My Explain How To Site » Uncategorized http://myexplainhowto.info Helpful how to information for the do it yourselfer. Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:00:27 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 How to Write a Book Outline With Mindmapping http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/how-to-write-a-book-outline-with-mindmapping/ http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/how-to-write-a-book-outline-with-mindmapping/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:15:26 +0000 Nlewis http://myexplainhowto.info/?p=178

Book writing using mind mapping makes chapters easy to read, compelling, and consistent for readers.

If you want to learn how to write a book outline, mind mapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use flexible thinking and relativity in writing their book. One can add and subtract a thought or phrase from a mind map easily. This is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.

What is Mind mapping?

Mind mapping is a color-coded outline of main ideas, sub topics and details, printed on different colored branches connected to the center. In the center in a circle, you will list your main idea, such as your book or chapter title.

For “The One-Minute Sales Person”, Spencer’s mindmap would have had seven different colored vertical branches coming from that center, so details can be put on connected horizontal branches–much easier to read.

What are the advantages of Mindmapping?

First, this is open-ended and open-minded. No more squeezing new “ahas” or ideas into the strict, tight form of the linear outline. You can make mistakes in your mindmaps. Imperfection leads to creativity. When you get an idea for chapter one, you can just add another branch off the main one. Mindmapping expands flexible thinking, making for better writing.

Second, mindmaps use only three to five concrete or color words on a branch. These key words help jog our memory. Under Chapter One “Attracting Passion,” I added several horizontal lines that represented the format that follows. One line had “opening quote,” the next one “introduction,” the next one “Jerry’s Story,” the next “Food for Thought and Action,” the next, “Passion Hot Line,” the last line, “practice.”

Third, mindmaps speed up your writing because you only write key phrases. When you sit down at the computer, from your color-coded map, the answers will flow naturally. If you need to fatten up your chapter, just go to your chapter file folders where you keep your research.

Fourth, in mindmaps you see the whole related to the parts. Your thesis, chapter titles, and chapter contents all flow because you answered each question your readers had. This fast-forward technique allows me to write at least two or three books each year, and makes each book more organized, more focused and clear, easier to read, and finally brings more sales because people can understand the information quickly and easily.

How Do I Create My Mindmap?

Use a large sheet of paper, at least 8 ½ by 11 inches, but I recommend a large square of butcher paper or poster board, so you can spread out and enjoy the process! Have at least six or seven colored felt-tip pens in primary and bright colors ready.

In the center, encircle your title. Arrange your chapter headings, each on a different colored vertical branch, around the center in any order (you can number them later). If you can’t think of a title, put a few key words. Use only one color per branch. Off each main branch, put five or so other horizontal branches of particular chapter parts.

Even though you later change your mind about the contents, this initial mindmap gives you the overall picture of what your book is and what it will share with its readers. I made several mindmaps of my Passion book before I settled on the best information to include.

Practice: Create your book’s mindmap on a separate piece of paper

Practice: Create one chapter’s mindmap on a separate piece of paper now.

Wow! You are up to speed. You have your thesis–what challenge your book will solve, your chapter working titles, your rough draft evolving with a Table of Contents, and you have questions to answer in each chapter.

Mindmapping is an excellent way to start, organize, and finish your book.

Need free help writing a book? Want the tools and skills necessary to start your book now to promote your business and brand yourself?

Author: Judy Cullins
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

]]> http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/how-to-write-a-book-outline-with-mindmapping/feed/ 0 It’s your data-back it up! http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/its-your-data-back-it-up/ http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/its-your-data-back-it-up/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:15:23 +0000 admin http://myexplainhowto.info/?p=616

Now that’s the understatement of the year. Who could imaging backing up data that’s on a perfectly good laptop. I’ve been in IT for years and I’m yet amazed at the many computer users, especially college students, who do not think of backing up their data, to a place other than the PC it’s on.

A college student working towards her law degree, having a final paper to deliver had years of notes and research stored on her laptop. Her laptop was stolen from her vehicle and it may cost her that law degree. I was moved over her dilemma and I was pissed at the same time. Why not back it up? I guess my thoughts were, she’s too busy of a student to realize the importance of a backup plan?

Equipment failure is a reality as it relates to computers. And if your PC or laptop is rugged, reliable and top of the line, it’s possibly it could get stolen or the data fall victim of corruption. Connectivity Pro is a company that sell an inexpensive and reliable backup solution that even college students can afford it. It’s your data, you need to back it up!

I don’t know who coined the phrase, “it’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it” , it’s a true statement none the less. So, why not have some redundancy as it relates to your data. What does that mean? You can have your data backed up to an external device and in the cloud too. I would not recommend thumb drives or SSD cards, why? They are easily lost and easily corrupted too. Backing up your data on the cloud is easy affordable and your data is always available to you, even on your iPhone and iPad.

www. Connectivity Pro

Online File Folders; it’s your data, back it up.

]]> http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/its-your-data-back-it-up/feed/ 0 Facts About Data Recovery http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/facts-about-data-recovery/ http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/facts-about-data-recovery/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:15:22 +0000 admin http://myexplainhowto.info/?p=446

Lets face the facts, your data is important. If you are a small, start-up or an existing business, you will, at some point of operating your business, experience a failure in you computer system. Unless you use a multimillion dollar data center with backup generators and redundant systems, you probably have no need in reading this article.

Although people will use their computers for many functions, there are many users who have important data on their computers. The importance of having your data is often noticed when you system crashes or you fail to renew/update your anti-virus and can’t access your data any. Data recovery is something you may not need now, but its best to have it available when you need it. Can you tell me when you PC will fail? Sure you can’t. When your computer use grown to the point where you store vital information on it and you need to retrieve it, there are specialist who are able to recover your data, for a fee per megabyte or gigabyte.Thumb Drives

Thumb drives (better known as USB drives) are commonly used by some to store and backup data. This is okay, until you plug into a PC with a defective USB port and fry your thumb drive.

Redundancy

What if you USB drive get lost, stolen or damaged? How about your portable USB hard drive? You can drop it, lose it, leave it in the front seat of your car, in the hot sun. Redundancy will allow you to have you data in more than one place. Redundancy will also give you multiple options to recover from a system failure. Its not that expensive to have either. Sure you can put your data on a bunch of DVD’s or you can choose to store your data off site, in the cloud.

Files and Folders Online

This service is my favorite. I can back up 10GB up to 100GB of my files and folders online and access them from any computer, even my iPad of iPhone. This method will install a small program on your desktop and you simply select what files and folders you want to automatically backup. I can safely, securely and reliably backup my music, documents and pictures and then access them from any PC.

Data recovery is a must when it comes to owning a business or protecting your personal information. Someone once told me, it’s better to have it and not need it; than to need it and not have it.

Nathaniel Lewis is a technology professional helping the small and start up business owner implement technologies into their business processes by way of http://www.TheConnectivityPros.com. You can reach him at: nlewis@TheConnectivityPros.com for more information about Files and Folders Online or Just visit the website to start protecting your data today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nathaniel_Lewis

]]> http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/facts-about-data-recovery/feed/ 1 See Our Top 5 Ezine Articles http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/see-our-top-5-ezine-articles/ http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/see-our-top-5-ezine-articles/#comments Mon, 05 Sep 2011 20:15:16 +0000 admin http://myexplainhowto.info/?p=437

  1. Cleavage, a Tight Skirt and High Heel Shoes – Where Has Modesty Gone in Corporate Worship?

  2. How Do I Know He Loves Me – The Short List

  3. How to Show Somebody You Love Them – 5 Ideas to Say I Love You

  4. How Information Technology Has Changed Workplace Communication

  5. The 50-50 Relationship Myth


Nathaniel Lewis, EzineArticles.com Basic PLUS Author

]]> http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/09/05/see-our-top-5-ezine-articles/feed/ 0 Social Networking – How To Get More Followers http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/08/18/social-networking-how-to-get-more-followers/ http://myexplainhowto.info/2011/08/18/social-networking-how-to-get-more-followers/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:52:56 +0000 admin http://myexplainhowto.info/?p=510

Advertisers and individual alike are using the major social networks to micro blog about their business, products and services. For those just getting on the band wagon, I’m sure your wondering how to get a good number of followers in a short period of time. There are programs that do exist that will help you do this.  However, when you use them use them wisely. Like any idea you plan to implement to help you in advertising or promoting, have a goal in mind…have a plan.

While I’m away from my desk, I like to automate my twitter activities. Things like, automatically un-following someone who hasn’t followed back. Another good feature of programs like Tweet Adder, I can generate many pre-written tweets and schedule them to go out throughout the day. The program has many useful features and is helpful in driving traffic to my blogs and other web sites.

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