1. READY, SET, GO

When does your speech actually start? When you arrive at the lectern? Does it begin with the first utterance of a sound or word? No. Your presentation begins the minute the emcee begins to talk about you. The audience automatically sweeps the crowd searching for the speaker. Keep poised and confident. Remember all eyes are on you!

2. RISE TO THE OCCASION
The emcee announces your name, and the audience breaks out into applause. Now it’s time to rise to the occasion. All eyes are on you, watching you. Gracefully rise out of your chair, stand tall, and slowly walk toward center stage. Take your time walking. The more time you take walking, the more status your audience will subconsciously give you. Let the audience’s clapping carry you to the stage as if you were gliding on a magic carpet. Remember to watch where you are walking. There could be cords and wires on the ground or chair legs in your path. Any one of these obstacles could cause you to have a nice trip. If something awkward should happen on your way to the lectern, remain calm and use humor. Using humor connects people and is more effective than using self-deprecating remarks. Let your audience know that there’s nothing to worry about, you’re okay, and the show will go on. I remember seeing Robert Allen, famous author and millionaire, fall off the stage moments after he arrived. Instantly, he jumped back up on stage and poked fun at the hotel stage lighting, which had caused his fall. Allen’s humor set the audience at ease, and they roared with laughter at his quick wit.

3. THE MOMENT BEFORE
Now, you can see your way clear to the lectern. The closer you get, the more nervous you feel. Not to worry, I have a theatre secret for you. Ever wonder how actors can just walk on stage as if they’re already in motion? It’s easy; they use techniques. One popular technique is called the moment before. The moment before is a trade secret actors use to create action before they walk on stage so they enter already in motion. The moment before is that moment right before you walk onto the stage. Actors create an action or simply a thought to propel themselves into the moment. So to keep your butterflies in check, as you are walking to the lectern, use this technique. For example, an actor might be thinking, “Yuk, I see a big spider!” For the speaker, you might be thinking to yourself as you hear the applause, “They love me”; “I’m going to give a great speech!” These simple statements will do two things. First, you’ll already be active and ready to deliver your speech. Second, you’ll give your mind something to do other than think about how nervous you are. Consequently, you’ll eliminate any signs of nervousness—for the time being anyway.

4. LECTERN VS. PODIUM

You made it to the lectern. Before we continue, let me say this about the lectern. The lectern is not a podium, and a podium is not the same thing as a lectern. The most common mistake speakers make is calling the lectern a podium. Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary’s defines a lectern as “an upright desk or stand with a slanted top used to hold a text at the proper height for a lecturer,” whereas a podium is “an elevated platform for an orchestra conductor or public speaker.” Podium comes from the word Podiatry, the profession dealing with the care of feet. An easy way to remember this is to think of a podium as a platform where you put your feet. This trick could save you from the embarrassment of confusing the words podium and lectern.

5. WHEN YOU ARRIVE

Okay, you have finally arrived at the lectern on the podium after what seemed like a very long walk. Before you utter a word, take time to adjust the microphone and prepare yourself. Stand 10 to 12 inches behind the lectern. Take a moment to scan your audience with your eyes as if in one smooth, wave motion with a genuine smile. Take a beat before you speak. Breathe and then start with your opening line. Taking this moment will instantly put you at ease and help you to connect to your audience.

6. THE OPENING

The first words out of your mouth should be an attention grabber! The best speeches are organized into three parts, a beginning, a middle, and an end. Your opening line must grab your audience’s attention and arouse interest in your topic. Examples of a good opening are

1. Enrolling questions
2. Staggering statistical statements
3. Statements of declaration

Once, I heard a speaker begin his speech with “I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!” He said it with such emotion that the audience could actually feel his frustration with being late. Another statement of declaration used by a young college student was, “I’m tired of being a grunt!” That one turned heads. Whether you choose to start with a statement of declaration, enrolling questions, or a staggering statistical statement, make it appropriate for your audience and tie it back to your speech topic.

7. DON’T LET THEM SEE YOU SWEAT

Whatever you do before, during and after your speech do not apologize! A common mistake new speakers make is to begin their speech with an apologetic statement. “Sorry, I’m late.” “Forgive me for not being prepared.” “I’m so nervous.” These statements are self-sabotaging. Don’t do it. No one has to know that you’re nervous and, quite frankly, the audience won’t know it unless you tell them. Furthermore, most symptoms of nervousness don’t even show. For instance, your audience can’t see your sweaty palms, hear your heart racing, or feel your soaring butterflies in the pit of your stomach. So don’t tell them.

There are many techniques to reduce nervousness and many books written on the subject. These books are full of tricks as simple as deep breathing exercises to the more complex methods such as hypnotherapy. However, I believe there is only one technique that really
works. Remember the three rules of real estate? Location, location, location. The three rules of public speaking are practice, practice, practice. The best way to reduce and eventually eliminate nervousness is practice. Get up and speak whenever you get the opportunity. Rehearse your speech and get up and deliver it to your audience. The more you speak, the less nervous you will be. So remember, don’t ever let them see you sweat, even if you are.

8. TREAT THE LECTERN AS YOU WOULD A CHILD

Never leave the lectern unattended. You would never walk away and leave a child alone in a supermarket or in a train station, would you? No, that would be absurd. Yet, how many times have you seen emcees announce the speaker and just walk away? Every member of the audience feels this public display of awkwardness. Not to mention the speaker having to either cover up or make up for the lack of interaction. And how about the speaker who ends his speech and marches off the stage, leaving the lectern alone? The emcee quickly and perhaps awkwardly rushes to take charge of the situation. When the speech is over, the speaker should return the lectern to the emcee. It works both ways.

In either case, this poor protocol can easily be avoided if you remember to treat the lectern as a child and never leave it unattended. Let me make myself clear. I’m not saying that you should deliver your entire speech from behind this wooded barricade. No. When the lectern is turned over to you as a speaker, you are free to move about, returning to the lectern from time to time as needed. I’m referring to when you are finished with your speech. Wait patiently at the lectern, enjoying the applause, until the emcee takes charge of the lectern. Think of a relay race where the runner passes a baton to another runner before slowing her pace. Once the baton is passed, the passing runner is finished.

If your job is to introduce the speaker, after you announce his name, stay at the lectern until he arrives. In the United States, it is customary to shake hands as a professional courtesy. Stay at the lectern and greet your speaker; then gracefully leave without upstaging your guest. Since not all emcees and speakers will have read this article and know what to do, tell them; explain it to them before the event and eliminate a potentially awkward moment.

Never touch the lectern inappropriately. Most of us would never dream of hitting, grabbing, or leaning on a child. Yet, I see speakers sprawled all over the lectern as they speak. Often new presenters are so nervous they grab the edges of the lectern so tightly their knuckles turn white. Then there are those people who beat or pound on the lectern to drive a point home, leaving the audience feeling very defensive. The major problem with treating the lectern this way, outside of offending your audience, is that it distracts your audience and prevents them from hearing what you have to say. It helps to stand 10 to 12 inches behind the lectern to avoid the temptation of touching it inappropriately.

9. LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY THANK YOU

Remember Love Story? It was a popular movie made in 1970 starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw. In one scene, Ryan’s character, Oliver Barrett IV, and Ali’s character, Jennifer Cavilleri, have a love spat and Jennifer takes off. After combing the city all night looking for Jennifer, Ryan finds her sitting on the doorstep of their apartment. Oliver apologizes. Jennifer with tears streaming down her cheeks looks up at him and says, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” That’s right! And when it comes to thank-yous, the same is true for speakers. You have just given a brilliant speech. The audience loves you. The audience wants more. And you end it with “thank you.” Thank you? Why are you saying thank you? It’s the audience that should be thanking you! End your speech with a
powerful statement that moves your audience into action. Develop an ending your audience will remember. Create an ending that compels your audience to say “thank you” to you. Or better yet, an ending that already says, “You’re welcome.”

These are just a few of the secrets that professional speakers use to deliver powerful presentations. By using these simple techniques, you too can command your audience’s attention, keep their interest, and move them into action. You’re now ready to speak.

The Internet has an insatiable appetite for freshly written content. Websites crave it like a drug. The search engines love it and reward sites that constantly renew their content. Consumers buy up ebooks like candy. If you can write, you can make money on the Internet.

Even inexperienced writers can make money! Of course, they will not make as much as someone who is familiar with keyword placement and niches. But a novice can do quite well by selling articles to websites.

There are websites that will pay you for each 500-word article you write. There are websites that will employ you to write articles and ebooks for consumers. And there are millions of websites that will pay you for your articles. And this is just the beginning.

Some Internet guru’s make millions selling ebooks. Writing ebooks is a great way to earn an extra income. And, if your ebook is successful, you can make a very nice recurring income that can make you money for years. An ebook can be almost any length; many successful ebooks contain just 10 or 20 pages. The best selling ebooks solve a problem or demonstrate how to accomplish a particular skill or technique. If you are looking for ways to make extra money, consider writing ebooks. You may be very surprised at the amount of money that you can make.

There are millions of people who cannot write their own ebooks but would gladly help you sell yours. They are called affiliates. Affiliates send people to your sales page to buy your ebook. Each time someone they refer buys your ebook, the affiliate gets part of the proceeds and you get part of the proceeds. This situation benefits everybody. If you have written an ebook, you should look into an affiliate program.

So if you can write, don’t take your skill lightly. You have a highly marketable talent that can be used to make a very nice living on the Internet.

Do you want to learn more about how to do it? Get my brand new guide on how to create your own ebook and affiliate program.

Source: EasyArticles.

(Excerpted from The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living, by Peter Bowerman. Fanove, 2006. www.wellfedsp.com).

“Crazy” Lives…
We’ve all known people who talk about their “crazy” lives, which, 99 out of 100, is just a life like most other lives, or, at the very least, certainly not some Oprah-worthy existence. They exclaim, “I should write a book; no one would believe it.” Yeah, and no offense, but I’d wager no one would buy it, either. What we think is absolutely fascinating about our life is rarely so for others. So, Rule #1 of the SP game, and part and parcel of the whole Sales and Marketing discussion here is this:

Write a Book People Will Want to Read.

Painfully obvious, right? Total no-brainer? Well, as we’ve all discovered, few things are no-brainers, especially this one. A corollary to this rule is: Don’t let ego or vanity (“Hooowee, I’m going to be an author!”) cloud your judgment and keep you from asking yourself the tough questions to determine if your proposed subject matter is indeed salable. Remember: a garage full of books is an amazingly ego-boosting sight for about two hours. Tops.

Don’t Go “Book Blind”!
Put another way, don’t succumb to what I’ll call “book blindness,” a common affliction of first-time self-publishers and even some more experienced folks: when you become so enamored with the idea that you’ve written a book and you’re so intimately attuned to how much blood, sweat and tears went into its creation (and by extension, how “incredible” you know it is) that you lose sight of the fact that your market doesn’t know any of this and needs to be sold on all of it. That means content, cover, title, subtitle, editing, and everything else that contributes to a successful title – in the market’s opinion, not yours.

What’s the Payoff?
Let’s look at a clear-cut example of a book people want to read: a Top 10 title on The New York Times fiction best-seller list. What makes such a book so popular? With non-fiction titles, the subject is undoubtedly topical and compelling, and the information is sufficiently valuable to enough people to translate to commercial success.

With fiction though, it’s likely the draw of a marquee author. What makes those authors so popular? Well, you could safely say that their books strike a common chord in enough readers with compelling story-telling, rich character development, recurring themes or heroes/heroines (in the case of a series), authentic depictions of human nature, etc.

Simply put, for a book to become a best seller, enough people have to feel there’s a payoff: a feeling that’s pleasurable or familiar, something they can relate to on some fundamental level, etc. Will your book deliver that crucial payoff?

Tune in to WRII-FM
All writing, if it’s to be effective (i.e., get through to your reader), must always consider the audience, as we just discussed. Throughout the entire self-publishing process, you’ll need to keep your reader/listener/viewer constantly in mind. Choosing the right (read marketable) subject matter for your book is just the first time you’ll do that.

Along the way, you’ll do it on countless other occasions, as you craft: 1) email pitches to potential reviewers; 2) press releases to particular publications or associations that have specific “hot buttons”; 3) articles for print/online publications which look for specific content; 4) promotional copy, commentary and content for book signings, discussions, seminars, speeches, radio/TV interviews, other public appearances, and much more.

We need to tune our marketing minds into “WRII-FM,” that unspoken question in the mind of the reader of any printed material: “What’s Really In It For Me?” If the answer is, “nothing” or “not enough,” then it’s on to the next book on the bookshelf, email in the inbox, or article in the magazine.

How’s Yours Different?
Let’s assume that you’ve determined that your subject matter is indeed viable. Next stop? Barnes & Noble, Borders, or Amazon.com. See how many other books there are on your subject. It might be a great topic, but if there are 20 titles that deal with it already, do we really need a 21st? Yours had better be pretty darn special, and to someone other than you (and your mother…).

Plenty of Room
In the case of my first book, there was literally one book on the market on the subject of commercial writing: Secrets of a Freelance Writer, by Bob Bly. It’s a very good book, in fact it was the book that got me started in the commercial writing business. Still, it was just one book. Bob’s book is solid, substantive and straightforward. Mine was going to be just as meaty in its own right but more fun, whimsical and irreverent – starting with the title itself, The Well-Fed Writer, and continuing on from there.

So, clearly, I felt comfortable that there was more than enough room for another book on the subject, especially one with a different tone and approach. Most importantly, the subject matter was very compelling. I knew there were zillions of struggling or “wannabe” writers out there who would be more than a little intrigued by a book that showed them, step-by-step, how to make a handsome full-time living as a writer.

A Book Proposal?
Here’s a great way to gel your thinking about the market viability of your book. About the time I’d finished my first book, and before I’d definitely decided to self-publish it, I put together a book proposal, which, of course, is the first step to pitching agents and/or publishers. But even if you’ve already made the decision to go the SP route, a book proposal is a wonderful way to get a reality check. It ensures that you’ll think this thing through thoroughly before taking the (financial) plunge. That means figuring out what the book would cover, why there’s a market for it, who would buy it, why they would buy it, what your competition is, what your expected costs will be, and much more.

Don’t make the oh-so-common mistake of overestimating the appeal of a potential book idea. Perhaps you do have a great book, but a little homework now will save a lot of headaches later.
************

Can’t land a publisher? Do it yourself, and make a living from it! Check out a free report on self-publishing at www.wellfedsp.com, home of author Peter Bowerman’s award-winning 2007 release, The Well-Fed Self-Publisher: How to Turn One Book into a Full-Time Living.

Source: EasyArticles.

Since centuries thousands of books are published each year. A few books receive accolades others are enjoyed and lie forgotten on dusty shelves and yet others go unnoticed. Publishers weekly reviews more than 6000 books both print and online in various categories like fiction, poetry, non fiction, comics, religion, lifestyle, and children’s books.

In Fiction PW lists as top picks:

1. Call Me by Your Name by Andre Aciman.

2. Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski.

3. The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolario.

4. The Tin Roof Blowdown by James Lee Burke.

5. The Falling Man by Don DeLillo.

6. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz.

7. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid.

8. Returning to earth by Jim Harrison.

9. The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey.

10. The heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill.

11. The Archivist’s Story by Travis Holland.

12. The Body of Lies by David Ignatius.

13. The Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson.

14. The Bowl of Cherries by Millard Kaufman.

15. What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman.

In fiction for children the top picks were:

1. The Golden dream of Carlo Chuchio by Joyd Alexander.

2. The Absolute True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie.

3. The Sweet Far Thing by Libba Bray.

4. Mistik Lake by Martha Brooks.

5. Someday this Pain will be Useful to You by Peter Carmeron.

6. Revolution is Not a dinner party by Ying Chang Compestine.

7. Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis.

8. A Swift Pure Cry by Siobhan Dowd.

9. Before I Die by Jenny Downham.

10. Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks

11. Bone by Bone by Bone by Tony Johnston.

12. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

13. Red Spikes by Margo Lanagan.

14. Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

15. Bullyville by Francine Prose.

Source: EasyArticles.

The best of the year 2007 includes:

1. Google apps premium edition .

2. Intel Core Duo.

3. Nintendo Wii

4. Verizon FiOS.

5. RIM Blackberry 8800.

6. Parallels Desktop.

7. Pioneer Elite 1080p PRO-FHD1.

8. Infrant Technologies ReadyNAS NV.

9. Apple Mac OS X 10.4 “Tiger.”

10. Adobe premier Elements 3

11. Apple TV.

12. Samsung Sync Master 244T

13. BillP studios Win Patrol.

14. HP dv9000t.

15. McAfee Site Advisor.

16. Canonical Ubuntu 7.04.

17. Pandora.com

18. Microsoft Xbox 360 elite.

19. Paint.net.

20. Hitachi Deskstar 7K 1000

21. SightSpeed 6.

22. Kayak.

23. Nikon D 40X.

24. New York Times Times reader.

25. Samsung Blackjack

With markets filled with products it is hard for laypersons to decide what to buy and which products are most suitable. Websites help consumers by hosting reviews of products as well as price range. Online websites offer consumers great discounts and competitive prices on online sales. Editors and techies write blogs as well as columns online to share their expertise with others. These serve to help newbies and others make informed decisions. Best of 2007 lists are made after considerable exploration and experts devise methods by which to rank products and other objects including music, films, styles, websites, and more.

Source: EasyArticles.

Source: EasyArticles.

Simon Groom, the director of modern and contemporary art at the National Galleries of Scotland, accused a prominent London art critic of a personal and “completely unprofessional” attack on the Glasgow artist.

The Turner Prize was awarded this week to Mark Wallinger, the critics’ favourite on a shortlist of four artists.

Wallinger won for State Britain, a piece-by-piece recreation of the anti-war protester Brian Haw’s 40-metre encampment outside the Houses of Parliament, removed in a police raid in May 2006. It was praised as a bold and powerful art work.

By contrast, Coley’s work was described by one critic as “a misjudged aberration”.

His exhibition entry included a neon sign that read “There will be no miracles here,” framed photographs with the glass sprayed black, and two pieces of wood across doorways.

One critic called Coley the natural Turner winner. But others called him a “makeweight”, “the most boring artist in Britain”, and said his art was the worst of a bad year.

Mr Groom was curator of the Turner Prize exhibition, staged in the Tate Liverpool instead of London for the first time this year. Only two weeks ago, he began work in Edinburgh. Mr Groom said Wallinger’s work was engaged, humorous and relevant. “He is remarkably consistent and inventive.”

But he blamed critics’ dim view of the 2007 show on the three-hour train ride to Liverpool. “Part of it is the uncomfortableness of having to leave London,” he said.

“Nathan has really suffered, in a way that seems to be beyond matters of taste. His art is provocative in a way. I don’t think they get it, they don’t spend much time with it.”

After the prize was announced on Monday, the critic Adrian Searle wrote: “Nathan Coley shrank to the occasion, with one of the most ill-judged Turner prize displays I have seen. Coley’s show was at best a misjudged aberration.”

Mr Groom said: “It’s pretty harsh stuff. If you don’t like the art you don’t like it, fine. But this seems to be almost on a personal level which I do find completely unprofessional.”

Wallinger’s State Britain show appeared at the Tate Britain earlier this year. He resurrected Haw’s tent, placards and tarpaulin shelter in the gallery.

For the Liverpool exhibition he showed his 2004 film Sleeper, in which he dressed as a bear and prowled a Berlin gallery for ten nights.

Coley was not available for comment yesterday. His art has shown in exhibitions world-wide. In 2002, he was an unofficial “artist in residence” at the trial of two Libyans accused of the Lockerbie bombing. In 2004 his work The Lamp of Sacrifice included scale models of 286 places of worship in Edinburgh.

Last year, on the Isle of Bute, he erected the giant neon sign, “There will be no miracles here”, with the words hung on a path between the trees.

The display - which includes work by award-winning artist Jock McFadyen - will run at Pearce’s Bar on Elm Row until an auction on December 5.

Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “This exhibition has something for everyone. We have brought together a vibrant mix of talented artists and would urge people to come along to the exhibition.”

The powerful drama, based on the Giles Foden’s novel about Ugandan dictator’s brutal regime, took home a further two awards: Best Feature Film and Best Screenplay.

But there was also recognition for Scotland’s rising talents, with Sean Biggerstaff picking up an award for his performance in BBC4’s Consenting Adults, about the 1957 Wolfenden report into gay rights. Other winners at the red-carpet event, held in Glasgow’s City Halls, included Rebus for SMG Productions and Black Watch - A Soldier’s Story, which picked up the prize for best documentary at the ceremony attended by more than 800 guests and hosted by the GMTV presenter Lorraine Kelly.

BBC programme Did Your Vote Count?, A Newsnight Scotland Special won Best News and Current Affairs, Nina & The Neurons, made by BBC Scotland, came top of the Best Children’s category and, for the second year in a row, The Lloyds TSB Scotland Audience Award for most popular television programme went to hit BBC1 comedy series, Still Game. But while most winners showed genuine delight when their names were called, there was little surprise when Sophia Myles was named best actress for her performance in Hallam Foe - as she was the only nomination in the category.

But Myles, a former girlfriend of the Doctor Who star David Tennant, did not attend the awards, designed to honour those in front of and behind the camera in film and television in Scotland.

McAvoy, 28, who returned to his home city for the ceremony, said he had been honoured just to be nominated.

“I am very pleased to have won the award. It’s nice to get it at home in Scotland, in Glasgow and in front of my family,” he said.

“I’ve played a lot of Englishmen, and for Scottish BAFTA to forgive me for that and award me for playing a Scotsman is very humbling.”

The Scot, who played Idi Amin’s physician, Dr James Garrigan, in the Kevin MacDonald film, also spoke of his future plans. Now based in London, where he lives with his wife, the actress Anne-Marie Duff, he admitted he was sometimes homesick. “I miss the rain, the hills and square sausage,” he said.

Having recently finished filming the action film Wanted, along with co-star Angelina Jolie, McAvoy said he planned to take a back seat for a while.

He added: “Apart from anything else, I think people get fed up of you. I’m young and I should be working lots, but I need a bit of a rest as well.”

He claims he will take the opportunity to renovate his London home and to become a “househusband” for a while. “Not so much new man, though, as boring man who fancies staying in the house,” he added.

Biggerstaff, who also featured alongside Daniel Radcliffe in two of the Harry Potter films, recently completed the film Hippy Hippy Shake with Ciaran Murphy and Sienna Miller. Speaking of Consenting Adults, he said: “I only got the job two days before we started, but it was a pleasure to work on. This is really just the cherry on the cake.”

Alison Forsyth, the director of BAFTA Scotland, said: “This year’s awards have been the biggest and best ever.

“Over 800 people attended the event and a galaxy of Scottish stars presented and received awards.

“It has been a fantastic evening and we are once again delighted that we have the support of Lloyds TSB Scotland, who have helped make the night such a memorable one.”

Rather than turn the incident into a big fuss, Glowbal Grill & Satay Bar boss Jeffery Penna covered the $400 bill Duff and her sister Haylie forgot to pay.

Penna insists the bill was worth it for a night with the Duff sisters: “They were delightful to be with.”