how to
Learn how to reach career nirvana; Journal is your one stop shop for advice about all things workplace, productivity and job success.
How to Write: A Novel Based Off a Fan Fiction
The world of fan fiction is such a strange phenomenon if you really think about it. I mean, you as the writer are essentially taking things that exist—movies, shows, video games, comic books, manga and anime, even "real" people—and creating your own stories within those worlds and with those characters, or making entirely new ones of either or both. Whether it's a retelling from a different character's perspective or with the "wrongs" of something (like how it ended, what romantic pairings formed, who died or didn't die, and so on) righted, or it's set in an alternate universe or has a crossover with a similar or completely different series, or it's just mindless smut or fluff, fan fiction is a very broad spectrum comprised of every genre imaginable, and every kind of writer—and style—along with them.
By D.A. Baldwin8 years ago in Journal
How (Not) to Write: A Y.A. Romance, Part I. Top Story - September 2017.
Young Adult literature is probably one of the most popular genres nowadays from what I've seen, and it has been for the past few years, perhaps even longer. I think the buzz started with Twilight, and even though it's had its ups and downs, the high that book brought has stayed and only gotten more and more pronounced over time. A lot of this has to do with movies and shows being created based around popular Y.A. books, but I think the books are the things people enjoy the most. I would say the same case works for me, since I tend to be one of those people who believes that 'the book is better,' simply because books tend to have more to them, and movie representations can be, well, hit-or-miss.
By D.A. Baldwin8 years ago in Journal
5 Pro Tips for Starting Your Own Online Business
We live in the age of internet and it’s no wonder online businesses are on the rise. And if you’ve been thinking about entering the world of business, making it web-based is definitely a good idea. The best thing about this is that you don’t really need much in order to get started – a PC, a good business plan and certain set of skills is all your new business will require. Even if you have all of these, getting some help from the pros can’t hurt. That’s why we’ve come up with a list of 5 pro tips that will help you see your online business off to a great start.
By Carolin Petterson8 years ago in Journal
How to Brand Your Small Business
A business brand comprises so much more than just a fancy logo and company colors and the failure to recognize that has cost many entrepreneurs dearly. Instead, we should think of a brand as an overall reputation and identity, i.e. every information available to your existing and potential business partners and clients.
By Carolin Petterson8 years ago in Journal
How to Self-Promote Your Startup
All those entrepreneurs who are thinking about setting up their own business or who have already done so definitely have enough energy and enthusiasm and feel very positive about the whole endeavour. However, that alone will not turn their idea into a great success. Having a great product or service is never enough to make it in the business world.
By Carolin Petterson8 years ago in Journal
Comments from a Copy Editor: The One Grammar Mistake Everybody Makes
Which one is correct? What I can glean from years of copy editing is that most English-speaking humans believe words get capitalized because they are important. My name, which is “Mike,” is obviously important to me, and thus gets a capital letter. Following that rationale, you would be tempted to pick number one in the above picture as the correct grammar, but it’s not. That’s because “president” is referring to Sandy’s job description. The word “president” would only be capitalized if it was referencing her job title, as it does in this sentence:
By Mike Dineen8 years ago in Journal
Writing the Scene Transition
How can I write a scene transition? A short while ago, an acquaintance of mine, who had been thinking about becoming a writer for several years, finally made an attempt at writing a novel. As usual, I insisted that before attempting a novel it is imperative to practice writing short stories, but to each their own. Right?
By Aaron Dennis8 years ago in Journal












