CV/Resume Writing Service now available!

By popular demand, I'm now happy to offer cover letter and CV writing services. Using my diverse experience, I'm able to turn what seems to be a short list of work experience and qualifications into a job application package that clicks. Turnaround as short as 24 hours. Get in touch today to impress the HR people at your future job!

Why your business/organization needs a website. Now.

When you browse the Internet, what annoys you the most? Perhaps it's broken links or pop-up windows or flashy animation. For a lot of people, it is being unable to find what they are looking for online or being given only bare-bone minimal information instead of an opportunity to get details, ask questions and avoid spending more time on the phone.

If your business or organization currently has no website, or your website looks empty, abandoned, unprofessional or barely ever updated, you are missing out on potential clients, customers, leads and visits. Competition these days is quite fierce, and being web-savvy is a factor that is now important to people deciding between you and others in your field. Get a quality website with interesting content and current information today. Get in touch to discuss details!

How I write SEO-oriented and keyworded texts

Writing a SEO-focused keyword-rich thought-through article or blog post is simple - you simply don't even think about it being all that when you start to write. If you focus on the keywords and even the strictly-defined topic, your mind will not wander, that's true, but the writing will not flow at all. Thus the best way to start your (future) SEO-obsessed keyword-stuffed article/post is to relax and forget about Search Engine Optimization for a few minutes.

Don't let the bison scare you

Let's take a look at an example:

1. You are asked (god forbid...) to write a 500-word article with the keywords "best bison meat shop Edmonton".
2. You stare at your email for a few minutes, wondering how you can actually write about this "best bison meat shop [in] Edmonton" without saying what or where that store is.
3. You get a drink. No, just a glass of water.
4. You sit down and think about what you know about bison and meat and shops.
5. You start to put on paper you general imaginary impressions of bison meat being somehow different from regular beef that most people would have tried, then you switch to talking about the fact that quality bison meat is difficult to find in this great city of a million inhabitants, then you start to muse about what the "best bison meat shop in Edmonton" would be like.
6. You go to the beginning of your article and integrate your "what if" wishful thinking bit about the meat shop into the earlier parts of the piece.
7. Done.

Trying to write based on the keyword does not (with some exceptions) work as well. Give it a shot yourself.

Introducing the Language part of my business

Starting this week, I've put my language instruction work into higher gear. I'm now happy to offer in-person and online:

• English/ESL instruction, writing, conversation, grammar and listening comprehension help
• Russian language training, preparation for a trip to Russia or the former Soviet Union, translation and interpretation services

Both of these can be offered in-person or online, individually or to groups. I have more than a decade of language teaching experience and I'm confident I can help you improve your English and/or Russian. We just need to work together. Contact me today to set up your first lesson.

Why I like my job as a content writer

In what other job but content writing can one research methods of survival in a remote area without an IPhone in the same week that one writes about the warmth and comfort given by alpaca gloves and the same week that one builds a website for a non-profit working with unemployed youths in Asia? An experienced content writer can do all of these things - with pleasure, interest and due diligence to every project.

When I first got into SEO and content writing almost full-time a few years ago now, I had no idea it would take me this far. Now, with technical projects on welding and backup server operation behind me, in bundle with rather silly "Write something about something and if you have any questions, don't ask me, as I know nothing about this stuff" projects, I'm ready for anything. Surprise me!