don t polish the turd and other oddball writing advice that works

Even with a dozen published books to my name, I sometimes need a dose of inspiration when I sit down to write. Above my desk, I've posted a paper with various pieces of fiction-writing wisdom I've collected over the years. Some of the advice may sound odd, but I've found it all helpful. Here it is:

1. Write as if no one's reading. If you always imagine a reader perched on your shoulder, you'll be afraid to take chances. At least for the first draft, ignore that imaginary reader and free yourself to write whatever crazy, impossible, lousy things occur to you. You can always fix it later - in fact, you SHOULD fix it later. But you'll have nothing to rewrite if you're too intimidated to write in the first place.

2. Show up at the page. Writers write. They sit down - ideally every day but at least as regularly as possible - and write.

3. Don't polish the turd. If you find yourself spending a lot of time trying to save an idea, a chapter or even a sentence, it usually means it's time to move on. You're wasting your time trying to beautify something that, well, just plain stinks.

4. Make bad things happen to good people. Novels are driven by conflict, and that means bad things have to happen to your characters - these people that you've created and have grown to love over the course of your novel. Your main character can have a happy ending, but along the way, he or she has to deal with sorrow, disappointments and possibly even danger.

5. Murder your darlings. That sentence you LOVE? The sex scene that you're sure will win you the Pulitzer? The pages that moved you to tears? Be prepared to kill them. In a novel, it's the piece as a whole that matters - not so much the individual parts. Sometimes your best writing will have to see the sharp end of your editing blade to make things work.

6. Let Sean Connery write your sentences. As James Bond, he's a man of action: things are not done to him, he does them. That's how you should structure your sentences. Jason did not get stabbed by Susan - rather, Susan stabbed Jason. The weapon was not found by police - the police found the weapon. Writing in the active voice keeps things moving...and your readers reading.

7. When in doubt, pick one, any one. At some point in your story, you're likely to face a fork in the road. Should Marianne get in the car? Or should she take off running down the road? Should she slap the guy? Kiss him? Reveal that she's always secretly loved him? When you're faced with a decision you can't seem to make, just make it. Pick one, start writing, and see where it goes. If it doesn't work out, you can always cut it and try again (see #5).

8. Keep your friends close and your reviewers closer. It can be helpful to get feedback as you go, but choose your readers carefully. Giving your precious pages to someone who is frustrated at their own inability to write a novel is like handing them a loaded gun ... pointed right at you.

9. Rewriting is writing. You may have heard the old saw that "writing is rewriting," but I like to flip it. Rewriting is just as valid a form of creativity as your first draft. Sometimes it takes more than a polish - it takes reaching into your gut and daring to make whatever changes need to be made, no matter how extensive they may be.

10. Skip and go naked. Be free. Have fun. Through the hard and often lonely work that is writing, remember to feel the joy. Unlike money, fame or even publication, it's the one payoff that's guaranteed.

Phobias their causes and how you can overcome them with hypnotherapy

DEFINITION AND SYMPTOMS OF PHOBIAS:

A phobia can be defined as an illogical fear or dread. When a person experiences a panic attack, they get panicky feelings; their breathing and heart rates increase; they may experience feeling choked up like their heart is in their throat; their palms often get sweaty; they may experience a ringing in their ears; and they often find that they are unable to take part in an activity. These feelings motivate the individual to try to avoid the situations and places that cause them.

EXAMPLES OF COMMON PHOBIAS:

For example, if someone has an irrational fear of driving, they would exhibit these symptoms at the time they endeavor to drive, or perhaps even when they think about driving. Or a terror attack may happen only when driving in specific places like across railroad tracks.

The fear of talking in front of a group of people is a comparatively widespread phobia. The frightened feelings appear when the sufferer begins to talk in front of a person that they are frightened by, or they might perhaps experience frightened feelings only when in front of a group of other people. The size of the assembly will vary. This phobia can be set off by fears of inadequacy, or a lack of self-esteem.

Those who suffer from a social phobia can get horrifically nervous just being around other folks, even people they recognize. It's a fear that they will be criticized or evaluated by others. This fear can be set off by any kind of social relations. A person could be waiting on line at a supermarket and get stressful feelings as they imagine having to talk to the cashier while they checkout.

The fear of taking a test (which is universally known as test anxiety) is quite a common phobia. A phobia to taking tests is rooted in comparing yourself to other folks, and is deeply rooted in a fear of failing.

People have experienced irrational fears to every sort of experience and environment under the sun. For example: Snakes; bugs; relationships; flying; small enclosed places; animals; high places; death; and even the great outdoors.

Agoraphobia is generally thought to be a fear of open spaces. However, this definition is extremely confusing because Agoraphobics are really afraid of having a panic attack, wherever and whenever. This phobia is developed when a person begins to avoid places or situations they have associated with anxiety. For example, they could have a panic attack at home, church, or in a supermarket.

For people who suffer with phobias, once their panic attacks have begun, they begin to anticipate them to happen. And this anticipation actually causes them to occur with increasing frequency. Other folks experience fearful feelings on a continuous basis. These feelings cause an overall discomfort, rather than panic.

FORMS OF TREATMENT THAT ARE AVAILABLE

DRUGS:

Some physicians care for their patients using sedatives, which can make the condition worse over prolonged treatment. Sedatives do not treat the underlying cause of a phobia; they only camouflage some of the symptoms.

TALK THERAPY:

Some schools of therapy prescribe "Talk Therapy." Talk therapy is only talking about what is bothering you. Unfortunately, talking about or even thinking about the situation or environment that sets off a phobia can trigger a panic attack!

HYPNOTHERAPY:

Traditional hypnosis has been used to treat phobias, but with only meager success. Traditional hypnotic therapy is accomplished when the therapist guides the subject into a relaxed state of self hypnosis and gives the client post-hypnotic commands or suggestions. Since most people in this generation question and resist direct suggestions, they also reject the idea that they will be more relaxed and at ease when they encounter the situation or environment that triggers their panic attacks.

SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION:

Systematic Desensitization is the process of slowly desensitizing a phobic person to the environment or circumstances that sets off a panic attack. For example, if a woman wants to dive from a high board but she fears it, she is asked to first dive from a height that she feels confident about. She dives in and realizes that she did not get hurt and that she is secure.

Next she is asked to dive in from the bottom step of the ladder going up to the high diving board. Again, she dives in and realizes that she wasn't hurt and that she is again safe and secure.

Over a period of time the subject is asked to dive in from progressively higher steps on the ladder. Each time she dives in and realizes that nothing bad happened and that she is safe and secure, she is able to move up to the next rung on the ladder. If she experiences the sensation of fear, then she is asked to move back down one rung on the ladder and dive from there until she feels complete comfort and security. In the end she makes it to the top of the ladder and dives in from the high board itself.

SYSTEMATIC DESENSITIZATION WHILE IN THE STATE OF HYPNOSIS:

Systematic Desensitization can be done virtually while in a hypnotic state with as good as or even better results. While in a relaxed state of hypnosis, the woman would be asked to envision herself diving in from each step on the ladder. She would be asked to visualize herself feeling relaxed and confident as she dives in. Since she is in fact disassociated while picturing herself, she is unable to trigger a phobic attack.

Next she is asked to associate, or put the camera inside of her head so she would be seeing what she would see through her own eyes if she was actually diving in from each step of the ladder. She is asked to imagine feeling safe and relaxed as she dives in.

Just as in a live (in vivo) systematic desensitization, if she feels any panic she is asked to go back to the previous lower step on the ladder and visualize diving in from there.

She might be taught to create a kinesthetic (feeling or touch) "anchor" of feelings of security and safety. She could then trigger that anchor while imagining that she is diving, and the feelings of safety and security could be subjectively transferred to the act of diving.

Systematic Desensitization while in a hypnotic state can be very useful and totally successful, but is can also be slow and take several hypnotic sessions to bring about a cure.

NLP V/K DISASSOCIATION:

Neuro-Linguistic Programming is fundamentally the study and practice of how we create our reality. The V/K stands for visual / kinesthetic. The V/K Disassociation is a technique that allows a trained NLP Practitioner to guide a subject through specific visual imagery that quickly and in many cases instantly disconnects or disassociates the feelings of freight from the trigger or phobia that causes them. The V/K Disassociation is known as the "One session phobia cure" in Neuro-Linguistic Programming circles, and with good reason.

CONCLUSION:

Irrational fears are common in our culture. They are fears that are not based in reality. There are many ways of treating phobias, but thus far in my view, the best finest available are Systematic Desensitization while hypnotized, and the Neuro-Linguistic Programming V/K Disassociation technique.

Enhance your home theater experience with hdmi cables

A top quality home theater isn't only about high-definition televisions and DVD players. It's also about the cables used to transmit programming through to these products. A type of cable that's proving to be a winner in excellent quality is the HDMI cable. HDMI stands for High-Definition Multimedia Interface, which is an audio/video connector interface used to transmit uncompressed digital signals.

HDMI provides audio/video cables that will connect electronics such as an HD-DVD player, a personal computer, a set-top box, a video game console, or a Blu-ray Disc player to a digital television monitor or digital audio device. HDMI cable compatibility has also been introduced to the digital camera and camcorder world.

Why HDMI Cables?

The old saying goes, "If you're going to do something, do it right!" Any high quality home theater set-up is only as good as the cables used to transmit the digital information. You can have the best, most expensive HD-DVD player in the world, but your low-quality cables will hinder the sound and picture quality because the transmission is simply not good enough or powerful enough for your system to reach its maximum potential. With HDMI, you're getting a high-quality transmission to your high-quality system, which maximizes the quality of sound and picture as you view movies, use your computer, play a video game, listen to music, or whatever else!

HDMI Cable Features and Benefits

Regular analogue cables convert the digital signal to analogue and then send it to the television monitor. The signal is then converted back to digital to be displayed, which can cause a loss of quality during the process. With HDMI cables, no conversion is necessary so there is no loss of quality. HDMI cables also transmit digital signals directly and in their purest form, eliminating the need for compression.

Another benefit is HDMI can support large-screen viewing including plasma display panels and LCDs, from 625p up to 1125p, or even 1440p with HDMI 1.3 High-Speed cables. HDMI cables simplify the hook-up process because both video and audio signals are transmitted through a single cable. Also, HDMI cables offer users an interface that works with any audio/video source. In other words, all of their HDMI-equipped components can be enhanced with pure quality for pictures and sound. HDMI cables can support standard digital audio as well as enhanced and high-definition video, and 8-channel digital audio. HDMI cables can also support future upgrades with plenty of bandwidth to spare.

Shopping for HDMI Cables

HDMI cables come in different compatibilities, but fortunately the High-Speed HDMI will support standard systems. If you plan to upgrade in the near the future, it's a wise choice to go ahead and purchase the High-Speed cables, or 1.3 cables, which can transport 1080p video at 120 Hz easily. Any HDMI cable can support 8-channel audio, but not all cables will support special features such as Deep Color video. With Deep Color HDTV, look for a version number on the cables or for other hints on the packaging that the cable will support 30-bit Deep Color or True HD.

You can easily find HDMI cables at affordable prices online. There are online electronics stores that offer all versions of HDMI cables along with other products including computer cables, iPod accessories, computer fans, video cables, audio cables, chargers, adapters, cell phone accessories, digital photo accessories, and more.

Don't miss out on all your home theater system can offer. HDMI cables can bring you quality pictures and sound like never before!

Seven drywall finishing tips

Hanging drywall is almost an art. Just ask anyone who does it professionally and they'll tell you that it takes years of practice to do a perfect job. If you're lucky enough, you might even get a few drywall finishing tips out of the conversation. If not, don’t worry. Here are some drywall finishing tips that everyone can benefit from!

Make Sure You Have Everything Before You Start

Drywall finishing tip #1: You need to have at hand a taping knife spreader, application knife, joint tape, joint compound, bread pan and a corner taping tool.

Get Secure About What You're Doing

Drywall finishing tip #2: Drywall demands that all your measurements are accurate and that every panel is tightly secured to the supports that it's nailed to. Could there be anything more embarrassing than to complete a drywall job - only to have it unexpectedly fall down during dinner or entertaining guests?

Make sure that your nails are long enough to keep the panels on their supports. If you're more comfortable with using screws, then use them instead. You could even use a second set of nails as reinforcement. The important thing as that you feel as secure about your project as they're secured to its foundation!

Beware A Muddy Mess

Drywall finishing tip #3: When mixing your cement (or mud), strive for a consistency that resembles icing on a cake - not too stiff and not too loose. Essentially, you should be able to scoop some of this mud onto a trowel, hold the trowel upside down, and not lose any of the cement. At the same time, you should also be able to easily apply this cement into drywall joints without too much effort.

While mixing, take care not to "whip" the cement. A whipping action will inadvertently attract air - air which will form bubbles in drywall seams.

Mesh Your Work Into A Smooth Finish

Drywall finishing tip #4. Use mesh tape instead of paper tape. Because mesh tape is porous, it allows the cement to seep through it. The end result is much smoother than paper which is sometimes visually apparent.

Use More Glue And Save On Nails

Drywall finishing tip #5: Use an adhesive to hold panels in place. Although this technique can't and should never be used on the ceiling, you'll only need to insert nails at the edges of drywall panels.

Give Your Drywalls A Little Dimple

Drywall finishing tip #6: You can hid the heads of your nails by hammering them in just below the surface of the drywall. This might take a little practice beforehand, as you don't want the nail heads to show, but on the other hand, you don't want to break the surface of the drywall either!

Patch Like A Pro

Drywall finishing tip #7: Stuffing a hole with newspaper tends to leave weak spots on a wall. Instead, cut a sizeable circle around a hole that needs patching. Insert a support piece that will fit behind the hole, and then glue it in place with cement. After about three hours, use even more cement to adhere a small piece of drywall to the support piece you inserted earlier. When dry, cover the hole with more cement and tape. You want to continue this process in the same manner as if you were concealing a joint.

For agents and brokers simple guide to selling your commercial real estate

If you are just starting out as a real estate agent, it can be difficult to get started selling commercial real estate. However, commercial real estate is the big money maker in the real estate business. Since commercial real estate has become quite popular since it is such a money maker, it can be difficult and expensive to get started in this type of real estate. There are, however, a variety of ways that you can get started and start getting more commercial real estate deals if you are willing to do a little work.

Online Free Ads

One great way that you can get started in selling commercial real estate as an agent is to use inexpensive methods of advertisement. One great way to get the word out there about the property you are trying to sell is to use free online ads. There are a variety of different websites that are available for you to post classified ads on that list a property, or even multiple properties for sale, and the great thing is, you will not have to pay a penny. Not only is this a cheap way of exposure, but it is also a quick way to get your property noticed. Many times, your ad will be seen quicker when you put it on the web and by many more people. Local newspapers take more time and money to get you the exposure and only reach a local group of people, while advertising with free online ads can get your world wide exposure and help you sell the commercial property.

Free Real Estate Publications

Another way that newer real estate agents can get their commercial properties noticed is to advertise them in free local real estate publications. Whether it is a publication specifically for real estate or a publication that only includes real estate, this is a great way to advertise your property for free. This is an excellent way to gain local exposure, not only for the commercial property you are trying to sell, but also for you as an agent. Make sure that you continue to run ads for your property in these types of publications. Even though at first you may not see results, remember that many times it takes awhile for commercial real estate to sell, but perseverance can lead to a large pay off when you finally sell the property.

Quality Signs

If you are trying to sell a commercial property, especially one that is near a well traveled road, you may want to invest in a quality sign to advertise the commercial property. A small unprofessional sign may not attract any attention at all, but a larger sign that is well crafted and attractive can get the attention of many people who are driving by. You never know who may drive by the property and see your sign. While it will take a bit of money to get a great sign, it will be worth the money that you spend to get your property noticed. One never knows when a local business will need a new site, or someone with money to invest will be looking for an opportunity, and your sign will make sure that they will see your property when they drive by, which may lead to a sale.

Establish Business Connections

As a new real estate agent, one of the best things that you can do is to start establishing business connections with a variety of different people. Speak with other real estate agents that are successful in selling commercial real estate and learn from their mistakes and their successes. Also try to get involved with local business people and know the market that you are trying to sell in. Often, if you can get the word out that you have a great piece of commercial property, it may spread to the right business people that will want to check it out. A great deal of being successful in the commercial real estate market has to do with the connections that you have, so work on making various business connections.

Find Your Own Leads

Even if you are working in a broker’s office, you should not expect the leads to be coming your way within the office. More than likely any leads within the office will be given to someone with more experience in commercial real estate until you have proven yourself to excel in this field. You will have to take the initiative to get the job done, and it is possible with a great deal of hard work. Check out the Chamber of Commerce in your area and find out who the business people are. You may also want to attend local zoning meetings where you will meet prospective investors who are looking for great properties. Even hitting up your local golf courses can help you make friends with local business people who may be prospective clients.

While it may be difficult to get started as an agent in commercial real estate, it is definitely possible if you are willing to work hard. Using the internet to advertise as well as free local publications can get the word out quickly and inexpensively so you will save money and get a broader base of exposure for what you are selling. Signs will also provide great exposure and show that you are serious about the commercial real estate business. Also important is making the right contacts and finding your own leads so you can excel in this business and prove to be a great commercial real estate agent. There is a great deal of money to be made in the commercial real estate industry, and hard work, dedication, and patience on your part can help you become successful.

Advantages of homeschooling

Why So Many Families are Making the Homeschool Choice

It is no secret, homeschooling is becoming the more and more popular choice for families seeking the best education for their students. And the advantages of homeschooling are so vast that you could easily encounter ten different homeschooling families and hear ten different advantages of homeschooling.

As a result, it is difficult to define the main advantages of homeschooling without missing key advantages or reasons that people choose to homeschool. In fact, one could easily say that the advantages of homeschooling are only limited by the imagination of each homeschooling parent.

When polled, however, homeschoolers agreed on several major advantages of homeschooling.

At the heart of all of these advantages is Freedom!

The freedom advantage encompasses many of the advantages of homeschooling cited by homeschooling families:

• Freedom to instill values and morals that are consistent with the religion of the family

• Freedom to define their own schedule

• Freedom to spend time as a family

• Freedom to pursue other interests

• Freedom to focus on necessary academics

• Freedom for real world socialization.

These freedoms and much more make homeschooling the choice for families all around the world.

Read on to learn about the four major freedom advantages of homeschooling:

Advantage #1—Freedom to Instill Morals and Values

Advantage #2—Freedom to Develop Real Life Socialization

Advantage #3—Freedom of Flexibility

Advantage #4—Freedom as a Family

Advantages of homeschooling #1

Freedom to instill values and morals that are consistent with the religion of the family.

Many homeschooling families cite this as the number one reason they choose to homeschool their children and therefore one of the main advantages of homeschooling. In a world where religious freedom is attacked from all sides, parents are choosing to take back their rights and invest time into the character and beliefs of their children.

These parents are raising their children in an environment where their convictions drive the education. Conviction leads to passion; it leads to direction; it leads to a sense of purpose. As a result, parents who homeschool out of conviction tend to be very successful teachers.

Think back to your favorite teacher. Was he an individual who did not really care about what he was teaching? Was she someone who lacked any kind of drive or purpose? I would venture to say that your best teacher was someone whose passion was evident. And when passion drives you, you can implement that passion into every subject, into every activity, into every aspect of your homeschooling program.

This is a huge advantage for homeschooling families. Not only do they have the opportunity to train their children in the way they should go, but their passion makes the program all the more dynamic. And this is a major advantage in any school setting.

Advantages of homeschooling #2

Socialization

Why list socialization as one of the advantages of homeschooling? Isn’t this the topic that causes the most controversy for homeschoolers? Indeed, this is one of the major concerns for new homeschoolers as well as people on the outside.

But the fact is, homeschoolers have an advantage in the area of socialization.

Why? It has long been recognized among college admissions counselors that homeschoolers have the advantage over their peers in the ability to converse and interact with their professors and other personnel without intimidation. They also have the advantage of working with fellow students of all ages because this has been the way their schooling was structured every day for years.

Rather than experiencing the controlled socialization of a classroom, the secret exchanges when the teacher isn’t looking, and the limits of socializing only with children their own age, homeschoolers socialize at all kinds of different levels.

Younger students have the advantage of learning from older homeschoolers who they encounter through support groups, field trips, homeschool “classes” and more. And one of the advantages for older students is that they develop a sense of responsibility and concern as role models for younger students.

Homeschoolers also have the distinct advantage of working with people of all ages, income levels, and professions. Parents need only tap into the endless opportunities to help their child develop their character, their social skills, and their ability to handle life.

I hear comments all the time about how well homeschoolers handle themselves with adults, with other students and in difficult situations. The time spent with their parents has given them the advantage of seeing first hand how to solve real life problems, how to balance their schedule, how to handle tough situations, and how to find the time to get it all done.

Advantages of homeschooling #3

Flexibility

For some, the flexibility advantage means a schedule that meets the demands of their situation; others view the flexibility advantage as the ability to customize curriculum to the needs of their child; and still others view the flexibility advantage as the ability to allow their child to dig deeper into a topic rather than simply move on the next unit.

Many homeschooling families are families on the move. Whether this is because of work demands or kids who are involved in sports, acting, dance, etc., they need a flexible schedule. One of the advantages of homeschooling is that it allows a family to remain a family while also meeting the demands of an active schedule.

Customized curriculum is a huge advantage to homeschooling. Homeschoolers are not limited to curriculum at a set grade level. Instead, they are able to determine the exact level to meet their skills and abilities and begin there. This means that some homeschoolers will be working at a fifth grade level in math, a sixth grade level in English, and still another level for other subjects. This approach gives students the advantage of mastering necessary concepts before moving on and to progressing quickly in those subjects where he or she is most successful.

It also has the advantage of opening the door for further study in a topic of interest. If your student is taking a literature course in school and is fascinated by William Shakespeare, the teacher will not stop and allow extra weeks for further study. Instead, the passion ignited soon takes a back seat to the demands of the class. Homeschooling families can take advantage of those passions and allow students to dig deeper and learn more.

Advantages of homeschooling #4

Family Time

This is one of the biggest advantages to homeschooling! Where better to nurture relationships, build confidence, instill character, and strengthen bonds than the family? Research indicates that students in families who eat at last one meal together per day are more successful and less likely to get into trouble. Imagine the impact that you can have on your child’s future by increasing your family time tenfold!

Will your child learn from peers and/or teachers who may or may not share the same values or will he have the advantage of learning from you? What character traits will they model as adults?

One of the advantages of homeschooling is that through you, they will learn to respect elders; they will be spared the down beating so prominent in schools today; they will develop confidence in who they are; and they will become adults.

Time with the family is so short—homeschooling allows you to maximize that time and enjoy your children.

The advantages of homeschooling are limitless! In fact, the advantages you experience may be completely different from the advantages listed here. However, the advantage of instilling your own morals and values, the advantage of socialization, the advantage of flexibility, and the advantage of family time are all advantages of homeschooling that center around freedom! And that is one advantage that applies to everyone!

Top 7 pull down attic ladder tips

Here are a few tips if you're thinking of building your own steel or wood attic pull down ladders. The basic concept behind attic pull down ladders, is, course, getting into and out of the attic. You are creating folding stairs, basically. When you need access to the attic you pull down your ladder. When you're out of the attic and don't need to go back, you fold your ladder back up.

You can purchase a whole kit to build an attic pull down ladder, choosing from either a steel ladder or a wood one. These kits can be found at a major outlet building supply store. The kits allow for quick and easy installation of the folding attic ladder. The two things you need to first determine before you make the ladder kit purchase is that you have enough room to swing your ladder open and that you also have adequate floor space around the area where the bottom of the attic pull down ladder would sit that you would be safe accessing and exiting the attic via your pull down ladder.

Check your home dimensions and the dimensions of the pull down attic ladder kits you're considering before you buy one. Check out community building codes as well. Once you're done constructing your attic ladder you can neatly trim the opening.

Keep in mind that this is not an easy construction, and that you will need several hours free to complete the installation as well as one other person to help you build your attic pull down ladder.