Fiction or Nonfiction?

Fiction or nonfiction? That is the question many wanna-be writers ask.

There is no right or wrong answer, but before we go any further let's define the two (as defined by Webster's dictionary).

Fiction - literature in which the plot and the characters are imaginary. Authors such as Stephen King and J. K. Rowling write fiction.

Nonfiction - literature dealing with real persons and events, as history or biography. Authors such as Sam Barry and Kathi Kamen Goldmark (Write That Book Already) write nonfiction. Their information deals with real people and real life experiences.

What you choose to do is entirely up to you. If you're not quite sure the first thing to ask yourself is "Do I have a good imagination?" If you do, then fiction may be the way to go. If your imagination is limited but you know a lot of things, then nonfiction would most likely be easier for you.

Personally I prefer to write nonfiction. I am knowledgeable in many areas and I want to share that knowledge with others. My love of homemaking and writing has given me a world of opportunity to teach my skills to others.

Keep in mind that once you choose a genre you do not have to stay there. You may find that as you are writing about your experiences you come up with a great idea for a fictional story. If that is the case, go with it. Real life experiences are often the base for fictional stories. For example Stephen King's novels are often based in Maine, his home state. It is an area he is familiar with so he is able to go into great detail when describing a town or the countryside.

Should you decide nonfiction may be more your style, think about the places you've been, the things you've done and the things you know. Make a list in each of the three categories, then pick the first one and write down some key points about it.

What I like most about nonfiction is I am able to write a short article and still get my point across. With fiction it takes much longer to get to the point. Please keep in mind that is my personal preference; don't let me disuade you from writing a fictional masterpiece.

Whatever your decision may be, keep in mind to do your best work. If writing nonfiction ensure the information you are relaying is correct. You do not want to provide inaccurate information as readers will quickly point out your errors. Plus if you want to get known for your writing, providing the right information will help you get known in a good way.

Have a great day!

Diane

p.s. What have you decided? Fiction or nonfiction? Why?

Free Writing Courses

As many people know, I am a writer for several online sites. One such site is HubPages; I have been there since Day 1 of my writing career. I also like to read what others have written, and just this morning found something very interesting. I was not aware of this fact, but there are free writing courses available online. The link will take you to the Hub that explains the courses available. Click on the links within the Hub to be taken to sites such as MIT or Alison.com.

I must say, reading articles posted by fellow writers has been very helpful. I learn something new each time I read one; sometimes I incorporate what I have learned and am able to make a few pennies more because of it. The trick is to try different systems to find one that works for you.

Along with the free writing courses, the same writer also has a Hub about other free courses online. I would recommend anyone to see if there is something they could benefit from. (I personally would like to learn a bit more about HTML so I could design my own banners and logo. I think that would be very interesting.) There are also courses available to teach the basics of programs such as Microsoft Office, Windows, Javascript and more.

I know I will be adding a course or two to my agenda. How about you?

Have a great day!

Diane

10 Sites to Submit Your Writing

I have been submitting articles online since January 2010, in addition to writing books and reports. Below is a list of 10 sites you can submit articles to. Some pay for articles directly and others pay via ad revenue shares. Either way, the exposure is beneficial to your writing career.

1. HubPages - the first site I submitted articles to. They pay ad revenue shares for Google AdSense and the HubPages Ad Program. There is also the opportunity to earn money via Amazon, ebay and Kontera (Of the three, I am only using Amazon). The more articles you are able to submit, the better your chances of earning money. I have been with them for two years and am just now seeing the fruits of my labor. I have only submitted 43 articles so far; the trick is to submit articles regularly and aim for higher numbers. It is said that once the 50 article milestone is reached, the rewards increase as well.
2. EzineArticles - I have submitted 6 articles here so far. They do not pay for the articles or views, but you are encouraged to add a resource box which links back to your site or blog. This allows for you to be shown as an expert in your field.
3. Helium - one of the first sites I published on. They pay for number of times articles were viewed as well as special bonuses. The majority of the money I have earned on Helium was for titles they suggested. 
4. Triond - I have had some reservations about submitting a lot of articles here, but am told the site is improving. There has never been an issue with payment (the payment threshold is $.50 if using PayPal) but the quality of writing has been poor. It will take work from the moderators of the site to encourage quality articles; as well as from the authors themselves.
5. GoodBlogs - this is a site you can submit to regularly. Their FAQ page is being updated at the moment, so any information on earnings is not available. If I remember correctly, it is based on the number of times your post is voted up. I have not posted there in awhile, but I encourage you to do so if you are just starting out. 
6. Bukisa - I haven't submitted more than an article or two here. It is a good starting point, and pays on views and ad views shares if I recall correctly.
7. Factoidz - this site pays for article views and offers special bonuses for submissions. They are very particular about content submitted; it has to be original and helpful. Not just any type of article will do.
8. iWriter - this is a site in which you submit articles and get paid. I have earned over $20.00 for a number of articles. The pay for each isn't the greatest, but if you are in need of some quick cash it is definitely a good place to start.
9. Wikinut - this site pays on ad revenue shares only. If you want exposure, it is a good place to start. It gives you points for articles, invitations and participation.
10. RedGage - this site pays for view on your content, which includes articles, photos and blog posts. It also pays special bonuses for photos. I have earned a few dollars, but haven't submitted anything new lately. They pay once $25.00 has been earned via a RedGage Pre-paid Debit Card.

These are all good places to submit articles. One thing I cannot stress enough is to be sure your articles are clearly written and as error-free as possible. That includes proper spelling, grammar and punctuation. I am sure for those of you who follow me on a regular basis I sound like a broken record, but it is vital to your success. If you wish to be hired for any freelancing or copywriting opportunities, a prospective employer is not going to contact you if your articles are full of errors.

That being said, look into the sites I have listed. You never know which one will make you the most money until you try it. Good luck!

Have a great day!

Diane

p.s. Let me know which you have signed up for. I will post your links to them to help you gain some views.

New Writing Tool

As I have used my new Kobo Vox I have deemed it a new writing tool. I installed the AK Notepad app and can now write articles and blog posts away from my laptop. I am very excited as this feature will help me be more productive.

I like to write away from my desk; the combination of my Kobo and the app will eliminate the step of writing on paper then having to type it into a Word document. Using this app allows me to write on my Kobo then access my document online. It is then treated like any other document and I am able to copy and paste it into my blog. The best part is I can write anywhere, without having to carry around a notebook and pen. I am looking forward to the summer when I can spend more time outside.

In addition to writing I can quickly access any resources I need in my library; the note feature saves my document where I left off for easy access when I am ready to resume writing. Being able to save multiple notes is a big asset; if I have a great idea for an article while I'm reading a book I can simply bookmark my page and open up the notepad app. I can write down my idea for future reference then continue reading my book...all on one device.

Another great feature of the Kobo Vox is the built in dictionary. If I am unsure of how to spell a word (I must say this usually isn't a problem for me) I just have to switch screens, look up the word and go back to my notepad. I am beginning to wonder how I managed without it; and I have only had it since Christmas.

I am presuming other eReaders that have Android capabilities are just as functional as my Kobo. I know the iPad also can perform many functions and is most likely someone's writing tool as well. I am forever grateful to my partner who fulfilled my Christmas Wish List.

Have you had the opportunity to try a Kobo or other Android device for your writing? What are your thoughts on it? Please comment below.

Have a great day!

Diane

A New Year Has Begun

A new year has begun!

I have been putting my new Kobo Vox to good use; I have downloaded several books which are helping me stay on track with my blogs and my other writing. Now that the busy time is over and routines are being resumed we can all sit back for a moment and be thankful for what we have. I am thankful for spending time with family as well as the fact our holiday was safe and happy; I pray that was the case for everyone else as well.

As I begin my third year as a freelancer I can look back and see how much I have learned since day one. I was tired of working for someone else and never reaping the benefits of my hard work. I am still a long way away from "The Writer's Life" but am a much happier person because of my decision.

I have learned by doing, and made some mistakes along the way. I am a bit on the stubborn side and like to do things by myself. I have come to realize this is not always the best way to go about it so I have made a point to visit websites, read books and subscribe to fellow author's newsletters. One of the best sites to find answers to questions is the EzineArticles site. I haven't written many articles on that site, but the information available to writers is phenomenal. I would recommend anyone starting out to sign up (it's free) and get started on the right track. There are several videos available as well which I have found to be helpful.

The first site I published on was HubPages and am starting to earn more than just a few pennies a month. The key is to submit articles regularly and utilize the Amazon affiliate option. I have referred readers to products via my articles and have received several dollars to date. Their ad program also pays a bit to me almost every day; as my articles increase so do my earnings. Google Adsense is also a good program to utilize on HubPages; I would recommend this site to new writers as well. One note on the site, however: they do not moderate the articles so please do your best work. Proper sentence structure, spelling and grammar are always important - there is nothing more frustrating to me than to start reading an article riddled with typos and bad grammar. The members of HubPages are generally very helpful and inciteful; if you have questions they are more than happy to answer them.

I belong to several more sites but I must say HubPages is the one that has earned me the most money to date. The only downside is the payment threshold is higher than I would like it to be.

One more site I will mention today is Triond. This is a site which I have mixed feelings about but they do have a low payment threshold if you wish to be paid via PayPal. I have received a few payments from them without any trouble. It is a site that must be taken with a grain of salt, as they do not seem to have any rules regarding content. Google Adsense is also available on the site and does earn me a few pennies a month. I have not contributed any new articles lately but if you are looking for an easy place to submit to then Triond is the answer. As I stated before, keep your articles properly formatted and error free...your reputation as a writer is on the line so don't do anything that might compromise it further down the road.

I will continue to inform you of writing and publishing sites as the weeks go on. Please feel free to comment or share sites you belong to as well.

Good luck and have a great day!

Diane

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all! My New Year's Eve was spent with family playing a fun game of Crokinole and watching movies. Good times were had by all and everyone stayed safe.

I will be back to regular posts again soon - we have a New Year's supper to go to yet at my partner's parent's house where we will get to spend some time with his side of the family. More food, fun and good company!

Have a great day!

Diane

Family Fun

Christmas Day has come and gone, but some wonderful memories were made. I absolutely adore my nephews and niece so it was nice to spend a few hours with them. My sisters did a wonderful job of preparing a meal for 17.

Santa was good to me this year and brought me a Kobo Vox. It was really the only thing I wanted. I spent today downloading books on gardening, quilting, writing, publishing and farming. I also downloaded "The Lost World", one I have never read. In addition to individual gifts, my partner suggested we spend a night in a theme room at Fantasyland Hotel as a family. It will be nice to sit at the edge of the wave pool with book in hand and just relax. I am not a swimmer nor am I too fond of waterslides so I will be quite content sitting and watching my family play in the water.

It will also give me an opportunity to outline an article or three. I will have my notebook and pen along as well and will be able to write down ideas as they come to me. It will be a good way to spend an afternoon. I will most likely not be taking my computer along so will be offline for a day or two. My Kobo Vox does have browser capabilities, but I think I will leave my posts for my page on Facebook.

Have a great week and I will post when I return home. Now is the time for some family fun!

Diane