Best Money Making Ideas

Reading, Writing, and Negotiating

“I™d like to thank my agent.” How often have you heard those words? You may be surprised to learn that the sentiment isn™t gushed exclusively at Hollywood awards shows. You hear them at book awards ceremonies, too.

Who are these secret agents anyway? And what exactly do they do that places them in such high esteem? Believe me- authors love their agents just as much as actors; maybe even more so.

Reading, writing, and negotiating make up the majority of a literary agent™s work.

If you want to be a literary agent, first of all, you must love to read. I mean really, really love to read. And even though there are no educational requirements for becoming a literary agent, you must be well read coming into it. If you don™t have a vast array of reading experiences to compare submissions to, you™re done before you even start.

Even more important, you must be able to read with a discerning eye. Not only do you have to distinguish the good, the bad, and the ugly writing for yourself, you must also appreciate public trends. You have to know a hit when you see it, even if it isn™t your cup of tea. Some agents even go so far as to offer basic editing advice in order to help a story fit a certain market.

Marketing a manuscript is where the negotiating comes in. In order to negotiate with editors successfully you will need inside information and connections in the publishing world. This may take some time to acquire, but it isn™t impossible. Working in publishing or for another agent first is helpful, but not necessary. You can make your own way if you are consistent and persistent.

Membership in the Association of Authors Representatives is a big credibility booster. Even before you become a member, however, make sure you practice their code of ethics. For example, never charge a reading or submission fee. Instead charge a 15% commission. Reputation is extremely important in this business. Check out www.aar-online.org for more helpful tips and membership registration.

The idea that you must live in New York to be a literary agent is a myth. Successful agents can be found anywhere. And yes, you can do it from home. Sometimes you will want to travel in order to attend writer™s conferences or workshops, though. Also, make sure you have plenty of room to stack up those incoming manuscripts.

As a literary agent, getting established is the hardest part. Once you™re over the hump you™ll have no shortage of potential clients. After all, everyone has a story to tell, but not everyone can sell it. They need an agent for that.

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Literary_agent

http://www.adlerbooks.com/mostask.html

http://www.publishingcentral.com/subject.html?sid=16&si=1

http://www.ehow.com/how_2121717_become-literary-agent.html

Reading the Stars

Everyone wants to know what his or her future looks like. They want to know if the decisions they make are right, and if there is any form of bad luck lurking in their cards. All of this is thought to be found through astrology; which proves to be a form of entertainment for some, and a serious matter for others. Whatever the reason, writing horoscopes proves to be one great way of making money for you, so just look at the right market to sell all of your daily horoscopes.

The secret to being successful in writing daily horoscopes lies in writing horoscopes that sound specific and, at the same time, sound vague. They should be written in such a way that the person reading the horoscope should feel that the horoscope has some relevance to their lives. This is the only way that you can actually satisfy over 1/12th of the world with your common horoscopes!

When writing statements for the horoscopes, it is better to use words that are not specific, but instead are vaguer in their meanings. Instead of using the phrase “you will have a windfall of money”, you could say “A financial deal is coming your way.” This type of statement allows them to consider any sort of financial transaction, as people tend to rationalize the horoscope they read, on a subconscious level.

It is always better to use incidents that cannot be confirmed so that the reader will think back on the day, and try to relate him or herself to some incident that could have an ulterior meaning. Like if you mention that the reader may meet someone who likes them throughout the day, they will feel that the casual smile from the passer-by was more than just a casual smile. However, if you write that something romantic is about to happen, and then the reader will be waiting for something definite to happen. If nothing happens, then they will not believe your horoscopes! It’s of no use writing long horoscopes; keeping one-liners are far better and simple.

If you are still not too sure on how to begin writing horoscopes, there are astrology classes in colleges starting up all the time. With these classes, it is possible for you to improve your style of writing and to provide better horoscopes for the reader to enjoy. Whichever method you employ to write your horoscopes, it is very important that the horoscopes turn out to be as interesting as possible, with general statements. This way, all readers will correlate themselves with the matter provided in the horoscopes.

To succeed as a horoscope writer, it is very important that you approach a newspaper or magazine that is well read, and in much demand. This way, you will receive much more returns for the horoscopes you write for these print media. Once your horoscope is accepted by the newspaper or magazine’s readers, you are sure to develop a long list of fans waiting to read their horoscopes being written by you!

Resources:

http://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Horoscope

http://www.ehow.com/how_2259519_write-fake-horoscopes.html

Query Writing Basics: How to Write a Successful Query

Learning how to write a fantastic query letter may be one of the most important things to learn to become a successful freelance writer. Many publications want to see a short one page query letter (basically a sales pitch) to decide if they would like you to write the article or not. It saves both you and the publication time and energy, because you won’t have to write the whole article only to have it rejected from every market you try. By writing a query, you’ve only lost an idea and your sales pitch. You can refine and revise your query letter and resend it later to the same or other publications. The only types of writing you won’t need a query for are for essays. Usually, publications will want to see the entire essay. Query letters have three paragraphs, and are usually under one page in length. It needs to be short, sweet and to the point. Editors are busy, and you want to catch their eye with your query letter. It needs to stand out from the others.

The 3 Important parts of a Query Letter:

1. The Introduction
This is the most important part of your query letter. It can mean the difference between getting an assignment or receiving a rejection. Most editors will read just this part to see if you have what it takes to write an outstanding article that fits well with their publication. These few sentences need to catch their eye, make them think - keep them away from the delete button! You need to really sell your article here. Here’s an example from a query letter I recently wrote and received an assignment from:

Sure, you take some time out for yourself once in a while: you take a bubble bath, get a massage, watch a movie, etc. But is this really enough for your body and mind? Studies show that this type of inconsistent relaxation does not help you manage stress better. You should be relaxed for most of your day, and make more time for it each day - even 5 minutes can help. Stress and anxiety is a serious problem, causing exhaustion, and even physical ailments over time. Learn how to easily manage your stress and anxiety levels on a daily basis for a more relaxed, better, healthier life!

This was a pitch to a magazine that was looking for various topics, and one of them was health. I chose that category and sent off this first paragraph. Notice how it speaks directly to the Editor? You want them to feel the need for it and that it fits their publication. They also look at your writing skills in this first paragraph. They want to make sure that your writing skills also fit their publication. Always personally start off by addressing the Editor appropriately, such as “Dear Ms. Editor:”. If you are not sure of what Editor you should address it to, simply call the publication and get the Editor’s name (make sure you spell it right!) and the correct email address.

2. Are You the Right Writer for this Article?
In this paragraph, you want to sell yourself. What work have you done that can prove to them you can write well, and write on this topic? This was my paragraph selling myself and my work:

I propose to you this article, and can write many more. My schedule is open now, and I would be happy to help with articles! If you would like to complete one at a time, that’s understandable. However, I can also work on more than one at a time if it’s acceptable for you.
Samples of my published works are available for reading at http://nicoleallard.bravehost.com

I am the Editor-in-Chief of Writer’s Success, a free online resource and weekly newsletter for freelance writers. I have written on a variety of topics including health, women’s issues, beauty, fitness, writing, automotive, animals, and more. I have also written a lot of web content, a business plan, an executive summary, and several e-books.

Since they were looking for many different topics, I made sure they knew I could write to them on a consistent basis. I also included the link to my online portfolio that neatly contains all of my published work. I also told them about the topics I have experience with, and that I write a weekly newsletter and maintain an online resource for writers.

3. The Closing
Once again, short and sweet. Always be professional throughout your query. This should simply state:

I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for your time and consideration! (Or something to that effect).

Don’t forget to include all of your contact information: your name, address, phone number and any other contact information should be at the end so the Editor has different options to contact you. You never know when an Editor may call you!

Resources:

http://www.poewar.com/how-to-write-a-query-letter/

http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/apr98/keegan7.htm

http://www.charlottedillon.com/query.html

http://www.writing-world.com/basics/query.shtml

Prophecy for Profit

Have you ever been thinking about someone only to have the phone start ringing and it is that very person calling to get back in touch? Have you ever thought that you might be just a little psychic? If so, then a career in the fascinating field of fortune telling and prediction might be a possibility for you.

The techniques and skills of forecasting and prediction - astrology, palmistry, numerology, Tarot or a host of other branches of divination can be learned - and then put to use for the benefit of yourself and others.

You don’t have to look far to see how popular prediction and forecasting in their many guises has become, so there is a market out there.

* Many newspapers, magazines and periodicals have a horoscope section, as do many portals, web sites and newsletters. Someone has to produce them. So why not you?

* In many countries the small ads sections in the local and national press are packed with advertisements for personalized predictions.

* Regular TV programs and specialist magazines are devoted to the subject of prediction techniques.

* There are fairs and exhibitions where people specializing in prediction can connect with clients.

* Prediction by mail has become a serious business.

…and let’s not forget the internet of course! There are plenty of people making an income through web or internet-based predictions.

Earnings vary depending on the type of business you set up and where you are based unless you choose to go the online route. For example, in the UK, those at the peak of the profession with syndicated newspaper columns and media appearances can expect to earn over ?250,000 a year. Someone starting out on a part time basis, who has yet to establish a reputation might find that ?15-?20 an hour is the norm. However, you may be a sharp enough marketer to be able to earn in excess of these rates as you are operating in a field where you set your own prices. What matters is how credible potential clients find you and how many of these you can reach. The more credibility you have and/or the better known you are the more you can ask.

Why?

Interest in fortune telling and prediction is high now. Millions of people worldwide have regular readings. Millions more admit to occasional use of prediction services, whether that is a Tarot reading, horoscope reading or some other service. They’re all potential customers.

In addition to the profit potential there are other benefits to becoming a fortune-teller:

* It’s fun, interesting and rewarding. There’s great satisfaction to be had from providing a service, which people appreciate and benefit from. Prediction is about entertainment as well as providing serious information. There are profits to be made from both aspects. You can choose which aspect you wish to major on.

* You can do it from anywhere. You can use prediction as the basis for a mail order business, a home-based business with clients visiting, a mobile service, an office-based business or a premium rate telephone line business.

Up until now, there was no real way for most of us to become a professional fortune-teller. However, now you can use divination software, astrological software and or go on courses or learn online. If you do not wish to learn prediction you can even buy or license software to plug into your website along with e-commerce software.

Resources:

http://www.programurl.com/software/divination.htm

http://www.soulhealing.com/astrosof.htm

http://www.bluechillies.com/list/divination.html

http://www.humaniverse.net/iching/page3.htm

http://www.alabe.com/

http://www.astrowin.org/astro_sw.htm

http://www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads/divination_software/

http://www.astrologysoftware.com/

http://www.telescope.com/control/category/~category_id=software_and_dvds/~pcategory=accessories?WT.term=astronomy+software&WT.campaign=1108&WT.content=text&WT.medium=cpc&WT.source=google&cshift_ck=807515286cs609895665&WT.srch=1

Want to Make a Magazine?

The Pulitzer Prize has recently announced that from now on, online publications will be accepted into the contest! “The Pulitzer Prize Board has announced that newspapers may submit online content in all of its journalism categories, starting with the 2006 competition.” For more information about this wonderful news, see their website and check out their press release and revised plan of award: http://www.pulitzer.org/index.html

That means something very special to freelance journalists all over the world! Something we write that is published online can now be considered for the Pulitzer Prize! It’s an amazing turn of events for online publications and writers alike. It, in a way, stamps online publications as having the same quality as print publications. It puts online publications into a new, spectacular light, and gives talented journalists a chance to shine in the lime light!

So, you think you want to create an online magazine, huh? Well, it’s simple: you have an idea, put it on paper, buy web hosting and a domain name, and poof! There’s your magazine. Alright, so it’s not simple at all, but those are some steps you need to take in order to fulfill this dream. To begin, ask yourself the following questions:

1. What kind of magazine do I want to run?
2. Do I have the time and money to maintain this task?
3. Can I pay writers to fill my magazine with great stories, even if it’s just a little to start?
4. How will I deliver the publication? Just on the website?
5. Will I have a weekly, biweekly, monthly, etc. newsletter for my readers?
6. How will I market this publication?
7. How will I make money from this endeavor?
8. What type of content do I want to serve? What do I want to serve my readers with?
9. How will my magazine stand out against the rest?

As you can see, there are an enormous amount of questions to be answered. As you were reading along, you probably thought of even more! This is a difficult task, but if you dream it, you are sure to work your heart out to get the information to your readers.

Begin with just writing down your ideas and thoughts about how you want others to see this magazine. Then, start making an outline. What departments will your magazine have? What readers are you catering to? Will you have an editorial, an event’s calendar, advertising space, etc.?

Edit that outline until you are satisfied. Create an “about the magazine” piece, and use that to create a press release to get the word out there!

PR Newswire has some helpful examples of what a press release should look like with their PR Toolkit for small businesses: http://prntoolkit.prnewswire.com/PRNewswire/

You can then search for websites to submit your press release to. The Associated Press is at the top of worldwide news, and should be the place you begin! I wish you success in the new year and more!

Resources:

http://www.pelicanmagazineprinting.com/

http://www.magazinelaunch.com/

http://www.wikihow.com/Self-Publish-a-Magazine

http://www.digital-web.com/articles/smarter_content_publishing/

Some of the most dangerous things that people encounter when they first go on the Internet is the so-called Internet selling gurus that experience everything most the Internet and how to make money. I experience this from have because I had a few of these gurus trick me into believing what they had to say and ended up purchasing a plenty of their products. The entirely purpose for them to be there is to make cash off of you.

This is why you must be disciplined in avoiding them by actually focussing on making a serious revenue on the Internet by educating yourself on the new methods of generating a decent revenue online. When you first get started and learning something another all day.

You’re not going to be able to just build a job down of nowhere overnight because you need have in the Internet and become better at it. Besides you won’t experience what you require to make on-line unless you dedicate several meter to learning and gaining familiar with everything that is down there. Simply as I mentioned in front the one thing that you must keep in mind is to void these Internet selling gurus because they are just going to try to sell you info that is already available on the Internet.

Full you have to make true you make is put comfortable meter to doing the search in order to observe down everything that you have a question about. The more than meter you dedicate to doing the search the more than you’re going to experience and the more than knowledge you’re going to be able to obtain. The describe is to be coherent and keep to go on the Internet on a periodic ground. Gain unfair advantage with stomper net now!

Home-based customer assistance, home-based telemarketing, home-based lodge job- you may have pondered on any or all of these opportunities while hunting for a job that you can carry out from the luxuries of your own residence. But here’s some news: the most excellent type of home based commerce doesn’t involve any of the previously discussed alternatives.

Like Commission Ritual, the most excellent type of home based commerce doesn’t need you to be anybody else’s worker, tied to some balls and chains even if you don’t get to depart your house.

The most excellent type of home based commerce puts you in the driver’s seat. Certainly, the most excellent type of home commerce is one where you are the boss.

I’m talking about self-employment and its tremendous famethese days, what with the facilities of the net at the prospective freelancer’s disposal.

Absolutely, any individual who has a PC and has access to the web can do some freelancing job these days. Below, you can observe some of the more famous domains of this home based commerce:

- content writing
- copywriting
- programming
- graphics design
- web design
- audio recording
- video creation
- being a digital assistant

All of the prospects mentioned above outline the desires they search for to comply from the growing trade we call internet marketing. More and more entrepreneurs are fastly comprehending the earning potentials offered by the World Wide Web, therefore, they need more and more individuals to help them get their goals.

People who can do freelance job.

What is needed by thistype of home based commerce? Just two matters: primarily, that you have the skill or capabilities required by the field you want to focus on; and subsequently, that you will be able to obligate yourself to the duties you will choose to start.

For a good start in the world of online freelancing, make an account and peruse through the job listings posted in freelancing sites like www.rentacoder.com, www.elance.com and www.getafreelancer.com..

There are more examples of Affiliate Reviews you can check out here.

One Way to Get Started - Write What You Know

Many writers get started in freelancing by writing about what they already know, reducing the amount of research needed. As a beginner, if you already know about the subject you are writing about, you will feel more confident writing that piece. You can write an article, essay, etc. There are many different types of articles you can write, including how-to, informational, web content, among others. You could also write an essay about something interesting that has happened to you, something you feel strongly about, etc.

Being confident about what you are writing is important, because it will come through in the piece that you are a knowledgeable writer. This is why many writers who have been successful sometimes suggest that you should start with what you know. It will also put editors at ease if you query (pitch) them with an article idea if you have experience with that particular topic, especially if you have not had anything published. If you decide to write some essays for submission to different publications, you won’t have to pitch the idea. Editors will usually want to see the essay in its entirety.

Writing what you know will not only help you overcome your initial fears of writing for publications, it will also get you started with your writing muscles. It will help you to start to think like a writer, seeing ideas for stories everywhere, and get those creative juices flowing all the time.

You can also write about what you want to know. That’s one of the great things about being a professional writer: you get to learn about new things all of the time and get paid for it. For example, if you are interested in scrap booking and want to know more about how to start one, start researching about your topic. While you write your article or query, you will be learning about something new. If your topic gets assigned by an editor interested in publishing it, you will get paid to write about what you want to know! So, as you see, you don’t have to restrain yourself to simply writing what you know, you can write about what you don’t know, too! If you are interested in becoming a writer, you most likely enjoy learning new things, and there’s nothing better than getting paid for writing about something you wanted to learn about.

So What Do You Know?

Think about past jobs, volunteer work, military experience, hobbies, etc. Brainstorm some ideas about what you could write using the knowledge you already have.

What Do You Want to Know?

Have you always had an interest in animals, children, or women’s issues? Do you want to learn more while writing an excellent article about your topic.

Get started! Grab a notebook and pen and brainstorm all of the ideas you would like to write about, whether it be something you already know about, or something you want to know about!

Resources:

http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/know.shtml

http://seanachi.wordpress.com/2008/01/09/write-where-you-know/

http://www.writersservices.com/res/ml/r_factsheet_2.htm

More than in the past there are presently multiple ways to make money on the Net. Increasingly people are nowadays seeking to use this medium to earn money. Working on the Internet for sure has its own advantages though. One benefit is that you can work from your comfort of your house thus saving on transit time. Another advantage comes in the fact that you have full flexibility on your work time. By now you should have understood that we are far from the time where only technical jobs were available on the Internet. Nowadays entrepreneurs are finding it easier to begin their business on the internet. One possibility for you is to make an online store and begin selling your own products to the whole world. Another means to make money on the World Wide Web is through online marketing. There are some affiliate programs that are available on the net. This can be an interesting opportunity for all those that possess an internet site or a blog. In fact the amount of money that you can earn in affiliate programs will reckon mainly on the traffic that you will have. If you require to find more on this subject this French text comment ecrire un article should possibly interest you. After some more learning and trials you should be competent to get some interesting income. You should not believe however that it is easy to earn money on the net. The tough competition that is ever-present on the Internet is sure not going to make your life easy. It is much easier to focus on a smaller niche on the Net than to target the entire market. Making money on the Internet will in point of fact need as much effort as in a real life business.

As far as I am concerned Joshua Hayes is an investor who someday will be remembered as one of the great investors of our time. It’s been well over 10 years that Joshua has been graciously sharing his investing knowledge with the world helping people achieve success. For many many years he selflessly gave his time on his Maui Trader blogger blog, at Investor’s Paradise as a member on the forums, and currently at BigWaveTrading.net while also providing paid advice at BigWaveTrading.com.

So what do his current sites offer? BigWaveTrading.com is Joshua’s paid site where he offers his daily stock picks for fees ranging anywhere from $55/mth to $125/mth depending on the level you want. If you don’t think that paying for stock advice is worthwhile then there is a free option as well. BigWaveTrading.net is Joshua’s free blog where he discusses trends in the markets more generally, and this stock market investing advice is worth more than most magazine subscriptions.

Joshua follows the CANSLIM school of investing, is a major supporter of Investor’s Business Daily, and uses the Worden Telechart software (check out his site for information about each). He has been a contributor at Real Money, Seeking Alpha, Best Way To Invest, Miny Anville, Straight Stocks, and I Stock Analyst. He has experience well beyond his age.

It’s been 3 years since I was introduced to Joshua and thank God I found him when I did. He has “held my hand” leading me from a baby in the investing world to a well adjusted adult who is still learning from the wise old master. If I hadn’t found him I don’t know where I’d be today, bankrupt maybe, but certainly a lot worse off. I don’t know why someone would not take advantage of his free offer of help at BigWaveTrading.net, and I bet if you do you’ll get hooked and see the value that BigWaveTrading.com offers and sign up. Joshua Hayes is my hero.