11 Goal Hacks: How to Achieve Anything Goal-setting research on fantasising, visualisation, goal commitment, procrastination, the dark side of goal-setting and more… We’re all familiar with the nuts and bolts of goal-setting. We should set specific, challenging goals, use rewards, record progress and make public commitments (if you’re not familiar with these then check out this article on how to reach life goals). So how come we still fail? This psychological research suggests why and what mindsets should help us reach our goals. 1. The biggest enemy of any goal is excessive positive fantasising. 2. The reason we don’t achieve our goals is lack of commitment. One powerful psychological technique to increase commitment is mental contrasting. 3. You can use the Zeigarnik effect to drag you on towards your goal. What the Zeigarnik effect teaches is that one weapon for beating procrastination is starting somewhere…anywhere. 4. 5. When we miss our target, we can fall foul of the what-the-hell-effect. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
Hollywonk Average Faces From Around The World Added on Feb 08, 2011 / Category : StrangeNews / 228 Comments Finding the average face of people across the world was a tough job but someone had to do it. This guy basically takes a thousands and thousands images of everyday people from any city and the software makes an 'average' of the people, giving one final portrait. Take a look at this amazing project called "World of Facial Averages" If you like this article, Share it with the world:
75 Books Every Writer Should Read Whether you want to make writing your career or just want to know how to improve your writing so that you can pass your college courses, there is plenty of reading material out there to help you get inspired and hone your skills. Here’s a collection of titles that will instruct you on just about every aspect of writing, from the basics of grammar to marketing your completed novel, with some incredibly helpful tips from well-known writers themselves as well. Writing Basics These books address things like structure, plot, descriptions and other basic elements of any story. The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers: You can improve the quality of your writing by adding a mythical quality to them with advice and insight from this book. Advice from Authors Who better to give advice on writing than those who have made a name for themselves doing it? On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King: This is widely regarded as one of the best books for any aspiring author to read.
What To Do When You Don't Know What To Do - Leonard A. Schlesinger, Charles F. Kiefer, and Paul B. Brown by Leonard A. Schlesinger, Charles F. Kiefer, and Paul B. Brown | 11:21 AM March 21, 2012 Are you frustrated? We know we are. Most of us prepared hard for the future we expected, and yet things aren’t working out as we had planned. All of this is extremely confusing and unsettling. This is not how we were told it was going to be. It hasn’t exactly worked out that way (even for those of us who are happy). We think the reason is pretty simple. You know the steps for dealing with a predictable universe: 1. We have become so indoctrinated with this way of thinking by our education and our organizations that it is more or less the only way we approach anything. But what is a very smart approach in a knowable or predictable future is not smart at all when things can’t be predicted. In a world where you can no longer plan or predict your way to success, what is the best way to achieve your goals? You need a different approach. We have one. Based on the research of Saras D. 1. 2. 3. 4. Act.
Short Stories: 10 Tips for Creative Writers Learn How to Write a Synopsis, Quick & Easy Format Tips & Examples Once you have finished writing your novel or book, it’s time to prepare your work for the submission process. While each literary agent has their own specific guidelines, it’s useful to know how to write a synopsis. Presented by Jane Friedman, publisher and editorial director for Writer’s Digest, this OnDemand Webinar, The Dreaded Synopsis, takes you through the steps of writing a synopsis, gives helpful tips on what to include, and synopsis examples. 5 Tips on How to Write a Synopsis Before sending your book proposal out to potential literary agents, here are some suggested elements you should include while writing a synopsis: Narrative Arc. What to Avoid When Writing a Synopsis While there is no universal standard for the length of a book or novel synopsis, agents usually favor one to two pages, single-spaced. Mentioning too many characters or events.Including too much detail about plot twists and turns. The Synopsis Format Friedman gives some of the best tips for formatting a synopsis.
Emerging Writers Network A guest post! “The Interior Castle” by Jean Stafford by Pamela Erens How does a writer convey to readers highly subjective states of mind? But if, by contrast, the point of a scene is not external drama but internal weather--if one wants to portray not a moment of violence but an ongoing state of anxiety or grief or rage, how do you do it? A story that helps me think about such questions is Jean Stafford’s “The Interior Castle.” first published in 1946 and included in her Collected Stories of 1970. Pansy is terrified of the operation because of a tormenting idea that the surgeon will get too close to her brain--will “scratch” or “bruise” it. The account of the nurses prepping Pansy for surgery (it involves the excruciating “packing” of her broken nose with cocaine-soaked gauze) and the surgery itself, which at times proceeds in unanesthetized areas, is harrowing. How does Stafford do it? These are the first three sentences of the story, and we’re already at agony and death.
The Backworlds is here! M Pax watching other worlds Mary has been an amazing blog-friend, always easy-going and supportive, and I’m happy to announce that her long-awaited book, The Backworlds , is here! It is a vision of how humanity might colonize the galaxy some day in the distant future, and I, for one, am intrigued. Backworlds The Backworlds After the war with Earth, bioengineered humans scatter across the Backworlds. Available from: Amazon / AmazonUK / Smashwords / Feedbooks Other links to more outlets can be found at either Wistful Nebulae or MPax The Backworlds is an ebook and a free read. It’ll take a few weeks to work its way down to free on Amazon Kindle. M. The sequel, Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge, will be released in July 2012. If you like the post, share it with others! Like this: Like Loading...
Does literature impact what scientists study? Kat Austen, CultureLab editor (Image: T. Tan/BEI/Rex Features) How does art inspire science? Launched yesterday, What Scientists Read? Asking questions like “how does reading literature affect scientific thought and practice?” Fear not, though. The launch of the project is great timing. 7 Bad Habits of Successful Authors Posted on May 15th, 2012 | 127 comments One of my favorite blogs is Copyblogger. I’ve recommended it before and once again I’m suggesting you take a look if you enjoy reading about ways to have a successful website. Recently I read an article there called The 7 Bad Habits of Insanely Productive People, and it was so good, I got permission to steal the idea and adapt it here. Can you do all the things everyone tells writers *not* to do—and still become a successful author? But the truth is, we’re all just muddling along. So below are what I think are the most common foibles to which writers fall prey… and somehow they are still able to succeed. Herewith, 7 bad habits of successful authors: 1. Everyone knows that it can take time to build a platform, time to get an agent, time to sell your book. Everyone knows this, but it doesn’t matter. The upside: Patience may be a virtue, but impatience can be a motivator: Write another book. 2. 3. 3. 4. It’s like this weird poetic justice. 5. 6. 7.