Saturday, June 8, 2013

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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Article Writing - Tips For Effective Article Writing

If your article is well-written, you will get listed on numerous websites as well as in several ezines. You can create quality articles that generate free traffic to your website and get you sales for what ever product you are selling. Here are the 4 tips for effective article writing.

1. Choosing the right title for your article:-

Do not underestimate the power of a good title. The right title can help your article be picked by interested reader and published by website and newsletter owners. Your title should be descriptive and catchy, It should make the reader want to know more about the content in it. The idea is to capture the readers attention with a casual glance and let them know what it is about at the same time. Also please don't forget to include the key words in the title of your article.

Article Writing - Tips For Effective Article Writing

2. Article summary:-

The purpose of your article summary is to motivate a potential reader to read the rest of your article. It makes the difference as to whether your article gets read or bypassed. Be brief and bold in your summary - promising the benefits your reader will get if they read on. This is your chance to pitch why your target reader will benefit personally if they continue reading your article. Unlike your resource box where you pitch yourself and your business or website address, the article summary is your article's only sales pitch. Please don't forget to include keywords in your article summary.

3. Content of the Article:-

The best articles are those that are rich in content. Be the expert. Do your research to insure quality and accurate information. Back up your information with relevant facts or statistics. This builds faith and confidence in your work, which ultimately results in plenty of sales. The information presented should be the meat of your article. Do not be afraid to let your personality shine through in your writing. This will make people more apt to trust you and will also make them more comfortable. Write as if you were talking to a friend and let the real you shine through. Also please don't forget to include the key words in the content of your article. Use bullets to quickly outline a number of points that may be important in your article.

4. Resource box:-

It is very important to pay attention to the way that you write your resource box. Keep in mind that your resource box is the way that you will introduce yourself to your reader. Don't just put a list of links to your websites. Let them know who you are and give them an idea of what you can do for them. Include one link to your web page or product that is most likely to be useful to the reader and if you can include some anchor text that will enable them to click through and see what you have to offer. Do not use you article as a big sales letter for a product or program.

Article Writing - Tips For Effective Article Writing
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Monday, February 25, 2013

How to Write a Synopsis For an Article

Whether you call it a synopsis, a description or a summary, the two to five sentences you should include when publishing your article on an article directory are more important than many people assume. If you tend to simply copy and paste the first few sentences of your article into the summary or description box then you could be missing out on a whole heap of traffic that's passing you by. Find out what's so important about a synopsis, when to write one, and how to create a summary which helps significantly increase the number of times your article is seen and read, helping boost traffic to your website.

Imagine if authors didn't take the time to write a synopsis on the back of their novels, but instead just copied out the first few lines from the book itself. Do you think they'd sell as well? Of course not. Most people tend to read the blurb on the back or the inside cover, and this will often give them an indication of whether the book might be worth considering, or putting back on the shelf.

Writing a synopsis of a book tends to take a very great deal of time, and in fact many authors have complained that it's often the hardest part of the whole book to write. How do you summarise tens of thousands of words in just a paragraph or two? It can be a painful experience deciding on what must be left out, what must be ignored and what must be condensed into an absurdly brief space. But more than this, a book synopsis must sell the book. It's very often the main way in which books are sold.

How to Write a Synopsis For an Article

Now of course, if you're writing articles for publication online you don't have quite such a hard job condensing a few hundred words into a handful of sentences. It's a much easier job in that respect, but the need to sell your article is just as important, and it is this which is the main purpose of your summary.

Understanding Where Your Synopsis Will Be Seen

There are three main ways in which people may come across your article: through a listing on the article directory itself, through a listing on the results page of a search engine, or through a link in a social media site such as Facebook or Google+. In all three of these cases there will be just two things to encourage people to click the link and read your article: the title, and the summary.

If you look up your articles on Google, or in a search engine such as Google, or even link to one yourself on your Facebook or Google+ page and see how it looks you'll see for yourself that all that's there to sell your article is the title and the description. Hopefully your title is top notch, designed to knock people's socks off and grab their attention. But a title alone isn't enough. How many times have you picked up a book because the title sounded exciting, intriguing, funny or otherwise up your street, yet when you started reading the synopsis you decided that perhaps it wasn't for you after all?

That's the problem with writing a weak summary for articles online. If all you do is use the first couple of sentences from your article then you are seriously reducing the likelihood of people being grabbed by the relevance of your article. Your opening sentences are likely to be an introduction to the topic, problem, question or review. A summary should not be an introduction. It stands to reason, since a summary and an introduction are two entirely different concepts.

Why A Summary Should Not Really Be A Summary

But there's a problem too with the word 'summary', because a synopsis can't just be a description of the contents of the article. A summary alone is unlikely to grab attention, and so it has to be written in a way which is likely to do so. You probably spend quite a while coming up with a suitable title, at least I hope you do, since the title is the first thing almost everyone will see when they come across a link to or reference to your article. Your summary needs to have at least as much thought and time invested into it in order for it to work as hard as your title does to gain hits.

One of the best ways of making sure that your summary is effective is to write it before you write the article. The advantage of this is that you set out a clear focus for the article, including a clear question, problem or issue which you will be addressing. This not only means that your summary or synopsis is short, sharp and carries a clear purpose, but so does your article.

Ideally the first sentence of your synopsis should directly relate to whatever it is your target audience are wanting to know, to find out or to learn. This could well be a question, or a reflection on the fact that the issue is one currently gaining much attention. This helps to make sure that your potential reader is aware of the immediate relevance of your article to their problem or need. But then what?

Your second sentence should then provide them with a clear indication of the fact that the article addresses that need, and provides useful information, valuable insight, or direct answers.

Writing An Example Article Synopsis

Let's see an example. Let's imagine that you are writing an article about how to juggle. Your first sentence might be, "Have you always wanted to learn how to juggle balls?" Your next sentence might be, "Discover the secret to juggling in 3 easy steps." Notice how I included the fact that the solution will be provided in a numbered set of steps or stages? This adds a great deal of credibility to your summary. Don't imply that you're just going to waffle on a bit about the subject. People like numbered steps or stages when learning how to do something. It's the difference between telling someone to go to the shops and buy all the ingredients to make ratatouille, and giving them a shopping list of ingredients. People like lists, because it's easier to remember and work through.

Adding Author Credibility In Your Article Description

Finally, it's often helpful to include a little extra bit of information which adds personal credibility to you as the author. Perhaps you might write, "The world's only bicycle juggling stage performer shows you how to get started in just five minutes." You'll see that although the article is probably written in the first person, the synopsis is more usually written in the third person. There's no real rule on this, and opinion is very divided, but somehow the third person lends a more independent sense of credibility and authority when viewed in search results.

Finally, make sure that once you have finished writing your article you re-read your summary and make sure it really does accurately reflect the content of the article. It's also important to make sure you thoroughly proofread your synopsis. An astonishing number of people seem to pay scant attention to their descriptions, which can seriously damage the chance that anyone will go on to read the article itself.

How to Write a Synopsis For an Article
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Justin Arnold is a full-time professional copywriter and online marketing expert, creating SEO articles for UK businesses and organisations. You can read more advice written by him on his article writing blog.

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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Keyword Article Writing: the Key to Your Success!

Ready to jump on the keyword article bandwagon? Billions of companies are using keyword articles to gain free exposure on the internet. Whether you're a netpreneur marketing a product or a writer seeking freelance work, odds are you can benefit tremendously from keyword articles.

Why use keywords? The point is to be "found." Internet users across the globe are searching for information. How are they searching? The same way you do; they type specific words into a search engine. If you don't incorporate these words into your web content, the other guy will... and then your reader is lost on someone else's copy. Help them find you... with keywords!

Never written a keyword article before? Have no fear. The process isn't much different from writing regular articles. Don't let lack of experience stop you from profiting through keyword-rich content. Just follow these easy keyword-writing guidelines, and get ready to key in some great article copy!

Keyword Article Writing: the Key to Your Success!

1. Learn the buzzwords. Every industry has its own jargon. If you're well-versed in a particular subject, it's likely that you already know the buzzwords and you don't need to read up on it. If it's a relatively new topic for you, do some research. Read four or five different articles to get an idea of the lingo used and the most popular sub-categories of the industry. I'll give you an example. Let's say your article is going to be about... keyword articles. Some of your keywords might be: keyword, "keyword article", keyword-rich, "web content," "web article," RSS-feed, "keyword writing." How do I know this? Not because I did a keyword lookup. Because I read lots of articles! Reading is a great way to load up on catch-phrases and terminology. You can get your fill of keywords without even trying!

2. Write the article without paying attention to keywords. Don't bother trying to plug keywords into an article the first time you write it. Just write it, period. Keep the flow going, craft your sentences without paying particular mind to word selection. It's likely that if you know what you're talking about, keywords will very naturally fall into place as you write. Those sneaky keywords... they tend to just slip right in without your even knowing it happened!

3. Select your keywords. Once your first draft is written, you can concentrate on building a list of keywords to insert throughout your text. Sit down with a pen and paper (or a blank document if you prefer) and write down words that you frequently come across in the industry you're covering. Imagine if someone were doing a search on the web for your topic. What words and phrases might they key in to the search box? Don't forget search terms that contain two or more words. Such words work together and would be placed in quotes if someone were typing them into a search engine box. Suppose you were writing an article on email marketing. You would include terms like "drip list" and "email newsletter" to name just two.

4. Assess the popularity of your keywords. Find out how many times internet users searched the web using specific keywords, with the Overture Keyword Selector Tool. The tool is free and available through this link: http://inventory.overture.com/d/searchinventory/suggestion/. Just type in the word and hit return. The higher the rank number, the more popular the keyword, and the more likely you'll want to use it in your article.

5. Select keywords that are specific rather than general. Let's say I'm writing an article about negotiating fees with a freelance copywriter. My goal should be to include popular words related to that particular topic, and not just the general category of copywriting. "Freelance copywriting rates" is a much better keyword phrase to use because that's probably something a user would actually type in when searching for such information. "Freelance copywriting," on the other hand, is more general and therefore might bring up thousands of higher-ranked sites than yours. Burying your article is no way to be found... so, keep it specific if you can!

6. Scan your existing text for keywords. Your article draft is complete and your keywords have been selected. Now, just put them together. Scan the article copy for the first keyword. Did you find it? Great! If you know your stuff, you probably slipped the keyword into a few places without even realizing it.

7. "Find and Change." Suppose in your article about copywriting, you included the word "writing" several times throughout the piece. That's no serious problem by any means, but "copywriting" is the term of choice among marketers and advertisers. Consequently, it should be one of your keywords. Locate where you've used the word "writing" or "writer", and replace with "copywriting" or "copywriter." Do this for each of your keywords and keyword phrases. You may have to reorder some of the sentences, but this shouldn't be a big deal.

8. Proofread your article. Now that you've added keywords, the article is probably somewhat different from its original form. Do a thorough read-through for mistakes, correcting as needed. Check for spelling errors, grammatical inconsistencies and repeated words. Hey, did she say repeated words?? Yes, even in keyword articles, a good writer should try to vary his vocabulary. Your article should be keyword-rich, not dull and repetitive!

9. Write a keyword-rich headline. Why did I wait until the end of this article to mention the headline? Because the best headlines usually come to the writer at the end of the writing and researching process. With all this talk of keywords, you should be primed to write hard-hitting headlines!

Keyword article headlines waste no time. Get right to the point with a headline that uses your three or four most popular keywords at the beginning, not at the end. Allow me to critique an article from my own collection. The headline: How to Negotiate Rates with a Freelance Copywriting Expert. I confess, this headline could have been better. Why? "Negotiate rates" is not a keyword term that someone might type into a search engine. "Freelance Copywriting," however, is. The better version of this headline: "Freelance Copywriting: How to Negotiate Rates." If I had simply reordered the words, this headline would have been that much more powerful and achieved a higher web search ranking. Live and learn!

Feeling a little more comfortable about keyword article-writing? Great! Now get out there and start making money writing keyword-rich content for the world!

Copyright 2005 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Keyword Article Writing: the Key to Your Success!
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Saturday, February 9, 2013

How To Write A Song

Did you ever wish that it was your song playing on the radio? It could be. It is not that hard once you know the formula. With a little creativity, a little knowledge, a little luck and a good formula to follow, your song could be one of the next biggest hits.

Songwriting comes easy for some, and is very difficult for others. I have actually written songs in my sleep, and immediately upon awaking, written it as quickly as I could get the words on down on paper.

What I want to discuss here is popular songwriting, like the songs you hear on the radio. A good pop song, whether rock, country, middle of the road, is composed of two things: a catchy tune and some good lyrics.

How To Write A Song

There is a formula that most great songwriters use to write great songs. It regards the structure used to write a song. Granted, it is music and it is art, so the rules are not hard and fast. But if you want to increase your chances of getting your song on the radio, it is a good starting point.

Here is the formula. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus.

Write that down on paper leaving plenty of space between each word and this will be your script.

Verse

The verse is the part of the song that tells the story, the part that leads to the chorus. Each verse is usually different, telling a different part of, or adding to, the story. It usually explains how you got to the things you are singing about in the chorus.

Chorus.

The chorus is the part of the song that is repeated after each verse. The lyrics are usually the same each time the chorus comes around. The verse usually leads to the chorus, and the chorus is usually the pay off for listening to the verse. Does that make sense?

Here is a lame example (you did not think I would give you my best work, did you?):

(verse)

My dog is sick, he's got a tick

He's my best friend, don't let it end

(chorus)

Oh, woe is me, can't you see

Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)

My car broke down, just out of town

It got towed in, but it's broke again

(chorus)

Oh, woe is me, can't you see

Woe is me, will I ever be free

Now, if you would kindly stop laughing at my lame song for a minute, I want you to think about whether or not you understand my point. Songwriting is story telling. The verse tells the problems, the chorus expresses the results or the emotions.

All right, now that you have that mastered, let's tackle the bridge. Ah, yeah, there is more to the song than the pain and the release. We need the diversion. That is what the bridge is; it is the diversion from the verse and the chorus.

The bridge may have a slightly different melody to it, or it could even have a different rhythm or a different tempo (Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" did a great job on this technique).

Let's go back to the lame song and add a bridge:

(verse)

My dog is sick, he's got a tick

He's my best friend, don't let it end

(chorus)

Oh, woe is me, can't you see

Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)

My car broke down, just out of town

It got towed in, but it's broke again

(chorus)

Oh, woe is me, can't you see

Woe is me, will I ever be free

(bridge)

Tomorrow is a better day, I've got a new truck on the way

My dog just had a flea it seems, so once again I'll live my dreams

(chorus)

Oh, woe was me, can't you see

Woe was me, but now I'm free

The bridge offers a solution to the problems I was having. You don't want to leave your listener on the edge of suicide, you want to give them hope.

Notice, I also changed up the wording of the chorus. This was done to reflect my new found joy.

One more thing on formula. It can be anyway you want, but most verses and chorus come in lines of 4. So, instead of this:

(verse)

Oh, woe is me, can't you see

Woe is me, will I ever be free

(verse)

My car broke down, just out of town

It got towed in, but it's broke again

it would be:

Oh, woe is me, can't you see

Woe is me, will I ever be free

My car broke down, just out of town

It got towed in, but it's broke again

The same goes for the chorus. Again, if you are creative, do it however you want. But for a new songwriter, this gives you some guidelines to scratch out and start carving out your new creation.

One more thing, do not make the notes to the melody so high that your fans cannot sing along. We are certainly all not Stevie Wonder.

How To Write A Song
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Michael Russell
MgrCentral.com
Established 2001
Home Business Training and Information Guides

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Online Writing Contest - Competition Tips - How to Win Every Contest You Enter

So you've stumbled across an online writing competition / contest, or perhaps your favourite brand of cereal is offering you a chance to win a holiday around the world. All you have to do is tell them in 25 words or less why you want it. And you want to win, right?

Well believe it or not there are a small number of easy steps you can take to dramatically increase the odds in your favor. And here they are, free of charge just because I'm such a nice guy...

No Sob Stories!

Online Writing Contest - Competition Tips - How to Win Every Contest You Enter

This tip goes first on the list, because it is the most important. For some reason the first thing that seems to come to people's minds with these contests and competitions is "how can I get them to pity me?" It sounds like a great plan as an entrant, but speaking from personal experience as a judge in these contests, I can tell you that it's a complete turnoff.

Nonetheless people will try ever trick in the book...

We can't pay the rent... our house burnt down... everybody in my family has cancer... I need 16 operations so that my dog stops being depressed and I can have my leg re-attached then pay the rent and burn the house down... well you get the point.

Let me make it very clear - this tactic does not work, even if you are telling the truth, because:

1. Judges can't verify your claims, so anyone can make up any story they like.

2. After a while these entries become so numerous and laborious that they don't stand out.

All that you will do is send the judge into a depression spiral. More to the point, you will end up highlighting your competitors' entries because theirs are more enjoyable to read.

Be Creative and Make it Fun to Read

Depending on the number of entrants, judges can often have a lot of text to read. As their head slumps closer and closer to the desk and the coffee starts to wear off, your entry is going to need to have something special about it to get noticed. The best thing you can do is get creative. And I mean really thinking outside of the box (if you are thinking poetry right now, you are not thinking hard enough).

My advice to you here is simple. If you come up with something different and make it really stand out, and MAKE IT FUNNY, you will win. When I hear a fellow judge burst out into laughter at his or her desk, 9 times out of 10 he or she is reading the winner. I can usually even tell which entry they are reading because I had the same reaction when I first read it.

If you can manufacture a reaction like this, chances are you are on a winner. I suggest using your friends and family as test dummies here. If they end up in a ball rolling around the floor you've done your job. If the best you get is "not bad", "(chuckle) very good" or even "looks good to me", then you need to go back to the drawing board.

Now that's not to say every winner will be comical or humorous, but your entry needs to stand out as somehow being impressive or interesting.

Stick to the Rules and Stay on Topic

If I had a penny for every time a "words or less" entry broke the rules, I would currently be Bahamas and you would be on your own with this one. Take the time to read the rules, terms and conditions before entering. And if you are provided with a quick-start guide to entering a competition, read it over at least 3 times and make sure you take the advice onboard.

In general, you should always:

· Stay within the word limit

· Write in direct response to the competition's question or topic (really important!)

· Avoid coarse language

· Submit your entry in the language requested

Short, Sharp, Shiny

Just because you are allowed to use 25 words doesn't mean you should. If your entry says what you want it to say, don't fill up the rest of your word limit by repeating yourself or adding useless details. All you end up doing is diluting your message.

Polish It!

So it took you 5 minutes (or maybe 2 days) to create your entry. Would another 5 minutes of proofreading kill you? No, of course not, but it will definitely help you win. Check your grammar, check your punctuation, check your capitalization and check your spelling. Presentation makes your entry easier to read, and will greatly improve your chances.

Submit It

It sounds obvious, doesn't it? But how many times have you seen a competition you would like to enter, only to let the due date slip by? As the saying goes, you've got to be in it to win it. And if you use the advice I've just given you, your chances of coming out on top will greatly improve.

So what are you waiting for?

Online Writing Contest - Competition Tips - How to Win Every Contest You Enter
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Michael Dorian is the founder of Wish and Vote, the world's easiest online writing competition/contest [http://www.wishandvote.com].

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Sunday, February 3, 2013

Write Your Family History - 50 Questions You Must Ask Parents Or Grandparents Before They Die

No one expected it.

While climbing into his hot tub, my healthy 87- year-old father-in-law slipped, fell, and broke a rib. He began internal bleeding that the doctors couldn't stop. In two weeks, Gene was gone.

Fortunately, we had taken time a few months earlier to record Gene's life story, and discovered some amazing facts. He was a semi-pro baseball player, a fine watercolorist, and a US Marine. As a marketing executive for Kaiser and later Del Monte, he worked on national advertising campaigns with mega-stars of his day, including Joan Crawford, Debbie Reynolds, Stan Musial, Lloyd Bridges and others.

Write Your Family History - 50 Questions You Must Ask Parents Or Grandparents Before They Die

We recorded Gene's life story on two occasions: once at a small family dinner, then during a living-room interview a few months later.

We transcribed the audio files of the recordings, added pictures, and then uploaded the whole package to a new free web site that helps people write great personal and family stories. (See resource section,below). Gene's family and friends can view his story and add comments or photos if they wish. The profile that we co-created with Gene is a celebration of his life. It's also a direct, meaningful connection with his daughters and their grandchildren. Anyone can create a life story for themselves or a loved one. It's as simple as setting aside some time and doing some careful listening.

I've helped hundreds of people across the US, Canada, and Mexico capture their life stories. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, I've boiled down my experience into three key tips, and the 50 most productive questions you can use for success.

Success Tip #1: Pre-Interview Preparation is Key

To get the most from your family history session, be as prepared as possible.

. Inform the subject of the purpose of the interview, who will see it, and how it will be used · Prepare your questions in advance · Set aside a quiet time and place free from interruptions

· It's a good idea to use a voice or video recorder; test all equipment thoroughly before starting

· It's often useful to use a tape or digital recorder and transcribe the dictation

· Photos, mementos, or other visual aids are great memory-joggers. Ask your subject to prepare some in advance

· Listen attentively and gently; ask questions of clarification

· Don't try to force the subject into something they are uncomfortable discussing

Success Tip #2: Be Flexible and Creative

When I first started doing life story interviews, it seemed as if people spent the majority of time talking about their early days. As I got more experience, I began to realize that most people have one, two or possibly three key defining times in their lives. For many, it's childhood. For a lot of men, it's WWII, Korea, or Vietnam. The defining moments emerge like finding a gold nugget in a streambed. Be sensitive to these defining moments and episodes. Listen extra-carefully, and ask questions. Often a deeper portrait of an individual emerges, laden with rich experiences, values, beliefs, and layers of complexity. If you don't complete the interview in one sitting, set a date to resume your conversation later

Success Tip #3: Organize Life Stories into Chapters

Most people (yes, even shy ones) love to be the center of attention and share stories from their lives. There are two challenges for a family historian. The first is to capture the stories in a structured, logical way. The second is to make sure that the stories are as complete as possible and contain facts (names, dates, places), fully-drawn characters, a story line, and perhaps even a finale. The GreatLifeStories web site divides the life experience into 12 "chapters" that follow the progression of many lives. On the web site, each chapter contains anywhere from 10 to 25 questions. (Below, I've selected the 50 questions that usually get the best results). Don't worry; you don't have to ask them all. In fact, after one or two questions, you may not have to ask anymore-the interview takes on a life of its own.

The most important objective is to make sure you cover as many of the chapter headings as possible. The chapter headings are logical and somewhat chronological in order: Beginnings, School Days, Off to Work, Romance and Marriage, and so forth. Feel free to add your own chapters, as well. The 12-chapter system is a great way to organize both the interview, as well as the life story write up, video, or audio recording.

CHAPTER 1: In the Beginning

1. What were your parents and grandparents full names, dates of birth, places of birth.

2. What were the occupations of your parents?

3. How many children were in your family? Where were you in the lineup?

4. Generally speaking, what was your childhood like?

5. What one or two stories do you remember most clearly about your childhood?

6. Are there any particularly happy, funny, sad or instructive lessons you learned while growing up?

CHAPTER 2: In Your Neighborhood

1. What was it like where you grew up?

2. Describe your most important friendships

3. Where and how did "news of your neighborhood" usually flow?

CHAPTER 3 School Days

1. Be sure to capture names and dates attended of grammar, high, colleges, trade or technical schools

2. What are your earliest school day memories?

3. Are there any teachers or subjects you particularly liked or disliked?

4. What did you learn in those first years of school that you would like to pass along to the next generation?

5. Were you involved in sports, music, drama, or other extra-curricular activities?

CHAPTER 4: Off to Work

1. What did you want to be when you grew up?

2. What was your first job, and how did you get it?

3. What was your first boss like? What did you learn from him or her?

4. Did you leave? Quit? Get promoted? Get fired?

5. Were you ever out of work for a long time? If so, how did you handle it?

CHAPTER 5 Romance & Marriage

1. What do you recall about your first date?

2. How did you know you were really in love?

3. Tell me how you "popped the question," or how it was popped to you.

4. Tell me about your wedding ceremony. What year? Where? How many attended? Honeymoon?

5. Tell me about starting your family.

6. Were you married more than once? How often?

CHAPTER 6: Leisure and Travel

1. What were the most memorable family vacations or trips you can recall?

2. What leisure time activities are you involved with?

3. What are your greatest accomplishments in this field?

CHAPTER 7: Places of Worship

1. Do you follow any religious tradition?

2. If so which one, and what is it like?

3. Have you ever changed faiths?

4. What role do your beliefs play in your life today?

5. What would you tell your children about your faith?

CHAPTER 8 War & Peace

1. Were you a volunteer, drafted or a conscientious objector?

2. If you didn't serve, what do you recall about being on the home front during the war?

3. What key moments do you recall about your service?

4. What would you tell today's young soldiers, sailors and fliers?

CHAPTER 9 Triumph and Tragedy

1. What were the most joyous, fulfilling times of your life?

2. Any sad, tragic or difficult times you'd care to share such as losing a loved one, a job, or something you cared about?

3. What lifelong lessons did you learn from these tough times? Joyous times?

4. Were there any moments you recall as true breakthroughs in any area of your life?

5. If you could do one thing differently in your life, what would that be?

CHAPTER 10 Words of Wisdom

1. What have you learned over your lifetime that you'd like to share with the younger generation?

2. People will sometimes repeat aphorisms such as "honesty is the best policy." If they do, be sure to ask how they learned that life lesson.

CHAPTER 11: Funnybones

1. What were your family's favorite jokes or pranks?

2. Who is, or was, the family comedian? "Straight" man?

3. What's the funniest family story you remember?

CHAPTER 12 Thank You

1. What are you most grateful for you your life?

2. How have you taught your children to be grateful?

3. Are there items or places that mark special gratitude for the ones you love? What are they? What are their stories?

In closing, it is always a good idea to ask an open-ended question such as:" Is there anything I haven't asked about that you would care to comment on?" You'll often be surprised and delighted at the answers!

RESOURCES:

For many more tips on how to capture precious family history, visit www.GreatLifeStories.com

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Mike Brozda is one of the founding members of the GreatLifeStories team. A veteran journalist, he has more than 30 years experience writing for national and international publications.

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