Thoughts on the Twilight Saga

I just finished a marathon reading of the four books of the popular Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer. Besides not being a vampire person, I found the label of young adult book a bit off-putting. I have not been a young adult for many years.

I picked up the first book because a member of my book club recommended it and then my daughter raved about it. So I thought, well I need to understand more about this fascination. To be honest, I am more into cozy mysteries for my recreational reading. But I had some time and I had the books. Enough said.

From the beginning, I could not put the books down. They read very quickly even though the 700+ pages may seem daunting. In Twilight, the first book, the story quickly became a love story peppered with lots of teenage angst. It could be the Sharks and the Jets or an inter-racial couple in the 1950’s. It was forbidden love with consequences.

The main characters are likable—Bella the insecure, clumsy, but strong willed heroine; Edward the wise, tolerant but tortured hero, and Jacob, Bella’s best friend who wants to be more. Beyond the love story, there is lots of action as the characters battle forces of evil and the author does a really good job of building tension around the primary question: “Will Bella become a vampire?”

Although at times I wished that Edward would pull a Rhett Butler and just move beyond Bella’s insecurities and ill-considered behaviors, mostly I wanted everything to work out with a happy ending. There was a nice philosophical summary of the behind-the-scenes thesis of the books offered by a bit character, Garrett—the nomad— who comes to witness during the struggle between Bella’s adopted family and the vampire power brokers called the Volturi.

“The Volturi come to erase what they perceive as the competition … I have witnessed the bonds within this family—I say family not coven. These strange golden-eyed ones deny their very natures. But in return they found something else worth even more, perhaps, than mere gratification of desire… So now there are more questions, questions that you must answer. ‘Who rules you, nomads? Do you answer to someone else’s will besides your own? Are you free to choose your path or will the Volturi decide how you will live? I came to witness. I stay to fight. The Volturi care nothing for the death of this child. They seek the death of our free will.’ ”

I am glad I overcame my reluctance to read these books and I thank Ms. Meyer for writing them.

 

How can a work-from-home freelance writer be green?

Freelance Writing: Alternating Currents Blog

As a freelance writer, I am fortunate to be able to research and write about an extraordinary range of topics —it’s one of the real benefits of being a writer.

Today, sitting in my airconditioned home-office with the 14th day of triple digit temps and heat index values of 105-110 outside, I am reflecting on global warming, the environment in general, and my part in the equation. I am not in a position to accomplish major changes in the world. I am not an elected leader or a member of Congress. I am not even a small town mayor or city council member.

However even if I were not writing on these topics, it would be difficult to remain immune to congressional hearings on climate change, the rising cost of fossil fuels, or the blandness of supermarket produce. So I try to do my bit locally to make improvements in the new three R’s—reuse, recycle, and reduce along with other buzzwords like “sustainable agriculture” and “buy local”.

Few of the changes I have made in our lives over the past 20 years in order to be less a part of the problem are unique to being a freelance writer, although the changes have been facilitated by my working from home. Here are some of my accommodations to lessening my footprint as a work-from-home writer followed by general behavior change in which all of us can engage.

Work-related greener behaviors at home

1. Become knowledgeable and active in conservation by subscribing to electronic newsletters and blogs. Write your local and congressional representatives an advocate for responsible use of land and resources.
2. Buy recycled supplies whenever possible and re-use file folders, paperclips, and used paper for scratch.
3. Separate recyclables for trash pickup.
4. Print as little as possible and rely on on-line storage, digital mark-up, and tagging.
5. Learn how to print multiple pages on one page and two-sided printing.
6. Combine client visits with other errands.
7. Recycle printer cartridges through office supply store.
8. Give used computer and software to local school or organizations.
9. Take advantage of working at home to save on gas, cleaning bills, and fast food meals.
10. Save electricity with CFL lights, all-in-one printer/fax/copier, turning off computer.

Green behaviors for everyone

1. Raise the thermostat in summer and use ceiling fans.
2. Lower the thermostat in winter and wear warmer clothes.
3. Start a vegetable garden.
4. Insulate.
5. (my new favorite)— try using a solar oven for cooking.
6. Don’t buy stuff just to have more stuff.
7. Find and support local farmers through farmer’s markets and community supported agriculture associations.
8. Do not water between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Use soaker hoses in your garden and landscape. Use smart water controllers for your sprinkler.
9. Use your community’s recycling program. If you don’t have, lobby to get one.
10. Don’t be shy about buying used items on eBay, garage sales, or consignment stores.

As a last thought about reducing your impact, I remember the sign in Teton National Park: “Take only pictures and leave only footprints.”

 

Writing about rosemary

One of my favorite writing topics is anything related to herbs and gardening. So, in the absence of any freelance writing assignments that satisfy this passion, I decided to use my blog.

” I have three rosemary shrubs in my yard all of which began as Christmas topiaries—little rosemary bushes that had been pruned to look like miniature Christmas trees decorated with bows or little red ornaments. After the holiday season, I transferred them to the yard where they have grown into large shrubs. One of the rosemary plants is thriving in the most hostile place in my yard—the northwest corner of the house. Placed against the brick it gets the worst of the summer’s heat both directly and reflected off the brick. It is the only plant I have put here that survives.

One of the treasures of rosemary is that it blooms in January—little blue flowers that provide nectar for bees when nothing else is in bloom. The flowers are so attractive to local bees that you can hear them buzzing when you get close to the plant. Besides admiring the rosemary’s looks, it is delightful to walk past the plant and gently rub against it, releasing the piney fragrance. Rosemary is an excellent culinary herb in addition to its medicinal and cleansing properties.

History of rosemary
Grown in the warm climate around the Mediterranean, rosemary’s early medicinal use is documented in ancient Greek and Roman writings. According to the Master Gardeners, “References to rosemary were found written in cuneiform on stone tablets dating from the 5th millennium B.C. Dioscorides, the 1st century Greek physician, recommended it for its "warming faculty"; ancient Greek students wore garlands of rosemary to improve their memory.”

Rosemary also has a symbolic history. The Accidental Scientist tells us that “rosemary has been a symbol for remembrance since ancient times. It has been used as a symbol of love and remembrance at both weddings and funerals, as well as a number of other ceremonies. For newlyweds, it’s a symbol of fidelity and a promise not to forget the vows they made that day; for loved ones who have passed on, a symbol of love and a promise not to forget the impact they had on your life and the memories that you shared with them.”

As a medicinal, rosemary has been used to treat many conditions throughout history and cultures including “as a tonic, a digestive aid, to treat depression, headaches, and muscle spasms, and as an expectorant, promoter of menstrual flow, and stimulant for production of bile.  Externally, its oil made into an ointment has been said to treat rheumatism, sores, eczema, bruises, and wounds.   Rosemary taken internally as a medicine can be an irritant to the stomach, intestines, and kidneys, so use it sparingly.” (Reference: Gardens Ablaze).

Growing rosemary
Rosemary likes a hot climate with plenty of sun and a well-drained soil. It requires minimal care aside from a bit of fertilizer in the spring and fall. In my North Texas yard, rosemary grows year around. However, growers and experts advise keeping it in a pot and moving it indoors in really cold climates. That having been said, our winters often get below freezing—occasionally into the upper teens, although rarely into the single digits or below zero—and my rosemary does fine.

Rosemary is grown from cuttings and you should begin with an established nursery plant. It does not require a lot of water; however some mulching early in its life is good. Be sure there is room for the plant to grow and for air to circulate around it. The shrub variety grows to four or five feet (high and circumpherence) and need to be supported to keep an upright appearance. Rosemary is pretty much disease resistant, although it can get mildew is moisture remains on the needles. You can harvest rosemary at any time and use the needles immediately or clean-dry-store them in air-tight containers.

Cooking with rosemary
Rosary may be used to complement chicken, fish or beef.  If using fresh rosemary, you may want to remove before serving depending on your preferences. Rosemary with a bit of olive oil adds a wonderful taste and smell to sliced or new potatoes baked in the oven. You will also find that a skewer made from a small rosemary branch enhances taste and aroma of grilled foods including Sheskabo, chicken, or lamb. The Herb Spiral and Home Cooks from About.com offer many excellent recipes that include rosemary.

Other uses for rosemary

1. Don’t miss a chance to throw some rosemary branches into you warm bath for a wonderful, fresh smell.

2. Add rosemary to potpourri

3. Add small branches to your linens to deter moths and insects

4. Water boiled with rosemary may be used as disinfectant

5. Rosemary infused water used as hair rinse leaves hair and scalp clean and shiny

 

Freelance articles – using quotes for credibility

When I am asked to write information articles for websites, especially articles that offer solutions or services, I really like to get a couple quotes from people to add credibility to the article story. In order to be effective though, a quote must be believable and that means from a real person with a name and a location—preferably first name, last name, city, and state e.g.: Susan Spritz, owner of May’s Cosmetics in Spokane, WA.

Since most of my writing is for small businesses, I have developed a rolodex—that’s metaphorical and obviously dates my thinking. What I use is actually database of contacts from business groups such as the local chapters of Business Networking International, business groups and volunteer organizations nearby. When I am looking for someone to interview, I check the keywords and tags in my small database. Within each listing, I have information on the company and where I have met the person so I can use that in my introduction which goes something like this:

“Hi, I am Barbara Brown with Alternating Currents. We met at the BNI meeting in Lewisville last summer. I am a freelance writer and I am currently doing an article on XYZ. I would like to talk with a small business owner about their experience with XYZ. Would you be willing to talk with me about your experience for about five minutes? When would be a good time for you?”

I have found that most people I approach this way are generous with their time and willing to be quoted in the article.

Preparing for the interview:
I talk with my client about his business services or solutions and why customers choose him—what are his perceived discriminators. And, the web is an essential reservoir of information on problems, personal experiences, and solutions. From this backgrounding, I prepare two or three questions—no more than this because I have promised a short interview. I do this before I ask for an interview.

The interview:
In most cases the interview will happen during that initial phone call. Otherwise, I call when I promised. The first thing I do after reminding my interviewee about the article topic, is to ask their permission to quote them, use their name, business name, and location. I also offer to add their website address to the article and to give them a copy of their quote and the context of its placement in the article before I submit the article to my client.

I ask my questions and make notes on their answers or comments. Then I confirm with them. I rarely record the interview. If I plan on recording, I let them know beforehand. I use hands-free phone either through a speaker or VoIP. This allows me to make notes by typing—which I do faster and more legibly than handwriting. At the end of the call, I of course thank them.

After the interview:
Immediately after the interview I do two things:

1. Polish my notes
2. Send an email thanking them again

When the article is ready for submission, I:

1. Send a preview of their quote and context—a paragraph or section title
2. Thank them again
3. Ask if they want to edit their comment
4. Provide a time frame in which I will need to receive their comments or changes—usually 48 hours

Why these busy entrepreneurs are will to help?
I believe people in general, and perhaps small business owners in particular, want to help and to talk about their business experience. Second, they know me at least a little bit from our previous contact. Third, if they want it, they can get a bit of free exposure for their business. Finally, I think people like to be perceived as experts with valuable knowledge to share.

 

Freelance writing failure

Alternating Currents Webblog

I had a rush assignment this past weekend and I failed. In my defense, I delivered the writing on deadline and I thought it was pretty good—all the key points were made and the look and feel was nice with bullet lists and call outs to focus information extraction. However, the client was at best luke warm in his reception.

I find that praise from clients makes me feel good for a few minutes, but a less-than-pleased client haunts me for hours. “What did I do wrong?” “What should I have done better?” “Did I leave out critical information?” and heaven forbid, “Did I make any grammatical or factual mistakes?”

In retrospect, I really thought I had improved the pages I had been asked to polish and punch-up. I read back over the 10 pages several times and I was pleased with the outcome. So, what went wrong? I admit I did some pretty extensive editing. However, the end result was good—much tighter and more coherent than what I had been given to fix. Ah! Ha! Perhaps this is the first glimmer of where I went off track in meeting the client’s needs.

I re-read the initial tasking. The client said, “This is almost finished, it just needs a bit of polish.” Oooh, maybe my extensive editing insulted the client. If I had just fixed the punctuation and shortened some of the run-on sentences and then told him how good his writing was, he would have been happier with the outcome. And, I would not be obsessing over it 24 hours later. Listen to what the client says and does not say. (sound of hand hitting forehead)

 

Writing web content that works

Writing web content is different from writing for print. What your audience needs and how they get it are altered significantly from their expectations of a book or magazine. One author that I think has done an excellent job of capturing the differences and helping aspiring web content writers succeed is Janice Redish. I highly recommend her book Letting Go of the Words as a practical tutorial. She teaches her reader theory as well as practice through many examples. Here are a few of her insights and recommendations:

• People come to the web to do tasks and get answers to questions—make it easy for them.
• People do not read web pages—they skim them. Use bold, white space, lists, and call outs to make accessing information quick and help browsers decide if they want to read the content.
• Use pictures and graphics that give the browser a sense of what the site is about—not just gratuitous eye candy.
• Landing pages should concise with lots of links to deeper / richer content.
• Use short sentences—active voice—web user’s words—short paragraphs

There’s lots more valuable information in this book. If you are considering being a freelance web content writer, this reference should be on your book shelf. Janice’s website offers additional information and a link to purchase her books.

 

What SEO means to a freelance writer

Each day I review freelance writing opportunities on the match-making service Guru. To date I have been fortunate to work with some terrific clients many of whom I have gotten to know over multiple assignments. One of the requirements of many web writing tasks offered on Guru is to meet a certain SEO (search engine optimized) keyword density.

Now then, how Google and other search engines rank pages is a closely guarded secret. However, there is every indication that at least one factor is the keywords used in the article title, section titles, and throughout the text as well as in metadata.

An excellent introduction to SEO is available from Webconferences. Their tutorial explains how spiders or Googlebots find, analyze, and index websites to “understand” what they are about and thereby retrieve them in response to a user’s query for information. Or, you can drown in the excellent SEO information from Jill Whalen of High Rankings.

Writing for SEO means using key words and phrases in your articles as many times as possible. Now, possible means different things to different people. Some clients want the keyword or phrase in strategic positions and occasionally throughout the article when the phrase works comfortably with the text. Other clients will ask for specific keyword density say 7%–10%.

Now, that higher density requirement makes it really challenging for a writer to maintain readability—using the desired phrase 25 or so times on a page of text. And, you cannot just repeat the phrase over and over without context because the search engines are wise to that tactic and call it stuffing which will keep your article from being indexed.

Experts in SEO recommend a keyword density of 3% to 7%. I personally find that 3% to 5% to be about right from a readability standpoint. A writer should use the keywords in the title, subtitle, and in the first paragraph. After that the keywords should be integrated gently into the remainder of the text. The keywords do not have to be exactly the same as forms of the word will be usually acceptable. The phrase can also be separated by punctuation as that is disregarded by the indexing.

SEO is important in page rankings and should be followed when the client’s goal is page rank and increased over-all traffic —especially for popular keywords. However, some sites have found that a long-tailed approach to keywords and phrases is more effective for their purposes than frequently, and sometimes transparently, repeating the same keywords.

 

Thinking of hiring a freelance writer? Here are some thoughts on how to be a good client and get what you want.

I have had the opportunity to work with many clients over the last three years as a freelance writer. Most have been delightful to work with and I enjoy getting to know them as people as well as clients. Over the years, I have developed a sense of what makes a good client for me as a freelance writer.

Number one on my list of desirable client behaviors is someone that has a pretty good idea of what they want including the general topic area, the desired audience, and the way they want information communicated—the style. A difficult type of client to please is the one that is only focused on outcomes, “I want my article on page one of Google search results.” Or, even more challenging is the client who tells the writer, “Just write something on XYZ. I am not sure what I want, but I will know it when I see it.”

When a client really is not sure how they want their article constructed, they can help the writer by providing examples of what they like. If the client can point me to websites or articles they have good feelings about, sometimes I can see commonalities that help me write in a way that will meet their needs and preferences. Besides, I learn a lot from the sites that client’s recommend—well beyond that initial assignment.

Number two is a client that gives useful feedback. As a writer, I want very much to provide the information content my client is looking for in the way that he or she wants it. In the beginning of a client/writer relationship, we are learning about one another’s needs, preferences, and capabilities. A client that says, “This is good, but I think it needs more examples.” is a great client to work for.

Now, I am not looking for feedback on punctuation or grammar—that’s my job. But feedback on style, “I want this to sound more like an expert talking to them.” Or “I want this to seem like a friendly, but unbiased, journalist—not an academic.” That’s really helpful.

Number three (and this usually only happens after several successful assignments) is a client that will allow me some freedom in selecting or suggesting article topics within their area of interest. That is not always possible, of course, because some client’s needs are very tailored. But in the case of broad areas like program management or running a small business, occasionally adding “my own two cents” adds to the feelings of accomplishment and enjoyment for the writer.

 

Using graphics to increase text understanding

Writing is about communicating and sometimes communicating information can be more effectively done with graphics. I am not really talking about cheesy photos, although they can be eye-catching and focus attention. I am talking about charts, bullets, relationship diagrams, or how-to illustrations.

For example, I am currently taking an on-line class in Adobe Illustrator. The tool is non-intuitive for most of us, although very powerful. Telling me what to do to make a flower is much easier when there are pictures to walk me through what should happen. At any moment, I can compare my entire screen including menu options with what it is supposed to look like. The class instructor at Eclectic Academy, Sara Froehlich, is an absolute master at this. Here’s an example:

Sara Froehlich's Illustrator class example graphic

So, that’s one example of using graphics to improve understanding.

But, what about all the times that you aren’t teaching a class, but you are writing a white paper, an information article, or a presentation. Graphics help here, too. Besides the typical bullet list or number series of instructions, there are often opportunities to use simple relationship diagrams—if this, then this— which are often shown with an arrow between two columns.

Other useful graphics:

• Use line graphs to show trends
• Use a time line to display events in relation to one another over time
• Put data on a map rather than list the locations in text
• Use a table to compare—no more than three or four columns, though
• Use a diagram to show steps in a process

Caution: meaningful graphics take more time to create than writing text. The reason you do it is that the graphic is easier for your reader to grab the meaning quickly and understand relative relationships. Graphics appeal to the reader’s right brain where the mental processing is hard-wired to see patterns. When complemented by text (left brain processing), you have twice the opportunity to achieve understanding.

 

What’s so different about writing web copy?

The rich are different than you and me to slightly paraphrase F. Scott Fitzgerald. The rich are born and raised differently and will always be different. The world wide web of information is different than books and magazines and writing web copy is different, too. Let me repeat: writing web copy is different than writing for any other purpose.

Information offered on a web site needs to be right upfront in little, easy to grab, bits. Grammar is less important. Punctuation rules and good sentence construction are almost irrelevant. Save your well-constructed prose for white papers and information articles. Web copy writing is about giving readers easily accessible answers to their questions.

Why is writing web content so unique?

People are deluged with information on the web. If they cannot find what they need quickly on your site, there are a hundred other sites claiming to offer answers— all nicely ordered on the Google search results page. So people looking for information on the web skim—they do not read.

This has been shown repeatedly in user studies of eye movement. What researchers found is that the headlines, bolded text, lists, and tables get most of the attention. Initially, a user is likely to spend less than a minute on your page.

“On the average Web page, users have time to read at most 28% of the words during an average visit; 20% is more likely.” - Jacob Nielsen, web usability expert; May 2008

Knowing this about web-based information search, what should a writer do?

• Use headings and subheadings to draw in the reader quickly to the information being sought
• Use plenty of white space so the eye can go quickly to the most important information
• Use bullet lists with very short text to elaborate on a concept
• Use parallel construction on lists to aid skimming
• Use action words on lists as the first word for each item
• Use tables for comparisons and if/then
• Use numbered lists for instructions
• Use links for detailed information