Archive for November, 2008

Micro-Genres: The Next Big Thing in Publishing

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

Welcome to the world of publishing, an ever- changing dynamic that seems to reinvent itself nearly every season, some might even say everyday. The latest of these reinventions is what I call the “micro- genre.” It’s a way of niching a book in such a finite way that it feeds into a category within a category. An example of this is the micro-genre of chick-lit. Now we have hen-lit, mommy-lit and a few brave UK publishers are even dipping their toes into the daddy- lit category. So why are publishers pushing micro- genres? Well, the world of publishing faces its biggest hurdle ever: a lack of readers. We’re publishing more books than ever but overall readership is down. Combine that with the scourge of the publishing industry: book returns and you’ve got a recipe for publishing peril. Micro-genres give publishers a focus group of readers they can hone in on.
No longer marketing a book to the “chick-lit” reader, they can now break this down even further into sub- genres. But this doesn’t stop at the chick-lit market, just about every genre is seeing this breakdown and authors are being asked what micro-genre their book belongs in. But there’s an even bigger reason for this in my opinion. In a world of digital-on-demand everything we want what we want when we want it. This trend started when Napster entered the scene some years ago offering digital downloads of the songs you wanted, when you wanted them – now in their revamped form (read: legal) Napster and other music download sites are giving us what we want, no more no less. Enter TiVo, Podcasting and RSS, we’re now becoming more discerning saying we simply won’t be sold a bag of goods we don’t use. We won’t buy a CD for just one song, we won’t watch a show when the networks want us to watch it and we won’t buy books that are “sort of” what we want to read. We live in an on-demand society, micro-genres is part of that trend. Look for your very own micro- genre, coming to a bookstore near you.

About the author:

Penny C. Sansevieri
The Cliffhanger was published in June of 2000. After a strategic marketing campaign it quickly climbed
the ranks at Amazon.com to the ##1 best selling book in San Diego. Her most recent book: From Book to Bestseller was released in 2005 to rave reviews and is being called the “roadmap to publishing success.” Penny is a book marketing and media relations specialist. She also coaches authors on projects, manuscripts and marketing plans and instructs a variety of coursing on publishing and promotion. To learn more about her books or her promotional services, you can visit her web site at www.amarketingexpert.comTo subscribe to her free ezine, send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@booksbypen.com
Copyright 2005 Penny C. Sansevieri

Plain Scribbling

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

Am again singing the lover’s serenade

and mesmerized by the conventional moon’s shade

My two eyes explicit its seasonal lusterBut I’m not a bit in love, not now, maybe never

Coz I have reached the zenith of ecstacy

and have stumbled down deppression’s deep sea

And so the very fibres of my heart and soul was scarred

I was devoid of freedom; a being with a bounded heart

I never did hold my hands up high

nor, amidst the excruciating pain, did I cry

for I believed in the existence of Pandora’s last creature

Though it stole my sharp sight; my ticket to ridicule

I was as vulnerable as I always am

But he held true to his promise as a man

So when I finally lost the one my heart longed for

Half of me walked with him, out the door

I have been trapped in the gallows of fear

As he unconsciously ran beneath my tears

I started to question the existence of our abyss…

The abyss we found as we searched hand in hand for bliss

Though never did I regret writing our masterpiece

and experience dancing in the mist

For even if he came in an instant and went in a flash

In my senses, his scent and his aura will last

But now I’m all cried out over him

Though it may not always be as it seems

I’ve dug a grave of these emotions in my heart

and have closed that chapter of my life

I have felt everything there is to feel

and have recuperated from all that is to heal

but though I’m ready, I’m not willing

Falling is one thing, I don’t plan doing

For now, I’ll leave my heart in two

and be satisfied with indulging in blues

Though the city we once built is staring me in the eye

I won’t be carried away, i won’t break down and cry

All this time I believed in forever

but my faith already faltered

when I’ll be able to regain it , I don’t know

Maybe a century after or maybe tomorrow…

Source: www.isnare.com

"Whois" on first?

Tuesday, November 25th, 2008

No this is not an Abbot and Costello comedy routine, but some
serious information you need to know if considering your own web
site. If you have ever looked into getting your own domain name,
you have no doubt done a “whois” lookup. If you haven’t, you can
search to see if the name you wish is available at:
http://www.networksolutions.com/

There are three types of extensions available for our use at the
current time. For example, abc.com is an example of a dot.com
site – abc.net a dot.net site and finally a dot.org site.

Dot.org sites were traditionally the domain of non-profit
organizations, but have since opened up, so anyone can have that
extension. There are other extensions such as dot.gov, but these
are not available to the average person.

Before choosing a name with an extension, you should be aware
that most browsers will allow you to simply enter the domain name
such as “abc”. The browser will then search for a web site with
that name – but it isn’t as simple as that.

Internet Explorer first searches for a domain name with a dot.com
extension. If it finds one, it connects to that site. If it
doesn’t, it will search for a dot.net extension and finally a
dot.org extension.

If you think you have a really neat name, and the dot.com
extension is already taken, but the dot.net is available, it may
not be a good deal. People are conditioned to enter a name
followed by “.com” and if you have the dot.net or dot.org
extension, you just may be sending your clients to a competitors
site.

We recently tried to reserve a web site and checked under several
names, but all the dot.com names, that we initially thought of,
were all taken. Rather than settling for a dot.net or dot.org
extension, we continued to search until we found one with a
dot.com that was appropriate for our business.

Remember – when you do a “Whois” search, the dot.com name is on
first.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Osgoodby publishes the free weekly “Your Business” Newsletter
Visit his Web Site at http://adv-marketing.com/business to
subscribe, and place a Free Ad for your business. As a
bonus, get 1239 FREE Internet Business E-Books from
Larry Dotson, when you visit http://www.ldpublishing.com

HAVE YOU LOOKED AT A NEWSPAPER LATELY?

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

No, I didn’t ask if you had read a newspaper lately. I asked
if you have looked at one. Closely. Have you examined one with
care? If you take a good look at the front page, here is what
you will find.

It’s A Work Of Art

The main headline can be read at a glance, even when located
on a newsstand quite some distance away. It grabs attention
hard. It often draws you toward the rack, at least close enough
to read the subheadline. And, as often as not, just as millions
do every day, you buy a copy to read the related article.

Does the creation of the headline for your site matter less
than that of creating one for a newspaper?

Other Headlines Matter

In putting together the first page of a newspaper, the major
task is to pull from the day’s stories those most likely to
interest readers. Only those with maximum appeal are selected.
And the headline for each is crafted with extreme care. The
object is to have at least one that grabs the attention of any
reader. The best are used in the first fold, the part that shows
in the newsstand.

Do you have at least one subheadline that grabs the attention
of most visitors? Have you a couple others in the first screen
that loads?

Formatting

The amount of space given to the text of each article on the
front page varies. Such decisions need to be handled with care,
for space is limited. If one chooses to run too much text in a
given article, another may need to be removed to an inner page,
which subtracts that headline from the front page.

While a web page has no fixed limit, visitors will not scroll
down indefinitely. Thus formatting matters here as well.
Include those elements most likely to be of interest to your
target as close to the top of the page as possible. And each
needs an attention grabbing headline.

Teasers

Newspapers generate profits from advertising. Yet you will
not see an ad on the front page of any major daily. Instead, all
is headlines, followed by the beginnings of the story. Photos
are used sparingly on the front page, for headlines and content
are generally the better draw.

Further the article begins with the most important story
elements. What is presented ends with a teaser. This is the
first part of a sentence, laden with emotion, that seeks to
compel you to turn to an inner page. For it is on the inner
pages you will find the ads that generate the profits.

An example often used is to end with, “The officer drew his
pistol, cocked it, crouched down, then … (Cont on page 23)

The Site Parallel

I don’t want to get carried away with this. There are
differences between the front page of a newspaper and your home
page. Still, your best benefit needs to be featured in the page
headline. And subheadings should define others. The text is
always benefit loaded and has but one purpose: To draw your
visitor deeper into the site.

Another Parallel

Newspapers are written for people in a hurry. So is a
website. Thus the pattern of turning to an inner page to finish
an article begun on the first page, compares in some ways to
clicking off your home page to another for further information.
Then clicking back.

And Another

If your home page is cluttered with graphics and/or ads,
ponder some before deciding to leave them. The front page of a
newspaper is all about easy reading and drawing people into inner
pages. There are no ads and photos are minimal. This is a great
formula for your home page as well.

Inner Pages

As with a newspaper, you fire your biggest guns on your home
page. Thus your inner pages will have to make do with lesser
benefits, unless a neat way can be found to restate the
originals. Newspapers to a very good job with their inner pages.
We would all do well to follow suit.

Print And Competition

Competition in the print media is awesome. Of all forms,
newspapers seem to face the greatest challenge. All find it
difficult to make profits. And indirect competition through
books and magazines adds to woes. Television steals newspaper
readers by the millions.

Publishers struggle with this burden every day. They must
continue to beat the competition or go broke. There is no option
but to seek to put out a better paper today than was produced
yesterday.

Is The Web Less Competitive?

There are some who would argue it is less competitive, but
I’m not one of them. With the flood of existing business
expanding to the Web, I feel competition is increasing at an
awesome and increasing rate. And I see no end in sight.

As webmasters, though, we do have one distinct advantage over
newspapers – We don’t have to do it every day. A newspaper is
history tomorrow. We hope our websites have a somewhat longer
span. On the other hand, we best get it right, and make some
changes now and then to keep it that way.

Every time I see a newspaper headline that grabs at me, it
reminds of my website. Mentally I begin yet another review of my
headlines, content and format. I continue to learn a lot from
newspapers about grabbing and holding attention. It might work
for you as well.

About the Author

Bob McElwain
Want to build a winning site? Improve one you already
have? Fix one that’s busted? Get ANSWERS. Subscribe
to “STAT News” now! mailto:join-stat@lists.dundee.net
Web marketing and consulting since 1993
Site:
Phone: 209-742-6349

Introduction to Document Design: Visual Organization

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

This article may be reprinted in your ezine, on your website, or in your print newsletter provided
1. You include the article in its entirety, unchanged;
2. You include my byline and the resource box at the end;
and
3. You notify me of intent to publish and send a courtesy copy or link.

Introduction to Document Design: Visual Organization
–(c)2002 by Linda Alexander

Good document design helps readers find and understand
information more quickly. It can help organizations and
company save time and money. Therefore, before you begin
writing, and again before writing your final draft,
consider these tips for making your document’s design aid
in the clarity of your communication.

1. Before even processing the text, readers should get a
sense of the document’s structure through visual
clues such as white space, headings, subheads, bold
face, different size fonts, numbered lists, charts,
etc.

2. Give them a sense of the organization quickly, and
make sure the text supports that organization and
comprehension will be helped before your audience
even begins to read your document.

3. Rather than trying to fit everything in by reducing
font size, good editing eliminates unnecessary words
and sentences. Is your message consistent? Is it
unique and appropriate for your audience? Does your
writing make it easy for readers to understand your
meaning?

4. Use templates (empty documents with preformatted
margins, colors, font faces and sizes) to increase
your efficiency and productivity.

5. Use selective emphasis: Headings, subheads, italics,
pull quotes, and different font sizes are all good
ways to organize sections, break up text and
emphasize important points. Be sure not to overdo it,
however, or your document will be *more* difficult to
read.

6. Keep paragraphs short – they should only contain one
main idea. If you are starting a new idea, begin a
new paragraph.

7. Use numbered, lettered, or bulleted lists to help
your reader follow your thinking.

8. Use spaces between paragraphs, rather than indenting.
It simply looks neater. Use single spacing for your
text and double spacing between paragraphs.

9. Number your pages. Even in early drafts, this will
keep you and your co-authors organized. When the
document is finalized, your readers will appreciate
being able to turn to a certain page number to find
what they are looking for.

Linda Elizabeth Alexander writes marketing copy for
nonprofits and other businesses. Contact her today to
discuss your next project and get your FREE quote!
mailto:lalexander@write2thepointcom.com
http://www.write2thepointcom.com

Escribir Artculos para Libre y o Pagado + Sitios web para S

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

Al empezar en el artculo que escribe el negocio muchos se siente un de lados. Algunos dicen que eso escribiendo para libre le ganar gran publicidad mientras los otros prefieren slo ser pag sus artculos. Pero si usted acaba de empezares fuera usted puede ser confundido en cuanto a cul manera es el mejor o haciendo quizs ambos le beneficiaran.

Liberte Escritura de Artculo- Si usted escribe artculos libres y los se somete para libertar guas de artculo usted tiene una oportunidad buena de ellos se recoger y para ser publicada en varios sitios web. Si usted incluye su direccin de sitio web en el “acerca del Autor” la seccin que esto podra traer usted una cantidad buena de golpes, pero no siempre. Usted puede empezar los pedidos que obtienen de redactores de boletn y revistas electrnicas que quieren a cerciorarse ellos pueden utilizar su artculo. Esto podra llevar a gran exposicin para su trabajo. Debajo de
es una lista de los lugares usted puede listar su artculo libre para otros para utilizar. Los webmasters, los Redactores, etc. ..using de etc. que su trabajo no puede cambiar su artculo de cualquier forma pero sometiendo a estos sitios web, usted permite los otros para publicar su trabajo en su sitio web. Usted puede ser publicado en un sitio web que usted no quiere, muchos no han tenido esto es un problema pero hay una oportunidad.

La Escritura pagada del Artculo- Para algunos esto es un trabajo repleto de tiempo y para los otros que un exceso pequeo gan dinero en el lado. Algunos miran los que se han pagado su trabajo escritores como oficialmente publicados. Agrega el prestigio a su escritura. Algunos sitios web ofrecen los lugares donde usted puede someterse su escritura y ellos lo venden. Tenga presente por favor que al hacer esto, usted muy probable renuncian sus derechos de autor a su trabajo. Quienquiera lo publica obtiene para mantener eso. A veces usted tiene que firmar un contrato que concuerda que su trabajo se puede utilizar en cualquier o todas formas de la publicidad. Tenga cuidado al escribir para la paga porque usted puede acabar por hacer horas del trabajo para una cantidad miserable de la paga. Cobrando para su artculo puede ser ms duro desde que usted puede decidir escribir para una cierta revista y debe seguir sus pautas. No mencionar si su artculo es cercano a uno ellos han publicado recientemente, las oportunidades son ellos no publicarn su trabajo. Debajo de son los lugares para sitios web libres y pagados de sumisin de escritura de artculo.

Liberte Articlesfree.com de Theallineed.com de Clickforcontent com de Alumbo.com de Articlehub.com de
Isnare.com de Amazines.com de ezinearticles com de Articlewarehouse com de Afreepress.com de Ideamarketers com
de Articlecity.com de Goarticles.com de Sitios web de Artculo

La base pagada del Escritor de Writeforcash.com de Sitios web de Artculo. Freelancewriting com de Gur.com de
Elanceonline.com de com (bajo la seccin de trabajos)

Las conexiones de la sumisin del sitio web pueden cambiar después que este publica.yo de artculo no apruebo en ninguna forma ni formo los sitios web arriba. Buena suerte!

About the Author

El Autor contento del Productor y Nios de Fros Misteriosos y Estremece para Nios.
el http: //www.laurahickey.com

Give the Perfect Wedding Anniversary Gift for Your Wife

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

Okay, you don’t want to forget your wedding anniversary again. So, you programmed the alarm in your PDA, or wrote the date in your organizer to make you remember your anniversary. You set the alarm a day or two before the big day in order to give you time to prepare. Besides, you don’t want to have the same experience last time you forgot about your wedding anniversary.

The last time you forgot about your anniversary, you took your wife to a fast food restaurant because the entire fine dining restaurant in town was full. You probably even slept on the couch and your wife never said a word to you for a full week just because you forgot about your wedding anniversary.

Now you think everything is prepared, you double check your checklist, you made a reservation to the finest restaurant in town, you hired a singer to serenade for your wife, and you hired a stretched limousine to take you and your wife to the restaurant and back home.

You may think you’re not forgetting anything anymore. You may think everything will be perfect and your wife will be very happy. However, as with all anniversaries, you may neglect to think about the one very important thing to make it very special. You wonder what, and then you remembered that your wife have been giving you hints about something she wants weeks or even a month before your anniversary. You forgot about her wedding anniversary gift.

Wedding anniversary gifts are one of the most important things you should never forget about to give your wife. This will make her very happy and make the day very special. However, you have to give her something that she will truly appreciate and will never forget for a long time.

You have to listen to what your wife is saying weeks or even a month before your wedding anniversary. This is where she will usually give you hints about what she wants for the wedding anniversary. In case she does not give you hints, you may want to buy her something that she really likes, like something for her hobby or even beauty products for her body, like massage devices and bath products.

How about giving her treats like chocolates, or instead of going to the restaurant, you can cook her a romantic dinner while you treat her and her friend for an all day pampering in the spa, complete with baths, massages and beauty treatments. After she goes home from the spa, everything will be ready. A romantic candlelit dinner right in your own home with you cooking for her can be the perfect gift for your wife. Just make sure that you know how to cook or it the dinner will be a disaster.

If you want something on the expensive side, you can give her jewelry. Although this may cost you your three months salary, she will truly appreciate it.

Or, how about a one week vacation cruise on an exotic island where both of you can relax and spend the entire week on a romantic getaway. This is a great gift where you can spend quality time with your wife for a whole week.

If you really don’t know what to give her or her hints are really hard to guess, you can always ask her friends about what she wants. This is a great way to know what gift she wants for your wedding anniversary.

Always remember that whatever gifts you give her, what matters is the way you give it to her. Be a little creative to really make your gift, whatever it is, remembered for a long time.

Michael Louis has many friends and family members that are in the process of getting married. To aid himself, his friends and others, he has created and become a successful publisher of the-wedding-stop. This site will be helpful for online wedding planning. At the-wedding-stop, you can research bridal outfits, wedding favors, and wedding venues.

If You Are without a Girl Then a Stunning Call Girl Will Help

Thursday, November 20th, 2008

Being not married in the universe where you notice relationships in each and every pub and club can be a terrible feeling. I personally know of 3 without a girlfriend friends who go on dates every week and each week they are lonely because they are still not with a lady friend. In the wonderful city of London there are a big number of incredible call girls, these excellent call girls are the perfect present to give to yourself if you are not with a girl. Use Escort Agencies to have the best night in ever.

Working girls in the wonderful city of London are super and pretty and have a high education making them great companions as well as super lovers. The call girls in London are routinely more expensive than anyplace else like Manchester, the reason for this is the call girls tend to be of a higher class.

Working girls have been made popular with the television show Secret Diary with the lovely Billie Piper. In the television series the escort is made out to be glamorous and rich and always looking pretty. The show is a top rated show in the United Kingdom and many boys have seen it and have now booked an escort. This has helped to fuel the rise in single males feeling much happier and excited about the choice a single boy has in London.

How To Show The Woman You Married That You Love Her

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

What have you done lately to show the woman you married that you love her? Did you take her out to dinner? Maybe you bought her some flowers or chocolates? A man likes to do these things for a woman because it’s easy and fast. But is your wife really appreciating the flowers and chocolates? In this article I have mentioned a few other useful tricks you can do to show your wife that you love her.

1. Validate the woman you married

A woman needs her man to validate her feelings. I know sometimes this is challenging for you to do, especially if you disagree with something she needs your support on. There is a correct way to do this without being offensive and hurting her feelings.

First of all be understanding of your wife’s feelings and then collaborate her on her thoughts and ideas even if they differ from yours. In essence, when you listen to your wife’s feelings, without criticizing her, you have essentially given her the validation she needs. Everyone needs validation from time to time; it makes them feel useful and productive individuals.

By trying to be more understanding, essentially you will be respecting the woman you married. Tell her how much you like her decorating style, or how she manages the home, or the way she dresses. Find the things about your wife you really like, be honest and tell her the great things you love about her instead of keeping those feelings inside.

Validation is a form of acceptance that you can give your wife. By accepting her for the woman she is it will make her feel safe and secure being your wife. A woman who feels safe and loved will ultimately give more of her self to her man.

Ironically, a husband can validate his wife’s feelings better when he takes the role of spiritual leader in the home. A man who feels secure in his position is more likely to make his wife feel good about who she is in the marriage. They work better together as a team, accomplishing more for them selves and the marriage.

2. Be more Affectionate with your wife

Hold your wife’s hand while watching TV, taking a walk, or driving in the car. Massage her back or feet without asking for anything in return. Your wife likes to be touched and fussed over occasionally, know when that time is by being attune to your wife’s feelings, and paying special attention to your wife on those days.

2. Surprise your wife with something totally unexpected

Instead of golfing with your buddies on Saturday, take your wife to a romantic outside lunch if it is summer or fireplace lunch in the winter. Then take her to a romantic comedy matinee movie. If you have the money to spend, book a hotel room for the night with a Jacuzzi and enjoy the night together! Your wife will love all this.

Make her a homemade all-occasion card on the computer telling her how important she is to you in your life. Make her feel special. Get creative, draw her a picture, and spend time on creating this card, she will love it that you took the time to make her a card rather than simply buying one from the store. It is the simple things in life that mean the most.

4. Give your wife the whole day off from cooking, children, and house cleaning.

This isn’t too hard. On your day off do everything for her. Do all the things she does for you. If you don’t know how to cook, order pizza or Chinese food. Let your wife spend the day with her friends shopping or going to lunch, etc. When she comes home give her a back rub, take her shoes off, draw her a hot bubble bath and let her take a long bath. When she comes out from her bath, light the candles, caress her some more and just be there for her all the rest of the evening. Be her loving, romantic and protecting man so she can be the woman God made her to be for you.

5. Appreciate all that your wife does

All of the above will show your wife that you love her and appreciate her for everything that she does. Being understanding of your wife’s feelings and needs on a consistent basis will improve the quality of your marriage a great deal. By taking the respective roles that God has designed for each gender will greatly enhance the happiness of your marriage. Be the man of the house so she can be the lady of the house.

~~

Angie Lewis - EzineArticles Expert Author

Angie Lewis has written another valuable book geared to married women and women who are thinking of getting married. In her book Angie shares her inspired divine wisdom that took her years to figure out and apply into her own marriage of 22 years. She shows you step by step biblical applications for a happier and forever lasting marriage.

“LOVE THE MAN YOU MARRIED” (A Woman’s Handbook For Marriage) will be released to the public in Febuary 2006.

For more information on this book visit Angie’s website
http://www.spiritual.journeybooks.4t.com/

Subscribe to get your FREE monthly newsletter so you can learn to stay happily and forever married!
http://www.heavenministries.com/

Five Questions to Ask Before You Make Your Own Wedding Invitations

Wednesday, November 19th, 2008

Let’s face it: Your wedding is going to cost more than you thought it would. You were lucky to find that reception hall. You could have chosen the cheaper wedding dress. But the one you bought was perfect. Making your own invitations might seem like the way to make up for that.

But is it? Will you save money?
Or will you simply invest in needless aggravation?

Before deciding to make your own invitations ask yourself these five questions

#1 Am I willing to spend entire days putting together invitations?

An invitation made out of three different papers looks gorgeous. But is it worth it? Making even simple invitations takes time. Picture hours of tedium.

This is on top of the time you spend addressing the things.

Remember, whatever time you spend on invitations is time taken away from other parts of your wedding.

#2 Do I hate all the ready made invitations I’ve seen?

Do a lot of research before you answer this. Hundreds of companies make invitations. Check out at least half a dozen before you give up.

If you absolutely hate everything you’ve seen, see the tips under ‘Making your own Wedding Invitations’ below.

#3 Do I have a crew of reliable people who have agreed to help me?

This answer can make or break you. Please don’t try to make 200 wedding invitations alone. It’s a good way to drive yourself nuts.

Or it can add unnecessary stress if you make invitations as a couple.

A reliable crew will turn invitation making into a social occasion instead of a blood bath.

#4 Is my budget so small that this is my only option?

Then that’s just the way it goes. See ‘Making Your Own Wedding Invitations.’

#5 Am I having a small wedding?

If you’re only inviting 10-20 people, go for it. You’ll still be at it for hours if you make complex invitations. But they’ll be beautiful.

30-80: The upper limit of sanity.
Try to have enough invitation makers on your team to keep the ‘invitation to person’ ratio at 15:1.

80+: Frustration here we come.
If you must do this, forget the multiple pieces of paper. Put the ‘please RSPV by’ at the bottom of the invitation. See ‘Making Your Own Wedding Invitations’ below.

Provide liquor and/or chocolate to your invitation-making crew.

Making Your Own Wedding Invitations

–Go to a specialty paper store and finger the samples.
Even if you end up buying online. You need to know what 60-85 pound paper feels like.

Hint: it has to do with the thickness. Printer paper is somewhere around 20-25 pounds. Invitations typically weigh in at 65-85 pounds.

–Keep it simple.
Extra layers mean extra hours. And extra expense.

Invitation ‘kits’ (which include blank invitations, envelopes, reply cards, etc.) will make your life easier.

Be sure to buy paper that’s compatible with your printer. If you have an ink-jet, for example, don’t buy laser-jet paper.

–Automate.
Consider purchasing an invitation making computer program. You’ll get some nice fonts. And customizable templates.

Three Ways To Save Money

–Watch your weight
The post office charges extra for heavy and/or oversized invitations. Check with them before you make your invitations.

–Bulk Up
Buy fancy paper in bulk. Save even more by printing two invitations on one 8 1/2 X 11 sheet. Each invitation will be a long rectangle. Very modern.

–Mooch
Don’t buy specialty equipment to cut those invitations. Go into your local copier store like you own the place and use their equipment. Bring a few sheets of something to photocopy if they give you the hairy eyeball.

These questions and your answers will help you decide if making wedding invitations is right for you. And help you avoid common mistakes if the answer is yes.

Happy planning!

Amy Lee Johnson is a freelance writer who often contributes to Wedding-Vows-4u.com a site that gives useful hints and tips such as buying wedding invitations or writing wedding vows.