Writing | Coach Jane Lee

Category: Writing

Anyone Can Learn How To Hit a Baseball

Guest Post by Jeff Wise

Nothing goes better with summer than baseball, especially when one of the players is a relative or friend. Whether Little Leaguers or high schoolers, it’s fun to watch your son, grandson, etc. eagerly swing at the ball and run the bases. It makes you proud to see the excitement in his eyes as he anticipates fly balls in the outfield. The best feeling of all is knowing he’s having fun.

Sometimes, though, kids don’t have much fun playing baseball. They struggle in one area or another, causing them to dread games or want to quit the team altogether. There may come a time when they claim they don’t like baseball anymore. But there’s more to it than that. It’s not that they dislike baseball; they just dislike their failure to be the great player they long to be.

As a parent, grandparent, aunt, etc. you have a lot on influence on a child in this situation. Verbal encouragement goes a long way with kids. If they know you believe in them, they’re more likely to believe in themselves. Of course, you don’t want a child to be miserable playing baseball, but don’t give in to their first desires to quit. Remind them that skill develops with practice and committing to something builds integrity and character.

Your contribution to their success doesn’t end verbally though. Coaches aren’t the only adults who can help kids become better players. In fact, coaches are challenged in this area because they don’t get a lot of one-on-one time with players. Those who know the child personally have the advantage.

Be willing to set aside time to get your hands dirty and practice with the child. Teach him the basics to hitting a baseball. Practice playing catch with him. You may not know much about the basics of baseball, but that shouldn’t stop you.

You can learn and then teach kids the fundamentals of hitting a baseball. They need to know their potential and that you’re behind them 100 percent.

Learning to hit a baseball can be frustrating at times. If the child starts getting irritated, offer to take a break and reinforce the improvement you’ve seen. Always remind them that baseball should be fun for everyone.

Jeff Wise is happily married with two young daughters and has a passion for helping people achieve their dreams. Owner of Gregorio’s BaseballHittingTipsOnline.com, Jeff has 14 years of experience playing baseball. On his site, Jeff provides hitting tips for all ages and skill levels with articles, videos, a blog and an e-book.

Here is Jeff’s link and website for more information or to get in touch with him about his e-book. http://www.baseballhittingtipsonline.com

So excited to have Jeff Wise be our Feature Friday Guest Blogger. Thank You Jeff.

Happy blogging!

Aug 13, 2010 | 2 comments | View Post

Are you ready for The Ultimate Blog Challenge coming up in August?

Hello Everyone:

Recently, completed a 30 day blog challenge back in June 2010 which was not an easy task trying to keep up with the Jones. There were times when I just did not have the energy to write aside from all the other distractions. It takes time to build the momentum. Very pleased that I was able to complete both the 30 day and 7 day mini blog challenge using two different sites. A Facebook Fan Page “Continuity Blogging Community” was created to continue with the relationships that were form from the challenge.

Now, there is the Ultimate Blog Challenge coming up in August hosted by Michele Scism and Michelle Schaeffer. The original 30 day blog challenge was created by Connie Ragen Green and the one this past June was hosted by Jeanette Cates and Connie Ragen Green. So are you ready for another 30 days?

Here are some tips to make blogging easier when participating in a 30 day blog challenge.

1) Preparation is important. Just like running a marathon, going on a diet or blogging being prepared is key. Get all your materials ready.

2) Do you have a game plan? Are you going to repurpose your material or what are some of the new articles you will be posting?

3) If you have difficulties coming up with a blog post every day or will be on vacation, write a batch of articles and then schedule them for publishing at a designated time. I will definitely, be using this method more frequently.

4) You do not have to blog and come up with materials all by yourself throughout the 30 days. Why not interview others in your field? Have a guest blogger post on your blog. Conduct a blog exchange. What about doing a video blog for the day? There are so many ways to create content.

5) Have fun with it. Write materials that are targeted to your niche market.

Everyone comes out a winner from a blog challenge. The blogger provides valuable content and the reader finds you as a resource. This in turn makes you a credible source –expert and you engaged your readers. Who knows maybe a sale or a joint venture. Just think of the possibilities.

Share you comments with us of your experiences with a blog challenge.

Happy Blogging!

Jul 21, 2010 | 3 comments | View Post

Continuity Blogging Community- Say What?

Hello Everyone:

Some exciting news to share with you all. As you all know from June 1- 30, I was participating in a 30 day and 7 day mini blog challenge. Now, if you notice what happens with my blog post after July 2. Thank you to my special guest bloggers Gonzalo Suarez and Melanie Kissell. They posted on July 1st and the 2nd. What happened after that? What do you see? I am not blogging on a daily basis right? So what the heck happened to Jane Lee? Now, my next post was written on July 8. That is like 8 days since I wrote another blog post. So what is the point of sharing this story?

Remember the saying “Out of Sight Out of Mind”. My blog is the perfect case study. Prior to the end of the blog challenge, I wrote a blog post “What are you going to do after the 30 day Blog Challenge?” I knew without support that I was going to fall by the waste side. No need to go into rehab. Last time I check I am okay. With so many bloggers commenting and respond to my facebook wall about keeping the connection going beyond the challenge. Now, I wanted a forum or vehicle were all the bloggers can come together to connect, share their knowledge and promote one another. As a collective, we have such a powerful voice for we inform, inspire and ignite the world through our blogs. Yet, how can others find us or come in contact with us for we are not celebrity bloggers like Denise Wakeman, John Chow or Problogger just to name a few famous bloggers. They provide rich content and share their wealth with others.

Here it is my friends. Introducing to you fresh off the press. Drum roll Please…

Face Book Page

“Continuity Blogging Community”
http://budurl.com/ContinuityBlogging

I personally invite you to visit this page and check us out. If you should have any questions do not hesitate to drop us a line.

Do not forget to visit these post by our special guest bloggers.

Gonzalo Suarez- “When You Blog in Another Language”

Melanie Kissell- “Crafting a Compelling and Memorable Bio”

Happy Blogging!

Jul 15, 2010 | 6 comments | View Post

Morning Walks

Hello Everyone:

Trying something a little different for today’s blog post. Going to start with a poem. I do not recall the last time I wrote a sonnet or iambic pentameter or even a hyku. Also putting this post in audio format using Audio Boo for your listening pleasure.

The Title of the Poem- is called “Morning Walks”

What is it about morning walks that gets my energy and creativity flowing.

Could it be the smell of the fresh air right before everyone starts their day.

The fresh aroma of ground coffee that says it’s time to wake up as I pass by the local coffee shop.

The sweet temptation of the Banana Nut Muffin and Lemon Creme Donuts that is waving at me to make a pit stop.

The visible morning dew drops seen on the grass. For they are nourished and awaked to a brand new day.

After your morning walk, before you enter the house. Try this exercise.

Close your eyes and for a moment focus on your ears. What are some of the background noises and sounds that you hear?

Still with your eyes closed. Take a deep breathe in? Hold your breath and count to five. Breath out. What aromas and fragrance does your nose detect?

Open your eyes. Look at your surroundings. What beautiful things do you see in front and all around you?

Now, wasn’t that a refreshing exercise to start off the day?

Hope you enjoyed this piece. Share with us what are some of the things that you do in the morning to get your creative juices flowing.

Happy Blogging!

Jul 10, 2010 | 0 comments | View Post

Crafting a Compelling and Memorable Bio

Melanie Kissell

Guest post by Melanie Kissell

Next to public speaking, writing can be the most paralyzing act for most of us. Even if you are a writer, writing a bio can be daunting.

Follow these top five tips for writing your bio:

1) Keep it short – Normally it’s best to limit your bio to three or four sentences. If it’s too long people won’t read it. Bio = Short and Biography = Long

2) Briefly highlight your expertise – The purpose of writing a bio is to demonstrate your professional credibility.

3) Let your personality show – Since your bio is an advertisement for you, make it reflect the real you. If you’re a down-to-earth person, use unpretentious language. If you have a particular passion, let the reader know. If you love to joke around, include some humor.

4) Tailor your bio to your target audience – Your bio needs to address who you are, your expertise and how it addresses their problems or goals, and how they can contact you.

5) Write a bio in the third person – What this means is to write a bio as though someone else is talking about you. Instead of writing “I am”, you write “Jane Smith is”.

There are so many (too many to count!) possibilities for things to include when creating a compelling and memorable Bio. If you don’t know what to write about, get started by looking over these 25 fun ideas:

Bucket List
Top 10 things About Me
My Favorite Slogans/Mottos
Life Stories/Experiences
Obstacle or Challenge I’ve Overcome
A List of my Favorite Things
My Pets
How I Did Something
Things I’m Grateful For
My Favorite Charity
My Collection/s
My Artwork
My Poetry
Gifts On My Wish List
Places I Want To Travel
My Ideal Client/Who I Serve
My Personal Victories
My Heroes
A Community I Love
Books I Want to Write
What I Spend Money On
Ten Guilty Pleasures
Friends I Can’t Wait to Meet
Social Media Sites I Like
What I Love To Give Away

If you are working to market your products and services online, your bio is your calling card! So be sure to include it on social media venues, communities and groups you join, article directory sites, and on your blog and website.

Melanie Kissell is a single mom to four daughters, big dog lover, avid affiliate marketer, and founder of Solo Mompreneur. She works with single womenpreneurs who show great tenacity and passion for their business, but who are short on time, exhausted, and tapped out financially. Melanie focuses on sharing low-cost and no-cost marketing strategies with her target audience.