| How to Incorporate a Business Posted: 06 May 2016 05:00 PM PDT Incorporating your business is the way to take it to the next level, opening your business up to new limited-liability tax options and other corporate benefits. If you do not wish to become an LLC (limited liability company),[1] you may want your company to become fully incorporated. Filing the articles of incorporation in your state can seem overwhelming, but by approaching the task with a bit of planning, you'll be on your way to incorporation. EditGetting Started - Decide if your business will benefit from incorporation. Incorporating gives you the benefit of limiting your personal liability and making your business easier to transfer to others. Limiting your personal assets will protect your home and other belongings from being seized as collateral. Depending on the type of company you've started and your long-term goals for it, incorporating might be right for you, or it may be superfluous. Being incorporated enables you to:
- Legitimize the business.
- Limit your personal liability.
- Take your company public.
- Issue stock options to employees.
- Transfer ownership or shares among members of the corporation.
- Have your corporation outlive you.
- Raise investment capital.
- Appoint a board of directors. A board of directors (or BOD) is selected by a company's shareholders. Often, a company's initial founder or CEO will begin on the board and appoint more members after the business is established. The directors' names and contact information should be designated on your incorporation paperwork, so it's important that you assign the roles before you file the papers. If you change the board throughout the life history of the company, this information is usually communicated to the state by filing a statement of information.
- Directors are legally obligated to act with the best interest of the company in mind, protect the investments of shareholders and appoint the company's officers, whom they may fire and hire as they see fit.
- Assemble the shareholders. The major stockholders in your company are generally called upon to elect the board and financially back the company in exchange for holdings in the company. In general, their return for this investment is a say in the election of the board. When you file for incorporation, the stockholders should be consulted and should agree to the incorporation decisions.
- Decide between filing as a C corporation and an S corporation. The standard is usually to file as a C corporation if you have a sizable operation. An S corporation is more appropriate if you intend on having fewer than 100 shareholders.[2]
- C corporations are individually taxable, file a corporate tax return and pay taxes at the corporate level. Double taxation is a possibility for C corporations if the company's income is distributed as income, resulting in taxation at different levels based on the number of shareholders. C corporations can also have multiple classes of stock, such as preferred and common.
- S corporations are available to companies that intend on having fewer than 100 shareholders. S corporations file an informational federal return, but do not pay tax at the corporate level. Profits and losses are reported on the business owners' individual tax returns. An S corporation has pass-through taxation (which means that you can pass business losses to your personal taxes) and is only eligible for one class of stock.
- Hire a corporate lawyer. It is best to hire an attorney to deal with the articles of incorporation. The paperwork and the laws are quite complicated and, without careful consultation, you risk making mistakes that can cause you serious financial trouble down the road. Don't risk your stake in your company by filing wrong; consult an unbiased attorney who has no stake in your company.[3]
- An attorney can help you make the best entity choice for your business and draft the appropriate paperwork for the filing.
EditFiling the Forms - Contact the Secretary of State's office in your state. Generally, the Secretary of State's office will handle all matters related to incorporation. In some cases, other offices, such as the Business Bureau, may need to be consulted. The Secretary of State's office should be able to direct you more specifically in that case and direct you to the proper forms (which are usually available on the state government website).
- Acquire the articles of incorporation. For any given state, a group of several separate documents (sometimes as many as 10 or 15) make up the articles of incorporation, each with its own particular fee and required information. Since every state differs slightly in the breakdown of paperwork, you need to contact the Secretary of State's office to request the documents. Then, go over the documents with a lawyer and fill them out with the necessary information.
- All of the necessary paperwork should be available on the Secretary of State's website for self-filing. A corporate lawyer will provide the forms as part the service that he provides.
- Pay the incorporation fees. Some forms will have fees attached to them, generally in the neighborhood of $80 to $100 each. Not every form with have an attached fee, but you'll generally pay these at the time of filing with the Secretary of State's office.[4]
- Incorporation fees vary from state to state.
- If you need to rush your paperwork, you can usually do so for an increased fee.
- File a Statement of Information form. You'll also need to file a Statement of Information form in some states. This document must be filed a few months after the initial filing of the articles. Some states require that a Statement of Information form be filed each year following the incorporation. Check the Secretary of State's website to see whether the form is required in your state. This form can usually be submitted online and includes fairly basic information about the corporation; think of it as a company census you must complete every year. It usually includes:
- Names and addresses of corporate directors.
- Members of the board.
- Vacancies or changes in leadership.
- Mailing and street address of the corporation[5]
- If no changes occurred in the corporation's structuring and staff, you won't need to file a new information statement.
- Register your corporation with the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS). After you register with the state, you also need to register your corporation with the IRS, according to your new tax status. In general, C corporations will file IRS Form 1120, and S corporations will file Form 1120S.
- If you're incorporating as an S corporation, you also need to complete IRS Form 2553. Found here, the Form 2553 involves the legality of corporate elections and is somewhat tough to understand. Be sure to consult your attorney when completing this form.
- Designate a registered agent if you live elsewhere. If you want to hold an incorporated business in a U.S. state but you live in a foreign state, you will need to designate a local registered agent to accept official paperwork on behalf of your business.[6]
- A registered agent is typically found by a lawyer's recommendation. Many lawyers work with a registered agent on a normal basis since they incorporate companies regularly. Otherwise, an internet search will help you find qualified registered agents.
- You will likely have to pay an annual registered agent fee to keep your business incorporated in the state.
- Hire an Incorporation Service Company to do all the paperwork for you. These companies will fill out all the papers relatively inexpensively, but they can't provide any legal advice.
- It is possible to convert your business from one entity into another entity. For instance, if you formed an LLC and now you're raising capital and realize that your business should be a corporation, you can consult with an attorney to help get the LLC changed to a corporation.
- Consult your accountant prior to making the decision as to which form of corporation is right for you and your circumstances. Health insurance may be fully deductible in a C Corporation, but only 40 percent deductible in an LLC. You need to know this up front.
- A local attorney can be a worthwhile investment. Some will work with you on your business incorporation at a cost similar to an Incorporation Service Company. However, an attorney can offer you legal advice and guide you to make the best decisions for your business.
- In many cases, you can choose to have your business taxed together with your personal income or taxed separately. This depends on a number of factors, including the structure of the entity and who owns the shares. An accountant can help you determine how to structure your business to save money on taxes.
- If you choose to set up a corporation or LLC on your own, a mistake could cost you or your company money down the road. Incorporation companies are cheaper than lawyers and accountants, but do not generally provide advice on structuring. Additionally, you need to consider that many states charge "corporate fees" that need to be paid annually as part of the privilege of doing business in the state (e.g., $800 per year in California).
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| How to Get Started Writing a Book Posted: 06 May 2016 09:00 AM PDT Have you always dreamed of becoming a published author, with an acclaimed book to your name? Or perhaps you have been mulling over a story idea for some time and have finally decided to put it down on paper. Writing a book, which are typically around 80,000 to 89,999 words[1], can seem daunting. Tackling the writing process a few steps at a time can help you build the confidence and gusto necessary to get started on your book. EditPreparing to Write - Determine what you want to write about. Think about the story that only you can write, or that you feel most passionate about. This could be a how to book on urban beekeeping, or a memoir about your complicated family background. The best way to get a good start on writing a book is to choose a story idea that you feel committed to and willing to spend a significant amount of time on.[2]
- Take out a piece of paper and make a list of things you are knowledgeable about or an idea you feel strongly about and are interested in delving into deeper in long form.
- You may already have a story idea in mind. If that's the case, consider if the story idea is engaging enough to sustain 80,000 words.
- Choose your genre. There are many types of writing, from fiction to non-fiction to self help to memoir. Some writers begin with a story idea or a character first, rather than a genre. But it can help to pick your genre before outlining your story idea.[3]
- In fact, there are over 70 genres of writing.[4] Your book on urban bee keeping, for example, might fall in the genre of craft and hobby books, while an autobiographical book on your family history could fit in the memoir genre.
- Read three to four examples that are similar to your story idea. Head to your local library and look for titles that relate to your story idea. Try to pick newer titles so you can see what the market is like for your story idea. This will also factor in later to your book proposal, as your book should be competing against current titles in order to be relevant to the current market. This will show potential publishers that your story idea is in demand and similar current titles are being read and bought.
- For a book on urban bee keeping, look for titles in the craft and hobby section that discuss bee keeping for the average person living in a city or urban area. For books that relate to your memoir, look in the historical fiction section as well as the memoir section for titles that seem similar to your family background.
- Analyze the examples. Read through three to five books that relate to your story idea and look closely at several details:
 - What genre does the book fall into, and why? Consider why the publisher decided to place the book in a certain genre or category. You may be surprised, for example, to find a book on urban bee keeping in the Economics section of the library. You may then think about how you can integrate the economical benefits of urban bee keeping into your book.
- Who is the book's intended audience? Think of the ideal reader for the book, and who the ideal reader might be for your book. For your book on urban bee keeping, this could be young professionals seeking a unique hobby, or older retired folks looking to make some extra money and improve the environment.
- Is there a positive message, theme, or moral in the book? Morals and themes are more common in fiction books, but non-fiction and self help books can also carry a positive message. Consider how the message, theme, or moral of your book comes through in the example books. Does the author state the theme upfront or is it woven into the chapters and sections of the book? Is the moral or theme clear in the book, or hard to figure out?
- How does the writer make the main character interesting and engaging for readers? This is a big concern in fiction books, as the main character or protagonist acts as the driving force in the story. Do you feel the main character is relatable or enjoyable? Did you find yourself getting bored by character cliches or flowery descriptions of character in the book? How does the author balance the main character with supporting characters in the book?
- Is there an unexpected twist or payoff at the end of the book? This is a key element in fiction books, especially thrillers and mysteries, as well as some self-help books. An unexpected twist or payoff is what keeps readers engaged in the story and motivated to finish the book. Consider how the author builds up tension in each chapter to create suspense. Did the twist seem obvious from the beginning or were you surprised and entertained by the twist as a reader?
EditDeveloping Your Story Idea - Determine the setting of the story. Often, when writing fiction or non-fiction, the setting of your story will inform the details of your main character and the genre you are writing for. Think about an area you know well, such as your town or city, or a geographical area you would like to learn more about. You will then need to research certain elements of the setting to ensure it seems believable and clear to your reader.[5]
- If you are writing historical fiction set in a certain time period, you will need to do some research about that time period. If you are writing dystopian fiction or a folktale, you can use your imagination to create a unique and slightly futuristic or supernatural setting.
- In fiction, there is no limit to setting. From a spaceship on Mars to a pirate ship in the Caribbean, all these settings can be used for your story.
- Write a one sentence summary of your book. This sentence will act as your ten-second selling tool for publishers. It should be a statement of the big picture of your book. When you later write a book proposal, this sentence should appear very early in the proposal. Writing a one sentence summary can be difficult, and is almost an artform of its own, so take your time and revise the sentence until it feels right.[6]
- Go short, no more than 15 words.
- Avoid character names. Instead, use a short vivid description of your character.
- Link the big picture and the personal picture in the book. Which character has the most to lose in your story?
- For example, a one sentence summary of your book on urban bee keeping could be: "An exploration of the economical benefits and the environmental benefits of urban bee keeping for the under 30 hobbyist."
- A one sentence summary of your memoir could be: "A young, mixed race woman searches for the mother she never knew and battles her own addictions in British Columbia, Canada."
- Come up with a working title. Creating a working title will help you answer the reader's questions about the book and provide a good sense of the book's overall goal or theme. Try to match the title to the tone of the book.[7]
- For example, a working title for your book on urban bee keeping could be: "Sweetness in the City: A Simple Guide to Urban Bee Keeping", and a working title for your memoir could be: "Autobiography of a Mixed Child" or simply, "Searching for My Mother."
- Create a table of contents for the book. If you are writing non-fiction, your table of contents will help you organize your thoughts and act as a guide to writing the book.
- Make a bulleted list, with the main topic and then sub topics or headings underneath the main topic. For example, for a book on urban bee keeping, the main topic might be Urban Bee Keeping and the sub topics could be: Origins of Bee Keeping, Development of Bee Keeping, Supplies for Bee Keeping, Hazards of Bee Keeping.
- You can also use this tactic with fiction books, where the main topic might be My Life Story, and the sub topics could be: My Birth, My Childhood, My Adolescence, My Adulthood.
- Develop a rough story outline. For fiction books, you should create an outline of your chapters or sections. You may start with three distinct sections, broken down by time periods, or twelve chapters, based on each year of a character's life. Though you may want to simply begin with Chapter 1 and see where your writing takes you, having a rough outline of the chapter breaks or section breaks can help to focus your writing.[8]
- Start a folder on your Desktop for each part of your book, one for your introduction, another for your index or resource section. For a fiction book, you could start a folder for each chapter of the book, or each section.
- Create an engaging main character. If you are writing a fiction book, your protagonist, or main character, is going to act as a guide for your reader as they read your story. Your main character should be interesting and endearing enough that your reader cares what happens to her.[9] To develop your main character, write a summary sheet that covers:
- The character's name.
- A one-sentence summary of the character's storyline.
- The character's motivation, or what the character wants in the story in an abstract or big picture way. For example, your character may be looking for redemption and reconciliation with her heritage.
- The character's goal, or what the character wants in the story in a concrete way. For example, your character may be searching for her missing mother, or a missing family member.
- The character's conflict, or what prevents the character for reaching her goal. For example, maybe the character is battling addiction and other demons that get in the way of her search.
- The character's epiphany, or what the character learns or how she changes. For example, a reconciliation with her missing mother and an attempt to get sober.
- A one-paragraph summary of the character's storyline. This should cover all of the above points in further detail.
EditWriting the First Three Chapters - Dive right into the conflict. Make those first several sentences count. Begin with action, dialogue, or a description that sets the mood of the story. Start as close as possible to the story's catalyst, or the aha moment for the main character. This is the moment where your main character's life shifts from ordinary to extraordinary and the plot of the story takes off.[10]
- Avoid creating false beginnings, like the character wakes up from a dream or the main character dies in the first chapter. You want to make your reader feel surprised and engaged, rather than cheated or disappointed.
- Skip the prologue and start right in the action of the first chapter. Most prologues are unnecessary to the main story or act as a way to stall getting into the nitty gritty of the story.
- Start with a hook paragraph. In non-fiction books, it helps to draw your reader in if start with an attention grabbing first paragraph. Some ideas for generating a hook paragraph include:
- An interesting or surprising example: This could be a personal experience, such as your childhood memories of urban bee keeping with a family member, or your failed first attempts at bee keeping.
- A provocative quotation: Look through your research materials for a quotation that sums up your book. For example, a quotation on the environmental benefits of honey bees or on the relationship between a bee keeper and her bees.
- A vivid anecdote: An anecdote is a very short story that carries moral or symbolic weight. Think of an anecdote that might be a poetic or powerful way to start your book. You can also look through your research for your essay for any note worthy anecdotes.
- A thought provoking question: This could be a question that will get your reader thinking and engaged in your topic. For example: "Did you ever wonder how honey is made?"
- Avoid editing your writing until you finish the first three chapters. Focus on getting through the first three chapters, using your rough outline and your one sentence book summary as guides. Avoid stopping to revise or edit your writing, especially in the early stages of drafting. Only move forward in your writing, as this will allow you to work through your ideas. Save editing for further down the road.[11]
- Note how long it takes you to finish the first three chapters of the book, and use this number (3 months, 2 weeks, 1 year) to gauge how long it will take for you to finish the rest of the book.
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| How to Make Bacon Candles Posted: 06 May 2016 01:00 AM PDT Sometimes referred jokingly to as the "Man-dle," the bacon candle is made out of the fat left in the pan after cooking bacon. Lasting just as long if not longer as as a wax candle, bacon candles with leave your house smelling like sizzling bacon is on the stove. - Make a wick. Take a washer and tie a piece of cotton cord to it. Place it in the jar and tie the other end to a pencil to keep some of the string upright. Your wick should be long enough that it is almost taught, but not quite.[1]
- Cook bacon on the stove or the oven. Place the bacon on a hot frying pan or a tinfoil-lined baking pan. Lay several strips on the pan so the grease will pool and stop the bacon from burning. The hotter the bacon is, the thinner the grease will be and the easier it is to remove, but you should still be careful.
- Remove (and eat) the bacon and pour the grease into a smaller pan. Do this once the bacon in the pan has given the bulk of its grease. Simmer the grease on low to medium heat until it stops steaming. This will remove the water from the fat and allow for a better consistency for the candle. This can take several hours, so be patient. However, it may take less, or you can even use it without this step.
- Filter the grease. While this step is optional, doing so will result in a candle that looks and smells cleaner, and leads to a better burn. Once the grease has finished steaming, filter it through a sieve or paper towel.
- Add beeswax. To melt the wax, you can either add solid wax to the grease and melt it together while mixing or you could pre-melt the wax in a pan, or add the wax in a jar placed in a pot of water around 100° C or 210°F. Add 1 part wax to 2 parts grease.
- Add the wax to the grease if you have not already done so. Mix until it is throughly combined. Consider mixing it in a heated stove pan.
- Pour the mixture in the jar. Heat your jar in the oven to prevent bubbles in the wax. Pour slowly and smoothly.
- Allow your mixture to cool slowly. Pour a small amount of grease into the jar, allow that to cool in the freezer, then pour some more until it is completely full
- Cut off the excess wick. Leave about 0.5 inches (about 1 cm) left over so it is easier to light.
- Store the candle in the freezer. The Man-dle has a shelf life of several months without refrigeration, but storing it in the freezer will increase burn time.
- Light your candle using a lighter or matches. Be careful not to burn yourself, and exercise common fire safety. Extinguish when leaving the house or area.
- Add more wax for a longer burning time, but a less bacon-y scent
- Bacon grease can splatter. Use caution while cooking.
EditThings You'll Need - Small cup or jar (shot glasses work wonderfully)
- Wick (cotton cord, washer)
- Bacon grease
- Frying pan or tin foil
- Oven or stove
- Lighter or matches
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