ArcticLlama Freelancing Blog

I am a professional writer and editor.  This experience has led me to see that there are two types of three hundred word articles, those that are short and worthless, and those that are the shortest possible way to say something worthwhile.

Three hundred words sounds like a lot, but it only is to a child attempting to fulfill a quota on a boring topic.  To illustrate, I would like to point out that as you finish reading this particular sentence, you have just read 125 words. In other words, by finishing the introduction and half of the second paragraph you have read almost half of a 300 word article.

Thus, four or five paragraphs of three to five sentences each is all that a 300 word article would contain. Both writer and editor may benefit, then, from a template of sorts that ensures both readability and value in such limited writing space.

While many such templates are possible, one of the easiest to use and remember is to write an introduction of three sentences.  Then, a second paragraph which consists of a provocative first sentence.  A second sentence containing an example, and a third sentence summing up the first and second sentence in the form of a conclusion.

The third paragraph is three or four sentences applying the principals discussed in the second paragraph.  Depending upon the audience for the article, this is where the writer would discuss using the information in daily life, business, or for persuading others.  Also, any suggested paradigms.

Lastly, a concluding paragraph consisting of two sentences, one of which restates the introduction and the second of which claims the article supplies the proof or answer, depending upon the article being written.  Using this template, anyone can write useful 300 word articles in just minutes.

So, what started out as a simple no-brainer article written for a few bucks in order to make enough money freelance writing online to beat out my income from freelance writing offline for the first time, turned out to be an Adventure in AP Style.

BlackBerries On Airplanes

I can’t honestly tell you what the site wants with the article, but that isn’t my part of the puzzle.  I just write the high-quality content, they pick the topic.

The article is on taking a BlackBerry onto an airplane and the possibility of its use and the reasons / regulations for why you should not use it on said Airplane.

The Adventure?

• BlackBerry or Black Berry or Blackberry and, then the plural
• Carry on (as in the bag, not moving forward) or carry-on (definitely not carrion
• GPS – Do I have to start with Global Positioning Satellite, GPS or is GPS clear enough to warrant an exception to the normal rule regarding spelling out an acronym the first time before being able to use the acronym without explanation the rest of the piece
• Cellphone – Why is spell check freaking out?

The Associated Press Stylebook comes through without explanation on most points. 

• It’s BlackBerry (a nod to the trademarked brand name, no doubt.)
• It’s carry-on (no explanation)
• GPS is fine to use without first spelling out.  (Also note that GPS then the next word is lower case i.e. GPS radio)
• And Cellphone is deemed ok by the AP Styleguide as an “exception to Webster’s.”  AP Style has spoken.

About BlackBerry On Airplanes

If you are wondering:

1. Might work, but probably not.
2. Because the speed of the airplane in flight would cause the BlackBerry to switch cell towers too quickly
3. BlackBerry communications may be different than cellphone communications in programming, but they are the same thing radio wave interference wise.
4. It’s illegal twice (once because it is illegal, and twice because it is illegal to disregard crew member instructions and they tell you to turn it off)

Hope everyone has a profitable and fun April.