Online research seems like the best thing since sliced bread; yet, there are pitfalls to this present-day convenience. As websites take opportunity of several online ad programs, there has been a prolification of “bad” websites that use “bad” sources. The point of these websites is just to rank high in the search engines. These do not really concern themselves with clarity and truthfulness. Likewise, even reliable reference sites like Wikipedia.com may not always be that trustworthy. Because sites like Wikipedia are user-edited, it can be subject to malicious intent by some. There are human checkers, of course, but the sheer number of pages in sites like those can be daunting. Not everything can be checked and rechecked every time.

An Internet user and researcher can sidestep these pitfalls through these simple tips:

1.  Double-check. Sites like Wikipedia require their users to cite sources. A researcher can go back to these sources and confirm what is said. This way, one is assured that any claims, statements, and statistics – the gray areas in research – are true.

2.  Use the reliable online sources. Instead of blindly searching the web, it is sometimes more productive to search the reliable sites. There are several government sites that have made their libraries and statistical documents available online. Also, websites of education institutions may have information related to what you are looking for. These are great resources as well. The secret really is to know what you need. For sure, there are legitimate sites that feature these.

Here are some tips that can help you avoid errors in processing client’s instructions:

1.  Confirm. When a set of instructions is sent, it is always good practice to confirm its receipt. When you do, this is opportunity to confirm your understanding of the instructions as well. Detail what you have to do, as you understood it. This is the only way for both parties to know that both are in the same page.

2.  Clarify. Sometimes, there may be vague sections in the instructions. The best thing to do here is to clarify. As service provider, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask your client to expound on his or her instructions. It is not a sign of weakness when you do. In fact, your client might appreciate it more that you are concerned enough to want to provide him or her with outputs exactly as he or she wants them. If there is an item that you do not understand, ask.

3.  List. It is always good practice to list down the deliverables for each instruction set. This not only lays down what’s expected from you by your client. This also protects you as service provider. A list of deliverables is somewhat a list of expectations. It tells your client what is within his or her right to demand. Anything out of the list can be treated as a new project and subject to additional fees.

Online articles have different requirements than print articles or creative writing (e.g., novels, poems, screenplays). With online articles, a writer needs to engage the reader within a line or two of his or her articles. There is a wealth of resources online; a reader can just easily go to another website if he or she finds boring content. Likewise, online articles need to read fast. They should be easy to easy to scan and well organized. And yet, another criterion in online writing is readability. There is absolutely no place for high-sounding words in an online article. A writer should not make his or her readers turn to the dictionary every two minutes.

With these criteria in mind, here are some tips to coming up with quality online content:
1.  Get to the point. To engage the reader as soon as possible, a writer should get down to business. Let the reader know what the topic is right away. At the same time, do not go around in circles. Say it as it is.

2.  Note the keywords. In cyberspace, keywords and search engine optimization rule. Note this when writing online articles. Quality articles are practically useless if these are not read. Hence, optimize the site content by being aware of keyword usage.

3.  Make use of bullets, sub-titles, and all. A reader usually just spends a few seconds to scan an article and decide on its relevance. The writer needs to assist in this aspect by organizing his or her articles with sub-titles, bullet points, and other formatting tools.

1.  Refer to the old reliables. Old reliables pertain to websites that would most probably have useful information. These include Wikipedia, Wikitravel, and other reference sites. There is the contention that information in these sites is often reader-edited. Hence, some information may not be all-true. However, sites like Wikipedia require its users to make the necessary citations for all the facts stated in the entry. If the main content on-site reads doubtfully, a researcher can just opt to go straight to the listed sources. Either way, these reference sites can prove to be good resources.

2.  See what the others have done. Most of the time, it is during the process of research when the writer forms ideas about his or her article. Hence, at the beginning stages of it, thoughts are all over the place. There is no direction yet – with the writing, and the research. This delays research and the task prior to writing. To alleviate this, it is sometimes helpful to refer to article databases like Ezinearticles. In sites like these, a user can browse through similar articles. One can take ideas here and there, and eventually have a better direction for his or her own.

3.  Narrow down searches. In doing online research, it is always better to have specific topics in mind. Take for example a topic on “Bahamas travel.” It will take a lot more time sifting through results if you search for “Bahamas travel,” than if you searched for “Bahamas travel outdoor adventure things to do.”

Unfortunately, there is no surefire cure for writers’ block. Pharmaceutical companies would definitely make a killing if there was one. What writers can do is to let it pass – and, ideally, let it pass quickly. Here are some ways to hasten the block and get back into writing soon:

1.  Sometimes distance from work helps. A quick gym break can renew one’s writing juices. In worse cases, a short trip to the beach or elsewhere may do the trick. Or, in the worst of cases, it may be advisable to put the pen down for a while, say for a week or so, and do something else. It is an odd “cure” really; but a distraction from writing can make a big difference in one’s creative output. Once the writer gets back in front of the computer, words will just fly out of his or her mind.

2.  Stop the work and write for one’s self. A trick to getting back into the groove of writing is to forget any requirements and just write of one’s self. This can be in the form of blogs or diary entries – anything that can release whatever’s keeping the words in. Although technically, this is not a break from writing, it can be seen as a break from work. As in most breaks, the idea is to renew one’s readiness for work.

This blog lists writing projects from mostly foreign companies looking for affordable content creation, rewrite, research projects.

While we try to vet each and every entry that makes it to this blog, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information of the job posts.  Many projects expire with time so make sure you apply for current/recent posts since earlier posts have probably been filled.

Applicants are encouraged to practice due diligence in considering the projects posted here.

If you have a writing project you’d like to feature here, please send an email to:  newprojects (at) homebasedwriters (dot) com
PHOTO CREDITS:  Star Dust