Anyone who has an interest in writing and publishing a book has probably wondered whether they should self-publish or go the traditional route. This question becomes even more poignant as you begin to go through the process and see how terribly difficult it can be to land a publishing deal! But while success can certainly be found by those who self-publish, you are much likelier to find success with a traditional publisher; here are some of the advantages of traditional publishing.

Stamp of approval: Even though most readers do not know exactly how difficult it can be to land a publishing deal, they are still aware that there exists barriers to entry. When a book has been traditionally published, there exists in the minds of the readers a sort of “stamp of approval” from the publishing house that chose to take it on. There are no barriers to entry, on the other hand, with self-publishing, which means that the reader will not only have no clue whether or not they will like the book, but will also have no clue whether anyone else liked the book.

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Experience: Even though you may be a great editor of your own work, there is no one who is so good they do not need a second set of eyes. The greatest writers in history have all had editors who worked with them on their novel, and you are no exception! Furthermore, publishing houses bring book design and marketing experience to the table as well – which you cannot do as effectively on your own.

Exposure: When you publish with a traditional publisher, your book will actually be in bookstores – which is perhaps the biggest advantage of all to traditional publishing! Although the book market continues to change – and people continue to buy more and more of their books online – it is still helpful for your book to be in actual stores. You will simply be unable to match the exposure given to you by a traditional publisher when you publish your book on your own.

There are, of course, certainly people for whom self-publishing is a good choice – but you should know these advantages of traditional publishing, and know which option is best for you!

Times are changing when it comes to shopping, as people now do more and more of their shopping online instead of in stores. As online shopping enables you to both have a huge selection and find terrific deals, this can be absolutely wonderful. But as is the case with any sort of shopping, you need to know where the good deals are located if you want to get good deals when you shop online.

One of the best places for online shopping – as you probably already know – is eBay, which allows you to shop a huge selection of new and used items. You can also check the seller ratings of anyone before you shop with them on eBay, which is another huge advantage. There is also the additional benefit, when shopping on eBay, that you can choose whether you want to shop for items on auction or in a traditional manner.

At times, however, you will not be able to find the items that you want by shopping on eBay – especially if the items are fairly new and come from a specific store. Because of this, many people go to the websites of the stores they usually shop at, and they pay whatever price these websites are charging. But if you know where to look, you can often spend less money at these sites by using online coupons that are available. With online coupons, you can save a good deal of money, and usually all you will have to do to find them is Google the word “coupon” along with the name of the store.

And if you want a good deal, Amazon is probably the best place online at which to do your shopping. When shopping on Amazon, you will have the same benefits as on eBay – being able to look at ratings and choose from new or used items. But on Amazon, you will also have the benefit of browsing the prices offered from just about every available seller!

When you start shopping online more and more, you will realize how important it is to find good deals, and these are three of the best ways to find them.

Around this time of year, you will hear about fantasy football a whole lot, but if you have never played before, you might not know what it is all about – and even if you have decided that you want to start playing, you might not know what you will need to do in order to make this happen. Of course, finding a spot in a league that is already in existence is one option (and if you go onto such sites as ESPN, NFL, and CBS Sports, you will be able to find plenty of leagues you can join), but you will also find that it is a lot more fun to participate in a fantasy football league with a group of people you already know – and this will probably entail setting up a league on your own.

Once you have selected the site that you will use for your fantasy football league, you will need to decide what you want the rules to be; a standard fantasy football league uses 10 players and “standard scoring,” but when you look at the “standard scoring” rules, you might find a few things you decide you want to change.

The next thing you will need to do is invite the friends you are hoping will want to participate in the league; make sure that you tell them to look over the rules before they join, and make sure they are also willing to participate all throughout the season, as there is nothing that is more of a bummer than a fantasy football season that loses half its members halfway through the season!

And before you can get started with the season, you will also need to make sure you set a date for the draft when everyone will be able to participate, as making sure everyone is able to pick their own team will be a big part of making sure everyone participates.

The longer your fantasy football league exists, the more you will be able to refine and improve your approach, but by paying attention to these simple things, you will be able to get started!

Soon a new champion will be crowned now that the NBA playoffs have finally begun. The regular season this year was definitely one of the best in recent memory. A recent influx of talent has been enjoyed by the league leading to the best collection of superstars since the days of Jordan, Johnson, and Bird. It also has a true villainous team in Miami; a trifecta of players that didn’t want the burden of winning a championship with a team that was truly theirs.

Many believe that the postseason this year will be one of the best in history because of all of these factors. There are also many stars that appeal to young kids. A lot of kids have begun to look up to Derrick Rose who will soon be the MVP of the entire league. A basketball hoop to play on will be at the top of many kids wish list for their parents since the weather is warmer. Lifetime makes a portable basketball hoop that is just perfect for many kids to shoot on.

There are many areas where permanent basketball hoops cannot be installed which is why Lifetime created this portable basketball system for kids to enjoy the game anywhere. A portable hoop allows for a game to be played on a patio, driveway, or anywhere else there is a hard surface. The hoop can be moved inside when the weather is poor if needed as well. It is a durable hoop that is built to withstand the elements and many years of rough play.

This spring as the real teams drive towards an NBA championship, make sure that your kids have a basketball hoop they can play with on their own. Basketball games help kids to burn off their extra energy and stay in great shape. There are many qualities they will learn through playing that they can apply to life as they grow older. Since basketball is so enjoyable don’t be surprised if you have to call your kids to come in late at night after they shoot the ball all day!

Owning a home tends to lend to the homeowner a sense of security and accomplishment (not to mention, it is just nice to have), and for this reason, a lot of young couples – or even young single people – have a desire to purchase a home, but a home can also be a huge headache, and not just because of maintenance and repairs that will be required; on top of all these standard headaches, there are several mistakes people make when buying a home, and if you are not careful, these mistakes will hurt you a whole lot more than any maintenance and repairs will!

One of the first mistakes made by a lot of first-time homebuyers is that they end up sticking themselves with a per-month payment that is much greater than they should be spending; when they set their mortgage payment, they assume that their income will increase as time passes, which leads them to believe that making the payment will become easier and easier, but this point of view takes out the prospect of job-loss, increased expenses in other areas, or children; rather than starting out with high mortgage payments, know how much you want to pay per month before you meet with a lender, and give yourself a bit of room to maneuver.

A lot of people will not set up a free buyer consultation with a lender until they are actually shopping for a house, but if you wait this late, you will be unable to make changes or correct errors in your credit report; this is another big mistake you will want to avoid – so instead of waiting, set up a free buyer consultation early, realizing that it is never too soon for you to get started.

And even though most first-time homebuyers are completely aware of the fact that credit scores are important, they often fail to understand just how important they are; if you do not have a high credit score, you will likely end up spending thousands of dollars more than you would with a credit score of 720 or higher, so take the time to learn what goes into creating your credit score, and start improving your credit right away.

You can come to the realization that buying a home is either a nightmare or a dream – but when you make sure to avoid these common first-time mistakes, you will be able to land on the “dream” side of the equation!

If the thought of taking a trip to Maine during the summer to experience the coastline has ever appealed to you, one of the places you should make sure you visit is Bar Harbor, which is located on the northern end of Maine – just off the coast on Mount Desert Island. Bar Harbor is a summer destination for tourism (it is far too cold for most tourists in the winter!), and as a haven for summer visitors from all over the world, is provides you with no shortage of great things to see and do.

Acadia National Park: Acadia National Park covers 30,000 acres of beautiful land along the coast and inland, and this breathtaking area is not only home to a couple of historic lighthouses (which provide great photo opportunities), but every year over two million people also come to visit!

North Atlantic Ocean: If you enjoy spending time by the ocean, you can also enjoy miles of beautiful beaches; the water is a bit cold for doing a lot of swimming, but the ocean near Bar Harbor is also popular for the availability of both ocean cruises and whale watching tours that depart each day from the island.

Shopping: If you enjoy shopping in locally-owned shops that sell hand-crafted or homegrown items, Bar Harbor is a great place for you; there are no big department stores on the island, which means that you can shop anywhere in Bar Harbor and take home a little piece of the island with you.

Dining: And of course, no trip to Maine is complete without indulging in the New England cuisine; in Bar Harbor, you will find everything from New England clam chowder to Maine lobster to scallops and fish to good old American diners and cheeseburgers!

You might not think of Bar Harbor as the perfect recipe for “vacation,” but after a trip to the island and a few days enjoying the scenic beauty, you will surely understand why millions of people make their way to Bar Harbor and the area around it every single summer!

Snorkeling is one of the most pleasant and relaxing ways for you to enjoy the ocean, as snorkeling allows you to truly immerse yourself in the endless beauty of a coral reef, without forcing you to go through all the hoops required to get out there with scuba gear. People usually think of famous spots all around the world when they think of snorkeling – such as the Greek islands, or the Great Barrier Reef in Australia – but if you live in the United States, you should know that there is also great snorkeling here, and some of the best snorkeling in the States can be found in Florida!

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: The entire “State Park” in question is located underwater, as it encompasses one of the most beautiful and thriving coral reefs in the country; every day, you have three opportunities to take a boat out to the reef (the cost is $27), and you will be able to spend the day exploring the beauty of the underwater world!

Biscayne National Park Homestead: If you are looking for something a little “quieter” than John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (after all, it is by no means a “hidden gem”!), check out Biscayne National Park Homestead, which offers a daily boat trip to the reef at 1:30 PM (cost of $35), and which also offers picnic and grilling areas on the shore – a truly great experience for the whole family!

Coral Cove Park: Believe it or not, one of the best snorkeling spots in Florida is not a reef at all; Coral Cove covers two acres, and is a limestone-boulder artificial reef that was designed in order to attract tropical fish; not only has the experiment worked, but it has been a smashing success at that, and the impossibly clear water makes it a beautiful place to explore!

You can certainly find great snorkeling all around the world, but remember that there are also great places to visit (and snorkel at) in the States – and some of the best of these options are right there in Florida!