Ever Thought About Self Love?

By self love I'm not talking about narcissism and lack of regard for others, but true, self love in terms of loving yourself for who you are. Do you? Despite all your weaknesses, perceived faults, parts of your body that you don't like... do you love yourself anyway?

If you can answer yes to that question - Fantastic! If you find it challenging to answer yes - don't beat yourself up over it! Many of us struggle to love ourselves - warts 'n' all. There is no blame here, just self awareness and self acceptance.

Let's look at this another way. There is an Ultimate Being, God, Buddha, Allah, Divine Spirit, Father Mother God, Creator, Holy Spirit, whatever your words for it, we know that there is an overall consciousness that inhabits everything. Is a part of everything. We can see this when we look at beautiful flowers, or landscapes, or stunning sunsets, the smell of fresh air, the taste of tasty food, the sounds of birdsong or rolling waves. Whatever you find relaxing or beautiful is infused with God consciousness. So when you look at, hear, feel, smell, taste, or touch these beautiful things it's easy to feel love for them.

Having accepted that God is in everything, we also then need to accept that God is within us. If we love God for being in everything, we also then need to love ourselves because of this. Otherwise we are rejecting God.

Now I know that these thoughts might be pushing some buttons in people because of the word "God". I make no apology for that. It's a terminology that is easy to use to get across the concept that the Ultimate Consciousness is within us all. Therefore Every Thing and Every One deserves to be loved by us - including ourselves.

Take some time to think more about yourself. Start to acknowledge more the things about yourself that you do actually like. Let go of negative thoughts about yourself that bring you down. You love other people warts and all, try doing the same for yourself. Take it gently, but take another step towards self love and self respect. Start by writing a list of 50 positive things that you love about yourself. It may take you a couple of days and that's OK. Take your time, but do make sure you complete it. Once you have your list can you make it longer? Every time you find something positive about yourself that you love or like, add it to the list and, each day.

Alun is a spirtual life coach focused on personal and spiritual evolution. You can read more about him and his work here http://www.lifesense.co.uk

30 Days To Creating Super Habits

Production Techniques For the Online Article Writer

Let's face it there is a lot of competition in nearly every niche online when it comes to article marketing and online article authoring. There are also many theories on how best to write articles and which production techniques to use.

Over the years I have read many books from many writers about production techniques and some were good, some great, and some simply not for me. But, I have tried them all and on occasion I will employ each if it serves my purpose. I would recommend that article authors study what the top online writers are doing and do what works best for them.

Personally, I like to use all the production techniques and strategies out there, anything that I can use to increase efficiency. By doing this it allows me to enjoy the creative fun in writing articles and it's important to enjoy what you are doing, especially if you plan on doing a lot of it.

You do not have to sacrifice your creative genius to increase your article writing production. I refuse to do that, and you should refuse too and immediately commit yourself to doing both; enjoy creating quality articles and increase your production rates.

Eventually, every online article author has to come to terms with the realization that no matter which strategy you use, how much SEO thought you put into your work or how carefully you choose titles, topics and techniques, much of the online article author's success is about luck. Meaning you must put out large quantities of articles if you wish to get lucky consistently. Think on this.

Lance Winslow - Lance Winslow's Bio. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/.

7 Deadly Writing Sins

1. Sloth

The definition of sloth has changed over time. At one time, it was known as the sin of sadness and despair. Dante described it as the "failure to love God with all one's heart, all one's mind and all one's soul." Today, it is generally considered synonymous with laziness or indifference - the failure to use one's God-given talents and abilities to their fullest. So what does this mean for a writer?

It means that we should stretch beyond our comfort zone and challenge ourselves to hone our skills and learn new ones at every opportunity.

It also means that we should approach each day's work with enthusiasm and joy - joy that we have within us the ability to communicate clearly, to educate, to entertain, and to provoke thought and discussion among readers. Joy that we are able to see the world in infinite and interesting ways, and that we are able to transform that experience into words that we can share with others.

It means that instead of practicing avoidance when it's time to write, we ought to look forward to applying butt to chair and crafting the words that will touch another person's mind.

2. Gluttony

Gluttony is described as overindulgence and waste. Did Emperor Joseph II's accuse Mozart of gluttony when he criticized his work, saying, "Too many notes, my dear Mozart"? Perhaps. Perhaps we commit gluttony when we indulge our passion for words and wordplay and waste the reader's time by failing to engage, enlighten, or entertain anyone but ourselves.

3. Greed

Greed - as a sin - refers to obtaining or hoarding wealth, in particular. And some writers are very good at eschewing greed, saying, "I don't write for money, I write for the sheer love of it. I write because I can't not write. I write for art. I write for myself, alone." This last bit, "I write only for myself," could be seen as a form of hoarding. While ideas and words may not be material objects or wealth, they have value and should be shared - particularly if you accept the notion that writing is a God-given talent.

Shared, yes - stolen, no. Plagiarism would be a form of greed, coupled with envy. Steal someone else's words? I must have sensed this was a sin, given the number of times I've told rip-off artists to go straight to Hell. Whoops... guess I should re-read that section on "wrath."

"I write because I must," might be a form of pride - also one of the seven deadly sins. The implication in the tone is that anyone who doesn't feel that same compulsion is a lesser being, a "non-writer." We all have gifts; where would we be, after all, without the astute readers who buy our books or the skilled laborers who built the cold-water flat in the corner of the garret where we writers notoriously gravitate to do our work?

To write only for money would be a joyless thing (see "Sloth" above), but it is no sin to earn a comfortable living. One could argue that a comfortable living allows one to turn one's thoughts from gluttony and greed; knowing where that next meal is coming from tends to take the focus off of food.

4. Envy

Schadenfreude. Isn't that a fun word? Envy isn't merely wanting what someone else has, but wanting it to the point of feeling sorrow or resentment at another person's good fortune, and feeling a little gleeful when they are deprived of it. My mother once said that it is easy to find friends with broad shoulders to cry on when you are miserable, but hard to find any to come celebrate your good news with you. We do well to celebrate our colleagues' success - it can't help but earn us good Karma points. When another writer announces a sale, it doesn't mean there's one less publishing opportunity in the universe to be scooped up by us. When someone reports a six-figure advance, we should take that as a sign that there is abundance in the universe, and resolve to apply butt to chair just a little more diligently so that we might be next.

5. Lust

Ask the spouse or lover of any writer, and I'll bet they'd say there's just not enough of this sin going around...

6. Pride

Too many people confuse "pride" and "self-confidence." It's a confusing word, too: On the one hand, we are told that pride is a sin; on the other, we are told to "take pride in [our] work." Pride - the sin - equates to narcissism or excessive self-love. Dante defined it as "love of self perverted to hatred and contempt for one's neighbor." So how does this apply to us and our writing? Most of us are our own harshest critics. We could do with a little more self-love, and few of us are prone to excess in that department. But those of us who are published - do we ever think of those who simply write for the love of writing, with vague dreams of being published "some day," as "wannabes"? Do we dismiss the typo-ridden scrawls out of hand - and thus the writer who promulgated them? Someone helped us, when we were young and nave and just beginning to find our voices as writers. It's a debt marked "payable to the hopeful novice."

7. Anger/Wrath

Interestingly, wrath encompasses anger directed inward - so the next time you are tempted to bang your head against the wall, muttering, "Stupid, stupid, stupid - this reads as smoothly as a pig walks on stilts!" consider that you may be committing the sin of wrath. On the whole, though, writers have an excellent outlet for anger and wrath - they can sublimate the urge to kill and torment others who dearly deserve it by letting their characters damn themselves to Hell.

Holly Jahangiri is a professional writer who claims, tongue-in-cheek, to channel the spirits of Edgar Allan Poe, Erma Bombeck, and O. Henry. Holly is the author of the popular children's book, Trockle http://trockle.wordpress.com For more information, visit her blog, "Do I Have to Spell It Out?" at http://blog.jahangiri.us

A Review of How to Write Successful Feature Articles

It is often said that one skill that will never go out of style is that of writing. As long as you can write, you'll find an industry that will give you what you want, but you'll find that cracking into that industry might be harder than you think. If you are interested in making a living as a writer, you'll find that you need to know a lot more than when to capitalize and when to put commas in!

Writing to make a living is a lot different from writing to please yourself, and if you want to move forward in this industry, you'll find that there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. The first thing that you should remember is that making a living as a writer involves knowing how to make it in the industry, and you'll find that by taking a look at the How to Write Successful Feature Articles course that you will find yourself well on the road to succeeding at this.

When you are taking a look at the How to Write Successful Feature Articles program, you'll find that you will be given over to a new world of writing. If you have ever taken a writing course before, you are already familiar with pieces of advice that say things like keep the plot going, or be clear when you are trying to get your point across.

The truth of the matter is that even with that good advice under your belt, you'll still have a tough time getting published. When it comes right down to it, you'll find that editors and magazines have their own standards, which are not always readily apparent just from looking over what they are saying in the first place. You'll find that when you are looking to move forward that you need to be aware of this, and you need to figure out what you are looking forward too.

Keep in mind that you do need to stop and think about where you are going when it comes to the basics as well. Have you forgotten how to write and speak properly? If you have, this will disqualify you as much as anything else, and you'll find that in the long run, you should think about what you need to do to make sure that you can get the options that you need. You'll also learn about things like how to get your audience's attention, not just through good prose but through good formatting, and you'll find that there are plenty of tips that you need to know to get ahead in the field of writing that you choose.

Don't get left behind when it comes to your writing. Take a look at the How to Write Successful Feature Articles program and you'll find that there are secrets that can get you accepted as long as you have the drive. You already know you have the drive, so take the time to think about what else you need!

Let Article Marketing Review Kings Brian Garvin and Jeff West teach you more about Internet Marketing Review Kings. Feel free to use this article but please leave all links and author bio intact.

Article Writing Tips - Painting Pictures With Your Words

I'm so bored with many of the articles I read. They remind me of cardboard cutouts with blank faces. There's something there...I just can't see it. And ultimately, the words just drift by me like a raft on a lazy river. The writer has literally put me to sleep. Are you guilty of that as well? Not sure? Well, one way to stop hitting the snooze button is to make your words more colorful by painting pictures with them. I'm going to show you how.

Actually, I already have. Take a look at that intro paragraph. See the line about the cardboard cutouts? That is a very descriptive way to tell somebody that their writing is bland and boring. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen writing compared to cardboard cutouts before. So not only is it descriptive, it's also unique. If you can combine the two, you've got a killer combination. Why? By coming up with a unique painting, you not only make the article more colorful, but you also make the description more memorable.

What about the line about the words drifting by like a raft on a lazy river? Can you just picture that scene? I can and it puts me into a coma. I don't want lazy rivers. I want action. I want some energy and personality in the article I'm reading. I want to feel like I'm alive. Otherwise, one paragraph in and I'm going to change the channel. Okay, wrong medium, but you get my drift. Oh gee, we're back on that lazy river. Never mind. Scratch what I just said.

Where was I? Oh yes, painting pictures. When you write, think about the idea that you're trying to communicate to your reader and see how you can put it across in a way that doesn't read like your grocery list. Of course, if you read MY grocery list, you'd get a real chuckle out of it. I don't think there's anything on it that has a chemical in it or a box around it. I'm pretty much a naturalist. No, I don't walk around the house in my birthday suit. Not THAT kind of naturalist.

Okay, I've just entertained you and you got a good chuckle. (At least I hope) But the point is, I didn't put you to sleep (again, at least I hope) and I got the point across. NO don't worry...I won't say at least I hope again.

All kidding aside. If you want people to read your stuff, paint pictures. Make it colorful. Make them walk away from the article feeling something.

Anything but total apathy.

To YOUR Success,
Steven Wagenheim

Want to write articles that get people's attention and can earn you up to $200 per article written? Then check out my Complete Article Writing And Marketing Guide that you can find at http://www.honestincomeprogram.com/tcawamg.html - This is my own book that I wrote from over 30 years of writing experience.

I Sure Hope There Will Be a "Harry Potter Expanded Universe"

Have you ever thought about Harry Potter and Star Wars in the same manner?You should, because I have come to the conclusion that they are one in the same.When broken down, it's easy to compare them to one another.So I have written this article to do just that.

Harry Potter consists of basically the same elements of brilliance as Star Wars.These two sagas tell the story about a boy that is searching to be something more than what he is.He can feel the truth and the answers in the air, waiting to find him.He discovers there is much more than could ever be imagined when the truth is revealed.Both characters are being threatened by the dark side of magic/the force.Each has an equally nightmarish evil figure, Darth Vader and Lord Voldemort.Each of these stories is teaching the same underlying meaning: many things in life are difficult, and to do the right thing is not always easy.There are many shortcuts that lead to "The Dark Side," for lack of a better term, and you must stay the course to be complete as a "good" person.

The stories are intriguing and intricate enough to appeal to both children and adults alike.Other worlds, civilizations, and time lines were created in the manifestation of these stories.

When George Lucas was ready to let the rights go to other authors, he kept a chronological order of things past present and future.Other authors would then need to have their ideas and stories approved through him, to ensure the time line was being kept in sync.The Star Wars Expanded Universe, as it's referred too, is a limitless play land for authors and movie makers. For example, A.C. Crispin wrote a Han Solo Trilogy, where in you read about Han's short Imperial soldier/pilot career, how he met Chewie and Lando, and how he received the scar under his chin just to name a few.

The Harry Potter stories also bring that same unlimited potential to the table.Obviously, it is nowhere near as old as Star Wars, and J.K. Rowling has just finished telling the tale.So I doubt she will part with the rights until the movies are over.The personalities that are written into Harry Potter are so diverse, you like and are intrigued by them.The writing is so pristine, when you read the books, you feel as though you know the people in the story.With that being said, of course, I think people would want to write and read, "The Voldemort Chronicles," telling detailed stories in pieces of Tom Riddle's decent into darkness.J.K. Rowling does touch on history and past events in the books, but this could be taken so much farther if given the chance.Dumbledore, Snape, The Black Family, any of it would work for a writer and people would read it.

Maybe it's a simple comparison that everyone sees, maybe it's not.All I can say is, I hope that Mr.Lucas does three more movies, or hands it off to another director.I feel the same way about Harry Potter, I would Love to see a series' of stories about other characters history and adventures.What do you think?Would you read a book, or watch a movie, about your favorite Harry Potter character?They are dissecting X-Men, which they should.Why can't we use the Harry Potter world to do the same?

I am a freelance writer looking to establish a name for myself in this bright big new world. Specializing in creative/article writing, rewriting, web research, web content, and short stories.

Story Endings - Ten to Avoid

A logical, satisfying ending is always required in a short story, but how do you ensure that yours is fresh and new? One of the ways is to avoid the obvious. Here are some common endings seen by editors: use them at your peril.

And then I woke up.

The 'Dallas' gambit. This approach is nothing more than a cop-out for people with no imagination. Stories should reach a logical conclusion that satisfies the reader and resolves any conflicts. This method does neither.

And then I died.

The 'Weird Tales' gambit. This one turned up regularly in horror tales during the early part of last century, until it was overplayed by HP Lovecraft, among others. A diary which ends in a string of nonsense words as a crawling terror from beyond comes for the author was fine the first time out, but most editors have seen it too many times.

And I found out I'd been dead all along.

The 'Sixth Sense' gambit. This is an old one, which is why people who were well read in the genre spotted the twist very early in M Night Shyamalan's film. An overused variation is to have someone breaking out of a coffin after a supposedly premature burial. Don't do it; the editor will see it coming from a mile away.

And they called them Adam and Eve.

The 'Bible' gambit or, as Michael Moorcock puts it, Shaggy God stories. If you start with a nuclear holocaust or human colonists on a new planet, make sure you don't use this ending or the story will be bounced back to you straight away. The other trap to avoid is having a computer become a god. That avenue was new in the '40s, but these days an editor will laugh himself out of his chair.

And then I saw the fangs, just before he bit me

The 'singles bar pick-up' gambit. With this worn-out ending, a person visits a bar and is seduced by a pale, interesting stranger who turns out to be a vampire, a ghost, a werewolf or an alien. There are several variations seen nowadays, such as same-gender meetings and graphic sex scenes before the revelation, but the stories are all the same and editors know it.

And then I caught up with the '@!* who'd done me wrong and shot the @'!** out of them.

The 'Death Wish' gambit is the beloved technique of Michael Winner fanatics and gun-nuts. It makes for a very dull story unless you can bring style, energy and a unique vision to it, in which case you'd probably be better off trying to sell it as a film treatment. There's a long tradition of revenge movies, but in the written word they all come across as being very similar. A variant on this handling is the Charles Atlas gambit, where the weedy nerd becomes a kung-fu expert to wreak revenge on his tormentors. Don't be tempted to use this angle. Editors will know what's coming.

And the next day I read in the paper that he'd died.

The 'I talked to a ghost' gambit. This practice turned up frequently in Victorian literature. It's usually no more than an anecdote turned into a story. Variations include talking to someone who is later discovered to be the victim of a plane crash, an automobile wreck or a major catastrophe. Editors see a slew of these after a natural disaster, but whatever caused the person's death, the stories are all the same.

And it was a man in a mask all along.

The 'Scooby-Doo' gambit. Pretend spooks are a clich. The whole story builds up a sense of supernatural menace, only to reveal a human agency behind it all. It won't usually get past an editor but if it does, readers will feel disappointed and let down.

And it was my evil twin; we were separated at birth.

The 'doppelganger' gambit. Stephen King got away with this in The Dark Half and Dean Koontz pulled off a variation by making both twins evil in Shivers, but unless you have their style and wit, you shouldn't attempt it. Another variation, beloved of the romantics among us, is to have the protagonist find out they're really the son, daughter or sibling of a rich family. This mode is really just wishful thinking on behalf of the writer. You shouldn't be sharing your daydreams with editors.

I'm really a dog/cat/demon/alien.

The 'non-human storyteller' gambit is tried and tested. That's the problem. If you don't leave any clues to the fact, the reader will feel the ending is a cop-out. If you do leave clues, the reader and your editor will spot the ending coming unless you're very good at disguising the fact.

Remember, people have been writing stories for a very long time. If you've read a similar ending in a story or seen it in a film, you can bet the editor will be aware of it, too. There are only so many original endings to go around; make sure yours is one of them.

William Meikle is a Scottish writer, now living in Canada, with seven novels published in the States and three more coming in 2007/8, all in the independent fantasy and horror press. His short work and articles have appeared in the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Greece, Saudi Arabia and India. He also has three shorts produced from his scripts, and several supernatural scripts currently on option, including four shorts, and a supernatural thriller feature.

William Meikle
http://www.williammeikle.com