Part 1 of 5 - Have You Established Your Main Character At Th

In the beginning of your story you have to grab your readers’ interest and sustain it till the end. Our hook is our character. Readers keep on reading to find out more about the character. To see what he’ll do in the story; how he’ll solve his problems. What his goals are and whether he’ll achieve them.

And because our character is the reason readers become hooked on our stories, establishing him at the start is a must in a short story. And it is essential to establish him at the start because we don’t have the capacity in our limited word length to introduce him at our leisure.

The bond between readers and character has to be developed almost immediately.

You might have a few characters though. How do you decide who your main character will be? A main character is one that drives the story.

Think of it this way… If we were to take him away, there will be no story because it’s his story we are telling. The story will unfold by what is happening or what has happened to him.

When you establish who your main character will be, the next thing to do is to find which of your characters is in the best position to tell the story. Will your main character tell his story or will you give that role to another character?

This is what we call Viewpoint and what we’ll see in more detail in proceeding chapters.

Your main character isn’t necessarily the one who is telling the story; he might not even appear in our story ‘physically’ but will be there through the thoughts of others. So the viewpoint character might be a secondary character.

Whoever is telling the story is the viewpoint character.

The viewpoint character gives the colouring of the story. Whatever this characters says, we will believe. It may or may not be true, according to the main character, but because he isn’t there ‘physically’ to voice his opinions, we will have to take the viewpoint character’s word for it.

In a novel you can play around with viewpoint. You can have several viewpoint characters. In a short story it works best with one.

So your main character, whether he’ll be telling his own story or someone else will be doing it for him, has to be established at the start of your story.

Having said that, let’s see the reasons why the main character may not be telling his own story…

• Perhaps our main character is one that readers won’t sympathize or empathize with.

• Or the main character will not view highly with our readers

• Or the viewpoint character knows all the facts and can tell the story better

• Etc.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let me give you an example of a secondary character telling the story of a main character…

Let’s say your secondary character is a psychiatrist and the main character is the patient. Depending on what’s going to go on in the story, we’ll have to choose who’s in a better position to tell it. In this case, I will choose the psychiatrist.

I’ve done this because the patient is confused, being the one with the problems. The psychiatrist knows all the facts and his opinions will make things clearer to readers.

So, as the secondary character (the psychiatrist) unravels the story, we’ll become involved in the main character because it’s the main character’s story that is been told.

This may get a little confusing to the beginner writer. As they write they will have to keep in mind that the secondary character, although he’s telling the story, is NOT our main character.

The secondary character is there to do perform a task. He’s only the voice. It’s the main character we’ll become involved with.

A secondary character doesn’t play such an important role as a main character does. Therefore, information about secondary characters should be kept to a minimum. It’s not his story - it’s the main character’s story and the spotlight must, most times, be kept on the main character.

Take the above example for instance. It’s no relevance to the story how the psychiatrist started his career or where he received his diploma - what’s important, is what he has to say about the main character, his patient.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Introduce your main character straight away, as close to the beginning of the story that’s possible. Enable your readers to form a bond and that will keep them hooked.

Is your main character established at the start of your story?

About the author:

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Besides his passion for writing, Nick Vernon runs an online gift site where you will find gift information, articles and readers funny stories. Visit http://www.we-recommend.com

Top 5 Design Tips to Create Eye-Catching Marketing Materials

Great graphic design looks effortless, but it requires
lots of attention to details. Think back to an
eye-catching advertisement, publication, or flyer you
saw recently. Do you remember why you liked it?
Perhaps it was something specific like the use of a
cool graphic or font. Or, more likely, the layout and
the words worked together to create an
eye-appealing, memorable message that you’re still
thinking about today.

A lot of thought, money, and skill probably went into
that design. But you don’t have to be a design guru to
achieve expert results! Follow these five tips to create
effective, professional-looking marketing materials for
your small business.

1. Select appropriate font treatment: More is
   NOT better when it comes to fonts. Pick no more than
   two typefaces per document - one for headlines and
   one for body copy. Stick to a simple, clean font for
   easy body copy readability. Headline fonts can be a
   little more creative. For emphasis on certain words or
   phrases, use italics, boldface, or underlining sparingly.
   Also try to make the typeface match the personality
   of the service or product you’re representing.
2. Use white space wisely: Just because the
   space is there doesn’t mean you have to fill it! Good
   designs contain well-planned white space. (”White
   space” is simply the areas in a layout that are left
   bare - without text or graphics.) It gives the eye a
   break and helps to highlight the important points.
   Make
   sure to have enough space around the edges and
   in-between columns and articles. And remember that
   there is a fine line between not enough and too much
   white space. Consult well-designed magazines and ads
   or computer templates for layout inspiration and
   ideas.
3. Find effective graphics and photos: It’s
   always better to use too few than too many graphics.
   One great graphic is so much better than four weak
   ones. Sometimes they are not even necessary. When
   you do use graphics and photos, make sure they help
   illustrate your point, rather than just inserting them to
   take up space. Likewise, be sure their sizes are
   appropriate to the space. Stick with high-quality
   graphics - in this age of affordable, quality clipart,
   there is no excuse to use any image that isn’t
   perfectly clear and neat. Never use a “gif” file in a
   print document; those are created for web use only.
   Make sure the graphic element illustrates your main
   point - it’s the first thing the reader sees, so it’s
   important it portrays your message accurately. Lastly,
   don’t mix differently styles of illustration or
   photography - keep a consistent look to create
   harmony.
4. Keep copy short and neat: Readers are
   more
   likely to read short sentences, paragraphs, and articles
   written as if you’re having a friendly conversation.
   Break up large blocks of text with bullet points and
   subheads. Instead of using fancy multi-syllable
   complex vocabulary, use everyday words that your
   audience will understand. A good rule of thumb is to
   write at a sixth-grade reading level. Finally, always
   have someone else - whether a professional copy
   editor or a skilled friend - proofread your work. It’s
   impossible to catch all your own typos.
5. Watch the flow: People generally read a
   page
   from top to bottom and from left to right. Draw people
   into the top left corner of your ad or newsletter with a
   headline or strong graphic. Then, pull their eyes down
   and through the text in the mid-section of the page,
   and finish up in the lower right corner. Picture a “Z”
   shape. Finally, be sure to include a “call to action” at
   the bottom to get the results you desire. For example,
   give readers your contact information and special
   offer, and tell them to “Call today!”

Copyright 2005 Time to Organize

Sara Pedersen, author of the FREE e-zine “The Marketing Fairy’s Guide to Simple Self
Promotion,” is a professional organizer and marketing specialist. She helps small
business owners make their marketing dreams come true. Sign up today at
http://www.time2organize.net to receive your FREE monthly subscription.

Copyright
2004
Time to Organize.

Realizing the Potential of Your Writing Output

Achieving publication for your extra income ideas is removed from the improbable dream category and becomes instead a calculated certainty when you follow the strategies contained in my ‘Writing for Profit’ tutorial. That’s the beauty of niche non-fiction: it lends itself to formula writing techniques where commercial nuances are seamlessly interwoven into practical expression without disturbing the flow of the creative dynamic. You do it all the time without perhaps realizing it; you do it automatically when you compose a letter, a thesis, a report and such like. Why not then convert your innate skills into a vehicle to make money writing by developing extra income ideas that become in time residual income streams.

As reported elsewhere I did not set out to write a niche non-fiction bestseller: it just happened fortuitously because subconsciously I had somehow managed to string all the essential ingredients together in the correct order in my first work. You won’t have to trust to luck though. Intrigued by the runaway success of the initial title and the two that followed in the break-though to bestseller status I set about deconstructing each in turn to determine what I had done right and where I had gone astray on occasion. The results not only provided me with benchmarks for revising future editions but also made available the raw material for my creative writing course ‘Writing for Profit’. Combining my own findings with those of other successful non-fiction authors provides you in turn with a series of tried and tested strategies to ensure flawless progression of your own extra income ideas into residual income streams.

And residuals are what writing for profit is all about. ‘Starting Your Own Business’ first saw the light of day back in 1994, doubles in turnover every year, and (according to my publisher) should still be around in another ten years time. ‘Starting an Internet Business at Home’ falls into much the category in that sales consistently increase year on year. Both of these titles have something in common: they were designed to last because they are both injected with the essential ingredient to guarantee multiple editions and consequently, bestseller status: longevity.

You will learn in ‘Writing for Profit’ how to inject your own work with longevity and how that will galvanize commissioning editors into offering you a contract for publication. To provide you with an example of the power of this little-known ingredient: I have written 50 full length works of niche non-fiction of which 37 have been accepted and published.

You’d settle for two out of three as a batting average wouldn’t you?

Footnote: Do not leave your rejections to gather dust in a desk drawer. Put them to work. I downsized the 13 that failed to cut the mustard into mini-volumes and 7 of these went on to be accepted and published as ‘Thrifty Books’ titles…

About the Author

Jim Green is a bestselling author with a string of niche non-fiction titles to his credit including ‘Starting Your Own Business’ (How To Books ISBN 1-85703-859-2) and ‘Starting an Internet Business at Home’ (Kogan Page ISBN 0-7494-3484-8). His tutorial is available at
http://www.writing-for-profit.com

Parenting a Troubled Teen

Parenting a troubled teen can be trying, even for the most patient parent, but
imagine how scary it is for the teen. During adolescence, a child may feel like his
world is crumbling down around him. Everything is changing: his body, hormones,
emotions, worldview and others’ expectations of him. Understandably, this is a
stressful time. Like adults, teens react to stress in different ways: by withdrawing,
becoming angry or depressed, acting out or attempting to anesthetize the pain
through drugs or alcohol. Below are some tips for helping your teen navigate the
rough waters of adolescence.

Three Tips for Parenting a Troubled Teen

• Troubled teens often feel alienated from their families and society. This can be
  a symptom of earlier family dysfunction. Maybe there was a disconnect between
  parent and child that happened earlier and was never healed. Although you may
  regret the way you’ve raised your child, it is never too late to create a strong
  connection. Of course, it is easier to forge a strong attachment with
  a younger child, than with an older one, but do it now. Commit to creating a strong
  connection with your teen, even though, initially, you will probably be rejected.

• Connect to your teen via his interests. What does your child love to do? Find a
  way to engage him in the activities he loves. This doesn’t just mean buying him
  tickets to a concert, so he can attend it with his friends. Connection is about being
  there and engaging your teen, not sending him off on his own. For example, take
  your teen to a music store, let him pick out his favorite music and go home and
  listen to it together. When I say “listen,” I mean share fully in the experience. Find
  out what it is about this music that speaks to him. In this way, you connect to him
  via what he loves, through the things, ideas and experiences that lift and enervate
  his soul. This is deep stuffconnections always are.

• Set aside your ego and your need for adult authority as often as you can. Your
  teen, though troubled, is on his way to becoming your peer. Treat him with respect.
  Although he may be misguided, he is taking the first stepstruggling to know
  himself and find his place in the world. Help him, guide him, be open. Have
  compassion. Be there. Share stories of your adolescent struggles that are
  appropriate to what your teen is going through.

  When you must exert your power as an authority, wield it wisely and only in the best
  interests of your child. If your teen is acting in ways that endanger himself or
  others, seek the help of a qualified professional. Don’t hand your child over and
  make him someone else’s problem, rather, engage him fully in the journey of
  transformation from a child into an adult.

Laura Ramirez is the author of the multiple award-winning book, Keepers of
the Children: Native American Wisdom and Parenting - this parenting book combines
ancient native principles (such as stewardship) with heart-centered
psychology to teach parents how to raise children to develop their strengths
and unfold their spiritual nature. More than just a book on parenting, it
shows how parenting is a path of personal growth for child and parent.

Laura is also the publisher of Family Matters Online Parenting Magazine which
offers insights into the core issues today’s parents face. She lives with her
husband and children in the Northern Nevada foothills. Laura teaches online
parenting classes and is available for interviews and speaking engagements.

Christian Dating Sites

Internet dating or matchmaking services give members the
opportunity to look at all the options and make a more informed
decision about whom they want to contact. Members of these
services are given the opportunity to take the initiative and
pursue the person he or she is interested in meeting.

Most internet dating or matchmaking web sites were created for
people of any lifestyle, however, many Christian singles
realized that meeting other eligible Christians could be quite
difficult. Christian Dating Sites emerged from the need of
Christian singles to contact other Christian singles in their
community. Like other dating web sites, Christian dating sites
vary, depending on what the person is looking for.

Some sites target a specific age demographic, such as single
Christians over 30 years old. Most sites, however, are for any
age and denomination. They vary in the way that the
questionnaire is set up and how people can contact each other.
Matchmaking and dating services tend to work through
questionnaires, and they will ask both in-depth and general
questions.

Some Christian dating sites are actual matchmaking services that
match one person’s profile with that of another. After the
person has filled out the questionnaire or series of surveys,
the site will match up the person with a variety of potential
dates based on similar interests, demographics, and
psychographics. This person can then peruse the list of
potential dates and decide whom to contact. Most matchmaking
sites like these will also give members the opportunity to
perform their own searches based on certain criteria. The site
will then direct them to the profiles of the other dating
service members that fulfill those criteria.

Other Christian dating sites do not match profiles; rather, they
encourage people to register, post a profile, and browse other
members’ profiles. The questions asked on these profile-building
pages are far more general than the questionnaires on the
matchmaking sites. Anyone who is a member is able to contact
other members directly; either through a web based email
available through that service or through other web-based tools,
like blogs.

Demise of the Lone Ranger Manager: A Lesson in Management Communication Style

When executives see themselves as solely responsible for the overall success of their enterprise, subordinates can hardly be blamed for acting according to predictions.

Let’s look at a familiar scene in classical American - if I
may use the word - mythology.

Panic and terror have brought all normal activity to a
standstill in some pioneering settlement in the Wild
West. A bunch of bad guys have been scaring the pants
off the innocent, helpless and disorganized townsfolk.

Then an imposing masked figure rides up on a white
horse. He arrives just in the nick of time.

With the right blend of courage and cunning, he
vanquishes the bad guys by being just a little quicker,
smarter and tougher than they are. Then, satisfied that
everything is under control, he stoically rides off
into the sunset.

The Lone Ranger has saved the day again.

But as the adrenaline levels of the grateful townsfolk
gradually return to normal and they prepare to resume
their mundane tasks, they may or may not realize that
they are now no wiser or better prepared to deal with the
next big problem.

When faced again with a major crisis, they’ll just have
to hope for a return of the thundering hoofbeats,
signaling another last-minute rescue by the daring hero.

In their book Managing for Excellence, David Bradford
and Allan Cohen write that they often begin their
workshops for managers with an illuminating exercise
that simulates a top-management team.

Bob Young, CEO of a manufacturing company, is faced
with a problem. More and more customers have been
complaining about defective gaskets, a crucial
component in the company’s key product. A worried Bob
has called a special meeting of the operations
committee.

The four other members of the committee are apparently
aware of the source of the problem - a change in
suppliers and inspection procedures. But the strong
feelings - positive and negative - they have about each
other and about Bob Young, prevent them from talking
openly about the subject.

The workshop leaders ask the participants to plan how
they, as Bob Young, could run the meeting so that “the
problem gets solved while building a stronger team”.
Participants then take turns to assume the role of the
CEO.

As each simulated meeting gets under way, Bob Young’s
subordinates - the personnel on the operations
committee - go on the defensive and start sniping at each
other. When he sees this happening, says Bradford and
Young, the “Bob Young” in command almost invariably
begins a heroic attempt to solve the problem single-
handedly.

In the most frequent maneuver, Bob Young takes over the
meeting and starts playing a detective-like version of the
Lone Ranger. He cross-examines each person in turn
about what he knew, what she had done, and what he
saw as the problem. By his tone, posture and questions,
the aspiring CEO conveys the message: “I am going to
get to the bottom of this!.”

But as Bob Young proceeds with his solo-rescue
mission, those playing the four subordinates instinctively
get even cagier and more snide with one another. They
either try to push the blame off on each other or cover up,
so they will not be exposed in front of each other.

Even the odd “Bob Young” who is so good at playing
Lone Ranger that he manages to extract all the facts, is
hard pressed to build any team cooperation to solve the
problem. Once he finally grasps the sequence of events
that led to defective parts slipping through, he is stuck
with trying to find a solution that can be implemented by
estranged and embarrassed subordinates.

Bradford and Cohen surmise that the classic showdown
of the old-fashioned Western movie - in which everything
depends on the hero’s nerves of steel, complete
command of the situation, agility, and guts - still
dominates the fantasies of present-day managers. After
all, they grew up on cowboys and Indians, war movies
and tough, individualistic male heroes - and even many
women who have made it into middle management tend
to think in these heroic terms.

It hardly occurs to these people that their image of the
Western frontier of old may not be historically accurate.

Presumably, the taming of the West demanded a highly
developed collaborative spirit. Mutual assistance and
team work, rather than flamboyant individualism, must
have been the hallmarks of the pioneering communities.
The picture is hardly one of a helpless society.

But when a leader views others as helpless (like the
townspeople), or evil (like the bad guys), his prophecies
may indeed be self-fulfilling.

If a manager sees himself as solely responsible for the
overall success of his enterprise, subordinates will retreat
to their narrow piece of turf. When people a little lower
down in the hierarchy are treated as weak and as unable
to cope, they shrug their shoulders, gradually lose motivation and act in accordance with
the predictions.

This, in turn, only “proves” to the boss that more “help”
is necessary. Those treated as untrustworthy or incompetent
also begin to behave accordingly, since they are excluded
from everything, anyway.

In all these cases, upward communication grinds slowly
and inexorably to a halt.

So what can we do about it?

Well, let’s go back to the case of the defective gaskets,
and see how another Bob Young, with a rather different
management orientation,handles the meeting with his
subordinates of the operations committee. After outlining
the problem, he tells his people:

“You are the guys who best know the situation; you know
what caused it, and you know what the best solution
looks like. Therefore, I want us in this meeting to come
up with the best answer.”

Now, no matter what objections his people might have
had to Bob’s previous style, at least they had learned to
live with (and around) it. Before jumping in and accepting
his new statement, they test the waters very carefully:

“I don’t know, Bob. You know the operations inside and
out. What do you think the best solution is?”

Bob replies:

“This is the kind of issue we need to tackle together,
because then we’ll be sure not only of getting this
problem solved, but we’ll be able to prevent similar
dilemmas in the future.”

A long silence follows. The subordinates hope they can
outlast the CEO and force him to take over. When this
strategy doesn’t seem to be working, the head of
production glances over to the quality control manager
and turns back to Bob:

“Bob you are busy getting us major contracts. We don’t
have to take up valuable meeting time going around and
around on this issue. Roy and I will meet and come up
with the solution, and I’ll let you know tomorrow.”

Bob is not quite satisfied with this. He knows that,
despite its appearance of a willingness to assume
responsibility, it is actually an attempt to hide dirty
linen from him.

He knows that the problem is far more than a technical
one; after all, the complaints about the defective product
isn’t news to any of them. It is also a managerial
problem, for the matter should have been resolved by
now. He therefore responds:

“Don, I’m sure you and Roy could come up with
something, but I also want all of us to improve our
collective ability to solve problems. To do that, we need
to work on it together, since everyone’s involved.”

Eventually, the group manages to uncondition itself from
the defensive approach and settles down in problem-
solving mode. One member proposes a good solution,
another points out logistic difficulties in implementing it,
and they work out ways to get round these difficulties.
Problem solved.

But today, the little group has achieved far more than a
specific solution to a specific problem.And the manager
remains a manager; he has merely adapted to the needs
of the times.

Azriel Winnett is creator of Hodu.com - Your Communication Skills Portal. This popular website helps you improve your communication and relationship skills in your business or professional life, in the family unit and on the social scene. New free articles and tutorials added almost daily.

Free Content — or Forbidden Fruit?

Dear Cathy:

I just found an interesting article on someone else’s website. What are the rules if I want to put it into my own ezine? Can I paraphrase and indicate where I found the info?

Or must I request permission to reprint, then list the item word for word? I am finding that most requests for permission go unanswered.
Signed: Trying to Do the Right Thing

Dear Trying:

First I would ask, “Why do you want to use someone else’s article?” If you’re selling yourself, I recommend you use your own words and ideas. If your writing seems awkward, or your thoughts seem to stall between your computer and your brain, consider taking a course, joining a group and/or hiring a coach.

If your goal is to create an ezine with a huge circulation, and then sell ads for the ezine, you may be wise to use all sorts of content. You’re not selling yourself — you’re selling a daily or weekly portion of ideas.

The ultimate example: Kevin Eikenberry’s Powerquotes. Kevin has built a huge following by sending around quotes — not his own original ideas. He’s also a really nice guy who answers his email.

Now suppose you see a terrific article on one of my websites (And why wouldn’t you? They grow like wildflowers.) Like most website authors, I state clearly that anyone may reprint my articles if they make no changes and use my resource box. Go for it!

But suppose you want to write your own article about reprint permissions. You want to mention that I said, “Better to write your own article if you’re selling yourself.” You don’t want to use the whole article — just this one idea.

No problem! Just mention that Cathy Goodwin presented this idea and supply my website address. You’re free to add more ideas, disagree or send people to my site to read more. Just give me credit.

What you’re doing now is “citing” a source, whether it’s a website article or a book from the library. You must take care to reproduce ideas accurately and in context.

For example, if I say, “Here’s what NOT to do: Help yourself to anything on the web,” don’t you dare say, “Cathy Goodwin invites us to help ourselves to anything on the web.” That can get you in real trouble, as well as make you look very, very stupid.

Now let’s imagine you like this entire article (I live for this) and you want to reproduce the ideas. However, you want to paraphrase and just say, “Based on an article by Cathy Goodwin.”

Frankly, I can’t see why you would want to paraphrase more than a single idea from an article. If you really like my articles, add a link to my site (and ask me to reciprocate — I usually say yes).

Now let’s suppose you come across a website with a terrific article. You want to reprint that article, but the author ignores your request for reprint permission. I recommend that you abandon this article and move on to a new one, preferably your own.

Why publicize an author who can’t be bothered to respond? How do you know the article you want was legally acquired? Perhaps the author paid a ghostwriter and now feels embarrassed to take the credit.

There are dozens of databases that offer free content. I send my own articles to several. Simply type “free content” into a search engine and you’ll be overwhelmed. Some of these collections insist that authors specify their own reprint guidelines. Others ask us to agree to their guidelines whenever we submit an article.

Another tip: If you like articles by a particular author, type that author’s name into a search engine. Chances are you’ll turn up a website offering free content — and the editor will have established permissions for everyone.

When in doubt, I’d prefer to err on the side of caution. An author who feels her work has been stolen will resemble an angry bee, determined to sting you in a most awkward portion of your anatomy. You won’t even get a pot of honey — just an article you didn’t need anyway.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

“Ten secrets of mastering a major life change” mailto:subscribe@cathygoodwin.com

Contact: cathy@cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294

You Can’t Beat Oriental Rugs For Elegance

Oriental rugs will add timeless beauty to your home, will coordinate with any décor, and enhance any room, hallway, or entrance. They are also a favorite option when decorating home offices, and are a particularly good choice for high traffic areas because of the intricacies of their designs, which hide wear and tear. The term “oriental” refers to rugs produced on the continent of Asia, such as Persian (from Iran), Indian, Chinese, and Turkish rugs. Imitations of the popular oriental patterns are also available and produced by manufacturers such as Nourison in the USA, and Sphinx, also in the USA but with its parent company in Egypt.

Making rugs by hand is an ancient art and the old designs reflect the religious and ethnic structures of the times in the countries or areas of origin. Many of these ancient designs are still produced today, sometimes hand-woven and hand-knotted, other times woven by machine. The most traditional patterns are those with a floral or garden motif, or geometric or curvilinear designs around a central medallion or a central painting-like scene. href="http://www.area-rugs-4u.net/oriental-rugs.html" rel="nofollow">Oriental rugs used to be constructed only with such natural fibers as wool, cotton, silk, or goat and camel hair, or blends of these materials, but now you can find them made with less expensive synthetic materials such as olefin (polypropylene), nylon, polyester, and acrylic. Wool rugs remain the first choice in durable, soft, dirt-and-fire resistant, warm rugs, but synthetic reproductions make oriental area rugs more affordable. They come in a variety of colors, sizes, and shapes - round, oval, rectangular, and, of course, the popular runner.

How to Choose Oriental Rugs for Your Home
Decide on how you are going to use each area rug. Is it going to define furniture groupings or unify all the elements in the room? Is its primary use to protect a floor or a carpet? Is its prime function to add warmth and comfort? The use of the rug will dictate its size and shape. As well, you should keep these points in mind:
The colors should be harmonious with other colors in the room.
If the center of the carpet will be visible, medallions or central scenes are good choices, but if the center will be fully or partially hidden under a table or other furniture, it is better to go with a repetitive design or an elaborate and interesting border.
A family with health problems will appreciate rugs with natural fibers since they have the advantage of not releasing chemicals into the air as synthetics do.
Very colorful and busy designs can make an oriental rug the focal point in a room, but if the room is already colorful with intricate drapery and upholstery fabric designs, choose simple designs and subtle colors.
If you are going to use two different rugs in one room, make sure the colors and patterns blend and complement each other.

Important Cost Considerations
It is not as difficult as you may think to find good quality, cheap area rugs with oriental designs. When you shop online, you deal directly with online retailers who can offer discount and warehouse prices because there are no storefront costs and no middlemen to pay. As well as shopping online, here are other considerations that can make the oriental rug of your dreams affordable:
An antique rug is the most expensive and should have documentation attesting to its authenticity; imitations are much less costly.
Natural fibers are more expensive than synthetic.
Hand-made, hand-woven, and hand-knotted rugs made by weavers are more durable and much more expensive than machine woven and knotted.
The number of knots per square inch indicates its quality, and a higher number means a higher cost.
Very intricate and rare designs are the most expensive.
The country or area of origin affects the price.

Whether you spring for a genuine antique oriental wool rug that has been hand woven and hand knotted in Iran, or you choose a polypropylene machine woven rug with an oriental design manufactured in North America, you will be adding beauty, warmth and comfort to your home. Enjoy!

About the Author: Laura Gray is currently a freelance writer and enjoys providing tips to consumers who are in the market for all types of cheap rugs and contemporary rugs.

Credit Cards for Summer Vacations

Summer is finally here, and so begins the season of long travel and family vacations. Approximately 52% of American families take at least one vacation between the months of May and August, which means that quite a bit of money is spent on both domestic and international travel.

Unfortunately, traveling with only cash and checks in your wallet is not recommended. Whether you plan to rent cars, fly on airplanes or stay in hotels, travel is always easier if you have a credit card at your disposal. Even if you only use it for the big purchases - like rental cars and airlines - your travel experience will be much smoother if you have plastic.

For one thing, credit cards allow you to easily document each transaction. When you purchase an airline ticket, a record of that purchase is made with your credit card company, and you can refer to that record if anything goes wrong. Flights are canceled every day, so you’ll want to plan for every contingency.

Credit cards are also easier to keep track of than large wads of cash or a bulky check book. When you visit theme parks and other tourist destinations, you can slip a credit card or two into a fanny pack, a pocket or a zippered compartment of your purse. It doesn’t add much weight and is about fifteen times less likely to be stolen than a protruding stack of paper bills.

So how do you choose a credit card for summer vacations? If you’re going to be charging your purchases, you should at least reap the rewards of the best credit cards available. Earning airline miles, cash back and reward points can making using plastic much more enticing. And since vacations are inevitably expensive, you might as well get something back for your efforts!

Chase Flexible Rewards Platinum Visa Card

Most credit cards have very specific reward programs that allow you to redeem points only at specific locations or with certain vendors. The Chase Flexible Rewards card is a bit more diverse. With this card, however, you earn one reward point for every dollar spent (as well as 1,000 bonus points after your first purchase) and the points can be redeemed with a variety of merchants rather than just one or two. You can get cash back, gift certificates, or free travel, whichever works best for you. Customers also enjoy a 0% introductory APR and no annual fee.

HSBC MasterCard

This card is a cash back credit card that allows customers to earn 1% cash back on all purchases. This card is especially appealing because of its low APR; 0% for the first twelve months, and then a low ongoing rate. You also get travel accident insurance as a platinum benefit, which can be beneficial if you plan on taking lots of vacations this summer.

Blue Sky from American Express

This card has been getting a lot of media attention because of it’s travel rewards program. Customers receive one reward point for every dollar they spend, and the points can be redeemed for savings on airline tickets. It comes with no annual fee and a 0% interest rate for the first six months.. It is surprisingly easy to earn points, as well. If you save 7,500 points, for example, you can redeem them for $100 off your next airline ticket.

Summer vacations are made easier by carrying a credit card with you instead of cash or a checkbook, and you can even earn rewards for purchases made with certain credit cards. Take a look at three top picks for credit cards to use while on vacation.

Internet Success - “Just Do it”

For several years now, I’ve been busy running the roads selling products to people I didn’t know and I’ll probably never see again. The two products I sold were walk-in bathtubs which sold for close to $13,000 to elderly people who had a hard time getting in and out of a bathtub, and then commercial-grade windows which sold for close to $1,000/each window. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is the money I made has been here and gone. What happened while I was on the road driving over 1500 miles/week? There are few places a woman without a college education can earn over $1000/week except in direct sales or who knows, maybe finding a niche over the internet.

But how do you know where to start or what to do first? Well, I read an interesting article which motivated me to do something about it. This article was telling me to JUST DO IT, a simple statement–but profound. I remember hearing that statement many years ago in an A.L. Williams meeting. I even heard it last night when listening to a teleseminar with Les Brown, famed motivator, when he was talking about how faith without action means nothing. So why do I have such a hard time “just doing it.” Well, maybe it’s just that I’m afraid I won’t be successful. Maybe it’s because nobody believes in me but me. Who knows?

I have a son, Brian, who graduated from college five years ago. He majored in Art Education, but didn’t like teaching like he thought he would. So, he went back to school and got Microsoft certified. Now, he drives a Mercedes and earns over $100,000 a year as a systems administrator. You know, that didn’t come easy. After his Microsoft certification, he took a low-paying job with a computer firm which lead to a job with the school system (his art education helped him land that job). That job lead him to his present job. Anyway, at 29 he “just did it,” and he’s lovin’ it.

While I was on the road, my boyfriend (live-in lover) pursued his
passion of working over the internet. He learned it little by little. He only types with two fingers. It didn’t come easy. He now designs websites and markets over the internet. His previous experience in the printing business and his artistic flare helped him. How could he accomplish that? He just did it. He can now design a website with links, connect a merchant account, place adwords with servers, etc. And me–my money has been here and gone. I was too busy making a living to learn, too tired and soon too burnt out.

If you have a passion (whatever it is), just pursue it–just do it. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step–so just do it. Each step you take brings you one step closer to your desired goal, so just do it. On the internet, you will find a whole world at your fingertips.

There are people out there who can become your mentors. You may never meet them face to face. They may never hear you speak, but they will still be your mentor.

I have just given you a billion dollar concept. It is worth nothing, however, unless you take action. –Just Do it–

So, what am I saying–you might be like me; you have very little to show for your past work except paid bills and the fact that you made yourself a living. But, I plan on making changes in my life. I plan on learning how to market on the internet this year. I plan on “just doing it.” You’ll never know unless you take action. This one concept can make you a fortune and on the internet, your possibilities are endless. So, get off your
a _ _ and do something.

Your future is limited only to your acquired knowledge, imagination and action. You may have the desire but feel overwhelmed by the internet, but DO NOT FEAR. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Thank you so much for your time. I hope I encouraged you to pursue your passion.

This is a billion dollar concept which is taught at
http://www.InternetProfitMentor.com
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