Pay6677's Blog

Get A 6 Figure Book Advance by Susan Harrow

It's the dream of 81% of the population to write a book. No matter how many times people tell you how difficult it is to do, nearly everyone wants to do it. There hangs a certain romance around writers. I think it's a kind of nostalgia or grieving for some forgotten part of ourselves. We long to return to a place where magic and imagination are revered.

Others may just want the quick glory or fast buck they associate with being an author. But whatever you want, getting a 6-figure book advance is possible if you have the skill, drive and know-how. Here are five tips to get you started on achieving the dream of becoming a well-paid, respected author.

1. Know the Industry

Educate yourself on how the publishing industry works. Unlike the old days when publishers were looking to cultivate long-term relationships with authors who would be in their stable, today their top priority is just to sell books.

When I was traveling in Mexico this year I met a woman whose husband has been a best-selling author for twenty years in England. He has had the same agent and publisher for those same twenty years. Every time he came out with a new book his publishers expected it to be 'number one' on the English equivalent of the New York Times bestseller list. They worked with him to make it so. In America the bottom line is king. You must be able to substantiate your claim that your book will fly off the shelves, without any help from the publisher.

2. Prove There is a Market for Your Book

In today's world you need to show that your book will sell to one large audience, or many smaller niche audiences. Quantify each audience with statistics that show that they buy books on that subject. It's not enough to say that this audience would be interested in your topic. You must be able to prove beyond a doubt with your well-researched facts that your readers are a *book buying* audience.

3. Develop a Platform

This is the most important aspect of your proposal after you've proven that there is a pressing need for your book and that book buying audiences will scoop it up. A platform is simply YOUR ability to sell books to the audience that you have said will buy-from you.

It's all about the numbers. How many people are on your e-zine list? How many people do you speak to every month? How many people buy your products and services now? Do you have big name corporations or organizations that will buy your books in bulk? Do you have a regular column, or write for publications? Are you frequently seen in the media? If you don't have an impressive platform you don't get a 6-figure advance.

4. Map out a Marketing Plan to Promote Your Book.

Your plan should include everything from speaking engagements, online marketing, licensing, and media placements. It must be realistic and do-able. In other words you can't say that you'll speak to organizations of 1000 people or more if you've never done it.

What do publishers hate most?

When you say that you're right for Oprah. Unless you've already been a guest and taped the show please NEVER say this if you don't want your reputation instantly sullied.

Instead show how you will build on your past publicity. If hosts or producers say that they want you back for another segment because you did such a good job the first time, say it. But if you haven't done much media to date, don't fret.

You can begin today and get a substantial number of profiles, features, and comments in the media in a few months by joining PRLeads,a service which delivers reporters queries (the stories they need experts for) daily to your email box.

5. Get Endorsements

Big names sell products in a big way. Getting known names of celebrities, best-selling authors, actors, athletes, well- known experts in your field, media personalities, any famous name that has glitter gives you the kind of credibility that can't be bought.

One of my clients, who got a number of New York Times best-selling authors to write about him, accomplished three things with his endorsements. Each person who wrote about him told a different story about why he would be a winning author. The first one lauded him as a highly successful professional. The second stated that my client's book filled a gap that her book failed to address. The third demonstrated that the people my client was trying to reach were an avid book buying market hungry for his type of book- as they had bought hers.

These meaningful endorsements effectively helped him get his 6-figure advance. (And he got media coached by me before he met the editors at the big New York Publishing houses who then bid on his book at auction).

Don't just get endorsements saying you're terrific. Make your endorsements do double duty by helping you prove there is a market and that you're the one they want to buy from. This is the type of information that makes you stand out from the other 150,000 authors who are published every year, most of whom never earn back their advance. Don't be one of them. Instead, follow this advice and you'll be well on your way to earning a 6 figure book advance. Good luck!

Do you dream of making big money for your book idea... even before you write it... (even if it's your first book.) Want to be paid $100-$975,000 or more for your book? Let me show you how. You'll discover how to land a top literary agent and sign that coveted 6 figure deal. Get more fr.e.e tips here: http://tinyurl.com/c9nmv

Article Source: Get A 6 Figure Book Advance

http://www.7paradise.net
http://www.bestfreecode.com
http://www.googgoo.co.cc

What Do You Need When You Drive by Kenneth McKinley

If you think that driving is as simple as breathing could be, think again. Driving takes much more than the knowledge to drive and much more than the attitude towards driving. Driving actually means more on preparation and being ready and prepared in case there are some untoward incidents happening on the road.

Of course, being prepared is something that would give you a level ahead from someone who does not even have anything useful in handy. In fact, if you have the proper equipment and instruments on hand and you meet an emergency, chances are, you could be very well be back on the road faster than you would have to wait for roadside assistance.

Bringing your cellular phone with you is one of the most useful things you can have during emergencies. You can dial 911 if there is an accident. You can also call for assistance if you are not that knowledgeable on car breakdowns. The only problem that you may encounter, though, would be if you get stuck in an area where there is no cellular phone coverage.

Having a flashlight in your vehicle is good. In fact, it could not be only used during stormy or dark nights but you can also use it to check for your car’s parts underneath. However, bringing a flashlight also has its responsibilities. Make sure that you have good batteries inside. You may need it for an emergency however what you did not know was that your batteries are already dead.

An owner’s manual is a good thing to have around your car. It provides you the right amount of information regarding how your car works and assists you in knowing why your car may be acting up. Aside from this, your accident and insurance information would also be of great help if there are accidents on the road.

Other important things that you may want to stock up inside your car include a tire pressure gauge, a toolkit (which could include a screwdriver and a wrench), tire sealant, flares, a warning triangle, a jack, a tire iron, extra oil, extra coolant, and jumper cables.

For all of your needs with regards to Volvo parts, Volvo Parts and Used Volvo Parts stand unique among the rest. This is where you can get specially crafted parts like Volvo 122 parts and other parts for any Volvo vehicle. Keeping your car in good condition increases your chances of driving worry-free.

Volvo Parts and Used Volvo Parts, Volvo 122 parts, === Kenneth McKinley is a 35-year old marketing specialist of voparts.com, a leading Volvo parts dealer in the country today. Working in the car parts industry for a long time now and being a car enthusiast himself gives him a wealth of knowledge on anything automotive.

Article Source: What Do You Need When You Drive

http://www.7paradise.net
http://www.bestfreecode.com
http://www.googgoo.co.cc

How to fake being a better guitarist in five simple steps PART 1 of 2 by Chris Watson

You spend five hours a day playing your guitar. You run your scales, master your legato, your two hand tapping would make EVH blush. So why is it that every time you see a band playing at a bar with a guitarist with only a smidgen of your technical ability he is the centre of attention, garnering the praise of all the punters in the crowd?

Wait a minute. Isn’t that the band that you tried out for the other week? The same band that said “don’t call us, we’ll call you”? The same band that was witness to your smoking 32nd note Lydian masterpiece solo?
Yeah it is, and you got smoked because the guitarist on stage knows how to fake being better than they actually are.

It’s not a hard thing to do. I should know, I’ve done it for years. I’m the first to admit to being an “average” guitarist (actually, I’ve been practicing a lot lately and now would call myself an “above average” player, but that is another column in the works). Despite being average, I would get a lot of people, drunken punters, other musicians, women, all approach me after shows proclaiming how good I am. Like most of my ex-girlfriends, I’ve been faking it all along. And now I am going to teach you how to do the same.

Over the next two weeks, I will share with you my five secret tips to help you Fake Being A Better Guitarist. We’ll start today with tip #1 an #2.

1. Decent equipment is a must and look professional

Sorry boys and girls, it’s time to spend some money. A picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to music your image is worth a thousand notes. There is nothing quite as satisfying showing up to a guitarist cattle call with your Marshall half stack on a trolley as you pass all the little Peavey Bandit combos and the like. Straight away you give the impression that you know what you are doing.

But this is not just about your amp. Guitars, effects, leads, the whole lot. This means guitar cases, if you have multiple effects a decent pedal board system set up and ready to just plug in. You need to look somewhat professional without looking like a complete tosser.

It’s even more important on stage. Standing on stage with a nice looking guitar and a cool backline is confidence building to say the least. Plus it makes you look damn sexy to boot.

This doesn’t mean spending a fortune though. I have an amazing sounding Fender Twin, but it stays at home while my Marshall AVT150 half stack hits the road with me. The half stack with my Epiphone Les Paul with classic tri-tone sunburst finish and some decent threads make me look the business.

2. Learn to sing

I can’t stress this enough. An average guitarist who is an average singer will get more gigs than an awesome guitarist who sounds like a dying dolphin. It makes you are more versatile, worthwhile musician for any band if you can step up to the mic and sing as well. It makes you look like a musician, rather than just a guitarist. It’s also a hell of a lot of fun.

Of course, some people just cannot sing, and this is you then don’t try to. Be honest with yourself on this one. If you can’t sing and you try to then you just look like a fool. And looking like a fool will not make you look like a good guitarist.

A good way to improve your singing is start singing along with your favourite artists. It’s a clich?, but start in the shower / bathroom with a small stereo cranking out some of you favourite songs. The natural reverb will make your voice sound better and give you some confidence (it’s an old studio trick to feed a wet mix back to the singer as they are recording). Then progress to the car while you’re driving. It’s private and you can just belt it out while you are in between your normal routine. Then the hard part comes. Listen to some music with harmonies and try to sing the different parts. I found Alice In Chains is especially good for doing this. And finally add harmonies to songs that don’t have them.

When you are confident you can do that, then, and only then, try to sing when you are playing. When you can do that (and that will take a while) you can start to think about doing it with your band.

Wrap Up

So there are the first two tips, looking the part and learning to sing. These two things alone will make you look more like a real musician and come across as a real guitarist. Remember that being a guitarist is more than just playing well, it is a persona, a way of being. By rounding out these other facets of your guitarist personality, the way others will perceive you skills will rise dramatically. Next week I’ll look at the next three tips and by then you’ll be able to fake it just like that guitarist on the stage.

Chris Watson is a professional musician hailing from Newcastle, Australia. He also runs http://guitartoybox.com and http://guitar-lesson-review.blogspot.com .

Article Source: How to fake being a better guitarist in five simple steps PART 1 of 2

http://www.7paradise.net
http://www.bestfreecode.com
http://www.googgoo.co.cc

How To Hire A Voice Over Talent by D.C. Douglas

It's not just commercials on television and radio that need actors to read information off-camera. There are a myriad of ways to use voice to educate, inform, guide, entertain, and, of course, sell. Places where you can use voice over talent include PowerPoint presentations, training videos, eLearning courses, flash introductions, voice mail greetings, on-hold advertisements and website audio messages.

So, look at your media and if you would like to add some zip to your presentations then find a competent voice over talent. Here are vital steps that you should take to get the right voice for your job.

1. Search for a Voice Over Specialist Online

You are looking for that perfect voice. Where can you find it? If you are a big company or an advertising agency then you will probably turn to a big talent agency to offer voice over talent for your project. Alternatively, large agencies and companies use www.voicebank.net . This site feeds a description of your need to all the big agencies.

However, if you are a small company you will not be able to afford the union fees that are added on to the cost of hiring actors and voice talent via an agency. Your best alternative is to search online for a free-lance voice over specialist.

Voice 123.com and InteractiveVoices.com are the two main casting portals for voice over. The good news about these sites is that there are thousands of voices in one place. The bad news is that there are thousands of voices in one place!

The problem is of course to find the voice that is best for you.

The voice over portals have a filtering tool so you can find people who have ISDN or home MP3 studios, who can do kids voices or senior citizen voices, etc. However, because these sites are so large, anybody who has ever wanted to do voice over, regardless if they have talent, can sign up and clog your inbox with their bad auditions.

You can widen your choices by searching on Google or Yahoo for 'voice over talent.' This search will bring up top quality voice over actors’ sites. Usually the very successful voice over artists don't use the voice over portals mentioned above, but just rely on word-of-mouth and the traffic that comes to their well-ranked web sites.

I've been doing voice over for 20 years here in Los Angeles, and I rely on the search engines to bring me serious clients. So, browse the sites and email those whom you'd like to audition for your job.

2. After you have found many voices, you need to choose the best one.

When business folks step into the hybrid world of art and business, they need a way to discern what they are looking for.

Just because a voice sounds smooth or really deep, doesn't mean it will be right for your project. Who is your market? What do THEY sound like? That's a good starting point. Find a voice that sounds like your market.

Once you do that, the next question is, do they sound like they know what they are saying when they read your copy? Are they convincing? Are they natural? Did they follow your directions? If you said in your audition request 'need you to be casual' and their recording has them bold and loud, then you might want to avoid them.

3. Determine if the quality of their home recording is up to professional standards. A good voice recorded badly helps no one.

Once you've clarified these things, the right choice will be apparent.

Finally, the last step is to negotiate a price.

Sure, some voice over talent will work for $50. If you find a good voice over talent who will work for that, then their audition was luck, not talent. Any voice over talent worth their salt usually works for fees that hover just under the union minimums. Your savings comes from not having to pay residuals, agency commissions and contributing to the pension and healthcare. You can find union minimums at www.sag.org.

And last, but not least, be nice to the talent. They work alone in dark booths all day!

D.C. Douglas is a professional actor and voice over talent based in Los Angeles, California. Visit his website at http://www.myvoiceoverguy.com for more information.

Article Source: How To Hire A Voice Over Talent

http://www.7paradise.net
http://www.bestfreecode.com
http://www.googgoo.co.cc

National Hockey League And The Stanley Cup by Sintilia Miecevole

Each team in the NHL plays 82 regular season games, 41 games at home and 41 on the road. Teams used to play all other teams in the league at least once, but this will no longer be the case following implementation of post-lockout changes. Teams will now play 10 interconference (that is, not in their own conference) games throughout the entire season, 1 game against each team in two of the three divisions in the opposite conference. Teams will also play 40 games against non-divisional, conference opponents (4 games against each), and 32 games within their division (8 games against each). Two points are awarded for wins, one point for losing in overtime or a shootout, and zero points for a loss in regulation time. At the end of the regular season, the team that finishes with the most points in each division is crowned the division champion. Each Conference consists of three divisions, so these three division champions and five more teams fill out each Conference's playoff field. In total, 16 teams (3 division champions and 5 additional teams, for a total of 8 from each Conference) qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs is an elimination tournament, where two teams battle to win a best-of-seven series in order to advance to the next round. If the score is tied at the end of the third period an overtime period is played. If the score is tied at the end of an overtime period, additional overtime periods are played until a winner is determined. Overtimes are also full periods of twenty minutes (of five-on-five hockey), rather than the five minutes (of four-on-four hockey, followed by a shootout,) in the regular season. The overtime is played with golden goal rule (sudden death) so the game ends as soon as either team scores a goal. The higher-ranked team is said to be the team with the home-ice advantage. Four of the seven games are played at this team's home venue - the first and second, and, where necessary, the fifth and seventh, with the other games played at the lower-ranked team's home venue.

One playoff that was contested in the NHL used the following format: the division winners were seeded one through three, and then the next five teams with the best records in the conference were seeded four through eight. However, the league has yet to announce the playoff format for the 2005-06 season, and with the new scheduling format that emphasises division play, the league is reportedly exploring placing greater emphasis on division standings by taking the top 2 teams in each division, along with the teams with the next two best records for each Conference's playoff field. In the event of a tie in points in the standings, ties are broken first by amount of wins, then by record against the team that is tied (disregarding the first game played at the arena of the team that hosted more games than the other during the season series, if applicable). Next, the tied team with the better positive differential between goals scored for and against is given preference, and in the rare circumstance these tiebreakers are insufficient, the Commissioner has the authority to devise some other means of breaking the tie. The first round of the playoffs, or Conference Quarterfinals, consists of the first seed playing the eighth seed, the second playing the seventh, third playing the sixth, and the fourth playing the fifth. In the Conference Semifinals, the top remaining Conference seed plays against the fourth remaining seed, and the second remaining seed plays the third remaining seed. In the next round, the Conference Finals, the two remaining teams in each conference play each other, with the Conference champions proceeding to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Sintilia Miecevole, Host of http://www.hockeyfa.com loves hockey along with all of the fans! Check out this great site that has everything from the Hall of Fame, jerseys, memorabilia, news and games to gear, photos, skates, tournaments and much more. Click on to http://www.hockeyfa.com and enjoy.

Article Source: National Hockey League And The Stanley Cup

http://www.7paradise.net
http://www.bestfreecode.com
http://www.googgoo.co.cc

Pay6677

to Pay6677