Pivotal Communication

Book - The Complete Book of Questions:

2009-05-21T16:35:00.000+10:00

1001 Conversation Starters for Any Occasion

This book provides groups with 1,001 engaging and thought-provoking icebreaker questions to start and sustain meaningful conversations.

Pivotal Gold Members – request this book for free. Not a member yet? Information here

Some Thoughts on the Lost Art of Reading Aloud

2009-05-18T08:09:00.000+10:00

Sometimes the best way to understand the present is to look at it from the past. Consider audio books. An enormous number of Americans read by listening these days — listening aloud, I call it. The technology for doing so is diverse and widespread, and so are the places people listen to audio books. But from the perspective of a reader in, say, the early 19th century, about the time of Jane Austen, there is something peculiar about it, even lonely. >>> more ...

Your subconscious mind holds the key to mastering social finesse!

2009-05-11T17:41:00.002+10:00

Do parties or social gatherings make you nervous?
Do you suffer from low self-esteem, social anxiety, acute shyness or loneliness?
Do you find it difficult to meet and talk to new people?
Are you convinced that people ignore you, avoid you or won't like you?
Are you too scared to suggest a meeting or a date?
Are you sick of seeing yourself as a "wall flower" or an "outcast" and, worse, not liking yourself because of that perception?

Everyone is special and has equal ability to light up a room! You don't have to be outgoing to be a master of social finesse - you can simply have a great smile, or could be a sympathetic or enthusiastic listener for one person at a time.

This hypnosis CD or MP3 will power your mind to be a master of social finesse, and enable you to naturally:

Improve your natural confidence and self-esteem.
Be able to function without "masks", or your old ways or habits that you hide behind, which prevent the "real you" from relaxing and enjoying yourself.
Learn how to focus on the moment or on the person you're speaking to - instead of yourself, your appearance or your fears.
Eliminate debilitating shyness and allow yourself to shine as brightly as you want, whenever you want!
Relate and find things in common with anyone that you happen to come into contact with.
Learn the power of a smile and when to use it to your advantage.
Learn how to be brave enough to strike up a conversation
Handle confronting situations or difficult times when you don't know what to say - with easy-to-implement solutions, such as asking questions about the person you're talking to & then listening well for clues on how to continue the conversation.
Banish phobias and fears that the 'wrong thing' will come out.
Establish your back up "safety net" of knowing how to instantly and naturally calm yourself, handle or resolve things, or make amends, if awkwardness surfaces.
Understand body language and be more aware of a person's signals when you're speaking to them- and learn better ways to react accordingly.
Learn how to self-assess appropriately with brilliant tips and tricks such as knowing when to tone it down, when (and when not) to check your appearance or your surroundings; when to speak and when to listen.

You'd be surprised just how many people find social finesse difficult - but it can be easier than you think - Act Now!

100% Money Back Guarantee!

How to develop great communication skills

2009-05-06T15:04:00.004+10:00

The vast majority of people by nature have a fascination with the sound of their own voice - which often shows itself in their desire to keep on talking. However, there is quite a bit of difference between talking and communicating, with the latter requiring consistent application of effort. People with really good communication skills know what to say at precisely the right moment, at what location and to who. More importantly, they know when not to speak at all, and just actively listen.

There are specific key traits that show whether a person is a great communicator or not - one of the se is being a really good listener. You may be able to communicate your points of view and general thoughts to another person in a clear way, but when it comes to listening to other people, you are simply "in the dark". With most individuals, the quality of listening is directly related to their personal understanding of information, and with the constantly evolving situation in the business world today, superb listening skills are absolutely necessary for achieving success.

Here are some tips that will help you to improve your listening skills: 1. Pay attention to what the other person is talking about. It's quite important to pay attention to the speaker, and it is not only the matter of maintaining good eye contact, but the posture of your entire body is important as well. 2. Let the other person speak. Patience is the essence of any good communication ability. It's important during the act of listening that you should allow the other person to put forward his/her opinions, while making a point to not interrupt in the middle of the discussion. 3. Do not impose your opinion. To avoid conflict, you should respect the opinions of others, and at the same time, try not to impose your opinions on others either, as it often happens that the opinions of any two people don't even remotely come close to common ground. 4. Ask meaningful questions. It is important that during a discussion only meaningful questions pertaining to the discussion are asked or raised. These questions should always direct the conversation towards a useful conclusion. 5. Help and support the other individual. Great listening requires developing a supportive feeling for everyone speaking in order to help them sense that everything is going smoothly. Encourage the other individual, and make them sense that you're interested in listening to his/her opinions and views. 6. Restate your thoughts. Listening is quite different from hearing, and it's not the easiest of skills to master. Although listening by itself will definitely help you to gain some understanding, or at the very least help you to get to a point of view, it is still very important that at the close of every discussion you should be able to easily restate, in order, all of the previous ideas. It is quite true that the more you listen, the more effective and efficient you become. Many of you may be experienced in speaking, but have you ever really thought of the true value of listening? The tips listed above may not ensure that you'll be suddenly transformed into a great listener, but what they certainly will do is hone your listening skills to a great degree, thereby directly affecting your overall communication ability. Copyright (c) 2009 Alan Gillies Alan Gillies is the Managing Director of the L2L Group, specialising in providing Executive Coaching, Training and Consultancy Services to Businesses across the Globe. Want to learn more about these business success strategies? Get Alan's popular FREE ebook, available at http://www.L2LGroup.com.

8 tips for finding your voice

2009-05-05T09:09:00.000+10:00

Q : I know that agents and editors look for writers who have strong voices, but I’m having trouble finding mine. Any advice?

A : It’s true. Editors, agents, publishers and, above all, readers do respond most to a writer with a great voice.

Voice is what gives writing energy, authenticity, it animates the narrator and characters with a unique personality. It grabs your attention and keeps you turning the page. ... more

How Does the Brain Form Sentences?

2009-05-01T18:21:00.000+10:00

Forming a grammatically correct sentence may seem to require advanced cognitive skills, but it turns out that our creative language capacity might rely on a less sophisticated system than is commonly thought. A recent study suggests that our ability to construct sentences may arise from procedural memory—the same simple memory system that lets our dogs learn to sit on command. >>>

7 Steps to Better E-Mail Management

2009-04-26T17:00:00.002+10:00

It's easy to get overwhelmed by your in-box, but these simple strategies can help you keep it all under control ... more

What did you say? Ways to create effective listening skills

2009-04-16T15:05:00.001+10:00

Have you ever caught yourself finishing another personâ??s sentence? Or have you interrupted a business contact to add your own comments before you even heard the other person out? What about interpreting what someone else said completely wrong because we did not let them finish their sentences or explain their point more clearly?

Here are some ways to create better and more productive conversations, stronger relationships and increase your bottom line. >>>

How to work a room

2009-04-14T18:05:00.002+10:00

There are tons of networking events to attend - too many, actually. Too many ways to meet people you'll never see again, too many opportunities to collect a stack of business cards you'll never look at again. But it's well worth doing as much networking as you can, because you never know where a chance meeting will lead. Last year, for example, I was hired to give a presentation at a secluded resort near Honolulu, Hawaii - all because of a conversation I struck up with a woman sitting next to me at a luncheon.

Here are 13 simple tips to make the process easier and more productive. >>>

Book: You’re Too Kind : A Brief History of Flattery

2009-04-10T17:40:00.003+10:00

You’re Too Kind : A Brief History of Flattery

by Richard Stengel

From the reviews

Stengel (a senior editor at Time magazine) ponders the meaning of flattery and illustrates that more than mere praise, flattery is praise with a motive, be it benign or grasping.

You’re Too Kind is a witty, colorful, fast-paced trip through history. It’s meticulously researched and comprehensive. .... more

Communication is the key

2009-04-07T14:18:00.000+10:00

Communication is such a touchy subject. Although we all do it all the time, there are so many layers that make communication so difficult, and also so exciting and fun! First of all, there is a layer of assumptions. We often believe that we all come to the table with the same understandings, the same values, the same meanings. But, truly, we don’t. ... more

Editing America

2009-04-03T18:23:00.001+10:00

The other day a man wearing a brown fedora strolled through Pike Place Market. Unlike most tourists, he wasn't there to browse or buy. He was there to edit.Yes, edit. Toting markers, chalk and white-out, the man known as the Indiana Jones of typos had come to do battle with this city's misspellings and botched punctuation. Seattle, bookish as it may claim to be, was revealed to be barely literate. There was the sign for "Dillettante" chocolate. The board announcing "Todays sample." The posters for "recepies," "cake's," "birthday candell's." The parking-lot warning that you get "no in/out priveleges." More ....

Business Buzzwords That Make You Gag

2009-04-03T17:34:00.002+10:00

Readers wrote in with their nominees for this column's first-ever Most Annoying Lingo awards (the Mallies).

Find out which phrases they would like purged from our professional conversations.

.. more

Ten-Minute Creative Writing Exercise

2009-03-29T14:28:00.000+10:00

Creative Writing on the Fly

If you think you don't have time to write, think again. See what you can produce with a simple set of writing prompts and ten minutes of your time with this creative writing exercise inspired by Rita Dove's exercise "Ten-Minute Spill."

... more

How would YOU like to be the LIFE and SOUL of ANY social gathering?

2009-03-28T17:49:00.001+10:00

How would YOU like to be the LIFE and SOUL of ANY social gathering?

Let's be honest. We all LOVE those individuals that make us LAUGH.

The funnier you are, the more people like you.

Well, how funny are YOU?

What if you could suddenly become EVEN FUNNIER, just by following a few simple rules?

Master wit Max Matterson has worked in the comedy world for the past 20 years. He's the co-author of "Comedy Writing Secrets" and trained many of the big late night show hosts.

He knows EXACTLY how to train ANYONE to become super-witty in just minutes. Matterson claims there are just a series of simple rules that ANYONE can follow to become hilariously funny!

Do YOU want to discover his COMEDY SECRETS?

Visit his website online and learn more: http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afunny.htm

Max shares EVERYTHING with you -- and GUARANTEES that your new-found funny skills will ROCKET your business and social life. In fact he'll buy back the course if you're not absolutely THRILLED!

When was the last time you invested even FIVE MINUTES in developing your social skills? Especially in something as important as your HUMOR?

Do it now. Click HERE and get started: http://www.consultpivotal.com/Afunny.htm

Latest Booklists for kids

2009-03-25T18:27:00.000+10:00

Here they are ... the latest booklists from Pivotal Kids The 2009 Indies Choice Book Awards

St Patrick's Day

Children's Choice Book Awards 2009

Step-by-Step/Sequencing picture books

The Newbery Medal 2009

Is Social Networking Slowing Down the Generational Lines of Communication?

2009-03-21T13:18:00.000+10:00

Lately it seems like the social communication behavior and methods people use to interact are more like tangled-up power lines. Years ago there were traditionally only a small handful of ways to communicate; at work, phone, fax and face-to-face. For the last ten years or so many generations have been able to adopt email as a crucial form of communication, but now there are many newer social networking methods of communication between consumers, businesses, friends and families.

How Not to Stick Your Foot in Your Mouth via E-Mail

2009-03-19T19:54:00.001+10:00

E-mail is the most common form of business communication today; it’s among the most common forms of all communication. Yet many people communicate poorly with e-mail.

That’s the opinion of Janis Fisher Chan, and I agree. Chan is the co-founder of Write It Well (http://www.writeitwell.com), a publishing and training firm operating out of Oakland, Calif., that, since 1980, specializes in helping businesspeople write clearly and concisely in e-mail and elsewhere. She also authored the newly published book E-Mail: A Write It Well Guide, as well as eight other books on business writing and additional topics.

I talked with Chan about why we write poorly in e-mail, what consequences this can have, and how we can improve.

... more

Video - What's Your Listening Level?

2009-03-18T17:58:00.003+10:00

How well do you listen when you're in a conversation? Communication expert Dr. Bill Lampton describes Stephen Covey's five listening levels, and challenges you to accept the highest level.

This week's Must-reads

2009-03-12T13:47:00.003+10:00

HTML clipboard

Latest children's book reviews at the Pivotal Network

2009-03-09T14:39:00.007+10:00

(click on the pictures to go to the reviews)


The 39 Clues: The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis	39 Clues. Book 1 - The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan	Payback by Melody Carlson	The Runaway Dolls by Ann M. Martin	Remember as you pass me by by L. King Perez

3D Alphabet book

2009-03-08T14:18:00.000+10:00

KIDS READING

Watch this Video of a fantastic 3D alphabet book

[More Books for Kids]

Red-Hot Sales Negotiation

2009-03-04T19:48:00.002+10:00

: Everything You Need to Know to Close Deals, Build Relationships, and Create Win-Win Outcome by sPaul S. Goldner, Peter McKeon

Negotiation is more than just closing a sale. It’s the art of continuing a partnership that is successful for both parties. Red-Hot Sales Negotiation provides practical tips and strategies to help salespeople ... more

The Importance of Cross Cultural Communication

2009-02-23T09:45:00.000+10:00

The workforce today is considered to be the most diverse in our society to date. The fact that 4 generations of people are all actively working will certainly have some communication barriers or challenges, not to mention that employees of various cultures, ethnicities, disabilities, age groups, etc. will have another set of challenges comingling as one. The key to working with such a diverse group of employees is simple in theory.... more

Famous misquotations

2009-02-22T14:17:00.001+10:00

"The British are coming!" – Paul Revere [C] Revere's mission depended on secrecy and the countryside was filled with British army patrols; also, most colonial residents at the time considered themselves British. The quotation is more likely based on (although not taken verbatim from) the later famous poem "Paul Revere's Ride." The alarm, if Revere had said it out loud, would most likely have been worded, "The Regulars are coming out!" This one and many more from the Wikipedia page List of Misquotations

Banish the Presenter Box

2009-02-22T14:03:00.000+10:00

It's time to stop hiding behind a mask when you present. Instead, think of public speaking as an exploration of your personal boundaries and limits—and the opportunity to be yourself. (A commentary) ... more

Want to change the way people respond to you?

2009-02-21T14:08:00.006+10:00

This is the key to what's been holding you back your entire life!

Skyrocket Your Self Esteem, Transform Your Voice in Minutes A Day, Eliminate Fear of Public Speaking... And Command Instant Respect From The People You Meet.

Now for the first time, you can discover:

• The one mistake even professional singers make that drains the power from their voice... and the secret pencil trick that shortcuts your way to a voice that commands respect.

• How to master your natural voice in the shortest time possible... while you improve your level of communication with everyone you meet! (You'll learn everything those stars paid thousands of dollars for!)

• Why "beginners" are able to use these simple techniques to quickly surpass more experienced professionals... even if you sound like the Wicked Witch of the West!

• How an ordinary pillow helped all-pro linebacker Dick Butkus transform from football star to television analyst. (Not one voice coach in a thousand even suspects the power of this simple technique!)

• A stunning secret revealed by singer Mel Torme which offers an insight into his lifetime success.

• How to instantly diagnose mistakes in your voice — so you'll never have a communication problem again. No one will ever mistake what you are saying.

• How Lucie Arnaz overcame an allergic reaction that inflamed her vocal folds and used an instant mind-body secret to sing like a nightingale! • How you can dictate your own identity to the world – as you want it to be – and not have it dictated to you!

"My Name Is Bond – James Bond""Arthur Joseph started as a teacher of mine years ago. Over these years, he has become a good friend whose teachings of Vocal Awareness have become a constant in my life. He enlightens with compassion and understanding of the human spirit and above all else, it works." - Pierce Brosnan, Actor

Isn't it frustrating? You speak as clear as a bell and people misunderstand what you say. Even worse, people misjudge you for no apparent reason! People spend thousands on Lasik surgery to improve their eyes, tens of thousands to change their nose, cheeks, and chest, yet not a penny to change the way they sound. But for the first time ever...

You Can Transform Your Life in Minutes A Day! Get more information, now, on the Vocal Power Course.

Money Inspires People to Lose Weight, Study Says

2009-02-18T19:24:00.000+10:00

If the long-term health benefits of weight loss do not inspire people to diet and exercise, some immediate financial incentives just might, a study published Tuesday suggests. http://adjix.com/hzx

Icoste books

2009-02-17T13:29:00.000+10:00

http://www.icoste.com/538_Books.htm Icoste features thousands of books for many types of interest. They also claim to find the cheapest one for you on the internet saving you time and effort.

Books _ This week’s Must-reads …

2009-02-17T09:15:00.005+10:00

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Stolz

The Lost Dog by Michelle de Kretser

The Night Has a Thousand Eyes by Mandy Sayer

Under a Blood Red Sky by Kate Furnivall

The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville

You can read all the reviews of these books at http://www.pivotalbookclub.com/read_right_now.htm

Video - Managing your communication skills

2009-02-10T17:11:00.001+10:00

Communication skills is a never ending journey of discovery, of ourselves, and of others. This presentation provides the most accessible techniques for improving and perfecting your communication skills.

Test your spelling

2009-02-10T07:53:00.000+10:00

Results from a Spelling Society survey reveal that we are a society that can't spell. But is our 'irregular' spelling system holding us back? Whether you're one of the 25% of adults who reckons they have a 'problem' with spelling, or the 66% who spurns the use of a spell-checker, try our fiendish test to find out whether your spelling is a recommendation, or just an embarrassment. And just to make it more difficult for US readers – who performed less well in the Spelling Society survey – UK spelling rules apply

Every presentation is an opportunity to improve

2009-02-05T07:05:00.001+10:00

Every audience is an opportunity to improve your skills. Every audience is an opportunity to do better than last time. (Here's an example from a previous post.)Whether an audience is big or small, or your presentation is ten minutes or 90 minutes long, every audience deserves your best. http://coachlisab.blogspot.com/2009/02/every-presentation-is-opportunity-to.html

The love of reading

2009-01-26T06:46:00.001+10:00

In a rare version of her essay, Virginia Woolf muses on the complex pleasure and art of being a reader At this late hour of the world's history books are to be found in every room of the house - in the nursery, in the drawing room, in the dining room, in the kitchen. And in some houses they have collected so that they have to be accommodated with a room of their own. Novels, poems, histories, memoirs, valuable books in leather, cheap books in paper - one stops sometimes before them and asks in a transient amazement what is the pleasure I get, or the good I create, from passing my eyes up and down these innumerable lines of print? Reading is a very complex art - the hastiest examination of our sensations as a reader will show us that much. And our duties as readers are many and various. But perhaps it may be said that our first duty to a book is that one should read it for the first time as if one were writing it. more ..... http://adjix.com/s5uk

Snarky Communicators

2009-01-25T15:25:00.001+10:00

Do you live with someone or work around a person who is short-tempered or irritable? Are you aware that a moody person drains the energy of positive people who are powerful communicators? The purpose of snide remarks – known as snarky comments – is to hurt you and catch you off guard by sarcastically twisting the truth. Your self-confidence is poisoned and your hopeful mind is obliterated with negative thinking. http://adjix.com/2vig

“E-stalk,” “jumbrella,” etc. -The Open Dictionary

2009-01-15T08:29:00.001+10:00

“E-stalk,” “jumbrella,” and “shovel-ready”— just a sampling of the creative new words and expressions recently submitted by the public to Merriam-Webster’s Open Dictionary. Read on for their definitions… http://adjix.com/2fza

9 Tips To Help You Write More Powerful Emails

2009-01-11T19:24:00.000+10:00

By Suzan St Maur

1. Make the effort to learn about the etiquette (these days known as "netiquette") involved in writing emails. There are loads of good reference websites and books about the internet which will tell you the basics. I know it might seem a bit precious to attach so much importance to social niceties when the internet is basically very informal. However, whether we like it or not many people do take online etiquette very seriously. So if you're writing emails for business, you should assume that your recipient may well be one of those...

read on ...

The Art of Persuasion - Synchronizing tips

2009-01-06T21:59:00.000+10:00

The power to connect with others is by far the most important skill you should develop. If you are ever to succeed in business and more importantly in life you need to have the ability to connect, because that is the essence of business. Persuasion and Influence happen on many subtle levels not just through the verbal medium. Below are a few tips to keep in mind that will help you have a more meaningful connection. http://ivancampuzano.com/the-art-of-persuasion-synchronizing-tips/

Put a Sharp Point on Your Written Communications

2009-01-06T16:42:00.000+10:00

It’s not unusual to get 20 or 200 emails a day. I know someone who gets 2000! If you look at the ones you’ve received (and include snail-mail letters too), you will see that the majority start with “I.” You typically see, “I’ve attached . . . I hear . . . I wanted to thank you . . . I’m cc’ing . . . I reviewed . . .” Let me suggest that instead of starting with “I,” start your written communications with “You.” For example: Read more: "Put a Sharp Point on Your Written Communications | Personal Growth Development" - http://ivancampuzano.com/put-a-sharp-point-on-your-written-communications/#ixzz0EbziWdSJ&A

Modern and Creative Bookshelf Designs

2009-01-03T09:20:00.004+10:00

More ...

2009 Banished Words List

2009-01-02T12:39:00.001+10:00

[Via Britannica Blog] Lake Superior State University “maverick” word-watchers, fresh from the holiday “staycation” but without an economic “bailout” even after a “desperate search,” have issued their 34th annual List of Words to Be Banished from the Queen’s English for Mis-use, Over-use and General Uselessness. This year’s list may be more “green” than any of the previous lists and includes words and phrases that people from “Wall Street to Main Street” say they love “not so much” and wish to have erased from their “carbon footprint.” —Lake Superior State University press release (click here for full listing of words).

Daily Lit gets your ad in the pages of a novel

2008-12-27T13:05:00.001+10:00

An Idea That Even Scrooge Would Like: DailyLit's Sponsorship Model by Marissa Miley NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Book serialization has come into vogue again, 170 years after Charles Dickens popularized it with "The Pickwick Papers" and "Oliver Twist." Funny enough, it's the 19th-century author who is championing the form in 2008: His "A Christmas Carol" is one of more than 1,000 titles available through DailyLit, a digital serial book publisher that shares books with nearly 150,000 subscribers in short, customized installments via email and RSS feed. And now it's opening its virtual pages to advertisers. http://adjix.com/j533

Balance your communication skills - be your opposite

2008-12-27T07:31:00.001+10:00

Let’s all acquire what we admire, by adopting the inner strengths of our opposite communicator type. If you’re an Instigator-type communicator, you will benefit from sensitivity training. If you’re an Empathizer-type communicator, you will benefit from insensitivity training. http://adjix.com/u3ry

20 Essential Non-fiction Books

2008-12-26T19:43:00.002+10:00

"20 Amazing and Essential Non-fiction Books to Enrich Your Library" from the Zen Habits blog This list is of his favorites. http://adjix.com/hr3z

6 Open Letters that changed the world

2008-12-24T10:52:00.001+10:00

Epistolary history is full of open letters, those that are written with the intent that they’ll be read by a wide audience. Here we’ve collected six of the best (or at least, most influential) open letters of all time. http://adjix.com/zq4

Pick of the Paperbacks for 2008

2008-12-21T20:23:00.001+10:00

Captivating fiction, epic histories and science with universal appeal - Observer writers choose the year's most memorable reads http://adjix.com/vgx

The anatomy of sarcasm

2008-12-14T08:29:00.002+10:00

: researchers reveal how the brain handls this complex communication Israeli psychologists draw conclusions from how brain-damaged people comprehend sarcasm – or not http://adjix.com/hza

Do you have a seasonal reading pattern?

2008-12-13T19:57:00.000+10:00

As winter settles in, I feel a yearning for a fat Victorian novel. Is your book choice affected by the seasons? http://adjix.com/42w

The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words

2008-12-09T17:17:00.001+10:00

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. ~Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride It may be inconceivable for you to misuse a word, but a quick look around the web reveals plenty of people doing it. And it’s all too easy when we hear or see others use words incorrectly and parrot them without knowing it’s wrong. We know by now that great copy and content often purposefully break the rules of grammar. It’s only when you break the rules by mistake that you look dumb. So let’s take a look at 27 commonly misused words. Some are common mistakes that can cost you when trying to keep a reader’s attention. Others are more obscure and just interesting to know. http://adjix.com/c3r

Lalisio Literature

2008-12-04T15:10:00.000+10:00

http://literature.lalisio.com/oai.html""Lalisio Literature" is a search engine designed to help you find the right literature for your research, studies, teaching and leisure. For this purpose, we cooperate with major providers of international literature databases: Top booksellers such as Amazon, Abebooks and Powell's are among our partners as well as open access repositories such as arXiv and PubMed Central. Due to the integration of open access repositories our users can find and access cutting-edge articles mostly free of charge. Based on our analyses of content from numerous sources, we develop helpful search suggestions and relevance indicators for your literature search and help you quickly identify the literature you really want. "

Two Paths for the Novel

2008-12-03T16:19:00.000+10:00

From two recent novels, a story emerges about the future for the Anglophone novel. Both are the result of long journeys. Netherland, by Joseph O'Neill, took seven years to write; Remainder, by Tom McCarthy, took seven years to find a mainstream publisher. The two novels are antipodal—indeed one is the strong refusal of the other. http://www.nybooks.com/articles/22083

Book - Messages

2008-12-02T16:44:00.000+10:00

: the Communication skills book

This is a self-help book that cuts through all the big words and psychological concepts and gets immediately into helping you change. There is something for everybody here -- parents, teens, managers, and children.

(... more)

A-Z of English words with surprising origins

2008-11-29T18:25:00.000+10:00

There are plenty of surprises. Who knew that marmalade, for instance, while eternally associated in my mind with Paddington Bear, is in fact Portuguese? So here is an A-to-Z of some of my favourite English words that have been absorbed from and inspired by other languages. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2008/11/26/bowords126.xml

Knitting, the Olympics and poetry

2008-11-29T09:22:00.000+10:00

New Poetry Society director lays out plans to grab public's attention Judith Palmer explains why knitting and the Olympics can raise poetry's profile Poetry as an Olympic sport, as a prescription service and even as a very unsual knitting pattern. These are among the eyecatching if eccentric plans of Judith Palmer, the new director of the Poetry Society, to raise the artform's profile. http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/nov/27/poetry-society-judith-palmer-scarf

Scottish writer 'to kill off' Batman after 70 years

2008-11-27T16:53:00.000+10:00

IT IS enough to send any fans of the Caped Crusader into a flap. Batman is set to be "killed off" after almost 70 years of crimefighting. Scottish writer Grant Morrison has penned a dramatic new instalment of the Dark Knight's adventures, called Batman RIP, in which fans will see "the end of Bruce Wayne" as Batman http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/entertainment/Scottish-writer--39to-kill.4730822.jp

Are you kidding me? This is serious!

2008-11-26T18:51:00.000+10:00

Or, what psychologists have to say about writing e-mail An old college friend and accomplished writer, John Scalzi, recently posted a list of writing tips for non-professionals, which I'd highly recommend for professionals and non-professionals alike. One of his most unusual suggestions is to "speak what you write" -- literally, to read your writing out loud before publishing, whether in a blog post or just an e-mail to friends. This, he argues, will not only help catch spelling and other errors (each of which Scalzi says decreases the writer's apparent IQ by 5 to 10 points), but also help you see whether you're conveying the meaning you intend. So what does psychology research have to say about this notion? (No, not that typos decrease your IQ, but the larger idea that reading your words out loud will help you determine if your meaning is clear.) more ...

Talking about disability

2008-11-21T16:45:00.000+10:00

A Guide to Using Appropriate Language Times have changed for people with disabilities... but language lags behind. Life for most people with mental or physical disabilities is vastly improved over what it was twenty or thirty years ago. The Americans with Disabilities Act and other federal and state laws assure that people with disabilities have the same basic rights as people without disabilities. Some things have been slower to change; namely, attitudes and perceptions about people with disabilities. Ignorance and discrimination can be serious impediments to achieving integration, productivity, and independence for people with disabilities. The use of outdated language and words to describe people with disabilities contributes greatly to perpetuating old stereotypes. No longer should we view people with disabilities as helpless or tragic victims. Awareness is the first step toward correcting this injustice. If public opinion about people with disabilities is to be brought up to date, the public needs to hear and learn to use appropriate language. It is especially important for the media, elected officials, public speakers, and others in leadership positions to portray people with disabilities sensitively and realistically. This is a guide to using descriptive words and language when talking to or about people with disabilities. http://www.traponline.com/language.htm

How to be funny

2008-11-19T18:48:00.000+10:00

How would YOU like to be the LIFE and SOUL of ANY social gathering? Let's be honest. We all LOVE those individuals that make us LAUGH. The funnier you are, the more people like you. Well, how funny are YOU? What if you could suddenly become EVEN FUNNIER, just by following a few simple rules? Master wit Max Matterson has worked in the comedy world for the past 20 years. He's the co-author of "Comedy Writing Secrets" and trained many of the big late night show hosts. He knows EXACTLY how to train ANYONE to become super-witty in just minutes. Matterson claims there are just a series of simple rules that ANYONE can follow to become hilariously funny! Do YOU want to discover his COMEDY SECRETS? Visit his website online and learn more: http://www.consultpivotal.com/Ahow_funny.htm Max shares EVERYTHING with you -- and GUARANTEES that your new-found funny skills will ROCKET your business and social life. In fact he'll buy back the course if you're not absolutely THRILLED! When was the last time you invested even FIVE MINUTES in developing your social skills? Especially in something as important as your HUMOR? Do it now. Click HERE and get started: http://www.consultpivotal.com/Ahow_funny.htm

The New Face of Business Meetings

2008-11-15T20:43:00.000+10:00

Meetings used to be a way of discussing important issues. Meetings took place in our personal lives, as well as during our day of work. Seminars, conventions, conferences, or simply, gatherings and discussions -- various kinds of meetings offered people a chance to have their say. In the days gone past, people would necessarily have to assemble at a specified place. But then, that was back in the days when people with similar needs and topics of discussion lived in close proximity to each other. Those who lived far away would most likely have different attitudes and varying needs to take care of. Now, jet across to the present day. Times sure have changed. We are constantly in touch with people who live not just in different towns and cities but in different time zones, and on different continents. We can no longer claim that people who live miles apart have nothing in common. The various social networking websites that dominate our lives suggest the contrary. We share many interests with people of varied backgrounds who live across the oceans. (... more)

34 rules for better writing

2008-11-14T08:46:00.000+10:00

Bloggers Are Terrible Writers There are so many bad writers on the Internet, especially in the blogging world, so here are some amusing rules to help you become a world-class writer.

34 Rules For Kick ass Writing

1. Verbs HAS to agree with their subjects.

2. Prepositions are not words to end sentences with.

3. And don’t start a sentence with a conjunction.

(... more)

How to Give and Take Criticism

2008-11-08T12:18:00.000+10:00

Dealing with criticism is a skill every well-adjusted man should possess. We give and take criticism among our co-workers, our friends, and our family. Criticism is an important part of our personal self improvement, for it is other people who can point out mistakes and shortcomings that we can’t see because we lack objectivity. Unfortunately, many young men today don’t know how to offer and accept criticism like a man. Instead they handle criticism like little boys. When giving criticism, they opt only to give snide, cutting jabs that do nothing to improve the situation. When receiving criticism, they sulk, make excuses, and argue with the person criticizing them. Ask any teacher who has the nerve of giving a student a poor grade. Today’s students will cry and whine their way to a better one. Or worst of all, have their parents intervene. They simply don’t know how to respectfully accept criticism. Because we all face situations every day that require us to give or take criticism, we provide the following guidelines on how to make the process more constructive. (...more)

What are the biggest email mistakes?

2008-11-08T10:32:00.000+10:00

Click on the picture to get to the video.

Have you done the fingers on eyelids test?

Bestselling author Michael Crichton dies

2008-11-06T16:53:00.000+10:00

Bestselling autthor ... Michael Crichton has died from cancer. Michael Crichton, author of best-selling science fiction adventures including Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain, has died of cancer in Los Angeles, aged 66."Michael Crichton died unexpectedly in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 4, 2008, after a courageous and private battle against cancer," a family statement posted on the author's website said.He wrote numerous blockbusters, some of which sold more than 100 million copies, translated into 30 languages worldwide.Many of his books became major Hollywood movies, including Jurassic Park, Rising Sun and Disclosure. (...more)

100 Must-Read Books

2008-10-29T20:21:00.000+10:00

: The Essential Man’s Library

There are the books you read, and then there are the books that change your life. We can all look back on the books that have shaped our perspective on politics, religion, money, and love. Some will even become a source of inspiration for the rest of your life. From a seemingly infinite list of books of anecdotal or literal merit, we have narrowed down the top 100 books that have shaped the lives of individual men while also helping define broader cultural ideas of what it means to be a man.

Whether it be a book on adventure, war, or manners, there is so much to learn about life’s great questions from these gems.

http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/14/100-must-read-books-the-essential-mans-library/

This week's communication-related quotation

2008-10-28T09:08:00.000+10:00

No man has a prosperity so high or firm, but that two or three words can dishearten it; and there is no calamity which right words will not begin to redress.

-Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)

This week's Must Reads

2008-10-26T18:53:00.001+10:00

Torn Apart

by James Patterson

Honour Thyself by Danielle Steel

The birthday present by Barbara Vine

To Love, Honour and Betray

Cathie Lette

The Persimmon Tree

by Bryce Courtenay

More about the books here

The Definitive Book of Body Language

2008-10-23T14:50:00.000+10:00

by Barbara and Allan Pease This international bestseller reveals the secrets of nonverbal communication to give you confidence and control in any face-to-face encounter–from making a great first impression and acing a job interview to finding the right partner.

(... more)

Narrow your Focus: Why Writers Should Specialize

2008-10-19T16:43:00.000+10:00

Want to set yourself from other freelancers? Save time pitching, researching, and writing stories? Create a lucrative niche for yourself? And best of all, make more money as a freelancer? I have one word for you: "specialize." When I started my fulltime freelance writing career seven years ago, I employed what I now call the "saturation bombing" technique. I queried every magazine I could think of with a wide variety of ideas. At one point, I had 54 queries out-- yet few were assigned. Those that were assigned covered the gamut of topics from business articles to bridal pieces to personal finance stories. Nearly every article concerned a subject new to me, so each time I wrote one, I spent hours researching and learning about the topic so I could write about it with authority. Finally, I got smart ... Read on

The Anatomy of sarcasm

2008-10-19T14:41:00.000+10:00

researchers reveal how the brain handles this complex communication Israeli psychologists draw conclusions from how brain-damaged people comprehend sarcasm – or not

WASHINGTON — The ability to comprehend sarcasm depends upon a carefully orchestrated sequence of complex cognitive skills based in specific parts of the brain. Yeah, right, and I’m the Tooth Fairy. But it’s true: New research details an “anatomy of sarcasm” that explains how the mind puts sharp-tongued words into context. The findings appear in the May issue of Neuropsychology, published by the American Psychological Association (APA). http://www.apa.org/releases/sarcasm.html

Study: 38 Percent Of People Not Actually Entitled To Their Opinion

2008-10-19T08:59:00.000+10:00

In a surprising refutation of the conventional wisdom on opinion entitlement, a study conducted by the University of Chicago's School for Behavioral Science concluded that more than one-third of the U.S. population is neither entitled nor qualified to have opinions. (read on ...)

Video - Impactful Communication

2008-10-17T17:57:00.001+10:00

Greg Gillis and Lesly Higgins, experienced corporate coaches, will discuss and demonstrate various methods to effectively communicate; whether it is delivering a yearly review to a fellow Googler, developing your group's strategic vision, or influencing others towards an idea. By learning about Advocacy and Inquiry, Appreciate Inquiry, and Effective Feedback/Feedforward, you will come away from this workshop with concrete examples and experiences to help you get your message across with impact.

Create an instant bond with anyone you meet

2008-10-16T15:15:00.000+10:00

People form their first impression of you in the first four seconds! Maximize your natural attributes to create an instant bond with anyone you meet.

Irresistible attraction means bringing your charismatic you to all of your relationships. Whether you are moving toward intimacy or simply want to be at your best, this video takes you through the laws of attraction and charisma. You will learn how to: ...Communicate with others at the Unconscious Level. ...Use easy to learn gestures and body positions to make or break a first impression. ...See what your (or their) eyes are really saying. ...What to say when you don't know what to say! ...Create chemistry with anyone at will. ...Words and phrases that virtually guarantee they will say yes! Kevin Hogan is an author and certified instructor of hypnotherapy and a body language media expert. Beth Bednar is a well known public speaker and real estate investor. She was an ABC-TV affiliate anchorperson and now does commercials and voice-overs.

Find out more here...

Prime Minister's Literary Awards

2008-10-15T16:34:00.000+10:00

The Prime Minister has announced the winners of the new Prime Minister's Literary Awards, an inititiative celebrating Australian literature. Chosen from over 200 entries, these titles will make great reading. Fiction The Zookeeper's Warby Steven Conte Nonfiction Ochre and Rust: Artefacts and Encounters on Australian Frontiers by Philip Jones Click here for more information on the Prime Minister's Literary Awards.

The power of words - Quotation

2008-10-12T13:36:00.001+10:00

No man has a prosperity so high or firm, but that two or three words can dishearten it; and there is no calamity which right words will not begin to redress. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, writer and philosopher (1803-1882)

Swagger

2008-10-09T11:58:00.000+10:00

The word "swagger" conjures up images of John Wayne starring in a classic Western movie or Mohammed Ali brashly proclaiming "I am the greatest." Does such swagger fit within the skill set of a leader? (...more)

Chat slang creeps into teens' assignments

2008-10-09T09:59:00.000+10:00

It's nothing to LOL about: Despite best efforts to keep school writing assignments formal, two-thirds of teens acknowledge in a survey that emoticons and other informal styles have crept in. The Pew Internet and American Life Project, in a study released Thursday, also found that teens who keep blogs or use social-networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace have a greater tendency to slip nonstandard elements into assignments. The results may give parents, teachers and others a big :( — a frown to the rest of us — though the study's authors see hope. (... more)

Review: Conversationally Speaking : Tested New Ways to Increase Your Personal and Social Effectiveness

2008-10-04T16:05:00.000+10:00

More than a million people have learned the secrets of effective conversation using Conversationally Speaking. By Alan Garner ... more

Sony Reader

2008-09-29T15:52:00.001+10:00

http://www.sony.co.uk/hub/reader-ebook The new eBook reader.

When language can hold the answer

2008-09-29T13:25:00.000+10:00

When Language Can Hold the Answer Faced with pictures of odd clay creatures sporting prominent heads and pointy limbs, students at Carnegie Mellon were asked to identify which “aliens” were friendly and which were not. The students were not told that the aliens fell naturally into two groups, although the differences were subtle and not easy to describe. Some had somewhat lumpy, misshapen heads. Others had smoother domes. After students assigned each alien to a category, they were told whether they had guessed right or wrong, learning as they went that smooth heads were friendly and lumpy heads were not. The experimenter, Dr. Gary Lupyan, who is now doing postdoctoral research at Cornell, added a little item of information to one test group. He told the group that previous subjects had found it helpful to label the aliens, calling the friendly ones “leebish” and the unfriendly ones “grecious,” or vice versa. (more...)

The power of words

2008-09-29T13:17:00.000+10:00

This week's must-reads

2008-09-28T16:48:00.000+10:00

More details here...

Novel Writing Made Easy

2008-09-24T14:14:00.000+10:00

Want to write a novel? Learn the way to connect the dots from novel idea to novel sale. A published author takes you through the steps of turning your idea for a novel into a published book. Novel writing can be easy when you follow a blueprint plan.

In memory of David Foster Wallace

2008-09-24T14:11:00.000+10:00

From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2008. http://scout.wisc.edu/

Friends, acquaintances, fellow writers, and others all offered memories of author David Foster Wallace this week in articles, online treatises, weblog posts, and editorials.

Wallace, who was perhaps best known for this sprawling masterwork “Infinite Jest”, was thoroughly catholic in his interests, and his work was peppered with references to everything from Continental philosophy to the behavior of cruise line passengers.

Writing in this Tuesday’s New York Times, fellow writer Verlyn Klinkenborg commented, “His writing could subsume the DNA of any language, any form it encountered, while remaining completely his own.”

During his 46 years, Wallace was awarded the Aga Khan Prize for Fiction, a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant”, and also taught at Illinois State University and Pomona College.

While many websites offer a way to comment on Wallace’s work and life, the “In Memoriam” site created by Pomona College provides a fine glimpse into the effect he had on those he taught and influenced. One comment offered by Sean Pollack is particularly poignant: “We mourn for a humane and generous teacher and lover of the language.”

The first link will take interested parties to the New York Times’ obituary for David Foster Wallace which appeared in print this Monday. The second link will lead visitors to a remembrance of Wallace from fellow writer David Lipsky. Moving on, the third link leads to a Syracuse Post-Standard piece from this Tuesday about Wallace’s time in Syracuse in the early 1990s. The fourth link leads to the previously mentioned Pomona College “In Memoriam” site created for Wallace. The fifth link leads to a special edition of “Politics of Culture” hosted by bookworm Michael Silverblatt. Joined by book critic Anthony Miller they discuss Wallace’s impact on fiction, his generation, and American culture. In addition, a collection of interviews with Wallace culled from the archives of KCRW’s “Bookworm” program is also available. In terms of celebrating Wallace’s life and writing, the sixth link is a very welcome find indeed. It contains links to many of his non-fiction pieces, including his very observant and wonderful take on a cruise-line adventure, “Shipping Out: On the (nearly lethal) comforts of a luxury cruise”. The last and final link leads to a transcript of the honest and insightful commencement address that Wallace gave at Kenyon College in 2005.

David Foster Wallace, Influential Writer, Dies at 46 [Free registration may be required]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/15/books/15wallace.html

Wallace Invented ‘New Style, New Comedy’

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94629055

Author created ‘Jest’ in Syracusehttp://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf?/base/news-15/122155534751021.xml&coll=1

In Memoriam: David Foster Wallace [pdf]http://www.pomona.edu/ADWR/president/dfw1.shtml

Considering David Foster Wallace [iTunes]http://www.kcrw.com/etc/programs/pc/pc080916considering_david_fo David Foster Wallace: Harper’s Magazine [pdf]http://www.harpers.org/archive/2008/09/hbc-90003557

David Foster Wallace: Commencement Speech at Kenyon Collegehttp://www.marginalia.org/dfw_kenyon_commencement.html

Lincoln, Mark Twain & Lightning: Choice Words On Word Choice

2008-09-14T11:56:00.000+10:00

by Ernest W. Nicastro "Eighty-seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation...." The Gettysburg Address Chances are your reaction to the above "quote" is something along the lines of, "No, no, no! You're wrong, wrong, wrong!" And, of course, you would be right. Because Lincoln was not only a great leader, he was a great writer. So instead of beginning his Gettysburg Address with a cold, lifeless number, he opens on a prayerful note with a turn of phrase adapted from the 90th Psalm of the King James Bible: "Four score and seven." (more ...)

TEACHING READING

2008-08-21T10:21:00.000+10:00

Cherububble site for young readers aged 4-8. The site advocates literacy for young readers and has terrific teacher resources, parent packs, audio books and activity sheets. Excellent for home schoolers and distance ed. students. carlscorner.us.com.au [More on Teaching Reading]

10 days to faster reading

2008-07-29T11:40:00.000+10:00

by Abby Marks-Beale and The Princeton Language Institute From the reviews Speed reading used to require months of training. Now you can rev up your reading in just a few minutes a day. With quizzes to determine your present reading level and exercises to quickly introduce new skills, this book is a must for anyone feeling pressed for time.

or buy the book from Amazon, where you can buy it for just $9.56, a saving of 20% off the list price of $11.95.

Lincoln, Mark Twain & Lightning: Choice Words On Word Choice

2008-07-20T15:47:00.002+10:00

From humming fish to Puccini: Vocal communication evolved with ancient species

2008-07-18T09:48:00.000+10:00

It's a long way from the dull hums of the amorous midshipman fish to the strains of a Puccini aria – or, alas, even to the simplest Celine Dion melody. But the neural circuitry that led to the human love song – not to mention birdsongs, frog thrums and mating calls of all manner of vertebrates – was likely laid down hundreds of millions of years ago with the hums and grunts of the homely piscine. http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/07/17/from.humming.fish.puccini.vocal.communication.evolved.with.ancient.species

A Few Myths of Public Speaking

2008-07-08T16:10:00.000+10:00

I took an informal poll recently among some speakers to determine what people tended to think were the hard and fast rules of public speaking – and see if any of those rules turned out to be myths.Read on ...

Does this sound like you?

2008-06-24T13:47:00.000+10:00

Have you ever been frustrated with yourself for failing to remember even the simplest things in life? Things like birthdays, telephone numbers or even places where you left your keys? If you blame all that to having a naturally poor memory, you are about to read something that will improve the quality of your life dramatically! Click here

Marvel's "Iron Man" invincible in comic shops

2008-06-15T15:05:00.001+10:00

Marvel Studios' Iron Man film is doing what most superhero movies never could: sell a lot of comics.

Tips for mastering email overload

2008-06-05T10:36:00.000+10:00

by Stever Robbins Being at or near the top of your organization, everyone wants a piece of you. So they send you e-mail. It makes you feel important. Don't you love it? Really? Then, please take some of mine! Over 100 real e-mails come in each day. At three minutes apiece, it will take five hours just to read and respond. Let's not even think about the messages that take six minutes of work to deal with. Shudder. I'm buried in e-mail and chances are, you're not far behind. For whatever reason, everyone feels compelled to keep you "in the loop." Fortunately, being buried alive under electronic missives forced me to develop coping strategies. Let me share some of the nonobvious ones with you. Together, maybe we can start a revolution. Read Stever’s Tips

Effective Meetings

2008-05-27T14:03:00.000+10:00

Watch this webinar to learn the 5 Step Process for an Effective Meeting

How to Have a Great Conversation

2008-05-12T09:08:00.000+10:00

The art of conversation takes practice, and is not as hard as you might think. It will take some knowledge, practice, and patience, and you can learn to relax and enjoy a great conversation. http://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Great-Conversation

Quote for the week

2008-04-25T18:14:00.000+10:00

Charm is a way of getting the answer yes without having asked any clear question. — Albert Camus More quotations about communication

Reading comics

2008-03-11T12:06:00.000+10:00

How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean by Douglas Wolk

Offers thoughtful criticism and knowledgeable historical overview in the form of a smart, conversational talk by PW contributing editor Wolk.

The volume contains two sections: Theory and History, an explanation of comics as a medium and an overview of its evolution, and Reviews and Commentary, a diverse examination of creators and works. This section spans Will Eisner's pioneering efforts as well as the groundbreaking modern comics by the Hernandez brothers, Chris Ware and Alison Bechdel.

Many of Wolk’s ideas may challenge you to consider why you have the conceptions about this artform that you have. He proves that comics aren't as simplistic as their reputation often implies, and as with any passionate critic, his enthusiasm is infectious

Three steps to better writing

2008-03-08T16:50:00.000+10:00

Do you hate to write? Does it take you a long time to get the words on the page? Usually when people struggle to write, it’s because they are trying to edit as they go along. There is an easier way to write and be more creative! Read on ...

The Online Books Page

2008-02-28T07:40:00.000+10:00

Listing over 25,000 free books on the Web

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/

Become a best-selling author

2008-02-25T09:14:00.001+10:00

Mark Joyner is holding a live "Prep School" for would-be best-selling authors on the 26th. Seats are limited, so please lock in yours now: http://www.simpleology.com/p/teleseminar/bronwynr Note, the above class is intended for folks who will be joining him during the Simpleology Best-Seller Blueprint training calls, so please only register if you intend to do that as well. Finally, if you haven't read The Rise of the Author yet, stop everything and do so: http://www.simpleology.com/p/riseoftheauthor/bronwynr Experts from around the net are giving that advice and I can understand why after reading it. It's *mission critical*.

Dealing with People who are “Off-Track”

2008-02-19T12:16:00.001+10:00

Remember the last time you were in a meeting and someone said something that seemed completely off-track? What happened next? If your group is like most, someone probably said something like, “Dan, that’s off-track” or “Let’s get back on track.”, or simply ignored Dan’s comment. As a result, Dan may have checked out for the rest of the meeting or continued to press his “off-track” point. The meeting may have dragged on with members getting more frustrated with Dan or you may have lost Dan’s critical input and support without realizing it. There is a way to avoid these negative outcomes – I’ll get to that later. Read more...