100 Great Ideas for Your Next Article or Query

www.inkthinkerblog.com

As of this very moment, you are hereby forbidden from whining, “I can’t think of anything to wriiiiiiiiiite abouuuuuuuuut!” because I’ve got the answer you need.

BBC News has published a list of the 100 best items from its “10 things we didn’t know last week,” available by clicking here.

Here’s a sampling to whet your appetite:

2. There are 200 million blogs which are no longer being updated, say technology analysts. More details

7. The lion costume in the film Wizard of Oz was made from real lions. More details

23. More than one in eight people in the United States show signs of addiction to the internet, says a study. More details

40. The medical name for the part of the brain associated with teenage sulking is “superior temporal sulcus.” More details

64. Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobiacs is the term for people who fear the number 666. More details

84. Thinking about your muscles can make you stronger. More details

95. US Secret Service sniffer dogs are put up in five-star hotels during overseas presidential visits. More details

Now, get querying!

__________________________________________
www.kristenkingfreelancing.com
Finalist in 2006 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Website Contest

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King. All rights reserved.

Contents Copyright © 2006-2014 Kristen King

4 comments

2007 Query Challenge Success Story #5 (from Diane Penna)

www.inkthinkerblog.com

Hi, Kristen,

I submitted 2 queries last night, and had both accepted this morning! Yeah! $75 for a 600 word article? Not bad! Not bad at all!

Thanks for the motivation to get it started. I’ll be posting on my blog about this (and your challenge) later today.

Thanks again!
Diane

The Write Path

Woohoo! Go, Diane! Keep up the good work. And I love the new design over at The Write Path.

Do you have a 2007 Inkthinker Query Challenge Success Story? Great! E-mail me!

__________________________________________
www.kristenkingfreelancing.com
Finalist in 2006 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Website Contest

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King. All rights reserved.

Contents Copyright © 2006-2014 Kristen King

0 comments

Do You Know the Secret to Writing Riveting Headlines?

www.inkthinkerblog.com

If not, or if you want a refresher, you need to read on, because this post rounds up some of the best advice online for writing hardcore headlines.

Tips from Kristen

  1. Use active voice
  2. Keep it short and specific
  3. Include a number
  4. Don’t trick your reader

Tips from Other Folks

10 Sure-Fire Headline Formulas That Work, from Copyblogger, including

  • The Secret of [blank] (see above)
  • Who Else Wants [blank]?

7 More Sure-Fire Headline Templates That Work, also from Copyblogger, including

  • Do You Recognize the [number] Early Warning Signs of [blank]? (see Lively Women and above)
  • If You Don’t [blank] Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later

5 Tips to Writing Effective Web Headlines from Ginger Makela at Google Analytics, including

  • Don’t sound like an ad
  • Highlight benefits rather than features

Check them out, and post your resources and tips in the comments!

__________________________________________
www.kristenkingfreelancing.com
Finalist in 2006 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Website Contest

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King. All rights reserved.

Contents Copyright © 2006-2014 Kristen King

3 comments

Your Imagination + 55 Words = 1 Great Story

www.inkthinkerblog.com

Are you struggling to get the creative juices flowing today? 55 Fiction can help. Building on the concept originated by The New Times, 55 Fiction is all about the shortest in short fiction. Check it out, and submit your stories!

__________________________________________
www.kristenkingfreelancing.com
Finalist in 2006 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Website Contest

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King. All rights reserved.

Contents Copyright © 2006-2014 Kristen King

0 comments

Status: 3 Queries, 1 Rejection

www.inkthinkerblog.com

Well, I heard back from AARP today, and it’s a negative. Actually, it was an awesome rejection, ending with “Feel free to pitch again” and a suggestion of a specific type of article that would be worth trying. Not bad for a “No,” huh?

Still waiting on the blog pitch and the parenting mag, which is no surprise, seeing how not everyone moves as fast as AARP does. Oh, the irony…

__________________________________________
www.kristenkingfreelancing.com
Finalist in 2006 Writer’s Digest Best Writer’s Website Contest

Contents © Copyright 2007 Kristen King. All rights reserved.

Contents Copyright © 2006-2014 Kristen King

0 comments