood. I have a treat planned as an incentive to get into the emotion but also knowledge that I will not stay trapped in the intensity, once the piece is written.

Finally I will make another folder called Finished. I will use it after all the chapters have been moved to Completed and I am ready to read and give another editing beginning to end in sequence. Sometimes I will add more detail to something I previously thought was finished or remove words if I feel it is too lengthy.

The next step is putting all the Finished chapters into one document. Then the first reader goes through the whole book and makes suggestions. This needs to be someone who loves to read and who you trust will be objective. You do not need to take all of their suggestions but consider them carefully. This leads to rewrites and changes in flow and clarity. You may have to develop a character more or remove repetitive sections.

Then the detail editor will start. This will catch many more issues that need rewriting, corrections, removal and adjustments. The seemingly never ending process will eventually lead to the content of a book. It then goes to the interior designer. This can result in more changes and many decisions about layout and spacing.

Cover design is a whole project in itself.

Then comes choosing a printer, paper, size and much more.

So get serious about the process of writing and someday you will have a book to be proud of. Then you are going to need to market your book. It is an ongoing project, so get started!

Marilyn Barnicke Belleghem M.Ed., is a registered marriage and family therapist with a private practice in Burlington Ontario Canada and author of books on personal growth through travel. Questing Marilyn: In Search of My Holy Grail (Quest Publishing Canada 2003) takes the reader through sacred and historic sites in England and Ireland and involves the search for the authentic adult Self. It explores: “Who can I be when I am free to be my Self?” Questing France: Deepening the Search for My Holy Grail (2005) is the process of holding onto the Self when in a marriage relationship. It explores flirtations, infidelity, qualities of a functional marriage as well as parenting children through marital conflict. Questing France explores the questions: “Can I be me when I am with you?” and “Why do people stay in a marriage after an affair?” http://www.questpublishing.ca

The most difficult and easiest task of all writing is the Short Story. It’s easy if you have a great idea. It’s impossible if you don’t. To me the best short story ever written is The Book of Job. The most beautiful short story is The Book of Ruth. The best modern short story is Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea.

Now you will say, The Old Man and the Sea is a short novel. Well you are right and I’m right. Let’s keep it that way so that we remain friends. The Old Man and the Sea has the elements needed in a good short story except as you said, it’s too long if you put a length limit on short stories. My novels are “short” stories if you compare them based only on length to War and Peace. They do not have the elements of a short story. Well, maybe the first chapter of Revenge on the Mogollon Rim does.

In a novel you can wonder hither and yawn and your readers will not only enjoy it, but they will forgive you. In the short story, you must stick to the point. The “point” is the whole purpose of the short story.

Edgar Allen Poe was the greatest writer from Boston. I put it that way as to not offend the other greatest writers. I hope it doesn’t offend Poe. I don’t want him haunting me every night. Some of his poems are short stories that he didn’t stretch out. His short stories are weird but poignant. He invented the detective story.

Poe was found delirious in a Baltimore gutter and died on October 7, 1849 (see http://www.online-literature.com/poe/). Also, Hemingway shot himself up the road a few miles from here. One mustn’t take short story writing too seriously. That is why I’ve remained a hack writer. I call myself “Taylor Jones, the hack writer” to remind me of that fact.

Hemingway learned his writing techniques from the Kansas City Star. He said, “Those were the best rules I ever learned for the business of writing. I’ve never forgotten them.” Here are the rules: short sentences, short paragraphs, active verbs, authenticity, compression, clarity and immediacy. (See http://www.lostgeneration.com/childhood.htm.) Go sit in a corner and memorize these rules. You will need them to write a good short story.

A short story is usually less than 35,000 words (a good deal less). It combines economy with unity. I know this is true because my old college text says so. Economy means it is short. Long character descriptions are out. Long scene descriptions are out. Please, no panoramic war scenes. Unity means that you don’t leave anything “important” out. It must be there in brief form or implied. If I say a man is a railroad worker, I don’t have to put him in overalls, do I?

You must remember emphasis and subordination. My old text says so. In other words, “What’s hot and what’s not?” Emotions, settings, the theme (only one allowed), must be fused snugly together. Here are some examples:

The Book of Ruth: A clever lady snags a husband.

Heart of Darkness: A weird jungle tale by Joseph Conrad. Speaking of MOOD! The horror!

Miss Brill: Katherine Mansfield tells of an old lady losing her self esteem due to thoughtless comments of youngsters. This story is sad.

The Killers: Hemingway’s famous story about how Nick Adams is more concerned about death by assassination then is the elected victim.

For Esmé-with Love and Squalor: The story about a little girl and a soldier. You must read this story by J. D. Salinger. Have a hankerchef at the ready.

The Book of Job: The devil picks on God’s servant, Job.

Let’s write a short story now.

First, take an idea, hook one end to the shady side of your barn and the other end to your mule walking south. Your idea is a wide rubber band. As the mule walks and stretches the band, the band narrows. When it reaches what we engineers call its elastic limit, it will break. Just before it breaks, it is War and Peace. When stretched thin, it is still a novel. Somewhere before that you have a short story.

Now think of point of view. First person is good. Poe liked this view. At any rate, don’t go beyond what the protagonist can see and hear with his or her own eyes. Remember this if you write in the third person as did Hemingway. You must not stand back and look at your story through a telescope. It must be intimate.

The protagonist is the main character. Who is the antagonist? You may need one in your story to be mean, nasty, cruel, uncaring, or having some other less than wonderful human trait. (You don’t need an antagonist in every short story. Most but not all such stories are called “boring.”)

Okay, let’s take an idea and run with it.

The sun beat down on the soggy field. Trevor was soaked from the rain, but now the warmth of the sun was quickly drying him. He slapped Bossy on the rump and said, “Let’s get to the barn, Bossy. If I don’t get you milked before Pa comes home, I’ll get the stick.” That’s when Trevor slipped on a cow patty and slid down the hill into the irrigation ditch. Bossy stared at the irrigation ditch for a while and then went back to chewing her cud.

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine, Jones is Executive Representative of International Wealth Success. He calls himself “Taylor Jones, the hack writer.”

More info: http://www.tjbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.bookfindhelp.com (IWS wealth-success books and kits and business newsletters / TopFlight flagpoles)

Freelance writing is as much about selling yourself as it is about writing. With this in mind, we asked some of the employers who use our site, and others like it, just what it is that they look for in a freelance writer. Here’s what they told us:

1. Employers won’t go looking for the information they need

“A lot of the freelancers who replied to my advert just sent me their quote and nothing else,” says Angel, who advertised for a freelancer in July. “There was absolutely nothing to set them apart from all of the other writers who responded, and I’d have had to contact them with questions to try and get the information I needed out of them. Needless to say, I didn’t bother. I employed one of the writers who took the time to tell me a bit about herself, and why she was right for the job.”

2. Employers won’t ask the same question twice

If an employer asks a specific question: “what’s your writing experience?” say, or “who have you worked for before?” they expect an answer. Strangely, not all freelancers give them that answer.

“I advertised for a proofreader,” says Jason. “One freelancer responded with a huge spiel telling me what a wonderful writer he was. That’s great, but I wanted a proofreader. Rather than emailing him back and asking about his proofreading qualifications, I chose one of the people who’d answered my question the first time.”

3. Employers appreciate courtesy

“A few weeks ago I was looking for a freelance writer,” says Samantha. “I posted an advert on a number of different writing sites, and said that I would send a written brief to anyone interested in the project, to allow them to give me a quote. I was shocked by the responses I got, particularly the number of people who just emailed one line saying ’send me the brief’. I mean, is it really so much effort to write a proper email, giving your name and addressing me with mine? Does ‘please’ take too long to type? Apparently so. Needless to say, those kind of emails didn’t get a response. I wasn’t just looking for someone who could write well: I wanted to hire someone who’d be easy to work with. I don’t want to work with someone with no manners.”

4. Your writing matters – even in a query letter

“One freelancer proofreader asked me a question via email,” says Jason. “She ended the question with four question marks. She didn’t get the job.”

5. Employers aren’t always looking for the cheapest possible quote

“Some of the quotes I received were really shockingly low,” admits Angel. “I just thought that if someone is willing to write an article for $10, they must really be struggling for work. And if they’re really struggling for work, they must not be very good. I went with someone who charged what seemed to be a reasonable rate: she wasn’t the cheapest I found, but quality was important to me.”

Amber McNaught is the owner of http://www.WritingWorld.org, a community for freelance writers, editors and proofreaders.

Join the WritingWorld.org forum

Amber also offers an article writing and distribution service through her business, Hot Igloo Productions

WRITERS ARE THE PUBLISHER’S AND WEBMASTER’S BEST FRIEND

As a writer of free-reprint articles, I know full well the
intentions of the writer’s who make their articles available
to publishers and webmasters as *free* content.

When the game is played correctly, the free web content is able
to provide value to everyone involved. The people who benefit
from the content includes the people who read it, the ezine
publisher who publishes it, the webmaster who posts it on their
website, the advertisers who support the publishers, and the
writers who take the time and initiative to develop the content.

But, when the rules of the game are broken, everyone suffers.

THE BENEFITS OF FREE CONTENT

As writers, we fully appreciate the value gained by everyone
from the distribution of free-reprint articles.

- The End User -

The people who read the content benefit from the knowledge that
is being shared with them. The content usually helps them to
learn something he or she has wanted to learn.

The article might teach someone how to make a tasty Cajun
chili. It might teach someone how to help their children with
the problems that children face everyday. The article might
even teach someone how to overcome the obstacles to owning
and operating a successful online business.

- The Ezine Publisher -

The ezine publisher is constantly under pressure to deliver the
kind of content that their readers want, which is necessary to
attract and keep readers for their publication.

- The Webmaster -

The vast majority of Internet surfers use the search engines
as a starting point on their active hunt for information and
products. Recognizing this fact, webmasters often use free
content to build their keyword ratings in the search engines,
thereby improving upon their chances of being located by
Internet searchers.

The hope is that by providing targeted content to search engine
users, webmasters can bring in people who are ideally suited to
purchasing their products or services.

- The Advertiser -

The advertiser benefits from the free content by having a good
ezine or website on which to advertise their products and
services. The stronger the ezine or website, the more likely
the advertiser’s money will provide a good return on investment
for the advertiser.

- The Writer -

Writers honestly do not create content for ezine publishers or
webmasters from a purely altruistic point of view.

In fact, just as the reader, publisher, webmaster and advertiser
do, writers also receive a benefit from the content they create.
Through the *article resource box*, writers also have the
opportunity to create traffic and sales for their own businesses.
The *resource box* is the real reason writers make their content
available to the world.

To protect their own rights, writers usually include a *Terms
of Reprint* with their articles. Hyperlinking URL’s is often a
very important component of the writer’s *Terms of Reprint*.

*Free-reprint rights* does not mean that there is no cost
involved with using the content — it only means that their
is no monetary cost for using the content. The actual cost of
using a *free-reprint article* is that the *Terms of Reprint*
must be honored in full.

When a publisher or webmaster breaks the writer’s *Terms of
Reprint*, the writer’s legal position to seek monetary payment
is assured — even when the article was released as a
*free-reprint article.*

BASIC TERMS OF FREE-REPRINT

You must leave the resource box unedited.

You may not change the recommendations or context of the
body of the article.

You may not use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial
Email). Email distribution of this article must be opt-in
email only.

You must forward a copy of the ezine or newsletter that
contains the article inside to the author’s email address.

If you post this article on a website, you must set the links
up as hyperlinks, and you must send the author a copy of the
URL where the article is posted.

WHY THE TERMS OF REPRINT ARE IMPORTANT

Writers are in the same boat as the publisher and webmaster.
They have started their online business for the purpose of
making money from their website. For the writer, the article
that they provide to others provides a small advertisement for
the writer’s business in the writer’s resource box at the end
of each article. This small advertisement in the resource box
of the article IS the writer’s payment for all of his or her
hard work.

Webmaster’s spend a lot of their time building links to their
websites for the purpose of promoting their own websites. Yet,
for some reason, some publishers and webmasters think it is
okay to cheat the writer of the same benefit.

THE LINE IN THE SAND

If you are using a free-reprint article in your ezine or on
your website and you are not following the *Terms of Reprint*
to a tee, then you are in violation of those terms and using
the content illegally.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Here is the deal, if you don’t honor the *Terms of Reprint*
associated with a free-reprint article, then the writer has
every right to ask for a cash payment from you for the use of
the article. Should you choose to continue to deny payment,
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Considering that you could be put out of business by using the
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to honor the writer’s stated *Terms of Reprint*?

Do the right thing. Use our content that we are kind enough to
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MAKE NO MISTAKE

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Copyright Bill Platt – All Rights Reserved. Reprints allowed with article and resource box unedited. If you post this article on a website, you must set the links up as hyperlinks.

About the Author:

Bill Platt is the owner of http://www.LinksAndTraffic.com

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Million Dollar Baby follows the Hero’s Journey template…

Call to Adventure – where the hero is pushed to resolve a challenge. Maggie needs to escape her White Trash roots and Frankie needs to resolve issues concerning his daughter.

Refusal of the Call – where there is refusal, resistance, warning and foreboding. Frankie refuses to train Maggie.

The Supernatural Aid – where a mentor encourages the hero along the path. Eddie (Morgan Freeman) begins to help Maggie with her training and simultaneously guides Frankie towards her. As is usual, the supernatural aid has a challenge of his own (Danger Barch).

First Threshold – where a point of no return is crossed. Maggie persists in the gym. There is no dissuading her or going back for her.

Physical Separation (Belly of the Whale) – where the hero physically separates from his Old World and heads into the Transformation. Willie leaves Frankie, who has little else to do but train Maggie.

Transformation (Road of Trials) – where the hero significantly, but not completely, transforms. Maggie becomes a professional boxer.

The Ideal and the Seizing of the Sword – where the hero faces a difficult choice and journey to (often) the heart of the antagonism. Maggie buys her family a house and Frank takes on the role of father.

Rebirth Through Death – where the Hero is reborn. Eddie saves Danger Barch from the gym bully; Maggie doesn’t know what to do about the bear.

Atonement with the Father – where the hero confronts the obstacle to the apotheosis. Maggie loses to the blue Bear.

Apotheosis – where the hero has the illumination. Maggie should have listened to Frank and protected herself.

Ultimate Boon – both hero and heroine get a family.

Refusal of the Return – where the hero is repulsed by his Old Self or, on a practical level, there is refusal on some level. Frankie refuses to go back to the gym.

Magic Flight – where the hero attempts to escape from the antagonism or, for some reason, is unable to confront it. Frankie takes Maggie away and attempts to find doctors who can reverse the situation.

Rescue for Without – where the hero is pulled back toward his or her challenges. Maggie’s family return; Frankie wants to replace them and resists their arrival.

Crossing the Return Threshold – where the hero confronts the antagonism. Maggie loses her legs and asks Frankie to kill her.

Master of the Two Worlds – where the antagonism is defeated. Frankie kills Maggie.

Freedom to Live – where the hero is freed from the antagonism. Frankie does not return to the gym.

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and FREE 17 stage sample and other story structure templates can be found at http://managing-creativity.com/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author’s name and site URL are retained.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/

William Faulkner, the great Mississippi writer, said, “The tools I need for work are paper, tobacco, food, and a little whisky.”

Every writer needs certain tools to accomplish the task of being a writer. For some, it is a simple assortment of equipment, basically paper and a writing instrument–a pencil or pen–and nothing more while most need a typewriter or a computer and nothing more while still others need a special place with a special ambiance–quiet, background music, lighting, a comfortable desk and chair, and a special beverage–coffee, tea, etc., or like Faulkner, a little whisky.

Today’s writer will most likely opt for a computer of some sort–desktop, laptop, or even a PDA of some sort. Paper is no longer an essential because most work can be saved to a hard drive or diskette, and sent to it destination via the Internet. Tobacco is becoming obsolete as more people are kicking the habit due to the health concerns. Food is still an essential, but others will forgo the whisky.

The computer has taken much of the drudgery from writing. A good word processing program is an essential and there are many on the market but the two most common and acceptable are Microsoft Word and Corel Wordperfect although other can be used. For the financially struggling author there is OpenOffice, which is a free program from: openoffice.org. It has all the power and flexibility of the first two mentioned as well as being able to convert any file to PDF format which makes it possible for any platform to read it whether PC or Mac.

Many experts advise that a writer should have a dedicated place in which to write. I suppose this is true of the freelancer more than the salaried scribbler. Perhaps such an area is more conducive to the discipline needed to put thoughts to paper or monitor screen, but certainly not every author can find such a location. If the writer is a harried housewife on a limited budget in a limited household, such an area might be hard to come by, but it might be profitable to find a spot and use it consistently to make writing a habit. Since human are habit oriented creatures, creating a writing habit seem like a good approach.

Most writers also need other tools: a desk, a comfortable chair, a dictionary, a thesaurus, pens and pencils, and paper of some sort for quick notes–notepad or secretary notebook–a calendar. Others need a radio, a CD player, or connection to the media on the Internet and maybe that little whisky that Faulkner found so helpful.

Like Faulkner, though, the essential tools are pencil or pen and paper. More than one writer, and some very famous ones, was able to create masterpieces with these simple bare necessities. The main tools are the writer’s thoughts and ideas.

Charles O. Goulet has a BA in history and a BEd in English literature. Several of his novels have been published and are available at Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnes and Noble, and many other bookstores.

Writing articles is one of the best and most effective ways
of promoting your business because it does three things:

*Brands you as an expert. *Makes your marketing efforts
viral. *Gives you content to attract potential buyers.

There are several things you can do to make sure that your
articles get read.

1. Write an article potential buyers will find interesting.
Even if you know your topic very well, it pays to do
research. Find out what changes are occuring in your field
and include that material in your articles. No one wants to
read something that is outdated or inaccurate. Readers will
find your material far more interesting if you tell them
something they don’t already know, and you present it from
your own unique perspective.

2. Submit your article to the right places. Article
directories are a great place to submit articles because
they are high traffic sites. Many offer a wide variety of
categories so you can submit just about any kind of
article. It will also increase your ranking in the search
engines because you are linked to high traffic sites.

There are also other options for submitting your articles.
You can use lists that accept articles, as well as submit
to sites that accept articles on your topic.

The way to find sites that accept articles on your topic is
to do a search in the search engines. Search on your topic
plus the key words “article submission”. Then when you find
sites in your topic, read the guidelines carefully. You
want your article to have a higher chance of getting
accepted. The way to do this is to follow the guidelines.

Here are several places you can submit your articles:

http://www.goarticles.com http://www.ideamarketers.com
http://www.articlecity.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/article_announce
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Free-Content

3. Write regularly. Most sites, and especially lists, will
only accept article submissions on a weekly basis, so to
write more often than that, is a waste of time. However,
when you submit your articles on a regular basis, it
establishes a relationship with the reader. The reader will
begin to trust you, giving you credibility.

Credibility is one of the hardest things to establish
online. By writing articles that readers will read, you are
building a relationship with readers. Building a
relationship with the reader will get them to trust you.
Once they trust you, they will buy from you.

Write articles on a regular basis and you can establish a
reputation for credibility online. Write about things that
people want to read about, and you will be well on your way.

Jinger Jarrett is a former newspaper reporter and military
journalist. Her latest ebook, the Killer Marketing Arsenal
Ebook, will show you 100+ high traffic sites where you can
market your business for maximum traffic and sales. You can
get a copy of her free report, “7 Free Traffic Generators
for Maxiumum Traffic and Sales” when you subscribe to her
newsletter. http://marketingplan.killermarketingarsenal.com