How Publishers Choose Manuscripts

How Publishers Choose Fiction Manuscripts For Print And Profit

Everyone has a story to tell, and common dream is to publish a book. This dream comes from many desires whether financially or popularity driven. The advent of the personal computer provides just enough motivation to get amateurs started on their ways to writing. The ease of computer word processing revolutionized the ease of writing, allowing for more would be writers.

With the avalanche of manuscript submissions the rules for acquiring books had to change. The publishing companies had to develop guidelines and redefine. To answer the problem, we have to find out how publishers choose fiction manuscripts for print and profit.
Background

With motivation to write being the driving force, it wasn’t uncommon fifteen years ago for potential authors to bang out manuscripts on word processors or electric typewriters. The Authors would go through a rewrite replacing as many pages as necessary. This rewrite might require running through whole chapters since a change to one paragraph would disrupt the numbering of sequential pages. Once finished, the author then had reedit several times before he had the perfect draft of the “world’s greatest novel”. A potential novelist might be thwarted by such as a daunting task, his story never put to paper.

To answer the current demand, around 5,000 publishing companies start up each year, and with that hopes of tremendous financial and literary success as they compete to fill shelf and cyberspace. According to R.R. Bowker Company (Cox 2000), 53,000 new book titles roll of the presses. The cold hard reality is that only three out of ten books actually make money for the publisher. The study of all publishers and how they need to do business to succeed would be exhausting and not condensed enough to fit into this presentation.

Publishing houses print basically two types of books: fiction, non-fiction. Non-fiction books cover biographies, self-help, how to, travel, and myriad genres too many to list. Likewise, fiction books cover mystery, religion, historical, horror, crime, and/or a combination of the above. I will report how fiction publishers compete for success in a fiction producing industry.
Method

Publishers seek a certain type of reader based on the genre they specialize in. For example, William D. Watkins, acquisitions editor of Broadman & Holman Publishing, reported in a 1998 writer’s conference that publishers of religious fiction seek their reading audience; 35-year-old women readers. However, not only does a publisher such as Bethany Books compete with publishers of the same genre, they have to entice this same audience out of the ever-popular self-help section of the bookstore.

However, before the printing, fiction writers send their earth shattering manuscripts to publishers. They want to be printed to satisfy their egos, earn money, gain notoriety, be a role model, or contribute to the literary treasury (McHugh, 1999). These authors compete against astronomical numbers of other manuscripts sent to the very same acquisitions editor.
Selection Criteria

The Acquisitions Editor has the huge job of being proactive in the writing market place. Authors seek many publishers because they are experts in the field which they publish. These experts/publishers break down the company into departments of fiction and non-fiction, and then by genre. An acquisitions editor may find himself working in a department or genre and will be proactive in finding new authors, researching the marketplace, negotiating contracts and developing books.

Cox also relates that the acquisitions editor is busy dealing with unsolicited manuscripts. This is a touchy area since not too many publishers want to risk the $10,000 to $18,000 it takes to publish book on an unknown or unpublished author. However, the very manuscripts they reject another company may accept and publish a best seller.

Celebrity used to sell books (Marks, 1998) now the trend has changed. Marks explained that between 1995 and 1998 the sales of hardback books have decreased 7.5 percent. The large book publishing companies who used to award million dollar contracts can no longer afford to do so. Smarter acquisitions are necessary.

The acquisitions editor must have a standard for selecting manuscripts and adhere to that strict set of rules. The manuscript must have believable characters and the writing must not be grammatically or technically flawed. The story needs to be perfect as the editor has little time to spend on sloppy writing. Finally, the manuscript must meet the standards of the publishing company. For example, Broadman and Holman Publishing Company does not want erotica or profanity and the Wilshire Publishing Company only wants stories that have characters overcoming insurmountable odds (Young 2000). Additionally, many Christian Publishers do not want angels to miraculously descend and rescue a heroine.
Salesmanship

Once he selects a manuscript, the acquisitions editor must be able to both sell his company to a likely author and sell an author to his company. According to McHugh, he might pitch author credentials, subject of book, the description of the work, marketing to targeted audience, finances and editorial development. This is the person most likely to make or break the success of his company.

If the acquisitions editor manages to sell the manuscript, the company must immediately begin a marketing plan. This shouldn’t be too difficult at this stage since the acquisitions editor probably included a marketing strategy shared by the proposing author or devised by himself. Early on, the publisher should satisfy questions of; who is the intended audience, where can we reach them, is the author willing to travel to sign the book, should the author travel, how much should the book cost, how many copies should we make? Cox also indicated that the lack of a good publicity will cause a literary masterpiece to fail.
Discussion

While these questions are probed, a selection committee is reviewing the manuscript to verify the acquisitions editor’s hunch. They also look for validity of the story and can the story sell to the intended audience. This committee of reviewers will have as much pull as the acquisitions editor as they share responsibility on book acceptance. This author managed to have a manuscript accepted by an acquisitions editor pending on the outcome of the review committee. The committee voted not to accept the manuscript. During the acquisitions process, the editor will rarely contact the author and may reject the manuscript without giving reason. This is due to the high volume of submissions.
Editorial Concerns

An examination of the writing process might find an inexperienced author with an idea just typing away. Later, as he continually researches his trade, he learns information about writing technicalities that force him to reconstruct his story. One frustrating mistakes new authors make is Point of View (POV). This term describes who is speaking and what they are feeling. Abusing POV in a story causes confusion for the reader.

Consider this example:

John and his party approached the top of the crest, as they wove through the underbrush. While still twenty yards from the clearing, John could make out Marta and another man carrying a pot. He heard threatening voices, but couldn’t discern what was said.

He and his warriors approached the clearing slowly, methodically. He knew he had the advantage of cover and concealment, but Angus had the high ground, and Marta. Short of a better plan, John dispersed his remaining three men to advantageous positions and had them ready their fire.
“You there, in the clearing. You are completely surrounded. Release the woman, and you won’t get hurt” he yelled, sounding like a scene from bad movie.

Marta’s eyes perked up and her heart beat with new life. “John!” she called out excitedly before being pulled down. “You guys are going to get it now.”

“Will you please just shut up!” Angus put his hand over her mouth while holding his pistol to her head. “Listen out there, maybe we can make a deal,” he said slowly rising, using Marta for cover.
John was fuming, barely in control. His fists clenched and unclenched with unbridled fury. It had been too much seeing them push Marta around, but now they hid behind her. He motioned for two warriors to remain, as he took one with him. His mind was working furiously, trying to keep ahead of Angus’s possible moves. He and his warrior would circle, flanking Angus. If his warriors were good enough, they may have a clean shot. “What kind of deal did you have in mind?” John shouted before changing positions.

This POV is disconcerting because the reader is thrown around from the thoughts of one character to the other. The following is an example of good POV:

John and his party approached the top of the crest as they wove through the underbrush a few hours later. While still twenty yards from the clearing, John could make out Marta and another man carrying a pot. He heard threatening voices, but couldn’t discern what was said.
He and his warriors approached the clearing slowly, methodically. He knew he had the advantage of cover and concealment, but Angus had the high ground, and Marta. Short of a better plan, John dispersed his remaining three men to advantageous positions and had them ready their fire.
“You there, in the clearing. You are completely surrounded. Release, Marta and you won’t get hurt,” John yelled, sounding like a scene from bad movie. He heard Marta call his name with a voice full of hope. Then he saw Angus knock her down. You guys are going to get it now, he thought.

“Listen out there, maybe we can make a deal,” said Angus.

John was fuming, barely in control. His fists clenched and unclenched with unbridled fury. It had been too much seeing them push Marta around, but now they hid behind her. He motioned for two warriors to remain, as he took one with him. His mind was working furiously, trying to keep ahead of Angus’ possible moves. He and his warrior would circle, flanking Angus. If his warriors were good enough, they might have a clean shot. “What kind of deal did you have in mind?” John shouted before changing positions. With the latter POV, the reader lives the scene through one character’s eyes.

Author Responsibility

Just to reinforce, reconstructing a story either handwritten or typed was a horrible task only a few years ago. Fewer authors actually submitted stories. Publishers could pick and choose as they sought out new authors. Now, the computer allows cutting and pasting, automatic page numbering, tab setting and page formatting. Having easier access to completing a novel brought on many more submissions (Sally, 1999). The publishing companies had to change its vision of seeking authors to filtering through the piles of endless manuscript submissions. Now, it is easier to write a book but harder to publish it. The publishers have developed strict submission guidelines that put the author in a position to be editor and publicist just to get a query letter read.

Acquisition

Today, manuscripts end up in one of three piles; review later, discard, and review immediately. The acquisitions editor has to have a plan of action to filter through the avalanche of mail that comes his way. Some authors haphazardly send whole manuscripts, completely disregarding the publishers’ needs. Either they don’t know what to send, or they are arrogant enough to think their manuscript should get priority over all others. The editors have strict policies they must adhere to, if not, the company could run around acquiring manuscripts that are faulty and not serving the needs of the audience.

The review later pile is where an unknown author who has done his homework will most likely find himself. The authors have researched the name and mailing address of the acquisitions editor, they have submitted their manuscript in accordance with the publisher policy. This usually means a writer has sent out a letter telling of their book, and the editor wrote back asking for either a synopsis of the book or the full text manuscript. Most likely the editor will able to get to and respond to this pile within four weeks.

The discard pile is not normally a heap of worthless manuscripts. This pile consists of manuscripts that do not meet the needs of the publisher. Either the content is wrong, the paper is grammatically incorrect, or contains other major flaws that draw negative attention to itself. Finally this consists of authors who have done everything correctly, but for one reason or another (rarely specified), the publisher won’t turn it into a book. These rejections would normally be returned to an author if the author prepaid return postage. The golden rule for remaining out of this pile is to understand the needs of the company, send a perfect draft, follow all submission guide lines, and include a self addressed stamped envelope.

Oh to be in the review immediately pile. This pile is reserved for several different authors. One set of authors may have pitched the book at a writer’s conference and won the confidence of the editor after a face-to-face meeting. Another set of authors is well known with whom the company had either made initial contact or already had a working relationship.

Production

This process may sound cruel and inhumane, leaving many authors run screaming in frustration. However, it is like any business where the employees grumble but do not have the burden of carrying their companies on their jobs and reputations. Consider this excerpt from an America House Publishing Company’s publishing contract. “This agreement is entered into by both parties in good faith, with the mutual understanding that neither party has guaranteed, or is to guarantee, the sale of any specific number of copies of the said literary work, it being impossible to predict, before publication, what success any book may attain”.

The preceding paragraph assures that the publisher assumes the risk of manuscript selection. The manuscript is only as successful as the marketing professionalism of a publishing company and the ability of the author. Noneffective publicity is certainly one risk both parties take. However a loosely written manuscript is likely to be torn apart by a knowlegable book reviewer. Recalling the earlier section on POV, consider this paraphrase from a review; “the point of view in this story switched frequently leaving the reader confused” (Army Times, 2001). This kind of statement will have readers scurrying away from the newstands. Not a productive ingredient to the success of a book.

We can see how publication has changed over the past two decades. Money that had flowed freely to wine and dine authors and million dollar advances no longer exist. New publishing companies emerge monthly to rival and steal business from corporate giants. The money faucet is clogged leaving publishing houses finding ingenious ways to publish and make profit. Most of the reponsibility lies on the acquisitions editor who must have foresight, instinct, a disciplined selection plan, and a publicists heart. Thier practice of prevention and quality control work hand in hand toward successful book publishing.

References

Cox, J. Self-Publishing: Tips, tricks, & techniques. The book lovers’ haven 26 paragraphs. Retrieved February 6, 2001 from the World Wide Web:
[http://www.execpc.com/~mbr/bookwatch/writepub/]

Marks, J. (1998, January 12). Publish and don’t perish. U.S. News five pages Retrieved February 16, 2001 from the World Wide Web:
[http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/980112/12publ.htm]

McHugh, J. More checklists of acquisitions tips and techniques. The publishing law center 2 pages Retrieved February 16, 2001 from the World Wide Web:
http://publaw.com/check2.html

Stuart, S. E. (1998) Christian writers’ market guide. Illinois: Harold Shaw Publishers.
Young, W. (2000) Christian book writers’ marketing guide. California: Joy Publishing

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The Case for Self Publishing Fiction

When I read different books on publishing, I think it is implied that publishing your own informational, inspirational or self-help books are the only works one can self-publish successfully. Granted, this is the Information Age and people buy information. But all due respect to how-to books, there is still a market for self-published fiction. I have found that self-publishing is just as viable an avenue for fiction, if not more.

One only has to look at the many fictional books that are circulating on the Internet (and off) which are doing well financially and which were self-published. Some have even been picked up by mainstream. One only has to go to Mosaic Books.com and Cush City.com and even my column, On The Same Page, to see this is true. Many of the authors I interview on my Internet radi shows are self-published authors of fiction.

To begin with, self-publishing is not only becoming more acceptable, it can be a lucrative venture. A few years ago, I read about a novel in the Publisher's Weekly's newsletter. Although this book was a self-published fictional book (it sounded like a roman a clef of Monica Lewinsky), it was chosen by the Double Day Book Club! This was a first. Now to me, that meant this was a door opener. For other examples, in mainstream America we can look to Grisham and James Redfield, the author of The Celestine Prophecy. What would have happened had these writers not self-published their fiction?

In African American literature, we know what happened with Michelle McGriff and many others who have 'blown up.'

In addition, it is not unusual for authors who have been published by mainstream to turn around and self-publish their subsequent works. Why?

Factor in the recent explosion of print-on-demand companies and ebook companies or writers selling books directly from their website, and fiction is a great way to get your name out to the public.

Let's look at what you gain when you publish your own non-fiction, then what you gain when you publish fiction. Neither one is better than the other. This is just to encourage writers of fiction to consider publishing their own works.
When you self-publish non-fiction, these are the things you gain:

· Speed. Most publishers work on an 18th month production cycle. Will you miss your market?

· Authority. The word 'author' is the root word in authority. People listen to you when you are an author. You become an 'expert' or 'authority' on a subject. From here you can do seminars, tapes, speaking engagements, and consultations.

· Control. Twenty-three per cent of publishers do not give the author the right to select the title, 26% do not consult the author on the jacket cover's design, 36% rarely involve the author on the book's promotion.

· A profit center. You make more money. The profit margin is 40% on a self-published book. After the advance, you only get 6 % to 15% of the sales on a traditionally published book.

· A reading audience. Many publishers receive more than 100 unsolicited manuscripts for consideration each day. As a result, no one will ever read your manuscript.

· A tax-write off. You get more write-offs as the publisher/author, than just the author.

When you self-publish fiction, in addition to all of the above, these are your gains:·

- Posterity. Your deciphering of mankind's trials and tribulations in the twentieth century are recorded for future generations.

· Fame. If you build a reading audience, you may become famous. Even if you don't become famous, you have a sense of satisfaction. A sense of testifying, a way of saying, 'I lived. I was here. I made a difference.' ·

- A possible movie deal. Movie companies, television and independent filmmakers are always looking for good stories. Many movies, such as Waiting to Exhale or How Stella Got Her Groove Back are made from books. My favorite book, Beloved, has been made into a movie. Although the movie can not touch the art of literature, Oprah has tried to capture its essence on film for future generations.

· A reading audience who loves stories. From the time man sat around the first cave fires, they loved to hear stories. When one hears a story, this can resonate in their mind long after the story is over. In essence, you are renting space in your reader's imagination, which they will carry around with them for years.

Also take this fact into consideration. Many books which we have studied in our classrooms, such as Lady Chatterly's Lover, (D.H. Lawrence), Leaves of Grass, (Walt Whitman) and Ullyses (James Joyce) would never have become classics if the writers hadn't self-published. These books were ahead of their times and considered too risque to be published by mainstream publishers. So for writers of fiction, don't wait for years and years to be discovered!

Life is a smorgasbord! Go out there and help yourself!

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Summer Fantasy Book Reading For Teens and Young Adults

Some Classics

A Wrinkle in Time - (Newberry Medal Winner) This is simply a beautiful book that has blazed a trail in modern children's fantasy by putting forward a story of several children embarking on a grand adventure; In this case to rescue their father. There is some fascinating and thoughtful stuff in this book like living stars and tesseracts. It is a perennial favorite and on every librarian's list.

A Wizard of Earthsea - Written by Ursula K. Leguin this is the first book in a series called The EarthSea series. Short and light but extraordinarily beautiful. This first book in the series follows a young boy named Ged as he goes from being a simple goat herd to a powerful wizard. It is simply beautiful and it brings forth some wonderful and magical themes such as the concept that everything (including dragons) has a secret name. And if you know the secret name you can control the thing (including dragons).

The Hobbit - This probably shouldn't be on this list but it is so good that I can't leave it off. With the absolute enormous success of the Lord of the Rings movies this book may be overlooked but I consider it better! It is also in the works to be a movie.

Five Children and it - This is one of the most popular books written by Edith Nesbit who is often credited with creating the whole genre of children embarking on fantasy adventures. Her books are in the public domain now and can easily be found for free. The theme of this book is: Be careful what you ask for. You may get it! That's the message in this delightful tale of five youngsters who discover a bizarre sand creature that grants wishes. There's a catch, of course: the wishes come undone at sunset, and worse yet, things often get out of hand!

Dragonflight - This book is a little more complex than earlier ones I have cited here and it tends toward being more of a novel for grownups but it very suitable for teens. We are introduced to a complex world of dragons through the main character Lessa. This book is often credited with being the book that has launched many a young girls writing career. It is the first book in a trilogy of books called The Dragon riders of Pern series.

A Princess of Mars: - The first novel in the Edgar Rice Burroughs series and currently in the initial stages of being written into a movie or animation that will be made by Pixar. This is the first book in a series called John Carter of Mars and it is good rollicking fun in the tradition of the old pulp magazines. It is a favorite for young boys who like sword fighting big monsters.

Contemporary fantasy and fiction

When it comes to modern fantasy fiction for teens there is an enormous selection to choose from and that, in itself, could be an obstacle. Here are summaries of some of the more popular ones and I have also picked some that are currently slated to be made into a movie.

Artemis Fowl Series - This series of books takes a little bit of an unusual position as far as children's books go because Artemis Fowl himself is a twelve year old genius and a criminal mastermind. The author of these books calls them Die Hard with Fairies! And the books are often characterized as being a high-octane and rip-roaring ride. It is a wildly popular series of books with a big website and even a wiki. There are currently five books in the series with the first being simply titled Artemis Fowl. The sixth book "The Time Paradox" is set to be released in July of 2008.

Here, there be Dragons - The title itself is rather mysterious and harkens back to another time. This was the phrase that cartographers used to write in patches of ocean that were unexplored. The basic premise of this story will really resonate with teens that are fans of fantasy itself because it starts with the unusual meeting of three young strangers John, Jack, and Charles on a rainy night in London. We later find out these three young men are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Charles Williams.

The Kingdoms and the Elves of the Reaches - This is a series of books that takes place in a world of magic and secrets called Ruin Mist. This book was slow to start but word of mouth turned it into a best seller. It is one of those relatively little known books and series that is very satisfying.

Septimus Heap - If magic and wizards are of strong appeal this series of books make a great alternative to Harry Potter. The Main character (Septimus) is the seventh son of a seventh son and the main line of the story follows two children switched at birth: a boy destined to be a wizard and a girl destined to be a princess. There are currently four books in the series and the first book has been picked up by Warner Brothers and is currently being made into a movie that is scheduled for release in 2010.

Any of these books or series will launch teens and young adults on a remarkable adventure into strange fantasy worlds and no joystick or keyboard is required.

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Write a Book and Sell a Million Copies

It's true that everyone has at least one book in them, but not everyone can write a book. However, this little technicality shouldn't stop anyone from having their book written for them. There are numerous good freelance writers, who will be only too glad to write your book on any subject you care to imagine.

Just think about all the things you are good at. Think about all the knowledge and experience you have relating to your job or even your love life. Is there a book there? Probably, because most people are good at something or knowledgeable about a specific subject. All you have to do is write it down or get someone to do it for you.

One of the easiest products to sell on the Internet is a downloadable e-book. All you need is a website and a credit card processing service like PayPal. Some online publishers will even help sell your book for you on their own website for a small commission. That way all you have to do is produce the book and they will take care of everything else.

If you wanted to make your book available to some of the major online bookseller sites like Barnes & Noble or Amazon, you will need an ISBN (International Standard Book Number). Some online publishing companies can easily arrange this for you. There's a one time registration fee for this service.

People will buy all sorts of books because there's a multitude of interests out there. You could write a novel, a classic work of fiction or best of all, an information book. If you have an interest, a hobby or a sport that you're particularly good at, people will want to know your secrets. You just provide the answers.

If you're interested in having your own book published but don't want to bother with the actual writing, proofreading, editing and publishing aspects, look for an online publisher that can offer a complete all-round service. Even better if they can create a virtual book graphic to help promote your book, and better still if they will host the book on their website and sell it for you.

In most cases a book can be professionally written and published within a few short weeks. The book could be on any subject you like because there will always be someone out there willing to buy it. And the best part is, anyone can have their own book published online, make sales and keep up to 100% of the profits.

Books will never go out of fashion. Why not get busy planning your next best seller?

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Online Best Seller EBook - The Dos and Don'ts of Your Online Launch

An online best seller book (eBook) is a bit different from your traditional book, especially when it comes to the actual launching and marketing of your creation. An eBook's success depends heavily on how you present in on the Internet, where it will have to compete with hundreds or even thousands of books talking about the same thing.

When you are ready to launch your eBook make sure to keep these dos and don'ts in mind during the launch to help you make the most out of the process.

Don't launch a book fresh from your desk; have a cooling off period

Many eBook authors who want to become bestselling authors sees his or her finished product differently that the reader may see it, which will end up distorting how good or bad it actually is. If you really want to write a bestseller and not come up with just another eBook, then leave your project totally alone for at least 48 hours. Go through the whole thing when you're looking at it with fresh eyes.

Don't mass-mail on social networking sites; Do find out which networks to use

Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are great places for you to announce the launch of your eBook, but only if you select your targets. Your friends and family may be happy for you, but don't expect them to buy your eBook as readily as people who are actually interested in what you have to write.

Find the groups that are interested in your genre of books, establish yourself in them prior to the launch, and you'll find a much more marketable population to market to.

Of course, this means you have to know who your market is. Don't make the mistake so many authors make by thinking everyone is your market. The more you now about who wants your information and is willing to pay for it the better off you will be.

Beware of the hype from other eBook authors

The fact is, you can make great money from eBooks. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands and sometimes more is possible. However, popular bestselling authors may claim to earn big bucks by selling their e-books, but these authors that have either written a lot of e-books or are just busy spinning their stories for marketing purposes. Balance your budget beforehand, and do not expect too much right off the bat to prevent yourself from getting yourself into money problems.

Don't over or under-price; do your homework and research

Speaking of money, pricing is a particularly significant concern when selling an eBook. Some books go for as low as a dollar, while others can reach up the hundreds of dollars. Such a wide gap between prices requires you to do some research about your target market. Match your eBook with the financial capacities of your potential buyers as well as your level of credibility within your market. Bottom line is you should be able to come up with a fair value for your book. And, always deliver more than what people pay for.

Now's not the time to be shy - go out and tell the world

The golden rule of online marketing is to be loud and proud of your work. Launching an online best seller eBook requires that you convince others to buy your work, and you have got to develop a very proactive attitude to do that.

Be confident of your skills as a writer and an expert. After all, if you don't believe in what you are doing, why should your reader.

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12 Easy Ways to Select A Topic For a Non-Fiction Book

So you want to write a non-fiction book. Maybe you have an idea and maybe you don't, but choosing a topic for your non-fiction book should be easy. Start with what you know, love, or care about, but always, always, always search for the unique angle. Simply rehashing the same old, same old won't cut it.

Talking about a new angle-how many diet books were in the market prior to Dr. Atkins entered in 1989 with his high-protein, low carbohydrate diet? More than you can name, I'm sure, from the infamous Grapefruit Diet to the Scarsdale Diet. Every new diet idea has to have a book, or two, or three. Diet books were already a huge market. The field was crowded, but his new angle was a breakthrough and changed the diet scene forever.

Shortly after it became a smash hit, other protein diet books appeared. He spawned a whole new way too look at diets and this motivated other authors. There were books created to support his point of view, other books to tweak it, and others to challenge it. Then along came the cookbooks. High-protein, low carbohydrate recipes were all the fad. I don't know the total number of books created directly as a result of the Atkins diet, but I daresay it is in the thousands. Do you think the publishers said, "Oh no, not another diet book?" Or did they rush it to print to take advantage of the buzz?

What do you know that is a little different from what has been published before? Bookstores and libraries are chock full of self-improvement books. How many ways are there to find your inner power, create success, sleep better, be happier, stop smoking, find God, and develop irresistible powers of attraction? Yet, with all of this information truckloads of new self-help books hit the market every year. Each of them say essentially the same things, but they all seek  a different hook. Will new angles ever be depleted? It doesn't seem so, but if you have one, don't sit on it or someone else will come up with it too while you are languishing in the starting gate. A good idea is too valuable to waste.

Is there new information you can bring to the table that may have been overlooked? Research and discoveries are continuing in every field of endeavor. If you are keeping up with the latest information, your book by hitting the market first could propel you into the spotlight.

Has technology changed the landscape? How? There are few subjects that don't benefit from improved technologies. Even in fields like restoration of old paintings technology is used to discover what is unseen to the naked eye but vital to the correct restoration.

What do you expect will happen to your topic in the future? Project yourself into the future, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, or more. What does the future hold for your field of interest?

How has your topic altered, improved, or ruined your life? Get personal. Readers are bored with dry reading; they want to know what your experience has been, even if it turned out badly. Especially if it turned out badly. In fact, there is a reason news shows lead with murder and mayhem. It's sick, but humans are very curious about disasters. Even if your experience is and was very positive, you'll want to look for some contrast to create drama.

Has new information been unearthed that alters previously held beliefs? People are forever studying the history of this, that, or the other. You can rest assured that someone will come across with an old memo, forgotten manuscript, or lost photos. Perhaps those discoveries will contradict previous truths.

Do you have doubts about the subject and can you prove them? Every subject needs balance. If all of the books written glorify your subject, you may think about being the devil's advocate. Look for evidence of the dark side.

What are your ten rules? Huh? You don't think you have rules, ah but you do. Things that we enjoy doing required us to learn how to do it. Think back to when you started and list the steps you had to learn to master it. Write them down one through ten and dedicate a chapter to each of those steps.

How does your subject fare in other countries? Would utilizing practices from a foreign country improve performance here? Have the practitioners of your subject in distant lands created ways and means that are more effective? Would your readers be served well by knowing what those differences are?

What have you always wanted to say but kept to yourself because certain areas are sacred cows? Fear of rejection or expulsion has killed many a good book. If you have a burning desire to tell something that will stir up trouble, it takes real courage. Do you have enough guts to be the one? Just think of all of the people who would benefit from the truth you are keeping to yourself.

Who will read your book, a well-informed practitioner, or a novice? Consider the books currently in the market on your subject. If the majority of them are written for the beginner, perhaps the experts would benefit from your expertise. Be sure you don't write over the heads of the newbie's or talk down to the pros. Write for the audience you choose. The purpose of a non-fiction book should be to dispense information, not dazzle the readers with your prose. Save that for creative writing classes or novels.

Can you latch on and ride with a trend? Like the Atkins example, is there something hot in the marketplace right now? Maybe it doesn't even have to directly relate. If something in your title, or cover art indicates a relationship you could benefit from the trend. When President Obama was elected there was a fervor that rivaled religion. Suppose you had a book of stories and folk sayings from his birthplace Hawaii, couldn't you call it something like Folk Stories from President Obama's Birthplace? I know it is a stretch, but crazier things have been done like the Obama Chia Pet.

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Booktopia: Interview with Paul Barry about "Who Wants to Be a Billionaire"

Who Wants to be a Billionaire? is the story of James Packers desperate battle to win his fathers love and respect. Its also a tale of billion-dollar bets gone disastrously wrong. But above all its the portrait of a troubled relationship between a dominant father and dutiful son. In this powerful sequel to his #1 Bestseller, The Rise and Rise of Kerry Packer, Paul Barry shows how James's father kept his grip on the empire even as he lay close to death. And he reveals what drives his heir. As a child James was derided by Kerry as too soft, too close to his mother, or simply 'a loser'. Since then he has struggled to make his father proud—in the only way the Packers know—by making money. Having seen Kerry lose hundreds of millions in the worlds casinos, James chose to bet billions of dollars on buying them instead. Then came the global financial crisis and he almost lost the lot. As markets hit rock bottom in early 2009, Australias richest man was $4 billion poorer and no longer on top of the heap. He was smoking again, putting on weight and shutting himself off from friends. Years earlier, far smaller losses in One.Tel had pushed him to the brink of a nervous breakdown and made him seek salvation in Scientology. Can James survive this time? Will he bounce back? Or was his father right?

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Writing Fiction - Creating Believable Characters

Believable characters are what every reader of creative fiction wants and needs to read about. They love getting involved with who and what the person is, and often they want to identify and sympathise with the character. Our job, as writers, is to fulfill that need. Developing such a character can be done quickly and easily with a few simple methods.

The secret to developing a believable character revolves around those idiosyncracies which all of us have in one way or another. Sometimes they are quite noticeable, but often they are more subtle and can slip past us until we really try to spot them. Giving your character one or more of these quirks will bring believability to them because readers will think to them selves, "Aunt Emma used to do that," or "Young Jake down the road is always doing that". Making these connections in a reader's mind makes your character more real simply by association with someone who really is real!

Don't give your characters idiosyncracies just for the fun of it (and it can be fun), but rather make them relevant to the storyline in some way.

So what sort of idiosyncracy am I talking about? There are many of them, but I'll give you a few examples to get you started.

Do you know someone who has a card index mind for people's birthdays, anniversaries, or even deaths, and loves sending cards or texts of congratulations. (Well, maybe not for the deaths!) Think of ways that this obsession could have a bearing on the story. Maybe they sent wedding anniversary cards to two couples, but put them in the wrong envelopes. What trouble could that cause? What if they saw an obituary of a distant acquaintance and sent a card of condolence only to find that it was not really the friend just someone with the same name?

Imagine someone who loves to use long or obscure words. What would happen if someone else who is less educated misunderstands what the character means and acts upon it?

We all know people who laugh at their own jokes. What if a character tells a joke about another character and laughs, but the one hearing the joke has a high regard/love/admiration for the one who is the butt of the joke and quietly takes exception to them being laughed at. What recourse or revenge might the hearer take against the joker?

A few more obvious ones now, such as someone who: is hopeless at keeping secrets; folds corners of books over; never talks about his past; is always reminded of a story and he just has to tell it. There are many more.

Are you getting the idea? A good way of building an arsenal of character quirks is to observe people you meet or are acquainted with. Once you know what to look for you can soon gather quite a collection!

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Reading the World: Jorge Volpi & Alfred Mac Adam (1/8)

On October 7, 2009, as part of the ongoing Reading the World Conversation Series, Jorge Volpi—author of international bestseller IN SEARCH OF KLINGSOR, and a founder of the Crack group—reads from his latest novel, SEASON OF ASH, and discusses the new generation of Mexican writers. Jorge Volp's newest international bestseller SEASON OF ASH puts a human face on the earth-shaking events of the late twentieth century: the Chernobyl disaster, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of Soviet communism and the rise of the Russian oligarchs, the cascading collapse of developing economies, and the near-miraculous scientific advances of the Human Genome Project. Praised throughout the world for his inventive story telling and stylistic ambition, Jorge Volpi has become one of the leading innovators of twenty-first-century world literature. After reading from SEASON OF ASH, Volpi is joined in conversation by Alfred Mac Adam—professor of Latin American literature at Barnard College-Columbia University since 1983 and translator of novels by Carlos Fuentes, Mario Vargas Llosa, José Donoso, Juan Carlos Onetti, and Julio Cortázar, as well as SEASON OF ASH. (This event is hosted by Open Letter and University of Rochester Arts & Sciences. It is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New York State Council on the Arts.) For more information on, visit: openletterbooks.org

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Do You Need a Press Kit?

As an author, do you really need a press kit?

It's great to have a website and to utilize the social media networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and LinkedIn, but what happens once you draw the press to your website? Sure, they'll read all about you in your bio and maybe see some photos of you on your website. They'll read about your books and reviews and various writing accomplishments, but how will this assist them in writing up a glowing feature article on you?

It won't help them and it might even frustrate the press and cause them to move on to another author who has a striking press kit that captivates their attention and forces them to want to find out more details on you and your work.

Now, it's great to have a press kit that you can hand deliver, send out through snail mail or fax and even email. However, wouldn't it also be just as great to have an online press kit? You bet it would. When the media visits your website, for example after they read your catchy press release about your book just being released, don't you want to make it really easy for them so they find your attention to detail delightful and will want to publish that feature article about you and your work?

There are so many authors out there and many of us, me included, are mid-list or even newbies. What does the press care about us? We are not NY Times Bestsellers...yet! You need to make them want to care about you and your work. How do you do that? You create a professional press kit and in this technologically advanced age we live in, you make it readily available in an embedded PDF file on your website. It's great to post your press kit information on a page on your site, but when you have an embedded file that they can download, it makes it even better for them. And the easier you make it for the media, the more they'll like you and want to write about you and your work. Also, a PDF file is not editable by them.

So, what do you include in this press kit and how long should it be? My press kit is 7 pages and it will most likely expand as time goes on, but I will also then edit and cut the current content because you don't want your press kit to be too long. I have my photo and contact info as the header on a nice letterhead that speaks to the theme of my writing style and current works. But, make sure to not go over the top here with a theme and always keep it professional in its design.

Number each page and include your contact info (name, tagline, like mystery & romance author, email, website addy, and ph and fax numbers) on every page. You should start out with a short bio that fits on the first page, with a statement at the end that you welcome interviews and that they should contact you for more info. You want to set the stage that you are friendly and want them to contact you.

You should list some reviews for your books and then give a short listing of each book, the ISBN and where they can readily get a copy of each book, and you can include photos of the books. Be sure to also include info on your upcoming releases, even though you don't have an ISBN yet etc.

At the end, you should write up an author interview. Play the part of a journalist and list questions he or she would want to ask you as an author and then answer those questions. Now, the media can have a readily available interview to be posted online in blogs and other print media, if so desired. However, it's also a jumping off point for them to quickly learn about you, your books and your writing style and they'll not only have some quotes they can print from your interview, but you've done a lot of the legwork for them already. They'll be more eager to dig deeper and then ask you questions of their own.

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Seth Godin: "Rethinking the Publishing Industry" Pt. 2/3 (9/28/09)

Part 2/3. Renowned marketing expert Seth Godin spoke to the Digital Publishing Group, sponsored by DailyLit, on September 28 about the future of the publishing industry. He described some of the challenges facing book publishers and outlined his vision of what a successful future might look like. Seth Godin is the author of 10 books that have been bestsellers around the world and have been translated into more than 30 languages. Permission Marketing was a New York Times bestseller, Unleashing the Ideavirus is the most popular ebook every published, and Purple Cow is the bestselling marketing book of the decade. Due to a faulty camera battery, unfortunately we were only able to capture Seth's main presentation. The Q&A session was not recorded.

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Abraham: The LAW OF ATTRACTION - Part 4 of 5 - Esther & Jerry Hicks

Abraham, Source Energy interpreted by Esther Hicks, delivers a 5-part introduction to their teachings on The Law of Attraction at a February, 2008 Abraham-Hicks Workshop. The complete presentation runs 40 minutes. Esther & Jerry Hicks are the authors of numerous books based on the Teachings of Abraham and their latest book, "Money and The Law of Attraction", reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. For over 20 years, Esther has translated blocks of thought from "Non-Physical Source Energy" - which she also identifies as her "Inner Being" or "Soul" - and who refer to themselves in the plural as "Abraham" (no relation to the Biblical figure). Esther doesn't use the word "channeling" to describe her process, but understands if others do. For more information, please view our YouTube video entitled "Abraham Explains Who They Are", or go to www.abraham-hicks.com and listen to the audio entitled "Introduction To Abraham". NOTE To turn off and on video subtitles, click on UP arrow at the lower right hand corner of the video player then click on CC. To translate subtitles, mouse over the arrow to the left of the CC, select Translate Captions, and then scroll down to the language you prefer. YouTube currently offers more than 50 language options with more being added regularly. Also, to watch this video in high quality and stereo, simply add "&fmt=18" to the end of the URL and refresh the page.

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Promote Your Books on Talk Shows and Make More Money

Successful authors are convinced that radio interviews are the very best way to reach large audiences and publicize their books. Interviews give authors an opportunity to expound on the topic of their book and disclose personal feelings. While not actively selling, they entice listeners to want to learn more. If you are willing to speak about what you have written, you will certainly make more money. Here's how:

1. Get on all the talk shows you can, especially if you are going to do a book signing! Local, regional, and national prime-time venues, whatever it takes, get on the air as much as you possibly can, as often as you can.

2. Use a great news release, something that grabs attention, holds the reader's interest, and leads them to take positive action. These releases will become part of the media kit you send to book stores and may be faxed to hundreds of radio and television hosts and producers.

3. Send news releases to specific talk show producers and hosts. If you will be doing a book signing in their area, highlight that fact and provide details. There are many sources for lists of television and radio talk shows on the Internet.

4. Do some homework for your interviewer. Provide a short list of questions that might be asked about you and your book during the interview. Refer to them as FAQ's, Frequently Asked Questions. Your recommended questions will make the interviewer's work easier and make them look smarter. Most interviewers will not have time to read your book. The questions will help focus attention on the points you want to get across.

5. Have two books with you when interviewing in person, one for the interviewer, and one for yourself. If you expect to quote or point out a specific page, use paper clips or markers.

6. Be prepared to leave your contact information with the receptionist when you are interviewed in person. Sometimes people call in after you're gone and the station receptionist will have no information to offer unless you have provided it.

7. Always follow up with a thank you note to the person who interviewed you as well as the producer of the show. If possible, also send a note to management complimenting the expertise of the interviewer. Such compliments are appreciated.

Talk show hosts need you. You have special information to share with the world and they have time to fill. Get ready to be entertaining and informative. You sell more books and you may even be invited to do an encore!

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What Products To Sell - 10 Ways To Know What People Want

What products to sell in order to make money fast? If you want to make money fast you have to know what people want and what problem they have. So, you will know what products to sell and you will provide them a proper solution.

I want to offer you 10 ways to know what people want in order to see what products to sell them to earn money online.

1. Search on ClickBank's Marketplace
Do a search at on ClickBank's marketplace and look at first 5-7 products of your market. Look for different categories in the ClickBank's marketplace for those products that are related to your chosen market.

2. Research your market-related forums
Because there are forums for almost every market, choose the ones of your area and make a research: look for the most discussed topics, for what are people's problems, desires, concerns and needs. Then think to provide solution for them.

3. Find best-seller books at Amazon
Best-sellers books are products that sells the most. If you look at Amazon - section Books - and search for keywords or phrases that are related to your market, you will find (go to Advanced Search) a great list of books ranked by bestselling.

4. Research Yahoo Answers on categories
Research those category that are related to your market at Yahoo Answers. Look for what are peoples needs, problems and goals. You will find a lot of ideas.

5. Make a survey from your blog or site
You can discover what people want if you make a survey on your blog or site. Ask people about topics related to your market.

6. Look in popular article directories
Go to most popular article directories like EzineArticles, GoArticles or Isnare and look of the most viewed articles that are related to your market.

7. Search the most popular blogs
Search the most popular blogs related to your market.

8. Ask subscribers of your mailing list
Ask subscribers of your mailing list what topics interest them the most. Then pick up the most wanted topic.

9. Extend your research on offline magazine, newspapers and books
Go to your local library, bookstore or news-stand and research on magazine, newspapers and books to see what are the most wanted topics related to your market.

You can use INFOTRAC system from your library to see recent issues of newspapers and magazines. Or ask the librarian for "Books in Print" reference volume, that is an exhaustive directory of books listed by title and subject.

Once you have a list of magazine and newspapers that contain the relevant articles, find them and make research. Why magazine and newspapers? Because they are up-to-date.

10. Look around your immediate environment and analyze TV adverts and programs
Learn to observe people, things and actions around your immediate environment. Listen what people ask, look for and talk about.

The media have had an increasing effect on our lives and it can be used as an excellent way for generating new ideas. Monitoring the TV listings and analyzing what is on TV and current affairs can help you to find what people want.

If you know what people want, you will know what products to sell in order to make money fast. So, make your research, according to these 10 ways I have provided you.

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Best Seller Books on Relationships

In the self-help section at your favorite bookstore, you will find many books on relationships. Your most recent relationship has ended and you want some advice on where to go next or what to do about the broken heart left behind. The question you face is which book is the best one for you and your circumstances.

I have been the one standing at the bookshelf trying to decide which author is the most credible, so I understand some of your dilemma. Let us see if I can help you discover how to choose the book that is right for you.

Many of the books you see on the shelf were written by individuals with a great deal of education, but very little first hand experience. Textbook knowledge is great and it works in many areas of our lives. But, on matters of the heart, experience speaks louder than education.

Do not be smitten with authors with enough letters following their name to make alphabet soup. Instead, look for one who writes about how he has helped others restore a relationship. Look inside the book, read the table of contents. See if the author devotes a chapter to the situation you are in.

Avoid those books that give cut-and-dried information like do this for a specific period of time and a something wonderful will happen, like your ex will come back to you. Common sense tells you that may, or may not happen. That author is looking for a way into your wallet.

You have already talked with your friends and they have given you their take on what to do. For some reason their advice did not seem to be a solution for you, which led you to seek help from the bookstore. You want to look for a book that sheds new light on your situation. You want new information, something that will connect with you.

You have taken an inventory of the relationship and the things that caused its failure and brought this awful pain you have in your heart. You have a good idea where you must make corrections in your life. That is the answer you are looking for from the book. Be sure the author addresses your specific need, and that he gives you a guide for meeting that need.

Once you think you have found the special book, take a look at what those who have read the book say about the quality of help they received. If the comments on the book are written by others whose lives have been changed, it is a good choice.

The best recommendations are those that come from a lot of people from different lifestyles. If the book does not speak to people from other walks of life, even other parts of the country or world, be a little careful. If, on the other hand, it seems to cover the map so-to-speak, it just might be the book you are searching for.

Approach the self help section with caution because many of the books on the shelf are written by people who can string words together really well. The books may be long on style and short on help. Too few of the books were written by persons who have experienced the pain of a broken relationship.

Do not misunderstand. The bookstore is a great place to look for resources. But you do need to be careful and make sure the book you select addresses the issues you need help with.

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The Red Queen - Reading by Philippa Gregory - 1

Philippa Gregory reads from her new book THE RED QUEEN, the story of Margaret Beaufort, the Mother of The Tudors

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Believe You Are the Most Interesting Person to Talk To

Success begins with belief and ends with doubt.-Larina Kasse

I remember reading through a book and the author was writing about being a reverse paranoid. In that particular section he mentions how he has a belief that the world he's living in, is out to give him everything he absolutely wants and desires. He believes that people are giving him job opportunities. He believes that people want to do business with him. He thinks that instead of the world out to do him bad, he thinks that all the world wants to do is give him everything he's ever craved.

There are times when I think to myself, "Wow the world is out to get me and make me miserable" Then I thought, why can't I believe that the world is out to make me a better conversationalist. What if I do believe that everybody finds me absolutely interesting and a pleasure to chat with? How different would my own inner world be? Then I started adapting the belief of the reverse paranoia. When I started talking to people, I truly believed that I was the MOST interesting person in the room. I believed that everything I said added value to the conversation. I believed that people stayed behind and chatted with me because they found me charismatic.

As a matter of fact for about five months I wrote down (with a dry erase marker) on my bathroom mirror the following affirmation. I use to say it while I was brushing my teeth, and I visualized in my head having perfect conversations with total strangers I had just met.

"People love me and respect me. It is a privilege to talk to me. People find me interesting and charming and always want to get to know me better!"

I would say the affirmation after I brushed my teeth. And I would continue to say it until I felt completely great about myself. I would repeat it until I felt that I convinced myself that I truly was the most intriguing person in the world. Some days it would take me only thirty seconds to have the belief that I was an excellent talker. Other times I would spend five minutes, saying the same line over and over again with varying degrees of enthusiasm, until I said it with complete enthusiasm. There were days that I just wouldn't feel like like saying it, because it would feel like a lie to me. But that's the trouble, like the quote says, success ends when there's doubt. And that's why I continued until I had no doubt in my mind.

Then strange things happened, I noticed that people did find me more interesting, that I gained more confidence in talking with people, and as a matter of fact I started to be comfortable to talking to women I was afraid to talk to in the past. The number of dates I was going on, at least doubled. I was more assertive at work. I was able to control politics and gossip at work to minimal levels, and became a much better manager, and developed better customer relations to the point that sales were up by 20% percent compared to the year before, on my best month sales were up by 39%, and this was a year that a recession was happening. Of course it wasn't the only factor, but it did help a lot to reprogram my brain to believe, and beliefs are very powerful. The more small victories I saw, the more I believed.

Now I'm not promising that you'll achieve miracles with an affirmation, but I promise you that writing down an affirmation and communicating it with yourself will not hinder your progress. After all how much does it cost you to have this belief? Absolutely NOTHING. That's the best part. That believing you're a great conversationalist isn't going to cost you any more than it does to believe you're a terrible one. But I guarantee you if you continue to believe that you're a terrible conversationalist, it is going to cost you in many ways. It's going to cost you financial opportunities, promotions, chances at friendships, leading a more fun and exciting lifestyle, and being a better leader in your community.

How can you get started?

First, choose an affirmation or statement that's relatively short, easy to remember, and makes you excited when you say it. If your affirmation is "I'm a great conversationalist." There's no fireworks to it. Notice in my affirmation how I give my statement life. Ensure you give your affirmation a life of its own.

Second, write down your affirmation where you know you're going to see it every day. This could be on your bathroom mirror, this could be in your wallet, on a sticky note in your car, or on the screen saver at work or home. Whatever your affirmation may be, place in some where visible. Put in in BIG WORDS on a poster by your entrance door, so that way when you leave your home you'll be forced to see it when you leave.

Third, repeat your affirmation to yourself with a sense of purpose and excitement. This way your brain processes the belief much easier. We always learn more in a fun environment, than in an environment that harbors boredom. Don't create a boring environment in your mind, create fun, excitement, and spirit. But say it with passion. When you get a chance, say it several times throughout the day. During your coffee break, when you're taking the bus home, and just before you go to sleep.

Fourth, visualize what it would be like to have great conversations with people that you admire. No matter how brief it is, just visualize. I didn't expect to have a small conversation with one of my idols Brian Tracy, but yet three years after I started reading his books, which changed my life and management style, I had a brief conversation with him. We ended up discussing his trip as a teenager in Africa and how he traveled into countries without the proper visas. So imagine having those positive conversations with the people you admire and you want to meet.

Whatever you do, you have to have the belief that you are a great conversationalist. And you have to be able to tell yourself that every single day until you start to see the results in your life.

One of my students in my class brought up the comment, "I'm always worried that I'm boring people." Yet she was probably one of the least boring people I had ever met. She had grown up in a tropical area of the world where she would do body boarding growing up. She use to "borrow" the boards from hotels. She mentioned that she had a near death experience on a small plane one time after attending a family reunion. And that's just one part of her life. She had such a rich tapestry that she was shy about sharing because she thought she was boring. But to the contrary, she was exciting to talk to. Each and every one of us has a best selling non fiction story to share with the world, it's just whether we believe it's a best seller or not. So don't ever believe you're a boring person, you've lived a life, had some challenges, and therefore you are the most interesting person to talk to. And that makes you a NY Times Best Sellers!

Remember, before you go into any conversation, tell yourself that the other person you're about to talk to believes that you're the best person to chat with ever, believe that everybody that you chat with throughout the day wants to know more about you. And when you start to believe it, before you know it, it happens. And people will want to know more about you.

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International Travel As an Adventure

I came across a statistic the other day that shocked me: only about 10% of U.S. citizens have a passport. While I know that Americans are often criticized for ignorance about the rest of the world, I didn't realize just how little we get out and about!

I know of very few things that can provide the genuine education and adventure that comes with international travel: the fascinating views, the unfamiliar smells, the undecipherable languages, the unidentifiable foods, the interesting people. It is almost a cliche to say that travel broadens one's horizons, but sometimes cliches are as true as they are literal. Myopic, insular, narrow views cannot but be blasted by the wide vistas of the rest of the world "out there."

I will not try and convince you, however, to dust off the suitcases and buy a ticket to somewhere. Instead, I would like to present to you my random list of things to know so that your international travel is the best it can be. It is my hope that in doing so I will tear down whatever walls of fear or inertia have been holding you back from experiencing more of the world.

1. Don't travel like everyone else, suit your own style. What this means is that there are many different ways to travel. There are pre-packaged trips, organized tours, mainstream routes, structured adventures, luxury or rustic, city or country, etc. The first rule of travel is to thine own self be true. Don't take someone else's trip; take your own. Know yourself, what you like, what you must have in terms of accommodations, and make it fit YOU. A trip is like an extension of your personality; make sure it's authentic.

2. Prepare without becoming rigid or locking yourself in. It's the little serendipities that make travel so rewarding. Be sure to allow enough flexibility in your time-schedule and your attitude for the unexpected to happen. Remember: you can't plan wonder, you can only discover it. Your trip should be one of discovery if it is to be anything at all.

3. Pre-learn: read up on the areas to which you will be going. Study maps for geographic reference and understanding. Put a little history into your noggin so you will have context when you get there. Also, it NEVER hurts to learn as many little bits of the language as you can; locals will always be appreciative of your efforts to speak to them in their tongue. This goes for customs, too. Learn how they bow, shake hands, and any other important little norms that can make or break your ability to connect.

4. Go off the beaten path: at least once on your trip wander off. Go somewhere you haven't planned. Take a walk, or rent some type of native transportation so you can get away from the worn grooves tourists have made through the same exact routes. In essence, you want to make your way through the lives of the locals.

5. Make meaningful contact with some local people. Try to initiate conversations and make friends. With the Internet it is easier than ever to stay in touch. This prolongs your "travel" and continues the learning experience. It is also very enriching and provides ongoing insight.

6. Travel light. Let me say this one again: TRAVEL LIGHT!!!!! You really don't need to take as much along as you might think. There is no sin in wearing a set of clothes more than once, or taking the smallest sized toiletries you can buy. Trust me, the more you have to lug that baggage into taxis, through train turnstiles, around airports, and up stairs, the more you'll come to hate your material attachment (this becomes a great metaphor for life, by the way).

7. Take a lot of pictures. When you get back, especially with today's technology, there are endless ways to continue enjoying your experiences. Digital photos are nearly free, and can be displayed and enjoyed and shared endlessly. Don't slack in this department, you really can't overdo it.

8. Keep a daily journal. This is a great way to wring the most out of your experiences, stimulate deeper thought and introspection, promote learning, and provide a record of dates, times, names, and events which may be useful later.

9. Seek first to understand. You don't know what you don't know, so act accordingly. Be inquisitive, curious, and open to learning new viewpoints. Travel as a student and not a critic, be a participant and not a judge.

10. Stay flexible. Detours, re-routings, inconveniences, and little frictions of all types will confront you as you crawl your way around unfamiliar lands. Remain easygoing and understanding. Don't demand your rights or place your own personal comfort at the top of your priority list. No matter what happens, it may be helpful to realize that even if what you are experiencing is uncomfortable, unfair, or a little bit scary, you are gaining a great story. As the saying goes, "No guts, no story."

11. Always have money. One of the best insulators against travel troubles is money. It allows you to travel lighter, knowing you can buy what you need when you need it. It can fix problems or procure accommodations when plans fail, and it can even grease palms when and where it might be needed. A little tip here and there can work wonders in many parts of the world. I would also recommend having at least some of a country's denomination on hand before you get there (otherwise you might end up in France without even enough Euros to pay for the public restroom for your toddlers - true story! I won't bore you with the details). Also, have credit cards of many different types. However, credit cards aren't nearly as popular or widely accepted in most parts of the world as they are in the U.S.. In many, many places, cash is your best bet. Paying in correct change is also highly recommended, otherwise you will end up with huge pocketfuls of heavy coins (according to a cashier I met in Japan, it is a strictly American trait to pay in rounded off sums of cash instead of in correct change).

12. Keep your passport on you at all times.

13. Take time to notice things, to ponder, to think.

14. Find a way to contribute. Figure out a way to become a blessing to the people or places you go. Is there a charity underway in that area? Is there a relief organization that could use donations? Is there a youth that could use an international pen-pal? In other words, take pictures but leave a part of yourself.

15. Buy gifts. Don't forget to expand the impact of your trip by including others back home. This may be as inexpensive as an email, or may take the form of trinkets and keepsakes. However, make sure any gifts purchased are small and travel-durable. It's the thought that counts.

I hope this list proves helpful. However, it will be much more fun for you to construct your own list based on your own experiences. Let me know if I've missed anything!

And don't forget, it's 3 Euros for the public restroom in Nice, France on the Riviera.

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The Longevity Project, Howard Friedman and Leslie Martin - 9781594630750

Book Trailer This landmark study--which Dr. Andrew Weil calls "a remarkable achievement with surprising conclusions"--upends the advice we have been told about how to live to a healthy old age. We have been told that the key to longevity involves obsessing over what we eat, how much we stress, and how fast we run. Based on the most extensive study of longevity ever conducted, The Longevity Project exposes what really impacts our lifespan-including friends, family, personality, and work. Gathering new information and using modern statistics to study participants across eight decades, Dr. Howard Friedman and Dr. Leslie Martin bust myths about achieving health and long life. For example, people do not die from working long hours at a challenging job- many who worked the hardest lived the longest. Getting and staying married is not the magic ticket to long life, especially if you're a woman. And it's not the happy-go-lucky ones who thrive-it's the prudent and persistent who flourish through the years. With questionnaires that help you determine where you are heading on the longevity spectrum and advice about how to stay healthy, this book changes the conversation about living a long, healthy life. View more: bit.ly

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