Over the course of the past decade, authors and readers alike have been heard to utter a collective groan of dismay as the once elite publishing industry continues to resemble the multiplex tripe factory of Hollywood, churning out one cookie cutter product after another.
This situation would be funny (considering the supreme cultural snobbery most New York-based editors feel for their moviemaking brethren on the opposite coast) were it not for the fact that each new conglomeration in publishing has a chilling effect on both the quantity and quality of new books released.
This law of diminishing returns is frightful in its implications. With every major publisher looking to balance out its annual loss leaders with one big Potter-esque mega-hit, it's inevitable that midlist authors are all but ignored. What chance do aspiring voices have in this environment, particularly those who seek to produce works of bold innovation?
Though the situation looks bleak, there is one very bright silver lining. The recent emergence of independent publishers has brought to light many excellent books that would have otherwise languished in obscurity. A prime example of this happy trend is Borderlands Press. Since 19989, publisher (and prolific award-winning author in his own right) Thomas F. Monteleone has been putting out deluxe limited edition releases of works by some of the biggest names in genre and horror fiction. Starting in 2007, Monteleone decided it was time to broaden his horizons with a new line of trade paperback originals.
Having already released Virgin by esteemed horror scribe F. Paul Wilson earlier in the year, Borderlands is now offering a wildly original collection of three new stories in one volume. Fables From the Mud by Erik Quisling is already being hailed as an instant cult classic that will rank along with "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" and the collected works of Shel Silverstein.
Applying robust humor and a decidedly philosophical approach to some of life's greatest mysteries, Quisling introduces us to three extraordinary invertebrate heroes: the Angry Clam, Glen the Ant, and Julius Gunther Weems the Warrior Worm. Page by page, Fables From the Mud dazzles readers with the gripping stories of these three small wonders. Though at first glance it may appear to have the simplicity of a children's book, be forewarned this is one tome that packs a king-sized wallop.
Hilarious and thought-provoking by turns, Fables is sure to challenge even the heartiest of readers. It is a book to cherish long after you've finished it for the first (of many) times.
Meanwhile, Thomas Monteleone continues to push ahead with his ambitious trade paperback line. In late October, Borderlands Press releases his own novel, Serpentine, and January of 2008 will see the release of Crimson Orgy, the much-anticipated debut novel by Austin Williams. As long as Monteleone and other trailblazing publishers of his ilk keep promoting quality fiction from talented new voices, book lovers across America can feel confident there will always be something interesting to read outside the narrow parameters of what the elite publishing industry deems "commercial."
Author: Erik Quisling
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Yaffe’s Law Vs. Murphy’s Law: a New Look at an Old Problem
For most educated persons, Murphy’s Law is the fundamental law of the universe, even more important than birth, death and gravity.
In its purest form, Murphy’s Law says: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” There is an important but often neglected corollary: “Many things that can't go wrong, will go wrong anyhow.”
I am now pleased to report a loophole. In at least one important area of human activity - expository (non-fiction) writing and public speaking - Murphy’s Law does not have total coverage. This is because it can be counteracted, at least partially, by a rival principle that I recently discovered and immodestly call Yaffe’s Law
Yaffe’s Law states: “If you give people what they want first, they are likely to accept anything else you want them to have. If you give them what you want first, chances are they won’t accept anything at all.”
In short, in a text or a speech if you quickly and securely engage the audience’s interest, any significant missteps later on will be muted, if not completely counteracted.
There is of course nothing new in this idea. It is just another way of saying that for best effect, you should write or speak starting from your audience’s point of view. Nevertheless, Yaffe’s Law is revolutionary because its new formulation focuses attention on this fundamental principle of persuasive communication as never before.
Applying the principle implies that you know the audience’s point of view. If you are inclined to think this is virtually impossible because point of view can change so very much from subject to subject and audience to audience, you would be making a serious mistake.
In most cases, readers or listeners share a single overriding concern: Will this text or presentation sufficiently reflect my interests and apprehensions that I should pay any attention to it? They want this question answered virtually instantaneously; otherwise they will stop reading or stop listening.
In short, your first job, even before deciding what you want say, is to determine what your audience wants to hear. In other words, give them what they want first, i.e. a positive answer to this universal question. If you then continue positively answering it, your audience will follow you almost anywhere.
Here are a couple of examples to demonstrate how the idea works.
A Written Example
Below, the “Original” shows a text as it might have been written without Yaffe’s Law. The “Revision” shows how it actually was written with Yaffe’s Law.
Original
A piece of electronic equipment installed in automobiles could allow insurance companies to monitor the driving behavior of their customers.
Each time a motorist uses the car, the device will record the roads being traveled and the time of the journey, and send the information via satellite to the insurance company.
With this data, the company will be able to calculate the insurance premium for each individual journey based on the relative risk of crashes on the different roads at different times of the day. The motorist will receive a monthly or quarterly “usage statement”, similar to a telephone bill, itemizing the insurance cost for each use of the car.
By agreeing to the system, motorists could save hundreds of dollars on their automobile insurance.
Because of the lower risk of crashes, trips on superhighways will cost less per kilometer than on city roads, while trips on country roads will also cost less per kilometer than on city roads because . . . . (the text continues)
Revision
Motorists could save hundreds of dollars on their automobile insurance by allowing their driving habits be monitored by a satellite-tracking device installed in the vehicle.
Each time a motorist uses the car, the device will record the roads being traveled and the time of the journey, and send the information to the insurance company.
The company will then calculate the insurance premium based on an assessment of the relative risk of crashes on the different roads at different times of the day. Motorists will receive a monthly or quarterly “usage statement”, similar to a telephone bill, giving the insurance cost for each journey.
Because of the lower risk of crashes, trips on superhighways will cost less per kilometer than on city roads, while trips on country roads will also cost less per kilometer than on city roads because . . . . (the text continues)
The “Original” was clearly written from the point of view of the insurance industry. However, simply moving the fourth paragraph of the “Original” to the first paragraph of the “Revision” charges everything. Who wouldn’t want to know how to save hundreds of dollars on their automobile insurance?
By giving the readers what they want first, a text that might have been of interest only to “techno-nerds” suddenly becomes interesting to virtually everyone. Moreover, even if the rest of the text is not superbly written, people will probably continue reading anyhow, because it is in their interest to do so.
A Spoken Example
With regard to Yaffe’s Law, the written word and the spoken word are exactly the same. Nevertheless, speaking allows use of techniques that simply would not work on the printed page.
The following speech was delivered on the subject of integrity in politics. Once again, the Original” shows how it might have been written without Yaffe’s Law. The “Revision” shows how it actually was written with Yaffe’s Law.
Original
I want to talk to you this evening about a man I admire very much. His name is Julius Nyerere and he was the first president of Tanzania after it gained independence from Britain in 1961.
Julius Nyerere was born in 1922 in Butiama, a small village in what was then Tanganyika. He was the son of Nyerere Burito, a Zanaki tribal chief. At that time schools in Tanganyika were in very short supply. Julius began attending Government Primary School at the age of 12, which he completed in three years instead of the standard four. He did equally well in secondary school and won a scholarship to Makerere University in Uganda, then the only university in all of East Africa.
When he returned to Tanganyika, he worked for three years as a secondary school teacher of biology and English before winning a scholarship to attend the University of Edinburgh, where he obtained a Masters of Arts Degree in history and economics. This is also where he began developing the ideas and tactics that ultimately helped him lead Tanganyika to independence from Britain and become the country’s first president. Unlike many other independence movements, Nyerere achieved independence without a single drop of blood being shed. (The speech continues)
Revision
We live in a cynical world where the values of truth, honesty and integrity seem to be in short supply. We are therefore always looking for examples of such values in action, especially with regard to politicians.
I would like to offer you such an example from Africa. You have probably never heard of this man, but for me he stands as a true model of integrity. Can you guess who he might be? (Speaker pauses a few moments). No, it is not Nelson Mandela, as I imagine many of you were thinking. However, I am certain Mr. Mandela would be more than pleased to be considered in the same light as this person.
His name is Julius Nyerere. Julius Nyerere was the man who led then Tanganyika, today called Tanzania, to independence from Britain in 1961. Unlike many other independence movements, this one succeeded without a single drop of blood being shed.
I had the privilege of living two years in Tanzania shortly after independence. Being a city boy, for me Tanzania was quite a revelation. I virtually lived in a mud hut, suffered through a drought, saw leprosy, and experienced both malaria and dysentery. All of these things affected me. But getting to know Julius Nyerere as a political leader was truly a life-changing experience.
When Nyerere became head of state, he was so popular that he could easily have taken on the trappings of a king or potentate. But he did exactly the opposite. He chose to live very modestly, because that was his nature.
More importantly, he inspired confidence in everyone, and never betrayed that confidence, because that also was his nature. He of course had political enemies, but they were critical of certain of his ideas and policies—but never the man. The worst I ever heard anyone say about him was, “President Nyerere is doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons.” (The speech continues)
At this point the speaker could insert all the information about Nyerere’s background and education, which seemed so tedious in the “Original”. Why? Because instead of tedious, the audience would now find it instructive and integral to understanding the man in whom their interest has been effectively ignited.
So does Yaffe’s Law pardon poor writing and poor speaking? Absolutely not!
Poor writing is still poor writing, and poor speaking is still poor speaking, so you must constantly be alert not to fall into bad habits.
On the other hand, by strongly focussing your attention on giving the audience what they want first, when you start giving them what you want, it will be in a context that appeals to their most basic instincts. This, of course, is what persuasive communication is really all about.
Philip Yaffe is a former reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal and a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches a course in good writing and good speaking in Brussels, Belgium. His recently published book In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional is available from Story Publishers in Ghent, Belgium (storypublishers.be) and Amazon (amazon.com).
For further information, contact:
Philip Yaffe
61, avenue des Noisetiers
B-1170 Brussels, Belgium
Tel : 32 (0)2 660 0405
phil.yaffe@yahoo.com
Learn to Write Free
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In its purest form, Murphy’s Law says: “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” There is an important but often neglected corollary: “Many things that can't go wrong, will go wrong anyhow.”
I am now pleased to report a loophole. In at least one important area of human activity - expository (non-fiction) writing and public speaking - Murphy’s Law does not have total coverage. This is because it can be counteracted, at least partially, by a rival principle that I recently discovered and immodestly call Yaffe’s Law
Yaffe’s Law states: “If you give people what they want first, they are likely to accept anything else you want them to have. If you give them what you want first, chances are they won’t accept anything at all.”
In short, in a text or a speech if you quickly and securely engage the audience’s interest, any significant missteps later on will be muted, if not completely counteracted.
There is of course nothing new in this idea. It is just another way of saying that for best effect, you should write or speak starting from your audience’s point of view. Nevertheless, Yaffe’s Law is revolutionary because its new formulation focuses attention on this fundamental principle of persuasive communication as never before.
Applying the principle implies that you know the audience’s point of view. If you are inclined to think this is virtually impossible because point of view can change so very much from subject to subject and audience to audience, you would be making a serious mistake.
In most cases, readers or listeners share a single overriding concern: Will this text or presentation sufficiently reflect my interests and apprehensions that I should pay any attention to it? They want this question answered virtually instantaneously; otherwise they will stop reading or stop listening.
In short, your first job, even before deciding what you want say, is to determine what your audience wants to hear. In other words, give them what they want first, i.e. a positive answer to this universal question. If you then continue positively answering it, your audience will follow you almost anywhere.
Here are a couple of examples to demonstrate how the idea works.
A Written Example
Below, the “Original” shows a text as it might have been written without Yaffe’s Law. The “Revision” shows how it actually was written with Yaffe’s Law.
Original
A piece of electronic equipment installed in automobiles could allow insurance companies to monitor the driving behavior of their customers.
Each time a motorist uses the car, the device will record the roads being traveled and the time of the journey, and send the information via satellite to the insurance company.
With this data, the company will be able to calculate the insurance premium for each individual journey based on the relative risk of crashes on the different roads at different times of the day. The motorist will receive a monthly or quarterly “usage statement”, similar to a telephone bill, itemizing the insurance cost for each use of the car.
By agreeing to the system, motorists could save hundreds of dollars on their automobile insurance.
Because of the lower risk of crashes, trips on superhighways will cost less per kilometer than on city roads, while trips on country roads will also cost less per kilometer than on city roads because . . . . (the text continues)
Revision
Motorists could save hundreds of dollars on their automobile insurance by allowing their driving habits be monitored by a satellite-tracking device installed in the vehicle.
Each time a motorist uses the car, the device will record the roads being traveled and the time of the journey, and send the information to the insurance company.
The company will then calculate the insurance premium based on an assessment of the relative risk of crashes on the different roads at different times of the day. Motorists will receive a monthly or quarterly “usage statement”, similar to a telephone bill, giving the insurance cost for each journey.
Because of the lower risk of crashes, trips on superhighways will cost less per kilometer than on city roads, while trips on country roads will also cost less per kilometer than on city roads because . . . . (the text continues)
The “Original” was clearly written from the point of view of the insurance industry. However, simply moving the fourth paragraph of the “Original” to the first paragraph of the “Revision” charges everything. Who wouldn’t want to know how to save hundreds of dollars on their automobile insurance?
By giving the readers what they want first, a text that might have been of interest only to “techno-nerds” suddenly becomes interesting to virtually everyone. Moreover, even if the rest of the text is not superbly written, people will probably continue reading anyhow, because it is in their interest to do so.
A Spoken Example
With regard to Yaffe’s Law, the written word and the spoken word are exactly the same. Nevertheless, speaking allows use of techniques that simply would not work on the printed page.
The following speech was delivered on the subject of integrity in politics. Once again, the Original” shows how it might have been written without Yaffe’s Law. The “Revision” shows how it actually was written with Yaffe’s Law.
Original
I want to talk to you this evening about a man I admire very much. His name is Julius Nyerere and he was the first president of Tanzania after it gained independence from Britain in 1961.
Julius Nyerere was born in 1922 in Butiama, a small village in what was then Tanganyika. He was the son of Nyerere Burito, a Zanaki tribal chief. At that time schools in Tanganyika were in very short supply. Julius began attending Government Primary School at the age of 12, which he completed in three years instead of the standard four. He did equally well in secondary school and won a scholarship to Makerere University in Uganda, then the only university in all of East Africa.
When he returned to Tanganyika, he worked for three years as a secondary school teacher of biology and English before winning a scholarship to attend the University of Edinburgh, where he obtained a Masters of Arts Degree in history and economics. This is also where he began developing the ideas and tactics that ultimately helped him lead Tanganyika to independence from Britain and become the country’s first president. Unlike many other independence movements, Nyerere achieved independence without a single drop of blood being shed. (The speech continues)
Revision
We live in a cynical world where the values of truth, honesty and integrity seem to be in short supply. We are therefore always looking for examples of such values in action, especially with regard to politicians.
I would like to offer you such an example from Africa. You have probably never heard of this man, but for me he stands as a true model of integrity. Can you guess who he might be? (Speaker pauses a few moments). No, it is not Nelson Mandela, as I imagine many of you were thinking. However, I am certain Mr. Mandela would be more than pleased to be considered in the same light as this person.
His name is Julius Nyerere. Julius Nyerere was the man who led then Tanganyika, today called Tanzania, to independence from Britain in 1961. Unlike many other independence movements, this one succeeded without a single drop of blood being shed.
I had the privilege of living two years in Tanzania shortly after independence. Being a city boy, for me Tanzania was quite a revelation. I virtually lived in a mud hut, suffered through a drought, saw leprosy, and experienced both malaria and dysentery. All of these things affected me. But getting to know Julius Nyerere as a political leader was truly a life-changing experience.
When Nyerere became head of state, he was so popular that he could easily have taken on the trappings of a king or potentate. But he did exactly the opposite. He chose to live very modestly, because that was his nature.
More importantly, he inspired confidence in everyone, and never betrayed that confidence, because that also was his nature. He of course had political enemies, but they were critical of certain of his ideas and policies—but never the man. The worst I ever heard anyone say about him was, “President Nyerere is doing all the wrong things for all the right reasons.” (The speech continues)
At this point the speaker could insert all the information about Nyerere’s background and education, which seemed so tedious in the “Original”. Why? Because instead of tedious, the audience would now find it instructive and integral to understanding the man in whom their interest has been effectively ignited.
So does Yaffe’s Law pardon poor writing and poor speaking? Absolutely not!
Poor writing is still poor writing, and poor speaking is still poor speaking, so you must constantly be alert not to fall into bad habits.
On the other hand, by strongly focussing your attention on giving the audience what they want first, when you start giving them what you want, it will be in a context that appeals to their most basic instincts. This, of course, is what persuasive communication is really all about.
Philip Yaffe is a former reporter/feature writer with The Wall Street Journal and a marketing communication consultant. He currently teaches a course in good writing and good speaking in Brussels, Belgium. His recently published book In the “I” of the Storm: the Simple Secrets of Writing & Speaking (Almost) like a Professional is available from Story Publishers in Ghent, Belgium (storypublishers.be) and Amazon (amazon.com).
For further information, contact:
Philip Yaffe
61, avenue des Noisetiers
B-1170 Brussels, Belgium
Tel : 32 (0)2 660 0405
phil.yaffe@yahoo.com
Learn to Write Free
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Better Website ROI - a New Form of Advertising
Better website ROI (return on investment) is a goal that anyone who runs a website is interested in. Webmasters are always searching for new ways to generate money from whatever traffic they are able to get to their sites. Until recently, all website income was generated from some action that website visitors had to take once they landed on the site, whether that be purchasing something from the site (or eventually purchasing something from a follow-up email campaign), or clicking on some type of pay per click (PPC) ad such as a banner ad or Google Adsense ad. As we all know, just because someone visits your website, it doesn't mean they are going to generate money for you. Until now, that is!
Better website ROI is guaranteed through a new form of internet advertising being called PPP or pay per play. PPP ads are somewhat similar to PPC ads in that the webmaster receives a percentage of the ad cost paid by the advertiser to the sponsor (such as Google in the case of AdSense). The difference is, with PPP advertising, the webmaster gets paid whenever someone visits a page that is set up with the PPP scripting - the visitor doesn't have to do anything other than simply visit the page. Another huge difference is that PPP ads do not draw visitors away from the webmaster's site like pay per click ads do.
Better website ROI is certain when using PPP ads and they have the advantage of not redirecting traffic from the webmaster's site. A PPP ad is typically a short audio ad lasting about 5 seconds (with a few minutes between ads) and ads are played automatically on any page set up with the PPP scripting. So, all traffic to the site means money to the webmaster, and PPP payments are quite competetive with what webmasters currently earn on a PPC basis.
In addition, at least for the short-term, multi-tiered affiliate earnings are available for webmasters who get involved with PPP ads. The leading PPP program pays the webmaster 25% on ads on the webmaster's own site, plus 5% on the ads on sites of webmasters he or she refers, plus 5% on the ads on sites those referred webmasters refer. So, not only does PPP result in better website ROI directly on the webmaster's own sites, but he or she can make residual income on the advertising placed on other webmasters' sites that he or she refers to the program.
With PPP, now every webmaster has the opportunity for better website ROI.
George Best is a webmaster for several sites. For more information on profiting with PPP advertising, visit Better Website ROI.
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Better website ROI is guaranteed through a new form of internet advertising being called PPP or pay per play. PPP ads are somewhat similar to PPC ads in that the webmaster receives a percentage of the ad cost paid by the advertiser to the sponsor (such as Google in the case of AdSense). The difference is, with PPP advertising, the webmaster gets paid whenever someone visits a page that is set up with the PPP scripting - the visitor doesn't have to do anything other than simply visit the page. Another huge difference is that PPP ads do not draw visitors away from the webmaster's site like pay per click ads do.
Better website ROI is certain when using PPP ads and they have the advantage of not redirecting traffic from the webmaster's site. A PPP ad is typically a short audio ad lasting about 5 seconds (with a few minutes between ads) and ads are played automatically on any page set up with the PPP scripting. So, all traffic to the site means money to the webmaster, and PPP payments are quite competetive with what webmasters currently earn on a PPC basis.
In addition, at least for the short-term, multi-tiered affiliate earnings are available for webmasters who get involved with PPP ads. The leading PPP program pays the webmaster 25% on ads on the webmaster's own site, plus 5% on the ads on sites of webmasters he or she refers, plus 5% on the ads on sites those referred webmasters refer. So, not only does PPP result in better website ROI directly on the webmaster's own sites, but he or she can make residual income on the advertising placed on other webmasters' sites that he or she refers to the program.
With PPP, now every webmaster has the opportunity for better website ROI.
George Best is a webmaster for several sites. For more information on profiting with PPP advertising, visit Better Website ROI.
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Investment Property As An Extra Income
I recently had a nice little win on the lottery. It was nothing to write home about but enough for me to think long and hard about wise investment.
I've toyed with the idea of exotic holidays, fancy cars, even plastic surgery but these all seem so superficial. Those who know of my win are suggesting an investment property.
I have a home already, a comfortable place that I'm happy with and won by a very strategically handled divorce. Because of this, and because I know how much it winds up the ex to see me in it, I am loathe to let it go just because I've come into a little more money.
I've been looking around for a while now, with this idea in mind. There are quite a few properties on the market where I live in the South of England that are in dire need of renovation and I'm quite coming round to the idea of a little project to get my teeth into.
However, I do have a job that I enjoy and I don't want to leave. I had considered working on my investment property in my spare time but don't much fancy giving every weekend and holiday over to stripping, sanding, painting and general hard slog for a house I'm not going to live in.
The other problem I'm encountering is that, given the long working hours I already indulge in, by the time I get round to putting in offers for houses they have already been snapped up. Apparently, this is an up and coming area and with a new university being built in the vicinity, the buy to let property market is really taking off.
After a little research, I found a company that could help me. I have emailed them a brief of the type of investment property I am looking for, the budget I have set and the condition I am willing to accept it in.
They then took over, found my property and quickly secured a deal so that I didn't miss out. I am so excited at this point. Acquiring a house in a divorce was satisfying in a vindictive type of way. Acquiring a house that will be of my own doing actually feels more satisfying.
The company have many services on offer from acquiring the house, brokering a deal, surveying and reporting, arranging and overseeing building works, interior design and even finding tenants and managing the lease.
I have decided not to avail myself of all their services as I don't think I would gain the same satisfaction. They have acquired the house and surveyed the works that need doing as this isn't my field of expertise and in a buy to let property this must be carried out in accordance with certain legal criteria.
I get to do the pretty bit. I get to decide on the interior design, the colours used, the materials used and the furniture that will be put in place. Of course, I won't have the time to do the work myself but when I see the finished article I know it will be from all my own decisions.
The investment property management company I have employed have sourced an interior decorator with a good reputation and six months after my win I am the proud owner of one of the smartest buy to let properties in the area with the ability to command a rather decent rent.
It turns out my investment property was not let to the new influx of students in the area but rather to a city worker and his family. While he was away working all week they did a good job in looking after my property and the management was minimal.
When the family decided on a move to the city themselves, my management company were able to quickly secure more reliable tenants and this has brought me a very respectable second income. The only problem now is that I have the bug and have commissioned the team to find my next investment property.
Housing expert Catherine Harvey looks at the buy to let property market as a means of investment. To find out more please visit http://www.investmentproperty.co.uk/
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I've toyed with the idea of exotic holidays, fancy cars, even plastic surgery but these all seem so superficial. Those who know of my win are suggesting an investment property.
I have a home already, a comfortable place that I'm happy with and won by a very strategically handled divorce. Because of this, and because I know how much it winds up the ex to see me in it, I am loathe to let it go just because I've come into a little more money.
I've been looking around for a while now, with this idea in mind. There are quite a few properties on the market where I live in the South of England that are in dire need of renovation and I'm quite coming round to the idea of a little project to get my teeth into.
However, I do have a job that I enjoy and I don't want to leave. I had considered working on my investment property in my spare time but don't much fancy giving every weekend and holiday over to stripping, sanding, painting and general hard slog for a house I'm not going to live in.
The other problem I'm encountering is that, given the long working hours I already indulge in, by the time I get round to putting in offers for houses they have already been snapped up. Apparently, this is an up and coming area and with a new university being built in the vicinity, the buy to let property market is really taking off.
After a little research, I found a company that could help me. I have emailed them a brief of the type of investment property I am looking for, the budget I have set and the condition I am willing to accept it in.
They then took over, found my property and quickly secured a deal so that I didn't miss out. I am so excited at this point. Acquiring a house in a divorce was satisfying in a vindictive type of way. Acquiring a house that will be of my own doing actually feels more satisfying.
The company have many services on offer from acquiring the house, brokering a deal, surveying and reporting, arranging and overseeing building works, interior design and even finding tenants and managing the lease.
I have decided not to avail myself of all their services as I don't think I would gain the same satisfaction. They have acquired the house and surveyed the works that need doing as this isn't my field of expertise and in a buy to let property this must be carried out in accordance with certain legal criteria.
I get to do the pretty bit. I get to decide on the interior design, the colours used, the materials used and the furniture that will be put in place. Of course, I won't have the time to do the work myself but when I see the finished article I know it will be from all my own decisions.
The investment property management company I have employed have sourced an interior decorator with a good reputation and six months after my win I am the proud owner of one of the smartest buy to let properties in the area with the ability to command a rather decent rent.
It turns out my investment property was not let to the new influx of students in the area but rather to a city worker and his family. While he was away working all week they did a good job in looking after my property and the management was minimal.
When the family decided on a move to the city themselves, my management company were able to quickly secure more reliable tenants and this has brought me a very respectable second income. The only problem now is that I have the bug and have commissioned the team to find my next investment property.
Housing expert Catherine Harvey looks at the buy to let property market as a means of investment. To find out more please visit http://www.investmentproperty.co.uk/
Learn to Write Free
Novel Writer Magazine
Writers Online Courses
Get Paid To Write
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
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How I Built a Career
Mexican Chicken
Contest:
Are you one of the millions whoe love El Pollo Loco’s citrus-marinated, flame-grilled Mexican chicken . Show us. Create a video that shows how loco you are for their chicken dance, throw in your best Mexican yell to by shouting El Pollo Loco.
Do not reference any fast food restaurant names or trademarks.
Enter the contest at http://www.wherestheflamegrill.com. Please read the official rules before creating your video and then upload it to the site and your blog! You must be at least 18 and a US resident to participate.
Are you one of the millions whoe love El Pollo Loco’s citrus-marinated, flame-grilled Mexican chicken . Show us. Create a video that shows how loco you are for their chicken dance, throw in your best Mexican yell to by shouting El Pollo Loco.
Do not reference any fast food restaurant names or trademarks.
Enter the contest at http://www.wherestheflamegrill.com. Please read the official rules before creating your video and then upload it to the site and your blog! You must be at least 18 and a US resident to participate.
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Keyboards, Chairs, and Burn Out
I currently have three friends suffering burn out. They are stressed between the need for earning X amount of money each month, and needing to listen to their bodies and slow down. We are chatting with each other, making sure that they are not pushing. The head aches, the sleepless nights. Working at home is not easy.
There are some ways to make life easier. An ergonomic keyboard will keep your shoulders back, relieving most back and shoulder problems. Chairs are another problem. I have one friend who used a manager's leather chair, and ended up taking six months before she recuperated.
Massage chairs can also help. They shouldn't be used while typing, but can help the body relax when it is time to finish work for the night. Good Massage Chairs are designed to replicate a human touch and work with the body, instead of demanding the body adjust to fit the chair.
By analyzing the treatments used by massage therapists, chiropractors and physicians, and applying it to massage technology, Human Touch engineers have developed the most advanced Robotic Massage® systems ever devised.
I thanks Human Touch for offering to sponsor this post.
There are some ways to make life easier. An ergonomic keyboard will keep your shoulders back, relieving most back and shoulder problems. Chairs are another problem. I have one friend who used a manager's leather chair, and ended up taking six months before she recuperated.
Massage chairs can also help. They shouldn't be used while typing, but can help the body relax when it is time to finish work for the night. Good Massage Chairs are designed to replicate a human touch and work with the body, instead of demanding the body adjust to fit the chair.
By analyzing the treatments used by massage therapists, chiropractors and physicians, and applying it to massage technology, Human Touch engineers have developed the most advanced Robotic Massage® systems ever devised.
I thanks Human Touch for offering to sponsor this post.
Article Writing - Generate Part Time or Full Time Killer Income as an Article Writer
Are you interested in working from home part time or full time and make some decent income?
Do you want to work on something that you really love and get paid simultaneously?
If you answered yes your search is over. Make sure you get started making your career as an article writer.
One of the top ways to earn good money online is article writing.
Just imagine, you can earn $50 to $20 per article that you write.
That is the only reason thousands of people are getting into this article writing stuff so that they can make a living online as an article marketer.
If you are willing to spread your name in the field of article writing and launch your career in article writing at massive speed you have to apply some tactics starting today...
1. Create Your Portfolio.
Have something that you can show to your clients when offering your article writing services.
You can write articles and submit them online on a number of article distribution networks.
Make sure that you write aricles on various topics so your clients know that you are a good writer who can write on any topic under the sun.
2. Setup Your Own Website.
Make sure you design your own website. Write a killer copy to sell your article writing services.
Post your articles on your website. Stick your customer testimonials.
Setup a customer support center so that your potential clients can get back to you whenever they need your article writing services.
Drive traffic to your website and setup a follow up system giving some benefits of distributing articles.
Doing this you will be in article writing business in no time.
3. Quality Counts.
Make sure that you provide quality article writing services.
If you do this you will build a loyal customer base who will give you article writing projects on continuous basis as every website needs articles on a continuous basis.
4. Freelancing Sites.
There are many freelancing sites like elance.com, rentacoder.com. Join them.
Their goal is to bring article writers and clients together. This will make sure that you get readymade customers on a continuous basis.
Murtuza Abbas has helped hundreds of newbies 'One-On-One' to start their internet home business...
http://www.CashPullingMachine.com/free-report.html
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Do you want to work on something that you really love and get paid simultaneously?
If you answered yes your search is over. Make sure you get started making your career as an article writer.
One of the top ways to earn good money online is article writing.
Just imagine, you can earn $50 to $20 per article that you write.
That is the only reason thousands of people are getting into this article writing stuff so that they can make a living online as an article marketer.
If you are willing to spread your name in the field of article writing and launch your career in article writing at massive speed you have to apply some tactics starting today...
1. Create Your Portfolio.
Have something that you can show to your clients when offering your article writing services.
You can write articles and submit them online on a number of article distribution networks.
Make sure that you write aricles on various topics so your clients know that you are a good writer who can write on any topic under the sun.
2. Setup Your Own Website.
Make sure you design your own website. Write a killer copy to sell your article writing services.
Post your articles on your website. Stick your customer testimonials.
Setup a customer support center so that your potential clients can get back to you whenever they need your article writing services.
Drive traffic to your website and setup a follow up system giving some benefits of distributing articles.
Doing this you will be in article writing business in no time.
3. Quality Counts.
Make sure that you provide quality article writing services.
If you do this you will build a loyal customer base who will give you article writing projects on continuous basis as every website needs articles on a continuous basis.
4. Freelancing Sites.
There are many freelancing sites like elance.com, rentacoder.com. Join them.
Their goal is to bring article writers and clients together. This will make sure that you get readymade customers on a continuous basis.
Murtuza Abbas has helped hundreds of newbies 'One-On-One' to start their internet home business...
http://www.CashPullingMachine.com/free-report.html
----------------
Visit More Learning Sites:
inspiredauthor
Get Your Book Published
Get Paid To Write
How I Built a Career
Are Data Entry Jobs for Real?
You may already have gotten email offers for data entry jobs that pay decent money. These jobs promise you income from the comforts of your very own home. You may also have encountered people who have either been scammed or strongly believe that jobs of this nature are scams. However, despite what these people have encountered or believe, there are many data entry jobs that are legitimate, valid and for real.
As in all scams, the primary reason why online data entry is regarded to have a high propensity for scam is because it sounds all too good to be true. There are indeed a number of jobs available to keep you busy and to earn you enough money to pay the rent. If you are eager to find out which these sites are, hold it for just a few seconds (or minutes).
What you need to realize though is that there are a good number of people in the online industry who may want to take advantage of this eagerness of yours to land in a good job while working from home. You need to steer clear of these people (and websites) and look in the right places.
Another thing you need to remember is that data entry jobs are not get rich quick schemes. Do not expect to earn hundreds and thousands of dollars overnight, or earn that much without having to exert any effort. Just like all jobs, data entry takes dedication and effort in order for you to earn decent income. The amount of money you earn through work at home jobs depends largely on how hard you work. The harder you spend time and effort, the more you earn.
You might have probably received offers promising you job offers pooling in as long as you pay them some registration fee for membership. This registration fee is necessary for you to get some training or receive notifications when data entry jobs are available. This is not to say that these offers are illegitimate and will only take away your money. Again, there are good companies out there who are reliable and trust-worthy. You just need to know how to recognize them from the others who are not.
In any case, use your intuition to help you through without getting ripped off. Never pay a single cent without you knowing for sure that the company you are dealing with is legitimate and fair. You can always check online community forums related to work at home jobs or your local Better Business Bureau to check on online sites before signing up with them.
So back to the original question. Are these data entry jobs really true? Yes, they are. You too can earn some good income with this work at home job. You just need to find out where to look, sign up with a reliable company, and start earning money you work hard for. Again, remember that data entry jobs will only work as long as your expectations are for real as well.
Want to try out a career in data entry? Deal only with legitimate companies! Start with us now by checking out Data Entry Jobs or Data Entry now.
As in all scams, the primary reason why online data entry is regarded to have a high propensity for scam is because it sounds all too good to be true. There are indeed a number of jobs available to keep you busy and to earn you enough money to pay the rent. If you are eager to find out which these sites are, hold it for just a few seconds (or minutes).
What you need to realize though is that there are a good number of people in the online industry who may want to take advantage of this eagerness of yours to land in a good job while working from home. You need to steer clear of these people (and websites) and look in the right places.
Another thing you need to remember is that data entry jobs are not get rich quick schemes. Do not expect to earn hundreds and thousands of dollars overnight, or earn that much without having to exert any effort. Just like all jobs, data entry takes dedication and effort in order for you to earn decent income. The amount of money you earn through work at home jobs depends largely on how hard you work. The harder you spend time and effort, the more you earn.
You might have probably received offers promising you job offers pooling in as long as you pay them some registration fee for membership. This registration fee is necessary for you to get some training or receive notifications when data entry jobs are available. This is not to say that these offers are illegitimate and will only take away your money. Again, there are good companies out there who are reliable and trust-worthy. You just need to know how to recognize them from the others who are not.
In any case, use your intuition to help you through without getting ripped off. Never pay a single cent without you knowing for sure that the company you are dealing with is legitimate and fair. You can always check online community forums related to work at home jobs or your local Better Business Bureau to check on online sites before signing up with them.
So back to the original question. Are these data entry jobs really true? Yes, they are. You too can earn some good income with this work at home job. You just need to find out where to look, sign up with a reliable company, and start earning money you work hard for. Again, remember that data entry jobs will only work as long as your expectations are for real as well.
Want to try out a career in data entry? Deal only with legitimate companies! Start with us now by checking out Data Entry Jobs or Data Entry now.
Promoting Your Writing business
One of the biggest problems with writers is that they don't realize they are in busineses. They struggle to make money, but never take the time to act like they are in business. They struggle to promote without realizing that they are costing themselves money.
I would say that my mentor was a woman I met at a trade show. She had a professional booth. The had a professional trade show booth. Her banner stands offered her potential clients solutions to their problems.
Her banner stands were flexible. She moved them around each day to change the booth. I spent quite a while chatting with her. This woman turned a freelance writing career into a full time, six figure company. I asked her why she was successful. Her reply was simple, "I go looking for success. It don't go looking for me."
I would say that my mentor was a woman I met at a trade show. She had a professional booth. The had a professional trade show booth. Her banner stands offered her potential clients solutions to their problems.
Her banner stands were flexible. She moved them around each day to change the booth. I spent quite a while chatting with her. This woman turned a freelance writing career into a full time, six figure company. I asked her why she was successful. Her reply was simple, "I go looking for success. It don't go looking for me."
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