For writers only...isnt it frustrating when...

When a change is made to your published article and it is wrong! It happened to one of my articles; the proof reader substituited a word in a sentence which not only proceeded to change the meaning of what I was trying to say but it was grammatically incorrect!

When the image/illustration accompanying your article does not match your intentions. I wrote an article on Salat (prayer) and the image the publishing magazine gave it was of a girl wearing a barely there head scarf and lots of makeup and jewelery while making prayer. It definitely had an adverse effect on my serious themed article.

When they miss to include your byline and then it appears in a small box in the contents section in the next issue, which could be after a week, fortnight or a month. Seriously, unless it was a MINDBLOWING article, who would remember it -besides yourself, ofcourse?! Yes, yes, it happened to me.

When you come up with a great idea for an article focused at a particular publication and another writer beats you to it. This mostly happens in pulications targeted to a niche or small audience. When I get a smashing idea, I get done with it the very night so no its not happened to me yet.

And the worst of all, when you see another persons name credited to your article! Believe it or not, it happened to me. A publication republished my article without asking and gave the byline of a female with my first name but different last name! It was downright maddening and nothing can replace the anger and frustration which follows.


Editors and Proofreaders, please take note!

How to tell if the other person is serious in the relationship

They will invest themselves in the relationship; give their time, energy and emotion to it.

They will talk about future plans

Their parents and close friends know about you

They stay in touch, and do not dissapear for days without notice or communication

They take an interest in what you like/dislike/have to say. The conversations do not only revolve around them

You dont have other people telling you that 'he/she is bad news. Stay away' Like they say,where there is smoke, there is fire.

Your gut feeling, trust it. When the other person is not sincere, it shows; through eyes, thoughts and words, but sometimes we are too hazed by love to see or feel it.

~~~HOW TO BE GRATEFUL (and happy with yourself)~~~

We all happen to find something thats not right with our selves or our lives, or we may be dissatisfied with our looks or a relationship, our job or anything else.

No one or life can be perfect, if life were to be perfect, we would be bored, there would be no challenges, no problems, simply put, we would not be able to appreciate the good things in life. Thus the only thing we can make 'perfect' is our perspective: Here are some tips on how to be grateful:

• Make an achievement folder: write down everything you are good at, your skills, wins, trophies, compliments, anything and everything that makes you feel good about yourself. I have a carry all that contains my writing portfolios, some essays that I am proud of and some educational and career momentos. If my house were on fire (God forbid) the one material thing Id want to save is this carry all.

• Anytime you read an article or story about someone with difficult circumstances or life, but have a positive attitude about it, cut it out and save it (unless its from the library in which case you can photocopy) and save them in a file. I recently read an article on a woman of my age who has Huntingtons, a disease in which she will slowly lose the ability to think, walk, talk or eat on her own. The woman carries a positive attitude and is helping people with a similar disease because she wants to live her life to the fullest. These articles will prove to be a real spirit booster anytime you re in difficult circumstances and will also remind you, that no matter what, theres always someone else who has it worse.

• Talk to people who cheer you up, and lose anything and anyone who brings you down. Sometimes we become addicted to people who let us down, (there are some psychological explanations for that but lets not go there) lose them! It will be hard but you can do it. If its someone you cannot avoid forever, like a relative then limit correspondence. It will be almost like shedding off an old skin. You will feel tons better.

• Learn a new pastime or creativity. If it doesnt work, move on and get another. Theres no shortage of hobbies out there. The more you learn = self satisfaction.

• My sister and I keep a compliment book. Every time we get a compliment we jot it down. It could be on anything, it just has to have one unifying factor: a word of praise.

• Eat well. Dress well.