Word Praize

The Blessing in the Fire...

I had a blessed trip to Baltimore. More info and photos are available at my blogspot if you are interested. Glad to be back on the ground safely and at my own church this Sunday where my minister Bishop Gwin offered a great message that went something like this. He spoke from Daniel, about those three; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who refused to bow down to the image worshipped by King Nebuchadnezzar and his kingdom. Instead they chose to follow the God of their hearts, willing to face whatever consequence assigned in doing so. And, their consequence was great. Ordered by the King tossed into the fiery furnace they faced a searing of their flesh they had to know would be painful and likely usher in death.

And, it is like this with our own lives sometimes. Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, we find ourselves in the fire. Sometimes we wander into the heat unknowing, other times we are tossed into the raging flames without choice, and as we become more mature as Christians at times like these three, we walk into the fire purposely. The pain while in the fire is great, because it is through these difficult circumstances our flesh is honed and the Spirit made strong. It is in fact in the fire we most often discover ourselves in greater depth, and draw close to spiritual values with greatest meaning in our lives. When King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the fiery furnace opened he expected to see nothing of the three he had doomed to a painful death, but what a surprise he found. The three were not only alive, but accompanied by another who they said, “...looked like the Son of God!”

What’s more is that once the King saw those four, and realized the magnitude of God’s power, He ordered it law that all worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego! Glory to our Father God! It was the ability of these three to stay faithful to God in the face of the fire that had given vision to the Son Jesus even before His birth. In the fire God had worked, giving testimony to the faith of these three, honoring their sacrifice and showing a kingdom His power through saving them. And, so it is with our own lives. When we are faithful to God and He brings us through a fire we emerge with a testimony honoring His power and glory. And, it is through our testimony someone may be drawn to a walk with God. And, that my friends, is the blessing in the fire…

Cheri Paris Edwards is the first-time author of “Plenty Good Room”, published in hardcover by Walk Worthy/Warner Books in Spring, 2005. She is the 50-year old single parent of two young men and lives in East-Central Illinois. Visit the website at www.cheriparisedwards.com

 

Not of God...

“Abstinence will not work”, the beautiful young African girl declared, turning a broad smile toward members of the audience. “Why is that?”, asked the reporter, holding the microphone close so that she might answer. White smile gleaming, she announced, “Sex is fun, sex is free and young people like to have sex. They will not stop having sex.” A smattering of laughter followed. But, for me, this young woman’s words confirmed an alarming consciousness spreading among youth. Our increasingly cavalier attitudes toward intimacy progressing into a belief that sex is merely a recreational activity. Something to do, a way to pass time—"a fun, free activity".

This was not God’s plan for sexual intimacy though. And, the repercussions of indiscriminate sexual activity can be heartrending. In the month of Mother’s Day, I represent one who has knows well the heartbreak following sex outside of marriage. I am a single parent, and though a good mother, the experience did not have to be as difficult as it has been. I know am blessed for having my sons, certain it is through them that God worked on me first, still there are and have been many trying days. And, not just for me. It’s been most difficult for my sons not having a father in the home. First boys, now young men, they would have had a much easier time of it with a husband/father to role model behavior. But, unlike the young girl speaking above, in most cases I moved too quickly to the physical believing love and sex synonymous. The word is serial monogamist. For the past several years, I’ve lived an abstinent life. And, it’s only when I stood on my own, allowing God opportunity to wrap me in His arms, that dreams I didn’t even know I had began to come true. I’ve written a novel, and it was published! And, I’m finally finishing my degree and doing well at it. I feel like Sarah in the Bible, only birthing dreams instead of babies at this late stage in my life.

Sadly, the young lady speaking about sex in the text above represents a growing mindset in the world today. I remember being young as she, and I remember thinking after hearing about birth-control from friends sharing their exploits…everybody is doing it, so why shouldn’t I? What a crazy reason to make a decision to become one with another; but no more crazy than those given by these young people today, huh? However, young people must realize, Abstinence IS a viable choice. Life can be rich and relationships meaningful for those who choose to live without physical intimacy until within the confines of the marital union it meant for. It helps to remember that we who proclaim ourselves Christian, belong to God. He knows our hearts, and has great plans for us, but we complicate His plan, when we don’t follow His word. Life becomes more challenging. Many fall, under the challenges and some don’t even get the chance to face them. Unfortunately, the fact is, in today’s world, perhaps because too many think of sex as play, it is also a harbinger of death, and I know that’s not of the Lord… 

Cheri Paris Edwards is the first-time author of “Plenty Good Room”, published in hardcover by Walk Worthy/Warner Books in Spring, 2005. She is the 50-year old single parent of two young men and lives in East-Central Illinois. Visit the website at www.cheriparisedwards.com

Let Go and Let God....

I made it! My trip to Charlottesville for the Festival of the Book was a blessing in many ways. It was a wonderful experience that I won’t re-hash here. There is a blow-by-blow summary of the weekend events at my own blogspot, cconfusion.blogspot.com. if you are interested.

You know, I am a person who harbors many fears. Always have. Whenever I think of myself, an old Charlie Brown show where he visits Lucy and she’s manning her booth, wearing her psychologist hat comes to mind. Lucy begins to recite different phobias that might describe Charlie’s issues to him. Finally, after naming one after the other, she states, “agoraphobia, the fear of everything!” “That’s it!,” he yells, triumphant that his ailment has a name and everyone laughs. I laugh too each time I see it, but truth is, that’s been me most of my life.

Don’t know where these fears came from, but long as I remember they’ve been there. Maybe that’s one reason I have such a love for Paul’s New Testament writing. He suffers from some personal affliction as well yet pushes through it, pressing on. For many years, I leaned on drugs (smoking weed, drinking, etc.), relationships, smoking cigarettes, to waylay my fears, but then I realized that wasn’t really working. I was still scared. And, so one by one I let the crutches go. Not even knowing that I’d been leaning on them so heavily until they were gone.

Once “Plenty Good Room” was bought for publication I thought life might get easier. All the crutches were gone, right? And, with so much life-difficulty behind me, I was sure there would be less fear and stress and more easy riding, you know? NOT! In fact, for the last two years my stress levels reached new heights as suddenly I was faced with uncertainties and complexities never before expected or experienced. And, what’s more often I’ve been facing these new challenges with only God to keep me company.

And, so fittingly, last week after being invited to this wonderful event, I faced another huge fear. Flying. I only cried twice the week before--or at least twice I can remember now (I cry a lot, ya’ll; so I might forget a time or two). On the day of, once in motion, it seemed less scary though. Sitting in the small airport in my hometown, I looked out and saw a small plane with luggage around it and thought, that must be what they carry baggage on. Well, ya’ll know I was wrong again. Moments later we boarded that LITTLE plane. And, I mean it was tiny. Talking about bringing my fears down to size! Here I was expecting to be on a big whole plane, instead, innately, I knew I was boarding the plane all who I told I was flying complained about. The turboprop. So, as usual, God wasn't even playing--He was breaking me in for real!

Once we began to ascend into the air I had my earplugs in (playing Bishop Eddie Long’s Spirit and Truth – my favorite). Actually I wasn’t supposed to be listening then, but didn’t know till later. All was okay, until we hit some turbulence and suddenly I began to fill a little panicky. My stomach was queasy and I felt the walls closing in even tighter, and I was beginning to tell myself, not way was I going to be able to take the other 3 flights necessary to complete the trip. But, just as suddenly feeling took over. Gazing into the clouds from my window, a calm ensued as the moment took over. Here I was floating in the clouds! And, though I don’t know where heaven is or what it looks like, for that moment it seemed close and so did God. And, so I exhaled. Let go. And, let God. And, from that moment on, it was all good.

Got there safely, maneuvering successfully through airports and crowds and then turned around and made it back. And, you can bet when I touched ground in Champaign-Urbana, I felt lighter than air. This small town girl had done it! My nature of fearfulness is still intact, it’s my burden. But, trusting in God I’d looked fear squarely in the eye, and in doing so gained confidence in my faith and myself.

So what is the moral of this story? Well, the songwriter says, “You don’t have leave here the same”, and that’s the crux of the tale. With God at the helm, I am a witness that we can do those things we never thought we could. And, floating high about the earth, I realized with certainty there is some peace in knowing, that ‘if tomorrow never comes’, I will have lived for God today. Now, as I make preparations to go to Baltimore next month, I still have a knot in the pit of my stomach, but this too will pass. When God prods us to move outward into the world, faith is sufficient, when we just ‘let go and let God’….

Cheri Paris Edwards is the first-time author of “Plenty Good Room”, published in hardcover by Walk Worthy/Warner Books in Spring, 2005. She is 50-year old and the mother of two boys. She lives in East-Central Illinois. Her website is www.cheriparisedwards.com

The Journey Begins

So the journey begins. I Say A Prayer For Me: The One Woman Show. The script is complete now..
Show me, Lord.

Psalm 127:1 Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. (New International Version)

Soloman learned that truth--sealed in his heart by the finger of God--and recorded for all time so that we can receive the wisdom it contains--if we so choose.

And so, I chose to apply this truth--even to my books, my plays, my life....  Unless the LORD builds this one woman show, I build in vain.

What is it for you?  You fill in the blank. "Unless the LORD builds this _________, I build in vain."   And if you are seeking God's face for that thing -- STILL apply the principle to your "not yet."  "Unless the LORD builds A VISION for My life, I build in vain."  And then whether you know or don't know, fall to your knees and humbly say, "Lord, show me and make it so plain that even I will understand."

Lord God Almighty, we look to YOU for everything we need to do what we believe You birthed us to do. Continue to order our steps, grant us favor with You, people, and institutions. Grant us Your wisdom and patience. Build this ______, Father.  Help us to let our light so shine among men, women, and children that they may see our good works and glorify YOU.  Provide everything we need to realize the vision including the faith that we will need to press our way through whatever obstacles may arise.  More than anything, we want YOUR perfect will to be done in this and every area of our lives.  We ask this in Jesus' Name. Amen. So be it.  So it is!

I love you--sight seen and unseen.  And I hope to chat with you again next month.  In the meantime, God is blessing you, right now.

© 2006, Stanice Anderson, Inspirational Speaker and Author, I Say A Prayer For Me: One Woman's Life of Faith and Triumph (Walk Worthy Press/Warner Books) www.stanice.com
My Blogs: Soul Shout   -- Stanice's Open Mic  --  Journey to Stanice's One Woman Show

Clutters Last Stand

Clutters Last Stand! by Pamela Perry

"Let all things be done decently and in order." 1 Corinthians 14:40

I have declared it more than once – the war is on. But this time the clutter is not going to win! I will conqueror it before it conquerors me.

As a lover of books, magazines and newspapers, I find it extremely difficult to throw them away. Even with the age of the Internet, I still like to read my newspaper or magazine clips from its original form.

So, I have a home that is clutter prone. As a writer, anything that has words on it I think is important. (But I have learned to let go of Post-it notes).

Though every spring I make promises to do "spring cleaning" and every summer I try to have a garage sale to get rid of stuff – it keeps multiplying. I’ve been through this cycle for years. Dejunking is hard work. I have tons of books on the subject to prove it.

There are the rare moments when cleaning that I do find "treasures." I renew my commitment to save and re-file. Yes, I’ll keep that old issue of the newspaper from September 12, 2001 and I won’t part with the Time magazine with the tsunami cover story in it. That’s history and defining moments in my life.

But nothing gets you to tackle and defeat clutter than moving. All the "things" you thought you needed suddenly are unnecessary. I ask myself, "Do I really want to pack and move all those old trinkets to the new home? Do I really need all those things I’ve hidden in drawers and cabinets for years?" If I didn’t even know that the stuff was in there – toss it. No regrets either!

It’s so liberating. Tossing and letting go. Why did I even hang on to so much stuff to begin with? Travel light. I have a newfound freedom. It’s like getting a brand new lease on life. Clearing up clutter gives new clarity!

Cleaning out a cabinet, a drawer and a closet makes me feel like a new woman. I’m more excited about obliterating clutter than moving to the new house. I am destroying piles of junk like Rambo. I am tossing out stuff with reckless abandon like the Terminator.

I’m on a rampage. Through the kitchen – I toss out stuff I’ve never used. Through the garage – I have a big Hefty bag just looking to fill it with everything that in there. In my office, I am taming the paper Tiger.

Clarity. Focus. Freedom. Order. It’s so exhilarating – when you make room for the new by getting rid of the old, increase is the next season. I’m planting seeds too by giving away tons of stuff. This is the year of overflow and I now have room to receive it.

Clutters last stand – and I win – finally. Cleanliness is next to godliness. Hallelujah!

Pam Perry can be reached via her website at www.MinistryMarketingSolutions.com. No junk emails please.

Make Time, Not Excuses

Make Time, Not Excuses Copyright

© 2005

Mark Dembo and Thomas J. Baskind DEI/Lexien of Greater New York http://www.lexien.com/

There are four primary activities that successful salespeople engage in on an ongoing basis.  These are Prospecting (45% of time), Presenting (20%), Product Knowledge/Malleability (20%), and Professional and Personal Development (15%). 

Recently we were presenting this information in a workshop on Prospect Management, when one of the participants raised his hand and said:  “That’s great.  But you just don’t understand.   We spend so much of our time having to service our existing clients and putting out fires, there’s no way to have that much time for prospecting and all this other stuff.” 

Sound like something you face?

We understand, because we’re out there selling too.   Just like you, we go out and find new prospects, show them how we can help them, deal with client service, make sure training materials show up where they’re supposed to be, etc…  And, we spend a good deal of time consulting, conducting workshops, and working with clients.

Like most sales professionals, we, too,  have to juggle my time to focus on actually selling and prospecting.

The key is effective time planning.

Time planning is really more than time management.  You really can’t manage time at all when you think about it – no matter what we do time marches on.  No matter what we do there are 52 weeks in a year, 24 hours in day, and 60 minutes in an hour.  Try as we might, we just ain’t gonna change that.  So, let’s not bemoan that we don’t have enough time – the time you spend complaining about not having enough time is time you could spend on something more productive and rewarding.   (Ever notice that the people who complain the most about not having enough time are usually the ones getting the least amount done?  Think about it and observe.)

So, we can’t control time itself, but what we can control is how we use our time. In fact, when you come right down to it, our use of own time is the ONLY thing in life that we really have complete control over.   Every minute of every day you are making a choice, whether consciously or not, over how you use your time. The key to effective time planning is to make conscious decisions over how you spend this most valuable resource.

Here are some tips to help you plan and utilize your time more effectively:

Be Obsessive About Planning:   

Everybody these days uses some sort of planner whether electronic or paper; that’s a personal choice and either one is fine.  But, real effective planning is more than making a daily to-do list. 

Plan Weekly:  Look at everything you have going on for the next two weeks.  First appointments, follow-up meetings, presentations, internal meetings etc…  In addition to actual meetings, you need to schedule in time for:

- meeting preparation - travel time to and from meetings - administrative and paperwork

Schedule these things into your calendar so you know exactly when you are going to do them!

Next, schedule in time – make a firm appointment with yourself – for prospecting activities.  When will you make calls?  I can guarantee that if you don’t make a firm appointment with yourself, those calls won’t happen.

Taking this weekly view is vital to effective time planning; many things that we do can’t get done in one day, but if know what we want and need to accomplish in the broader space of a week, we’re more likely to be productive with our time.

Plan Daily:  Look ahead to the next day.  What urgent things will you need to attend to?  When will you do them?  What things did you not get done today that you need to do tomorrow?   Do this each day at the end of the day so you can start your next day fresh with the knowledge of exactly what you’re setting out to do.

TIP:  Don’t overpack your time too much.  You do need to allow for the unexpected.  You also need to constantly reevaluate your time in the face of changing priorities.  Give yourself the cushion for this.

Analyze Regularly:  Keep track of how you spend your time, and analyze its level of productivity; look at whether each activity is moving you closer to your goals or is not.  Try doing this for a period of two weeks; you’ll be amazed to realize how much time we spend on non-productive things.  Just the sheer act of tracking this will make you more productive, guaranteed.

Apply “Zero-Based Thinking”:  Author and speaker Brian Tracy, in his book “Focal Point” talks about applying “Zero-Based Thinking” as a way to form your goals and mission.  It applies at this level as well.  As you get a sense of where you’re time is currently spent, ask yourself these questions:

- What things do I need to start doing? - What am I currently doing that I need to do more of? - What am I currently doing that I need to stop doing?

What things can you delegate?  What things could you stop doing that aren’t really necessary?  (Think hard on this one; there are certainly things we all do that don’t really need to be done at all.)

Take time for reflection and planning:   “But wait”, you say!  “I don’t have time to do stuff now, how can I take all this time for planning.  Sounds nice in an ideal world, but I have to live in reality!”   Taking the time for planning and thinking will actually make you more productive.  You will be in more control of your time, and you will be focused on the activities that will yield you the best results.  15 minutes a day is all you’ll really need.  And those 15 minute could well be the most important time you spend!

To help you, here some great tools you can download:

Daily Time Tracking Worksheet http://www.lexien.com/secondary/documents/Timetrackingsheet.xls

Weekly Planning Worksheet http://www.lexien.com/secondary/documents/WeeklyPlanningReport.xls

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mark Dembo and Thomas J. Baskind are Managing Partners in DEI/Lexien of Greater New York, a sales performance improvement and management consulting company. They invite you to visit their website, http://www.lexien.com/, and welcome your comments and inquiries.

I Write Because...

I Write Because.. by Julie Jordan Scott
C 2005

I write for a simple reason. Life is better when
I come to the page every day and put strings
of letters and words and trace the etchings of
my heart with language so that people
will know that I was there.

I don't write seeking perfection in grammar
or brilliance in syntax.

I write because I know it is not a luxury,
it is a necessity.

I write because my soul longs to be heard
and it gives the message to my fingers tapping
on this keyboard who in turn "get" how important
it is to have a life that is witnessed by others.

I write because the process brings me to
a greater understanding of me.

I don't write to make anyone else happy or
entertain or to inspire. That sometimes comes
as a result, but that is more akin to sharing
the light and warmth of the sun or
enjoying a star lit sky.

The sunlight and the starry sky and my words
all come from the same source. They come
from divine orchestration - and just like the
sun and the stars agree simply by being exactly
what they are, I agree to write because I am.

I am a writer.

======
Julie Jordan Scott is a Writer, Speaker, Success
Coach, Actor, Director, Poet Workshop Facilitator
and Mother Extraordinaire. Register now for the upcoming
fr>e>e writing workshop that changed the world:
42 Days of Writing Passionately. Check it out and
sign up now: http://www.PassionWriteNow.com

12 Point Checklist for Writing Feature Articles

12 Point Checklist for Writing Feature Articles by Jill Black

1. Have you selected your intended subject topic and carefully planned out your idea?

2. Have you sent your idea query pitch to magazines or newspapers who may be interested? or will you write "on spec"?

With many magazines and newspapers now accepting material online it is now possible in many instances to email your queries directly to the publication. Have you read the publishers guidelines carefully to make sure if this method is acceptable?

Before sending your query pitch:

- Is it likely to be what the publisher needs: have you studied the publication?

- Is the timing right. Have you checked the magazines editorial calendar? If it is a seasonal article is now the best time to send your query?

If you have answered yes to these questions then package your idea into an attractive proposal and send it off to the editor of your chosen publication.

3. Have you adequately researched your topic?

Read everything you can on the topic from all available sources - bookstores, newspapers, libraries and internet sources. Never discard anything about your subject topic since you don't know until you write it up what you may actually want to use.

Tip: Saving magazines, newspapers and clippings for the subject matter can save time when researching future writing assignments on the same topic or when working to deadlines. Catalogue all your collected material for easy reference.

4. Have you interviewed the key person/people you need for your proposed feature?

Now it is time to organize your material into a feature article.

5. Have you discarded everything in your research except for factual information?

True research and liberal use of factual material gives an original perspective to your feature article and also avoids the possibility of plagiarism.

6. Have you checked and cross-referenced your facts amongst your various sources.

7. Have you decided on the length of the article? Have you checked the length is suitable for the publication you are sending it to?

Tip: Do not waste the editors time by sending a 2000 word article to a publication that requires articles between 500-750 words.

8. Will you use quotes in your article? Quotes and antcedotes bring a story to life. Are the quotes from a reliable source and have you double checked that quotes used are acurately recorded?

9. Do you have a good lead, middle and ending?

10. Have you proofread and edited your article to achieve the best possible version through re-writing your drafts to arrive at your final version?

Have you made all corrections and necessary changes, have you checked spelling (this includes people and place names) grammar, punctuation etc?

11. If the feature is to be visual - have you provided the appropriate photographs, art work, line drawings, or other graphic illustrations to compliment your feature?

This increases the payment amount you can expect to receive if you are a feature photojournalist or travel feature writer who can offer original photographic perspectives of your subject topic.

12. Have you included everything in your envelope before sending your article to the publisher (including photos properly packaged) or, if the magazine or newspaper excepts online submissions have you given everything a final check before hitting the send button?

Copyright 2005 J Black

Jill Black is the owner of http://www.netwrite-publish.com a site offering resources for writers and publishers and ideas for creative living. She is also the editor of writing and publishing success a newsletter for writers and publishers. To subscribe to this newsletter send a blank email to: Writing-Publishing-Success-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Reflections on the Pastor Pedestal and Christian Celebrities

Reflections on the Pastor Pedestal and the Christian Celebrity Cycle by Pam Perry

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3

I will never forget the children's story "The Emperor's New Clothes" by Hans Christian Anderson. I really liked that story because it illustrated that just because you think you're right - doesn't mean you are - even if other people seem to go think so too.

The Emperor surrounded himself with people who feared him.  They put him on a pedestal and felt he was their "god."  They were afraid to disagree with anything he said or thought. They were the consummate "yes-men."  Consequently, they let him fall for some really dumb stuff.  Like walking around in "invisible" clothes. 

That's the problem with having just "yes" people around you. They will let you look stupid instead of challenging you because they're too afraid.  In the story, it wasn't until one truthful child stepped forward and told the Emperor that he had no clothes on, then the Emperor finally got a revelation!

There are two sides of this story and they're both based on things that are ungodly: fear and pride.

If the people had not been in fear - they could've told the Emperor the real deal. And if he hadn't wrapped himself up in pride, he could have recognized that he was really looking ridiculous. 

Fear and pride are elements that can kill a soul and destroy a nation.  When rampant in the church, it can stop the move of God.   

God's Word says that we should submit to those in authority.  We are to respect and revere them - not be afraid of them.  First Peter 5:5 says, "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"

We are to respect one another.  When we worship a pastor to the point that we're afraid to tell them the truth - it's dangerous.  The pastor will go around exposed to deceit and not even know it.  We should never worship or esteem man over God - it's detestable in God's eyes.  It's idolatry - and anything you idolize you will not dispute - even when you know it's right to do so. 

"Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right," Proverbs 16:13.  If we really love our pastors, we must speak the truth. 

Ministry leaders must also learn to temper their stubbornness - which comes out of pride.  The Bible says there is safety in a multitude of counselors.  Wise counsel is godly.  If a pastor thinks he knows it all, he is heading for destruction.  The Word warns us that "pride comes before destruction."

If God gives grace and favor to the humble, we all must be willing to say, "I was wrong. I stand corrected."  Stubbornness keeps us from doing what is best - thus in the end we hurt others and ourselves too.

Confrontation requires courage.  Reverence does not mean we can't speak the truth to our pastors in love.  Mutual respect is the key element.  It flows both ways. When we flow in the wisdom of God and receive correction from the people he set around us, we will be safe and secure and properly clothed at all times.

Pam Perry is a publicist at Ministry Marketing Solutions, specializing in the Christian publishing industry. Pam serves as the president of American Christian Writers Detroit.

Working With A Freelance Editor

Working With A Freelance Editor
by Jennifer Tribe

If you are interested in creating information products, you
will very likely deal with editors throughout your career.
You may need someone to edit a book, review a special
report or tighten up a magazine article. Even if you are a
brilliant writer, it always helps to have someone else look
at the work with fresh eyes.

Most of these editors will be people you hire on a freelance
or project basis. To get the most out of such a
relationship, it helps to be clear about what you need and
what you can expect.

To start, you should know what kind of editing you are
looking for. There are many different levels and varieties
of editing. Probably the three you will encounter the most
are substantive editing, copyediting and proofreading.

Substantive editing
Sometimes called developmental editing, substantive editing
looks at both the content and structure of a manuscript as a
cohesive whole. Does the story or argument flow logically?
Are there obvious gaps in a certain area? Too much
information someplace else? Substantive editing can involve
re-ordering large chunks of text, removing text, adding
text, and even rewriting.

Copyediting
Probably the most misused of all the terms, copyediting is
often used as a catchall phrase for any and all kinds of
editing. Strictly speaking, however, copyediting checks for
errors in grammar, usage, spelling, punctuation and other
mechanics of style, internal consistency, cross-referencing,
labeling and so on.

Proofreading
Proofreading is the final review of a fully formatted and
typeset manuscript. It is meant only to catch small errors
such as the odd spelling mistake or hyphenation snafu that
might have been missed at the copyediting stage, or that
appeared during the layout process.

The above definitions are fairly standard but there are
variations. Not every editor defines editing terms in the
same way. It is therefore crucial that you discuss in detail
the exact nature of the services your editor will provide.

You will also want to clearly discuss the fee arrangement.
Some editors charge by the page or word, while others charge
by the hour. Still others charge a flat project fee. One
method of charging is not necessarily better than other.
Just be sure you know what you will get for your money. If
you are being charged by the hour, ask the editor to provide
an estimate up front of how long the project will take so
there are no surprises when the final invoice arrives.

The best way to avoid misunderstandings is to have a written
contract signed before any work begins. A contract will
typically include a
-- detailed description of the services to be provided
-- statement of the fees and payment schedule, and
-- timeline for the work to be completed, including any
project milestones.

Depending on the scope and nature of the project, your
contract may also include a number of other considerations.
An important clause to include, especially on a book
project, is one that deals with copyright. You want to make
sure that, as the author, you retain all rights to the
material no matter how much editing or rewriting the editor
may do on your behalf.

Many editors will supply a contract, but be prepared to
create one yourself if they do not.

Here are a few final tips for working with an editor:

-- Some editors specialize either by format, by topic, or
both. For example, an editor might be a specialist in audio
scripts or might focus solely on medical books. You may want
to look for an editor with particular expertise in your
subject matter, especially if you are writing about a highly
specialized field.

-- Be open-minded towards an editor’s suggestions and
changes. It can be hard on the ego to see your painstakingly
crafted manuscript go under the editor’s knife. But keep in
mind that if an editor is making alterations, it’s because
he or she thinks it will improve your work. And in the end,
a good product makes you look good too.

-- Establish and maintain clear lines of communication. Know
what your expectations are and convey them. Ask the editor
to keep you in the loop as the work progresses.

© 2004  Juiced Consulting

Turn your expertise into money-making information products
such as books, audio tapes and teleclasses! Juiced Consulting
shows you how. For a free e-zine and other resources, visit
www.juicedconsulting.com

7 Reasons We Can't Talk About Fees

Embarrassed To Discuss Your Prices?: Seven Common Reasons We Can't Talk About Fees And How To Overcome Them

by Karyn Greenstreet

Last week, a wonderfully-skilled electrician installed a new light fixture for us. He was competent, courteous and efficient. He answered all our questions simply, with skill and eloquence. I was amazed, as you might imagine, when I asked him, "How much do we owe you?" and his embarrassed reply was, "Gee, is $50 okay?"

With the quality of work he'd done and the amount of time he put into it, I would have expected to pay double that amount. His resistance to naming his price reminded me of my small business clients who have the same problem.

All entrepreneurs feel fear at some point, including attorneys, consultants, coaches, and writers. It's a natural part of starting or growing your business. It can be uncomfortable to take risks, to name your price and tell a prospective customer that you want to work with them.

Roberto Goizueta, the late chairman of Coca-Cola, said, "If you take risks, you may still fail; but if you do not take risks, you will surely fail. The greatest risk of all is to do nothing." Put this mantra into your head: Risk equals reward.

So, what's the problem?

I've discovered seven common reasons why we're afraid to discuss our fees:

1. Do you feel your fees are too high?
2. Do you think you're not qualified or experienced enough to charge that rate?
3. Are you afraid of rejection? (Or, possibly, afraid of acceptance, which will mean you'll have to perform?)
4. Are you afraid the prospect will raise an objection to the fee, and you won't know how to reply?
5. Are you shy and uncomfortable talking with strangers?
6. Are you afraid to take risks?
7. Are you generally uncomfortable talking about money?

Where does this come from? Is it part of your personality or is this a behavior you learned from your past experience or culture? In many families and cultures, it's taboo to talk about money or to ask to be paid. While it might be personally beneficial to look inside yourself for the reasons why you act this way, it's also important to get unstuck by using techniques which help you move forward, such as:

• Have a good pricing strategy. Research the average fees for your type of business so that you know your prices are in line with expectation. If you can't get competitor pricing information, try Brenner Books (http://www.brennerbooks.com). If your experience warrants it, increase your pricing to reflect your higher skills, knowledge and experience. If you're not sure how to create a pricing strategy, research it online or talk with a small business consultant or mentor.
• Establish that the prospective customer needs your services before discussing price. You'll feel more comfortable discussing your fees if you know the prospective customer really want to hire you. Ask a lot of questions to see if their problem and your solution are a good match.
• Put your fees on your website and brochure. In this way, prospects will know your fees before the sales conversation begins.
• Be honest. Tell the prospect what the options are for your services or products, any quantity discounts you offer, and how payment is delivered. Practice saying this over and over again until the words and phrases slip comfortably from your mouth.
• Act confidently when delivering your fees. Don't downplay your fees. State your fees, then shut up. Don't make excuses for your fees, or ramble on about them. Look directly at the prospect while delivering your fees.
• Don't automatically offer discounts. This tells the prospect that your fees are soft and that they're negotiable. Instead, state your fees and options and ask them to tell you which package is right for them.
• Act "as if." How would an experienced person in your industry act, when discussing her fees? Act as if you are that person and you'll find your confidence increasing with each conversation. Practice, practice, practice.
• Get training. If you're uncomfortable with the whole sales process, get sales training. By attending a class, you'll learn different ways of saying the same thing, and you're bound to find a way that's right for you.
• Refer out. If the prospect really can't afford your fees and you can't afford to offer a discount, refer that prospect to someplace where they can find an alternative. Say, "If you can't afford my fees, you can try these online referral services where you might find someone in your price range."

Talking about your prices can be uncomfortable. But with practice and persistence, and a willingness to overcome your fears, you can begin to have comfortable conversations with your prospective customers.

Karyn Greenstreet is a self-employment expert and small business coach. She  shares tips, techniques and strategies with self-employed people to maintain motivation, stay focused, prioritize tasks, and increase revenue and profits. 
Visit her website at www.PassionForBusiness.com

Write Your Own Ebook

Look How Easy It Is To Write Your Own eBook!

What happens when you stumble across a promising
market, idea or topic for an ebook, but don't know
how to quickly find out what content you should
package to sell?

Let's look at a real life example.

One of the top selling ebooks under the competitive
category of Home and Family within Clickbank's marketplace
is this book - http://hop.clickbank.net/?ideaguide/seanlemay
"Tropical Fish Secrets"

A quick check on Overture shows the demand for topics
regarding tropical fish is quite large --

"Tropical Fish"  160,455

with many other related searches well over 10,000 looking
for various information on tropical fish and aquariums.

If you haven't already gone over to take a look, visit the
sales page over at: http://hop.clickbank.net/?ideaguide/seanlemay

Look closely at the bullets half-way down the page, you will see
the very questions any "beginner" fish owner would have - questions
like:

- saltwater versus freshwater aquarium
- how to keep the quality of water good, and your fish
   healthy
- how NOT to kill your fish
- how to know how much to feed your fish
- how to place and light your aquarium

and so on...

Now, even if you were brand new to aquariums and fish, then you could likely have come up with at least half the questions he has answered in his book.

The rest, with a few hours research on discussion forums,
magazines, talking with fish owners - you could find the
rest.

What you want is to target the 80-90% of the market that are
beginners - that you can easily find answers to their pressing
questions.

You will find hundreds of thousands of similar market
opportunities out there - where you can assemble a list of
questions to be answered and simply write a few pages each
day to create your own compelling ebooks.

There is no guarantee - but with a well researched idea and
a half-decent product, you should easily be able to turn each
ebook into at least $20,000/yr in income - much more in certain
cases. 

To learn more about 5 masters who turn their ideas into profits over and over again - visit http://www.creating-infoproducts.com

-----------------------------------------------------------
Discover The Ultimate System For Writing An Ebook and Selling
Ebooks Online - How Non-Writers Turn Their eBook Ideas Into
Profits - http://www.infoproductcreator.com/ebook/

Writing in the Shower

Writing in the Shower (or Wherever You May Be)
©2005 Mary Anne  Hahn

I just glanced at the clock. 7:35 am. That leaves me ten,  maybe fifteen minutes to write before it's time for me to head for my day job. What can I possibly accomplish in so little time?

A lot, as  it turns out. My current schedule only permits me to devote snippets of time  to my passion, my true vocation. On some days, despairingly, I spend those  precious moments staring helplessly at a blinking cursor, or with pen in  frozen hand; on others, my fingers fly across the keyboard and words appear  almost effortlessly across the screen. What makes the difference between  writer's block and productivity?

The difference lies in how I spend my  time away from the keyboard. At work, while driving, or when taking a shower.  Sitting in the waiting room of a doctor's office, standing in a grocery store  check out line, working out. When I spend all of this non-writing  time thinking about non-writing stuff--my bills, my to-do list,  a misunderstanding with a co-worker or whatever--I find that I am  not prepared to write when those brief, precious time slots for  writing become available.

But when I use non-writing time to think  about writing--to brainstorm ideas, actively listen to conversations around  me, consciously notice the details of the room I'm in, the person I'm with or  how I am truly feeling at any given moment--I come to my tiny slivers of  writing time equipped use them well.

Take this morning, for example.  Rather than daydream or worry or fret during my shower, I decided to ask  myself the question, "What can I write about today?" I had just polished and  submitted two short articles to a trade magazine the day before, and was  faced with the ugly prospect of staring at a blank screen. What would I  put there when the moment came? Ah, I thought, I haven't written  an article about writing in a while, and have nearly two weeks before  my next issue--could I start a new one today? About what? What  would motivate, inspire and/or inform my readers? Perhaps many of  them also face full days that leave only short, scattered opportunities  to write. What can I tell them?

Hence, the first several paragraphs of  this very article. And the satisfaction of knowing that, later in the day or early the next, I can pick up where I left off--no blank screen staring back  at me.

Believe me, these 10-to-15 minute time slots for writing add up.  In three to four days, you can have the first draft of a 500-800  word article, one or two query letters, a book outline, a scene for  your novel, or several greeting card sentiments. Over the following  few days, you can polish them. Submit them to appropriate markets  when they're ready to go. Grin with a sense of accomplishment. Then  start the whole process all over again.

I am completing this article during a 30-minute stint on a Saturday morning, a week before my next issue goes out. I'll have plenty of time to edit and improve it over the next few  days, by which time I'll have other projects started as well.

I urge you not to use "being too busy" as an excuse not to write, and not to get  published. Certainly you may have only precious moments to spend at your  keyboard. Come to those moments consistently prepared, watch those moments  add up and those projects take shape, and your writing dream will come  true.

---

Mary Anne Hahn publishes WriteSuccess, the free biweekly ezine that helps writers pursue *successful* writing careers.  Subscribe  today by visiting _http://writesuccess.com_ (http://writesuccess.com/)   

5 Questions to Jump-Start Your Word Processor

No time to write? Five questions to jump-start your word processor

Q. How do I find time to write? I'm busy all day -- and when
I make some time, the phone rings or someone needs to see me
right away.

A. Five questions to get started.

1. What's happening in the rest of your life? Are you
chronically late? Waking up exhausted? Feeling out of
control? Some people have gotten so accustomed to feeling
pressured they need to learn a whole new concept of creating
space in their lives to do what they want.

2. Why do you want to write? Do you have room in your life
for everything but writing? Maybe you don't want to write!

Writing can be the most powerful tool in your marketing
arsenal -- but chances are you can find ways to succeed by
hiring a writer and promoting your service in creative,
non-writing ways.

3. Have you bought into the myth, "Good writing takes time?"

Think of each piece of writing as an email you are writing
to a good friend. You might need to combine two or three
short emails to make up a single article or a few dozen to
make up an ebook. As you get time during the day, dash off
an email to yourself or a very trusted friend. Don't edit or
censor your work.

When you're in a good mood, arm yourself with your favorite
beverage. A piece of chocolate is okay, too, if you're not
allergic. A cat in your lap will discourage frequent breaks.
Turn on your favorite music. Now -- look over what you have
written. Fix typos and spelling errors. Cut out as many
words as possible; short is almost always better.

4. Which half of the Odd Couple do you resemble?  Following
their divorces, the excessively tidy Felix moves in with the
proudly sloppy Oscar. Most of us tend to relate to one or
the other. If you are a Felix, you have to learn to let go.
Send out your work when you are eighty percent satisfied and
move on.

Oscars have to learn to hang on. Sit on your work a few days
-- even weeks. Remember that your potential customers and
clients include some Felixes.

5. Are you forcing yourself to choose a topic you think you
"should" write about?

Take your topic off its pedestal and write from the heart.
What topics get your juices flowing? Are you so happy, angry
or frustrated that you want to jump up and down? Use that
energy to create an idea and transform that idea into an
article.
*******************************************************************
Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and
consultant, who  specializes in career/business challenges
faced by midlife, mid-career professionals .
Your Next Move Ezine: Read one each week and watch
your choices grow!
mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com
http://www.cathygoodwin.com
http://www.makewritingpay.com
Contact: mailto:cathy@cathygoodwin.com

Friday's Freelance Article

15 Questions to Instantly Help You Write a Tips Booklet Copyright © 2005 Paulette Ensign Tips Products International http://tipsbooklets.com

Everyone has something they want the world to know. A tips booklet is a great way to do that, creating author status and a marketing tool for yourself in the process.

You may have considered writing a book.  Many people entertain that possibility. Fewer have actually followed through once realizing how much time and money that takes. It could be more than it’s worth right now. Instead, a tips booklet can be the ideal way to go, ultimately leading you to writing that book, or not. Here are some questions to get your tips (and cash!) flowing. You can mine your own field of gold by looking at any notes you’ve created along the way, or jotting down things now as they come to mind.

1. What is the single most compelling subject from your experience or knowledge that you want the world to know about? If there are several topics, consider which one you are most passionate about.

2. Can you identify the single most outstanding thing you want people to know? Think about whether it is a new skill, perspective, attitude, or expansion of general knowledge.

3. Why do you want to write a booklet? It may be an altruistic gesture to spread the word about something. It might be a marketing tool for a business or book you have or want to have. The booklet can be a profit center for you. Maybe you would you like it to be both a marketing tool and a profit center.

4. How would you divide your subject into segments? Look at the possibility of those segments becoming additional booklets to develop into a series, or as mini-chapters of one booklet.

5. What are you often surprised by that people do not know about your subject area? There could be something that seems so 'common sense' to you, while being highly helpful or enlightening to others.

6. Does your information need to be presented sequentially or can it be random? Notice if specific entries stand-alone or if they need whatever came before to cause the entry to make sense to the reader.

7. What do you want people to do and not to do, be or not be as a result of your booklet? Think about how this information will benefit the reader.

8. Who besides the reader can benefit from this material? There may be manufacturers, suppliers, or distributors whose business activities can profit by distributing your contents. Those will be large-quantity buyers of your booklet.

9. Is there jargon or language that is peculiar to your topic? Consider how you will monitor and treat that in your content.

10. What surprised you most when you learned about your topic? That is probably useful to pass along to your readers in some way.

11. Which resources are needed to implement any of your suggestions? Look for the easiest ways to accomplish what you are recommending to your reader.

12. What is it that people need to know about you? Tell what gives you the credential to write about this topic.

13. What other products and/or services would also make sense to develop to assist the reader in this topic? Decide whether it is important for those to be products and services of your own, of someone else's, or both.

14. How would short anecdotes be useful in supporting your materials? The anecdotes could get in the way or enhance your content.

15. Do your tips need visual support with graphics to allow them to be more fully understood? Clip art could be adequate or you might decide to use original art.

Are you ready to get started? Or were you already making notes as you were reading this article? Take as little or as much time as you’d like in creating your first tips booklets. You’ll be amazed by the results. Everyone has something they want the world to know about. What’s the starting place for you?

-----------------------------------------------------------------© 2004, Paulette Ensign

Paulette Ensign has personally sold almost a million copies in four languages of a tips booklet called "110 Ideas for Organizing Your Business Life," all without spending a penny on advertising. She has had clients match and surpass her results, worldwide.

She has learned her business by doing it, never having taken a formal business course in her life. Her San Diego, California -based company, Tips Products International, offers a range of products and services to support your success regardless of your budget of time or money. Phone 858-481-0890 email  mailto:paulette@tipsbooklets.com or visit http://www.tipsbooklets.com

35 Quick Tips for Writing A Press Release

35 Quick Tips for Writing A Press Release

An easy list...

Layout
1.   1-2 pages in length.
2.   Double-space.
3.   1.5 to 2 inch margins.
4.   Use company stationary with logo and slogan.
5.   Avoid bright or dark-colored paper.
6.   Center "News Release" at top.
7.   Place a "release date" under "News Release".
8.   On second page, type "page 2".
9.   Use company stationary with logo and slogan on page 2.
10. Leave out "release after" date on second page, all
      else should be the same.
11. At end of press release, type "-30-" or "# # #".
12. Include both black & white, color, and a variety of font
    sizes (but no more than four).

Format
13. Inverted pyramid (biggest point or major message first).
14. Straight to the point at the beginning.
15. First and second paragraphs devoted to your main
      message.
16. Secondary information comes AFTER main message.
17. No pussyfooting around, be clear up front, at the very
      beginning.
18. Don't go on and on.
19. In the third section, establish a connection with you.
20. Use a problem/solution format.
21. Comparing and contrasting ideas can be inside the
      problem/solution format.
22. Be careful of your facts, spelling and grammar
23. Only one news release per e-mail or envelope.

Information to Include
24. Newsworthy information, not sales copy
25. All the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How elements.
      Their order depends on level of importance.
26. Enticing headline which summarize the material/news.
27. Photos if available, or where they can be accessed
      in press section of your web site.  No stock images.
28. No cover letter.

Distribution
29. Don't send press release out in a mass e-mailing
30. Don't pester contacts
31. Editors will not distribute anything sloppy, difficult
      to read, or understand.
32. Mail release by first class mail.
33. Don't use any type of labels, including your return
      address.
34. Add "PRESS RELEASE" and "Release Date:" on outside of
      envelope.
35. Places to send press releases: writers@[magazines];
      writers@[newspapers]; trade journals in your industry;
      print magazines on the topic; online agencies that
      distribute news releases.

(c) Copyright 2004, Catherine Franz.  All rights reserved.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Coach, specializes
in infoproduct development.  Newsletters and additional
articles available:  http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com/inthelight

14 Publicity Tips You Can't Live Without

14 Publicity Tips You Can't Live Without
Copyright © 2005 Paul Hartunian
http://www.Hartunian.com

How do you best promote yourself, your business or your cause
using publicity? The list could easily be 100 items long. But
14 items stand out that can make yours a winning publicity
campaign. If you follow these 14 tips, you tremendously
increase your chances of getting publicity.

Even better, all 14 tips are easy to put into action.

Here are the Magic 14:

1. Establish a Consistent Look - A great way to get your release
   pulled and looked at first, is if the editor becomes familiar
   with your name and the look and quality of your previous
   stories.

2. Submit Anything To Start Off With - Get your name on file.
   Whether or not they run your first story isn't important,
   you just want to have a "previous story" on file the next
   time something important in your field comes up.

3. Keep On Submitting - Always be on the lookout for good
   stories. Editors need to see your name popping up regularly,
   not just once or twice a year.

4. Watch The News - Become "The Authority" on your subject.
   Watch what's happening around the world. Send out timely
   press releases connecting your story to local, national or
   world news. Be ready when editors call wanting to know about
   something that broke the news this morning.

5. Keep Up On The Trades - Understanding the trends and aims
   of your profession is essential to your being able to speak
   knowledgeably when called on short notice.

6. Piggyback Your Cause - Find community events where you can
   offer your services. If media personalities know you can
   deliver a good interview, they'll be very interested in
   talking to you.

7. Be A Character - Don't be afraid to get out of yourself.
   Study successful talk show hosts. Watch how they work topics,
   how they keep your attention. Become a fun, knowledgeable
   person to interview. Your character is as important to an
   interviewer as your story is. You don't have to be outrageous
   (although that can be a real plus), just an enjoyable,
   knowledgeable expert in your field.

8. Network In All The Right Places - Go to the gala balls, the
   fund raising banquets, the Lions Club or Country Club events.
   Anywhere the press might be looking, be sure they see you
   hanging out. Make a point of striking up a conversation as
   often as comfortably possible.

9. Remember Names - Everybody loves to hear their name.
   Especially reporters. Carry a small spiral notebook and
   write down names and details on every media person you meet.
   It helps immensely in remembering who they are the next time
   you run across them around town.

10. Be 100% Reliable - Reporters become incredibly frustrated
   when someone cancels or postpones an interview ' or worse,
   don't show for the interview. Establish a rock solid
   reputation for being a reliable interview. Also become
   known as a person who can be available on short notice
   for an interview. Reporters will love you for that.

11. Be A Source Of Referrals - Many times the reporter
   interviewing you will ask for the names of two or three
   other people in your field they can interview. Don't be
   afraid to give them the names. There are three solid reasons
   for this. First, the people you refer to them will be very
   grateful to you for the opportunity. Second, the reporter
   will be grateful and will look on you as a great source of
   information. And third, very frankly, the people you refer
   to the reporter will almost certainly not know how to either
   do a good interview or how to turn that interview into
   additional business. It's very unlikely these other people
   and their interviews will be a threat to your business.

12. Follow Up On Stories -  ALWAYS send thank you notes for any
   interview or story a paper or station runs. With a little
   imagination you can often parlay this "after the fact" moment
   into more coverage. One singer more than doubled her coverage
   by sending flowers to a PBS television station after her
   interview thanking them for the time and wishing them a
   successful fund drive (which just happened to be in progress).
   Her flowers and note kept showing up all day, along with
   clips from her interview.

13. Stay In Charge Of The Interview - Don't let interviewers
   take off on their own paths. Remember always, you are the
   authority on this topic and a bad interview will ultimately
   reflect only on you. If an interviewer is trying to dig in
   areas the general public will find boring, be courteous,
   answer the questions quickly, and then point the conversation
   where it should be headed, towards the more fascinating and
   lively topics. A good Q&A, following my system, will almost
   guarantee that you stay in control of the interview from
   beginning to end.

14. Finally, Don't Be Afraid To Create News - Write a book, do
   a survey, author a research project, anything that'll take
   yours out of the "boring profession" category. Always look
   for the angles you know will fascinate the general public
   and become the authority in those areas.

My favorite saying concerning the media is: "Media people are
very willing to make you as famous and wealthy as you'd like if
you just give them a good story."

There are tens of thousands of media people waiting for your
good stories. Give them what they want and they'll reward you
very handsomely.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Paul Hartunian is the world's leading authority on publicity and
self-promotion. At his website - http://www.Hartunian.com -
you'll find lots of information about how you can get free
publicity for any product, service or business you're involved
with. Get information about his complete publicity kit at
http://www.Hartunian.com/prkit . Sign up for his free publicity
ezine at http://www.hartunian.com/subscribe . You can reach Paul
at (973)857-4142. Or by email at mailto:PaulHartunian@Hotmail.com

Market Using Teleclasses

The Top 10 Ways to Market Any Business to Thousands by Leading Teleclasses
Copyright 2005 Bea Fields

As business owners, we all know that the key to fantastic
sales is to let your customers have a personal experience
of you. The difficulty, of course is that to give every
customer that experience personally requires a tremendous
time commitment of ourselves and our staff. So what do we
do?

One solution is to leverage our time by doing the "wooing"
once and then let that effort live on forever in a virtual
format. It is about creating multiple products, programs,
or streams of income from the core of our business that can
sell and propagate without our direct intervention!

But how do we do that?

By using the up and coming medium of teleclasses!

By leading teleclasses (classes by telephone) you can
leverage your classes in a way which will increase your
productivity and the profitability of your business while
becoming highly visible in your field or profession. You
can become the expert in your field -- the "go to" person!
This article will provide you with ten ways to leverage
your teleclasses for maximum visibility and for driving
thousands of customers to your door.
If you would like to know more about what a telelcass is
and how it can support your business, download this audio
"What is a Teleclass?":

http://www.blipstudios.com/bea/teleclass_audio/teleclass_str
eaming.rm

(1) Create audio recordings of your teleclasses.

Using a digital recording device such as the DM-1 Recorder
by Olympus or a recording service such as Maklitel.com, you
can capture your teleclasses on audio, which can be
leveraged in multiple ways. This recording can be used as:

-A free download on your website (people love added value
and a way to get to know you when they visit your site)

-A fee-based download (The going rate for a one hour
download is approximately $19.00)

-A recording transferred to a CD and used as a business
card (people love to have great content to listen to as
they drive or walk)

(2) Combine several teleclasses, including recordings and
written content, and create an online digital library.

An online digital library is a wonderful way to allow
people the opportunity to buy a lifetime, annual, or month
to month membership to your teleclass programs. Many people
are unable to attend the teleclasses due to time
constraints, so an online library will allow people the
ability to experience your teleclasses in a self-study
format. I recommend that you develop 20 solid teleclasses,
record each teleclass, and combine the recordings with
written content converted to PDF form, before opening your
library. From here you will want to continue adding new
content to the library each month to keep people interested
and jazzed enough about what you are offering that they
re-subscribe from year to year or month to month.

(3) Turn your teleclasses into an article(s) for online and
hard copy publications.

Teleclasses are a wonderful opportunity to build written
content which you can share with your target audience in
the form of an article or press release. By writing
articles, you can take the content from your teleclasses
and put it into a format which positions you as an expert
in the media. This article you are reading is taken from a
telelcass by the title of "Leveraging Your Teleclasses for
Long-Term Sustainability", and I am submitting this in
multiple locations on the internet and to several hard copy
magazines. The great thing about article writing is that
your written word is then disseminated to thousands of
people around the globe who are in the market for the
products and services you are offering.

(4) Take the content from your teleclass, and develop a
7-10 week e-course.

Marketing studies show that it takes 7-10 touches with a
client before he or she will buy from you. By writing a
7-10 week e-course (a weekly lesson delivered by e-mail)
you can drop valuable tips which are related to your
teleclasses into the inboxes of your target market. Make
sure to include information on your upcoming teleclasses in
your e-course, and create an active link in the course so
that folks know how they can purchase a product or a
program from you in the future.

(5) Develop and sell assessments based on the content from
your teleclasses.

People LOVE assessments, because they provide valuable
insight into their needs, wants, strengths and
shortcomings. A well-designed assessment can give you an
instant connection to your target market and can position
you as an expert in the marketplace. I highly recommend
Assessment Generator for a professional looking template
that is user friendly and very attractive. To learn more,
take the assessment Are You Ready to Lead Teleclasses by
visiting this assessment: "Are You Born to Lead
Teleclassses?"  The link is here:

http://www.fivestarleader.com/AreYouBornToLeadTeleclasses.ht
m

(6) Use a teleclass as the basis of a workshop.

A well written teleclass can provide a great outline for a
workshop, and with very little effort, you will have a live
presentation you can market to your target audience. You
can customize the teleclass to integrate the language and
address the needs of your audience. The core of your
teleclass will not change…just the way it is packaged and
presented.

(7) Use your teleclasses as a basis for a radio or
television interview.

Many radio and television talk show hosts are always on the
lookout for guest experts for their shows who can provide
them with valuable content for their listening audience. A
great way to proceed is to transfer your teleclass to a CD
and send this to as many radio and television talk show
hosts as possible.

(8) Create a strategic alliance/fusion marketing alliance.

The strategic alliance is one of the most economically
feasible and effective ways to reach your target audience
and to make a big impact with your teleclasses. By forming
a strategic alliance with businesses who are working with
your target audience, you will be able to disseminate your
teleclsses to a wider audience at a much lower cost. This
approach will increase your visibility and will make you
appear stronger to your market. An example might be:

You align yourself with a group of attorneys who provide
legal services to your target market. You ask them to give
your teleclass information to others, and in return, you
send them business when a client needs legal services. It
is that simple.

(9) Use your teleclasses to create a voice mail "Tip of the
Day".

Make the most of voice mail and answering machines by
posting a message that says "WOW!" Take the information
from your teleclasses, turn the content into quick tips,
and add a "tip of the day" on your message tape. This
approach can prove to be highly entertaining and
educational to callers, as well as a credibility and
rapport builder for you. Tie this message back into your
teleclasses as a way to generate interest by announcing
upcoming calls or offerings on your website.

(10) Combine your teleclasses with those of your clients,
colleagues, and prospects.

Combined programs are usually much more robust and
interesting than programs offered by a single individual.
By collaborating with your clients, colleagues, and
prospects, you have the opportunity to strengthen
relationships with others and create something incredible
that you can leverage later.

About the Author:

This article was co-authored by Bea Fields and Roger
DeWitt.  Bea is and Executive Coach and  the Visionary
Leader for the Teleclass Leaders Learning Club.  Roger is a
Business Coach and the Community Coach for
http://www.TeleclassLeader.com.

Speak with E's

Speak With E's by Sandra Schrift

"Educate, Energize, Entertain, and provide an experience
for your audience"

1. Use direct eye contact. You can focus on one person when
making a point. and everyone else in the audience will
think you are speaking to them, too.

2. Don't just stand behind the lectern move around,
gesture. Be animated. (Fifty-five percent of how people
perceive you is by body language; 38 percent by your voice;
7 percent by your words.)

3. If you are telling a story, assume the posture of the
character you are acting out.  For example, if you are
talking about babies then look like one and sound like one.

4. Humor helps. Humor especially if it is self-deprecating,
often wins over an audience. Example: When president
Kennedy was asked how he became a war hero, he responded,
"It was involuntary. They sank my boat."

5. When appropriate smile a lot. Be enthusiastic about what
you are saying. Make it fun. Learning is directly
proportional to the amount of fun your audience is having.
Laughter is like internal jogging. Aren't adults just grown
up kids?

6. Use visual aids to increase audience retention of your
message. But never become a master of ceremonies to your
overheads. Toys create humor and playfulness.

7. Be creative. Include music, poetry, games, songs, dance,
brainstorming, and role playing.

8. Dress appropriately. Always be a step above the
audience. If it's "business casual," be a little dressier
than casual. You are your best visual aid!

9. Have strong closing remarks that include a summary that
reviews the main points.  (People have short attention
spans.) Or, make a statement or tell an anecdote. Call for
action.

10.Start and stop on time. Be flexible and able to cut the
talks short if asked. Be in control. Leave time for Q&A.

11. Use an evaluation form. This will provide you with
feedback and confirm your value to the participant. Ask
what they liked most and what they liked least about your
presentation. Ask for referrals. You might ask the
attendees who else they know who would benefit from your
program.

12. Send a personalized thank-you note. Ask the program
chair for a testimonial in writing.

13. Create "BOR" (back of the room) products. Sell your
books, e-books, and booklet(s). Create audiotapes,
videotapes, and CD-ROMs. Having products will catapult your
speaking career and make you more valuable to your clients.
This "passive" income is frosting on the cake.

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Get
more clients and consistent monthly income?  Judy Cullins,
book coach, and Sandra Schrift, speaker coach, invite you
to join a "Business Marketing Achievers" small group
coaching beginning January 19th. We are looking for 12
committed people who are ready to use speaking and writing
to catapult their business. For more details, contact
Sandra at 1-800-340-3683 between 9-6pm pst. Hurry!  This
group will fill quickly.  For details and to
register go to:  http://www.schrift.com/group_coaching.htm

__________________________________________________________
Sandra Schrift 13 year speaker bureau owner and now
career coach to emerging and veteran public speakers who
want to "grow" a profitable speaking business. I also work
with business professionals  and organizations who want to
master their presentations. To find out HOW TO MAKE IT AS
A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER, go to
http://www.schrift.com/success_resources.htm Join my free
bi-weekly Monday Morning Mindfulness ezine
http://www.schrift.com/monday.htm

Tax Reduction Strategy

The Key To Any Small Business Tax Reduction Strategy by Wayne M. Davies

Copyright 2004 Wayne M. Davies Inc.

One very foggy night the captain of a large ship saw what
appeared to be another ship's lights approaching in the
distance.

The two were on a course that would mean a certain head-on
collision.

So quickly the captain signaled to the approaching vessel,
"Change your course ten degrees west."

The reply came, blinking back through the thickening fog,
"You change your course ten degrees east."

The captain became insulted, pulled rank, and angrily sent a
message back: "I'm a sea captain with 35 years experience.
Change your course ten degrees west."

Without hesitation, the signal flashed back, "I'm a seaman,
fourth class.  You change your course ten degree east."

The captain, now becoming enraged, realized that the two
ships were rapidly approaching one another, and would
certainly crash in a few short minutes.

So he sent his final warning: "Now you listen hear. I'm a
fifty thousand ton freighter. Change your course ten degree
west - now!"

A simple message came blinking back: "I'm a light house."

                *************************

I'm often asked, "What can I do to lower my small business
taxes?"  And I'm always glad to offer an answer packed with
potential tax-saving strategies: form a corporation,
start a medical reimbursement plan, start a SIMPLE
retirement plan, take the home office deduction, keep
track of your mileage, etc., etc., etc.

Of course, the easiest way to start paying less tax is to
start keeping better records of the expenses you already
have, but have failed to report because of poor bookkeeping.

But lately, I'm wondering if I'm giving the best possible
answer to this question. 

I'm wondering this because of a recent conversation I had
with a client, who came to me for (surprise!) tax-reduction
advice.

This man was an ideal candidate for converting his sole
proprietorship to a corporation.  In about 30 minutes I
showed him how he could save over $5,000 in taxes per year
by implementing that one strategy of incorporating.

His response: "I don't have the time."

Yes, it would take some time to implement this strategy.
And it would take some time to maintain this strategy.
Guess how much? About two hours a month, max.

You do the math.  Better yet, I'll do it for you.

If he spends 24 hours a year doing what it takes to maintain
a corporation, he's just made $208.33 per hour at this new
part-time "job".

Hmmm.  How many self-employed people can go out and make
five grand a year for 24 hours of work?  Can you think of
any? I sure can't.

I showed him the numbers I just showed you.

His response: "But I don't want to change the way I do
business."

Ahh, now we're getting somewhere.  Now we just got to the
heart of the matter.  He finally told me the real reason for
his unwillingness to save $5,000/year: he was unwilling to
change.

Did you get that?

And this is actually a very common reaction to an effective
tax reduction strategy.  I've seen it many times.

If there is change involved, people are often unwilling
to implement tax reduction strategies -- it's too new,
too different, too time consuming.  Too whatever.

So I'd like to challenge you with this simple
question: Are you really willing to make the changes
required by an effective tax-reduction plan?

All the tax knowledge in the world won't do you any good
without the right attitude toward change.  Before pursuing
tax reduction strategies, make sure you are ready to change.

Wayne M. Davies is author 3 tax-slashing ebooks
for small business owners and the self-employed.
To get your free copy of Wayne's 25-page report,
"How To Instantly Double Your Deductions" visit:
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com

New Year's Inspiration

INVEST IN A VASE AND BOOKMARK.  YOU'LL NEED'EM.

"In a well-furnished kitchen there are not only crystal goblets and
silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets--some containers
used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the
kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift
to his guests for their blessing."---II Timothy 2:20-21

"The purest giving has no other motive but to give.  It seeks
pleasure rather than gratitude, fun rather than sacrifice, sharing
rather than barter."---Bel Kaufman

This past weekend, a friend of mine threw a prosperity party and I am
glad that I went.  If you've never heard of them, basically a group
of people come together and share what God did for them in the
previous year and then bring symbolic tokens of seed that they want
to see grow in the year to come.  I was moved to hear so many people
on one accord praising God for blessings in their marriages, their
finances and their missions in life and I was equally intrigued to
see what they brought to represent their new visions for 2005.

To be honest, I had no clue what I was going to actually bring until
the morning of and what God led me to share actually tripped me out
as I was sharing it.  I brought several things, but there were two
that I want to share with you in hopes that you will at least get one
of each for yourself.  As for me, I will be buying sets of `em for
others for the rest of the year as God leads.

The first was a vase.  It symbolized me.  A chosen vessel.  Something
that is meant to be poured into.  Like me, a vase sturdy yet fragile,
unique and like the human race, it comes in all different shapes and
sizes.  No two vases are exactly alike (even when they look the same)
and when utilized correctly they contain beautiful things which in
turn makes it beautiful as well.  However, when misused, vases often
do the item and itself a disservice.

For instance, have you ever seen a vase that has entirely too many
flowers in it?  The flowers look crowded and after awhile some of
them break, bend or die before their time.  The very thing that was
meant to uphold, protect and nurture them---the vase, is now doing
more harm than good because it is taking on more than it was created
to.

We are all like that vase.  God created all of us with beauty,
distinction and the capacity to do specific things on this earth. 
When you allow Him to pour into your life, anything that you take in
becomes all the better for having your support, but when you try to
cram in more, when you take on burdens that are not of your concern,
when you worry about matters that are none of your business, when you
say "yes" to everyone and everything that demands something of you,
when you become a people pleaser rather than a God server, eventually
you become "overcrowded" and you end up doing yourself as well as
others more harm than good.

This year, I encourage you to purchase a vase---one that represents
your personal style and taste---and keep it on your office desk or
bedroom dresser, reminding yourself that you are meant to take on
many things in this world, but only what you were created and called 
to---no more, no less.

The second item was a bookmark.  I'll explain.  Have you ever read a
book without some kind of marker in it?  Isn't it the most annoying
thing ever?  In the midst of reading, something distracts you.  It
may be the phone, someone at the door or even your heavy eyelids. 
The book closes and you go on with your life.  When you come back to
it, it takes some time to find where you left off.  Oftentimes you
find yourself rereading something which wastes more time or you never
find your exact place and so you have to start over.  However, if you
had a bookmark, you could pick up just where you left off and move
forward without repeating any steps.

Life is often like a book.  We make plans and then something happens
that distracts us.  For instance, you may be planning a romantic
getaway with your spouse and suddenly you find yourself to be
unexpectedly pregnant.  Now you don't have the money for a trip
because it has to go to a cradle and additional health insurance.  If
you don't "bookmark" that vacation, the cares of life may cause you
to forget all about it.  The baby does not change the fact that the
vacation was needed.  As a matter of fact, due to the new arrival,
you will probably need it more than ever.  A bookmark would've
reminded you to keep it a priority in your life.

Or maybe you have decided that you want to open up a boutique, write
a book, record an album, go back to school, start a non-profit. 
Right when it seems like the perfect time, you lose your job and so
you now have to go job hunting.  If you don't "bookmark" those
previous plans, you may find yourself either discouraged in a job you
don't like or unfulfilled in the fact that there's something missing
in your life that you just can't seem to put your finger on.  You try
to retrace your steps, but things are not very clear because the
cares of life have now taken over your dreams.

You can come up on a good bookmark for around $2.00 and I guarantee
it's worth the investment.  This year, don't let the Enemy make you
feel guilty for dreaming big.  But also, don't get tricked into
wasting time by starting over, over and over again with your goals
because you don't have a system in place for staying focused. 

In 2005, there are sure to be times when things will not go as
planned, when "rainy day" money will have to be used for emergencies,
when you will have to spend more time doing what needs to be done at
the sacrifice of what you want to do, but don't let a "pause" cause
you to stop completely.  As the pages of life turn, "bookmark" what
matters most to you so that you can revisit it later.  Just because
it may not happen when you want it to, does not necessarily mean that
it's not meant to be.

So, this year, as you are dealing with your own New Year's
resolutions, keep these two items in mind so that you won't get
overwhelmed.  You can't do anything for God or others stressed out or
discontent, right?  Right.

Uphold what you were created to.  Bookmark what you want to do.  Let
God handle the rest.

Shellie R. Warren/2005

Since committing to a writing career in 2000, Shellie R. Warren has been featured in over 40 different publications including Honey, Upscale, Women's Health & Fitness, CCM and b-gyrl.com.  Currently she is an entertainment columnist for a Nashville publication, "All The Rage" (www.nashvillerage.com) and is working on her second book.  Her first "baby", "Inside of Me" was released in June 2004.  For more info check out www.shellierwarren.com.

7 Easy Creative Rituals to Spark Your Imagination

7 Easy Creative Rituals to Spark Your Imagination and
Inspire Your Soul
By Nancy Marmolejo

Creativity is a mysterious force that visits us with great
ideas, new ways of seeing the world and the courage to do
things differently. Revitalizing your creative talents will
help you in the most unexpectedly wonderful ways: a new
business idea, a renewed commitment to self-care, an
appreciation for the beauty that lies all around us. 

Finding a small bit of time each day to feed this force will
not only reward you with increased creativity, but also an
expanded sense of appreciation and gratitude for the
creative process. 

The following list highlights simple yet powerful actions
you can take to spark your creative energy from the inside
out. 

1. Keep a Daily Journal
Use a journal to jot down the meandering thoughts of your
mind. Write, draw, doodle, paste collages together. Stuck
between your great ideas are random thoughts, mental notes,
and menial observations. Use your journal as a place to
deposit these thoughts, keeping your creative mental
workspace clear. Think of it as feng shui for the mind, a
way of keeping the creative juices flowing. 

2. Create Sacred Space
Find a place in your home to keep inspiring, motivating and
spiritually significant objects. Remind yourself that
creativity flows like water and wind, that it is steadfast
like earth and powerful like fire. Collect objects from
nature to remind you of this. Place things that awe and
inspire you, projects you're most proud of, and photos of
people who support and encourage your creative action. 

3. Reflection.
Reflection can be a minute of appreciating someone or
something, or it can be a day of meditation and writing.
Find ways to incorporate reflection into your daily routine,
noting how experiences and interactions help you grow as a
creative person. This is great for surveying what inspires
you and what blocks you, what attracts you and what doesn't.

4. Get Away.
If you can, find some time to sneak away and enjoy a
creative pleasure. It can be an hour wandering through a
craft store, window shopping, a hike in nature or a visit to
a special place. If you have kids and can't get away alone,
don't worry. Enjoy the outing and reflect on it together.
There are no rules to creative getaways. It is whatever
touches you at that moment. 

5.  Do Something Loca.
What's something crazy you've always dreamed of doing but
didn't because of insecurity, fear or intimidation? Make a
pact with yourself to get to know your Inner Loca (or loco
for you guys reading this) and find ways to let her out to
play each and every day.

6. See the World Through a Child's Eyes.
Children have the amazing ability to be open to the
possibilities of just about anything. Give yourself playtime
to see the world through the eyes of a child. Sometimes it
can be simply sitting on the floor and looking at a room
from a new angle, or giving yourself permission to laugh and
have fun. 

7. Chart Your Course
It's one thing to dream of creative things and it's another
thing to make them happen. Look at all the wonderful ideas
you have and pick one to act upon. Make a commitment to do
at least one daily action to support this idea.  Doing the
footwor