High quality picture

What is very important for a video tutorial is its picture quality. Make sure picture resolution is high, with maximum clarity. Good finishing at the editing table is important too.

Subtitles, thought bubbles, supers

A video tutorial is never complete unless it has texts in forms of subtitles, texts in between scenes, thoughts bubbles, supers (text on screen) supporting the audio-visual input. People may think even a voice over (VO) can do the job, but it’s more effective and memorable when people read the same on screen. These supporting texts can do wonders.

Add some value to it

Don’t make just another video tutorial of no much substance in it. Make a video tutorial if you have enough knowledge of the subject, know it in-depth and have done enough research on the same before making the video tutorial. If you do not add something new to your video, no one will be interested in it.

Script has to be strong

No video tutorial comes out well, unless it has been developed on rock solid script. Don’t start a video tutorial without any script in front of you. It is the first step towards video making. Just special effects can’t do a magic to your video tutorial with no strong script in it.

Checklist at the end

Don’t forget a video tutorial remains incomplete unless it has a checklist at the end, summarizing the content communicated in the video. Checklist helps the audience to complie the entire content, to recall and memorize the main points and feel enriched.

Don’t make it dramatic

Always remember video tutorials are not films, or daily soaps. They don’t need acting skill or screen presence. Don’t develop a dramatic script, with twisted dialogues and pretentious moves. Keep it simple, straight on face, clear and substantial. At the same time, it shouldn’t be boring. Maintain the pace, neither fast nor too slow. Keep it conversational, interesting. Remember, it’s not entertainment, it’s information transmitted through interesting video with aids like live examples, demonstrations. Don’t forget its objective behind.

So what are you waiting for? Start with your video tutorial. Just follow these simple tips while making your video tutorial.

Find your personal goal

If you know what you want to do in life, what’s your purpose of living; life will not only be easier for you, but also meaningful and worth. Most of us live life without any goal and thus life turns out to be frustrating. Talk to yourself, find out your dreams and aspirations and what you want to do in this life. Then work towards achieving your goal. Set small goals before reaching the final one. With sheer dedication and passion work towards the goal, it will also boost your confidence and self esteem.

Prioritize your wants

Many times we want everything and get nothing, it’s because we fail to prioritize our wants and ignore what we actually value. Know yourself, know what is your priority – money or success, family or spirituality? It will help you to set your personal goals and categorize your priorities in order.

Know your passion

Know what you are passionate about, what makes you happy and what you never deny to do. Try to make your passion your profession; then work will never seem to be a load and stress. If you love your job, life will be easier and happier.

Meditate everyday

Sit alone quietly and meditate every day, it will help you to talk to your inner self. Don’t think about anything while meditating, you can chant too. Listen to your inner voice.

Know what you are good at

Knowing your strengths will help you to enhance them and utilize. Honor your strengths and enhance them.

Help others

Serve the society, it will not only help you to evolve as a better human but also soothe you from within. Help others as per your own capacity. In this way you will be more humble, honest, helpful and loved by all. Tomorrow others may help you back.

What samples to show and what not to show, and how many to show? These questions often haunt a freelance writer, more so because there is no one right answer to this. Every client is different so is there demand, and so is the solution to that.

The question is then how to decide what to show and what not to show? As said, there is not any definite answer to this question, but I can tell you about what I do when it comes to hunting writing gigs. That will help you devise your plan of action.

How to decide which sample to show

What clients want?

The first step in the process is to see what client is asking for, as sending relevant samples is what you should do. Sending a sample of how-to article to a client who wants a sales page will do no good. Similarly sending a sample of an article to one who is asking for a press release will also not get you the job.

Have you written on the topic?

If you have written on the topic related to project advertise then send that sample, but while doing so do keep the following tip in mind.

When did you write that one?

This is very important. We all grow one article at a time, so sending a sample that you wrote 2 or 3 years back will do more harm than good, as it will not demonstrate you current style. Do not mistake in thinking that writing style is static; rather nothing is more organic than writing style. The more you write the better you become. You should, therefore, send the samples that you wrote in last month, or last to last month. Do not send any sample that you wrote more than 6 months back.

How many

As many as required to get the work. This is a judgment call you have to take. If the work advertised is going to last long than I provide more samples and if it is a small project then I do not send too many samples, or too many types of samples. It also depends on what a client is asking for.

This is how I decide on what samples to send and how many to send. I hope this will help you decide as well.

But this is what I have to say on this. A writing schedule is must for you if you are not highly motivated writer, and who cannot start writing on the word go. And guess what most of us do not fit in this description. We all need, therefore, a writing schedule to help us perform the work we have taken ourselves.

Yes, each one of us has taken writing work on our own, no one ever have forced us to do so. I know of no parents who want their sons and daughters to become writers. It is the calling we got from inside and now as you are sunk deep into it you have started to feel lethargic. This is where a writing schedule steps in and pushes us forward, and we trod until we gain momentum.

Why to have a writing schedule?

1. It helps us remain on course.
2. It makes us finish our job on time.
3. Following a writing schedule gives us freedom to do anything productive with rest of the day, which will not be the case if there is no schedule.
4. In the absence of a schedule we end of thinking about finishing our writing assignment throughout the day, which is such a waste of time.

This is all I can think as of now. I need your help to list down all the benefits of having a writing schedule. How else do you think following a writing schedule is going to help someone? Use the comment box and send your suggestions. I am waiting impatiently to hear your ideas.

Freelance writing is not easy

It indeed is not tough, but it is not easy. To succeed in this, you will have to put in hours and hours of labor every single day, without failing. Then only you will see any result. This is not a field in which you will enter, rake in moola, and leave. This is not a get-rich-quick industry. You have to struggle here, burn midnight oil, and learn continuously. People who fail in this industry, come here with a make-money-quick scheme, and get frustrated when faced with the reality. Writing is not easy, but it will become easier, eventually.

Lack of perseverance

You have to invest so many hours before you get hang of things around here. When you are new, the well may look dark, and the road may look narrower, but there is a wide clearing on the other side that awaits only those who persist. Persistence is the key. Keep fighting. Say this to yourself:

If any one person can do this then be that ME!

Lack of determination is the thing that pushes people away from this writing.

No devotion to learning

If you thought learning stopped the day you got the job, or the day you got the gig then you are in the wrong field. Rather, there is no such field out there in which you will not require to read. Learning is not an event, it is a process which never stops. People who fail are those who do not want to invest time for learning.

I do not believe it is the lack of talent which creates hindrance in the road to the high hills of success. It is the attitude that stops us from that.

If you want to have faith in one thing, have faith on your selection. This will solve half of the problems.

This is what every jobseeker feels, and you believe it or not, you already know the answer. You know what an interviewer wants to know about you. You just seem to overlook them under the pressure of backbreaking labor that you put in to straighten everything up, so that you get selected for the job. You would not have worried too much for the job, if you knew that your interviewer wants to know only three things from you. But, what are those 3 things that an interviewer wants to know? Read this article through the end to find the answer to this question.

3 things an interviewer wants to know

Can you do this job?

This is the first concern of an interviewer. He asks you so many questions related to your education, experience, and past companies only to know if you can do the job he is offering or now. He is least interested in what all you did with your life, so do not tell him all. Just talk about things that will add value to his company should you are hired. This also shows how focused are you.

Will you be a pain in you know where?

Will you go along with the team easily or not is another thing that your interviewer wants to know. No one wants to hire anyone who cannot work in a team, or who cannot learn to adapt to situations that are not of their choosing. That is why questions related to curricular activities, volunteer organization, and roles played and responsibilities taken in previous companies are asked.

Are you asking for too much?

No one wants to pay an employee more than what he or she is worth. Charging a little extra is ok, but asking for way more than what one deserves raises the red flag. You need to be careful when telling him your expected salary. And when you quote your salary, do not forget to add what all you will do for the company, and how do you think hiring you on that salary will be a good deal for the company. Tell the interviewer you are worth every penny you are asking for, as you can earn 10 folds return of the salary you are getting from the company.

These are the only things your interviewer is interested in knowing. All the questions asked during an interview are done with a hidden motive of finding these things.

The biggest part about being successful writing is pretty much just being diligent.  You have to work at any career, and writing on the internet is no different.  You can’t allow yourself to second guess your career choice, or give up when the assignments seem too few and far between.  Something has to break eventually, but if you give up, you’ll never get that opportunity.

Learn how to use keywords, and to write SEO.  Search Engine Optimization is the most important technique for any internet writer.  If you want your articles to garner attention, and be read by the mass public, you need them to get noticed on search engines.  Because sites like Google operate searches by using keyword recognition, you need to have your articles formatted properly, and with the correct sprinkling of keywords.

Make sure that you make friends within the industry as well.  Network, network, network so that you can connect to as many job providers and writers as possible.  These are the people that have and will know about the best jobs.  Getting connected to them will open up as many doors as possible, and really get your career moving.

As long as you work hard, and are diligent, you can succeed.  Just remember to keep at it, and don’t give up on writing.

So firstly, remember that your home business is just as professional as a company that works out of an office building, and respect the job as such.  With that as your start, here are a few tips that can help you set up your business:

-Organize a home office that will be regarded strictly as your working space.  The office is a part of your home, but remember this is no different than if you went into an office building 9-5 like most people.  Remember that you’re not at home when you’re supposed to be working.

-Schedule out your activities and effectively plan your day.  Keeping on top of the situation, and maximizing productivity means sticking to a schedule.  That’s the only way to set yourself up for as much success as possible.

-Make sure that you research all applicable tax laws.  The last thing you’re going to want to deal with is a tax problem, so research the information now opposed to later.  As a self employed businessperson, the tax laws are going to be very different, so read them and know them, and always file on time.

-Once again in the treating your business like the real business it is vein, make sure that you’re covered by insurance.  Any sort of business owner’s insurance that you feel applies to you, is something you should definitely look into.  Every business needs insurance.  Don’t wait until it’s too late, ever!

-Make sure that you have a good schedule, and that you stick to that schedule.  If you’re a writer that works from home, the biggest part of making that transition is remembering that this is still a serious job.  Just because your environment is the comfort of your own home, doesn’t mean you can slack.  Schedule out your projects and stick to them, in the long run this will help you feel like you’re in more of a professional environment, and you’ll be more apt to get your writing done.

-Know when you need to take a break.  Because writing is so creative, sometimes you need to take a break to keep the creative juices flowing.  Give yourself 5-10 minutes when you’re feeling especially unproductive.  Take a moment, go outside and get some fresh air, then go back to work.  You should feel calmer, and more willing to resume normal duties.

-Don’t get down on yourself, or bully yourself into writing.  Everyone goes through phases where they don’t feel like writing.  You just have to stay confident and positive, and keep plugging away.  The feeling will pass, but don’t give in and stop working because of it.

-Finally, try making a reward system for yourself.  If you have a lot of articles to do, map out the articles and make up rewards for completing a certain amount.  Like if you desperately want to take a break, set a goal to finish four of those articles before you do.  If you’re hungry and really want to eat lunch, make sure you complete another two beforehand.

Saving is the best way to start.  Determine an acceptable percentage of each paycheck that you want to set aside in a savings account.  If you have direct deposit at your job, practically every bank offers you the ability to denote a percentage of each check automatically to your savings.  That way you’re saving money without really even consciously trying.  Remember, start small.  You don’t have to go crazy to save a lot of money.  This is a long term strategy, so a little now will add up over the long run.

When you’ve started building up a decent amount of money in your savings account, think about making that money work for you.  If you’re money is sitting in savings, it isn’t really doing anything.  Consider putting some of that into long term stock or bond investments.  Something practically guaranteed to make your money grow.  There’s always some risk involved, so don’t over invest, but definitely take a few steps to build on what you have.

Finally, try not to frivolously spend your money.  That doesn’t mean being frugal your whole life so you can finally spend in your 50s.  But rather, don’t make purchases you can’t afford, and don’t use credit to live beyond your means.  Both catch up with you faster than you’d think, and will hurt your retirement in the long run.  Be intelligent with your money.  If you have to wait a few weeks for something you want to fit in the budget, be patient.  You’ll be better off in the long run.

So it’s important to take time and care when writing your self review.  Allow yourself plenty of time to get the work done.  That means setting aside time everyday for a few days to work on the self evaluation.  This way you aren’t stressed, or rushing at the last minute to complete the project.  This also gives you time to go over your responses a few times, and make sure that you’re satisfied with what you’ve written.  Don’t turn in a review that you aren’t happy with.

Make sure that you’ve been compiling a list of your accomplishments, as that is a necessity for your self review.  Highlighting accomplishments accurate is a great statement in itself.  Not only do you have the great examples of your importance, but you also show your attention to detail by having the accurate records.  Both are fantastic traits magnified by the self review.

Remember to be honest when assessing the areas where you need improvement.  Nobody is infallible, and if you review suggests that you are, it’s a sham.  Your manager already knows that skills that you need to work on, and wants to see that you agree.  By being honest, and putting your actual weaknesses, you show that you are aware and are working to better yourself.  That’s what a boss wants.

-Try thinking positively about the job you hate.  Consider the positive parts, such as the fact that you are lucky enough to have a job during this turmoil.  The fact that you have reliable enough work that you’ve stayed employed, and have been able to live more comfortably than many other Americans.  Thinking about your good fortune is a great way to bring that smile out.

-Set time limits on your tasks, to see if you can accomplish your goals.  This is almost a tactic to make a game out of the monotony you may suffer if you hate your job.  Also this helps you get faster, and better at accomplishing your tasks.  The appearance of becoming a better, harder worker, could help you advance into a higher position that you won’t hate.

-Take an interest in your coworkers.  Make friends, and be positive and good natured with them.  Creating a better work environment around you can really help how you feel at work.  A great way to do that is improve your relations with those around you, creating a friendly environment that you can enjoy.

-Finally, just because you have a job, doesn’t mean you can’t look for a different one.  Try looking for other opportunities that may serve you better.  Something that you can really get into, and have a true passion for, unlike your current job.  Just make sure to keep that knowledge silent, as some employers take personal offence when their employees look for work elsewhere.  The last thing you want is to lose the job you have, because you were looking for a different one.

Always have a complete list of every client and contribution you’ve made in your career.  These come in handy so that you can have a comprehensive guide to tailor a resume to any given position.  If it’s a job writing about entertainment, you want to have your entertainment examples handy, and so on and so forth.  Always have a complete list for your reference, but limit what you put on the resume to the best examples of your work, as they relate to that job.

Practically everyone is going to ask for a brief summary of your writing experience, and usually about yourself personally.  This serves as a guide to your experience, as well as the sort of writer you are.  Usually you’ll end up writing a few paragraphs to satisfy both, and these will serve to give them a taste of your writing style.  So make sure they are concise, easily read, and reflective of the style in which you write.

Try to make the information about you as interesting as possible.  Think of an interesting professional story that you can tell, that defines your character and ability.  Then tell the story in a riveting way.  Something that keeps your target engaged in what you written.  You want them to be dying to talk to you more about the job, and certain that you’ll be a great fit.

How to avoid it?

Fortunately, there is a way out of it, which anyone of you can use to avoid distraction, regardless of your situation.

Assign yourself a place of work

This is the must-take action for any freelance writer. It is not good to carry your laptop and sit anywhere in your home to work, well occasional working-in-kitchen will not hurt but do not make it a routine. I know it sounds against the spirit of freelance writing—you can work from anywhere and anytime—but this is worth a deviation. Find a lonely corner in your house and turn it into a workplace.

Fix your work hours

I may sound like talking against the freedom of freelance writing, but my intention is not to drag you back into the 9-5 job that you left in the past, it is only to help you produce more. And as it is you can anytime pull the string and call it off.

Work, no matter what

Once you fix your work hour, you should stick to it, no matter what. Well, you can deviate from “no matter what” principle without any guilt feeling when you know you need to. Occasion deviation never hurts, at least not in our profession.

Talk to your family

At times, getting things write just need a word from us. Talk to your family and tell them that you are working around here, so not to create distraction. Well this might not work with a disgruntled spouse, but in most of the cases, this will be enough. Believe it or not, they understand the value of the work you are doing.

As you can see, fighting off distraction does not take so much of muscle power as much it takes discipline and tactics. What are your tactics to fight this monster off? Use the comment box and tell me your strategies.

Remember to do your research.  That should be a part of preparation for any interview.  Know the company, what you want from them, and why you want to work there.  Find out about the services they provide, how they apply to your skills and goals.  Those are all very necessary parts of any interview.  Being prepared to talk about them beforehand will keep you calm when the subjects come up in the actual interview.

Study yourself.  You’d be pretty embarrassed if you were asked a question about your resume, and you were unable to answer.  Study that resume, and know it by heart.  Consider why you put the credentials you chose on the resume.  Knowing this beforehand prepares you for any questions you’ll receive regarding your resume during the interview.

Finally, on the day of the actual interview, take time to unwind and calm down beforehand.  You want to be relaxed and confident.  So take out a little time for yourself.  That way you can collect your thoughts, relax, and keep a positive attitude for your road to securing that job.  Stay courteous and professional, and remember your research.  That way, no question will stump you, and you’ll answer all of them to the best of your ability.

By preparing you give yourself the best chance to make a good impression.  During the interview process, a good impression is invaluable.  The best impression you can make will help good credentials stand out, and any shortcomings disappear.

Although the best way to save yourself from being tardy to an interview, is to make sure you’re not late in the first place.  That means mapping out your route beforehand.  Know the territory, and leave a few minutes earlier than needed.

If you cannot avoid being late, then always call ahead immediately to notify your interviewer of the situation.  You have a cell phone for a reason.  If there’s bad unexpected traffic, or an accident, call them immediately to let them know you’ll be late.  Explain the reason, apologize, and tell the interviewer that you’ll be there as quickly as possible.

When you arrive, don’t rush into the office.  Stay calm and composed.  Turn this into an opportunity to show your grace under pressure.  Being late to an interview could be considered a huge lapse in credibility.  But you can spin that by keeping your posture confident, and your demeanor positive and courteous.

By rushing in you show nervousness, which is essentially weakness.  If you crack under the stress of getting to an interview on time, are they going to want you during a real work crises?  Show that you can stay composed and confident in any scenario.

A good tactic actually is to rush as quickly as possible to the interview, then take a few moments before you enter the building to compose yourself.  The key here is staying calm, if you can’t stay calm you’re not going to make a good impression.  You’ve already got the tardiness strike against you, so your interview has to be stellar.

One of the most common you’re almost guaranteed to be hit with is, why should they hire you?  This is a trick question, because they are testing out the waters, trying to decipher your answer.  The worst response you can have is a generalized, almost automated response.  Something like “I’m a motivated worker and willing to contribute to the team” is a good example of a horrible answer.  This is much too general, and a good example of what they’ll hear from almost anyone.  Be honest, and offer real reasons on why you should get the job.

What’s your greatest weakness?  Another question to test you.  Think about your answer carefully, and don’t answer too eagerly.  This isn’t a chance to admit a real weakness, but rather expose an aspect of your past that you’ve moved beyond.  Turn this around into an accomplishment.  Like admitting a weakness in the past, and how it inspired you to become better overall.

Any question about your former boss is a set up to how you’ll treat the company when your time with them is nearing the end.  The last thing you want to do is boss bash, because that makes you appear selfish.  Anyone that’s willing to trash a former employer in talking to a new potential employer, is a selfish one that could be a detriment to the overall staff.  Not to mention the last thing they want if you end up leaving that job, is for you to run around bad mouthing them.

The question of your greatest professional accomplishment can be a little tricky.  But overall that question should be seen as an opportunity more than anything else.  Really this is a chance for you to sell yourself, and accurately describe a reason why you’re an asset to any company.  Take advantage of the opportunity you’re given through the question.  Shine like the great employee you are, and let the story speak for itself.

Should you leave your freelance writing that you enjoy so much and take some regular and more paying job? Or should you look for alternative source of income?

What you will choose from the given options depends on what is your priority. For me, the choice is simple. I would go for developing the alternative source of income. And I believe most of the readers of this post will want to do the same. Therefore, I will be talking about alternative source of income that you could develop to increase your income.

1. You can start an AdSense or any advertisement supported website.
2. You can write an e-book.
3. You can start a coaching program.
4. Become a corporate blogging consultant.
5. Create a team of writer and get bulk content done.
6. Become a content consultant

Your options are not limited to these. You can do many more things while continuing your freelance writing.

The first thing you should do is figure out the nature of the question.  An illegal question does not refer to a question that is criminally liable, but rather just a question that an interviewer is not allowed to ask.  Questions like these are from topics that cannot legally have a bearing on whether or not you get a job.  Such as questions about race, sex, age, health, disabilities, and religion.  Any of these could be mentioned unintentionally in the forming of a question, but all are illegal for an interviewer to ask you.

It’s necessary for you to understand that in most cases an illegal question comes up as a mistake from the interviewer.  Oftentimes these are asked with no intention to discriminate against you.  But rather these are attempts by the interviewer to be friendly, or to relate to you.  This way the can get a better feel for how you would fit in with the company.  But usually through inexperience, instead of doing that through legal means, they accidentally slip into an illegal pitfall by asking you a personal question.

In this case you have two polite options for answering the question and moving the interview forward.  The first option is that you could answer the question.  But in answering, make sure that it’s a question you feel completely comfortable answering, and preferably answering n brief.  Then try to move on to a different topic.  The second option is to essentially ignore the question and move the interview forward by focusing on a different work related topic of yours.

Either option works well, and will keep an interview’s flow without making for an uncomfortable situation on either side.  Try to stay professional and courteous, with a positive disposition, as you always should during any interview.  If you can follow that model, and not flinch under the pressure of an illegal question, you’ll be just fine.

Don’t fall into the bad eating pitfalls that can occur when working long hours at your job.  Many people turn to drugs like caffeine, or just bad eating habits in general, such as opting for fast food instead of something nutritious.  This is the first step to failing at your ability to perform well when working long days.  Caffeine leads to crashing, which is what you do not want after you’ve already been working a typically long day, and need to dig deep to keep going.  That’s the same effect eating fast food instead of nutritious food will have.

Eating healthy is key to surviving those shifts, so take the time to keep your fruit and vegetable intake high.  That will make all the difference, and drinking water instead of caffeine, coupled with good nutritional habits will provide for all the energy you would need.

If you happen to be working more to complete a big project, or to achieve a big bonus for your paycheck, keep both of these goals in mind.  When you’re feeling down, or just dragged around from the length of your shift, remember your reasons.  Think about your goals, the project you want done, or the money you want to make, and that should help you push on through.

Finally, find a good relaxation technique, and take some time for yourself for that activity.  Whether it be listening to some calming music for a few minutes, taking a break, etc.  Make time for that relaxation, as it will influence everything you do.  The more you can get rid of some stress when you’re feeling stressed, the better you’ll perform, and you’ll feel better too.