I am regularly asked by aspiring writers as to what they should do to succeed. Their questions generally centre on writing ability. Basically they want to find out if they have the talent to succeed. Or, whether there is any test that they can take and find out if they are good enough to write and get paid for their writings.

Interestingly, the ability to write your way to success has got little to do with a writers success. It is attitude and not ability that is vital for the success of a writer.

If you are an avid filmgoer, you will know what I am saying. Quite a few of you may have seen the Hindi blockbuster Bhagban (2003).

Baghban (a gardener) is the story of Raj Malhotra (Amitabh Bachchan), his wife Pooja (Hema Malini) and their four sons. There are two entwined story lines in this family drama.

The film has touchingly dealt with the bonding between the parent and child to the sad turn of events at the sunset of the parent's life. At the same time, the movie also tells about the ultimate success of a hitherto hidden writer in Raj. When all odds were ganging up against him, Raj puts life into words by sharing his simple life story with the typewriter. His straight simple life truths pull a sensitive cord in the hearts of readers and his book becomes a bestseller bringing him big money in royalties.

Thats attitude. Because, Raj had the right attitude, he didnt question or doubt his abilities to write your way to success. He simply went ahead and wrote his life story. He became successful.

Also, many of us generally ignore the important aspect of writing, i.e. being true to ourselves and sharing our lives with others through written words. The written word is so powerful that it can put a man on the 'rags to riches' path within no time. And Raj of Baghban shows us how to use this power of words to become successful even at the sunset of our lives.

Such success stories are not uncommon. You too can become a write your way to success, provided you have the right attitude and a yen for writing.

Are you game for it

It is possible for you to become a write your way to success one at that if you have a desire to succeed as a writer.

If you're determined to succeed as a writer, and have the will and the mindset to do it, then you'll succeed at it. Period, says Michele Pariza Wacek who owns Creative Concepts and Copywriting, a writing, marketing and creativity agency in the USA.

One key factor you have to keep in mind after starting to write is that you may face setbacks and criticisms on your way. Youll have to take them in your stride.

As long as you believe in yourself, the unfazed writer in you will keep on writing. This means: believe and it will happen.

Tips for new writers

Writing is something that everyone can enjoy! says D. Goldberg. She is the editor of Web Women Net.

Writing is fun and exciting. If you let your creative juices flow freely then writing will take you to the heights of success.

As a new writer, are you having trouble to start writing. There is only one solution: sit down and write. Initially, just write anything that comes to your mind. This free flow of thoughts is a great way of getting your write your way to success muscles to work. You can always edit your writings later or if you wish you can simply throw your words into a dustbin and start writing until you get everything right. All you need to do is let your imagination loose. You can become a successful writer.

At first, it is better to write by hand. Some of you may still not be comfortable with either a typewriter or the keyboard of a personal computer. In that case, dont use the typewriter or the computer. This way you can have a better flow of thought. It is also the perfect way to deal with the writers block that many of us face.

New writers usually have problems in recalling information that can be used in their writings. Are you one among them Then, you can pay a visit to the local library to do some research. Libraries stock hundreds of books and several newspapers and magazines that can provide you with loads of useful information that can stimulate your creative brain cells. This is one of the ways of overcoming your writers block.

According to Berba Velasco Jr., Ph.D a major problem that inexperienced writers have is that they simply dont know how to get started. If youre unsure of your writing skills, then here are some quick tips to help you get started.

Buy one thesaurus, as it is tremendously helpful tool that can help you to find the right word. Though a thesaurus is no substitute for a solid vocabulary which you can acquire only by reading a lost of books, but it is still helpful.

Avoid repeating words as they can jar your writing. A good thesaurus can be helpful in this regard.

By using simple words and writing short sentences you can communicate better with your readers. Longer sentences usually complicate the message. I found that 20 words or fewer per sentence are a good guideline. However, please remember that this is just a guideline.

Like water in a river, words and sentences should flow smoothly together. A fine thread of information should pass through all the sentences communicating with and enriching a readers mind. That is good writing. However, due to their inexperience, new writers often chop longer sentences into shorter segments that do not blend together smoothly. In such situations, you should try rephrasing the sentences or adding the proper connective phrases (e.g. then, so, as a result).

Please, please and please do not rely on your personal computers grammar checking features. They are still limited. Many a time, they do not recognise several proper names and technical terms. In addition, spell checkers cannot detect wrong usage of words.

An important function that new writers often ignore is proofreading their write-up. So, please proofread, proofread and proofread Over and over. On completion of your work, get a friend to proofread your work.

While writing, always remember your target audience. Write only that information, which is required and understood by your readers.

Your inexperience can torture your readers many a times. In your eagerness to impress your readers mind, you tend to use clever words. In fact, you may end up confusing your reader. Unless you are sure that it will work, avoid clever wordplay. Before trying something humorous it is always better to gain more writing experience.

And finally, remember the artists adage - Practice, practice, practice. If you want to become good and successful at writing, then write, write and write!

Magic of e-books

E-books, both fiction and non-fiction, are those books that are published electronically on the Internet. They are the latest publishing trends. Learn how to write an e-book and jump on the e-book bandwagon.

Here are two steps to write a profitable e-book. First: Find out if you are writing something that people really want to buy. Second: Know how to write a great e-book.

Since you are eager to find out as to what is selling, and why in the e-books segment, here is what you have to consider: an idea fascinates you and you immediately sit down and start writing an e-book. No. Dont do that. Avoid the disappointment of writing an e-book that simply does not find an audience of willing buyers.

Therefore, to know which topic sells and which doesnt, do a search online for top-selling e-books. Check out the most popular subjects, titles and everything else. Spend time on researching the most popular subjects and titles. This effort will have a big impact on your final results.

Now that you have checked out the popular subject for your e-book, the next thin is to know how to write it.

Anything that we do in life gets translated and grows into a body of expertise and knowledge. The trouble, however, is that we often think, Hey, nobody would pay money to find out what I know.

You are in for a surprise!

Thousands of people out there write and sell e-books about a whole range of subjects and make a lot of money doing it! The subjects include -

· Photography

· Travel

· Music

· Cooking

· Raising teenagers

· Grooming pets

· Collecting

· Home repair & car repair

· Small business

The list is naturally endless.

And there are millions of people out there who would like to know how others are faring in their lives.

For quite some time now, I have been trying to persuade my wife to write an e-book on simplified mathematics for school children. She knows a lot about maths. She is a teacher and also a good writer.

But something was holding her back. Perhaps she was afraid that she couldnt do it. Or may be she felt that if she writes an e-book on maths, people may not be interested in buying it.

This was a challenge for me to understand and I understood that a sense of insecurity was afflicting her. It is the same with most of us.

We all have some unique knowledge that we can put into an e-book. And in todays global village there are millions who want to know at least a part of what you know. Cashing in on this great need, there are thousands of people making big money by selling their knowledge through e-books.

It is very easy to overcome this challenge posed by the feeling of insecurity. Learn from the experts who travelled the same path and find out how they initially struggled but eventually succeeded.

Marketing e-books

E-books are a powerful viral marketing, affiliate marketing and direct response marketing techniques in one package, says Gail Morris.

When you sell your e-book to a customer you dont end your association with him. In fact, it just begins and your income doesn't stop there. It keeps flowing in. For, you have back links in the book (affiliate links) pointing to other software and information products your reader may need. Since, you also add this customer to your mailing list; you can market your e-books to him in future also.

Some of the interesting features of an e-book are that there are no copy costs, delivery costs, postage costs, printing costs and friends can share freely across the Internet.

Write an e-Book

Kevin Nunley, a copywriter and e-book author, says that writing an e-book is not like writing a great novel. You don't have to pour over it for 10 years to get your masterpiece. In fact, if you know how, you can kick out an e-book in less than 10 days.

It is so easy to write an e-book that you don't have to take a week off from work and spend every waking minute completing the e-book. Also you don't have to drink gallons of tea to keep you up all night typing away at the e-book. So how is it possible to write an entire e-book in such a short amount of time Simple. You don't write it, says Kevin Nunley.

What he means is that if you are not good at writing for that matter, nobody is good initially dictate you e-book. You can then get it transcribed using a service organisation or software.

However, if you feel comfortable with writing, then give a thought to the type of product that you wish to come out with. Of course, it must be an information product, but that covers a lot of area.

An e-book author David A. Wells says that whatever topic you may select for your e-book, it should be useful informative and actionable. It should provide real information to your readers that they can put into action to their immediate benefit. You information should tell your readers how to get something done.

If you are an expert in a topic then writing an e-book on it becomes easy. Since you already know the subject you can focus not only on the problem areas in your topic but you can offer some solutions to those problems. E-books that offer solutions to existing problems sell faster and better.

Before you actually starting writing go for a market research. Make sure you have a complete picture of your topic, and check what other people have written on similar topics. See what benefits they offer and what is their unique selling proposition How are you different from them When the picture is clear, decide how can you offer more value to your readers

Now that you have an idea of your e-book concept, write it down. Then re-write it, if necessary. Add as much detail as possible while trying to make your concept as simple and straightforward as possible.

Once your e-book is ready, then start marketing it through your website, web log or even through e-mails. You can also offer this e-book through other people's sites (who have similar content), through other peoples lists (joint venture), on forums and chat groups and in your signature line.

Please do not underestimate the power of valuable information being passed from person to person.

If you have found a niche that is under-exposed with a large audience then you've got the real makings of a virus! A successful one at that!

Finally, chalk out a rigid writing schedule for yourself. Whenever you sit down to write be productive. Dont waste your time. Most people tend to get sidetracked and bored and don't finish it their e-books. Your rigid writing regime will help you avoid this situation. Your motto should be, Just keep writing.