The Article Writer

I am one of the “beta” testers for the new Yahoo! Publisher Network, a pay per click advertising scheme similar to Google’s AdSense program.

No, I am sticking with AdSense, but I wanted to try an alternate program to see how it compares to Google’s and to what “end” it might bring, i.e. money!

I can’t say if the program is open to all just yet, but it could be a revenue maker for just the right site.

I had the satisfaction the other day of having finished a book. Yes, you would think that those of us who write for a living would be great readers. Some of us are, some of us aren’t. I probably am fairly well read overall, but that covers magazines, newspapers, articles, and the like for the most part…especially if they can be found online!

My wife picked up a book for me this past Christmas and she hit it right on the mark — Condi: The Condoleeza Rice Story. Written by Antonia Felix, the book traces the remarkable life of now Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice from her days living in highly segregated Birmingham, Alabama during the 1950s and 1960s through her years as an academic scholar, college professor, and university provost, all the way up to her present work with the Bush Administration. Written in 2003, the book still has Condi as National Security Advisor to the president, but in 2004 Condi replaced Colin Powell as the Secretary of State.

The book delves into Condi’s life and doesn’t hold back on much. No, not much to criticize about this consummate overachiever, rather plenty of praise for a role model who has triumphed in the face of overwhelming odds, let alone overwhelming adversity.

Condi is not just a leading scholar, but she is an expert in Soviet {Russian} affairs, an accomplished pianist, and an avid football fan. Driven? Oh, yes! But, not in the “possessed” or “obsessed” sense of the word. As a black woman working in a mostly white male environment Condi has established herself on her terms and not on someone else’s. “Twice as good” was the mantra passed down to Condi by her parents who believed that black children had to do everything twice as well as white children in order to be considered equal in a segregated society.

I won’t give all the details of the book away, but there are some highly interesting aspects about Condi that some people probably just don’t know. Personally, I don’t think Condi will run for president on the Republican ticket in 2008 as some desire — instead, she aspires to be president of the NFL — but whatever Condi chooses to do beyond her time working with President Bush will more than likely include breaking new ground and setting the trend for all who come behind her.

“Condi” has inspired me to where I plan on being a much more disciplined book reader during 2006. My goal is go through one book per month, so I think I am off to a good start!

I like to read business magazines and once in awhile I come across a story that really seems to hit home. One such story is titled, “The Future of Outsourcing” and it appears in the January 30, 2006 issue of BusinessWeek magazine.

The article focuses on all the various jobs that leave the U.S. for countries around the world. Many of us have been touched by outsourcing and I must admit few of us like it. Still, the article gives a compelling reason why outsourcing can be a positive decision for companies, while at the same time it shows exactly when and how certain jobs should remain behind.

So, what does the article have to do with freelance writing? Well, I have come to realize that many companies do not want to take on a full time employee for in-house writing, instead some are very interested in outsourcing that need to capable individuals. This is where you and I come in.

If you write well, are articulate, and are business savvy, you can find a niche for yourself in the midst of the turmoil. Sharpen your marketing plan and go after those companies running “lean and mean” and offer your services to them on a contract basis. Don’t sell yourself cheap [or you will hurt yourself and the rest of us]. Instead, price yourself smartly and make a profit.

One thing many of us home-based freelancers have to our advantage is a full grasp of American culture and business practices. This gives you and I a big edge over outsiders who cannot fully grasp our language style and method of writing. Use that to your advantage and shine!