[EzineArticles] Losing Readers? Keep Them on Your Website by Improving User Experience Part II

Losing Readers? Keep Them on Your Website by Improving User Experience Part II Readers Won't Quit Your Links if You Give Them a Reason to Stay! In article writing, part of providing a great user experience is the fine art of linking. Here's the not-so-well-kept secret about linking: it has nothing to do with optimization. When you consider linking, think of it as an ongoing conversation with your readers that takes them to the next stage of your discussion. They expect a link because it's a convenient open door that promises access to more information they want or need. Part of opening that door to readers is ensuring there isn't anything on your website that would make them run for the hills. How you design your website and the content is entirely up to you. Simply make sure readers feel welcome and will want to stick around because of the great user experience you provide. This checklist will help. 5 Website Basics to Think BEFORE You Link Checklist It's working. Great content creates forward momentum. Test the links in your articles to ensure they work and they lead readers to active websites. Avoid impeding readers on "404 Page Not Found," "403 Forbidden Error," or "Under Construction" pages with a plan of action for pages you remove or update. For example, if you choose to remove a page on your website, provide a redirect to another relevant page on your website to maintain momentum without worrying about broken links.   It's safe. You don't want readers exclaiming "I'm outta here!" Test your links to ensure they lead to active and safe websites that are free from and not in promotion of malware, viruses, hacks, or undesirable software. If you don't have control over this, contact your web host to get it fixed. We've got you covered on your published articles on EzineArticles.com with the Diagnostic Link Checker. We'll alert you if we detect any unsavory activity on your links, whether broken or hacked.   It's informative. Readers want a website that over delivers informative content and benefits them. Channel Ezra Pound's battle cry: "Make it new!" Provide a substantial amount of original value with quality, informative content. That means more than a sign-up box, more than a short video, and more than a couple of lines of text with a link. (Many new affiliate marketers dabbling in content marketing tend to struggle with this. Don't dabble; commit. Use these tips to build a solid platform for your affiliate marketing strategy.)   It's balanced. Columns of ad after ad or stacks of affiliate links are distracting. Look at your favorite content-driven websites and take note on the balance of their reader benefit-oriented content with their ad content. Consider the placement of the ads in respect to the content. Successful websites have found the necessary balance of content-to-ads by considering how the user engages with the page and provides a positive user experience based on visitor benefit, aesthetics, navigation, and flow. Review your website, make improvements, test, and review again until you find the right balance.   It's relevant. Clicking on a link should not be left up to chance (unless that's the intention of the website, like StumpleUpon or Digg). Readers should feel properly introduced to the link prior to clicking. Use the content around the link and its anchor text to cue readers on where they'll be going. This will help continue the conversation by creating a smooth transition from article to link. As you can see from the above checklist items, creating a great user experience on your website is really about meeting your reader's expectations and then providing them with the desire to stick around. To improve the overall design of your website, visit Part I for 7 tips to improve your website's appeal. Comments or questions? Click here to visit this post online and share your feedback! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Vanessa, Editorial Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Today is the last day to take advantage of the Christmas in July sale. Claim your discount by inputting the code XMAS10%OFF at the EzineArticles Shop checkout by midnight tonight CST to get your time-saving article writing tools! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... professionalism and excellence ..." EzineArticles has impressed me with their standards of professionalism and excellence. I am happy to be one of their authors. Gerald Gillis GeraldGillis.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9066415-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

[EzineArticles] Going on Holiday: 7 Traveling Tools for Expert Authors

Going on Holiday: 7 Traveling Tools for Expert Authors Taking a writing vacation may be just what the editor ordered to recharge and renew your verve for writing. This vacation season, don't miss out on an opportunity to write your most-informative, most-inspired article yet. Bring these author-friendly items with you when you're writing on-the-go or traveling in general. Laptop - Typing increases writing efficiency. Bringing a laptop with you on your vacation may help you get more writing done in the time it would take to write it out long hand and then transcribe it later. Skip the transcribing step: bring your laptop.   Journal and Pen - For those trips where Internet access is not an option, there's the classic journal and pen combination. Even if you do have Internet access, this combination has been known to help authors fight writer's block and get those creative juices flowing no matter where they are. Use a pen (or pencil) to randomly scrawl notes and a writing journal to keep ideas bound together (and eliminating the need to hunt for disjointed scraps of paper when you get home).   Smart Apps - Smartphones are handier than a Swiss Army Knife with all of the apps at your fingertips. We recently asked our Facebook fans what are the best tools for jotting ideas down quickly and we had a number of mentions of the app Evernote (available for iOS and Android). Alex Wong stated this is a must-have app for writing in that you can "capture [ideas] anytime ... anywhere." Shanika Journey commented on the ease of use of Evernote: "I get to write and save a new note in 3 clicks."   Reading - In his book, On Writing, Stephen King wrote, "The more you read, the less apt you are to make a fool of yourself with your pen or word processor." Wherever you're going, bring something to read for pleasure or business. Turn the pages of books (whether a book or on your Kindle/iPad), let your eyes travel down the pages of magazines, and read the local newspapers. There's a ton you can learn by reading anything and everything you can get your hands on.   Inspiration - Avoid a disappointing writing journey by preventing writer's block. Bring an inspiration book of articles, drawings, or photos and continue adding to it while on your trip. Whether it's a physical book or an app like Pinterest, "store" ideas for later.   Talking Points - If you're an introvert, then this may be out of your comfort zone, but it's well worth it! Take the opportunity to talk to other people by preparing talking points relevant to your niche. For example, let's say you're waiting at an airport or train station and you're making small talk with the couple standing next to you. Direct your discussion to a topic related to your niche and ask for their input. You can even use your Expert Author status to keep them interested by saying, "I'm writing an article on this topic ..." and then invite them to share their stance, comments, or insights.   Article Templates: Download the 52 Article Templates package and the Build Your Own Article Templates theme-based packages for over 100 unique article templates (an endless source of article ideas!). Try the Pack Your Bags Article Template from the What Motivates You Article Template Package of theme-based packages for added traveling inspiration! Don't forget these great writing tools when preparing for your next vacation! Of course there are all of those other little niceties (like deodorant, toothbrushes, or warm and cold weather gear) that you'll want to remember to ensure you're not distracted from writing. What are your favorite travel-ready writing tools? Do you have any writing while traveling tips for fellow Expert Authors? Click here to share your comments and feedback - we'd love to hear from you! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Penny, Managing Editor http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. We've added a NEW package to the Build Your Own Article Templates series! Get the Tools and Insight Article Template package for 10% off until midnight CST on July 31st! Simply input the code XMAS10%OFF at EzineArticles Shop checkout to claim your discount. For more details on additional EzineArticles time-saving, writing products that you can use this discount on, click here! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... professionalism and excellence ..." EzineArticles has impressed me with their standards of professionalism and excellence. I am happy to be one of their authors. Gerald Gillis GeraldGillis.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9061279-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

[EzineArticles] 5 Methods to Put More Time on the Writing Clock

5 Methods to Put More Time on the Writing Clock "It is not a daily increase, but a daily decrease. Hack away at the inessentials." - Bruce Lee You're exhausted. Time always seems to be fleeting and your goals - writing, business, and family - seem to be further away than ever. Work smarter, not harder by eliminating - even hacking - the inessentials so you can focus on what matters: your goals. This is not a cut corners to skimp on quality strategy. It's about increasing your value by working efficiently and effectively. Get ready because we're about to put more time on your clock so you can get closer to achieving your writing goals. 5 Time Savers Prioritize - Family, team members, friends - sometimes it seems like you're performing dozens of tasks that sap up hours of your time for everyone, but you! When I felt like this was happening to me, I reevaluated what I was doing with my day and prioritized. I found that many of those tasks brought little value to the table, driving me further away from my goals. Prioritization is king in time management. Determine the order to deal with tasks according to their relative importance and value. Ask yourself, "Does it give value?" If it isn't delivering any value, completely eliminate it to free time up for things that do.   Delegate - Perhaps you're too willing to help others or you're a firm believer in the philosophy, "If you want things done, you've got to do them yourself." Let go - give up control. Not everything needs your attention and you need to know your limits. Delegate the task to someone else by evaluating whether the person does indeed need your help or if you have the necessary skills and resources to do it in an efficient manner. In writing, you can delegate by asking someone else to proofread your articles and even consider employing a quality ghost writer to write your articles.   Handle Things Once - I'm easily buried in email every day and I know how easy it is to get tangled up in creating an intricate system to manage it. KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid. Organize a simple system to manage workflow so when you perform a task, such as review your email, set a time frame and hold yourself to it. Be decisive, move on after making a decision, and to make it absolutely work - don't look back. Trust your decisions - you've got bigger fish to fry.   Just Say No - I keep an open door policy for my team to ask questions, give feedback, or inform me about anything I need to know. For a long time, I felt that open door meant I had to be receptive the entire time I was in my office. The result was so much foot traffic in and out of my office that I considered whether I'd have to replace the carpet. Then I got smart: Shut the door, designate "visiting hours," and learn how to say "no" constructively. No need to be aggressive about it. Respect yourself and the other person by showing them how non-priority interruptions affect the value you create.   Accept Imperfection - As Salvador Dali put it, "Have no fear of perfection, you'll never reach it." It's easy to get so caught up in rewriting, revising, tweaking, etc., that you end up taking more time than was needed. Consider the 80:20 rule that states 80% of your measureable results come from 20% of the tasks you perform. Maximize that 20% by setting time limits on medium-priority tasks, minimizing the overall time you take to perform inessential or routine tasks, and take action (see the previous point "Handle Things Once"). There are a TON more strategies that I'd love to share with you, but then we'd be here all day, I'd go over my time limit to write this post, and you'd be in over your head. Start by tracking what you're currently spending time on - tasks, interruptions, breaks, etc. - to help you prioritize, delegate, be more decisive, say "no" when you're ready, and help take action in less time. What strategies would you like to add to the list? Recognize the style of this post? This post was written using the The Time Clock Article Template from the What Motivates You Article Template Package. Find it in the Build Your Own Article Template Packages at the EzineArticles Shop to put even more time on your writing clock! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Penny, Managing Editor http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Work smarter, not harder, with a Premium membership. Get it before July 31st to receive 10% off and a free gift. Click here to discover how! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "I am really grateful that sites like Ezinearticles ..." I have really loved my journey with EzineArticles so far. It's a great tool to use. I often consider the amount of work that must go into this site. If I had to do all that myself, I'd go mad! I am really grateful that sites like Ezinearticles exist, as they make life for not-too-techie authors like me so much easier! And in a strange way, EzineArticles.com is somewhat of an accountability partner for me as well. If I don't post anything for a while, I start feeling guilty! Which makes me write, get noticed; which then motivates me to write more, etc.! Marc De Bruin LandMarc.com.au EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9055506-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

[EzineArticles] It's Christmas in July and We're Bringing the Presents!

It's Christmas in July and We're Bringing the Presents! Ready to do some unwrapping? Nothing makes us think of Christmas less than sunshine, sweltering heat, and cloying humidity - the hallmarks of a North American summer. Yet here we are, full of yuletide spirit and good cheer, a stack of presents at our feet for all of the good Expert Authors on our list. If you're one of them (and we know you are!), let the unwrapping begin! For a limited time only, we're celebrating Christmas in July by offering two great gifts: 10% Off Any EzineArticles Products The EzineArticles Shop has great products designed to make your article writing efforts faster, easier, and more effective. Products include: Premium Membership - Work smarter, not harder by building a success-driven article portfolio with a Premium membership. For serious and successful Expert Authors, Premium gives you faster article review speed, insider keyword data, priority support, article scheduling, and more. Take advantage of these great benefits today.   NEW! Build Your Own Article Template Packages - Need article ideas fast? Get 1 or all 5 of these inexpensively priced theme-based packages containing 15 article templates each - that's a total of 75 brand new article templates you can't find anywhere else. From "Emotional Appeal" to "What Motivates You," mix and match article template themes to create the perfect combination for you and your audience.   52 Article Templates - With these interactive article templates, you'll not only get hundreds of great new article ideas, but you'll also get the recommended structure for each article. Increase your exposure fast by building a huge article library quickly and easily with EzineArticles' original 52 interactive Article Templates on PDF!   Article Writing Success Journal - Discover journaling tips and strategies that will enhance your article writing and content marketing efforts as well as help you reach new heights.   Deck of Cards - Get a fresh new idea for your next article, in fact at least 52 fresh ideas, with the EzineArticles Deck of Cards. Each playing card features an original article template to help you write your next article. Purchase any items from the shop and we'll take 10% off the total price. Simply input the code XMAS10%OFF at checkout to get your discount. Top Punctuation Howlers Previously only available to Premium members, this 29-page downloadable PDF features a guide to 10 punctuation marks and their most common article writing mistakes as well as tips to strengthen your writing skills. Punctuation marks include the following: Period (and ellipses too ...) Exclamation Point (or mark!) Comma Colon and Semicolon Dash and Hyphen Parentheses Apostrophe and Quotation Mark To download your FREE copy of the Top Punctuation Howlers, just click here. These gifts are only available until July 31st at midnight CST, so don't miss out! After all, who leaves unopened presents under the tree? ;-) To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Marc, Product Marketing Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ P.S. Have questions about any of the above products? Click here to pose your questions and join the discussion or click here to contact our Support Team privately. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... my original articles still bring traffic to my first website!" I began my first website in November of 2006 and by early 2007 I had enough content to start promoting it ... I first learned about article marketing from my site's webhost and their guide to getting traffic to your site. They also recommended EzineArticles as a high-quality article directory ... Some of my original articles still bring traffic to my first website! Kristen Burgess MilkAndMud.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9048595-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

[EzineArticles] Content Marketing for Affiliate Marketers

Content Marketing for Affiliate Marketers Use these tips to build a solid foundation! Affiliate marketing is an Internet-based marketing practice where businesses pay affiliates for each visitor or customer brought in by the affiliate's own marketing efforts. The affiliate acts as a brand spokesman who spreads the word about the product. Attracted to the success so many have achieved using content marketing, affiliate marketers have flocked to content marketing. Unfortunately, it isn't always a success. Whether misguided or intentional, many will fail after exhausting so much time and so many resources into unnatural spam tactics that drive a poor user experience. This isn't a "get rich quick," "see results in 30-60 days" scheme. Content marketing requires a focus on quality and dedication. The amount of energy you put into it directly influences how much you'll get out of it. Low quality: poor results. High-quality: a solid platform that will deliver great results. Start off on the right foot or reset your campaign toward success by building a solid platform using the following content-marketing tips. Choose Wisely: Your Niche Choose your niche affiliate products/services wisely by participating in a niche you're passionate about and knowledgeable in. If you choose to market in a niche with which you've no experience, then you may find yourself on a path that will be a long and arduous one as you attempt to gain these insights from scratch. Or you'll wind up regurgitating other people's insights, only to be rejected by readers and credible experts in your niche. Begin with the foundation of what you know and expand upon it by staying up-to-date with trends in your niche. Own It: Your Website Purchase your own top-level domain (TLD). Link ownership is a critical component to your overall success, protects your affiliate commissions, and it shows a long-term relationship. Audiences want to be assured you're not going to dump the product and the customer after a few weeks or months. Owning your own TLD also increases audience trust when the following credibility-building elements are easily found on your website: Original Content - Spread your wealth of knowledge and experience into a reservoir of information that reflects your authority in your niche on your website. From blog posts to videos, become a thought leader whose focus is always on a positive user-experience.   Tell Them About Yourself - Give your audience a little information about yourself and your company. For example: Write a brief biography of yourself, your company, why you came to become an affiliate, and how it has changed your life.   Contact Information - Your prospective customers should be able to contact you about your products or services. Provide a contact form or email address. For email addresses, use one that reflects your website brand (e.g., instead of your-company-name @ gmail.com, use support @ your-company-name.com). For added credibility points, list your phone and address.   Social - Take advantage of the higher level of audience-to-brand engagement and word-of-mouth advertising a professional social media account will provide. Avoid getting overwhelmed by social media saturation by sticking to the main social platforms (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest). Find which one your audience is most active on and will be most willing to receive your message.   Feedback - Consumer-driven content, such as customer reviews and testimonials, increases trust and brings you (and your product) into the real world for readers and prospective customers. Invite and post reviews and feedback on your website and social media. Submit It: Article Writing Once the structure for a solid platform is in place via your website, branch out by writing quality, informative articles. Creating and expanding your article portfolio increases your exposure, which is needed to be viable competition with other experts (including other affiliate marketers practicing content marketing) in your niche. Provide original, insightful, and useful tips or solutions in your articles and then provide your relevant affiliate offer leading the reader to your website in the Resource Box. This will build trust and in turn increase your conversion rate. Keep it steady (and readers interested) by publishing consistently over time rather than releasing a horde of articles at once or intermittently. Avoid Link Pitfalls: Links in Articles The EzineArticles' Editorial Guidelines on Affiliate Marketing ensures our users are delivered a positive experience on EzineArticles.com and when they leave our website to visit yours that positive experience should not dwindle. Here are a few tips to affiliate links and your articles: You may include affiliate links that originate at a top-level domain. You may forward/redirect to an affiliate link from a top-level domain you own. Link redirects from a domain that you do NOT own are unacceptable. Links redirects from a subdirectory on your website (e.g., http:// your-company-name.com/affiliate-page/) are unacceptable. Link redirects from a subdomain you own (e.g., http:// affiliate-page.your-company-name.com) are unacceptable. Please note that you can include sub-directories and sub-domains in your Resource Box as long as they don't direct a person to a direct affiliate link nor redirect to an affiliate link. Always focus on quality and aim to build credibility, trust, and a good user experience. Once you have a solid platform in place, cross pollinate your content from your website, to articles, to social media, and more. How do you use content marketing in your efforts? Share your questions or comments here - we'd love to hear from you! To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Vanessa, Editorial Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Article templates make it easy to build a huge article library quickly and easily. Try it for yourself! Go to http://Shop.EzineArticles.com/ArticleTemplates/ EzineArticles Member Endorsement "EzineArticles.com has worked out extremely well ..." The relationship with EzineArticles.com has worked out extremely well. As a consequence of publishing articles on EzineArticles.com, I have built a huge body of material that enhances my credibility and search engine optimization. However, and most importantly, I have been able to use EzineArticles.com as a way of helping others. Nigel Brooks NigelAlBrooks.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9043891-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

[EzineArticles] How to Create Quality Content in 7 Steps

How to Create Quality Content in 7 Steps Content marketing is now more important than ever in managing an online presence. While strategies like blogging and social media are must-haves in today's content marketing world, article writing is an incredible strategy that will take your efforts to the next level. Article writing will give your efforts an advantage to get ahead of the competition, increase exposure, and create an authoritative brand that delivers long-term results. Although I like to believe so, writing isn't for everyone. If you lack passion for your niche, don't have a good grasp on English grammar, or are unwilling to share your incredible insights in the form of informative articles, then no - article writing isn't for you. However, if you have the passion, the patience, and the willingness to improve your writing skills, then article writing is absolutely for you and we'll help you get started. Discover how to write great articles using the How to Create Quality Content in 7 Steps graphic as your guide! Simply click on the graphic below for a close up of this post online. How to Create Quality Content in 7 Steps Graphic Transcription Your audience wants quality content. Avoid getting lost in the details and stay on the proven path to writing success with these 7 steps. Prewriting: Know your audience's needs, wants, goals, and obstacles Brainstorm solutions Form an original hypothesis (a proposition made as a basis for reasoning, without any assumption of its truth) Research what has been and is being said by credible sources Consider what's not being said Outline: Choose a format that best suits the topic List all the main points Organize related ideas together Create sub headings Draft: Be creative Lead with originality Deliver quality Revise: Trim 10% of your article Remove redundant content Review for holes in logic Proofread: Spelling Commonly misused words Punctuation (especially apostrophes and commas) Sentence structure, run-on sentences, and awkward syntax Excessive parentheticals in the form of parentheses, commas, and hyphens Final Edits: Ask a family member, friend, or peer to review your work Read and repeat any steps as needed Submit New Article: Log in to your My.EzineArticles.com account Select the Write & Edit tab Select "Submit New Article" from the left-navigation menu New to EzineArticles.com? Click here to get started with your free Expert Author membership. Want more great article writing and content marketing tips? Subscribe to EzineArticles' free Blog Alerts at http://EzineArticles.com/blog-alerts/ Comments or questions? Click here to visit this post online and share your feedback! Recommended reading: The Anatomy of the Perfect Article [Learn more] 5 Steps to Gutting Your First Draft [Learn more] Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar Revision Checklist [Learn more] Want to share this image? Simply copy/paste the code from below into your blog or website. <a href="http://img.ezinearticles.com/blog/how-to-create-quality-content.jpg"><img src="http://img.ezinearticles.com/blog/how-to-create-quality-content.jpg" title="The Anatomy of the Perfect Article"></a> To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Penny, Managing Editor http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Discover 5 NEW article template packages at http://shop.EzineArticles.com/BuildYourOwnArticleTemplates/ EzineArticles Member Endorsement "I have grown my monthly newsletter to over 14,000 subscribers." I started article writing when I started my newsletter in late 2006. At that time, I had about 25 subscribers - mostly friends and family. Since then I have grown my monthly newsletter to over 14,000 subscribers. Lee Binz TheHomeScholar.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9035858-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

[Toy] Constructabots Ultimate Optimus Prime vs Megatron

Toy has posted a new item, 'Constructabots Ultimate Optimus Prime vs Megatron'

My pile of loot from BBTS arrived this afternoon. It had some Kreons, Ruination
and more Constructabots. So of course the first thing I did was dive in looking
for Optimus and Megatron.
Both figures come with roughly the same piece count as a triple changer, and
both have lots of extra kibble that isn't actually used in their default modes.
A lot of it is just recolored bits from other figures, but I dig the colors.

So, pictures.

The box for size comparison.

Skeletons are more colorful than most sets, so I thought I'd post a picture.
Plus, you gotta love those head sculpts.




Both have minor differences in the standard transformation. Megatron faces the
opposite way as most figures (like I said, minor) and Optimus has arm kibble
that makes his rear wheels actually have less wiggle.

All in all, I really like these guys.

Plenty of extra pieces for customization Nice choice of colors Translucent
pieces are a nice touch Awesome head sculpts Optimus doesn't suffer from rear
wheel terribleness Megatron has nice feet Optimus has Bumblebee's swords,
probably my favorite weapons released so far Cons:
Almost the exact same transformation as everyone else Reuse of several pieces,
just in different colors (I'm actually planning on building a list of all the
available pieces and what sets you can get them in) Megatron is missing a
wheel, hopefully that's just my set and not a wide spread issue like
Starscream's terrible head.

So, if you're on the fence about these guys I'd say this is the set you should
pick up. Yeah, it's $35, but you get both Optimus and Megatron and they really
are fun to play with.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to try putting Megatron's wings on to Ironhide
to see if I can make him a triple changer. (Speaking of, is there a place on
this forum to post pictures that aren't really shots of an entire collection?)


You may view the latest post at
http://toy.web.id/constructabots-ultimate-optimus-prime-vs-megatron/

Best regards,
Toy
http://toy.web.id

[EzineArticles] 7 Questions You Should Ask Yourself BEFORE You Write

7 Questions You Should Ask Yourself BEFORE You Write Make article writing a breeze with prewriting! If you're thinking, "what's the deal? Writing shouldn't be this difficult?!" then you're absolutely right: you're spending way too much time writing and not enough time planning. Invoke the 5 Ps of Success: Proper Planning Prevents Poor Performance In fact, let's put an Expert Author twist on the 5 Ps of Success: Proper Prewriting Prevents Poor Performance! Prewriting is the planning, researching, and organizing stage prior to the actual act of writing. If you treat the act of writing as a separate task that occurs after prewriting, then you will squeeze more out of your efforts, alleviate frustration, and save time. Use these seven questions as a guide to prewriting to ensure originality, creativity, and quality! 7 Prewriting Questions Grab a notebook, a whiteboard, or your tablet and answer the following questions before you set out to write your next article. Who's the article for? Define your target audience - right down to their likes and dislikes.   What do they want? Brainstorm by looking for opportunities to provide solutions for your readers. Generate a list based on your audience's most pressing problems or their needs and wants. If you begin seeing trends or themes, organize your list categorically.   Why? Pick a category or an item on the list and describe why the audience wants it (e.g., What ultimate benefit does it achieve? What does it solve?).   What headline will best grab your reader's attention? In under 60 characters, draft a few headlines and consider the tone (such as compassionate, severe, and informative), angle (such as How To, Top Tips, and Why You Should ...), benefit-oriented words (such as quick, painless, and easy) that will resonate with your audience. This title may not be the final title you work with, but it will be your guiding vision for the article.   What are the main points of your article? Incorporating your experience, research, and insights, outline the main points you want to convey to your reader.   What length and format will best suit the topic? Consider which format and article length that will provide the best user experience. If it's actionable (e.g., how-to, top tips, etc.), use an ordered or unordered list format and keep the article within 500-700 words. If it's non-actionable (e.g., industry-related news), consider a bricklayer format that draws the eye down the article with bolded headers highlighting key points between sections.   What do you want your reader to do? Consider what the number one benefit you provide your target audience is and what's unique about it. Use the message in your Resource Box and your call-to-action (such as sign up for a newsletter, visit your website to buy a product, read a related article of yours, etc.). Have all of your answers? You're ready to write the perfect article! Use The Anatomy of the Perfect Article graphic for a section-by-section guide to ensure you don't miss a thing. Want to take even more weight off of your shoulders? Try the Build Your Own Article Templates packages! Featuring 75 unique article themes total, these 5 packages contain the structure and tips to writing each article. Buy one or buy them all at http://shop.EzineArticles.com/BuildYourOwnArticleTemplates/ Comments or questions? Click here to visit this post online and share your feedback! Related Reading: Content Planning: Targeting Your Audience [Learn more] Make Writing Easy with Prewriting [Learn more] 20 Writing Exercises and Tips for Expert Authors [Learn more] Your Unique Value Proposition and Your Articles [Learn more] Basic Article Templates for Expert Authors [Learn more] Creating an Effective Call to Action that Gets Results [Learn more] To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Vanessa, Editorial Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Build your own combination of article templates to suit your needs! Click here to discover more. EzineArticles Member Endorsement "... the positive effects of passive income and name recognition is well worth the effort." Thanks so much for the great publicity. I was amazed at how many articles I already had written when I started digging out all my old notes and speeches. It just took a little reformatting, bringing up to date and filling in here and there to have them ready to send off to you. Even though we are swamped with projects, the positive effects of passive income and name recognition is well worth the effort. Keep up the good work. Judy H. Wright ArtichokePress.com EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9030416-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.

[Toy] Transformers Masterpiece: Alert MP-14

Toy has posted a new item, 'Transformers Masterpiece: Alert MP-14'

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[EzineArticles] Give Your Articles Oomph: Be Assertive and Promote Action

Give Your Articles Oomph: Be Assertive and Promote Action Get more value out of your time and effort by giving your writing an assertive burst! Your readers want to feel confident that the information they're receiving is without a doubt the best for them. This confidence is often a direct result of the author's writing personality: assertive, aggressive, or passive. "Do this or else" Aggressive writing personalities are risky and can tarnish an author's brand. This is identified by negative words or expressions, interrogative sentences, content against reader interests, violations of the rights of any persons mentioned, or attempts to manipulate readers in a dishonest manner. "Do this ... at your leisure" On the other side of the spectrum - not to be confused with passive voice - passive writing personalities cause a major drop in authority. They are indecisive, lack self-respect, and leave much to be desired for the reader. "Do this" Assertive writing personalities are balanced and motivating. Assertion shows the author values their writing as well as exhibits confidence in direct statements while maintaining respect. Whether you're an expert taking advantage of the incredible benefits content marketing yields or you're a professional writer building your portfolio, use these assertive writing tips to encourage reader confidence in your writing. Identifying Non-Assertive Words These passive words sap authority: So ... Many authors will attempt to add emphasis to a statement by using the word "so." For example, "So if you're looking ..." is a passive way of showing the reader has options, but they don't have to commit to it. Dropping the "so" creates an assertive and confident personality: "If you're looking ..." Just ... Often used to convey "a short time ago" (e.g., "he was just here") or "exactly" (e.g., "she's just like her mother"), "just" is often used as a tentative buffer to tone down what may appear to be an aggressive personality. Unfortunately, this also loses assertive personality. For example, the insertion of "just" in "just take a moment to consider" turns the phrase from assertive to pleading with the reader. "Take a moment" ... lose the "just." Practice: Inspect your writing for any non-assertive words or phrases. Is there a more direct approach you can use? Strive to select words that will strengthen your tone and motivate your readers by steering clear of passive word choices. Simplify and Use Vibrant Action Verbs Use bolder action verbs to further captivate your audience. Instead of "communicate," you might "advocate" a stance, "clarify" your position, or "correspond" with someone. Rather than "achieve efficiency," perhaps you "maximize" or "optimize" value. To give your writing an added level of precision, simplify statements by removing needless words. For example: "The approach is an improvement on" becomes "The approach improves" "The reason for this" becomes "Because" "The article is a generalization of" becomes "The article generalizes" Practice: Select a paragraph of your writing. Rework the sentences by removing verbiage and adding bolder action verbs. Be careful to not sacrifice emphasis or the overall message you want to convey. Additional Assertive Writing Tips Word choice and construction play a large role in writing assertively. Apply these additional tips to refine your writing and captivate readers: Active Voice - Exchange passive voice (subject receives) for active voice (subject acts) to achieve more direct and concise writing. For example: "Dogs are loved by people" (passive) vs. "People love dogs" (active). Keep passive voice in your back pocket because there's always a time and a place for it. Point of View - Put the reader in the piece by using the second person whenever possible. Statements like "when one attempts to perform the unachievable" will completely wash over readers. Turn the phrase by using the second person - "when you attempt the unachievable" - and you'll turn heads. Additionally, put yourself in the piece, but don't overdo it. Too much "I" can make your piece egocentric. Match your audience's reading level by selecting your words and phrases wisely to achieve simplicity and easy comprehension, but have fun with language! Try out vivid adjectives, nouns, and strong action verbs to give your writing "Oomph!" Your readers will thank you for the assertive color you add to your niche and in return you will build confidence in your writing, engage a loyal readership, and build exposure to your platform. What other non-assertive or passive words or phrases do you think undermine writing? Have you found your writing leans aggressive, passive, or assertive? What tips can you offer fellow authors in writing assertively? Click here to let us know - we'd love to hear from you! Additional resources to strengthen your tone and writing skills: Passive or Active Voice: Which Should You Use? [Learn more] Descriptive Writing Examples and Methods to Engage Readers [Learn more] 5 Steps to Gutting Your First Draft [Learn more] Guide to Entertaining: Writing Informative Content with a Creative Twist [Learn more] Create Strong Emotional Drivers to Engage Readers Learn more] To Your Article Writing Success & Passion! Vanessa, Editorial Manager http://Blog.EzineArticles.com/ http://EzineArticles.com/ PS: Need article ideas fast? Get the Build Your Own Article Template Packages to write great articles now and for months, or even years, to come! EzineArticles Member Endorsement "EzineArticles surely has worked for me." I really have supported my business with my ezine articles ... This has been a tremendous boost to branding of my name, my website, and my various projects. I am looked upon as an expert on aging, someone that writes about their subject. People get an idea of what you think, as well as what you can give to their organization or on an individual basis. EzineArticles surely has worked for me. Patricia Weaver PatriciaWeaver.net EzineArticles Newsletter Information Join EzineArticles | Manage Your Subscription | EzineArticles RSS Feed | List Support Create Free Membership Account | Login For Members Only To Leave The EzineArticles Newsletter: leave-9024911-6089320.c2a6054a8aea1f04c6f82782059b29aa@lists.permissionbasedemail.com ISSN: 1525-7126 - Library Of Congress, Washington D.C. Postal address: EzineArticles.com, PO Box 12740 Green Bay WI 54307 USA © Copyright 1999-2013 EzineArticles.com. All Rights Reserved.