Be More Outcome Driven

If you're a creature of habit and keep doing the same things all the time, then if you keep doing what you're doing, you're going to keep getting more what you're getting.

If that's enough for you, then you're doing the right thing.

But if you're not happy with your results, then something has to change.

You need to change your focus to the outcome you want.

What is it that you want to achieve from your work?

How I Work as an Online Writer And How I Get Such Great Ebook Covers

This week I began teaching a class at the local community college. I will also be teaching the class, twice a week for 6 weeks which will be starting soon.

They call the class Laptop Lifestyle.

I thought I wouldn't be any good at speaking in front of a class, but I didn't do so bad.

And I discovered that the old saying is true, that when one teaches, two learn, which means both the teacher and student gain insight.

Which is what happened to me because the question the people in the class kept asking me was how do I actually do these things myself. They wanted to know the exact ins and outs of how I work.

That made me realise that I rarely offer insights into how I work on a day-to-day basis, the software and apps I use, the websites I use, the equipment I use, or the ways I simplify the way I work so that I'm more productive.

I realised that many of the things I know aren't common knowledge, despite the way I always think that if I know something, everyone probably does.

So I've decided to change that and from now on I'll reveal much more than I usually do, to show you how I work and what I use so that, hopefully, it will help you too.

And because there's no time like the present, here is my first insight.

Get Ready, Get Set, Write!

If you're a subscriber of mine, then you'll know that a few weeks ago I began a new part time job doing commercial cleaning.

The reason I took on the job wasn't because I was short of money, but short on exercise.

I mean, yes I clean my house every week, and yes I walk my dogs every day as well as mow the lawn every week, do the shopping, cooking, washing, ironing, etc, but it's not enough exercise.

Then I came across a local part time job cleaning two commercial premises.

And surprisingly, this little part time job taught me more about making money from writing.

How so?

Using Stories in Your Articles

Articles that tell stories have always been popular.

You only have to look back at history and you'll see that people used to use parables to teach other.

Parables are simple stories used to teach a moral.

Aesop was also good at using fables to get his point across. FYI fables are the same as parables except they use animals to teach a moral.

Soap operas originally began as stories used to sell a product. And as the name suggests, that product was soap.

Soap operas began as radio plays aimed at housewives where the product was mentioned all the time. Later soap operas moved to television where the product could also be placed in view.

And nothing has really changed over the years. Even today, stories are still a great way to teach, inform AND make sales.

Stories have always been used for one main reason:

They are easy to remember.

You can tell someone something and they may forget it.

But if you tell them a story, they'll usually remember it (at least for a while).

You can use stories in your articles to draw your reader in and then relate the story to the message you're trying to tell them, or tie the story into the product you're selling.

And if people enjoy your stories they'll want to read more.

And more readers means more sales.

Copywriters use stories in their sales letters all the time.

They start by telling a story about a problem someone is having and then they provide a satisfying solution to the problem which (naturally) involves the product they are promoting.

So have you got any great stories to tell?

They could be worth a million. :)