Aligning Content For Story Telling

When you learn how to understand your target audience, it is the most significant factor in strategizing your content marketing concept. If you don’t know what your customer’s goals and interests are, then you will find it very challenging to submit content that is engaging and that tells a story. Keep this in mind when writing content. A reader is better able to identify with a story rather than a concept. I am not saying our readers are not as savvy as we are, but when you tell a story about a product, for example, rather than the features of the product, it gives the reader a better perspective and helps the customer to identify with the product.

Let me explain further: I have written a book titled, “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt.” 

Although, the title somewhat describes what the book is about, if I were to take sections of the book and place it in this piece of content or write a synopsis of a similar story, I would get a better reaction from my audience. Who are my target audience? I would say it would be parents, teenagers, young children and child sexual abuse victims. You must first identify your audience before writing content. Without having to place sections of my book here, I would align the content of my book with a similar short story about a fictitious character, Jessica.

Jessica

The loud squeaky noise from the opening door startled Jessica and woke her from a not-so sound sleep. Grabbing her sheets tightly with her clenched fingers, she peered through the dark to see who it was. Adjusting her eyes to the dark was not easy, but she could finally see the silhouette of a very tall figure in a pair of familiar black pants and white shirt. As the figure boldly entered the room, Jessica softly lay back down on the bed and pretended to sleep. She was hoping that he would go away, but suddenly, she felt a well-manicured hand over her mouth, preventing her from screaming. She tried to bite the hand while she forced herself to look up at him. Unable to gasp with horror, she stared up at her older cousin, Willy as he placed his index finger of his other hand over his mouth to hush her up. Once he noticed signs of obedience, he quickly began his planned and desensitized attack on her body. She cringed in disbelief and could do nothing but surrender because she remembered in that moment that no one was at home to hear any possible screams. Her parents had left for a dinner engagement and Cousin Willy was supposed to stay at the house until they got back. He was staying alright, but helping himself to her slender body and childlike innocence.

The Story Alignment

Do you see how this short synopsis about Jessica’s experience aligns to the title of my book? That is how you should write content to feed your readers. I didn't talk about what is in my book, other than mention that it is a similar story. I gave the readers a sneak of what they could expect from my story. Impact your audience – don’t believe for a second that they don’t know what to expect because they do. If you enjoyed this short story, you will enjoy my book, “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt and my other book, “For The Wounded Soul.” 

Check them out by clicking the described title hyperlinks. If you buy the first one, I will give you a free audio book download coupon to get the other. What are you waiting for? Don’t you love an interesting story? I know you enjoyed this one and you will enjoy the others. So act right now and CLICK HERE to buy The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt!” Email me with proof of purchase and I will send your free audio download coupon for “For the Wounded Soul.”

When Your Writing Mind Wanders – Creative Writing Prompts

If you are a writer like me or you are attempting a writing project, what happens when your mind wanders or you have writer’s block? What do you do? Well, you can give yourself creative writing prompts, even if it is just to get started. Of course, you could start with your lexicon by flipping the pages or writing down words that you see. You could write a letter to your child abuse offender or you could write a letter to the 40 year old child abuse survivor that you want to be.

The Letter From The 8 Year Old Child Within

It could probably begin like this:

I was only eight years old when you molested me and yet at age 32, I am still reliving the experience almost every day. I remember the barn outside and the chair that you put me to sit on as you vehemently tore off my clothes. The chair legs were a little shaky and I had to hold on so I wouldn’t fall off. I heard the owls outside so I knew it was late when you took me from my bed and carried me over the meadows. No one heard you because they were all asleep. I panicked that night because I was really so afraid and called out your name to stop, but I saw that wild look in your eyes and knew that my screams were futile. Your heavy breathing still haunts me and I cringe once more at the thought of it. I never could figure out what your thoughts were to want to seduce a little girl who you called your niece. I still haven’t told mom. Your doting sister would probably not believe me anyway as you so confidently told me that night and I believed you. For all these years, I hung on to the words that were shouted menacingly in the dark at me, “If you tell anyone, I will kill you.”

The Creativity

Do you see how creative this can become? I could do a lot with this story now. Of course, you probably wouldn’t write about such tough and difficult topic. At least, most people don’t want to, but did you know that child sexual abuse is still rampant in our society? And did you know that even if you turn a blind eye, you will be a part of the problem and not the solution? Yes, while you might not think so, it is true.

My Responsibility

As a writer, I have a responsibility or at least have taken on the responsibility to tell the stories, even if I have to create the characters, but my personal story was not make belief because it happened to me in real life, but for that 8 year old little girl who may still be going through this terrible experience, will you help me to spread the word against child sexual abuse? I am depending on you. You don’t have to be a writer. I will take care of that part for you. All I ask is that you spread the word. I have written a story that you might love to read, “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt.”

If you loved the short paragraphs above, then you will appreciate this book. I want you to tell others about it and my hope is that it will get in the hands of the right people. I am also running a book special. Buy this book and I will give you a free coupon for downloading my 353 page audio book titled “For The Wounded Soul,” which is quite similar. It can be found on Audible.com. Proof of purchase will be required.

Act Right Now

So recapping, if you purchase “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt,” I will give you a download code to get my other book, “For The Wounded Soul,” for FREE! What are you waiting for        ! Get “The Man in The Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt.”  Email me at octane360@gmail.com your proof of purchase and I will provide the download code for the audio book. And tell your friends about it too! Thank you.

Exposing Your Personal Side with Blogging

Blogging is an ideal way to find a voice in such a huge online crowd. Of course, you can have a business website with all the features and product listings, but this doesn't provide the platform you need to ensure that your customers, visitors and readers know the ‘real you.’

People are always looking to learn more about anyone they do business with and you are no different. So you have to represent your ‘true self.’ You want people to trust you and feel your sincerity when reading your posts.

On your blog, you can say anything you want, but be careful with your freehand. People can take things out of context and when writing, remember that this blog is going to be a permanent addition to the online community, which means that you cannot take it back. Blogging is a way for you to show your personality and allow your readers to have a look into some parts of your life. Be aware, though, that a blog is extremely personal. You put yourself in a vulnerable position, but sometimes, it is required.

My Personal Story

One personal example for me is the fact that I have experienced child sexual abuse at a young age. I used this experience to write two books that would help other young children and their parents. One book is titled “For the Wounded Soul and the other titled “The Man in the Shadows: He Touched Me Where it Hurt.” I am very passionate about this issue and instead of hiding behind what I went through, I made a firm decision to become vulnerable. So for me, this isn't only about making money from the books. More importantly, this is about touching lives with my writing. Do I really want to become vulnerable? Honestly, no, but I have no choice. I didn't choose what happened to me, but I am in a position to help others so I have to share my story or I can’t sleep at night. That’s how serious it is for me!

Other Bloggers

My life like many other bloggers is not scripted, but if we find that what we blog about is an issue that will encourage or motivate someone else, by all means, we are going to tell the story. Believe it or not, we are all connected in some way or the other. Someone’s child may have been humiliated by a bully at school. The person may feel like sharing it on a blog. Another mother might stop by and read the blog after hearing that her child also has been bullied at school. Do you think that this information will help that mother? As long as it is written in a compassionate and informative way, it most certainly will.

Of course, there are some people who will misjudge your intentions, but that is the chance you have to take. Once you know that your intentions are pure, you have nothing to worry about. In real life, we all have so many issues to deal with. If sharing the solution is any way to help someone else, then that is what you should do. The Internet community has enough room for us to tell stories that will impact lives. Broadcasting your feelings and issues doesn't mean that you are oversharing. It means that you care about the issues that affect others. This is the difference between immature indiscretions and candid actions.

Now that you have read all of that, learn more about me by viewing my entire book line on Amazon. I have no more secrets. I am an open book to the world in order to save even one person and I make no apologies about that. Thank you for reading. Share this article with your friends and associates. It will do much good!

Writing for a Specific Purpose and For A Target Audience

When you understand the demographics of your audience, it will determine how you write, what you end up writing about, the choice of words and the tone of your content. Once you know who you are writing to impress, it will give you a sense of purpose on the point of your content and how you will bring those points across. Once you know and understand your purpose and the audience to which you share this purpose, you will be more focused in your writing.

In my case, I am very passionate about writing for victims and survivors of child abuse. My immediate audience would be parents who have had children survive this traumatic event and victims who have reached adulthood. I would also target child advocacy groups to let them know that I share their cause and possible share my writing with them so that they can in turn share with their members. The public-at-large is also my audience because they need to become aware of this issue.  Why?

Write to Educate

I try to take the opportunity to use my writing to educate the public on the seriousness of this issue. I would indirectly target the decision-maker of big corporations so that they can provide me with a wider audience reach? How? Well, these big nay-sayers are encouraged to buy my books in bulk (sponsorship) and donate it to the child advocacy organization in good faith. However, I could go one step further and offer to put a one page ad in my book for the corporation. This will provide a benefit to the corporation and give a reason to act.

SIDE NOTE: By the way, if you are a corporation or company, feel free to purchase my books online and donate them to your favorite child advocacy organization or to Darkness to Light, an advocacy group, of which I have an interest.

Write to Give Hope

When I was writing my book, my first thought was the audience that I was writing for.  Initially, I started by writing for the parent who doesn't understand that he/she should be careful to observe their children. Or the child sexual abuse survivor who is still trying hard to deal with the issues related to their unfortunate ordeal. Then I will think about the precise point I wanted to make. In this case, I would want the survivor to know that he/she is not alone because I am a survivor too.

I write my books in such a way as to give hope. For the parents, I share my story, which shows that even a close family member can be the perpetrator. Therefore, my writing conveys the message that it is especially important to closely monitor children. I cannot say that enough!

I usually ponder on the questions that my target audience would ask. I go over those questions, find the answers and include in my draft. I will put a lot of thought into this step. If I have to do additional research, I will – including statistics to show how crucial it is to spread the word about child sexual abuse and the effects it has on children.

Conclusion

Whatever, you write about, let it be something that is dear to your heart. If you write a romance novel, for example, develop a story that people can identify with. If you write non-fiction, make it purposeful and choose the right audience before you put any words on paper.  If you want to help my particular cause and passion, purchase my book at Amazon or virally share this article or the link to my book on your social media pages. Help me to shatter the silence of child sexual abuse. There is a child out there that needs your help too!

The Effects of Child Sexual Abuse – Keven’s Story

I love to tell stories, even when they are controversial, not just for the heck of it, but because I want to grab the reader’s attention in what I am trying to say, especially when the issues are very serious or dear to me. Child sexual abuse is one of them. Some people might say that this topic is not appropriate on this particular blog, but it is. 

Let me tell you why. A blog should be streamlined into one niche. I agree with that, but as a writer of books pertaining to child sexual abuse, I can incorporate my writing by showing other writers and business owners how they can use the written word to build on their platform, product, service or cause.

A book is a powerful way to reach the public, but so is a blog. It is a portal where people come to read what you write. Since child sexual abuse is so important to me and I have written books with stories told of what others have gone through, I think this is the perfect timing to start a dialogue so that others will know what I stand for and join me in giving this issue a voice.

The story of child abuse may begin in the child’s home by a parent, baby sitter, uncle, aunt, sister, brother, neighbor or visiting stranger. No matter who commits the abuse, the act is still wrong. If you are a mother or father and your child tells you that he/she was touched in the private area of their body, what would you do?

Keven’s Story

Keven was such a boy. He had been going to his local church for some time with his parents. Pastor Lange took a liking to the boy and considering that his mother was a single mom, he would pick up Keven from school for her and take him to the church or to his house until he was picked up. Keven loved Pastor Lange. He thought the pastor was fun to be around. That is all his mother would hear him talk about – how Pastor Lange took him fishing, to a fast food joint, to the basketball court or to the museum. So mom, of course, felt that he was in good hands and Keven felt safe until…

One night Keven was having a sleep over, which had been a request made by Pastor Lange to Keven’s mother.  She thought nothing of it because Pastor Lange was a man of God, trustworthy and never proved to want to do harm to her son. Keven and Pastor Lange did homework together that evening, ate dinner, watched some television and then Keven went to bed, his tired body yielding to asleep almost immediately.

Keven awakened to feel a large hand caressing his body as he slept on his stomach. The hand ran up and down as Keven pretended to sleep for fear of alerting the intruder. Without looking, he knew exactly who it was. The hand went to the waist of his pajamas and pulled it down gently, after which the underwear was removed. Keven was terrified at this point and didn't know what to do. He remained in the same posture and cringed as Pastor Lange penetrated his little body from behind. He felt the sharp pain and screamed, but they were both alone in the room and Pastor Lange, too filled with passion and emotion was transformed into a selfish man that Keven did not know.

It Can Be Anyone

There are more Kevens in the world and so are more parents like Keven’s mom who are trusting because someone holds an esteemed and respected title. It could have happened to anyone. There were no signs to report initially until the first incident. Keven chose not to tell his mother and kept his little secret because Pastor Lange told him that God would punish him if he spoke up. Keven believed him.

The Impact

A child who has become a victim of sexual abuse will surrender to prolonged episodes for various reasons. Sometimes, the child may think that they may have done something to deserve it. Most times, the child is afraid. The long term effect is even worse. Some will have difficulty in future relationships. Others will become promiscuous. Some women become prostitutes during their adult years.

Parents should pay attention to subtle signs such as:

·         Rare interest in things related to sex

·         Insomnia and nightmares

·         Depressed or withdrawn

·         Seductive behavior

·         Saying that their bodies are filthy

·         Complaining about issues with the genital area

·         Behavioral problems in school

·         Refusing to attend school

·         Becoming very secretive

·         Drawings or artwork of a sexual nature

·         Aggressive

·         Displaying suicidal behavior

·         Guilty feelings

What Do You Do?

As a parent, if your child confides in you that he/she has been molested, try to be calm and offer reassurance to the child that you will get to the bottom of it. Explain that whatever happened is not their fault.

Seek medical attention and therapy for the child. Go to the authorities to report it. However, make sure that before anything happens to your child; educate your child on these issues. Let the child know that even though he/she must be respectful to adults or authority, this does not mean that they should put up with being touched in private areas of the body – they should always tell.

Child abuse is traumatic for a young child. Overcoming this trauma is going to take partnership of the parents, professionals and the school system. Whether you are a parent or not, you should always be mindful of small children around you. If you see something suspicious happening with a child and adult, report it. Spread the word and shatter the silence of child sexual abuse. Don’t turn away. 

I did something about it by writing a book and telling a story like this. You can help me to get the word out by also purchasing my books title, “The Man in the Shadows: He Touched Me Where It Hurt” and “For The Wounded Soul” to support the work for more books like these to come. Thanks for reading and please leave your comments below! You have permission to use this article on your website or blog without making any changes. 

Amanda’s story: Child Sexual Abuse

Amanda stared at the tall, lengthy silhouette of her neighbor, Mr. Condit, as he pulled up his pants and slowly buckled his belt.  Suddenly, he invaded the silence by calling her name seductively, “Amanda.” She reluctantly looked around at him and saw him waving the $10 bill he had in his hand. He quietly placed it on the table next to him. This was the routine every time she would come over to his house to get money for school. 

Amanda grew up in a household with 7 siblings and a single mother who tried her best to meet the family’s needs, but they were always in need. So, one day, Amanda approached her neighbor, Mr. Condit to ask for monetary help. Mr. Condit was always nice to her. He would wave from his backyard and smile at her. She felt safe with him until Mr. Condit told her one day, “You are going to have to give back something in exchange for my money, Amanda.”

“I don’t understand,” Amanda said quite innocently. “Come over to my house after school and I will show you,” he said with a mischievous smile.  

Amanda soon found out that Mr. Condit was not the man that she thought he was. He took advantage of her innocence and as she now grabbed her underwear and slipper, running out of the house was easy compared to the memories that would not escape her.

Most of the child abuse incidences are rarely reported. In Amanda’s case, Mr. Condit told her that if she told anyone, he would hurt her entire family. Amanda is not alone. Many children are fearful of their perpetrator, which is usually someone they know. Even when some of the parents (usually single mothers) know, they won’t say anything. In Amanda’s case, her mother had a notion of what was going on, but she knew that Mr. Condit was providing money that she couldn't, so she let it be.

This is not OK. Kids, like Amanda, who are being abused by adults that they once trusted, can be emotionally and psychologically damaged for life. I can attest to this because I am a survivor. Lucky for me, I found a way to channel my frustration by writing books on the topic. You can find some of my books on Amazon here. I have an innate passion for this subject because kids feel that they don’t have a voice and the idea that they can be violated in such a horrific way is not something that they can wrap their minds around.

No child can be prepared psychologically to cope with sexual stimulation; whether it is one time or repeatedly. Even smaller children (2 or 3 year old) who don’t know anything about sex will have issues later as a result of being violated. If the abuser is a relative, friend, neighbor or associate, it is even more difficult for the child since this is a person who the child may greatly admire. A child like this may want to please the perpetrator for fear of being unloved or hurt if he or she tells someone.

How do we break the silence? I did by writing my books, but what can you do? Don’t turn a blind eye. Look at this as a lifetime problem for a child and for society at large. I challenge you to buy my book, which is a similar story to mine. What this will do is to educate you on the effects of sexual abuse on a child. It will also give you an opportunity to introduce the book to someone who may have been sexually abused or a parent who may have a child in such a situation. In addition, proceeds of the book will go to a related charity. So buying the book today will lend a voice to this devastating issue that most of us don’t want to talk about and subsequently keeping it hush-hush!

Buy THE MAN IN THE SHADOWS right now and make a difference in a child’s or parent’s life!

Writer For Hire Now: Adding a Human Element to Your Content

Writer For Hire Now: Adding a Human Element to Your Content: Content marketing has seen a surge in the recent past and it is not letting up. However, not all content marketers get the hang of how to l...

Adding a Human Element to Your Content

Content marketing has seen a surge in the recent past and it is not letting up. However, not all content marketers get the hang of how to leverage their content. Readers are not interested in just hearing about the opinions of your brand or reading rewritten material from other industry sources. They want to relate to what you have to say. In fact, most readers are looking for solutions and that is what valuable content should provide.

Adding a human element to your content will make you more believable and that is why Google implemented the Google Hummingbird concept. Instead of writing for the search engine ranking with a bunch of keywords or phrases stuffed here and there throughout an article, why not write specifically to benefit the reader? Here are four guidelines to humanizing your content:

1.    A blog is a great way to break into your industry. It is an excellent tool for building relationships, in addition to social media. A blog is more up and personal. You have to post regular content on your blog, though, that your readers can look forward to. In other words, they will know where to come when they need answers or solutions. Make sure you keep your blog topic-specific, which means, you don’t want to have a blog about pets and you are also including articles on dating, unless your furry feline, for example, is dating another pet (just kidding!) A little humor helps too.

2.    Conduct extensive research on the topic that you are writing about. Don’t do this haphazardly. Spend some time to dig deep into the soul of the Internet. Your readers can tell if you put a lot of work into an article or not.

3.    Make sure that your content is properly edited. If you need help in this area, hire a writer and editor like myself. View my prices here. A girl has to eat, right? Once you have written a piece of content, share it with your Twitter followers and Facebook fans as well as other social media platforms such as Google+.

4.    Add infographics, videos and images to your content to make them more visually appealing.

Don’t worry about how many words you have in your article. For the most part, a 500-word article is quite acceptable, but if you end up with 400 words, so be it. Quality is more important than quantity. Remember, you are not writing for an article directory or search engine. You are writing to please your readers. Although not your entire focus, write an attention-grabbing title with keyword included. This will get your reader to pay attention, but write content that informs the reader rather than seduce them. Many copywriters would disagree, but who cares? My ethical obligation is to my readers and it should be the same with you. You want your readers to trust you. No one wants to deal with someone who has ulterior motives or bad intentions. With valuable and interesting content, readers will want to share with their friends and associates.

PAUSE: Take a look at this book written to support the victims of child abuse and view other books written and featured on AMAZON.

Leave your Ego at the Door

This is not about you! You are creating content for the reader and you must have the best of intentions – not necessarily writing to specifically sell a product or service, but writing to share your knowledge and expertise. Of course, your content will eventually sell the product because if this is your only source of income, no one expects that you are just going to be a sucker. You simply can’t, if you have mouths to feed.

Write as if you were the reader. What would you want to read and is your own content worth reading? When you create value, you build stronger connections and relationship with your reader – addressing the issues of concern to the reader. You will become the ‘go to’ person when your reader is looking for similar information.

Conclusion

When you use the appropriate techniques to relate to your readers, content writing becomes easier and is more effective in reaching your desired audience; driving traffic to your website and making you look like the expert and leader you are. Purchase one of my latest book on AMAZON and you, too can enjoy the kind of content created for readers like you.

Promoting Your Audio Books

Believe it or not, some people find it mentally painful to sit and read a print book. Some people don’t have the time, considering their busy schedules. In the past, this was not the case. People loved to read, but with the advent of innovative technology such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, iPads and the latest gadgets, there are hardly many people buying printed books as before. So what is the option since the written word has to be read?

Audio books have been around for a few years, but have not been as popular as E-books (electronic books). Recently, there seems to be a surge in the purchase of audio book formats. Consider the convenience of listening to an audio book while you drive in your car or exercise at the gym. I love to read, so I could do both printed and audio, but for those who just cannot see themselves opening up a printed book, audio is the ideal option.

I have created a couple of audio books from my printed copies and the response has been amazing. In fact, people are buying more of these audio books than the printed copies and guess what? They are the same price, so what is the catch? People prefer to listen with their ears than read with their eyes.

Delivering Content

When you are a writer, it is crucial that you deliver content in a variety of formats so that you can reach a broader audience and allow them to read the content in a way that they would prefer. Doing so will ensure that the information is easily and properly digested. I love printed books, but in the past, I found more time to read. These days, I am busy writing and don’t have as much time. So I can relate to anyone who doesn’t have the time.

Audio books make it easier for many people and for writers, like me as well. There are many different ways to promote your audio book. You could share a sample chapter on your blog, or you could host a webinar speaking on the related topic in your book to educate your target audience. You could also produce a book trailer, which is a preview of the audio and any visual components associated with it. This combination will bring your book to life.

Beyond Audio Book Production

The hard work doesn't start when creating your audio book, but it is at the end of production. When promoting your audio book, approach your marketing efforts as if you were launching a new product. Don’t treat it as an extension of the printed copy. This is the mistake many authors make. Consider it an entirely new product for an entirely different target audience – the ones who prefer to listen more than read. Use all the avenues and techniques that you are privy to such as:

• ·         Writing a blog like this one with information on where our audio book version can be found online
• ·         Add a hyperlink on your website so that it can be purchased with one click
• ·         Post updates on your social media pages
• ·         Use Google+ Hangout and Twitter chat to get the word out to your online audience; pretending that it is a new book and not just a version of the previous one

I don’t like to leave cash on the table and neither do I want to prevent the listening audience from getting a hold of such valuable information just because they don’t like to read printed books. I realized from my experience that there was a market segment that loved audio books and I was determined to serve them. 

You, too, can enjoy my audio books. It only takes two easy clicks: ONE HERE and the OTHER HERE. If you would like to solicit my copy writing and content writing service, please Click Here.

Showcasing my talent

My name is Cheryline Lawson and I am a writer and self-published author of several books and a wide range of online content. I have an innate passion for reading and writing. My main focus is on bringing valuable information to people who are searching for it. I currently reside in Florida with my husband of almost 29 years and two sons; aged 24 and 19. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Miami. When I am not writing or reading a good book, I like to volunteer at her local church soup kitchen and goes on travel adventures with her family.

I love to write…period. This is my life and something I get up in the mornings and look forward to. I wrote my books to inspire, encourage and motivate others and to give hope. I published my books to get the word out that – life happens and people should be inspired about their experience; whether it is good or bad. Everything happens for a reason and you can turn what seems bad into something good that will help others.

I wrote and published my first book in 2011 when I received a book I had ghostwritten for a client and didn’t see my name on it. I, then, knew that if I could do it for a client, I could do it for myself. There was no excuse. Of course, it took me a while to finish, but once I had the first book ‘under my belt,’ the other seven books were easier.

My first book, “For the Wounded Soul,” is very special to me. In fact, so much so, that I got the title tattooed on my ankle. It was such a painful experience because the ankle is such a delicate area of the body, but it exemplified the title of the book and the pain was worth it.

The Editorial Review of the book at http://tinyurl.com/woundedsoul

The book, 'For The Wounded Soul,' was released on October 26, 2011. This 352 page book contains several compelling and gripping true stories of individuals who have experienced abuse, domestic violence, addiction, rape, prostitution, infidelity, death of a loved one, serving time in prison, alcoholism, adoption and more. Every page in this book makes you want to turn the next page. You won't be able to put it down.

The author connects the dots by cleverly inserting her life story to make it more interesting and more life-like. You will feel her pain, sympathize with her and the others mentioned in the stories and finally realize at the end that we all are truly connected in more ways than we think. This is a MUST HAVE, book for your library.

The author tries to exemplify that what you go through may serve to empower you; if you look for the good in it and to always remember that you are never alone. Others go through similar things and still come out victorious and you can too! This book is enlightening, truly powerful, motivating, encouraging, and dynamic and an absolutely exceptional read.

My latest book - The Man in The Shadows - http://tinyurl.com/ManinShadows

Sarah and Emily are sisters. Regina is their cousin. The girls spend their summer vacations with their grandparents every year. As the girls grew older, strange things began to happen with their grandfather and Grandma Rose felt helpless. 

Days and nights, the girls had to play hide and go seek to escape their grandfather's grip. Sarah, the older one, got to experience his violent behavior one night when he went on his prowl, but so did Regina and Emily in other seductive ways. Read how the girls handled it after being recalled in their later years to face their grandfather on his dying bed about the truth. This novel is packed with suspense, moments of terror and a silence that no one wanted to break.

The story starts out with Regina and what her current life was like ---until the day when she got that letter. Sarah, a well-established attorney received her letter and was taken aback since she had purposefully changed her name to distance herself from the whole ordeal and family connection. Emily, the youngest one, got her letter and was ready to go to Georgia right away to face the man she knew as her grandfather. The plot thickens as other gruesome details were unfolded in the quest to divulge the truth. You have to read this book and see how child abuse can affect so many people - even the ones who keep it silent for years.

Writing these books is not just about making money for me. It is much more than that. It is about reaching people who will get something out of reading my books. Of course, I would love to be compensated for my efforts since this is my only livelihood, but even if I don’t get paid, I will still do this and that is the honest truth. 

You can support me by going to Amazon to see a list of which books you would like to purchase. Even if you don’t read my books, please bless someone with it. I need to spread hope and I need your help to do it! Thank you.

Check out my blog at: http://writerforhirenow.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/writer4hirenow

Facebook: http://facebook.com/hireawriter

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/cheryline-lawson/2/45b/a33

The Ideal Way to Write your Press Release

When you own an online business, a press release is an important commodity, especially when you have an announcement to make. A press release helps to tell the world that you have something new, unique and worth looking at. This is the ideal way to create a buzz in the media about your new launched product or service. The world will know that you have something new to offer and something that you are proud of. Not all writers or online business owners know how to write a press release. Most turn it into an advertisement and that is something that online newspapers and magazines don’t like. If it is done as an advertisement, it will be rejected by the media and by consumers.

Tips of how to write a press release

A press release is not an article or web content. It is written in a specific way. Here are some tips:

·         Using the customary news release format is very important. This means you should include your full contact information at the end of the press release. You should include a catchy headline and then write your announcement in a journalistic fashion. If you are unsure, look at other press releases on prweb.com or hire a writer like myself to write a winning press release for you. Leave out the graphics and use basic fonts

·         Don’t make the announcement about you, which means, the only place to put your name in a press release is when you are providing a quote

·         Avoid the superlatives: A press release should be factual so leave out the descriptive text. Stick to the facts. Your press release should not express an opinion. It is just an announcement. Avoid words like “amazing,” “extraordinary,” or “revolutionary.”

Save your press release in text format and not PDF because then someone can copy and paste it easily. You want to make it easy for people to grab your information. Give permission for anyone to reprint your press release as long as you are given author credit. For example, “Cheryline Lawson supports child abuse and has written a new book titled, “The Man in The Shadows,” where she plans to give proceeds of the book to the Child Advocacy Group in her local area. You can find her book on Amazon.com.” Most people leave out the key information, which is necessary for readers to take action.

Your Goal

If you are announcing a new product, be sure to include the name of the product, the price, the product features and the benefits to the consumer. Be sure to put the press release on your website, on your blog and submit to specific media outlets.

The goal is to get the announcement out so that the right people will see it. You are creating a buzz that could go viral. Follow up the press release with a tip sheet. It is the same format, but the tip sheet includes valuable information in bullet or numbered list. Your tip sheet will allow readers to view you as an expert. If your tips prove to be helpful, everyone will want to buy your product or service.

Support a hard working writer like me by soliciting my services to write your next press release or purchasing one of my books on Amazon.com. Thanks for your readership!

Local Businesses Need Online Content Marketing Help

There are many local businesses that are not marketing their companies online and it’s a mistake. It doesn't matter what kind of business you are in, you need to get the word out. Some people prefer to shop online and have products delivered to them instead of standing in long lines. Online marketing offers so many benefits; especially if you have both a blog and website. On your blog, you should add valuable content that will help your prospective and existing customers. This is the place where you build strong business relationships. This is where you will position yourself as the expert in your industry. This is where your clients will come when they need answers. So don’t take this for granted.

Can You Write?

Oh, so you can’t write? Well, you don’t have to be the expert writer. You can convey your thoughts to a hired writer who will do the job of writing on your behalf. All you need to do is to give the writer an idea of your voice (how you like to write) and he/she will transform it into something that you would write. Content marketing is first writing the content or have it written for you and publishing it in strategic places online. Your content has to be unique, which means, it cannot be found elsewhere on the Internet. In your article or web content, you should provide benefits, which will trigger the reader to want more information. Always put a call to action. Sometimes, people need to be told what to do. In your resource box, give the reader instructions on what to do next.

Great Content

Your content should be seen by a group of targeted people who are looking for what you have to offer. When a search includes specific keywords or keyword phrases, and the prospects land on your blog or web page, it should have exactly what the searcher needs. Be sure that you have an attention-grabbing headline on your blog or web page. You want the searcher to be curious enough to want to know more. In your content; whether it is an article or web content, I cannot say it enough - list all the benefits and value. Make it interesting and not filled with a lot of fluff. List some of the features, but don’t let all of the content be based on just the features.

Marketing Your Content

Use article directories as much as you can. Ezinearticles.com is an excellent platform for great exposure. This website already has high search engine ranking so you can ride on ‘their coat tail,’ so to speak. You must keep your blog regularly updated, which means post on a daily basis or at least three times per week. The search engines love fresh content. If you have a Twitter and Facebook account, which you should, then you need to share your content with your followers. It can go viral in a matter of minutes when your followers share it with their followers.

Conclusion

Be aware that as a local business, you may be leaving money on the table. Some of your targeted prospects can be overseas; providing a possibility for you to make money while you sleep. Get an experienced writer to put your content together and many writers also know how to market the content. Don’t underestimate your own writing abilities, but if you can’t or don’t have the time to do so, then a hired writer is the next best thing. Good luck with your business. Check out my self-published books at Amazon.com. You can also hire my writing services here.

No Writing Credits for Ghostwriting

I started to take writing seriously when I received a book I had written for a pastor via USPS mail. I didn't see my name on the book, but instead his name was visibly apparent on the cover. I received no credits. In fact, no one knew I had written the entire book, but the pastor and myself. That is what ‘Ghostwriting’ is all about. 

Once the person solicits your writing service and you sign the contract, you have indicated that after you are paid for your services, the work no longer belongs to you. You give up sole rights to the content. Is that a good place to be? Well, if the price is right and you agree to the terms, you should have no qualms about it. 

However, in order to produce your own writing credits, it is ideal to write your own books as well. If someone were to ask you, ‘what books have you written and published for yourself,” would your answer be, ‘well, I wrote a book for such and such, but the copyrights didn't belong to me?” How would that sound? A person soliciting your writing services and wanted to know if you had written any material of your own couldn't be able to tell if you indeed wrote a book for someone else or not. You must have your own book(s) in order to be taken seriously.

That is what I did. 

You can find my books on Amazon.com, if you click the link.

As I said before, it took holding the book I had written without my name on it – to realize that I was doing myself an injustice by not writing a book for myself. So I delved into it; after convincing myself that this was the best thing to do. It took me several months to finish because writing for others was how I earned my income and time spent doing that – only afforded me little time to spend on writing my book. I finally finished my first book, “The Wounded Soul,” of which I am the proudest; not only because it was the first one, but for the first time, I held something in my hands that was mine and it HAD MY NAME ON IT! It was an exhilarating feeling; to say the least.

I felt proud to know that I created something that could actually help others. I write and publish my own books for this reason only. It is not all for the money. A lot of times, I give away my book to someone I meet as long as I know that they will appreciate my hard work and will actually read the book and not put it down to collect dust.

I still love to write for others and I know sometimes I short-change myself when it comes to payment, but if someone wants to write about a particularly good cause and I can help, I try to work out a reasonable rate and will go below my rate, if I feel that the finished content will be very important to the readers. This is how passionate I am when it comes to being involved in a good cause and getting the word out through the written word.

Writing allows me to learn so much more than I know now or knew before. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities. It sharpens my research skills and sometimes pushes me into certain industries and niches that I had never been before. I am always growing and learning and I love that!

If you own a website and need web content or an electronic book written, I would be happy to assist you. Email marketing, article writing, manuals, forum postings and web auditing are also some of my specialties. Check out my books on Amazon by clicking the link here.

Self-Published Author Announces Launch of Newly Completed

Fort Lauderdale, FL, February 25, 2014: Self-Published Author, Cheryline Lawson announces the launch of her newly completed book, which she has been working on now for a little over a year. Ms. Lawson has been writing books, electronic books, articles and web content now for more than 15 years. She has a passion for social issues related to child abuse, addictions, domestic violence, rape, incest and infidelity.

The title of this new book is “The Man in the Shadow: He Touched Me Where it Hurt.” The story line is set in the state of Georgia. The synopsis or summary of the book starts with Sarah and Emily as sisters and Regina as their cousin. The girls spend their summer vacation with their grandparents every year. As the girls grew older, strange things began to happen with their grandfather. Days and nights, the girls had to play hide and go seek to escape their grandfather's grip. Sarah, the older one, got to experience his violent behavior, but so did Regina and Emily in other ways.

People who purchase the book will learn how the girls handled it after being recalled in their later years to face their grandfather about the truth. The book is a partially fictional story; with character name changes and some twist and turn for a more creative outcome.

Ms. Lawson has written several books, which are published on Amazon.com at http://tinyurl.com/cplawson. Some of the books are currently being created as audio books at Audible.com. Ms. Lawson writes to reach people who have had experiences that seem hopeless. Her encouraging and motivational method of writing allows readers to feel as if there is hope for them.

“I love writing, but not just to make money, but to impact and change lives. I want to know that some of my experiences can be transmitted into written form where the right people will read and understand that they are not alone,” Ms. Lawson said in an interview when asked about her motivation for writing this book.

Some of the other book topics include:

·         For the Wounded Soul (First book written)

·         The Sweetest Thing: Caught in a Love Triangle: A Romance Suspense Novel of Betrayal and Love

·         The Inferno of Zane's Redemption: The hunt for redeeming love and a heart revealed for the other man in her life. It was either for love or legacy. She had to choose!

·         Beyond The Crime Scene: When The Law Decides The Fate Of The Accused!

·         A Lost Life: Is this a lost generation, a lost key to life or can they be saved?

·         Anger Management for Teenagers: Urgent help for parents of teenagers who display uncontrollable anger that has been difficult to resolve

If anyone wants information on the list of current books available, visit the website to learn more or email: octane366@gmail.com. The Book is now on sale. CLICK HERE TO BUY.

About OnCourse, LLC: OnCourse, LLC provides reasonably priced books, which are self-published and available via the Internet. By leveraging the importance of self-development, Ms. Lawson remains true to her passion by providing content that touches the heart and gives people courage to make a difference in society.

Company: OnCourse, LLC

City: Fort Lauderdale

State: FL

Zip: 33313

Email: octane366@gmail.com