The Freedoms Blog: News & Reviews About Finding Freedom

How To Communicate Effectively

I am surprised by the responses to my recent announcement about making a break from freedom.

Some people thought I had killed the Freedly project. Others told me they had not got involved because they did not understand what I was trying to do with Freedly, so they could not see the relevance. Obviously, I need to learn how to communicate effectively.

As you can see from this, the Freedly project is not dead.

There, I hope that is clear enough. If you want some help to find your financial freedom, which is what Freedly is all about, then ask me. You can comment here, ask questions in the forum, ask on Facebook or Google+, or chat to me in the pub if that suits you better.

Freedly is not dead, but I am taking a break from promoting it. Though clearly, the fact I have published this indicates that it is not a complete break.

I feel the least I can do is to communicate my intentions. The only reason I include some thoughts about freedom of speech is to support the notion that effective communication is important. I should have chosen Effective Communication as a main category, but my stupid desire to go overboard on the subject of Freedom got in the way. I will change the Freedom Of Speech references before I relaunch the services.

Many people shy away from publishing websites, or even individual articles, because they do not believe they have the communication skills to manage the task. I believe that if you can talk, you can write. The writing process is well within the capability of most people, but what to write about can be an issue. A huge part of Freedly is to address this issue.

For those people who already know what they want, then I can help you build a website, or some other online presence so that you can earn money from it. That is a subject for another day, though effective communication skills will always be important. For now I will stick to explaining how to make a start for those people who cannot decide what to write about.

How To Communicate Effectively About Anything

What if you want to write, but have no inspiration for topics to write about?

That is a cornerstone of Freedly, though the most difficult to organize. I will supply topics for you to write about, together with the context.

Context is vital in online marketing. If you are promoting shoe sales, what you write will be totally different from promoting a shoe repair service. Both might satisfy your overwhelming interest in shoes, but the context dictates your approach.

The context of this article is totally different between my situation, and someone selling online writing courses, or running a communications workshop. I know that visitors to Freedly are interested in how to communicate effectively, but I do not know why. The forum is a great help here, because a good question will always explain why it is being asked.

If you are looking for opportunities to write for profit, then you could start by answering questions in the forum. Or, I might ask you to write an article about getting the point across on this website or one of my client’s sites.

There are endless opportunities for writing, but if you want to be effective, there is one golden rule. Just do it.

Yes, you only learn to communicate effectively by doing it. You write. You get responses. You respond in turn, building specific expertise on whatever topic, but also building expertise in communications. The forums are a great starting point because you are addressing a specific need, and need only to think of how best to answer a specific question. Communicating ideas in articles can be more challenging, but there is a tried and tested way to go.

Just answer three or four questions on a particular topic, then generate an article that incorporates your answers. There is no doubt that, within a few days of starting, you can be earning money from articles, even if you have never written one before.

That is one important aspect of the service I provide at Freedly. I hope I have communicated it to you effectively. At over 600 words, it is hardly efficient – but that was not the question!

How Far Will You Travel For Freedom?

The technical side of running a website is a real freedom-killer for many people.

But I love it, so I get the double benefit of writing about things that interest me, and tinkering behind the scenes, finding new ways to break improve my websites.

Whilst rummaging around for information on a technical issue I was intrigued by a message that the website owner had “quit his job and gone gypsy.” The “Follow his travels” button was hard to resist for a freedom seeker such as I. I’m glad I didn’t resist the chance to find out about Driving Inertia.

What a brilliant way to live your life.

I will not give too much away. Please just browse around the website, starting with Driving Inertia’s free competition to help find your freedom.

Please remember to come back here and share your opinions. Better still, share your own outrageously daring bid for freedom.

Which Is Wrong – The Answer Or Your Question?

I have run Internet forums for many years on a variety of topics.

I know this is one of the best ways to learn about most subjects. Certainly, it is the best way to learn about ourselves, and how we can improve our skills and use them to improve our lives.

But many hours get wasted in forums because someone asks a question, and none of the answers is right.

Invariably, the answer is not right because the question was wrong.

I know that sounds like nonsense, but a large percentage of questions are very difficult to answer. The biggest stumbling block is when it is not clear what the question really means, or why the questioner is asking it.

I am compiling guidelines to improve the forums, so here is a draft. Please ask questions about it in the Using Freedly forum.

Using Freedly Forums – How To Ask A Good Question

Ask in the right place

Spend a few moments to familiarize yourself with the topics covered in each forum. There is a list of forums down the right hand side of most forum pages, and you can also see them in the Forum Categories List

Use a meaningful question title

You start your question with a simple one line question, then add your explanation and additional information. Before you click the Ask question button, go back to check your opening question. Is it exactly what you want to ask? Is it short and to the point? If not, change it, or start again with a simpler question.

Is it a single question?

Do not ask questions that have more than one topic. If you have more than one question about a topic, ask more than one question.

Try to use good English

This is not school. You do not get penalized for bad spelling or bad grammar. However, if you do not make an effort to use a spell checker, or to read your question out loud to make it sensible, then people will ignore you. Or they may misunderstand you and give an answer that does not mean anything to you.

What do you want to do/know.

Start your question with what you want to achieve/learn, then follow it up with things you have tried so far. E.g. I want to earn $100 per day online, so I built a website about photography to earn money with AdSense.

Describe clearly what the problem is

You started with what you wanted to do, so continue with what is stopping you. E.g. I have read all Google’s information about AdSense, and several websites that recommend trying different layouts, colors and positions, but the maximum I have ever got is $2 per day, with a total of $20 per month.

Describe exactly what is wrong, not your guesses about how to fix it.

If you have a choice of options, it is OK to ask “Is it better to do X or Y” but in most cases, just stick to the facts, and let people answer in there own way.

Describe failed attempts to find a solution

I always recommend that you search for your question before you ask it. If you do this, say so, and say why the results did not help you.

Be clear on questions and meanings

If you do not understand the meaning of something, that is not a real practical question. Be careful how you ask for an explanation, and be sure to give it a personal context. If you want to know the meaning of a technical term, try a dictionary first.

Never say please or urgent

Though it may be polite in conversation, putting please in your question is just a waste of forum title space. Marking something as urgent is rude.

I will compile some examples of good and bad questions so that you can see these guidelines in a practical way.

Until all guidelines are complete, I will leave the comment boxes open here, though I would prefer you to ask questions and share opinions in the Using Freedly forum.

Money Talks – So Start Telling Me Where To Find You

There is a section here called Freedom Of Speech.

I feared it might be a distraction, but I’m certain it is too important to ignore.

If you just want to improve your wealth then “stop talking, start earning” looks like a better option. Much better than all this Free Speech waffle.

And you’d be right to think that. If you are confident to take what you know, improve it, and earn from it, then get on with it. The tools to help you do this faster will be here soon, but in the meantime, just ask for help in the forums.

But what if you cannot do that? What if you are afraid to start writing a website, or what if you fear you will never learn how to communicate? These are very real fears that stop people everyday. The fear of failure stops them seeking their dreams.
See how to get money talking to you

Will Fear Kill Your Financial Dreams?

Yesterday, I answered a question from a student about the risks of international monetary problems depressing the job market in years to come. Is it every student’s fear – will there be a job for me when I complete my studies?

There are so many aspects and inferences in this question, that it is difficult to know where to begin. My initial response was to consider becoming expert in economic and IT industry trends. That may be a valid response for some people, but I feel that most students would not want to spend there spare time working on projects like that.

What we really need to do is address the real issues that hide behind the question.
Read how to overcome future fears and build a fulfilling career

Did I Find Financial Freedom The Day I Won The Lottery?

As I collect my thoughts together to write my introductory pages, the mention of my “butterfly brain” on Why You Need Freedly For Financial Freedom forces me to jump aside. I need to share with you, the day I won the lottery.

Now, before you shout at the screen, calm down and listen. This website will not tell you that the only way to find financial freedom is to win the lottery. Let me explain.

I won’t bother with background about my life story. You get plenty of opportunity to be bored by that elsewhere. I’ll just step to that fateful day, and share my day with you, then tell you about my massive windfall.
Learn about the day I won the lottery

Is Partially Free Enough?

You’ll have gathered by now that finding your freedom can be a long process.

Not only do you need time to develop your own plans, you also have to wait for me to show you the way. Now, that is taking too long, but there is a fast-track.

Although Freedly is for your own free websites, it can be daunting, planning and building your own web business or learning website. The rewards are definitely worth the effort, but perhaps you need to dip your toe and see if the water suits you.

I’m proud to announce new opportunities for contributors and guest writers. Clearly, this website is too new to help you much. I’m happy to invite people to write here, but the traffic is not yet high enough to bring good rewards. It could be good learning practice, and rewards will come in time, but most people want immediate rewards.

I have good traffic at other websites, and I now have a basic contributor rewards scheme. It will become more sophisticated in time, especially in the area of learning how to write for rewards. However, for those who already have good writing skills, or enough passion to encourage me to edit your contributions, my scheme will allow you to start earning rewards today.

You will not have the total freedom that your own website brings, but partial freedom that allows you to boost your main income, or bring other rewards is often a good starting point.

Partially Free Rewards

There are many forms of reward available when your contributions are published:

• Promote a charity website
• Appeal for charity donations
• Promote your own, or a friends, website
• Promote products and services for commission (affiliate income)
• Serve adverts for direct revenue using AdSense and similar schemes

Do you have other types of reward in mind? Please tell me about your ideas in the box below.

Find Your Partial Freedom

If you want to get involved, current opportunities are open in the world of gout. Next up will be nutrition, focused on a food diary. There may also be some UK opportunities, but I’ll be covering these on a separate website. I’ll post specific links and details when I’ve finished documenting the schemes, and I’ll start an opportunities directory here.

To stay informed about new opportunities, Sign up for free updates:

You Won’t Know Freedom Until You Try

Do you doubt you could run a successful website?

Are you worried that you cannot write well?

Are you holding back from starting just because you don’t feel ready?

It’s time to stop worrying, and start typing. Start today – you can’t make the excuse that you have no money, because websites are free here.

As Penny, Managing Editor of EzineArticles.com, wrote me one day:

Perfection should always be your goal, but remember to submit and learn along the way. Trust me, you’ll get better with time.

I believe her, and you should too. There is no magic way to become a good writer, but it is magic when your writing slowly improves to the point where people always listen to you, and seek your views. However, though EzineArticles is a great service, if you subscribe to that franchise you will always make more for the owners than you will for yourself. You might become freer, but you will never find true freedom. Use the Freedly service and I guarantee you can always keep 100% of what you earn. It is your traffic to do with as you will, and the only obligation is a link back to my website. I’m not doing this for the money – I earn enough already. I’m doing it because you deserve more freedom than you have now, and I want to help you find it.

It won’t happen overnight. Your 60th article will be a million times better than your first – but you’ll never reach it if you do not start now.

Even a good comment is a start, so start with something good here.

You won’t know freedom until you try to find it.

Freedly Prelaunch – Where Does Freedom Start?

This site will promote and offer free web sites.

It is the practical proof that website building knowledge needs to be as open as the software used to drive it.

Gone are the days of SEO guru’s with their get-rich-quick schemes and other complex proprietary web business building models. They are not efficient.
Gone are the days of restrictive freemium website models with their tempting offers of free sites to promote your hobbies or membership sites that become expensive as soon as you are successful.

I offer more cost-effective ways to build a website. Your Freedly website starts with purpose and grows with appreciation. An appreciating path to freedom, not a depreciating costly millstone.
Click to learn Where Does Freedom Start

Hello Freedom Seekers

If you seek improved personal freedom, this is your place.

Freedom of speech is our watchword. Everyone has the right to contribute their ideas and opinions. However, you must respect the rights of other contributors and visitors. If you want a wider audience, or one that is more in-tune with your purpose, then you will learn how to develop your own website to promote your own ideas.

Freedom of spirit drives us forward. Loosely based on religious freedom, you have the right to choose any religious viewpoint, or none at all. Though much of this site is about improving wealth, there is nothing to stop you seeking spiritual growth.

Freedom of wealth lets you work when you like. Start part-time to boost your current earnings then move to financial freedom. Or take a new slant on an existing online business and boost it to the next level.

Freedom from fear is the least easy to define. Do you need to beat a fear of illness or a fear of loneliness. Whatever your fears, they are easier to overcome with your own Freedly website.

Costs are nothing but your time.
You’ll soon be earning many a dime.

Lousy rhymes, but great potential to free yourself from whatever is holding you back.

Do not miss new developments – sign up for updates by email and get the latest Freedly Freedom News delivered to your inbox as soon as it is available.