To write or not to write A Xombaby or Newbie who needs the honest opinion of a few veteran writers
To write or not to write A Xombaby or Newbie who needs the honest opinion of a few veteran writers
Hi to all, or any of you, who are kind enough to read this. As the title states I am a brand new member of this site. I found this site by accident while looking for something totally different. As a matter of fact I don't remember what it was. When I saw the heading that said I could get paid to talk/ write I thought no way. Many of my friends have offered to pay me to shut up. No one ever offered to pay me to write. So I thought it must be some sort of scam. But like many of you I was pleasantly surprised to discover I can actually write away. Which is the same thing as talking and I might even make a few extra dollars. Now if you have read anything I have written or looked at my profile you will see this is a brand new adventure for me and in a way a test market. I have been told by friends, secretaries that have typed letters for me, and also on my MAPP ASSESSMENT a motivational aptitude personality profile at http:/www.assessment.com that I should be writing. That's all fine and well but you see I spent the majority of my junior and senior days being really cool. You know skipping school, getting high, and having "fun". Unfortunately all those people I didn't listen to were right about certain things. Like the English language for example. I don't know what or where the subject, predicate, or comma goes? And I seem to write like I talk. Run on sentences. Having said that you may wonder how I made it in college. I dated a girl who was Valedictorian of her Class. Whenever I first started turning in papers I would get an A for content and C or below for grammar. So I enlisted my girlfriend as editor and I skated on through. So although I have much to say I have been reluctant to put it down on paper. Oh one other problem is I signed up for typing in high school for the sole reason of hopes it would be a class with all girls. Well I wasn't the only guy I guess thinking that. My typing class was 4:1 male to female. So in my typical rebellious way, at that time I protested and demanded a better mix or I was on strike. My teacher said you better learn how to strike your attitude and start striking those keys because we are not getting more girls in here. Well I wasn't about to let her tell me what to do/ help me. So today I have to slowly look and peck at these keys ! Boy I am so mad and bitter at that teacher. She should have.... just kidding! I am mad at myself for being so foolish. Anywhobie, I would appreciate an honest critique from some of you that have had some success. I am not speaking so much monetarily although I know the two go hand in hand. I am speaking more in terms of readership. I have found in just the past few days I am having a blast! However, part of that is finding out someone actually read what I wrote and liked it. Even more ,was motivated to take some sort of positive action! Sure I would love to get paid millions of dollars and tour all the TV shows discussing the ins and outs of my latest book. But for now I would just like to know am suffering from illusions of grandeur? Or brain damage form my sordid youth? Your honest evaluation would be greatly appreciated.
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- bpersuaded's Xombytes |
"When the Student Is Ready, the Teacher Appears"
I'm glad you're asking for help, because you're gonna get it anyway (but at least now you're expecting it, so it won't hit you too hard lol).
The main critique I have is about your putting it all in one paragraph; I understand--with the hunt-and-pecking--it must be like spikes-on-whips typing this AND editing for 'publication,' but think of what it's like *reading* the solid block of text.
You have to have readers who are really committed if you want them to get the message you're conveying in a solid block like that.
If you want them to get the message without making the commitment, you might want to double-break every few lines (like I am here).
Uncle MythMan---His Mission? http://www.xomba.com/the_new_mythman_plan -How You Can Join Him in It? http://linkbrander.com/go/65240 http://linkbrander.com/go/65241 http://linkbrander.com/go/65242 -P.S. HotGirl33705 is Heavenly (NO SIG. HTML!)
Nice thoughts,
but like Myth said, the presentation could be better. Continue doing it and you will get better. You do have a way with words.
Just for info, the male female ratio is no better on Xomba, but i guess you have learnt your lesson.
Content is fine
but it's true you do need to paragraph, even more so when you are writing online because a solid block of text can tire the reader's eyes - other than that, just write.
Suejeff
Welcome Newbie!
Great Hook you have there for your title. :)
Pretty easy to get people involved, because most are happy to share an opinion especially when asked.
Thanks for sharing a bit about yourself, and truly welcome to the site. Your way with words (style) has a nice flow to it, and yes as stated and restated your gonna need to go back and figure out where to put the spaces.
An article filled with great content can easily be shunned and ignored when the sentences are all run together, or if you don't capitalize and punctuate. At least with periods...
Topics are wide open, I would recommend read the Help Guide at the top left corner of your screen and then read it again, and then, well, do what ever comes naturally.
Regards,
FreeCracker4Jack
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Read more of my great articles, and maybe some not so great: http://www.xomba.com/xombyte/free_cracker_4_jack?p
OK Ok Ok
I am smiling as I write this. I have a great feeling of hope and encouragement. So thank you guys for being honest. That's exactly what I was looking for.
I will try and break things up a bit. I am about to do series of articles on garage doors. Everything from buying a new one to preventative maintenance on and existing one.
I will take all of your advice and put it to use. Hopefully making it a much better presentation.
In the mean time Happy writing to all of you!
Is this what you mean?
bpersuaded
This'll Help You Decide When to 'Paragraphize'
I know when I'm rushing reading (like one -should- with a textbook or an instruction-list), I generally skim through and look at the 'headers' or the first lines of each paragraph---since they generally give me an idea of the direction the paragraph is gonna take.
I'm not saying 'you need to put a
Header
in-between every sentence' or 'you need to make a new paragraph every 20 characters' or any 'hard-and-fast' rule, because none of those apply unless you're turning work into some 'professor' who told you these rules.
But more 'write it as if you are going to be asked to read it.' Are you going to "want" to read it? Write it like it's going to sound when you read it out loud.
That's one reason you should write a "rough draft" in a word-file on your computer, so you can save it there and come back to it with a fresh mind. (You CAN save it here; but then everyone sees it before you decide whether it's even worth publishing!)
Uncle MythMan---His Mission? http://www.xomba.com/the_new_mythman_plan -How You Can Join Him in It? http://linkbrander.com/go/65240 http://linkbrander.com/go/65241 http://linkbrander.com/go/65242 -P.S. HotGirl33705 is Heavenly (NO SIG. HTML!)
The Title is the "Candy Back in My Van" rotflol
That is, 'the title' is what sells the content, DEFINITELY NOT 'the worth of the content itself'!)
Proof? *-BATMAN & ROBIN-*! When theater-owners bought that movie, they did so NOT with the knowledge that it was a sour, shallow waste-of-money, but rather with the knowledge that 'people will pay to see a BATMAN-movie!'
But the goodness of the content is what keeps people coming back; which is why I haven't paid to see any further BATMAN-movies, and why I haven't made much money here on Xomba lol.
(See, money-making content here is writing about what people are hungrily-curious about; what I usually write about is all the answers *I* have, which I give right there and thus eliminate any curiousity.)
Uncle MythMan---His Mission? http://www.xomba.com/the_new_mythman_plan -How You Can Join Him in It? http://linkbrander.com/go/65240 http://linkbrander.com/go/65241 http://linkbrander.com/go/65242 -P.S. HotGirl33705 is Heavenly (NO SIG. HTML!)
Excellent!
Yeah, if I saw a title about 'garage-door-openers' and a block of text like the original article above, my mind-dialogue would've been something like, 'Okay, this guy knows about garage-door-openers ... NEXT!' lol
I sometimes think of 'article-text' like the way the Roman conquerors regarded 'barbarians': if the general idea I get from the 'grunt-and-point' is interesting enough, I'm sure closer examination will be enlightening; if it's not interesting, I'm too busy building 'my Empire' to examine more closely!
Uncle MythMan---His Mission? http://www.xomba.com/the_new_mythman_plan -How You Can Join Him in It? http://linkbrander.com/go/65240 http://linkbrander.com/go/65241 http://linkbrander.com/go/65242 -P.S. HotGirl33705 is Heavenly (NO SIG. HTML!)