Saturday, July 11, 2009

The Hand of Sister Bridgett by Annie Hinstala

Today, for readers' enjoyment, I'm including poetry by writer, Annie Hinstala.

Six novices dressed in black and white...

In the smoky incense, wafting, choking, lingering above our heads,
Praying we kneeled, to Mother Mary for those long dead.
Six novices dressed in black and white,
Holding beads in fingers tight.
We prayed and rose, kneeled and crossed in turn
Dipping hands in holy water for those that burn.
We ate together every night,
Holding hands in fingers tight.
At vespers in our rooms we shared,
Our souls weren’t all we bared.
We rose for mass, confession and sacraments all,
Till the first white clad novice ran to fall,
She leapt away calling in fright,
Holding the wall in fingers tight.
Five novices rose for prayers, chores and tight lipped looks,
Hiding smiles, worries, laughter and all behind our books.
No words passed our lips in Mother's sight,
Whispered secrets in the night,
Then one morning there was a room left empty,
Two had fled and now there were only three.
As the day came nearer, the Bishop clearer,
All the innocence and freedom all seemed dearer.
So together we took flight,
Holding hands in fingers tight,
And I and Sister Bridgett with her soft hands,
Together ran away to distant lands.
Photo credit: clarita

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Slow Blog Loading Time

I've been working at getting this blog to load faster. Unfortunately, I've had to delete some of the features that I had installed on the blog--but I think, over all, readers will appreciate the faster loading time. I know for myself that I dislike pages that take forever to reveal their contents.

For blogging tips, I've moved relevant links over to Make a Living From Your Computer and will include any blogging-related material over at that blog, as I've simply run out of room at Write and Earn a Living.

I think this is the better scenario because this blog is for freelance writers. While many of us are bloggers, too, I think readers will be better served with this change. At the same time, I will still share blogging insights over at the other pages.

I recently did an analysis of this blog and found I had exceeded the recommended number of URL's, which might explain why I've been plagued with slow page loading times.

I also learned I had exceeded size limits. Huh! That was news to me!

How did I learn this? I went to Submit Express and typed in my URL in the Meta Tags Analyzer section

So, if you see items disappearing from this blog, it is a necessary adjustment to improve functionality. I guess I was a tad too zealous in trying to offer helpful info. to readers.

I'll keep making adjustments until I get it to where I want it to be--but at least, I now know what has been causing the problems.

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Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Announcement: BEDBUG Blog Launched

I have exciting news. The BEDBUG Blog has been launched and is now up and running.

Visit the BEDBUG blog to keep abreast of the latest news about BEDBUG.

I'll be announcing the publication date in the near future, as well as sites where copies of the book can be ordered.

Each book comes with the adorable BEDBUG you see in the pictures.

Initial testing with BEDBUG shows he's a hit with youngsters. And orders are coming in already!

I've provided a Contact Form and an Email Me function at the blog so that people can have their names put on a list.

  • A limited number of signed copies of The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite © Melody Rhodes, 2009will be available to family and friends.
I created The Bedbug Blog because Write and Earn a Living is primarily a blog for writers and I want to stick to posts that offer insights for freelancers. I'll still include information about BEDBUG from time to time but feel the subject is better served through a blog of its own.
  • The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite © Melody Rhodes, 2009 is the first book in the Bedbug series.

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Important Blog Tweaks for Blogger Bloggers

Many people like the functionality that Blogger offers. Blogger allows users to set up a free blog and monetize it with AdSense or other forms of advertising.

Additionally, bloggers can now purchase their own domain name via Blogger for a reasonable once-per-year fee. A domain name gives your blog a professional look and I've heard that it protects against blog theft.

I often am contacted because bloggers have questions, which I will touch on below.

Blogger FAQs

1. How do I add Meta Tags to my blog's template?

2. Can I accept Credit Card Payments?

3. How do I install a PayPal Button?

4. How do I install a Contact Form?

5. How do I set up Email Me?

6. How do I install a Chat Box?

7. How do I add AdSense?

My article Free Blogger Training Videos offers resources so that you can take your blog to the next level.

Further Reading:

Article Sampler:

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Tuesday, July 07, 2009

The Night Boy by Jack Newsome

Imagine being a published author before you've even reached puberty!

That's been Jack Newsome's experience. The young author wrote a story and got it published. Quite an achievement, no matter which way you slice it.

Young Jack has caused quite a stir, with newspapers carrying the story. The Taranaki Daily News reported that members at Jack's school dressed in green to celebrate the author's achievement.

It's not surprising that the book has been a hit because what youngster doesn't want to stay up late watching TV? How many pre-teens wish their parents were oblivious?

Breakfast show Interview with Jack and His Mother
(after commercial)

The Night Boy

  • Copies of the book are available by calling 06 756 8517
Night Boy Links

Youngsters will enjoy reading this story--from someone who knows what it's like to be and think like an eight-year-old.

One can only hope that this young author continues his writing career.


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Sunday, July 05, 2009

New Bedbug Blog















The response to THE BEDBUG WHO WOULDN'T BITE © Melody Rhodes, 2009 has been awesome! My Inbox has been flooded and Facebook has been abuzz.

Because of this, I've set up a blog devoted exclusively to BEDBUG. The blog should be up and running in a couple of days.

The BEDBUG blog will provide insights into the creation of this lovable character and breaking news about release dates and related news.

All sites will be interlinked.

A big thank you to everyone who has been so supportive!

  • The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite © Melody Rhodes, 2009 will be available via ONLINE booksellers and Studio Seven Publishers.
  • Signed Copies--Requests are pouring in! A limited number of signed copies of Bedbug will be available, once the book is in print. Contact me and I'll add your name to the list.

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Saturday, July 04, 2009

Why Won't Bedbug Bite?


Why won't BEDBUG bite?

After all, aren't bedbugs supposed to . . . er . . . bite?


(You CAN bite . . . but you CAN CHOOSE not to!)

Children are going "ga-ga" over this little character!

THE BEDBUG WHO WOULDN'T BITE © Melody Rhodes, 2009 will be making an appearance soon.

Story: Melody Rhodes
Illustrations: Edward Aish
Bug Creation and Design: Carolyn Ann Aish
Author Photo Credit: Bruce Wayne Dyke

Discover more about BEDBUG

  • The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite © Melody Rhodes, 2009 will be available via ONLINE booksellers and Studio Seven Publishers.
  • Signed Copies--Requests are pouring in! A limited number of signed copies of Bedbug will be available, once the book is in print. Contact me and I'll add your name to the list.
Visit the BEDBUG blog

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Thursday, July 02, 2009

The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite © Melody Rhodes, 2009

I have exciting news! We are in prelaunch for my children's book . . .

Studio Seven Publishers Proudly Presents . . .

The
Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite
© Melody Rhodes, 2009

You CAN bite . . . but you CAN CHOOSE not to!

BEDBUG is COMING!

. . . the BOOK and the BUG.


Watch for BEDBUG in the coming weeks. Bedbug will be appearing everywhere!

  • The Bedbug Who Wouldn't Bite © Melody Rhodes, 2009 will be available via ONLINE booksellers and Studio Seven Publishers.
  • Signed Copies--Requests are pouring in! A limited number of signed copies of Bedbug will be available, once the book is in print. Contact me and I'll add your name to the list.
Author: Melody Rhodes
Illustrator: Edward Aish
Bug Designer/Creator: Carolyn Ann Aish
Author Photo Credit: Bruce Wayne Dyke

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Saturday, June 27, 2009

Blog Traffic: How to Get Traffic to Your Blog

Many times, people have written to me, stating: "Okay, I've set up a blog . . . but how do I get people to actually read it? How do I to get traffic?"

For newer bloggers starting out, the process seems complicated. For example, many scratch their heads when they hear terms such as trackbacks, pinging, Feeds, etc.

I wrote a recent article: Blogging Basics: 15 Steps to Get Your Blog Noticed designed to demystify the process of building a blog.

In the article, I provided links to relevant sites so that a newer blogger can get started as painlessly as possible.

Setting up and building a blog takes time. Simply creating a blog and posting to it, in most cases, will not be enough to attract Internet spiders or draw a significant reader base. A blog should look attractive, be laid out well to optimize ad potential, should have items appearing "above the fold" and should include items that are updated, such as Feeds.

Occasionally, I help people to set up their Blogger blogs. This scenario is especially applicable for those whose time is at a premium and who want to get a blog off the ground so that they just have to post to it, without worrying about installing widgets, Feeds or settting up Adsense.

With the revamp of Write and Earn a Living, I've received a number of requests for assistance. While, in the past, I've done this for free, my present circumstances and time constraints do not make this possible.

  • The "15 Steps" article will help you to get your blog off the ground.
  • Check out my blogging links in the right-hand sidebar. Sites such as Blogger Tricks or The Blogger Guide are very helpful. You can watch free movies and check out multiple-column templates.
  • The Blogger Training Videos offered by Bob Sommers at Recognized Expert are incredibly good, walking you through absolutely everything you need to know.
  • If you desire further assistance, please contact me or check my rates. Contact and rate information can be found at the top of this blog.

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Friday, June 26, 2009

Insights into the Income Potential of HubPages

Many are aware of the HubPages challenge: write 100 hubs in 100 days. Today I swung over to HubPages to keep apprised of the latest and stumbled on a page by Lissie that I just had to share with readers.

In her hub: HubChallenge FAILURE and Making Money With Hubpages Lissie discusses the real income potential of HubPages and how those who don't slacken in their efforts will see wallet-friendly results.

Lissie said something that I have long believed: if you are trying to build an income via the Internet, it is possible--but it takes time. Far-sighted individuals who are willing to put the work in will benefit years down the road. Many start off with a bang, then, when they fail to see hoped-for results, they slacken in their efforts. Basically, they write a couple of articles and then give up in disgust.

My insights: if you want to be a writer, than BE ONE. How? By writing constantly, by writing much material. Treat your writing as you would a real job and you will achieve the results you are looking for.

Getting back to Lissie's Hub: it is a wealth of helpful information and links. I plan to revisit it and check out all the goodies touched on--and hopefully learn even more about making money online!

What I found most fascinating of all is mention that some are making thousands with HubPages. Unbelievable! I knew there were a couple of people who were making approximately $200.00 per month with HubPages and I've heard of one woman who makes around $1000.00 each month but . . . however, when I came across Lissie's insights, I'll admit I was encouraged.

I've seen my own AdSense earnings grow over time through consistent and sustained effort.

Anyway, three thumbs up Lissie. What an encouragement for the rest of us!

Further Reading

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Saturday, June 20, 2009

How to Drive Traffic to Your Triond Articles

Triond article traffic: it is one of the main considerations for online writers. The formula is simple: articles x traffic = dollars.

While the formula is fairly straight forward, actually getting article traffic is somewhat trickier. To net significant, ongoing article traffic, you need to build a foundation for the future.

Isn't writing articles enough? Do I have to actually drive traffic to my Triond articles?

Your Triond articles will earn for you because Triond places them across different sites; however, if you want to earn more, you can also do your part to send traffic to your Triond articles.

In a recent article, I discussed creating quick and easy articles for Triond. If you've followed the pointers, you've probably started writing your first articles. If so, you are doing well.

The next thing you'll want to look at is how to drive traffic to your Triond articles. Traffic is the glue that makes your articles "sticky," giving them traction online. You want your articles to become "sticky," which basically means they are bookmarked, linked to, and they spread out across the Internet. In other words, they have staying power.

Evergreen Articles

One method of driving traffic to your Triond articles is to create articles that stay popular. These are called evergreen articles and they earn for you for years to come. Ask yourself: what's important to the masses? What topics will continue to attract readers? Health, science and tech articles are usually always a good bet. Why? Health is something that concerns most people; science fires many imaginations; tech always has a following. These are the types of articles that readers tend to bookmark and share with others.

Linking

I can't stress enough the value of linking. Use each article to link to your other related Triond articles. This is another method for directing traffic to your Triond articles. Links work away in the background sending article traffic over and over again. If you have a blog, try to remember to link to your Triond articles when creating your blog posts. Even if your blog post isn't related to your Triond article, you could try including a regular footer section entitled: Hot Off the Grill or My Latest Articles so that readers come to expect new material.

Facebook

Consider adding your Triond articles to Facebook. Facebook allows you to share your articles with friends, family, and Facebook contacts, sending a flood of traffic to your Triond articles.

Article Directories

  • Submit free articles to article directories, conveniently linking to your Triond articles. Many savvy writers create articles at free article directories to send a flood of visitors to their websites or blogs. Why not use this same proven method to send traffic to your Triond articles or to your Triond profile, which features your Triond articles?
  • Article directories, such as Ezinearticles or Articlesbase, allow for your work to be distributed/syndicated across the Internet. Site owners seeking free content turn to article directories to fill this need. If someone uses your article, they are also sending traffic to your Triond articles via readers who browse through the content.
  • Additionally, article directory readers often sign up for article alerts or they subscribe to Feeds. This means that they receive the latest published articles in their Inboxes or in their Feed readers. Your article directory articles may be sending you readers for your Triond articles via subscriptions and alerts. What a great way to have links to your Triond articles being sent to someone's e-mail address!

Triond Article Widget

Use the Triond article widget near the top of your blog to direct traffic to your Triond articles. Also include one of your Triond article Feeds in your blog's sidebar. This directs blog readers to your Triond articles.

Subscribing to Article Directory Feeds

  • A good strategy is to subscribe to the feed for article writing over at Ezinearticles. Writers share a wealth of tips and tricks. Subscribing to the feed means you receive these tips via e-mail. I'm a great believer in having information come to me, over having to take time out of a busy day to hunt for it.
  • Subscribe to the feed for copywriting. Applying copywriting methods to your articles can make for more compelling articles.

Alerts

  • Ezinearticles allows you to sign up for alerts for different categories. This is an invaluable information source. Imagine receiving free pointers on subjects you plan to write about. Whatever your interest, whether business or travel, news or relationships, finance or automotive, self-improvement or sports, you can subscribe to an applicable alert to stay apprised of up-to-date information and craft your articles accordingly.
  • You can also sign up for Google alerts. If you enjoy writing news-type articles, these alerts can keep you abreast of breaking news and you can create your news articles with relevant and timely information at your fingertips.

There are no real secrets for driving traffic to your Triond articles, just common sense methods that take conscientious and consistent effort. If you are willing to invest the time, you will see increased reader views and drive traffic to your Triond articles.

Further Reading

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