Bonds are unlike stocks in that they represent debt the company owes rather than an ownership position. The interest rate the bond pays out over its life is already established at the time the bond is issued. The trading price of a bond does change during the holding period, but these changes are based on whether the interest rate provided in the bond payout is greater or less than the general market rate. You can read the bond issue price, par value, and interest rate before purchasing, to determine whether it is a worthwhile investment. It is possible to buy a bond for one price and then sell it before maturity for more. Most investors make money by collecting the bond's interest payments every six months, and reinvesting the par value of the bond upon pay out. When interest rates go down, existing bond values rise. When interest rates rise, existing bond values go down. It is possible that, with significant shifts in interest rates, the value of your bond can change significantly. Mutual funds are pools of managed securities that you can purchase a share in.For example, a bank such as chase may invest $1,000,000 in a fund that includes many different stocks, bonds, and other securities. Then the bank sells shares of this fund to individual investors. By purchasing a share of a mutual fund, you automatically diversify your portfolio, because one share of a mutual fund is an investment in many different securities. Mutual funds are generally not trading vehicles, however, as they are managed by an investment advisor. Some mutual funds are classified by the sector of the market they invest in most heavily, such as technology, transportation, or retail. However, you can also purchase mutual funds that are intentionally diversified with multiple market sectors, to diversify and create the most secure investment. Use your investment strategy to inform what kind of mutual fund is best for you. Get a copy of the mutual fund prospectus and review the objectives, risks, fees, and expenses involved. An Exchange Traded Fund is similar to a mutual fund but is not managed. The securities within the ETF are designed to reflect the price movements of stock indexes such as the S&P 500. Shares of ETFs are purchased just like shares of stock and are traded on stock exchanges. They also have low fees compared to mutual funds and are considered to be highly liquid. This makes them a good investment vehicle for private investors. Futures are contracts to take delivery or make delivery of an asset like a physical commodity (corn, oil) or financial instrument (currencies of countries) at a predetermined price and point in the future. Options differ from futures in that owning an option does not require one to exercise their right to buy or sell during the term of the option. For example, an investor might buy a futures contract to deliver 5000 bushels of wheat at $5 per bushel six months from today's date, hoping that prices will fall before delivery. An investor who believes wheat prices will rise in six months would buy a contract to receive 5000 bushels at $5 per bushel in six months. As a beginner, you should avoid investing in futures unless you plan to get more training, as they are very complex and require specific knowledge of commodities like oil. A common example of futures and options relate to the price of a barrel of oil. Speculators purchase futures and options, predicting that their stated future price will be lower or higher than the actual price of the oil when the exercise date arrives.

Summary: Review the bond interest rate and par value. Read about stocks and bonds within a mutual fund. Consider exchange traded funds (ETFs). Read market data on futures and options.

. It may help you get started with the writing of the story by sketching out a plot outline so you know what is going to occur in the story. Most writers avoid doing this as they do not want to feel limited by a plot outline. But if you are struggling to start your story, it may help to identify your protagonist, the setting of the story, and the events of the story. A plot outline should first address the story goal. This is something your protagonist would like to achieve and/or a problem she wants to resolve. This is also called the big "want" in the story, where your protagonist wants something from herself, another character, an institution, etc. A plot outline should also note the consequences for your protagonist if she does not achieve her goal. These are also called "the stakes of the story", where the protagonist will suffer in someway if she fails to reach her goal. Having high stakes in a story usually encourages a reader to stay engaged and care about the fate of your protagonist. If you are struggling with an idea for your story, you can try using a writing prompt. Writing prompts can help to get your creative juices flowing and allow you to narrow your focus. They can also force you to write about something you may not have considered before or thought of on your own. Most writing prompts have a time limit (i.e., write about the prompt for five minutes). You can extend the time limit for the writing prompt if you feel it is helping you generate useful material for your story. You can also deviate from the writing prompt if your writing takes you in a different direction. The prompt should act as a way to get you started, but it should not feel restrictive or limiting in any way. A writing prompt can be anything from a phrase, such as "I remember..." to an image, such as "Imagine you are trapped in your childhood bedroom". You can also use a phrase from a favorite poem or a book, as well as a phrase from a favorite song. You can find a list of writing prompts at http://www.writersdigest.com/prompts Writer's Digest and http://www.dailyteachingtools.com/journal-writing-prompts.html Daily Teaching Tools. You can also try an online random http://writingexercises.co.uk/firstlinegenerator.php first line generator. Once you have written some raw material for the story, you should take a moment to read it over and see if a protagonist emerges. The protagonist is the character whose fate matters the most in the story. This does not necessarily mean your protagonist has to be a hero or pure evil. Your protagonist should be the character readers will care about or sympathize with the most, flaws and all. The protagonist also does not necessarily have to be the narrator of the story, but they should be the one making decisions that move the story forward. Your protagonist should drive the events that occur in the story and their fate should give the story meaning. One method is to sit down and start with your basic story, writing down the details of the story in one sitting. This could be the crazy, amusing story you might tell a friend but are not sure how to translate into short story material. Getting down the raw data, or details of your story, can then allow you to shape it into a crafted piece later. Focus on simply telling the story and getting it down on the page. This could take you one hour or several hours. Pretend you are talking to a good friend and sharing the story with them over coffee. Avoid doing any outside research or reaching for information outside of the story you are telling. Try not to slow down to really think about certain sections or areas of the story. You will address any issues in the story once you reread it later.
Summary: Create a plot outline Use a writing prompt. Identify your protagonist. Try to write the basic story in one sitting.