Writers Must Retreat?

The New Dark Ages By Sam Vaknin Author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited"
When I was growing up in a slum in Israel, I devoutly believed that knowledge and education will set me free and catapult me from my miserable circumstances into a glamorous world of happy learning. But now, as an adult, I find myself in an alien universe where functional literacy is non-existent even in developed countries, where "culture" means merely sports and music, where science is decried as evil and feared by increasingly hostile and aggressive masses, and where irrationality in all its forms (religiosity, the occult, conspiracy theories) flourishes.
The few real scholars and intellectuals left are on the retreat, back into the ivory towers of a century ago. Increasingly, their place is taken by self-taught "experts", narcissistic bloggers, wannabe "authors" and "auteurs", and partisan promoters of (often self-beneficial) "causes".
Dismal results ensue: the Wikipedia "encyclopedia" is "edited" by anonymous users with unlimited access to its contents and no credentials; fads like environmentalism and alternative "medicine" spread malignantly and seek to silence dissidents, sometimes by violent means; the fare served by the media now consists exclusively of soap operas and reality TV shows; Reading is on terminal decline; with few exceptions, the "new media" are a hodgepodge of sectarian view and fabricated "news"; the few credible sources of reliable information have long been drowned in a cacophony of fakes and phonies.
It is a sad mockery of the idea of progress. The more texts we make available online, the more research is published, the more books are written - the less educated people are, the more they rely on visuals and sounds rather than the written word, the more they seek to escape and be anesthetized rather than be challenged and provoked.
Even the ever-sliming minority who do wish to be enlightened are inundated by a suffocating and unmanageable avalanche of indiscriminate data, comprised of both real and pseudo-science. There is no way to tell the two apart, so a "democracy of knowledge" reins where everyone is equally qualified and everything goes and is equally merited. This relativism is dooming the twenty-first century to become the beginning of a new "Dark Age", hopefully a mere interregnum between two periods of genuine enlightenment.

Sam Vaknin ( http://samvak.tripod.com ) is the author of Malignant SelfLove - Narcissism Revisited and After the Rain - How the West Lost the East.He served as a columnist for Global Politician, Central Europe Review,PopMatters, Bellaonline, and eBookWeb, a United Press International (UPI)Senior Business Correspondent, and the editor of mental health and CentralEast Europe categories in The Open Directory and Suite101.Until recently, he served as the Economic Advisor to the Government ofMacedonia.Visit Sam's Web site at http://samvak.tripod.com

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Why I killed My Muse

Last night, in the dark following midnight I killed my muse (suffocating her quietly with a pillow) and buried her in my back garden. Today I will plant a roses to hide the grave. No one will ever know and I will be free at last of her insidious hold and I will be able to write what I want.
Why did I resort to this deed? After all my muse was lovely and gave me many gifts over the years. She saw me through dark times and helped mark the joyous ones. Many times she inspired me to reach for more and push myself beyond what I thought I could achieve. Knowing all this why would I kill the very source of my inspiration?
Oh, I had my reasons...
It started out quietly. As I would sit at my keyboard or curl up with a notebook, she would perch on my shoulder as was her wont to do. "I don't think you meant to write that sentence," she would whisper in my ear. "That doesn't sound like the best description," she would snipe. "Is that the best you can do?" she would sneer.
I took to sneaking my writing in when I knew she was occupied elsewhere. She never could resist critiquing the writing in the morning paper if it was left spread on the kitchen table. That way I could sometimes write several pages before she began her commentary. "Surely you can find a better way to approach this topic," her mocking voice would interrupt. "That has been so done."
Soon I was spending more time arguing with her, defending my words, than I was writing. Then my production slowed to a crawl as I would overanalyze each word choice and sentence formation before committing it to screen or paper. All that did was give her more time to find fault with the few words I did write.
Despite urgent deadlines and simmering ideas, I started avoiding the computer and all writing materials. I cleaned my house. I read for hours on end. I made plans for a new garden. The need the write built within me but always my muse was watching me with those eyes -- so judgmental, so critical. I would turn away from my office with a sigh and find some other project.
When I could no longer suppress the urge to write I locked her in a closet and had a wonderfully productive morning. I was so happy with my work that I let her out as I went out the door to run some errands. That just made her mean.
She was waiting for me at the door when I came home. Her glasses had slid nearly to the tip of her nose and somehow she'd found a red pencil (I certainly never brought any such thing into the house). I shuddered at the sight of my happy morning's labor marred by vicious slashes of red. The red blurred before my eyes into a crimson haze and then...
Perhaps it is better that you don't know the details. Suffice it to say that I have selected several old-fashioned roses with luscious aroma and delicate coloring. I am sure they will provide both inspiration and comfort.
Despite my late hours and the physical toil involved, this morning I awoke early and have already logged in several hours at the keyboard. My fingers flew across the keys and after completing several long-stagnant projects I outlined notes for some new. Writing is joyful and rewarding again.
I think I might dedicate this next book to the memory of my muse. Perhaps it will serve as a warning to those other muses out there who are on the verge of going over the edge. Perhaps it will inspire those other writers out there who have let their muse stifle their creativity and shove them right into writer's block. Maybe my warning will mean those other muses and their writers will find a way to work things out.

About The Author: Deanna Mascle has been teaching and writingprofessionally for more than 20 years. Find more articles aboutwriting at http://Word-Craft.info

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When you are looking for someone to build a website for you, you have many different options. One of the first things you will have to do is decide is whether you want to use a freelancer or a web design agency to design your website for you. Each option has its own unique set of pros and cons that need to be carefully considered so that you get the web design professional that meets your specific wants and needs.
Freelancers can be a great option. One of the great things about a freelancer is that they have more freedom and flexibility to take on a variety of projects. Some of the most creative people in web design work strictly on a contract or freelance basis. Another great thing about using a freelance web designer is that you may be able to negotiate a great deal. Freelancers often work from their homes, so there are myriad expenses that are spared. While it is true that freelancing has its own expenses associated with it, freelancers certainly have a greater range to negotiate a price. Lastly, you may find a great talent at a bargain. Many new freelancers are eager for work and sites that they can use in their portfolio to command higher-paying jobs. These people are very talented; they are just not as experienced. If you can find one of these gems, and don't mind being a bit patient while they get the hang of freelance work, you can get a great deal on top of the line web design service and also help a deserving person launch his or her career.
Although there are many good reasons to go with a freelancer, there are some drawbacks. If a freelancer gets in over his or her head, it might be hard for him or her to find someone to help him out. Also, there is a great potential for miscommunication and other project-killing incidents to happen with a freelancer. Lastly, with a freelancer, the price may be more variable. You may not know exactly how much the project will cost until it is already over.
If the drawbacks of hiring a freelance professional for your web design project outweigh the benefits, you may want to consider using a web design agency. Web design agencies are usually more established. It is easier to get references as well as a look at portfolio material. Furthermore, a web design agency will have a wide variety of people to work on a project, so that if there is a function that you want, there will be someone in the agency who knows how to do it. Web design agencies also have the benefit of experience. They can accurately estimate the cost of a job, so there are no surprises for you. Finally, most web design agencies are members of their local commerce chambers or some other authoritative organization. If you have a hard time with a freelancer, you don't have very many avenues for recourse. However, with a web design agency, you are more likely to have any dispute you may have resolved to your satisfaction.
Web design agencies and freelance web design professionals both have solid good points and a couple bad points. In order to figure out which is right for you, you need to do an honest assessment of what you are looking for and what risk you are willing to tolerate for what benefits. Each project has its own needs and at any given time a freelancer might be more desirable than a web design agency or vice versa.

Author: Tanya Swithins Website:http://www.pecdesigns.com Bio: Tanya writes for PEC Designs, amanchester web design agency.

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Are you on First, or Third?

Early in the process of writing, every writer will need to make a decision -- what person to write in?
Traditionally, English grammar has divided references to people into three categories, to refer to I, you, and he or she. The first person is I, me, my, we, our, and so on. The second person is you and your. The third person is he, she, they, their, his, hers, him, her, and so on.
However, most writing tasks are written in either first or third person. Instructional and how-to type writing can be written in second person and some fiction -- although rarely.
How does a writer decide which person is right for their writing task?
For many writers, the first and only criteria used is comfort and experience. As most of our oral communication takes place in the first person and much informal written communication is in first person, many people are just more comfortable writing in first person.
However that doesn't mean that first person is the ideal choice for that particular writing task.
First person is a great choice when you intend to write informally or casually. Even if the task itself is actually for a formal or professional purpose, you may deliberately choose a casual tone. Then first person is the right choice.
First person is also a wonderful choice when writing about personal experience. If you are sharing a story about your life or an event that you witnessed then many times it is more powerful written in first person. The writer is a part of the story and it is important for the reader to know that so first person is the right choice here as well.
There are many times, though, when third person really is the better choice. In fact, many academic and professional situations require it as first person is more casual and informal.
The biggest reason to move from first to third person is simply that third person takes the writer (the "I") out of the writing which places the emphasis on what is being said rather than who is saying it.
It creates a sense of more objectivity and distance?the writer?s feelings and personality are peripheral to an argument?s validity?the facts are allowed to speak for themselves.
Writing in third person is also stronger and more forceful therefore is often more convincing. Often the ?I? statement weakens an argument or statement.
Often first person is unnecessary ie. I think [most students do not need algebra]. Many of the first-person elements (I think, I believe,I know, etc.) often simply weaken or bog down the writing for no purpose. Taking those out to make the switch to third person can make the writing stronger and more powerful.
If you want to learn and grow as a writer then you must experiment and gain experience using both first and third person. That way you will make the choice based on the purpose of your writing not simply your comfort level.

About The Author: Deanna Mascle is the publisher ofhttp://wordcraftonline.com . You can read more athttp://word-craft.info .

Simple Copywriting For Beginners
By Ken Leonard Jr.
© KLJ Online

So you want to sell online... You have a product ready to go, but how are you supposed to write a sales letter like the ones used by the biggest names in internet marketing? A sales letter that attracts prospects and makes sales?
It's no secret that the biggest names in online marketing have been studying the art of writing sales copy for the web for many years. If they haven't, they hire someone who has.
Just having a product to sell online is not going to make you sales. Unless you have the budget to hire a pro copywriter for the web (which will cost you as much as $15,000 for one sales letter, possibly plus 10% of the gross sales), you had better start learning how to write a sales letter that will bring you sales.
The key to a winning sales page for your web site is crafting a great offer. Your offer must be so irresistible, that it almost looks like you are getting the short end of the deal. Like the customer is taking advantage of YOU!
Your irresistible offer must also stand out from the crowd. Develop your own USP (unique selling proposition) and wave it around like a flag. This is why they should buy from YOU, instead of somebody else.
One more thing your offer must do is solve a pressing concern or problem that your prospect is AGONIZING over. Your sales letter must clearly state their biggest problem. Prove how bad this problem really is to your reader. Then give them the clear solution to their problem available only from YOU!
Lead off your sales letter with the offer's biggest benefit to your potential customer. Then lead them into an interesting story dealing with their situation. Capture their attention and hold it, by inserting subtle "teases" that tell them what's to come further on in your letter. This creates curiosity, and if done well, will keep them GLUED to your web page.
To build value for your product from their perspective, educate your reader and inform them of what your product will do for them (always keeping "What's In It For Me" in mind). Make sure any strong statements are backed up with a "reason why" so they are more believable. This does wonders for your credibility in their eyes. If price is a major objection use a strong reason why to make the prospect understand your product's real value to them.
As your offer develops use a limited time or limited quantity deal to create a sense of scarcity and fear of loss. Spell out your bonuses clearly and recap the benefits they will get (and WHY they are important). Then go over everything they will get WHEN (not IF) they buy from you.
Some sales people would call your next step closing the deal, but you should really look at it as a "call to action". Tell your reader EXACTLY what you want them to do NOW, then tell them WHY.
Sign your sales letter as you would normally, with a pleasant goodbye and your signature or initials (a scanned or hand drawn signature works well). Include a P.S. where the first paragraph is another recap of what they will get, and in the second paragraph nicely question their commitment and attitude concerning the biggest benefit, ending with another strong call to action. (The second paragraph can be a P.P.S.)
The more your practice, the better you will become at writing sales letters for the web that sell.
Studying "The Masters" helps a lot, too. It is common practice in the world of copywriting for the web to collect a "swipe file" of sales letter examples from various copywriters and marketers. Use the examples in your swipe file to build (also known as modeling) your own successful sales letter, written mostly in your own words. Be sure you customize the examples for your market and offer, and don't copy anything word for word or you may be facing copyright infringement troubles later on.

New To Selling Online?Let Ken Leonard Jr. helpyou cut through the noiseof your Information Overload.http://InternetHomeBusinessBlog.com