Write on…

No matter what specialty you have chosen in the VP world, having excellent writing skills is a must in our bag of tricks. Whether it be to support a client, to refine our marketing materials, or to put out our monthly ezine (see The Virtual Vision for a great example), we cannot afford to let our writing skills gather dust on a shelf. They must be used and practiced to be vibrant and effective on a moment’s notice.

In less than 24 hours a fantastic teleseminar will take place, hosted by Susan Borkin, well-known author and the founder of Write Now! Even if you cannot squeeze the seminar into your schedule (Tuesday, January 8 from 12-1pm Pacific), by signing up, you will receive a free recording of the call. The seminar will cover "The 5 Biggest Mistakes to Avoid When Writing."

In addition, you will learn:

• How to Get Yourself to Start Writing Every Time
• How to Write More, Faster
• The Most Important Thing to Know About Editing
• How to Select the Best Writing Tools and Equipment

As Virtual Professionals, the teleclass hosted by Susan Borkin as well as the ongoing series hosted by The Virtual Nation are an invaluable resource for information and growth. To register for this seminar, visit www.susanborkin.com/teleseminar.htm and you will receive an email with the telephone number and passcode.

Taking writing seriously is vitally important to any VP – like any skill, it can be learned and honed with practice. As business owners, our plates are more than full; utilizing 15-minute exercises two or three times a week is a great start (and can be a great source of peace in a crazy day).

Here is one easily-implemented example that can be practiced in 13 minutes anywhere with a simple pen and paper (think grocery store line, etc.).

Set a timer for three minutes. (A watch or Blackberry that vibrates or beeps quietly will work, but I like an hourglasses the best.) Number a blank piece of paper from one to ten. Make a list of ten things you saw two days ago, starting from the morning and ending with night. Don't write a novel, just a few anchoring words to capture each image.

Then, set your timer for ten minutes. Look over your list and pick one of the items; write the item number and words at the top of a fresh piece of paper. Expand on that one memory until your ten minutes is over. Write in simple clear sentences; don't try to be fancy. Write what you see and hear in your mind’s eye.

Finally, if all else fails, a hand-written note to a client you have not worked with in a while keeps our hand moving and our skill fresh, and it may revive a business relationship as well. – always a good thing.

With Gratitude, Michelle Ulrich,
Chief Villager and President
www.thevirtualnation.com

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