How to Find a Literary Agent - Without Getting Scammed

How to find a literary agency without getting scammed is a challenge for any new writer. Anyone can call themselves a literary agent or a publisher. The listings in the literary agency directories are not necessarily vetted, or checked by the publisher. Literary agents vary widely in ethics, dedication and competence.

Here's what to watch out for with literary agents:

o Charging the author a fee up front, to be accepted as a client. This fee can be called a reading fee, or a monthly "office expenses" charge. The best agents, and most successful ones, only charge a percentage fee of royalties the author earns, typically 15%. Suppose a realtor charged you a fee to come over and tour your house before getting the listing? How quickly would you show that realtor the door. . .

o Charging back unusually large "postage and copying fees" to send out an authors' work. One crooked agency accepts almost every client that contacts them, but in the fine print of the contract they charge "postage and handling" of up to $10 per submission they send out on your behalf. It doesn't cost $10 to send a letter and a sample chapter of a book to a publisher. This company makes a fortune from these fees whether or not they successfully market any of their clients work.

o Directing authors toward specific editing services or giving authors' names to these services. Sometimes they even own the editing service. Some agents make a significant portion of their income from referral fees from these services.

o Demanding that a critique be completed before the agency decides to offer representation. The fee for the critique may be minimal, perhaps even less than $100. But if the average agency is contacted by 90 writers a week that fee can add up.

o Terms in agency contracts with writers vary widely. The contract must be read carefully.

o The agent contacts publishers pretty much at random. The agent's value to you is in the relationships they have with publishers, so that if the publisher hears from them, they know the book is worth taking a look at. Ask to see copies of rejection letters that come back from publishers. If it looks like just a form letter response, rather than a letter you would send to an acquaintance, you can bet the agent may be just picking names out of a directory of publishers.

o The agent refuses to provide the names of clients or titles sold. Sales are an agent's life blood and reputation. If an agent won't name names it could be because there aren't any sales.

o Puts forth a weak effort or gives up on the client's project after a few months. You have a right to ask how active the agent is going to be. How many publishers are they going to contact, how will they follow up? You have a right to periodic reports as to whom they have contacted and the results. You must determine how much time and attention they are really going to give you.

A critical reason it is imperative to have a reputable agent is that the publishing house typically pays the agent, who deducts their "cut" and sends the remainder to the author. It's a frightening thought that a less than honest person gets their hands on the money you've earned from sweat, blood, and even tears.

Now you know how to find a literary agent without getting scammed. And remember:

A bad agent is worse than no agent.

What is Internet Phone Service and How Does VoIP Work

"VoIP" and "Internet Phone Service" are two terms that are used interchangeably, and both describe a relatively new method of making telephone calls - over the internet!

The VoIP technology has been around since the 1980's, but has only recently become a viable replacement for the traditional land line telephone service known as PSTN (public switched telephone network). This is in part due to the widespread availability of low cost broadband internet, and partly due to great improvements in VoIP technology over the years. Today, internet phone service is becoming very commonplace; with millions of people choosing this low cost method of making phone calls over the traditional "wired" telephone.

Internet phone service is cheap. This is because calls are transmitted over the freely available internet instead of the telephone company's expensive cabling. Internet phone service is also very reliable and the quality of audio is very good. Making and receiving calls over a VoIP service works the same as with a regular land line service. In most cases, you can use your existing "land line" telephone with VoIP. Most people who make calls over the internet using a VoIP service cannot tell they are talking over the internet.

With internet phone service (also known as VoIP), incoming and outgoing calls are routed over the internet instead of over traditional PSTN (public switched telephone network) "land lines". This is one reason Voip calling is so inexpensive - there are no fees that need to be paid to the owners of the telephone lines. You need to have a broadband ("high speed") internet connection in order to use VoIP service for two reasons: 1) You need an "always on" internet connection in order to make and receive calls anytime, and 2) You need to have enough consistent bandwidth to allow for clear transmission.

In order to use internet phone service, you have to choose a VoIP provider and subscribe to a calling plan. The most popular calling plans include unlimited local and long distance calling for a set monthly fee. The fee can vary depending on VoIP provider, but averages around $22. For those who have no need to make long distance calls, most VoIP providers offer a "limited" local plan for a reduced rate. If you have a need to make international calls, there are usually some good international plans available, including both limited and unlimited international calling.

Most cable television companies are now including VoIP internet phone service as a part of their offerings. Cable companies usually charge twice as much for VoIP service because they are reselling this product for a VoIP provider. Consumers can save a lot of money by purchasing internet phone service on their own from an online VoIP provider such as Vonage, Packet8, AT&T CallVantage or Sunrocket. VoIP is easy to install yourself and requires no tools. All that is needed is to connect a few cables and you're up and running.

Phone service is important, especially if it's your primary residential phone. For this reason, it's best to choose a VoIP provider that is well known and has a reputation for quality service. Some excellent internet phone service providers to consider are Vonage, Sunrocket, AT&T CallVantage and Packet8. All offer top quality service, and have different VoIP plans to choose from, depending on your needs.

Telemarketing: Accessible Way Of Reaching Your Customers

It may be tiresome to deal with people from far-off places. But telemarketing resolves this altogether. Telemarketing simply refers to a process that involves all marketing related functions using telephones. Telemarketing will connect you and your customers all the time of the day.

This is the most accessible way for you to have your business easier to manage. From the use of telemarketing, you can communicate with your clients anywhere you go.

It is the use of telephone to communicate with your clients the goods and services that your company is offering. You can directly connect with your prospective customers and receive their orders and inquiries from advertising and promotions direct to your phones.

Since you will be transacting business with your clients using phones, telephone therefore is the most important tool needed in telemarketing. It is where you are going to solicit potential customers and sell your products.

How are you going to determine whether you get a potential customer?

It is important for you to know your customer's past records when dealing with them through phone so that the chances that you will see them in person in order to assess their status as customers will lessen.

Processes such as the detection of their history of past purchase, information requests, credit limit entry and competition forms are necessary basis for you to know their standing in your business whether they will be a good and credible clients or not.

It has been very common also for telemarketers that they often solicit funds from the different institutions particularly the business organizations and alumni associations. These organizations offer them special contributions that help in improving the service to their clients.

However, some of the conservatives arrive at a certain analysis that the business of telemarketing is an unprincipled and unethical practice of business. Since it is just an interaction from telephone to telephone, the system sometimes abuses the privacy of an individual.

Due to the said fact, they find it necessary to make a legislative policy in order to pacify the matter. A regulation is set up as to protect and uphold the rights of customers. There arises the policy known as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act formulated in the year 1991. This pertains to a restriction to the Telemarketing business in the United States. As an alternative, the companies just use a business code of ethics for them to continue with the business.

After that, the most recent move done took place in the year 2004. Then, another restriction policy paved way for implementation by the telemarketing companies. The new rule stated the major and the minor rights of the clients engaging in telemarketing. This secures the fact that in spite of the intention of the company to gain more clients, if the client does not tolerate them, the telemarketing companies can do nothing about it.

The new policy ensures the full protection and the privacy of the customers. If found any violation with the policy, there is always a corresponding penalty to the telemarketing company.

There is nothing wrong to aim for high profits when you have a business but make sure also that you are not affecting the lives of other people already.

Outlasting a Survival Situation in the City

All people who care for loved ones should learn to outlast the storms in an emergency and survivalist situation, especially if you are stuck in the city. For example, when the power goes out for just a couple hours, you merely feel the pinch of a minor discomfort from your modern day amenities. Yet, when hours turn into days of rolling blackouts through town, like in California just awhile back, you realize just how thin the boundary is between today and a hundred years ago. Now take a major national emergency, and see how much chaos could ensue. That is why those with the correct skills will outlive their neighbors who rely on the GPS. Here we will touch on the field methods for survival in a hostile urban situation.

When you are stuck in the city or a suburb and there is no water, food, or electricity, what is the difference between that urban situation and a wilderness situation? The answer is they are actually very similar. Perhaps you have a short stock of food that remains. You will also have to deal with predators, but of a different kind-- mobs, criminals, and murderers. It may be harder to live off the land. How will you be safe from scavengers, intruders and protect your loved ones? The answer is the training that you can do today. It's just like when the military does mock war games- the reason is to be ready at a moment's notice, and not to be asleep on the watchtower. However, you don't have to have military training to live through Urban and Emergency Survival Food situations. You just need a book or a guide, and some practice. For instance, Damian Campbell has many tips that you can put into practice and implement right away. You should also do mock runs of these techniques, in order to truly master the methods that may save you later.

Securing Your Safety in Urban Riots

As relevant as ever for our times, 2011 was a year filled with riots in many nations all across the globe. These riots give survivalists a small sample of what could be to come when food, water, and shelter become sparse in a national emergency. From our TV screens, we could sense the panic and hysteria of those cities in riot. In Cairo, the Egyptians swarmed into the town squares, threatening the safety of everyone living in the vicinity. In Russia, organized mass riots occurred everywhere as people felt threatened by political instability. Even here in the United States, we had the Occupy Wall Street movement. Riots of modern times are controlled and quarantined by police, but when violence breaks loose you will be able to see video clips of mob violence on YouTube. In an urban emergency, security is a pleasure that is not taken for granted.

You can try to learn some self-defense skills if you ever have to do close quarters fighting. Thus, you can protect yourself against burglars, and muggings, which are bound to increase as police and social order go away. Some people would like to stock guns or learn self-defense to keep themselves safe from rioters. Sadly, most self-defense will only work for defending against 1-10 people at most, not entire mobs. If you have ever seen police clashing with protesters, you know that a couple guns against hundreds and thousands in a mob are no match. That is why the best strategy is to literally hide and make yourself nondescript. You may make it seem like your shelter is uninhabited or better yet; you camouflage your shelter so people don't even know where you live. As impractical as this may sound at first, this is where cellars and backyard bomb shelters may come in handy. If you live in a nondescript apartment building, perhaps it may be safe to stay there, as long as looters don't target your building complex. The most important catch is that looters don't steal your emergency survival food supply. If you have young children, don't let them play outside, because that will signal that vulnerable people live in the vicinity and hungry rioters may begin looting. At night, you may want to keep the lights off, so no one can tell that you are still living there. Don't go out at night- pretend like you're in a dangerous neighborhood of LA, and the last thing you need is the attention of local criminals. You will want to make your shelter like a small, but hidden fortress. In Damian Campbell's materials, he actually tells you to get out of the city as a preferred option. However, when you cannot, he also includes other tips on city survival as well. Below are some tips about food and water rations.

Stocking food and provisions

If you cannot evacuate from the city when a crippling disaster strikes, hopefully you have stored up provisions that will help you avoid going outside. People will rush to the supermarkets, and supplies will run out in a matter of hours. Potable water will be scarce as well.

What provisions will you need? A complete list can be found from a survival expert named Damian Campbell, but for starters, you can build your emergency survival food situation with canned goods, and plenty of water. You will also need a method for cooking these foods, such as lots of matches (unless you like canned carrots cold). However, it may be a challenge to cook these foods while remaining hidden. If the disaster happens during wintertime and you need to hide, cooking will release steam, which may give away your position. The solution may be to cook in an enclosed area, and have a ventilation shaft that leads away from your shelter. You should also have vitamins stocked up; since chances are your diet will still be malnourished.

Emergency survival food should also account for a basic supply of water, or a method to replenish your water supply once you run out. If you go camping, perhaps you have a basic water filter left over. However, the carbon filters that you use for tap water now will not be sufficient, and you will want to boil any water you drink. In fact, in my opinion water is more important than food, since you will usually need water in order to even cook your foods. If you want to read Damian's opinion on what is important, you can also check out his books.

Damian Campbell helps you to practically learn some survival techniques, as well as important things like packing short-term and longer term emergency field supplies. One of the key benefits of this program is the emergency food supply list. If you read through his materials, you will already be more prepared than most people in your neighborhood. You will be able to survive even as the "urban jungle" and all of its predators close in around you. He teaches you to stay calm, assess, and always have a backup plan, as well as the essential items you need to survive urban disaster scenarios.

Inline Skate Bearings and the ABEC Scale

If you think you need new bearings for your inline skates, it's best to check your bearings for wear using the tests provided in this article. Your bearings are at the core of your wheels and reduce friction so you can skate smoothly and efficiently. Hence, they need to be maintained properly from season to season.

Checking for Wear

The following are indications of major, bearing wear from a no-load, finger-flick, spin test:

One or more of your wheels stick(s) periodically One or more of your wheels (is) are seized One or more or your wheels require(s) a lot of force to spin One or more of your wheels spin(s) freely for only a second or two

In addition, the following are signs of major, bearing wear from a spin test with the skater as the load:

While out skating you hear a loud, grinding noise from your bearings It takes a lot of effort to pick up and maintain speed when you skate Your bearings are hot to the touch after a roll

You may also want to replace your inline skate bearings if you decide to switch to a different type of bearing. You may want to change from shielded bearings to sealed or racing bearings.

Learning the ABEC Scale

Bearings are rated on the Annular Bearing Engineering Council (ABEC) scale. Ratings are numbered 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 on the ABEC scale. The higher the number is, the greater the manufactured precision of the bearing.

However, there are no required materials to meet the ABEC specifications. The bearings only have to be made to a certain precision. That's all!

Servicing your Bearings

Inline skate bearings usually come in sets of four to eight. Before you head out to your favorite sporting goods store, write down the information that's shown on the outer shields of your bearings. Don't forget to flip the bearing over and include the text that's inscribed on the other side.

If you're happy with the original bearings that came with your skates or the last set you installed, by all means buy the same bearings. If you have serviceable bearings like TwinCams or YAKs and you don't mind doing your own cleaning and lubrication than you may want to stick with the double-shielded type, especially if they are the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) that your skate manufacturer recommends.

On the other hand, if you have non-serviceable or sealed bearings and are squeamish about doing your own cleaning and lubrication, even periodically, you may want to stick with this type of bearing and just replace them when they need to be changed.

In addition, if you have shielded bearings with pop-out caps, like Powell Swiss or Black Hole brands, and like them for their ease of maintenance, it's probably best to go with this kind of bearing again.

Buying new Bearings

My K2 skates have 8-mm, TwinCam, ABEC-1, double-shielded bearings with the following inscribed on the casings:

TwinCam

ABEC-1

608 ZZ

Normally, the manufacturer or brand doesn't make a lot of difference within the three categories of shielded, serviceable bearings, shielded, serviceable bearings with pop-up caps, and sealed, non-serviceable bearings. A bearing size of 8 mm and the 608 designation are fine for recreational, inline skaters. The ABEC rating is another story!

ABEC-1, 3, and 5 are the most common bearings that come with inline skates, as well as the newer ABEC-7s, which are gaining in popularity. Whether a skater can go faster with ABEC-5 bearings versus ABEC-1 bearings has never been proven, scientifically or otherwise.

Furthermore, the higher precision may not make a significant difference for the recreational skater who travels in the 10 to 20 mph range. The average skater doesn't require a higher-rated bearing because the difference in performance is so minimal that it would only become apparent at speeds an inline skater never attains.

In addition, the higher precision eventually deteriorates down to ABEC-3 or 1 due to dust, dirt, and regular wear and tear. To increase your skating speed, you'd be better off to improve your technique and learn how to cut down on wind resistance. These are proven ways to make you a faster and more efficient skater.

So, get the most affordable ABEC-1 or ABEC-3 inline skate bearings you can find, clean and lube them with oil or grease on an annual basis, and you'll be just fine.

Summing Up

When it comes time to purchase new bearings for your inline skates, make sure you write down the information that's inscribed on the outer casing of your bearings before you head to your local, skating shop. In addition, beware that an ABEC rating is nothing more than a bearing precision. If you find a set of bearings at the right price that are suited for your skates, but they have a lower ABEC rating, go for it anyway! You'll probably never notice the difference.

A Practical Guide to Buying Used Garage Doors

Used garage doors are practical alternatives to buying or building new ones. While these save you the time and money, they can also fit aesthetically into any home. The vast range of designs on the market offers multiple choices.

Garage doors require huge investments especially if you have a large space to fill. When there is lack of resources, turn to used garage doors instead. There are several online sites that could help you find the perfect one for you. But it helps if you already have an idea on what design you want.

As a consumer, you will always set your sights on items that give value for money. Initially, those that fall within your price range count the most. Ultimately, regardless of how much you spent on one product, the return in terms of satisfaction and long-term solution weigh more than the money you shelled out.

General Tips On Used Garage Doors

a. Over-all design of your garage

First off, you do not want your garage to look way different from the rest of the house. This creates an awkward visual impact and does not say much about your personal style. Normally, your garage has to look as part and parcel of the whole structure.

This is where finding a suitable used garage doors become a challenge. Although you would want the same style, there is that possibility that you will not find a match. When this happens, you can take the closest design that will go well with the whole house.

b. Particulars.

Size. They come in all shapes and sizes. To make sure you bring home the right one, measure the size of the door space that you need to fill. This is one aspect of the specifications that you should not forget.

Style. You may not get the same style as the rest of the house but you can make your garage door blend in with the whole concept. Choose a color that matches that of your house or better yet, have it painted the same after you buy it.

Materials. The type of material you choose can determine how long it will last. Sturdier stuff may cost more but think of the long-term savings that you will get.

Purpose. Garages are not simply for docking cars. A space is often turned into a working station or a storage area. If your garage plays versatile roles, your garage door should reflect it, too.

c. How much can you go for?

Now comes the important part. Used doors are cheaper but deliver the same results. However, the style and other details to the construction could add up to a cost that may be at par with new ones.

Saving for used garage doors, however, takes less time. But you can already shop for one while you are stacking on those pennies. Put a ceiling on your budget to create a shortlist. Consider the style and other factors that should make up your very own garage door. Just increase your budget cap if you feel you need more time to go over your choices.