LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

From the time you pen your thoughts to a page, youre on stage. Just like your favorite rock star, actor, or soap opera diva--- performing before thousands, perhaps millions of potential fans.

Youre an entertainer. Or at least you should be. Creative artistry, despite the medium, remains the same.

How do you deliver? Will you be a crowd-pleaser? Will people remember your name and look forward to future projects? Will they pay to see your work? Are you worth the price of admission?

Or

Will you disappoint your audience? Suffer from stage fright? Be a no-show or perhaps a one-hit-wonder? The choice is yours.

If you want to take your career to the next level, heres how you can reach superstardom by learning from the stars!

1. MAKE THE COMMITMENT. Most famous actors and entertainers became that way through perseverance and paying their dues. Doing things like waiting tables, washing dishes, or holding multiple jobs while working their way through college.

What sacrifice will you make to make it?!

For me, its been my social life, and some days my sanity. Success never comes without some type of sacrifice or trade-off.

2. DONT WISH FOR IT, WORK FOR IT! Luck can be a fickle lady. Theres much more security in working hard, being business savvy, and knowing when and where to shine.

3. LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH REJECTION. Believe it or not, fabulously famous folks like Hansen and Canfield (creators of the Chicken Soup series) J.K. Rawlings, (Harry Potter series) and entertainers like Lucille Ball and Fred Astaire, were told no many times before they were officially discovered. Learn to be thick-skinned. Glean what you can from constructive criticism, then forge forward!

4. KEEP AT IT! Im a big fan of figure-skating. I love to watch it, because its such a graceful art form. I also like the fact that the Stars on Ice like Nancy Kerrigan, Michelle Kwan, and Oksana Baoul can fall repeatedly on their rumps, and get back in the game with dignity and grace. Whether you fall short of your goals, or fail in general, dust yourself off and get back into the arena!

5. LEARN TO BE A TRIPLE THREAT! Have you ever noticed that the celebrities that enjoy a large fan base and longevity in the business have multiple talents? For example, Jamie Foxx who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles, is also a well-known comedian, and a terrific singer as well. Jennifer Lopez dances, does movies, and music. And so does Janet Jackson. Tony Danza acts, sings, and is now a popular talk-show host. Rumor has it that good things comes in threes. I put this principle to practice by writing articles and columns, teaching creative writing, and giving a fierce poetry performance at clubs, bookstores, and colleges. Find 3 things that youre good at (that are somewhat related, and get more bang into your buck)!

6. KEEP REINVENTING YOURSELF. Michael Jordan did it! Though I dont know a lot about sports--- he started out in basketball, then he quit. Then he came back. Then he went into baseball. Then he retired. Then he went back. This may not be a totally accurate account, but you get the gist.

7. PUT YOUR DREAMS ON PAPER AND THEN INTO PRACTICE. Whether its in the form of a business plan, or a personal wish-list. Actor Jim Carey is said to have written a check to himself for 10 million dollars, and carried it daily in his wallet, long before he was earning that amount, as sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Communicate your intent to the universe. Put it out there. And believe!

HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES TO HELP YOU SHINE!

POETIC VOICES---www.poeticvoices.com--- Provides writing related pieces and promotes the work of talented poets.

FREELANCE WRITERS---www.freelancewriter.about.com---Links to resources related to jobs, contracts, and grant writing.

JOURNALISMJOBS.COM---www.journalismjobs.com---Lists industry related jobs in magazines, TV, and on-line. You can also post your resume here.

E-ZINE Z---www.E-zinez.com---Helps writers produce and publish E-mail newsletters.

Jennifer Brown
JenniferwriterATyahoo.com