Reading Activities And Children

About Writing
Here's everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it electronically and in print, and promoting it after the sale.

Two questions you should ask:

(1) What will it cost me?
(2) What does this Michael LaRocca guy know about it?

Answer #1 -- It won't cost you a thing. The single most important bit of advice I can give you, and I say it often, is don't pay for publication.

My successes have come from investing time. Some of it was well spent, but most of it was wasted. It costs me nothing to share what I've learned. It costs you nothing to read it except some of your time.

Answer #2 -- "Michael LaRocca has been researching the publishing field for over ten years."

This quote, from an ezine (electronic newsletter) called Authors Wordsmith, was a kind way of saying I've received a lot of rejections. Also, my "research" required 20 years.

But in my "breakout" year (2000), I finished writing four books and scheduled them all for publication in 2001. I also began editing for one of my publishers, a job I've been enjoying ever since.

After my first book was published, both my publishers closed. Two weeks and three publishers later, I was back on track. All four books were published, and a fifth was released in 2004. Written in 2003, no rejections. Another scheduled for 2005 publication, no rejections.

See how much faster it was the second time around? That's because I learned a lot.

Also, I found more editing jobs. That's what I do when I'm not writing, doing legal transcription, or doing English consulting work in Thailand (my new home). But the thing is, if I'd become an editor before learning how to write, I'd have stunk.

2005 EPPIE Award finalist. 2004 EPPIE Award finalist. 2002 EPPIE Award finalist. Listed by Writers Digest as one of The Best 101 Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002. Sime-Gen Readers Choice Awards for Favorite Author (Nonfiction & Writing) and Favorite Book (Nonfiction & Writing). 1982 Who's Who In American Writing.

Excuse me for bragging, but it beats having you think I'm unqualified.

I'll tell you what's missing from this monologue. What to write about, where I get my ideas from, stuff like that. Maybe I don't answer this question because I think you should do it your way, not mine. Or maybe because I don't know how I do it. Or maybe both.

Once you've done your writing, this essay should help you with the other stuff involved in being a writer. Writing involves wearing at least four different hats. Writer, editor, publication seeker, post-sale self-promoter.

Here's what I can tell you about my writing.

Sometimes an idea just comes to me out of nowhere and refuses to leave me alone until I write about it. So, I do.

And, whenever I read a book that really fires me up, I think, "I wish I could write like that." So, I just keep trying. I'll never write THE best, but I'll always write MY best. And get better every time. That's the "secret" of the writing "business," same as any other business. Always deliver the goods.

I read voraciously, a habit I recommend to any author who doesn't already have it. You'll subconsciously pick up on what does and doesn't work. Characterization, dialogue, pacing, plot, story, setting, description, etc. But more importantly, someone who doesn't enjoy reading will never write something that someone else will enjoy reading.

I don't write "for the market." I know I can't, so I just write for me and then try to find readers who like what I like. I'm not trying to whip up the next bestseller and get rich. Not that I'd complain. But I have to write what's in my heart, then find a market later. It makes marketing a challenge at times, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

When you write, be a dreamer. Go nuts. Know that you're writing pure gold. That fire is why we write.

An author I greatly admire, Kurt Vonnegut, sweats out each individual sentence. He writes it, rewrites it, and doesn't leave it alone until it's perfect. Then when he's done, he's done.

I doubt most of write like that. I don't. I let it fly as fast as my fingers can move across the paper or keyboard, rushing to capture my ideas before they get away. Later, I change and shuffle and slice.

James Michener writes the last sentence first, then has his goal before him as he writes his way to it.

Then there's me. No outline whatsoever. I create characters and conflict, spending days and weeks on that task, until the first chapter leaves me wondering "How will this end?" Then my characters take over, and I'm as surprised as the reader when I finish my story.

Some authors set aside a certain number of hours every day for writing, or a certain number of words. In short, a writing schedule.

Then there's me. No writing for three or six months, then a flurry of activity where I forget to eat, sleep, bathe, change the cat's litter... I'm a walking stereotype. To assuage the guilt, I tell myself that my unconscious is hard at work. As Hemingway would say, long periods of thinking and short periods of writing.

I've shown you the extremes in writing styles. I think most authors fall in the middle somewhere. But my point is, find out what works for you. You can read about how other writers do it, and if that works for you, great. But in the end, find your own way. That's what writers do.

Just don't do it halfway.

If you're doing what I do, writing a story that entertains and moves you, you'll find readers who share your tastes. For some of us that means a niche market and for others it means regular appearances on the bestseller list.

Writing is a calling, but publishing is a business. Remember that AFTER you've written your manuscript. Not during.

I've told you how I write. For me.

=====

** EDITING **

The next step is self-editing. Fixing the mistakes I made in my rush to write it before my Muse took a holiday. Several rewrites. Running through it repeatedly with a fine-toothed comb and eliminating cliches like "fine-toothed comb."

Then what?

There are stories that get rejected because the potential publisher hates them, or feels they won't SELL (as if he knows), but more are shot down for other reasons. Stilted dialogue. Boring descriptions. Weak characters. Underdeveloped story. Unbelievable or inconsistent plot. Sloppy writing.

That's what you have to fix.

I started by using free online creative writing workshops. What I needed most was input from strangers. After all, once you're published, your readers will be strangers. Every publisher or agent you submit to will be a stranger. What will they think? I always get too close to my writing to answer that.

Whenever I got some advice, I considered it. Some I just threw out as wrong, or because I couldn't make the changes without abandoning part of what made the story special to me. Some I embraced. But the point is, I decided. It's my writing.

After a time, I didn't feel the need for the workshops anymore. I'm fortunate enough to have a wife whose advice I will always treasure, and after a while that was all I needed. But early on, it would've been unfair to ask her to read my drivel. (Not that I didn't anyway, but she married me in spite of it.)

Your goal when you self-edit is to get your book as close to "ready to read" as you possibly can. Do not be lazy and do not rush. You want your editor to find what you overlooked, not what you didn't know about, and you want it to be easy for him/her. EASY! Easy to edit, easy to read. It's a novel, not a blog.

Your story is your story. You write it from your heart, and when it looks like something you'd enjoy reading, you set out to find a publisher who shares your tastes. What you don't want is for that first reader to lose sight of what makes your story special because you've bogged it down with silly mistakes.

Authors don't pay to be published. They are paid for publication. Always. It's just that simple. Later, I'll tell you where to get some free editing. But there's a limit to how much editing you can get without paying for it. Do you need more than that? I don't know because I've never read your writing. But if you evaluate it honestly, I think you'll know the answer.

As an editor, I've worked with some authors who simply couldn't self-edit. Non-native English speakers, diagnosed dyslexics, blind authors, guys who slept through English class, whatever. To them, paying for editing was an option. This isn't paying for publication. This is paying for a service, training. Just like paying to take a Creative Writing class at the local community college.

By the way, I don't believe creativity can be taught. Writing, certainly. I took a Creative Writing class in high school, free, and treasure the experience. But I already had the creativity, or else it would've been a waste of the teacher's time and mine.

(Later I taught Creative Writing in China. We call this irony. One of my former English teachers also had Rod Serling as a student.)

If you hire an editor worthy of the name, you should learn from that editor how to self-edit in the future. In my case it took two tries, because my first "editor" was a rip-off artist charging over ten times market value for incomplete advice.

That editor, incidentally, is named Edit Ink, and they're listed on many "scam warning" sites. They take kickbacks from every fake agent who sends them a client. (I'll talk about fake agents later.) Avoid such places at all costs, and I will stress the word "costs." Ouch!

If you choose to hire an editor, check price and reputation. For a ballpark figure, I charge less than a penny a word. Consider that you might never make enough selling your books to get back what you pay that editor. Do you care? That's your decision.

Your first, most important step on the road to publication is to make your writing the best it can be.

=====

** PUBLICATION **

My goal is to be published in both mediums, ebook and print. There are some readers who prefer ebooks, and some who prefer print books. The latter group is larger, but those publishers are harder to sell your writing to. I want to be published in both mediums, because I want all the readers I can get.

Before you epublish, check the contract to be sure you can publish the EDITED work in print later.

If you know your book just plain won't ever make it into traditional print, print-on-demand (POD) is an option. Some of my books fall into this category. The best epublishers will simultaneously publish your work electronically and in POD format, at no cost to you.

A lot of authors swear by self-publication, but the prospect just plain scares me. All that promo, all that self-editing, maybe driving around the countryside with a back seat full of books. I'm a writer, not a salesman. Maybe you're different.

I self-published once, in the pre-POD days. Mom handled the sales. I had fun and broke even. With POD, at least it's easier (and probably cheaper) to self-publish than it was in 1989, because you'll never get stuck with a large unsold inventory.

POD setup fees can range anywhere from US$100 to well over $1000. Don't pay the higher price! Price shop. Also, remember that POD places publish any author who pays, giving them a real credibility problem with some reviewers and readers, and that they do no marketing.

=====

** PROMOTING YOUR PUBLISHED WRITING **

It doesn't matter how you publish your book. Self-published, epublished, POD, or traditional print publishing from a small press or an absolute powerhouse. Marketing falls largely on you, and the same things always work. Book signings, book reviews and interviews in the local newspapers and on radio. (Or Oprah, but what are our chances?)

Start with http://www.kidon.com/media-link/index.shtml. It will allow you to look up all the local media outlets in your area that have websites.

If you write to them all, you're a spammer. Plus, it'll take ages. Look for the ones with a legitimate interest and fire away.

If you find a stale URL, and I think you will, look for the name of that media outlet at some place like Google. Spend some time looking for the right press contacts, spend some time writing your press release, and do what you can.

Most of these sites list email, snail mail, and phone numbers. Since I live in Asia, I've only used email.

Book reviews, author interviews, book listing sites, and book contests are something we can all do, regardless of where we live.

Aside from two radio interviews and a seminar in Hong Kong, and some emailed press releases to the LOCAL media back in the US which may or may not have succeeded in anything, my marketing has come from the Internet.

I have a website. I have a newsletter. I write free articles such as this one. You found me somehow, right?

Here's the type of message I receive often in email. To be more precise, in spam.

"If a million people see your ad, and you get 1% of them, that's 10,000 readers and therefore $15,000 profit and you only paid 1000 for those million addresses."

NO!! It doesn't work that way. Need I use the words dot-com bust?

My website is free. My newsletter is free. I don't buy mailing lists, I don't harvest email addresses, and I don't spam. I want interested traffic, not just sheer numbers.

Do you think the Phoenicians tried to sell sails to people a thousand miles from water?

Internet marketing isn't a replacement for the methods mentioned above, but a complement to them. And by using it, I got you here. Hi!

Your goal in marketing is this. There are people in the world who like what you like. And since you like your book, they probably will too. You have to find those readers and make them interested, without spamming them and without "playing the numbers game."

If you're an e-author, let me state the obvious. Nobody buys ebooks who doesn't have Internet access. Do they? So you definitely need a website.

Traditional print authors need websites too. Even blockbuster authors like J.R. Rowling and Stephen King, who I doubt could garner any more name recognition, have websites. So does every long-established inescapable monstro-business from hell like McDonalds and Coke.

Okay, those folks pay web designers. I'm not doing that. I can't generate sales like that. And yes, I've been employed as an HTML programmer. But you can write your own website without learning HTML if you want. It's no harder than writing a manuscript with a word processor.

It won't be super-flashy like the big boys, but it'll communicate the information. Remember, you can communicate. You're an author! That's what keeps people coming back to a website after the thrill of the flash wears off. Information. Content. Your specialty. Not a ticket to massive overnight traffic, but slow steady growth.

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** CLOSING THOUGHTS **

Here's something you've heard before. When your manuscript is rejected -- and it will be -- remember that you aren't being rejected. Your manuscript is.

Did you ever hang up the phone on a telemarketer, delete spam, or close the door in the face of a salesman? Of course, and yet that salesman just moves on to the next potential customer. He knows you're rejecting his product, not him.

Okay, in my case I'm rejecting both, but I'd never do that to an author. Neither will a publisher or an agent. All authors tell other authors not to take rejection personally, and yet we all do. Consider it a target to shoot for, then. Just keep submitting, and just keep writing.

The best way to cope with waiting times is to "submit and forget," writing or editing other stuff while the time passes.

And finally, feel free to send an e-mail to me anytime. michaellarocca@chinarice.org. I'll gladly share what I know with you, and it won't cost you a cent.

I would wish you luck in your publishing endeavors, but I know there's no luck involved. It's all skill and diligence.

Congratulations on completing the course! No ceremonies, no degrees, and no diplomas. But on the bright side, no student loan to repay.

Who Moved My Rice? http://www.chinarice.org You can't eat grits with chopsticks

Speed Reading - 10 Tips to Improve Reading Speed & Reading ...
10 tips to improve your reading speed and reading comprehension by speed reading expert, Richard Feldman, Ph.D., Columbia University

Speed Reading Test Online
Free speed reading online test. Read a text, then answer the quiz. Instant results for reading speed and comprehension level.

With Audiobooks You Can Now Multitask.
New advances in technology have bought with it the evolution of the MP3 player as well as audiobooks. Never before has there been a time when it has been so easy to learn and absorb information and news while performing other various tasks. Small portable MP3 players like iPods have made it easy to carry around a huge database of information to listen to and absorb while performing other daily tasks. Audiobooks can now be enjoyed while exercising. It doesn’t matter whether it’s jogging in the park, riding your bike to work, pounding up and down on equipment in a gym or walking along a beach. Audiobooks allow you the ability to take time out for exercising while at the same being able to listen to and absorb your favourite author or book. All you need to do is place your MP3 player in your pocket, place the earphones in your ears and away you go. Audiobooks are great for learning and studying at the same time. Audiobooks give you the ability to listen to study material and the freedom to take notes at the same time. Audiobooks are great for slow readers as it gives them the extra time to concentrate on studying rather than on the time it takes them to read. Slow reader’s have a huge advantage as well as they are able to take more in while listening. Audiobooks are great for learning while doing mundane house chores or other forms of chores like guttering, painting, cleaning out the shed, moving furniture or the dreaded mowing. Listening to audiobooks while performing mundane chores can improve your overall work performance as it takes the focus off the mundane chore you are performing. It is also a great stress reliever as listening to audiobooks allows you to focus on the positive audiobook not the negative mundane chore you are doing. Relaxing and keeping hygienic at the same time. This is one of my favourite ways to multi task. No more soggy books with this one. You just lay back in a nice bubble filled bath, press play on the iPod and study away. This is a great way to study, you can take more in as you are fully relaxed and the pressure is off the study and onto relaxing and cleaning. It’s also great for reducing stress especially around exam time. You can also learn while sleeping with audiobooks. It has been said that 10 minutes after you go to sleep you brain moves into alpha state which is the state where you take most information in. So plug in the headphones and have a nice peaceful sleep while listening to your favourite audiobook. Audiobooks are great when surfing the internet. You can surf; play games, chat, Skype, or do a whole range of other activities while on your computer. You can download an audiobook and be learning within minutes while doing whatever other task you may need to do on your computer. You can even listen to the audiobook if you happen to take a break away from the computer for a short or long time. Just plug your MP3 player into your computer and download the Audiobook straight to your MP3 player and then listen to it when you want. There are lots of other ways you can multitask with Audiobooks. These are just a few examples of some of the ways you can multitask with audiobooks as well as with such devices as MP3 players and computers.

Jia Hunter is an avid audiobook follower and listener. He runs an information website that provides downloadable audiobooks from the world leading publishers’ titles. He offers regular special bonuses and offers as well as free downloadable audiobooks. So take advantage of this and go to the online audiobook store at www.heartmagik.com

Speed Read Faster Than Ever - 4 Brilliant Tips
Many people, particularly students, would love to be able to absorb information faster. But before retaining information, they have to go through the first stage of learning, which is reading.

For many individuals who are pressed for time, speed reading has become a necessity. However, it's not just the reading part that is important. Equally essential is for the reader to fully understand the words coming out from the book or paper.

Here are some great tips to read and comprehend faster.

1) Relax.

If you're in the stressed mode, it would be much more difficult to concentrate; hence, it would just be a lot harder for the information to sink in.

2) Know what you want.

Focus on the areas that you really need to learn. Some people read all parts of a book, when all they need to know is a specific chapter.

Know your priority. If you need to find out about a certain subject, go to the Table of Contents and search for the heading that best suits your need. If you need to learn more, then adjust accordingly. The important thing is to weed out the stuffs that you don't currently need.

3) Get rid of the structure words.

Did you know that around 60% of the words we read are structure words? Examples are the words "the, or, and." They are essential in the structure of the sentences; but when you ignore them, they basically mean the same thing. They only serve to beautify, yet you can understand what you are reading even without them. Try not to focus too much attention on structure words.

4) Practice, practice, practice.

When I started exercising with weights, I can only lift the lighter ones. As the time goes by, I slowly add more and more weights as my body tends to adjust and become more comfortable carrying heavier ones.

The same concept goes for speed reading. Set a goal. Figure out how fast you can read, then create a plan to increase your ability.

If you can read 200 words per minute, set a goal to read 250 words a minute. After accomplishing this feat, set a goal to read 300 words per minute.

This takes time and practice, but the effort is all worth it. If this is your first time to set such a goal, read first those materials you are familiar with.

Carry on with more difficult ones as you progress. This way, you're not overwhelming yourself with understanding different new words and at the same time developing your speed reading skills.

You can find out more on how to effectively double your reading speed and accelerate your learning abilities to the extreme on Rene Graeber?s website at <a href="http://www.smart-ways-to-make-money.com" title="http://www.smart-ways-to-make-money.com" target="_blank">http://www.smart-ways-to-make-money.com</a>

Write a Winner Book Fast - 8 Ways, p1
Have you given up on getting your book out of your heart into the hands of your readers? Don't give up. There's an easy way to do anything and a more difficult way. The easy way usually includes getting helpful advice from someone that's been there and done that. The author has written five of those ten books that were stuck in her heart a few years ago. Here's eight steps that will speed you on your way to getting your book out now: 1. Setup a regular writing schedule. Think about your priorities right now. Can you fit 7-10 hours a week in? If you have to let something go that is not high on your priority list, do it. Now is your time. Later is not better. Set yourself up for a successfully written book this year by committing to a regular schedule. After it's done, remember to reward yourself. 2. Plan a short book first. Many aspiring writers overwhelm themselves with goals of a 365 page book first. Shorten your book to 25-90 pages the first time or divide your large book into a smaller book one and two. Though you shorten it, still fill it with useful information by using the question and answer format for each chapter. Using the same format and length for each chapter and answering all your readers' questions will not only speed your writing process but it will result in a successful book. 3. Let your passion lead you to a topic. Passion will not only stir your readers when your book is done but it will keep you motivated to do the work involved. Yes, I did say work. Passion will make your work easy. Passion will lead you to develop all the profit centers (seminars, articles, or consulting services) your message deserves. 4. Choose what's interesting to you. If you are interested in what you are writing about you will happily write all you know and research to know more about your subject. You will easily spice your writing with interesting tid-bits that will delight your readers and keep them reading until the end of your book. Get your book out of your heart to paper fast. If you wait you could be this time next year with the same desire to get your book out. Use the eight easy steps of committing to a regular writing schedule, planning a short book first, choosing a passion-led topic, picking an interesting to-you subject, getting to know your reader first, developing a plan for each chapter, designing your book's top market spots, and choosing your non-fiction topic first to become a successful author sooner. The world is waiting for your important message to answer their questions and help them become successful. ======================================

© Earma Brown, 11 year author, business owner, web developer helps service business owners, professionals and writers who want to write their best book now! Earma mentors other writers and business professionals through her bi-monthly ezine "iScribe" Send any email to iscribe@writetowin.org for free 7 lesson mini-course "Jumpstart Writing Your Best Book Now! or visit her at http://www.writetowin.org for more book writing tips.

How Not To Get Published
How Not To Get Published
Copyright 2001 Michael LaRocca


If someone had told me in 2000 that I'd publish four books in
2001, I'd have called him an eejit.

The last time I'd been published was 1989, and that doesn't
count because I paid someone to do it. I'd long since given up
on getting published again. In fact, I doubted I'd ever write
again.

By now you may wonder how I made it from Point A to Point B.
Or for that matter, why I stopped writing.

The second part is simple. I was chasing money, becoming a
high-powered businessman and losing myself. The first part is
a little more difficult to explain.

In December 1999, I flew to Hong Kong for a vacation. The
first vacation in my life, really. I intended to stay for a
month. Instead, I married an Australian who taught English there.
I quit my job in North Carolina by email.

I found myself unable to legally work in Hong Kong. So what was
I to do with my time? I dusted off a childhood dream and resumed
writing.

I had a slush pile full of old short stories, and I ran them
through the on-line writing workshops. There are two parts to
writing--story and style. I wasn't changing my stories--they came
from me and were what I wanted to write--but my style was
pathetic. Style is also the part that can be learned. So I did.

Then came something that amazed me. New stories. Mixing with the
"writing culture" got my creative juices flowing again. After all
those years. Better than ever, in fact.

Next, I published them. Between March and December 2000, I
published twenty stories in twenty different e-zines. I only
made $6, but I was building my resume. I believed that I had a
short story anthology in me, and I'd decided to try publishing
it. I felt I needed a "track record," so I got one.

I also had a novel in my slush pile. A gripping imaginative
story, badly told. But I'd finally learned about the craft, the
structure, and the hard work that comes after that original
flash of inspiration.

You see where I'm leading by now. I wrote two new novels, and
signed contracts to publish all three novels plus the new
short story collection in 2001.

It's a common sight among new writers, and really it's a bit
sad. People who have the story--the part that can't be
learned--but tell it badly. They rush in on the adrenaline
high that authors know so well, then get rejected and give up.

What defines a great story? That depends on which reader you
ask. If you're writing a story that moves you, someone
somewhere with similar tastes will like it. Some stories will
be more popular than others, but almost every story will be
considered great by someone. But if it's badly written, the
reader will simply put the book down and read something else.

As a teenaged author, gathering up enough rejection slips to
wallpaper the room, I didn't give up. I just got arrogant and
decided "You don't understand me, ya eejit." That's no
solution. Nor is paying to be published.

Nope, if you want to get published, learn how to tell your
story. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, pacing, dialogue... all
that stuff you may have slept through in high school will become
second nature with enough practice.

I did quite well in high school English, by the way, but it's
not like they taught pacing and dialogue and real story-
telling there. To learn those, you've gotta read. But that's no
problem for an author. If you don't enjoy reading, you can't
write something that others will enjoy reading.

Also, you must listen to the criticisms. Accept some and
reject others, but always listen. I believe the Internet makes
it much easier to get those criticisms.

I work as an editor now, and one of my authors told me that he
sees movies inside his head. It shows in his writing! I don't
write that way, unfortunately, but I still know how he feels.
When "the Muse" pays me a visit, I've gotta write it down as
fast as it comes to me. That's the one part that can't be
packaged, taught or mass-produced. That part comes from you,
the author, and no one else can do it the way that you do.

Kurt Vonnegut, whose works I greatly admire, writes one
sentence at a time, and makes each one perfect before he
begins the next. But I don't write like that, nor do most of
the authors I know. We just let it fly, then go back and fix
it later.

But if you don't want to get published, don't go back and fix
it. Pass that raw copy around to your friends and family and
let them tell you how wonderful it is for fear of hurting your
feelings. Then send it to the publishers and collect the
rejection letters. That's what I did in my younger days, and I
wasn't published.

It took me twenty years to learn my lesson. It would genuinely
make me feel good to hear that most writers aren't taking
quite so long.

Michael LaRocca's website at http://www.chinarice.org was chosen by WRITER'S DIGEST as one of The 101 Best Websites For Writers in 2001 and 2002. His response was to throw it out and start over again because he's insane. He teaches English at a university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and publishes the free weekly newsletter WHO MOVED MY RICE?

NOTE CARDS 3
Note Cards are something which people use for jotting down quick notes and other information. Note Cards are usually available in 3x5 size but one can go in for other types of Note Cards as per his needs. Buying Note Cards is not at all an issue as today there are many stores selling Note Cards. Before buying Note Cards it is advisable to all that he or she should do a thorough study about Note Cards. One can find out information about the different types of Note Cards by visiting various stores. One can also log on to Internet to find information about Note Cards. Note Cards come in different styles and designs, which really look enthralling. People can buy Note Cards Sample, Tri-color Note Cards, Pocket reader Note Cards as per his choice. Students can use Note Cards for keeping notes in a more organized way. Usually keeping notes are real headache and confusing but not with Note Cards. People can use Note Cards as business cards. One can even get Personalized Note Cards and the same can be done by the store by creating logo or name on the Note Cards. One can specially design Note Cards set with his favorite colors, styles, designs etc. To make the Note Cards look more eye-catching one can also use paintings, art works and special designs. One can select from thousands of images to be used on Note Cards offered by the stationary stores. One can use Custom Note Cards for invitation purpose, greeting holidays, birthdays etc. Note Cards can be used for corporate and personal use. One need not always go to a stationary store he can simply log on to various Online stationary sites and get the Note Cards printed by just clicking the mouse! Note Cards can turn ordinary note into something special. The Bright, colorful paper with a matching envelope used in Note Cards can make a note filled with happy thoughts more cheerful! Note Cards have multi-purpose use, so one can buy Note Cards to cater his needs.

Deepak Bansal is an internet marketing consultant having experience of 4.5 years in search engine optimization industry. We are specialist in search engine optimization, link building, internet marketing, copyrighting and content development. This article is written by content writing team of http://www.deepakbansal.com - <a href="http://www.deepakbansal.com/search-engine-optimization.htm">Search Engine Optimization India</a>

What You Need To Know To Write A Book
As a published author and personal coach,with published work in various genres, I get alot of questions about how to write a book and get it published. These questions come from all over the world and yet despite the variation in culture, the questions are always the same. Here are the answers to my top four questions: What you need to know to write a book Momentum is the key to every published novel and completed work. Debating for half a century over what to write is a good way to have your dream of becoming an author remain simply a dream. Schedule time daily to write and to create worlds previously unseen. In the items below I will talk alot about research, especially if you intend to publish. Knowing your audience is one of the keys to getting published. That said, if you devote all of your energy to research and second guessing what "the world" and publishers will actually like, you can end up in the same predicament as those who simply dream of writing. With that word of caution, before writing a book that you intend to publish you must know your demographic. Are you writing for 5 year olds, teens, senior citizens?Is this a specialized group? Ex. If you are writing for children, what level of learning are they at? Would a picture book be more appropriate? What type of language are they capable of understanding? Ex. If you are picking a certain genre, like Romance, what group are you targeting? Will you write historical romances, science fiction romances, supernatural romances, comic romance novels? What is appropriate in this genre now? Romance novel love scenes have come along way. Whereas before you were allowed to hint at bedroom activities, now love scenes must sizzle. How to write a book plan Even if you are simply writing to write, without the thought of publishing, you should have a structure to your work. Outline what you would like to happen in the book. What plot are you going for? Your book should have a beginning, middle and end. Yes you absolutely should jump in and write, as soon as possible, but have an idea of where it is going. There is a difference between writing a really good scene and writing a full blown novel. One is a great "idea" and the other has a plot and storyline with a conclusion. I always outline the plot of the book, and create a back history for each of my characters. Most of what is in their history you will not include in the actual book but it gives you a frame of reference. When you don't know what your character will do next, look at the outline you created for him. Ex. Did his mom abandon him early on? How does that affect his attitude, thoughts, behavior, speech patterns? Does he have a stutter? How does that affect his relationships? How to write a book and publish it If you intend to publish your book, the traditional way, then pick up a copy of this year's Writer's Market. Look and see what publishers in your genre are asking for right now. They will tell you the subjects that they want and the ones that they will burn on site. Never send your manuscript to these publishers unless asked for it or their description in the Writer's Market says this is allowed. You should send a query letter with a self addressed stamped envelope to receive their reply. Most publishers throw out unsolicited manuscripts so save yourself the time, and money. When you are asked to send your manuscript in, send it with another self addressed stamped envelop. On the off chance that they do not accept your manuscript you want to make sure that you get your manuscript back. Your mauscript should be printed on only one side of each page, be easy to read and have space for margins. Even if they do not accept your manuscript, they are sometimes nice enough to write comments in the margins. If you intend to self publish, you are in luck, the price for self publishing has come way down. Whereas you used to have to spend thousands of dollars and buy copies in bulk, now print on demand publishers will take a small upfront fee and a percentage of sales but you do not have to stock your books. They simply print a copy as soon as it is ordered. How to Market Your Book Once the writing is over and you have either been accepted by a publisher or self-published, you need to begin marketing your book. If you are self publishing you need to send out press releases, submit copies to book reviewers, schedule book signings, and use every tool available to you to get your book and your name out there. If you have been picked up by a publisher, I hate to tell you this, but you still have the job of marketing your book. Beginning authors, especially, have this duty. You must constantly be in marketing mode. Tell people about your book, arrance interviews, set up a web presence. Go on to the message boards and promote your book in a friendly manner. Network with other authors to see what techniques have worked for them. You have written a book. That is wonderful. Congratulations. But that is only half the battle. Letting people know about it and building a following is the other half. I have spoken a great deal in this article about the business of writing your book. All of these considerations are necessary. Above and beyond them though is the sheer enjoyment of writing. Allow yourself to get caught up in the experience. As writers, we have the absolute wonderous gift of creating new worlds and sharing them with others. You get paid to dream. What better job is that? Keep the business model in mind and be observant of marketing opportunities but when you are actually in writing mode, let that reality go and focus on creating a new one that you can share with others. Caterina Christakos is a published author and personal coach. To receive even more step by step writing tips go to: http://www.howtowriteachildrensbook.com

Caterina Christakos is a published author and personal coach. To receive even more step by step writing tips go to: http://www.howtowriteachildrensbook.com

Copyrights Revisited
I used to make this joke in my Advanced English Writing classes. I'd write on the board, "There are no new ideas" and attribute it to Plato, and then say in my lecture that he probably stole that quote. Are we allowed to do plagiarism humor in China? They forgot to comment on that in my contract. Anyway, dig this. Michael LaRocca, age 17, is crafting his award-winning THE BARGAIN in 1980, which I hype far too much. Somehow he stumbles upon something he will write in 2005. CAMEL BUTT. The total lack of anything redeeming depresses him so much that he never writes again. Thus, he doesn't write CAMEL BUTT. Is this "time travel paradox" original? Yes and no. I believe this is why the US Copyright Office says you can copyright your words but not your ideas. I've never read a time travel paradox featuring a camel butt, but otherwise my little tale is far from original. If you were working in the Copyright Office, would you want to be the one deciding which ideas are and aren't new? Is it even possible? This is my latest answer to every aspiring author who asks me, "How can I protect my idea?" Don't write it. Take it to your grave. Otherwise, it's fair game. Your words are always protected, but your ideas never are. There are no new ideas. Put another way, the ideating is the easy part. The hard part is publishing and marketing. This is also why I've never seen an idea worth stealing. It's too damn much work. Pick up something by your favorite author, and in my case that would be Shakespeare. Ignore the words and look at the ideas. How many will you see that are original? Zero, baby. To be or not to be. To thine own self be true. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet. A coward dies many times before his death, a brave man dies but once. Ideas I fully agree with, but they aren't original. And, in this day and age, a damn hard sell. That's right, I can't even get rich ripping off Shakespeare, unless I want to write the latest installment of THE LION KING. (Which is also cool, so don't start.) Put yet another way, if you want to steal what I just wrote, you can't take my words. They're mine. Copyrighted the moment I clicked "send." But if you change CAMEL BUTT to WHOMPING THE YAK, then it might work. But be careful. I stole the words WHOMPING THE YAK from Dave Barry. If he decides to sue you, you're on your own.

Who Moved My Rice? http://www.chinarice.org You can't eat grits with chopsticks