Learning New Things in Life - Process Analysis Essay

Learning New Things in Life - Process Analysis - Essay Example In effect, this chapter is instrumental in highlighting the importance of process analysis and its impact on the quality of a writer’s work. It is instructive to note that authors write in order to direct or inform their readers about various phenomena. This chapter is apt since it provides a guide on how writers can use process analysis in order to attain their objectives while writing. In effect, this makes the essay unique in that it provides the problem and informs while also directing the reader on the approaches that the reader should use in order to solve the highlighted problem. In order to achieve its uniqueness, a process analysis essay engages in a systematic approach in order to achieve the objectives of the writer while writing the essay.  In this case, a human being requires  satisfying their curiosity and learning about the processes that constitute the world. To do this, it is crucial for individuals to engage in a technique that provided the steps and the sequences involved in learning, which is known as process analysis. In effect, this chapter is instrumental in highlighting the importance of process analysis and its impact on the quality of a writer’s work. It is instructive to note that authors write in order to direct or inform their readers about various phenomena.

Frankenstein - Knowledge As A Force Essay Example for Free

Frankenstein Knowledge As A Force Essay Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein brings out a very prominent and unavoidable theme: the dangers of knowledge. It is often said that there is nothing wrong with learning new things, but Shelley makes it a point to prove that wrong. Dr. Frankenstein’s voracious and successful approach to necromancy proves that very distinctly. Though the novel does not explicitly state that there are things best left to higher powers, the novel does highlight, very pointedly, that a man should act as such, and should not interfere with either that which he is not meant to, or that which opposes the natural way of things. Dr. Frankenstein does both. It is not a matter of controversy that humans are not meant to play God, and reanimating a corpse constructed from the remains of various other corpses falls very firmly in the realm of actions classifiable as both unethical and unnatural. Effectively, the entire book may be paraphrased, as â€Å"Dr. Frankenstein was a perfectly cheerful student, until he played God, following which, his entire life crashed around him, and he lost virtually everyone and everything he loved.† Shelley does not explicitly state that there are things solely in the realm of God, but the books makes it clear nonetheless that some things were made to transcend human knowledge, and that violating this law will have natural and terrible consequences. Shelley wishes, then, to paint knowledge as a formidable force that should be approached with intense caution. Her Frankenstein is a warning. Three of the prominent characters in the novel Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein, Robert Walton and the monster, all share a thirst for knowledge that ultimately leads to downfall in one way or another. Shelly, in her novel, portrayed how Victor’s journey to seek knowledge led to a life of misery and sadness. Even upon meeting Walton, Victor says, â€Å"You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been†(Shelly 62). Although this quote only implies that his downfall was due to the monster, in reality, his downfall began long before even the monster was created, as evidenced by Victor’s (literally) inhumane quest for knowledge. From a very early age, Victor Frankenstein had a thirst for knowledge. He was captivated by the sciences; he spent all his time just studying from the work of the older scientists. In the university, when he was told that all his time spent studying has been a waste, as new discoveries have been made, he became angry. Ironically, his obsession with science became even stronger and he devoted his life acquiring even greater knowledge. This obsession was where it all began. Victor’s quest for knowledge was a selfish quest of sabotage; his obsession to create a life form was so deep that he ignored everyone he knew. This thirst to surge beyond the accepted human limits and access the secret of life led to one disaster after another. Similarly, Robert Walton desires knowledge beyond limits. Walton’s quest to reach the northernmost part of the earth is similar in spirit to Victor’s quest for the secret of life: both seek ultimate knowledge, and both sacrifice the comfort of the realm of known knowledge in their respective pursuits. When Walton says, â€Å"What may not be expected in a country of eternal light?†(Shelly 50). It becomes certain that Walton is ready to surpass any limit for the pursuit of total knowledge. Light in this context, is a symbol for goodness and knowledge. If we closely examine, we discover that Robert Walton possess the same desires as Victor Frankenstein, and can be addressed as â€Å"a potential Frankenstein, another man . . . seeking out ultimate knowledge by conquering the world’s uncharted regions†(Claridge 85). Victor, seeing Walton having the same thirst, warns him; â€Å"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow†(Shelly 81). Knowledge not only destroys Victor Frankenstein’s life but also of the monster. Firstly, He was the creation of Frankenstein’s desire to gain knowledge. He would have never come to life if Frankenstein had control over his obsession. Secondly, the monster delves deeper into sadness when he acquires knowledge the world has to offer him â€Å"I cannot describe to you the agony that these reflections inflicted upon me; I tried to dispel them, but  sorrow only increased with knowledge. Oh, that I had forever remained in my native wood, nor known nor felt beyond the sensations of hunger, thirst, and heat!† (Shelly 146). If the monster did not have any knowledge, he would have felt none of the emotions or reflections that people have inflicted upon him. Finally, the greatest impact of the monster’s actions is due to the knowledge that of him alone in the world â€Å"I am an unfortunate and deserted creature, I look around and I have no relation or friend upon earth. These amiable people to whom I go have never seen me and know little of me. I am full of fears, for if I fail there, I am an outcast in the world forever, without any love or affection†(Shelly 158), this knowledge, beyond his basic sensations, makes him a so-called â€Å"Monster† and the cause of all mayhem. This, conclusively, is Mary Shelley’s severe warning to the reader. It is a strict warning to the reader to remain humane and reasonable in their quest for knowledge. The text, then, also professes a deep romanticism in that it shows, very clearly, that one should not stray from that which is natural. It preaches that things are exactly how they are, but also warns that knowledge is not something to be trifled with. The text also carries with it, a long standing theme of consequences; Victor defied nature and raised the monster, and it then seemed like everything around Victor was dedicated to driving him to depression or death. Eventually, defying nature got the better of him and he died, desolate and alone, away from his home, and nature claimed yet another human that defied it.

Frankenstein :: essays research papers

1. List the title and author of the work you read.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Frankenstein by Mary Shelley 2. Briefly describe the plot (action) of the work. What happens?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Robert Walton (the first narrator) finds Victor Frankenstein adrift in the Arctic. After a week’s recovery Frankenstein tells his story. As Victor was growing up he had always been interested in alchemy and pseudo-sciences. He hoped to one day to be able overcome death and decay. Victor learned how to create life in the laboratory and collected parts from cadavers to create his creature. After giving his creation life, he was horrified and fled. He was hidden away for two years, then received a letter telling of his little brother’s death. He suspected the creature, but the police suspected a female friend of his family’s and hanged her. One day the being found Victor and told him of his survival and his knowledge. He requested Victor make him a companion and in return they would flee away never to be seen again. He eventually agrees to make the â€Å"bride,† but after much pondering destroys all the work he had done. The â€Å"monster † curses Frakenstein assuring revenge on his wedding night. Later another of his friends turns up dead. Victor still made plans to marry Elizabeth with whom he was raised. On their wedding night she is strangled by the monster. He follows the monster pledging to destroy it. The story leads to where he is taken aboard the ship. Soon after the story Victor dies. The monster s discovered on board and announces his plans to kill himself. 3. How would you describe the author’s style? Examine the way the author writes, considering word choice, point of view, structure, special techniques (i.e., symbolism).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I really liked the way Shelley told the story from different points of view. She made the story whole by telling what Victor thought and what the creature thought. I also liked the way she didn’t just dive right into the central story, but laid out an outer frame. Shelley tries to make an easily read story by telling it from all angles and makes it a little different with the story inside of the story. 4. Was this an easy work to read? Why or why not?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I believe it was easily read. There was no overly difficult language. If you did have to pause in the middle of the story it was easily picked up again without rereading sections a couple times.

Innovative company Essay

?Innovative Engineering Company was founded by two partners: Meredith Gale and Shelley Yeaton, shortly after they graduated from engineering school. Within five years the partners had built a thriving business, primarily through the development of a product line of measuring instruments based on the laser principle. Success brought with it the need for new permanent capital. After careful calculation, the partners placed the amount of this need at $1. 2 million. This would replace a term loan that was about to mature and provide for plant expansion and related working capital. At first, they sought a wealthy investor, or group of investors, who would provide the $1. 2 million in return for an interest in the partnership. They soon discovered, however, that although some investors were interested in participating in new ventures, none of them was willing to participate as partner in an industrial company because of the risks to their personal fortunes that were inherent in such an arrangement. Gale and Yeaton therefore planned to incorporate the Innovative Engineering Company, in which they would own all the stock. After further investigation, they learned that Arbor Capital Corporation, a venture capital firm, might be interested in providing permanent financing. In thinking about what they might propose to Arbor, their first idea was that Arbor would be asked for $1. 2 million, of which $1. 1 million would be a long-term loan. For the other $100,000, Arbor would receive 10 percent of the Innovative common stock as a â€Å"sweetener. † If Arbor would pay $100,000 for 10 percent of the stock, this would mean that the 90 percent that would be owned by Gale and Yeaton would have a value of $900,000. Although this was considerably higher than Innovative’s net assets, they thought this amount was appropriate in view of the profitability of the product line they had successfully developed. A little calculation convinced them, however, that this idea (hereafter, proposal A) was too risky. The resulting ratio of debt to equity would be greater than 100 percent, which was considered unsound for an industrial company. Their next idea was to change the debt/ equity ratio by using preferred stock in lieu of most of the debt. Specifically, they thought of a package consisting of $200,00 debt, $900,000 preferred stock, and $100,000 common stock (proposal B). They learned, however, that Arbor Capital Corporation was not interested in accepting preferred stock, even at a dividend which exceeded the interest rate on debt. Thereupon, they approached Arbor with a proposal of $600,000 debt and $600,000 equity (proposal C). For the $600,000 equity, Arbor would receive 6/15 (i. e. , 40 percent) of the common stock. . . . Assignment 1. For each of the four proposals, calculate the return on common shareholders’ equity (net income after preferred dividends divided by common shareholders’ equity) that would be earned under each of the three income assumptions. Round calculations to the nearest $1,000 and 1/10 percent. 2. Calculate the pre-tax earnings and return on its $1. 2 million investment to Arbor Capital Corporation under each of the four proposals. Assume that Arbor receives a dividend equal to its portion of common stock ownership times Innovative’s net income after preferred dividends (if any); assume a â€Å"negative dividend† if Innovative has a net loss. 3. Were the partners correct in rejecting proposals A and B? 4. Comment on the likelihood that Innovative Engineering Company could find a more attractive financing proposal than proposal D. Answer : A. 1. 100k long term loan, 100k = 10% of Common Stock. B. 200k Debt, 900k Preferred Stock, 100k Common Stock. C. 600k Debt, 600k Equity, arbor will get 40% of the equity D. 300k debt, 900k equity, 50% Interest 8% Dividend 10%

Marriage, Divorce, and Military Families

Running head: Marriage, Divorce, and Military Families Marriage, Divorce, and Military Families Marriage is a conduit through which God's grace flows to the couple and their children. The church understands marriage between a man and woman to be a sacrament, a visible sign of the grace that God gives them to help them live their lives here and now so as to be able to join him in eternity. Marriage is social as well as religious, but its religious aspects are very important. The Bible repeatedly compares the relationship between man and wife to that between God and Israel or between Christ and his Church. For marriage is a holy vocation. Since the Church sees marriage as holy, it believes it must be treated with reverence. It also recognizes that marriage is basic to the health of society and therefore a public institution that must be defended against harm. Marriage is a public institution. Consequently, proposals that could harm the institution of marriage must be subjected to the same sort of objective analysis that we give any public policy question. Marriage is not just a private matter of emotion between two people. On the contrary, its success or failure has measurable impact on all of society. Rational analysis yields solid, objective reasons for limiting marriage to one man and one woman-reason anyone can agree with on purely secular grounds (Zinn, B. M. , D. Eitzen, S. , Wells, B. , 2008). However, one of the downsides to redefining marriage would be the weakening of the meaning of marriage, which would be divorces. Human nature being what it is, if the meaning of marriage is weakened, it will be psychologically easier for even more people to divorce. Look at what happened when â€Å"no-fault† divorce was legalized. The divorce rate skyrocketed. If the nature of marriage is further undermined in the minds of couples then when things get rocky, more couples will be tempted not to work through their problems and get happy again but rather to divorce and find someone else (Hogan,  P. ,  ,  R. ,  2010). That is a bad idea, because most marriage therapists agree that divorce generally â€Å"doesn't work. † Divorce doesn't solve the problems that caused the first marriage to break up. Divorced people bring the same problems to their new marriages that broke up their old ones. That's why second and later arriages are statistically far more likely to end in divorce than first marriages are. Also, a large majority of couples who contemplate divorce but stay together describe themselves as â€Å"happily married† five years later. So staying together â€Å"works† better than divorce. The Romans had an interesting view towards marriage – ‘matrimonia debent esse libera’ or ‘marriages ought to be free’. This meant that either spouse could opt out of the marriage if things weren’t working out for them. Centuries later, Victorian England had a vastly different view (Bouvier, 1856). People got married and stayed together for better or for worse. Society frowned on divorce and divorced people were likely to find themselves social pariahs. In the present century, both these views prevail. It depends on which part of the planet you live in and in what kind of culture. â€Å"Divorce rates are higher in European or American countries, where individual freedom is given higher stress, than in, say, Asian or African ones, where familial and social opinions cause higher stress. With globalization, of course, the ‘backward’ countries are catching up. Women, especially, with access to higher education and higher salaries, are less willing to put up with traditional roles and expectations† (Devine). Social and cultural moralists are having a field day, predicting, like always, dire consequences for the ‘social fabric’. No, divorce isn’t joy-inducing, but then neither is a corrosive marriage. In such a case, splitting up is preferable to staying together ‘for the children’ or to keep up social appearances. Anyway, it all really depends upon the kind of relationship you have. Some relationships are worth working on, some aren’t. There are many different and complex causes and reasons for divorce, each of them specific to that particular couple’s marital relationship, their individual experiences and personal problems. None of them may seem ‘common’ to the people going through a divorce, of course, but many of the reasons recur enough to warrant the term. These causes for divorce may vary from the lack of commitment to the marriage to the lack of communication between spouses; infidelity; abandonment; Physical, sexual, or even Substance Abuse, etc. Furthermore, it takes a very special person to stand and accept that the rest of their lives are devoted to something larger than themselves and their own little worlds. It takes an incredible commitment and an enduring love to withstand a life supporting someone else who may not be there by their beside on days when you are feeling blue, and who may not hold you in those times when the life around you is not so sweet. Now, marriage is hard enough, there are times when all husbands and wives question the sanity of a relationship that requires such hard work. Couples get through this by being together and keeping at it as a team. Sadly, many military relationships do not have this luxury of being together to keep things on track. This is when the military husband or wife just has to sort through â€Å"couple issues† alone (Rentz et al, 2007). Only the strongest committed individual can carry the weight of two in a relationship, and it takes a strong intimate trusting bond to make it at all possible. The military eases the lives of service members and their families in some very significant ways. Paychecks are regular. Benefits, such as healthcare and legal assistance, are unparalleled in the civilian world. And, in a time of economic uncertainty, the job security provided by the armed forces is a true blessing (Rentz et al, 2007). However, every positive aspect of military life is matched by at least one negative, especially for married service members and their families. Military and civilian marriages face the same marriage-stressors and marriage-killers, but the challenges faced by military marriages are both compounded and additional (Banner, 2008). Danielle Rentz and associates argues that the impact and stress of war may occur before, during, and after deployment and extend beyond the military soldier to include stress and emotional disturbance for his or her family. Anticipation of deployment can lead to feelings of anger, resentment, and hurt within the family. Separation during deployment may create the assumption of new family roles by the partner left behind, disruption of family routines, uncertainty about the service member’s safety, and the inability to plan for the future (Rentz et al, 2007). They base their discussion on the research and studies on the Effect of Deployment on the Occurrence of Child Maltreatment in Military. Betty Myers writes a testimony of her days married to a military man and unravels a story from past that lead to divorce. Her story is yet another cause for divorce within a military family. The stress of war and unknowing of what occurs to a spouse takes a toll on a marriage. This is a testimony of her personal experience and this will assist my paper for the causes of divorce (Myers, 1988). Bennington Banner analyzes the statistical data of military divorce rate in every branch of the Arm Forces. He states that the long and repeated deployments required of many troops have been widely blamed for unprecedented stresses on military couples. Spouses at home must manage families and households without their partner. He concluded that there were an estimated 10,200 failed marriages in the active duty Army and 3,077 among Marines, according to figures obtained by The Associated Press for the budget year ended Sept. 30. His data can help me prove the point that the numbers of divorce in the Arm Forces are staggering (Banner, 2008). Joseph Devine explains that military marriages undergo a very specific set of strains. They face the possibility of sudden moves to far-off locales, rapid deployments, and even premature death. He stated â€Å"when you're married to someone in the military, it's often like you're married to the military itself† (Devine). Your life revolves around what the military wants from you and your spouse, and there's not a whole lot you can do about it. In summary, the ways in which each military marriage survives are all personal and unique to their own, but the emotional journey is one that can really be understood only by another military spouse (Hogan,  P. ,  ,  R. ,  2010). The one thing all military spouses have in common with each other is their ultimate pride in their husbands and wives, and to survive the journey as a military spouse, their shared pride of place alongside their incredible military husbands and wives. While military marriages are an entity of their own, the non-military couples could learn many things from them. The special goodbyes for instance are important. A military husband or wife knows the value of not leaving issues unresolved, and has learned the art of letting the silly things go (Hogan,  P. ,  ,  R. ,  2010). They do not have until the afternoon, or the next day or the day after that to get over it, they are too aware that tomorrow is unpredictable. A military marriage does not have the time to wallow in unimportant debate. The most important thing to them is to be sure to let the one they love know that they are appreciated. Petty unimportant arguments have a way of clouding the unconditional love that holds a marriage together. References Banner, B. Divorce rate up in Army, Marine Corps. (2008,  December  3). Retrieved February 3, 2010, from ProQuest Newsstand. (Document ID:  1606239161). Bouvier, J. (1856). Matrimonia debent esse libera. (n. d. ) A Law Dictionary, Adapted to the Constitution and Laws of the United States. Retrieved April 27 2010 from http://legal-dictionary. thefreedictionary. com/Matrimonia+debent+esse+libera Devine, J. Divorce and the Military. Retrieved from http://ezinearticles. com/? Divorce- and-the-Military=3605202 Hogan,  P. ,  ,  R.. (2010). Marriage and the Military: Evidence That Those Who Serve Marry Earlier and Divorce Earlier. Armed Forces and Society,  36(3),  420. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from Career and Technical Education. (Document ID:  2002732321). Myers, B. (1988). Story Of A Thrown-Away Military Wife. Minerva,  VI(2),  77. Retrieved February 3, 2010, from ProQuest Central. (Document ID:  624746591). Rentz, E. D. ,  Marshall, W. S. ,  Loomis, D, Casteel, C. , Martin, S. L. ,   Gibbs, D. A. (2007). Effect of Deployment on the Occurrence of Child Maltreatment in Military and Nonmilitary Families. American Journal of Epidemiology,  165(10),  1199-206. Retrieved February 3, 2010, from ProQuest Health and Medical Complete. (Document ID:  1268687131). Zinn, B. M. , D. Eitzen, S. , Wells, B. , (2008). Divorce and Remarriage. (Ed. 8) Diversity of Families (pp. 393- 410). Prentice Hall

The Socioeconomic Structure of Europe

The Socioeconomic Structure of Europe Eric Hobsbawm, a British historian, categorizes the historians of the late nineteenth century into two groups. He is firm in his categorization to an extent that other historians refer to him as the leading light in a group of historians. There are those he says stick to their ideas.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Socioeconomic Structure of Europe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Of course, the debate is on what foundation the modern states were build. Another issue relates to states adopting either communistic or capitalistic ideologies. One group avers that politics forms the key to truths and myths that are to be uncovered and stated. One group is revolutionary and the other is reactionary. The latter is the one that looks backward with nostalgia while the former looks forward for explanations of the present and the future. Hobsbawm belongs to the revolutionary group. It should be noted that he is a staunch c rusader of the Marxist ideas. He even served in the world war, but claimed to have done nothing of importance. In fact, he regrets taking part in it. He is pro Stalin and Russian communist ideologies, though he represented Britain in the war. He believes in socialism and as much as it failed, he died holding onto the same. In his articles, he is wittily selective in his statistics. He mainly focuses on people with whom he shared opinions. In criticizing capitalism for example, he ponders why there is economic expansion that leads to massive unemployment. The expansions resulted from the technological innovations. This is very ironical from an economist’s perspective. With every available opportunity, he praised leaders with communist ideas, including O’Connell. He commends artists of the time who were fully committed to revolutionary politics. Though temporary, he gave them much coverage. At the same time, he avoided mentioning the reactionary artists. Any other radica l reformers who criticized socialism were on his receiving end. Eric Hobsbawm clearly illustrates that the socioeconomic structure of Europe was very different in both halves of the nineteenth century. The two halves followed two different paths, but shared one common factor. They were both developed through capitalism and were centered on bourgeois liberalism. These processes were influenced by what he refers to as dual revolution. This is the French revolution and the British industrial revolution. Britain took the first step towards industrialization. This was directed by its political system that leaned towards individuals profiting from an expanded economy. Britain had moved from peasant agrarianism where among other structures land was jointly cultivated. This implies that commercial agriculture was practiced. The growth of industries pushed the economy to transcend into capitalism late in the century, which was around 1799.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let 's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The technological advancement played a great role in this transformation. As much as this economic transition led to increased profitability among investors, it did not do any good to employees. The labor market was still oppressed with excessive working conditions and too much overworking. Overtime was not duly accounted for in terms of rewards. In short, the labor force was not paid adequately. This would later lead to the rise of activism. In France, the French revolution, according to Hobsbawm, was a struggle among and the peasants, aristocrats and the middle class. The development of the revolution in different stages was a manifestation of a struggle between liberalism and socialism. The attempt by the aristocrats to recapture the state quickly degenerated into the urge to create a socialist economic state. He underlines that Napoleon had instituted measures and structures that led to the b ourgeois taking control, with its concomitants taking and giving loans. This type of an economy had the characteristics resembling those of a modern economy. To him, the bourgeois liberalism prevailed. Its success developed along with elements of subversion. Dual revolution modeled middle class liberals and created a few successful bourgeois. The radical ideas within states and societies created masterminded their collapse. Eric Hobsbawm looked at the political developments in Europe between 1870 and 1914, as politically opposite times. He observes that the hope that had already been achieved turned into trepidation. A period of unchallenged peace, dangerously giving way and the full rise of civil activism emerged. As this period progressed, fear griped the bourgeois. The increased actions of labor movements that rejected capitalism and the effects of the rising middle class resulted to a crisis. The competing interests among members of the social class did not serve any good. This was because there was still too much force to be dealt with outside the state. The first political class was built on very small bodies that were generally weak. Europe was also on the verge of dominating the world, though without confidence. The individual states had hidden competing interests. At the very end in 1914, the revolutionary political terrorists went on to start the First World War. Before the First World War, peace in Europe prevailed because of the balance of power. Each state had accumulated enough weapons in readiness for a large-scale war. This means that states were assured of mutual destruction.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Socioeconomic Structure of Europe specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Five Tips for Landing Business Clients as a Writer

Five Tips for Landing Business Clients as a Writer The definition of writer can be a narrow view (â€Å"I write only women’s fiction†) to a broad view (â€Å"I use words any way people need me to†). I quickly learned to embrace the latter when I took the freelance plunge two and a half years ago, because, frankly, only pitching editors wasn’t adding up to my monthly income goals. This approach has led to a wide variety of contracts: website copy, blogs, social media posts, newsletters, emails, press releases, descriptions for online directories and more. With this approach, I was able to triple my income from 2012 in 2013. Here are five ways you, too, can land writing gigs for businesses that need content now more than ever in this fast-paced, online-heavy life. 1. Create a list of every business you’ve ever written about.Have you interviewed business owners for any of your articles? Then these folks are great people to pitch your other writing services to. Start your email 2. Make a list of businesses you’d like to write for, and pitch them.  Pitching a business owner is not that different from pitching an editor. You introduce yourself and share a couple of ideas, then follow up in a week or two. Start with flattery just like you would an editor, but instead of writing, â€Å"I loved this recent article,† say, â€Å"I love your wine† or whatever product/service they provide. Flattery works. 3. Seek businesses that do not have a blog or newsletter.Content is needed now more than ever, and if a business isn’t blogging or writing a newsletter to their fans, they are missing out on some major benefits. Offer to write one blog or newsletter for free to get your foot in the door, and share some stats about the power of blogging like this article, â€Å"Top Blogging Statistics: 45 Reasons to Blog.† 4. (Gently) point out a flaw in their online presence.Are they posting to Facebook three times a day? Do they still not have a Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram account? Do they have a dismal online listing score on getlisted.org? Be friendly and flattering at first, but then point out the hole in their online marketing that you’ve found and offer to fill it. I’ve landed several clients this way. 5. Don’t be scared to try something new. Business owners need all kinds of support, so don’t shy away from opportunities that might involve tasks that aren’t necessarily writing related. I once ran a usability testing session for a new tech startup and had absolutely no idea what that even was up until two weeks before I led the group through the developing website. I’ve also taken more photos than I care to remember for social media even though I don’t consider myself a stellar photographer. But you learn as you go and take on each new challenge with professionalism, which will help you establish a great reputation and eventually get businesses seeking you out instead of you constantly hustling for more work. Good luck and tweet me with any questions at @ShawndraRussell.