Lovaholics: Internet marketing, Make Money Online, Entertainment, etc.

What’s The Deal With Discussion Lists for Writers (Part Two)

Mirzha — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:25:11 +0000

What Are the Advantages and/or Drawbacks of Subscribing to Discussion Lists?

“I learn a lot about publishing houses, editors, etc., and we’re like one big happy family,” says Dotti Enderle, who belongs to several lists - the biggest being the Children’s Writers List.

“Unfortunately, because we do spend a lot of time with banter, it takes away from my writing time. But I couldn’t live without this list. If anyone has any type of publishing question, someone there can answer it. The members are quick to share notes from conferences. We cheer when someone gets published, and we console when someone gets that really tough rejection. If I could only be on one email list, there’s no doubt which one I’d choose.”

“Anyway, I’m no longer a debut author but I refuse to give up my list,” Coen says. “It’s been the best thing to happen to me fiction career-wise besides being published. And to top it all off, these women are the most supportive people I have ever been around, and that’s not easy to say among fellow writers. Other lists that I have belonged to you had a lot of back-stabbing, jealousy-type issues, but not here. On some of my lowest days, my Tobeez buddies have really picked me up. I’ve made some of the best friends through this group of remarkable women.”

“What I’ve found to be rather curious in reality is that there is a surprisng number of list subscribers who deeply resent promotional posts by other subscribers, some to the point of calling them spam,” Tibbetts says. “As a result lots of posts are generated arguing and complaining about the propriety of promotional posts. In the end, what’s more aggravating, deleting one promo post that doesn’t interest you or eight to ten posts bickering over it? Seems like a no brainer to me. I don’t understand why someone would subscribe to a list and then complain about promo content related to the subject matter. In my mind, part of the purpose of subscribing is to learn what’s new and what others are doing online–a means of sharing. If that involves promo posts, then so be it. Perhaps it’s incumbent on the list moderators to clarify for their subscribers whether promo posts are acceptable. Obviously everyone agrees that a promo post about a new weight loss program on a publish list is inappropriate. But as for promo posts related to the list topic, there’s currently a good deal of ambiguity, even controversy.”

“I primarily write nonfiction and historical fiction for young adults and only occasionally write mysteries, but I’ve been a member of The Short Mystery Fiction Society email list for nearly two years,” says Tabatha Yeatts, who is a published author. “Not only do I enjoy hearing about great new mysteries, I feel the tips I receive from the list help my writing, as well as giving me ideas. I particularly like this list because it has a warm, supportive feel and is generally able to stay on-topic without seeming like it’s “all business.” My experience with other writing lists has shown me that I have trouble with a large amount of messages, that ones that are continually off-topic — although they may be interesting — are not what I’m looking for, and that jealousy can ruin a list. The Wordweave Creative Writing Workshops are also very supportive and helpful.”

“I have had varied experiences on lists. Some are great, vibrant communities with committed people who do lots of great work and have tons of good advice,” says Gwendolynn Gawlick, who provides Publicity Services. “When I join a list I look for people who will be able to contribute to my knowledge as well as look for help that I can provide. I’ve been on one or two lists that I unsubscribed because the other list members would continually ask inane questions without doing any of the work or research themselves. Then, they would flame each other and spend a week complaining about some imagined slight. That’s a waste of time for EVERYONE. I’ve been able to connect with some great people on lists, and, as an aside, HIGHLY recommend getting the digest version wherever possible! :)”

“I have joined a few lists to exchange experience and learn from others,” says Teresa Cottam, a writer from the UK. “One of the problems for me is people taking umbrage at what you write without understanding what you mean (I’m from the UK so maybe this is a cultural thing). But I think it can be offputting when someone starts accusing you of all sorts of things you didn’t say in a very hectic tone. I can hold my own in arguments, but some of my female friends have avoided Internet discussions because they don’t like e-mail aggression.”

“Another problem is that you often get hundreds of e-mails about subjects that you don’t have any interest in,” Cottam says. “But I still have to sift and delete and then I worry I’m missing something so I end up reading a bit… it’s a real waste of time. I also have to adapt myself to the lists, because a lot of them are US-based and circumstances etc are very different in the UK/Europe. Sometimes you feel a little isolated, because although you are on the Internet and it is supposed to be a worldwide experience, we are expected to adapt ourselves to the US experience. This makes a lot of non-US participants believe that the US and US writers are fairly parochial. US lists don’t talk much about life etc outside the US and sometimes I don’t really understand everything that is said because it is something that depends on an understanding of US things.”

“On the positive side though I have learnt a lot from US lists simply because people do things differently and the writing/editing experience is somewhat different,” Cottam added. “For example, in the UK a lot of the publishing industry looks down their noses at you when they find out you work in technical publishing - it’s been really great to find people who are making money out of it and are proud! I feel as though I’m part of a wider community of technical editors/writers. I’m now trying to persuade my boss to send me on one of these conferences in the US that all the lists talk about. Well, I can but dream.”

© Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of the Free Ezine for Writers featuring news, reviews, and continuously updated links to the best resources for writers online like - freelancing & jobs, markets & publishers, literary agents, classes & contests, and more… Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art157.asp

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Privilege - Alfred Lee Loomis and Hecateus

Mirzha — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 07:01:16 +0000

ALFRED LEE LOOMIS:

Privilege sometimes leads to productivity and creativity through community efforts such as this man made possible at his Tuxedo Park mansion. The community he created included the likes of Einstein, Fermi and Heisenberg. The things they studied helped develop many technologies and lead to the Manhattan Project. Loomis had investigated everything from ultrasonics to brain waves as the world moved toward war in 1940. The combination of ultrasonics and brainwaves or ESP is my special interest. The Chaos Science of pre-Ice Age humans might well have allowed more fantastic things than the atom bomb. I heartily recommend serious study of the pentagon-dodecahedron and The Lost Chord which Pythagoras learned a little about from the Pyramid. This enabled Pythagoras to be credited with creating the musical octaves.

Please ask yourself just how much credit was Pythagoras due if he only learned a little about these things that can heal through his ‘Singing of the Spheres’? I implore society to understand what his Dean of Studies might have been part of in a long line of pre-Empire knowledge systems that Phoenicians like Thales and Pythagoras kept a small amount from. That Dean of Studies is Abaris (Rabbi) the Druid according to a noted scientist who passed over his privileged opportunity to be a top Basilidae political agent or priest. That noted scientist is Hecateus of Miletus and ML or Mile and his kin are indeed rabbis and Stuart BEES.

Author of Diverse Druids and many other books available at http://www.World-Mysteries.com and elsewhere.

Why Search Engine Ranking Firms Rely More On Automated Programs Than On Design Skills

Mirzha — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 14:18:42 +0000

A simple search online for website design firms will result in thousands of ads by firms that offer high search engine rankings. These firms offer services ranging from top ten placements to expedited submissions. What is changing is the manner that these firms achieve their results through.

Search engines are simply online yellow pages which match sites with searches conducted by users. The search engines will then display their results, or site listings, according to the relevancy between the site, or the page on the site, and the search term searched for by the user.

While search engines keep their selection process a closely held secret, many search engine ranking firms spend thousands of dollars and countless hours trying to crack the code.

Some search engine ranking firms will place hidden text on their customers’ sites hoping that the search engines will pick up that text, and give the sites a higher ranking in the search engine results.

Other tactics include increasing the relevant content on a site, obtaining links from other sites, and creating mini sites that lead a user to the main site.

But as the number of pages online exponentially grows, the search engine themselves have started changing their methods for ranking sites. In the past there was more attention to site by site inspection, while today search engine robots and search engine programs inspect the sites.

In response many site designers who offer search engine ranking services have now started to use automated software programs that seek to match the needs of the search engine robots that will be visiting their clients’ sites.

Automated programs seek to create content and modify web pages for sites according to the requirements of the search engines. This is similar to a property owner remodeling a house so that it will pass inspection.

Sites like www.websitevisitorscenter.com offer programs that automate this process for site owners looking to increase their search engine rankings.

“Site owners need to understand that the services they are paying for, can often be accomplished by utilizing available software,” said Donny Lowy, the author of Selling Online: Beyond eBay.

Donny Lowy, the CEO of http://www.closeoutexplosion.com, an online wholesale and closeout business, and http://www.wholesalecloseoutforum.com, launched http://www.websitevisitorscenter.com to help online businesses attain higher search engine rankings.

How to Use a Blog to Dramatically Improve Your Web Business!

Mirzha — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:12:32 +0000

A blog is an online journal in which the author publishes his or her thoughts and opinions on a subject which interests them. A good blog will be updated frequently with new points of interest which the blogger (author) and readers can discuss.

Recently, blogs have appeared all over the internet. Thousands are being created every day on every subject imaginable. Everyone has interests and so you can always guarantee that other people will have the same interests as you. If you start a blog on something you are interested in you can be sure that thousands of people will be interested in what you have to say. Having thousands of people reading and following the content in your blog has enormous potential. Here are some great ways in which you can use blogs to your advantage.

1. A blog is a great way to promote your web business. Your blog should be about the same subject as your web business because this way you can easily promote the products and services that you are trying to sell. Due to the fact that you can guarantee your readers will be interested in the product you are offering, it looks like you are doing them a favour and not just blatantly advertising to them. A blog is also great for keeping your customers and prospects updated on new products or deals available.

2. A blog is an unbeatable way to build yourself a great web presence. One of the main reasons why visitors will not buy from you on the internet is because they fear that you are not trustworthy. However, if you have a blog which is updated regularly with high quality comments that show you know a lot about what you are selling, this will build your credibility immediately. Visitors will see the amount of time and effort you put into your blog and will think it very unlikely that you are going to cheat them. Boosting your credibility using a blog will skyrocket your sales.

3. A blog will help you build better relationships with your prospects and with your existing customers. Capturing prospects’ email addresses is made very easy with a blog. To build a good relationship with your readers, follow up with them privately on comments that they make. For example you could say that you found a comment they made particularly interesting and then give an intelligent, knowledgeable response. They will feel particularly good about themselves that you have sent them a personal email response and this will encourage them greatly to purchase a product that you are recommending or promoting.

4. A blog is an excellent way to boost your search engine rankings. Many websites receive over 80% of their traffic from search engines and so this is a major advantage. Search engines love blogs because they are frequently updated with fresh content. Due to this, new blogs are often indexed a lot more quickly than new sites. A good blog, full of interesting, quality content can reach the top Google and Yahoo positions very quickly. If your blog has links to your website within it, then you can guarantee that this will boost your website’s search engine ranking as well.

5. Blogs in themselves can be a great source of income. Google Adsense is a great way to make money quickly because Google’s technology makes the ads that appear to be relevant to your blog’s content. You can guarantee that your readers will be interested in what appears in Google’s ad boxes. Every time someone clicks on a Google ad you get paid! Affiliate sales are another way to make easy money with blogs. Just promote someone else’s product subtly within a comment and you could earn up to 75% of the sale. Making money through an affiliate program is extremely easy and my strong recommendation is http://www.clickbank.com.

Most importantly, make sure your blog is based upon something that really interests you. Blogs can be very time consuming but so long as what you are writing about interests you, then you will find blogging a very enjoyable experience.

For more information on this subject or about making money online go to http://www.info-ebooks.co.uk

100s of free ebooks and software products are also available at this address. Gain free access to these by sending a blank email to:

infoebooks@freeautobot.com

Thank you for reading

William Johnston

(will@info-ebooks.co.uk)

Make Money From Forums

Mirzha — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:20:41 +0000

If you have a website about a topic you enjoy, you can make money from discussion forums. Talk, post links to your site, get traffic. Traffic means money, right? If not, try different affiliate programs or Google Adwords. The worst sites should get a couple cents per visitor. Now here’s how to talk and make money.

Search “forum” plus the topic of your site on Google or Alta Vista. For my first site, I searched “backpacking + forum” and in the pages of results I found several good forums. I also searched related topics like “hiking” too. You can also check about.com, and other sites that have forums on many topics.

Registration is usually giving your email address and choosing a password. Some forums allow guests to post without registering. Once registered, browse the forum topics, and post a response to anything, just to “learn the ropes”.

Income From Discussion Forums

The point of posting in forums is to get readers to come to your web site. Sure it’s fun to give advice and discuss things of interest to you, but that’s secondary. With that in mind, do the following:

1. Always link to your site. If they don’t allow any links, find another forum.

2. Don’t “spam.” Sales pitches will be removed. Offer honest advice, or express an opinion, then sign off with your name and the link to your site.

3. Ask for help from others. This is an effective and acceptable way to “advertise.” Enter a topic like “Can I get some advice?” and post something like, “I just started a meditation site. If some of you would visit and tell me what you think, I’d really appreciate it.” Have a link to the site. People love to help, and to give opinions, and they’ll click on those ads while they’re at your site.

4. Look at total “views.” Many forums show the total times each “thread” has been viewed. When you see some with many more than others, get in on those, or start a new thread on the same topic. Go where the traffic is, and get some of it.

I didn’t like the idea of forums until I made a few posts, and saw my traffic and revenue climb for days afterwards. That convinced me. Just be polite, offer some value to others, and always have a link to your site. Many other secrets of using forums are covered in my newsletter, but this should be get you started. Talk and make money today.

Steve Gillman writes on many money-related topics. To learn more, and to subscribe for FREE to “Web Site Optimization Secrets,” go to: http://www.TheMoneyMakerSite.com

E-book Security Anxiety

Mirzha — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:01:13 +0000

You are not alone. Tons of people are nervous that their e-book will be stolen and put on the black market (hmm, or the cyber black market, I guess you’d call it). Now, stealing is never right or fair, but in this case theft means one good thing, at least they have heard of you! Cyber thieves or not, they know your name and think your knowledge is coveted enough to steal (again, I do not condone this, but there is always a bright side, right?)

There are a few measures you can take to safe-guard your work from wholesale theft. If you use a good shopping cart system, the download links that your customers get to your e-books are good for only 24 hours. This will help prevent someone from posting the link on a discussion board, which would allow an unimaginable amount of people to download your work for free.
Another idea is to put links to your web pages inside of your e-book. This is done often and is perfectly acceptable in this form of publishing. You can jam pack your work with links that will take readers directly back to you. That way, if your book does fall into someone’s hands illegally, they will still end up back on your site anyway.

Tom Antion provides entertaining speeches and educational seminars. He is the ultimate entrepreneur, having owned many businesses BEFORE graduating college. Tom is the author of the best selling presentation skills book “Wake ‘Em Up Business Presentations” and “Click: The Ultimate Guide to Electronic Marketing.” It is important to Tom that his knowledge be not only absorbed, but enjoyed. This is why he delivers his speeches laced with great humor and hysterical jokes. Tom has addressed more than 87 different industries and is thoroughly committed to his client’s needs.

http://www.antion.com

Chords or Melody First… Which is Best

Mirzha — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:27:12 +0000

There are basically two ways you can compose a piece of music.
The first and most traditional way is to write out the melody and then harmonize it. Some call this working from the top (as opposed to the chords on the bottom.) The second approach is where you create some kind of rhythmic harmonic pattern and improvise (or compose) the melody on top. Now, which one is best for New Age music?

The answer is neither approach. Each has its own merits and own special benefits. For example, if you start with a pattern in your left hand and improvise a melody with your right, you are doing what most new age composers/improvisers do. This is what George Winston does most of the time. He has chords he sets to a certain rhythm and does his thing with that amazing right hand of his.

This is the style that I have been playing, but I’ve recently lost interest in it. Not because it isn’t good but because I don’t feel like playing that way anymore. Currently I’m leaning towards a softer sound that comes from leading with the melody first. What I do is get the first 2-bars down and then improvise the rest till I fill up 8 measures. This way I can vary the chords and patterns without it sounding very repetitive (minimalism). It’s actually another style. You can call it melodic while the other one (Harmony approach) is more textural. IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR MOOD!

Don’t let one style freeze you into something where you can’t maneuver artistically! Remember that your feeling must come first. Everything else is secondary. Let your feeling lead you and your creation will be truly inspired, however, if you try to mold what you have to say into a specific style, the result may be less than satisfactory.

Edward Weiss is a pianist/composer and webmaster of Quiescence Music’s online piano lessons. He has been helping students learn how to play piano in the New Age style for over 14 years and works with students in private, in groups, and now over the internet. Stop by now at http://www.quiescencemusic.com/piano_lessons.html for a FREE piano lesson!

Selecting The Right Shopping Cart For Your Website

Mirzha — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:20:22 +0000

Shopping Cart Installation And Setup

Shopping cart technology has evolved to be a must-have feature for the internet seller. Most e-merchants are aware that shopping carts function to facilitate the purchasing process. They provide the means to catalog sale items; calculate price and shipping costs; and process real-time payments. What business owners may not know is that shopping carts services can, as a result of their data-collecting functions, provide valuable advanced marketing information.

An e-merchant’s goal in setting up his website storefront is to maximize product exposure. He spends a great deal of time and effort developing an attractive site that is easy to find. But once found, the site must facilitate the closing of a sale. The decision to install a shopping cart system is a wise one because it provides a professional processing service, which makes buying easy for the customer. The many features of shopping cart systems are designed to attract and commit the buyer, and to make what can be a labor-intensive purchasing process simplified and enjoyable.

It is very important for the e-merchant to know and use the functions of the shopping cart system that assist in the management and planning aspects of his business. Many shopping cart systems can provide useful statistics to help you analyze the effectiveness of your site; your sales record; and the sources of your customer stream. You can have at your fingertips such information as: how much traffic your site is getting; who your referral URLs are; the number of abandoned sales; and details about your purchasers.

Ted Prodromou spent over 25 years in the computer industry working for IBM, Digital, and Cellular one. Today he’s the owner of Valiss IT, a consulting firm that provides small business coaching and marketing help. He’s also a certified personal and professional coach.

Ted has created and led many coaching workshops and today is helping small businesses automate their marketing with his latest coaching program, “Attract Clients While You Sleep”. For more information visit http://www.valiss.com/specials

If you would like to download his free report “How To Attract Clients While You Sleep” visit http://www.valiss.com

You are free to distribute this article, providing it remains unchanged and with the resource / bio box attached.

Be Careful That You Don’t Become A Slave To Your Home Business

Mirzha — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:13:11 +0000

Although the expressed reasons for wanting to work from home are
many and varied, most home based business owners cite the ability
to set their own hours as a major factor in their decision to
work at home. However, many people that have work at home
businesses often fall into a trap that flies directly in the face
of their stated desire for time flexibility.

The strong growth in home based business activity continues and,
according to the Small Business Administration’s Office of
Advocacy, fifty-two percent of ALL small businesses are
home-based.

Some home based business owners have been known to become
“workaholics” because their office is so accessible. Don’t
become a slave to your business…get out of your home office
regularly to renew and revitalize yourself.

Close the door to your office or otherwise remove yourself from
your designated “work area” and go into your “home” area to live
your personal life. If your business involves the use of the
telephone and you find it difficult to ignore a ringing
phone in the office, simply turn the ringer off and turn the
volume on the answering machine way down. If your business is
internet based, just turn off your computer (or at least get away
from the monitor and keyboard).

As a work at home business entrepreneur, you certainly aren’t
required to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week just
because your business is located in your home. After all,
your office or workspace is just an area in your home…its not
your home itself!

Working and living under the same roof has a host of advantages,
but it can present some challenges (in addition to the workaholic
syndrome mentioned, above) and stress factors.

Here are four ways to create a less stressful home business
environment:

-Remember why you wanted to become involved with a home-based
business (i.e. more time for family, work schedule flexibility,

etc.)

-Have discussions with your family members and get their input
about the working arrangements and the amount of time they want
with you.

-Use good time management techniques. Keep a list of tasks by
order of importance. There are many low cost and effective “day
planners” or “organizers” readily available today.

-ALWAYS take a little time to “smell the roses”.

While not experiencing the negatives common to a corporate office
working environment, the home-based business owner may
occasionally experience stresses and frustrations that are unique
to working at home.

Networking with other home-based and small business owners
provides an opportunity to connect with others who may be
experiencing the same stresses/frustrations that you are. Sharing
stressful and/or frustrating issues with someone else in the same
situation can relieve your stress and may bring you good advice
from a different point of view.

As a final note, remember to observe Home-Based Business Week
each year (it is always the week of October that includes the
second Tuesday).

Kirk Bannerman operates his own successful home based business
and also coaches others seeking to start their own home based
business. For more information visit his website at http://www.home-based-business-team.com.

Extra Terrestrial Genetic Defect Myth

Mirzha — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:23:04 +0000

There is a large contingency of people who believe in aliens and extra terrestrials. There are endless stories of abduction by UFO aliens, unbelievably performing spacecraft and ancient myths. One of the most intriguing and plausible explanations of why alien species are here or come to visit with us mostly harmless humans is to inter bread with us and repair their genetic flaws, which over hundreds of thousands of years had caused damage to their DNA. Some scientists have helped propel these myths but providing interesting information we have learned thru the space program about issues with radiation in space. For long-term space travel we must find solutions to protect us from the radiation, which might also damage our DNA. Thus conspiracy theorists and UFO-logists have hung onto this theory of why they believe the aliens are abducting people and as per the stories of the abducted seem to be quite interested in the human reproductive bio-systems.

Now then, let us discuss the flaws in these theories. First a civilization which may have been transplanted to this planet thru necessity or exploration outpost or colony would already have complete control of their DNA and bio-systems and thus have no need to introduce the human DNA into their lines as it would be somewhat weaker and less evolved. An advanced species which had control of their DNA would not have innate needs for procreation or need sex and thus would have figured out a way to clone without DNA replication loss issues. Additionally a species, which was far advanced would not be worried about DNA damage and would simply fix those issues themselves without having to splice genes from human beings. They would be able to genetically modify their DNA to over come any loses or replication issues from long-term space flight due to radiation or any issues with in-breading from their small population of alien space colony travelers.

Indeed whether you believe in aliens, UFOs or extra terrestrials is irrelevant to the question of if such a story is plausible, as it does not stand to reason. The legends, ancient writings and theories do not seem to hold water. As science learns more about DNA and as our own species becomes transhuman we will be able to better debate these alien urban legends and their flaws.

“Lance Winslow” - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs