The Writer's Advantage

Afghanistan: From Fighter Jets to Poppy Seeds

2009-11-05T22:33:00.005+05:30

B-1 Lancer bomber over Afghanistan
Photo: Master Sergeant Andrew Dunaway / USAF

Oops, by goes another month... where did October go? And where's the October post? It'll happen, just in November :)

I got something special today, an article by a fellow writer who is a great thinker, researcher and analyst. His article uncovers a truth that's not that hidden, namely why the world is so interested in Afghanistan. Though the humanitarian aspect sounds nice and gives that warm fuzzy feeling ("free the people of Afghanistan!"), nothing could be further from the minds of the international forces currently trying to restore "order" in Afghanistan.

Read about the real incentives that have made Afghanistan the center of attention for decades now. Here's "Black Gold Still Rules in Pipelineistan."

Oh, and what the heck, while we're on the subject of depressing truths, here's an article about the Opium Trail.

That still reminds me of something positive though - poppy seeds! Totally legal and absolutely YUM in pastry...
Photo: Bartosz Senderek

Mutants of the Moscow Metro

2009-09-24T19:13:00.007+05:30

Looks like the Lexington Ave stop of the E/F line in New York, doesn't it?

Pardon the alliteration but I couldn't help myself. And there really have been mutant bugs in the Moscow subway. At least according to Alex Andreev, a digital artist from Russia, who makes us discover Moscow's underground:

"Birds are driving subway trains, a giant chrysalis hangs inside a train compartment and mutant cockroaches seem to breathe their last in disgust at a cleaner Moscow underground. And the people? Like a hoard of sheep, they board the trains, noose around their necks or wait for giant pincers to grab one of them out of their midst. What’s going on in the Moscow metro? Are we facing an urban nightmare or did someone just look too deep into his vodka glass?"

Here's the full story and interview with Alex Andreev.

India...meri jaan...sometimes

2009-09-06T18:29:00.004+05:30

Image via kokopellitattoo

The topic of this post is India because you can say about it what you want, it is a country that will inspire you.

Seeing it from up close, I have to admit that I have a love-hate relationship with it. And here we're jumping right into what India is all about: extremes. Extremes in temperature, extremes in food, extremes in people and yes, extremes in emotions.

Like New York, India extricates a definite reaction from people. It's hard to imagine anyone saying "oh yeah, India's okay" or "New York is an okay city." You'll get "India is mad" or "I loved the energy" or "I heart New York" or "I hate New York" but nothing vague.

Here's a list of some articles of mine about India that explain everyday rituals and objects. And "meri jaan" is something you would call your loved one. If you're one for Hindi songs, you'll hear it all the time;)

Survival Guide to Indian Weddings - a labor of love that's not getting the attention it deserves
What to Wear at Indian Weddings - the logical next question
Top Indian Wedding Songs - love them or hate them but I dare you to sit still
How to Make Indian Chai - can't get more basic than that
The Indian Bindi - what it means and where it comes from
The South Indian Thaipusam Festival - yup, the one with hooks in the back and other piercings

* I know, the picture is of a Maori warrior, nothing to do with India; I just liked the expression. *

Leaves that are... urban maps!

2009-08-29T18:20:00.010+05:30

Image: Jeff Kubina

I find that the best inspiration still comes from nature. Okay, we're all part of nature but design, architecture and other man-made things can be inspiring as well. But nature tops it all - take leaves for example. Simple leaves from trees, shrubs, bushes, plants, anything.

Have you ever noticed the intricate patterns of veins on them? No? Well, then go and pluck the nearest leaf you can find and take a look. They are truly amazing! Some more symmetrical than others but all quite cool. Of course their purpose is the transportation of nutrients and water to all areas of the leaf but that's not all...

Some people have taken an almost microscopic look at leaves, photographed their favorite ones and posted the pictures online. Just for me to collect them and find a pattern, a scheme that unites them all - they are maps for insects! Yes, maps, topographical charts and indicators of urban and suburban density. You don't believe me? Then see for yourself.

Image: Fred Jacobs

Tell me that the image above does not show the urban density of Toronto? Well, here's the official map:
Image via ccablog

Here's the full article with lots more pictures.

Chernobyl 1986-2009, a Retrospective

2009-08-22T12:52:00.009+05:30

Lenin Square today; image: Timm Suess

An interesting topic I worked on this week was a retrospective about Chernobyl.

Initially, I was hesitant to take on the assignment because well, it's not one of the most cheerful topics one can think of. But I do have a personal connection with it and remember the day of the worst nuclear disaster in history very well: I was in 6th grade, talking with my two best friends before school and one of them said: "Did you hear the news? A nuclear reactor exploded in Chernobyl." Of course, when you're 12 years old, you can't really imagine what that means. And, let's face it, many smarter and experienced professionals in high places couldn't fathom the impact of the disaster either and their delay caused suffering for so many people.

I remember it was an unusually muggy day in April; it felt as if the radiation had already made its way over and was heating up the atmosphere. It definitely affected my circulation so that on the way from one classroom to the next, I fainted. Just like that, while going up a flight of stairs. The next thing I remember was being carried up the stairs by the janitor and all my classmates staring at me. Not the best way for a teenage girl to draw attention to herself...

Girls in Pripyat during happier times; image: Ari Shohat

But that way, the Chernobyl tragedy and the mood of the day will be forever etched into my memory. During the research for the article, I came across a photographer's website who had recently been on a two-day trip to Chernobyl . I didn't know that this was even possible but since 2002, the "zone of alienation" (the 30km-radius around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant) is open to visitors.

What about radiation? Good question. Apparently, most of it came down during the first year after the disaster. Now, there are areas of different radiation levels and as long as one stays away from the critical ones, it's fine. But a Geiger counter has to be one's constant companion in "the zone."

Still, I had more questions and luckily Timm Suess, the photographer, agreed to talk to me about his trip and his work. Check out the photographs on his website - they are amazing! He has also posted a journal about the trip that is very down-to-earth and informative.
Abandoned amusement park, set to open on 1st May 1986;
image: Timm Suess

The other lucky development during the research phase was that I found good resources with a decent amount of useful pictures of Chernobyl "before" - which is not so easy to find. Especially useful was old propaganda material and quotes from officials who had stated that the "chances of a nuclear fallout were 1 in 10,000" and that nuclear energy and the Chernobyl plant were absolutely safe. Yeah, right.

Then, there was the story of the city of Pripyat - the place that housed the nuclear plant - with a population of 50,000. All hopeful people, many young couples, thankful to have jobs and a good standard of living. In short - people were happy, didn't know anything about the dangers of radiation and just ran into their fate with wide open eyes.

The most shocking bit of news for me is still the fact that because of the officials' ignorance and inability to accept the disaster, the people of Pripyat went about their business as usual for three days after the disaster! Nobody evacuated them immediately, which could have saved thousands of lives. No, children played in the radioactive sand, mothers fed their families with radioactive food and fathers went to work next to a reactor that had just melted down. When people finally realized that something was awefully wrong, most of them got drunk, trying to "disinfect" their bodies with vodka.

Here is the full story with more pictures.

Happy World Population Day!

2009-07-11T16:27:00.005+05:30

Image: Steve Jurvetson

Yes, I know, many people see the world population of 6.7 billion as a reason for alarm and though I do agree that, given our current resources, the population should be controlled, I disagree with painting too bleak a picture.

After all the more people there are, the better the chances that we'll put our minds together and come up with simple and effective solutions to the world's problems. I see each person as an opportunity, not a problem.

And I've taken a look at crowds and what motivates us to crowd and found (apart from seasonal sales): entertainment, sports, opportunity, religious beliefs and common goals and destinations.

There's more, of course. What do you think? What's your motivation for rubbing shoulders with strangers, often for hours?

Here's more on what I found on crowds, some amazing images from then and now. The image above is of the torch relay in Shenzen, China, at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The focus of the 20th World Population Day is on girls' and women's education and health. "Fight poverty - educate girls!"

10 Potentially Deadly Yet Strangly Beautiful Mega Metros

2009-07-10T01:22:00.009+05:30

Image of Mexico City via Fairfield University

Here's an article I worked on for quite some time and that taught me a lot, for example about the types of issues big cities have to deal with like

air pollution
chemicals
crime
industry
murder
natural disasters
nuclear waste
sanitation
water pollution

Not to mention transportation. It's fascinating and scary at the same time to see how megacities operate. In fact, if there's a city with 20 million people, it will have a whole new set of problems than a smaller one that might be running smoothly. It's like having children - the more you have, the more problems you have but also the more joy. Everything just multiplies.

So after studying the Blacksmith Institute's "Dirty Thirty" and similar resources, I came up with my list of, well, not the "Dirty Dozen" but a Top Ten of Deadliest Metros (in alpha order) and one main environmental issue:

Beijing, China - air pollution coupled with dust storms
Buenos Aires, Argentina - flood-prone due to geographic location
Cairo, Egypt - worst air pollution
Caracas, Venezuela - world's murder capital
Dhaka, Bangladesh - worst water pollution
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania - huge sanitation problem
Johannesburg, South Africa - crime capital
Mexico City, Mexico - industries fuel air pollution
Moscow, Russia - nuclear waste problem
New Delhi, India - toxins and chemicals in water

As is the case with all lists, it will change as new data becomes available. And, of course, there were many other contenders like Manila, Mumbai and even London and Athens. So rather than point fingers at these ten, the article wants to highlight one problem each of the megacities is battling with. And underline their strange beauty.

Here's the full article including many sources.

Amazing Sand Patterns by Crabs

2009-07-02T09:11:00.013+05:30

Today just a quick post about something truly amazing - sand art by crabs! You've all seen it at the beach, those little balls of sand, scattered randomly around crab holes. Turns out that they often form beautiful images, by chance one wonders?

The sand bubbler crabs actually sift the sand, still wet from the receding tide, to look for nutrients and anything edible. The already sifted sand is rolled into little balls or bubbles so that they don't look through it again. Pretty smart!

Which proves that it pays to not always have our noses up in the sky but to check what's happening on the ground too.

The first picture was taken by a friend of mine at Ganapatipule beach in Maharashtra, India, and the second one at a beach in Bintan, Indonesia, by flickr user modery.

Let me know if you have seen a similar compilation of crab sand art anywhere on the Net - I know there are artists inspired by it but I haven't seen an article about it. In fact, it did require some research to find the information why these crabs roll the sand balls. Here's the full article with more pictures.

Thanks and enjoy!

Shouldn't We All Be Fishing on Stilts?

2009-04-25T17:31:00.010+05:30

This week, I got inspired by how people make a living in Sri Lanka fully in tune with nature. After reading about all the fighting between the country's army and the LTTE and the thousands of people having to flee their homes, this was a nice reminder that Sri Lanka normally is a beautiful and peaceful country.

In any case, the fishermen in the south, mainly in the southwestern district of Galle, sit on 2-m high stilts about 20 m away from the coast. On a platform that is hardly bigger than a palm, during the monsoon and for hours. Why? Because this is the only way without disturbing the fish. Nets and bathing tourists disturb them and then they might move to a different part of the reef, not to return for years maybe.

Amazing, isn't it? Though the fishermen have more their livelihood in mind than they are environmentally conscious, the story is a perfect example of how being in balance with nature can be so simple and so beautiful. Sure, it's a tough job for hardly any money, but so can be the 9 to 5 rat race...

The story's making the rounds on the internet right now, so you might have seen the pics but only my version has the background on why, when and how stilt fishing started in southwestern Sri Lanka.

Enjoy!

P.S. The beautiful picture was taken by Mark Panszky.

Writer's Advantage No. 4: Writing for Self-Interest or Fun

2009-04-14T16:07:00.005+05:30

With Easter safely behind us, it's time for another writer's advantage blog, which should be no. 4. One major advantage of being a writer is that you get to write about topics that are fun, feed a personal interest, or both. This happens more often if a writer has established him- or herself and can pick and choose the topics.

Or, for writers just starting out, if they combine blogs and commercial writing, they'll get to write about what they like while also keeping economic interests in mind. Down the road, the quantitiy and quality of fun posts should lead to more that are also commercially attractive.

That's not to say that commercial writing cannot be fun, it often is, yet follows more stringent guidelines.

Recently, I've researched a few environmental topics that were fun and educational:

1. Rice terraces in South Asia and China - amazing, millenia old landscape art (see picture)

2. Ice diving - a popular extreme sport that's gaining ground

3. Lava lakes - bubbling cauldrons of hot lava at the top of volcanoes

4. The Russian Antarctic station - stunning picture of an amazing landscape

Happy reading!

P.S. There is a drawback when writing purely for one - it is very easy to get carried away and stray from the topic.

Eternal Flames

2009-04-05T17:05:00.005+05:30

This week, I have a confession to make - I am an 80's fan! It's not so much the 80's fashion and movies I'm crazy about, but definitely the music. Some songs just transport me back 25 years instantly!

That being so, I thought I'll combine business and pleasure and write an article about the Top 20 Eighties songs. Yeah, right! I should've known that's impossible as there are just too many good songs out there.

To make a long story short, I ended up writing Top 20s (or even Top 30s) for each year of the 80's! And it was fun, especially because I added hit movies, TV shows and world events that were happening each year. Transported me right back and frankly, I don't think I've quite come back yet.

So, browse at your own risk, the same might happen to you!

Here's a list of the best 80's songs by year:

1980 - 1982: Funkytown is where it's at

1983: Sweet Dreams are made of this...

1984: Are you a Karma Chameleon?

1985: Take on me, Material Girl!

1986: Took my breath away

1987: Notoriously Bad

1988: Wanna do the Loco-motion?

1989: Like a prayer

Cool Stuff: Cardboard Designs and Clothes that Transfrom

2009-03-22T10:51:00.008+05:30

This week I came across two really interesting topics: One on cardboard designs from furniture to sculptures and art and one on multifunctional clothing items - jackets that turn into tents and the like.

It is really amazing how creative people can get with everyday objects. Cardboard is strong enough for all furniture items including beds, sofas and wall units in the house and even office furniture. Because it is sturdy and can be laminated to make it water- and spill proof, cardboard furniture is even geared for kids. Also, it is completely made from recycled or recyclable materials, so one can be stylish and environmentally conscious. Here's my cardboard article with more pictures of a Dutch advertising office made fully from cardboard, an artist who makes life-size cardboard cars, pianos and everyday objects and cool kids' furniture.

Oh, and while writing, I started humming "Living in a box," that great '80s smash hit by Living in a box. So there may be side effects associated with the article... I haven't been able to get that song out of my head ever since. The video's on YouTube.

Transformers or dual-purpose clothing are amazing because they keep our spending and consumption low and reduce the number of things one has to lug around, for example when going camping. A few design students have come up with a jacket that turns into a tent and a raincoat that does the same.

But my favorite is the bra that turns into a shopping bag. Yes, a bra. It's a Japanese invention and makes you think who came up with this. I mean, who'd take off their bra while shopping and then coolly start turning it into a bag? Has anyone thought of the logistics? In any case, cool stuff and here's more information: t-shirts that turn into bags or cocktail dresses, a jacket that's also a bag and pillow (perfect for the office) and other useful ideas.

Now, I guess from bras it's just a short way to a related subject: Eve Ensler's play "Vagina Monologues" (thanks Brijesh, for the comment). I've seen it thrice now under different circumstances: First in 2000 as part of the Feminist Expo where Eve Ensler was playing all the parts herself. It was mind blowing and the energy in the room was unbelievable! Then I saw it a few years after that as on off-Broadway production with different actors - fun, but the surprise effect was gone. And finally, about a year back, I saw it in the Indian context, which was amazing.

So, I guess the point I am trying to make is: See it whenever and wherever you can; the concept is just brilliant and very inspiring.

The image above, the condom church, is a sculpture by British cardboard artist Chris Gilmour.

Inspiring Books and Movies

2009-03-13T11:55:00.008+05:30

Finding inspiration is as important for a writer as finding the right ingredients is for a cook. So just as a cook might consider other people's recipes and cookbooks for inspiration, a writer often finds inspiration the writings, movies and artworks of others.

It certainly works for me and I often read two or three books at a time - usually a comic book (if I can get my hands on a good one), one fiction book and a non-fiction one. The more exotic the setting, the better. Below is a list of books and movies that have inspired me in the past year.

Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow by Faiza Guene
This novel is about a young Algerian immigrant growing up in the public housing projects in Paris. Unsentimentally, it opens the reader's eyes to people, places and events that immigrant life in the '90s brings along. The novel was first published in France in 2004 when Faiza Guene was only 19 years old.

Women on the Edge by Maitena
Maitena is an awesome, unconventional woman cartoonist from Argentinia. In her comic books - Women on the Edge, Striving Women and Dangerous Curves are some of them - she portrays women but also relationships in general and growing up or old. She is funny, honest, biting and satirical and never fails to cheer me up.

The 3 Mistakes of My Life by Chetan Bhagat
The best-selling English author in India is often criticized for writing in a too basic style but what those critics often fail to mention is that because he's easy to understand, he manages to do what acclaimed Indian authors often cannot: connect with the masses. Bhagat touches a nerve and talks like his readers, the generation of Indian youths often called Youngistan (alluding to Hindustan, India's name in Hindi). In 3 Mistakes, his third book, he's come a long way in his writing and manages to connect such different topics as cricket, political fundamentalism and love.

Dev.D by Anurag Kashyap
This recent Indian movie is a far cry from Bollywood. A remake of the Indian classic Devdas, it tackles issues like unfulfilled love, sexual frustration, addiction and self-pity. A good part of the movie is set in Delhi's red-light district and it is amazing that the movie makes do without naked people jumping through every scene - a feat unheard of in European cinema, for example, where even shampoos and far-off products are sold through nudity. In any case, Dev.D is also funny - the first part set in Punjab especially - and is a must see.

So, from Paris to Argentina to India, there should be some inspiration here!

The image above is from the cover illustration to Maitena's 4th volume of Women on the Edge.

Some Facts About the Book Publishing Industry

2009-03-04T20:46:00.004+05:30

A stunning fact I came across during my research last week was that, according to Bowker's Industry Statistics for 2007, an estimated 276,649 new titles and editions were published in 2007!

Want to know the Top 10 categories? Here they are:

Fiction (50,071 titles)

Juveniles (30,063)

Sociology, Economics (24,596)

Religion (18,956)

History (14,764)

Science (12,872)

Philosophy, Psychology (12,635)

Medicine (10,720)

Biography (10,615)

Poetry, Drama (10,258)

Quite amazing, isn't it? Who writes all these books and who reads them? Did I mention that the figure of 276,649 does not even include on-demand, short-run and other unclassified titles? Because that's another 134,773 titles, bringing the total to 411,422 new titles and editions in 2007.

So, if these are actual printed books, then think about the amount of print and online articles and blog posts there must be. Quite mind boggling!

Today's artwork is by Are Mokkelbost, a young talent from Oslo, Norway. It looks like a painting but is an amazing paper collage. Here's more about his works.

How to Speed Up Your Writing

2009-02-22T11:25:00.006+05:30

If you're a writer who visits forums about writing, then you may have noticed one discussion topic cropping up again and again: How long should it take to write an article? Which is then usually followed by various people boasting how it takes them half an hour to write a 500-word article, with images.

Which makes me wary of the article quality - who can research and write a 500-page article in half an hour? Do they revise their writing or do they just post? Are they talking about blog posts or third-person articles? Agreed, an expert on a field who has done topic and image research previously could write a clear article off the top of her/his head. But otherwise I'd say don't worry about how long it takes . Do the best job you can with proper research, quotes and images and worry about improving your speed later. It'll follow naturally. And nothing is as rewarding as getting praise for a well-researched and helpful article.

But there are a few ways to speed up typing: learn useful keyboards shortcuts and special character shortcuts that you use often, for example when you write in or about a different language. Here are a few articles of mine on the subject:

Keyboard shortcuts for writer
Typing special German letters fast
Typing special Spanish letters fast
Decoding text messaging lingo - for sms use only, don't write articles in sms short forms

Happy writing!

Oh, by the way, that beautiful picture above is of Molokini Crater in Hawaii - it's a snorkelers' and scuba divers' paradise. It is one of the best pictures I've used this week; it was for an article I did on submarine volcanoes - check it out if you would like to know more.

And in case you were wondering - it took me about 60 minutes to write this post, including spell check, image, links and revisions.

Getting Paid as a Freelance Writer

2009-02-01T15:53:00.004+05:30

One topic I'll keep coming back to in this blog because it's so central to freelance writing is getting paid. I couldn't say it better than one of the writers on Freelance Writing Jobs, one of the most helpful blogs for freelance writers out there: "There are only two types of freelance writers: Those who have been stiffed and those who will be."

Truer words were never spoken. If you belong to the lucky group who has not yet been left unpaid after a gig - brace yourself, the client will come along who thinks that you might not be interested in getting paid for your work.

I belong to the group who almost got stiffed. I took on this job back in September and from the beginning, I had a feeling about it because the way the project was organized (not at all) and the way it was approached (unprofessional) made me want to back out. But, back then, work was scarce and I took it. I did a good job, finished almost a week before deadline, submitted my invoice and waited. And waited. Checked back after a month - send me your invoice again. Did that, checked back after two weeks. The client hasn't paid yet. Checked back the following week, nothing.

After two months, I suggested I'd contact the client directly. Suddenly, the client had paid. Send us your mailing address, we'll send you a check. My mailing address is of course located on top of my invoices, but never mind, I sent it again. And waited. Checked back after a week. The client made out the check to us, the middle men. We'll make out a check soon, it'll reach you any day.

So again I waited for my check, without results. Now, I sent an sms, inquiring if the check may have been lost in the mail? No, we haven't sent it yet. We're having a cash crunch at the office. I dryly remarked that I could relate to that. They were really sorry but - no money.

Finally, three months later and into the new year, I did something I usually don't: I referred to personal circumstances and how my life got affected by not receiving the money. It was a last resort because reasoning (work done, invoice raised, follow-up, reminders) had failed. And, would you know it, one week later, I had a check! I say "a check" because they sent me half the money. Remember, their cash crunch?

What do you do in that case? Of course, I was happy to have gotten something but I also wanted to close the chapter with this client. First I cashed the check, then I waited a bit, and then tried yet another avenue: contacts. And this finally work. Another four weeks later, I have received a second check with the other half of the money. Hallelujah!

So, I guess what I have learned is that

don't write off money that is owed to you so easily,

be polite yet persistent,

try different ways of contact (phone, email, sms),

evaluate your approach and try something new.

Good luck to anyone chasing money out there!

Why waiting for a job is like waiting for Prince Charming

2008-12-06T19:50:00.005+05:30

Do you know that feeling - you've written job applications or query letters and you're just waiting for someone (anyone!) to get back to you? Well, truth be told - if people are interested, they will get back sooner rather than later. So if you're still waiting after, let's say, a month, then something went wrong.

But instead of reflecting on what we could improve, we often either keep waiting or keep applying the same way, with the same strategy. I wonder what turns us into that electric toy that has reached the wall but still keeps running full speed ahead, walking in place? Is it because we are used to one method of doing something and feel secure doing it? Even though it may not return results? Or is it the process itself, the black abyss that applications and query letters seem to be falling into, never to be heard of again?

I was just thinking about that when an analogy struck me - waiting for a job is like waiting for Prince Charming! Destructive because it ain't gonna happen. But the question is why would we engage in as silly a behavior well into our careers? I mean, waiting for Prince Charming could be excused with inexperience. But waiting for a job? What makes us so hopeful? And why do we sometimes forget that unless we cause it, nothing is going to happen.

Not that we shouldn't be hopeful. Hope is a wonderful thing. After all, it keeps us going. But there should be some basis to it. Sure, we've written those applications and query letters, which is great. But if after the 20th letter, no response (not even a 'no') is forthcoming, then we should look at our strategy:

Am I to the point? Are potential clients or employers turned off by a long letter or resume?

Is my approach working? Am I putting my best foot forward? Or could I advocate myself better?

Are my samples up to the mark? Do I need to do more research?

Are my rates in line with market expectations? Am I competitive?

Am I applying for the right kind of jobs? Maybe I need to scale down or gain more experience.

Are my references up-to-date?

And what about grammar, spelling, etc.? Should I give my resume one more person to read before it goes out? For an important job, the cover letter too. (If you're not sending cover letters - forget it! Why deprive yourself of that extra selling tool?)

Well, whatever it is, there are plenty of reasons to check and double check one's approach. So that the Prince-Charming job can be captured - hook, line and sinker!

What are you waiting for?

Advantage No. 3: Article Requests

2008-12-03T17:08:00.004+05:30

Has it happened to you that a friend or colleague said: "I wish there was an article on XYZ topic" and you were actually able to help them out by writing it?

This is easy to do if you have a writing outlet (i.e., the web site, blog or print publication you write for) that lets you publish in a variety of areas.

Though it rarely happens that one is an expert on the topic requested, it is all the more rewarding when it happens. Because a) you are helping a friend and b) you are filling a gap by answering a request, and c) you don’t have to search for a useful topic.

My article on how to type special German letters like the umlauts and ß fast by using keyboard shortcuts elicited the response: “I wish that was available for Spanish!” Well, that was one request I could fulfill easily. Here’s the article link for anyone interested.

Happy writing!

Another Avantage: Instant Feedback

2008-12-02T15:00:00.004+05:30

Probably one of the most rewarding aspects of writing is feedback. Positive feedback but also constructive negative feedback. Especially when writing for the Web, feedback often follows instantly in the form of comments.

I just love it when I check on the articles I have published and see that they have received comments. Often, a discussion about an aspect of the article gets going, which can be very productive. Or someone adds an aspects that I had not thought of. Or adds something based on their own experience. Or points me to a connection I was not aware of. Or just complements me on a good article, which makes my day. But I am also grateful for constructive criticism, maybe a viewpoint or resource I missed.

What I can't stand is purely negative feedback that serves no purpose. For example, I got slammed by an anonymous commenter for one typo I had made in a 600-word article. Needless to say, that person's post was riddled with typos. What is the point of such a post? Is it frustration with not being able to publish? Or was that poster just having a bad day? I don't know, but I usually don't give it much thought. And wherever I have the choice, don't post criticism that slams without being constructive.

On the other hand, when I see an article that sheds light on a topic in a new way or brings an important topic to the foreground, I can't stop myself from giving feedback immediately. Either by recommending the writing, passing it on, or leaving a comment for the author.

So, we are indeed lucky that we don't write into a black abyss any more or have to wait weeks or months for feedback (as it was in print days). What do you think, was feedback more constructive when people were forced to send their comments as a well thought-out letter or do you think the spontaneity of comments is preferrable?

Appreciating your comments!

Why this blog

2008-11-25T12:08:00.000+05:30

An economic downturn, bad writing flooding print but especially online media, and yes, the dreaded $3-5 articles. Though times for writers are not necessarily bad, one often gets the impression that there are a lot of forces out there that try to discourage us.

This scenario coupled with an experience that cheesed me off this morning brought on the idea for this blog - the writer's advantage.

No matter where you are in your writing career and no matter what you are trying to accomplish at the moment, if you have the drive to write and you value quality, you have nothing to worry about.
Because whatever happens, your talent will not go away. In fact, the more you hone it, the more it will grow. So even if you're going through a dry patch right now, hang in there, keep up the good work and wait for the next gig to come along.

In the meantime, your writing skills can come in handy (and might even pay off) in unexpected ways.
Consider this: I was trying to sign up for an online class that advertised a group discount on their web site if one found two other students. Fine, that I did and happily we got together to sign up. But, there was a catch. They offer five courses on a related subject and the three students had to take exactly the same class to avail of the discount. Why, I ask? The business is the same, they are selling three courses of approximately the same value, what's the fuss all about? No can do, when we asked them, they gave their inflexible ordering system as an excuse. Don't you hate it when they do that? Why can't they admit that nobody is willing to make a decision instead of blaming it on "the system"? Anyway, we've all been there with banks, online retailers and their offers, travel agents - you name it!

But the great thing is, as a writer, you have the advantage, you can voice your opinion. If nothing else, at least you've made yourself heard. Which is exactly what I did, I very politely sent them a to-the-point email and asked them to revise their policy. Now they have it, black on white, in their files. And I've done something. And can add "writing customer service letters" to my resume.

Cheers to that!