Samples

Writing samples are the freelance writer's resume. They show the abilities of the individual to create content in different styles, voices and prose. Writing samples also establish a writers skill in research and their ability to cover a wide range of topics. Below are clips of my work that hopefully shows my range of talents with the written word.

Testimonial:

I had the pleasure of working with Michael when I was the Content Manager for MedSpa.com, an online medical spa directory. We needed a lot of content to get the startup company off the ground and the founder asked me to find a few freelance writers to help us out with blog articles. Michael is a great writer, always got the articles to me on time and even picked up the slack when a few of our other writers missed their deadlines. I highly recommend Michael for your freelance writing projects and will use him again if I have a need for freelancers in the future.

Lynn Smythe

Content Specialist, SEO Copywriting, Public Relations

www.lynnsmythecreations.com 

Links to Some Published Articles

While most of my work is sold in full to the client, I do have some content published under my own name. Here are a few links to articles attributed to me. 

I wrote a large amount of content as an Examiner several years ago. Unfortunately, they lost their Google Pagerank a while back and now it's basically Pro Bono work to write for them. While I enjoy writing about PC games, I don't have the time to contribute to something that reaps very little reward. 

Examiner.com:
http://www.examiner.com/pc-game-in-san-diego/michael-davis

These Medspa articles are just a few of many that I wrote. This client's opinion of my work can be seen in the Testimonial from Lynn Smythe at the top of the page.

Blog.Medspa.com:
http://blog.medspa.com/get-chemical-peel/

http://blog.medspa.com/best-nutrition-tips-healthy-weight-loss/

http://blog.medspa.com/healthy-breakfast-foods/

Political Opinion Article

This is just a quick piece of content that I created as a sample submission for a startup news site. I tried to achieve a different type of style than I have ever written before. Perhaps you could call it tough or rough or maybe even disrespectful.

Gas Prices Continue Their Inexorable March South While President Obama Continues Taking Credit

Oil that is. Black Gold. Texas Tea. Even that old hillbilly Jed Clampett understood the need for the “bubbling crude” to continue fueling our way of life. He didn’t stand around and watch it flow away. Nope. Old Jed got every bit of that oil that he could and then headed out to the good life in Beverly Hills. It seems the US is kind of like Jed Clampett, living it up now that we’re practicing more domestic drilling. Gas prices have hit an all time low because of it, regardless of what some people may claim.  

Yesterday, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline fell to $2.14. That’s a whopping $1.19 less than this time last year, and it hasn’t been lower since the peak of the recession in 2009. According to GasBuddy, a consumer Website that tracks and reports fuel prices all over the country, that average will continue to fall to $1.95 by next month.

Who or what is responsible for this wallet-fattening price drop? Well, if you listen to our esteemed President Barack Obama, he is. But does that really come as a surprise? He does have a tendency to take credit for anything positive even if he has nothing to do with it. In this case, he actually did everything he could to prevent it. But you’ll never hear him say that.

Actually - sorry Mr. President - this huge dip in gasoline prices is due in part to the increase in privately controlled “fracking” operations across the nation. Those operations release previously untouched fossil fuels from the tight confines of shale deposits allowing them to be easily recovered. The amount of privately held companies that practice this form of oil and gas extraction increased by a huge 61 percent since 2009, according to the Energy Information Administration. While federally controlled operations under Mr. Obama’s guiding hand actually decreased by six percent over the same period. Fortunately, those private companies greatly offset any damage done by the ruling administration and pumped billions of dollars back into the economy.

This simple fact hasn’t kept Mr. Obama from taking his unfair share of the credit. He tooted the Presidential horn last week in Detroit by saying in a rather disingenuous fashion, "America is the number one producer of oil, number one producer of gas. It's helping to save drivers $1.10 a gallon at the pump over this time last year.”

The funny thing is that back in 2012 when gas prices topped $4 a gallon, Republicans were calling out for more domestic drilling with their chant of “drill, baby, drill”  while good old Mr. Obama laughed and dismissed their idea as nothing more than "a slogan, a gimmick, and a bumper sticker ... not a strategy." The President, in his infinite wisdom, even went so far as to say, “You remember that? Drill, baby, drill. We were going through all that. And none of it was really going to do anything to solve the problem." That’s pretty much like good old Jed Clampett claiming he meant to shoot the ground and find that “Black Gold”. That he planned for it. The thing of it is Jed’s claim would be far more believable than the President's ever was.  

List Article

This article was written for a client in need of a lighthearted approach while still being authoritative and informative. I used my general automotive knowledge along with some in-depth research to create an article that delighted my client and his readers. 

The 10 Most Badass Dodge Trucks from the 90s

Dakota

The Dakota of the early 90s was a dependable truck. It had multiple engine sizes from a 2.2L all the way up to the 5.2L V8 seen in the Ram and Ramcharger.

Durango

The late 90s Durango came with the 5.2L Magnum engine and 4WD standard. Its body design followed that of most 90s Dodge trucks with the aggressively shaped hood and gently flared quarter-panels.

Ram (D/W)

The Ram of the early 90s is still a sought after body style for automotive enthusiasts. At that time, Dodge followed Ford’s weight designations with 150 a half-ton, 250 a ¾ ton and 350 a full ton. The D (or Ram) indicated 2-wheel drive while the W (or Power Ram) indicated 4-wheel drive.

Ram (BR/BE)

In 1994, the Ram line was completely redesigned. It took on a sleeker body-style with the now famous hood and fender flares. Sales for the Ram skyrocketed and it was proudly displayed as the tough, storm-resistant truck in the movie Twister.

Ram 50

This series saw popularity in the early 90s. It was a tough little truck and many can still be seen lowered and tricked out at car shows today. The line was eventually taken over by Renault and used extensively for military and commercial needs.

Ramcharger

The Ramcharger was intended as a full-time, off-road vehicle. It was in direct competition with the Blazer and Bronco. The second generation Ramcharger released during the early 90s was equipped with an inline 6 or several different types of the V8. It’s body style and chrome trim make it a sought after SUV to this day.

Raider

The Raider was a rebadged Mitsubishi Montero and sold in the early 90s. It’s rough and tumble looks were backed up by a sturdy chassis and tough 4-cylinder engine.

Ram Cummins Turbodiesel

The 1990 ¾ and 1 ton Rams were just the second year Dodge added the Cummins Turbodiesel. The 5.9L, straight-six engine with its massive torque revolutionized personal towing.

Dakota Sport Convertible

In 1991, an experiment in convertible trucks was attempted and failed. This special edition Dakota had the metal roof removed and a fabric top and roll-bar installed. Not until the Chevy SSR in 2003 has a manufacturer tried this weird little experiment again.

Rod Hall Signature Series

1990 was the last year Dodge manufactured these tough-looking, yet underpowered trucks. Legendary Baja racer Rod Hall designed them and only 33 were ever made.

Technical Article

The client that ordered this article was looking for an in-depth and authoritative description of the history of Minecraft and its modding community. Before writing this content, I had very little knowledge of the game. Through extensive research on user-driven sites such as Reddit, I was able to get a feel for the game from the fans perspective and then put that familiarity into my writing. 

Minecraft is a procedurally generated, sandbox survival game that is played by millions of adoring fans. But what IS Minecraft? Explaining this revolutionary games history and creation is just as important as discussing the addictive game-play and myriad, player-created modifications that make it such a household name. The key to Minecraft’s success is the power of choice it places at gamers’ fingertips. The replay-ability of a seemingly infinite number of options, from trading with randomly generated NPC villagers to crafting armor, tools and potions, is the reason why Minecraft is the ground-breaking and often copied game that it is. But there’s more to it than that. So what is Minecraft and what’s the point? Let’s see if we can craft a torch and shed some light on the subject.

A Swedish Dude Named Notch

It was the summer of ’09, a hot summer, and one where most gamers camp-out under the AC and in front of a screen. That summer looked to be long and oppressive until a Swedish dude named Notch gave us all a reason to turn pasty and antisocial. Markus “Notch” Persson released a little game called Minecraft in a developmental alpha stage, and millions of doors to the real world slammed shut. Over the course of a couple years and a plethora of updates, Notch and Mojang perfected the game; always taking the input of the community to heart. This created in many people a sense of respect and admiration towards the indie programmer. An ever-expanding group of dedicated fans was formed over those years and has reached millions upon millions today. This community contributes massively to the popularity of the game.

The Revolution Begins

In the fall of 2011, the full version of Minecraft was released to the masses. Within a few months, the game made debuts on Android and iOS. The conversions were nicely done, utilizing the touch-screen to its fullest. Minecraft won 5 gaming awards from the 2011 Game Developers Conference including the Innovation Award, Best Downloadable Game Award, the Best Debut Game Award, the Audience Award and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.

The spring of 2012 saw it jump to the Xbox 360 and XLA, and its popularity exploded like a procedurally generated bomb. Minecraft had become a household name, known by soccer moms and dads everywhere. The fan-base grew and diversified until people of every class and social distinction had some experience with Minecraft. Whether it was through playing the game or reading the countless news articles and stories across the internet, everybody had heard about the global sensation that is Minecraft.

What is Minecraft?

Minecraft is a game where nearly every aspect is procedurally or randomly generated. From loot drops to the game-world itself, players will have a completely different experience each time they play. This is the driving-force behind Minecraft’s popularity. But it’s not the only aspect of the game that makes it such a hit. The freedom of choice, addictive crafting mechanics, a literally endless world to explore and resource gathering all contribute to why gamers can’t put it down.

Minecraft is a three-dimensional game-world where players survive by placing or removing blocks to construct all manner of structures, tools, weapons and more. There are numerous resources to discover, harvest and use in crafting recipes. Some of these include things like metal ores used to build increasingly better tools, weapons and armor, or plants and animals needed for food recipes so that the player character doesn’t starve. The number of available crafts, resources and recipes is so huge it would take far too long to list each one and how they’re utilized. The point is that all these aspects add to the replay-ability of Minecraft.

Minecraft is playable in four modes, not including multiplayer. They are survival, creative and hardcore:

·         Survival – This is the standard mode of play. It requires players to manage their health and hunger while acquiring resources to help them survive longer.

·         Creative – In this mode, gamers can let their creativity run wild. The monsters are not aggressive and the player character cannot die. The player has all resources available in their inventory. This mode is typically used to create cool structures, bombs or contraptions.

·         Hardcore – Is similar to survival but harder. The creatures are more aggressive and stronger, and the character has only one life. If one dies in hardcore mode, they have to delete their game-world and start over. This mode is inspired by games like Rogue and others.

·         Adventure – This mode was added in Minecraft version 1.3. It is specifically designed so that people can design their own maps and share them with the online community. This mode has added even more to the replay-ability factor. Most maps have evolved to a point that they’re aptly named Adventures. Typically, there are objectives and puzzles to complete, but a designer can create whatever they like.

How does multiplayer work in Minecraft?

Online servers are hosted by the players themselves. They can run a server from their own computer or use a hosting provider. These operators control the game-world. They can turn night to day, teleport players, kick and ban players and any number of other capabilities. Many of these online worlds offer unique rules and game-play that can differ greatly from the single-player world. Server operators are only limited by their imaginations in what they can come up with. The Hunger Games Minecraft server is particularly popular because of its PVP.

Single-player mode can be setup over a LAN and any players on the network can join in. This is a great way to play with friends and family. These local connections do not require a server setup and are relatively easy to start.

What are mods and what do they do?

Mods, or modifications, change the original game content to something different. Typically, they add content such as new skins, textures and resources. Some mods can be quite expansive. Several of the more popular modifications add entirely new content including player abilities, enemies, and blocks and can even change the entire look of the game. Other mods can make the difficulty harder or easier, change objectives and recreate other games within the Minecraft world. These community-created additions help to keep gamers interested in Minecraft.

Minecraft is an addictive game with literally countless ways to play. It has rightfully won many rewards since its debut, and its fan base continues to grow every year. With a number of different modes, player-created content and multiplayer, Minecraft offers a bit of everything.

Informative In-depth Article

This article was for a client that sells SEO services. They needed an informative article that subtly sold their services while not sounding like traditional sales-copy. Because of my personal knowledge of SEO, this article didn't require a lot of research. However, I did have to stretch my abilities in determining the style and voice of the content in order to achieve the subtlety required by the client. 

NOTE: Now that I am studying copywriting and actual sales copy, I see blaring deficiencies in this article. While it wasn't necessarily intended as salescopy, my new found knowledge allows me to easily see where it could be strengthened and solidified. 

The Internet is a global community. More and more businesses, whether small or large, are relying on international partnerships and clientele to meet fiscal goals. A Website that regularly receives traffic from other countries, or that would like to extend its reach into a territory that isn’t home, must implement international SEO strategies in order to see the highest potential return on investment (ROI) possible. 

SEO, on its own, isn’t a simple concept to institute. Throw in the task of reaching users who speak different languages, follow a different time zone, and live in a different culture, and it becomes exponentially more difficult. Employing a company that specializes in international SEO strategies is a near necessity.

What is International SEO?

In the simplest sense, international SEO is the act of optimizing a Website to target users in different countries or speaking different languages. Essentially, it is a more comprehensive and complex form of geo-targeting potential site traffic and ensuring that the Website is easily navigated by both human users and search engine crawlers. The basic guidelines is to setup site structure to enable Google and other search engines to understand exactly what countries you’re targeting, create content that is readable and relatable to the users from those countries, and to build links localized in that country. Doing this successfully requires a specifically targeted strategy that will differ from area to area, culture to culture. But the necessity of relating to users on a local, language and culture-specific level cannot be overstated if you wish to see a significant ROI.  The time and experience it takes to setup an international SEO marketing campaign will almost always require the use of a company that specializes in those specific strategies. Finding a good service to take over those responsibilities will allow you to focus on the important aspects of running your business.

What Are the Benefits of International SEO?

Besides the obvious benefit of an expanded market with a larger potential consumer base, there are a number of more obscure advantages associated with an international SEO strategy. Other benefits include:

·         Globalization is the future of business. Setting up an international strategy now will ensure that you’re ahead of the curve in the coming years.

·         The ability to reuse and retool content and best practices without a major investment.

·         Once the technical structure is in place, maintaining a global presence in national search engines and the minds of consumers is relatively simple.

·         International SEO gives you the ability and infrastructure to relate to users on a more personal level which invariable leads to a greater ROI.

·         Data-driven analysis of country-specific markets can lead to insights in product development and marketing strategies that may have been overlooked if limited to one area.

How Quickly Can You Expect To See Returns On An International SEO Campaign?

This question is a bit of a double-edged sword when it comes to any type of SEO, international or not. The bottom-line is that a good SEO company should begin to show you ROI returns within six months. But that is an actual, quantifiable return on your investment in the way of sales or consumer connections. As far as an increase in base traffic is concerned, there is almost always something on a Website that a talented SEO can improve to increase your rankings with Google and other search engines. Optimistically, you should see a positive change within two weeks, or the time it takes for Google crawlers to re-crawl your Website. Of course, this will vary depending on the state and age of your site, the countries that you wish to target, and the overall investment in SEO that you make and have made up to this point. If you’re over a year into an SEO contract with a service provider and you’ve yet to see any decent ROI, then it’s high time that you start looking for another SEO specialist.

What Are the Expected Costs of International SEO?

To get an idea of the costs of implementing an international SEO strategy, you need to understand the ways that an SEO company charges for their services. There are four basic price models used by most agencies:

·         Monthly Retainer – This is a set monthly rate for certain, agreed upon services and is the most common used by SEO companies.

·         Contract Services – This type of pricing plan is usually the first step before going to a monthly retainer. Most SEO companies advertise their contract services with a set price associated. The most common use is an initial audit of a Websites strengths and weaknesses.

·         Per Project Pricing – Similar to contract services with one very important difference. Each project is specifically tailored to the specific client.

·         Hourly – Just like if you pay a mechanic to fix your car, some SEO specialists charge by the hour for consulting services.

All of these different pricing models come with variable costs. For a monthly retainer, you can expect to see anywhere from $750 to $5,000 charge depending on the services provided. A contractual agreement can have the greatest variety because of the difference between services. Hourly charges are typically around $100 to $300 depending on the provider.

Tips and Tricks for International SEO

To save yourself some money, you may want to implement these simple things to begin the process of international SEO.

·         Implement a domain or URL structure that is conducive to the countries that you wish to target. For example, use a ccTLD (Country Code Top Level Domain) such as example.co.uk. This will let search engines know exactly where you’re targeting.

·         Create content in the native language and using modern colloquialisms and local slang of the targeted country to get on a personal level with your users.

·         Use the herflang tag to let search engines know which Meta information to show users.

Fun Travel Article

Lighthearted and fun writing is a style that I find myself doing a lot. This is an example of that type of article focused on some of the interesting locations in my hometown. SEO was not included in this article. 

Wilmington, NC has a vast amount of activities for the entire family to enjoy. Located just a short distance from many popular beaches, including Myrtle Beach, Wilmington is quickly becoming one of the hottest tourist spots on the East Coast. With a vibrant nightlife, historic sites, museums, aquariums and, of course, all sorts of fun in the sun, there is literally something for everyone. The only difficulty is figuring out what to do during your stay.

1.       Fort Fisher State Historic Site – Fort Fisher sits on the mouth of the Cape Fear River. During the Civil War, the fort was instrumental in protecting the vital Port of Wilmington for the Confederacy. Fort Fisher fell to Union forces only a few months before the end of the war, solidifying its place in history. Today, it is a State Historical Site with ongoing archeological excavations. Most of the fort has been reclaimed by the ocean over the years, but a few stockades and breastworks have been recreated. A museum is on the site now and features a three dimensional map with a comprehensive narrative of the 1865 battle. The museum hosts reenactments and fires a restored 32-pound cannon on special occasions. Guided tours are available daily.

2.       North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher – Just a hop, skip and a jump from the Fort Fisher museum is the NC Aquarium. Take a walk along “The Waters of the Cape Fear” and see firsthand the diverse ecosystems of the North Carolina coastal region. Pet tiny Loggerhead turtles and baby sharks, view the rare and beautiful albino alligator or visit the newly added Butterfly Bungalow. They even have a fossilized Megalodon jaw with teeth the size of a grown man’s hand! The aquarium is open year round and closes only for major holidays. There are numerous tour packages to fit any budget.

3.       USS North Carolina – If you’re having lunch in downtown Wilmington, take a quick trip over the river and visit the USS North Carolina battleship. Walk along her decks and feel the fear and adrenaline that pulsed through the young men who called her home during WWII. Read the crews stories and build a connection with the men of the “Greatest Generation”. There are various packages available and ticket pricing is reduced for children, seniors and active or retired military.

These are just a few of the exciting and fun activities Wilmington, NC has to offer. Although Wilmington is considered a beach town, there is a lot more to do than just getting sandy and sun burnt.  The next time you’re looking for a vacation locale with a little variety, remember your friendly neighbor on the coast.

SEO & Light Salescopy

This is an SEO article focused on getting the reader to follow a specific call-to-action. In this case, getting help for an addiction. I write a lot of addiction oriented articles that must be compassionate and understanding. If there is one niche subject that I consider myself an expert in, addiction recovery would be that niche. The bold words are targeted keywords for the client and the call-to-actions are located at both the top and bottom of the article.

Getting off drugs can be difficult to achieve by yourself. Let our compassionate staff show you an easier way. Call us now at (XXX)XXX-XXXX.

 Getting through withdrawal can be the hardest part of recovery. Many people need help to do it on their own. The pain and emotional ups-and-downs associated with withdrawal are challenging to overcome. Fortunately, we better understand how drug abuse and misuse alters the mind and body. This allows for more dynamic addiction treatment plans that are specifically designed for each individual. We create these rehabilitation plans with the substance of abuse in mind. Doing this allows us to better treat the symptoms of withdrawal.

What are withdrawal symptoms?

Regular, extended use of many substances can eventually create a physical dependence. The drugs literally change how the body functions. When a person stops using the substance, the body cannot naturally balance itself as it did before the use of the drug. This leads to painful, flu-like symptoms. Unbalanced emotions, sweating, anxiety, sneezing and restless legs are all symptoms of withdrawal.

How do you treat withdrawal symptoms?

Our staff is highly knowledgeable in the use of pharmacology when helping a client through withdrawal. We utilize replacement medications to help with symptoms associated with illegal and prescription drug addiction. These medications include Methadone, Suboxone, Subutex and various Benzodiazepines for anxiety. We typically administer these drugs for several weeks while slowly tapering the dose down each day. During this time, detoxification begins and the client’s body is eventually clean of drugs.

Treatment for drug addiction is a lifelong process. Once the client is over withdrawal and free from drugs, they still have to deal with potential relapses and cravings. To combat this, we teach each client recovery tools that will help them when they transition back to the world. We also refer them to peer support groups that will help them through the rest of their lives. This support group will prove to be an invaluable asset.

If you have a loved one struggling with addiction, there is help. Our highly trained staff is waiting to help with understanding and compassion. Let us do what we do best, and guide your loved one down the road to recovery. Together we can show them the way back to a normal life. Call us now at (XXX)XXX-XXXX.