#where do i find marketing tools on ebay

[popgoestheworld]

her flop era. who did this. absolutely criminal. the first pic is so lovingly drawn for no reason. they put so much soul into that owls eyes. i would get this on a t shirt. that owl is gently guiding those people into that bus. i feel secure... the new logo is batshit and whoever drew it they are Definitely not credited on the website. if i was the one who made that horrible owl i would not put it in my portfolio. this is such a good representation of the decline of ottawa ontario public transit and its perception. ive been researching this owl for a zine i have nothing to tell you this is not interesting. anyway TRANSECURE LOL

this is the most recent official art i can find of the owl from the kids ride free campaign somewhat recently and can i just say i think he sucks..... massively lacking his distinct shiny eyelids. theyre important! they had Zero marketing budget some guy who doesnt undesrtand graphic design or illustration made this on ms paint very quickly and used the circle tool A Lot. also this type of kids art where they actively avoid diversity by making their skin blue sucks and i hate it. also they made this move so people would stop buying the cheaper child ticket to get on the train for less so i consider it an L campaign to begin with. also its non canon!!!

this official ottawa lynx promotional baseball card from 2001 that i found on ebay says that this owl is 6'6 and weighs 200lbs. that motherfucker is Not 6'6. i think the newer version or at the very least that shitty illustration of him is Owl Sized. like a real life owl. also i didn't mention this before but his name is fucking OC the Owl. come on guys

look at him slayyyyyy

at some point they remade the costume to be i guess technically better buy less charming... someone whos probably okay at making fursuits made this one it has an expression that doesnt look Doomed at least. he has hope in his face that i don't think the 1989 costume does. i do like the colour contrast a lot less and i think if they updated the costume they could have put more effort into his outfit. red oc transpo shirt doesnt do it for me\

[mil-doo]

First Film Camera Quick Guide!

I was putting together a list for a partner who's been interested in buying a film camera that can do a little more than his point and shoot and it was recommended to me that I share the picks I sent him!

This is by no means comprehensive but these are the four that come to mind for me. I've kept the options $200 and below (with lens, based on ebay listings) with the idea being if this is your first film camera, or first film SLR, you probably don't want to spend much more than that.

For anyone who's been shooting for a while who has some other options to share please feel free to mention them so nothing gets overlooked!

Nikon F4 ($200)

Pros: It was Nikon's first professional auto focus camera and also has multiple auto exposure modes from full auto, to aperture and shutter speed priority! It has great build quality, Nikons are known to be indestructible. It has advanced metering to help make sure everything in the frame is exposed properly. The F mount has been around for 70 years and counting and has the largest library of lenses available, many of which are fairly inexpensive. It also has the best viewfinder on this list for glasses wearers due to its size!

Cons: It's a tank! It's big and chunky and much like many other auto focus film cameras of the era it has that ugly DSLR look. It has a Swiss army knife worth of features many of which you may never use!

Canon EOS Rebel GII (>$100)

Pros: You can get the body and a lens for under $100 making it the cheapest option on this list! It's capable of auto focus and a number of different exposure modes that let you learn various settings or take pictures with the ease of a point and shoot. The EOS mount lasted for 30+ years so there's a wide variety of lenses across a wide spectrum of prices.

Cons: It's an enthusiast grade camera with consumer grade build quality and a somewhat limited feature set for a late era film SLR --but all the right features are included. It's big, chunky, kinda ugly.

Olympus OM-2 ($150)

Pros: It's really small for a professional camera! It has that classic film SLR look, and it was in FLCL! It's manual focus, but does have some auto exposure tools to assist you. You'll have to dial in aperture to your liking but shutter speed can be determined for you. You can grab one of these with a lens for around $150.

Cons: It will have a steeper learning curve than the auto focus cameras on this list. The OM mount library is pretty limited and while the 50mm lens you probably get with it will be cheap most other focal lengths get a little more pricey due to availability.

Nikon FE ($200)

Pros: Another small manual focus camera with auto exposure features! It uses the F mount so it's an easy system camera to grow into if you think you'll want to experiment with different focal lengths along the way! It's a Nikon so it'll probably outlast us all.

Cons: It's pricier up front than the OM-2 and if you don't think you'll want to experiment with different focal lengths down the line it probably isn't worth it!

Point & Shoot!

If you're looking for a point and shoot my main recommendation is to buy anything that's $50 or less. They all more or less work the same and they're all ticking time bombs of 90s consumer electronic goodness.

Facebook market place is a sadly a great place to find them, and where I got my beloved little Olympus MJU for $20 three years back!

Final Frame

Like I said up top, none of this is definitive! If you find something you think you can grow into that gets you excited to get out and shoot that's the camera for you! The most important thing is to have fun and make some art! Enjoy <3

[abigail]

hai idk if this has been asked before but where do you get your clothes??? and what stores do you recommend? i want to dress like you do but have no idea where to start...

hiiii !! aaaa i’ve been asked this a few times and i always feel a lil bad because the majority of my wardrobe is secondhand that i get from vintage stores i go to irl or from sites like depop/vinted/ebay etc - i’m sorry, i know it’s not very helpful ! :-(

i suggest the best thing to do is check out any vintage/charity shops near you, even antique markets/centres sometimes have a few clothing items (i recently found some pure silk vintage knickers/pyjamas at an antique centre that i plan to wear as regular shorts in the summer hehe) also keep an eye out for any travelling secondhand pop ups, in the uk there’s quite a few (my favourite being ‘preloved kilo’ !)

also use sites like vinted/depop/ebay etc and really think about the items you’re wanting when searching for them and use the tool bars to help, so basically instead of just searching ‘white mini skirt’ you can search something more detailed like ‘white lace rara skirt’ and then use the tool bar to help narrow it down even further so it’s your size and within your price range etc etc !

if you’re unsure of what to even look for to begin with though, start really looking at peoples outfits you like online and pick an item they’re wearing and try your best to describe it, google is your best friend here because if you don’t know the right terms for things you can always look it up ! you might not always find the exact kind of thing you’re looking for but you might find similar things and you can always search again another time to see if there’s any more listings (and if it’s something you really really want you can set up notifications for when things are listed with that description ! i have this for a few things lol)

the only site i regularly (ish) shop at that isn’t second hand is asos ! i don’t ever use it though to just browse for things, i’ll only go on there when wanting something specific and again, i’ll search it and use the tool bar to help narrow it down (asos have loads of stuff and a million different options on the tool bar so you can really narrow things down well !)

there’s absolutely other online stores i like too but i haven’t really shopped at them to suggest them (i don’t want to recommend a site i haven’t personally purchased anything from lol but if you want a list of them regardless just let me know)

and of course if i ever post an outfit you can always ask me where i got the stuff i’m wearing from :-) it’ll likely be secondhand but not always and even if it is secondhand, if there’s any labels inside i can let you know so you can try and search for it or something similar !! hope this was helpful in some way for you ♡

[rapifessor]

Good news, everyone!

Yesterday, I was talking with my friend who offered me his copy of Pokémon Platinum and I mentioned how obtaining Emerald was going to be the biggest financial hurdle. He said he should have a copy of that somewhere as well, but like Platinum he didn't know where. Naturally, I told him that I'd be very grateful if he was able to find his old Pokémon games, as it would make my quest to play them all considerably easier. Emerald is easily the most faked game on the market because of its luxurious status and price point, so having access to an authentic copy would save me a lot of trouble.

Well, guess what: not long after saying that, my friend gets back to me with good news. He didn't just find his copy of Platinum, but Emerald too, AND Fire Red.

I couldn't believe my luck. With those three games, so many of my problems are solved. I could play all the versions I wanted without having to spend a ton of money. But it gets better: my friend offered me a deal. He had two Nintendo DS Lite systems that couldn't read games, but otherwise functioned normally. If I could restore their functionality, he would straight up give me Emerald and Fire Red in addition to Platinum. Even though these games are worth big money.

I mean, hey, I can't argue with a deal like that. How lucky does a guy have to be to not only find a bunch of old Pokémon games in trustworthy hands, but to also have the opportunity to earn them for free? I didn't know anything about cleaning or refurbishing a DS, but there was no harm in trying. So I stopped by my friend's house after work that day to make the deal.

Turns out cleaning a DS Lite isn't overly complicated, and I had on hand all the tools needed for the job. I just needed to get into the slots and remove the corrosion. So I did that and also cleaned the corrosion off of the games themselves, as I discovered during my testing that some games worked better than others. With a few hours of work, I got both systems reading games pretty consistently, which meant that Pokémon Platinum, Emerald, and Fire Red were officially mine.

Ah, but there is a slight... problem. The thing with these older Pokémon games is that the cartridges have batteries in them. In Emerald, they're meant to enable time-based events to occur, and in Generation 1 and 2 GameBoy games, to allow the game to save. These batteries only last about 10 to 15 years before they dry up, which means most if not all Emerald games have dead batteries.

Not to worry though, as it is possible to replace the batteries in these games. It's fairly simple as well, as long as you know what you're doing. You just need a special driver to open up the cartridge, a fresh battery with soldering tabs, a soldering iron, and some solder. Once I get a battery and the tool I need to open the cartridge, I can restore functionality to my copy of Emerald.

That leaves just three games left to acquire. One of those is on the way as I'm writing this: a copy of Pokémon Yellow, the game I need to start playing, and with a new battery already installed no less. I found one on eBay for $40, and figured it was worth paying a little extra to not have to bother with getting a new battery for it. Generation 1 games as it turns out are surprisingly cheap. In fact, they're the cheapest games on the market aside from used copies of 3DS and Switch Pokémon games.

The same cannot be said of Generation 2 games, however. At least, not for Crystal.

Pokémon Crystal is worth a pretty penny, second only to Emerald in value on the secondhand market. Finding a copy of this that doesn't run me more than $100 is proving to be a bit of a challenge. And I'll most likely need to replace the battery on top of that. Not a big deal, but it does marginally add to the expenditure. Since I refuse to accept Gold or Silver in the place of Crystal, obtaining this game will be the greatest obstacle faced during my quest, especially as I need to play it before I can play the rest of my games.

But even as Crystal has so far eluded me, I have gotten my hands on the only other game I had left to buy: Pokémon White.

I decided to return to the GameStop where I bought Black 2 and Soul Silver before, and luckily (how many times have I referenced my luck in this post?) they still had this copy of White. I'd done some more pricing research yesterday and realized that I underestimated the value of a lot of the games I was looking to pick up. $75 turns out to be a fair price for White, although you could probably get it cheaper if you really stake things out.

Funnily enough, $100 for Leaf Green turned out to not be far off, either. But Fire Red was the version I wanted, and in fact, my friend happens to have Leaf Green himself. In case I ever want any version-exclusive Pokémon from that game, I can always borrow it to trade them to my Fire Red.

And that about does it for this Pokémon game collection progress update. I can't say I ever expected to get so many games so easily, but here we are. It's barely been three days and there are only two games that I don't yet have in hand. It won't be long before I can start playing either, as my copy of Yellow should arrive any day now. I'm excited to get this thing started.

[replicamichaelkorswatchesd538e]

Where Can I Sell a Fake Rolex? Your Complete Guide

If you own a replica Rolex watch and are looking to sell it, you might be wondering where to start. While selling counterfeit goods is illegal in many jurisdictions, there are still ways to sell replicas, especially if they are of high quality. In this article, we will explore various platforms and methods to sell a fake Rolex, while also highlighting Luxe Replica Watche, a premier destination for replica watches enthusiasts.

Understanding the Market for Replica Watches

The market for replica watches has grown significantly, with many consumers seeking stylish timepieces without the hefty price tag associated with luxury brands. However, it's essential to understand the legal implications of selling fake watches. While some platforms may allow the sale of replicas, others strictly prohibit it. Therefore, it's crucial to choose the right marketplace for your sale.

1. Online Marketplaces

Online marketplaces are one of the most accessible ways to sell a fake Rolex. Here are a few platforms to consider:

eBay: eBay allows the sale of replica watches as long as the listing clearly states that the watch is a replica. Make sure to include high-quality images and detailed descriptions to attract buyers.

Facebook Marketplace: This platform allows for local sales, which can be convenient. Ensure you are clear about the watch being a replica to avoid any misunderstandings.

Craigslist: Like Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist can be a great way to sell locally. Again, transparency is key—make sure to indicate that the watch is not genuine.

2. Specialized Forums and Groups

There are numerous online forums and social media groups dedicated to watch enthusiasts. These communities often have members interested in replica watches. Consider joining:

Watch Forums: Websites like Watchuseek and TimeZone have sections where users buy, sell, and trade watches. You can create a post offering your replica Rolex.

Facebook Groups: Look for groups focused on replica watches or fashion accessories. These groups often have a community of buyers looking for replicas.

3. Local Jewelry Stores or Pawn Shops

Some local jewelry stores or pawn shops may be interested in purchasing replica watches, especially if they are of good quality. It's essential to be upfront about the watch's authenticity, as reputable shops typically do not buy counterfeit goods. However, some shops may be more flexible with replicas.

4. Luxe Replica Watche

If you're looking to sell your fake Rolex or explore high-quality replicas, Luxe Replica Watche is a fantastic option. Specializing in premium replica watches, Luxe Replica Watche offers a platform for enthusiasts to buy and sell their timepieces. The site has a vast collection of replica watches, ensuring that you find what you're looking for while also providing a place to list your items.

When selling through Luxe Replica Watche, you can enjoy a user-friendly interface and a supportive community of replica watch lovers. Make sure to take clear photos and provide accurate descriptions of your watch to attract potential buyers.

5. Social Media Platforms

Social media can be a powerful tool for selling your fake Rolex. Websites like Instagram and Twitter allow you to reach a broader audience. Here are some tips:

Instagram: Create a dedicated account for your watch selling. Post high-quality images and engage with followers who show interest in replicas.

Twitter: Tweet about your watch and use relevant hashtags like #ReplicaWatches and #FakeRolex to reach interested buyers.

Conclusion

While selling a fake Rolex may come with challenges, there are numerous avenues available to you. Whether you choose online marketplaces, specialized forums, local shops, or Luxe Replica Watche, it's essential to be transparent about your watch's authenticity. With the right approach, you can successfully sell your replica watch and find new buyers who appreciate its style.

For those interested in purchasing or selling high-quality replica watches, Luxe Replica Watche is your go-to destination. Explore their collection today and join a community that values style and quality without the luxury price tag.

[nebulaleaf]

hiii!! i love seeing your collection, do you have any recommendations of websites etc for hunting down p5 merch? im outside the usa so things like mercari arent an option for me unfortunately T_T

Hi! I have many but some might be more or less effective depending on Where outside of the US you are. As I am Canadian, my options are a lot more feasible than say... someone from Europe yk. (god shipping fees are insane)

I will say, a huge chunk of my collection was bought off of Mercari or American Ebay, or American stores like BigBadToyStore and I just wanna make that clear. Two of these sites ship to places outside of the US still, but it's so much cheaper to get it sent to American friend and then over to me.

This got longer than I thought whoops under the cut it goes.

Anyway onto the actual recs. As always I have to shill Myfigurecollection.net. You can sort by the exact figure you're looking for, local currency, free or paid shipping and it's really handy. On top of that you can interact with the sites database or forum features! Make a wishlist or a list of a fave character's merch you want. Track what you've ordered already and when it's expected to arrive or be released from preorder. Find forum posts from your region about people discussing good places to buy from and so much more. It's such a huge and amazing tool for someone into collecting so long as you can get over the UI. Personally I've never found issues with it but I'm used to how older websites work anyway.

(Here is me sorting by European currency. There are so many euro sellers im jealous.)

Pros of mfc:

• Figures are usually in good condition and can even be mint in box. (you can even sort by condition, wow!)

• users are polite and can be negotiated with for a better deal oftentimes

Cons of mfc:

• This is not a site that focuses solely on selling like ebay, it's more like an ad section in the newspaper

• You have to trust who you are buying from as there's no 'insurance' so to speak. If you get scammed, there's no refunds and mods won't help you aside from banning the user, unlike actual buy and sell sites which have policies or insurance.

Next up is Zenmarket. This is a proxy site that allows me to buy straight from japan! What's handy about it is that you can browse multiple japanese sites straight within zenmarket's site. I can pick up items from Amazon.jp, JP Mercari, and Yahoo Auctions and have 'em all in one cart! You can also paste links into a special search bar if you've found a specific item you'd like to buy from a JP site. I personally browse JP Mercari and Rakuma the most. I like second-hand figures and both these places have good deals since they're flea-market esque sites. Yahoo!Auctions I've only bought one thing from, and I haven't had a *bad* experience per se, I just don't like auctions and buyout prices lol. Always so pricey... but I'm sure there's good deals to be had if you're willing to do a bidding battle. Pro tip! Search with japanese terms to get better results.

(Browsing a listing and the main mercari page, unsorted)

Zenmarket hasn't let me down before. They're speedy, and all my stuff has been well packed.

Pros:

• Can get the best base prices buying straight from japan

• Super simple layout and bundling orders is really easy

•Items can be held in their warehouse for 45 days if something happens/you wanna wait before bundling it into a package. You can also pay to extend this time.

•Quick shipping from the warehouse

•probably more lol

Cons

•If you're not american, shipping is gonna be like $30 CAD lol. At least you can fit multiple items in one box...? I got 2 books and several t-shirts without going over the small packet limit. i haven't used zennarket express, but if your shit is very small i think its about 10 dollars cheaper.

• ¥300 yen fee per item batch. So if I get a figure and book from Mercari I'll have to pay a ¥300 fee. If I then add something from Amazon or a different site other than Mercari to my cart, I'll have to pay another ¥300 fee. I don't mind this as its like what. 3 dollars? but if you're buying a lot from all over it can potentially rack up shit. also ppl just dont like fees so it's a con.

I also of course use ebay. I feel like I don't need to get into how ebay works so onto BRAND NEW MERCH CONDITION sitessss

I used to use Aitai Kuji but their selection of stuff is kinda mid these days so I stray from it. I've had good experiences with Ukiyo Kumo but it has a similar problem with Aitai Kuji.

Another site for brand-new merch is Meccha Japan, but holy fuck I hate their shipping and prices. If something becomes low in stock they jack up the price and label it as 'rare' or ultra rare or whatever and I find that irritating. They also use fedex and dhl for shipping which means fun fees woohoo yipee!!! i had to spend over 100 dollars to get my package wrangled from their graaaaaasp!!!!

So yeah, sorry for lame New Merch recs, I don't really buy brand-new figures since P5 hasn't released anything lately. I bought the Hello!Goodsmile mona and joker from BigBadToystore and I think shipping was only 15 usd? I like BBTS but if you're not american they're kinda slow in the shipping department.

I probably have more reccs but I can't think of any so. enjoy this. Anon if you wanna talk more thoroughly about this feel free to dm me! Talking about this stuff makes me so happy it's my lifeblood ♪♪

[cardealersbrisbane]

Maximising Your Return: Effective Strategies To Sell Your Car

A car is one of the most valuable assets you'll ever own. But it's also a cash cow and can be sold at any time, even if you need money for other purposes. The best way to maximise your return on a car is through sell car Brisbane as it is quick and at the right price. 

In this post we'll cover how to evaluate your vehicle's value (and what to do with all those receipts), prepare it for sale (if needed), and select the most effective selling method for your situation (which may include eBay).

Assessing Your Car's Value

When you're ready to sell car Brisbane, it's important to evaluate its value. You may have bought the vehicle for a specific price and feel that it's worth that much now. But if the market has changed since then, especially if there are other factors at play in how much money you can get for your car .You may want to consider what else might be holding back its market value.

For example:

What condition does the car appear in? If there are scratches or dings on every surface of your new Mercedes-Benz E350 SUV, those could affect how much money someone would offer for it in comparison with another similar one without those flaws.

Does this particular model seem like an older model with lower demand because people aren't buying them anymore? Maybe there's something wrong with them (elevating engine noises), or maybe they just don't appeal as much .

These days because newer models offer better technology and performance features like GPS navigation systems or rear view cameras. So, consumers don't mind paying more money upfront instead saving up until later on when things go wrong again ,which means less profit potential overall.

Preparing Your Car for Sale

Clean the car. You'll want to clean your car before you sell or buying cars in Brisbane it, but this isn't the time for a deep-cleaning session. Remove any personal items from inside and out and make sure there's nothing strange hiding in any of the panels or undercarriage—like an old tire that has been sitting around for years without being removed. 

If you have tools on hand, remove them as well; if not, at least make sure they're placed outside of your vehicle so potential buyers aren't tempted by their shiny metal surfaces (which could lead them into trouble).

Remove all stickers and decals (unless they're original). No one likes seeing stickers on their cars! They don't help sell cars either because they can be easily removed with just some Goo Gone or rubbing alcohol .

But unless those stickers are collector pieces worth hundreds of dollars apiece, then removing them will save you money on disposal fees since most insurance companies charge extra when selling used vehicles with personalised features such as custom paint jobs or rims added later after purchase

Choosing the Right Selling Method

Before you can start thinking about how to sell or buying cars in Brisbane, you have to think about the best way for doing it. A few things are important when choosing a selling method:

How much time do I have? This will affect what kind of vehicle model you choose, well as which method works best for your needs.

What price range am I looking at? It's important that whoever buys from me understands where my expectations lie .Doesn't expect me to drop my asking price just because they know someone who does have a lower one.

How many cars are available locally? If there aren't many options within driving distance or even further away (especially if they're expensive), then finding another location might be necessary—but only if it's worth it!

Conclusion

Selling your car can be a daunting task. We’ve gone through the process ourselves, so we understand how stressful and confusing it can be. But it doesn’t have to be this way! By following advice of expert, you will be able to  sell car Brisbane your car in no time flat, get some extra cash on top of that. 

Source by - https://bit.ly/438zt7w 

[billconrad]

Bill’s Guide to Writing a Book

    I have written six books and have three more in the outline stage. However, my sales are dismal. You probably ask, “Why should I read your guide?” Good question. In my experience, it is essential to look at several sources when attempting to understand something. Then, once you know what is going on, jump into the project. So there could be value in my words because I have made many mistakes. Or this could be useless junk. This is a three-part blog; the next two will cover publishing and marketing.

    So… You have never written a book and want to write one. Where to start? Before we get into writing, there are some crucial tasks.

    1) Get a Goodreads account, an Amazon account, and an Amazon author’s account. Then post book reviews for every book you ever read on both sites. Your goal will be two per day and at least 200 reviews. Important tip. Review only the books you liked. Why? Carma and getting into the mindset of being successful. In addition, this effort will prepare you for a critical task—the book blurb. Your goal will be to get into the mindset that people will read and comment on your work. Also, it would help if you got into the philosophy of creating something people want. And finally, get into the mindset about books getting excellent reviews.

    2) Join Facebook/Twitter/popular online sites and write a short bio about yourself. If you already have an account, create a new page dedicated to your author’s activities. Post stuff about your writing, books, stories, and book-related interests. Important tip, post only light-hearted stuff. If you like/hate famous person X, keep it to yourself. Many potential book buyers love X. You want to make many book-buying contacts. Your goal will be to build hype. “Hey, just about to release my book.” “Wow! I will have to buy it!”

    3) Join a writer’s forum like the Facebook group Writers Helping Writers. Important tip. Start by reading lots of posts before posting. I recommend at least two weeks. Then post as often as you can, even if it is just a “thumbs up” to somebody else’s comments. Another excellent post is, “That makes sense.” Your goal is to get yourself out there and gain writing tips.

    4) READ A LOT. At least two hours a day. Try to read in the same area (like romance) you are thinking of publishing. This will improve your writing ability and develop style/ideas. It will also get you into the mindset you are writing for others. Read a variety of authors, including non-famous authors. Look for mistakes and think about how YOU would fix the problem.

    5) Start a blog. I have one on Goodreads, Facebook, Tumblr, and Medium. Talk about how your writing is going, what books you enjoy, and what it means to be a writer. Keep it high level. No politics or other controversial topics unless it is your thing to offend people. If so, tread lightly.

    6) Start thinking about marketing and do research in this area. This is a long, laborious, and expensive journey. “Writing a book is 99% self-marketing and 1% other.” -Me

    7) Get a computer with Internet access and Microsoft Word. You can pick up an old copy of Microsoft Word (like 2016) for $30 on eBay. Do not use OpenOffice! Despite all the evil that Microsoft is, they make a great product. This choice avoids issues like, “It looks good on the screen, but when I print, the margins do not line up.” All professional writers use Word, which is what editors, print/ebook formatters, and publishers expect. If you do not consider yourself a professional writer (or are at least trying to be one), you must ask yourself why you are undertaking this journey. Trust me, much hard work is ahead of you, and you need the right tools. In addition, you can find the answer if you have a Microsoft Word question.

    8) I strongly recommend paying for Grammarly and ProWritingAid. (Ensure you only use the Grammarly Word plug-in, not the Windows application.) These two programs will save you time, money, and adverse publicity. In addition, your blogs and book reviews should all pass through these programs. Side note. These programs may not work at all for non-Microsoft Word.

    9) BACK UP YOUR WORK EVERY DAY!! The number of times I read, “My computer got stolen, and I lost five years of work.” Get a memory stick, back up (a distinct copy) ONCE A WEEK, and put the stick in a fire-proof safe. NO EXCUSES! Install a virus checker and keep your computer updated.

    Let’s begin the writing process.

    First off, you have a BIG decision. Is this for fun or profit? If it is for fun, the pressure is off, and you can write anything you want without consequence. Who cares if you ever make a buck? Who cares about a grammar, plot, or character mistake?! However, once you go down this path, there is no turning back because you will have a trail of shoddy work. On the other hand, if you want to write for profit and fail, you can continue writing for fun with a solid foundation.

    If you intend to write for profit, you need to consider yourself a professional with a serious attitude. Also, you will need to spend big for a professional editor, copy editor, cover designer, and formatter. Stop and ask yourself if you have it inside of you.

    How much and how long will it take? At least six months and $5K+ (per book). Yes, that is a lot of money. But if you are resourceful, you can find helpers, intelligent tips, and people you can beg, but there are no shortcuts.

    Now, let’s say you use a shortcut like not having your work professionally edited. Trust me, the readers will tear you apart no matter how hard you try or how good your grammar/spelling/punctuation (or the friend you asked to check out your work). You will get 1-star reviews and harsh comments like, “A 5-year-old wrote this book.” A 1-star review is CRUSHING to an author. PAYING readers expect polished works. “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing correctly.” -Some famous person.

    What topic should you write about? Unfortunately, I cannot help in this area. Your story has to come from within you, and you need to be 150% passionate about it. This will be a long road, and you are wasting your time if you have no deep passion.

    Now that you have a concept write a brief paragraph about it. Go over this paragraph several times to polish it. Important tip. Keep this paragraph; you will need it later.

    Next step, show your paragraph to people and ask them what they think. If people seem apprehensive, ponder the concept. People are good at identifying a lousy concept.

    Poor children’s book example, “Wilber the farting bulldozer,” Your friends should say, “I’m not sure about this.” “Parents might not want their kids reading about a farting bulldozer.” “Not a good idea.”

    Now, do some research. If somebody has done the concept, start over. Copy concepts only get 1-star reviews, even if they are excellent. “This is just a poor Harry Potter re-write. What a rip-off! Don’t bother reading!”

    Remember, your work needs to stand out. How much? 40%. (I have discovered that 40% is an important estimate for books and life.) Another part of your concept must have a solid story foundation that is not too far away from other books you have read. Look at the various categories on Amazon.com and ask yourself, “Which category would my work be in? What books are already there? How does my idea stand up to these books? Would readers of book X like my work?” Readers will have difficulty understanding your work if your idea is too difficult to put into a standard category.

    What is your hook? What magic will make people want to “buy it now?” I often read bad book idea posts in Writers Helping Writers. “I had a messed-up life and want to write my story.” I typically reply, “What is your hook?” “My life was so bad that people will naturally want to read about me.” Writers seem to think their lives are unique. Why would I ever want to read about a nobody who had a messed-up life? Where is the hero? Why should I feel sorry for you? Where is the spunk? What did I learn? HOW DOES THIS HELP ME?!

    Here is a simple book with a great hook, Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. It is an exciting account of a funeral home worker and her life. Lots of info and insight. Did the author have a terrible childhood? Yes, but that was not the focus. Remember, your book must stand out. Side note. I gave the book a positive review on Goodreads and Amazon. More on that later.

    Now, you have a hook, and people like your summary paragraph. Next step. Does this concept have marketing potential? My advice for answering this is to post your idea to a writer’s group and ask for their marketing opinion. Even better, pay for the opinion of a professional book person who knows the publishing industry. How do you find such a person? Ask a writer’s group for advice. If your feedback is negative, tweak the concept or start over.

    Side note. The book market has radically changed. For example, in the 50-70s, western books were all the rage; now, that market is almost nonexistent. So look up your area of interest and make sure readers are interested.

    You are ready to begin when you are at least 40% sure that you have a marketable concept. Start with some basic questions. How do you see the story unfolding? When are you going to introduce your main character? How is the book structured? Get the entire plot clear in your head before picking up a pen.

    This next step is my most important piece of advice. When you have the entire plot, write an outline. This outline is for you, so do not get too wrapped up in making it look great. The goal is to develop a simple guide visually showing how the story flows. There are many book outline formats, including the flower method. You can also use post-its, a whiteboard, or 3x5 cards. I have found Visio to be an excellent method of organizing my thoughts.

    Another outlining method is a basic description like this bulky example:

They travel around Italy. [Research towns in Italy. Find one near the coast.] X find evil man H, he is in a bad way, not good at making money, confront him, argument, X feels the evil for the first time. [chapter break] Learns H has been killing many people to steal their money. X captured by evil army W, escape. H reveals he did not find the secret and said, “Damn. What would Jake do?”

    That mess was AWFUL! However, I wrote it for ME, and now I know the exact plot. And you do, too, which is the point. Notice the sample dialog, notes, and use of X, H, and W for names. Remember, the idea is to get the story’s essence and show flow. When you have completed your outline, go over it several times. Take a high-level view and pay attention to how the plot unfolds. LOOK FOR PLOT ERRORS! How did the killer get the gun? Why didn’t people hear the shot? The killer could have simply taken the subway to escape. Where was the mother during all of this?

    At this outline stage, it is easy to make VAST changes, move chapters and alter the whole plot. How about we change the main character’s gender? Should I introduce the main character later? What would happen if there were two main characters? Can a reader follow this? How big is the hook? What will improve the story? What does the reader care about? What distracts the reader? Do I have too many subplots? Is this a fun story? Is this interesting? What is the side plot?

    When you are confident, show the outline to somebody. It should be written barely well enough to get feedback. Stand firm, but do not be afraid to make bold changes.

    Once you finish your work, a significant change is complex and will have consequences. For example, change the main character from a man to a woman. You can then make a he/she mistake, and readers do not tolerate basic errors. A subtler issue occurs with the character’s mindset. “She drove her pickup truck like a bad-ass boss!!” This sentence is valid dialog, but readers would think, “A woman would not say it that way.” Readers are great at picking up flaws, and their 1-star comments will be brutal.

    Next, start a list of the characters and make a simple biography. Add notes and details.

Smith Family

Mom=Karen, Father=Joe, Son=James. Cat=Mr. Tumbles. Live at 1010 East Street. Joe looks like an angry Darth Vader.

    As you write, add facts to the biography and periodically check facts. Also, you can copy parts of your book here, like a character description, for later reference. Then, check the fact sheet while writing. Making a mistake like calling the father Joey instead of Joe. Readers HATE basic errors. Important tip, do not have two characters with the same first name. Super confusing for the reader and editor.

    To help you with this character effort, use a random name generator (available online) to develop character names. They have them for different countries, medieval times, and science fiction. My advice is to keep hitting the generate button until something pops. “Joey Potter sounds like a good name for my villain.” Do not use your family/friend names. Too confusing and can lead to issues with actual people.

    This is my dialog integration format:

Tim was happy and said, “That’s good.”

“Wow, what a great day,” Tim commented. “I will have to go to the market.”

“Wow, what a great day,” he commented. “I will have to go to the market” (Did you see the lowercase “he”)

“Big dialog paragraph ending without a quote.

“Next dialog paragraph begins with a quote.”

Small paragraph. Tim was happy and said, “That’s good.” (Only integrate small amounts of dialog into a paragraph.)

Big paragraph.

Tim was happy and said, “That’s good.” (Start with a new line after a big paragraph.)

Tim was happy and said, “That’s good.”

“Sounds great,” Sally replied.”

“I will work on that.” (No need to mention who is speaking for the following three lines. My rule is one identifier per three lines of dialog.)

    For thoughts, use italics instead of quotes, but treat them the same as above. (Except use “thought” in place of “said.”) Do not overuse the word “said.” Instead, use a variety of words. Commented, believed, inferred, questioned, or wondered. English experts may disagree with my format, but if you use this format, you will please 95% of your readers. This format will also make it much easier for editors to polish.

    Keep in mind that your dialog has to keep the story moving. Also, remember that the reader is not a mind reader, so the dialog has to make sense in the context of non-dialog. Do not get too caught up in slang, obscure words, made-up words, or inside jokes. Dialog is critical for the story, and this is where the emotions come out. “I’m sad,” Bill said in a hurt voice.

    My overall “dialog management” method is to visualize the character and imagine them speaking. Then, assign a personality in your description. For example, Bob is like Tom Hanks in the movie Castaway. Think about this movie when you write. “That’s a superb idea,” Bob said in an uplifting voice. However, in the film, Tom Hanks’s character would never say, “Golly gee, that’s goody-goody.”

    If you get stuck, exercise (I get my best ideas during bike rides), talk to people, post on writing groups, and take time off. A moderate amount of red wine also helps. Top tip. Other alcohol choices do not help. Guess how I know? Another tip is to force yourself to write for a fixed time, say, two hours daily. Big tip, learn to understand when you cannot write because forcing yourself to write leads to terrible results. Also, have some other work ready (like investigating your next book), so you can switch between the two.

    Yay, you finished your first draft!

    Read over your work and edit. Do this at least five times with no specific goal. Then make a pass for consistency, dialog, punctuation, spelling, flow, and CHECK FACTS. Now, make two read/edit passes. Trust me. This effort will make better work and save heartache. Typically, I do 20-30 editing passes. Also, use Grammarly and ProWritingAid.

    What is flow? It is how one sentence leads to the next. It is how one paragraph integrates to the next. The reader should not struggle. They should never have to stop and think about what you are saying. “Which person is talking now?” “I’m confused. Where did the killer come from?” “What does this word mean?”

    One more step. You need a title. Start brainstorming and come up with at least 20. First, cross out all the titles that already exist. Then, with a friend’s help, narrow the list to one. It should be edgy, tight, and provocative.

    Now, you have the best possible work, so give it to somebody. This is a beta read. You want them to find significant issues and make comments. (You are not looking for grammar/spelling issues. That is the job of the editor.) “This makes little sense.” “I do not think X would do this.” “Seems unrealistic.” “More explanation.” Then another five edits. There should be no plot issues, logic errors, or critical facts at this stage, and the flow is excellent.

    Next, find an editor. How? Look for their reviews and ask for a sample document that they have edited. Look at their comments, questions, notes, encouragements, suggestions, (If you do not see these additional thoughts, DO NOT USE THIS EDITOR.) and how the document improved. See if you spot missed errors. Important tip. Do not treat your editor like a garbage collector. If you know your work has errors, fix them. (Like not capitalizing a state name.) You want to give the editor the absolute best possible work so they can concentrate on genuine issues. Otherwise, they will spend time fixing the simple stuff and feel they have accomplished an impressive accomplishment.

    After the edit, review their edits, evaluate each one, and then make five more passes. At this stage, you have a polished work, which is the absolute best it can be. But there will be subtle issues that you cannot spot.

    Next, find a copy editor. This is an $$ step, but essential. A copy editor looks for the little nitpick grammar mistakes, logic issues, and checks facts. This is the final polish; you need to check their work.

    But there is an issue. You must “trust the force” and let the copy editor take control. If they make an edit and you disagree, go with their edit. This hands-off final step is super difficult. Make five more passes, but they should be super light. (On average, one word per three pages.) If you want to improve something, remember that your improvement has not been copy edited. So tread carefully and know that the professional knows better than Grammarly and ProWritingAid.

    YAY, you are done! Now for the harder part, publishing your work. Then the impossible: marketing your work.

    You’re the best -Bill

     March 26, 2023

    Hey book lovers, I published three! Please check them out.

    Interviewing Immortality is a psychological thriller about a 500-year-old woman who forces a disgraced author to interview her.

    Pushed to the Edge of Survival is a drama, romance, and science fiction story about two unlikely people surviving a shipwreck and living with the consequences.

    Cable Ties is a classic spy novel about two hunters discovering that government communications are being recorded and asking the FBI to investigate.

    These books are available in soft-cover on Amazon and eBook format everywhere.

[saidworld]

Must-have marketing tools

Quick And Easy Ways To Build A Profitable Opt In List  withe  Must-have marketing tools

You finally realize that you need a good opt-in list. After reading countless articles and sought expert advices and have read many success stories of people creating a small fortune with opt-in lists you finally decide to have one of your own. Then it happens, you think you have known everything there is to know about opt-in lists and have followed their advices to the T and you still weren’t able to make a profit.

In fact, you may be losing money. You maybe hiring writers to help you out, or there are some expenses incurred, even if you have a big list, but only a very small percentage actually buys from you, your still losing profit. You’ll realize that after a few months when you see your statistics and sales figures.

So what could have gone wrong? Why have others succeeded where you have failed? The most common mistake is that you dived straight right in. You chose a topic where you think could be quite popular and would earn you money. This just not the case. Just because you wrote people from the list doesn’t mean they are going to buy instantly.

Here I will offer more advice, for those who have started an opt-in list and have failed, you can rejuvenate your failed venture. For those who are starting, here are three quick and easy ways to build a profitable opt-in list. 1) Get your customers to trust you and your products first. Just launching your opt-in list would not make you an expert and a believable seller. Put many articles first before you start an opt-in list. Write about the topic you know and have started and used for your site. Try to put forums first to gain knowledge about your customers about their wants and needs and target those wants and needs.

The certain truth is, the money will only come in when the consumers and subscribers believe and trust in you. They want a product or service that could be a good exchange for their money. People are not going to buy something out of your recommendation if they don’t know you.

2) Find a product or service that people want and need. Although it may not be your forte, if you provide a service and product that you have researched and learned about well, you can carry it on forward. Invest your time, effort and money that you could sell as well as the buyers or subscribers of your opt-in list can use.

While it is true that it is best to sell something that you have interest in, there are not many people who have the same interest as you if you decide to sell something that is not entirely popular or profitable. Do your research well and you would see the profits come in. Also provide your subscribers with promotional material that they could actually use and spread around.

3) Make friends with other opt-in list users. This is basically beneficial especially if it is someone who has already launched a successful opt-in list. These are people that have the experience in this venture and experience is still the best teacher. While there are many articles available for you in the internet to use, there is nothing like getting a first hand account from someone you trust.

Experienced opt-in list users will be able to tell you what to do and what not to do because they have gone through it. While different situations occur for different people, the general concept can still be very helpful. There are many things to avoid and these people will be able to tell you which ones.

Building a profitable opt-in list don’t just happen overnight. There are many preparations and effort to do. Opt-in lists are built from scratch, as your list grows, you should also maintain the quality of your list. Keep it organized and manageable. Get or hire help if need be, just make sure that your subscribers are happy and satisfied and they will be willing to buy from you

.If you are looking for the best tools in one place, you will not find better than It brings together Email Marketing, Email Creator, Transponders, Email Analytics, Transactional emails, List management, Marketing automation, Webinars, and much, much more that you will not find elsewhere. If you don't miss the opportunity to search, click  to get instant access and a free trial         http://bit.ly/3anUtgK

[pancakeke]

Advice for someone who wants to pick up a new hobby and work on it consistently? Maybe even multiple hobbies?

Love your blog btw

Watch lots of youtube tutorials and follow lots of artists that are into the things you want to get into! (like here on Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube) this helps with inspiration and gives you background knowledge on how things work for when you start up a hobby for yourself. Local libraries have random classes you can take so it's worth checking them out to see if they offer anything that you'd like to learn (mine does a lot of technology based stuff these days like 3D printing). Also if you have the cash, community colleges offer classes for cool things like pottery, glass blowing, sewing, watercolor, scrapbooking, and more. I checked my local community college's website and depending on the course, class fees were between $35 and $225 (the cheaper ones are one day classes and the more expensive ones are multiple day courses. also they're after hours on weekdays and on weekends)

If you can find them, join small communities for the hobbies you're interested in! so like smaller subreddits and discords (big ones suck and are mostly people showing off how much money they can spend tbh. but small ones generally have cool knowledgeable people who share progress photos, tutorials, and will help you with whatever questions you may have). Immersing yourself in a hobby environment helps with inspiration and the initiative to create!

Start nice organized bookmarks in your browser and bookmark everything that you find cool or helpful, be that tutorials, tools, materials, other artists' works, what have you. use subfolders so everything is easy to find later.

Keep a notebook on hand for your ideas. I use a cheap bullet journal because it makes it easy to create little sections on each page for multiple ideas. also get one of those multi colored pens to keep different ideas easy to differentiate from each other. This is helpful for before you start a hobby so you can plan out what you really want to do and what you need. once you start a hobby it helps you organize your plans, list materials, draw out patterns, etc.

Last thing is be reasonable with your money. always check second hand sales for equipment before buying new if you can risk it. I got a TON of knitting stuff from Goodwill once. I also got a knitting machine from eBay as part of an estate sale for half of what they normally sell for. shopgoodwill is also a good resource, as well as Facebook sales. Craigslist is still out there but god it's a pain to use. If you have a local community for a hobby become a part of it because (other than meeting cool people and having fun) you can get lucky and inherit old equipment from people for little cost or even free when they upgrade their setups.

If used isn't an option, be savvy with sales. Use camelcamelcamel to track Amazon's prices to make sure sales are *really* sales and not instances of sellers inflating prices and then discounting them back to the normal cost. As much as marketing emails suck, subscribe to emails for sites that sell things you need for your hobbies (ex. Joann Fabrics, Blick, Tandy Leather, Dharma Trading, and smaller independent supply stores).

Once you have a good idea and initiative, start small and within reason for your skill level. Don't expect to build a work room overnight or create masterpieces immediately. Build a mindset that perfection isn't real and every piece you create is another step forward in your journey as an artist. You will never stop learning and growing so there will never be a point when you are "done" and can rest on your laurels. Even abject failure in creating is experience you need so that you can fully understand the limits of yourself and your medium as well as how to work around those limits to continue creating. It can also give you a chance to stop and think critically about your methods in situations where you had a reasonable idea but went about it in a less than ideal way (<= I do this thing constantly lol, first ideas arent always the most efficient...)

Remember that creating is about fun and expressing yourself. If you arent having fun don't feel like you need to keep pushing yourself to work on something. abandoning unfun projects is 100% fine. Your energy is better spent working on things you can feel invested in anyway.

So um TLDR: immerse yourself in inspiration and community, do your research, stay organized, and have reasonable expectations for yourself. also have fun :)

[urban-homesteading]

Hey do you know what kind of tools I should buy if I want to move into a house? It won't have a yard yet, but fingers crossed for the future. Thank you!

Congratulations on the new house! Since you said that there's no yard yet, I'm going to focus only on tools I use inside my house and ignore gardening and lawn maintenance.

What tools should you have around your house?

So here's a pretty simple list that will cover most minor problems you will encounter.

Hammer

Cordless power drill

Screwdriver set (grab one with the ten basic sockets)

Drill set

Adjustable wrench

Level (bubble works, but I upgraded to laser and it makes life so much simpler)

Tape measurer

Utility knife

Flashlight

Extension cord

Step stool

Spare batteries

Toolbox (or even a cardboard box, just make sure you have somewhere to return your tools or they will escape to the four winds)

So how to acquire these tools while maintaining zero waste?

1) Start with your research

If you are completely unfamiliar with tool brands and the features available on tools, do a little research. Visit the websites for Sears, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Menards, True Value, Ace Hardware or any retailer that sells tools, and take a look at their new selections. Most websites organize tools in a straightforward way so you can easily find what you're looking for.

Head to a local store to get a firsthand look – many tools will be on display and out of the box so you can actually pick them up. You'll see the most-recent models, from low-end to top-of-the-line. Make notes on the prices and available features (especially relating to safety). This is your base from which to work when evaluating prices.

The next step is to look at online auction sites, such as eBay, to get an idea of prices for used tools. This gets a bit tricky because you'll need to really look at the age and condition of the tools as described by the seller. But again, make notes for a range of features and prices. Don't try to list everything you see – just make a list of price ranges for the tools, with notes on the variances in relation to brand. For example, for circular saws that range in price from $30 to $60, jot down what separates the bottom-priced tool from the top.

Head over to pawnshops as well. Pawnshops only buy items they know they can turn around and sell, so they won't have tools that don't work (everything they purchase is tested), and a pawnshop won't carry poor-quality brands. Also, the prices will accurately reflect the current value of tools in the marketplace. Make sure you visit operations that are members of the National Pawnbrokers Association, as these businesses abide by a code of ethics established by the association.

2) Name Does Matter (For the more expensive tools)

Now that you have an idea of what you'll expect to pay, it's time to consider how you'll evaluate and decide what to buy.

It used to be that if a name brand was good, it was good.  But I have found that the ‘good’ name brands have been sold so many times that most manufacturers are coasting on their reputation and they are the same quality as the ‘cheap’ tools.  Even worse, manufacturers will have different quality tools that are sold by different stores.  For example, a DeWalt power drill sold at a Home Depot will be better quality than a DeWalt Power Drill sold at Walmart because DeWalt will have two different manufacturing plants and they will send the lower quality ones to Walmart, since Walmart demands that DeWalt sell them to them at a cheaper cost or else they won’t buy from them at all.

My personal rule of thumb is buy cheap for the first one, then if you use it so long or so much that it needs replaced, buy expensive quality the second time.  This prevents you from spending hundreds on tools you’re only going to use a couple of times.

3) Where To Buy

You can start your shopping by revisiting some of the places you accessed when doing your research. Clearly you'll save money on shipping if you go to a local operation or an individual. Remember to test and examine tools closely no matter where you shop.

Pawnshops As mentioned earlier, pawnshops are a good bet for buying tools. You're going to find better-known brands that are probably on the higher end of the quality and price spectrum. Although, you're going to have little to no negotiating room on price compared to if you were buying from an individual.

Thrift Stores A thrift store may be a little less reliable for quality, and you'll probably find a lot less availability, especially at a thrift store that obtains its wares through donation. However, those that aren't donation-based aren't going to want to develop a bad reputation by selling inferior items.

Live Auctions Check local notices for potential auctions in your area. You may have a good chance of finding quality tools, but “auction fever” may set in, and you could wind up overpaying if you are bid up. These may be a good source for large equipment.

Garage Sales You could score the best deal at a garage sale, as the seller may be less likely to know the value of the tools being sold. Sellers will also be more open to price negotiation, and you can offer a bundle price for several items. Quality is going to be your biggest concern, so look these tools over really well.

Flea Markets These are similar to garage sales when it comes to negotiating, but the seller at a flea market will probably be more knowledgeable on price. Some flea market vendors have access to surplus or closeout suppliers, so you could see a potential mix of newer and older tools that haven't sold well at retail.

Classifieds Search online or newspaper classifieds under the equipment and tools categories. You may see a set or combination of tools listed as one price, which can be a good deal. As with garage sales, look these tools over carefully.

Online Websites offering tools are almost too numerous to mention, but eBay is certainly one that comes to mind. Check the seller ratings and reviews when shopping on auction sites. You'll also want to take a look at Amazon, which offers a lot of items, both new and used. Overstock.com, for example, has surplus items and may be a good source for refurbished items. You can often get limited warranties.

Retail Speaking of refurbished items, you may do well by looking at the clearance aisles at hardware stores and home centers. Sometimes they will heavily discount tools that have been returned. Check the reason for the return because it can be merely cosmetic.

4) Be an Inspector

On corded power tools, examine the electrical and basic mechanics of the tool. Aside from plugging it in and turning it on, thoroughly inspect the cord. Look for any visible defects, such as a crimp (what looks like a big dent), or if the cord is bent at a severe angle. A thick wad of electrical tape will be a big tip-off that something might not be right. Also take a look at where the cord meets the tool to see if it's heavily worn or loose. Closely examine the prongs of the plug. A slight bend on one of the prongs isn't a big deal, but if the metal looks heavily worn at the bend, it may be close to failure. And don't forget to check out the switch to see if it is loose or cracked.

Cordless tools present their own challenge. If you've ever looked at the price of replacement batteries, you know they can be quite pricey. Some are very expensive in relation to the cost of a new tool and can be as much as half or more of the cost of a new tool. Plus, it's hard to tell if the battery will hold its charge for any length of time. Sure, it may work fine in the short time you test it, but it's difficult to determine if it will hold a charge for longer than a few minutes. Only opt for cordless tools that you know are at most a couple of years old. Refurbished units are your best bet here.

With both corded and cordless power tools, be sure all the parts and guards are there. It's a bonus if the case and operating manual are included (although you may be able to find a copy of the manual on a tool manufacturer's website). You can easily find replacement accessories, such as saw blades, for many tools because the standards for accessory sizes are pretty consistent.

While you can't exactly take a small screwdriver and dismantle a power tool to look at its inner workings, you can search for a few telltale signs that all may not be well. Be prepared to use all five senses.

Take at look at the motor vent area of the tool (which looks like little slits in the housing). Ideally, you want this to be free of any sort of dirt, grime or buildup – a tall order for a used tool, but a good indication of how well it has been maintained. While inspecting this area, look for any burn marks or smoke trails (take a peek at the switch area as well). These would be clear indications that there's been an electrical problem. But just in case the evidence of a fire has been cleaned up, give the vent area the old sniff test for odor of smoke.

Keep the focus on this area and turn on the tool. You don't want to see smoke or sparks emitting from the housing. Notice how the tool feels in your hand while it's running. Look for intermittent operation or jerkiness. Yes, a power tool will vibrate in your hand, but you should be able to control it. If it feels like the tool could jump right out of your hand, there could be issues. Listen to the tool. Is it making erratic sounds or grating noises? Think back to other tools of the same type you're inspecting. Does the used tool sound significantly different?

You can look for specific things such as the movement of the blade in a circular saw or table saw. With the tool off and unplugged, move the blade around to see if there is a significant wobble to its motion. An old blade may be the culprit, but the arbor (the metal rod on which the blade is attached to the saw) may be bent. It would be difficult to replace and not worth purchasing the tool.

These tools will be a pretty good head start and will enable you to repair most minor work around your home.  

[ogbonnaohakwe]

How To Make Money Freelancing Online In 2021: The Definitive Guide

This is the beginner guide on How To Make Money Freelancing Online In 2021: The Definite Guide Part 1.

Freelancing can end up being a great way to make money for individuals who do it part-time or full-time. The way to make money freelancing is to be dedicated and create a good reputation. Without these two things, it will be hard to find jobs and generate new ones in the future. There are a lot of different types of freelancers out there; including web design individuals, people who have blogs, and writers. How to make money freelancing in Nigeria in simple steps. With all of these opportunities, there are a lot of ways on how to make money freelancing for anyone who has the skills.

Freelancing is probably one of the most well-known ways of making money online. It is by no means the only way but if you have a skill that you can offer others, such as writing, editing, photography, graphic design, or many others, you can become a freelancer. Just choose something you are good at or have a passion for doing and you should be able to make money doing it.

WATCH RECOMMENDED VIDEO ON HOW TO SOURCE FOR PRODUCTS ON ALIEXPRESS & ALIBABA

How To Make Money Freelancing, Probably one of the best ways to get started is to look into reputable freelancing sites like Upwork.com, Fiverr.com, or even PeoplePerHour.com that connect skilled freelancers with individuals who want to hire them. There are a few of these and you should take a look at three or four of them at least.

Most of these sites have both free membership and paid memberships. Once you find one or two that have a layout and system that appeals to you, get a free membership and start bidding on projects. You should be able to get a job or two and this will be enough to let you figure out which site is your favorite.

Generally it is recommended that you stick with just one site – especially if you are going to become a paying member. There should be more than enough work on just one of the big sites to keep you making money online, so there is no reason to pay for more than one membership.

A lot of people are intimidated by the idea of getting onto a bidding site and competing with other freelancers for work, but you really shouldn’t be. It is true that you won’t win every project – in fact, you may only get one in every five or ten – but the important thing is that you bid what you think you are worth. Some freelancers think that in How To Make Money Freelancing, undercutting everyone else is the best way to win jobs. But most buyers are more likely to go with the provider who gives a reasonable bid and crafts a good proposal than the provider who just has the lowest price.

As you complete jobs and get the feedback you will become more comfortable with your timetables and prices. This will make it easier and easier for you to get jobs. How To Make Money Freelancing 2021 guides

This also applies to the other common method of finding freelance work – having your own website. By creating a website or blog about yourself and the services you offer, you are basically setting up a sales page for yourself. Many freelancers will say that their website is their most important tool.

READ ALSO  5 Best Ways to Make Money Blogging for Beginners In 2021

You don’t have to have a website right away, especially if you are still figuring out exactly what kind of services you want to offer. But you should consider getting one as soon as possible. This is because you can reach out and introduce yourself to potential clients as well as stay in contact with established clients.

While becoming a freelancer may seem like a big challenge, the fact is that it is something that anyone with selling skills can do. If you start small and on a part-time basis you shouldn’t have any trouble finding your strengths and moving up to bigger projects and paychecks.

Some people may ask these questions on hot to make money freelancing online:

How can I make $100 a day on the internet?

Here are the sure ways to make $100 a day online freelancing: Start a dropshipping store Run a print-on-demand store Sell custom products online Sell handmade crafts on Etsy Sell products on Amazon Create digital products Start an affiliate marketing business Build online courses Sell freelance services

How can I make money right now?

Start a Shopify ecommerce store and sell dropshipping products online Sell virtual assistant or freelance services on websites like Fiverr or Upwork Sell used stuff on Amazon, eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace Do micro-tasks on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk program Tutor kids online in English Rent your unused space on Airbnb Drive for Uber or Lyft Create information products Become a Tasker on TaskRabbit Trade in items on Gazelle or Amazon for gift cards

There many ways you can make money online in Nigeria from freelancing and doing affiliate marketing.

Important Steps On How To Make Money Freelancing Online In 2021

Discover the most crucial steps on how to make money freelancing online, although there are too many steps to take, below are the listed and most comprehensive steps to follow to make money freelancing online in Nigeria.

Advertise on Existing Websites:

How to make money freelancing online in 2021 is by advertising your skills on an existing website to attract clients to your profile and work. People who already have their own website can easily generate more money each month by advertising on it. There are a lot of potential advertisers that will pay website owners to advertise their brand or product. This could be a blogger giving away free products that the company sends in or simply putting up some banner ads. When more people click on the banner ad, more money will be made. Website owners who use advertisers that will target their regular visitors have really good earning potential. A good example of such site you can join in Nigeria is Expertanire.com

READ ALSO  How To Get Google AdSense Approval On Your Blog In 2021: Tricks And Best Practices In 2021

Join a Freelancing Website:

Freelancers can easily find new jobs by joining websites that are designed for them. These are free for most members to join, although there might be fees associated with jobs once they are completed. People who need work done will post their job up on the site for all freelancers to see. Individuals who are interested can easily bid on the project if they are qualified. The poster will then be able to look at the profile of the freelancers who bid on the job to see who the best choice is. Although this can be competitive, it’s a great way to make money online for anyone who has a special skill.

Start a Website And Teach:

Anyone who has special skills can easily teach others how to use them online. Like my website, you can see that I offer different services and mentorship programs, you might want to check it out. This could be via a newsletter or even through video sessions on Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp, etc. Most people are willing to pay for these things because they are less expensive than taking a real class in person. Freelancers who are skilled and can teach others will have a lot of earning potential online. When more people find out about the classes this will increase the number of people who desire the service.

Become A Writer

There are a lot of different websites that allow freelance writers to join for absolutely no cost to them. They can then find people to write for and get paid whenever the articles are accepted. These websites vary in how they work. Some writing websites are meant for writers to find random people to create articles for. Other sites are meant for writers to find regular people they can work for all the time. The pay will vary based on the types of articles that are written, how long they are, and a lot of other factors. An example of such a site is Fiverr.com

Selling Products

Some freelancers can turn their knowledge of how the internet works into large profits just by selling things! There are a lot of different websites that allow people to sell products to people all over the world. This could be through an auction site like eBay or a marketplace like Amazon; there are a lot of different choices out there. If someone is good at selling and knows how to navigate through the site, they can end up making a lot of money.

There are even photography websites where photographers can sell their pictures to websites or just list them for buyers to find. In addition to this, there are art websites where artists can sell their creations to buyers who want unique items. The best part about these is that sellers can set their own prices for each of the different pieces. A lot of people have made businesses out of these types of websites.

Like in this my website, I created a space where I sell all my digital products, from courses and books some freelancers or digital marketers do create a section on their blog where they sell eBooks and Videos as well, I think you should give it a shot, it worth trying

Read more: https://ogbonnaohakwe.com.ng/how-to-make-money-freelancing-online/

[websitebuildertips]

How to Select the Best Site Builder in 2021

I do not know about you, but I was not fond of learning how to code. I tried, but failed miserably! However, I wanted to have the ability to construct a web site for myself, mainly to share photos and post articles.

Finally, this demand for an easy-to-use site tool directed me to find my very first site builder, which was Weebly. This was in 2009, and since that time, site builders have exploded in popularity.

But to this day, we still use site builders such as Wix, Weebly, and Jimdo for lots of our own endeavors.

Website builders are an ideal solution for individuals and smaller businesses to begin a website without hiring a programmer. But, finding the best site builder may be tricky for novices.

There are a lot of website builders on the current market, how can you know which is the correct solution for you?

In this guide, we will help you decide on the best site builder by going over the pros and cons of the most popular alternatives.

Selecting the Best Website Builder -- What to Look for?

Before assessing the very best website builders, we suggest that you write down what you need to do with your site? What are your targets and what features do you want to see on your site.

By way of instance, you can write down things such as: have a site section, photo gallery, online shop (eCommerce), reservation system, contact type, SEO attributes, social networking features, etc..

If you're unsure about what you would like, then take a look at your competitors or other sites for inspiration.

Most site builders give an intuitive drag and drop user interface to build your new site. You can benefit from the trial accounts (free plans), or the generous money-back guarantee to check drive before making your final choice.

Next, you want to think about your growth choices. Are you incorporating regular updates to your site? Do you require a blog section? Could you be selling more products on your own site in the future?

You will need to be certain the site builder you select is capable of handling your needs as your company grows.

Criteria for Our Very Best Website Builder Review

We've helped over 200,000+ customers begin a site, and over the past two decades have tested pretty much every website builder available on the market.

We look at several different criteria when reviewing the best site builder picks for every use-case, but our best five components are:

Ease of Use -- we would like to guarantee that the site builder is easy to use for complete beginners (non-techy users). It has to include a drag-and-drop builder, powerful editing tools, and customization choices.

Prices -- Since it is a competitive area, we search for which site builder provides the most value for the purchase price. We ask questions such as does it provide a free domainname, free SSL, free business email, free eCommerce features, etc.. If not, then how much could a small business owner must spend on extra extras / hidden costs.

Layout & Features -- we would like to guarantee that the site builder provides tons of professional website templates and give flexibility to include other features such as Google Analytics, third party marketing tools, etc..

Customer Support -- While we anticipate the web site builders to give an intuitive user friendly interface, we would like to ensure 24/7 customer service is available when required.

Data possession & portability -- Frequently beginners do not think about it, but being in the industry for more than two decades, we pay additional attention with regards to service to make certain you have your data, and it is portable should you will need to switch.

That having been said, let's take a look at the very best site builder platforms to get your site without hiring a programmer.

What types of sites can be produced with a site builder?

Site buildersThe great thing about site builders is they provide templates for a selection of different businesses (check out these templates by Wix, by way of instance ). You select the one you like and just add your own text and graphics. You don't need to start from a blank slate, making it super simple to achieve impressive effects very quickly.

Website builders are fantastic for small companies, portfolios, photographers, online shops, restaurants, and resorts, in addition to clubs and associations.

On the other hand, sites that need a database (real-estate listings, job boards) are not very easy to create. They take a different tool and much more time. Your very best bet in this case: WordPress.

And since we get this question often: No, hypercomplex websites like Airbnb, eBay, or Facebook are entirely out of reach. You will have to hire a development team to construct a site like that.

If you are interested in selling digital downloads, especially, then have a look at this complete guide.

What about domains in free sites?

You won't get a proper domain name, because .com or .net domain names always come at a cost. As you have observed, most providers will provide you a subdomain such as yourname.providername.com.

A free subdomain may be fine for a personal website, but we would not recommend it for professional or commercial websites for the following reasons:

It seems unprofessional.

You are not doing yourself any favors when it comes to search engine positions (more on this below).

It is not easy to remember such a long name

There's really a place where you can get free domains which are not subdomains. At Freenom you can find a few (admittedly, vague ) domains at no cost: .tk, .ml, .ga and a couple of others. So you might name your website mycoolsite.ml, for instance. I would not recommend building your business on top of this a free domain name.

But if it is only for a private project that'll be totally fine. Freenom allows you to forward your domain name to a URL (including your free site's subdomain) or to point it to a site, which is a tiny technical procedure. Pointing your domain is truly the expert manner as then it will entirely run on this domain name and nobody could ever find the subdomain.

Our Select for The Best Website Builder

After carefully assessing all of the popular online site builders, we think that WordPress.org simplifies all site builders in overall functionality, ease of use, cost, and flexibility.

WordPress is an exceptional choice for beginners, private sites, and company websites. Some of the world's top brands are using WordPress in their sites. See all of the reasons to select WordPress as your site builder.

If you would like to build your site with the best website builder, then begin with WordPress using Bluehost. It's definitely our #1 choice.

You may read our detailed guide about how best to make a web site for detailed instructions.

Searching for company name ideas? Try our A.I powered company name generator tool to find creative brand name ideas.

If you are trying to build an internet store (eCommerce site ), we then recommend BigCommerce as the best eCommerce site builder since it offers all the features you will need at the best price.

If you would like a WordPress choice, then we recommend using either Continuous Contact Builder or Gator.

Constant Contact Website Builder is the most effective free website builder. It features an intelligent A.I powered site builder for small companies that will help you build a customized website within minutes. You can get started for free to construct a blog, company, site, and even an internet store.

Gator is a premium site builder platform provided by the popular web hosting company, HostGator. It has a great deal of powerful features that you'd want to begin.

We hope that our website builder reviews helped you opt for the best site builder for the project. You might also wish to see out listing of resources that will help you grow your site.

As you have seen, there are a whole lot of different site tools out there. The most popular choice with our subscribers overall is Wix. They've become a fairly dominant force in the web site building business. But that does not mean their opponents are necessarily worse choices. It really depends upon your use case.

If you're still unsure about what to pick, I would again suggest running our Smart Finder and answering 5 easy questions. Great luck with your website project!