March 18, 2008

Improve the Editing of Your Own Writing

by Steven E

Steven E enables authors to gain instant credibility with his marketing appeal. Steven E gives authors the ability to market to an audience they may not be able to reach on their own. Steven E is looking for all different types of authors right now.

Becoming a best seller is now in reach with Steven E. Authors need not look any further than here to begin the process of becoming a best seller. Steven E wants to help propel your name as an author and to make your name known.

This article is based on the assumption that you are using a word processing program of some kind in a Windows environment. If you are not using a word processor, the principles will still apply, but they must be implemented manually.

Writing and editing are two totally different tasks. Writing is a creative process, whether the work is fiction or non-fiction. Editing is a critical process. If writers attempt to edit as they write, their creative ability is inhibited. Because each task demands a very specific focus each must be handled separately. Editing should not start until the writing task is completed.

When editing your own work, your eye and mind tend to either fill in, or correct, many errors and, as a result, they are left uncorrected in the manuscript. In order to avoid this, it helps to break any patterns used in creating the original work. If at all possible, the work to be edited should be allowed to “cool off” in a file or desk drawer for a while. The purpose of this is to break the connection between the work and the writers’ remembrance of the exact words and phrasing used. An additional technique used for breaking this connection is to reformat the work. This can be done by changing the margins, font face and font size, line spacing, etc. This should be an easy task for any word processor.

When saving your work as you edit, the product of each editing session should be saved with a different name. If your original work was called “manuscript.doc,” your first save should be called “manuscript1.doc.” This means you will always be able to go back and check your original page setup.

If the task of editing is broken down into four (4) steps it becomes less of an onerous task and the result is a much more thorough job.

Step 1:

Run your spell checker without the grammar checker. This seems like the most obvious step however the spell checker can only do part of the job. It will check every word against an internal dictionary and highlight or underline in red, those words that it doesn’t find in its dictionary. That means that if you spelled the word “too” and meant to use the world “to” your spell checker will accept either because they are both correct as far as it is concerned.

Spell checkers are normally set to NOT CHECK capitalized words or names, or words with numbers. Ignore these names on your first pass and just correct any misspelled words brought up by the spell checker.

On a second pass with the spell checker, not only verify the spelling of the proper nouns, but also make a note of the correct spelling on a separate piece of paper or in another program. The easiest way to do this is to boot up a text program and multi-task - switching between your manuscript and the text program. This will enable you to quickly verify the spelling of a proper noun throughout your work.

Step 2:

Run the grammar checker. Almost every word processing program has the ability to check grammar and will allow the user to establish both the type of work to be checked along with the specific grammar rules that are to be used during the check. You can set these parameters to fit your need, but remember that your writing style is most important. Don’t let the grammar-check program dictate what your style should be. As you go through your manuscript, make those changes, which are obvious problems, such as punctuation, run-on sentences, subject and verb agreement, etc. Don’t change your writing style to fit the grammar-checker.

Step 3:

If your manuscript includes dialog, it should be checked for problems with syntax and general usage. The best way to do this is to have someone else read the dialog, out loud, with no voice inflection. Your ear will uncover problems with dialog better than your eye. If you don’t have someone else to work with, you will do almost as well by reading the dialog out loud and recording it on some kind of recording device. When you play the dialog back, you will discover problems that your eyes overlooked.

In reviewing writing where there is no dialog, check each paragraph for focus. Is it lean and direct, or are there words that can be removed that will provide a clearer structure? Since this type of problem involves a broader discourse on writing techniques, we can only refer you to the vast number of books on writing that are available for almost every writing project.

Step 4:

Check the overall appearance of your work for uniformity. Have you used the same font face and point size throughout? Is the first line of each paragraph indented the same number of spaces? Is your line spacing consistent? Are your margins consistent? On of the beauties of a good word processor is that once you establish the rules for “page setup” and a “normal” paragraph, and use them throughout your work, you can change the appearance of your entire manuscript by simply changing the settings of either or both rules. This can be extremely helpful if you are submitting the manuscript to several organizations, each of which has different formatting requirements.

Conclusion.

If you follow the 4 steps listed above, editing your own writing will be much less difficult and the result will be greatly improved.

Around the world Steven E is known as a highly successful publisher, entrepreneur, speaker, coach, mentor, and best-selling author. The Team Publishers program, that he helped to develop, is the publisher of the Wake UpLive the Life You Love best-selling book series with over 12 million stories in print. Steven E is also featured in the movie Pass it On!

About the Author:

Filed under Writing & Speaking by Steven e E

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

Learning More about a Farberware Coffee Maker

by Charlie Reese

Farberware Coffee Maker: How to Choose the Right One For Your Kitchen

Founded over a century ago, the Farberware name has always stood for value, quality, and durability. One of the most respected names in kitchenware and appliances, Farberware is a name that you can trust. They offer a selection of products from various categories, but the Farberware coffee maker models are particularly popular.

Farberware FCP412 12 Cup Percolator

One Farberware coffee maker is the Farberware FCP412 12 Cup Percolator. This coffee maker is made of durable stainless steel and maintains a cup a minute speed, which is incredibly quick. It also features rolled edges for safe and easy handling, and a detachable cord as well.

Farberware FSU236 12-36 Cup Coffee Urn

Another fantastic option is the FSU236 Farberware coffee maker. Featuring a whopping 12-36 cup capacity, this coffee maker has a durable mirror finish stainless steel, coffee ready indicator light, elegant side handles for added convenience, and a stay cool base which keeps it from getting too hot.

Making the Decision

To make the decision process here less intimidating, there are a few things that you will want to keep in mind when looking for a coffee maker. It is most important that you find the right features on a coffee maker, as if you are going to spend money on a coffee maker you are going to want to ensure that it offers all of the features that you need.

Coffee that is freshly ground tastes better, and you may want to look into a coffee maker that features a built in water filtration system. You will also need to take the size of the coffee maker into consideration, and figure out how many people on average you are going to be brewing coffee for.

If it is just to be used in your home then you can usually get away with a smaller sized model, even one that is just set to brew a cup or two, where is it is for a business you will want to get a 10-12 cup capacity coffee maker or higher.

Then there are additional elements that you may want to consider, even seemingly minute things like the color of the coffee maker. This may not be a major concern to you but if you have already considered the important elements than there is nothing wrong with choosing a color that you find pleasant. Keep in mind that a dark color is going to last and look new a lot longer than a white one, so this may be influencing on your decision here.

About the Author:

Filed under Food & Beverage by Charlie Reese

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

Your Stomach Issues

by Charlie Reese

Adults know all too well the importance of having stomach ache remedies to ease discomfort from time and we all may have a favorite trick that we use on days when we don’t feel up to par. However, when it comes to kids, some of the stomach ache remedies aren’t really helpful. Following are some ideas to help you with a child’s troubled tummy.

Nausea is never pleasant and when you know that your child is feeling ill you want to do everything that you can to make things better. Many over-the-counter medications used to ease stomach pain aren’t well accepted by youngsters. Even some stomach ache remedies made for kids may leave your little one running in the other direction.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a handful of natural stomach ache remedies to use when you don’t have and medicine on hand? Wouldn’t it be even better if those nausea remedies were well received by your child? Of course you want your little one to feel better as soon as possible and with as little struggle as possible.

If your child will drink tea, you have a couple of solutions at your fingertips. Keep a stock of Chamomile tea on hand. This tea is a natural stomach ache remedy that is a pleasure to drink. Your child will be feeling better in a few minutes after having some of this calming tea and after getting a little rest.

Peppermint tea is another natural stomach ache remedy appreciated by people of all ages. I personally prefer drinking Chamomile tea because the peppermint flavor doesn’t seem to go with a beverage but this is just a personal preference. If I’m feeling ill, I don’t mind a cup of peppermint tea at all.

There is a drawback to using these natural stomach ache remedies. They take some time to prepare. The tea needs to steep for about 20 minutes to reach the right potency to do the trick. This may be a little too long for some parents to wait.

If you don’t want to wait or if your little one won’t drink tea you might want to try peppermint candy. A regular old candy cane is a surprising stomach ache remedy that many moms use for morning sickness. This tasty treat can be used on little tummies as well.

Feeling under the weather is never fun but it is worse when your child is uncomfortable. When medications aren’t available or not well-received, it’s nice to know that a little peppermint will help ease your child’s discomfort.

About the Author:

Filed under Self Improvement by Charlie Reese

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

The Benefits of Owning a Senseo Coffee Maker

by Charlie Reese

Senseo Coffee Maker: Convenient Way of Brewing Coffee At Home

Many coffee addicts have been talking about the new senseo coffee maker lately. This new breed of coffee maker combines new technology with the traditional art of making brewed coffee. The design of the new senseo coffee maker design is decisively modern and compact making it an idea appliance for your ultra modern kitchen. This coffee maker comes in three colors: white, black and blue so it blends easily into the general color scheme of your kitchen.

Advantages Of The Senseo Coffee Maker

The new senseo coffee maker has a true cup brewing system. If you live alone or with a partner, this coffee maker is ideal for you. Compared to most types of coffee makers, the new senseo coffee maker is very convenient. Why? It allows fast brewing. In as short as two minutes, you will already have your freshly brewed coffee. No, the short brewing time do not really affect the taste of your coffee. In fact, most people who have used this coffee maker swear that they could not really feel any difference in the taste between a coffee that was brewed for several minutes and the coffee that was brewed in just a little over 2 minutes in the senseo coffee maker.

This coffee maker is easy to use. This type of coffee maker uses convenient no mess pods. If you are in hurry to go to the office in the morning, you just simply flip open the top of the coffee maker, slip in a pod and the close the cover. Switch on the coffee maker and wait for two minutes.

Disadvantages Of The Senseo Coffee Maker

Although this type of coffee make does have many advantages, it also has its disadvantages. First, this model is rather small and it only brews 2 cups of coffee at a time. If you have visitors at home, you will need to brew more than once to get everyone a cup of coffee each. Yes, it only takes about 2 minutes to brew the coffee but the does not mean that you do not consume a lot of energy each time to use your coffee maker. The second disadvantage of this model is that it makes a lot of noise when brewing. The noise is not exactly very loud but if you are in a foul mood and you want to have some peace and quite around the kitchen, the noise from your coffee make r can be quite irritating.

About the Author:

Filed under Food & Beverage by Charlie Reese

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

Organic Coffee is Very Special

by Charlie Reese

Help Fight Poverty: Buy Fairtrade Organic Coffee

Drinking fairtrade organic coffee is one of the best ways to contribute to poverty alleviation all over the world. Fairtrade organic coffee is produced by small farmers in many developing countries all over the world. Most of these farmers are what we call “subsistence” farmers who get barely enough income to feed and clothe their families.

Several of these small coffee farmers live in hinterland areas where development is very slow and life is often very hard. Since farming is the only way of life that most of these people knew, most members of the family work in the family’s coffee farm tending to trees and handpicking coffee beans off the tress from sunrise to sunset.

What is Fairtrade Organic Coffee?

Small coffee farmers often find it very hand to compete with those giant coffee producers. To help these small farmers to compete with bigger and more powerful coffee farmers, international development organizations such Amnesty International, The United Nations, Caritas International and others organized these small farmers into groups and educate them on fair trade strategies.

The idea here is to unite the small coffee farmers and empower them to play a wider influence in the coffee industry. As a result of these efforts made by many international development organizations, the fairtrade organic coffee industry was born. Small farmers from different parts of the world pool their harvest together and sell their produce at a fair price.

Why Does Fairtrade Organic Coffee Cost Higher Than Most Types of Coffee?

Fairtrade organic coffee is a premium product which is produced without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The farmers who are producing fairtrade organic coffee products follow strict rules and regulations when it comes to using organic fertilizer in their farms. Since organic products are more difficult to produce, it is but natural that they should cost more compared to conventionally produced products.

Moreover, since fairtrade organic coffee comes from several small farms from all over the world, it is but fitting that we pay more money for this product to help these small farmers survive. Just come to think of it, every time you buy fairtrade organic coffee, you are able to help some needy coffee farmer in the mountains to support his or her family. When you drink fairtrade coffee, you put food of the table of some needy farmer. Isn’t that a good enough reason to shell out a few extra dollars for a bag of coffee beans?

About the Author:

Filed under Food & Beverage by Charlie Reese

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

Portable Crib Tips

by JB Anthony

Cribs can come in different types. The type that is getting more and more common these days is the portable crib. What benefits are there in getting a portable crib and what are the things to watch out for in picking one?

Portable vs. Non Portable

Needless to say, it’s major advantage from a typical crib is that it can be folded and handily brought around during trips. These cribs usually come in different shapes and sizes and can be made of metal, wood or plastic. Most popular plastic models have fine meshes instead of rails on the sides. Portable cribs are usually smaller in size than typical cribs which is why they are handier. The size and features however of a portable crib are still subject to government safety standards.

Benefits of a Portable Crib

If you are a traveler or if your family likes to take trips, then this type of crib is ideal for you. This type of crib can be carried around easily and can provide the kind of comfort and security that your baby has been used to in his home crib. Portable cribs also double as play spaces. This makes it perfect for families who would like some freedom to enjoy a picnic with the baby around.

Feature and Safety Tips

Models can vary and differ. Before you pick just any model or before you decide on how to use it, you should remember a couple of good tips.

- Constantly get the latest on crib recalls. Although most cribs have been designed with safety in mind, some models may sport features that may not immediately seem dangerous. After some time though, these products may be recalled because manufacturers and users have noticed a design flaw that may make it dangerous. Recall information is always available online. Even if your model is brand new, make sure to check regularly if there is a recall order for it.

- It’s always good to check the parts before you buy and after you buy, while your baby is already using it. This will help ensure that your crib has no chipped parts that could injure your baby. Pay special attention to the locks of the crib. Broken locks could cause a crib to collapse on your baby.

- Check the mesh’s hole size and make sure it’s not too big. A mesh that does not meet current safety standards could rip and injure your baby. He could also get his fingers caught in large holes. There are suggestions that the wire mesh should be on all sides and not just on two sides. Such a design can provide proper air flow.

- Test and check the rail. Make sure that the collapsing mechanism does not immediately collapse on a downward V. The safe kind of portable crib model is the one that has rails that move up in a V before collapsing down. This is a safety feature that can protect your baby from an accidental collapse.

- Make sure that your crib doesn’t have controls that are accessible to your baby. Your baby could tamper with controls on the side and cause a crib to collapse.

About the Author:

Filed under Home & Family by JB Anthony

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

Working With Resonance

by Kenrick Cleveland

I heard an interesting story about the law of resonance that I want to share with you. The Law of Resonance is a very similar concept to the law of attraction, but has some distinct differences. The Law of Attraction, as is widely known, is the universal law that determines what you attract into your life based on what you’re putting out there.

Where the Law of Attraction is really a personal, individualized situation, the Law of Resonance is relational in nature. The Law of Resonance has to do with the way two or more things are linked. My transcriptionist told me a story that perfectly illustrates this law. She had worked as a paralegal in a law firm several years ago and saw exactly how the Law of Resonance works first hand.

She told me, “I sat next to a woman who had been working at the firm for more than ten years, working for the same attorney who treated her horribly. She was so beaten down and negative and everything out of her mouth was either a lie or something really depressing. And the worst part was she never stopped talking, even if there was no one listening.

“My first instinct was to be sweet and supportive with her. I was friendly and engaging, but as the weeks, months, years wore on, my sympathy and support turned into negativity and frustration. I would call her out all the time when I caught her lying. I stopped suggesting things to move her out of her mindset, and started unconsciously moving into negativity myself.”

If you are around someone on a consistent basis, say, eight or nine hours a day, five days a week, or if you live with someone who has dark, pessimistic energy, and you are someone who views the world with a positive attitude, it might be difficult to resist the unconscious lowering of your energy as it attempts to resonate with theirs. Say you can’t simply quit the job where the irritating co-worker is or kick your mother-in-law out, well, you’ll need to do some self protection when dealing with the negative personalities.

The Law of Resonance says that the relationship between the two individuals, especially over an extended period of time, will either raise up the energy of the negative one, lower the energy of the positive one, or result in a combination of both where they’ll meet somewhere in the middle.

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself from sinking to their level.

Of course, do what you can to mix more with positively minded people. But when you can’t choose who you’re with, realize that a negative resonance can actually sap the power of a positive resonance if you are inattentive and if the negative magnetism is stronger. If your positivity is stronger it won’t be deeply affected.

So what happened between my transcriptionist and the secretary she sat next to? Well, eventually my transcriptionist, manifested herself a new desk on the other side of the office. She went to her office manager and explained the drain and was rewarded with a quiet desk alone near the library and felt a huge weight was removed from her workload.

About the Author:

Filed under Business by Kenrick Cleveland

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

Forget a Formal Wedding, Elope at a Bed and Breakfast

by Jane Leisteiner

Whether you just want to avoid all the intensive planning and worrying that comes with planning a wedding or you just want to get married now, getting eloped has never had more options available. Chances are, there is likely a bed and breakfast in your area that can service your needs. Not only that, you can do it with romance and intimacy while not taking a beating on the budget.

The Westbrook Inn B&B, located in Westbrook, Conn., specializes in elopements. The inn’s Gold Package includes accommodations in a private cottage or Victorian guest room and a ceremony performed anywhere on the bed and breakfast inn’s grounds or inside, if the bride and groom request something more formal. The package includes a Justice of the Peace, photos of the ceremony, a champagne toast; a wedding cake for two, a fresh flower arrangement and a full breakfast each morning at the inn.

Some Innkeepers Can Even Take Care of the Photography

If Virginia is on your mind, then let White Fence B&B innkeepers Mike and Sally Dixon help you make all of your elopement arrangements. Located in Stanley, Virginia, White Fence B&B offers three different elopement packages. All of the packages include high resolution digital photos taken by Sally, who is an accomplished amateur photographer. This B&B specializes in private two-person ceremonies without guests.

Elope at a Manor

Campbell House Elopement Packages offer a romantic, budget friendly solution for couples wanting to escape and get married in a quiet, quaint romantic Village of Ligonier, Penn. Enjoy the quiet getaway, have your private marriage ceremony at Campbell House or in Ligonier’s beautiful gazebo. Take advantage of the Laurel Highland’s many local attractions to make your honeymoon a beautiful, memorable experience.

Wine Country Wedding

The Hope-Merrill House in the beautiful Sonoma Wine Country in Geyersville, California also provides special $2,700 elopement package for the bride and groom. Ceremonies can be held on the grounds of the inn, or by the fireplace or in an elegant parlor. The package includes two nights in the Peacock Room with a Jacuzzi for two and fireplace, non-denominational minister, bridal bouquet and boutonniere, small wedding cake, a bottle of champagne with light hors d’oeuvres, photos taken by the innkeeper, a dinner for two, and four gourmet breakfasts.

About the Author:

Filed under Wedding by Jane Leisteiner

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

You Must Have Proper Bicycle Helmets, Shoes And Eye Gear When Goi

by Alison Addy

Without the right accessories going on a mountain bike ride will put you in grave danger. The basic survival kit should contain helmet, gloves, shorts, shoes, eye protection, water, and repair tools.

It can be somewhat overwhelming when you want to purchase your first mountain bike for your ride up and down slopes, and come across a plethora of accessories available in the stores.

There are plenty of mountain biking accessories that you can buy. The sales person may lure you into buying the more expensive stuff, but do not get fascinated by just cool products but something that you need and that comes within your budget. For a safe and enjoyable ride the following protection gear is as important as it can get.

Bike Helmet: This is a very important item to buy. To prevent any serious injury to the head bike helmets are a must take along accessory. Many a bike accident could have been prevented if a bike helmet had been used by the rider. The majority of mountain bike helmets are quite stylish and everyone and anyone who hits the trails are equipped with one.

Mountain Bike Gloves: These are a must have for any biker to release the pressure on hands which take all the trouble to maintain a firm grip on the handle bars. They are also the first parts of the body to get hit in a crash, so wearing them is a safe precaution.

Mountain Bike Shorts: Your posterior might feel uncomfortable with a few rides, and even though your body might cope well with it after sometime, wearing bike shorts will keep the pain at the minimum. This is apart from the fact that a great looking pair of bike shorts are a cool addition to your mountain biking gear.

Mountain Bike Shoes: The type of your pedals, the surface of the terrain and nature of your mountain bike ride will determine the shoes you need. The right shoes will have to be sturdy, comfortable, swell with the feet, and the sole should be made of sterner stuff. Just make sure you pick up the right pair of shoes to suit the kind of terrain you intend to take on.

Eye Protection: Buy non-breakable sunglasses and clear lens glasses that can ward off any dust that might get in your eyes and make you loose your way and harm you in any accident.

Hydration System: Never leave without a water bottle or a hydration backpack to prevent drying up of your body. It is natural to get dehydrated so keep taking sips on your way to remain adequately hydrated. You can also go through the bike transport case to acquire some information and innovative concepts about it.

Trial Repair Kit: Carry a multi tool kit, tire levers and patch kit for repairing unforeseen damages that you may encounter on the road.

About the Author:

Filed under Sports by Alison Addy

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment

Anti Cellulite Cream is Good to Find

by Charlie Reese

Does Anti Cellulite Cream Really Work?

Cellulite is basically a kind of fat tissue that develops in the subcutaneous layer of the skin and which results in a dimpling or puckering of the skin. It is a skin condition that is plaguing millions of people around the world, both men and women although it is much more predominant in women.Cellulite can definitely be a difficult problem to try and deal with, but there are solutions, things that can be done to help with cellulite.

Anti Cellulite Cream

Of all the different cellulite treatments available on the market today, anti cellulite cream is by far one of the most popular. Anti cellulite cream is considered as being one of the least extreme cellulite treatments, and therefore is one of the first that should be tried.

Of the hundreds of anti cellulite cream products available today, there are two in particular which are especially popular: Revitol and Sculpt & Tone. The first, Revitol, is a cutting edge cream that helps to eliminate cellulite dimples and inches, boost muscle tone and sculpt your body, firm and tighten your legs, thighs, and buttocks, and much more.

You simply apply this cream directly to the problem areas on your body and since it is a topical cream it is actually able to transdermally reach below the skin level and start to take care of your cellulite immediately.

Sculpt & Tone is an anti cellulite cream which is clinically proven to deliver spectacular results as a type of slimming and toning formula. Unlike many other cellulite cream products available these days this product actually works by penetrating the skin and dissolving the fat just beneath the skin. It has proven to be incredibly effective and is also affordable, making it accessible to the average person.

When You Need More

If you have tried these creams and they do not seem to be making enough of an effect, there are other options that are available to you here. Cellulite laser treatment, although an extreme measure, can help to significantly decrease the look of cellulite. It is very expensive however and because it is a cosmetic procedure it is not covered by insurance.

Speak to your doctor or even a dermatologist more about the different anti cellulite cream products and on what you can do to treat your cellulite and not only that but as well prevent it from recurring in the future. Remember that by eating well and exercising regularly you will not only be tackling your cellulite problem but as well helping yourself to look and feel better.

About the Author:

Filed under Health & Fitness by Charlie Reese

Spread the Word!

Permalink Print Comment