You too can write Earth shaking headlines.

I've always found headlines fun, a kind of challenge but a freedom to be a bit daring, wild and just plain contrary. You can pick something a bit misleading, something humorous, something argumentative or whatever appeals to you at the time.

The point is to catch the reader's attention and draw them into the article. By hook or by crook, you want to make them look.

Make sure your headlines are not redundant. Don't use words which will be skimmed over. Choose words which aren't already flooding the magazine. Words which the reader isn't glossing over due to repetition in the theme, content or other articles in the magazine/ publication. Make your headline unique, fresh and unexpected.

Keep it short. Most publications don't have space for your best creative headlines. If you keep it brief you won't be sad when the editor chops it down to size. Ideally, a headline fits in one line of column text. If you know the standards for the publication you're writing for measure your headline against the space available.

As always, keep in mind the tone and style of the publication. Don't submit something sexy if they avoid that style. Don't submit something really cutesy if the publication is serious. You may think that's limiting and takes away from all the fun of writing headlines. But, it doesn't. It just makes it that much more challenging. Have fun!

"At a moment of heightened awareness there is a confrontation of image and idea. Words come together in a flow, seeking out their own order, their own rhythm; lines measure themselves into a given form; words you didn't think you knew or had long forgotten suddenly cojoin to tell you what you are feeling, seeking out insight and revelation. In that first flow, all you know is that you are in mid-air between elation and fear. "Keep going, just keep going!" you tell yourself, not knowing where that first line will lead." - Shulamis Yelin.

That's how I start writing. I'm not a planner. I don't have a schedule, a format or any real idea of where I'm going once the idea has germinated from my brain onto the physical plane of my computer screen.

Sometimes the seeds never get past the germination stage. They become part of the cluster of ideas in a folder on my computer. The 'Idea Folder' is full of half planted ideas. Now and then I go back and rescue one, add some root hormone, whatever it takes. But, most of them just get kind of sad and pot bound. I forgive myself for letting them stagnate into infinity. You have to forgive yourself. Each idea is like a little soul and you are the only one who can give it the bloom of life. I do feel guilt for not taking those ideas into fruition.

Enough garden terminology?

I read the above quote in an article about writing poetry. As a writer of any style of wordage you should read about all kinds of writing. How to write or better still 'how I write' articles and books can be really inspirational. Not just for the art of writing but the craft too. The technique in putting a spin on your words. The ideas about the ideas. You can never have too many ideas. Well, except for those really weird ideas we keep in the closet or swept under some rug or other. I won't tell if you don't tell.

"In books lies the soul of the whole past time." - Thomas Carlyle

"A truly great book should be read in youth, again in maturity and once more in old age, as a fine building should be seen by morning light, at noon and by moonlight." - Robertson Davies

Now and then you'll have to write a biography to go along with an article, book, or something else you publish. It's tough to figure out what you want to say about yourself in just a few lines. Of course, you consider what you want to share with the faceless masses as well as what information will show you in the best light. You want to make yourself look like an authority on the subject of your article.

The following is something I almost deleted without re-reading tonight. It's in the stacks of ancient webmail from the years I wrote a newsletter about ASCII art for a website called WZ.com. The site is long gone and I don't think anyone will mind sharing the information which was once shared with me. Thanks to Sissi, wherever you are. Hope you're writing and doing great.

Not only do we want to know who you are, your visitors do, too. They'll be looking for the person behind their interests. A bio that's interesting and catchy will help you to develop loyalty and a personal touch with your subscribers.

To help you develop your bio, I've included a short list of questions, in interview format, below. Answer the ones you think are appropriate, and make sure you include some info on the different Realms you cover.

Oh, and be sure to compile all of the answers to the questions into one flowing bio rather than submitting nine separate answers to me.

Pay special attention to question #9 --

1. You're about to be interviewed by Charlie Rose. In ten seconds or less, how does he introduce you?

2. When did you get interested in your topic? How long ago, how old were you?

3. Was there something going on that led you to it, or were you naturally attracted to it for some reason?

4. What about it grabbed you? What do you find most interesting or appealing about it?

5. What's your favorite story about your hobby or interest?

6. What unusual things have you done in pursuit of it?

7. How have these things led to your becoming an expert in your area of interest?

8. How has it affected your life, or the lives of others?

9. How will being a WZ-ard help you share this with others? How do you hope to affect the lives of your subscribers?

Sissi concluded by telling everyone not to forget to add links to their newsletters. You should do the same, include any relevant URLs you'd like to promote to your readers.

How professional are you? What impression do you make with potential editors, clients and other writers?

Last year I joined up with a well known online community (Note: When I originally wrote this I named the site. I decided not to name them in the newsletter thanks to advice from subscribers to my InkSplatters list) to write a regular column about the Internet. It took almost a year for my application to be accepted. This was mostly due to it being misplaced or forgotten. I'm still not sure what happened. Eventually, I was accepted to write the column. The editor wanted me to be especially careful with grammar and punctuation. She wanted each column to be professional.

When I wanted to go into the site and update the column, add more links and all the other stuff you do when you write a column for a website, I couldn't access anything. I had no editor screen. I emailed asking for help. She replied that I must be doing something wrong and gave me a list of instructions. However, I still couldn't get to any editor screen. It just wasn't there. I emailed with a few other people at the site about the problem but got no further. Months go by and a new editor starts to head up the Internet/ Computer section of the site. He writes to ask if I'm interested in doing the column or have I forgotten it. To make a long story short, you can still see my dead end column up at that site. The spammers are making use of it.

The point to this is not bad mouthing anyone or any site, it's showing how people can be unprofessional at all levels. You don't have to be some newbie writer to be unprofessional. But, you should watch for it and do your best to look like you know what you're doing and you know how to do it well.

One way to be professional is organization. If you have a few balls in the air make sure you know where they are, which one you need to catch next and when the next one is ready to be tossed. Don't lose track of important details. I'm not good at this myself. But you can always improve. Just cause you messed up one day doesn't mean you can't do better the next day. We're human and adaptable for a reason.

Another way to be professional is to learn, find out what the expected standards are and use them. Write a query letter without irrelevant personal comments. Save chit chat for friends and people who are interested in what you have to write. Don't forget or be too timid to include your terms, your contract, along with the ideas you are submitting. Make it clear writing isn't some hobby you do without pay. It's more professional to present yourself as a professional, showing what you can offer and what you expect back for your work.

Are there ways you could be more professional? Read some of your past business correspondence and see how you could improve. Did you find any typos? Did you chit chat a bit too much? Was your proposal specific enough? Know what you need to fix so you can write a better query next time. Also, if you get into the habit of being professional it becomes easier and it will leak out into all the aspects of your writing career. One other plus, the more professional you are the more you will feel like a writer and less like someone trying to be a writer.