United States
Melissa Brewer is a freelance writer, researcher, and content strategist located in Washington DC. She specializes in copywriting and marketing for viral campaigns, and works with nonprofits to amplify their reach.
It’s the Christmas season, and nothing is more fun and sweet than home-made gingerbread houses and scenery. Here are 20 awesome selections to inspire and amaze you. Some of the details are amazingly sweet. I hope they add some inspiration to your own gingerbread projects!
Grammar and spelling errors are commonplace in just about every business, but when your business is brand building, you can't afford to make mistakes.
For political candidates, it's easy enough for them to know where they stand on most issues. That's why they run for office to begin with. Candidates know why they want to hold office and what areas their expertise will benefit. The biggest barrier to elected office is often the hardest to overcome - it comes down to money.
Vine is a Twitter app that allows you to deliver a video snippet to your followers. As a small business or nonprofit, this small but powerful tool can help you build your brand and spread your messages in an easy, viral way. Not sure how to get started? Start here.
This article takes readers through the invention of television in the early in 1940's, where it dominated New York City, through its trials and tribulations, up to the Golden Era of advertising.
Are you interested in finding out the benefits of fundraising using cookbooks? Are you unsure how to create and promote your own cookbook fundraiser? Get started today.
Domestic violence is more common than you might think. For many women, it is an everyday part of life, a secret they hide from their family, coworkers, and friends.
Pinterest is an excellent place to spread ideas, reach new donors and customers, and find people that want to read what you're blogging about. Here's a quick primer on the basics of pinning for your blog, business or nonprofit.
Are you tired of the same old ho-hum fundraising ideas for your nonprofit? Are you looking to expand your revenue and raise more money than ever before? Whatever your current situation, there are always new and exciting ways to expand your fundraising efforts. Print this article out before your next meeting on meeting your fundraising goals, and highlight the ideas that resonate with you. Brainstorming can not only be fun, but it can also help you pool ideas that drastically change the way...
There are a lot of great nonprofits on Twitter, but there's not one cause more important than your own. An audience on social media is an important outlet for your nonprofit's fundraising plan, as well as a great common ground you can use to coordinate awareness, highlight your accomplishments, and attract new people to your cause. How can you master the fine art of "slacktivism"? Start here.
There's been a lot of press lately about cyber-bullying, but not a lot of solutions. Twitter has a universal problem with bad behavior, often erring on the side of "free speech". Their policies have become more user-friendly, but it's important to know how to navigate their system if you have become a target for Twitter bullying and abuse.
UniteBlue article series, Part I of III Prior to founding UniteBlue in August 2012, political consulting firm 140Elect/140Dev, owned and managed by father/son team Zach and Adam Green, of Boston, Massachusetts, worked furtively on Buddy Roemer's campaign. Prior to buddy Roemer's campaign, they ran a website and social media campaign called 140Cain.
UniteBlue article series, Part II of III Zach and Adam Green, founders/inventors of the #UniteBlue app/soon-to-be nonprofit organization, have a questionable past when it comes to political affiliations. A lot of the questions about their past clients have caused lifelong Democrats to question their loyalties.
UniteBlue article series, Part III of III "Why the hell would anyone on the Right want to buy data about folks on the Left? Do you really think they are good fundraisers?" Zach Green, owner of #UniteBlue and founder of @140elect, asks in a post explaining away the right-wing clients he served throughout his short political career....
And you won't see anyone crying about it. The right-wing blogosphere is in the middle of nothing short of a crisis. The funny thing is that they're so busy congratulating themselves on their very existence that they have seemingly failed to notice. Sure, they had their annual BlogBash "mutual pat on the back" party and garnered some political...
Regardless if you're a teacher or an expert in a particular language, musical instrument, math or other discipline, finding legitimate online tutoring jobs can be frustrating unless you conduct a little research first. When looking for these types of jobs, there are many resources including online classifieds, tutoring service websites, grocery store bulletin boards and print newspapers that you can turn to when looking for work.
Owning a cat or kitten can be a rewarding experience - both for the companionship and the stress relief pet ownership provides. In fact, there was recently some great news for cat lovers - a new study suggested that cat humans have a reduced risk of heart attack and strokes.
This fantastic pumpkin burger is a great table setting for the Halloween season. If you keep it vegetarian, you'll be sure to please the crowd and actually have a few people sample the taste. Dig out and wash some pumpkin seeds to sprinkle on top to give it that hamburger look -- and voila!
Preparing for an emergency is an essential for everyone, and it's not a difficult or strenuous process. An emergency disaster kit will help you establish peace of mind during a natural disaster as well as prepare for the worst.
When applying for a specific telecommuting position, you should treat your resume as first impression. Because HR and hiring managers receive dozens - and sometimes hundreds - of resumes each day when trying to fill virtual positions, they scan through them very quickly.
If you are interested in purchasing a home and have trouble getting a traditional loan, or are not satisfied with the loan terms you are offered, then you may want to consider seeking out a mortgage from the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).
Planning for retirement can be tricky when you're faced with a plethora of options as well as the fear of losing future Social Security benefits. Employer-sponsored retirement plans offer Americans the opportunity to take a bit more financial control in the future and are set to play significant role in the financial health of future generations of Americans.
If you're like many homeowners, you may worry about what happens if your home loses value. Home equity insurance, also known as home value insurance, is one precaution any homeowner can take against uncertain financial times. Unlike other insurance premiums, home equity insurance is typically paid as a one-time upfront payment.
Let's face it - it's easy to be a chocolate lover. It's even easier to be a chocolate taster. But sometimes, prepping, mixing, and baking the cake that we foam at the mouth for can seem like, well, an ultimate chocolate fantasy.
It can be frustrating to search for a mortgage when you have bad credit, especially when you have saved a down payment and believe you are ready for the excitement and responsibility of home ownership, then you do have options, even if subprime loans are a little more difficult to get.
As a stay at home mom that wants to work from home, many people may seem like they don't take your seriously. Even when you find that elusive perfect home-based job, it's hard for other moms to deal with sometimes. There's always this not-so-hidden perception that because you're a stay at home mom, you can't actually be working.
As a working mom, it may seem you never have enough time to get anything done. But once you've transitioned to working from home, you may find that the little things you thought had under control have now become more time consuming. Getting organized is the key to making your life as a work at home mom.
Writing for the Gaming Industry by Melissa Brewer Several months ago, I worked on an interesting project for a client looking to break into writing music for the video game industry.
What would make your writing life a little easier? A little empathy? A lot more assignments? A little organization? Here are 10 things you can give to yourself or pass along to somebody else to simplify, expand, and increase the growth rate of your writing career. 1. A Writing Buddy.
The first ebook I wrote, from 2002, helping writers find work on the web.
Home Writer's Market Listings Alerts ) Do you have an idea -- or manuscript -- for a good book? Do you ENJOY networking with writers and publishers on the Are you INTERESTED in learning new ways to promote yourself?Do you have the time and resources to DIY?
When It All Began: The First Web Writings While there weren't many online writers in the formative years of the web, if you were around then, you know what it was like. What I remember most about the web back then (the Al Gore days?)