Creative Writing: Tips To Make Your Creative Written Work Sell

Creative writing is one of the most difficult jobs in the world. However, you really don't need a special talent for it. What you need is a paper, a pen and a very good imagination that is worthy of telling your story to other people. With good imagination, you can really capture your audience's minds and keep them reading your work. However, you have to know that a good imagination is simply not enough when you are writing. You also need to consider quite a few things first before you start writing. It is a fact that many authors find it hard to write an article or a novel. So, if you are experiencing difficulty in writing an article or a novel, it is just natural. The first thing you need to consider is to have an appropriate environment in order for you to concentrate on work. Create your own writing environment to enable you to write more effectively and think more effectively. Consider the clothes you wear, the music you want to hear while writing, the temperature of the room, the lighting, the chair and a lot more. You should be comfortable with all these things. If you are, you will find it easier to write. You will also need to have a writing schedule. You have to remember that nothing can be more frustrating when writing when someone is always barging in your writing time. You need to know when you can write in order to avoid interruptions from friends, family, co-workers or whomever that may interrupt you when you are writing. You have to concentrate on writing so you have to turn off anything that will interrupt you. Consider diverting all calls to a machine, turn off your pager, mobile phones, PDA and others that may interrupt you. Remember that you will be in another world in creative writing; you have to get out of the real world. It is recommended that you should write when you are at your mental best or when you are not tired. However, some of the best novels were written on hours that would normally be your bedtime, try and write during these hours and determine if it will indeed affect your writing positively. If it doesn't, you should stick to your regular schedule where your mental state is at its prime. If you are writing about a character, you should relate to them. Imagine you are that character and know their different behaviors and talk to an imaginary character. By doing this, you can effectively show your characters personality and will definitely make your readers think as if the character is real. Writing is a very hard task to do. It will affect you physically and mentally. If you want to ease the tension, you have to invest in good writing tools that are readily available in the market. A fast desktop computer is a great way to start and as well as a writing software program that will enable you to write more effectively. It is also recommended that you purchase a large flat screen monitor to make it easier for your eyes. These are some of the things you need for you to be able to write more effectively. Creative writing is a very tiring task to do, by following these advices, you will definitely write a good novel that everyone will surely buy.
About The Author
Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information checkout http://www.ideacenter.com and http://my-updates.info.

Write Your Perfect Resume

Writing a Resume Not that long ago, the easiest way to get a job was to visit the company you wanted to work for and ask for one. Today, however, it's not quite that simple. Most companies require you to submit your resume to them before they'll consider you for a position. So the resume has become a great deal more important, because it's the first, and possible last, chance you have to make the right impression. That's why it's so important to get it right! First off, you need to start writing a resume by being clear about what you're trying to achieve. Which company are you planning to apply to? What type of job are you hoping to get? The answers to those questions will give you a direction for your resume. Remember, no matter how good your resume is, if the person reading it doesn't think you’re suitable for the job, you won't get any further. So make your resume good, but don't spend countless hours stressing about making it perfect; you're probably wasting your time. It's a good idea to keep your resume short and simple. The person reading your resume probably has dozens, if not hundreds more resumes to read through, and rather than waste time reading your lengthy life history, will put your resume aside and read somebody else's. Work out the types of things the employer is most likely to want from an employee, and make sure your resume shows you have those skills or qualities. For example, if the job is likely to require attention to detail, mention your ability in that area. Summarize your past job responsibilities with a focus on skills requiring attention to detail. Give your prospective employer plenty of chances to see how your skills could benefit their organization. Perhaps you've never had this type of job before, and so don’t know exactly what the employer will be looking for. That's okay; just spend some time researching the industry. If possible, ask some professionals in that industry what type of skills or qualities they'd look for in a person holding the job you're applying for. Look at job advertisements, searching for clues, particularly if they mention certain qualities they're looking for. Check out newspapers at the library, or search on the Internet. Even better, look at the website of your potential employer, if they have one. Learn as much as you can about the business you're trying to join, so that you have a better chance of targeting your resume correctly. That knowledge will pay off in an interview, because you can show you know something about the employer's industry. One word of warning - never make the mistake of writing a general resume, hoping that you'll hit all the right buttons. That almost never works. Now that you have an idea what sort of direction you need to give your resume, start putting it together. Most resumes contain the following sections, although they can vary a little depending on the industry. Still, you should always try to cover these areas somewhere in your resume: - Employment history - Positive personal characteristics - Computer or technical skills - Educational background and results (include GPA if it's over 3.0) - Any other relevant accomplishments, such as a public speaking award Once you get the hang of it, writing a resume really isn't hard. All you have to do is put in everything you can to show the prospective employer that you can add value to their business, and take out anything that doesn't.
About The Author
Steve Dolan is an author who has written many resumes for himself and others. Find tips, tricks and articles on resume writing at http://www.resumewritingweb.com.

Making A Great First Impression On Women

ALWAYS look your best. I know this sounds REALLY obvious but you'd be surprised by how many men don't understand the importance of this simple tip. You never know when the girl of your dreams will turn up, or where. And it’s become a bit of a cliché because it’s true -- first impressions really do count. Here are some figures to consider from my studies. If you make a GOOD first impression on a woman, you have a 90% chance of EVER getting with her at that point (10% of women for whatever reason will be unreachable for most men at ANY point – she might like women herself etc). If you make a BAD first impression your chances with her reduce drastically to just 20%. This means that to make her attracted to you AFTER the first 3 minutes of meeting her will be incredibly difficult if her first impressions of you were bad. It’s the difference between climbing a mountain and using a helicopter to fly up one. Good first impressions means you’re on your way to the top in the helicopter, bad first impressions means you have a difficult climb to success – no helicopters for you. Honestly, I can't stress this enough -- always try to look your best. Tiff’s 5 S’s of first impressions. Shave. Shower. Stylish. Smell. Shoes. Remember these 5 S’s and always take care of them before you go out. Why are shoes my number 5 S? Your shoes are the FIRST thing a woman really notices about your clothing and hence your appearance. Make sure your shoes are clean and fashionable. What you wear is very important. I could try to recommend a certain look but as with all things fashionable by the time you read this it may have changed. Get the latest GQ magazine or other fashionable men's magazine's and imitate the styles you see there -- most women don't really care what labels you are wearing as long as you look good so you don't have to spend the Earth on clothing. Many guys I help dress better usually comment on how strange they feel wearing clothes they are uncomfortable in, but nine times out of 10 they start to feel natural and even confident wearing their new wardrobe within days. Make sure you smell good. Again this is extremely important. Remember how you feel when a woman walks by you and she smells soooo good - you feel an instant attraction even though you don't know her - well, that's how women feel too. Wear a good-quality cologne, but don't spray too much. One squirt on both sides of the neck, and one squirt on both wrists -- maximum. You don't want to smell too overpowering. I recommend cool water by Davidoff or John Paul Gautier for Men (often called JPG love juice because women love it) if they don’t sell it where you are try to order some from abroad, this stuff is GREAT! And here's a GREAT little SECRET that I have found will help you actually pickup about 24% of women without SAYING a word to them! Not a single word! And NO rejection either. You won't find this anywhere else either. To find out how, check out my page.

By:Dharmesh Patel

Parenting Tips That Build Character When Your Kids Are Driving You Crazy

remember counseling a second grade boy who was a 'Sammy the Slacker.' One day his teacher confided, "When I tell my class, 'Children, please take out your readers,' Sammy leans back in his chair, his arms hanging over its back, and calls out, 'I can’t find my book!' Sure enough, a little girl scrambles over, looks in his messy desk, and finds it for him." Sammy irritated his teacher, lost the respect of his classmates, and had no friends. These are not the results most parents want for their children. To help Sammy, I worked with his parents. I found out that his mother and grandmother believed it their duty to be servants to their families. They were to pick up after everyone, do all the housework, and smile too. Sammy’s mom felt her smiles turn to anger. She understood that she was spoiling Sammy, making him weak, dependent, and distasteful to others. She decided to build character in Sammy by changing the beliefs she inherited from her mother. 3 Parenting Tips That Build Character: Sammy's mom wrote out age-appropriate chores for Sammy. She created a chart to help build his character. She worked with Sammy to choose a goal for his chart. The goals Sammy's mother offered were clear, simple, and positive. At the top of Sammy’s chart Sammy chose this goal: "My goal is to do my own work and then help others." 3 Parenting Tips That Motivate: Sammy's mom offered stickers for his chart. She developed a fun activity list to share with him as a reward. She gave Sammy the choice of which activity to share when he earned a certain number of stickers. Once the chart was created, Sammy posted it on the refrigerator. Sammy’s mom knew she had to encourage his improvements. 3 Parenting Tips to Encourage Good Behavior: Sammy's mom rewarded him consistently. She gave the stickers soon after he completed a task. She scheduled his fun activity to do together soon after he earned enough stickers. Because Sammy’s mom was positive and consistent in rewarding him, he went from being Sammy the Slacker to becoming Sammy the Helper. His teacher sent home reports of improvement and, slowly but surely, Sammy made friends. Whether you have a Billy the Blamer, a Gretta the Greedy, or a child with some other problem behavior, consider using character building charts. You’ll be teaching your child responsibility, self-discipline, and teamwork. You’ll feel saner and happier. You'll be building character too.
About The Author
Jean Tracy, MSS, "Granny Jean" publishes a FREE Parenting Newsletter at http://www.KidsDiscuss.com

How I Trained My Cat, Oscar, To Use the Toilet

The first thing was to get a Cat Training Kit that has been around forever and that has a proven track record. I chose Kitty Whiz because my parents used it for our cat when I was growing up and my son recently used it for his cat with great success. My cat, Oscar, isn't the brightest of cats, so I didn't want to fool around with one of those "Johnny-come-lately" imitations. Plus, they are all so over-priced! Can you believe one is about $90? Anyway, my experience in training Oscar paralleled instructions in the kit. Oscar always needed more love with everything because he's little slow. I figure that if Oscar can get it, any cat can. The Kitty Whiz package included: (A) Bag of Herbs. (B) Clear Plastic Form. (C) Cartoon Style Instruction Booklet. (D) Diploma for when Oscar graduated. There was warning to wait if Oscar just had a litter. But, Oscar didn't have to worry about pregnancy. Also Oscar was to be using a litter box already, which he did. The warning went on for female cats. If your was is in heat, pregnant, or recently had kittens, you were to wait 6 - 8 weeks. The Kitty whiz "transfer" was to take about 2 weeks. I lost track of time, but it was about that for Oscar to get into the groove. Of course, I changed the litter daily and kept everything clean as usual. There was a recommendation to use a padded toilet seat cover for off-balance cats and Oscar qualified because he is awfully clumsy. Kitty Whiz divided their training into stages. Everything I personally did was covered in the instructions. STAGE 1 I took Oscar into the spare bathroom where nobody would bother him. Remember to start this training in the evening because your cat will need to stay in the restroom overnight so they will do their first poops and pees. While Oscar was meowing around, I placed the large clear plastic form and the large white form together- with the clear form on top. I chose to train Oscar with the toilet seat down because I thought it was safer and it is usually down anyway. The padded lid stayed up. I then took the old litter box out to the shed so Oscar couldn't find it and he would be focused on his new toilet facility. Good riddance to that smelly thing that I could never figure out where to put anyway. Per instructions, I filled the bowl part of the form with regular litter so it looked vaguely similar to Oscar's regular litter box. Since Oscar had been known to poop and pee in everything resembling nature, I covered my houseplant soil with aluminum foil where possible and rocks where possible. In the restroom where Oscar was training, I put his bowls with his favorite food and fresh water. I opened the herb package and took a whiff. It did nothing for me but Oscar loved it. He followed the package as I led him up onto the toilet seat. I sprinkled a little on the litter and Oscar sniffed around. This was to help Oscar take note of where his kitty litter was now located. It was a little heartbreaking, but I closed Oscar in his restroom for the night. He needed to poop in peace, and he doesn't like for anyone to interrupt his "work." Instructions mentioned that cats are that way. In the morning I checked on Oscar and he was perfectly content and maybe a little too proud. The litter was saturated with pee and there was a healthy mound of poop. There are instructions for cat owners who have not been as successful as I was with Oscar. But, neither my parents nor my children have ever had problems. I read over the steps to take if one is unsuccessful. They boil down to doing things over, keeping things real clean and encouraging one's cat with love and finesse. Oscar may not have been blessed with smarts, but he was blessed with a loving family. I'm sure your cat also has a loving home environment. STAGE 2 I was glad to move on to the next stage because Oscar was really going through the litter and leaving me with mounds of love each day. I think he was laughing at me. After four days, Oscar was accustomed to using his new litter box on top of the toilet. So, I saw the principle involved there. I gradually removed parts of the plastic form until nothing was left. In about two weeks, Oscar was going into the restroom all by himself and using the toilet like a regular human. This is my own personal touch to the toilet system. I secured the toilet seat lid so it was always in the up position. I also had the door fixed so it was always open enough for Oscar to walk through. I did these two things to make sure Oscar was never prevented from doing his "work." Nowadays, it is quite humorous to see Oscar get up from his favorite TV program and wander off to use the restroom. My only responsibilities lately are to flush the toilet. Maybe Kitty Whiz will someday invent a way to train Oscar to flush the toilet. I think Oscar was proud to officially join the human race as a toilet user. He always knew he was human, but it was good to have official recognition in the form of a degree. We gave him a graduation party and presented him with his Kitty Whiz Degree. He wore a blue ribbon and we framed his degree an hung it in his "office," right above the toilet. I was so moved, I sent some pictures to Bluejayz Pet Supplies, from whom I had purchased Oscar's Kitty Whiz Kit. Maybe I'll see Oscar's picture on their web site. Bluejayz encouraged me to email any suggestions, pictures, and success stories about Oscar and other cats to success@bluejayz.com I need to add the policy regarding images and testimonials as a courtesy to Bluejayz. All pictures stories and suggestions sent to BlueJayz Pet Supplies become the exclusive property of BlueJayz Pet Supplies and can be utilized in any way, manner, shape and form without consideration or compensation of any kind to submitter. Here is my personal testimony about Kitty Whiz: I remember Kitty Whiz from the 1970s. It was around a long time before other cat toilet training systems. It is proven and trusted in my family. And I know other families that used it with success and I recommend it to first-timers. I've seen many imitations on the market lately and they are usually way over priced. I saw one for about $90 dollars. All I can say is, "Get real!" I bought Oscar's Kitty Whiz online through BlueJayz Pet Supplies and I recommend it for good prices and fast shipping.www.bluejayz.com

By:Brandy Connery

About Writing

Here's everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it electronically and in print, and promoting it after the sale. Two questions you should ask: (1) What will it cost me? (2) What does this Michael LaRocca guy know about it? Answer #1 -- It won't cost you a thing. The single most important bit of advice I can give you, and I say it often, is don't pay for publication. My successes have come from investing time. Some of it was well spent, but most of it was wasted. It costs me nothing to share what I've learned. It costs you nothing to read it except some of your time. Answer #2 -- "Michael LaRocca has been researching the publishing field for over ten years." This quote, from an ezine (electronic newsletter) called Authors Wordsmith, was a kind way of saying I've received a lot of rejections. Also, my "research" required 20 years. But in my "breakout" year (2000), I finished writing four books and scheduled them all for publication in 2001. I also began editing for one of my publishers, a job I've been enjoying ever since. After my first book was published, both my publishers closed. Two weeks and three publishers later, I was back on track. All four books were published, and a fifth was released in 2004. Written in 2003, no rejections. Another scheduled for 2005 publication, no rejections. See how much faster it was the second time around? That's because I learned a lot. Also, I found more editing jobs. That's what I do when I'm not writing, doing legal transcription, or doing English consulting work in Thailand (my new home). But the thing is, if I'd become an editor before learning how to write, I'd have stunk. 2005 EPPIE Award finalist. 2004 EPPIE Award finalist. 2002 EPPIE Award finalist. Listed by Writers Digest as one of The Best 101 Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002. Sime-Gen Readers Choice Awards for Favorite Author (Nonfiction & Writing) and Favorite Book (Nonfiction & Writing). 1982 Who's Who In American Writing. Excuse me for bragging, but it beats having you think I'm unqualified. I'll tell you what's missing from this monologue. What to write about, where I get my ideas from, stuff like that. Maybe I don't answer this question because I think you should do it your way, not mine. Or maybe because I don't know how I do it. Or maybe both. Once you've done your writing, this essay should help you with the other stuff involved in being a writer. Writing involves wearing at least four different hats. Writer, editor, publication seeker, post-sale self-promoter. Here's what I can tell you about my writing. Sometimes an idea just comes to me out of nowhere and refuses to leave me alone until I write about it. So, I do. And, whenever I read a book that really fires me up, I think, "I wish I could write like that." So, I just keep trying. I'll never write THE best, but I'll always write MY best. And get better every time. That's the "secret" of the writing "business," same as any other business. Always deliver the goods. I read voraciously, a habit I recommend to any author who doesn't already have it. You'll subconsciously pick up on what does and doesn't work. Characterization, dialogue, pacing, plot, story, setting, description, etc. But more importantly, someone who doesn't enjoy reading will never write something that someone else will enjoy reading. I don't write "for the market." I know I can't, so I just write for me and then try to find readers who like what I like. I'm not trying to whip up the next bestseller and get rich. Not that I'd complain. But I have to write what's in my heart, then find a market later. It makes marketing a challenge at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way. When you write, be a dreamer. Go nuts. Know that you're writing pure gold. That fire is why we write. An author I greatly admire, Kurt Vonnegut, sweats out each individual sentence. He writes it, rewrites it, and doesn't leave it alone until it's perfect. Then when he's done, he's done. I doubt most of write like that. I don't. I let it fly as fast as my fingers can move across the paper or keyboard, rushing to capture my ideas before they get away. Later, I change and shuffle and slice. James Michener writes the last sentence first, then has his goal before him as he writes his way to it. Then there's me. No outline whatsoever. I create characters and conflict, spending days and weeks on that task, until the first chapter leaves me wondering "How will this end?" Then my characters take over, and I'm as surprised as the reader when I finish my story. Some authors set aside a certain number of hours every day for writing, or a certain number of words. In short, a writing schedule. Then there's me. No writing for three or six months, then a flurry of activity where I forget to eat, sleep, bathe, change the cat's litter... I'm a walking stereotype. To assuage the guilt, I tell myself that my unconscious is hard at work. As Hemingway would say, long periods of thinking and short periods of writing. I've shown you the extremes in writing styles. I think most authors fall in the middle somewhere. But my point is, find out what works for you. You can read about how other writers do it, and if that works for you, great. But in the end, find your own way. That's what writers do. Just don't do it halfway. If you're doing what I do, writing a story that entertains and moves you, you'll find readers who share your tastes. For some of us that means a niche market and for others it means regular appearances on the bestseller list. Writing is a calling, but publishing is a business. Remember that AFTER you've written your manuscript. Not during. I've told you how I write. For me. ===== ** EDITING ** The next step is self-editing. Fixing the mistakes I made in my rush to write it before my Muse took a holiday. Several rewrites. Running through it repeatedly with a fine-toothed comb and eliminating cliches like "fine-toothed comb." Then what? There are stories that get rejected because the potential publisher hates them, or feels they won't SELL (as if he knows), but more are shot down for other reasons. Stilted dialogue. Boring descriptions. Weak characters. Underdeveloped story. Unbelievable or inconsistent plot. Sloppy writing. That's what you have to fix. I started by using free online creative writing workshops. What I needed most was input from strangers. After all, once you're published, your readers will be strangers. Every publisher or agent you submit to will be a stranger. What will they think? I always get too close to my writing to answer that. Whenever I got some advice, I considered it. Some I just threw out as wrong, or because I couldn't make the changes without abandoning part of what made the story special to me. Some I embraced. But the point is, I decided. It's my writing. After a time, I didn't feel the need for the workshops anymore. I'm fortunate enough to have a wife whose advice I will always treasure, and after a while that was all I needed. But early on, it would've been unfair to ask her to read my drivel. (Not that I didn't anyway, but she married me in spite of it.) Your goal when you self-edit is to get your book as close to "ready to read" as you possibly can. Do not be lazy and do not rush. You want your editor to find what you overlooked, not what you didn't know about, and you want it to be easy for him/her. EASY! Easy to edit, easy to read. It's a novel, not a blog. Your story is your story. You write it from your heart, and when it looks like something you'd enjoy reading, you set out to find a publisher who shares your tastes. What you don't want is for that first reader to lose sight of what makes your story special because you've bogged it down with silly mistakes. Authors don't pay to be published. They are paid for publication. Always. It's just that simple. Later, I'll tell you where to get some free editing. But there's a limit to how much editing you can get without paying for it. Do you need more than that? I don't know because I've never read your writing. But if you evaluate it honestly, I think you'll know the answer. As an editor, I've worked with some authors who simply couldn't self-edit. Non-native English speakers, diagnosed dyslexics, blind authors, guys who slept through English class, whatever. To them, paying for editing was an option. This isn't paying for publication. This is paying for a service, training. Just like paying to take a Creative Writing class at the local community college. By the way, I don't believe creativity can be taught. Writing, certainly. I took a Creative Writing class in high school, free, and treasure the experience. But I already had the creativity, or else it would've been a waste of the teacher's time and mine. (Later I taught Creative Writing in China. We call this irony. One of my former English teachers also had Rod Serling as a student.) If you hire an editor worthy of the name, you should learn from that editor how to self-edit in the future. In my case it took two tries, because my first "editor" was a rip-off artist charging over ten times market value for incomplete advice. That editor, incidentally, is named Edit Ink, and they're listed on many "scam warning" sites. They take kickbacks from every fake agent who sends them a client. (I'll talk about fake agents later.) Avoid such places at all costs, and I will stress the word "costs." Ouch! If you choose to hire an editor, check price and reputation. For a ballpark figure, I charge less than a penny a word. Consider that you might never make enough selling your books to get back what you pay that editor. Do you care? That's your decision. Your first, most important step on the road to publication is to make your writing the best it can be. ===== ** PUBLICATION ** My goal is to be published in both mediums, ebook and print. There are some readers who prefer ebooks, and some who prefer print books. The latter group is larger, but those publishers are harder to sell your writing to. I want to be published in both mediums, because I want all the readers I can get. Before you epublish, check the contract to be sure you can publish the EDITED work in print later. If you know your book just plain won't ever make it into traditional print, print-on-demand (POD) is an option. Some of my books fall into this category. The best epublishers will simultaneously publish your work electronically and in POD format, at no cost to you. A lot of authors swear by self-publication, but the prospect just plain scares me. All that promo, all that self-editing, maybe driving around the countryside with a back seat full of books. I'm a writer, not a salesman. Maybe you're different. I self-published once, in the pre-POD days. Mom handled the sales. I had fun and broke even. With POD, at least it's easier (and probably cheaper) to self-publish than it was in 1989, because you'll never get stuck with a large unsold inventory. POD setup fees can range anywhere from US$100 to well over $1000. Don't pay the higher price! Price shop. Also, remember that POD places publish any author who pays, giving them a real credibility problem with some reviewers and readers, and that they do no marketing. ===== ** PROMOTING YOUR PUBLISHED WRITING ** It doesn't matter how you publish your book. Self-published, epublished, POD, or traditional print publishing from a small press or an absolute powerhouse. Marketing falls largely on you, and the same things always work. Book signings, book reviews and interviews in the local newspapers and on radio. (Or Oprah, but what are our chances?) Start with http://www.kidon.com/media-link/index.shtml. It will allow you to look up all the local media outlets in your area that have websites. If you write to them all, you're a spammer. Plus, it'll take ages. Look for the ones with a legitimate interest and fire away. If you find a stale URL, and I think you will, look for the name of that media outlet at some place like Google. Spend some time looking for the right press contacts, spend some time writing your press release, and do what you can. Most of these sites list email, snail mail, and phone numbers. Since I live in Asia, I've only used email. Book reviews, author interviews, book listing sites, and book contests are something we can all do, regardless of where we live. Aside from two radio interviews and a seminar in Hong Kong, and some emailed press releases to the LOCAL media back in the US which may or may not have succeeded in anything, my marketing has come from the Internet. I have a website. I have a newsletter. I write free articles such as this one. You found me somehow, right? Here's the type of message I receive often in email. To be more precise, in spam. "If a million people see your ad, and you get 1% of them, that's 10,000 readers and therefore $15,000 profit and you only paid 1000 for those million addresses." NO!! It doesn't work that way. Need I use the words dot-com bust? My website is free. My newsletter is free. I don't buy mailing lists, I don't harvest email addresses, and I don't spam. I want interested traffic, not just sheer numbers. Do you think the Phoenicians tried to sell sails to people a thousand miles from water? Internet marketing isn't a replacement for the methods mentioned above, but a complement to them. And by using it, I got you here. Hi! Your goal in marketing is this. There are people in the world who like what you like. And since you like your book, they probably will too. You have to find those readers and make them interested, without spamming them and without "playing the numbers game." If you're an e-author, let me state the obvious. Nobody buys ebooks who doesn't have Internet access. Do they? So you definitely need a website. Traditional print authors need websites too. Even blockbuster authors like J.R. Rowling and Stephen King, who I doubt could garner any more name recognition, have websites. So does every long-established inescapable monstro-business from hell like McDonalds and Coke. Okay, those folks pay web designers. I'm not doing that. I can't generate sales like that. And yes, I've been employed as an HTML programmer. But you can write your own website without learning HTML if you want. It's no harder than writing a manuscript with a word processor. It won't be super-flashy like the big boys, but it'll communicate the information. Remember, you can communicate. You're an author! That's what keeps people coming back to a website after the thrill of the flash wears off. Information. Content. Your specialty. Not a ticket to massive overnight traffic, but slow steady growth. ===== ** CLOSING THOUGHTS ** Here's something you've heard before. When your manuscript is rejected -- and it will be -- remember that you aren't being rejected. Your manuscript is. Did you ever hang up the phone on a telemarketer, delete spam, or close the door in the face of a salesman? Of course, and yet that salesman just moves on to the next potential customer. He knows you're rejecting his product, not him. Okay, in my case I'm rejecting both, but I'd never do that to an author. Neither will a publisher or an agent. All authors tell other authors not to take rejection personally, and yet we all do. Consider it a target to shoot for, then. Just keep submitting, and just keep writing. The best way to cope with waiting times is to "submit and forget," writing or editing other stuff while the time passes. And finally, feel free to send an e-mail to me anytime. michaellarocca@chinarice.org. I'll gladly share what I know with you, and it won't cost you a cent. I would wish you luck in your publishing endeavors, but I know there's no luck involved. It's all skill and diligence. Congratulations on completing the course! No ceremonies, no degrees, and no diplomas. But on the bright side, no student loan to repay.

By:Michael LaRocca

How to Make a Free Web Site

In the present time the internet craze has swept the nation and these days everything and everyone is online. Everyone having fun on internet and get knowledge from the web site. If you want to know how to make a free web site, the good news is that you've set an easy goal for yourself. Learning how to make a free web site is about more than just getting your web domain for free - you need to know how to put information on that site as well. Many domains offering free web sites also feature free online tutorials that will help you write your web pages. Some sites are so user-friendly; you don't have to write any of your own web code at all! You can select colors and font sizes from the domain's own page editing service. When the domain is willing to write your pages for you, it's very easy to learn how to make a free web site. Once you have decided on the topic of your website, it is time to start writing. The text should flow naturally and be divided into easily read paragraphs. Your first objective is to make sure your visitors can easily navigate your website and quickly access your content. According to the web designer point of view If you try hard enough, you can probably come up with some funky style for a page with for example, a new wacky navigational menu. The problem is that everybody expects to see a web page layout follow certain basic rules; navigation sections have to be arranged in a certain way, links have to look a certain way ... being consistent makes the web site easier for the visitor to use. Your site should have content that changes frequently, encouraging return visitors. And once you know how to make a free web site, you'll have your own space on the Internet that others can visit. It's free, it's easy, and it's your own piece of the world wide web. After all, everyone else is on the Internet - why should you be left behind?

by: Sean McGill

Give Thanks No Matter What

When you witness someone sneeze, it would be a good attitude to simply say "bless you" to that person. In return, he/she would response back to you with a modest gratitude. Could that be the right way to say at just the right moment. A very usual scene on a typical day, in just one of the occurrences in various corners of this world. Every morning when we wake up and welcome ourselves to a brand new day, it is already considered a great miracle of our life. A start of another journey, and it's really up for us on how are we gonna utilize this given day. We probably don't think about it and notice everything in detail. And nope, we're not living in the oblivion life anyway. We should always be thankful about everything that comes in and out of our life. And no matter how trembling our situation may be at this point, we know that we could still find and be resorted to that lighter side in earnest time. There's always a very long road ahead of us that brings to many different multitude events. And each and every chance of this way tests our character, determination, and faith. There are a lot of things we should have to thank for -- everyday. And being alive and kicking in this world is just one of them. Just take time to look in our surrounding, scatter our eyes all around - the roof, pair of shoes, a cup of soup, or even simple tools, and our ability to check and interact people over the internet. Thus, we are somehow shielded, possessing much better resources and having physical abilities. These and some other more may be basic elements for us, yet we tend to neglect complimenting all those while they are here and available. Now, have you ever thought of people's lives in the third world nation? There are millions of them, of all ages out there trying to live day by day and struggling to survive. And for us, what else do you think we have anything for more? This instantly rocks our mind and gazes us to reality. So let's just make the most out of what we have. As what it says in Philippians 4:6 NIV: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Take a moment to comprehend closely at this powerful passage, and therefore, there is always something for us to be glad and rejoice of, despites. Yet we must be just diligent enough to reflect our thorough needs thru prayer and have passion on it. Be meek. Appreciate our precious life, those special people being with us now, and most importantly, our great Creator. Now, got any Turkey?

By: Al Maerina

Why Do People Need Web Sites?

The procedure requires a creative approach as well. The idea of the web site must be promptly thought over: not so much, but with zest! Not to overdo with the ideas – is key, because when a person enters the site, he needs to find first of all, what he is interested in. Nowadays, Web design is of a great request over the Internet. Web design lies not only in the creation of web pages but also all the content and management is included. This process includes an entire complex of tasks and objectives set before the team, consisting of a web designer, programmer, maker-up, optimizer and other specialists, and depends on the complexity and the specificity of the site. The development of a web site starts from the detail studying of the client’s involvement, his scope of ability, improvement of his goals. But it doesn’t mean that a consumer’s role is “petty” here. No, in no way! A client, in his turn, must plainly decide for himself what he wants people to see on his future site, in order, to have solid and authoritative web page and capture the visitors’ attention. If the customer does in such a way – it will be in a great help for the web designer and the rest of the team. Cooperation and joining forces together are very important elements here, with an eye to avoid misunderstanding. Then the conception and technical tasks of the site are worked out on the basis of the received information from the client. People create web sites on different purposes: for big businesses, to sell or buy something, to advertise, for entertainment and chat, or just for themselves. The clients can host their sites on the free or paid servers as well. The difference between them, of course exists, while paid servers are more reliable and require fee (per month or year). But if a person is just a beginner in the sphere of web design and wants to have his own site – he can make an attempt to allocate it on the free server. Though, here again, mostly, depends on the tasks and involvement of the client. Having a web site is not so much the question of prestige as one more possibility to announce and advertise the business today. Many companies develop themselves with the help of web design: earn money, upgrade their image; it is a great advantage to find new partners and to draw the clients’ attention and develop the business. Web sites are not only for the big businesses. Everybody, who has some ideas and wants to share them with others, in order to approve himself or something like that, can get a place on a free server. Web site is a “small miracle” in the Internet, which is targeted presentation of various information. More interesting info about web design and web hosting you may get here: http://www.webdesigners.cheap-web-hosting-directory.com/ and http://www.cheap-web-hosting-directory.com/ .
About The Author
Anna Ryaskova is a copywriter of http://www.webdesigners.cheap-web-hosting-directory.com/ - Web Design Directory

Getting to the Root of Nutrition: The Pillars of Nutrition

What are we made of? While this may seem like a simple question, the answer is essential to the study of nutrition. Over hundreds if not thousands of years the study of nutrition has aimed to break down the different compounds from which the body is made and to understand where they came from. The simple fact is that the entire human body is made out of food and water and to a lesser extent air and light. The things that do not fall into these categories may be toxins and actually cause a burden to the structures and functions of the normal body. Many toxins are added to our food today and you may be surprised by what some of them are. Knowing what supports correct bodily function and what burdens it can help you make better choices about your lifestyle and your diet and the result is an improved level of wellness. Understanding that from the very beginning you were and continue to be made out of the compounds found in food and water, nutrition and the study of it is obviously primarily health care and neither alternative nor complimentary. Nutrition is the most fundamental aspect of life. What makes the food that makes us? First we have the so-called “pillars of nutrition.” These are also known as macronutrients because they take up the largest portion of the food, apart from water which makes up a substantial portion of any food. · Protein · Fats · Carbohydrates Just like the basic parts used to make a car, these parts are all required for life and in a ratio of about 30% protein, 20% fats and 50% carbohydrates. The quality of each of these pillars is very important. After all, do you want to be made from high quality parts or low quality parts? Protein is composed of twenty different amino acids. In adults there are eight essential amino acids. Essential means there is no way for your body to get these building blocks other than through your diet. With children there are ten essential amino acids and premature babies require eleven amino acids. Again, they cannot get in these other way than through diet. Meat from animals contains a complete profile of the essential amino acids, but some erroneously believe that vegetarians have a difficult time getting enough protein in their diets. Protein is a basic building block in all life and vegetarians eating a reasonably varied selection of foods not only get complete protein support, the protein from plants tends to be easier to digest and does not cause a build up of toxins like uric acid in the kidneys as is the case with all animal protein. Modern diets tend to have the least amount of high quality essential fats but large amounts of low quality and harmful fats. These essential fats are found in foods such as flax seed, fresh nuts, avocados and certain types of fish. Processed foods and red meat contain saturated fats and trans fats which are neither essential nor beneficial. The essential fats not only assist the body in the management of inflammation and other bodily processes, they make up some critical structures in the body as well. Over 50% of the mass of a healthy brain is composed of these essential, unsaturated fats. A word of warning: have you ever opened a jar of raw nuts and discovered the smell of “oil paint”? This is a sign that the essential fats have gone rancid. Throw this food out. The final pillar is the much maligned carbohydrate group. These foods provide energy as well as fiber to the diet. Fiber is found in most plants and is not considered a nutrient, but it is important for normal bodily function and waste elimination. Fruits and vegetables provide the best source of carbohydrates and varying amounts of fiber. Grains also provide beneficial carbohydrates as long as they are whole and are an excellent source of fiber. Refined grains provide the lowest quality source of carbohydrates and in excess may now only lead to unwanted weight gain, but also an increased risk of diabetes, and heart disease. These three pillars of nutrition are very important and provide the bulk of any healthy diet. For hundreds of years, they were considered to be the only components of nutrition in food. That all changed as research moved forward in the late 19th and early 20th century. In the next article, we will peer further into the essentials of food.
About The Author
Dave Saunders is a national speaker on nutrition and optimal health. Make optimal health a reality: Discover vital truths about health and wellness at http://www.glycowellness.com

Ways To Hide Files On Your Computer

At some point in time, perhaps on your family computer, or your own computer, you will develop, collect, and store some important personal files on your hard drive that are strictly for your needs and purposes. These digital files may be so important to you, that under no circumstances, should anyone ever be able to access and see them. Some of these personal and business files may include documents, spreadsheets, emails, pdfs, text files, invoices, pictures, videos, and mp3s. These files may be so sensitive in nature, that you realize a need to prevent your spouse, kids, friends, or anyone for that matter, from viewing and accessing them. Perhaps, you may even need to hide porn or other explicit files. Just imagine if your spouse, or little ones at home, did a file search for all picture files and movies that were on your computer. Hopefully the results wouldn't expose them to anything that you wouldn't want them to see. Just imagine what could happen, if your children at home decided to fool around with your work and files that was listed in the recent documents menu. Ok, you get the point. And thus, this question is raised: How do I hide files and folders so that they won't be discovered? There are several ways in which you can hide files: You can put your files within a folder and apply the hidden attribute to the folder. You can bury your files deeply in subdirectories within subdirectories and hope that no one browses using Windows Explorer. You can change the file name and file extension of your file to something unique and strange, so that no one recognizes it, or you can purchase a file hiding software security application such as a folder lock or folder hider with password protection. All of the above methods may be your solution to hide your important files. It simply depends on the significant importance of your files and level of security you need. You can apply the hidden attribute to a folder or file by choosing to do so within its properties. This is a simple way of hiding a folder in Windows XP. However, the files will still show up if a user sets the option "show hidden files and folders" within the folders options. Another way to hide a file is simply by concealing it by dumping it into a folder you think no one will ever access. However, you run the risk of it appearing within the results of a Windows Search and having it displayed in the documents list. Another way to hide a file is by renaming it along with its file extension so that no one recognizes it or is able to open it using its standard program. Although this method could possibly work for you, you would have to waste time renaming it and changing it back to the correct extension. And thus, the following question is raised: What is a quick and sure proof way to hide files in windows so that they won't appear within Windows Explorer and won't be displayed in the results of a Windows search? Your solution: A simple and easy to use folder security software utility that will allow you to hide files and folders and make them reappear all with a simple hotkey. Supreme Folder Hider is such a solution that will save you time and will provide you with an extra added sense of security. Supreme Folder Hider prevents all file access from Windows Explorer, the command prompt, shortcuts, and most recently used document lists.

Clinton Brown

3 Keys to Grow Your Business

Are you on pace to accomplish your important sales and financial goals this year? The truth is, a good majority of US Organizations have been unable to grow their businesses this year. They are not reaching their sales and financial goals and many have all but given up. Is this you? Are you now looking to next year to be the year you shatter previous productivity, sales and revenue records? Regardless of whether you are on pace to meet your goals or not this year, it's a great idea to start preparing for your best year ever; but you will need to prepare. You've surly realized, it takes much more than just setting a goal to accomplish it. The mere act of putting the goal on paper, sharing it with your managers and giving the extra effort to accomplish the goal is really secondary to the preparation required. Before you begin to work toward an objective, you must insure all of the past barriers that stood in the way of prior goal accomplishment are eliminated. If they aren't, the unfortunate fact is, you'll fail to meet the objective once again… for the same reasons as before. The following are the three keys market leading organizations have used to grow their businesses. I suggest you consider them to take your organization to the next level of success also. 1. Operational Systems There are two types of systems in your organization. The first is your operational systems, including: 1. Vision & Mission 2. Financial & Budgeting 3. Production, Manufacturing & Distribution 4. Sales & Marketing All four of these systems are in place for one reason: to efficiently grow your business. They are the standards to how your organization operates from day to day. More importantly, they are the standards to how your workforce operates from day to day. To improve productivity this quarter and prepare for your best year ever, it is vital to analyze your operational systems. In the next month, recognize what current productivity barriers must be eliminated, what operating expenses must be reduced, what unique cultural standards must be maintained and what marketing promises must be upheld. 2. Managerial Systems In answering the previous questions, most organizations realize an important fact. Changes to operational systems are almost always made to improve the productivity of their workforce. But the truth is, these changes alone rarely help. Organizations failing to accomplish their goals tend to make irrational decisions. They feel if they rewrite a vision, increase spending on technology, reorganize production procedures or alter their marketing messages, workforce performance and profits will magically improve. However, the opposite is usually the case. The changes usually end up harming efficiency, production and morale. The usual outcome is, those employees who naturally performed the job they were hired to do before the changes, still naturally do. Those who failed to produce before the expensive operational modifications, still underachieve. The second type of system in your organization is your managerial systems. The five most important processes of your managerial systems are: recruiting, hiring, training, developing and retaining (productive employees). When you create a successful managerial system, your hiring success rate, employee motivation and the effectiveness of your leaders will naturally improve. To prepare for your best year ever, there is only one question to ask yourself: Why haven't we been able to hire, develop and retain TOP Performing employees in every position. 3. Focus on People Market leading organizations realize "people" are the key to growing a business and meeting goals. The more productive their individuals are, the more productive their teams have become. A recent study of over 2,200 managers by Watson Wyatt Worldwide in Human Resource Executive Magazine found: Of the hundreds of management functions, "Selecting Staff" and "Retention" are the second and third most important management functions in business today. Recruiting was rank fifth. Since almost three of four new hires fail to meet our expectations within the first year and managers are forced to constantly replace underachievers, recruiting is the number one management expense in business today. Although selecting staff and retention are rated very important, they rank 36th and 44th in management effort and spending respectively. Although executives understand the importance of Top Performers in every position, their time, energy and financial priorities have become operational. With the amount of organizations failing to meet their goals or grow their businesses, it should be apparent that this strategy just doesn't work. Hiring Top Performers for every position in your company, the first time, is the only way to insure your productivity and profits will improve. Traditionally, Top Performers are five to eight times more productive then their counterparts. You've probably learned the hard way, no modification to an operational system will ever increase your organization's performance five to eight times. If you are like the most effective executives, you'll understand this and will double or triple the productivity and profits of your organization by giving your managers the tools to hire, develop and retain your greatest value; your people. Great customer service, work ethic, motivation, productivity and sales success comes from employees that fit your culture, their team and the job they were hired to do. Whether it takes developing your underachievers or replacing them with someone who will naturally produce, it is now time to focus on your people to prepare for your best year ever.

By: Grant D. Robinson

Are Leaders Born Or Made?

For centuries people have debated whether leaders are born or made. Several decades ago researchers started trying to answer the question. The debate goes on, even though we know the answer. It turns out to be a little of both. Leaders are sort of born and they're always made. Knowing the details will help you develop effective leaders for your company. Leaders are Sort of Born It seems like there's only one thing that a person needs to actually be born with in order to be a leader later in life. That's intelligence. A leader needs to be smart enough. Effective leaders aren't necessarily the smartest people in the room or the company or even on the team. But they have to be smart enough to do the job they're assigned. What's more important is what kind of person the potential leader is when he or she becomes an adult. The person who emerges from adolescence into young adulthood has the psychological and character traits they'll demonstrate for the rest of their life. Some of those matter for leadership. By the time a person becomes an adult we can tell if they can help other people achieve results. That, after all, is what we expect leaders to do. We expect them to achieve success through a group. We expect them to help their subordinates grow and develop. By the time a person becomes an adult, we can tell if they want to achieve objectives or if they just want to go along and take it easy. We expect leaders to be responsible for achieving results. You can have a marvelous life without a results focus, but if you're going to lead successfully you have to have the drive and willingness to be measured by the results of your leadership. By the time a person becomes an adult, we can tell if they are willing to make decisions or not. Lots of people wake up every day and let the world happen to them. But leaders must be able and willing to make decisions that affect themselves and others. By the time a person becomes an adult we can tell if they have the basic qualities that we expect leaders to have. We can determine if they're smart enough to do the job. We can tell if they are willing to help others to achieve results as a group. And we can tell if they will make decisions. Those things are essential. People who have them can learn the multiple skills it takes for them to become effective leaders. No matter how they measure up on the key essentials, no one emerges from the womb or from adolescence with all the skills in place to be an effective leader. Everybody has to learn the job. That's why leaders are always made. Leaders are Always Made Leadership can be learned by anyone with the basics. But an awful lot of leadership cannot be taught. That's because leadership is an apprentice trade. Leaders learn about 80 percent of their craft on the job. They learn from watching other leaders and emulating their behavior. They choose role models and seek out mentors. They ask other leaders about how to handle situations. Leaders improve by getting feedback and using it. The best leaders seek feedback from their boss, their peers and their subordinates. Then they modify their behavior so that they get better results. Leaders learn by trying things out and then critiquing their performance. The only failure they recognize is the failure to learn from experience. In their book, Geeks and Geezers, Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas identify the special power of what they call "crucibles." These are trials which teach hard lessons that leaders use as the basis of their strength in later crises. Many of these events can be called "failures," but leaders turn the bad situation to good by learning from it. Effective leaders take control of their own development. They seek out training opportunities that will make a difference that will make a difference in their performance. Effective leaders look for training programs that will help them develop specific skills that they can use on the job. Then, they when they return to work, they devote specific, deliberate effort to mastering in real life what they learned in the classroom. Marshall Goldsmith and Howard Morgan studied the progress of 88,000 managers who had been to leadership development training. The people who returned from the training, talked about it, and did deliberate work to apply their learning were judged as becoming more effective leaders. The ones who didn't showed no improvement. If you're responsible for leadership development for your company, you should structure your support for your leaders to recognize that most leadership learning happens on the job. Help people develop leadership development plans. Help them select specific skills training and then work on transferring skills from the training to the job. Help them find role models, mentors and peers to discuss leadership issues. Help your leaders get feedback from their boss, peers and subordinates. Work to create the culture of candor that will make that feedback helpful and effective. Don't stop there. Make sure that you evaluate your leaders on their leadership work. Reward them and hold them accountable for accomplishing the mission through the group. And hold them accountable for caring for their people and helping them grow and develop. A Leader's Growth is Never Done Leadership learning is a lifetime activity. You're never done because there's always more to learn. There are always skills you need to improve. Effective leaders seek out development opportunities that will help them learn new skills. Those might be project assignments or job changes. What they have in common is that the leader develops knowledge and skills that can be used elsewhere. Effective leaders also seek out opportunities that will increase their visibility. The fact is that great performance alone will not propel you to the top in your career. You also have to be visible to people who make decisions about promotions and assignments. If you're responsible for developing leaders in your company, set up programs to give your leaders both kinds of development opportunities over the course of their careers. There's no magic formula for developing quality leaders in your company. But if you select potential leaders with the essential traits, then support them with training, feedback, on-the-job learning and development experiences and hold them accountable for results, you'll have the leaders you need to shape your company's future.

By: Wally Bock

Interview Questions - Things to Think About Before the Interview

Whether you are preparing to interview, preparing to be interviewed, or just interested in conducting a quick self-analysis, the following topics tips will help you develop a perspective. PREPARATION If you are preparing to conduct an interview, begin with a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities for the position. Create a list of requirements, objectives and priorities associated with the position and use this as a guide to create specific questions for the TOPICS below. If you are preparing to be interviewed, research the job description and the company profile thoroughly. This information can frequently be found on the company web site. Develop a list of potential responses and also create your own questions to ask about the position role and responsibilities as associated with the TOPICS listed below. Even if you are not prepared to conduct an interview, or to be interviewed, you can review your current career roles and responsibilities to reflect on the following TOPICS. TOPICS What have you learned from your previous success? Can you identify significant achievements that highlight your talents, skills and capabilities? How can this knowledge and experience be leveraged to develop future success? What have you learned from your mistakes? Can you identify decisions or circumstances that you might change if given another opportunity? How can this knowledge be applied to mitigate future risks? What have you learned from your experiences and industry knowledge? Can you identify personal experience and perspectives that make you unique? How can unique experience or industry position be used as a strategic advantage? What have you learned from other people? Can you identify skills or knowledge that you have acquired from other experts, peers or mentors? How willing and able are you to learn from the expertise of others? What have you taught other people? Can you identify specific skills, motivation or direction that you have shared for a positive influence to others? How do you contribute to the community and improve your environment? How willing are you to share your knowledge? What behavior did you learn as a child? Can you identify specific characteristics that would best describe your behavior? How would you describe your work ethic? REFLECTIONS Every individual is a unique blend of talent, skills and experiences. Character traits can be acquired or learned over the course of our childhood, education and careers. These character traits can contribute to success, reduce risk and be used to enhance the environment around us. In some cases conflicts may arise as a result of different character traits. For example, one person may have experience shaped by previous achievements or errors that have not been experienced by another, creating significantly different perspectives. In some cases the disparity may be related to work habits or personality traits that were learned as child and not easily changed or influenced in the work environment. These conflicts can be mitigated with a better understanding of the experience that shapes another's perspective. During the interview process it is the obligation of the interviewer and the individual being interviewed to determine how well the personal experience, knowledge and character match between the person and the position. This increases the potential for future success. If you reviewed the questions as a personal assessment, it can be a meaningful review to reflect on your contributions, motivation and impact on your environment. As a unique blend of talent, skills and experience, you have the opportunity to share something of yourself with those around you. In return, you have an amazing opportunity to continually develop your personal knowledge by learning from the unique experiences of those around you. What you do with these opportunities will shape your character and your potential for the future. ______________________________________________________ Words of Wisdom "All of us learn to write in the second grade. Most of us go on to greater things." - Bobby Knight "I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." - Galileo "It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have learned English -- up to fifty words used in correct context -- no human being has been reported to have learned dolphinese." - Carl Sagan ______________________________________________________ You may distribute this article freely, print it, sell it, or include it as part of a package as long as it is intact, unchanged and delivered in the original format with acknowledgement to Executive Blueprints Inc.

by: John Mehrmann

Starting a Business

Many people today are looking to own and run their own business. To do that they mainly have three main choices. 1. Buy a franchise 2. Start from scratch to develop there own type of business. 3. Buy an existing business. When talking about capital to start or buy a conventional business we are not talking peanuts here; all these types of businesses will most likely require a substantial sum, perhaps in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. They will usually require staff so suitable computer expertise for accounts and wagers and also people skills in the workplace are required. There are always some problems with staff which can cause difficulties. In a conventional business you will require premises. If you have bought an existing business then probably rates and maintenance are your two main expenses with the existing building bought with the business. If you need to rent a premise then you may require a refit for your purposes which may cost tens of thousands of dollars. This would depend on the type of business which may require certain expensive machine or electronic devices which could be various and very expensive. Then you would need computers and office furniture in varying quantities. All quite expensive items. However you look at it there are considerable costs involved when starting a business some of which will be ongoing. i.e. interest on the loan, staff wages and rent etc. If it comes to the worst and it all goes belly up look at what you might lose? The equity which was used to finance the loan - most likely the property you live in because you couldn’t pay off the bank overdraft. The fixtures and fittings which you purchased which now would be of use to you and any equipment you purchased which may have to be sold invariably at a loss. So you sold everything to try and pay off your debt but that wasn’t enough so you have to leave the home you loved and look for rented accommodation. Then many years later you might crawl back to where you were before the time of the crash. The statistics for new conventional type business success are not good. In a conventional business if you need advice you usually have to pay for it although with a franchise some is available free. With a franchise I understand it does not usually include business mentoring. So if it’s new to you, you may have to pay for that help. In MLM home based business with a good company the marketing help comes as part of the deal. Why you may ask? Well because the MLM I am recommending is structured so that the person who does the recruiting also helps the people they recruit. In making them successful they all financially benefit. This team building is the essence of success in MLM marketing and people who have done this for a few years reap large rewards without having taken a huge gamble to raise equity. So if we look an MLM business which costs less than $2000 initially and potentially enables you to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars a few years down the track why wouldn’t that be much more attractive to you than risking your house? There is the company which excels in all respects and is ideal for MLM people: ? It is debt free ? Publicly listed on the NASDAQ ? Achieved 1.5 billion turnover in the first five years ? Is a global business operating in ten countries and six more 2007. ? Ranked number 5 in the 200 Best Small companies by FORBES in the US. If we summarise the benefits then we are talking about a business which: 1. Does not require a large amount of capital 2. Does not require you to hold stock. 3. Does not require staff. 4. Does not require you to rent or buy expensive premises because you can work from home perhaps from one room set aside as your office. 5. Enables you to make an income relative to your efforts which could be in the six figure bracket after a few years. 6. Does not confine you to office hours - you can work at a time convenient to you and your family. 7. Will still function once established without loss of income if you decide to take a long holiday. Why then would anyone wanting to start a business not want to take the least expensive option? The MLM choice comes without all the financial risk and headaches. You can have the same earning potential as the conventional business with total support as part of the deal. For more information, contact Vernon Johnson 11/134 Hill Road, Runcorn, Brisbane 4113 Australia, biohealth@aapt.net.au 2. Does not require you to hold stock. 3. Does not require staff. 4. Does not require you to rent or buy expensive premises because you can work from home perhaps from one room set aside as your office. 5. Enables you to make an income relative to your efforts which could be in the six figure bracket after a few years. 6. Does not confine you to office hours - you can work at a time convenient to you and your family. 7. Will still function once established without loss of income if you decide to take a long holiday. Why then would anyone wanting to start a business not want to take the least expensive option? The MLM choice comes without all the financial risk and headaches. You can have the same earning potential as the conventional business with total support as part of the deal. For more information, contact Vernon Johnson 11/134 Hill Road, Runcorn, Brisbane 4113 Australia, biohealth@aapt.net.au
About The Author
Vernon Anthony Johnson Former electronic engineer, professional actor. Interested in making movies and making money from home business.

The Power Of Your Mind

THE POWER OF THE MIND I’m sure you have heard about the power of the mind. And also I’m sure you didn’t pay attention to that concept or maybe you didn’t give it credibility. However, you must know it’s the only way you can make miracles happen in your life. By using your mind properly you can change your life dramatically. You can object telling me you do use your mind in your own benefit, but I can show you didn’t do that. Just take a look at your daily routine; breakfast, work, fast lunch, work, date to dinner or beers with friends, maybe a session in a gym, back home to sleep, and that’s it. So, along this average routine you tell me at what time of your day you are using your mind to create, to build the lifestyle you would like to have? LIVING A PLANLESS LIFE As most of the people we used to watch our lives passing by inside pre-established routines inherited from our society. Most of us didn’t give ourselves the time to plan a life according to our expectations. We just let life to take us to a bank like the water in a river. We are just part of the life flow giving up to a, so called, destiny we may not agree. So, why do not give us a chance and try to use this concept in to our own benefit. Why not taking few minutes a day, or more if you can, to start building the lifestyle you deserve. THOUGHTS AGAINST FRUSTRATIONS Everybody has some kind of frustration, even you, so you can start unloading it from your back. Now, the question is how to do it. It’s simple and believe it or not you have used this power in the past. It happens usually when we are in front of limit situations. Remember some “big” problem you had and as consequence of thinking a lot in the way to solve it ... , almost magically like a spark of illumination, the solution just appeared in your mind! In the same way you can overcome your frustration(s) using adequately your thoughts. WHAT TO DO As much people build their bodies at the gym, in the same way you have to dedicate some minutes every day to overcome your frustration(s) or to change that things you don’t like in your life. The way to do it is an adequate combination of thoughts, mind training, and will. Thoughts are powerful. If combined with the other two elements they can make miracles happen. Jesus said “if you have the faith as the size of a mustard grain, you will be able to command this mountain throw itself to sea and the mountain would obey to you”, and where is faith?... right! in your mind! Faith is just some kind of thought. Einstein discovered the rules of the universe just by using his thoughts. Oh yeah, I can imagine what you are thinking now. You think you are not a celebrity just a regular guy with a normal life and you do not believe you can do such amazing things or discoveries. Believe me, I’m also a regular guy and maybe I won’t do things that change the world history, but you and I are able to make significant changes in our lives so we can do them more accordingly to our pleasure. In short, you can make changes in your life. You can influence for good your life with the proper use of your thoughts. You can start overcoming your frustration(s). I know that because I did it. I know you are hesitating now and that’s a good start point. You dispose some time every day to take care of your body, to take care of your health, to take care of your appearance; so why do not care about your life. Why not dedicate some few minutes a day to build in your mind, using your thoughts, the lifestyle you want and deserve. What you have to lose. In particular, make your frustration(s) disappear. Who influences every decision you make?... Your thoughts. Who influences your state of mind?... Your thoughts. Who influences your humor?... Your thoughts. Who influences your life expectations?... Your thoughts. Who rules your life?... Your thoughts. Who controls your thoughts?... YOU! So? It seems you just have to train your thoughts, right? HOW TO DO IT For instance, if you feel frustrated with your current job then force your mind to imagine a scene with you doing exactly what you would like to do. Imagine the scene with detail. Then create a sentence in present time like “I have a good job doing which pays me xxxxx $, and makes me feel happy”. Repeat this exercise as much as you can every day; and after some time you will start to see changes. This is the way to induce changes in your life. Believe me, it works! You have to try it! You have nothing to lose!

About The Author
J. Ramiro Sejas M. Author of “How YOU Can Overcome Frustrations In An Easy, Cheap And Simple Way” http://www.overcoming-frustration.com P.S. I strongly recommend you to read my e-book if you want to get results faster. Because in my e-book I use more precise examples and most important I explain the way to combine adequately thoughts, mind training, and will for you to get better results.

Top 20 Qualities of Smart People

In today’s competitive world, it pays to be smart. No matter how smart you are, I am sure there is something you could “get smarter” about. Below are some qualities of smart people. As you read the list, ask yourself: Am I as smart as I could be in this area? How could I get smarter?
1. Make Decisions Intuitively
Smart people listen to and follow their intuition. They know how intuitions and insights come to them and are tuned-in internally to make wise decisions.
2. Are Self-Aware
Smart people are aware of who they are--- strengths, weaknesses, personality, values, etc. As Confucious once said, “He who knows others is wise, he who knows himself is enlightened,” they know that the most important (and interesting) thing to know about is “self.”
3. Use Active Reflection
Smart people reflect on and learn from past experiences, finding out what works and what doesn’t, and then adjusts their course of action as needed. They think about things before jumping in, and also take the time after-the-fact to actively reflect to fully understand what happened or didn’t happen.
4. Think Out-of-Box
Smart people can easily entertain new ideas, thoughts, and ways of doing things. They crave progressive and forward thinking information, concepts, and people. They often come up with new and radical ideas on a regular basis.
5. Have An Open-Mind
Smart people are open to different perspectives and see potential where most people don’t. They would agree with what the quote, “A mind is like a parachute, it only functions when it is open.” They are comfortable with paradoxes and can relate to many sides of an issue or opinion.
6. Are Responsive
Smart people recognize and respond quickly to opportunities and people. They act and react fast, and take care of what needs to be taken care-of, well ahead of schedule.
7. Are Resourceful
Smart people don’t have to know it all, but they do know where to go to get whatever information, resources, training, education that they need. They are well-networked and have people to call on for resource referrals.
8. Question Authority
Smart people think for themselves. They do not blindly believe things so-called “experts” say, in fact, they ask deep questions to discover their own truth.
9. Upgrade Their Brain
Smart people stay smart because they are committed to being a lifelong learner. They continuously learn new things, and stay current with their skills, attitudes, and beliefs.
10. Have a Sense of Humor
Smart people do not take themselves or life too seriously. They recognize the importance of finding the fun in the irony and the comedy of everyday life.
11. Take Risks
Smart people are willing to try out new things, knowing that if it doesn’t work out as intended, failure is often cleverly disguised as a learning opportunity. They “swing out there” often, and it usually pays off.
12. Trust Themselves
Smart people believe and trust themselves first and foremost. They don’t have to check with others to make decisions, they instinctively know what is right for them and they go for it!
13. Write and List Things on Paper
Smart people have a well-developed life strategy that includes a written life vision/mission, purpose, and goals statement. They also write lists---one for “have to’s” and one for “want to’s.”
14. Are Productive
Smart people get things done, through whatever organizational/time management system that works for them. They make the most of each day and take action on important life tasks each and everyday.
15. Use Discernment
Smart people are able to discern (see clearly) other’s reasons and motives, so they selectively choose who and what to align themselves with. They surround themselves with only the highest quality people, programs, and places.
16. Read, Read, Read
Smart people tap into the collective brain power of others by reading books, magazines, articles---anything that is helpful for their own development. They are also able to filter out the information that fits for them and let the rest go.
17. Value Learning
Smart people value the process of learning for learning’s sake. They do not just learn for a specific end---to get a certificate, degree, title, etc. They learn because it is intrinsically rewarding for them.
18. Teach Others
Smart people are the teachers of the world, who share their knowledge with other people. They put themselves out there so the rest of us can benefit, and in exchange, their own learning grows and develops because they are actively talking about, researching, and understanding their subject.
19. Reinvent Themselves
Smart people do not like to stay the same, they love to grow and develop. They often play with their image, brand, company name, and expand or change it entirely. To stay ahead of the game, they often reinvent themselves time and time again.
20. Are Students of Life
Smart people not only know about specific subjects and topics, but also about what it means to be a human being at this time in our evolution. They are insatiably curious and want to know more about becoming bigger and brighter, as a result they naturally evolve.
As Lao Tzu said, “To gain knowledge, add things everyday. To gain wisdom, remove things everyday.” This is so true, our brain is like a computer and in order for it to function at a higher level, we must always be adding, while simultaneously taking away information that no longer serves us. Think about it, what do you want to remove from your database? And, what new software program will you replace it with?

by: Michelle Casto

6 Keys to Resolving Conflict

. DISTINGUISH FACTS FROM FICTION. Remember "Dragnet and Sgt. Friday? His famous line was "Just the facts, Ma'am.” We all think our view of the world is the "right" one: the only right one. Recognize that you just have a piece of the 'truth'. Try creating a police or news report that captures both your view of what happened as well as the view of the person with whom you're having the conflict. This will help you release your attachment to the 'right-ness' of your personal perspective. When we disagree with someone, we often get worked up over not just the event that happened, but the judgments we made about the situation and the person, the feelings that were evoked in us and the story we make up about what it all means. Take ownership for your own feelings. The other person didn't "make you feel" a particular way. They did what they did. You chose to feel the way you did. You gave the situation all the meaning it had for you. There was a whole range of emotions you could have felt and conclusions you could have drawn. You picked the ones you did, so notice if they represent a familiar theme in your life. 2. DISTINGUISH MOTIVE AND EMOTIONS We often assume we know what the other person was intending to do 'to us'. The only thing we really know is the reaction we had to the other person's behavior. Recognize that they may not have 'meant' to disrespect (or hurt, or ignore or control) you. Also recognize that if you are the perpetrator, just because your motive was innocent, that doesn't negate the feelings the other person experienced. 3. CONVERT COMPLAINTS TO REQUESTS Imagine that any complaint (yours or another's) is really a request in disguise. When we are in situations we don't like and we feel powerless, the natural response is to complain and blame. Next time you catch yourself complaining, stop and ask yourself "If something could be different here and I would like that better, what would 'that' be?" Then ask for it! Make the request to someone who has the power to grant it. Complaining or making requests to anyone else won't get your problem solved. 4. START WHERE YOU ARE Sometimes, you know exactly what you want to say but the words get stuck in your throat like a big wad of chunky peanut butter. There is a clear message to be delivered, but you hesitate to say it aloud out of fear, worry or concern about the other person’s possible reaction. At those times, start with where you’re stuck. Open the dialog with “I’d like to say something, but I’m afraid that I’ll… or you’ll…” You’ll be surprised at the impact that sharing your vulnerability will have on the receptivity of the other person. You’ll also be surprised at how easily the important message will now come out. 5) TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTION, ROLE OR INFLUENCE. Recognize that you may have something to do with the continued existence of the problem. This is generally hard for people to deal with. It's so much easier to blame someone else for your problems. It's the "those idiots over there" syndrome. "If they would just..." They may not. Figure out what actions you can take to solve your own dilemma. 6) FORGIVE AND GIVE YOURSELF A GIFT Forgiveness is not condoning or even accepting. Forgiving someone in your heart who has 'wronged' you, just releases your agony. It does nothing for them. Holding on to your grievance will just keep your blood pressure high. If you can't muster "I forgive them", try "I'm willing to forgive them.” Then let it go and let your willingness salve your pain.

by: Loretta Love Huff

What IS a Healthy Diet

There is so much information about what is healthy and nutritious these days that it is very difficult to sort out the hype from the truth. Following a healthy diet can be accomplished by making some simple adjustments to your current diet. If you think it is just too much trouble to make some simple changes to improve your family’s diet, think again. Most people do not realize the incredible impact that a healthy diet has on our bodies, making the difference between poor health and good health. Along with regular physical activity, a healthy diet is the most important factor that determines your weight. If you are overweight or obese, your chances of developing many diseases or conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers, increase significantly. EASY STEPS TO A HEALTHY DIET Your first step to following a healthy diet is to make sure you include food from all food groups. Vegetables, fruits, whole-grains, legumes, lean proteins and low fat milk products should all be incorporated into your daily diet. *VEGETABLES – A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can lower the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also contributes to a healthy weight, reducing your risk of obesity and the conditions associated with it. There are a multitude of vegetables to choose from, the healthiest being dark green vegetables like broccoli, lettuces, and kale, orange vegetables like carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash, and red vegetables like red peppers and tomatoes. *FRUITS – Eat a variety of fruits each day, canned, dried, fresh or frozen. Stay away from fruit juices as they can be high in sugar. (Unless you make the juice yourself.) *WHOLE GRAINS – Choose whole grain cereals, breads, rice, and pasta. Read the food label and make sure the grain that is listed such as wheat, rice, oats or corn is referred to as WHOLE in the list of ingredients. Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. *LEGUMES – This class of vegetable includes beans, peas and lentils. They are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, are high in protein, and have phytochemicals, compounds that help prevent heart disease and cancer. They are also a good source of fiber. Add pinto, kidney, black and garbanzo beans, split peas and lentils to your daily diet. *LEAN PROTEINS – Choose lean meats, poultry, and fish. Bake, broil, or grill it. Do not fry! Beans, nuts and seeds also provide protein. *LOW-FAT MILK PRODUCTS – Eat low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese or low-fat milk every day. Dairy products can lower your risk of diabetes and help build strong bones, reducing your risk of osteoporosis. There are a variety of foods that should not be present in your diet except in very small amounts. These foods, such as sugars, alcohol, and some fats, contribute to diseases and poor health. *SUGARS – Avoid foods containing sugar. You know what they are! Always check food labels to see how much sugar is present as some foods contain sugar that may surprise you. *ALCOHOL – Avoid alcohol. If you must drink, limit intake to one drink a day. Alcohol can increase your risk of many conditions including some types of cancers. *FATS – There are different kinds of fat in our foods. Some are detrimental to your health and others are very healthy. 1. Monounsaturated fats (olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and avocados) 2. Polyunsaturated fats (safflower, sesame, sunflower seeds) These fats raise your good cholesterol levels. To stick to a healthy diet, choose foods with these fats. 3. Saturated fat and trans fatty acids raise your bad cholesterol levels, contributing to your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake. Saturated fats are found in beef, veal, lamb, pork, lard, butter, cream, whole milk dairy products and can be present in processed foods like frozen dinners and some canned food. Always check food labels before purchasing. Trans fatty acids, the kind of fats that increase the risk of heart disease, are formed during the process of creating cooking oils, shortening, and margarine and are found in commercially fried foods, some baked goods, and crackers. When checking food labels, make sure the ingredients do not include hydrogenated fats. Following a healthy diet is a necessary step for the improved health of you and your family. It is not difficult to make the simple changes necessary to change an unhealthy diet to a healthy one. The advantages, better health, longer life, and more energy, far outweigh any inconveniences you may experience.

by: Chris Chenoweth

Finding the Best Private Student Loan

Students who do not meet federal requirements for financial need can use the route of a private student loan. Apply for a private loan is free. The loan is based on the student's creditworthiness and not the need for aid as does the federal loans.

Many lenders offer private student loans to students or their parents and the application process is simple and free. The loan requirements are usually less stringent and the repayment options are affordable for young professionals. A private student loan is a great way to finance the education of any student that needs financial help. Below you will find things that you should know and things you should consider.

Things You Should Know:

1. Student loans can be used not only to pay the fees but also for lab fees, dues for associations and housing.

2. A student can have an educational loan even though the tuition is covered by a grant.

3. A student who is eighteen years or above in age, can apply for a student loan.

4. Most of the student loan is deferred for repayment until the student completes the education or leaves the school.

Things You Need To Consider:

1. Private loans for students are not given without a co-signer or a credit report.

2. Credit unions give student loans if a vehicle or a boat is provided as collateral.

3. During the cumulative credit period, a student has the option of paying or not paying the interest part of the loan. It should be noted that paying the interest on the loan while attending school will significantly reduced the amount due when the student starts paying the loan after leaving the institution.

4. Student loans are to be repaid in ten years. Nevertheless, longer repayment facilities are provided to large student educational loans.

It is not difficult to finding lenders, because most financial institutions offer some form of student loan.

Always take the time to investigate lenders in your immediate area and find out exactly what kind of loans they offer. Compare the different interest rate and terms to get the best offer available.

by: Dave Fitzgerald

Who are the Nurse and what they do?

Do you have compassion for the sick and those that need your attention? Do you have the patience for long hours, devoting your attention and care for hospital patients? Perhaps, over and beyond these aspects, you just want to be able to try out the lucrative and rewarding career of nurses. Whatever your reasons and motivations, a vocational nursing school will be able to help you in your endeavor.

As you may know, there is a shortage of nurses in the United States and they are even looking to hiring nurses from other countries just to be able to fill the demand. Take advantage of the signing bonuses and other incentives that are being offered by hospitals for qualified people to accept nursing jobs at their hospitals.

To aid you on your quest, check out All Nursing Schools (http://www.allnursingschools.com/) This site is a veritable treasure trove of anything and everything about vocational nursing schools. As its name connotes, they offer a listing of hundreds of vocational nursing schools in the United States.

Furthermore, this site is recommended because its search interface is easy and very useful. The search interface allows you to further narrow your search down to 25, 50 or 100 mile distances from your area. Aside from this, you can check or tick an option for whether you prefer online vocational nursing schools to even further narrow your search and widen the probability of finding the perfect vocational nursing school for you and your needs.

As mentioned earlier, aside from the fantastic search function on the site, All Nursing Schools is a wonderful resource on anything and everything about nursing. On your first visit, I suggest you check out first their Frequently Asked Questions page to help you getting a clearer understanding and picture of the nursing sector and how to go about finding the right nursing school for you if you continue to choose to take this path.

Also, don't forget to check out this site's featured schools as well as the different diplomas and degrees you may want to learn more about to further yourself in your nursing career. Whatever the case and need, the All Nursing Schools site will certainly be a great help to you on your journey to and through a nursing career.

First, it will help you find the perfect vocational nursing school to jumpstart your career, and then further down the road, you can still use the site to keep abreast and up to date on new trends as well as guides on different diplomas and certificates that keep you one step closer to the ultimate in your chosen path of nursing.