September is a month of many wonders. The first days of fall are full of upcoming holiday excitement, hayrides, back to school fun, and leaves changing into their jewel-toned coats. While all of these are great reasons to look forward to September, I now have an even better reason to celebrate. September is officially Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month!

Prior to my incarnation as a freelance writer and occasional editor, I doubt I would have even registered this glorious holiday. However, after writing day after day for several years, I now think it should become one of the most celebrated events of the year. Have you ever thought of just how dull life would be without writers and editors to make sure you have something interesting to read? No? I really didn’t give it much thought either as I read through my weight in books and magazines each month, and believe me, that is a lot of reading!

Now that I am constantly trying to find new ways to entertain and engage readers as a writer, I realize how very difficult that challenge truly is. Was that funny enough? Did I manage to say that tactfully? Has this idea been written into the ground? Would everyone recognize my written attempt at sarcasm? Did that paint entirely the wrong word picture? Is this where I put a semicolon or a comma, and will anyone even notice if I get it right? Passive voice… don’t even get me started on my loathing of that phrase. These are the sorts of things writers think about all of the time. As an occasional editor, my thoughts tend to be a bit more colorful, in the way sailors use colorful language. It can be agonizing to read bad prose and have to correct it while remaining polite to the person who forgot every rule in the English language, or decided the rules simply did not apply to their writing. For all of these reasons and many more, writers and editors need an entire month of kindness.

In my opinion one of the small kindnesses writers and editors receive far too little of is appreciation.

Most of the other blog posts and articles I have read focus on what to buy your favorite writer or editor to show them your appreciation. While I am certainly fan of any holiday that results in goodies for me, I think I will instead show some appreciation for some of my favorite writers.

• Laura Ingalls Wilder – I am completely obsessed with every single thing she has ever written. She inspired me as a reader and as a writer. She always had a love of the written language but did not begin her writing career until her daughter was grown and out of the house. When she did begin, it was as a freelance writer.
• Jeff Guinn – He is the writer behind the Autobiography of Santa Clause, one of my favorite books of all time. How do you manage to take a tune that is thousands of years old and make the magic sing like a new composition? When I find the answer to that question I will be writing my own novel.
• J.K. Rowling – How inspiring is her story? Even if you hate the books, which I actually love, you have to be inspired that an out of work mother managed to write something that inspired so many millions of children to open a book and become fascinated with the world of reading. I want to be her when I grow up!

I could absolutely go on for hours about the writers who deserve my appreciation, but I don’t want to write my own novel just yet. Instead, I’m going to close with a special thank you to my favorite editor, Christina Gleason, the founder of Phenomenal Content. I truly appreciate the work she has put into this company and the opportunities with which she has provided me. Thank you, Christina!

What writers or editors do you want to say a special thank you to?

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Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month

Rubber stamp crafts are a great idea for school vacations. They give children a creative outlet and allow them to create unique items for themselves or to give as gifts to their friends and loved ones. Stamping is the perfect indoor activity for when it is too cold, or too hot, to enjoy playing outside.

Holiday Cards

Using pre-scored cardstock, allow children to decorate the inside and outside of cards. Create a master list of holidays and have each child make four or five cards for each. Include major holidays as well as birthdays, sympathy, wedding, baby shower, thank you, and get well cards. Allow them to decorate the envelopes as well remember to leave the space for the address and return address blank. These can be used by the children when holidays arrive or they can be given as gifts. Have children pick two from each category, and their corresponding envelopes, to package and give as a holiday gifts.

Wrapping Paper

Purchase a roll of white or brown paper in a craft or office supply store. Using holiday and special occasion stamps let children decorate several yards of paper at a time. Separate and reroll on securing on each end with paper clips.

Coasters

This makes an excellent gift for grandparents and teachers or can be used to personalize the child’s room. Purchase 4×4 tiles in a natural shade in a home improvement store. You will also need small self adhesive pieces of cork to prevent the coaster from sliding on tables. Allow children to stamp with one large stamp in a single color, perhaps an initial, for an elegant piece. Team colors, mascots, and education themed stamps are great for teachers. Inspirational quotes, words, or animal outlines are other popular choices.

Shoes

Provide each child with a pair of unadorned white canvas sneakers. Remove laces and fill shoes with newspaper or rags to make stamping easier. User permanent stamping ink or fabric ink and stamp onto the canvas of the shoe. Children can also stamp inner and outer soles if desired and may decorate shoe strings with small stamps.

Clocks

Provide each child with a plane wooden clock, paints, stamps, brushes, and ink. Have children paint the clock in their preferred color. Allow the clock to dry overnight, this may take multiple nights depending on humidity. Mark where each number should go with an inked number or a favorite stamp. Decorate the rest of the clock with stamps as desired.

What are your favorite rubber stamp crafts to do with children?

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5 Rubber Stamps Crafts for School Vacation

When I was in high school, there was a course offered for students who wanted to work part time and earn credits towards graduation. I was very interested in money at the time and promptly joined during my senior year. Previously my work experience had centered primarily around cashiering, however, I also had some experience filing and answering telephones. Based on my career goals and an aptitude test I was placed in the office of a home health care facility. My job, primarily, was to take calls from clients and help them with their schedules. I also helped handle some insurance problems, answered general phone calls, and of course did lots of filing. I also learned quite a bit about the profession, and even at that young age, how many types of nurses there were and the various duties each performed amazed me. There were CNAs, LPNs, and RNs as well as various types of therapists.

CNA

A CNA is a certified nursing assistant. This position requires some training and a certification process. Many of the home health care staff members were CNAs. They were the people who were scheduled to help patients perform basic care for themselves. They would help bathe, dress, and sometimes feed patients, as well as make an assessment each visit of the patients vital signs, and note if another type of nurse needed to be brought in or if a physician needed to be contacted.

LPN

An LPN is a licensed practical nurse. This position required more education and a different certification process. These nurses would typically be used if the patient had wounds that needed to be tended, catheters, or if they had labs or other tests that could be performed in the home. There were many other medical tasks the LPNs could perform, depending on the specific patient.

RN

An RN is a registered nurse. This position requires a more extensive educational background and a different certification process. These nurses usually served as patient care coordinators and worked with the doctors to provide a plan of care. They would help in assigning the types of care the patients received and would come in to reevaluate as recommended by the CNA or LPN.

One thing all of these positions had in common was that each required the nurse to be able to quickly connect with the patient and make him or her as comfortable as possible. An unexpected requirement, at least it was something I didn’t expect, was the massive amounts of paperwork each nurse had to fill out every time he or she entered a patient’s home. Every service had to be carefully documented, and a patient assessment had to be performed and written out each time. Some of the forms had to go to specific doctors while others were required for our main office. Many of the nurses told me they felt their positions in home health care were more rewarding than other nursing positions because they were able to provide more individualized care for the patients and get to know their patients better. This seemed like a great motivation for becoming a home health care nurse to me. Why are you interested in home health care?

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Home Health Care Nursing Jobs

Each year, Merriam-Webster chooses new words to add to the dictionary. 2009 brought around 100 new words, some of them we’re already familiar with, and others, well, will probably make you laugh. Taking note of the new words in the dictionary is important, especially for writers and word game buffs. Let’s take a look at some of the words you’ll be able to find in the newest edition of the dictionary.

Locavore: This is someone who only eats locally grown food.

Staycation: This refers to a vacation spent at home. The term is growing in popularity due to the strained economy making a traditional vacation harder for more families to manage.

Frenemy: A combination of the word “friend” and “enemy,” this word refers to someone who you believe is a friend, actually being an enemy. How clever, right?

Christmas Bogus: Another one destined for laughter, the phrase “Christmas Bogus” refers to getting nothing from an employer as a Christmas bonus.

Virtual Friday: If your weekend starts early due to holidays or scheduled time off, that’s your “Virtual Friday.” For Thanksgiving holidays in school, Tuesday is generally a virtual Friday.

Fan Fiction: This term has been around for some time, and refers to fans writing about popular characters in TV, movies, and books.

Sock Puppet: Another term that’s been around for awhile, this term means using a false identity for “deceptive” purposes.

Webisode: This term refers to a television show episode viewed online.

Webinar: This term refers to a seminar done online.

Vlog: A video blog.

Many of these words we’ve already heard of and probably been using awhile. They’ve finally become useful enough in daily language to earn themselves a spot in the dictionary. I must admit, writing this blog in Word was fun. It’s full of red lines, and not a spelling error in sight. I’m adding them to my dictionary—what about you? Are you going to start making use of any of these new words?

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Taking a Virtual Friday? This Year’s New Words

If you’re not feeling the love at home, maybe you and your sweetie need to get away from the world for a while. Work family, money, news… It’s all very stressful, and it can make you lose that lovin’ feeling. Maybe you just need to get away from it all to reconnect with your husband or wife, boyfriend or girlfriend. We have some sexy vacation ideas that can help put some sizzle back in your love life.

All-Inclusive Caribbean Vacations at Sandals Resorts

Having spent a week at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Grand Resort for my honeymoon, I can highly recommend Sandals for a romantic getaway. You can really forget about the world here. It’s a little corner of paradise. The great thing about all-inclusive is that you can leave your wallet behind when you dine at the amazing restaurants each resort has to offer. Even tips are included in your vacation package! So you can forget about everything but each other while you’re there. That’s sexy.

Aside from the romantic Caribbean scenery, Sandals Resorts offers a variety of sexy features depending on the resort you choose. Their various properties offer 24-hour room service, private beaches, a private island, suites with private pools, whirlpools, waterfalls, breakfast in bed, complimentary premium drinks, swim-up  rooms, swim-up bars, couples spa treatments, or even candlelit dinners for two. In-room mini-bars also allow you to drink a private toast to each other – in the nude, if you choose!

It’s easy to get swept up in the romance that Sandals All-Inclusive Caribbean Resorts have to offer. The only complaint you’ll have is how difficult it is to leave when your vacation is over.

Calistoga Ranch in Napa Valley

You won’t need a passport to get to Calistoga Ranch in California’s Napa Valley. Each guest lodge is free standing with a cedar exterior. You might be tempted to use the word rustic to describe it, but that might imply that it is not also luxurious – and luxury is something they do right at Calistoga Ranch.

Lodges at Calistoga Ranch include forest and mountain views, fireplaces, mini bars, down duvets, and a unique indoor/outdoor vacation experience. Their deluxe lodges include something very sexy – a private outdoor shower garden. You and your lover can get dirty while you’re getting clean – out in the open air! If you have any mild exhibitionist tendencies you haven’t been able to entertain yet, here is your chance.

If the shower garden isn’t your thing, you can opt for a lodge with an outdoor hot tub instead.Couples spa services are also available at The Bathhouse. (Couples’ massage, anyone?)

Don’t forget to enjoy the fine dining from Executive Chef Aaron Wright – you can dine either at the resort’s restaurant, The Lakehouse, or enjoy your food and drink in the privacy of your own room. We’ll let you imagine what you could do with a room service menu that includes fresh baked pastries, oysters, a selection of artisan cheeses, wine, and a bowl of fresh berries.

Take a Naked Vacation

Want to be naked all the time, not just in the privacy of your hotel room? Experience the freedom of going on a nude vacation at a clothing-optional or clothes free resort. You can find a travel agent that specializes in nude vacations. They can set you up with as much freedom as you’re looking for – from resorts that offer a nude beach – like Couples Negril – to those that offer not only nude beaches, but nude bars, pools, hot tubs, and parties – like the Hedonism Resorts, where you can even find sexual activity going on in nude areas after midnight, so you can enjoy each other as you wish!

Hidden Beach Resort in Mexico even offers nude dining at their restaurant, although I won’t speculate about how many health codes that would violate here in the United States. Caliente Caribe in the Dominican Republic goes so far as to forbid clothing in nearly all areas of the resort property at all times!

Naked vacations are something that both partners must feel comfortable with, so don’t go pressuring a reluctant lover to join you on a clothes-free trip, or you might end up making them feel so uncomfortable that you won’t be having any sex at all, clothes or not. But if you’re both excited for it, we can’t think of a better way to free yourself of the stresses of the world than to walk around naked all the time!

Photo Credit: Shower garden photo courtesy of Calistoga Ranch
Photo Credit: Nude beach photo by Coffee Monster on Flickr

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3 Sexy Vacation Ideas

Guys, let’s have a little heart to heart. You want to impress the girl so she will give you more sexy time, right? Maybe you’ve been neglecting her lately, maybe you’re feeling a little guilty, or maybe the bedroom romp has just gotten a little too predictable. If she’s still flipping channels on the TV while you’re doing your best work, you might have a problem. Chances are she’s just accommodating you to stop the whining. Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.

One thing chicks totally dig is sensual massage, and one of the reasons they dig it is that it’s unselfish. Which means you’re going to have to refrain from poking her with the little cowboy until she begs for it. And trust me, she will. Oh, yes. Of course, there is the slightest possibility that she will fall asleep, so better not to try to work it in after the game and before the Tonight Show. Make the evening – and her – your only priority.

A great sensual massage will pay dividends for a long time. She is guaranteed to brag about it to her friends, who will tell her how lucky she is and ask if you have brothers. Goodwill among her friends goes a very long day…women dearly love to be envied. Think of it as our version of arm wrestling.

To get started, set the stage. A light dinner served early, then pack her into a nice hot shower while you prepare the room, low lights, soft music, aromatherapy candles (just smell them and pick a nice one) and a flavored massage oil. Okay, I saw your eyes light up. Yes, flavored. You get to lick things, as long as you remember the little cowboy rule. You also get to be naked, but we’ll get to that. Oh, wait, before we get to the dinner part, you’ve already showered, shaved, and clipped your nails.

If you’re going to be sleeping in the same bed later, you might want to invest in a thick, absorbent oversized towel, preferably one that matches the sheets (just for aesthetics) and does not have cartoon characters on it. That kind of attention to detail tells her you planned in advance. She’ll be suitably impressed.

When she comes out of the shower all damp and steamy and smelling like freshly washed skin (don’t try to tell me that doesn’t turn you on), invite her to stretch out on the bed on her stomach. Begin the massage at her neck and proceed slowly down her body. Don’t put too much pressure or try to knead like the girls in that sleazy massage parlor you went to when you were at that convention, just rub gently in circular motions. The object here is to relax her and make her feel special. If you feel so inclined, you can follow your hands with kisses and licks. The warmth of your hands and relaxing motions are guaranteed to have an effect by the time you reach her lower back, but don’t stop. Work your way down her legs, spending a little extra time on her buttocks, because you know you want to. Lightly caress her inner thighs, but again, keep yourself in check. Massage her all the way to her toes, kiss your way back to her neck, and whisper that she should turn over.

By this time, she should be breathing a little heavy and her eyes should be slightly glazed. Massaging her front is a little more tricky. It’s more about touch than about actual massage. Just use your hands to explore her body from neck to toes, paying special attention to sensitive areas (*sigh* yes, boobies and naughty bits). At some point, she’ll start squirming, moving her body to more comfortable positions… but stick to your guns. Don’t turn off the massage until she wraps her legs around you and pulls you down. At that point, I think it’s safe to say that she’s ready.

If she falls asleep, tiptoe out. This is about her, remember? When she wakes up, you’ll still get the goodies. In fact, you might get a LOT of goodies once she’s rested up, because she’s going to have some very interesting dreams.

A few points to remember:

• It’s okay to be naked, but keep your distance. You know what I mean.
• Watch the candles. Flaming curtains can really kill the mood
• Kids. If you’ve got them, get rid of them. Ditto pets. Fish can stay.
• Turn the phone off. No distractions.
• Also turn off computer and under no circumstances should you give in to the temptation to Twitter what you’re doing while you’re doing it. Unless you’re @mchammer, who seems to think it’s okay to tweet during tantric sex.
• Don’t make crude sexual innuendo or talk dirty to her. That totally blows the illusion that it’s about her. The only acceptable conversation is asking if what you’re doing is okay or whispering sweet nothings about how wonderful she is – and don’t overdo that, or she’ll think you did something wrong.

This is one of the very few times in life that you can do something completely about her that you will also enjoy, way better than going to a chick flick or her best friend’s baby shower. But if you blow it by making it all about sex, it will backfire in a big way. Done right, you can bring the magic back into your sex life… while licking chocolate flavored oil off every inch of her naked body. Need I say more?

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Sensual Massage: A Subtle Approach that Pays off Big Time

It’s finally happened – your friend is getting married. You’ve been invited to the bachelor or bachelorette party. Now what? If you’ve never been to one of these things before, you may not know how to buy bachelor or bachelorette party gifts.

Know the Bride or Groom

You want to gauge the type of gift you give by the type of person the prospective bride or groom is. If she’s known for being pretty wild, you can find something really outrageous – and she’ll love it! But if he’s shy and reserved, you may want to tone it down a bit, or he’ll be completely mortified. Of course, your goal may be to embarrass him as much as possible, but make sure you don’t go too crazy, or you may find yourself uninvited from the wedding! Some sort of sex game might be just embarrassing enough to make your buddy’s face turn bright red, but not bad enough to ruin your friendship.

Budget Wisely

As tempting as it might be to blow a lot of money on something crazy like a Sex swing – Love swing to see the look on the bride-to-be’s face, let’s be honest… if you’re going to shell out that kind of cash, maybe you should save it for a more practical wedding gift. (Or to buy those expensive sex accessories for yourself!) You really shouldn’t spend more on bachelorette party gifts than you spend on bridal shower gifts. And as far as wedding gifts go, you probably shouldn’t spend more than 1/3 to 1/2 of what you spend on a wedding gift as you do on a bachelor party gift. Of course, if you want to spring for the Carmen Electra Professional Pole Kit, pole dancing lessons could become part of the bachelorette party agenda… so it’s really up to you!

Remember that bigger isn’t always better (hehe) and that a little creativity can go a long way. Adult games, personal lubricants, and novelty underwear are always good for a laugh, but why settle for those when you could create a bouquet of condoms and make the bride-to-be carry them around all night at her bachelorette party? Or if you give him an assortment of flavored lubes, you could make the groom-to-be wear some on various parts of his body (we recommend wrists, nose, and forehead) and ask women to help him with his bachelor party taste test. If you go with either of these options, make sure you get it all on camera. It will be amusing for years to come!

Remember the Spouse-to-Be

It’s all fun and games at these parties, but make sure you do try and respect the person your friend is marrying. Don’t get him anything that his future wife will get angry at him for. You may want to think twice about getting her that leather whip if it’s going to be a problem with her future husband. It’s good to have a laugh at a friend’s expense sometimes, but you don’t want to be the one who ruins their marriage!

Have Fun

Don’t worry if you don’t have the most interesting gift in the whole group. If your gift doesn’t get the most laughs, maybe it will be the one that ends up getting the most use out of it in the end! Personally, I’ve never worn the thong made out of a strand of pearls that had my party guests in hysterics when I held them up the wrong way… but I’ve got a cute little babydoll that has made several tours of duty in the bedroom!

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How to Buy Gifts for Bachelor Parties and Bachelorette Parties

There are several reasons a man might want to buy lingerie for his wife or girlfriend, and some of them are even about her. Well-designed lingerie crafted of a fine fabric is luxurious and makes a woman feel sexy and exotic. Most of us don’t get a lot of exotic in our daily lives. We’re way too busy trying to make ends meet, get the kids off to school, find a pair of pantyhose without a run, put makeup on in the car while talking on our cell phones…life is hectic. Sometimes we just want Calgon to take us away. A fragrant, relaxing bath, a little wine, some soft music and the feel of silk against our skin is a recipe for stress release that dates back to the dawn of mankind. Or at least until the dawn of Victoria’s Secret; I can’t say for sure whether cavegirls ever wore silky little sexy things. Or bathed.

Every man who has ever ventured into any lingerie department knows that it’s a frightening experience, fraught with all kinds of fluffy, pink, emasculating dangers. In the movies, a gorgeous saleslady magically appears to help every bumbling clod, and she or another random young lady who is exactly the wife’s size is there to point to and say clumsily “she’s about the same size as…” Sometimes they go the comic route and the character tries to describe his wife with his hands, making boobie cup shapes and curves for the hips. In real life, unless you are actually Brad Pitt, salesladies won’t really be all that tolerant of boob comparison discussions and are likely to get moderately offended by cupped hands. A tip: get her size. It’s not that tricky, just check something she owns. I know this takes a little advance planning, but in real life, there probably won’t be anyone in the store that is the same shape as your significant other, and buying the wrong size…well, let’s just say it’s a real mood killer. And we all know what reasons number two through five are when a man buys lingerie for his significant other.

Another thing you should be conscious of is what kind of lingerie she likes to wear. Don’t be stupid enough to buy the peekaboo top lined with marabou feathers because it’s your definition of sexy. The goal is to make HER feel pampered and sexy. Trust me, that’s the pot at the end of the rainbow. Buy her something she’ll feel sexy in – not self-conscious. What I’m talking about here is level of coverage. Some women are comfortable in see through, short, revealing little nothings, but most of us have body issues we worry about. For best sexy-time leverage, take that into consideration and avoid things that are embarrassing.

Many years ago, I was a waitress in a bar and the management made a deal that proved to be so popular that we packed the place two days a week during happy hour. We needed a hook, some promotional idea that would bring people in during the week when business was traditionally slow, so when we were approached by a woman who made her living throwing those in-home lingerie parties, the owner jumped on it. Best marketing idea ever. On our slowest nights, Mondays and Wednesdays, we had a lingerie show. It was informal, about half a dozen models just walked around the bar and told anyone who asked about the lingerie they were wearing. They changed outfits about every fifteen minutes, so the customers (mostly men) saw about 36 outfits in two hours.

Needless to say, they bought. And bought. And bought. It was boisterous and fun. Since we were not a strip club, we didn’t attract that kind of clientele. Most were regulars, businessmen. It wasn’t crude, and the women enjoyed it as much as the men did. I’ve never seen the concept played out anywhere else, but I think marketing lingerie to men in an atmosphere they can be comfortable in is brilliant.

Post from: Phenomenal Content LLC. Contact Phenomenal Content for blog writing services today!

Men: Shopping for Hot Lingerie for Her

Are you and the girls looking for something fun to do? Why not consider hosting a “romance” party?  There are several different companies, such as Pure Romance, Passion Parties, and Divine Romance specializing in these kinds of parties which focus on bringing fun to intimacy in the bedroom. If you’ve ever been a guest of a Tupperware or Pampered Chef party, you’re already familiar with how the romance party will work. Replace the Tupperware or Pampered Chef products with sex toys, and you’ve got your romance party! Pick a company and they’ll put you in touch with a local consultant who can then touch base with you on details of the party.

One woman gets to be the host of the party, and she will earn free products and rewards based on the total sales of the party she hosts. If any of your gal pals are getting married soon, this is an excellent way to do a Bachelorette party.

As the guest of one of these parties, you’ll get to learn about, see and touch various different toys and other products – creams, lubricants, and oils – you can use to spice up life in the bedroom. Though it may be a little awkward at first, especially if you are rather private about your bedroom affairs, it’s an excellent way to let your hair down and forget about the stresses of daily life. It’s women-only, so you can leave the kids with hubby and have fun. The consultant will work with everyone to demonstrate products and lighten the mood so there’s no need for embarrassment. By the end of the party, you’ll be disappointed it’s over.

Anything you purchase is discreetly delivered so you can surprise your husband or boyfriend. The most important thing to remember about attending a romance party is to keep an open mind. Everyone is there for the same reason as you, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to add a bit of extra spice to the bedroom.

Forget what bills need to be paid, what your boss needs tomorrow at the meeting, and what to make for dinner. Have a great time with your girlfriends. You may even find yourself interested in becoming a romance party consultant for extra income, to help other women liberate themselves from social stigmas surrounding toys in the bedroom.

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Let Your Hair Down at a Sex Toy Party (NSFW)

Choosing a blogger is not a decision to be taken lightly. Blogging is about personality, and a professional blogger must have skills in many arenas. Your blogger is the community face of your company. Being a good writer is not necessarily enough. Writing skills do not necessarily translate to social skills. Here are some tips for finding the right blogger for the job:

1. Passion. What separates bloggers from the average writer is passion. They must be able to evoke feeling in the readers, to strike a chord that invites a discussion. If the writing is dry and factual, without personality, readers will scan and move on. The blogger must be able to invite the readers right inside her head and spark them to think about things.
2. Controversy. A great blogger can tackle controversial subjects without going off the deep end into radicalism. Truly gifted bloggers can take a side and spark a lively discussion without rancor and manage to turn a controversial subject into a compelling, but polite, argument. They must be able to deal with detractors, because any blogger worth her salt will attract a few.
3. Sincerity. Bloggers earn a certain level of trust by projecting sincerity and honest opinions. Consistency is key.
4. Knowledge. Most writers can write authoritatively on any number of subjects, so it is not necessary to hire an expert in your field. But you do need someone creative and willing to learn, and able to keep up on the current news.
5. Unique Voice. The web is full of repeaters; people who blog about whatever everyone else is blogging about. News is news, and it’s going to be all over the web. What distinguishes a great blogger is the ability to bring a fresh viewpoint to an overworked subject.
6. Command of Language. You want someone with an intelligent and comprehensive grasp of English and grammar to represent your company to the public. Bloggers often break grammar and spelling rules to underscore personality, but they do so knowingly and with purpose. Readers know when mistakes are deliberate – and when they are not.
7. Creativity. It’s not easy to write about the same subject day after day, week after week, and not come up empty. Your blogger must be creative enough to expand the parameters of the subject without losing the audience.
8. Social Skills. Social media is the best vehicle for driving traffic to a blog, remember, it’s personality-driven. A great blogger connects and drives traffic.
9. SEO. Every blogger needs at least rudimentary skills in SEO practices. She should be knowledgeable about keyword density and placement, and about generating backlinks.
10. Style. Finally, the blogger’s style should fit what you envision for the blog. You may want humor, opinion, random observation or news style. Any style can work, but not every blogger can write in the style you want.

To determine whether a potential hire is what you’re looking for, ask for samples. Every professional blogger worth considering will have one or more blogs. Most will have a Web site featuring several different styles to showcase what kind of writing the blogger is capable of. Many will also have published articles and other content for you to judge. Hiring the right blogger is an emotional decision, so once you’ve determined that your candidate has the right qualifications, go with your gut. Hire someone whose writing engages you, informs you, and makes you want to respond. That’s the job in a nutshell.

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How to Hire a Blogger in 10 Easy Steps