Pen Freak

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

and more...

DRAGON BATTLE

(simply go to http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

The value of the Hero's Journey is best appreciated by understanding and applying the symbolism and metaphors. One example is "Dragon Battle."

As in the fairytales you are familiar with, before the hero is able to rescue the Princess, he (or she) must battle her guardian, often a dragon.

Thus (bearing in mind that the Princess can be literal or a metaphor for a tangible):

In When Harry met Sally (1989), before Harry beds Sally, he must help her overcome her disappointment regarding her ex-lover.

In The Godfather (1972), before Michael is able to marry Apollonia, he must go through the traditional ritual.

In Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Cheyenne must kill Morton's men before he can rescue Harmonica.

In The Matrix (1999), Neo and Trinity must overcome the Agents before they can rescue Morpheus.

Are we going to see less places where consumers can buy their compatible printer ink cartridges? It looks like the large printer brand makers want more control over the lucrative printer ink cartridge market. They see that their share in this market becomes smaller due to the less expensive ink cartridges supplied by non-OEM manufacturers. So the top printer manufacturers try to regain some market percentage.

Industry leader Hewlett-Packard now approaches chain stores, probably offering them better conditions if they agree to more aggressively market the HP printer ink cartridges and stop or reduce their efforts to supply their customers with third-party replacement printer ink cartridge products. Hewlett-Packard tries to convince consumers that it is better for the printer to use genuine HP cartridges. Sounding like a real warning that it may be bad for your printer if users print with other than Hewlett-Packard's ink cartridges.

But a lot of consumers don't buy that and are not willing to pay for the over-priced genuine ink cartridges. Especially not when the non-genuine ink cartridge manufacturers and suppliers guarantee an ink and print quality that matches that of OEM ink cartridges. See for examples HP Ink Cartridges.

Also printer manufacturers Lexmark and Epson try to stop the production of compatible ink cartridges.

And then there's Kodak, stating that for far too long, people have felt restrained from printing due to the high cost of printer ink. With their new system - the EasyShare 5000 printers - Kodak thinks that the printer ink market will never be the same and claims that consumers can print the same number of pages at half the cost of other consumer inkjet printers.

As the new Kodak printer models may not be available yet, you can find, following this link, info on Kodak Printer Inkjet Refill Cartridges and more....

If you look for article writing tips by searching online, you will find plenty of tips about the best approach to writing Ezine articles. You will also find advice on "article marketing" and any good ebook about niche marketing will contain references to the importance of writing and distributing articles. With all this information available, even newbie webmasters know they should be writing and publishing articles to get more exposure for their websites.

Amongst all the article writing tips you will find on the Internet, there will be masses of good tips for shortcuts to article writing. These shortcuts will include legitimate advice to help you get started, to speed up the writing process, to make submitting to ezine article directories easy etc. You can even find tips on where to look for hot topics for your articles (there's not much point in writing an article nobody will want to read).

Another thing a search will turn up is advice for people who really cannot write their own articles. The options for persons who can't write or do not have time to write their own articles include buying limited edition articles they can publish as their own work, and hiring a ghost writer to produce unique articles for their sole use. These options are considered to be legitimate. If you buy an article, it can be considered yours even if it is not your own work. You do, however, need to be alert to writing tips that cross the line between legitimate marketing and plagiarism (or worse).

If you search for Ezine article writing tips online you will come across plenty of dubious advice and you need to be careful not to pick up these tips. Disregard any suggestion that you take another person's article, change a few words and then claim it as your own. This is on a par with the suggestion that changing the hubcaps on a car you have stolen will make you the rightful owner. Don't do it. Apart from the obvious fact that this is theft, the search engines can easily pick out this sort of clumsy attempt at trickery. You might as well put your efforts into honest endeavours because you'll get further that way.

The worst writing tip I have ever seen was outstanding in its horrific possibilities. I'd like to share it with you:

The Dr Frankenstein Ezine Article Writing Tip

'When you need to publish an article, do a search online for ezine articles in your niche. Pick three or four articles and paste them all into the same Word document. Use the auto summary tool in Word to condense the articles down to the number of words you require. Give the end result a quick scan and edit if necessary to ensure it makes some sort of sense. Voila: you instantly have a new unique article ready for submission to the ezine article directories without having to do any research or writing.'

If you decide to try this writing tip, ask yourself the following questions before you introduce your creation to the world. Have you put together a good article? Will it have appeal for anyone who sees it? How sure are you it is entirely coherent? Does the mixture of styles blend together seamlessly? Can you love it for what it is? Do you feel proud of what you have made? Will you be happy to have your name forever associated with it?

Unfortunately, if you are lazy enough to try this at home, you might become "the author of unalterable evils". It is most likely that you will produce an ugly shambling monstrosity that nobody will want to see. Luckily for you, your hideous creation will not be capable of turning on you and attacking you when it realises its pitiful circumstances. You had just better hope you escape the notice of the owners of the articles you mutilated so casually, since they will undoubtedly feel entitled to take revenge on you. A spell on the Arctic ice with no shelter would be tame compared to what a group of outraged creative writers could devise for you.

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Night Sea Journey*****

It is post the Seizing of the Sword that the Hero is led on a Night Sea Journey. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Ennis and Jack go to the mountains for a couple of days.

*****Final Conflict: Hand to Hand Battle*****

Post the Crossing of the Return Threshold and before the Master of Two Worlds and Selves, a hell of a lot happens that is rarely given mention. The Final Conflict (a metaphor for this stage) follows a distinct process. One element of this stage of the journey is the direct conflict with the antagonist. They do not battle from afar. In Straw Dogs (1971), David takes Tom's son out with a crowbar. Then he takes on and kills Ratboy.

*****Final Conflict*****

Often in the Final Conflict, it is the Hero that travels to a place of great danger (from his perspective). But the danger can come to him (or her). In Straw Dogs (1971), Tom et al drive to David's house and once inside, become antagonistic (the pointing and pushing).

*****Inner Resolve*****

With the coming of the Inner Resolve, the Hero says goodbye to his Old Self and the Old World. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Ennis drives away and this will be the last time they see each other.

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Master of the Two Worlds and Two Selves*****

The Hero, having conquered all challenges and vanquished all antagonisms is now Master of both Old and New Worlds and the Old and New Self, which is universally recognised. In The Matrix (1999), Neo plays with the Matrix. He can slip between both worlds.

*****Final Conflict - Reward or Celebration*****

Post the birth of the New Self, a reward is received. Remaining Challenges are conquered. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie and Clyde finally have sex. Bonnie has an orgasm.

*****Final Catharses*****

Many stories end with multiple catharses. Brokeback Mountain (2005) is no different.

a) Catharsis 1: Ennis' postcard is returned marked deceased.

b) Catharsis 2: Ennis calls Lureen, who tells him about Jake's death.

c) Catharsis 3: Ennis visits Jake's folks. Finds his shirt and takes it back.

*****A Period of Obscurity*****

When the Hero is in his (or her) Ordinary World, he (or she) undergoes a Period of Obscurity. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie bored and naked in bed. In The King of Comedy (1983), Pupkin can't get into the show.

For many years the floppy disk dominated the data backup market for the home user as they offered affordable data storage. Ok using floppies was akward, slow and highly unreliable but at the time it was all we had. Then along came the Zip drive and the world of data backup changed overnight thanks to the creator of the Zip drive - Iomega. No longer were you restricted to a paltry 1.4MB of disk storage - now you could fit 100MB on one single Zip disk. Later this increased to, a then, massive 750MB of storage space which was completely unheard of at the time.

Zip drives worked in almost exactly the same way as a floppy disk except they were physically bigger and provided a much higher data transfer rate than home users had ever seen before in an "external" data storage device. The biggest problem with Zip drives is that although they were similar to floppy disks you still needed a separate Zip drive to read or write to these disks which in turn meant more expense for home users. Also there was a rival technology called the LS-120 or SuperDisk that found favour with many computer manufacturers (ironically enough the Zip drive long outlived the LS-120 in terms of popularity and usefulness) so the Zip drive faced an uphill struggle from it's introduction to an eager computer market.

The Zip drive was/is available in a few different flavors. There were parallel, SCSI, USB and IDE Zip drives available on the market at one stage. This meant that regardles of what type of computer you had you'd be able to find a Zip drive with a compatible interface. This meant that both Mac and PC users tended to love the Zip drive although most Mac users tended to favor the Zips bigger SCSI brother - the Jaz drive... that however is the topic for another article for another day.

Alas for all their ingenuity the Zip drive has become all but obsolete. The current growth in hard drive storage capacities has meant that any storage device offering less than 10GB - 20GB of storage space is all but ignored as a useful backup device. Any computer user reading this who has ever owned a Zip drive will probably feel the same sense of nostalgia I felt when writing it. The Zip drive was incredibly revolutionary in it's day and paved the way for a real boom in data backup technology for homes and small businesses. RIP Zip drive.... you shall be missed.

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Trivial Task*****

During the Period of Desolation, where the Hero is not committed to the Journey and Transformation, a Trivial Task sets the Hero on the right course. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), they steal another car.

*****Leaving the First Threshold*****

Upon leaving the First Threshold, a New Self is slowly becoming apparent. The Hero leaves behind the Old Self. Often this is expressed by a Change of Clothes. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie puts on New Clothes and is dressed nicely now.

*****Hero surprises himself*****

Post the Crossing of the Return Threshold and before the Master of Two Worlds and Selves, a hell of a lot happens that is rarely given mention. The Final Conflict (a metaphor for this stage) follows a distinct process. It is not unusual for the hero, even though he (or she) may have been confident beforehand, to be surprised at his (or her) own overcoming of the antagonism. In Straw Dogs (1971), David whispers to himself, "...Jesus, I got them all....."

*****No Mans Land and New Self*****

It is in No Mans Land that the Hero's New Self becomes apparent. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack tells Pop, the ignorant son of a bitch, to sit down. Ennis finds out that Alma knows he is gay.

Are you cutting on your advertising budget but want to get attention? This should not be a problem. In every company, publicity is important. If you are quite tight with the advertising budget, you can get free publicity. The solution is simple - a killer press release.

Before you can use this as an advertising medium, it is essential to know how to write a press release that would spell out success for your goal. Here are some tips to remember.

1. Decide the proper timing for your press release. It is important to note if a press release should be shared to the public immediately or for a certain time and date.

2. Summarize the whole thought of your press release with a catchy headline.

3. Be sure to compose the body of your press release in a manner that it would not advertise but to inform. Make sure that you will answer the questions- What, Who, When, Where and Why. You may also opt to leave some information that would intrigue and provoke the reader or editor to ask for more.

4. Double check for grammatical errors or spelling errors in your press release. You do not want to leave an unprofessional impression about your company.

Make sure to consider these tips to make sure that you will get the publicity that you wanted. This will help you with marketing your website as well as your company. This would not only guarantee good traffic for your online business but also you can gain more profit and also cut more on your advertising expense.

Crime fiction in general and murder mystery in particular is a popular staple of bookshops, theatre and television drama, and is a genre often tackled by new writers. This article is written from the standpoint of someone who writes mysteries for theatre performance, but the lessons and techniques can be applied to any media.

However you wish to present your mystery, there are at least three vital elements to a ripping mystery: characters and plot. So often the budding writer gets so bogged down in developing a complex web of intrigue that the all important element of character development is missed entirely and consequently we hardly care what happens to them.

I strongly advise that a murder mystery, in what ever form, should start with the development of characters who fit closely into the environment you have chosen for your story. Plot will come later, and actually flow from the characters you have created.

So, let's begin with the environment. Murder mysteries set in a 1930s English mansion have been done, pardon the pun, to death, but there are reasons for their popularity. For starters, this setting instantly gives the writer a set of stock characters with whom the reader/watcher will already be partly familiar. Secondly the confined setting often means that the list of suspects is immediately obvious. I'm certainly not advocating that you avoid such a setting, but there are hundreds of other situations which can give rise to a similar set of conditions. Consider, for example, a submarine, an office party, a medieval banquet, an Antarctic expedition, a spaceship, a cruise ship, a town council meeting - the list can go on and on.

Once you've picked your place you can easily begin to think of a series of characters. Let's concentrate on the submarine for now to get an idea of how this might work. We obviously need a captain, and let's add a couple of officers and ratings for good measure. We shall want to make the trip a little interesting along the way, so let's throw in a mysterious passenger and his beautiful wife. We don't even need to name our gallant crew at the moment - but we can begin to sketch in the characteristics that can point the way to an interesting plot.

So then, our captain. He needs a bit of backstroke. Let's make him a gruff old sea-dog who demands high standards and is nearing retirement. He has a fear of water developed after his wife drowned in a pleasure boat accident. We can go on this way with all of our major players, and then the interesting part starts - working out their relationship with other characters.

I usually do this by drawing a bubble diagram and connecting each character to each of the others with an arrow describing their relationship. For example:
Captain -----------> blames for death of his wife ----------> Officer 1


Captain -----------> was once engaged to -------------------> Beautiful wife


Eventually we have a web of interconnections that begin to suggest a framework for a story.

Some of these interconnections may fall by the wayside or be changed as we progress, but it's a good start.

Now go back to your characters and assign them names. If you are planning a comical story these names could suggest their characteristics (eg Captain Stable), or you may want something more sombre. Add a few more notes on their character then you are ready to begin on part 2 - the plot...

VIRTUAL SCHOOL COMMUNITIES

Digital Pen Pals

Many people never forget writing pen pal letters when they were young.
Some people even become life-long friends with pen pals they first wrote to
in elementary school.

Today, as communicating with people on the other side of the world is as simple
as a click of a mouse, the art of writing pen pal letters should not become a lost
teaching tool. On the contrary, today's technology can only enhance and improve the
pen pal experience for your students.

Here are some tips to help you give your students an enriched pen pal experience:

1) Alternate between handwritten letters and emails.

2) Allow students to communicate with pen pals via instant messaging.

3) Have student create audio and/or video clips for their pen pals.

4) Have video conferences with your pen pal class.

5) Create projects that students and their pen pals can work on together
via the internet.

6) Encourage your students to continue to write to their pen pals over the summer and in future years even when the leave your class.

Using technology to write pen pals in the 21st century will help teach our students
how to better work within the global community around them. My class has been writing letters, emailing, and talking to many different classes from around the world. They are fascinated with the similarities and difference between them and their pen pals on the other side of the world. To get started visit People to People international at http://www.ptpi.org and get matched up with another class from almost anywhere in the world.

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Conquest of the Romantic Challenge*****

The conquest of the Romantic Challenge is the Hero's Reward (post the Rebirth through Death). This is what is commonly referred to as the Mystical Marriage.

Rewards are referenced. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Kicking Bird's wife brings up the topic of John's relationship with Stands with a Fist.

Obstacles to the Reward are referenced. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Kicking Bird's wife discusses the mourning.

Removal of Obstacles is normally straightforward. In Dances with Wolves (1990), Kicking Bird tells Stands with a Fist that she can stop mourning. In Star Wars (1977), Luke swings to the other side of the bridge, Leia in his arms.

Rewards are given. In Star Wars (1977), Leia gives Luke a kiss. In Dances with Wolves (1990), John Dunbar and Stands with a Fist marry.

Sex. The boy gets the girl, of course.

*****Guided to the Oracle*****

The Hero is guided to an Oracle, who possesses some knowledge that the Hero must acquire.

Often the guide is a Mentor. In The Matrix (1999), Morpheus accompanies Neo to the Oracle. In Gladiator (2000), Maximus is simple brought to his Master, Proximo.

Often a weak animal or injured party guides the Hero toward the Oracle. In Star Wars (1977), the lost fighter guides Luke et al to the Death Star.

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Antiheroes in the Final Conflict - Devolution*****

Heroes evolve and Antiheroes devolve. During the Final Conflict, devolution is expressed in a number of ways. For example, In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), the papers say that Clyde left his brother. This is not how he wants to be remembered.

*****Foreshadow of the Final Conflict****

A Foreshadow of the Final Conflict is not uncommon (the very detailed stage between the Crossing of the Return Threshold and the Mastery of the Old and New Worlds and Self). This is not unlike the stage of the Elixir, where the ultimate goal is made explicit. In Straw Dogs (1971), the boys say that, "...we can take care of our own here, usually do..."

*****Rescue from Without*****

A pull brings the Heroes out of No Mans Land. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Valerie the waitress asks Ennis to dance. Randall invites Jake to the cabin.

It used to cost a fortune to get a book printed and published. Today it can all be done online for considerably less than $1,000...and most of that is going to go to your cover designer.

Instead of ordering 1,000 or 5,000 titles at once, you can order 1 at a time using print-on-demand publishing. So it's not a question of whether you can publish a book or not. It's a question of whether you should.

Not everyone should publish a book.

If you have the dream of selling a million copies and getting rich through your book, keep dreaming. It can happen, but it's a million to one shot.

Books have the lowest margin of any information product. A CD costs $1 to $2 to duplicate and sells for $15 and up. A DVD costs $1.50 to $3 and sells for $20 and up. A multimedia course with manuals, CDs, and DVDs may sell for $100 to $1,000 or more.

A book printed in low numbers costs $3 to $5 and sells for $20 or less in most cases. Can you make money from a book? Yes...but I would never want to be in a position where I had to make money from a book.

They're an entry product and they're a tool for generating publicity.

I would never recommend a book for someone's first information product. Start with a CD, DVD, or even an eBook. If that proves successful, then consider a book.

While not everyone should publish a book...every consultant, coach, and information product developer, and professional speaker should!

Let's say we're both consultants or coaches and we're talking to a business owner. You sit down on the plane beside them and give them your card. When they ask me what I do, I hand them my card and my book.

Who stands out as an expert in the field?

Now let's say we both contact radio stations and offer to do an interview. You tell them how you coach people about success in business. I tell them the same thing and send them my book. Who stands out as the expert in this case?

The book author does...Face it. You might know more than the author right now, but they will often be perceived as the more knowledgable expert because they put it in a book. Will the radio host read the book? Not likely...There are some pretty crappy books that get major publicity.

That's enough on that before I get myself into trouble.

If you want to be perceived as an expert in your field...create a book. You don't even have to write it yourself. Put together the materials and hire a ghostwriter to create it if you want.

Now let's say you want your book to be a profit center. It can definitely be that, but it requires you to create large scale publicity. If you do an interview on a major radio station, you can sell 300 books or more.

If you were published by a publishing house, you might only get $1 per book. So that appearance was worth $300. Using POD publishing, you might be averaging $10 a book...so you earn $3,000. That's not bad for the hour interview. Get a major TV appearance...and you can sell tens of thousands.

You can also do book signings and other events to sell more books...but remember this all requires you to do something. If you want a fully automated business, books are not the job for you (although you could have a PR agent making the contacts for you). There are other products where this can be done much easier. The math simply doesn't work out for paid advertising in most cases.

When I work with a author, I like them to have additional products and services to sell on the backend. Sure...it's nice to make money selling your book. What else do you have? Do you have a CD set or a DVD showing your techniques in more detail? Do you offer consulting or coaching on the backend? That's where the real money is in books for the average author.

Names are extremely important in fiction. You want to choose a name that is memorable and appropriate for the character. Sometimes the names come easily, but more often you have to work at it. There are many ways to find names. I'll be sharing a few with you that have worked for me or others I know. But whatever your method, there are also a few guidelines to keep in mind.

Names with Meaning


This is one of my preferred methods. Pick a trait about your character and search through a dictionary, a thesaurus, encyclopedia, language dictionaries, or resources with name meanings. For a bard character I searched for names on Behind the Name that dealt with songs and storytelling: bard, song, story, tale… The latter came up with "Satu" which means "fairy tale, fable" in Finnish. I liked the sound and meaning, so that's what I named her.

Language or Culture


Another way to look at names is to keep all of your characters within the same type of culture. You could have Japanese names, African names, German names… many possibilities. The fantasy culture doesn't have to resemble the real world culture in any way except the naming system, but it does add to the unity of the created world. For example, Sara Douglass' book Threshold is in a very Egyptian like culture, and she names her characters appropriately. She took many of the names from the Bible and books on Egyptology.

Sounds


Different letter sounds imply different types of characters. Harsh sounding names work well for evil characters – Sark, Cain, Graxis. Softer sounds for good characters – Jaren, Harry, Rohan.

Historical, Modern, or Otherworldly


If you are writing a historical fantasy, you'll want to research what names were common in the time period and location of your story. If it's magic realism or takes place in the modern world, you have a lot more leeway. You can find just about any name in any part of the world, though different names will be more common some places than others. Now if your story takes place in a different realm, anywhere that's not Earth, you can make a name any way you want. DO NOT make them unpronounceable. If some demon must have a name like Jktlomnps (or equally hideous to read) then please give them a nickname that's more pleasant to the eyes (like Jek) or some other way for the characters and readers to refer to them.

Tricks with Words


Here are three tricks to create whole new words which may spark a character name:


1. This one is from Writing.com user jezzilin. "take common phrases and say them really fast and drop a few letters. ie... bird in a tree... birdinatree... bidantre... Bidantre." Great for place or character names.


2. Spell words backwards. Take a regular word or a name and flip it around. You will find some awful combinations this way, but there is a chance for gems. The name Canderyn, for instance, turns out Nyrednac (Nac for short).


3. Keyboard mashing. This tends to be a last resort. Pound some random keys, then try to make sense of it. It takes creativity to turn al;sdiufaoei into Alsifa (real time example).

A few things to remember:


* Make names readable.


* Don't have too many similar names. If two character names sound/look alike (Jaren and Jaiden) then your reader may get confused. You don't want them backtracking or looking for clues to figure out which one you're talking about.


* Keep some consistency. Don't have K'latho'ras and Selena from the same region. If you have multiple countries/realms/cultures in your world then give them some general naming guidelines.

Resources:


Real Life. Be observant! If you work with people, you have a great resource for names. My husband enrolls college students, so he'll make note of any interesting names he comes across and pass them along. Also use phone books, spam, cemeteries, etc.

Random Name Generators. If you search online there are tons out there. One of my favorites is Seventh Sanctum.

Name Meaning Sites. A good one is BehindtheName.com.

Baby Naming Sites. Search online, you can find most popular names, common names by year, country, lots of options.

There are plenty of books on naming as well. Check your local library.

Many would be applicants have wondered why they did not get the job they want. They may have impeccable qualifications needed for the job and have spent hours on their resume, but what they don't know, is that neglecting to write an efficient cover letter is what did them in.

In all reality, your cover letter makes the same impact if not even more than your resume. Your cover letter provides the first impression of what kind of a person you are. Write a cover letter that's terrible, you wouldn't even make it to the pile. Your application will just end up in the trash.

Your cover letter should immediately grab the attention of the reader and keep him interested all through out. Make it long and it would probably not be finished by the reader. What you need is your cover letter to be short, concise and impeccably clean and free from errors.

Your cover letters objection is to pique the interest of the leader to move on to your resume and eventually move you to the short list granted a chance for an interview. Most of the people in human resources are busy. They don't need you to be meddling with their time. What they need is to be able to determine which people are able for the job. Your cover letter alone can help you be one of them.

Your cover letter should immediately depict you as the right person for the job. So it is imperative that you properly know what you are applying for. It should show you as the right person for the job. In your first paragraph alone, you should be able to generate interest already. Also, you should be able to tell them what position you are applying for.

In the second paragraph, outline your qualifications. This should explain why you are the best person for the job. Include your work experiences, educational attainment, trainings and skills. Make sure to only include those that are applicable to the position you are applying for. This will allow you to concentrate on the necessary details that can land you the job.

On the next paragraphs, explain why you want to work for them. Explain why their company works best for you. Then tell them what you can do for the company, how the company can and will benefit from you.

Here are some more tips on writing an effective cover letter:

• Be original. Avoid using templates. The reader may have seen them already and will associate this to you. He or she may think you are lazy and you don't have any originality.

• Be specific. If you are too vague with your qualifications and credentials, you may come off as being unsure of yourself.

• Do your research, knowing how to specifically address your letter makes a good impression. It shows that you are genuinely interested.

• Stick to the truth. Don't over exaggerate your accomplishments. Many potential employers check up on what you have written down. If you are caught lying, then you can't be trusted.

And as a general rule, check and double check your cover letter before submitting it. Any grammatical errors, wrong spelling and such will reflect back to you.

Many would be applicants have wondered why they did not get the job they want. They may have impeccable qualifications needed for the job and have spent hours on their resume, but what they don't know, is that neglecting to write an efficient cover letter is what did them in.

In all reality, your cover letter makes the same impact if not even more than your resume. Your cover letter provides the first impression of what kind of a person you are. Write a cover letter that's terrible, you wouldn't even make it to the pile. Your application will just end up in the trash.

Your cover letter should immediately grab the attention of the reader and keep him interested all through out. Make it long and it would probably not be finished by the reader. What you need is your cover letter to be short, concise and impeccably clean and free from errors.

Your cover letters objection is to pique the interest of the leader to move on to your resume and eventually move you to the short list granted a chance for an interview. Most of the people in human resources are busy. They don't need you to be meddling with their time. What they need is to be able to determine which people are able for the job. Your cover letter alone can help you be one of them.

Your cover letter should immediately depict you as the right person for the job. So it is imperative that you properly know what you are applying for. It should show you as the right person for the job. In your first paragraph alone, you should be able to generate interest already. Also, you should be able to tell them what position you are applying for.

In the second paragraph, outline your qualifications. This should explain why you are the best person for the job. Include your work experiences, educational attainment, trainings and skills. Make sure to only include those that are applicable to the position you are applying for. This will allow you to concentrate on the necessary details that can land you the job.

On the next paragraphs, explain why you want to work for them. Explain why their company works best for you. Then tell them what you can do for the company, how the company can and will benefit from you.

Here are some more tips on writing an effective cover letter:

• Be original. Avoid using templates. The reader may have seen them already and will associate this to you. He or she may think you are lazy and you don't have any originality.

• Be specific. If you are too vague with your qualifications and credentials, you may come off as being unsure of yourself.

• Do your research, knowing how to specifically address your letter makes a good impression. It shows that you are genuinely interested.

• Stick to the truth. Don't over exaggerate your accomplishments. Many potential employers check up on what you have written down. If you are caught lying, then you can't be trusted.

And as a general rule, check and double check your cover letter before submitting it. Any grammatical errors, wrong spelling and such will reflect back to you.

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero's Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO'S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to www.clickok.co.uk for full details)

*****Trial 3 Evolution*****

Trial 3 often shows the Hero evolving (becoming closer to his New Self), In Straw Dogs (1971), David enters the pub but this time is not afraid of Tom and buys them all a drink. Further, he is accepted - the Major invites him over.

*****Confidence of the Antagonist*****

Post the Crossing of the Return Threshold and before the Master of Two Worlds and Selves, a hell of a lot happens that is rarely given mention. The Final Conflict (a metaphor for this stage) follows a distinct process. One element of the early stage of this part of the hero's journey is the supreme confidence of the antagonist. In Straw Dogs (1971), Chawsey, Charlie and Ratman are playing on their bikes.