10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer

10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer:
1. Write.
2. Write more.
3. Write even more.
4. Write even more than that.
5. Write when you don’t want to.
6. Write when you do.
7. Write when you have something to say.
8. Write when you don’t.
9. Write every day.
10. Keep writing.


From Become A Better Writer on CopyBlogger.com.

What To Do When Your Client Forgets to Pay You

I found this great article on Freelance Switch that might be useful for Vas like you and me. It gives beneficial advice on what to do when your clients forget to pay you. There are a number of pleasant ways to ask for your pay without offending your clients.

First, always, always send that invoice. If your agreement with your clients involves sending invoices regularly then you better follow suit. Forgetting to send that invoice could spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E for you. So this makes a whole lot of sense to me.

To be honest, I’ve had my share of trouble of this sort. I never got paid even after sending an invoice for three straight months. This brings me to the next piece of advice. Check your contract. Allow me to paraphrase this in a way that gives you the power to go after runaway clients.

Always, always have an iron-clad contract ready each time you start working with a new client. Remember, VA work means you call half the shots. You don’t have a boss looking over your shoulder or Human Resources officers watching your back.

You are your own boss so you better fill those shoes and fast. Make sure you and your client have a written contract that protects the interest of both parties, including the terms for your pay.

And if you already have that iron-clad contract ready, be sure to check it from time to time in case you may have forgotten the time period involved in your regular paycheck. I read from the article that clients may change the contract from time to time so be sure you’re in the loop. Check your contract and confirm if you’ve got things straight.

Perhaps the best and most sensible piece of advice is this – Be patient. In all areas of my life, I realize now that being patient pays... and I don’t mean that in the monetary sense. Patience is a virtue that everyone must have, especially Virtual Assistants.

Working patiently on one task while you do other tasks at the same time, a skill also known as multi-tasking involves the kind of patience that I had to acquire the hard way. Now I realize that it is an all-important virtue and from experience, it’s the best one there is, for anyone or any kind of work for that matter. Always be patient.

As for the rest of the article, I invite you to click here to find out more about how to get paid and what to do when you don’t receive your salary. Do you have your own advice to share? Be sure to leave your sage advice in the comments section. Thank you!

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Why We Should Be Passionate About Our Work

I love my work. It's not even work most of the time. It's fun! I understand now what my mentors mean by being passionate about our work. It's really important for us to love what we're doing because it's the only way to really be happy here on earth. Yes, we're all pilgrims living in our temporary home but I never realized before now that God truly wants us to be happy here on earth. He gave us the freedom to choose and I choose to be happy. I choose to bless and be blessed. I choose to live the life God wants for me. And I guess I'll always be me -- a writer servant. That is in honor of our servant King -- my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.


I love writing. I've been doing this since I can remember. It's my core gift. I am sure of that now. I guess I'm just the usual late-bloomer and wallflower. I dared to dream and I chased after my dreams with my heart on my sleeve and God by my side and Mama Mary urging me on. And now I'm doing exactly what I was put on earth to do, in my humble opinion. I believe that I was born to serve and I do that through my writing.


A priest once told me that I should write to inspire. And that's my mindset from now on. I am currently writing my first book and I am so inspired it blows my mind, figuratively, of course. God has gifted me with so much and I never even realized that I am already doing His will. Now I understand the real value of service and it requires a whole lot of patience while God provides all the inspiration I could ever need. He truly is my rock and my salvation. I know this is what God wants me to do -- be a writer, serve and inspire others through my gifts and show the world how much I care.


I have so many blogs right now, one for each of my passion but my favorite ones are this one, Misty's Gratitude Journal, and SelfHelpBlog.biz and oh, I also love Heroes for Children because I adore kids, toddlers in particular. Yes, I'm single and I hope to have a family someday. This is the best part about my work. When God will give me a husband and child someday, I won't have too much difficulty. I will be able to  spend time with my future husband and baby as much as I can because of my work. And I guess this is how God is shaping my future. He started with my core gifts and He just keeps on giving. Thank you Jesus! You are LOVE.


Aside from my passion for writing, I am also a gadget geek. I love tinkering with my PC. I love playing with my cellphones and I love walking while counting steps using my iPod. I know, I'm too attached to gadgets but I can't help it. It's both my blessing and my weakness. I am blessed because I am not afraid to try new things. I like trying new software. I've gotten over my fear of clicking things online. I learned that my PC doesn't explode if I do so my question is "Why not?"


Passion is important in all aspects of life. When we love what we do, it's no longer work. It's fun. And that takes all the stress away. I guess one of the advantages of working from home is that I manage my own time. That gives me the discipline to manage tasks and other people effectively. That takes away the pressure. Plus, I keep receiving the confidence boost that I never expected out of my work. The fulfillment of knowing that at the end of the day you have accomplished the important stuff, that's what keeps me going day in and day out. I don't even like being absent from work. I miss it when I'm not doing what I do.


Plus, all of the clients that I've worked with are the best people around. They have given me glowing praises and until now I am still overwhelmed by their kindness and generosity, in more ways than one. In one word, all of the people I have worked with are awesome. And I know that God sent them my way to encourage me to walk this path. He has paved the way for my freedom. God has literally given me the key to my freedom and happiness and I never even realized it. My dreams are unfolding before my eyes and this roller coaster ride called my life is awesome! God is awesome!

Important Details New Virtual Assistants Should Remember

A few things you need to keep in mind before embarking on your Work from Home adventure as a Virtual Assistant:


1. Make sure you have an iron-clad contract.
2. Research about your future employer, his or her company and the people you'll be working with.
3. Be prepared for anything and never be afraid to try new stuff. Click away, your computer won't explode. I'm kidding. You have to exercise some caution, of course. But most of the time you have more fun when you get over your fear of clicking buttons. Plus you learn so much neat info that way.
4. Harness your communication skills. Seriously! This refers to both written and spoken English or whatever language you use to communicate with your client(s).
5. Learn about new software by research and practice. Tutorials are cool and FAQs are useful but nothing beats getting down and dirty with your chosen software. Sounds naughty, I know, but at the end of the day, we all learn best by applying what we have read, seen or heard. Isn't technology amazing?


The rest, I leave up to you. If you would like to learn more about VA work and how to become one, I strongly urge you to get mentors. Join us on Facebook and equip yourself with the necessary skills. Welcome to the bright side!

VA Online Seminar & Think Rich Quick Seminar

Mr. Jomar Hilario will be here in Cebu to talk in the first Think Rich Quick seminar on Jan 29-30,2011 (Sat/Sun) (He'll be moving the Manila VA seminar to Feb 5, the next Saturday).

This seminar is identical to the one we held in Manila last year and it's for you:

1. If you're wanting to invest in real estate, but are AFRAID to.

2. If you want to learn more about property online marketing and want more ideas how to do it. This is for you.

3. If you want to be SURROUNDED by successful people and learn HOW THEY THINK. This is for you.

4. Yes, it's not just for real estate minded people, but for success minded people.

5. John Calub will be explaining how you can be a Money Magnet.

6. You'll be learning REALLY new ways to promote properties online.

7. Trace Trajano will be showing you how to invest, buy and sell properties.

8. Trace Trajano will also teach you how to raise money INSTANTLY - in the seminar itself.

So if you're keen on learning from 3 different mentors - and you'll make it a point to be in Cebu- click here to get your seat.(Venue at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City)

After that, I'll be holding a SEPARATE "How to Work From Home as a Virtual Assistant" seminar - tentatively Tue, Feb 1,2011 also in Cebu. It's a whole day VA event so SET YOUR LEAVES NOW.

Now live a marvelous life and see you in Cebu.

Jomar Hilario

P.S. Forward this to Visayas and Mindanao based friends who think like you do (they love success, too). I will not be holding other events in other cities so this is their only chance - come to Cebu, tell them please.

P.S. The Manila VA seminar on Jan 29 is moved to Feb 5,2011, the next saturday- please take note.Get tickets here.

P.S. Speaking of VA, we'll have a VA online tomorrow to answer your questions. Ask your questions here.  And 8pm-930pm tomorrow, Tue, I and the Virtual Assistant will answer them. This is open to those who availed of the VA seminar both live or downloadable. This will help you get inspired to work at home and to pursue the VA career.

Check your emails now for the details on how to access the Q and A (questions and answer) session tomorrow. Reply to me if you did attend a VA event but didn't receive the website details to access the Q and A.

Do You Want to Work From Home?

Well, a lot of us say "yes" when people ask, "Do you want work from home?"

We all think it’s some kind of fantasy (that's impossible) or it's heaven (I wish...).

If you're wondering about the details like what to expect, how much can you earn, and want to know more about how you can do this "work at home gig" then meet one of my favorite mentors.

Listen to the "work at home" expert Jomar Hilario as he trains you on how you can start making steps to leaving your stressful work at the office and just staying in your bedroom all day ... while earning!

Click here to know more.

Here’s the thing, you have two options. You can either attend the VA seminar or you can join the ONLINE version of the seminar.

To find out more about this amazing opportunity, don’t forget to Click here

Try it out. It’s about time you spent more time at home. Make your dreams come true and still have more time to bond with your family!

25 Reasons Why I Love Working From Home

25 Reasons Why I Love Working From Home:

1. I get to spend more time and share meals with my family.

2. Everything I need is right within reach; this makes my workday very easy to handle.

3. I don’t have to wake up too early, get dressed and deal with traffic to get to my workplace.

4. I learn more without getting bored because I can vary my tasks and juggle them all day long.

5. I can choose my clients and am actually working for the most generous client I’ve ever met.

6. I work with professionals who are focused on business and less on personal/office politics.

7. I am a subcontractor for a company made up of professional yet gentle leaders who take good care of me and are constantly working to make sure that we have the best work system.

8. I can go walking, go to church and generally do what I want after work without wasting time going home from the office.

9. When it rains, I’m happy I’m indoors and safe and don’t have to go anywhere!

10. I have come to appreciate the value of integrity, transparency, professionalism, dedication, and am learning how to think like an entrepreneur.

11. I learn new things every single day and you get over your fear of clicking a button or opening a website and generally get comfortable trying new things.

12. I get to spend time on my own blogs after work and actually apply what I am learning from my daily work routine.

13. I am growing as a person and as a professional and have become better at multi-tasking.

14. I am becoming a better content & SEO writer, virtual assistant, task and people manager.

15. I am constantly bombarded by internet marketing and copywriting lessons and I love it!

16. Work is so much fun! No hassle, no worries, no politics!

17. I am right where I want to be – working from home.

18. Working from home is awesome because you learn the value of discipline and avoiding distractions and interruptions.

19. I now have a better understanding of the value of time and task management and having a system that works.

20. I am now more flexible, better at juggling tasks and more detail-oriented. Reports are my friend and my love for analyzing things is very useful.

21. Working from home has made me realize that perfectionism is both a weakness and strength; I just had to draw the fine line between the two.

22. I can define my limits, set attainable goals, while still working independently.

23. Working under less supervision has a whole new meaning when you work from home.

24. I get to learn using so many tools – videos, flowcharts, PowerPoint presentations, Google docs, new and advanced software, iTunes podcasts and so much more. I am also learning about Internet Marketing and SEO, which I can apply on my own ventures.

25. At the end of my workday, I can just log out, turn off my computer or turn on my music player and bond with my family or commune with nature. No commute, no traffic, no pollution, less stress.

So there you go. This is the best job I’ve ever had which is why I am so grateful. In my opinion, it's best to find mentors, people who are willing to share what they have learned with you. Find out how you can work from home wherever you are.

If you would like to learn more about Internet Marketing and being a Virtual Assistant, you should visit Jomar Hilario's blogs. He's the Internet Marketing guru and go-to guide for Filipinos who are serious about becoming entrepreneurs and working from home. He also offers lessons about becoming a Virtual Assistants and Social Marketing.

P.S. Jomar Hilario is actually giving a 50% discount for his one-year online mentoring club. I suggest you check it out if you wish to be successful at this. He'll check your work and guide you for one whole year. How cool is that?

P.S. 2 Don't worry, this is no s-c-*a-m. I know the guy. He’s very good at what he does and you’ll learn how to work from home without leaving your comfort zone. You’ll learn what your strengths are and how you can capitalize on them so that you can work from home too. Read and judge for yourself. Click here.