Category Archives: Health Insurance For Self Employed

Health Insurance For Self Employed

Health Insurance For Self Employed – Top 5 Money Saving Tips

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Health Insurance For Self Employed – Top 5 Money Saving Tips medical insurance for self-employed persons.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Buy in Bulk :
Many people go to Sam’s Club or Costco and buy large quantities and save money. Same thing applies for medical insurance. If you can afford a full year’s worth of premiums, you can save a bundle with most companies. This is the best way to get your cheapest overall rate for health insurance for self employed medical insurance if you can pay a full year.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Taxes, taxes, taxes :

When tax time comes around, make sure to take that health insurance for self employed  deduction. You can deduct up to 65 to 70% of your health insurance for self employed  costs even if you don’t itemize everything.  Speaking of taxes, getting a MSA or Medical Savings Account can save you money as well. An MSA allows you to set aside tax-deferred money to pay your medical expenses for the year.

top1 Health Insurance For Self Employed Top 5 Money Saving Tips

Health Insurance For Self Employed - 1st class or coach? :
If you need all the bells and whistles, you can get a policy that copies traditional policies. You can get low co-pays, deductibles, and prescription prices, but you will pay for it. If you are young and in good health, you could consider a catastrophic or major medical policy.  Someone who has no children and very few prescriptions can benefit greatly from this.  It just covers you in case of major illness or accident, and doesn’t cover doctor’s visits.  If you shop around online you can find some for under $100 a month without much problem.  These days you can also apply for it online and be covered as quickly as a day or two.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Deductibles are Debatable :

Deductibles are the amount of money you pay out of pocket before the policy pays. Higher deductibles keep the premiums low.  On the downside, you will have to pay more later, so don’t raise it so high you have no chance of paying the deductible.  See what the difference is in premiums at different deductible levels. Online shopping and quotes for health insurance for self employed medical insurance can help make this much easier and also check out these easy tips.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Check out the competition :

There also is no substitute for comparison-shopping. Open several browser windows and crunch the quotes side by side. You could be very surprised. health insurance for self employed- Also check out the companies on the Better Business Bureau website and others to make sure you are getting a company with a solid reputation. You want your savings to have maximum value.

It is said that 1 in 4 self-employed people don’t have insurance or dont have health insurance for self employed. Don’t fear the cost of medical insurance if you are self-employed anymore. health insurance for self employed - With these tips, hopefully you will find yourself saving as much money or more as if you were on an employer plan and be at ease to enjoy your self-employment adventure without worry.  The experts highly suggest that you obtain a minimum of three free online quotes.

Find more about this Health Insurance For Self Employed articel from

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Health Insurance For Self Employed Tips for Purchasing Good One

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Health Insurance For Self Employed -Tips for Purchasing Self-Employed Health Insurance
by Brian 

This is arguably the most important type of health insurance, but self-employed individuals can have a tricky time sourcing the right policy.  As it will be a higher cost than with a traditional employer, it becomes important to know your way around the issues.  The following tips will hopefully give you some ideas when purchasing health insurance for self employed .

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Alternative Options to an Individual Policy
While these may not be applicable to you, you do have alternatives to individual policies.  These could certainly save you some money.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Keep Your Employer’s Health Insurance

If you recently lost your job, you may be able to keep your insurance.  In some cases this can be an option for quite some time, maybe until you find another job.  Of course, it could also buy you some time if you need it, in order to find a permanent plan for yourself.

However, you won’t like the price tag.  A recent statistic shows that workers typically pay 28% of their insurance costs.  In most cases, if it is even applicable, this is a short-term idea, but one that has worth.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Get on Your Spouse’s Plan

If you are married, and he or she has a plan through their employer, this can be a golden opportunity.  It will normally be much cheaper – as we just saw – than any individually-purchased plan.

If this applies to you, you may be required to wait until an open enrolment period to sign up for health insurance.  Look into special enrolment options, via the plan’s administrator, that may be available as well.

4960982952 b4ecf2bf08 Health Insurance For Self Employed Tips for Purchasing Good One

 

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Health Savings Account
While this is not an alternative to health insurance or health insurance for self employed, take advantage of the health savings account.  This can provide tax savings and allow you to use a policy with a high deductible.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - The Standard Individual Plan

How to go about searching for a plan is the first step.
You have two best bets to start the search.  First, look at groups such as guilds, unions, and other membership organizations; they might have a pool with insurance options where savings can occur.  Alternatively, consult your existing insurance provider (home insurance, car insurance, and so on) to see if they can get you started, or point you in the right direction.

Overall, the same points apply when looking for coverage.  Take a look at what you need in a plan, from your typical expenses (office visits, prescriptions, and possible hospital expenses) to others (vision, mental health benefits, maternity care, etc).

Compare and keep notes with regard to potential health insurance or health insurance for self employed providers.  Once you have a firm grasp of your needs, you can easily compare different levels of coverage, and gauge premiums, deductibles, and the basics of health insurance for self employed.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Items to Keep in Mind
Health insurance for self employed  premiums can be tax deductible.  Take a look into this to realise savings for these costs. You should also keep an eye on your business, if applicable.  Once the business you own, or are involved in, amasses some employees, a business-sponsored health plan may come into the equation.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, watch the timing of this process.  It is never wise to go without health insurance.  Also, if you take too long in between providers (something you want to prevent completely, if possible), your new insurer could exclude a pre-existing condition for up to a year.

Evaluate all options, including those that can be used in conjunction (like the health savings account), before moving forward.  Take into account what you need, compare policies, and keep an eye on your calendar to avoid unwanted breaks in your coverage.

Read more about this articel Health Insurance For Self Employed from http://healthinsurancecomparison.com.au/tips-for-purchasing-self-employed-health-insurance/ or just click here Health Insurance For Self Employed to go there

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Health Insurance For Self Employed Deducting Health Insurance

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Health Insurance For Self Employed – Deducting Health Insurance 

Most self-employed taxpayers can deduct Health Insurance For Self Employed premiums, including age-based premiums for long-term care coverage. Write-offs are available whether or not you itemize, if you meet the requirements.

Health Insurance For Self Employed - Deducting Health Insurance Premiums If You’re Self-Employed

imagehis Health Insurance For Self Employed Deducting Health Insurance If you are self-employed, you may be eligible to deduct premiums that you pay for medical, dental and qualifying long-term care insurance coverage for yourself, your spouse and your dependents. This health insurance for self employed write-off is entered on page 1 of Form 1040, which means you benefit whether or not you itemize your deductions. Unlike an itemized deduction, this deduction treatment is beneficial because it lowers your adjusted gross income (AGI). Having lower AGI can reduce the odds that you’ll be affected by unfavorable phase-out rules that can cut back or eliminate various tax breaks. Keep in mind that this deduction treatment also means you can’t deduct the premiums when you calculate your self-employment tax liability.
Deduction eligibility rules
  • Health Insurance For Self Employed - Eligibility is determined month-by-month
    You can only claim the health insurance for self employed premiums write-off for months when neither you nor your spouse were eligible to participate in an employer-subsidized health plan. For example, if you were single and ineligible for any employer-provided health plan during the last six months of the year because you left your job and started your own business, you can claim the deduction for premiums you paid for coverage during that six-month period.
  • Health Insurance For Self Employed - Earned income limitation 
    The deduction cannot exceed the earned income you collect from your business. For example, if your self-employment activity is a sole proprietorship that generated a tax loss for the year, you’re not allowed to claim the deduction because the business doesn’t generate any positive earned income.
  • Health Insurance For Self Employed - Partners and LLC members
    Partners and LLC members who are treated as partners for tax purposes are considered to be self-employed. If you fit into this category and directly pay your own health insurance for self employed premiums, you can claim the page 1 deduction. If the partnership or LLC pays the premiums, special tax reporting rules apply to the partnership’s or LLC’s return, but you can still claim the deduction for premiums paid for your coverage. In both instances, the deduction is subject to the month-by-month eligibility rule and the earned-income limitation.

Health Insurance For Self Employed- Premiums paid to cover your employees

If your business has employees and you pay health insurance premiums for them, these amounts are deducted on the applicable tax form and line for employee benefit program expenses. For example, if your business is a sole proprietorship, you deduct premiums paid to provide health coverage to employees on line 14 of Schedule C.

Limited deductions for long-term care insurance premiums

Here’s what you can deduct this year for long-term care insurance premiums.

2011
Age 40 and younger
$340
Age 41 to 50
$640
Age 51 to 60
$1,270
Age 61 to 70
$3,390
Over age 70
$4,240

 Health Insurance For Self Employed - The bottom line

If you qualify, the deduction for health insurance for self employed premiums is a valuable tax break. With the rising cost of health insurance for self employed, a tax deduction can help you pay at least a portion of the premium cost. And that will help to keep you healthy—and happy—in 2011 and beyond.

If you’re self-employed, TurboTax Home & Business offers step-by-step guidance for handling all of your personal and business deductions.

This articel is from http://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/tax-tips/Self-Employment-Taxes/Deducting-Health-Insurance-Premiums-If-You-re-Self-Employed/INF12128.html or just click Health Insurance For Self Employed to go there.

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Health Insurance For Self Employed – Tips On Lowering Your Health Care Costs

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Health Insurance For Self Employed Tips On Lowering Your Health Care Costs

One of the drawbacks of self-employment is the high cost of health insurance. Learn the strategies to help you reduce the cost of your health care coverage.
by Dominick Messina
Contributing Author

Health Insurance For Self Employed - The Bad News

If you’re one or the growing ranks of Americans who are self employed, you know how expensive it is to get comprehensive health care coverage. Oh sure, it’s available… just not at the same price that large businesses pay as they qualify for group rates.

Worse yet, the premiums which small businesses (less than 200 employees) have for heath insurance coverage is increasing at twice the rate that it’s increasing for large (500+) employees according to William M. Mercer Inc. (http://www.wmmercer.com), a consulting firm specializing in employee benefits. Not surprisingly, an estimated 40 percent of small-business owners do without insurance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (http://www.iii.org), because they believe they can’t afford it.

Because of their high price, too many self employed individuals settle for health coverage that is inadequate. Such business people are threatening not only themselves and their family’s health, but also their business’ very existence should they ever become injured or seriously ill.

Health Insurance For Self Employed  - The Good News

logo3 Health Insurance For Self Employed Tips On Lowering Your Health Care CostsIf you’re planning to leave or recently have left full-time paid employment, you can still retain your existing health insurance thanks to a law known as COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus BudgetReconciliation Act) of 1985. COBRA can provide a bridge for the newly self-employed as it allows you to retain the same insurance coverage at the same price that you had before. As a former employee using COBRA, you have to pay the full premium that your employer was previously paying or supplementing. That is still cheaper than an individual policy, since the coverage is purchased at a group rate. When it expires, you have the choice to continue with that same plan — at an individual rate.

The problem is that COBRA only lasts 18 months, and after that those who are self employed are on their own. However, there are some options that self employed business people have to reduce how much they pay for health care coverage. These are:

Health Insurance For Self Employed 

1.Health Insurance For Self Employed – Use The Internet To Become Better Informed. Whether shopping for the lowest health insurance rates or wanting to ask medical questions of experts, learning to do research on the internet can make you a more informed consumer, thus bettering your chances of lowering your health care costs. The better educated you are about health care, the more you can avoid unnecessary and/or expensive medical insurance.

2. Health Insurance For Self Employed  - Get Coverage From Your Employed Spouse. A common and easy way to get long term health coverage is to add yourself to your employed spouse’s existing policy, and use the extra premiums you’ll have to pay as a tax-write off, of course.

3. Health Insurance For Self Employed  - Join With Other Self Employed People. There are strength in numbers so investigate joining a professional or trade organization that offers its members coverage at a group rate discount. Two such groups are the National Federation of Independent Business (http://www.nfib.com) and the National Association for the Self-Employed (http://www.nase.org). However, before joining a group just for its health insurance plan, one should consider the cost of membership in addition to the insurance premiums.

4. Health Insurance For Self Employed  - Lower Your Level Of Health Insurance Coverage. If you are healthy and don’t require much medical care, why give the money to the insurance company for low-cost claims when you could keep it yourself? If you choose a higher deductible or a higher co-pay, the money you save in monthly premiums might actually be more than you spend out of your pocket in a year.

5. Health Insurance For Self Employed  - Reduce Your Chances of Getting Sick. You know the old saying about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure? Well, this is especially true when it comes to reducing your health care costs. According to Marilyn Furry (Associate Professor Of Extension Education – Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences), the best advice to follow to avoid high health insurance premiums as well as out-of-pocket health care expenses is to do the following:

Health Insurance For Self Employed 

  • Take advantage of free health screenings at local clinics, hospitals or health fairs
  • Know early warning signs of potential health problems and consult a physician ASAP
  • Compare fees and costs for medical, pharmacy and surgical procedures
  • Keep accurate medical expenses records so you can itemize these deductions on your taxes

6. Join A Discount Health Benefits Club. Perhaps the best way to cover any existing gaps in your health insurance is to join what is known as a Discount Health Benefits Club such as Ameriplan (www.ameriplan.com) or MediSavers (www.medisaver.com). These clubs offer their membership savings on prescription drugs, dental visits and other health services by charging a fee to connect members with doctors, dentists, vision centers, and chiropractors.

Rising medical insurance costs force many self employed professionals to eliminate coverage in areas like dental, vision and prescription drugs. But with these areas covered when one joins s discount health benefits club, any gaps in the self employed dental, vision and prescription drug coverage are eliminated.

Also, because ‘discounted health benefits’ aren’t insurance, they can be used in conjunction with existing health insurance to lower certain costs and even supplement coverage for both the self employed as well as the self insured. Due to their ability to supplement existing health insurance, discount health benefit clubs must be considered a strong health care alternative for the self employed.

As More People Become Self-Employed, More Options Will Appear

Perhaps the best advice a self employed person can get on reducing their health care expenses is to keep informed about changes in the small-business benefits arena. Organizations such as Working Today (http://www.workingtoday.org) and the National Association for the Self-Employed (http://www.nase.org) are building networks and lobbying Congress to improve access to better health and retirement plans for independent professionals. Consider lending your voice to theirs and maybe someone will here you.

About the Author:

Dominic Messina has been a health insurance professional since 1983 and currently sells Ameriplan discount health benefits to individuals and organizations from his home office where he struggles to keep his cat “Zorro” from jumping up on his desk. You can email Dominic at ameriplan_dm@yahoo.com or visit his site at http://www.home-base-business.net/healthtips.htm.

this Health Insurance For Self Employed  article is from http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol39/healthcare.htm or you can click Health Insurance For Self Employed to get there.

Finding Solutions for Health Insurance for Self Employed in Texas

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Finding Solutions for Health Insurance for Self Employed in Texas

Health insurance for self employed in Texas is something that many people need to think about. As more people strike out on their own and take advantage of the internet to start their own businesses, getting health insurance becomes a bigger issue than people realize. As a self-employed individual, you deserve to get the health insurance that will protect you from thousands of dollars in medical bills. Fortunately, these policies are easy to find if you have a few minutes to look around online.

 

Self employment is becoming a way of life for many Texas residents who have been affected by the economic recession. People who feel like they could do better on their own or who are treating the loss of their corporate job as a sign to do what they love are starting new businesses, doing freelance work, and finding other ways to pay the bills. However, without a traditional employee job title, people also lose their traditional employer health insurance. In Texas, there are about 6.2 million people who don’t have health insurance, and a good share of those individuals are self-employed people who don’t think they need or can afford the coverage.

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The internet makes it a lot easier for companies to do business. Of course, it also makes it much easier to find health insurance for self employed in Texas. You can easily spend less than an hour learning about health insurance for self employed in Texas and then turn around and use that information to choose the right quote for your needs. Because you can apply for quotes and compare policies online, it is easier than ever to get health insurance coverage and see how affordable it really can be. Working independently has a lot of stress and elements that you have to deal with. However, you shouldn’t forsake health insurance for anything.

 

To find health insurance for self employed in Texas, you just need to look for companies who offer individual policies or specific self-employed policies. Once you find these companies, you can apply for quotes and compare the different options that you are given. By doing this, you will enable yourself to make the most of your health insurance search and find an affordable, effective policy to help you offset your medical expenses. When it comes to getting health insurance, you need to do a little research before you assume there’s nothing out there for you.

 

After you have surfed around a bit looking at the different plans and options you will no doubt feel a little overwhelmed. That’s OK, you have at least become accustomed to what plans and benefits are being offered, however before you click that apply now button we advise you to call an experienced licensed broker to determine if there are any important facts that you may have missed. A broker cost you nothing as they are paid by the insurance companies to market their products. Also, be sure and use a broker that is an independent agent and not someone that only markets one company or product. A independent broker will not only guide you in the correct direction but due to state law the price you pay is the exact same as if going direct with the company and in this time of health care reform consumers need all the assistance they can get to navigate the new laws.

Charles Peeler has been providing Health Insurance for Self Employed in Texas since 1993. To learn more about him or to acquire an instant, free Texas Health Insurance quote visit his website today!


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Vacation Rentals New York City

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Try to find room vacation rentals new york city maybe is the best choice while you are on vacation during holiday season.

Finding a place to stay in New York City while on vacation sure is not really easy for everyone. Like we always know, staying on hotel can be costly and also you will find it usually occupied at holiday seasons where most people going for vacation and use hotel to stay.

By visiting this vacation rentals new york city link you can find the room you want at place you want to stay, You will have every information you need from the room picture to the room budget.

So you can easily have a place to stay while you are on vacation.

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Car Accessories

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Customizing a car is not an unusual thing to do nowadays. Some people are just not satisfied with the stock parts on their cars. They want their cars to look and feel different from the rest. That’s why they sometimes go to great lengths to find custom car parts and accessories to enhance their cars’ performance or improve their cars’ appearance.

There are many different custom car parts available nowadays, especially those meant to improve a car’s appearance. These custom parts and accessories can be divided into two categories, exterior and interior parts. Exterior parts would include things like headlights, tail lights, mufflers, grills, spoilers, doors, body kits, wind deflectors and et cetera. Meanwhile, interior parts would include things like dash kits, GPS systems, custom gauges, custom seats and steering wheels. There are also interior parts that are meant to keep your interior clean, such as floor mats and cargo mats. A floor mat or a cargo mat may not change your car’s appearance much, but the protection they offer is really valuable as it prevents scratches, spills and stains from ruining your interior.

To customize your car, all you have to do is go to the nearest car accessory store and find the parts you want. Alternatively, you can also log on to the Internet to find some very good online car accessory stores. One example of these online stores is CariD.com, arguably the biggest online store today when it comes to car and truck accessories. Take a quick look at CariD’s inventory and you’ll understand why it’s called the biggest. From Accura to Volvo, you’ll find all the major brands here, making this site a real one stop solution for all kinds of car accessory needs.

So if you’re interested in customizing your ride, be sure to visit CariD to make your work much easier.

Plagiarism What is and what is not plagiarism by Holly Hartman

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What is plagiarism?

Plagiarism means using someone else’s work without giving them credit.

How do I know when to give credit?

In your writing, you must give credit whenever you use information that you found in a source, unless it is common knowledge (see below). Always give your source for:

  • Quotations (exact words)
  • Paraphrased information
  • Summarized information
  • Facts that are not common knowledge
  • Ideas, including opinions and thoughts about what particular facts mean
  • Maps, charts, graphs, data, and other visual or statistical information

What is common knowledge?

Common knowledge is information that is widely available. If you saw the same fact repeated in most of your sources, and if your reader is likely to already know this fact, it is probably common knowledge. For example, the fact that Vladimir Putin was elected president of Russia in 2000 is common knowledge.

Accidental Plagiarism

Sometimes, plagiarism is obvious. Copying a lab report from another student and buying a research paper over the Internet are clear examples of plagiarism. But plagiarism can also be accidental. Following these tips will help you avoid accidental plagiarism.

  • In your research, when you copy words from a source, put quotation marks around them so that you do not forget that they were not your own words.
  • When your notes include an idea, write in parentheses whether it is the source’s idea or your own idea.
  • Check your final text against your notes. Make sure that you did not accidentally use wording or other content without giving credit for it.

Unacceptable paraphrasing and misuse of credits are the most common causes of accidental plagiarism. Here are examples of these problems-and some solutions.

Source

A pro-market democratic reformer, Vladimir Putin has vowed to revitalize the foundering economy, fight corruption, subvert Communism, and build a strong Russia. —Beth Rowen, Vladimir Putin: President and Prime Minister of Russia

Problem: Uncredited Quotation

A pro-market reformer, Vladimir Putin vows to revitalize the economy, fight corruption, subvert Communism, and build a stronger nation.

The writer has dropped and changed a few words, but otherwise just copied the source.

Remember! When words are taken from a source, they must be 1) copied exactly; 2) enclosed in quotation marks; and 3) followed by a credit.

Problem: Unacceptable Paraphrasing

A democratic reformer who is pro-market, Vladimir Putin has promised to reenergize the failing economy, battle corruption, destroy Communism, and develop a powerful Russia.

The writer has changed a few words, but the sentence structure and much of the wording are the same as in the source. The writing is too similar to the source to count as original.

Remember! An acceptable paraphrase changes both the sentence structure and the wording.

So, what if the writer had added a source credit to the end? Would that make it acceptable? Well, no. Here’s why.

Problem: Misused Source Credit

A pro-market reformer, Vladimir Putin has promised to reenergize the failing economy, battle corruption, destroy Communism, and develop a powerful Russia. (Rowen.)

The writer does give a source credit. However, the paraphrasing is unacceptable (see above), and it does not become acceptable just because a source credit is added. The purpose of a source credit is to tell where information came from. Unless the writer is using a quotation, the information must always be restated in an original way.

Remember! The writer must either copy the source exactly and use quotation marks, or paraphrase the source acceptably. Both options require source credits.

Problem: Misplaced Source Credit

Vladimir Putin has promised various reforms. (Rowen.) Jump-starting Russia’s economy, fighting government dishonesty, and strengthening the nation are among his goals.

The writer has placed the source credit in the wrong place-at the beginning, rather than the end, of a passage.

Remember! Credit your source immediately after you have used it.

Problem: Mix of Credited and Uncredited Quotations

A pro-market “democratic reformer,” Vladimir Putin has vowed to “revitalize the foundering economy,” fight corruption, and build a strong Russia. (Rowen.)

The writer has used quotation marks around some of the words, which is the correct way to treat words that are copied exactly. However, the writer has copied other words without using quotation marks.

Remember! All exact words from a source need to be enclosed in quotation marks. Using quotation marks in your research notes will help you remember where words came from.

Solution: Successful Paraphrasing

Putin has promised various reforms, including better government integrity. He is seen as wanting to advance both democracy and economic growth. (Rowen.)

This is successful because:

  • The writer used key information from the source, but changed both the sentence structure and the wording.
  • The writer used a source credit after the information.
Solution: Successful Paraphrasing with a Credited Quotation

Rowen calls Putin a “pro-market democratic reformer,” noting his promises to advance government integrity and economic growth. (Rowen.)

This is successful because:

  • The writer successfully paraphrases the source, changing both the sentence structure and the wording.
  • The words that are copied exactly from the source have been enclosed by quotation marks.
  • The writer used a source credit after the information.

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Writing Tips Part 1

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Writer’s Helper offers these writing tips so your book will be the highest quality possible.

People respect high quality writing. If you deliver your work in a strong and error-free package, people take you seriously. Your message comes through clearly.

Your words reach people’s hearts and minds. Your writing is more powerful than the sword. It inspires, educates, entertains.

If the writing is weak, readers say, “So what?” If the writing has errors, readers are confused or distracted.

Compelling, clear, error-free writing is what people expect when they buy a book. Give them what they expect. Readers will recommend your book to their friends, give it as a gift, and wait expectantly for your next publication.

Reader by reader you will change your world.

What an awesome responsibility! What a wonderful privilege!

With respect for language I offer these writing tips.The first tip may sound strange coming from an editor….

Writing Tip #1: Put off editing

Each of us works at writing on two levels:a creative, unconscious leveland a critical, conscious level.

The unconscious produces creative and powerful words and images. It makes surprising and original connections. It shuts down if the critical “editor” part of your mind goes to work too soon.If your High School English teacher’s voice runs through your mind as you write, if you worry about spelling, grammar, or how to sell your book while you write, you are writing with a dull pencil.

There are many books written on how to unlock your unconscious and let the writing flow. Here are just a few ideas

  • Brainstorm words or images about your topic. Don’t stop to evaluate their worth. Keep writing down ideas. When you can’t think of another word, wait a while. Often the most powerful idea will surface after you have cleared all the less valuable ideas out of the way.
  • Write a page or two with your eyes shut. It doesn’t matter if you can’t read what you’ve written. You are giving your mind permission to make “mistakes” and just get on with it.
  • Write with music in the background. Experiment to find the style that you like. I prefer baroque or classical music. One of my writing teachers needed country and western.
  • Give yourself permission to be emotional. If your writing begins to move you, experience the full emotion. Before your writing changes others it will change you.

Edit your work only when you have drawn deeply from the well of your unconscious.

Spelling counts. So does good grammar. They support vibrant writing. They do not create vibrant writing. There are a great many correctly written lifeless sentences.

The best writing comes to life, and then is refined just enough to make it crystal clear.

First, give it life.

Writing Tip #2: Write what you know

Given the chance, what do you talk about endlessly? What drives you to seek out information? What are your passions? When you write what you know, you write with authority. People listen to you because you are one who knows. You are interesting because you are interested. Your knowledge is a gift to share.

Writing Tip #3: Research

Deepen the well. No matter what you know about the subject, there is always more to learn. Make sure you have the latest information available on your subject.

If there are differences of opinion in the area you are writing about, acknowledge the other side. Your statements will come across more strongly if the reader knows you have addressed the arguments others would raise.

Once you write something, at least some of your readers are going to believe you. You owe them accuracy.

“Yes, but…

I’m writing my autobiography.”

Or, “This is my family history. I know this story like no one else.”

That’s true, but others have a perspective not like yours. Memories, even yours, can be faulty.

“Yes, but…

I’m writing fiction.”

O.K. The details of fiction need to be as accurate as the details of nonfiction. Margaret Atwood won The Booker Prize for her novel The Blind Assassin. Her work is powerful on many levels. She took no chances with the details. At the back of her book is a list of acknowledgements 2 1/2 pages long: libraries, archives, museums…

“Yes, but…

My story is a fantasy.”

Even when you invent a universe, you invent it to be understood by earthlings. If you are going to have impossible things happening, you need to offer some explanation that will make sense.