Ghaibat.com

A dictionary would explain; writer: person who writes something. To me, this explanation makes no sense and if this meaning were universally accepted, everyone in this world would be all writers.

Having worked as a legal and political assistant to a Member of Parliament, expert author for ezine, freelance writer for Search newspaper, volunteer local newspapers’ columnist, translator for Cambodia’s most celebrated translation juristic person and migration form filler, and media liaison, writer does have more senses: a sense that would provoke other inspirations to those curious to make publications and to be a writer.

Writer, in my personal opinion, is one who is always curious to unveil secrets to the world. The word “secrets” in this context, does not mean intelligence like that of CIA or Scotland yard, but it just mean any information; childish, simple, serious, educational, religious, dangerous, truthful, that the writer thinks a number of people do not know. Moreover, revealing the secret does not totally mean to thoroughly cover detail of the information that the writer wants to share, but it may be writer’s tactics to make the reader more informational curious; urging to know more.

Writer must have no secret even in himself. To be a true writer, he or she has to writer anything come across the sight. So does it just mean writing anything? No, any writing serve one or more purposes. Wring about artifact would mean to footprint the historical fact, biographical writing would intend to inspire perspiration, political writing would serve diplomatic purposes and legal writing would mean to ascertain social justice. Shockingly, in our control age, some writing would inspire suicide bombings; a purpose that eliminate the originality.

The final meaning of being a writer is “not for individual purpose.” Writer’s opinion tends to reach a huge number of readers, so the purpose is to make that huge number of people feel mentally or materialistically beneficial as reading a writer’s writing. Of course, since human society is too vast, it is really hard for writer to be called “a true writer”, but it is the writer’s obligation to break this human wall; Ronald Regand did break concrete Berlin wall, we, the writer, is now time to break abstract global wall.

Lay Vicheka is a translator for the most celebrated translation agency in the Kingdom of Cambodia, Pyramid Translation Co.Ltd.. Simultaneously, he is working as a freelance writer for Search Newspaper; focusing on social issues and students’ issues. Lay Vicheka is the expert author for ezine and other websites around the world such as articlecity, 365articles, talesofasia, etc. Lay Vicheka has great experience in law and politics, as he used to be legal and English-language assistant to a Cambodian member of parliament, migration experience (home-based business) and in writing. He is also member of a New York-based research company. Posting address: 221H Street 93, Tuol Sangke quarter, Russey Keo district, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Tel: 855 11 268 445, vichekalay@yahoo.com

Question: I’m a Virtual Assistant. Can I use articles to promote my business?

Signed, Eager VA

Dear Eager VA,

Virtual Assistants are springing up all around the internet. It’s a very viable business option and more work at home moms are jumping on the bandwagon every day. The real go-getters will whip up a “business card” website right away with their contact information, ‘about me’ information, and their rates and services offered.

But, then that website sits and collects dust while they wait for the traffic to roll in. So, what’s a Virtual Assistant to do to generate traffic to their website?

Oftentimes VAs overlook one of the best methods of marketing their websites – article writing. Virtual Assistants can write about all kinds of topics – how to organize emails, customer service, hiring or firing a VA, ways a VA can benefit a business, or accounting among other things. Then, they can share the articles, just like any other website owner to drive traffic to their websites and establish an expert status in their field.

If you’re a VA who’s new to article sharing, it’s actually quite easy. You write a helpful article and include your author bio at the end. (See the end of this article as an example.) Then, you submit your article to Article Directories where hungry website owners, blog owners and ezine publishers eagerly grab your article to publish it on their sites.

Now, there is stiff competition so it’s not quite that easy, but that’s the gist of how article sharing works. And, you know it works because you’re reading my article that I’ve written and shared with article directories. There’s my URL in the author bio and you’ve found my article because someone has published it on their website, blog or in their newsletter. If it works for me, it can work for you, too.

Article sharing is underutilized in the Virtual Assistant field and I hope to see that change in the coming year. Go grab that free traffic and grow your VA business. Not only will your VA business grow, but you can share this method of marketing with your clients and blow them away with your knowledge of internet marketing. Best wishes.

Nicole Dean doesn’t pay for advertising – ever. Sign up for her free web traffic course at http://www.WebTrafficBasics.com to find out more. If you’re ready to get started using article marketing to increase your traffic and sales, check out http://www.EasyArticleMarketing.com

Writing an article doesn’t just mean putting down thoughts into words then typing and writing it. You have to capture the interest of your readers and give them a reason to keep reading. You have to get the attention of the reader and have a firm grasp of their interest and pique their curiosity. Here are five ways you can get creative.

The main ingredient in writing an article is creativity. While creativity may come natural to many people, some of us get writers block. It can be a hair pulling ordeal just to get your creative juices flowing.

Putting words into images in the readers mind is an art. A clear and crisp depiction requires a certain flair that only creativity can provide. Similes and metaphors help a lot, but the way an article gets entwined word for word, sentence by sentence then paragraph by paragraph into a whole article develops the essence of the article.

So just what do you have to do when nothing comes to mind? That’s a fair question but unfortunately, there’s no surefire ways to get those perfect ideas to pop into your head. But, there are easy ways to get your creative juices flowing and put you into a perfect mindset and state of mind. Here are five of them.

1) Keep a diary or a journal in your pocket or with you at all times. You just never know when an idea is triggered by something you may hear, see, or smell. Your senses are your radar in finding great ideas. Write all of them into a journal and keep it with you for future reference. You may also write down anything that you have read or heard, someone’s ideas could be used to develop your own ideas and this is not stealing. Remember that ideas and creativity can come from anywhere; it’s the development of the idea that makes it unique.

2) Relax and take time to sort things out. You need a clear head. A jumbled mind cannot create any space for new ideas. If you are bothered by something, give yourself permission to get rid of it for awhile. Put it in the closet for a few minutes. Try closing your eyes and allowing yourself some quiet time. Block out all the sights sounds and smells around you. Turn your focus inward and breathe.

Try to relax every time that you can and think about your experiences and interactions with others. Your experiences are what shape your mindset and your opinions which could be reflected on your writings. Try to discover yourself, find out what triggers your emotions. Discover what inspires you and what ticks you off. You can use these emotions to help you in expressing yourself and your ideas, with this you can grow creatively.

3) Create a working place that can inspire your creativeness.

Creativity comes from being in a good state of mind and a messed up workplace that causes distraction won’t be conducive in firing up your creative flow.

Surround your working place with objects that makes you happy and relaxed. You may put up pictures, or scents, plants or anything that can to inspire you, relax you and get your creativeness cranking.

4) Set the mood. Setting the mood requires you to just go with the moment or to induce yourself to feeling what makes your mind works best. Finding out what makes you tick could help you find ways to get your creative juices flowing. Set the pace and tempo for your mood and everything else will follow.

There are many ways to set the mood. Some writers have been known to have a little sip of wine to stir up the imagination. Some use mood music while others let the lighting of the environment create the mood. You decide what sets your mood.

5) Go on a vacation and just do something crazy and out of the norm for you. Letting yourself go and have fun produces adrenaline which can make your imagination run wild. If your day is usually a busy one, take an quiet adventure or a solemn hike. Whatever it is that is unusual from your daily routine can take the rut out of your schedule.

In no time at all, your imagination will make use of that experience and get your creativeness to start working in overdrive.

This article is Copyright 2006, Heather Colman. Permission is granted to reprint as long as no changes are made to the article or resource box. Find more resources at ebookpalace.com

The most successful retreats and/or special meetings I have been involved with have all had excellent facilitators. The job of a facilitator is to make sure that the time spent by the assembled group is worthwhile. If you have been asked to be a facilitator, you will find tips in this article that should help you succeed.

Proper preparation is a necessity. Even though you are not actually presenting, you are expected by the group to know what the goals of the meeting are, keep them going in the right direction, and reach a satisfying destination. The only way you can accomplish this is to be well versed in what has gone before, know the facts, what will be discussed, and what is important. This will take prior research, a great deal of reading about the group and/or company, and spending time interviewing members of the group to get a feeling for the overall situation and tone.

Have a plan, but plan to be flexible. Your job as facilitator is to move the group along toward solutions, so it is wise to have a plan in mind for the ways to accomplish this. You must maintain some control. However, it is imperative that you know how to be flexible and to step back when necessary. The reason a group hires a facilitator is the keep them on track and direct the discussions so they are beneficial. You are in charge, but that doesn’t mean that you have to act like the “heavy.”

Add variety by initiating different meeting techniques. It is up to you as facilitator to get everyone to relax and be willing to take risks. You might have them break into small groups (less threatening) and give each group a fun, but liberating, task. Mind tickling games will also help with fostering creativity, as will sharing some true stories. These can even be about embarrassing events that get everyone laughing. When people laugh they tend to relax and bond more easily with each other.

Practice the art of true listening. Don’t just hear what is being said. You must listen so deeply that you also hear what isn’t being said. By understanding what is actually taking place, you will gain enough insight to help the members of the group come to their own true understanding of what is worthwhile and what isn’t. The effective facilitator listens as an objective outsider and yet has the kind of relationship with the group that helps him or her perceive like a subjective insider.

Ask meaningful questions. By asking questions that encourage deep thinking and lively discussion, you will be able to help the group participants delve into areas they may not have discussed before or even considered earlier. Don’t be afraid to ask a wide open question that appears to be completely “off the wall” and “off topic.” It just might shake them up enough that they get started with a whole new generation of ideas.

Continually summarize. Take time to enumerate where you’ve been so far, where you are going, and whether the direction is the one desired. If the meeting is moving along at a fast clip, it is easy to lose sight of what has been accomplished or not accomplished. Taking breaks to repeat some of the best points will solidify the value and also redirect parts of the meeting that are getting too far a field of the hoped-for results.

Remember to have fun, but be serious about your position. You have the most important role. It is up to you, as facilitator, to make sure that the meeting is a success.

Chris King is a professional speaker, storyteller, writer, website creator / designer, free agent, and fitness instructor. Sign up for her eclectic E-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, at http://www.PowerfulPresentations.net You will find her information-packed E-book How to Leave Your Audiences Begging for MORE! at http://www.OutrageouslyPowerfulPresenter.com and her business website at http://www.CreativeKeys.biz

From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters and sitcoms….

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

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

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

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more…

EXAMPLE: Once were Warriors, 1994 – Hero’s Journey [basic deconstruction]

FADE IN: idyllic New Zealand; camera crosses over into the urban jungle.

Meeting the Hero / on a Journey: Beth comes out of an “alley” with a shopping trolley.

Meeting the Sacrificial Lamb: Grace reads to her little brother and sister.

Ordinary World: the Maori rappers etc.

Meeting the Antagonism: Jake stares down a gang member.

Meeting the Loyal Ally: Nig working out.

Developing the Sacrificial Lamb: Grace reads to the kids from her story book.

Ordinary World: Beth arrives home, drinks a beer; Nig walks in.

Inciting Incident: Boogie is arrested.

Elixir: Jake arrives home with the seafood; the way it should be; happy families for a nanosecond.

Call to Adventure: Jake wants to make love to Beth in the kitchen.

Refusal: Jake’s gotten fired again.

Antagonists True Nature: you’ve got to fuck up everything don’t you.

Developing the Romantic Challenge / Sacrificial Lamb: Grace goes to see Dooley; tell me a story.

Foreshadow of the Physical Separation: the police bring Boogie home.

Antagonist’s Ordinary World: Jake turns up in the bar.

Meeting the Shape Shifter: Bully hanging around.

Push to the Physical Separation: Boogie asks Beth to be there tomorrow; I’ll be there.

Meeting a Loyal Ally: Mavis starts to sing.

Developing the Antagonism: Jake beats up the guy with muscles in the bar.

New Self / New Name: Jake the Muss. Push to the First Threshold: party at my place tonight.

Foreshadow: Grace is dressed in the white t-shirt.

Conscious Decision: you won’t forget will you Mum; how can I forget with you reminding me every five minutes.

First Threshold / Outer Cave: the girls talk amongst themselves.

First Threshold / Middle Cave: Jake and Beth sing together.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Beth and Mavis talk / Mavis sees her man try to get off with another girl/ Jake throws someone out.

Push to the Inner Cave: Beth slaps Nig; Nig refuses to cook.

First Threshold / Inner Cave: Jake beats up Beth.

Belly of the Whale: Grace comes down to find the place trashed and begins to clean up with Nig.

Pushed to the Physical Separation: Nig walks out.

Pushed to the Physical Separation: Boogie waiting for Beth to come with him.

Meeting the Mentor: Boogie meets Bennett.

Resisting the Physical Separation: Nig in the car; he wants a patch; you’ll have to get past me first.

Physical Separation: the judge orders Boogie into welfare; Bennett says it is a choice between learning something and going to jail.

Encourage to the Transformation: Grace encourages Boogie; at least he’ll be doing something different.

Rules of the World of the Transformation: you know the rules girl, keep your mouth shut and your legs open.

Physical Separation: Nig gets beaten up and becomes part of the gang.

Trial and Transformation 1:

Grace walks in to see Beth’s face.

Beth visits Grace in her bedroom.

Grace tells Beth that Boogie has been taken away.

Jake wants to know what all the fuss is about; thinks it’ll toughen him up.

Push to Trial 2: Beth and Grace decide to visit Boogie.

Trial and Transformation 2:

Developing the Romantic Challenge / Sacrificial Lamb: Grace visits Dooley again.

Jake wins some money.

New Self: Nig has a patch.

Jake gives Beth the money.

Beth says that “that’s the trouble, I do love you.”

Boogie smashes up the walls and Bennett shows him how to use the Maori weapon.; when I’ve taught you your mind will be your most fearsome weapon.

Trial and Transformation 3:

Jake et al have hired a car and they stop to ask Nig if he wants to come.

Singing in the car; what’s the time Mr Wolf.

Polarisation / Backstory: Beth descended from royalty and Jake from slaves.

Jake goes in for a beer.

Beth tries to get Jake out of the bar; feed the kids.

It’s just a woman’s lot that’s all, one day you’ll understand.

Boogie learning the Haka.

Jake tells Beth and the kids to get a cab.

Divergence: Grace says she hates both of them.

Beth phones Boogie and makes up the story about the accident.

Transformation: Boogie does the Haka form the heart.

Transformation: Jake invites Beth downstairs; no more Jake.

Foreshadow of the Oracle: Grace comes down for a glass of water.

Meeting the Oracle: Bully rapes Grace.

Divergence: Grace in the bath; cleaning up. Beth comes in and told to get out.

Resisting the Change: Beth says she doesn’t want any more of these drunken parties; Jake tells her to fuck off.

Grace visits Dooley and starts smoking.

Beth wonders what’s up with her pup.

Grace walks away from Dooley.

Creatures of the World of the Sword: the tattoo artists; the people of the streets.

Journey to the Sword: Beth and Mavis looking for Grace.

Seizing the Sword: Grace comes home.

Pushed to the Night Sea Journey: Jake beats up Grace and tears up her story book.

Night Sea Journey: in the back yard.

Near Death Experience: Grace kills herself.

Rebirth: Beth finds Grace and takes her off the tree.

Resolve: no point crying, it doesn’t help.

Reward: Aunty comes to pick them up.

Atonement with the Father: Beth wants Grace buried at home; this was never her home; you’re still a slave to the drink, to your fist and to yourself.

Apotheosis: Grace buried in the Maori village; Grace tells the story about herself [see I can keep a promise]; Dooley kisses Grace; Boogie sings the Maori song.

Denial / Disgust / Isolation: Jake smashes the juke box; comes home to an empty house; cuts the tree down.

Magic Flight: at home with the family; come home but sort things out here first.

Rescue from Without: Beth reads what Grace has written in her book.

Crossing the Return Threshold: Beth and Nig walk into the bar and confront Bully.

Final Antagonism: Jake reads Grace’s story.

Final Conflict: Jake beats up Bully.

Master of Two Worlds: Beth’s “Once were Warriors” speech; we were people with Mana, with Pride.

Freedom to Live: we’re going home.

FADE OUT: the police come for Jake.

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the link to our site URL remains active.

Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://www.clickok.co.uk/

There are many Christian organizations that offer sermon help to the preacher, parent, kids or any other person through their websites. People looking for help simply need to go to the website and click on the relevant link. The help covers a wide range that includes, but is not confined to, marriage, premarital counseling, study skills and so on.

Sermon Search is one such organization. It offers well researched and developed sermons that can be supported by PowerPoint presentations. Sermon Search sermons can be purchased online. Their web page www.sermonsearch.com/powerpoints.aspx is a very effective resource in this direction. According to their current listing, a presentation on Obedience (one among a wide range of sermons) costs $4.50. Before ordering the material, a preview is available on the web site itself. It contains thumbnails of banner and text slides of the presentation.

www.christianitytodaylibrary.com is a comprehensive Christian research library. www.buildingchurchleaders.com is a professional development site for church leaders. www.christianbiblestudies.com is an interesting site that contains a lot of material for Sunday school and small group preaching. www.preachingtodayaudio.com contains a library of audio sermons with free 2-minute clips on its web page. www.preachingtoday.com is considered to list top-notch sermon illustrations and tips for preaching.

Many websites contain links to free e-newsletters. These newsletters are delivered via email, whether the sermon seeker is a preacher, parent, teacher or any other person.

Whether topical, expository, textual or audio, all sermons lead towards the common goal: to think about God, our greatest friend, and derive His Mercy.

Sermons provides detailed information about sermons, expository sermons, free sermons and more. Sermons is affiliated with Christian Dating.

If you write for a living, that is, if you write articles for clients you often have heard about writer’s block. Personally, I think the topic is overdone and simply something that comes about when the author is too tired, distracted, or simply not interested in the topic at hand [oh, yes…this does happen!] On the other hand, do your clients sometimes suffer from writer’s block? Okay, before you throw your hands up wondering how could this be, just think about it: do your clients always know what they want you to write? Am I making myself clear? If so, read on…if not, please read this paragraph again!

As writers, we can assume that when a potential client approaches us to write for them, that they always know which topics they want you to cover. Without sounding cheeky, only if this was always so! To put it mildly, you may have a client who wants you to write “X” amount of articles, which he or she will place on their own web site in hopes of building up SEO [search engine optimization, that is], and your part of the equation is to write interesting and compelling copy that will drive traffic to their site.

Well, this only works out if your client knows exactly which topics/subjects are to be covered, keywords used, and the length of each article. No, your client isn’t going to write the article, but they will certainly lay its foundation. No web content article can possibly get going without your knowing certain essentials including the topic and which keywords are to be utilized. Make certain that these building blocks are included with your proposal, otherwise you risk going down one path while your client wanted you to go down another.

Unless you have plenty of time to constantly rewrite every article I recommend that you uncover precisely what the client wants from you.

When I sense that a client isn’t sure which direction they want me to proceed, I then start asking several questions, including:

Do you have a topic you want covered? If so, what is it and do you want me to come up with the article title or is this something that you would like to do? Knowing this information will help you create the introductory paragraph and your topic sentence.

Next questions: which keywords do you want me to use? I try to limit my clients to a small group of 2-4 words per article. Additional keywords mean additional articles…why confuse your readers? Why kill SEO? As I write this article for you do you have 3-4 points you want me to make? All of this information will comprise the article’s body.

Finally, what sort of “call to action” are you desiring? Do you want readers to buy a product? Read something else? Call their representative? I leave the anchor links up to the client, but I try to bring the article exactly to the point where the client wants it to be.

If you have gotten satisfactory answers to each of your questions, you have helped your client get over their own case of writer’s block. Yes, to a certain point every client has already visualized what they want written [they bring you on because they don't know how to craft the right words or are simply too busy to write for themselves]. If they haven’t, you must help them answer the previous questions in order for you to write effectively.

If you don’t take the time to make certain that your client is sure of what he or she wants, you will have wasted time and delayed the opportunity to go to the next project.

I don’t know about you, but time is of the essence and we writers cannot afford to waste any of it. Nail down exactly what your client wants before tackling any project to save yourself time and to preserve your sanity!

Copyright 2006 - For additional information regarding Matt Keegan, The Article Writer, please visit his blog for wit, quips, and freelance writing tips.

Whether you are just starting out with your online business or you are seasoned pro, writing and distributing articles is one of the most effective and low-cost ways to drive lots of targeted traffic to your site. Writing articles and submitting them to the article directories will get you free traffic when people click on the link in your resource box. It is also a great way to improve search engine rankings, since you will have plenty of incoming links to your site. Let’s take a look at how you can get started writing articles. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Write a Top Ten List

An easy way to get started with an article is to come up with a Top Ten List. Find a topic related to your business and jot down ten reasons why someone should purchase your product or offer advice on a topic that’s related to your website. Examples would be top ten ways to get your baby to sleep through the night, top ten reasons to write articles, or top ten reasons to buy car insurance. Once you have your list of ten items, write a little paragraph about each, explaining the reason in a little more detail.

Next you add an introductory paragraph that pulls the reader into your list. For example an introduction to the baby sleeping through the night article could mention how hard it is to make it through the day and how sleep deprived you are until you get your baby to sleep through the night. Then close your article either by summing up what you just told them in your top ten lists or encouraging them to act on what you just told them about.

Congratulations, you just wrote an article. Of course you can easily shorten this to a top 5 list. Just write a little more about each of your points.

Record Your Article

Some people prefer recording themselves while they are talking about a particular topic and then transcribing and editing it into an article. If you have an easier time talking about a particular topic than writing about it, this may be a great option for you. Most MP3 players now come with a record option, or you can pick up a cheap tape-recorder. Pick a topic and just start talking as if you were explaining it to a friend. Just start babbling and the ideas will start to flow. Now listen to your tape. Write down and arrange the major points you mad in order. Add an intro and a closing and you have another article.

Hire a Ghost Writer

If you are having a hard time writing articles, or just don’t have the time to do it, you can still benefit from article marketing by hiring a ghostwriter. Ghost Writers will write unique articles for you that become your intellectual property. You can post them as your own work to your site, your blog, as well as the article directories. You can find a ghost writer on sites like elance. There are also some freelance writers with their own websites out there. You can usually buy articles anywhere from $5 – $65.

Write an Outline and Have Someone Else Turn it into an Article

Another option if you don’t want to do all the writing yourself is for you to write a basic outline of the article and the point you want to bring across. Jot down any ideas you have for the article, then ask a friend or hire someone to flesh it out for you into an article. You may be more comfortable with passing these articles off as your own, since the content of the article was your original idea. Someone else just put it into an article format for you.

There is no reason for you not to get started with article marketing one way or the other. Get a few articles out there and then sit back and watch the traffic come in. You’ll be so impressed by the results you can get even from a handful of article, you’ll be writing them and submitting them all the time.

For a FREE 5 day article marketing ecourse, in which you learn how to make more sales, get more traffic and increase your search engine rankings using articles click the following link: http://www.articlemarketingrocks.com/ecourse.html

Realize that the following techniques are to be avoided. I have observed presenters that practice all of these no-nos and are never asked back.

Never look anyone in the eye. Scan the room with your gaze somewhere above the heads of audience members. I know that I have read this tip somewhere in the past, but I also know that if you do this, you will never make contact and interact with your audience. Yes, you will avoid seeing some who look bored and others who are dozing off, but you will never give the impression that you are speaking directly to everyone and never feel the encouragement and energy given back by those you look at “eyeball to eyeball” for at least three seconds.

Put your whole presentation on PowerPoint slides. Then, you can read the information right off the slides. You will even be able to copy the slides and use the copies for your handouts. What could be easier? Not much. But it will also be easy for those attending your presentation to take a nap while the room is darkened, glance quickly at the handouts following your session to find any worthwhile tidbits of information and then toss it all in the wastebasket.

Phew! You are ready to close your presentation. You have already gone way over your time limit, but after telling the audience that the end was near, you remembered all sorts of extra facts and points you had forgotten to tell them. You know that you have succeeded at driving them crazy when everyone starts looking at his or her watch — especially the next speaker. If you have reached this part of the article, you realize that I have almost overstated techniques to avoid, and even if none of the previous habits in any way describe you, be sure to take heed of the next no-no. Many a fine presenter makes this mistake at the end of a super presentation.

Rush off the stage/podium before the audience gets a chance to show its appreciation. You have given the best presentation of your career (and each time you present, this should be so), but before the audience gets a chance to applaud with gusto, or even get on their feet for a standing ovation, you are not there anymore to graciously accept their thanks.

Pay attention to the above techniques, so that you can remove them as quickly as possible from your presentations.

Chris King is a professional speaker, storyteller, writer, website creator / designer, free agent, and fitness instructor. Sign up for her eclectic E-newsletter, Portfolio Potpourri, at http://www.PowerfulPresentations.net You will find her information-packed E-book How to Leave Your Audiences Begging for MORE! at http://www.OutrageouslyPowerfulPresenter.com and her business website at http://www.CreativeKeys.biz

The Hero’s Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero’s Journey:

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

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

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

Sample Movie Deconstructed: Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

FADE IN:

Hero’s Romantic Challenge: by the grave; Sam’s wife is dead; “Mommy got sick…”

Developing the Hero’s Romantic Challenge: how will Sam cope; “do you know how to make juice…”

Meeting the Hero in his Ordinary World: Sam at work; the cards.

Call to Adventure [Hero]: “what you really need is a change…”

Starting the Journey: [Hero] Sam getting on a flight to Seattle.

Encouraged to Transform [Hero]: “in a few months you’ll meet other women…”

Refusal [Hero]: “it just doesn’t happen twice…”

CREDITS

Meeting the Heroine and her Romantic Challenge: Annie and Walter getting into their cars; Walter just isn’t right for Annie.

Time Pressure: Walter and Annie are engaged.

Developing the Heroine’s Challenge: over dinner; Walter allergic to almost everything.

Heroine’s Back Story: the relatives and family history.

Meeting the Mentor [Heroine]: grandma.

Call to Adventure [Heroine]: Introducing the Inner Challenge: “destiny takes a hand…”

Refusal [Heroine]: “destiny is something we’ve invented to explain accidents…”

Encouraged by the Mentor [Heroine]: “magic…signs….coincidences”

Border of the First Threshold [Heroine]: “you go, I’ll be ten minutes behind…”; Annie in the car listening to the radio.

First Threshold [Heroine]: Jonah on the radio; “my Dad needs a new Mom…”

Pushed toward the Physical Separation [Heroine]: referencing the Inner Challenge: “sure you do…”

Foreshadow of the Physical Separation [Heroine]: in the café; “I bet he’s tall with a cute butt; maybe I’ll just go out to Seattle…”

Pushed toward the Physical Separation [Heroine]: referencing the Inner Challenge: “it was like…magic…”

Meeting Allies [Heroine]: Annie at work; Becky et al.

Pushed to the Physical Separation [Heroine]: “you should write about this…”

Developing the Heroine and Ally relationship: “whatever it is you can tell me…”

Resisting the Separation from the Ordinary World [Heroine]: “Walter did something crazy the other night…what was it?”

Foreshadow of the Final Conflict [Heroine]: “we should meet in New York…”

Hero’s Romantic Challenge: Sam at home alone on New Years Eve.

Developing the Heroine and Ally relationship: Sam puts Jonah to bed.

Developing Hero’s Romantic Challenge: Sam home alone; Maggie appears.

Developing the Hero: Sam’s client wants space for her platters…

Referencing the Inner Challenge: “fate…when everything intersects…the Bermuda Triangle…”

Developing Characters and Relationships and pushing toward the Physical Separation: Jonah at the doorstep; the letters arrive.

Developing Characters and Relationships and resisting the Physical Separation: Jonah reads the letters; Sam won’t look at any of the letters.

Developing Characters and Relationships: Jonah and Sam brushing teeth.

Heroine’s Romantic Challenge: Annie and Walter in bed.

Frustration; Reference to the Inner Challenge [Heroine]: Annie in the kitchen; listening to the radio.

Preparing for the Physical Separation [Heroine]: Annie speaks to Dennis.

Preparing for the Physical Separation [Hero]: Sam asks Jay what it’s like “out there…”

Developing Characters and Relationships: Jonah introduces Jessica.

Physical Separation [Hero]: Sam arranges a date.

Foreshadow of the Final Confrontation: watching the movie. Physical Separation [Heroine]: Annie writes the letter. Accepting the Inner Challenge: “what if he’s my destiny…” Developing Characters and Relationships: Annie and Becky.

Pushed toward the Trials: Jonah has a nightmare.

Marker: both Annie and Sam sit outside on a bench.

Trial 1 [Heroine]: Annie tracks down Sam and hires the detective agency.

Foreshadow of the Sword: Jonah likes Annie’s letter.

Foreshadow of the Final Conflict: Jonah rings and wants to go to New York for Valentines Day.

Trial 1 [Hero]: Sam goes on a date, Victoria shops and cooks dinner.

Time Pressure: Jonah calls the radio station.

Foreshadow of the Final Conflict: Sam sees Annie at the airport.

Trial 2 [Heroine]: Annie goes to Chicago.

Trial 3 [Heroine]: Annie gets the MFEO letter.

Trial 2 [Hero]: Sam has dinner with Keith and Harriett; “she laughs like a Hyena…”

Foreshadow of the Sword: Jessica books the tickets to New York.

Time Pressure: Annie meets Walter in New York and they look for a ring.

Trial 3: Sam argues with Jonah.

Meeting the Oracle: Jessica tells Sam that Jonah has gone to New York.

Foreshadow of the Atonement: “Walter, there is something I have to tell you…”

Journey to the Sword: Sam flies to New York.

Atonement with the Father: Annie tells Walter.

Apotheosis: “I have to go…”

Seizing the Sword: Sam finds Jonah on top of the Empire State Building.

Crossing the Return Threshold: Annie runs to the Empire State Building.

Threshold Guardian: “sorry Ma’am, you’re too late…”

Near Death Experience: Sam and Jonah leave; Annie doesn’t find anyone at the top.

Rescue form Without: Jonah’s left his bag.

Master of the Two Worlds: Jonah and Sam return and see Annie.

Freedom to Live / Challenges conquered: holding hands…

Learn more…

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.managing-creativity.com/

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Kal Bishop

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Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. His specialities include Knowledge Management and Creativity and Innovation Management. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached at http://managing-creativity.com/