What's Happening In Sports Today? Friday, February 27, 2009

J. Chad Barnett, Contributing Writer



I checked around and here are some of the Top Sports Stories in the media today. I'm going to start doing this every day if possible, so check back often.

1. NBA News--Upon being released from the Knicks, Stephon Marbury signed-up with the Boston Celtics. Having not played since January2008 following the death of his father and a severe ankle injury, Marbury is expected to be available for play tonight. Read more...
2. PGA Tour News--Tiger's road to redemption was stopped dead in the second round of the WGC Match Play event in Arizona. The number one player in the world was sent home due to faultless play by South African, Tim Clark. Read more...
3. NFL News--Redskins sign All-Pro lineman Albert Haynesworth to a 7 year, $100 million dollar contract. The contract also includes a record $41 million in guaranteed money. Read more...
4. Pro-Tennis News--Andy Murray withdraws from the Dubai Tennis Championship because of infection. Also, Novak Djokovic advanced to the semi-final rounds. Read more...
5. Pro Sports Videos and News--This is an awesome site with sports videos in different categories. I recommend it to all sports fans out there. Check it out....

That's all for today. Check back tomorrow for an update. If you have any suggestions for a featured site, leave a comment or e-mail me and tell me about it. I promise to answer all correspondence.

The Secret To Making Your Articles Irresistible: Tips For Creating An Engaging Headline

J. Chad Barnett, Contributing Writer

Having a good Headline is paramount for capturing readers' attention. You have to make them want to read your article. Now there are a variety of ways to go about accomplishing this. Being the gracious person that I am , I have shortened this list and am going to share it with you now.

I. Use "trigger-words" and superlatives in your Headline---Grab the readers' attention with "catchy" words and phrases. Examples>>>the truth behind, secrets revealed, most exciting, one-and-only, etc.

II. Adhere to the Four "U"s of writing Headlines implemented by the trainers at American Writers and Artists, Inc.---1. Be Useful to the readers. 2. Provide a sense of Urgency. 3. Make readers believe the main benefit is Unique. 4. Do all of this in an Ultra-specific way.

III. Use "specific" key-words and phrases---The more you use specific key-words, the higher your article will appear in the initial search results. Count how many times I use the word Headline in this post.

IV. Before and after you write your Headline, ask your self these questions---"Is my Headline intriguing enough to make the reader want to read further?"--"Is a reward of some kind offered to the reader in my Headline?"--"Would this Headline make me want to read more?"--"Does this Headline connect with my audience?"

I believe that following this simple, yet very effective, list will increase the numbers to your blogs, websites, etc. Oh, and one more tidbit of information for you. Research has proven that longer Headlines produce more traffic than shorter ones. It's common sense. The more information you have in the Headline, the more a reader will want to view it. Don't go all Section 8 on it though. Be somewhat subtle.

"Either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing."--Benjamin Franklin

The Short and Sweet of Writing An E-Book

J. Chad Barnett, Contributing Writer

Scanning any number of blogs or web pages that are updated regularly, you can find all of the ingredients to write an E-book. Talking about something you enjoy, like explaining the mechanics of a chip-shot with detailed instructions, are the beginnings of an E-book.

All you have to do is to bring your ideas together with a Title, Introduction, Story, and Conclusion. This may seem like a hard task to undertake, but I assure you it is not. Let me explain why.

Once you have an idea of what you will be writing about, there are a few choices to be made. First off, do you want to control everything from writing to publishing, etc.? If so, you'll want to get a program to help you accomplish this. Something like this one maybe. It costs a little money, but it's an easy step-by-step system. Not a bad investment.

If you know enough and want to save a little money, try a free service like this one. This site is like the T.J. Maxx of the E-book world. Great deals on software, and lots of free stuff! An overall good site.

There is a good article here that explains a little more. The services offered by the site are top-notch and well known. The owner of this blog, Alan Hammond, is a writer for this web-site. Take a look and see what you've been missing.

Writing an E-book can be a good source of income. Just put your time and effort into it, and anyone can write an E-book.

"The life of every man is a diary in which he means to write one story, and writes another."--Sir James Matthew Barrie

Top Sports Writing Jobs For Week Of February 2, 2009

J. Chad Barnett, Contributing Writer

New week, new list. I will try to post new and current jobs each week.

1. New magazine is seeking sports content, and other niches.
2. College and Pro-sports writers and bloggers needed. Many positions available.
3. Seeking a college basketball writer for the Charlotte 49ers.
4. Sports website needs a copy editor in Charlotte. Top pay!
5. Well-established web site hiring for a Proposal Coordinator/Editor. $$$$

That's it for this week. Search the blog for previous posts, and check back every week for an updated list.

An Awesome Free Service To Help “Kick-Start” Your Writing Career

J. Chad Barnett, Contributing Writer

When I first started freelance writing, I admit, I didn't have a clue as to what I should do. I was pretty sure that I would be able to do my job, but the problem was that I didn't have a job, or know how to find one. I did a couple of Google searches, and after some trial and error, I finally landed my first job.

I will say that the first service that I used cost me a little money. I've always been sort of a gambling man. You can't make money, if you don't spend money. Thankfully, the gamble paid off, and I'm able to do something I enjoy.

I try to help out other freelance writers too if I come across something helpful, or interesting. Let's face it, I wouldn't be where I am today without a lot of help from others. So let me tell you a little about a completely free service, that will help freelance writers the world over.

I'm talking about http://www.freelanceportfolios.com/. This service allows you to create virtual portfolios. Use the portfolios to display client lists, services offered, and samples of your work. It takes minutes to design your personal portfolio, and then you can begin looking for work, in the job finder.

The best thing about this site is that it is absolutely free! Along with the portfolios, there is an article database with helpful information to freelance writers. Go on, check out http://www.freelanceportfolios.com/, and see for yourself. They have a lot to offer, and it's free. No gamble there at all.


Editor's Note: If you are a writer considering blogging as an income stream, Sports Writer HQ recommends only two products: The Blog Mastermind program, which you see in the right margin and Blogging to the Bank. Click any of the links you see to learn more about Yaro Starak's Blog Mastermind program. To read more about the latest edition of Blogging to the Bank, which you can download instantly, click here!

The Most Common Writing Mistake

According to freelance writer extraordinaire, Bob Bly, the most common writing mistake you can make is not possessing a wide knowledge and deep understanding of your subject. He says, "...if you lack mastery of your topic, your writing willl be vague, unfocused and have little value, credibility, and authority."

To combat this, Bly says, among other things, you should simply educate yourself. If you're writing about something, anything, it generally means you have an interest in the subject, particularly if you are a freelancer. That being the case, it shouldn't be too difficult to deepen your knowledge.

After gaining the requisite knowledge of your subject, according to Bly, organize your content for maximum impact, make your subject clear to the reader, and polish your prose.

Sportswriting Goes Further than Article Writing

It's always great to get your work published. Today, there are lots of options for submitting your work for publication; websites, newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc.

There's also corporate writing. Whatever your chosen sport(s), you can be certain there are businesses that need your help. For example, I have completed several projects for a company that produces and sells golf instructional videos. They also maintain a mailing list to which regular newsletters are sent. For that company, I have written extensive reports about various aspects of golf.

As another illustration, I have completed writing projects for a company that manages several golf resorts in the United States and around the world.

With a little imagination, you can find these companies. Finding them is a big step to getting work from them. When you're starting out as a sportswriter, those corporate writing paychecks are generally much larger than those for the traditional article for publication.

Great Sportwriting Outlets for Beginning (and Experienced) Freelancers

If you want to become a freelancer, or you're simply looking for new outlets for your writing, there are some good places to explore. Over the next several days, I'll be providing my experience with some of them. Here's the first:

Suite101.com - In my experience, Suite101.com's three major advantages are as follows:

1) They don't let just anyone become a writer. There is an application process. Prospective writers need to have a background in their chosen area and they have to submit sample pieces that meet standards. This gives the site a higher degree of egitimacy.

2) They offer Feature Writer positions for people who publish regulary and with some longevity. Writers are eligible to become a Feature Writer after publishing 10 articles.

3) Great search engine placement. Suite101.com has been around for some time and they have earned a good reputation. Although much is dependent upon the writer in doing his/her "keyword" part, 7 million page views per month is a big boost.

I've enjoyed great success with Suite101.com's golf section over the past year. My Feature Writer position has added immesureable legitimacy to my freelancing career. Suite101.com is certainly worth your time.