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Where to Find Free Photos for Commercial Use

Posted on by Stephanie Nolan
Copyright is no joke

Photo by geralt (Pixabay)

Online article-writing and blogging tends to become more and more a visual medium with each passing day. Very few people actually read your blog posts. Most just skim (some of you might have started to skim by now)! So because so many bloggers use or need quality photos, we’ve updated our old instructions to include the most current information on finding free photos you can use with your articles or blog posts.

This is the Internet, so I can use whatever photo I want, right?

Well, no. Read more ›

Posted in Blogging, Training

What’s That Symbol For? Uncommon Punctuation

Posted on by Mindy Young
Footnotes

What are those weird little marks next to the footnotes? Find out below.
Photo by Early Novels Database (Flickr)

Have you ever found yourself looking at a symbol in a book, perhaps down in the footnotes, or examining a character on your computer keyboard and wondering, “What the heck is that thing, anyway?” If so, you’re not alone. At the intersection of archaic typography and modern computer programming is a jumble of uncommon punctuation. Here’s a look at some punctuation marks that might leave you scratching your head from time to time, plus one that isn’t used much but perhaps should be. Read more ›

Posted in Fun Stuff

Flabby Phrases That Fluff Up Your Word Count

Posted on by Stephanie Nolan
Superfluous words

What are you trying to say? If you use these bad phrases in your writing, this is what your article will look like in your readers’ minds.
Photo by Holly Kuchera (Flickr)

If you’re trying to bulk up the word count of a piece, it’s pretty obvious. It slows down the pace and makes a normally acceptable article suddenly TL;DR. The best articles tend to be concise. Eliminate these nonsense, redundant, and useless phrases in your writing to make it clearer and stronger. Read more ›

Posted in Writing Tips

How to Anger a Nerd: Controversial Grammar Rules

Posted on by Mindy Young
Fighting hippos

Subjects like the Oxford comma and split infinitives have been at the heart of many arguments.
Photo by Nils Rinaldi (Flickr)

Want to start an argument fast in a room full of writers and editors? Come down decisively on one side or the other of these seven contentious grammar issues. While most grammatical conventions are settled and agreed upon, these rules have been making people dig in their heels for generations. Read more ›

Posted in Fun Stuff, Writing Tips

Do Rhetorical Questions Add Value to Your Content?

Posted on by Stephanie Nolan
Question mark

Are you entirely sure you want to use that rhetorical question?
Photo by Ethan Lofton (Flickr)

Do rhetorical questions add value to your content? Or are you doubting yourself about them? Do you not feel like the question belongs? Are you writing a piece where the rhetorical question would sound really odd? Are you being repetitious with them to pad out the word count rather than adding information to your piece? Are you coming off as degrading or terse, repeating the same information or obvious information in a new way to make it sound like you’re saying something entirely new?

Or rather, are you trying to be overly conversational in a way that actually is off-putting to a reader? Do you feel like you’re pestering your reader with questions like an interviewer or a car salesman who assumes they know their audience intimately, when they really don’t? Are you trying to be cute and colloquial — and failing? Read more ›

Posted in Writing Tips

Sometimes, it's not just about doing well, it's about doing your best. Writing blogs exist to help you sharpen your skills, expand your vocabulary, and improve your grammar. Our blog aims to do just that and much more. We want to help you boost your skills and your confidence in yourself as a freelance writer. Blog posts from Online Writing Jobs cover a variety of topics, from content marketing tips to detailed grammar guidance. You can stay up to date with any major announcements as well. Learn about writing, marketing, and how to improve your career in freelance writing. Blogs, articles, and in-depth pieces can be easier and more fun to complete when you continue to aim for your best. Let us know what you think by leaving us comments or finding us on social media. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!