Category: Personal computing

How to make money writing in retirement on HubPages

So you are retired ,and suddenly you have more time on your hands than before. You have had that well earned long holiday you promised yourself. Now what to do? As work commitments have receded, and the children  now fully grown have flown the nest, you may want to stay gainfully occupied both for profit and enjoyment. How about writing to earn some money? Well now you can.Please read on.

You may have hankered to join the internet revolution, and have your own website, but you have not been sure how to start, or know what  your site should be about. Oh,and time, of course has always been an issue before. By opening an account – free to join- at HubPages, you will have an opportunity to write short articles,and have a few,or even hundreds, of websites in your name. At no charge, and with minimal online experience ,you can quickly join a writing community. Your ‘mini-websites’ can earn an income for you. However, you have to know, this is no ‘get-rich-quick’ opportunity. Building-up to a significant regular income is a slow process that can take at the very least a few months to achieve, but many writers have been very successful.The details are at HubPages.

I am a ‘newbie’ with Hubpages. You can see my early efforts in the box over at the righthand side of this page. Do take a look.Each topic link will take you into the site.

Over the next few weeks, I shall be reporting on the60life website the progress I have made. Hopefully I can bring you the benefit of mistakes I have made , so you can avoid them,or insights gleaned,tips for maximising your earnings, on HubPages.

This is truly a great way to develop any writing skills you have, or would like, and write about subjects of particular interest to you.

If you do join HubPages – I do not gain any monetary payment if you do – please don’t forget to share your experiences with us by leaving your comments. We may learn from you! I do believe this is a real deal and must be of great interest for many readers of the60life

 

 

Read this and discover the ‘snowflake’ method of writing

· Read this to discover the Snowflake writing method.
· Is the BBC’s First Click service to encourage more people to go online for you?
· Could you profit from writing and publishing an e-book?

Hi,

As you are reading this email, you are unlikely to be a complete novice in the use of the internet, and your computer. You may, however, have a member of the family who is, or perhaps you could use a refresher on a number of basic online skills to encourage you to use the internet more… the BBC is currently running an ad campaign to promote its First Click service.

Today, I am also bringing you a fascinating writing methodology by a renowned fiction writer…and a home business opportunity.

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Read this to discover the Snowflake writing method
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If you are looking for some forthright advice on writing fictional novels, then top US writer, Randy Ingermanson’s the person who can help. He says,’ Writing a novel is easy. Writing a good novel is hard. That’s just life. If it were easy, we’d all be writing best-selling, prize-winning fiction.

‘Frankly, there are a thousand different people out there who can tell you how to write a novel. There are a thousand different methods. The best one for you is the one that works for you.’

At his website, Randy invites you to share what works for him. He has had six novels published, and has won about a dozen awards for his writing. He teaches the craft of writing fiction all the time at writing conferences.’ One of my most popular lectures,’ he says, ‘is this one: How to write a novel using what I call the “Snowflake Method.”‘

You can check-out Randy ‘s ” Snowflake method” article, and many others on writing, at
advanced fiction.com>

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Is the BBC’s First Click of service to you, your family, or friends?

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This week, the BBC, in partnership with Race Online 2012, UK online centres, and the Post Office, launched an on-air marketing campaign in support of First Click -“a major new media literacy campaign aimed at encouraging more people to get online.”

The BBC reports that the purpose of the campaign is to engage with those who are not yet online and direct them to a dedicated freephone helpline to find a beginner’s computer course in their local area.

There is said to be an estimated 9.2 million people in the UK who have never used the internet.

For further information, and a great deal more go to:

BBC First Click>

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Could you profit by writing and publishing an e-book?
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“How to write and publish your own OUTRAGEOUSLY Profitable eBook in as little as 7days- even if you can’t write, can’t type and failed school English class!”

If you want the financial independence and passive income stream from selling a popular ebook, the satisfaction and prestige that comes from being an author, and if you want to do it while you’re still young enough to enjoy it….then this might be the most important letter you’ll ever read. Click below now.

Profitable eBook in 7 days>
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Don’t miss your next weekly issue!

If you have missed earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column at the 60life.com>

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send them to me at

[email protected]

Disclaimer: It is always my intention to be as accurate in fact, detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held responsible for any error in details, accuracy or judgement whatsoever. This e-letter is produced on this understanding.

Warning, how to avoid this online threat to your money

From : the60Life Weekly

7th October 2010

· Warning, how to avoid this online threat to your money
· Why we should get hot and sweaty in our 60s
· Tip of the Week: Shrug your shoulders!

Hi,

This week, let me share with you one of my daily concerns about the internet, security. The internet is a wonderful space, but for the unwary it has become a dangerous place. You may have heard recently of the couple who booked a holiday abroad only to find when they arrived at their destination that the accommodation they thought they had did not exist. Their money was lost. You can check out other similar stories below…

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Warning, how to avoid this online threat to your money
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The City of London Police has received dozens of reports of advertisements for non-existent villas and apartments since the establishment of the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) in June.

Villas in popular destinations, such as Cyprus, have been the target of fraudsters advertising non-existent holiday rentals

Det Supt Bob Wishart, from the City of London Police’s Economic Crime Department, advised travellers to take extra care when booking properties over the internet, and warned agents to be wary of which suppliers they work with.

“As a result of the work of the NFIB we are seeing for the first time substantial numbers of people reporting villa fraud,” said Mr Wishart . “We’d advise anyone looking to book a holiday online to use reputable websites, and look for agents who are ABTA and Atol affiliated.”

Research carried out by Get Safe Online, a government-backed initiative aimed at increasing awareness of internet scams, revealed that one in three internet users failed to check whether the company they booked with was a member of a recognised travel association.

For more on the stories of internet fraud and tips to help you avoid becoming a victim of fraud you can check out the Daily Telegraph report at

Police-warning-over-fake-holiday-villas

The link for the Government backed Get Safe Online is

getsafeonline.org-for free advice

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Why we should get hot and sweaty in our 60s

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Bestselling novelist Rosie Thomas says exercise is vital as you get older. She takes some exercise for at least an hour a day.

Running a marathon in 2006 at the age of 59 showed her how vital exercise was to her. Although now ” a leisurely six miles is about my limit ” She strongly believes ” that as we hit our ‘free time’ in our 60s, instead of slacking off we should increase our activity levels – gently at first, if we’re not used to it, but deliberately – to the point of regularly becoming sweaty and breathless.” Her GP agrees.

You can read more of Rosie’s exploits and exercise regime in the Daily Mail report at

Rosie-Thomas-says-exercise-vital-older

I am looking to review Rosie’s latest novel which is available in bookshops now: “Lovers and Newcomers”( published by Harper)

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Tip of the Week: Shrug your shoulders!
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If you, like me, spend time at your computer, why not try this when next you feel tired, and your shoulders are stiff with tension. Step away from your computer and, while standing straight take a deep breath, raise your shoulders as though in an exaggerated shrug, and hold the position for several seconds. Then exhale and relax your shoulders.

I find if I do this gentle exercise two or three times, in quick succession, that much of the tiredness quickly goes out of my shoulders. Go on try it. It works for me. I try to remember to do this at the end of regular short periods at the keyboard, with beneficial effect.

Don’t miss your next weekly issue!

For earlier issues of The60Life Weekly – these can be found by scrolling down the categories in the right hand column at the60life.com

Yours,

Mike Paterson,
The 60Life Weekly

PS: Please, if you have your own stories, tips, or feedback send them to me at

[email protected]

Disclaimer: It is always my intention to be as accurate in fact, detail and comment as possible. However, I cannot be held responsible for any error in details, accuracy or judgement whatsoever. This e-letter is produced on this understanding.

Are seniors well served by modern technology?

The challenge of technolgy for 60lifers today is well highlighted in the latest issue of the BBC >Click programme. The main conclusions to be drawn are that the technolgy industry is not doing enough to adapt devices to enable older people to use them adequately, and that they were frustrated by the sheer complexity of modern technology. If you would like to watch the >Click programme segment you can through the link below.

We see that even technology savvy Sir Stirling Moss, now 80 years of age,finds himself challenged by computing hardware and software, and finds it difficult to find his way around his mac laptop – me too! We are are not alone-it was reported that currently 8% of the world’s population is aged over 60 years. By 2050, this percentage is expected to double to 16% of the world population.

A lot of work seems to be needed to address the wants of this large and ever growing market for current technolgy products.

While older people may be visited by reduced physical ability and mental faculty, and the devices they are faced with using to remain actively involved in modern society need to be adapted to their use accordingly, the current ‘gap’ in ability to stay ‘connected’ can be reduced significantly by skills education and awareness. After all, older people have not been brought up with the applications of electronic technology which are second nature to the younger generations. This whole issue will be revisited here in future posts.

Checkout the >Click report here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/click_online/default.stm

Top Suspense writer horrified by pace of technological change

Speaking recently at the Telegraph Ways With Words festival in Dartington,Devon, Baroness James (i.e. P.D.James), one of the UK’s best selling crime writers, admitted that she is “frightened by the ‘horrifying’ pace of technological change brought about by the internet.” She raises a huge matter of concern to all those who have been unable to keep up with the rapid developments in personal computing computer and internet access.

Approaching 90 years of age, Baroness James looks by no means to be ready to hang-up her pen any time soon, but she is concerned that her generation, including herself ,are unable to do very little on the computer, except perhaps check for emails. She makes the valid point that many people who are not able to use the internet are being excluded by a society which insists that many personal transactions be conducted online, for example, booking a train ticket. This, she feels is beyond many, certainly the over 75s.

Well even at my age it is an issue for me. I have a powerful personal computer, and one of the latest mobile phones on the market. I do not profess to know a great deal of what it can do for me. The phone alone, I am told can deliver thousands of “apps”, or applications, to me providing such information as travel directions, where to eat out ,current share prices, weather forecasts, and much,much more. Clearly,I don’t need all this information, and certainly not all at once! I don’t lie awake at night worrying about what I am missing. However, I do need some basic functions out of my computing and electronic communication. All of us need to be able to recognize what it is we need out of the technological advances being made. We need to be able to be selective ,and perhaps concerned only with what helps each of us achieve at least a certain level of net benefit in our everyday lives: order groceries online, or book a ticket, write and receive emails, and so on. In this way we don’t become caught-up in the latest or ‘must have’ thing.

My great aunt was terrified of the telephone, and would avoid using it whenever she could. Unfortunately, like the telephone ,there are certain things that must become part of our lives, if we are to function at a reasonable level in society. The challenge for all of us is how best to deal with the rapid pace of  technological change threatening to frighten and engulf us. I hope that information posted here from time to time will help you if you need it to live to your potential. Until next then…

If you would like to check-out the full report of Baroness James’ speech ( which covered other interesting issues as well as personal computing) go to http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/ways-with-words/7884086/PD-James-frightened-by-pace-of-technological-change.html

Computing for the over 60s

According to a recent BBC report, it is thought that 10million people in the UK ,or 21% of the population, are not online. Of those not on online, the majority are over the age of 60.

We must try to change this and bring the world of the internet to many more people for whom being connected maybe a lifesaver, a means of frequent social contact with others , and a regular vast source of information, much of it for free, on a wide range of subjects for a more active and fulfilling life.

I cannot imagine what it would be like not to be connected to the internet, or to have computing tools unavailable to me. Not that I am a whizz kid, or techie type. I came to computing later in life, and struggled for a while experiencing the frustrations while  learning necessary basic computing skills. Now regular use of my computer is such that, a bit like riding a bike, the basic skill stays with you. Sometimes, I do still lose my balance and fall off!

Sir Terry Wogan is an ambassador for literacy, and he is an advocate of computing for those currently missing out  on the wonderful world of personal computing.    You can see and hear Terry by clicking here http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8679999.stm

This is such an important subject for us that I shall be returning to it often over the next few weeks.

If you are eager to start  learning  more about personal computing right away you could do worse than obtain a copy of the Which? step-by-step guide for those who want to understand their PC and use it on a daily basis. The guide is called : Computing for the over 50s . It is available online if you can manage it at http://www.which.co.uk or you can call the Which? people on 01903 828557