Writing is my passion and I've already published two ebooks in spanish. The spanish ebook market is growing fast since 2011 with Amazon Spain's opening and the prices of readers being so much cheaper.

Amazon marketing people are really smart and selling readers under 100 dollars has boosted the market because it makes it a great investment in the long run, as you can read many more books which are also cheaper than their paper version that can be easily carried everywhere.
They've have seen where people needs are. People like reading stories, manuals, novels or poetry. People like reading for fun more and more, and literary books are getting behind.

Now many spanish writers (including myself) have come to the self-publishing adventure and you don't have to be a Nobel prize winner to get there.
Well, that doesn't mean you can publish with no quality at all. Bad quality ebooks will get your reputation down in the long run, and your sales with it.

Writing books in spanish will open the door for you for the new spanish emerging ebook market which includes Spain and all South American countries (that makes more than 500 millions readers).
For this reason if you've got an ebook that sells well, consider translating it to internationalize it.

Spanish literature "crisis" and the wonderful opportunity

Photo credit [Stuart Miles] http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

I think that a part of the literary genre written in the last 30 years in spanish is mostly boring. Some authors think only about their intellectual incomprehensible thing, instead of writing exciting stories or useful stuff for the public.
Intellectual or depressive writing style and expensive paper book price have ruined the market.

A few years ago I was invited to a literary group meeting to present my novel and poetry and when I had my turn to read my writings aloud I was criticized, they said to me:
"You haven't read enough in your life, you could never write a book".
All that because I've read more technical books than literary books at that time.

Well, I wish they could see what I have done now; I've written more than 400 articles and two books.
I'm writing my first english book now  and continuing my third book in spanish and I didn't listen to them of course!
When you start writing it is normal to get critics.
 
But lo and behold we have now a wonderful opportunity with all the self-publishing platforms. There are new writers that are getting a great success and now it's the time to get your share in this developing market.

When you understand the real value of money then it can buy you time, and money is neither good nor bad it's just what you make of it what matters.
Now is the time to learn how to handle money to serve our better goals and spend you time as you want.
When you save money it's like you are borrowing it to the bank and it will pay you interests, this is positive interest working for you.
The opposite is asking for credits and loans, then negative interest are working against you.
Which way will you choose?
You can read the rest of this post I wrote in BadCredit.org

J.M. became a millionaire in the early eighties and today he is a billionaire. We used to get together just to talk and had long hours of conversation. One day I asked him:
'How did you succeed with your business?'
'I played my cards, I took the risk and I won', he answered.
'And having so much money how do you know who are your real friends?'
'There are many who come to me by interest', he said, 'and I know it. I'm just aware of it when I deal with them, my real friends are few, the ones I really cherish.'

The tale of the wise man and the cities

A wise man was sitting at the door of the city and many people came to him to hear his answers and sayings. One day a group of travelers came to him to ask questions.
'How is this city? Are its people kind? Is this a prosperous and safe place to live?'


'I will answer your question', said the wise man, 'but first just tell me: how is the city where you come from?'

'The city where we come from is a nice place', they said, 'its people are kind and the whether is sunny. We can buy and sell our goods with safety and there is music and songs in the air.'

'And so it is in this city, so it is', the wise man said.


Later on another group of people came to him seeking his wisdom.
'How is this city?', they asked. 'Are its people kind? Is this a prosperous and safe place to live?'

'How is the city you come from?', the wise man said.

'The city we come from is gray and its people are unkind. It is a cold place to live and we don't feel safe there.'

'And so it is in this city, so it is', the wise man said.

I lived in a horrible city and I didn't know about it

Image courtesy of [koratmember] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

As you can see the wise man gave two different answers to the same question, this is because sometimes we don't see things as they are but as we are.
The first time I met my millionaire friend I was very young and I lived in a city where its people were not kind, but he never told me about it.

Well, things were fantastic for me at the time because I was experiencing freedom and meeting people that are connected to me for the rest of my life.
The thing is: I didn't know that it was a horrible city and to me it was a wonderful place, and it was!
30 years later I keep the sweet memories in my mind of a city by the seashore, surrounded by wonderful forests, where everybody said 'Hi' to a very young woman, a stranger whom they've adopted so well.

Information uses people attention. An over dose of information creates poor attention and the need to share this attention between all the many sources that use it.

Over information is a distraction strategy. In an over informed world it is easier to get people's tolerance towards injustice or violence. Once the mind get used to watching all kinds of atrocities, the brain won't react as much as it should and it just let go without resistance.

But the worst effect of all is that over information causes a lack of attention and dispersion from the things that do really interest you.

Unplug from television

And unplug from latest news, we are bombarded with news, but we don't need to watch it all to keep up. We are also bombarded with ads and violence in films. This over dose of information has two main effects:

• Distraction
• Consumerism

Small children are plugged into television too early, then television takes the place of imagination and just playing.

Do you have negative thoughts?

Then try this:

• Unplug from rage and violence in films.
• Unplug from tv horror and sadness programs.
• Start your day always with a thanking thought.
• Embrace your family and loved ones more.
• Watch your conversations with yourself and others.

Watch out if most of the time television takes the place of conversation, or conversation is about television most of the time.

How do you use the Internet

Another instrument of over information is the Internet, there are millions of people now connected through computers and smartphones every where. We are in a new era of communication and this is really good because it gives you wonderful opportunities to play, make money and create, more than ever before. So this freedom of information is really wonderful!

On the other side we are also victims of over information if we don't have the right habits. If we are hooked to the Internet while we eat, travel of enjoy holidays. Or if we need to read emails ten times a day.
It is better to be in real nature rather than watch a Youtube video on wild life, it is better to go and drink a coffee with a friend than like his picture 10 times in Facebook.
Most of information on the Internet is free and we think it is always true, "I read this and this on a web site the other day and watched the videos so it must be true".
There is an over dose of reading and watching videos on the Internet, if you do that too much what happens? Distraction and dispersion take place and you miss so many good things!
It all depends on how you use the Internet.

Overcome over information by enjoying your own life more

All those news, films and ads are the stories of others, do you realize? They are taking away the time to live your own life.
All those disasters or stories are not your own: you should care about your own things and enjoy your own life more, so don't forget that over information is living the life of others.
There are people who write history and there are people who read history. So be the master of your life ans write your own history now.
Enjoy, there is so much to be thankful for and so much to do. But you need to feed your spirit from the right sources which is all that is positive, beautiful, makes your life easier and brings you joy. Think about that.
Spread good feelings and positive thinking around you and it will come back to you ten fold.
Let go of every weight, specially those who are not even yours, and that will make your whole life better and make you step into higher ground.

We are in a privileged moment in history because we have so much more freedom than ever before, or the opportunity to get it.
Today we can travel, start a business, write a book, whatever! If we really want to do it, so what keeps us from living that freedom?
So many are living in a new form of slavery which can be defined as:

1. Work
2. Spend
3. Pay debts

And back to work to pay debts and to continue spending. It is what others call the rat race.

And this is not because of the economic crisis. I recently read an article about an American family, victims of spending addiction, which has $ 90,000 in credit card debt, simply by falling into the vicious circle of borrowing more money to pay credits, until they decided to reduce spenses and to establish a plan to get out of the problem and have now paid 50% of what they owe.
As Warren Buffet says.

If you are in a hole, stop digging.

Spending to fill the void that causes us anxiety from modern life.

This spending addiction is fed by the stress and the need to work harder to have things that we often do not need and do not have time to enjoy, or to impress people who don't even like us.

And so the need to buy is fueled by advertising, television and the influence of the majority of society. This is consumerism.

This forces us to work on things we do not like, or to over work to pay debts and thus create more stress and anxiety.

Is compulsive spending a disease?

Well, you should not hesitate to ask for professional help if you need so, but I consider it more as a problem to be solved and that has a largely external cause. If we think we have a disease and start to feel guilty about it, then the battle is lost.
If to increase our self-esteem or security, we need to spend is because we have confused our values and we have to solve our internal problems.

Stop the bleeding now

Stop this spending addiction because if you can pay a debt, then you could also have put the same amount of money beside to save each month to pay all in cash. You see, it is a matter of habits and new attitudes like:

• Appreciate what you have and sell what you do not use
• Pay in cash
• Leave credit cards at home

It is not about stop spending completely because this is unnatural and will cause more frustration and will make you to spend even more. It is all about spending without anxiety.

It's like when you diet to lose weight: if the diet is too hard it's much easier to fall back and get over weighted again.
It's all about learning how to spend, but first you have to put your life in order and balance. Your strength comes from you, from inside, that part which belongs to no one and cannot be sold, so do not sell it and keep the treasure of your heart.

The film "The Wolf of Wall Street" tells the story about Jordan Belfort, a fraudster that enriched himself quickly by selling fraudulent actions on Wall Street.

The pump & dump fraud worked like this: Jordan Belfort convinced his customers that he had very positive news from reliable sources about some companies that would increase benefits right away. Of course he owned shares from that stock and those news were lies but that inflated the price. Then he sold his stocks to make a profit.

At the time he had about 1,000 brokers employees they wore an unrestrained lifestyle of drug and alcohol parties.

In 1998 he was arrested for fraud and money laundering and while in prison he wrote his memoirs to become the best seller from which the film came from.

At least he performed a creative act and now earns enough money honestly. But many small businesses are yet recovering from losses caused by his scam.

Winning a lot of money when you have not worked for it

As is the case of those who won big lottery prizes, many of these winners spent it all and some even ended up in debt.

Others went to the opposite extreme, as if they were afraid of the money they had earned, and stayed to live in their modest apartments and doing their daily work.

There are also those who received inheritances without having worked to get them, or without getting any financial education.

I consider that a good financial education is mostly about having the right attitude towards money, the fact of learning to handle derives from this attitude.
I mean, we have to solve problems with money to be able to handle a situation of abundance or scarcity.

What would you do if you did not need to work to make a living

Certainly some some who made money suddenly became victims of hard drug addiction and some other stupid things. It is as if they had been waiting for the money to do this kind of thing.
I think a lot of these problems come from plain boredom of having nothing to do, or no motivations.
I think having an empty head is not good :)

I think I'm already doing the things I like,  so I will continue with my projects and create some more.
And without having to work for a living,  I'd like to enjoy much more free time and my loved ones.

Consider the possibility of getting lots of money right away

Photo http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

Most of the people I know who are really successful and make money, are genuine positive thinkers who signed a contract with themselves and determined to never give up, to focus their minds in their objectives setting aside every weight.

It is like the saying in the millionaire mind book: if you want to get rich, think like rich people do.

Instead of complaining about this rotten world, do something to impact it. The battle starts right here (tapped my head).

What do you think?

Steve Jobs said,

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." 

There is so much wisdom in just only that single one quote.

Sometimes I meet people (or even myself) who seem to want to live someone else's life, who get discouraged because of other people, their environment or just by watching the news on television.
They become their own victims, even when others have not done anything wrong to them.
But who can live life in your place? You may want others to do things the way you would do them and you expect someone to do things the way you'd want it. Be the government, your boss or the actors on a film that should have play their roles in a certain way: your way.

This is a very unrealistic idea and creates contradictory feelings because it is not possible for others to live your life for you and there is no way out anyway: only you can live your own life.
If you have jealousy, or criticism towards those who succeed, is a clear sign that you are living someone else's life.
Think that is contradictory to criticize in others what you wish for yourself.
It's like wanting to be rich and criticizing millionaires at the same time.
If you know how to do things better than others but think you can not do them or that others will not let you do them, then change scenario: it is the only way to be true with yourself and so live your own life and not someone else's. Just use your energy for your convenience, for what is interesting for you.
Just try to do your best to improve your situation instead of bearing with it.

The first challenge to attain your objectives and to do it in spite of adversity and problems that you may have to overcome. It is to advance despite the uncertainty, or the danger and to trust your own mind and spirit.
When you do so, then you have the feeling of being in your place and being fair.

The last battle on earth

For Don Juan, in Carlos Castaneda book, every act of the warrior should be like his last battle on earth. The warrior is in the battlefield and trembles all over, but his spirit is confident.
Of course today you do not have to fight with anyone or win any war, you don't even have to suffer.
You simply have to accept the challenge that tells you to live your own life and not that of others.

Whether it is to advance in your career, build your own business or be financially independent.
Do you want to work only part time and have more than enough income? Or are you thinking of passive income to make your living?
Well there is no magic solution, but rather to follow the necessary steps and provoke the favorable conditions and launching the assets that will work for you.
But do you really believe in it?
Prove it by living your own life and not someone else's. This is an obstacle that we are all face sooner or larer, until we live our lives with passion and stop being victims of external circumstances.
This is when you take your life in your hands and you move to the next stage: go from wanting  something to take action to get it.

Drawing is a fantastic way of manifesting your creativity. I'm going to show you step by step the technique to draw a portrait with Bics ballpoint pens.
I'm drawing a portrait of my son for his birthday next 13th.

Step 1: Draw a sketch with pencil

Use very light lines with no shadow, only the forms to guide you.

Step 2: Draw over the outline with a skin color ballpen

Do this very lightly and when the ink is dry erase the pencil lines behind it. I'm using a Bic ballpoint pen skin color that you can see in the picture.

Step 3: Start working on the details

I usually start with the eyes, as you can see, you need to handle the pen and only put a very light pressure.
Remember that there is no way back. I first draw a layer with skin color and then add some orange, pink and brown. I'm only using black

And three hours later:

It takes time! And that's the good part of it because you can enjoy longer.
I'll be adding pictures so you can see my progress.
Here you can see the last step of this drawing with ballpoint pen in colors:

Do you want better results? Do you want to walk on higher ground? Here comes the time to take the risk and change to get your whole life better.

It also means to let go and change your way of thinking and I would say that that's the hardest part of it: to let go, because we hold on to the past to the things we used to do even if there are other things that work better.

Why you are not willing to take the risk?

It is natural to resist to changes because when we change things seem to us as if we were walking on slippery ground.
When it comes to major swifts it is good to look inside yourself to check the deep reasons why you want better things in your life.
Look inside and ask yourself, am I willing to live this way for the next five years?

There is no way back

Photo [arztsamui]www.freedigitalphotos.net

Once you've committed to change you've burned the bridge and there is no way back
because you are focusing on the present and looking to the past only to thank for it and learn from it.
Once you've crossed over that bridge you feel lighter and more free, and happier!

There is always something you can do

Taking the risk is to be willing to change what is necessary to go to a higher level.
If you are convinced, you will find something to do about it, you can take the next step, even if it is a small one, to write the lines of a new chapter.
Are you willing to take the risk to be happy today?

Are you willing to take the risk to develop your skills?

You may know how to write or how to sing, organize events or have a sharp mind for mathematics, but you'll never know about it if you don't put your skills to the test.
You'll get the most satisfaction from having done your best with the talents you have. You know you've walked the extra mile and there will be only satisfaction left and smiles.

Taking the risk means accepting responsibility

This mean you accept success and failure and treat them in the same way.

Failure will help you to accept success and vice versa!

You will see that failure and success are like waves in the ocean, they always come in turn!

So you will get your part from it, but only if you sail your boat away.