6 Tips to Stay Safe on Pinterest

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Side of Pinterest

Pinning is one of the easiest ways to boost traffic top your website or blog. You'll find numerous blog posts telling you all of the good things about Pinterest and how easy it is to start pinning and get a ton of traffic. 

Popularity on Pinterest can be both a blessing and a curse.  It's certainly true that getting traffic is pretty easy when you have a flair for creating eye catching pins.

But that's when you start attracting the wrong kind of attention.

 
In this blog post I'm going to show you how to stay protected on Pinterest, and stay clear of unwanted attention.

1. Beware of Spammers

Before you save a pin to your board always check the URL attached to it.  It goes without saying that you should never post personal information, but be mindful when you comment on other peoples boards and pins to.  Most pinners are just trying to advertise their blogs or businesses, but unfortunately it has become a hive for scammers to.

2. Don't Collaborate Unless You Know the User

Any board you collaborate with is immediately attached to your Pinterest profile.  If other people are pinning on that same board you have no hold over what content they attach to it.  Any content in violation of Pinterest's guidelines could get you into trouble.

Fortunately you can univite yourself from that board, but don't trust anyone you don't know directly. 

3. Look Out for the Fakers

Fakers are everywhere on Pinterest, they love to pose as celebrities and scam people or just make trouble for anyone that gets in their way.  Look for the people with an abundance of boards and the kind of content they're sharing.  As mentioned in the previous point above stay clear of these pinners especially if you're asked to participate on their boards.

4. Create Rich Pins

Rich pins offer your audience more content than normal pins, and make them more beneficial.

Not that different to 'rich snippets', a rich pin is an HTML markup that adds extra detail to the text underneath the URL in a result.

There are four types of rich pins: app, product, recipe and article. 

Each blog or website adds a small piece of code into the HTML in their website, then you validate your URL.  After you've completed both of those tasks you await the email from Pinterest saying that you now have rich pins enabled on your website. 

This is another way to keep scammers at bay, you're adding authentication to each image you pin on Pinterest.

5.  Learn About Your Privacy Settings

Your account settings are a very important part of your Pinterest account.  Over the years Pinterest has added or revised various privacy settings.  If you want to keep undesireable eyes a way from your Pinterest account check out these tips below:

1. Set the Search Privacy option to on.
2. Clear your search history regularly.
3. Reduce the number of notifications you get by receiving updates from Only People You Follow.
4. Change your password regularly, at least once a week.
5. Click on Show sessions and End Activity.
6. Don't connect any of your other social network sites to Pinterest (such as Facebook, Google+ or Twitter).
7. Don't connect your email to Pinterest.

6.  Check Your Analytics Regularly

This is really important and very easy to do, make sure you do this automatically when you log into Pinterest.  You'll be able to see in your activity section if anyone has created an image and connected it to your blog or website.  By logging into your analytics you can check through and make sure all of the pins are your own and not something someone else has decided to pin for you.

It's best to take control of this straight away when you start your account, because other pinners will start taking advantage straight away.  Click on the three dots at the top of your unwanted pin and fill out a copyright form. Do it as soon as you can before your unwanted pins start going viral on Pinterest.

Check out my blog post 22 Proven Tips to Gain Epic Traffic on Pinterest for more information about growing your Pinterest following.

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Flawless Punctuation

Even though punctuation can appear as unimportant it actually holds a greater role than you think in the grand scheme of  things.  A misplaced full stop or comma can bring a totally different meaning to a sentence and often leave people confused as to what was originally being communicated.

Frequently Used Punctuation Marks

We're going to start with some of the most regularly used punctuation marks.  With a swift stroke you can change how a sentence sounds.  Conveying the right punctuation can add emotion, feeling while giving your reader a sense of what the character is going through.  With a greater variety of punctuation used you can bring mood and effect that creates pace and reflects your story. 

Your use of punctuation must be constant throughout your writing giving your reader transparency and acknowledgement.

The Full Stop or Period (.)

Reminds you the sentence is complete.
Example: We're all going shopping.

The Question Mark (?)

The question mark has the power to change the meaning of a sentence by emerging at the close.
Example: Are you running today?

The Exclamation Point (!)

Exclamation point adds emotion to a sentence.
Example: I don't believe it!  I've just won a million pounds.

The Comma (,)

You can break sentences up into more sizable chunks and insert pauses throughout with a comma.
Example: I need eggs, milk, flour, and butter for those pancakes on Tuesday.

The Semi-Colon (;)

Separate two independent clauses in a compound sentence or items in a list where commas were previously used.
Example: There's a huge tarantula in the toilet; he has a lot of hair growing out of his legs.

The Colon (:)

Used to present anything: words, lists, names or quotations.
Example: The hungry monster had one thing on his mind: peanut butter cupcakes.

The Ellipsis (...)

Used to signify an incomplete sentence or missing text.
Example: I just feel awful...

The Apostrophe (')

Used to indicate possession and the plural form of letters and numbers.  Also used in contractions when letters are missing.
Example: That is Harriet's favourite blazer.

Specialised Punctuation Marks

This particular set of punctuation marks can be used to create effects or draw particular attention to parts of your writing.  Some of them may look similar but behave very differently from one another. 

The En Dash (–) Em Dash (—), and the Hyphen (-)

Both the en dash and hyphen are often easily mistaken for each other, even though their appearance is very different.

En Dash (–)

A little wider than a hyphen and mostly used in writing and printing to demonstrate a range or connections and differentiations.
Example: 1939–1945 or Princeton–New York trains

Em Dash (—)

Usually used in place of a comma, parenthesis or colon, and twice as long.   It's used to emphasise the conclusion of a sentence.
Example: He gave his answer—No!

Hyphen (-)

Used to join two or more words in a compound sentence.
Example: Part-time, well-known.

Using Brackets

Brackets are from a family of punctuation marks that are usually used in pairs.  Setting a portion of text from the rest of  the text.

Round Brackets () or Parentheses 

Commonly used to include information or steer away from a point.
Example:The War Stories (the second book in the series) sold out within days of being launched at the bookstore.

Square Brackets [] or Crotchets

Used as an indication to text that has been excluded, when being quoted directly from the source
Example: She [Mrs Abingdon] was the last person at the scene of the crime.

Curly Brackets {} or Braces

Braces or curly brackets are mostly used in mathematics or to contain two or more lines of text or listed items.
Example: Equal choices: Choose a colour {red, white, blue, yellow} to paint the kitchen.

Angle Brackets <> or Chevrons

Angle brackets can be used to signify internal thought. 
Example: Colin handed me a flower. "Smell it."
I quickly inhaled . "It's nice."

Quotation Marks (")
 
Also used as a matching pair as either double ("hello") or single ('hello') at the beginning and end of a quote or to highlight words or phrases.
Example:  "I was amazed to find the koala in the bathroom brushing his teeth," father said.
I had a visit from my 'friend'the tax man.

Read more about grammar here. 

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28 Tips to Gain More Traffic From LinkedIn

Signing up for your LinkedIn account is a walk-in-the-park, gaining followers is something that requires a lot more guidance.

There are a couple of approaches you can take, these include promoting your page and producing content that will increase your online visibility and drive shares to your blog posts.  In this article we're going to look at 28 different ways to gain more followers using both of these strategies.

1. If you belong to or own a company ask your colleagues or employees to add your page as their workplace, they will automatically become your followers.

2. Create content for optimal amplification, write "how to" and "best of" lists a regular company post, according to LinkedIn they get 40% more traffic than regular blog posts.

3. If you own a YouTube channel you're likely to gain twice as many followers than non-video posts.

4. Integrate keywords in your description and in your posts to optimise your LinkedIn page.

5. Regularly connect and comment on your current LinkedIn followers first.

6. Share your thoughts and insights in LinkedIn groups, people will grow to trust you and start checking out your profile page.

7. 53% of professionals joined LinkedIn to get access to company news so share a little.

8. Cross pollinate your other channels and promote your LinkedIn profile page.

9. Add a LinkedIn follow and share buttons on your website or blog.

10. Populate your profile page with valuable content to entice your audience.

11. Create a blog post about LinkedIn and add your profile page link within the post.

12. Write a regular blog post on LinkedIn.

13. Increase shares and follows by monitoring which blog posts are read the most on your LinkedIn profile.

14. Share useful content with your followers.

 

15. Create attractive images on your LinkedIn posts.

16. Ask employees and colleagues to share your posts on the web.

17. Follow like-minded individuals in your niche.

18. Include a call to action at the end of each blog post, ask all visitors to follow your blog or company.

19. Use the 80/20 rule for self-promotion, 80% of other peoples content and 20% of your own.

20. Grow your page by posting regularly and consistently.

21. Share job offers from your company whenever they come, this can often to lead to more followers.

22. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete, LinkedIn likes full profiles.

23. Your company logo will automatically display when you put it as your current place of employment.

24. Draw more clicks with trending topics on your blog posts.

25. For maximum impact post during LinkedIn's busiest hours which are, Monday to Friday, morning to midday.

26. Make sure all of your connections are synched on LinkedIn.

27. Capture visitor's attention with an eye-catching homepage image.

28. Follow as many relevant pages as possible to grow your page.

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5 Best Proofreading Courses Online

Proofreading is a vital part of writing any high quality or scholarly document.  When a manuscript is completed in the correct, thorough and careful way it can change the way it communicates to the reader.


Here are 5 of  the best proofreading courses online today:

1. Proofreading Power: Become an Effective Proofreader

Course creator Ashan R. Hampton will not only address the basics of proofreading but also provide practical application of the skills through exercises and quizzes so you can master the fundamentals of proofreading.  This can be used within the workplace environment where error-free writing is expected and is critical for all self-employed worker's and businesses alike.

2. How to Find & Correct Writing Errors: The Proofreading Guide

Dr Duncan Koerber uses his 20+ years of experience in both proofreading and editing to set out a course for writer's and editor's from any genre looking to develop their proofreading skills.  Showing you how to catch embarrassing errors before they reach colleagues, publishers and application committees.

3. Easy Comma Rules

Chandra Ellington shows you the importance of a "comma punctuation mark" in writing.  Letting your readers know where to pause, to separate a sentence so the information won't be misinterpreted.


4. Proofreading Your Own Work

Heather Saunders shows you how to detect the flaws and mistakes in your writing.  Providing hands-on advice on how to go about the proofing process as well as common errors to look out for.  Leaving you with tight, clean and error-free work.

5. How to Find and Correct Writing Errors: The Proofreading Guide

Dr Duncan Koerber a full-time assistant professor at Ryerson University Toronto teaches a comprehensive course on proofreading.  Guiding you through how to develop the right mindset to catch errors, and how to examine the most common errors in words, punctuation, and design and format.

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Homophones: The Words That Puzzle Everybody

The Words that Frustrate People the Most

The building blocks of any language are the words used. With these components we begin to put together sentences, paragraphs, essays and eventually novels and books.  Most people rarely think about the words they're using or if they are the right ones.

A lot of people don't know how to use the English Language to it's fullest,  but instead use a very limited vocabulary to progress through life.  By learning to expand your vocabulary with more commonly used words you can master the basics of writing and enhance you're own understanding of the English language.
 
Homophones, Homographs ad Homonyms and  Heterographs: What Makes Them Different?

They're all distinct, but it's the suffix of each that makes each one different, so let's take a closer look.

Why Homophones are So Confusing to Everyone

There are numerous homophones throughout the English language, it's not surprising many people are left scratching their heads when they try to use the correct word.  Take a look at some of the most frequently used homophones and the definition of each one.

Homophones, the Sound Alike Words

These are the sound alike words, when said out loud they all sound the same but that is where the likeness stops.  A good example is the word "plate" and "plait".  "Plate" is the dish you eat off  but it can also be a special kind of knot or twist.  The definition is all about the sound.  Here are some other examples:

Ate and Eight

Ate - from the verb to eat.  Example: I ate all of my dinner last night.
Eight - The number after seven and before nine. Example: She started her work before eight o'clock that evening.

Buy, Bye and By

Buy - verb meaning to purchase something.  Example: Can you buy me lunch?
Bye - Shortened version of goodbye. Example: "Bye, bye" said the little boy to his father.
By - a preposition meaning next to or near.  Example: My Favourite books is "Dracula". It's written by Bram Stoker.

Cell and Sell

Cell - a small area or room, usually found in a prison.  Example: Ted Bundy spent all of his time in his cell.
Sell - to trade a product or service for money.  Example: We want to sell our computer, but we don't think it's worth much.

Eye and I

Eye - the part of the your body you use to see with.  Example: When I start reading my eyes hurt.
I - pronoun a first person singular. Example: I really hope you understand what this letter means.

Flour and Flower

Flour - Main ingredient used to make bread.  Example: Sonia didn't have enough flour to make bread.
Flower - The decorative part of a plant.  Example: My girlfriend loves red flowers.

To, Two and To

To - verb meaning to express motion.  Example: Where are we going today?
Too - meaning as well or also. Example:Too many cooks spoil the broth.
Two - the number. Example: Two days to go til we go on holiday.

There, Their and They're

There - a place that is not here.  Example: There is the cottage.
Their - an indication of possession. Example: Their they all are.
They're - a shortened form of they are.  Example:  They're over here.

Compliment and Complement

Compliment - to flatter someone.  Example: That compliment was nice.
Complement - Something that goes well with something. Example: That dress  is a nice complement to those shoes.

Brake and Break

Brake - Brakes on a car.  Example: The brake works fine on the car.
Break - as a noun it can signify to pause or stop, can also be used when you 'break' something. Example: They took a break before they left for town.

Course and Coarse

Course - can mean a programme of educational study.  Example: She took a course in social studies.
Coarse - something that is rough or crude.  Example: The horse hair was very coarse to touch.

Piece and Peace

Piece - a unit or portion size. Example: A piece of cake for everyone.
Peace - a feeling of contentment. Example: The country was a peace with everyone.

Homographs, the Words that Are Spelled the Same

The words with the same spelling but different meanings, for example the word  "tear" which can mean a "tear" in the eye or  "tear" a piece of paper.  The definition is all about the sound not the spelling.

Here are some examples of homographs:
 
Wave - hand gesture or sea water coming into shore. 
Sewer - A drain or someone who sews
Row - a line, argument or a means to propel a boat by
Moped - to be gloomy or a moped bike
Minute - something that is very small or a numerical value
Learned - past tense of learn or to be knowledgeable
Fine - to be of good quality or a levy
Evening - to smooth out or when the sun sets
Entrance - the way in or to delight
Down - to go to a lower place or soft fluff from a bird
Bow - a type of know or to stoop down
Bat - a piece of sports equipment or an animal

Homonyms the Words that are Spelled the Same and Sound the Same

Similar characteristics can be found in both homophones and homographs they are words that are spelled and sound alike.    A quick example "pen" which can be a holding "pen" for an animal orused as an instrument to write with.

Here are some examples of homonyms:

Tire - to become fatigued or tire part of a wheel
Tender - to be gentle, or to pay money
Spring - a season of the year, or a coiled spring
Rose - to rise up, or a flower
Ream - a pile of paper, or to juice a citrus fruit
Pound - a unit of weight, or to beat
Pole - A person from Poland, or piece of metal that holds up a flag
Mean - average, or not nice
Match - a pair, or stick for creating fire
Lie - to recline, or tell a falsehood
Capital - the principal city of a state, or crime punishable by death
Circular - taking the form of a circle, or a store advertisement
Cleave - to split, or to adhere to
Quarry - Place for mining stone, or to extract slowly
Right - to correct, or opposite of left.
Rock - genre of music, or a stone
Well - to be in good health, or a source of water 

Heterographs the Words that Sound the Same But Have Different Spellings and Meanings

Heterographs mean "different writing" referring to words in the English language which have different spelling but sound the same.   Some quick examples are son, sun, pause, paws, knead, and need.

Here are some examples of heterographs:

Here and Hear

Here - means in this spot or locality. Example: I'm over here.
Hear - means to detect a noise or a sound. Example: I hear a noise coming from over there.

Bear and Bare

Bear - an animal.  Example: The bear rose up quickly and ran off into the woods.
Bare - Nude or stripped. Example: The room was completely bare.

Toad and Towed

Toad - Amphibian animal.  Example: The toad sat on the log.
Towed - participle of the word 'to tow'. Example: She towed the car away.

Here and Hear

Here - a place.  Example: The best place to be is here.
Hear - using ears to experience sound. Example: I hear a loud noise.

Two, To and Too

Two - means number two. Example: There are two of us in here today.
To - a preposition, or first part of the infinitive form of the verb. Example: They went to the lake to have a swim.
Too - means in addition, or also. Example: I was too tired to continue the long walk home.

Led and Lead

Led - means to guide or direct. Example: The evidence led the jury to a unanimous decision.
Lead - means a dense metallic element. Example: The lead pipe was very heavy to carry.

Stationary and Stationery

Stationary - means something that is motionless or not moving.  Example: The motorcycle was stationary in the traffic jam.
Stationery - writing materials, pens, pencils, paper, and envelopes.  Example: The stationery arrive late that day.

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22 Proven Tips to Gain Epic Traffic on Pinterest

If you love social media you've probably discovered Pinterest already.  But do you know how to get the kind of traffic that just keeps on giving.

In order to shine on Pinterest you need a strategy that works, a plan that will put you at the top of the list when it comes to your traffic.

This Blog post is 1,553 words long, download your FREE PDF and read it later.

This post will show you 22 tips on how to get to the top of the pile on Pinterest.

Prime Your Profile

Give people a reason to follow your profile by providing a professional profile that shows that you mean business. You want as many people viewing your pins as possible, your followers will know how important your profile is by the amount of effort and time you've put into it.  The more followers you have the more chance of them stumbling across your pins in their feed.

This is why its important to have a professional profile, otherwise you risk being followed by spam accounts.

How Do You Prepare Your Pinterest Profile?

1. Create a Business Profile

If your running your blog as a business it makes sense to sign up for a Pinterest business account.  It's free to create a business account and it's an easy change over if you already have a Pinterest account.

2. Create an Amazing Avatar

Your avatar is the first thing people will see when they stop by your profile.  You have two options:

1. Create a headshot.
2. Create a logo

It's your decision which suits your blog or website best.  Make sure that your avatar or photo is clear, you don't want to leave a bad first impression.

Ensure that all of your social media accounts follow the same branding, this let people know that you mean business.

3. Create a Keyword Rich Name

Don't just use your blog name. Use this to tell your audience what your blog is all about.  Use your blog name then pick 2 to 3 keywords that will let your audience know what your Pinterest account is all about.

1976write's Pinterest name includes "A Blog About Writing" attracting like-minded writers and bloggers.

4.  Create a Keyword Rich Description

This is your opportunity to grab the people that are looking for something particular in your area of expertise.

It's also a chance to add a free download if your blog has one. Choose 2 to 3 keywords and include them in your description, then add the link to your chosen landing page.

5. Confirm and Link Your Website

This should be one of the first things you do when you fill in your settings page.  People will stumble upon your blog and naturally will want to have a look at what you do.

6. Link Your Other Social Media Accounts

If you're connected to Facebook or Google+ connect your accounts.  It's another opportunity to show people the other platforms you're active on and gives them the excuse to follow you, which is a good thing.

Eye-Catching Boards

People love following boards on Pinterest, especially boards that are relevant to their likes, interests and provide them with pins they want.

7. Your Boards Are Your Business

Most people think that Pinterest is all about creating hundreds of random boards and sticking any pin on them.

You need to put together boards that are curated with appropriate information taken from your blog and other bloggers in your niche.  Aim for about 15 boards with at least 10 pins on them.  If you're finding that some of your boards are becoming neglected because you can't find the right pins then delete them.

Remember your boards need to be appealing to all those interested in your particular subject.  If people don't like them they won't follow you.

A good place to start thinking of board names is the content you provide for your blog readers.  For instance at the moment I'm editing and rebuilding my Pinterest boards and have put together three really simple categories:

• Writing
• Publishing
• Blogging

When you're creating regular content you can start to add subcategories on your boards like:

• Grammar and Punctuation
• Self-Publishing on Kindle
• Books Your Reading

If you're really stuck start delving into what your competition is doing.  What boards do they have?  And copy their boards.

You'll notice a lot of the same named boards, but the difference is you want your board to stand out from the rest.

8. Choose a Category

Pinterest will automatically put your board in "other", you don't want this if you can help it.  You need to pick a category that's the closest to your chosen niche.  Most bloggers put their blog into "education" because they're teaching people something new, so choose a category that's the closest to your niche.

9. Be Specific With Your Board Names

It's easy to make your boards more personal than specific, you need to find names that are keyword rich and will show up in Pinterest search results.

People prefer to find whole boards full of pins that interest them.

10. Make Your Board Description Count

Again this is very similar to your profile description, you need to think of words people will be looking for in your category.

You need to hook people up with a readable board description that grabs them at first glance.

11. Design Your Own Board Covers

By default Pinterest will choose the first pin on a board and use it as a cover.  You want your Pinterest profile to look professional, which is why Pinterest gives you the option of choosing your own board cover.

Your ideal board cover matches and blends with your website or blog.  I kept my covers really simple and minimal, but you can be as a creative as you like. Check out my post 3 Great Reasons to Use Fotor for inspiration on image creation. 

Quick tip: Use these dimensions to create a board cover 750 x 1120.

 
12.  Create a Home Board

This board will house all of your blog or websites images this should be the first board everyone will see.  This is a thought many Pinners use, but there is a downside to creating a home board, you're creating duplicate pins which Pinterest doesn't like.  So be careful on this one.

13. Arrange Your Boards

Always put your best boards first, these are the boards that cover the most popular topics and present content that is  to your audience.

14. Start Joining Group Boards

Join boards that are like-minded and in the same niche as you.  This will also boost your blog traffic tremendously and give you greater exposure.

Create Fabulous Images 

Your boards are the guts of your Pinterest profile, your images are the nuts and bolts and the pins people will most interact with.

Your competition will be pretty fierce but not impossible to conquer.  Provide your visitors with something that's worth looking at.  Spend time and give your images some thought when you produce them.

16. Size Matters

Pinterest will accept almost any size image, the optimum size is 735 x 1102 or you could use a template from an online image create such as Fotor or Picmonkey where they'll provide you with blank templates or pre-made templates to use on your board. 

It's certainly true that horizontal pins get overlooked.  You could try using different sizes but again that all depends on the style of your blog or website.

17. Make Your Pins Readable

Use a text overlay on your image, they tend to fair much better than blank pins.  People like to know the ins and outs of everything so give them an eye catching banner.

18. Write Amazing Headlines

You want to gently entice your audience in, and make them want to click on your content.

19. Curate with Passion

Care about what you pin, curate the content that matches with your blog mission statement.  Don't just save anything on your board.


Always create content that is worth clicking, take time each week to pin and keep your branding in mind every time you Pin on Pinterest.  You're followers will expect a certain theme or colours to run through your boards so give them want they want to see.

20. Create Rich Pins

This is an amazing and secure way to ensure that your pins automatically show information directly from your website.

It also helps branding, and makes your profile look more authentic and official.

Make Your Website Pinterest Friendly

You need to prep your site for your blog visitors, creating easily shareable buttons so that they can add your pins on Pinterest.

21. Add Share and Follow Buttons

You can get the HTML code from Pinterest, this is pretty easy to follow, and if you're really unsure about adding code check out some videos on Youtube to guide you.

Develop a Pinning Strategy

You need to start creating a plan of action otherwise all of the above work is for nothing.

Pin consistently, so it becomes second-nature, people will start expecting new pins on the days you choose to Pin. 

Incorporate this into your weekly blog routine and it won't seem like a chore when you do it.

22. Be Consistent and Periodic

Set-up a routine that suits you and pin everytime you create new content.  Add pins from other Pinterest users and start building your boards.
 
This Blog post is 1,553 words long, download your FREE PDF and read it later.

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What You Need to Know About Grammar

So What is Grammar?

Grammar is the set of rules used by all its users for the accepted use of a language share and use common rules that are shared, used and coordinated together in sentences.  When these rules are no longer used they fragment off into dialects and in the course of time form a new language.

Check out this course on Grammar: English Grammar Workout: Expert Grammar for Professionals

Early Beginnings

Through the Roman Empire, in Western Europe Latin was taught and became the lingua franca, grammar was established to help teach people Latin.  Despite the harshness of Roman rule people all over Europe would communicate  using Latin no matter what their native tongue was.  When the Roman Empire fell Latin stayed, and was widely used by literate Western Europeans who been taught how to use it.  Later on it became the authoritative language of the Roman Catholic Church.

Related article: The History of Writing in a Nutshell

After the Collapse of the Roman Empire 

By the eighth or ninth century the spoken language of Rome had changed.  The classical speakers who used church Latin had all but disappeared, under the Western Church  it started to thrive and went on to be used in fields such as international politics and European literature.

The Root of Grammar

Conversational Latin no longer existed, and educators began teaching Latin according to its patterns, using words that related to each other and started forming sentences.  This grew and developed into the grammar we no today and use in the craft of writing.

Etymology of the Word Grammar

From the Greek word grammatikē technē, which means "the art of letters".

Grammar Today

Over the years the system for analyzing grammar has become codified.  Making it useful for two reasons: People could understand old Latin documents; Second, writers who knew Latin could communicate with each other despite their native tongue, and be understood in schools across Western Europe where Latin was taught according to these same rules.

Today students study spelling, subject-verb agreement, the parts of speech, punctuation, and sentence patterns.  If you want to succeed in academia, business or even everyday life, having great writing and speaking skills vital to get your voice heard.


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10 Ideas to Kick-Start Your Originality

Is it possible to be original online anymore?

Is it possible to be authentic at a time when there is an abundance of information?

The simple answer is yes of course you can be original!

People create new blog posts regularly because there are always new fresh and unique ideas to be had.  Think of it this way, we'll always have something new to bring to the table as humans.

If you feel like your writing is going a bit stale or you have nothing new to contribute, here are 10 ideas to kick-start your originality:

1. What Makes You Happy?

You're a rare and unique individual, find out what makes you angry, happy or sad.  Use these emotions to drive your research and thoughts.  Follow your heart and your passion, create content that's extraordinary and something that reflects you as a person.

2. Stop Studying Your Rivals Blog

A habit that's easily picked up by most bloggers.  Pouring over your competitors blog can leave you feeling overwhelmed and disheartened, like you can't add anymore on the same subject.

You've done your research, you know what's out there so tune it out, centre in on what you know and write about it.

3. Go With Your Gut Instinct

When you're reading an article do you ever feel like its not totally truthful? Go with that gut feeling, pursue it and find out if its true or not.  Put your view into a blog post and establish your point of view.

4. Do a Ton of Writing

The more you write the bigger your writing voice becomes.  You need to make sure you're writing regularly as much as you can.

Even when you're feeling low start researching something that catches your eye!

5. Tap into Other Media

If you're getting bored with reading blog posts go and read a book or download an eBook, watch a movie or listen to the radio.  Tap into other kinds of media for inspiration.

6. Take a Trip

Visit a new culture, take in the sights and sounds.  When you travel you see the world in a different
light.  You'll discover a new angle and fresh approach to your writing.

7. Ignore the Pessimists

Do you think your new novel is to "out there"?  Or your writing style is "far-out"?

Believe in yourself, and know that what you're writing has value.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

8. Just Spit it Out!

Stop overthinking and just write!

You need to stop pontificating and write as many of your thoughts down as possible.  Don't think just do it!

9. Write What You Know

Use your life experience and put it down on paper.  Unique elements and knowledge you've gained that no one else can duplicate.

10. Focus Inward

A powerful tool in finding your writing voice and developing it is to compete with yourself.  Make each article you write better than the last.

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