10 RULES FOR WRITING OPINION PIECES

Writing Skills Tags: magazine writing.
July 27, 2009 | Susan Shapiro Writers Digest

Opinionated editorial essays are often the most fun, fast and furious pieces to get into print—especially for nonfamous writers with strong opinions and day jobs in other fields. That’s because editors of newspapers and online magazines like Slate, Salon, The Huffington Post and The Daily Beast want quick commentary on the ever-changing news cycle from experts who can illuminate different angles of stories as they unfold.

So if you have an engaging, unusual point of view on a current public conundrum, along with a relevant platform (e.g., being a teacher, businessman, lawyer, doctor, parent or stamp collector) you don’t need clips or editorial experience on your résumé—just quick thinking and an understanding of the form of these articles. I once sent a hastily written kvetch about a Kmart opening in my Greenwich Village neighborhood to The New York Times at noon, had an acceptance by 2 p.m., was sent a copy by midnight and received a check within a week. Here are the essential elements of a successful and sellable op-ed.

1. BE TIMELY OR EARLY. I submitted my Kmart commentary the week the local branch opened, which, luckily, coincided with a front-page debate about superstores infiltrating Manhattan. Timeliness is essential with this genre, especially now that online news sites can update as often as they choose. The presidential election was hot for op-ed writers until Nov. 4; then, regular columnists took over the topic.

Be sure to factor in lead times and how long it can take an editor to reply (especially if he doesn’t know you). If the Fourth of July is next week, your patriotic piece might already be too late. Retool it for Labor Day. Holidaysare reliable hooks because they happen every year, so you can plan ahead (or try again next year).

2. BE VERY OPINIONATED. Here’s the one time it’s helpful to be a hothead. Avoid being mild-mannered, tactful or diplomatic, as well as offering both sides of the story. An argument is much better than a discussion.

3. CONVEY A STRONG LINK TO YOUR SUBJECT. When you are an expert on a topic, it’s fine to emphasize your authority with the first-person voice, especially if your personal story resonates in a universal way. Just make sure you do have authority. Unless you have fought in the Iraq war, have lost a family member there or are from Iraq, your chances of selling a piece about it are slim.

4. ADD UNKNOWN FACTS. When crafting your piece, keep asking yourself what’s new, fresh, unusual and timely. As an editor recently told my journalism class, “[They’re] called newspapers, not oldspapers.” Include specific or obscure facts, updated statistics and direct quotes to support your argument.

5. DON’T SHARE THE OBVIOUS SLANT. Even if you can pen a smart argument on a topical subject, nobody wants to print what everyone already knows. Rage, play devil’s advocate, argue the rarer point or elucidate as only you uniquely can.

6. KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET. Most of the op-ed pieces my students have published over the years—in large publications such as The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post as well as small ones like The Star Ledger—are between 350 and 700 words. Longer pieces tend to be penned by well-known scribes, senators and steady columnists—
not freelancers.

7. BE AWARE OF YOUR AUDIENCE. Here’s a sneaky way to learn about a publication’s politics, geographic preferences and tone—read it first! The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times and Commentary Magazine are slanted to the right politically and probably won’t be running left-wing screeds by unknowns. The left-leaning Nation, Newsday and Slate aren’t likely to print a newcomer’s anti-blue-state rants. Beware of making too many New York or Los Angeles references in a piece aimed at The Detroit News or a website with national or international readers. Similarly, financial references and other such factors should depend on demographics.

8. DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE SYBIL. If you want to publish in lots of op-ed pages, develop multiple personalities, like the woman in the old Sally Field movie Sybil. Highlight different areas of expertise that show why you’re a good person to take on each subject. If you’re trashing the verdict of a public trial, identify yourself as a lawyer. To comment on parenting issues, mention that you have four children. If you want to interest the editor of Forward (a Jewish publication), The Irish Times or Audrey (an Asian lifestyle magazine), state your religion or ethnicity in the cover letter, the piece itself and your bio.

I have many identities for my various voices. When I’m sharing my side of an education debate, “Susan Shapiro is a journalism professor at New York University, The New School and Cooper Union.” When I show off to women’s magazines about being a matchmaker, “Susan Shapiro has fixed up 13 marriages and was set up with both her husband and his runner up.” When I pitch The Jerusalem Post, I’m “a nice Jewish girl who often visits her 32 cousins in Tel Aviv.”

9. DON’T COMMENT ON ANOTHER COMMENTARY. Although it seems like an editor might want to print your contrary opinion to the essay she ran yesterday, she doesn’t. Editors are also reluctant to run pieces trashing another specific article in a newspaper or magazine. Furthermore, a rant wrapped solely around one movie, book, play or TV show is a review, not an op-ed. You’re better off depicting trends or commenting on a bunch of current movies, books, plays or TV shows in an overview or cultural commentary.

10. FOLLOW UP. Many op-ed editors say if they don’t get back to you within 48 hours, the answer is no. But maybe they never received your submission because of a fluke. To make sure your op-ed landed where it was directed, follow up politely within a week.

Also, some places don’t pay for pieces. But several newspaper editors I know admit they won’t mention their usual $100–$350 fee for op-eds unless the writer asks for payment and sends an invoice. So speak up. The squeaky writer gets the clip—and the check!  [WD]

Triple O Outline

1.  Use the Triple-O method to create a plot "skeleton" for some of your story ideas. For each story idea, start with a clean sheet of paper (or new computer document) and try to describe each of the three "O's": Object, Obstacles and Outcome. This also would be a good time to try to come up with some possible titles for these story ideas. (Jot down as many appropriate titles for each idea as you think of, even if you don't think they're exactly right. Coming up with good titles is often a process of trial and error.)

If you're having trouble applying the Triple-O method to your story ideas, it just may be that you need a little more practice. As Nanovic suggests later in his Writer's Yearbook article, a good way to do that is to work the process in reverse-start with a published story and see if you can identify the three O's. After you've reduced a number of completed stories to their essence in this way, you should be comfortable applying the method to your own undeveloped ideas.
 
2.  Pick one of your Triple-O outlines and practice writing the three opening scenes of your story:
        In the first scene, describe your hero and show the reader what he wants. End the scene by planting a "hook"
        that introduces the action in the second scene.
        In the second scene, define the reasons why the hero can't have what he/she wants.
        In the third scene, define how your hero reacts when he learns he can't have what he wants. After this scene,
         write a short sequel that sets up the action for the next scene.

Sandy Hook Murders

Want gun control? Consider this:

1. The reason the Constitution allows guns has nothing to do with hunting.

2. There are two reasons for private gun ownership:

    a. For defense against evil people.

• What would the body count at Sandy Hook have been if just one teacher had a gun?
• What would the body count in the Aurora theater have been if just one customer had a gun?
• What would the body count at Ft. Hood have been if just one soldier had a gun?
• What would the body count have been at Virginia Tech if just one student or professor had a gun?
• What would be the body count from aircraft hijacks if pilots carried guns. Oh! They do...and the count is ZERO.
• What would be the body count in the Portland mall shootings if a citizen had a gun? Oh, one did. And the only body was that of the shooter, who committed suicide as soon as he saw the citizen show his gun. The citizen did not even have to fire.
• Here's some more:

– Mayan Palace Theater, San Antonio, Texas, this week: Jesus Manuel Garcia shoots at a movie theater, a police car and bystanders from the nearby China Garden restaurant; as he enters the movie theater, guns blazing, an armed off-duty cop shoots Garcia four times, stopping the attack. Total dead: Zero.

– Winnemucca, Nev., 2008: Ernesto Villagomez opens fire in a crowded restaurant; concealed carry permit-holder shoots him dead. Total dead: Two. (I’m excluding the shooters’ deaths in these examples.)

– Appalachian School of Law, 2002: Crazed immigrant shoots the dean and a professor, then begins shooting students; as he goes for more ammunition, two armed students point their guns at him, allowing a third to tackle him. Total dead: Three.

– Santee, Calif., 2001: Student begins shooting his classmates — as well as the “trained campus supervisor”; an off-duty cop who happened to be bringing his daughter to school that day points his gun at the shooter, holding him until more police arrive. Total dead: Two.

– Pearl High School, Mississippi, 1997: After shooting several people at his high school, student heads for the junior high school; assistant principal Joel Myrick retrieves a .45 pistol from his car and points it at the gunman’s head, ending the murder spree. Total dead: Two.

– Edinboro, Pa., 1998: A student shoots up a junior high school dance being held at a restaurant; restaurant owner pulls out his shotgun and stops the gunman. Total dead: One.

Answer: the number would be so low it would not even make the evening news.

     b. For defense against evil governments.

• How many people would have been murdered in the Holocaust if the Jews had guns? 
• How many Cambodians would have died in the Killing Fields if private gun ownership had been allowed?

Answer: millions less.

The Four Parts of Effective Storytelling

The Four Parts of Effective Storytelling
I prefer to call story structure what it is: four parts, four unique contexts and discrete missions for the scenes in them, divided by two major plot points and a midpoint. Call them plot twists if you want to; the folks at Oxford won’t know. Throw in a compelling hero’s need and quest. Then formidable obstacles that block the hero’s path. A couple of pinch points. A hero who learns and grows, someone we can empathize with and root for. Scenes that comprise the connective tissue among them all.

The one rule of Part 4—the resolution of your story—is that no new expositional information may enter the story once it has been triggered. If something appears in the final act, it must have been foreshadowed, referenced or already in play. This includes characters.


GUIDELINE 1: The Hero is a Catalyst.
The hero of the story should emerge and engage as the primary catalyst in Part 4. He needs to step up and take the lead. He can’t merely sit around and observe or just narrate, he can’t settle for a supporting role, and most of all, he can’t be rescued.


GUIDELINE 2: The Hero Grows Internally.
The hero should demonstrate that he has conquered the inner demons that have stood in his way in the past. The emerging victory may have begun in Part 3, but it’s put into use by the hero in Part 4. Usually Part 3 shows the inner demon trying for one last moment of supremacy over the psyche of the hero, but this becomes the point at which the hero understands what must be done differently moving forward, and then demonstrates that this has been learned during the Part 4 dénouement.


Guideline 3: A New and Better Hero Emerges.
The hero should demonstrate courage, creativity, out-of-the-box thinking, even brilliance in setting the cogs in motion that will resolve the story. This is where the protagonist earns the right to be called a hero.

Bad Contract Terms

Another great blog on literary contracts. This one gives a bunch of words to look out for in contracts. They should not be accepted.

Publishing Contract (Negotiating Book Contracts, Legal Forms for Publishers, Book Publishing Contract, Author-Publisher Agreement, Book Contract)

Publishing Contract (Negotiating Book Contracts, Legal Forms for Publishers, Book Publishing Contract, Author-Publisher Agreement, Book Contract)

Great article on Publishing contracts. Has links to other articles. A must reference for authors.

How to get more ReTweets

Courtesy of: Quick Sprout

Headline Basics

From Copyblogger:
You have to promise something valuable:

• What pressing problem do you solve? 
• What pain do you remove? 
• What value do you add? 
• What pleasure do you create? 
• What freedom do you permit? 
• What connection do you allow?

You can easily create valuable content that also communicates big promises like:

• Yes, there is an answer to the problem that’s been bothering you
• You’re not alone
• It’s not as hard as you think
• You’re one of a select group/village/tribe
• The success you’ve been looking for is finally about to be yours
• It’s not your fault
• People worse off than you have conquered this problem

A game plan to “work” any room in-person

A game plan to “work” any room in-person: (from "No More Cold Calling" here)

• RSVP and say, “yes” to meetings, conferences, gatherings, fund-raisers, and business mixers.
• Do due diligence and prepare. Check out websites, Google, or Bing names of sponsors, members, speakers, and attendees.
• Prepare a seven- to nine-second self-introduction that is an engaging pleasantry.
• Read the news: online or in print. Read both local and national coverage so that you can be knowledgeable and conversant. (This includes sports, entertainment, book reviews, and restaurant/food features).
• Prepare three to five topics of conversation in case you get stuck for subjects of interest.
• Leave your Bluetooth, gizmos, and gadgets out of sight.
• Approach those alone or groups of three or more who sound and look like they are having a good time.
• Let people know what you need/results you seek.
• LISTEN to what others say they need and OFFER to help.
• Go to have a good time, and you will.

Build Relationships with Key People

From: Rise to the Top

1. Mention them in your blog or video (best);do a book report video 
2. send them a link to it. Give them something free: 
3. Thank them

Romancing Your Readers

From: Writers Village by John Yeoman

Pattern your protagonist upon your target reader - not as they really are but as they (your reader) would like to be.


How can you do this? Mentally picture the person you are writing for.

If yours is a ‘genre’ story, draw up a profile of the typical reader of, say, romance, sci-fi, paranormal mystery, crime (of every flavour), historicals and the like. And examine their tastes. For example, a Google search along the lines of ‘historical fiction readers demographics’ can be highly revealing.

Works in conversations, too.

Long Form Journalism

Here's a great blog on long content articles: Here
It has lots and lots of other content and links. It's worth a full read. Here's a sample of the key nugget though:

The New Yorker is the authority when it comes to long-form journalism. That’s why Tumblr invoked their name when advertising for freelance writers.

But what can they teach you about business-to-business content marketing? What can they teach us about using epic content to build the value of your brand?

Fortunately, a lot.

• Solve business objectives — Your costumers are probably not looking to kill time with a seven-thousand word essay on Taylor Swift’s teenage angst empire (New Yorker customers are, however). Your customers want to know how to generate more traffic, leads and sales. Use epic content to do that.
• Educate with stories — Dig into the history of your company or customer testimonials. Begin with a meaningful conflict, agitate the pain and then trot in your solution. As The New Yorker has demonstrated, people like in-depth stories. It makes learning fun. Give it to them.
• Diversify your content — Think blogs, email white papers and ebooks. The more vehicles in which you communicate your message the more people you will reach and the more effective you will be. Warning: Keep your message consistent across mediums.
• Use social media — Unless you’ve got a huge audience already, your epic content will be DOA if you don’t use the power of social media to gain exposure. And don’t forget to make Google+ a strong component of your content marketing strategy.
• Invest in quality writers — Great content is hard to create. And you can’t fake it. Gone are the days of keywords stuffing or outsourced content farms. Only superior content will build your influence with your target audience and Google. There’s no way around it (even if you are Tumblr).
• Speak their language — When you answer their questions, alleviate their fears and encourage their desires you will write effectively for both people and search engines.
• Create a schedule — A giant publication like The New Yorker knows six months out what content it will create—and when it will publish. Create and manage an editorial calendar, using tools like the WordPress Editorial Calendar plugin.

LogLine Tips

From Rachelle Gardner

What the LogLine should include:
→ A character or two
→ Their choice, conflict, or goal
→ What’s at stake (may be implied)
→ Action that will get them to the goal
→ Setting (if important)

Tips:
→ Keep it simple. One plotline, 1 or 2 characters.
→ Use the strongest nouns, verbs and adjectives.
→ Make the conflict clear but you don’t have to hint at the solution.

Tell what happens, not a theme

Here is Nathan Bransford’s simplified formula for a one-sentence pitch: “When [opening conflict] happens to [character(s)], they must [overcome conflict] to [complete their quest].”

10 Steps to Becoming a Better Writer

Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.

5 Ways to Get People to Actually Listen to You

5 Ways to Get People to Actually Listen to You

By Maria Tabaka

Your audience must be able to feel and experience your communications.


1. Keep your mouth shut--for a couple of moments.

Don't say anything substantive until you have an audience connection. Note that their first impression is visual, not verbal. . You can gain command by the way you carry yourself, before you even open your mouth. The body speaks before the mouth is open. Avoid rocking, looking down, and fidgeting. Stand and walk with confidence.

2. Get your audience engaged.

Get the eyeballs looking up before you say anything. Move with quiet confidence and smile, inviting people to look up and pay attention. Invite your audience to engage on the emotional level by offering a warm greeting. You might even ask them a question that prompts a response. It can be simple, as in: "How is everybody doing today?"

3. Grab their attention to make it memorable.

People remember the very first substantive that you say. Once you have their attention, jump right in to the most important thing you have to say.

4. Use verbal cues.

Use attention-provoking signals when you move from one part of the speech to the next. For instance, you might verbally number your key points or use other verbal signals like "Let's move on" or "My next topic is..."  Always give the audience verbal cues to look up at you.

5. Recap what matters.

Take all of the substantive points from your talk and group them all together at the very end of the presentation. Remember your provoking signal and say something like, "In summary," then recap everything from your presentation that matters the most.

10 Brainy Tips for Hooking Your Reader

10 Brainy Tips for Hooking Your Reader from Psychology Today by Susan K Perry, Ph.D.

1. Something must be at stake for the protagonist from the first page, and your reader must be aware of what it is. Something must be happening right away so the reader wants to know what will happen next.

2. Focus is crucial, meaning the writer must make clear what the protagonist has to overcome internally to accomplish her goal.

3. Write what you know emotionally. Tap into what you know about human nature to make your story feel real. Does your protagonist feel shame? Surely you have at one time too.

4. Write character bios, but focus it on their messy flaws, without allowing them any privacy. Aim to find their motivation, to learn (and have your characters learn) what really causes them to do what they do,

5. Avoid too many sensory details. There has to be a reason for each detail, and the reader has to be able to figure it out.

6. Intrigue matters. "If we don't know there's intrigue afoot, then there is no intrigue afoot." Readers enjoy going back to reconsider hints and events in the light of a twist or "reveal," but not if there are hidden things that have been going on all along that are not at least hinted at.

7. Beware of misplaced digressions, whether small or large. Digressions should provide what a reader needs to know at that moment. "Can you answer the 'And so?' to everything in the story? Flashbacks stop the action and must only be used to provide needed information the reader needs now

8. Back off whenever the conflict peaks, so the reader can process it. Use subplots for this. This point and the previous one may seem to conflict, but they don't. A subplot after an intense plot point should eventually come back to join the story and help the reader make more sense of it.

9. Escalate the trouble. Make sure everything that can go wrong does.

10. Your protagonist must suffer embarrassment and other untidy emotions, even if you'd rather protect her. By protecting her, you may be trying to protect yourself, fearing readers will be alerted to the fact that you know more about the dark side than you want them to suspect.

Workaholics

“Workaholics aren’t heroes. They don’t save the day, they just use it up," -Jason Fried and David Hasson in Rework

45 Ways to an Enchanting Blog that Sells

See: http://www.blueglass.com/blog/enchanting-blog-creation/

Really great information!

Content Matrix

Click here for the full-sized infographic.
Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger.

How to Be a Copywriting Genius: The Brilliantly Sneaky Trick You Must Learn | Copyblogger

How to Be a Copywriting Genius: The Brilliantly Sneaky Trick You Must Learn | Copyblogger:

Decide what action you want readers to take. Ask them to take that action. Ask them clearly, succinctly and unmistakably.
Put at least one unambiguous call to action into every piece of persuasive writing you create. You’ll see results.


'via Blog this'

Changing the City with the Gospel Takes a Movement

Changing the City with the Gospel Takes a Movement

Obamacare in One Sentence

http://www.ijreview.com/2012/09/15576-video-illinois-state-senate-candidate-sums-up-obamacare-in-one-sentence/http://www.ijreview.com/2012/09/15576-video-illinois-state-senate-candidate-sums-up-obamacare-in-one-sentence/

Favorite Quotations Update

"The past is a foreign country. They do things differently there."
-L P Hartley, The Go-Between


‎"Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future."
- Oscar Wilde


"Affection is best communicated by touch"
- Me

"Instead of playing a game you can’t win, change the game."
- Corbett Barr Unique Selling Propositions
- and Captain Kirk on the Kobayashi Maru Test


"People don't buy "what" you do. They buy "why" you do it."
- Simon Sinek


"Don't get it right.  Get it written"
 - James Thurber

"Humans are not physically normal in the absence of hard physical effort. Exercise is not a thing we do to fix a problem - it is a thing we must do anyway, a thing without which there will always be problems"
- Mark Rippetoe, Starting Strength

"Put some chalk on it and get back on the bar"
- Alex Pearson

"Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law."
— Douglas Hofstadter, Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid

“Plan your work and work your plan.”
- Vince Lombardi

"There's no kill switch on awesome."
- Dilbert

"If we want everything to stay as it is, everything will have to change." - Giuseppe Tomasi di Lamedusa, The Leopard

"Before you criticize a man, walk a mile in his shoes. That way, when you do criticize him, you'll be a mile away and have his shoes
- Unknown

"Your child will tell you that you do not have to come to their games and performances. You MUST attend, and watch, and sit in the corner, and wear beige."
- Dr Ralph Plagman, Washington HS Principal, to the parents of incoming freshmen.

"You ALWAYS have a choice"
- Bob Westfall

"It's not flying if you are not upside down at least once in the flight."
- Me

"The show doesn’t go on because it’s ready; it goes on because it’s eleven-thirty."
- Lorne Michaels, producer at Saturday Night Live

"It is the policy of the Government that the Opposition remain in opposition in perpetuity."
- attributed to Margret Thatcher

"The probability of a win is greatly reduced by a no-bid decision"
- Jack Cosgrove

“Begin at the beginning, and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” — Lewis Carroll

"Championships are won in the off-season."
- Charles Daugherty quoting a t-shirt

"The [obvious] issue is never the [real] issue"
- Kim Pagel

"Be slow to attribute to malice or guile, that which can be explained by ignorance, incompetence, or muddling through."
 - My modification of Hanlon's Razor, stolen from Heinlein's Razor, stolen from Napoleon.

"If you are going to shoot, shoot. Don't talk"
-Tuco in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Anything by Lazarus Long. e.g "Never try to teach a pig to sing- it wastes your time and annoys the pig." and "A motion to adjourn is always in order."

"The product is Service. You only sell hardware to provide installed base."
- Probably from Barb Gatti

"My ancestors did not fight and claw their way to the top of the food chain so I could eat tofu and bean sprouts."
- motto of PETA [People Eating Tasty Animals]

"Eighty percent of success is showing up"
- Woody Allen

"If you can't fix it, then feature it!"
- Gnarly old Collins Program Manager [probably Jim Lockwood]

"The worst case is [simultaneously] being out of altitude, airspeed, and ideas...unless you add inverted."
- Old pilot's aphorism

"The last red pen always wins."
- Me

"The markets can be irrational longer than you can be solvent."
- JM Keynes

"In the long run, we are all dead."
- JM Keynes

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, because you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup."
- Dilbert

"Don't ask the question if you cannot stand the answer."
-unknown

"I never saw an emergency that was improved by screaming"
- an ER doctor

"Maintain control, analyze the situation, take the proper action
- Air Force basic flight manual

"When playing poker, if you cannot tell who the mark is...it's you." - Bob Sevier

"You will enter the continent of Europe and, in conjunction with the other Allied Nations, undertake operations aimed at the heart of Germany and the destruction of her Armed Forces."
- Roosevelt to Eisenhower. An example of a proper command from political authority to the military. Then get out of the way.

"Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, the experience usually comes from bad judgment."
- Will Rogers

"Government spending does not have a multiplier effect on the economy. It is at best neutral. What creates growth is private investment, increases in productivity, and increases in population. That's it. Tax increases have a negative multiplier."
- John Mauldin

The Secret to Selling Yourself

You need a very different approach to selling yourself than the one you intuitively take, because your intuitions are probably wrong. People are much more impressed, whether they realize it or not, by your potential than by your track record. It would be wise to start focusing your pitch on your future, as an individual or as a company, rather than on your past — even if that past is very impressive indeed. It's what you could be that makes people sit up and take notice — learn to use the power of potential to your advantage.

From HBR

The Five Key Story Elements

The Five Key Story Elements from Writers Village

To apply this to my own story, I started by considering the original piece and identified the various elements of the story using Anne Lamott’s ABCDE formula (Action, Background, Conflict, Development, and Ending):

Action — Start with something happening to draw the reader into the story.

Background — Provide context for readers to understand how the characters came to the current situation

Conflict — The characters must want something they don’t have and work to achieve it (sometimes against each other)

Development — The 70-80% of the story describing the characters’ struggle to get what they want. Each time it appears they have the goal within reach, give them something more difficult to overcome until they reach the climax

Ending — What happens after they reach their goal. In a romance, the hero and heroine realize their “happily-ever-after”. In a mystery or thriller, all the loose ends are tied up. In a literary story, the ending may be rather ambiguous

Thriller Writing Made Easy

From Writer's Digest blog by Zachary Petit

Want to write a thriller, but stuck on the beginning? Novelist Daniel Palmer uses his own experience and that of his father (bestseller Michael Palmer) and lays out the essentials to get you on your way.

Step 1. Choose your rhino.
Michael Palmer once was asked to describe writing a book. His answer? Writing a book is like following a recipe for rhinoceros stew. The first step of which is to find the rhino—which isn’t your plot, character or hook. It’s that huge idea that defines the book, such as a deadly virus. Daniel’s latest rhino was identity theft.

Step 2. Formulate the What-If question.
Daniel said to think of this essentially as your elevator pitch—that pithy, snappy description of your book you should have at the ready should you be stuck in an elevator with an agent or editor. Cap it at two sentences, 25 words. It needs to be as tight as possible, and it shouldn’t delve into things like characters or plot twists. “I spend days doing those two sentences, and I would urge you to do the same with yours,” Daniel said.

One What-If example from Michael’s work: What if everybody involved in a surgery six years ago is being murdered one by one?

Step 3. Answer the What-If question.
The answer to this pivotal question is what’s known as the MacGuffin: the reason people think they’re reading the book. (MacGuffins can be a confusing subject, but they’re key.) Ultimately, Daniel said the answer is that it doesn’t matter—people read to the end of a book for the characters. But you need something to keep them flipping pages. The MacGuffin is simply that tool that gets them to stay with the characters.

Daniel said when you have the answer to your What-If, you should file it away and forget about it for a while. If you focus solely on the MacGuffin, your book will be plot-heavy and bogged down by it, and you’ll have lost your readers.

Step 4. Figure out who you’re going to write about.
“You’re looking for your character who’s got the absolute most at stake, and that’s the person who you want your story to be about.” Daniel said to develop your arc as they go along, chasing the MacGuffin, and they’ll change and grow.

BONUS: Step 5. Write on.
Daniel likes to think of plot as a “cannibal’s stew”—a simmering cauldron into which you drop your character in. Once he’s inside, it boils. But you don’t have your character simply jump out—you slam a lid on the cauldron and nail it shut so your character has to figure out how to survive the plot.

35 Empowering Questions Leaders Ask

From http://kimberlygleasoncoaching.com/2012/07/35-empowering-questions-leaders-ask/?goback=%2Egde_1878448_member_132586121

by KIMBERLY Gleason on JULY 10, 2012

As an executive and leadership coach, I have been trained in the art and power of asking good, thought provoking questions. For leaders who care about not just their organization’s success, but also the success of those they lead, here are thirty-five. And by the way, listening is required!

1. What do you think about that?
2. What would you do if you were in my situation?
3. How will you accomplish that?
4. What’s your plan and timeframe?
5. What parts of this plan/project/idea are you most passionate or enthusiastic about?
6. What are your strengths or talents that either one of us is not leveraging?
7. What should be the measures of success for this plan/project/idea?
8. What motivates you the most?
9. What new ideas do you have?
10. What do you think this company or our team needs?
11. What are we missing?
12. What were you hoping to accomplish that you haven’t been able to do thus far?
13. How do (or don’t) our values align with our organization’s vision and mission?
14. What do you wish we would do more of or less of?
15. If I could be doing something differently as a leader, what would I be doing?
16. What’s keeping you here?
17. What opportunities should we be exploring?
18. What part in this plan/project/idea would you like? 
19. What could we be doing better?
20. How would you like me to lead you or this team?
21. How will I know this objective has been accomplished?
22. How will I know if you need assistance?
23. What resources do you need from me?
24. What makes you feel engaged?
25. If you could be doing anything in our organization right now, what would you be doing?
26. What do you need to be successful?
27. Who can help you?
28. What resources are you not utilizing?
29. What should you be delegating, and to whom?
30. If you could learn more about anything that would help you or the organization become more successful, what would you learn?
31. What time of day do you work best?
32. When do you most feel a part of the team?
33. What makes you feel valued and appreciated?
34. What kind of feedback would you find helpful?
35. What makes you feel empowered to do your best?

Try asking a few of these questions the next time you meet with a colleague or direct report. You may surprise them, but you will make them feel valued and appreciated.

6 Steps to Create Marketing Personas for Your Org | Inspiring Generosity

6 Steps to Create Marketing Personas for Your Org | Inspiring Generosity: "6 Steps to Create Marketing Personas for Your Org"

'via Blog this'

1. Define your segments
2. Define Demographics

Where do they live?
What gender are they?
What level of education have they achieved?
What is their income?
What is their marital status?
Do they have kids?

3.  Articulate their values and beliefs

What are their passions and interests?

What are their dreams and goals?

Are they politically conservative or liberal?

What are their personality characteristics?

What motivates them to share information with others?

4.  Get under their skin

What’s their self-image?

What are their day-to-day worries and goals?

How are they trying to create a meaningful life?

What behaviors are they trying to change?

5.  Define the value they get from your organization

6.  Give them a face and a name  

59 Seconds to Change your Life

Summary of Richard Wiseman's book 59 Seconds: Change Your Life in Under a Minute.

From the AWAI The Writers Life Newsletter


As how happy you are often directly affects the quality of your writing, today I thought I'd share the 10 happiness tips in the last chapter of Wiseman's book. You can do each in under a minute. 

Develop the Gratitude Attitude – Wiseman suggests that you list three things that you are grateful for or three things that went especially well over the last week. You'll feel more optimistic about the future, plus you'll improve your physical health. For freelance writers, optimism is key. Prospects prefer to deal with someone who is optimistic and upbeat.

Be a Giver – Small acts of kindness significantly boost the happiness level of the giver. Things like giving a few dollars to the needy, buying a surprise gift for a loved one, donating blood, or helping out a friend. If you're a veteran freelance writer, why not offer to critique an up-and-coming writer's copy? The few minutes it takes you could have a big impact on how fast they advance in their career.

Hang a Mirror in Your Kitchen – If you place a mirror in the kitchen, it can lead to a 32 percent reduction in the consumption of unhealthy food, according to Wiseman. Being able to see your body as you open the fridge or sit down to eat inspires you to make better choices.

Buy a Potted Plant for the Office – Adding plants to an office environment, says Wiseman, boosts creativity. Creative ideas and solutions are a big part of a successful writer's life.  I'm going out to buy a plant after I finish writing this.

Touch People Lightly on the Upper Arm – Studies show people are more like to agree to a request if you lightly touch them on the arm. A good technique to keep in mind at your next networking event or the next time you meet a prospect or client in person.

Write about Your Relationship – Partners who spend a few moments committing their thoughts and feelings about their relationship to paper boost their chances of sticking together by 20 percent, according to Wiseman. The reason being it results in them speaking about each other in a more positive light, fueling a healthier and happier relationship.

Deal with Potential Liars by Closing Your Eyes and Asking for an Email – How do you spot a liar? They are more likely to use "ums" and "ahs" and avoid self-references (me, mine, I) in their conversation, according to Wiseman. He points out that people are 20 percent less likely to lie in an email because their words are documented and more likely to come back and haunt them.

Praise Children's Efforts over Their Ability – Saying, "Well done, you must have tried really hard," encourages children to try regardless of the consequences, thereby sidestepping the fear of failure. Plus, they will be more likely to attempt challenging problems.

Visualize Yourself Doing, Not Achieving – Wiseman says to picture yourself taking positive steps towards your goal instead of just fantasizing about the end result. So don't just imagine yourself in a big house with a million dollars in the bank; picture yourself being successful at cold calling, writing a great sales letter or email, and so on. Wiseman also recommends visualizing from the third-person perspective as studies show you are 20 percent more likely to be successful than those who take a first-person point of view.

Consider Your Legacy – Spend a minute imagining what a close friend will say at your funeral.  What do you want them to say about your writing career? That you never wrote that blockbuster sales letter or finished that novel (or whatever your writing goal is)? This will help you adjust your long-term goals and will encourage you to turn them into a reality.

How to Use Story to Captivate and Connect with Any Audience

How to Use Story to Captivate and Connect with Any Audience:

'via Blog this'

Great article. Main Points:

The first step in the process of story is deciding on the core point you want to make.

The second step in the process of story is determining the context.

The third step in using story is defining the complication.

The fourth step is the turning point or the climax.

The final step is conversion.

Character Arc

Character Arc Disagree Hero’s Journey Gradual Change Sudden Change Vogler: "What Vogler says about Character Arc

Here’s Vogler’s Character Arc mapped to the 12 stages of the Hero’s Journey:

Ordinary World – Limited awareness of problem
Call to Adventure – Increased awareness
Refusal of the Call – Reluctance to change
Meeting with the Mentor – Overcoming reluctance
Crossing the first threshold – Committing to change
Tests, Allies & Enemies – Experimenting with first change
The Approach – Preparing for big change
The Ordeal – Attempting big change
Reward – Consequences of the attempt
Road Back – Rededication to change
Resurrection- Final attempt at big change
Return with the Elixir – Final mastery of the problem
"

'via Blog this'

Top 10 Screenwriting Tips Introduction to Screenwriting How to become a screenwriter - StumbleUpon

Top 10 Screenwriting Tips Introduction to Screenwriting How to become a screenwriter - StumbleUpon:

'via Blog this'


There are 4 basic questions a screenwriter should be able to answer about their story:

Who is the hero?
What do they want?
What’s stopping them from getting it?
What’s at stake?

Behind an Insane Single Day 50 Guest Post Blitz: the Strategy and the Results — Think Traffic

Behind an Insane Single Day 50 Guest Post Blitz: the Strategy and the Results — Think Traffic:

'via Blog this'

Great site for building website traffic.

Driving the Deal

The Right Attitude


By Joe Auer


One of the more important issues when I advise IT buyers is their basic attitude toward contract negotiations. In many situations, the end user or senior management has a friendly, close relationship with representatives of the vendor. The vendor is referred to as their partner, friend or the one with the solution to their problem. As a result, these stakeholders, who must protect their company's interests, can be less than objective in analyzing the vendor's proposals, promises and provisions.


Whenever I brief the key players on the customer's negotiating team, I use the following "attitude adjustment" points, which are useful for all of us:


• Negotiations begin when the first person in your organization exchanges information with the vendor. You gain or lose negotiating power with every succeeding interaction.


• The customer is the buyer, and the vendor is only the potential supplier. You've got what all the vendors want - the money.


• Change your "needs" to "preferences." Needs aren't negotiable; preferences are. Don't tell a vendor you need it, its product or its service. Just say you prefer it.


• At negotiation time, the vendor's sales representative has projected to his management that the deal with the customer has already been sold. Use this to your advantage, since the sales rep has placed the pressure on himself to close the deal.


• Vendor reps face many pressures to reach certain sales goals at various times, such as quarterly, annually or when earnings are down. Be aware of these pressures.


• Vendors will try to exploit almost any sense of urgency. Remember that haste makes waste, unless your side is the better prepared, has alternatives and sets a deadline that's to your advantage.


• Generally, it's to the customer's advantage when vendors bring in their top brass, as long as the customer is unimpressed with warm-and-fuzzy talk about relationships and places on the agenda substantive negotiation points to address with the vendor's executives. They have more to give away than the sales reps do.


• Never rely on vendor promises and benefits unless they're written in the contract, and hold the customer personnel who trust those promises accountable.


• Vendor shareholders and senior management are primarily interested in bottom-line profits and allocating risks to the customer, not interpersonal relationships. Don't rely on these relationships; vendors just use them to get what they really want.


• Multiple acquisition methods (leasing vs. purchasing, short- vs. long-term contracts) should be considered in most cases, though vendors will try to give you tunnel vision that benefits their current performance objectives.


• The customer does have alternative vendors, approaches and deal timing, and both sides should be aware of that during negotiations.


• Vendors must be aware that negotiations will end only when the customer is fully satisfied and the agreement is fully documented.


• Ignore a vendor's claims, especially early in negotiations, of "That's the best deal we can give you."


• If you haven't heard a no from the vendor or haven't experienced a deadlock, impasse or some sort of breakdown in negotiations because you asked for too much, you haven't gotten the best deal you can get.


• Remember that negotiations are enhanced by thorough planning, knowledge, teamwork and dedication to securing the best contract protections at the best price.


• Most important, remember that competition is your strongest ally. Don't select a vendor until you've gone through competitive negotiations on everything, including the contract, with at least two potential vendors.


You and the rest of your negotiating team should keep these points in mind and review them like you would review a checklist before each negotiation. After all, other professionals, like pilots who have been flying for 20 years, still review their checklists before takeoff.


JOE AUER is president of International Computer Negotiations Inc. (www.dobetterdeals.com), a Winter Park, Fla., consultancy that educates users on high-tech procurement. ICN sponsors CAUCUS: The Association of High Tech Acquisition Professionals. Contact him at joea@dobetterdeals.com.


Copyright by Computerworld, Inc., 500 Old Connecticut Path, Framingham, MA 01701. Reprinted by permission of Computerworld.

WHAT YOU WON'T DO

Here's a post from Hope Clark at Funds For Writers:
(It's a great site by the way.)

For some reason, writers are notorious for spouting what they won't do when it comes to honoring their profession,


== I won't self-publish.
== I won't pay an entry fee for a contest.
== I won't write for free.
== I won't write for less than ten cents/word.
== I won't do Facebook.
== I won't travel to self-promote.
== I don't have time to blog.


As a previous administrative director, which meant one of my departments was human resources, I used to tell people never to put what you couldn't do on a resume. Now, as a writer, I advise others in my profession to only talk positive in a query.


Don't say you are retired which can insinuate fixed income, limited resources, or inability to travel to young eyes. Instead of saying retired, say you write full-time and your time is your own to promote and write.


Don't say you are a new writer without clips. Instead talk about your strengths and knowledge about the subject matter being pitched.


Don't say you are fresh out of school trying to find your place.
Say you have a degree and propose you have the qualities that
would make for a good employee, columnist, freelance contributor.


It isn't about what you won't do. You define yourself too tightly and tell the world that you can be narrow-minded. You also tout your weaknesses in many people's perspectives, and in this day of rampant competition, you want to be remembered for who you are, not what you aren't.


Instead, state what you PREFER to do. Hear how pro-active and positive that sounds?


You prefer wholesome writing (you are not anti-erotica).
You like contests (you aren't anti-entry fee).
You promote heavily online and in your region (you aren't anti-travel).
You maintain a website (you aren't anti-blog).


Ears perk up when you define what you aren't, but that's how people cull who's in their world. Nobody likes negative. You might be selective, but let your positive choices drive your image, not the negative.

16 Ways to Put More Enthusiasm in Your Work and Life

By John Wood


The year was 1907 …


Frank Bettger received the shock of his life when his manager informed him he was fired from his Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Tri-State baseball team because he was too lazy.


On his way out the door, his manager told Bettger to put some life and enthusiasm into his work.


Upon reporting to his new team in Chester, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic League, Bettger went from making $175 per month to just $25 per month.


Unhappy about his demotion and his dramatic drop in pay, Bettger decided to take the manager’s advice to heart and inject some enthusiasm into his game.


It wasn't long before people began to take notice. He soon landed a position with the New Haven, Connecticut, team in the New England League.


Inspired by his promotion, he made up his mind to build himself a reputation for being one of the most enthusiastic ball players in the league.


The New Haven newspaper took notice:


“This new player, Bettger, has a barrel of enthusiasm. He inspired our boys. They not only own the game, but looked better than at any time this season.”


Within 10 days, his enthusiasm had catapulted him from $25 a month to $185 a month.


It didn’t happen because he suddenly became a better ball player – it happened solely because he added enthusiasm to his game.


Two years later, an injury forced Bettger to give up playing ball. Bettger then channeled his enthusiasm into a 32-year-long successful sales career. He later wrote the inspirational book How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling in which he observed that …


“Enthusiasm is by far the highest paid quality on earth, probably because it is one of the rarest; yet it is one of the most contagious.”


Could you use more enthusiasm in your life?


The benefits of living a more enthusiastic life can't be overstated …


You'll have more confidence.


You'll be more productive.


People will view you in a more positive light, which will open you up to more and better opportunities.


Plus, you'll experience more peace of mind at the end of every day.


So how do you go about it?


Here are 16 things you can do on a daily basis that will help you ignite enthusiasm:


1. To become more enthusiastic, act more enthusiastic – This is Frank Bettger's number one enthusiasm rule. Bettger used to challenge people to put this rule into action for 30 days, telling them that if they did, it could easily revolutionize their life. Bettger says to stand up each morning and say the following:


"Force yourself to act enthusiastic, and you'll become more enthusiastic."


This quote from American businessman Edward B. Butler (1853-1928) ties into Bettger's advice:


“Every man is enthusiastic at times. One man has enthusiasm for 30 minutes – another for 30 days, but it is the man who has it for 30 years that makes a success out of his life.”


2. Define your goals and what you need to do to achieve them – I know you've heard it before, but if you haven't done it yet, sit down and write down your most important life goals. Then put a plan together to accomplish them.


As Lawrence J. Peter, author of The Peter Principle, says:


"If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else."


3. Get organized – Get a system together that will squeeze the most productivity out of each day and stick to it. Don’t procrastinate or get distracted. Keep focused on the task at hand, and you will turn every workday into a success.


4. Draw strength from the positive – Remember the times in your life when you were enthusiastic. Feed off those positive feelings. Learn from the times you failed, but focus and draw inspiration from your successes.


5. Look for "Aha!" moments – Media giant Oprah Winfrey used to talk about "Aha!" moments on her talk show (she also features them online and in O Magazine). "Aha!" moments are those moments in life when something happens that changes some aspect of your life for the better. Look for your "Aha!" moments. Record them in a journal and refer to them often.


For example, one of the "Aha!" moments from Oprah's site is from the beautiful actress Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire). Pinto, who is from India, has what she calls "a dusky complexion." She says in her country, there was a very prevalent notion that "light skin is more attractive than dark." One day as she was checking into a Los Angeles hotel, a woman who Pinto says was "as pale as pale can be" said to her …


"I'd love to have your skin color. It's so beautiful."


Pinto thought to herself, "What? Where I come from, people want to be your color."


After thinking about it a bit, she decided to stop thinking how her complexion and accent "weren't good enough" and be happy with the way she was.


6. Don’t dwell on the negative – Don’t think about past mistakes. Put them out of your mind. Banish them to the basement. And stop worrying about things you can’t change.


7. Make a list of the things in life you are grateful for – Most of us have a lot in life to be grateful for. It's important to remind ourselves of this every so often. Get a blank piece of paper and a pen and start compiling a list of everything in life you're grateful for: your spouse, family, friends, skills and knowledge, hobbies, health, achievements, and so on. Whenever you need a boost, take this out and remind yourself of all the good things you have in your life.


8. Make a list of things that make you happy – Make another list consisting of things that make you happy. If you love going to your child's or grandchild's baseball game, put it down. List all the events and activities you do that bring you pleasure. Use it as a reminder of all the joy that is possible in life.


9. Don't try to solve the entire world's problems at once – It can feel quite overwhelming if you look to where you want to be in life and where you are now – along with all the things you have to do to fill the gap.


Feeling overwhelmed can often lead to total paralysis in terms of moving closer to your goals and aspirations. It's important to remind yourself that “life is a marathon, not a sprint." Focus on one thing at a time with steady, consistent action, and you'll get where you want and need to be in life.


10. Identify what’s holding you back and find a solution – For instance, if you are overweight, get a plan together to shed those extra pounds. If you’re petrified of speaking in front of a crowd of people, enroll in a public speaking course.


If you don't know what companies to target for your business, sit down and figure it out. Make a list and put together a strategy to market your services to them.


Don’t procrastinate; do it today.


11. Surround yourself with enthusiastic people – Enthusiasm really is contagious. When you feed off other people’s energy, great things will happen. On the flipside, get rid of the negative people in your life that zap your energy. If you can’t convince them to be enthusiastic, avoid them.


12. Perform random acts of kindness – As Jesus says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." The one thing the world can always use more of is kindness. Always be on the lookout to help someone in need, even it's just with a friendly smile and a kind word.


13. Derive strength from your role models – Choose someone in your life whose success you want to mirror. It could be a friend or someone you've never met but has attained a level of success that you wish to achieve – and then emulate them. Motivational expert and bestselling author Anthony Robbins says it best …


"If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do and you'll achieve the same results."


14. Don't listen to the naysayers – Don't listen to the people who criticize you without being constructive or always seem to discourage you.


15. Get your energy level up – It's easier to be enthusiastic if you have lots of energy and feel good about yourself physically. Eating the right foods and exercising regularly will ensure you have energy to spare at the end of every day.


16. Remember, it's you who chooses how you view the world – You determine your destiny. It's as easy to have a negative view of your world as it is to have a positive view, so always choose the view that makes you happier and moves you closer to your goals.


Henry Ford once said …


“You can do anything if you have enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes rise to the stars. With it, there is accomplishment. Without it there are only alibis.”


For freelance writers, enthusiasm is key.


If you’re not excited about the product you're selling or don't particularly have an interest in your chosen niche, not only will it come through in your writing, but it will also hamper your efforts to get new clients.


If you feel you could use more enthusiasm in your life, acknowledge it. The sooner you do, the sooner you can start to fix the problem.


Why not start right now?


Print these enthusiasm suggestions out and make them part of your day. People will start to take notice, and I guarantee you’ll be more successful and live a happier, more satisfying life … and because you're more excited about your career, you’ll write better copy, too.


I will leave you with a quote from American author, advertising executive, and politician Bruce Barton (1896-1967), who once said …


“If you give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be – enthusiasm.”

How to Reset Kindle's Furthest Page Read

From a blog:
I have written a couple of times on how Amazon needed to have some way for customers to update their ‘Furthest Page Read’ settings without going thru the hassle of a phone call or email to Customer Service. Thanks to dyingc from the MobileReads forum, there is a way to do it yourself although somewhat clunky.


Here’s the issue -


When using Whispersync, staying on the correct page across multiple devices works great–until you decide to re-read your content.


You read thru a book on either your Kindle and your iPhone (or another Kindle).  First time thru, you stay in sync on any device.  Later you decide to either re-read or restart the book. Unfortunately, the ‘Sync to Furthest Page Read’ will always be the furthest page you got to, so your furthest read page remains at either the end of the book or the furthest page you got to and Whispersync will be let you know when you open that book on the device.  You can tell it not to go to the furthest page and continue reading.  Go to the other device and try to sync, and you will be taken to the furthest page read, not the place you were at when you stopped reading on the other device.


This is a problem in a couple of ways.  The simplest is that it makes it hard to re-read or restart any book and use Whispersync to keep your place on more than one device.


Solution – Reset the Furthest Page Read
Use the same device for all of the steps below before opening the book on a different one, the below example is using a single Kindle


   1. Set the Synchronization off  on your Amazon Account (Go to Amazon -> Your Account -> Manage Your Kindle -> Manage Kindle Device Synchronization -> click the “Turn the Synchronization off” button to turn off the synchronization)
   2. Wait about a minute, then exit & re-enter your book
   3. Go to the beginning of your book on the Kindle
   4. Sync to the furthest  page. If it tells you that you’re on the furthest location, you’re good to go. 
         1. If not, select Cancel on the sync message, exit and re-enter the book to attempt the reset again.  (I think that the Amazon databases have to get reset-thus the delay; in any case, it always works for me on the 2nd attempt)
   5. Turn on the synchronization setting on your Account – your Furthest Page read will be reset to your new location.
   6. On your other devices–if further along in the book, you will have to go to the beginning of the book, but once done the Furthest Page Read location will sync with your Kindle.


Like I said, its not the most elegant solution, but it works.

Multiplication Philanthropy - Dan Pallotta - Harvard Business Review

Multiplication Philanthropy - Dan Pallotta - Harvard Business Review:

Leverage is the mantra of the times in philanthropy, and rightly so. People want to know that the charities they support are using donations as effectively as possible. Donors and institutional funders are more demanding, more discerning, and less detached. They're no longer content with writing a check and securing their place in heaven. They want results.

But they're looking for them in the wrong places. They're missing the greatest leverage point of all: the multiplying effects of smart investments in fundraising. If you want to maximize the social effects of your donation, why would you buy, for example, $100,000 worth of great educational programming for inner city kids when the same $100,000 directed toward fundraising could generate enough money to buy $1 million worth of it?

Even the wealthiest and most sophisticated are oblivious to the opportunity — in fact, they actively avoid it. They follow conventional wisdom and direct their money to the programs of carefully vetted organizations, scrupulously avoiding fundraising support. Or they back new approaches by leading thinkers in philanthropy — models that also bypass fundraising investment — and think they're on the cutting edge. Either way, they're squandering the real and massive potential of their capital.

The venture philanthropy movement, for instance, gets it only half right. Donors are strongly urged to seek out the organizations with the best, most innovative programs and fund those programs. And we should be looking for organizations with breakthrough programs. But once we find them, we should direct giving not toward the programs but toward the organizations' fundraising and development operations so that they can multiply the funds available for programs.

The notion of catalytic philanthropy, while important, leaves the same half of the real potential unaddressed. In a nutshell, catalytic philanthropy exhorts the individual donor to take the bull by the horns. Instead of addressing a social problem by writing a check to an existing charity, donors create a new effort from the ground up. They take responsibility for all aspects of a particular social initiative, from accountability for results to mobilizing a campaign for change. But even here, donors aren't being coached to invest in the fundraising apparatus of their initiative. The founding donor can create a great model, but who's going to expand it and whence will those funds come?

Even capacity-building, though better than not-capacity-building, is missing the larger opportunity. It lumps fundraising in with finance, human resources, leadership training, technology, and other administrative functions. But fundraising alone has the capacity to multiply money. Indeed, it has the capacity to multiply the money available for the other components of capacity-building. So if you want to build capacity, don't fund technology and HR, fund the fundraising for those things.

The cutting edge is investment in fundraising. Yet everyone tries to suppress it, invoking a flawed theory of social change that says the less you spend on fundraising, the more you have for programs. That's true if it's a zero sum game. But it's not. Imagine a $10 million pie with $8 million going to programs and with the 20% fundraising slice taking $2 million away from programs. The last thing we want to do is make that a $3 million slice, leaving only $7 million for programs. But that's not how it works. If done correctly, the extra million enlarges the pie — substantially. A $10 million pie becomes a $15 million pie, and the $7 million available for programs grows to $12 million.

Charities invest in fundraising because the money they get back is greater than the money they put in. There are longstanding, proven correlations between the amount spent on the various fundraising methods and how much each will return. Those correlations are all positive. A Giving USA study found that a dollar invested in a major gift program produces, on average, $24 in revenue. A dollar invested in a direct mail program produces $10. A dollar invested in a special event produces $3.20.

Fundraising multiplies the potential of charitable gifts. There's nothing radical about this. It's only radical to those who have no experience with it. That lack of experience, endemic among donors, is a significant liability. It's one reason that charitable giving has remained constant in the U.S. at 2% of GDP ever since we have been measuring it, and has not budged. How could it? Donors don't want charities to spend money on fundraising. But imagine, if we could move that 2% to 2.5% or 3%, we could put our dreams on steroids. Each half a point represents $75 billion — annually.

That dream won't come to pass by funding programs, because program funding cannot multiply anything. It is a paradox, I know, but funding programs annihilates our real potential to fund programs.

The smart money is in multiplication.

Which of These Success Factors Do You Already Have?

By Roy Furr

Full article here.

The Success Factors

1. You have an unshakable belief in yourself. This may be the greatest of all Success Factors. It comes from knowing who you are. You are a remarkable person who is the embodiment of Love and Life. And from this place of knowing, you can have confidence you will accomplish great things. When someone recognizes this in themselves, it’s like light radiates from every cell of their body. 
2. You write your own rules. Rules are imposed on us from every direction. From infancy, others tell us how we must live our lives. Top performers recognize and live with these rules on a daily basis — yet when a rule doesn’t make sense, top performers don’t hesitate to break or rewrite it to suit their vision. Nothing is impossible — although sometimes the rules must change drastically to make things happen.
3. You’re always learning and improving. Great people never stop learning and improving themselves. They learn from books. ... Applied to your career, this means always working to develop new skills and master your craft.
4. You connect ideas in new and unique ways. As they’re learning, top performers don’t just file every new insight and idea into its own separate file. They’re always looking for relations and interconnectedness of ideas, in order to see things and understand things in new ways. ...“How can this be related to something I already know?” 
5. You’re always moving forward, because that’s what you do. You develop the habit of never stopping moving — even if it’s just your subconscious processing the day’s thoughts and activities and planning tomorrow as you wind down for the evening. This is howsmall good things snowball into big good things, and you accomplish more.
6. You embrace chaos and uncertainty. When you’re living big — always creating a new and higher answer to “How high is high?” — there will be a lot of chaos and uncertainty in your life. It’s not comfortable. ... It takes practice to become comfortable doing this. And even more practice to embrace it. Yet it’s what top performers do and what you should practice doing, too.
7. You’ll jump in when others won’t.  … you have to practice jumping in. Sometimes you’ll find shark-infested waters and you’ll have to skedaddle your little butt up out of the water before you get bitten too hard. Yet more often, you’ll find the water far warmer and more enriching — andwaaaay less scary — than you could have ever imagined.
8. You’ll try, and try, and try again. Failure is a fact of life. The final Success Factor common in top performers is the unwillingness to let failure stop them from getting back up and trying again. They fail, and fail again. And, get back up and try, and try again. ... Why not fail as fast as you can — trying, and trying again — until you get there? Very few will remember your failures … and many will recognize and applaud your success.

So, which of these Success Factors do you have? Which are you working on?

The only three true job interview questions

The only three true job interview questions article found here, with lots of further links.

The only three true job interview questions are:
1.  Can you do the job?
2.  Will you love the job?
3.  Can we tolerate working with you?

That’s it.  Those three.  Think back, every question you’ve ever posed to others or had asked of you in a job interview is a subset of a deeper in-depth follow-up to one of these three key questions.  Each question potentially may be asked using different words, but every question, however it is phrased, is just a variation on one of these topics: Strengths, Motivation, and Fit.

Summary of American Gridlock pt 1

Beautiful Mind discovered via the deduction from five axioms of a theory of bargaining completely devoid of any data: There is only one variable that matters to the bargaining outcome—the degree of risk aversion of Player 1 compared to that of Player 2. Nash showed that, the more risk averse one player is relative to the other, the more he will get "bargained down" to accept a smaller share of the pie. No information overload here. The same holds true in much of physics. Just recall the elegant simplicity of the great "laws" of Newton and Einstein, respectively: F = MA and E = MC². Only three variables in each. No information overload here either.

The irony in all this is the widespread failure to appreciate the complete irrelevance of most of the data now available for problem solving. The great poet T.S. Eliot stressed this point some eighty years ago with his prescient query: "Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? And where is the knowledge we have lost in information?" Bingo!

The Four Basic Assumptions or Goals: Whatever policy is adopted to get the economy moving, it must satisfy these four policy requirements —requirements which play the role of First Principles in our analysis. Like any set of First Principles, these national goals should strike you as being as "reasonable" as apple pie and motherhood are desirable. (1)Much more rapid GDP growth; (2) Much reduced Unemployment; (3) A contented bond market unlikely to go on strike; and (4) Infrastructure reconstruction before our infrastructure "goes critical" which is now expected to start happening in many different areas.

The Policy Solution: I propose that a Marshall Plan sufficiently large to redress our infrastructure crisis (a good $1 trillion per year) is the only solution that achieves these four goals. By infrastructure, I do not only refer to roads and bridges, but to the nation's electric and refinery grid, public transportation, and new modes of delivering medical and educational services. These proposals are fleshed out at length in American Gridlock. Your initial skepticism will probably take the form of two questions: First, does the nation have the physical resources for an investment of this magnitude — one which can easily show to be "needed"? Second, does the government have the financial resources to fund such a program? Surely it does not.