Short, sweet monthly caption contest

National Wildlife Federation editors post an image each month from the previous year's photo contest. Your mission, if you choose to accept it: write the winning caption. For rules and this month's inspiring photo, visit http://www.nwf.org/News-and-Magazines/National-Wildlife/PhotoZone/Archives/2010/caption-contest-2010-enter.aspx   
- and good luck! 

From National Wildlife Federation - credit Hira U Punjabi

Punctuality and Punctuation Take the Cake

So many articles have been written for writers about time management that no more should be written. Ever. Here's what you need to know: An effective writer finishes on deadline. The very, very rare writer finishes ahead of deadline. Too many ignore deadlines altogether; they are the ones that give all writers a bad name.

Earlier this week I finished a fairly large project - the completely updated, second edition of a 220-page nonfiction book. I finished about 90 minutes ahead of deadline. (Whew) I am sure it's not perfect; I hope there are more punctuation errors than spelling or factual ones; and I am grateful I'll have both an editor and a chance to proofread the book before it goes to press!

Luckily, this hilarious blog entry came my way just after I met my latest deadline, when I could truly appreciate it. If there's one thing bakers and writers can agree on, it's probably that deadlines AND punctuation "really!" do matter.

Enjoy!

Book recommendation for little grammarians

Punctuation Takes a Vacation 

by Robin Pulver

Haiku Contest: Perfect for Teachers - but hurry!

What did you do over summer vacation? Haiku about it! National Wildlife Federation's 'Be Out There' Haiku contest, like summer, is short. The deadline for submissions is August 31.

Entrants must be 18 or older but parents and/or teachers can submit haikus from minors. What a great writing exercise for the first day of school, eh? Find all the details here:

http://online.nwf.org/site/PageNavigator/BeOutThere_HaikuContest_2010      

(More about the haiku form below photo)

Don't worry if you're a bit fuzzy on Haiku form, they're easy to write. Actually, the original Japanese form is quite difficult, but the modern, simplified English version is a snap, consisting of three lines. The first line should contain five syllables, the second will have seven, the last line has five. No need to fuss over rhyme or meter. For the purpose of this contest, that's about all you need to know.

Literary sticklers will point out the Japanese haiku isn't a "short, easy" form of poetry; rather it's a "complex condensed" form.* A work of art, not a formulaic exercise. The key point non-Japanese poets miss is that the haiku is not a poem of 17 syllables, but one made of 17 syllables or less. And there are many other rules! A fundamental one: the haiku should be pure observation - no metaphoric images - and the observation(s) should concern an element of natural beauty. 

Another wrinkle in the American/English version of haiku is that, obviously, the form is designed around the Japanese language. The English translation of 'syllable' is a loose one, intended to describe a sound depicted by a single character, and a line in the Japanese language is not written left-to-right, but top-to-bottom.

None of which should take the fun out of haiku. Or the contest. Enjoy!

* Sagan, M. Unbroken Line: Writing in the Lineage of Poetry, (c) 1999 Sherman Asher Publishing.

Making your website work harder: FAQ pages

Think you know what belongs on your FAQ page? Of course you do - to some extent. But before you publish, reconsider from a different perspective: your users.

Notice I didn't say "customers."

Most FAQ pages have two very different audiences. One is the confused customer with a question about (or a problem with!) a product or service. The other is prospective customers.

Customers deserve answers to their frequently asked questions. FAQ pages that deliver helpful answers keep customers happy, coming back, referring their friends.

Prospects need answers to help them make decisions. How well you answer their questions is directly related to how soon you get the next sale.

Reconsider your FAQ page. Whose frequently asked questions does it answer? Does some of the information belong in a "Help" or "Getting Started" section?

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Many companies use FAQ pages to sell more than to tell. Want to sell more? Tell me about it!
Call me - I can help you review and revise your site: 330-673-9337
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Audience management, message management

If you need any more proof that businesses live and die by the words they use, read this article on audience management by Acxiom Corporation's David Danzinger.

So the question of the day is, how are you managing?

Five Reasons Client Newsletters Rock

1. Newsletters deliver repeat business.
2. If you build a website and they don't come, a newsletter can drive clients to your site.
3. Keep your friends close.... newsletters increase customer loyalty.
4. ...and your enemies closer.... um, if you have enemies, you definitely need a newsletter!
5. Newsletters are referral reminders. As in, hey, I should mention Charlie's Landscaping to my new neighbors...


Do you need a newsletter? Well, no. Not unless you really like repeat business...customer retention... client referrals...

Sell your book in 25 words or less

Can you do it? Literary Agent's contest ends Saturday. Great practice!
http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/2010/06/one-sentence-summary.html