My latest article in Decoded Science, "Free Will, Determinism and Turing's Halting Problem", explains Prof. Seth Lloyd's use of Turing Machines to explain why we feel that we have free will.

By the way, I'd already previewed my home-made image because I was in a hurry to establish copyright to that bit of creativity.

I've also publicized this article in my DeHaan Services blog's new "Can Turing's Halting Problem Address Free Will vs Determinism?".

Months before I wrote "Free Will...", I'd already explained the basics of Turing Machines in a series of articles in Decoded Science.

However, one must not assume that every reader knows the background. That's especially true of Turing Machines in this article, since many readers might be drawn first to the "free will vs determinism" question.

So I touched on the bare details about Turing Machines and the Halting Problem.

I listed & linked back to all my previous articles at the end of this one. I also added a note to the editor that I knew this was not a good approach, but that some readers would need the reference material.

My editor brilliantly put the links to my previous articles into the "bare details" of background, rather than in a list at the end.

My second-hand writing tip, based on this free-willed editor's approach, is to follow suit. If you have background articles, and you touch on those topics in your new article, add that link in the background or introduction.

You could use the same approach in other places. If you've written about the classic "Dick and Jane" primary reader books, build in the links to the character pages.

"The book invites the reader to share in Dick and Jane's their first adventure. Just remember that Spot is a dog; you should not see spots before your eyes". (No, those are not real links from this article).

Remember that quoting the full title of an article intrudes more than a brief in-line link. The writing tip is to choose carefully, and be less intrusive for reference links back to your own articles.

Did you notice my sneaky link back to the "preview" article? No? For shame. Anyway, that's how to make a non-intrusive reference link.

Thanks for using your free will, or accepting your deterministic nature, in reading about their relationship to Turing's Halting Problem.

My latest DeHaan Services article, "The First Free Event for Grey Cup 2013 in Regina", continues a popular annual topic.

Last year Toronto hosted the Grey Cup. I wrote a pretty popular article about the precious few free celebrations associated with the Canadian Football League's championship game (and festival), including the parade.

This year Regina hosts the Grey Cup Festival. So although it's not an "annual Toronto event", my blog will cover the freebies anyway.

(Added this section Nov. 17, 2013): I followed up the above article with "More Free Events for the 2013 Grey Cup in Regina".

I was pleasantly surprised to find a dozen free events in Grey Cup Festival week; more if you count the repeating items. This list of free Grey Cup events should find more favour among hard-core sports and music fans, compared to the first which had a decided "arts" appeal.

(Updated this section Nov. 17, 2013, after added the second DeHaan Services article).

A standard piece of advice for writers, and especially for bloggers, is to build a niche and stay within it. Your readers want to feel comfortable with your style and your topics. On the other hand, you have to write something novel from time to time; otherwise you become the boring old geezer who always tells the same tired story.

Here I've publicized two articles that follow one theme in my blog: free or frugal annual events. However, I've broken away from my usual geographic limits of Toronto and its suburban neighbours.

Will this article attract new readers who specifically want to learn how to do the 2013 Grey Cup Festival in Regina "on the cheap"? Or will it be ignored by loyal readers who really only care about Toronto? It's an experiment.

The writing tip is to take deliberate steps to expand your niche: make changes but with some continuity. Stretch one dimension at a time, but keep another constant.

With these articles about the Regina Grey Cup Festival, I've stretched my geography while keeping the "cheap" approach. Perhaps some other time I will write about spending big bucks in Toronto: that would reverse the dimensions that change or stay constant.

So feel free to expand your niche when it may make sense for your current readers and also attract new ones.

Who can resist happy Halloween dog pictures? Hopefully not the readers of my latest DeHaan Services article, "Dog Costume Halloween Parades in Toronto and the GTA 2013".

This article points to three events in and around Toronto for pet owners to enjoy a Hallowe'en event with their dogs. It adds a bonus item for an annual event in a New York City park; one with almost a quarter of a century of history.

(Added Oct. 24, 2013): Let me also publicize "2013 Halloween Events in Toronto and the GTA", which I wrote a few days later. We can't let the dogs have all the fun, can we?

By the way, that new article is an example of "dogged" pursuit of this Hallowe'en theme, as well as the fact that it's a great time of year to write in the niche of annual events.

This writing tip uses "dogged" in the sense of "persistent" or "persisting".

We all hope that our very next blog post will go viral, to catapult us into the ranks of well-known and highly-paid writers.

In the mean time, be persistent. Doggedly pursue your goal. If you have a schedule, stick to it. Meet your deadlines.

At this moment, I'm suffering more from "too many timely topics" than from "lack of inspiration". It can be difficult to fit all the tasks into the timeframe.

By the way, I'm not saying "keep banging your head into a wall". Keep working, but do be open to new techniques and new inspirations.

Meanwhile, enjoy what you do doggedly, just as these animal lovers enjoy dressing their dogs in Hallowe'en costumes.

Decoded Science published my "Hypatia Taught Conic Sections and Diophantine Equations" this morning (Oct. 17, 2013).

This Weebly blog post features two images that I created for that article about the math used by Hypatia, a Greek philosopher who lived in the early Christian era. She's famous for being the earliest female mathematician, and also for her rather gruesome demise.

As it turns out, I did not use the above image for my Hypatia article.

As I've noted in some other posts, my reason for publishing my home-made images in a blog belonging to me is simply to establish copyright.

Decoded Science has begun a policy of linking each image in their articles to the online source. So I've earned a free link to this page by pre-publishing my image. Sweet.

My apologies for throwing in my image for my next article, too, but I'm simply under a huge deadline for "Interpreting One Report of Statistics on Science Comprehension". My editor wanted a quick analysis of an article based on a Yale professor's report on comparing Tea Party-ers versus folk of other political stripes. Can we draw a conclusion from his data, and how "significant" is that conclusion?

By promoting this article in DeHaan Services, I also ask the question, "Did Anyone Measure Science Comprehension in Canadian Politics?"

(Added Oct. 28, 2013): Another day, another apology for yet another self-made image which someday should grace a Decoded Science article. Sorry to post and run, but sometimes one must make haste.

(Updated Oct. 29, 2013): I should write a separate promotional piece for "Free Will, Determinism and Turing's Halting Problem" since I've already thought of the right writing tip. But just now it's late, "and there are wolves".

I was inspired to write my Hypatia article because of an article about her in a sister online magazine, Decoded Past. (I linked to that other article from my Decoded Science article, so you can read it too).

Today's writing tip is to take your inspiration where you find it.

I've said something similar about keeping your eyes open for topics before. But unless you generate an inexhaustible supply of concepts and ideas on your own, you will need to actively seek and find inspiration from what others write, say or do.

In this particular case, I noticed that the Decoded Past article mentioned Hypatia's math, but didn't say anything about what she actually studied or taught. Since that was right up my alley, I stepped up and delivered.

You can do the same when you find something that interests you and touches near your own writing niche. Find that inspiration, figure out what the first writer missed that you can supply, and "just do it". Just enhance your karma with a link back to your inspiration article; that author deserves it.

Thanks for reading about my process for writing about the math of Hypatia of Alexandria.

For years, I've complained that the old "Road Closed" signs in Toronto do absolutely nothing to promote marathons in Toronto.

My recent DeHaan Services article, "2 Signs of the 2013 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon", shows that the Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2013 should have some decent promotional signs along with the old-fashioned scary postings inspired by a Hallowe'en colour scheme.

Sorry, you absolutely must click the link to see the new and improved sign for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2013.

As a bonus for those in Toronto, my article also notes the date and time, the major road closures, and adds my personal spectators' guide so you can see the runners where determination counts the most.

Today's writing tip suggests you consider how your web site or your writing style promotes itself.

Many marketing gurus claim you need to change the colour scheme or font, from time to time. Slap on some fresh paint to draw your readers' attention. "Ooh, shiny!" is the response to evoke.

On the other hand, your regular readers find your content meaningful or helpful; and they now know how to navigate your site. Don't change everything; at least, not all at once.

For example, I've adopted "bold style plus colour" to highlight "writing tip" in this blog. If I had planned this from the outset, and if I could code it as an XML style, I could change them all to "writing tip" so we could have consistency as well as change. But I'd either have to go back to each article and change the style manually, or leave articles inconsistent where I made the switch. Is that worth it?

My true writing tip is to look for the features that currently detract from your marketing appeal, and then fix those errors. Don't just change something for the sake of marketing. Instead, change the worst feature that works against the appeal your writing should have.

Those ugly old black-on-orange signs in Toronto were intended to scare away drivers; and they do a fine job. The new signs are more informative, and should attract spectators to come cheer the runners in the Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2013.

What will you change to incite your readers to cheer your next article?

Personally, I think of Canadian Thanksgiving as the start of the busiest season of writing that features holidays in a particular season of the year.

So, although my recent "2013 Thanksgiving Family Activities in Toronto" simply highlights frugal things to do in Toronto, like many previous articles, it does feel like the prelude to Hallowe'en and the winter holidays including Diwali, Christmas and Kwanzaa.

This current article puts the emphasis on free or frugal activities for the family. It even stretches beyond Toronto and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) with one of the suggestions.

When is Thanksgiving in Canada? It comes in mid-October. Canadian turkeys are eaten a few weeks earli  rather than waiting for November in the USA.

It's easy to find seasonal topics for your articles, when holidays and festivals come thick and fast.

Today's writing tip is to plan out your topics ahead of time. A couple paragraphs ago I added three seasonal holidays to whet your appetite. Simply check your calendar for the next few months. Your readers will be searching for information about those holidays.

With so many special days coming so quickly, it's important to schedule your writing. I've already seen Hallowe'en advertising as well as articles, so others might be ahead of you.

Once we get into early 2014, it may seem that the holidays are less frequent. My advice still holds: check your calendar, and plan to cover your niche. St. Valentine's Day is not the only February event for Americans. People travel for more than just spring break week. Children need activities, and cooks need recipes, for more than Easter Sunday.

With a bit of planning, your well seasoned writing can make good use of holidays all year.

"How to Turn a Business Trip into a Fitness Trip" is a guest article about maintaining your physical fitness while out of town on a business trip.

It's not an area where I have any special expertise, but certainly important for a number of my friends and acquaintances who travel regularly.

This article is in my "DeHaan Fitness..." site.

I also publicized this in my DeHaan Services blog, in "Retain Fitness Despite Business Travel".

This allowed me to put a local spin into the content. The image shows what Google reported for "downtown Toronto gyms" and "downtown Toronto hotels". Any business traveler can use the same technique to map her best choice to combine accommodations with a nearby exercise facility.

At first I planned to comment about guest articles in this writing tip. I'd rather note the value of including local content in your articles.

First, let's be clear that some or all your content can and should be free of "local considerations". People travel all over the world; everyone cares about fitness. No matter what your writing niche may be, it may apply to readers anywhere on this planet.

But there are three reasons to include local content in some of your articles, or in a few places in each article.

1. If you promote your own business, and it's a local business, then target your local audience.
2. Keyword advertising often pays a premium for local phrases. Effectively, I may earn a bonus if my neighbour reads an ad for "hotels in Toronto" rather than for "hotels".
   
3. If you are going to use an example in some location, why not make it a local location?

Let me explain a bit. "DeHaan Services" currently earns almost all its revenue internationally; but I want to grow the local business. Therefore I intentionally make local references to Toronto and the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). It's a self promotion tool, even if a given topic does not relate to my business.

Keyword advertising likes "long tail" phrases. You may read a general article about a "blah-blah product". That's a short-tail keyword (or key phrase). The local retailer who commissioned that article will insist on including "blah-blah product in Mytown". That's because people ready to buy the product will search for that "product in Mytown".

Check the double map I produced. Yes, I could have done the same for Manhatten or San Francisco; but I live in Toronto so I made the map for downtown Toronto. It had to be localized; so I made a choice.

So my "local writing tip" is to refer to your local situation when appropriate; even if your main topic is maintaining fitness while traveling.

"My Pick for 2013 Nuit Blanche Toronto" provides my personal choice from among many intriguing art installations that will grace various locations in Toronto early in October.

This DeHaan Services article also points to the official Nuit Blanche Scotiabank web site, since my blog could not possible cover everything that their publicists provided.

I've already hinted at today's writing tip. Can you guess what it is?

It's one answer to the problem, "How do I write a brief article about a huge subject"?

Sometimes you just have to write a series of articles. I've done that in Decoded Science, for example, with a series of three articles on Euclidean geometry. (Start with "Euclid Laid the Foundations of Geometry", and follow the links that should be at the end of each installment).

My Toronto Nuit Blanche 2013 article gave an extremely brief overview, but then dove into exactly one detail. Because the title states that it presents "my pick", that should not disappoint the reader. The article "does what it says on the label" by putting the focus on one detail among many.

So this is actually a double writing tip. Sometimes deal with a large topic by zooming into one detail; but the title must make clear that you will deliver only that detail.

Thanks for reading about the upcoming Nuit Blanche Scotiabank in Tor

This summer inspired me to write several articles about being outdoors.

Hiking in Wisconsin would be a treat, but let's see what I managed in Toronto.

I wrote "Hot Weather Exercise without Overheating in Four Steps" for my DeHaan Fitness blog.

Toronto was enjoying hot summer weather, with enough humidity that some people could have been at risk of overheating from exercise...or even from sitting in the shade.

"5 Outdoor Activities to Help You Stay Fit", written by guest author Alexandre Duval, suggested 5 outdoor activities for summer fitness. Escape the gym! Enjoy the great outdoors and get into better condition while you're at it.

You can enjoy most of these activities all year around. Running is pretty obvious; icy sidewalks are the main concern. You can cycle when the pavement is clear.

Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skating and ice hockey are four winter alternatives. Obviously, A. Duval didn't cover those sports for a summer article; but you can be creative!

I'd also publicized both the above articles in my DeHaan Services blog, in "Burn Calories by Walking or Hiking for Summer Fitness".

From spring through autumn, you can't throw a Nerf ball in Toronto without hitting a street festival. We held "Four Free Events Outdoors in Toronto Sept. 13-15 2013":

• Toronto Ukrainian Festival;
• Roncesvalles Polish Festival;
• Applicious;
• The Terry Fox Run across Ontario and Canada.

Yes, I will admit that the Terry Fox run is much bigger than an annual Toronto event in the autumn. But we had about a dozen venues for the Terry Fox fundraiser, with a variety of distances for runners and walkers, and even cyclists and roller bladers.

Remember to participate in the Terry Fox Run in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) as well as other Canadian cities next year, if you can't participate in Toronto.

"The 2013 Toronto Mennonite Festival at Black Creek Village" changed its marketing name this year, from "MCC Relief Sale at Black Creek".

Most of the event is outdoors. I sold meat or vegetarian Sloppy Joe buns from the shelter of a tent. Our customers walked through the rain, or stayed dry in the quilt auction pavilion.

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) provides disaster relief services, promotes sustainable development, and supports peace and social justice issues both in North America and around the world. The newly-named Toronto Mennonite Festival raises funds and awareness for MCC's work.

We partner with Black Creek Pioneer Village, a year-round historic interpretation site near York University in Toronto. This year their horse-drawn carriage went past the village green where we set up for Sloppy Joes. Later I learned that their usual route in the north of the village was too muddy to navigate.

I can tie in "exercise" for my part at the Toronto Mennonite Festival. I'm not sure I ever sat down from 9am to 3pm or so. We had a good supply of customers despite the weather, and the Sloppy Joe mixture needs a lot of stirring.

Many of my previous writing tips are about choosing themes or topics.

This time, let me confess that I had not recognized that I actually used one theme frequently over the summer and early autumn. My theme, of course, was "outdoor activities".

Although I had not planned to use this as a theme, it's pretty obvious now that I review what I've written.

The weather often was excellent for gentle outdoor activities, but challenging for exercise when it was too hot. Conversely, the Toronto Mennonite Festival had its first "rain all day" weather event; but it maintained about 80% of its usual revenue.

Today's writing tip is simple. From time to time, review what you've been writing over the last quarter year. What themes or topics are now obvious? Will you still be excited about them for the next quarter? Will those themes be popular again next year? Were you in a rut, or are you developing a niche?

Thanks for reading about these outdoor activities articles, as well as the writing tip.

Yes, the title is a pun on my usual section in Decoded Pregnancy: "Development". Let me quickly explain what I meant from a writing perspective.

Usually my Decoded Science articles about math include calculations. There's nothing like explaining how to use a math formula to people eager to understand the low probability of winning a lottery.

In Decoded Pregnancy, however, the articles often deal with statistics. My "Probability of Becoming Pregnant with Twins" mainly relies on the USA's statistics for multiple births for mothers of different age groups or ethnic backgrounds.

Later I publicized that article in my DeHaan Services blog, where "The Canadian Chance of Being Pregnant with Twins" added statistics from a professor at the University of British Columbia. (I like to include a Canadian twist to my DeHaan Services articles so I can promote them on ZoomIt...but that's another writing tip).

Later I wrote "Calculate Embryonic Age vs Gestational Age: Pregnancy Math". Finally, that article actually had a calculation, in one extremely simple equation.

The most recent is "Probability of Ectopic Pregnancy: The Math Behind Atypical Implantation". Again, I returned to statistics for the math content of this article. Different risk factors lead to different likelihoods of ectopic pregnancy, which can be a life-threatening condition for the mother.

When I publicized both the age calculation and ectopic pregnancy articles in DeHaan Services ("A Pair of Articles about Math for Pregnancy"), I added some Canadian statistics.

The writing tip is to adapt your style and content to what your publisher needs.

The editor and publisher at Decoded Pregnancy want to include my articles that relate math and pregnancy. However, my usual explanations and examples of math formulae and calculations do not apply to many pregnancy situations.

Although one could argue that a discussion of statistical likelihood for medical conditions is more about "epidemiology" than mathematics, nonetheless it seems to be important for Decoded Pregnancy readers. Sometimes there is a simple formula; but not often. (For example, I did not find a formula for the probability of ectopic pregnancy by age or racial background).

You could, of course, decide to avoid a publication that cannot use your particular approach. That's a lot better than doing a bad job!

But if you can find a way to satisfy readers in a niche that sits outside your comfort zone, that's even better.

I approach many of my articles for Decoded Pregnancy with two questions. First: Is this topic worth covering, that those readers could find useful? Second: What is the right approach for this topic? (In my case, should I present computations or statistics)?

Thanks for reading about these pregnancy articles; have I decoded a useful writing tip today?