HowToDoThings.com Elite Author Articles

How To Put Together a Nursery

L.500 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:07:57 -0500

How To Pack for a Cruise

L.500 — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:25:11 -0500

How To Make a Living as a Writer

L.500 — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:30:13 -0500

How To Write a White Paper

L.500 — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 12:52:00 -0600

A white paper is usually thought of as a paper accompanying a technology product. This paper defines what problem the product intends to fix, and what applications the product has to offer. Writing a white paper is usually the domain of technical writers, but in some cases, the developer of a product will want to write their own white paper for marketing or proposal purposes. Learning to write a white paper is a little more challenging than the typical technical paper, as it does involve several very specific criteria.

How To Write Celebrity Gossip

L.500 — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:07:00 -0600

Celebrity gossip is the currently the hottest thing going in the online writing world. There is plenty of it going into newscasts, newspapers and magazines, but the majority of it is being done online. Thanks to the quick fame and money coming to the most popular gossip blogs, seemingly everyone wants to get into this form of writing. Here's how to do it if you think you'd like to get into the game:

Know your gossip targets. In the celebrity gossip world, anyone is fair game. But the targets that everyone wants to read about will change every few months. At one point, it might be all about the starlets out partying. Then it may change to the actors of a certain TV series. Keep on top of what everyone is reading and talking about by reading a few gossip blogs yourself. But don't limit yourself to blogs--these days even the front page of CNN.com has celebrity gossip on it.

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How To Find Publishing Jobs

L.500 — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 23:36:00 -0600

Publishing jobs are not as few and far between as many people believe. While it's true that the vast majority of publishing jobs were once located in New York City, today there are any number of opportunities in other states, as well as online.

Establish yourself with qualifications. Jobs in publishing are not as scarce as they once were, but there are still some stringent skill requirements. A degree in English, communications or a related field of study is most helpful. If that isn't possible, taking a few classes would also be helpful. Doing the appropriate reading on your own is an excellent way to get some experience and expertise, even if you do have the degree. Keeping current with publishing changes and trends will keep you ready for job interviews.

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How To Write a Romance Novel

L.500 — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 00:29:00 -0600

While people once snickered at the clichéd romance novel, today the romance genre comprises fully half of mass market book sales. This represents a powerful literary force that is reshaping not only the book market, but romance novels as well. The romance genre is now divided into a vast array of subgenres, all with different elements involved to tell the same basic story of love, romance, and a happy ending.

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How To Write a Will

L.500 — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 01:46:00 -0600

A will is essentially a legal document that assigns your property and assets to specific people after your death. There are several ways to divide up the assets, and there are specific laws in every state regarding wills, but there are a few things that should be considered no matter what state you happen to be in.

Signify your legal right to make up a will. This is usually just certifying that you are of sound mind, are over 18, and have not been coerced in way to make the will. A will is less likely to be contested or to be overturned if the person writing it clearly signifies these things.

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How To Write an Editorial

L.500 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 23:51:00 -0600

An editorial is a way for a reporter to get her own personal opinion into a story, rather than the objective approach used with other newspaper stories. Most newspapers run editorials on a regular schedule, whether daily or two to three times per week. These are normally written by the staff reporters, though community leaders or experts in certain fields are occasionally invited to craft an editorial. If you are called on to write an editorial, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Keep the topic relevant. The topic of an editorial should normally be about a current news story or event. This doesn't have to be a major story or event, but it should be something with a broad appeal to the readership. If you want to write an editorial about something that happened in the past, wait for an anniversary of the event to tie it to the present day.

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How To Write a Complaint Letter

L.500 — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 02:50:00 -0600

Now that customer service is little more than a memory, the complaint letter serves as our direct line to report problems to the powers that be. Complaint letters may be written about rude staff, inadequate goods or services, or about general policies that are making things difficult. However, there is a right and a wrong way to approach the letter. The right way calls attention to the problem. The wrong way gets thrown into the trash.

Calm down. When a person is angry enough to craft a complaint letter, the letter may be more of a way to vent anger and frustration than to tell the higher-ups about a legitimate problem. For this reason, it may be a good idea to wait a day or two before sitting down to begin. Emotions should be left out of any complaint letter if it is to be effective.

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