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There are many things that are necessary to be a successful freelance writer. Of course, that all begins by being a master of your craft. However, you can only write what you have planned, and this article aims to help with that planning process. Furthermore, one of the principal techniques for success is to develop a formula for your writing, and this content will explain the benefits of doing exactly that. A lot of these tips are helpful for bloggers as well who want to keep a consistent posting schedule on their website. Once you've got some good samples, you then need a central place to keep them so that prospective employers can take a look at your work.

Keeping Your Online Portfolio Website Updated

I talk to a lot of freelance writers who are struggling, and invariably they do not have an online portfolio website where potential employers can see their work. If it's the cost you are worried about, you really shouldn't be. Getting a domain name and basic web hosting isn't super expensive to begin with, and if you use coupons from websites like Coupon Lynx, then it's even cheaper. If you are worried it will be difficult to set up, WordPress is very easy to use and totally free. Most web hosts even have a 1-click install for it available.

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Most freelancers cite the fact that you can not double publish articles online (more on that and other SEO strategies in another article), and it's true. You should not publish an article that is already online somewhere (or that you may want to sell to be published online) on your website in text. You can take a screenshot of the text and publish it as an image though. That way your potential employers can see your writing style, and everything stays SEO-friendly.

Freelance Writing: Three Reasons Your Writing Should Follow a Formula

1. It makes the writing process so much easier

If you take each article individually, it can be hard to decide what length or structure for that piece of content. However, a consistent formula can help because you will already have a good idea about the structure. Of course, the detail differs with each article, but by following a formula, you will know how the finished product will look.

2. A consistent formula makes it easier to spot mistakes

When following a formula, the structure will appear similar in each piece of content you produce. Therefore, you will get used to similar sentence construction and the sort of words you use. If you combine this with a good grammar checker, you will quickly learn what kind of mistakes to look out for and become a better writer by constructing better content.

3. Your clients will know what to expect from you

If you develop regular and returning clients, they will expect a similar level of high-quality work from you each time. So, when you follow a consistent formula, it will be easy to display this high standard. Clients will know what to expect from you and keep coming back for more. It will also be easier for you to compare each of your articles and appreciate they are all of high-quality.

Sometimes when you are a freelance writer, it may be necessary to produce a lot of articles in a short space of time. If everything is fresh and new all the time, then this can be hard to accomplish. However, if you follow a consistent formula with each article, the entire process becomes easier and more efficient. Simply remember that following a formula allows you to write better content and spot mistakes easier and means your clients know what to expect from you each time.

Engaging stories have always been popular across various media types, but the internet has led to the rapid growth of viral content. Entire businesses have been built around developing and promoting videos, articles, and memes that get shared across blogs and social media. While most popular stories had previously been released through established media outlets, viral content reduces many of the barriers to entry, allowing individuals to reach mass audiences. Dr. Karen Nelson-Field, an expert on viral marketing, even noted in her research that people who consumed shared content expressed 15 percent greater satisfaction than those who discovered it on their own.

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It is clear to see that viral content is unlikely to lose popularity any time soon. Therefore, anyone looking to develop an online business should be considering adding proven content to their site. A simple model that anyone can follow is to build a WordPress site, add niche content that is beginning to trend, and gradually build a following that relies on you as a curator. To follow this plan you need a WordPress theme designed for virality, with the following five examples among the very best. If you need hosting for your WordPress site, use the coupons at http://couponwebhosting.org/ to get yourself some inexpensive hosting through GoDaddy.

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Bimber

Bimber is one of the most popular themes, helping to showcase popular and trending posts. The theme comes with various demo examples, but you can also build a site from scratch. There is additional functionality with page views and sharing, so you can avoid broadcasting if a post hasn't proven popular. A feature of many popular viral sites is the ability for users to upload content. Snax, a front-end uploader included with your purchase, allows users to quickly create their own accounts and add their own posts.

Purchase Bimber

BoomBox

BoomBox includes a huge number of features, allowing you to build lists, quizzes, polls, stories, and much more. You can quickly amend the layout, so a site could have a number of smaller columns or a larger feature area. The demos also replicate the major viral sites, making it easy to get started with a proven design.

Purchase BoomBox

ViralWP

ViralWP might not have the array of features found in other themes, but the stripped down dashboard area might suit those looking for something simple. While the theme is user-friendly, you still have enough advertising, social media, and design elements to create a viral format. The main layout resembles popular viral sites, with a clean appearance that encourages consuming and sharing.

Purchase ViralWP

Bunchy

Bunchy also includes the Snax plugin, making it easy for users to upload content. The theme features common badges indicating hot and trending posts, while the advertising system makes monetization a simple process. Bunchy encourages visitors to share content with prominent buttons, while also allowing you to hide share numbers for unsuccessful posts.

Purchase Bunchy

SociallyViral

SociallyViral, developed by MyThemeShop, offers a free and premium version. The free version offers a great way to get started but does lack the level of customization you might require if your site gains popularity. The premium version has advanced advertising management, while also including various fonts, colors, layouts, and social sharing options. SociallyViral was created to highlight popular content, so trending and popular posts can be easily promoted to visitors.

Purchase SociallyViral

While each of these themes has been designed to increase virality, the content you include will determine if your site is a success. Ideally, you will create a following on your blog, through email, and on social sites like Facebook, so that each piece of content receives a large number of shares and mentions. As long as the content is engaging, your WordPress theme will have enough sharing and advertising options to help you maximize your reach and income levels.

Over the past decade, WordPress has become the world's most powerful content management platform for building websites. Apart from the intuitive interface and interchangeable themes that made it the gold standard in websites platforms, WordPress also offers thousands of seamless plugins to customize the functionality of each website. One plugin might create beautiful image galleries at the click of a button and another tracks the websites changes made by all of the backend users. While many of these plugins cost money, most of them are free. To take advantage of this resource, here is a list of the top six WordPress plugins that don't cost a thing.

1A. Special Mention Chrome Extension: Honey

If there's one thing that'll make a huge difference for you as you set up your website, it'll be this Chrome Extension. While many still like visiting a site like Couponcoder.com to get coupon codes, Honey is a Chrome Extension that will automatically find the best coupon codes for you for whatever you're buying.

1. Yoast SEO

The Yoast SEO plugin is the number tool to manage the search engine optimization of WordPress websites. With built-in tools to guide users with page titles, keywords, meta tags, content analysis, and more, Yoast SEO can turn even an amateur website manager into an SEO stud.

yoast.com/wordpress/plugins/seo/

2. MailMunch

MailMunch is a leading plugin that creates elegant and effective forms for sites. Whether a website needs to collect email information for blog registrants or newsletter signups, this is the way to do it. MailMunch offers multiple types of signup forms and functionality that are easy to use. It also integrates with another service, MailChimp, allowing the management and manipulation of the email lists.

www.mailmunch.co/

3. MailChimp

Once a website has collected emails from visitors, what does it do with those emails? Most of the time, blogs, product websites, and every other type of site has an email campaign or newsletter to best wordpress pluginssend out to its mailing list. MailChimp lets users create, customize, and manage these email campaigns from one simple interface.

mailchimp.com/

4. Contact Form 7

It is always more effective to have a contact form on a website than simply list an email address. Contact Form 7 is the leading plugin to provide customized contact forms and management to WordPress users. Whether a site needs a form for visitors to submit product inquiries or just general support, this plugin can do it all.

Contact Form 7

5. NextScripts: Social Network Auto-Poster

NextScripts, known as SNAP, is a favorite plugin among the blogging community. From personal blogs to business blogs, SNAP makes life easier. Once configured, SNAP automatically shares posts via customized publishing options to Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. In the past, bloggers had to manually publish a post to a website, then go to each social media account and publish the blog post. SNAP eliminates this tedious task while allowing customized posts on each platform.

NextScripts: Social Networks Auto-Poster

6. Google Analytics

Last but not least, Google Analytics is probably the plugin with the largest brand recognition. Google Analytics is free to use, but without the easy WordPress plugin, some people really wouldn't know how to implement the tracking code on their websites or where to check the data. The WordPress plugins for Analytics make it easy to configure and track the analytics data on the website.

In the land of website management platforms, WordPress is king. One of the traits that continues to fuel its domination of the website market is its robust plugin market. With more creative and advanced plugins being created by savvy developers every month, WordPress allows even the most inexperienced website owner to build amazing web pages. To ensure the best website quality, WordPress users should take advantage of these tools now. Who knows if they will continue to be free forever.

First, a few words for those who want to know what greasemonkey is and what wonders it can do: Greasemonkey is Firefox add-on which let you edit the way web looks and works with the help of a wide variety of already available scripts. Greasemonkey works because scripts are assigned for specific urls where it will only work and javascript change the functionality or visually the way webpage looks (it depends for what script was made)
greasemonkey.

To use Greasemonkey first you need Firefox then Greasemonkey (install) simply click on install script and Greasemonkey will do rest of the job: simply enjoy changing the web your own way.

According to BlogsDNA
Whenever you will download any Greasemonkey script, your Greasemonkey Firefox add-on will automatically detects site for which that script is applicable and applys that script to the site as soon as you open it.

As promised the following are 21 most useful and best of the best Greasemonkey scripts which can change the whole user experience of any specific web application. (i chosen them from best lists out there worth 2 hours i found some new and better ones)

1. Youtube Googler (Install Script)

This script is so useful when you always want to see videos in bigger size still not full screen but moderately large so pixel don’t explode in the video. This greasemonkey script makes youtube more look like Google Videos making the video area covering most of the screen (which is obviously a user concern on that page) striping comment area and video suggestion all together on the left just like a sidebar image reference available below.

2. Youtube Alternative Video Player (Install Script)

Do you hate auto playing of youtube videos like i do? when I am searching for some videos i open 3 or maybe 4 videos at once then i have to manually pause them to see any one of them which is totally un acceptable. we have another option with this script, it replaces the stock Youtube Video Player with one that keep the video paused until ‘Play’ button is pressed but it keep buffering the video without playing them so when you press play you get already loaded video.

3. Download Youtube Video III (Install Script)

If you are everyday youtube user you must came across videos that you badly want to save on your hard disk for future usage. If yes give this script a try it will fulfill all your video downloading needs very nicely when you click on download video icon (that appears with icons under video after installing script) the download pop up will come up from where you can take video to your download manager if you want faster downloads. Linux users need to Right Click and choose ‘Save as’.

4. Youtube “Lights Out” (Install Script)

This script is eye saver I say sometimes video is too dark or too light that you literally want youtube page’s base colour to be black so you can concentrate on video and watch it properly without hurting your eyes. well now you can do something about it this script gives you a little button to switch the lights off and watch the video easily when you click on ‘Lights Out’ button everything on the page (except video) turns dark gray when you click again everything turns Black. When it’s too dark and you can find ‘Lights Out’ button don’t panic clicking anywhere on the page will turn lights on.

5. Flickr “Lights Out” (Install Script)

Flickr Lights Out works same as ‘Youtube Lights Out’ so you can watch pictures easily when lighting condition is not all good matching with picture the only difference is ‘Light Out’ button is on top of picture.
6. Text Areabackup (Install Script)

Remembering everything you write on the web is not as easy as it sounds this script gona ease your mind. Text Areabackup work as a remembering machine while you browse the web and putting your emails, website addresses in short everything you write will be save in a virtual memory of this script. (Note: this script don’t work with Gmail)
7. Google Image Relinker with Mouseover (Install Script)

This is one of my favourite script because of its function and how much ease it gives when you searching for images in Google Image Search. Normally you when you search for images you have to do a lot of mouse clicks to get to the actual image but now things are a little bit interesting when this script is installed you just ‘Mouse Over’ or we say ‘Hover’ over any image thumbnail and see the image preview first then click on it and you get to the image directly instead of clicking again for ‘full size image’ its mean only one click and you get the image. How sweet!

8. Google Account Multi-Login (Install Script)

I am using more than two gmail accounts one for work purpose and one my personal so i had to find this script for multiple account usage at once because signing out and signing in again isn’t as easy as it sounds and waste bit of time too. After installing script your ‘Sign Out’ will turn into drop down box with a couple of options there you can add as many accounts as much you want and switch them with a single click of mouse.

9. GoogleTagCloudMaker (Install Script)

GTCM is really very useful script when you can’t decide proper keyword of your desired search result. It makes a tag cloud at your right pane with suggestion of many relevant keywords to choose from this also help you finding related search results of what you are looking for.

10. Google Ads Remover+ (Install Script)

Sometimes ads are really annoying specially when your connection is slow and web page stuck when it’s loading ads. Now you can remove Google ads from any website you want for faster browsing as a side note I won’t recommend disabling ads because sometimes you really find good resources and considerable product offers out of them so if you have no problem with them then leave as they are. Other usage of this script is to configure it to disable ads from a specific url not the whole web just like i did it with my website so I don’t accidentally click them and penalize for click fraud.

11. Google Image Auto Pager (Install Script)

This is another script for google image search to make searching images easier. Google image auto pager makes ‘image search page’ advance by giving you option to load next set of images on the second page loads on the very same page where you start. When you search for some image you get a lots of results when you are done with first page simply ‘Double Click’ any where on the page to load next set of images doing this again will stop the loading process.

12. Disable Text Ads (Install Script)

I know I know sometimes text ads (Contextual ads) are so much annoying that you badly want them not to disturb and make hurdles during browsing. This script work simply you install it and get rid of text ads forever. Currently this script is removing ads from following Advertisement networks “Vibrant Media (IntelliTXT), AdBrite, Infolicious (lingoSpot), Kontera, Linkworth, EchoTopic, Targetpoint and MediaText.”

13. Pre-fill Comments (Install Script)

Pre-fill Comment is really a life saver script because the one’s who comment on blogs, products or webpages will love this script for life. I know no body likes to write his name, e-mail and url everytime he want to visit a new blog then how about just pressing ‘Alt+C’ and the fields will be filled automatically sounds very easy, yeah obviously it is.

14. LookItUp2 (Intsall Script)

This script is more than just a greasemonkey script because when i first saw this i never believed just a script can do this much. You can add whichever website in it to look up what ever you want to just like add wikipedia and search for ‘Al Pacino’ now you get information without exploring all over the website. Many search sources comes when you install the script and you can add many more according to your choice i prefer you to visit this script’s homepage so you know all information about it because features are vast and I can’t review it all here.

15. Digg Friend Easier (Install Script)

Making your digg profile healthy is all about friends, and users becomes friends when you regularly digg their submissions. This script make things a lot easier than you can ever think now you can digg your friend’s submissions in bulk you do it everyday and they’ll consider making you mutual friend someday. When you install this script submission pages ‘/friends/submissions’ and ‘/friends/shoutsin’ will be having ‘digg it’ shortcut under every submission so you just click on it and ajaxly it will be dugg instantly. Keep on digging ‘easily’

16. Always Open New Windows in Digg (Install Script)

If you are a regular digger spend hour or two just digging then your your left hand always picking up CTRL key (there are also other ways to open new window except holding CTRL key while clicking link) to open external links in new window well now you don’t really need to worry about this problem just install this simple little script and click the links in digg they’ll open in new window always.

17. Advanced Search Options on Digg’s Search Forms (Install Script)

Sometimes while searching on digg you get a lot of irrelevant results but now that wont be a problem any more with this tiny script search forms are advance more than ever and have a lot of options that a search form needs. you can also customized the way search results show look the following screenshot for reference.

18. SU Visual Editor Plus (Install Script)

This script enhance the way your text editor of your stumble upon page looks and works. Installing ‘SU Visual Editor Plus’ won’t do such any wonders but it can increase functionality such as increased width, increased height, background colours matched of the editor etc

19. Stumbleupon Avatar Bubbles (Install Script)

This script works so simple yet interesting and i thought every stumbler would loving using it. After installing SU Avatar Bubbles you get option to see Avatar images bigger when you hover your mouse over them so you dont need to open profile then click profile image to see actual size of the avatar.

20. AJAX Twitter Refresh (Install Script)

If you use twitter from web then you won’t be able to see new tweets unless you refresh the page. After installing this script your twitter page will be automatically refresh every after a minute (70 times per hour) this twitter page refresh scripts is better from others because you won’t notice when page refreshes actually its ajaxly refreshed.

21. Endless Tweets (Install Script)

If you are a die hard twitter and use to tweet everyday and explore people twitter timeline then this script is surely for you. The script automatically loads next set of tweets when you scroll the bottom of the timeline page unlike you click ‘Older’ button and read the tweets on second page. Endless Tweets saves a lot of time and preloading of tweets is also very fast.
Some other resources for the betterment of human kind 😉
If you are interested in making your orkut profile more interesting you should visit this post at BlogsDNA where he tells you how to theme your orkut profile and some good orkut themes too.
If you don’t like using Firefox (i doubt though) you should visit this post at Techie-Buzz where you know how to use Greasemonkey Scripts with IE, Opera and Safari.

I recently installed new version of linux (Ubuntu Intrepid ibex) on my secondary computer and i wanted to customize it like i am used to customize windows. I tried a lot of gnome themes and found many beautiful and elegant looking themes which enhance your desktop with different colors, corners, buttons and scroll bar styles. I filtered some of the best looking gnome themes to share on TechieSouls. After downloading themes you have to install them, the following screenshot will guide you how to install theme in ubuntu and gnome interface. Install apply and enjoy!

1. Zukitwo

Zukitwo theme
Simple and elegant changes to Ubuntu's default theme give it a clean interface. It doesn't look like a Windows desktop or an Apple one. It's simply Ubuntu: classed up.

Download Website

2. Zukitre Shell

Zukitre Shell theme
An off-black theme that does everything well. If you've used GTK then you might recognize this theme.

Download Website

3. Lexis

lexis theme

Lexis is cool in that it cleans up the top bar from Ubuntu and gives the dock a simple look. If you're installing Ubuntu or Gnome for someone that's never used the interface before, this is the theme with the most intuitive and simple interface.

Download Website

ubuntu themes - list