The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...™

Submit your stories now to be included in the first book of this exciting new series!

Follow Donald Trump's advice and don't keep great knowledge to yourself! You've "been there, solved that" so why not help encourage and guide others who find themselves in the same situations you'vealready experienced?

The deadline for this first book of the series is January 2, 2012. Choose one topic or several: Your Family, Your Career, Your Health, Your Money.  Additional deadlines are listed for single-topic books--stories submitted now may appear in this flagship book as well as later in its single-topic title.

Read the sample stories on this site before crafting your own Smartest Thing experiences in 350 to 1,500 words. Be sure to include your 50-word bio and contact information, and send your submissions to Submissions at RealSolutionsPress.com.

We look forward to reading and publishing your Smartest Thing story soon!

...for My Planet

Green is all the rage these days. More people are going green at home, at their offices, and in their garages every day. Each person has their own reasons for greening their life and each has taken a different road to awareness and finding solutions that work for them, their family, their community. Share your own adventure, findings, and benefits from going green in any area of your life. We're accepting stories from individuals as well as programs from eco-conscious companies, groups and organizations. Anything goes: sustainability, alternative energy, conservation, recycling, living lightly...

How have you been a good steward of your planet? Share what you've done to help protect your planet and encourage others to do the same!

Submission deadline: 20  April 2011

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...for My Planet.

...as a Husband-Wife Business Team

Business owners face enough challenges without including their spouse in the mix. How do you and your spouse survive the 24/7 contact of running a business and a marriage in tandem? Or did it not work for you and you're willing to share your 20/20 hindsight to help others avoid the same mistakes you made?

More and more people are choosing to go into business for themselves during these difficult economic times and many of them will bring their spouse into the dream with them. If you've discovered how to make it work for you, share what you've learned to help others navigate these dangerous waters.

Donald Trump said, "what's the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?"  Share your stories and solutions right here!

And reap the benefits of sharing your wisdom...if your story is published in The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™... as a Husband-Wife Business Team, you'll get 100 words to talk about who you are, what you do, and how to contact you—that's the equivalent of thousands of dollars of free advertising, nationwide! Learn more about how getting published in one of our Smartest Thing™ books can help create national visibility for your business by clicking on Publish Me! in the right-hand column.

Submission deadline: 15 June 2011

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing WE Ever Did™...as a Husband-Wife Business Team.

We're going to start the donations rolling...now!

Every book in the Smartest Thing™ series will be generating a donation to a related charity based on the sales of the book. It's our hope to donate a minimum of $10,000 to each charity. But for that to happen, of course, the books need to be in print and offered for sale.

We don't want to wait that long before making donations to these worthy charities, so we've decided to start right now! While we are still in the process of collecting stories for the dozen-plus titles in the series, we will donate $1 to the selected charity for each publishable story we receive for each book! 

Remember that favorite quote of mine, from Donald Trump: "What's the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?" So choose the title that best showcases your hard-won wisdom and submit your stories today!

You'll notice that charities have been selected for only a few titles in the series so far—we need your help to make selections for the others. Tell us which charities you feel should receive the donations from your favorite titles by leaving a comment on this site or emailing us privately. We'll keep everyone posted as we make selections.

Get your business noticed in StartUp Nation's competition!

Most of the contributors to our Smartest Thing™ book series are business owners and professionals, most work for themselves, and many work from their homes. Time is short, but I wanted to let you know about a competition sponsored by StartUp Nation. The deadline is in just a few days, September 30th, but the submission process doesn't take much time.

Even if you don't enter the competition, take a look around. StartUp Nation is a great place for all you entrepreneurial-minded folk. Check it out.

I'm honored to have been named a Woman Blogger to Watch in 2008

As many bloggers do, I was checking the statistics on my various blog sites yesterday and discovered quite a number of 'hits' coming from one source to this site of ours. I visited that site to find that I, as the hostess of this site for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...® book series, was selected as one of the 101 Women Bloggers to Watch, Fall 2008 by WE magazine. Thank you, WE and all the Smartest Thing followers and fans! I'm truly honored to be on this list.

I hope you'll also visit my Better Than a Business Card blog for some great marketing tips and strategies to increase your visibility in this new Marketing Climate 2.0. And if you have special 18- to 25-year-olds in your life, go see what QwikSmarts® is all about!

...as a Woman in Business

Women are making huge strides everywhere. The business world isn't the same for women as it is for men. Share what you’ve discovered as a woman in business and all the complex puzzles that involves: maintaining a sense of self; dealing with the ‘glass ceiling’; interviewing; starting your own business; handling sexual harassment; dealing with stereotypes; dealing with success…and failure; balancing work and family; making a name for yourself; keeping perspective; this book will encourage and guide ‘sisters in business’ through tough business terrain.

Share what has helped make you a success in the business world!

Submission deadline: 15 July 2011

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as a Woman in Business.

...in Business

Business owners today are facing the toughest times in history. How can small businesses make it in this economy? What are the secrets to gaining visibility in an ever-noisier market? Are online businesses the best or can brick-and-mortar still survive?

As an owner of a business, whether small or large, you've discovered through trial-and-error solutions to many of the situations and decisions you've faced. Whether it's been how to raise capital for your start-up or assembling a great team or getting truly meaningful market research or hiring (and retaining) valuable employees, there are thousands of other business owners and managers out there who are facing those same obstacles.

Donald Trump said, "what's the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?"  Share your stories and solutions right here!

And reap the benefits of sharing your wisdom...if your story is published in The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...(R) in Business, you'll get 100 words to talk about who you are, what you do, and how to contact you--that's the equivalent of thousands of dollars of free advertising, nationwide! Learn more about how getting published in one of our Smartest Thing books can help create national visibility for your business by clicking on Publish Me! in the right-hand column.

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...in Business.

...with My Money

Everybody could use a little help with their finances these days. You may not be a Donald Trump or Warren Buffet, but you have figured out ways to improve your personal financial picture. Did you find ways to make 'cutting back' easier to swallow? Have you cut up your credit cards and benefitted from it? Did you discover that having a personal bookkeeper or a financial planner helped you get your budget on track? Have you found a way to organize your financial life that's less stressful for you?

Donald Trump said, "what's the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?"  Share your stories and solutions right here!

Are you in the financial services industry? Reap the benefits of sharing your wisdom...if your story is published in The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...® with My Money, you'll get 100 words to talk about who you are, what you do, and how to contact you--that's the equivalent of thousands of dollars of free advertising, nationwide! Learn more about how getting published in one of our Smartest Thing books can help create national visibility for you and your business by clicking on Publish Me! in the right-hand column.

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...with My Money.

...for My Career

The career front today isn't what it was even ten years ago. What's a new grad, fresh out of college, to do? How about someone who wants to change careers, not just jobs? Or a woman re-entering the workforce after raising children?

If you have a job or are looking for one, you have the inside scoop on how things are working these days. Even a small tip could help someone else break through to discover the career of their dreams, so don't hold back! What have you discovered about: finding a job you love; preparing for and presenting yourself in the interview; ‘shining’ on the job; dealing with office politics, unfair bosses, and backstabbing coworkers; deciding when it’s time to move on; dealing with being laid off; going back to school; and more.

Donald Trump said, "what's the point of having great knowledge and keeping it to yourself?"  Share your stories and solutions right here!

And reap the benefits of sharing your wisdom...if your story is published in The Smartest Thing I Ever Did...(R) for My Career, you'll get 100 words to talk about who you are, what you do, and how to contact you--that gives you a prestigious bullet to add to your resume! Published authors enjoy a privileged status in today's society. Learn more about how getting published in one of our Smartest Thing books can help boost your professional credibility by clicking on Publish Me! in the right-hand column.

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...for My Career.

...as an Adoptive Parent

Not flesh of our flesh, but just as precious in our hearts. Share what you’ve discovered during, and since, your journey through adoption that completes your unique parenting puzzle, whether you adopted domestically or internationally, once or several times, a single child or a sibling group, healthy or special needs; sharing your stories in this book will help encourage and smooth the way for thousands of other adoptive parents and those looking to start or expand their families through the option of adoption.

Share the stories of what worked for you to complete your adoption journey right here!

 

Donations from the sale of this book will be going to
America-World Adoption Association
(www.AWAA.org).

 

Be sure to see the Writing a Great Story in the right-hand column and Sample Stories in the left-hand column to help you write a terrific story for The Smartest Thing I Ever Did™...as an Adoptive Parent.