Thursday, April 30, 2009

Writing For the Internet - You Can Do It!

The internet has become such a large part of our everyday lives, it's not surprising that most businesses are including it as a big part of their marketing budgets.

Apart from the actual building of their sites, the main thing they need is content to fill its pages. Most websites will include some or all of the following features:

Home Page
"About" Page
Biography
Product Pages
News Page
Articles Page
Privacy

This is all "content" and the writing of this content is becoming big business. You see, internet marketers spend a lot of time developing and promoting products, and once they have a few on the go, they consider doing the writing of content as something they can outsource. This allows them to get on with the business of business.

There has never been a better time to start providing a service of writing for the internet. There is a great demand now, and it is only going to grow in the months and years ahead. And the best part is that you don't need any experience!

Anyone who has specialist knowledge on a topic, or who is prepared to research them, can earn money by writing for the internet. You don't need college degree, you don't need to be a journalist - you don't have to be a 'professional' writer (but you soon could be!).

There are some great websites that act as the middleman in providing you with work. Clients who need articles or an ebook written will post jobs, and writers can put in a price to do the work. By tailoring your bid to the project specifications, you increase your chances of being awarded the job.

It's a good idea to get information on all of the options available to you before you embark on your new writing for the internet career, from someone who has actually 'been there'.

Kerry Finches "Overnight Writing Income" is a comprehensive resource prepared by this full time writer and internet marketer. Her tips, techniques, links and tactics will help even a novice writer start earning right away. Learn the facts at http://www.writers-xsited.com/Overnight-Writing-Income.html

Writing Software - Is it Recommended?

Many people can answer this question quite easily with a resounding 'yes'. English writing software is a program that can help you in undertaking your day to day activities. With grammar software, many people can benefit no matter what trade of business that they are involved in. If you are an article writer for a particular magazine or news paper, a book writer, a student taking a major in literature in English and many other possibilities, it is recommended that you make the use of English grammar software. To be able to know what kind of software that will help you know for sure that using English writing software is beneficial involves having already established the benefits and features that accompany it. This is very simple as there are many people who can attest to the goodness of the software.

With the use of English grammar software, you can be able to have increased productivity due to its feature that allows you to arrange your ideas, research, notes and many more, in a faster and easily readable format. With this software, you may be able to organize your work well no matter what you are working on. The grammar software helps you have all your reference materials and notes in a centralized place. This software has also made it possible to have a better structure of your work, which will also make it desirable to read to even those who are not even remotely interested in what you are writing about. This grammar software also helps you to improve on your grammar by correcting any errors that may occur while you are proceeding with your work. It informs you of the correct option to write if you have written it wrongly. The English grammar software has got a majority of features that will help you achieve that missing edge in all your writing of the English language.

So the question is if English writing software is recommended. This grammar software is indeed a good product for you as it will increase your mastery of the English language and help all your work carried out using the English language. So if you are in the profession of journalism, you are an author, a teacher or student, screenwriters or scriptwriters, technical writers or researchers and many other applications, the use of the grammar software can help you to achieve success in your profession and it is therefore highly recommended.

Watch how innovative English Writing Software instantly can improve your writings on a daily basis and learn how advanced NLP technology can help you to write even better English than your English teacher. Read more

Monday, April 27, 2009

Spiritual Growth - Dying to Self - Six Things You Must Get Rid Of

Get your 'self' out of the way so God can work!

He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30) John the Baptist was talking about Jesus. At first glance, you may think he is talking about their respective popularity or ministries. He may have. But it must also happen in our individual lives. Jesus must increase in our lives, and worldly thoughts that we've had since childhood must decrease. Our wants and desires as fleshly people are directly contrary to God's desires. In order for your spirit to grow, it must become unencumbered by your flesh and soul (Mind, will, emotions).

Note:

The following text assumes that you have accepted Jesus as Savior and been baptized (If you want any hope of growing spiritually, get baptized. Baptism will not save your soul, but do it. You will be very glad you did.)

Spiritual maturity will happen naturally as a result of removing the obstacles between you and God. Just like when you were a kid, no conscious effort could make you grow one inch. You eat right, get exercise, and growth happens. Same with your spirit.

With spiritual growth, as with a healthy body, there are things you need to eat. And there are things you must stop eating.

Things to do for spiritual growth

The spiritual things you need to 'eat' are many. The basic food groups are: study your Bible, fellowship with other Christians, and be helpful and charitable. In other words, live as godly a life as God give you the grace.

Major things to get rid of (with God's help and guidance. You cannot do it alone):

- Flesh must die: Dying to self is not physical death. You must consider yourself dead to your flesh. If you are thinking about fleshly things -- things of this world -- you are not thinking about God. Jesus said that in order to follow Him, we must deny our flesh, and take up your cross daily. (See Matthew 16:24)

- Rebellion or Disobedience: Follow your conscience. If you know something is wrong, don't do it.

- Deliberate Sin: This is the most commonly recognized block to God. (See Colossians 2:21) God cannot look upon sin. Don't worry, sin is forgivable if you are repentant (sorry for what you have done and turn from that activity). God's grace is not a license to sin, but a way out. Accept it and He will remove not only the sin, but even the very desire. It is awesome. An old sage once said, a clear conscience is the softest pillow.

- Resentments and Unforgiveness: A mind that is thinking about how badly they were treated is not thinking about God (God is very polite. He will not yell and scream in your face.) Forgive the wrongs others have done to you. Even if they are not sorry they did it. Resentments only do you harm. I've heard it said that unforgiveness is like taking poison hoping the other person will die. It's that important. How to forgive? Pray for the other person. Not just some generic prayer for their well-being -- but pray that they get all the good things that you wish for yourself. After a few weeks, or even month or so, you will begin to truly feel like you want good things to happen to them. It really works. Also, thinking upon all the things you have been forgiven for is a big help.

- Fear: The opposite of fear is not courage. Courage is doing what needs to be done even when you are afraid. The opposite of fear is faith. If you have faith in almighty God, what can there possibly be to be afraid of?

- Guilty Feelings: Confess your sins, and Jesus is just to forgive. (See 1 John 1:9) if you have confessed your sins and have turned form that sin, and still feel guilty, it is probably just the devil trying to steal your peace. Just keep reminding yourself (out loud is best) that you are forgiven by the blood of Jesus, and it will go away over time.

A.L. Howard is the founder of Modern Christian Issues: He is an amateur Bible scholar. He has been studying creation science and Bible prophecy since the early 1980s. Modernchristianissues.org is designed to be a resource for Biblical answers to tough questions that you do not have to be a scholar to understand. Visit the site to explore Creation Science (creationism), salvation, heaven and hell, the 12 steps and much more.

If The Greeks Were Wrong

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Writing From the Road

There is a rather large contingency of traveling writers, article authors, and novelists that travel in motor coaches and write. I know, for seven years I myself traveled the country by motor coach and I often met them. Some were travel writers, others wrote magazine articles, and some were well known authors. This always fascinated me, and perhaps gave me the confidence to become a writer myself.

My motor coach "The Blitz Mobile" mobile command center has a trailer set up and the trailer section contains my personal library. Did anyone ever tell you how heavy books are? In this library I have all sorts of information and thus, I have all the references I need to write on the road, something I would recommend for any serious traveling writer. Other writers I have met have their own smaller reference library, they take with them. Many traveling writers have invited me into their motor homes and they'll have a small row of reference books. Books such as Travel Guides, Atlas, Dictionary, Almanacs, Thesaurus and other mini-Encyclopedia type books. In fact you can always tell a traveling writer by what is in their motor home.

And I also recommend having reliable Internet Access as well, this is why I set up a separate power source in the trailer and use the WiFi from the Internet Satellite Antenna from the Motor Coach part. If you are considering writing from the road you might wish to check out the MotoSat Mobile Systems available, they are not cheap, but they work very well.Some writers use the new 3G wireless access card for their laptop. Some older writers just wait until the find an Internet Cafe. Still others only stay at WiFi enabled RV Parks and there are more and more of them these days.

The great thing about being a writer is that you can write from virtually anywhere and with mobile technology what it is today, you can have instant access to the real world when you want it. When you don't turn it off and enjoy the inspiration from the scenic views or destination spots. Why not take your writing on the road, enjoy life, dump the stress and allow your creative juices to flow, your mind to roam and ride like the wind!

Lance Winslow is a public speaker and gives professional interviews to various news agencies and Internet Companies Lance Winslow. Lance Winslow is also available by appointment; http://www.pbs.org/livelyhood/honeywebought/bossresources.html#lance ; PBS Special with Lance Winslow.

My Book of Truth

Many years ago, when I was still in college, my mother sent me a newspaper article in which a woman described a nun who had influenced her during her years growing up in a Catholic school. She described her relationship with this wonderful lady who was also the school's librarian. Both being avid readers, they had found each other and connected through their mutual love of books.

The years past and time came for the writer to graduate and leave the school. The librarian nun gave her, as a graduation gift, a little journal. In this little book, the nun had recorded her thoughts over the course of many years. She based her entries on a simple concept. When she found something to be true, she would record it in her journal.

The writer admitted that at the time she received this precious gift, she was very young and did not truly appreciate its value.

Some years later, the writer heard that her dear friend had past away. Upon hearing this, she remembered the little journal. After some digging through things packed away, she found the little book. She opened it and for the first time read it for the jewel it was.

The insights she found recorded there by the quiet nun were so moving and astute that she, in turn, felt compelled to write an article and share the story with others.

Fortunately that was the article my mother sent me. I was captivated by the idea of recording what one found to be true, so I went out and purchased a new, crisp paged journal of my own.

Through the years, starting November 9, 1994 (first page inscription), I have plied the simple concept - when I find something to be true, I jot it down in my Book of Truth.

Now, more than fifteen years later, I have quite a collection, and from time to time, I will read through my book's pages. The entries serve me over and over as reminders of not only the events of my life which spawned the entries, but to act a reminder of the truths I have come to conclusion on.

I am reminded that although we are clever beings, capable of tremendous feats of grace, creativity, generosity, insight, gentleness, kindness and amazing intellectual leaps beyond, we can so easily forget the invaluable lessons cast our way over the course of a lifetime. We must, from time to time, be reminded of beauty, of peace and of truth.

My hope with this article is that perhaps upon reading this story, others will be inspired to start their own books of truth.

http://www.truthbeing.com

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Make Dough Writing Online

A ghost writer's opportunities to make dough writing online are limitless, there is a huge market for well written articles, eBooks, fiction stories, and how-to books by people who need for whatever reason to put their label on the writing but are unable to do the writing themselves.

Ghostwriting is just that, if I write a book as a ghostwriter, you will never know, since the person that is buying that book is the one whose name will show up on the cover. Did you know though, that much of the content on the Internet is also written by ghostwriters?

There are many types of ghostwriting and chances are if you are a writer you will be called upon to do more than one of them over the course of your career. Newsletters, press releases, web copy are all examples of ghostwriting. Most times ghostwriters are employed for nonfiction works, but there are times a fiction author might ask a ghostwriter to write a portion of his book for a variety of reasons.

As a ghostwriter you will be asked to take an idea, and hopefully some material, and put it all together into a well thought out and skillfully written book or article. If you decide you want to be a ghostwriter the first thing you should do is to compile a portfolio of your work, whether you decide to work through your own website, a freelance hub, or through an employer you will need a portfolio that shows a variety of the different types of work you are able to do.

The great thing about ghost writing is it requires very little equipment to start with; a good computer, printer and scanner will be needed, as well as a word processing program such as MS Word. Before you get started spend some time reading about ghostwriting, writing in general, and any of the areas of writing you plan to get into such as copywriting or web content.

There is a variety of ways to advertise your services, creating your own website, contacting other blog owners to ask them if they need articles written and one of the latest popular ways is through Craigslist, with a bit of time and effort you can reach a huge portion of the population by listing there.

You should start by keeping your fees low for your services, till you build up some experience and clientele, since the going rates for ghostwriting fluctuate, be sure to spend some time researching your rates before you start bidding for jobs.

There is plenty of work available for a good ghostwriter, so set yourself apart with excellent writing and being punctual about meeting your deadlines and you will find that you can leave your nine to five job behind while making lots of dough writing online.

If you need money now, like I mean in the next hour, try what I did. I am making more money now than in my old business and you can too, read the amazing, true story, in the link below. When I joined I was skeptical for just ten seconds before I realized what this was. I was smiling from ear to ear and you will too.

Imagine doubling your money every week with no or little risk! To discover a verified list of Million Dollar Corporations offering you their products at 75% commission to you. Click the link below to learn HOW you will begin compounding your capital towards your first Million Dollars at the easy corporate money program.

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Three Ways an SEO Article Writer Boosts Your Profits

If you're in business, and especially if your business has a strong online presence, the benefits of contracting a good Search Engine Optimization article writer can be substantial. Here is a brief look at three ways having a steady supply of unique, original SEO niche-market-targeted content professionally written for your business can be of benefit to you. These three website content areas can be an integral part of every online business. Having well-written Search Engine Optimized content in these areas will certainly boost the bottom line of your online niche-marketing business. Here's what a good SEO article writer can do for you and your niche marketing business:

1. Write "Quality, Informative E-books and Reports

When a batter swings at a fast-thrown ball not every hit is a home run. The same is true for your customer contacts. Each time you contact a previous or potential client, you need to present a positive message that lets them know you truly have their best interests and a viable solution to their problem at heart. This is where contracting a good Search Engine Optimization article writer comes into play by writing a library of information products for you to have available for offer to your clients. Why not have the ability to offer your customer list and potential clients forms of information which will benefit them at a very low cost - even for free if you wish. This can be done by offering short e-books or reports on their area of interest.

2. Write "Quality, Informative Newsletters

Looking for a unique, but sure-fire way to keep your customers and potential clients informed of what's happening in your business and in their fields of interests? Then consider providing a periodical newsletter to your client list upon request? Whether it's weekly, semi-monthly, monthly, or any other frequency you require, a good Search Engine Optimization article writer can keep the latest, the greatest and most interesting aspects of your niche business constantly circulating on the minds of your employees, customers and associates world wide. With regularity, people will have your information flow directly into their e-mail in box, automatically triggering their remembrance of your products and services.

3. Draft Focused, Customer Niche-Topic E-zines

Quite similar in style and format to a newsletter, the strictly online version is often referred to as an e-zine or electronic magazine. These are delivered by e-mail to your niche target market list at a frequency you specify. A top quality SEO niche market article writer can easily keep your supply of information flowing to existing and potential customers alike, having continual growth as a distinctive part of your online business year-round, even in tough economic climates. And all this at affordable rates with top quality, regularly to you, too.

Showcase Your Products and Services in Their Best Light

Using any or even all of these techniques you can more easily build your client list, maintain regular contact with current and potential customers, showcase your products and services in their best light and promote the utmost in customer satisfaction. Your niche marketing business can thrive as never before. So just how much growth would you like to see in your business and sales this year? How about next year? Or even in the future beyond? It's all up to you and your decision to boost the statistics of your niche marketing business by contracting the services of a top quality, professional niche marketing SEO article writer who could boost your business in any or all of these three ways.

Need an experienced, professional blogger or copywriter to promote your school, institution, service or business or an experienced writer and vibrant SEO content for your website, blog, e-zine or newsletter? Why not visit my website or contact me today? For details, rate card, writing samples and testimonials from previous satisfied clients visit my SEO article writer website at: http://lmlynchcreativecopy.blogspot.com/

Work From Home As a Freelance Writer

With the economy shedding jobs at more than half-a-million a month since the last quarter of 2008, many are scrambling to find new employment. And, if it's a work-from-home job, then all the better. Freelance writing is one of those careers that's easy to start, and practically anyone who can read and write can do.

Following is a fast-growing, high-paying niche in freelance writing that anyone can enter - and start making money almost immediately.

Forget Magazine and Newspaper Writing: Online Writing Jobs are Where the Money Is

Specifically SEO copywriting. What is SEO copywriting? SEO stands for search engine optimization. Search engine optimization is simply using various rules to write copy in such a way that websites get more traffic and more sales.

And, website owners need a lot of it on a continual basis. Why? Because to rank high in search engine results, web businesses need to constantly add fresh content to their sites or their blogs and and/or to distribute via article directories.

Since most of them don't have the in-house staff to do this themselves, they outsource it to freelance SEO writers. It's cheaper for them. But, the amazing thing is, there are very few qualified SEO Writers. Most freelance writers don't even know what it is, so it's an untapped market.

And, this is why SEO writers are some of the busiest freelance writers you will find. The most successful ones bill $100-$250+/day -- easily. Many SEO copywriters outsource work to to other freelance writers because they get swamped so easily.

Following are some sample jobs ads you may have run across while surfing the web. These all fall in the SEO writing niche.

Seeking SEO Article Writer: Need five articles on teen fashions for my website. Looking for someone who can submit 3-5 articles a week on an ongoing basis. Pay: $10-$20 per 400-500 word article.

SEO Copywriter Needed: We are looking for writers to produce SEO articles. Each article should be around 200 words and should include the keyword approximately 6 times. We will provide a sample as well as guide for layout and style. Pay: $10-$15 per post.

Blog Writer Wanted: Newly launched humor blog is looking for writers to contribute humorous articles on a weekly basis. No experience necessary, but the ability to consistently deliver smart and witty works of hilarity is a must. Pay: Open.

Web Content Writer: We are looking for freelance article writers to write website content, product descriptions, etc. Our freelance writing service is currently expanding, adding new clients weekly, and needs additional writers to take on writing projects. Pay: $25-$100/article.

When many hear the phrase "SEO" they tune out, thinking that maybe it's too technical. The truth is, it's so simple that even a 12-year-old can grasp it - all within a few minutes. If you're looking for a work-from-home job that is easy to do, pays well and where you can start making money almost right away, SEO copywriting is it.

May be reprinted with the following, in full:Yuwanda Black is the publisher of InkwellEditorial.com: The Authority Site on How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career. Get full information on how to start a lucrative carer as a freelance SEO copywriter. The site features testimonials from college students, stay-at-home moms and others who've successfully started this work-from-home career. For some it took days, for others just a few short weeks

Hire a Ghostwriter to Boost Traffic and SEO

If you are like most people, you either don't know how to write effectively or simply don't enjoy writing. In the online business world, this can be a curse. Content is what the internet is made of, so writing is imperative to the success of your business. This is when you may want to hire a ghostwriter to do the work for you.

An experienced ghostwriter knows how to write for the search engines. Whether it's articles or content for your site, a good writer knows how to optimize keywords properly, and make the content compelling so that people actually read it. If your articles are dull, no one will read far enough to ever see your resource box, let alone click on your link.

Once you do make the decision to hire a ghostwriter, make sure they are qualified for the job. You can do this by conversing with them through email, looking at a few of their writing samples, and making sure there are real testimonials on their site written by clients who have used their services. If the testimonials have links to the clients website, you can be pretty certain they are legitimate.

A professional ghostwriter will perform the research necessary to write an informative, well written article. This helps you as the client, because the article or content will have your name on it. This will help you to be perceived as an expert in your niche or field. Well written content helps your business tremendously, in many ways.

When experienced ghostwriters write content for your website, they know that it should be informative, compelling, and even contain a little personality. It should also be well optimized for the search engines. Not all ghostwriters are proficient at writing this way, so choose carefully.

If you need articles and other content to boost your traffic and SEO, don't hire just anyone. The better choice you make, the better results you will see in your online business. Hire a ghostwriter that has the experience, knowledge and ability to write content that changes the pulse of your business!

Tess Tackett is an experienced professional ghostwriter with many satisfied clients. For samples of her work, client testimonials and more information about her writing services, visit Get Great Articles

Buddhas' Second Nobel Truth

Buddha's Second Noble truth is that the root of all suffering is attachment, which means that from the day we are born we are suffering. There is not one person on this planet that can say that they are not attached to something. First it is our mother who gives us food and warmth, then as we grow we become accustom to different things, not only physical but emotional and spiritual as well, in other words we become attached to all of the objects that our mind perceives.

As humans we have genetic dispositions that allow us to desire anything that brings pleasure, things as simple as a song that we liked, a gift someone gave to us for our birthday or a religious belief we were taught as a child, or it can be as complicated as believing we have our whole lives ahead of us. Our suffering is inevitable the only way to not suffer is to over come it, but pleasure is deceiving because we allow ourselves to believe that in order to be happy we need a home, family, nice car, a good job and so on. The need for these things means that we have become attached to transient things and with that comes ignorance.

Ignorance is the lack of understanding of how our mind is attached to impermanent things. The reasons for suffering are desire, passion, pursuit of wealth and prestige, striving for fame and popularity, or as modern Buddhist will say humans suffer because of craving and clinging. The objects of our attachment are transient, their loss is inevitable when we die we will lose our family, or home, and our thoughts, and then suffering will necessarily follow. It is inescapable.

Another common object of attachment is the idea of a "self" which is a major delusion, because there is no such thing as an abiding self. The thing we call "self" is just an imagined entity a mass of cells and electrical currents. We are merely a part of the ceaseless becoming of the universe. It is naive of us to say that we are more than just a collection of matter that will continue to erode the same way the earth does.

Throughout our short life on this earth we become attached to all of the objects that our mind perceives, which is everything. Think of it as if we are born into a video game that we cannot turn off until we die. We must free our minds of attachment and let go of everything. Live with compassion, patience, tolerance and trust that there is and end to this life.

Janis resides in western Canada, among the mountains where she studies the Buddhist religion and practices reiki healing. Janis loves making Buddhist t-shirts, gifts and apparel to spread the knowledge of enlightenment. All of the images used on the products are hand drawn with high quality graphics and historical accuracy a priority. Visit her website at http://www.buddhismtshirts.com.

Is Imagination Better Than Knowl

Dimension of Wellness, How to Achieve It?

What is dimension of wellness?

It's something more than just lack of sickness or having a healthy body....

It's definitely not just some products to make you feel good or be physically fit......

It's to do with how you achieve your full potentials.

It's self-directed and is an ever evolving process of change and growth in your life.

It's also a philosophy of life. It's recognizing the fact that your health means more than just lack of illness or having a healthy body.

Wellness has 6 dimensions - physical; emotional; spiritual; intellectual; social and environmental.

When you attain these 6 dimensions (each one is equally vital in the pursuit of optimum wellness), you're considered whole or complete......

1. Physical Wellness

Exercise, eat well and generally leading a healthy lifestyle are the keys to physical wellness.

Making these right choices about exercise, diet and lifestyle will affect how you feel tomorrow and the quality of your life.

You might want to gauge whether you operate in the realm of physical wellness by these parameters:

  • Eat a balanced, nutritious diet that's rich in vitamins and minerals; good fats; lean protein; complex carbohydrates and fiber
  • Cardio exercise 3-4 times per week to benefit your heart and to improve/maintain your health
  • Get enough sleep
  • Seek medical help when sick
  • Take relaxation breaks daily to relax and de-stress
  • If sexually active, use effective birth control method and take steps to minimize risk of sexually transmitted diseases

2. Emotional Wellness

This is your ability to handle your emotions in a positive and constructive manner, to maintain them in a healthy state.

How you manage your feelings and behaviors; how you recognize your own limitations; how well you cope with stress; how well you express your feeling outwardly and your level of optimism, self-confidence, satisfying relationship, joy and happiness, are major building blocks for your emotional well being.

3. Spiritual Wellness

This doesn't mean you're religious. Rather it's your quest to find meaning and purpose to your life and also be tolerant of the beliefs of others.

Your faith (in religion), values, beliefs, principles and morals define your spirituality.

And the inner quality of being compassionate; loving; forgiving and joyful will help you enjoy your spiritual health.

4. Intellectual Wellness

You've an active mind; receptive to new ideas; think critically; seeks out new challenges; stretch and challenge your minds with intellectual and creative pursuits; being creative, curious and motivated to master new skills.

These are the critical success factors to attain this dimension of wellness.

5. Social Wellness

This is how you contribute to your environment and community and how you build and cultivate better living spaces and social networks.

Basically, you've satisfying relationships; support networks; you participate and contribute to your community and pick up good communication skills and establish social closeness and intimacy.

6. Environmental Wellness

This dimension sees you leading a lifestyle that's respectful to your environment to minimize the harm you do to it.

You practice healthy measures aim to improve the standard of living and quality of life in your community.

You treasure earth's natural resources; conserve energy, buy organic food and products and appreciate what nature offers.

Cecelia Yap is an avid exerciser and author of the popular exercise website: perfect-body-toning.com - a web site born out of her passion which she successfully turns into a profitable business

Perhaps you have a passion or hobby you'd like to write about. Find out how you too can turn it into a profitable business like Cecelia does, here: http://www.perfect-body-toning.com/my-passion.html

Always Question Your Religion

Entrepreneurs Building Businesses Upon Solid Business Acumen and Inner Spiritual Wisdom

The ePreneur is an up-and-coming concept in the world of entrepreneurs. The "e" in ePreneur stands for "enlightened." Well, I'm not so sure about the enlightened part! Perhaps it's better to say that the e encompass all entrepreneurs who desire to build their businesses upon the foundational mix of solid business acumen and inner spiritual wisdom.

Today's ePreneur apologizes neither for being financially prosperous nor for including the spiritual dimension in their business. The accumulation of wealth and success goes hand-in-hand with being spiritual, to the ePreneur.

If You've Seen One Prosperity, You've Seen Them All

Many people mistakenly believe that there are many definitions of prosperity. I disagree. There is but one definition of prosperity with limitless ways to manifest it in your life.

Prosperity is a successful, flourishing, and thriving state of being. It is most commonly associated with being financially prosperous. It's about both energetic alignment with the state of prosperity and to the manifestation of things. The key here is the order in which things are done. First comes alignment with prosperity. Then comes manifestation. Get them backwards and what do you have? Greed.

Many people struggle with their desire to be rich. They think that being rich will interfere with being spiritual. First of all, we are all spiritual beings, so "rich" hardly has the ability to interfere with that. We give rich too much credit. Being rich and successful is simply a manifestation of the aligned state of prosperity.

The Difference between Need and Desire

"More" is a great feeling. Or is it? Seems to me there are really two sides of more. There is the side of more that comes from incompleteness and the side that comes from completeness. One holds the energetic vibration of lack and scarcity; the other holds the energetic vibration of prosperity and abundance.

Which type of more do you have? Let's find out. Think of something you want more of. More money? More success? More time? Think about your more for a moment.

Does your more feel like a longing for something or a wanting more of something? If it's longing, that's need.

Does your more feel like excitement to receive or craving to have? If it's excitement to receive, that's desire.

Does your more feel like the experience of connection and the feeling of completeness or the experience of disconnection and the feeling of incompleteness? To find out the difference, read on.

Enter, Your Inner Samurai

The experience of connection and the feeling of completeness are signs of your relationship with the Infinite. I call this the relationship you have with your inner knower--your "Inner Samurai." Connection is the inner part of the Inner Samurai. Completeness is the Samurai part. Both connection and completeness are needed and represent a symbiotic relationship. To come into harmony with your desire is to come into harmony with your Inner Samurai.

When you are connected to your Inner Samurai, desire easily and effortlessly flows forth. You naturally feel joyful and excited about what you desire. That's because you are in alignment with the Infinite. Conversely, when you are disconnected from your Inner Samurai, you are caught in the illusion of separation, and the stream of flow is disrupted. Lack pours forth in the form of need, from this place.

Sometimes there is a seemingly indistinguishable line between filling a need and expressing a desire. Plus, desire has been given a bad rap: Desiring more is bad and being content with less is good. Enough of that kind of thinking! Desire is a natural part of us. Without judgment, without reproach, desire just is. The ePreneur knows that desiring more isn't the issue. Knowing the difference between need and desire is.

You Complete Me, Don't You?

To need something is to believe that some external thing will complete you. Need stems from the belief that without something outside yourself you are incomplete. The quintessential characteristic of need is that the experience of its fulfillment is short-lived.

Need, flowing from incompleteness, attempts to fill a bottomless spiritual hole with material things. To need something is a statement that something needs to change in order for you to be happy. The ePreneur knows that no amount of material stuff can fill a spiritual hole. Only connection to the Infinite can. We begin to manifest what we desire the moment we let go of our external need for completeness.

Today's ePreneur knows it isn't about choosing between being rich or being spiritual. It's all about being connected to your Inner Samurai.

Small Business Start Up Consultant provides value, inspiration and direction to entrepreneurial women starting up and launching small businesses. Accidental Pren-her Blog is a place to come read what is inspiriting and inspiring women preneurs to greatness.

Norman Vincent Peal

Spiritual Growth - Dying to Self - Six Things You Must Get Rid Of

Get your 'self' out of the way so God can work!

He must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30) John the Baptist was talking about Jesus. At first glance, you may think he is talking about their respective popularity or ministries. He may have. But it must also happen in our individual lives. Jesus must increase in our lives, and worldly thoughts that we've had since childhood must decrease. Our wants and desires as fleshly people are directly contrary to God's desires. In order for your spirit to grow, it must become unencumbered by your flesh and soul (Mind, will, emotions).

Note:

The following text assumes that you have accepted Jesus as Savior and been baptized (If you want any hope of growing spiritually, get baptized. Baptism will not save your soul, but do it. You will be very glad you did.)

Spiritual maturity will happen naturally as a result of removing the obstacles between you and God. Just like when you were a kid, no conscious effort could make you grow one inch. You eat right, get exercise, and growth happens. Same with your spirit.

With spiritual growth, as with a healthy body, there are things you need to eat. And there are things you must stop eating.

Things to do for spiritual growth

The spiritual things you need to 'eat' are many. The basic food groups are: study your Bible, fellowship with other Christians, and be helpful and charitable. In other words, live as godly a life as God give you the grace.

Major things to get rid of (with God's help and guidance. You cannot do it alone):

- Flesh must die: Dying to self is not physical death. You must consider yourself dead to your flesh. If you are thinking about fleshly things -- things of this world -- you are not thinking about God. Jesus said that in order to follow Him, we must deny our flesh, and take up your cross daily. (See Matthew 16:24)

- Rebellion or Disobedience: Follow your conscience. If you know something is wrong, don't do it.

- Deliberate Sin: This is the most commonly recognized block to God. (See Colossians 2:21) God cannot look upon sin. Don't worry, sin is forgivable if you are repentant (sorry for what you have done and turn from that activity). God's grace is not a license to sin, but a way out. Accept it and He will remove not only the sin, but even the very desire. It is awesome. An old sage once said, a clear conscience is the softest pillow.

- Resentments and Unforgiveness: A mind that is thinking about how badly they were treated is not thinking about God (God is very polite. He will not yell and scream in your face.) Forgive the wrongs others have done to you. Even if they are not sorry they did it. Resentments only do you harm. I've heard it said that unforgiveness is like taking poison hoping the other person will die. It's that important. How to forgive? Pray for the other person. Not just some generic prayer for their well-being -- but pray that they get all the good things that you wish for yourself. After a few weeks, or even month or so, you will begin to truly feel like you want good things to happen to them. It really works. Also, thinking upon all the things you have been forgiven for is a big help.

- Fear: The opposite of fear is not courage. Courage is doing what needs to be done even when you are afraid. The opposite of fear is faith. If you have faith in almighty God, what can there possibly be to be afraid of?

- Guilty Feelings: Confess your sins, and Jesus is just to forgive. (See 1 John 1:9) if you have confessed your sins and have turned form that sin, and still feel guilty, it is probably just the devil trying to steal your peace. Just keep reminding yourself (out loud is best) that you are forgiven by the blood of Jesus, and it will go away over time.

A.L. Howard is the founder of Modern Christian Issues: He is an amateur Bible scholar. He has been studying creation science and Bible prophecy since the early 1980s. Modernchristianissues.org is designed to be a resource for Biblical answers to tough questions that you do not have to be a scholar to understand. Visit the site to explore Creation Science (creationism), salvation, heaven and hell, the 12 steps and much more.

What The Bleep Do You Know

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Article Marketing Success - 5 Tips For A More Effective Title

The title is one of the most important aspects of your article. A good title will improve the ranking of your article within the search results, increase the number of people that view your article, and help to generate a greater number of links from websites publishing that article. Using some or all of the following five tips it is possible to explode the success of your article.

1 - Utilize Your Targeted Keywords

Search engines have become more semantic, or topic based, but keywords are still an integral part of search engine optimization. Research targeted keywords and ensure that they are included in your title - the closer to the beginning of the title you can get them, the better the results are likely to be.

2 - Top Tens

Greater search engine exposure for your article is only a portion of the battle, albeit an important portion. Persuading readers to click through and read more is also important - top tens, top fives, and similarly related article titles always prove popular because they indicate that there will be clear information provided in a meaningful and easy to understand manner.

3 - How-To Guides

Readers want information. Websites want to publish articles that offer the reader that information. By offering a how-to guide you are indicating to readers and website owners that your article is filled with informative content.

4 - Make It Accurate

There is nothing more annoying to a reader than an inaccurate or nonsensical title. All the keywords and top tens in the world won't rescue an article title that is unrelated to the article itself or the topic that article is based on.

5 - The Shorter The Better

While keeping points one to four in mind, you should aim for as short a title as possible. Ten words or less is perfect and if you can do it in fewer words, then you should attempt to do so. If you use too many words you run the risk that the majority won't appear in search engine listings and you will put readers as well as Webmasters off reading or using your article.

Matt Jackson is a freelance web content writer offering an array of web content writing services through WebWiseWords. Visit the webwisewords website to see how he can help promote your site, improve your conversions, and much more.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Stop Procrastinating - Just Do It!

Why are you procrastinating? You probably have many reasons. Maybe you're afraid of failing. Maybe you're afraid of doing anything less than perfectly. Maybe you're not sure how to get started. Maybe you're just not looking forward to it. What's the answer, then? How do you stop procrastinating?

No matter how many tips you read, no matter how many to-do lists you write, no matter how tight the deadline no matter how many techniques you try, it still boils down to this: You just do it.

Getting started is always the hardest part. The very idea of it gnaws on your soul and sends you fleeing to the nearest book or TV set. Maybe it even motivates you to clean your house! But the thing you dread is probably not even one quarter as bad as you're imagining. Jumping in and getting started is a wonderful catharsis, even if you have to figure things out along the way. Taking action dispels many of the fears and uncertainties.

Don't tell yourself that you HAVE to finish it, especially if it's a big job. Instead, just tell yourself that you wanted to get STARTED. Commit to spending just five or ten minutes on it. You'll often find that after spending a few minutes on the task, you're sufficiently motivated to keep going. And if not, at least you've made some progress.

The next time you find yourself putting something off, just stop thinking about it and take action. Even a baby step in the right direction will help you stop procrastinating.

- Vanessa Carolus

Overcoming procrastination is easier said than done. Sign up for a time management course at http://eliminatingprocrastination.com or visit Stop Procrastinating - Start Something Now! for more tips.

Project Management - 4 Ways to Encourage Performance Improvement

You are planning to talk to your staff about the need to improve how they manage projects. There have been unnecessary delays in completing project tasks. You want employees to improve how they plan, coordinate, and perform project activities. You also want them to leave this meeting understanding WHY these improvements matter and feeling motivated to make changes. How might you approach this discussion? Try linking your employees' improved performance to these four positive results:

1. Budget: Consider things like fewer cost overruns, decreased expenditures, or staying within budget allocations. Is there an impact on present or future funding? Or perhaps you and your employees have to spend unnecessary time justifying expenditures. How could improved approaches to project management lead to more positive budget experiences?

2. Complaints: Think about how affected parties react when project delays occur. Who do they complain to? And what happens when they complain? Do you or your employees have to spend extra time consoling and reassuring these stakeholders? Or maybe the entire project plan has to be revised to appease a particularly powerful stakeholder. How might this change, for the better, if your employees' changed how they managed projects?

3. Accomplishments: Think about how a failure to effectively plan, coordinate, and perform project activities impacts other employees, groups, contractors, or departments. What's the cost in time, tasks, money, and resources? How could improved performance make things better for others, and by association, make things better for your project managers?

4. Problem Solving: Consider how poor planning affects your employees' ability to solve problems. What is the negative impact on project tasks? How might earlier contingency plans or advanced consideration of possible problems improve their ability to solve problems quickly and correctly?

Your Focus Determines Project Management Improvements

To encourage improved project management, you need employees to feel motivated to take personal responsibility for doing a better job. You can make that happen by focusing on common goals, common purposes, and common benefits. Project management, like other workload topics, offers many opportunities to focus on common areas. You just have to think about what you want to say during your discussion.

If you explain WHY performance improvement matters, you will increase your chance of getting buy-in and cooperation. Try these four explanations the next time you have to talk to employees about improving project management. These explanations will not only help you keep focused, they will help you frame your discussion in a way that could lead to positive results.

Barbara Brown, PhD shows managers how to improve employee performance by linking performance to results. Her E-Books contain phrases and examples for discussing performance, improving performance, and reinforcing performance. Her E-Courses provide strategies for motivating employees to cooperate and contribute.

Click on "FREE STUFF" at her website to download tools to manage performance discussions.

Website: http://www.LinkToResults.net
Email: Barbara@LinkToResults.net

Friday, April 17, 2009

Article Writing Tips - How to Write Articles That Home in on Prospects Like a Laser Beam

The web highway needs tons and tons of articles every single day. Articles are either free when you write your own articles, or can be obtained through a large number of freelance writers across the globe. Thus, the promotional costs are pegged at appreciably lower levels. How do we create these articles then? The article writing tips outlined below are designed to guide you through the process.

1. The topic

Do you have personal knowledge of the topic to describe the salient features in a cohesive manner? If you lack the knowledge, then you can use the search engines to provide you the resources. As a beginner, you would be better off writing on topics you are more comfortable with. For example, if you have good knowledge about automobiles, start off with automobile articles. This is among the best article writing tips you will ever get.

2. The content

Decide the length of the article you are writing and divide it into parts. Each part can ideally carry about 100 words. Set clear directions for each part and try to provide a sub-title also. Noting down the points on a piece of paper will help you to decide and follow a flow to make the reading uninterrupted.

3. Copyrights

To lift content from another source and claim it as your creation is called plagiarism. Search engines have efficient mechanisms to punish those who indulge in this practice. You can always draw resources and present the facts in your own words. Becoming an efficient writer may take a few weeks to even few months. But, focusing on quality rather than quantity is the greatest among article writing tips.

Fabian Tan is a well-known Internet Marketing expert and the author of the popular 59-page Report:

"Murder Your Job: How To Build Cash Sucking Autopilot Businesses In 30 Days Or Less!"

Head over to http://www.MurderYourJob.com to get your FREE copy now!

Also, quickly download his FREE "Explosive Traffic System" report that shows you how to generate 10,000+ unique visitors per month at no cost! => http://www.ExplosiveTrafficSystem.com

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Ezine Publishers Want These 5 Things From Article Authors/Writers

Want your articles to get picked up and reprinted by top name brand ezine publishers?

While there is no shortage of authors willing to give their articles away for free with hopes of attracting ezine publishers who will pick up your article to send to their list as supplemental content or 'guest expert' - there is a gap between two very different types of articles:

Type 1: Those That Get Reprinted

Type 2: Those That Get Passed Over

Article marketing can help you achieve fame, traffic, credibility, sales, referrals and much more, but not if your articles don't make it into viral distribution.

Here are the top 5 factors that ezine publishers look for when they decide which articles to publish:

1) Does the article have zero self serving links in the article body? If so, good.

Loading up the body of your article with affiliate links or other obvious self-serving links is a liability. Your short-term thinking or scarcity based thinking (that you need to get an immediate return from your article) will keep your article from ever seeing top results.

2) Does the article have no more than 2 self serving links in the resource box? If so, good.

Your resource box at the bottom of your article should be short, sweet, succinct, to the point, and be less than 10% of the total word count of your article. Ezine publishers don't mind giving you name credit and a link for sharing your article with them, but they don't want to look like a fool by being required to reprint a short novel about all of your websites and accomplishments.

3) Is the article short (250-700 words)? If so, great.

We live in a 'sound byte' economy. No one has time to really go deep when it comes to reading email newsletters. It's proven that the shorter articles achieve a much higher distribution than the longer ones.

4) Does it deliver quality original content with numbered lists, bullet points or easy to glean information that their audience would find valuable? If so, good.

Key point: Make sure your articles are 100% original content. Anything less is really an insult.

5) Is the author well recognized or respected within their market niche. If so, excellent!

Ezine publishers have an ego just like you do. They want to use articles in their email newsletters that make them look good. The more you use your articles to help yourself gain credibility for your unique expertise within your niche, the greater the chances you'll find your articles getting picked up by your ezine publishing peers.

Hint: You'll need to write at least 100 or more articles before a top dog takes your credibility seriously. The greater majority of authors think they can put 1-6 articles into distribution and that's all that they will need to make it big. How erroneous their thinking is... You can quickly separate yourself by putting 100 more articles into distribution before this quarter is over. Yes, it is possible; Yes, it has been done; and Yes, you can do it.

There are many other considerations that ezine publishers look for, such as:

  • Relevancy of the article to the ezine publisher's core focus

  • Timing of the article and its relevance to current market dynamics

  • Grammar, spelling, punctuation and sentence structure are perfect

  • Simple, clean, neat and no abuse of the bold/italics/underline attributes

  • Formal approach to the article vs. blogging loose style

  • How well referenced the article is
  • About The Author:

    Christopher M. Knight invites you to submit your best quality original articles for massive exposure to the high-traffic http://EzineArticles.com/ expert author community. When you submit your articles to EzineArticles.com, your articles will be picked up by ezine publishers who will reprint your articles with your content and links intact giving you traffic surges to help you increase your sales. To submit your article, setup a membership account today: http://EzineArticles.com/submit/

    (c) Copyright - Christopher M. Knight. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

    Affirmations For Health and Fitness

    There has been a lot in the media in the last few years regarding affirmations and how you can use them to make changes in your life.

    An affirmation is a positive statement of fact that one makes to manifest their desired future.

    Scientific Evidence

    There is much scientific evidence that these positive statements are effective in improving physical health. They tell your subconscious mind to get to work making all the systems of the body function properly.

    Change Your Energy

    When you change unhealthy thought patterns, and start making positive statements about your health, you change the energy that flows to your physical body from your energy source, or subconscious mind. This is turn can actually change your physical body.

    Here are some of our favorites that you can use to help you on your journey towards a healthier, happier life.

    • All the systems of my body function perfectly.
    • I am perfectly healthy in body, mind and spirit.
    • I am well, I am whole, and I am strong and healthy.
    • I never get sick.
    • I am healthy, happy and radiant.
    • I radiate good health.
    • My body is a safe and pleasurable place for me to be.
    • My sleep is relaxed and refreshing.
    • I have all the energy I need to accomplish my goals.
    • My body is healed, restored and filled with energy.
    • I have abundant energy, vitality and well-being.
    • I am healthy in all aspects of my being.
    • I am always able to maintain my ideal weight.
    • I am filled with energy to do all the daily activities in my life.
    • My mind is at peace.
    • I love and care for my body and it cares for me.

    When you make these statements, joyfully envision your body in perfect health. Close your eyes and picture your healthy, vibrant new you.

    If you make this a daily practice, in a short time you will no doubt see significant improvements in your body, your health and your life!

    Katie Hayes writes about health and fitness topics. Read more about affirmations, positive thinking and the happiness-health connection at http://www.health-and-fitness-source.com

    Gordon Hutner

    Writing the Rainbow

    If you were to disregard all of the file folders, books and scribbled Post-It notes, one of the first things you'd notice about my office is my fondness for The Wizard of Oz. Along the walls and bookshelves are postcards of Dorothy and The Wicked Witch, a stuffed Scarecrow and a Cowardly Lion hand puppet. There's also an 18-inch rainbow on my desk. It's really a candleholder, a simple black ornamental bridge with small glass votives of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. To me it is a symbol of hope and inspiration, a reminder of how color became my muse.

    The road to rainbows

    Like many writers, there was a time when my words did not flow, flow, flow onto the paper, a time when I would have welcomed a pair of ruby slippers just so I could click myself three times out of the Writers Block Woods and into the Creative Light. Then one day I walked into a metaphysical shop and found my muse. There along one large, sunny window were over 100 square glass bottles, each containing two different-colored layers of liquid. They mesmerized me with their gem-like brilliance.

    This was my introduction to Aura-Soma, an holistic therapy which uses the healing energies of colors, plants and crystals. Instinctively, I reached for "Gabriel", the blue-over-violet bottle. By applying the oily contents to my throat and temple, my communication abilities would be greatly improved, it was explained. What's this--a writer's miracle in a bottle? Intrigued, I brought "Gabriel" home and after only a few applications, I found myself enjoying what I can only describe as a creative high.

    An ancient method

    Now that I have spent many years researching the benefits of color, I'm not surprised "Gabriel" worked so well. "Color is a powerful tool," author Lori Reid wrote in ther book, Color Book: Use the healing powers of color to transform your life. "It acts on our bodies, minds, and emotions, triggering deep and subtle responses on a subconscious level."

    Within each of us are spinning wheels of energy called chakras which correspond to a specific color of the spectrum, as well as an emotional issue. Red (root chakra, located at the base of the spine) is used for energy, grounding and passion. Orange (sacral chakra, located two inches below the navel) promotes joy and sexuality. Yellow (solar plexus chakra, located below the breastbone) helps counteract depression and stimulates mental activity. Green (heart chakra, located at the center of the chest) represents compassion and healing. Blue (throat chakra, located at the throat) deals with peace, communication and artistic expression. Indigo (brow chakra, located at the third eye area, between the brows) activates intuition. Violet (crown chakra, located at the crown of the head) represents spirituality and inspiration.

    Since ancient times, color has been used in physical, mental and emotional healing. It is said that Hippocrates applied his medicine in rooms painted in soothing colors and used different colored salves and ointments as treatment. In ancient Egypt, China and India, individuals were dipped in colored pigment or bathed in light that was filtered through colored-glass windows. Today color is introduced by using crystals and visualization, wearing a particular color clothing to absorb color physically, applying colored lights or oils to the skin, eating colored foods and drinking colored water. One can also receive different color vibrations through music.

    Color your world

    How would you describe green to your readers? Before you write, visualize your setting and try to see, feel and smell the green. Say you are writing a short story about a young girl living in an old country cottage in Ireland. Is the color of the grass and trees an emerald or Kelly green? Does the grass feel dry or wet? How do you convey the smell of the countryside? Is green an earthy, clean smell? Is it sweet and slightly minty or antiseptic-smelling like pine?

    "Becoming aware of the effects of color means that we can make use of its positive benefits to lift our spirits, to unlock our creative imagination, to enhance our environment and to improve our image, our well-being, and our lives," says Reid.

    Did you know that if you write on a yellow note pad with blue ink, you can enhance both your communication and creative skills? Think about what you wish to communicate to your readers. Is it anger? Joy or pain?

    Once you understand the excessive and deficient qualities associated with each color, you can write stories with more interesting, more believable characters. In her book, Color and Crystals: A Journey Through The Chakras, author Joy Gardner provides an excellent example of someone who has too much red energy:

    "This wealthy perfectionist is the owner of a California restaurant chain. He rules his employees like a commanding general. He is nervous and chronically constipated. He owns three cars, which give him little satisfaction. He sleeps with many women, but it's an empty experience."

    Gardner describes the rainbow colors and their related excessive energies as Red--greedy, egotistic, domineering, sexually indiscriminate; Orange--emotionally explosive, aggressive, manipulative, over-indulgent; Yellow--judgmental, workaholic, perfectionist, overly intellectual; Green--demanding, possessive, moody, melodramatic; Blue--arrogant, self-righteous, dogmatic, addictive; Indigo--egomaniac, proud, religiously dogmatic, authoritarian and Violet--psychotic, depressed, destructive.

    An outstanding example of a red personality is the aptly named Scarlett O'Hara, the fiery heroine from "Gone With The Wind". Talk about attention-getters! Scarlett was stubborn and temperamental, a woman who demanded everything the world had to offer. Nothing could stop her from achieving her goals, not death and destruction nor the scorn and wagging tongues of the local citizens. If she had to steal her sister's beau, murder a Yankee or toil in the fields, well, so be it. She would not be defeated.

    In the end, Scarlett had amassed great wealth and had rebuilt her beloved Tara, but she had suffered great losses as well. Her daughter was dead and her husband, Rhett Butler, clearly didn't give a damn and was heading out the door. But we just know that Scarlett got Rhett in the end. Why? Because she never, ever quit. She knew what she wanted and she would fight the devil himself to ensure that she got it. Scarlett O'Hara was the ultimate survivor. Surely, if she had had a personal mantra, it would have been: "It's all about me!"

    A writer's meditation

    Sit or lie in a comfortable position. Close your eyes and imagine yourself sitting on a beautiful white sandy beach. The sun is directly overhead and its rays are brilliant and warm as they flow from the top of your head and throughout your body.

    Let your toes feel the cool, Caribbean blue waters. See yourself staring out to sea, mesmerized by the dancing rhythm of the waves. Watch the seagulls fly above you, then see them dive into the sparkling water. You feel at peace here. After awhile, you notice a huge wave coming toward you but you are not afraid. The water comes close to your hand and when the wave is gone, you see it has left you a wondrous gift.

    Glowing like jewels on the sand are seven different colors of seaglass. You pick up the red seaglass first and hold it in the palm of your hand. Stare into the seaglass and imagine you are becoming smaller and smaller until you are surrounded by the red seaglass. Feel the warmth and energy of the color red. Red is the first color of the rainbow. It is the color of passion and enthusiasm and survival. Red helps you obtain your material needs.

    Now pick up the orange-colored seaglass. Orange is the second color of the rainbow. Look into the seaglass and become the color orange. Orange is a joyful color. With orange, you feel happy about your decision to become a writer and you will not allow anyone or anything to dampen your enthusiasm.

    Now pick up the yellow-colored seaglass and feel the power of yellow surround you. Yellow is the third color of the rainbow. Yellow gives you better confidence in your writing abilities, no matter how many rejection slips or criticisms you receive.

    Place the green-colored seaglass into your hand. Green is the fourth color of the rainbow. It is the color of harmony and balance and peace. When you are hurrying to meet deadlines for books and articles, visualize the color green and your balance will be restored.

    Pick up the blue-colored seaglass and become the color blue. Blue is the fifth color of the rainbow and offers you creativity and communication. Blue helps you perceive the truth and to conquer writer's block.

    Now pick up the indigo-colored seaglass. This is the sixth color of the rainbow. Indigo is the color of intuition, your inner voice that tells you to "go for it". You need to trust your intuition if you are to realize your potential and become a successful writer.

    Now there is only one seaglass left to explore, the violet-colored one. Violet is the seventh color of the rainbow. It is the color of faith. No matter how difficult your life may get, faith never lets you give up on yourself. In your journey as a writer, remember the color violet and your abilities and opportunities will improve.

    Now slowly open your eyes and when you are ready, take your favorite colored pen or pencil in hand and write a page in your personal color journal, knowing that the power of the seven colors of the rainbow has made you into a better and more creative writer.

    Are you ready to do some rainbow writing? Try these exercises now:

    1. Write about a red place, object or character. OR write a cover letter to an agent, describing why he/she should take you on as a client. What are your accomplishments? Why are you certain your book or article will sell?

    2. Write about an orange place, object or character. OR write about the first time you knew you really wanted to become a writer. Then write how you felt when you received your first criticism or rejection letter. Were you angry? Sad? Suicidal? How did you resolve the situation?

    3. Write about a yellow place, object or character. OR write a movie synopsis of your life. Is it a poignant drama, comedy or psychological thriller? Which actor portrays you? Would you give your life story a General, PG-13 or R rating?

    4. Write about a green place, object or character. OR write a poem about a time when you really loved something or someone. How did you express your love? Was it returned or rejected?

    5. Write about a blue place, object or character. OR interview yourself as if you are already a successful writer. What suggestions would you give to a beginning writer? How have you managed to keep your name at the top of the bestseller lists? How do you avoid writer's block? Do you network with other writers?

    6. Write about an indigo place, object or character. OR write a dialogue in which a small child is describing your present surroundings to an older blind person.

    7. Write about a violet place, object or character. OR in first person, create a Cinderella-like fairytale where your greatest desire is to attend the most famous writers conference in the country. What are your adversities? How do you eventually get to the conference? Describe the general layout of the conference. Whom do you meet there? What questions do you ask your favorite author? What lessons do you learn? (Begin your story with "Once upon a time I was...")

    Creating a personal color journal

    Once I was angry with a person whom I felt had treated me unfairly. Since I was already "seeing red", I instinctively reached for a red pen and began to write passionately, wildly, about the injustice of it all. Had I been trying to "chill", I would have grabbed my "cool blue" pen instead. But in this situation I needed to express my anger--to really feel the emotional power of it--and that is why I chose to "be" red for that journaling session.

    As you might expect from someone with an Oz collection, one of my major philosophies in life is to have fun, so I suggest the more colorful you can make your journal, the better. Choose either a large spiral notebook in your favorite color or seven different notebooks to reflect each hue of the rainbow and its corresponding emotion. If you are feeling depressed on the day of your journal entry, you need to add more red, so you will write this entry in red because red is the antidote to blue.

    To get you started, here are nine colorful journaling prompts:

    1. On the top of each page, write and complete this sentence: "The color I feel today is _______________________ because..."

    2. Describe how you generally feel about the color red (or orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo or violet) and why.

    3. Using the color red, complete this affirmation: "Today I have..."

    4. Using the color orange, complete this affirmation: "Today I feel..."

    5. Using the color yellow, complete this affirmation: "Today I can..."

    6. Using the color green, complete this affirmation: "Today I love..."

    7. Using the color blue, complete this affirmation: "Today I speak..."

    8. Using the color indigo, complete this affirmation: "Today I see..."

    9. Using the color violet, complete this affirmation: "Today I know..."

    Dive write in, the aura's fine

    Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Indigo. Violet. These seven colors are powerful tools for writers. So if you've lost your muse somewhere along the yellow brick road and don't have a pair of ruby slippers to find it, look to the rainbow and you'll discover that writing is an even greater adventure when it's not all black and white.

    Eleyne Austen Sharp has been a professional writer since 1980. She is a certified color therapist, certified spiritual aromatherapist and creator of Rainbow Writing, an innovative journaling and creative writing technique. Eleyne is the founder of Aura House (http://www.aurahouse.com), a professional color therapy and training center. Email her at rainbowwriter@aurahouse.com

    Story Endings - Ten to Avoid

    A logical, satisfying ending is always required in a short story, but how do you ensure that yours is fresh and new? One of the ways is to avoid the obvious. Here are some common endings seen by editors: use them at your peril.

    And then I woke up.

    The 'Dallas' gambit. This approach is nothing more than a cop-out for people with no imagination. Stories should reach a logical conclusion that satisfies the reader and resolves any conflicts. This method does neither.

    And then I died.

    The 'Weird Tales' gambit. This one turned up regularly in horror tales during the early part of last century, until it was overplayed by HP Lovecraft, among others. A diary which ends in a string of nonsense words as a crawling terror from beyond comes for the author was fine the first time out, but most editors have seen it too many times.

    And I found out I'd been dead all along.

    The 'Sixth Sense' gambit. This is an old one, which is why people who were well read in the genre spotted the twist very early in M Night Shyamalan's film. An overused variation is to have someone breaking out of a coffin after a supposedly premature burial. Don't do it; the editor will see it coming from a mile away.

    And they called them Adam and Eve.

    The 'Bible' gambit or, as Michael Moorcock puts it, Shaggy God stories. If you start with a nuclear holocaust or human colonists on a new planet, make sure you don't use this ending or the story will be bounced back to you straight away. The other trap to avoid is having a computer become a god. That avenue was new in the '40s, but these days an editor will laugh himself out of his chair.

    And then I saw the fangs, just before he bit me

    The 'singles bar pick-up' gambit. With this worn-out ending, a person visits a bar and is seduced by a pale, interesting stranger who turns out to be a vampire, a ghost, a werewolf or an alien. There are several variations seen nowadays, such as same-gender meetings and graphic sex scenes before the revelation, but the stories are all the same and editors know it.

    And then I caught up with the '@!* who'd done me wrong and shot the @'!** out of them.

    The 'Death Wish' gambit is the beloved technique of Michael Winner fanatics and gun-nuts. It makes for a very dull story unless you can bring style, energy and a unique vision to it, in which case you'd probably be better off trying to sell it as a film treatment. There's a long tradition of revenge movies, but in the written word they all come across as being very similar. A variant on this handling is the Charles Atlas gambit, where the weedy nerd becomes a kung-fu expert to wreak revenge on his tormentors. Don't be tempted to use this angle. Editors will know what's coming.

    And the next day I read in the paper that he'd died.

    The 'I talked to a ghost' gambit. This practice turned up frequently in Victorian literature. It's usually no more than an anecdote turned into a story. Variations include talking to someone who is later discovered to be the victim of a plane crash, an automobile wreck or a major catastrophe. Editors see a slew of these after a natural disaster, but whatever caused the person's death, the stories are all the same.

    And it was a man in a mask all along.

    The 'Scooby-Doo' gambit. Pretend spooks are a clich. The whole story builds up a sense of supernatural menace, only to reveal a human agency behind it all. It won't usually get past an editor but if it does, readers will feel disappointed and let down.

    And it was my evil twin; we were separated at birth.

    The 'doppelganger' gambit. Stephen King got away with this in The Dark Half and Dean Koontz pulled off a variation by making both twins evil in Shivers, but unless you have their style and wit, you shouldn't attempt it. Another variation, beloved of the romantics among us, is to have the protagonist find out they're really the son, daughter or sibling of a rich family. This mode is really just wishful thinking on behalf of the writer. You shouldn't be sharing your daydreams with editors.

    I'm really a dog/cat/demon/alien.

    The 'non-human storyteller' gambit is tried and tested. That's the problem. If you don't leave any clues to the fact, the reader will feel the ending is a cop-out. If you do leave clues, the reader and your editor will spot the ending coming unless you're very good at disguising the fact.

    Remember, people have been writing stories for a very long time. If you've read a similar ending in a story or seen it in a film, you can bet the editor will be aware of it, too. There are only so many original endings to go around; make sure yours is one of them.

    William Meikle is a Scottish writer, now living in Canada, with seven novels published in the States and three more coming in 2007/8, all in the independent fantasy and horror press. His short work and articles have appeared in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Greece, Saudi Arabia and India. He also has three shorts produced from his scripts, and several supernatural scripts currently on option, including four shorts, and a supernatural thriller feature.

    William Meikle
    http://www.williammeikle.com

    Writing About What You Know

    Tapping into the information bank you have inside of you already requires a way to get access to your inner author. It is that part of your brain that you normally hear about as your right brain. The right brain is the part that likes music, laughter, fun, games and being creative.

    When you try to approach your writing from an a more structured approach you will immediately be shifted to your left brain that is more logical. That side also is more intellectual and analyzes well but is not usually very good at communicating. That is why writers block seems so frequently to be a problem with many people.

    Step outside of your logic and just tell your reader about your information as if you are telling a friend who is sitting across the table from you. Writing in that kind of conversational tone will connect with more people and will also be easier for you to do. When the flow of words begins to start you can relax into your story and writing will be easier for you.

    Next time you sit down to write you will find that the flow will start more easily and if writers block appears you can recognize immediately that you are leaning toward your left brain and need to go back toward the right. When you experience this you will find that your block will be easier to dissolve because you have identified what is the cause of the block. This flag will help show you there is a need to change your writing approach. It is a great tool for you to use so you can begin to write as well as write more creatively.

    And now I invite you to join me for a series of writing exercises to help you discover your areas of interest in writing as well as increasing your creativity. You may access these exercises by visiting http://www.freecreativewritingstrategies.com.

    You also may enjoy visiting my blog at http://www.creativewritingmadeeasy.com.

    Tips for Scholarship Essay Writing

    Scholarships that require essays offer you the opportunity to stand out from the pack and make an impact on the reader. If an essay is ever optional, always, always include it! By choosing to ignore a request for an essay, it shows the application-committee or reviewer you really did not want to put the work in. You are writing this essay for money; it's worth the time and effort you put into it. (It is unwise to write one essay and copy/paste it for all the scholarships you are applying for.)The essay section of a scholarship is your only chance to distinguish yourself from the rest of the applicants. You may be just as qualified, or perhaps even less qualified, than others, so this is your time to shine and let them know why YOU deserve this scholarships.What will distinguish yours from all the others? Perhaps you deserve this scholarship, but other students probably do too. What makes you different from the masses? Put some time into thinking about what you're going to write and always have someone else read it. A second opinion, third, or even fourth will likely bring you plenty of valuable feedback. Ask your teachers, coaches, managers at work, your friends. The more feedback you can get, the better off you are.The purpose of the essay, for the reviewers, is to learn about you. Your words reveal something about your personality and plans for the future, and a chance to get an in-depth look at the topic at hand. Clear writing ability and creativity do not go unnoticed in your essays. Before you begin writing
    Create an outline of your paper. Regardless of the order in which you write each section, you should know prior to writing what topic or main points you should cover in each part of your paper. Basic outlines have an introduction, body, and conclusion. Intro
    Typically it is a good idea to use some sort of "attention getting" aspect; make the reader want to continue reading. Do not begin every sentence with "I" or "my". Although this essay may be about you, it sounds redundant. Add some variety and spice by changing your language and sentence structure. For example: I am a senior in high school and I am going to college XYW after I graduate. I have participated in many great activities during the last four years. I think I deserve this scholarship because ..." The repetition within those sentences is boring and will not engage the reader.Body
    The body of the essay should support the main topic of the essay; make sure to give examples and explain why you are qualified. Avoid repeating yourself using the same language. Personal and specific examples create a story that may draw in the reader and create a memorable impression. Using generalities is not convincing; they may be applied to most people and do not create a unique impression of you.Conclusion
    To conclude your essay, restate your main point, although do not use the same language word for word. Using a future-tense may be appropriate. If you choose to use a quote or a poem in your essay, choose wisely and be selective; it may be perceived as clich or unoriginal, or even inapplicable.

    For free scholarship information, check out http://www.squarehatmoney.com/scholarships

    Audio Book Downloads - The Gutenberg Killers

    Audio books are here to stay, say the experts. Judging by their steady year-on-year growth, this is not a marketing statement, but a fact. Now these same experts are predicting a dramatic upsurge in the sale of audio book downloads over the next two years.

    The prediction makes sense in view of the following:

    * The market penetration of MP3 and iPod devices is significant. This penetration is set to increase as some publishers are giving away MP3 players free of charge with purchases in order to encourage future downloads.

    * Such downloads are quite a bit cheaper than printed books.

    * Current generation readers enjoy the convenience of books which they can download from the comfort of their homes - even at 2 o'clock in the morning!

    Purchasing an audio book online doesn't mean that you will only be offered older books or that you will have to make do with a limited variety. On the contrary, all the latest and greatest print releases are freely available as downloads nowadays. The same applies to all-time favorite novels, such as Harry Potter and all-time favorite authors such as Stephen King.

    Harry Potter audio books

    In spite of the controversies surrounding the six Harry Potter books, it became an overnight success: All these books have been translated into 47 languages with millions of copies sold worldwide; the seventh book is due for release; the fifth Harry Potter movie is in production; and all these titles are available in download format.

    The readability of the Harry Potter series precludes children under the age of ten from comfortably reading it in print. This makes purchasing these books in digital format a worthwhile consideration. The popularity of Harry Potter's books has resulted in the series becoming available in most digital formats.

    Jim Dale, the narrator, has won a Grammy Award, two Grammy nominations, and two AudioFile Earphone Awards for his work on the Harry Potter series.

    A further plus-factor for purchasing the Harry Potter books in digital form is the price. You could save as much as 25% per book! The seventh book in the series, The Deathly Hallows, can now be pre-ordered. It may be a good time to order this pending release when you purchase the other Harry Potter books in the series.

    Stephen King audio books

    Stephen King is a firm favorite. Since his first book "Carrie" was published in 1973, Stephen King has written more than 60 novels, short stories, plays etc; twenty of his stories were made into films; and all his best selling books are available in digital format.

    Of significance to the Stephen King fans, is the fact that he is about to retire, so in view of this imminent retirement, it could be worth considering purchasing one of the 'Stephen King Live' audio downloads available on the internet.

    It is a live recording made in 1998 of a reading he made at London's Festival Hall, with Stephen King himself as the narrator. The recording is available on CDs or as an online download, but interestingly enough, not in printed format at all.

    The unavailability of Stephen King Live in the printed media is an interesting phenomenon. What if emerging authors had to decide not to publish in print? Offering book downloads instead, could mean a wider reach, better sales and improved margins.

    Audio books to download

    There are literally thousands and thousands of these, and the numbers are increasing exponentially every day. So Who knows? Only the future can tell whether book downloads will one day rule. In other words, is the tyranny of the printed word coming to an end in a future near you? Bye-bye Gutenberg?

    Boualem Amrouche is a successful Internet publisher, owner of the site
    http://www.spoken-books.com where you can find thousands of audio books to download, some being FREE.

    Please note that this article can be freely reproduced as-is, as long as the contents of this box are also published unaltered.

    Friday, April 10, 2009

    The Death Diary - (A Short Story)

    The Death Diary of
    Troy Burroughs

    Extract #2
    Day Three and Four of Troy Burroughs

    Day Three

    Being dead is going to take some getting used to. According to earth time this would be day three of my so called, death. I keep looking down on North America, I guess it's still home to me for the moment anyway. A few hours ago, I caught a comet, the tail end of it and I noticed it was quite slow compared to my form of travel, that is, I think I was going as fast as 200,000-thousand miles an hour, and it somehow zigzagged, and jumped off or out of its orbit and fell back into it somehow-kind of speaking-by an asteroid belt is where I was, I'd estimate somewhere around twenty to fifty million miles from earth, who can say, surely not me for certain.

    I thus far, have learned something in this new development of mine, that being, traveling in space in what I call shape-traveling, for that is all I am, simple a shape with some kind of energy source to me, one could even call it residue, soul or whatever they wish, a part of another dimension with substance: I used the thrust of the comet, the velocity-I used it somehow, not quite knowing how, allowing it to push me, that is, more likened to throwing me-hurdling me I would guess, out into the empty part of space, the black airless cold space...I actually felt something to my shape: I sensed something also, something like. the several world surrounding me produced other forms of life, ghosts maybe, demonic being trying to escape earth's hell, other aliens looking down through their portholes, through layers of time and space and echoes, and so forth. I felt like a new born baby learning everything all over, I do think I have some source of natural feeling to my movements, should I want to use them, up to now its been more on the order of the elements in space moving me you might say. I, at this point cannot name it but I'd like to kick it, to see if how much control I have here in this new environment.

    Nevertheless, what I was going to say, had on my mind to say, before I got into what I just mentioned, was-here I am, back where I started from, the day I died, overlooking earth, but again, here I am, in this asteroid belt-if you get what I mean, think-travel and there you are, among really simple, big fat rocks everywhere in space, and earth is no exception, other than it is more colorful.

    Well, to make a diary note shorter, once seen is enough, and so it was a good visit, but I must learn how to control it. It is like going to the Rocky Mountains or possibly I could qualify it to equal the Bad Lands in South Dakota, going back there back and forth like a yoyo. But again, once seen, that is enough, unless this kind of thing is your thing, and it is not my thing by far: I mean, I'm only on day three, and this is what you get. I think that area is best for campers, not me. I'd prefer hotels, but I suppose you don't need them out here. The more I think of it, something is missing. Oh well, I'll investigate. Now it's becoming evening time over Minnesota (St. Paul, is my home town (where my wife lives, Rosa), the sun is going down.

    Day Four

    Morning time in Minnesota, the sun is coming up, I got an inkling, I got to go back to see how my little wife is doing, Rosa. I know for a few hours after I died, she was upset, crying, hysterical. I didn't know what to do for her, she couldn't see me, and I did not know how to communicate with her other than trying to set a mood, by way of producing calmness about her immediate space: prayer helped.

    She got me to the hospital, and I know I was getting better, a heart attach I heard them say. Then she stayed overnight, and I died in the middle of the night, she had fallen to sleep. I was happy about that, happy because she was so tired: everyone thought I was in a coma, but I was really between life and death, a new kind of order they didn't anticipate, one that is dreamy like, a stage before death, one you can see about you, hear sounds and sense people, but cannot talk, it is not a coma, although folks think it is, or could be, it is in-between where you touch the hand of Christ, but cannot feel it, only see it, and where your pours are filled with the light of God. Then I died, and got sent here, not sure for how long thought.

    For the longest moment, I hovered over the bed, looking at her, but I had no power to say or do anything-that was of course after the in-between period, where I was in a dream like world. Now that I think of it, I was in shock-kind of shock, after the in-between took on pure death, then she woke up, and as I was saying I was hovering over her, looking down, I didn't feel the grief as she was feeling, but a separation from my body, in the sense of emptiness from a shell: So many experiences at once.

    That little Inca wife of mine just cried and cried, and hugged me, I wanted to comfort her, but she'll have to go through it like me someday, if the Lord willing I'll be there to comfort her.

    Anyways I am now in my old house, hovering about. She's got my urn next to my mother's, she had me cremated today. I missed the funeral; I guess they had a small one at the cremation area. No one showed up from my side of the family, as expected, no problem; it was all grieved out long ago, and better for it, I prefer quite times. I think Rosa is going to take my urn, and my mother's and put it into the Huancayo, Peru, and Cemetery, in one of those vaults, she was a good wife.

    She's crying again. I wonder if I can somehow let her know I'm here, and all right. I should pray, matter of fact, I thought I would get to see the Lord by know, Jesus Christ, but first things first, I heard a voice say that, It think it was Serr'el, my guardian angel, he had a hell of a job with taking care of me, guarding me while on earth, I hope I don't get a job like his, too much grief and wondering. I get the chills just thinking of his name. I also get the feeling I have to polish myself up to meet the Lord, you know, kind of take care of business, Elvis used to say that. I know he is not far away, -and I thank Him for his patience.

    Now back to my little Rosa, she is sitting in my big sofa chair in the living room, tears are still coming down. Let's see if I can do something to let her know I'm present (I told her once, we cry-during our grieving period, or time, for the great times we had, that is called sadness, not depression, sadness says, those times were all worth while, I hope she remembers that).

    As I said, and I shall repeat, there she is, sitting in the sofa chair, I know what I'll do, I'll make noise like walking on the floor, footsteps, not too creepy, just light enough for her to know I am with her. But how do I do that, I don't weigh anything? Too many questions for simple things; but you know I felt the thrust of the comet; yaw, yaw, that's it, creates energy from energy. As I step one foot in front of the other, you can hear my footsteps, and see the rug impressions of my feet, it is taking all my energy to produce these footsteps, she's looking up, now she looking around: look down, down little wife, look down. She doesn't look down. She's getting a little scared, I better stop. Now she rests back into the chair, she's thinking though.

    She got up to check the hallway, now the window. I can't do that again, I got to practice; I guess a spirit can even loose energy. She went back to the chair; it's dark outside, the TV is on, it is drowning out my footsteps. For her the day is young, for me, now sure, I guess down here it's as it would be, forever long, just a day but with light and darkness, I don't feel the heat or cold. I'm going to try something else. I'm going to stand in the archway to the living room and try to make my configuration, my spirit form light up, just a bit, just a slight emotion, if I darken it, it might scare her. I noticed I had one in outer-space.

    [A long pause]

    It's morning now, dark morning, so it must be pretty early, she is cleaning the house, getting ready to face the day, she notices my chair, the dinning room light is off so is the kitchen light, she turns it on and a little electric heater emitting heat she turns off in the bedroom, she is facing the mirror in the bathroom. This will be my best try think, if only she focuses hard on the mirror; I'll try to reflect my shape.

    Here I go, MMMMMMMM-Materializing [light starts to fill the mirror a faded light, dull but pronounced nonetheless in a spiritual form. She's looking at me, rubbing her eyes, I'm loosing my energy source, and it is like holding your breath trying to get this light out. She's leaning forward, squinting her eyes.

    [Middle of the Night]

    Got a new idea, I'll enter her dreams, slowly, if this is possible, and I heard the nightmare demon can do it all the time, unless you pray for them not to. Therefore, why cannot a good spirit like me do it? That of course a question for me, one I'll answer by trying to do, what I'm not sure I can do.

    I'm not sure how you do it, but I got a sense of how will come-I'll sit by her and just whisper in her ears, and try to create a sense of me, and she will picture me, and I will let her know all is well: "Rosa, Rosa, Rosa, Rosa, Rosa..., all is well, I love you, always have, it is me, I'm all dressed in fogy white, I'll be waiting for you and we'll travel around the world, no, better yet, around the worlds, and into new galaxies."

    She sees me, visualizing me says, in her dream world (I hope she remembers and writes it down): "...yes, yes, I DO see you," she says.

    "I'm fine Rosa, I'm doing ok, I miss you and I'll be around should you need me, just call on me. Like my mother used to do, remember how she kept us from the fire?"

    She's crying in her sleep, says: "...no, no don't go.'"

    "But I can't stay too long; it takes too much whatever it is, energy and like the bee, remember the bee in the bottle, he lost his energy to fly, then he could hardly walk trying to climb that glass bottle, then I set him free and he nourished himself in the grass, and he regained his power, and flight, and few away; perhaps for another day."

    She went back to sleep, she's stop crying. She's breathing better now. I think she'll remember this dream as more realistic than non-fiction, or symbolic, I hope.

    Originally written, 7-3-2006
    10-22-2008 (Revised and reedited)

    See Dennis' web site: http://dennissiluk.tripod.com