Ravensong Poetry And Writing Blog by Donovan Baldwin

Article Marketing 101: The Perfect Author Resource Box
By Christopher Knight

If you want to really make your article "SELL" then you've got to craft the perfect RESOURCE BOX. This is the "author bio" that is below your article body and it's also known as your "SIG" (short for SIGnature).

Here are the essential items that should be in your RESOURCE BOX:

Your Name: You'd be amazed at how many folks forget to include their name in the RESOURCE BOX. Your name and optional title should be the first thing in your resource box.

Your Website Address: in valid URL form. Example: rel=nofollow http://Your-Company-Name.com/

Your Elevator Pitch: This is 1 to 3 sentences that encapsulates the essence of what makes you and your offering unique. Also known as your USP (Unique Selling Proposition).

Your Call To Action: You've got them warmed up and now it's time to lead them to BUY from you or visit your website. This is where you "Ask For The Sale." Best to only give (1) specific call to action.

Here are some optional items you could include in your RESOURCE BOX:

Your Ezine Subscription Address: While getting your interested visitor to surf your website is nice, capturing their email address can help you begin the confidence/trust process. If you're going to do this strategy, include a URL for your ezine subscription address and do not use an email address for the "join" address.

Your Contact Information: Such as your business phone number or how to reach you for interviews or your press/media kit. Keep in mind that article marketing is a timeless strategy and you may not have an easy ability to retract what you put in your article once it hits major distribution.

A Free Report: This could also be part of your call to action or your free bonus report that further enhances your credibility as the expert on the topic of your article.

Your email autoresponder: I'm not a big fan of this strategy due to the fact that spammers will text-extract your autoresponder address and add it to their spam list. Perhaps this strategy was best for the 1990's and has now run its course.

An anchor URL that is related to one keyword or keyword phrase that you want to build SEO strength for. Example: if I wanted to build search engine relevance/strength for the term " rel=nofollow Article Marketing," I'd link up that term in my resource box to my website. This is an intermediate to advanced level strategy and should not be abused by over-doing it. Keep it simple.

What NOT to include in your RESOURCE BOX:

A listing of every website you own. There is no faster way to dilute your credibility than by posting a half dozen irrelevant URLs that have nothing to do with each other. Best to only post ONE URL that is related to the topic of your article.

A listing of every accomplishment you've achieved to date. No one cares. Keep your resource box brief and to the point. Yes, your resource box should be benefit oriented so that the reader finds value in reading it rather than your ego being justified.

Advertisements or pitches for products that are not relevant to the topic of your article.

Keep the size of your resource box so that it's no larger than 15% of your total article size. Too often I see resource boxes that are 50% of the size of the total article and this is abusive.

Your Perfect Resource Box Conclusion:

The BODY of your article is where you "GIVE" and the RESOURCE BOX is where you get to "TAKE" for your article marketing gift of information. The resource box is the "currency of payment" you receive for giving away your article. Be sure to include your name, website address, your unique selling proposition as briefly as possible and a simple call to action.

About The Author:

Christopher M. Knight invites you to submit your best quality original articles for massive exposure to the high-traffic http://EzineArticles.com/ expert author community. When you submit your articles to EzineArticles.com, your articles will be picked up by ezine publishers who will reprint your articles with your content and links intact giving you traffic surges to help you increase your sales. To submit your article, setup a membership account today: http://EzineArticles.com/submit/

(c) Copyright - Christopher M. Knight. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Article Source: Article Marketing 101: The Perfect Author Resource Box
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Article Marketing Submission

Labels: article marketing, article submission

Write true. Write what you know. Open the vein and let it pour out, said Faulkner.

I have always believed these widely known, often repeated pearls of writing wisdom to mean a good writer should somehow write about their own life, delving into their most painful memories, using glimpses of the things they have actually seen or done, even in fiction. That is, until today.

While I have been told by many that I should write a book about my life, my childhood in particular, that is something I am just not ready to do. At least not yet.

I have shied away from writing anything too personal, particularly the hardest experiences of my life - the experiences that played a major role in shaping who I am, often the experiences I try very hard not to think about. Instead, I choose to write about other people's experiences or realities - whether real or fictional - choosing situations that are as different from my own as possible, or if my own, at least my funnier experiences. Even in my journals I tend to focus on the present, or at least the pleasant.

I distance myself from my writing, and I often feel a little guilty for it, like I am not giving it my all because I want to avoid the pain. After all, aren't real writer's supposed to be angst filled and willing to pour out their tortured souls on paper? Willing to bleed ink?

Over the day's first cup of coffee I was reading "Escaping into the Open - The Art of Writing True" by Elizabeth Berg. I usually do a little reading before I start writing in the morning to help get into a literary frame of mind. During the first chapter she gives a short biography describing how she came to make writing her career, (which sounded very familiar). I was pondering the book's subtitle, wondering, as I often have lately, if I would ever be able to "write true" without actually sharing my own experiences. Suddenly I was blessed with one of those lovely little epiphanies that all writer's occasionally enjoy - that lightening bolt of pure, clear understanding that instantly illuminates a path you didn't know existed. It didn't exactly come from what I was reading, though it may get into this further along in the book, (I am quite anxious to find out and will finish reading it as soon as I finish writing this).

I suddenly understood that "writing true" doesn't mean you have to write about your actual biographical occurrences, the setting and situation is just the wrapping paper. To "write true" means to write about the core of any situation - the anger, envy, joy, grief, shame, loneliness, abandonment, longing, denial, rapture, fear and, of course, love - and the impression it makes on your spirit. Emotional landscapes that most of us have visited and sometimes lived in. Finding the grain of truth in any circumstance your characters are given and how the emotions brought on by those circumstances shape their hearts. It is not the specific experiences that readers usually relate to. Instead, it is the truest, deepest and most profound sentiments that lie behind those experiences - whether it be the humiliation that we wish to keep hidden, or the passion we want to shout from every roof top.

Maybe this is something I would have learned years ago had I experienced a formal writing education, but somehow I don't believe so. This is a realization I was meant to have today. An understanding that will change my writing from this day forward.

I don't have to put down on paper the experiences of my life, but I do have to remember those emotions. That is something I am willing to do.

Timber Shelton is a freelance writer from East TN. You can read more of her work and find out about her freelance writing services at TimberShelton.com.
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Publish Your Articles at SubmitYourArticle.com

Labels: subjects to write about, what to write about, writing, writing articles

Freelance Article Writing - How to Get Started and Make Money Right Away
By Sean R Mize

The idea of having a 9am-5pm job is something that does not appeal to a lot of people. Imagine, you will need to spend 1-3 hours to drive to and from your office and if you're one of the unlucky ones, you will also need to endure the pain of office politics. These are just some of the reasons why more and more individuals (particularly moms) are now considering making money through the internet. They get to spend more time with their kids, they get to have direct control over their working hours, and they earn well.

If you think that this career is something that will compliment your skills and your preferred lifestyle, let me help you get started and later on, succeed in this endeavor. Here's what you need to do:

First, ensure that you know the ins and outs of writing articles for online users. Remember, writing internet articles is far different from writing essays and news articles. It will really help if you take advantage of web article writing seminars or if you hire a mentor to guide you at least for the mean time. Don't worry as mastering the art of writing effective web articles is a relatively easy. I am sure you'll be able to master it in no time at all.

Write several sample articles. It's very important that you have sample articles that you can show to your potential buyers the moment they show their interest in doing business with you. Write a lot of articles preferably on those topics that are currently popular in the online arena. Then, publish them on directories under your real name. You can then just send the link of your author page to your prospective clients. Needless to say, you must make sure that all your sample articles are nothing but impressive.

Join freelancing sites. Make the process of looking for trustworthy buyers and good-paying article writing projects by simply joining freelancing sites like Freelancer, Odesk, and Elance. In these sites, you'll be able to bid on those projects that you find interesting. In addition, you'll have the assurance that you'll get paid as these sites go to great lengths to protect their service providers.

Make sure that you have an edge over your competitors. If you tried bidding on article writing projects, you might already noticed that you're going up against a lot of people. To increase your chances of winning the bid, you must convince your prospective buyers that you're better compare to the people that you're going up against. Show them proof that you can provide them the exact articles that they're looking for. You also have the option of charging less and finishing the project sooner than the specified deadline.

Build good reputation. Slowly create a great reputation on your chosen freelancing site. Keep in mind that your clients will be given a chance to post feedback on your profile. So, you better make sure that you offer them nothing but 100% satisfaction so they'll have nothing but great words for you.

By the way, do you want to learn more about using articles like this to drive traffic to your website and increase online conversions?

If so, I suggest you check this out: article marketing traffic.

Do you want to learn how to build a big online subscriber list fast? Click here: Secrets of List Building

Article Source: Freelance Article Writing - How to Get Started and Make Money Right Away
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Publish Articles Online

Labels: article writing, freelance article writing, freelance writing

Launching an Article Marketing Campaign for More Traffic
By Yoav Rosenberg

So what is article marketing?

Put very simply, article marketing is an online marketing strategy that requires you to create content-rich articles on topics that relate to your topic with links to your website embedded in them. I know this seems overwhelming at first, but it will make perfect since once you are able to get your head around the concept.

The theory behind article marketing is that you build credibility on a specific topic (the topic associated with your website) and then give readers valuable content on the topic. Your content will make you an authority on the topic in your reader's eyes. Hopefully, you will provide enough value that the reader will want to click on the link (to your website) to learn more on the topic or view products discussed in the article.

Let's stop talking about it and get to work! Follow these detailed steps to launch the most effective article marketing campaign possible:

1. Determine two keywords or keyword phrases associated with your website that you think people will put into search engines to find what they are looking for. These words can include your location and a brief description of your business or niche. For example, "Los Angeles drycleaners" or "Daytona book stores".

2. Write five articles on topics associated with the topic of your website and insert your specific keywords throughout the articles. Each keyword should appear two to three times throughout the article. Articles should be at least 500 words in length. Make sure that these articles are valuable to the reader and present them with information that they probably don't know.

3. Create a new, free member account at ezine.com. You can use a pen name (fake name) to create these accounts. You can make the "authority" on the topic whoever you want. For example, the author of your articles can be "Jake Smith", who has eight years of experience in your particular industry.

4. Complete the profile section with details about the author you have decided on. Add a picture (real or fake) to your profile. This will build your credibility.

5. Submit each of the five articles to ezine.com. The website has a detailed description of how to do this. Start by clicking on "Submit New Article." You will be prompted to enter information about the article, like the author, topic and even a short description that will entice readers to click on your article.

6. Copy and paste your valuable article into the "body" portion of the page. Make sure that it is formatted how you want readers to see it.

7. Enter your specific keyword phrases and any others into the box labeled "keywords". This will cause your article to pop up when someone searches for these particular keywords.

8. Then you will see the author's resource box. This is your time to shine and your opportunity to insert links to your free website. It is important that you execute this part of the campaign correctly. You need to come up with two to three sentences that state your experience on the topic and promote your site. You will need to use HTML code to make the links live. The resources on the site will tell you how to do this. Use your keywords as your anchor text in these links.

9. Click on "submit your article" and you are finished. Ezine.com editors review all articles and this process can take up to a week. Your article will go live on the site after it has been approved.

10. Once your article is live, you can monitor the views it has received and how many times people have clicked on the link. This will show you if your articles are effective in driving traffic to your website.

There you have it. That is a very small, but effective, blueprint for launching an article marketing campaign. Remember, you can continuously add articles to drive more traffic and even submit the same articles to a variety of different article submission sites.

Now get to creating content, because there is traffic out there waiting to visit your site!

Yoav Rosenberg is a amateur photographer, art enthusiast and article writer. he works as freelance SEO and SEM specialist,He is interested in expanding his knowledge on free website and is excited to contribute his own tips on the subject.

Article Source: Launching an Article Marketing Campaign for More Traffic
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Want more traffic? Start an article marketing campaign.

Labels: article marketing, promote website, using article marketing, website promotion

Kobayashi Issa - The Third Pillar of Japanese Haiku
By Ashraful Musaddeq

Kobayashi Issa is the third pillar of Japanese haiku. Matsuo Basho, Yosa Buson and Masaoka Shiki are the three rest pillars. Kobayashi Nobuyki (Issa, childhood name Kobayashi Yataro) was born in Kashiwabara, Shinano province (now Nagano prefecture, Japan) on June 15 1763. His father was a farmer. His mother died at two and he was cared for by his grandmother. His father remarried five years later.

At the death of his grandmother in 1776, Issa felt alienated in his own house, a lonely, moody child who preferred to wander the fields. His stepmother mistreated him. During this period, he started to study haiku under a local poet, Shimpo.

During 1777, he was sent to Edo (Tokyo) where he studied haiku under masters Mizoguchi Sogan and Norokuan Chikua (died 1790). He worked as a clerk at a Buddhist temple. In 1791, he was to be given a teaching post at a school but lasted just a year after it became clear that his modern style of haiku did not suit the clerical confines that were expected from him.

In 1793, he gave up Yataro and took pen name Issa and traveled two years extensively through southwestern Japan. On his return to Edo (now Tokyo) in 1795, his first collection Tabishui 1795 published. His father died in 1801 and he came back home.

He visited most of the prominent Japanese cities of the day over the next few years, publishing the following collections to recount his travels. In 1808, he went home on foot. His relatives and local priests mediated in the hopes of bringing about a settlement but in vain. In December, he tramped back to Edo.

In 1812, Issa again returned to his native village and after long disputes with his stepmother and stepbrother he was allowed to inherit the property. He married in 1815, at his age 51- her name was Kiku and she was 27. He enjoyed the reputation of the leader of the haiku world in northern Shinano.

During 1816 to 1823, his four sons and one daughter was born and died within one year and his wife also died in 1823. Issa remarried at age 61 in 1825 and new wife Yuki or Iki came from a local samurai family. After three months she returned home and he divorced her. In 1826, he married Yao third time and a daughter born just after his death in 1827.

Issa's property of Kashiwabara was destroyed by fire on July 24 1827 and he had to live in a storehouse, which is still kept in the town. According to the Western Calendar, Issa died on January 5 1828 in his native village of Kashiwabara, Shinano province (present-day Nagano prefecture). But according to the old Japanese calendar, he died on November 19, 1827.

Though he is the best-loved of the haiku master, he is a blooming misfortune with melancholic profile. He lost mother at early age, stepmother mistreated him, he suffered from poverty, his children died one after another and unhappy was his second marriage.

Issa wrote over 20,000 haiku, hundreds of tanka, and several haibun (prose + haiku)- his poems reflected the small joys of life and childlike simplicity. Making liberal use of local dialects and conversational phrases made him admired. His famous haibun are Oraga Haru (My Spring) and Shichiban Nikki (Number Seven Journal). He collaborated on more than 250 renku. He treated his subjects with humor, excelling particularly at affectionate portrayals of such creatures as fleas, frogs and sparrows. Now his poems on animals and insects are learned by every schoolchild in Japan. His other famous works are Chichi No Shuen Nikki (1801- The Diary at My Father's Death) and Oragaharu (1819- The Year of My Life)

His selected works are: Tabishui, 1795, Chichi no Shuen Nikki, 1801, Kyowakujo, 1803, Shichiban-Nikki, 1810, Waga Harushu, 1811, Hachiban-Nikki, 1818, Orga Haru, 1819 - The Year of My Life, Kuban-Nikki, 1822, Bunka-Kujo, 1840, The Autumn Wind: A Selection from the Poems of Issa, 1984 (introduction by Lewis MacKenzie),The Dumpling Field, 1991, Issa: Cup-Of-Tea Poems: Selected Haiku of Kobayashi Issa, 1991 (trans. by David G. Lanoue), The Spring of My Life: And Selected Haiku, 1997 (trans. by Sam Hamill).

Author is a public servant, as well as a poet of Bangladesh. He used to write poems in English and Bengali. Interested person can contract him at mnsf5@yahoo.com.

Article Source: Kobayashi Issa - The Third Pillar of Japanese Haiku

Labels: japanese haiku, kobayashi issa, third pillar

Urdu Poet - Mirza Ghalib
By Asad Asrar

Mirza Asadullah Beg Khan, known to us as Mirza Ghalib, is undoubtedly one of the greatest, if not the greatest name exalting the stature of Urdu literature in general and Urdu poetry in particular by his absolute brilliance in expression of his highly intellectual, philosophical and visionary mindset, glittering the "Ghazal" genre of Urdu poetry with everlasting fame. He is rightly referred as the last classical and the first modern poet of Urdu language, not only taking the great literary legacy handed over to him by his predecessor Urdu poets of great expertise and fame to its pinnacle but also laid strong foundations of new trends and styles ever to dominate Urdu poetry and literature.

Fate handed him over to the parents of Turkish descent settled at Agra (former subcontinent) in 1797, the precise date subject to debate as yet. He saw the demise of two of the most dominant male figures in family life of an Indian Muslim of those times which had significant influences on his upbringing and mental posture, inculcating an ambivalent nature into his being, evident not only from his varied lifestyle but clearly mirrored in his poetry as well.

On one end, it evolved a free independent spirit into him that ultimately played a significant role in freeing Urdu poetry from the confining shackles of tradition and convention, exposing totally new, diverse and realistic dimensions to broaden the horizons of Urdu poetry. On the other end a sense of deprivation and dependency marred his psychology for being dependent on his maternal grandparents socially and economically. His inclination towards finding a permanent and secure source of livelihood all his life so desperately can help us surmise some of his early thoughts about his being.

Marriage, an important event in everybody's life, was dawned upon Ghalib at a tender age of 13, to a girl almost aged same, from a noble and wealthy family settled in Delhi. This took him moving to Delhi as well. This incident brought nothing more than a bit of financial bliss to his life. As far as his marital well being is concerned, it was always on tantrums, very likely to be a part and parcel of such an early marriage.

His marriage however, played a great role in maturing him as a human being with firm, diverse and somewhat complex ideologies towards life greatly shared and expressed with masses through his Urdu poetry with brilliance yet to find match. Most of what is known to us today as his substantially completed literary works in Urdu was developed by 1816, when Ghalib saw only 19 years of his life.

The diversity, depth, versatility and wholesomeness one sees in his poetry at an age as meager as 19 years is a proof enough of his intellect and caliber, expressed explicitly through his poetry with a craftsmanship and brilliance yearned by all but mastered by none.

He left indelible marks not only in Urdu poetry alone but bestowed a unique and everlasting style of prose, gaining mass acceptance in years to follow, through his letters to his mates and family members.

Literary masterpieces of Ghalib are it prose or poetry, shall undoubtedly serve strong inspiration to Urdu lovers throughout its history.

Asad have keen interest in Urdu poetry and Urdu literature. Asad have read many books on Urdu literature which forced him to continue studying and exploring Urdu. Feel free to contact Asad at asad_asrar@yahoo.com.

Article Source: Urdu Poet - Mirza Ghalib

Labels: learn to read urdu, learn urdu, live urdu tutoring, reading urdu online, urdu learning, urdu reading