HOW TO WRITE A MIND BLOWING NOVEL

Writing a novel is not for sissies. Sure, anyone can tell a story, but can you do it without putting your reader to sleep? Storytelling dates back to the dawn of humankind. When you ask someone what they did today, you're looking for a story, not a statistical analysis of the day's activities. Who did you meet? What happened at work? Why do you care? Characters, plot, motivation - all reasons we like a good story. Don't forget this when you're writing your book.

So far I've completed one novel and written half of another, and another, and another. It's much easier to begin than to finish.

Here's what I've learned from finishing the novel that is now under contract with an agent:

1. Choose a topic you're passionate about. You'll be spending weeks, months, years at the task. If you're not passionate about your story you may lose interest before you finish - and when you think you're done, you won't be.

2. Write quickly. It won't be perfect, so just don't worry about that. When I finished my first manuscript, I thought it was perfect. I'm a member of Mensa after all! Wrong! Step #3 is as important as any other.

3. Put your manuscript away and don't look at it. Take a break for a month or two. Reward yourself with a vacation or something else fun. You won't be able to look at your manuscript objectively until you've been away from it for at least several weeks. Get it out of your head so you can approach it fresh when it's time for step #4.

4. Have fun with editing. Laugh at your mistakes. Don't get too attached to specific words or phrases. There's a million ways to tell the same story, and odds are, you haven't found the best one on the first go-around. Eliminate anything that interferes with the flow. Read it out loud and see how you like the sound. Be ruthless with adverbs and flowery language. Simplicity is always best.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4. Going over your work once will result in dramatic improvement. Doing it twice is the icing on the cake. Even twice may not be enough. You learn as you go, after all, and by the time you get to the end you may have a different opinion of the beginning. But don't edit your book to death. Unless it's a classic that will stand the test of time, when you're sick of editing, move on. Your next novel may be better yet.

That's it. Nothing magical. Just perseverance and elimination of ego. If you get this far, finding an agent and publisher should be a piece of cake.

WHAT MAKE YOU A LEADER

Successful entrepreneurs know that in the process of building a business, leadership skills is not an option, it is a must. As an entrepreneur, developing your leadership skills is all about developing your mindset and the way you handle people or situations.

I want to share with you few tips that can help you improve your leadership skills but before i do, let me tell you why leadership skill is a necessity.

As an entrepreneur, i see myself as the pilot of a plane. The crew and passengers represent my employees, customers and investors. All of them are relying on me to pilot them to the promise land. If you can see the picture i am trying to paint, then you will realize the importance of developing not only your leadership skills but your business skills in general.

Now how do you develop leadership skills?

The first thing you need to work on to develop the skills is your attitude towards failure. How you react in the face of failure will determine how strong your leadership skills will be.

Successful entrepreneurs don't accept the word called "failure." They don't see failure; they only see an opportunity to learn something new from their mistakes. For me, i don't fail. I make mistakes and experience few setbacks but i don't see myself as a failure. One of my mentors, Henry Ford says it all. "Failure is just a resting place. It is just an opportunity to begin again more intelligently"

So if you are going to be a great leader in business, you must change your perception and mindset towards failure. Don't run and hide when you make a mistake. Don't blame others, face your mistakes squarely and learn something. Remember, mistakes are great learning tools.

The second key to developing your leadership skills is self control. In the word of business and leadership, self control is omnipotent. If you lack self control, forget about leadership and forget about being in business. How can you control your employees, customers and investors when you can't control yourself?

Nobody is going to follow a leader who has no control over himself, so take note.

The third key to look at is your personal standard. Successful entrepreneurial leaders are known to have high self imposed personal standard. To this set of entrepreneurs, their integrity is worth more than the money. So if you want to lead in business, you must be firm. You must never compromise your standard.

In your service to customers, you must not compromise quality in the name of increasing profit. Quality will surely payback in the form of customer's loyalty.

Next on the line is your appearance. We can't talk about developing leadership skills without including appearance or outlook. If you are going to be a leader that employees and investors will follow, then your outlook should speak leadership. Your charisma should be bold and appealing so that when you talk, people will listen.

Even in the face of criticism, your facial appearance should display a high level of confidence. Keep your fears to yourself and talk positive.

The fifth key to developing your leadership skills is to develop your communication skill. Great leaders are great communicators. To be a great leader in business, you must learn how to effectively communicate with your employees, customers and investors. In fact, communication skill is so essential that its importance can never be over emphasized. Now let me ask:

How can you raise capital to start a business if you cannot communicate or sell your ideas to investors?

How can you convince a customer that your product is of highest quality when you cannot communicate?

How can you inspire your employees to be the best and achieve greatness when you cannot communicate?

I believe with these questions, you will come to realize that communication is very vital in world of leadership and business in general.

In conclusion, it is important you know that businesses and investors are looking for strong leaders with business skills to pilot their business and grow their money respectively. Before i rest my pen, i will leave you with this word of wisdom.

"Leaders don't do great things. They inspire others to do great things and influence people to make the right decisions."

TECHNOLOGY IMPROVEMENT

"Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind." Albert Einstein.

"... Suffice to say that we've reached a point where science and technology have advanced at such an exponential rate for so long, it may be a way beyond our ability to regulate and control them"....Blair Brown.

Evolution as we perceive it is part of the greater truth only as a result of spiritual growth. Evolution is meaningfully as life itself, "The foundation of the Universe is material but the essence of life is spirit". Our bodies are products of million of incremental changes, from a single cell to a multi-cellular organisms, yet we are still on the journey of evolving. All living species struggle and long for perfection, but time can always be against us.

Many hands have interfered on our evolutionary path causing some errors and confusion on our spiritual growth. This entails why there are so many unanswered mysteries. One of the main purpose of evolution is to refine our mind circuitry and thoughts pattern, sometimes we find out mind being scattered all over and everywhere which leads us unsuccessfully with our plans. There are different technological inventions that helps us to better ourselves through meditations, and the way we perceive and recognize the reality. Nothing can resist the power of change we should become change itself and cultivate the potential of technological achievement.

The key to spiritual enlightenment is conscious living, when you live consciously you will see what each moment is as it pass by and be able to locate the error. Since our evolutionary path was altered, we must use technology as a tool to advance in our spiritual growth. Everything has a circle of life even human habits are seasonal. One must become aware of themselves. take note of your whole life "pattern", observe how you behave daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal and even yearly, you can start by looking at your bank statements and how you spend money, for example where do you spend money mostly, what kind of purchases you mostly make in summer, how much money do you spend on charity etc. see how much attention you have on your family (the more money on family activities more attention)

On daily basis: You can look on your phone, internet, television etc. try to see who you usually call or calls you the most on your call log, on the Internet history try to see what websites do you usually visit often and the same on TV Facebook and twitter is good to always go back and check on your status updates.

Conclusion: After doing self-analysis what do you really gain or get out of all these things that you do every day? Where do you think you might be in next five years doing the same thing over and over? Twitter and Facebook updates what do they represent about you.

Dealing with self development, mind, spirit and body, Once you learn to change what is inside then the physical body reflects.

The Difference Between a Debt Management Program and Personal Relief Plan

A debt management program focuses on a proper management of your financial liabilities and continuation of your ability to repay your debts on time. On the other hand, a personal relief plan focuses on elimination of your debts so that you enjoy relief from your financial problems.
Management of debt is advisable when you are beginning to face money problems. Relief options are best utilize when you know that you are facing money problems and need to escape it as quickly as possible.
If you do not prepare a debt management plan on time and follow it properly, you will end up facing personal money problems. The only option available is to go in for a personal relief plan.
Debt consolidation, conversion of unsecured debt into secured debt, interest holidays, alteration of the terms and conditions of repayment-all these options fall under the ambit of debt management programs. All this will help you plan your finances better and repay your debts by extracting maximum value out of the income you earn.
On the other hand, you can go in for a personal relief plan like debt settlement which will help you reduce your debts by 50%-70%. Once the debt amount comes down, your monthly payment amount will be reduced and you will have extra cash in your hand.
Further, the personal relief plan aims for complete reduction of all your unsecured debt down to zero with in the specified time frame. This is not the purpose or goal of a debt management program. Rather, it tries to place you in a situation where you can continue using debts to boost your finances without losing control.
The difference between debt management and personal relief may seem technical and theoretical. Yet, it is very important because you may end up going in for a personal relief plan when all you need is a debt management plan. In such a scenario, your financial position will take a huge hit and you will find it difficult to overcome your problems.
It is impossible to rely on the advice of any specific service provider unless you are confident of getting impartial advice. Since you always face the risk of getting biased advice, you should check out independent sources of advice like the internet and also make use of debt relief networks to find the right service provider. All this will help you analyze your financial condition and choose the right remedy.

If you are over $10k in unsecured debt it would be financially prudent for you to consider a debt settlement. There are organizations that exist called "Free Debt Relief Networks" that are a great place to start in locating legitimate debt settlement companies in your region. They provide free debt help and know where to locate the top performing debt settlement firms.

Employee Motivation

What Is Employee Motivation?

Employee motivation is simply a technique that a business and/or corporation implements in order to give the individuals working in the capacity of that company an incentive to push forward, and give all they have to their work. In order to motivate employees to do what it is that they need to do, and make that additional step to exceed expectations, many employers offer incentives. One of the most popular and effective types of incentives that you can provide to your employees are travel incentives. This type of motivation has been used in a number of businesses - some of which are Fortune 500 companies - successfully for many years now!

The Hierarchy of Maslow

Maslow is noted for his extensive work and studies in the field of psychology. During the peak of his career, he determined that all people, regardless of sex, gender, age, and/or culture have at least five basic needs. He developed a hierarchy system that identifies each of the needs. While each of these five components can apply to many different aspects of a person's life, Maslow insisted that the flow of needs should be addressed in a "bottom up" fashion. This means the very bottom need must be met before one can move up. If you manage employees, it is essential that you understand the hierarchy and know where to start. The following details the five needs, starting with the bottom, and some examples of each:

1.    Physiological - This covers things that are part of who we are physically. Examples of the needs in this section include food, sleep, and even homeostasis.

2.    Safety - This means security in the job, at home, and everywhere else.

3.    The Need to Be Loved and/or Needed - This includes relationships with coworkers, bosses, family members, etc....

4.    Basic Esteem - This covers respecting others, being respected, the sense of accomplishment, and confidence.

5.    Self Actualization - This is the need where we can solve problems such as those that occur in the workplace, and where we accept certain facts as truth in our lives.

Employee Motivation and Incentives

Now, as more and more companies succeed in implementing the use of incentives to encourage and motivate, many of these businesses are wondering when they should and when they should not provide incentives such as travel packages. I use a simple method in order to determine which employees qualify for incentives, and which employees do not qualify. I never reward incentives like travel packages for those that those people within the company that are doing what is expected of them. Sounds a little harsh, right?

Employees should not receive incentives that are performing within their job duties. When they agreed to the job, they accepted their responsibilities as a bare minimum. They committed to do this and that. While you can encourage them if they are struggling, or even brag a little when they hit metrics, you should never provide incentives for this type of performance. If you do, they will continue to expect the rewards. When they do not see any, resentment and hostility will develop - the attrition rate may even be high.

If you see an employee that is exceeding expectations, this is the employee that deserves an incentive - especially travel incentives. This means that this employee is having a positive impact on the business, and if they are rewarded for it, they will continue to strive to only get better in their work. You know what this means, right? It means that your business will become more successful overall!

Why Travel Incentives?

I know I keep harping on travel incentives as a tactic for employee motivation, but I am going to explain to you why I think this type of incentive is a productive means of achieving the success that you want to see your business accomplish. The following outlines some of the reasons that I believe this type of reward is effective:

1.    Everyone loves to go on a vacation - especially if it somewhere unique and away from home!

2.    Individuals who receive these types of incentives often feel as if they are highly valued in the company that they work for, as many are luxury vacations that include first class rooms and accommodations. By providing your employees with first class service all the way, you are also going to receive first class service from that employee over and over again!

3.    If you purchase travel incentives for your employees, you actually save a lot of money because of the fact that these, purchased in bulk, cost very little on the dollar. While allowing your employees to travel all over the world, you are saving the company some major money!

Conclusion

Employee motivation and incentives are two topics that should be priority in each and every single business around the world. There are some instances in which incentives should not be issued, but in other cases, employees should receive these rewards. The basis for this would be if an employee proves to be exceptional and exceeds expectations as set forth by their job descriptions.

Get Rid of A Public Speaking Fear by Making Your Speech Interactive

This is one of the easiest ways to develop a genuine connection with your audience, and break out of the mindset of just giving a lecture that you think no one wants to hear.

What do I mean by "making a speech interactive"? What I mean is involving your audience directly in the content of your speech not only by presenting material that is informative and interesting, but also by giving members of your audience a chance to actually participate in your speech.

Many speakers actually discourage audience participation in a speech, for a variety of reasons. Some think that encouraging audience anticipation would open the door for heckling; others think that it will make it too hard for them to stay focused on the material in their speeches; still others simply fear the idea of interacting with audience members.

However, audience participation can be a very valuable tool for gaining your audience's trust and support, and for presenting a speech that audience will take home with them and remember for years and years. When you get your audience involved in your speech, you are teaching them, not just telling them. And people learn more and retain knowledge better when they are taught material, instead of just having it told to them.

So, how can you make your speech interactive, so that you can engage your audience, and create a conversation rather than a lecture? First, make sure that you ask questions that are audience focused. Sometimes, this will mean that you are directing a question to the entire audience in general; other times, this will mean that you are directing your question at the audience as individuals.

Sometimes it's okay to address the audience in general, but more often than not, you will want to ask questions that make each individual audience members feel that you are talking directly to them. Instead of opening your speech with, "So how are all of you today?", you can ask, "So how are you today?".

If you want to dig to a deeper level and make your opening even more personal to each individual member of the audience, you can ask questions designed to make individual audience members think about their own personal experiences and feelings - here's an example:

"Good morning. How has your day been so far? Have you accomplished what you hoped to accomplish before you came to this presentation? How do you feel about the way your day has gone so far?"

See, a simple "How are you?" is a very general question. If you stopped and counted, you'll probably find it people ask this question to you at least a couple dozen times a day. And so how do we respond? Usually, it's, "Fine, thank you. And you?" The problem with that is that we never actually stop and think about how we really are feeling at that particular moment in time. We hear the standard question, and we give the standard answer. There's no real thought involved, and we don't really get to take inventory of how we're feeling about our lives right
now.

So, asking specific, directed questions can help your audience not only stay involved in your speech, but also take inventory of their own experiences and feelings. And once you bring them to that point where they are evaluating experiences in their own lives, you can rest assured that they will stay involved in your presentation, and support you while you are giving your speech.

IMPROVE YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS

Social skills are something we learn by seeing how others do this. There is one type of social skills for social networks such as Facebook, but there are also other skills to be developed when you're hosting a dinner for friends or heading over to your first job interview. Let's take some of these skills grouped in each their category, and let's follow up at the end of this article

• Social skills on the internet
• Social skills when hosting a dinner
• Social skills when going to a job interview

Social skills on the internet
Social skills on the internet involve sharing information with others. When you have specific knowledge in a field of interest you can build trust by sharing what you know with others in forums and in mailing lists. Even when someone writes an update on Facebook about being discouraged about bad weather or a broken relationship, you can offer your sympathy for their situation.
When you share little bits of yourself with others, you will begin to build trust - a highly useful thing which you could never buy anywhere. All the good will you're building by being a sociable person is what will come back as extra orders because people will - sometimes unconsciously - think of you because you have shown good talents in a related situation.
Social skills when hosting a dinner
When hosting a dinner, having extra wine - and mineral water for those who need to drive - should be part of good preparation. Make sure you have more than enough food, and be sure everything is handy and ready so you can share yourself with your friends during social events. There are obviously things that need to be done during the last minute, but preparation shows respect towards your guests, and show them you enjoy their company.
Close your laptop, and concentrate on the people around you. E-mails could stay on the server an hour longer without you losing anything. Most of us know there are different time zones anyway, and if they are too impatient to wait for you to have time to give them a reply, you need to educate your online contacts. If they complain they can look elsewhere for advice. That will establish yourself as a person that can prioritize between different assignments.
Social skills when going to a job interview
When you're entering a company for the first time, holding the door for that busy person that needs to exit the door may be exactly the test to see what type of person you are. Cellphones have made this possible, and your future boss will be far more receptive when he receives the SMS saying: "It is a courteous guy entering for job interview. He held the door and smiled."
At least you can start at a far better level than the person who overlooks these little, yet so very important, details.
In Conclusion
Be courteous in all your dealings. When you start off your day by being motivated to make at least one person happy every day, you're bound to be the happiest person yourself. Being sociable develops your attraction towards friends and colleagues, and why not give others a chance to like you?