I always thought that splitting an infinitive was a major no-no in English grammar, but it turns out that the split infinitive is not as problematic as I once thought.

Thankfully, the English language is versatile enough that it allows a writer to express themselves in a variety of ways.  But sometimes we all get to that point in writing that, although there may be a number of ways to say one thing, there is only one way to express an idea with just exactly the right words.

For example…

Often splitting an infinitive provides the perfect effect, so not having that option in a writer’s toolbox can be limiting.  For instance the phrase “to lovingly attend to his sick mother,” really makes the point that the attention is full of love.  If I were forced to avoid using the split infinitive, the alternatives would not be quite as effective.  Here are a few attempts to avoid the split infinitive in “to lovingly attend to his sick mother…”

• to attend to his sick mother lovingly
• to attend to his sick mother in a loving fashion
• he gave his sick mother attention and treated her lovingly

None of the alternatives emphasize quite how lovingly he attended to his sick mother.

I wanted to find out whether cutting split infinitives out from my writing diet is really necessary, so I did some research.

What is a split infinitive?

The simplest form of a verb is called an infinitive.  There are two types of infinitive, the bare infinitive and the full infinitive.  An example of a bare infinitive is the word “go,” which in its full form would be “to go.”   Likewise, the bare form of another word like “jump” would become “to jump” in the full form.

As you can see the full form of an infinitive adds the word “to” in front of the bare infinitive verb.  Being as the bare form of an infinitive, such as “go,” is only one word, there is no danger of it getting split apart.  Therefore, the danger of splitting an infinitive only matters with the full form of an infinitive, such as “to go.”  If I wanted to split the full infinitive “to go,” I could say, “to boldly go.”  Perhaps the most famous example of a split infinitive is Star Trek’s famous introductory line, “to boldly go where no man has gone before.”  The word “boldly” splits the infinitive verb “to go.”

What’s the Big Deal About Splitting an Infinitive?

In the English language, the full infinitive verb form always consists of two words.  Let’s look at a few other languages too.  Here are some examples of the full infinitive “to go” in some other languages…

• Latin- ire
• German- zu gehen
• Spanish- para ir
• French- aller
• Irish- chun dul

As you can see, it is not uncommon for the full infinitive to consist of two words.  In fact, that seems to be case in most “western” languages.

Latin- No Split Infinitives

I would like to call your attention to the fact that the full infinitive in Latin is always only one word, and as a result, it is impossible to split an infinitive in Latin.  Let me just reiterate that point, it’s not that there is any rule against splitting an infinitive in Latin, rather it is an impossibility.

Paying Homage to Latin

One of the historical building blocks of the English language was Latin, and therefore there were linguists who felt that it would be disrespectful to do things in English that you can’t do in Latin.  It is worth noting that there were always linguists that disagreed with this position.  Somehow, the opinion that splitting an infinitive is grammatically incorrect became the rule of choice.

What is your opinion about splitting infinitives, do you think that it’s okay to boldly split infinitives?

Susie Brown is a FastUpFront Blog contributor and business consultant. Fastupfront offers business loan alternatives for existing businesses in need of working capital.

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Ed. Note: Meredith Resnick is a wonderfully prolific and generous colleague so when Alexandra asked about writing a guest post in support of Meredith and her blog, I just had to share. Enjoy! 

By Alexandra Grabbe

Psst. I’ve got a secret to share. It’s called The Writer’s Inner Journey, a blog by a terrific writer/friend who has just been nominated in the Best-Kept-Secret category at the Bloggies, the annual competition for bloggers, celebrated this month in Austin TX. Her name is Meredith Resnick. Please click over before February 19th and vote. What should I care, you say? Writers need to support other writers, stand shoulder to shoulder, carry the torch for one another. Here’s an opportunity to let the world know writing does matter and make a statement about our – choose one, two at most –

1.) profession

2.) hobby

3.) passion

4.) bad habit

5.) secret vice.

That’s why I’m turning to all you wordsmiths out there, in cyberspace. You see, if you are not familiar with Meredith’s blog, you should be. It allows you to discover useful information on craft, The Journey, working part-time, and lots of other fun topics that rock a writer’s world. A visit to Writer’s Inner Journey feels like stepping into an old-fashioned salon and taking part. Yes, you will enjoy the chitchat but also come away totally energized.

Meredith summarizes what she offers as, “Bestselling authors, professional creatives and emerging voices in quirky dialogue about how they write and why it works” – WHY IT WORKS. Now, who can resist that?

Writer’s Inner Journey helps me understand what professional writers go through because published authors stop by on a regular basis to share insight. Meredith also features agents in her famous 5-question interviews. With her background as a licensed clinical social worker, she manages to get said agents to say things you might not hear elsewhere. For instance, Elise Capron confided, “I have to ask myself: is this writer developing a CAREER (of which this first project is just a stepping stone), and am I excited to be a potential part of that career, even if the first project might take a lot of work to place?” Jessica Alvarez admitted she was not squeamish: “It’s difficult to offend me. I don’t mind gore, sex, or strong language.” Nathan Branford said he’s fond of “cities, travel, television, books, wine, and corn dogs.” And, he left agenting to become…a writer!

What I especially like about The Writers’ Inner Journey is that it makes me feel good about myself, lowly struggling artist that I am, stringing words together and hoping they make sense, that someone will notice and read them. Meredith Resnick reminds me that I’m on the same trip as countless other successful creative types, who have already moved up a notch and are allowed to call themselves “authors,” having published a book or two or three, the supreme glory. I’m not there yet but will be someday.

The other blogs nominated in Meredith’s category are

1.) Dogs on Drugs;

2.) Australian S.O.U.L;

3.) Adventures of a Kitchen Ninja;

4.) A Rogue’s Reality.

What are you waiting for? Click through to the Bloggies and put your two cents in for writing.

Alexandra Grabbe is a green innkeeper on Cape Cod. Her blog, Chezsven: Wellfleet Today, started its seventh year last month.

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By Steph Auteri

Having trouble generating new story ideas? In my opinion, that’s one of the toughest things about being a freelance writer. In order to make writing lucrative, you need to come up with ideas that are so fresh, an editor will actually pay you to write about them. And you have to do this over and over again.

One brainstorming tool I like to use is to consider all the different story formats I have at my disposal. Then I take a topic and try to apply it to each story type. What are the story types you should be considering?

1. One great way to break into the print magazine market in particular is with front-of-book pieces. The word counts are small and, sometimes, they don’t even carry bylines, but they’re a great proving ground if you’re a primarily untested young writer.

2. Another good way to build up a portfolio is by writing reviews. It can be quite easy to break into smaller, regional publications with a well-written review pitch, especially if you have access to advance book copies, screeners, etc. Or you could pitch yourself to a publication like Publishers Weekly or Kirkus Reviews. Just send an LOI that highlights your specialty or niche.

3. Have access to a celebrity, public figure, or highly interesting person? Pitch an interview, which can be written in a narrative format, or a Q&A format.

4. Or there’s the personal essay, one of my favorites. While publications may be cutting down on longer-form content, there are still markets for well-written, insightful, and relatable essays. (mediabistro has a great series on personal essay markets they update fairly regularly.)

5. Or you may have noticed that confessional blogging has made way for a plethora of expert blogs. For this reason, how-tos and other service pieces have become the bread and butter of online content. Have a very specific area of expertise? Pitch yourself as an expert and convince an editor you’re the perfect person to tell readers how to choose the best wine and food pairings, or how to convince an ex to take you back, or how to save money in order to purchase a house.

6. Lists do similarly well, both in print and online. Readers love their content in carefully organized, easily-digestible, easily-scannable pieces.

7. Roundups are a type of list, and many readers go bananas for them. They’re penultimate collections of the best… the nerdiest… the most fashionable… the most whatever in a particular genre.

8. And finally, there are features. Sadly, such assignments are also the most highly competitive, as fewer and fewer of them are commissioned every year, leaving only the most extraordinary of writers (or perhaps the most extraordinary of self-marketers?) to land them.

Knowing all of these story formats can be helpful in brainstorming multiple story ideas around one subject. For example, as a crazy cat lady, I’ve written a couple stories for Petside. But I know the subject holds the potential for even more. How could I take this list of story formats and generate eight different story ideas about cats?

1. FOB: I could write a few hundred words containing stats on the most popular domestic cat breeds.
2. Review: I could write a review of Bash Dibra’s Cat Speak.
3. Interview: I could interview pet psychic Suzan Vaughn.
4. Personal Essay: I could write an essay on how the way my husband and I care for our pets makes me wonder how we’ll be as parents.
5. How-To: I could write a piece on how to introduce a new cat to the family.
6. Listicle: I could create a list of the items you should buy if you’re bringing home your very first cat.
7. Roundup: I could create a larger list of the best darn cat comics out there. (I was always a fan of Get Fuzzy.)
8. Feature: I could do up a feature on pet therapy, and how pets help people deal with depression.

I’ve already done at least half of these. And it looks like I have a few more query letters to write up. But before that, it’s your turn.

If you’d like to try this yourself, sign up for my mailing list in order to receive a free copy of Freelance Awesome: A Starter Kit, which includes this story-generation worksheet, among others. Then? Watch the assignments roll in!

Steph Auteri is a freelance writer, editor, and career coach to word nerds. Feel free to check out her blog, or stalk her on Twitter.

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However, I also believe in investing in myself and my business, so when freelance rock star Linda Formichelli ran a special on her phone mentoring for writers a few years ago, I eagerly signed up so I could get Linda’s advice on moving from FOBs to features. I don’t remember how much I paid, but it was worth every cent. In a mentoring or coaching session, you get so much more personalized attention than a class instructor can give and it’s tailored to your needs rather than a set curriculum. But how do you know when to shell out for coaching or mentoring? And how do you choose the right person?

I asked Linda and three other pros for their take on this topic.

Linda Formichelli: ”Hiring a coach can boost you up the learning curve to help you get a quicker start. Instead of having to consult tons of resources (which you have to find on your own), you can consult one coach who has all this info already stored in her brain.

I can tell you when you DON’T need a writing coach — it’s when you’re just stalling on pitching because you’re afraid of rejection. I know writers who take class after class and never actually pitch. The writer who sends the worst pitch in the world has a better chance of getting published than the best writer who never sends anything out because she needs to take ‘just one more class.’

It’s crazy how fast things change nowadays because I grew up in a house with a rotary dial phone, and my mother didn’t even think to update it until one of my classmates said, “umm … Mrs. Johnston, how does this thing work?” when she tried to dial out. That’s my thoroughly modern mother for you. (She has a cordless phone and a cell phone now.)

If, like Michelle, you’re thinking about cutting the cord on your landline phone, I say go for it as long as you have a reliable internet connection and decent cell phone reception in the place(s) that you usually work. That’s the beauty of dropping the landline: you’re much more mobile because you can take calls almost anywhere (and with headsets or speakers, you don’t have to awkwardly cradle the phone against your neck).

I rarely make outgoing calls on my iPhone, because all those interviews and client chats would eat up about a zillion cell phone minutes. Instead, I use a combination of these three services:

1. Skype
   When I first went full-time freelance, Skype was my preferred method of calling sources and clients. It’s free to skype other users or you can get an inexpensive monthly subscription ($2.99 per month for unlimited calls to the US and Canada, for instance) to call any cell or landline. You can also get an online number to accept incoming calls, but that’s a little pricier. I found that the sound quality can be spotty and without a designated online number, sources are sometimes weirded out by the seemingly random assortment of numbers that shows up on their caller ID (more than one source thought I was a telemarketer and screened my call – oops!). I still use skype for video chatting with certain clients or communicating with sources in other parts of the world, but I’ve mostly transitioned to Google Voice.
2. Google Voice
   Discovering Google Voice was like a revelation. The sound is usually clearer than skype, I can call the US and Canada for free, and I even snagged a phone number with my local area code (no more mistaking me for a telemarketer!). Google Voice also transcribes voice messages, and while the accuracy isn’t quite there yet, but I can usually get the gist of what the caller wants without listening to the message. Other cool features include the ability to send and receive text messages via Google Voice and forward to a landline or cell phone so you can answer even if you aren’t at your computer. The one downside is that there are a few numbers that just don’t seem to work on Google Voice; usually it’s those webinar call-in numbers, so in those rare cases, I use my iPhone. Occasionally Google Voice drops calls but that’s only happened to me once or twice, and it’s never been a big deal. (Most of my sources are talking on cell phones, so it’s not unheard of for their call to drop.)
3. FreeConferenceCall.com
   When I interview multiple sources at once (for instance, cofounders of a startup or when a publicist asks to listen in on an interview) and they aren’t in the same physical space, I give them my FCC # so we can all jump on a call together. There’s an easy recording feature if you need to record interviews, but be sure to ask your sources first. As it turns out, my FCC does work on Google Voice, so I can call in that way.

Oftentimes potential clients expect a taste of your brilliance before they’ll hire you, but you don’t want to give away so much that they no longer need you. I’ll consult with potential clients over the phone, but I rarely meet with them in person before they’ve signed a contact (and even then, in-person meetings are rare). Sorry, but I gotta draw the line somewhere with prospects.

This opinion may be unpopular, but I think there are times when a little brain-picking from newbies is acceptable. I owe much of my freelance success to the help of mentors who took me under their wing and received no money in return, so I try to pay it forward when I can. While a free coffee or lunch won’t cover my bills, it can break up an otherwise solitary day of working from home.

That’s not to say that I drop everything every time someone asks. Here’s how I decide when to help and how I ensure that it doesn’t turn into a time suck.

• Have they done their homework?
  There are a ton of free resources out there for aspiring freelancers, so if someone can’t be bothered to check out a book from the library or Google for some freelance writing blogs, they probably lack the go-getter attitude needed to successfully freelance. Sorry, but if I’m helping up-and-comers, I want to help those who are going to succeed. It’s a lot more satisfying to watch someone break into their dream publication than disappear into cyberspace after a few half-hearted attempts. And who knows? Maybe that go-getter will offer a referral or an assignment in the future. (My intern from my last job is a now an editor who assigns me articles so it could happen.)
• What’s the scope of the request?
  When someone sends a long list of questions about writing, I refer them to my blog or ebook or (if they’re local) my class. I don’t have time for a zillions questions, especially when they haven’t satisfied the criteria above. But when someone has an intelligent, tightly focused question, I try to answer it (doubly so if they mention reading my blog or following me on Twitter). Sometimes I’ll even turn that answer into a blog post (with their permission) so the time I spend on it doubles as time spent creating blog content. And the next time someone emails with the same question, I can send them the link instead of answering it again.
• Do I have time? 
  Catch me on a slower week and I might accept your coffee invite (but only if you come to my neighborhood, I’m not burning gas to help an almost stranger who may or may not be appreciative). If I’m on deadline, you might get a curt email in response. It sounds arbitrary but it’s the reality of freelancing. Clients come before free-loaders. (And right now, I’m up to my ears in clients so now’s probably not the best time to hit me up for informational interviews.)

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You’ve been wracking your brain for story ideas for hours. You have a host of half-baked ideas written in a notebook, but what you really want is someone to use as a soundboard for your ideas. You want to test the merit of your ideas, but you’re probably isolated in your room, on a computer, with no one to turn to. So what can you do?

You probably already know the answer: go online! Writers looking for guidance and solidarity among their peers should find no shortage of resources in the vast writing communities that specialize in topics ranging from fan fiction to professional publishing. These online resources serve as community-based social and professional hubs where writers and players in the writing industry can vent their troubles, discuss technical and grammatical issues, and brainstorm for inspiration. Below are just four great resources for writers.

1. Inkpop
   Inkpop is a dynamic writing community dedicated to authors of young adult fiction. Started by the infamous publishing house Harper Collins, Inkpop seeks to attract and unite newfound talent in young fiction. When you first log onto the site, you’ll notice a series of ‘Top Pick’ fiction works featured for your perusal. Works get a ‘Top Pick’ rating if they get enough positive feedback from the Inkpop community, who deem the book worth the time of a publisher. You yourself can edit posted works on Inkpop and contribute to the ongoing conversation about what makes quality young adult fiction.
2. Book Country
   For writers who love producing and reading genre fiction, Book Country Book Country is the place to be. The site functions as an open forum for writers of Romance, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, and Mystery genres who can publish their work and review the work of their peers. Also, users on Book Country can browse entire works for free. Book Country isn’t as concerned with selling its users works, its more focused on getting talented writers the exposure they deserve in a competitive literary atmosphere. Search for top users by the category or look at high contributors and peer reviewers. Book Country also has a space entirely dedicated to discussions about the writing industry, with a forum hosting topics from getting an agent to shopping your book to various publishers. In other words, Book Country is a writer’s resource.
3. Writer’s Café
   Writer’s Café , like Book Country, is caters to both serious and amateur writers. Hundreds of forum posts offer advice on topics ranging from character development to punctuation. New users will find forum members to be consistently helpful and substantive in their criticism and advice regarding writing. In addition to the site’s extensive forum, users can peruse the posted works of other writers for inspiration or guidance. New users are encouraged to post their own work regardless of its completion so other writers can assess its strengths and weaknesses.
4. Goodreads
   Goodreads is an online reading community geared towards writers looking for inspirational reading material or fellow bibliophiles with similar reading interests. Unlike other social networks geared towards reading and writing, the important part of a profile on Goodreads isn’t in the personal information of the user, but in their book list. Every user in Goodreads lists and rates all the books they’ve read in an effort to build up a reliable book-rating and recommending site that avid readers and writers can depend on. Users can further specify their reading tastes by listing books that interest them those that they intend to read. Use the comprehensive rating system to either search for books that might cater to your tastes or seek out reading groups of like-minded individuals. Goodreads connects similarly-read users, suggesting potential books, reading groups, and individual users based on your reading tastes. A writer searching for compatriots with whom to discuss the writings of authors from Herman Melville to John Grisham will find ample company on this site. For its wealth of book reviews and writer’s book groups, the site is as invaluable a resource for writers as it is for casual readers.
5. Absolute Write
   Writers of any background or speciality (freelance, fiction, songwriting, screenwriting, etc.) can seek out writing peers at Absolute Write. This online writing community houses a diverse group of writing professionals and enthusiasts who can yearn to address the writing issues of anyone who has a question on the subject. The site’s extension forum caters not only to fiction writers, but to copywriters, freelances, and nonfiction writers as well. They even have threads dedicated to proper letter-writing and advice on how to craft attractive cover letters. For a thorough, friendly, and substantive writing community, you can’t go wrong with Absolute Write.

Your turn! Do you participate in online writing communities? What would you add to this list?

Kimberly Wilson is from accredited online colleges, where she writes on topics including career, education, student life, college life, home improvement, and time management. 

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I’m still mulling over my goals for 2012 and how to achieve them, but in the meantime, here’s a look at my 11 most interesting (in my opinion and also judged by the number of comments) blog posts from 2011.

1. 30 Writing Quotes to Kick Off 2011
   Blogger readers seem to love quotes, whether funny, inspirational, or both. I get a lot of retweets when I tweet quotes, but I recently saw a tweet that discouraged this practice, because “I want to know what you think, not what Ghandi or JFK thought.” I can see that point of view, but I also think quotes have their place … in moderation, of course.
2. The Ultimate Money Guide for Freelance Writers
   Money (or the lack thereof) is a frequent source of stress for freelancers and other indie professionals, so I compiled a list of resources on paying taxes, setting fees, and managing irregular cash flow.
3. 5 Lame Excuses from Late-Paying Clients–And How to Respond
   Few things rile freelancers more than late-paying clients. This post includes some of the sarcastic retorts I’ve been tempted to say, along with more mild-mannered responses.
4. Looking for Freelance Gigs? 5 Groups to Tap Into
   This year I tested the waters of video blogging and this video about where to find decent-paying freelance clients was one of my early attempts.
5. How Do You Know if a Website Pays? 
   It’s a valid question, especially when you’re looking at websites or other publications that use a lot of user-generated content. This post offers strategies to ensure that you aren’t wasting your time on non-paying markets.
6. No Writing Clips? Here’s How to Land an Assignment Without Them
   Newbie writers offer agonize over their lack of clips, but it’s not as much of a road block as many of them think. In this post, I revealed some workarounds for this problem.
7. The Freelance Writer’s Interview Checklist
   Whether you’re interviewing professors or “real people” sources, this checklist should help you remember to ask key questions like the spelling of the source’s name and whether it’s OK to record the interview.
8. The Pros and Cons of Freelance Copywriting
   For readers curious about the freelance copywriting world, this post covers the highs (no more query letters!) and the lows (can you say scope creep?).
9. In Defense of Passive Verbs
   English teachers hate passive verbs, but in this contrarian post, I explain why they have their place in many types of writing.
10. 12 Places to Find Freelance Writing Gigs
    For those who are still trying to build their freelance networks and their portfolio, this post lists several websites offering freelance writing opportunities (and notice there’s not a content mill to be found!).
11. 8 Ways Freelancers Can Show Gratitude
    Although this post was written in anticipation of Thanksgiving, it has relevance to other times of the year, too. After all, gratitude should be an ongoing (not a once year) thing, as one sage commenter points out.

Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You love your freelance website. It’s visually striking and easy to navigate. The content is fresh and informative. You’ve got the latest search engine optimization techniques working for you night and day. So why isn’t the site generating the return traffic or client leads that you’d hoped for?

Assuming your site is truly as rocking as you believe it to be, it may just need a good jumpstart. For sure, it takes time to attract attention, build an audience and convert customers. But nothing says you can’t help speed the process along. In fact, it’d be foolhardy not to. Check out these five great ways to kick-start a steady flow of traffic to your site and solicit more leads for your freelance business.

1. Offer a Free Special Report
   These days you can hardly visit a website without some pop-up appearing, urging you to download a free special report stuffed with juicy tips and information. The pop-ups may be irritating, but the concept behind them is smart. Offering visitors free, valuable information in a 5-10 page report is an effective way of attracting potential clients to your site. Why? A couple of reasons. A free report gives prospective clients a reason to visit your site. Use the special report as a lure at networking events, during cold calls, or in direct and email marketing campaigns. Even if your target isn’t in the market for your services at the time, the information the report offers could be tempting enough to persuade prospectives to come to your site to download it. While they’re there, just maybe they’ll take a closer look at your portfolio and services – and remember you the next time they need someone with your expertise.Special reports can also establish you as an expert in a particular field. Let’s say you’re a web designer specializing in building sites for personal injury lawyers. If you produce a report highly targeted to your audience (e.g., “10 Web Designs Personal Injury Lawyers Should Avoid at All Costs,”) you can come to be known as the web designer for personal injury lawyers. Prospective clients will begin to seek you out on the basis of your expertise.
2. Add an E-Course to Your Site
   With the advent of autoresponder services such as MailChimp and KickStartCart, e-courses have become increasingly popular. An e-course is an online learning course in which you’d share tips and techniques on a particular topic with your target audience. Most courses are conducted via email. Interested persons could sign up for the course on your site by entering their email address into a form, and the autoresponder service would begin to send them a sequence of emails (your lessons) for a predetermined length of time.Like a special report, an e-course serves as an excellent reason for prospective clients to visit your site and can solidify your position as an expert in your field. But it has one major additional advantage. Because an e-course can extend over a long period of time –anywhere from several days to several months – you have a great opportunity to build a relationship with the participants of the course. Familiarity breeds business, goes the old marketing saw, and your former students may become your future clients. Moreover, if you encourage interaction and feedback from the participants, you’ll get a clearer understanding of the topics your general audience would like to learn about and discuss.
3. Conduct a Survey
   Another way to encourage readers to visit your website is by conducting a survey or taking a poll. Surveys and polls are an outstanding way to discover the content that interests your audience, the effectiveness of your site, or gain insights into an issue that affects your audience. For example, if you’re a freelance photographer who covers weddings, you might conduct a survey of engaged couples or newlyweds on big turnoffs when it comes to a wedding photographer. You could score a few clients from conducting the survey alone. However, the real potential to pull in client leads lies in publishing the survey results. You could publish the results on your blog, sure. But you could also provide the results in a short special report, which would be available for download on your site or via email. This, of course, would allow you to reap the benefits that come with offering a free report.Moreover, if the sample size is large enough and the findings sufficiently intriguing, you could even write an press release highlighting your conclusions. Send your press release to relevant magazine editors, journalists and bloggers, and just maybe the survey results – and your site – will receive a mention in a widely-read publication. You’d be golden.Check out sites such as SurveyMonkey or PollDaddy for learning more about how to set up an online or email poll.
4. Host a Webinar
   Not big on writing content to give away? No problem. Consider hosting a webinar to attract readers and share your knowledge. A webinar is a web-based seminar or conference. Participants from anywhere in the world can dial into the call, listen to your presentation, watch visuals you’ve prepared, and even ask questions. Think of it as a live version of a special report or e-course.The advantage of a webinar is that it provides a great opportunity to be interactive with your audience in real-time. Keep this in mind when you structure the presentation. Don’t just be a talking head: pick a web conferencing platform that includes “chat” or “show of hands” features so that you can effect a true exchange with your audience. You’ll want to start a lively conversation that participants will continue thinking about (and tweeting about) after the webinar ends. Popular webinar hosting systems include GotoWebinar, ReadyTalk and WebEx.To get a good turnout for your webinar, begin promoting it about a month in advance. Start a countdown on your blog, use social media, write a guest post, and issue a press release. After the webinar is over, use your web hosting platform to distribute a feedback form to participants. This will not only help you assess the success of the webinar, it’ll keep people thinking about you.
5. Offer a Discount
   Dare I even suggest this? I do. Whether or not to offer a discount is a very controversial topic among freelancers. On the plus side, it’s a fail-safe way of drawing prospective clients to your site. Everyone wants a good deal. On the negative side, it can devalue the service you provide, causing prospective clients to believe that your work is worth less than actually it is. It can also transmit a vibe of desperation, which can cause low-balling types to come crawling out of the woodwork.In the end, I believe little harm can arise from extending a “limited-time only” discount to jumpstart your business and increase site traffic. But be careful: you don’t want to become the freelance version of Rugs-O-Rama. Make sure your clients understand your regular price and the unique opportunity of the discount offer. And don’t worry about losing clients when you return to your regular price. If you produce consistent, high-quality work, a good client will understand your true value.

Michael Law has extensive experience as a freelance journalist and online marketer, and has worked with a number of leading Sydney companies ranging from online marketing agencies to compensation lawyers. If you’d like to get in touch, you can send Mike an email.

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As with any career or hobby, there are going to be times as a blogger that you hit a wall and just can’t seem to come up with something new to write about. Creative slumps happen to the best of us. One of the most difficult aspects of blogging is coming up with something new, interesting, and creative to write about each day.

Creativity can be a very difficult thing to cultivate from thin air (particularly when it is our job to do so). While creative slumps are a common occurrence among bloggers, it is nonetheless a hindrance to our blogging success. There are many tricks and tips of the trade that can help bloggers find new motivation and enthusiasm for their writing. Rather than sitting and staring at a blank word document on your computer screen, hoping that inspiration will strike, try these three tips to get out of that writing slump.

Revisit Old Topics

One of the best ways to discover something new to write about for your blog is by revisiting your old posts. Sift through your blog and find a few entries that were particularly popular among your readers or held particular interest for you and re-read them. By revisiting these old posts a new spark may ignite for something along the same topic. If you are not immediately inspired by reading over your old posts, you can consider doing a revisit post. If your views on the topic have changed, you can write on that same topic from your new point of view. This is a great way to get your readers more involved with your blog. If you pick an old post that got a lot of attention initially, you can invite those same readers to discuss your new point of view on the subject this time around.

Take a Break

Everyone needs a break every now and then. If you find yourself in a serious creative slump, it may be that you are just a little burnt out. Try taking a break. Take a few hours to go do something new. Go for a walk, a bike ride, a short day trip to a new place, or even write for something new other than your blog. All of these things can help rejuvenate your interest in your own writing and lead you to new and exciting ideas. Obviously, one of the best ways to find new inspiration is by going and doing or seeing something completely new. Take a yoga class at your local gym or go for a hike in the mountains. Something new may be just the thing you need to find that energy for your blogging again.

Check Out Your Competition

Keeping up with your competition is essential for any type of business. When you find yourself in an inspiration slump, go to your competitor’s blogs. Find out what the latest trend is in your blogging niche and see if it is something that you would wish to contribute to. Of course, you don’t want to directly take your competitors’ ideas, but referencing their articles and then adding your own voice to the conversation is a great way to attract new readers. You can attract the readers of your competitor’s blog to your site just by discussing the competitor’s blog post. Getting ideas and inspiration from your competition is usually very successful. However, even if nothing exciting comes to you after glancing through other blogs on the web, staying in tune with your niche is very important in general.
Author Bio:

Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education where she writes about education, online colleges, online degrees etc. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.

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