I know that some writers tend to frown on self publishing as it appears like you’re tooting your own horn. But if you think your work is good enough and has market potential, why not publish it yourself and sell it? Of course, you can bet on publishing technology to make it easy for you. If your work is ready for publishing, go to Lulu.com and choose the product you wish to sell. You can publish paperbacks, hard covers, travel guides, and cookbooks. You will have your own Lulu Storefront once you’ve registered for a Lulu account.

Through Lulu.com, my sister was able to publish a nature calendar (You, too, have a reason) containing original photos and poetry. You can do the same. Let me know how it goes for you.

This Weekend’s Idea Germ (aka TWIG): What’s your favorite smell or scent? What does it remind you of?

I love the smell of old books. The mustiness reminds me of times spent in school libraries and public libraries. It also makes me want to rush to the nearest secondhand bookstore and browse through old books!

As for the scent, anything citrus-like is always appreciated: Calamansi, oranges, lemons, limes, pomelos, etc. Hmmm.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! What are you working on?

Quantum X, an IT solutions provider of website design and web applications development services, is looking for a freelance web writer who can provide quality content for its various websites.

If you get this job, you will be assigned to write ten 300 to 500-word articles on specific topics per month. Professional fee is Php 3,300 to be paid at the end of the month. Payments will be deposited to the writer’s bank account.

Your articles must be original, well-written and well- researched. The management may request the writer to rewrite an article if necessary. Send your resume, clips and inquiries to email@workabroad.ph.

Happy Earth Day! Here are 3 things you can do to help save the environment:

1) Reduce the clutter
Avoid purchasing items you don’t really need (extra pens, extra notebooks, etc). Use pens that have refillable cartridges. Don’t throw away or replace things that are still in good condition.

2) Work at home
Do the bulk of your work at home. By doing so, you can reduce fuel consumption and carbon emission. Keep in mind that telecommuting is ‘green’.

3) Use less paper
Take notes using your laptop, pocket PC or digital memo pad to reduce paper consumption. Digitize your reference library by getting e-book versions of dictionary, thesaurus, style guide. Download digital versions or convert research materials into PDF instead of printing them.

What other things can freelance writers do to help save the environment?

If you’re a Palanca hopeful, don’t forget to mark April 30th on your calendar. It’s the usual deadline for submissions. You can download the 2008 CPMA Rules and Forms from the Palanca Awards Official Website.

Good luck!

Thanks to evolving media technology, searching for medical information online is just a few clickety-clicks away. But beware of Web sites that publish articles without referencing real experts. To make sure that your online source is credible and authoritative, check if it’s affiliated with a known research institution or a leading publisher of health and medical articles.

Here are some sites and references that I frequently visit when I’m writing articles on health and medical issues:

The Merck Manual of Medical Information - I use the Home Edition to obtain basic information. If you’re looking for matters related to diagnosis & therapy, health & aging, chemicals & drugs, and animal healthcare, try the other editions available online.

World Health Organization (WHO) - The WHO site was once my favorite place on the Web. The site is constantly updated and has the Media Centre where writers can easily access news, fact sheets, press releases, multimedia resources and contact information. Their Media Office is also very prompt when replying to your queries, so don’t you worry about looming deadlines.

Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) - The Brigham’s site is the first place that I go to when I’m writing an article on women’s health. Its Health Information page lists relevant topics, upcoming events, news, and multimedia resources such as podcasts, videos and surgical webcasts. BWH is a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School and is recognized internationally for its excellence in patient care and biomedical research.

Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) - The CDC site was a treasure trove of information when I did an article on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (aka Mad Cow Disease) in 2001. The Web site has improved a lot since then and now includes podcasts. Enter the CDC Press Room to get the latest press releases, transcripts, summaries and footages.

Is there a Web site or online medical reference that you’d like to recommend? Post it here!

Graeme Whitfield of Journal Blog Central is building a dictionary containing words that are popularly used by online journalists. He has listed some of the best and widely used words in the industry. You might want to grab some for your articles or add some that can readily replace those lazy cliches. Graeme is open to suggestions.

I like this term:

BOFFINS: someone who works in a university (or is just a bit brainy).
As in: “Drinking beetroot juice can help lower blood pressure, say boffins at St Bart’s Hospital in London.” – The Sun, February 6.
As it would never be said in real life: “The boffin has given me a terrible mark for my essay.”

Some of the words, however, may not be easily understood by local audience. Writerly discretion is advised. : )

Nominations are now being accepted for the National Book Awards, as brought to you by the National Book Development Board and the Manila Critics Circle. The deadline for nominations is April 30, 2008.

You may nominate a book under any of these two categories:

Literary (Novel, Poetry, Essay, Creative Non-Fiction, Literary Criticism, Short Fiction, Drama, Graphic Novel, Children’s Fiction, Children’s Poetry)

Non-literary (Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, Professions, Reference)

You can download a complete copy of the rules (in PDF) from this page.

Celebrate World Book and Copyright Day at the Filipinas Heritage Library in Makati on April 23, 2008 from 8:30AM to 5PM. This event will have prominent writers like National Artist Virgilio Almario and award-winning fictionists Butch Dalisay and Susan Lara talking about their creative processes and their works.

In the afternoon, there will be an extensive discussion on copyright by experts in the field to enlighten copyright owners (like writers, illustrators and publishers) and copyright users (schools, media, libraries).

The event is free of charge. For more details, call 920-9853 or 926-8238 and look for Lily or Minda.

[via booktopia.com.ph]

This Weekend’s Idea Germ (aka TWIG): What was your very first online nick or username?

My first online nick was Kakai. I used it to register for an IRC account. Later on, I used it to sign up for my first web-based email account which was at Rocketmail (now under Yahoo!) and to chat at MosCom’s telnet Chat Manila.

Why ‘Kakai?’ When I was young, I was an avid reader of Funny Komiks. My favorite Funny Komiks character then was Niknok. Niknok had a playmate named Kakai, a young Chinese girl who wore a huge red ribbon on her hair. I didn’t look like Kakai at all, but I thought she was cute so I borrowed her nick. To this day, some friends whom I’ve met through chat still call me Kakai.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! : )