Monday, April 16, 2007

Exciting New 2008 Odyssey Audiobook Award for Children and Young Adults Part 2

Audiobooks which have proven to be popular for boys:
*The Book of Pirates
* Treasure Island
* Peter and the Starcatchers

Audiobooks which have proven to be popular for girls:
* Matilda
* Anne of Green Gables
* Alice in Wonderland

Audiobooks which have proven to be popular for preschoolers:
* A Bear Called Paddington
* Bob The Builder
* Anderson’s Fairy Tales

Audiobooks which have proven to be popular for slightly older kids:
* Harry Potter
* Dr Who
* Charlie and The Great Glass Elevator
* The Chronicles of Narnia
* Pendragon
* A Series of Unfortunate Events

These are stories that help children to use language with imagination. They learn the emotive language of colourful theatre, emotional self expression and spoken words they may not learn correctly if they were to just read books.Life is an adventure as well as a learning experience and Harry Potter’s adventures never sounded so good.

Rebecca Kellock Diploma Children's Writing Australian College Journalism. I worked as a teachers aide/ tutor for seven years in both primary and high school focussing on literacy, numeracy and life skills. I love books, education and health related activities and now co manage http://www.audiobookgiftshop.com, a successful online audiobook store.Have a listen to the many introductory chapters available from audiobookgiftshop.com for magical entertainment and your favourite classic stories.

Exciting New 2008 Odyssey Audiobook Award for Children and Young Adults Part 1

By Rebecca Kellock

In 2008 the new popularity of audiobook's stimulating ability to inspire children and young adult’s minds are about to be honoured with a new award which is a stamp of excellence on par with the famed Newbery and Printz awards.

The newly created 2008 American Library Association's Odyssey Award for excellence in children and young adult audiobooks rides the exciting worldwide trend in aural edutainment.

In Germany March 2007 there is a whole fair devoted to audiobooks. Nominations have just been announced in Cologne in March for the 2007 German Audiobook Prize, which can be seen as the equivalent of a German Oscar and are parallel to the celebrations of a highly respected literary festival.
The children's section of the German audiobook convention was this year particualrly successful and represent a large market for young European audiobook listeners.
So get ready to explore and discover exciting stories of adventures with famous authors of the new world! Exciting stories of adventure and spine tingling action..
Fire breathing fantasy dragons, fairies, family adventure and time machines...

In the 1950s kids hid behind the lounge when Professor Bernard Quatermass battled aliens on the BBC. ITV gave us Pathfinders in Space, the brainchild of Canadian Sydney Newman.

These days, we face the many choices of providing education vs entertainment to children. Many people attempt to read bedtime stories to their children but after a busy work day time can slip away or be considerably shortened.
Altogether literacy and comprehension have been challenged in the last few years, even though there's an overload of information!
With quality audiobooks, at the click of a button your child can be a pirate drifting off to a virtual treasure island or some far away galaxy within a blink of an eye and enjoy painless enriching learning too.
Recent research by teachers in Boston and San Diego schools assessed students who used audiobooks over a period of four to six weeks. They found students using audiobooks not only read more, their reading over this period improved substantially compared to control groups who used text alone.
Test scores showed greater improvement in both reading, comprehension and fluency. Students with ADD and ADHD also showed improvements in concentration. This is great news regarding many children who simply refuse to read.

Listening to audiobooks not only enhances verbal endurance when listening to information. It helps reading fluency, expands vocabulary and increases comprehension.
Struggling students are easily distracted, find reading alone uninteresting or find discovering a book that appeals to them difficult when the range of visual images available are so ever present.
Digital Talking Books or audiobooks mean children can listen to the great stories with a computer, CD, MP3 or any other portable device such as an ipod or iphone.

Rebecca Kellock Diploma Children's Writing Australian College Journalism. I worked as a teachers aide/ tutor for seven years in both primary and high school focussing on literacy, numeracy and life skills. I love books, education and health related activities and now co manage http://www.audiobookgiftshop.com, a successful online audiobook store.
Have a listen to the many introductory chapters available from audiobookgiftshop.com for magical entertainment and your favourite classic stories.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rebecca_Kellock

Sunday, April 15, 2007

How to Write Better College Essays

By: Brian S. Konradt

As college admissions become more and more difficult and applicants become more and more qualified, the college essay gains clout as a vital part of the application process. An outstanding personal essay, no matter how long, is sometimes the deciding factor for a prospective student. But it’s not enough to show proficiency with the written word -- at least not anymore. Today’s personal essays revolve around the sense of personality and style gleaned from each sentence, and it’s your responsibility to harness those elements. The following tips will get you on your way to the acceptance pile.

BRAINSTORM EARLY

The most important part of a college essay is the actual topic, so you need plenty of time to mull over the choices. You’ll want something interesting, but not cliché, significant but not trite. Consider the following questions during your brainstorming process:

1. What distinguishes you from others in your age group? Any special skills, talents, interests or attributes?

2. Have you engaged yourself in a fierce struggle for something? Did you succeed or fail? What have you learned?

3. What are your most concrete goals for the future? Where do want to be in 20 years and how will you get there?

4. What or who has been influential in your life? How or why?

NARROW THE TOPIC

Though it’s tempting to ramble through your whole life story in a college essay, be careful to keep your topic narrowed. Write one sentence (a thesis, in a sentence) that sums up the point of your entire essay, and make each paragraph support that one sentence. Try not to get too lofty with your concept; find the point and stick to it.

FINE-TUNE THE OPENING

The opening paragraph is your first (and sometimes only) chance to grab firmly the attention of admission officials, so don’t create a lazy intro that simply sums up what you’ll discuss. Be vivid, clear and original; try piquing their interest with an anecdote or poignant question. Give your intro an element of mystery and intrigue -- really make the reader want to read more. This could be the most important paragraph in the essay, so devote plenty of time to crafting this well.

REVEAL YOUR PERSONALITY

Sure, admissions officials aren’t your best friends and you shouldn’t write as if they are. But if you get mired in formality, paralyzed by grammar, you might exclude the most crucial element of your essay -- you. Colleges want to know who you are and what traits make you shine, so don’t be afraid to let the real you shine through. But never paint yourself into an image that isn’t really you; if you have to alter your personality drastically to gain acceptance to a school, chances are good that it’s not the right school for you.

FORGET THE BIG WORDS...SOMETIMES

Showing off your massive vocabulary may seem like an instant ticket to acceptance. But if you’re using a thesaurus for every word or phrase, you’re probably draining the essay of both personality and readability. Use only words you’d actually use in conversation (or, at least, words of which you know the meaning) and be sparing; big words are fine, of course, but they need to make sense in context. Wordiness for the sake of wordiness doesn’t make you seem smarter; it just seems moderately uncreative. To write in Plain English, use a software program like WhiteSmoke Software ( http://www.WhiteSmokeSoftware ) or StyleWriter ( http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com ).

END WITH A BANG

Since the college essay is usually short to begin with, concluding with a summary paragraph is fairly redundant. Instead, use this paragraph to create a stunning last impression. How does your topic fit into a larger issue? What have you learned from the experience about which you’ve written? Are there any poignant quotes that illuminate your ideas? You don’t need to create a tidy, television-style wrap-up, but you do need to end strongly; this is your last chance to make a vivid impression.

Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com


Brian Konradt has been a professional freelance writer for more than a decade. Visit his website at www.BusyEntrepreneur.com. Mr. Konradt writes articles on english grammar and literacy for www.LousyWriter.com and www.LiteracyNews.com.

Screenwriting Success Secrets: How to Write Your Script

Screenwriting is a competitive trade. To distinguish yourself as a prize-winning writer you need to master organizational skills, take creative risks, and learn how best to present your final product. For the aspiring screenwriter, Tom Lazarus' book, "Secrets of Film Writing" is one of the best. An exceptional screenwriter with five produced screenplays, Lazarus developed this book for beginning writers enrolled in his classes at UCLA.

This article examines a few of the many techniques outlined in "Secrets of Film Writing" and provides examples of screenwriters who succeeded with Tom Lazarus' guidelines.

ORGANIZATION IS KEY
Master organization and you're closer to producing a stellar screenplay, not a mediocre one. Ask yourself these questions:

1) Does the screenplay have a clear beginning, middle and end?

2) Does the story drift aimlessly or does it make its point successfully?

These may seem like basic questions, yet many screenwriters grapple with organizational problems.

Lazarus addresses this issue in his book; he recommends writers use one of four organizational methods to ensure their screenplays flow smoothly: outlines, treatments, index cards, and scene lists. All four of these tools are equally effective. Writers need to be discreet to decide which organizational crutch best suits their needs.

In writing the screenplay for the Hollywood feature film "Stigmata," Lazarus chose to use a scene list for organizational support since he already had specific ideas about the chronology and action details of his story. To writers who have difficult organizing and prefer a different method, Lazarus says, "Go for it, because no one is going to see it. It's a process. There is no wrong way."

MAKE IT INTERESTING
Writing is a process. Great screenwriters take creative risks. Without an interesting story, even the most organized screenplay will be unmarketable. The goal should never be to copy another writer's style; instead exercise your own imagination and experiment with different ways to spark your story.

When Warner Brothers hired Tim McCanlies to adapt Ted Hughes' famous English novel "The Iron Man" for the screen, he struggled with whether he should remain true to Hughes' vision or develop a new story based loosely on the original book's events. McCanlies chose to do something risky and wildly creative; he Americanized "The Iron Man" by setting the story in the 1950s during the Cold War terror and renamed it "The Iron Giant." His calculated risk proved worthwhile. American audiences related to the film and appreciated its examination of an unusual time in their nation's history. Also, English audiences embraced "The Iron Giant" despite its variation from the original English text and awarded it the 2000 BAFTA Award for best feature film.

McCanlies' success lends a valuable lesson: when you risk nothing, you gain nothing. McCanlies, Lazarus, and other successful screenwriters embroil themselves in chances, write creatively, experiment with different ideas, and raise their characters' stakes.

SUBMIT YOUR SCRIPT LIKE A PRO
Once you have written an interesting, well-organized screenplay you need to submit your script neatly and according to studio standards. Lazarus warns his UCLA students about several technical errors in script presentation that annoy studio readers. Follow these guidelines:

1) A feature length screenplay should be longer than 95 pages and shorter than 125 pages when you submit it for studio consideration.

2) Don't include a synopsis or character biographies with your script as it gives studio readers an excuse not to review the whole screenplay.

3) Don't put scene numbers on your script until it is sold. This is a rule of the game; readers find scene numbers distracting and use them as an excuse to dub a screenplay "amateur" and unworthy of further consideration.

4) Studio readers prefer to receive scripts bound with circular metal brads. Using folders and binders hog office space and interns may discard scripts unintentionally during spring cleaning.

5) Finally, use one of the many screenwriting programs to help format your script, such as Movie Magic Screenwriter, Final Draft or Script Wizard. You can find discounted deals at StoryScribe.com (http://www.StoryScribe.com).

Make sure you proofread your script several times before submitting a script for Hollywood review. Busy studio readers will not peruse screenplays riddled with basic errors like confusing "it's" with "its" and using "are" when you mean "our." Use a program like Style Writer (found at http://www.StyleWriter-USA.com) to remedy such embarrassing grammar mistakes. When you're ready to submit your script, grab a Hollywood Creative Directory (found at http://www.storyscribe.com/mgbooks.html) to find markets for your script.

THINK SUCCESS AND BE A SUCCESS
Remember to take risks with plot and character development, and follow studio standards for script submissions. Studying resources like "Secrets of Film Writing" by Tom Lazarus, "How Not to Write a Screenplay" by Denny Martin Flinn, "Crafty Screenwriting" by Alex Epstein, and "Alternative Scriptwriting" by Ken Dancyger and Jeff Rush can be helpful for aspiring writers. Developing strong writing skills takes time, a willingness to learn, and perseverance. Writers who constantly improve their skills and experiment with new ideas will succeed.

Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com


Brian Konradt is a freelance writer for CyberScreenwriter.com (www.cyberscreenwriter.com) and writes about screenwriting news, screenwriting software, and screenwriting contests.


Don't Leave Home Without One!

By: steve cowan

Although many people have now heard of audiobooks, it’s a fairy safe be that most of these people have never actually taken a moment to consider exactly what an audiobook is.

After all, unless you had an obvious interest in audiobooks, why would you take such an interest?

Likewise, some people, perhaps people who might tell you that they don’t like books, will shy away from audiobooks, simply because of the name, and the image that this name might conjure up for them.

This is a shame in many ways, because audiobooks can be, and can do, so much more than their name might suggest.

Of course, the very name audiobook will tell you that it is a book that you can access in audio format.

And this is, of course entirely correct. There are many thousands of great audiobook titles out there on the market that are literally pre-existing books that are read onto an audio soundtrack for you, the listener.

That description is, in itself, almost childishly simple, yet at the same time, extremely accurate, as far as it goes.

As the owner of my own online audiobook store at http://www.takalive.com, I can tell you that even this incredibly simplistic definition hides a couple of very important factors which partially explain the rapidly increasing popularity of audiobooks.

First, in the same way that we can all talk quicker than we can write (or punch a keyboard) we can all listen much more quickly than we can read. Also, we can listen wherever we are, and whatever we are doing, again, unlike reading a written book, which is something you can only do when the circumstances allow.

For these reasons, audiobooks are an incredibly handy and convenient alternative to the written word, although I would personally argue that audiobooks can never replace the written word.

The second thing about listening to an audiobook, assuming that you are listening o a high quality production (and you definitely should be!) then the narrator or reader will be a top professional.

Sometimes this narrator might b the creator of the original written work himself (of herself), sometimes a famous actor or sometimes a not-so famous actor who, in fact, is a specialist in voice-overs and audio text readings.

All of these different groups will bring their own interpretations to the audiobook text, and three different people may indeed bring entirely different interpretations.

For you, as a listener, this gives you the opportunity to hear, for example, a book that you have already read in a completely different voice, in an entirely new light.
Indeed, for me, as someone who listens to many audiobooks, this is one of the great delights of the audio medium. I know how I imagine the story to be told, but other people can tell if quite differently, making it, in some cases, almost a brand new story!

However, in all of these situations, we are talking a bout written books being transposed into an audio soundtrack, and here we come to the reason why audiobook is, in fact, a little bit misleading as a product title.

In many cases, audiobooks are not books at all!

Speeches, talks, sales presentations, radio and TV shows, all are available as audiobooks, although, of course, they were never books I the true sense of the word.

For example, in my own store, I have brilliant Internet Marketing presentations from industry leading figures such as John Reese and Armand Morin, lined up alongside BBC comedy classics (some free) and many, many radio favorites of the 50’s and 60’s from both sides of the Atlantic!

So, whilst the phrase audiobook is a handy shorthand term, it actually only paints a part of the overall picture, which is that many, many different and diverse types of audio works which are not, nor ever have been, actually books, are nevertheless called audiobooks.

Even if you are a person who professes to not like books, therefore, I would still urge you to give audiobooks a try.

Article Source: http://www.superfeature.com


The authors fine audiobook store, where you can collect 30 excellet free audiobook titles, is at www.talkalive.com

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Ebook Review: Sara Brown's Mini Launches Chapter 2

by Tom Parker

Continue from Last Chapter....

Next Sara moves on to describe "Finding a Product." She describes the multiple ways you can go about finding a product, and her personal favourite product sourcing method for mini-launches. Sara also provides a very good tip for sourcing cheap products with very little research, one that I have begun to use myself. After explaining how to source your products, she then explains how to choose the right one for your mini-launch. To do this you first have to check that the product matches certain criteria (explained inside Sara Brown's Mini Launches) and then decide whether it is good enough for your very own mini-launch. Overall, this chapter is a very good way of obtaining products quickly and cheaply that you can sell on for a profit. However, I personally prefer to spend a little more time and/or money creating my own, unique product. I will probably use this method in the future but focus the majority of my efforts on getting my own products out there.
The next section covers "Repackaging your Product." This includes information such as how to find/create product licenses and how to create your sales page. explains how she created sales pages for 3 of her mini-launches and how to create a PayPal button to accept payments. Finally, she covers pricing your product in her own unique way. Overall, I found the information on product licenses quite informative. However, the section on creating your sales page and accepting payments online is a little basic and would probably not be suitable for newbies. Sara simply states that if you don't know how to create or edit a sales page template then do some research. I feel a little extra information in this section would have been nice. However, the pricing structure Sara suggests is simple and logical, although many Internet Marketing experts are unlikely to agree.


Sara Brown's Mini Launches then moves on to describe "Distribution - Where do I find people to buy my product?" Sara begins the section by explaining how to build your mailing list. She then covers what to do to get traffic if you don't have a mailing list. Her methods include using eBay (but in a unique, creative way) and using forums. I personally know of, and use the promotional methods that Sara mentions, but it is unlikely that newbies will know of them. In particular, the eBay promotional technique will be particularly helpful to newbies. However, I feel that there are a lot more promotional methods Sara could have included in this section, including article marketing and your eBay About Me page, to name just a few. The section on list building is simple but informative, although I feel Sara could have included a few extra list building methods too.


Sara then wraps up her ebook with a flowchart. This flowchart serves as a good guide when conducting your own mini-launch and summarises all the points in nice, concise manner. Overall, Sara Brown's Mini Launches will definitely be most useful to those who do have a list. Although Sara states that you don't need a list to implement the ideas in Sara Brown's Mini Launches, having one makes it a lot easier and will also allow you to see returns on your mini-launch a lot quicker. Sara Brown's Mini Launches is also most useful for those who do not yet have their own product as it provides a quick, easy and low-cost way to acquire and sell a product for profit. Those with a product are likely to make more money promoting their own product. If you don't have a product or list and are relatively inexperienced selling online I would recommend Sara Brown's Mini Launches to you as it offers a relatively simple, low cost system, that does have the potential to make you money. However, more experienced Internet Marketers will probably be able to make more money using other methods.


GOOD POINTS
- Generally the information would be very useful for beginners.
- A good way for people without a product and/or list to make money online.
- The section on sourcing low price products quickly is a great idea which I will be implementing.

- The flowchart at the end of the ebook summarises the entire 'mini-launch' process very effectively.

BAD POINTS

- Despite what Sara says, the ideas are much easier to implement and profit from if you already have a list.
- Although Sara makes a lot of good points, you feel she could expand on them further.
- The sections on promotion and web design are very limited.

About the Author
Tom Parker offers many impartial ebook reviews just like this one at his website http://www.theebookcavernreviews.co.uk/. Tom also runs a free newsletter for ebook sellers which you can join by sending an email to: mailto:newsletter@theebookcavern.co.uk?. Please include this bio when reprinting.

Ebook Review: Sara Brown's Mini Launches Chapter 1

by Tom Parker

EBOOK DETAILS
File Size: 941kb Zipped, 1,133kb Unzipped.
Number of Pages: 37
Format: Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)
Subject: A beginners guide to launching and profiting from what Sara calls 'mini-launches.'

ABOUT SARA BROWN (AUTHOR OF MINI LAUNCHES)
Sara Brown is one of the UK's top Internet Marketers. She runs a variety of websites which can all be accessed from http://www.sara-brown.com/choices/. If you want to know more read her About Me page on eBay or subscribe to her newsletter through her websites.

ABOUT THE EBOOK

In Sara Brown's latest ebooks she explains how to launch and profit from what she calls 'mini-launches.' These mini-launches earn Sara a consistent monthly income without fail. The idea for this ebook was originally spawned when Sara placed the following banner ad on a website "Sara Brown wants YOUR help. If you could ask Sara just one thing about her business success what would it be? Email HERE" (the last part was a clickable link to Sara's email obviously). From here replies Sara discovered that buyers wanted to know how she earns her living on the Internet, with real examples, explained in a way so that anyone can do it. As a result of these queries Sara decided to reveal the secrets behind 'mini-launches', one of her many income streams. In her own words Sara says "This is the method I would use to quit my job if I were still at the stage of being a 9-5 employee." Inside Sara Brown's Mini Launches she reveals:

- How mini-launches bring her thousands of dollars a month!!
- How to set up a mini-launch in a single day!!
- Why you don't have to worry about creating your own product!!
- Where to get products that most people aren't aware of!!
- Her secret method of selling products online!!
Sara begins her ebook by explaining how she finds the majority of Internet Marketing sites "as enlightening as shoving your head into a sack of soot."

Sara then goes on to explain that she has a reputation for telling people exactly how she earns her income. Mini Launches are one of her many income streams which she will be explaining to you inside Sara Brown's Mini Launches.

The next chapter is entitled "How to make Big Profits from Small Cost Items." She begins the chapter with a screenshot of one of the recent offers she put out. This offer was 250 quality Internet Marketing videos with resell rights for $4 and it brought her a couple of thousand dollars. Sara then explains that this offer didn't take her very long to put together at all, and then all had to do was mail it to her list. However, she stresses you do not need a mailing list to conduct your very own mini launch. Sara then outlines her first tip for your own mini-launch - keep your costs down and follows this up with a money saving tip. This is the only real content of this chapter, as the rest is mainly just an example of Sara's video offer mini-launch. Overall, this chapter doesn't really contain any key information, although it is fairly introductory in its nature. It is interesting to see an example of one of Sara's mini-launches, but as a subscriber to her newsletter I have already seen this mini-launch and it doesn't actually teach me anything new. The money saving tip is also nothing new to me and I doubt it will be new to anyone who owns their own website.

Next Chapter of EBook Review


About the Author
Tom Parker offers many impartial ebook reviews just like this one at his website http://www.theebookcavernreviews.co.uk/. Tom also runs a free newsletter for ebook sellers which you can join by sending an email to: mailto:newsletter@theebookcavern.co.uk?. Please include this bio when reprinting.

Day Job Killer Method Explained

by Nickolie Greer

Chris Mcneeney New e-book Day Job Killer was release to the public on Feb 6, 2007. With in the 68 Page E-book Chris shows six marketing tactics that he uses on his marketing. His methods are always asking the question, is this legal or even moral?
The 6 main topics or methods and I will run through them, without giving too much of the e-book away. I will however give you my opinion on each of the methods descried in Day Job Killer. The six methods are as follows:
Direct Linking X, The Leveller, Campaign Nuking, The Undercutter, Media Manslaughter & Cheapskate Undertaker.
Direct Linking "X" The Direct Linking method is the Google Cash on steroids. Also, what's really good about his new method is its gets about the Google slap that happen to so many Adword marketers. The only question I have is what Chris Carpenter the inventor of Google Cash is going to do. Unless there the same Chris.
The Leveller This method derives from Chris's second e-book, Affiliate Project X, the leaching method. But what he as done is updated and enhanced the method to a whole new level. This is like reverse psychology. Attacking a product to sell the product, and at the same time building a list to make money and back end sales.

Campaign Nuking This is one of my favorite methods, I use this one a lot, what it dose is replaces a profitable ad, with your ad. What I like about this method is that you don't have to spend all that time and money researching the market. Chris explained this method using free internet tools. But like always he recommends using Keyword Elite. This is a very wise choice.

The Undercutter This method requires a lot of work, but for those affiliate feeling the burn of promoting a product. This method is gold; it will increase your CTR a lot. This method revolves around creating a mini e-book or product and using it as a gift to help promote the affiliate product. A course there is a lot more to this then just create a gift, and giving it away. You have to have hosting service, download links. To me after reading the direct linking method all this extra work just doesn't seem wroth it.

Media Manslaughter In this method it explains how to make affiliate sales offline. Using newspapers and magazines. This is actually pretty smart because the competition is really low and that's always a good thing. Advertising in this manner can be very costly if you don't know what you are doing. Day Job Killer dose do a good job explain it though, I don't see this method taking much effect.

Cheapskate Undertaker This method really just puts The Undercutter & Media Manslaughter to gather as one method. If you are considering trying offline methods. Then I strongly recommend reading these last three methods.

Finding a method that works can be tricky, but what works is finding a system that works for you and the improving that system until it is profitable. That's what Chris has done with the three e-books that he has.

About the Author
If you want more information on any of the methods explained in this article please visit Day Job Killer
Day Job Killer Method Explained