INPUT ARTICLE: Article: You are not the cause of this negative behavior. If you feel like you're not being listened to, it's not because you don't have something valuable to contribute. Proud people find it difficult to take advice because they think of it as criticism. It is unlikely that you'll receive validation from a proud person. Proud people will often not acknowledge the things you achieve because they're so focused on themselves. Give yourself a pat on the back for accomplishing a difficult task or achieving a goal. Talking to a proud person can sometimes feel like the emotional equivalent of repeatedly running into a brick wall. Knowing what you're up against only gets you so far. Sometimes you'll need to relax and breathe to let the frustration flow away. This will take some practice and patience. When you breathe deeply, be careful not to sound like you're sighing. You don't want to give away that you're feeling frustrated. That will just derail the interaction. Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is give yourself some space. You may feel like you're pouring too much time and energy into maintaining a toxic relationship. This can be mentally draining, and can make you feel really bad about yourself. Make a clean break from the person who is causing this stress. This doesn't have to be a permanent separation. You may wish to revisit the relationship at some point, but make it clear to the proud person that you will only do so on your own terms. Tell them that you need space to think, and you'll reach out to them when you're ready.

SUMMARY: Resist taking this behavior personally. Rely on your own sense of accomplishment. Breathe and remain calm. Step away.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: In most cases, agents and publishers will only be interested in completed manuscripts. Writing your synopsis after you finish the manuscript will help you identify the main characters, plot points, and conflict.  Established authors who have published before may be able to get away with submitting an incomplete book proposal, but most new authors will need a full manuscript. You will need to know how the story ends to write the synopsis, as a synopsis will include the resolution of the story. This may include the protagonist, a love interest, a villain, or a sidekick.  Only the most important characters should be mentioned in a synopsis. Take a minute to write out who your main characters are. Make sure each of your characters is dynamic, rather than flat. They all need to be well-rounded and capable of change. Additionally, each character should impact the story in a significant way. The synopsis will cover the main narrative arc of your story. This arc usually does not include subplots, unless the subplot is important to the overall conclusion of the main arc. Try to outline the main conflict, rising action, and conclusion of your story.  If you wrote a novel or memoir, you may want to write down a one sentence summary of each chapter. For example, you might write, “Rory looks for his father and meets an old friend.” If you wrote a screenplay or play, make a list of what happens in each act. You can write, "Rory enters the warehouse, and a shootout ensues." If you have a collection of short stories or poetry, identify the main themes of each work. For example, you might state, "This collection explores memory, childhood, and innocence." Publishers and agents read hundreds of synopses a week. To make yours stand out, highlight what is unique in your own story. Use this angle to make your synopsis different or interesting.  Does your story have an interesting point of view? If so, be sure to mention it. You can say, “This story centers around the last dwarf in the underground kingdom.” Does your story have a unique twist? You can mention the twist while still leaving some mystery. For example, you might say, “Jean Paul soon realizes that the murderer may be closer to him than he thinks.” Does your story fulfill a certain niche in the market? You might want to demonstrate who might be interested in this story. For example, you can write, “This memoir explores what it means to be a member of the lost generation.” Every publishing house and agent will have different requirements for synopsis length. Before writing your synopsis, look up a few publishing houses, film production companies, or agents. They should list their requirements on their website.  Novel synopses are usually between two and twelve pages long. Screenplay synopses are usually one page long. Most are no more than 400 words long.

SUMMARY: Start the synopsis after you have finished the project. Make a list of your main characters. Sketch out the major plot points in your story. Identify what is unique about your story. Research how long the synopsis must be.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: The small muscles at the base of your skull right above where your neck meets your head are your occipital muscles. Tightness here is responsible for a lot of pain and tension, and sometimes headaches and dizziness. The best way to relieve these muscles is with ball massage. Use a tennis ball, racquetball, small foam roller, or anything with a similar shape. Lie flat on your back face up and place the ball under your neck right at the base of your skull on either side of your spine. Turn your head side to side to roll over different areas. Do this for about 5 minutes, and be sure to massage both sides. Stand up straight. Tilt your chin to your chest. Interlace your fingers and place them behind your head. Do NOT pull downward on your head, but allow the weight of your arms to apply gentle downward pressure on your head and stretch the back of your neck. Hold for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times or more. Stand or sit up straight. Keeping your nose facing straight ahead, bring your right ear to your right shoulder.  Rest your right hand on the side of your head and allow the weight of your arm to gently pull, stretching the left side of your neck. Again, do not actively pull on your head – just let the weight of your arm apply gentle traction.  If your shoulders slump forward, bend your left elbow and place your left arm behind your back with your palm facing outward (when your head is tilting to the right). Do this for 30 seconds on each side, repeating 3 times. Your sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle is that strong, thin muscle that stretches from right behind your ear down to about the middle of your throat (it connects to the end of your collarbone close to your midline), creating the little V-shaped divot at the front of your throat.  You should be able to feel this strong band of muscle. Find it and gently massage it by pinching and rolling it lightly between your fingers. Go up and down the length of the muscle.  Don’t push too deep into your neck where you might hit other tender places. The massaging motion is like gently pulling or lifting the SCM away from other structures in your neck. It might help you find and relax the muscle by turning your head in the opposite direction, i.e. turn your head to the left with your nose staying straight ahead to feel your right SCM. Walk into an open doorway. Place your right arm against the right side of the door with your palm facing the door. Bend your elbow so that it is in a 90° angle, with your forearm flush with the side of the door. Take a small step forward with your right foot. Keep your forearm touching the door. You should feel a stretch in your pectoral muscles at the front of your chest near your armpit. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side. Chiropractors and massage therapists are experts at understanding how posture problems cause pain, and how to fix them. See a massage therapist or have a chiropractic session and ask about stretches and exercises you can do at home.

SUMMARY:
Relieve your occipital muscles with a massage ball. Regularly stretch the back of your neck. Stretch the sides of your neck. Release the SCM muscle at the front of your neck. Stretch your chest muscles. Speak to a professional body-worker for advice.