If you have ever wondered about the quality of your writing, take heart. The San Jose State University’s 26th annual Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest has a new winner for the worst opening line:

“Theirs was a New York love, a checkered taxi ride burning rubber, and like the city their passion was open 24/7, steam rising from their bodies like slick streets exhaling warm, moist, white breath through manhole covers stamped ‘Forged by DeLaney Bros., Piscataway, N.J.”‘

The offensive entry was submitted by Garrison Spik. Each year, the content looks for bad writing, and its named after the author Edward George Earl Bulwer-Lytton, whose novel “Paul Clifford” begins with “It was a dark and stormy night.

You can read more about the content and some honorable mentions on CNN.

A few new topics have come open at About.com:

• All My Children Fans
• Atlanta
• Chess
• Digital Video Recording
• German Travel
• Thai Travel
• Waterskiing

If you’re after a coveted online writing gig with About.com, you can find out more about these positions at their Be a Guide page.

I’m talking about pictures. Using photos can boost the visibility and interest of any article, assuming you can find the right photo to illustrate your topic. If you write about something “close to home”, you may be able to use your own photography for all your photo needs. While that would easily solve your problems, it’s not that likely a scenario. So off you go through your favorite search engines in search of photos.

My first comment is that NOT ALL PHOTOS ARE FREE TO COPY AND USE. Just because someone has a great photo up on their website, does not give you the right to take it. If you are serious about being a professional, then behave like one. Don’t steal. Ok, I said it. Now on to more helpful suggestions. (more…)