Category Archives: Wordsmith

What are the benefits of reading and writing poetry? Why is it still relevant in today’s society?

From Quora

If you are a writer, immersing yourself in the works of other writers can deepen your understanding of the art of crafting vivid imagery and evoking powerful emotions through words.

We, as writers, experience the writer’s block more than often. When I do feel my imagination running dry, as it is difficult to come up with new ideas, the best medicine is to stop writing and start reading. I read everything I could find in my library. Anyhow, I have a lot of books on my must-read list. And I believe in Taleb’s antilibrary.

“Indeed, the more you know, the larger the rows of unread books. Let us call this collection of unread books an antilibrary.” – The Black Swan, Nassim Taleb

After a few days, my writing voice is back. The most inspirational writers for me are: John Fowles, Somerset Maugham, Jack London.

Notwithstanding, the most useful information comes from books.
Writing poetry is, in my opinion, the most important gymnastic of the mind.
I usually write poetry about natural landscapes that speak to me in verses and about paintings.

I wrote this inspired by a Vincent van Gogh’s painting.

He is fairer than Spring,
Wiser than my unread library,
Tenderer than a feather
in the newly-stirred autumn wind.

The breathtaking lilac copses in my neighborhood served as inspiration for A Day as the Lilac Hunter. They are more like bushes, but, in my imagination, they have the potent carnal scent of the Forest of Lilacs.

Photo by the author.

What Is Your Mission And Purpose In Life?

I read on Instagram that discovering your life’s goal and purpose is essential before taking any action or hoping to achieve any kind of success.

What makes you get up in the morning?

About me
My true purpose and mission in life: to write very well. To make people stumble on my words and never stop coming back.
I love writing, and I am willing to work harder.
As I mentioned in a previous article: writing is a demanding task that requires skill and dedication. It encourages deep and thorough introspection. It demands a significant amount of determination and fortitude. It requires a solid grasp of the structure. A great deal of reading, tedious research, and summarizing are required. Not to mention battling the writer’s block…

To travel. To breathe different air. Didn’t you notice? In some oniric landscapes, the air is tangible and it has taste…
Working hard and being committed may lead to a more fulfilling existence, as I’ve come to acknowledge.

To work hard, and I will, so that my life is filled with unforgettable experiences and so that I may see the world through the eyes of others and learn about their ways of living.

AI-generated picture using my words above (In some oniric landscapes, the air is tangible and it has taste…)

Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. Women’s History Month 2024 will take place from Friday, March 1 – Sunday, March 31, 2024.

The U.S. and other countries, including the U.K. and Australia, are celebrating Women’s History Month in March, featuring International Women’s Day on March 8.

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a holiday celebrated annually on March 8 as a focal point in the women’s rights movement. IWD gives focus to issues such as gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women. Spurred by the universal female suffrage movement, IWD originated from labor movements in North America and Europe during the early 20th century.

The earliest version reported was a “Women’s Day” organized by the Socialist Party of America in New York City on February 28, 1909. This inspired German delegates at the 1910 International Socialist Women’s Conference to propose “a special Women’s Day” be organized annually, albeit with no set date;[8] the following year saw the first demonstrations and commemorations of International Women’s Day across Europe. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, IWD was made a national holiday on March 8; it was subsequently celebrated on that date by the socialist movement and communist countries. The holiday became a mainstream global holiday following its promotion by the United Nations in 1977.

Women’s History Month started as a local week.
Women’s History Month began as a local week-long celebration in Santa Rosa, California in 1978, according to the online National Women’s History Museum. The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women planned the week and timed it with International Women’s Day.

There is an annual theme for Women’s History Month
The National Women’s History Alliance sets a theme for the month every year. This year’s theme is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.”

“Women are like teabags. We don’t know our true strength until we are in hot water.” – Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), political figure, diplomat, activist, First Lady.

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity,” – Amelia Earhart (1897-1937?), aviation pioneer.

“You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right.” – Rosa Parks (1913-2005), civil rights activist.

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” ― Maya Angelou, (1928-2014), memoirist, poet, civil rights activist.

“I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word. Sometimes I write one, and I look at it, until it begins to shine.” ― Emily Dickinson

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what.” ― Harper Lee

AI generated picture
………………………………………..
✨Hi, I am Iulia,
#Englishcoach, #copywriter, #editor, #premiumlegalEnglishteacher, #chieffairytalerofficer, #jobhelper, #journalist

💥Your friendly teacher of all things under the sun: legalese, business, finance, marketing, copywriting, and creative writing.
💥We can work together to craft your personalized content, polish your English-speaking skills, and secure your place in the sun.
⚡️Without excellent English, there’s no path forward!

✨PS: If you want to work with me, book a preliminary free session, or ask me a question, please leave a comment. Thank you!

What Is Your Opinion About The AI?

I have received this question in a comment on my last article on Fragrantica: ESXENCE 2024: Artificial Intelligence Perfume Day

AI is just a tool. Firstly, I dismissed the idea, and then, when more and more news emerged on the topic, I decided to take a look.

However, it is important to remember that writing is a demanding task that requires skill and dedication. It encourages deep and thorough introspection. It demands a significant amount of determination and fortitude. It requires a solid grasp of the structure. A great deal of reading, tedious research, and summarizing are required. Not to mention battling the writer’s block…

Can AI do that? NO.
I use AI mainly for research, and I managed to uncover a lot of useful websites that were not so easy to find by simply pasting in keywords. Is it possible for robots to index websites instead of search engines?

Yes, I agree with the general opinion that we have become addicted to screens and artificial long-distance relationships.

For anybody who has experimented with AI, there are two things made clear. AI can create all types of listicles and use plagiarized content for its writing. The listicles can come in handy, depending on the purpose. Valuable information is available for the right questions. I started to see AI-generated content on Quora. I checked some of the answers, and they were inaccurate.

LinkedIn employs AI for the prompts for collaborative articles. I participate in those when I have time and like the topic.
Also, contributors on LinkedIn complain that their AI-generated content has been flagged, as well as AI-generated content on websites and blogs.
The technological progress is undeniable. Lately, it seems that there is AI for everything.

I remember a talk with my IT students a long time ago, and then we decided that, more or less, everything had been invented. We were wrong, of course. Also, they told me something very beautiful that I remember to this day: that above us there is a nebula with all the inventions of the future lying there, for somebody eager to take the trip up and bring them down.

Now and then, I am thinking about my favorite writers and characters, trying to imagine what they would do with a smartphone and how they would relate to technology. For example, consider Emily Dickinson. What would she write on Instagram?

The main character in Jane Eyre treasured a walk in the garden, regardless of the weather conditions. What’s your favorite pastime? Binge-watching? Social media posting? Searching for Instagrammable views?

I use AI to mind the gap between the old beauty of the world, where imagination caught fire merely by watching a small corner of the wilderness, and the new world, where the sources of creativity are so many that they become cliche.

AI-generated photo

…………………………………………………
✨Hi, I am Iulia,
#Englishcoach, #copywriter #editor #premiumlegalEnglishteacher #chieffairytalerofficer #jobhelper #journalist
💥Your friendly teacher of all things under the sun: legalese, business, finance, marketing, copywriting, and creative writing.
💥We can work together to craft your personalized content, polish your English-speaking skills, and secure your place in the sun.
⚡️Without excellent English, there’s no path forward!
✨PS: If you want to work with me, book a preliminary free session, or ask me a question, please call or write:
📞0722841053
💻contact@cursinengleza.ro
💻contact@engleza-de-afaceri.ro

We are currently developing a course about harnessing AI for the benefit of your activity.
Stay tuned!

Just Write

I started writing by chance. I started writing poems for quieting my sorrows and burns caused by difficult waves of life.

Writing is
quieting the burns
from people’s thoughts and deeds
And dissolving
all knowledge
that this will
ever happen…
Writing (an old poem)

One of the most cherished moments in my life is when I bring pen and paper to the beach and watch the waves incessantly, as my mind becomes a canvas for ideas to gallop freely.

In a more prosaic approach, everybody must make a habit of writing, whether is:
Journaling
Notetaking
Goal-writing
Blogging
Storytelling
List-making
Poetry-writing

Writing can clear your mind, refine your ideas, develop your thoughts, and help you see things clearly.
It has been demonstrated that a written goal is half-fulfilled. 

Why don’t you try?
Just write!
Start Now!

Our creative writing courses are open to you:
Personalized one-on-one lessons or group classes are available.
http://www.seocopywriting.ro/en/contact-us.php

Art – George Clausen

……………………………………..
See you in class!
📞0040722841053
💻contact@cursinengleza.ro
💻contact@engleza-de-afaceri.ro
💻englezadeafaceri@gmail.com
……………………………..
✨Hi, I am Iulia,
#Englishcoach, #copywriter, #editor, #premiumlegalEnglishteacher, #chieffairytalerofficer, #jobhelper, #journalist

💥Your friendly teacher of all things under the sun: legalese, business, finance, marketing, copywriting, and creative writing.
💥We can work together to craft your personalized content, polish your English-speaking skills, and secure your place in the sun.
⚡️Without excellent English, there’s no path forward!

✨PS: If you want to work with me, book a preliminary free session, or ask me a question, please leave a comment. Thank you!

How should you handle outrageous client demands?

#LinkedInNewsEurope

Working with people is compelling, fascinating, and difficult, and it has been spicing up my life for some time. It is my type of work as I love communication and people’s reactions and approaches to various matters. 
Since I turned 40, everything seemed smoother, as the scriptwriter of Mad Men was right: “Until the age of 40, you will have met all the types of people they are.” 

After almost 20 years of entrepreneurship, I have realized that Pareto was right. 80% of my earnings come from a small minority of 20% of my customers, who are decent early-paying clients.

For the remaining 80% of clients, the sky’s the limit. I was surprised by some outrageous requests at the beginning of my entrepreneurial career—so outrageous that I wrote an essay about them.
For example, if a customer asks for a tornado of sharks for a copywriting job, I ask, “White sharks?” and move on.

Lesson learned: Do business in Equilibrium.

Once a representative of a medical company called, and between the “lines,” I picked up on their willingness for 17 people to benefit from our English course but to pay for only 10 people because some of the attendants might get bored in the end, as happens at all English courses, he says, “knowingly.”.
I never take this type of approach kindly, as a lack of respect for my time and efforts translates into a lack of respect for me and my hard-crafted projects, mission, and vision. Learning a language is not for everyone, as it involves commitment and hard work, and new eyes are opened for you to see more and more with each passing class. Language is information.

Lesson learned: Set up specific protocols and keep detailed records.

Another bizarre request was to develop product descriptions for Amazon listings using unspecified American lingo on short notice before discussing the terms of the contract and payment methods. They were pooling descriptions in order to choose the finest ones and avoid paying the authors. They claimed to be in desperate need due to the approaching deadline. I almost fell for it.

Lesson learned: Consider requesting an emergency fee.

To summarize, I have very explicit terms and conditions that I discuss with customers beforehand, and I make sure to ask all relevant questions at the outset in order to determine what type of customer I am dealing with.
Not to mention that “no” is a very good answer sometimes

Picture by the author, taken in Milan.

What are the most popular blog posts on AI?

It is challenging to determine the exact ranking of the most popular blog posts on a certain topic, but there are excellent resources available to discover top-notch content. Here are a few different approaches:

Popular AI Blogs
Follow reputable blogs from leading research institutions, companies, and publications. Here are some examples:
OpenAI Blog (https://openai.com/blog)
Machine Learning Mastery (https://machinelearningmastery.com/)
Google AI Blog (https://blog.research.google/)
MIT Technology Review (https://www.technologyreview.com/topic/artificial-intelligence/)
Analytics Vidhya Blog (https://www.analyticsvidhya.com/blog/)

AI News Sites
These sites aggregate AI news and articles. They can be a good starting point to find trending topics:
ScienceDaily – Artificial Intelligence (https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/artificial_intelligence.htm)
The Guardian – Artificial intelligence (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/26/hollywood-writers-strike-artificial-intelligence)
There is a wide range of options available, with numerous excellent AI blogs and resources to explore. By following these sources, you’ll discover captivating and informative content on a wide range of AI topics.

Photo source – Pexels.com

What is the difference between content writing, blog writing and copywriting?

What is the difference between content writing, blog writing and copywriting?

Content writing, blog writing, and copywriting each serve unique purposes and have specific goals. Here’s a brief overview of the differences between them:

Content Writing

The primary purpose of content writing is to provide valuable information to the audience.
It aims to educate, inform, or entertain the readers. The goal is to create content that is useful and engaging.
Examples: Articles, guides, tutorials, whitepapers, and any other form of content that focuses on delivering information.

Blog Writing

Blog writing shares similarities with content writing but is specifically associated with online journals or blogs.
The goal is to engage the audience through regular, informal updates, often reflecting the writer’s personality or perspective.
Examples: Personal blogs, corporate blogs, and any regularly updated online platform featuring articles, commentary, or personal reflections.

Copywriting

Copywriting is focused on persuading the audience to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or clicking a link.
The primary goal is conversion. It’s about creating compelling and persuasive content that drives the reader to act.
Examples: Advertisements, product descriptions, sales pages, email campaigns, and any content designed to sell or promote a product or service.

In a nutshell, content writing covers a variety of educational subjects, while blog writing adds a personal touch and keeps readers informed. On the other hand, copywriting is expertly crafted to persuade the audience to take specific actions. Understanding the distinctions between these categories allows authors to tailor their material to achieve specific goals, even though there may be some overlap between them.

Join our copywriting courses! http://www.seocopywriting.ro/en/contact-us.php

Photo by the author.

……………………………..
✨Hi, I am Iulia,
#Englishcoach, #copywriter, #editor, #premiumlegalEnglishteacher, #chieffairytalerofficer, #jobhelper, #journalist

💥Your friendly teacher of all things under the sun: legalese, business, finance, marketing, copywriting, and creative writing.
💥We can work together to craft your personalized content, polish your English-speaking skills, and secure your place in the sun.
⚡️Without excellent English, there’s no path forward!

✨PS: If you want to work with me, book a preliminary free session, or ask me a question, please leave a comment. Thank you!

Unveiling the Power of Off-Page SEO: A Journey Beyond the Website

Once upon a time, in the vast kingdom of the internet, there was a castle of knowledge—a website filled with valuable information and services. Its gates were adorned with intricate designs; its walls were fortified with strong algorithms; and its towers reached high into the digital sky. But despite its grandeur, the castle remained hidden in the depths of the virtual wilderness, obscured from the wandering eyes of the populace. This is where the tale of off-page SEO begins—a journey beyond the confines of the castle walls into the realm of links, mentions, and reputation.
Chapter 1: The Essence of Off-Page SEO

In the realm of search engine optimization (SEO), Off-Page SEO is the magical art of enhancing a website’s authority, relevance, and trustworthiness beyond its own domain. It involves activities conducted outside the boundaries of the website itself, primarily focusing on link building, social media engagement, and brand mentions across the vast expanse of the internet.

According to a study by Moz, off-page SEO factors carry more than 50% of the weight in terms of ranking factors, making it a crucial aspect of any digital marketing strategy. This emphasizes the significance of venturing beyond the website’s borders to establish a strong digital footprint.

Chapter 2: The Power of Backlinks

In the kingdom of SEO, backlinks reign supreme. These are the bridges that connect one website to another, signaling to search engines the popularity, relevance, and credibility of the linked website. Research by Ahrefs reveals that pages with a higher number of backlinks tend to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), illustrating the pivotal role of backlinks in Off-Page SEO.

However, not all backlinks are created equal. Quality surpasses quantity in this realm, as links from authoritative and relevant websites hold more weight in the eyes of search engine algorithms. Therefore, a strategic approach to acquiring backlinks through outreach, guest blogging, and content marketing is essential for success in Off-Page SEO.

Chapter 3: Social Signals and Brand Mentions

In the digital age, social media has become the bustling marketplace where conversations thrive, and communities gather. From likes and shares to comments and retweets, social signals serve as indicators of a website’s popularity and relevance. Studies have shown that strong social engagement correlates with higher search engine rankings, making it imperative for businesses to cultivate a robust presence on social media platforms.

Furthermore, brand mentions across the web contribute to the establishment of online credibility and authority. When reputable websites mention a brand or its products/services, it not only exposes the brand to a wider audience but also reinforces its trustworthiness in the eyes of search engines.

Chapter 4: The Journey Continues

As our journey through the realm of Off-Page SEO draws to a close, it’s evident that the landscape of digital marketing is ever-evolving. With search engine algorithms becoming increasingly sophisticated, the importance of Off-Page SEO in enhancing a website’s visibility and ranking cannot be overstated.

By harnessing the power of backlinks, social signals, and brand mentions, businesses can transcend the confines of their websites and establish a formidable presence across the digital domain. However, this journey requires diligence, patience, and a deep understanding of the intricate workings of search engine optimization.

As we bid farewell to the castle of knowledge and venture forth into the vast wilderness of the internet once more, let us remember that the journey of Off-Page SEO is not merely about reaching the pinnacle of search engine rankings, but about forging meaningful connections, building trust, and leaving a lasting impression in the hearts and minds of our digital audience.

AI generated image

February

February bursts onto the scene with an undeniable force of fresh changes.

February is shaping up to be one of my most action-packed months ever. I am thrilled to be embarking on the creation of two exciting new one-of-a-kind English courses. At present, I am fully engrossed in crafting the syllabuses while also eagerly delving into the realm of marketing strategies.
I do not mind, as I like new things, new opportunities, and new paths, and these two projects are like that.
A few hints: you will learn how to use new tools in your activity as a business owner, CEO, CFO, or corporate employee.
Both courses will be launched in March 2024.

Additionally, I am joyfully penning some delightful pieces for Fragrantica. I like the creative process of writing, as it envelops me in a comforting embrace, shielding me within the narrative. I find myself among a flurry of activity, yet I am eager to capture the invigorating mountain air in my words and the delightful love cloud permeating everything.

Photo by the author (taken in the mountains).