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Writers Block: What Causes it and How to Overcome it (writers block) If you are a writer then you know what I am talking about. You have everything ready, a drink, a snack, the topic, and even reference material. You sit down ready to start typing or writing, which ever you prefer, and it happens. You are stuck, your mind is blank and you have no idea how to fill that blank canvas in front of you. It is a writer’s worse nightmare come true. You have writers block. First you need to figure out what is causing it. There are a multitude of things that can be causing it. Stress is one of the biggest factors that cause writers block. Whether it is stress caused by personal matters, deadline dates, or fearing your article won’t be good enough it can block the words from flowing as easily as the should. Sleep deprivation doesn’t let your mind function to its full potential. Getting a good night’s sleep is imperative to having a clear mind and being able to focus. The project itself could be causing the writers block. A topic you are not interested in can easily turn your normally resourceful mind into jelly. The research on that topic turns into a grueling task. Then trying to put the words on paper that make sense and will peak someone’s interest seem impossible. If a topic has personal meaning to you it can be hard to write objectively about it. A simple informative topic can easily become a personal rant session. Writing because you have to, not because you want to makes it hard to concentrate and focus. Now that the basic causes have been covered, you need to know how to fix it. Writers block is not permanent. Identifying the reason is the hard part. Relax. The world is not going to end if the article isn’t as perfect as you feel it should be. Just because you don’t think it is perfect doesn’t mean someone else won’t. Go and read some of your previous writings. Even if what you read has nothing to do with your current topic, it can be inspirational to you. Don’t burn yourself out on a topic. Try to split up the writing process. Research and brainstorm one day and write the next. This will give you time to think about your topic and figure out the angle you want to write. Talk your way through it. Call a friend or colleague and chat. Tell them the topic you are working on and get their opinions or ideas. They may be able to offer fresh insight and ideas. Work on multiple projects at one time if you can. Bouncing back and forth between a few topics can keep your mind hopping and will keep boredom at bay. Take a break from you current project and write about something that motivates you. Chances are once you get those creative juices flowing they will continue into your next project. Make yourself a schedule and stick to it. If your schedule says 500 words by noon, write your 500 words and stop. Even if you don’t have a project going, by writing daily you will stick to your schedule and keeps your imagination going. If you write from home, which most of freelance writers do, make a quiet time and treat it like a real job. If you have young children at home, write while they nap. Let your answering machine be your secretary. If it is important they will leave a message. Most importantly remember why you started writing in the first place. Even the best of the best have gotten writers block at one time or another.

Helpful Hints for Finding Free Stuff Online The World Wide Web is awash in wonderful freebies. The problem is finding them, and sorting out the real freebies from those that will cost you in the long run. Fortunately for those of us that resist the notion of not finding cool freebies, there are many tips that can help you filter out the bad results as quickly as possible. Why is it So Hard to Find True Freebies on the World Wide Web? Why is it so hard to find true freebies on the Web, and what can you do to improve your search results? Finding freebies is harder than ever. First, try searching for freebies by typing in the word 'free' into any search engine, and chances are that you will receive a lot of filler pages that do not contain any useful information, much less any true freebies. Many websites use the word 'free' in order to draw in the web traffic, but will not actually offer you any freebies. Another problem with web freebies is that they are often not as free as you would like. In many cases, you will not be allowed to access your freebies of choice until you to watch advertisements or put up with obtrusive pop-up and banner ads. Sometimes you may also be forced to subscribe to an email newsletter that results in your inbox becoming flooded with unwanted messages. Here are some tips that can help you find the real freebies. Check Out Forums Known for Their Freebies There are many well-established online forums where you can find the latest freebies. One of these websites is SlickDeals, which has established itself as a place to find authentic freebies. Check out the freebie forum to find free samples from a wide range of products and services. You will be amazed by how many free things you can find by checking these forums regularly. Share and exchange your own favorite freebies with other forum contributors and users. Check Out the Hot Deals and Coupons to Be Found Online Another favorite site for web freebie-hunters is Hot Coupon World. This site is home to a very active forum that provides users with freebie offers in a variety of different areas and topics. Check out the many different folders to find hot coupons and freebie offers. Share and read the member secrets on how to get the best free stuff. There is even a fun Adopt a Newbie program that allows you to do just that—bring more freebie hunters into the fold. The more freebie hunters, the more chances of someone finding something worth holding on to. Does Your Free Cup Runneth Over? If you want to discover the best in online freebies, A Full Cup is not a bad place to start looking. This is yet another very popular freebie website that provides its members with the greatest in freebie deals and offers. This is a great place to peruse for the latest and the greatest in new freebie offers. The Message Board Hot Spot for Web Freebies Another freebie hot spot on the web is known as Teri's Message Board. This well-regarded web forum is family-oriented. If it is your first visit to this vibrant website, check out the Hot Deals, Rebates and Samples folders. Chances are, you will find more than one great freebie deal on this very active website. A Great Place to Gather for Long-Standing Freebies Looking for a well-established freebie website that offers the best in freebies in a well-organized manner? If so, check out the FreeSite.com. This website have been around for many years and it shows: it is well organized, with a large selection of web freebies.

What is copyright infringement What Is Copyright Infringement? The Layperson's Copyright Primer Copyright laws are constantly changing, and knowing exactly what copyright infringement is, whether you’re creating an eBook, publishing articles, using music as a backtrack to your podcast - or what have you - is essential to selling your online media. Although the laws change from one jurisdiction to another, knowing the basic rules of copyright infringement will ensure you’re following the proper rules of engagement when it comes to creating your works. Before you make any final decisions regarding the use of a work that has been copyrighted, please contact a copyright attorney to ensure you’re following the law – this will keep you from being sued or, even worse, punished in a court of law. What is Copyright Infringement? Copyright infringement, as defined by Wikipedia.org, states: “Copyright infringement (or copyright violation) is the unauthorized use of material that is protected by intellectual property rights law particularly the copyright in a manner that violates one of the original copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works that build upon it. The slang term bootleg (derived from the use of the shank of a boot for the purposes of smuggling) is often used to describe illicitly copied material.” So, what is copyright infringement in plain English? It means that if you’re not allowed to use something, then don’t use it – plain and simple. It can be very simple to get permission to use a work – many times you’ll be able to use a ‘sample’ of music or excerpt of written work for a nominal fee, or small attribution. However, if you do not have the permission of the copyright holder – whether it’s an author or a publishing house – you can be sued for copyright infringement or worse. What is Copyright Infringement in America? In many jurisdictions, such as the United States of America, this act is known as a strict liability crime or tort (a tort is a civil wrong – not a criminal wrong). This means that the person who infringes the copyright - whether intentionally or not - will be responsible for the damage or loss. Also, the prosecutor (in criminal court) or plaintiff (in civil court) must only prove that the act of copying was committed by the defendant – they do not need to prove guilty intent. This means, even if you had no intention of committing copyright fraud or infringement, you can (and in present times, in many cases, WILL) be prosecuted, even if you used the material in good faith. What is Copyright Infringement in action? Many cases of copyright infringement are difficult to see to the layperson, because the violation is not limited to exact copying. In many cases, when something is inspired by another thing – such as in music, when the inspiration of one song is used to create an entirely different song – it’s difficult to see where the new product or ‘thing’ has crossed the line to something illegal. Some works aren’t even protected by copyright, such as compilation of facts that lack the creativity necessary to be covered by copyright, or works that are in the public domain because the copyright has expired. Knowing the difference is often very difficult to see, and because of this we’ve seen a number of copyright infringement cases in recent years, especially in tandem with the music industry. As you can see, copyright infringement is a very difficult, albeit necessary, act to define. However, if you make sure that you’re using works that are in the public domain, or have long since been out of copyright (think Beethoven or Frankenstein) you’ll be safe. Do you fair research, and if you have any questions contact a copyright lawyer and ask ‘what is copyright infringement’ to learn the most up-to-date information for your jurisdiction.