Recently I received an e-mail from Kristine Young, an actress on the east coast with whom I correspond. I'd suggested that she read You Must Act! ... by Bob Fraser.

"I'm reading Bob Fraser's (course) – OMG, I am FLOORED!! This is the greatest!! Thanks so much for recommending it to me! ... I'm really excited about this! Thank you so much again, Petrea!!"

Kristine's young and just starting out, so she's allowed the extra exclamation points, like young poets are allowed to say "O."

If you read Actors Ink regularly, you're familiar with Bob Fraser's column, The Show Biz Brain. If you haven't checked out his website, youmustact.com, then unlike me you're immune to his gentle, but persistent, advertising. Fraser's not shy about publicizing his site and his course.

There's a reason for this.

He's got something good.

First, a disclaimer: Bob and I both write for Actors Ink, but we've never met. We corresponded once, when he asked permission to reprint one of my columns in his newsletter. After perusing his site (geez, it was nice to be asked), I said yes. Then I signed up for the newsletter using a pseudonym.

Every month the newsletter arrives in my inbox along with a bit of advertising. That's okay, because it's free and he only bugs me once a month. Even then, it's innocuous. April's ad was as follows: "What! You haven't gotten You Must Act! yet? (If you have you can ignore this ad.)"

I can live with that. Thats not spam, its more like a canape.

On the website, however, the ad is more, ahem, assertive. It starts like this:
"Improve Your Acting Career Dramatically Or Pay Nothing. Show Biz Insider Reveals The Star-Proven -- Step-by-Step Course That ... 'Propels Actors To Amazing (And Exciting) Results! Get Your Acting Career On Track -- Starting Today!"

That's a big promise. Sure, I want amazing and exciting results! So since it comes with a money-back guarantee I finally plunked down (the bucks) and bought the book.

To be honest, most of what Bob says isn't new to me. Some of the course was review. But, a.) I've been in the business for 25 years and b.) I'm working. Still, I'll read Fraser's (thoughts) again and again, because it's a great refresher course.

But O, how I wish I'd read You Must Act! 25 years ago, because it took me all this time to learn this stuff! It's not like I've worked in every one of those years. It wasn't until the last five that I've made a living at it. There were some lean times, when even with my crappy day-jobs I still had to steal toilet paper.

O Bob, where were you when I was starting out?

Fraser doesn't offer a secret key to success. Rather, he presents a straightforward, how-to list of the things you need to do to be a successful actor. That word, "DO," is the "secret key" to the book's title and to an acting career. There's hard work involved, and if you won't take action, that's okay. There are plenty of actors out there who will.

Fraser's writing style is not Shakespeare or Tennessee Williams or even Dave Barry. But I couldn't put it down.

So I recommended You Must Act! to my novice friend Kristine. In an e-mail I said: "Sign up for the free newsletter [and] you can buy the e-book/course. I don't want to push it on you but I highly recommend it. The thing is, if you read it, you have to believe it and do what it says. I'm not sure I would've done it all when I was young, because I would've thought, "this is for other people, it'll be different for me." I thought talent was all I needed. Now I know that's because I didn't want to do the work. But Fraser's outlined exactly what you need to do to be a working actor/star. I wish I'd known all the things he says when I was starting. People tried to tell me, but I didn't take it in. I had stars in my eyes. But this is a business. You have to look past the stars to see the hard work."

Fraser doesn't tell you how to be an artist. He tells you how to be a viable businessperson. If you're not interested in running your career as a business, You Must Act! (and, I daresay, financial success) is not for you.

But if you're willing to roll up your sleeves and work to become a sought-after professional, check it out. Bob's got a list of chores for you to do – even if you've been in the business 25 years.

Let me cut to the chase: I'm recommending that you buy Bob Fraser's acting business course, You Must Act! ... and use it.

I'd leave it at that but, as a savvy consumer, you'll want some concrete reasons as to why you should make the investment. By saying 'investment,' I don't simply mean the money to purchase it. This material's value is contingent upon the time and energy you devote to practicing it. Having said that, what follows are the criteria for my recommendation.

1. Credibility

Although it is true that Bob Fraser has been a writer/producer on such programs as Full House, Benson, and The Love Boat, being prolific does not guarantee that someone is wise. Courses like You Must Act! are meant to teach. And the mark of a real teacher is whether or not they successfully live their own advice. (After all, there's a four-time divorcee who writes popular books on creating successful relationships. And have you noticed that most books on acting aren't even written by working actors; personally demonstrating the strengths of their espoused method?)

Fraser gets my credibility nod for an unconventional reason: the use of his own principles in successfully launching You Must Act! and his career as a writer. Why? Because it means that what he is teaching is powerful enough to transcend even the unique specifics of the entertainment industry. It means they are enduring principles with repeatable, consistent results.

Beyond that, Fraser is self-made. He has paid his dues, worked hard, and cultivated a keen eye for synthesizing excellent business sense and optimal Hollywood strategy. Fraser is a "Gray Dog" – a term used to describe a seasoned veteran who has developed the elegant skill of getting maximum result with the least amount of wasted energy. Bottom line: This is someone worth paying attention to.

2. Relevance

When it comes to show business, we actors tend to be under-skilled in the business department; its components being what Fraser refers to as Plan, Team, Showcraft and Bizcraft. In an industry driven by money and overseen by corporate "suits," it's time for actors to collectively "up our game." Art is an important component of our product. But without knowing how to sell our brand, cultivate raving 'customers' and assume the role of career CEO, we won''t be overseeing a profit center.

We actors must defy the temptation to slip into the "starving artist" archetype. It is self-conditioned, psychological quicksand. We deserve to be rich and happy as a result of what we do. In turn, we can be even more beneficent when we write checks and volunteer as spokespeople for larger causes. This is how we put our success to good use. But in order to get there, we must unite the creative self with the business self. Without the latter, we are only running at 50% of our potential at best! This is an incredibly important point; I urge you to read this paragraph again.

Few of us were taught basic money skills by our parents or teachers. So it's no surprise that business is radically under-addressed in an actor's training. And that makes You Must Act! extremely relevant.

3. Content

Without solid content, a credible author with a relevant topic is nothing more than a man without message. So how does Fraser rate in this regard? In this case, the material is substantive, original, fresh, and challenging. Mixed in are relevant biographic stories, a lot of quotes, touchstones to memorize, Q and A, a glossary of terms and a fantastic actor's dictionary. 

The author does a great job of coaching the reader on virtually all facets of an actor's career. His own innate intelligence and practical experience offer up valuable strategies. In fact, part of the course involves self-assessment and behavior change; the primary ingredients in lasting success.

There is "homework" and supplemental materials to be read. They range from the You Must Act! Workbook, Actor's Wealth Plan, and Profiles in Stardom to PDF versions of three books written by other authors.

Admittedly, I disagree with a small handful of Fraser's opinions. Among them: "Be nice" – It's a good character habit but will not protect your interests with those who are dishonorable. Therefore, I would add "Be positively assertive" to his list of best practices.

"Observable reality" – It's a principle Fraser uses to back up his conclusions. The thinking is that if something is true, one can witness it in the world around them. But even "observable reality" is not exacting because human perception is imperfect. Depending upon one's personal experience, biases, or nature, what we 'see' is often unconsciously influenced by what we believe.

The audience is the real "customer" – Fraser asserts that the audience, rather than the casting director, producer or director is the true buyer. I disagree because, although an audience pays for the end product, they have never booked me for a job or cut me a check. But assuming I am wrong on this point, Fraser doesn't say anything about how to proactively market one's self to the audience first, as a means of influencing the industry, secondly. Granted, publicists do this for actors after they have become famous. But we never learn how Fraser would suggest a non-star do this.

I'm being tough here: My own overall "observable reality" is that Fraser's material is incisive and enlightening. And I, as an actor, am really glad to have that material available to our profession.

4. Guarantee

My final reason for recommendation? It's a no lose proposition with a tremendous amount for you to gain. The author offers a generous 1 year, money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied. 

That concludes the factors behind my recommendation. I sincerely believe this course will serve you and that's why I've dedicated this month's column to it.

After an absence from acting for a few years because of illness, I used my lap top computer to see what changes had happened in the entertainment industry during my absence. The biggest news turned out to be the computer itself. The ease of staying in touch with others in the field through chat groups was extremely helpful. And with Actor's Access, the ability of an actor to get a look at the breakdowns and submit for roles on their own, was magnificent.

As I researched the new electronic world of acting there appeared a site called Show Biz How-To. I found it very interesting. This Bob Fraser guy made sense and had some very important credits – he had been there ... as an actor, writer, producer, director, theater owner, and just about every other job in the field, rather than the usual no-name ... or my favorite, the 'relative qualification' found in many ads for books, seminars and classes – like, "Learn From Alan Alda's brother-in-law" or "Taught by Matt Damon's housekeeper."

Bob kept referring to a course called You Must Act! – which was available from him, as an e-course. I pondered getting his course.

Sure, the guy sounded like he knew what was talking about. His advice all made sense. But did I really need it? I had become a busy actor on my own. In fact in the three years before illness slowed me down, I was at an audition, a rehearsal, a play, or a film shoot every single day (with the exception of Christmas and Easter). For two of those years I hadn't even needed to audition – I was being asked by directors to be in their productions. Why would a successful actor like me need help? Had I not proven my worth on my own?

Not quite.

You see, in those three years of constant work I had been paid $183.43. Not per day. Not even per project. $183.43 total! 

I had managed to work constantly for three years – and not even come close to supporting myself by acting. Let me assure you, my original goal was not to give away my services and hold down a 'day job' to eat. My goal was to be a financially successful actor – to earn my living as an actor.

It may sound crazy that someone would give away all of their work and figure it was just part of the deal. Did you ever hear of a dentist, a grocer, or a lawyer working for free, for years on end, thinking it was just part of the deal? Of course not. That sounds ridiculous. But there are thousands of actors who feel they are professional actors, who are working hard right now – and will not be paid a cent.

Obviously, I had been doing something wrong.

So I gave You Must Act! a try.

It changed my life forever.

In a clear an understanding way, Bob explains, first of all, that it isn't a pie in the sky dream to act for a living – enjoyed by just a few good looking and lucky geniuses. He gives case by case examples of people making it in the acting industry through hard work, good information and persistence. He also throws in a few examples of folks who had done it wrong and gotten nowhere (how this man I had ever met – actually knew the details of my life, was astounding).

Along the way Bob debunks all of the myths that I assumed were truths (i.e. 'you are not the right type' – 'you are not young/pretty/blond/tall enough' – the ever popular 'the only way to the top is by sleeping with the right people' – and many others) and explained why they were not the truth.

He points out two things that help to quickly see through those many 'facts' about acting: One, "consider the source" (I realized I had never heard a real professional actor say any of those things – just people who, like me, eagerly gave away their services because that is 'just how it works'). 

Two, he suggested taking in the prime time television schedule for one night and counting how many actors were acting in the evening's shows. And even with the flood of 'reality' shows, 'news shows', 'cooking shows' and all of the other actor-less productions, it is stunning how many people are actually working actors – getting paid for acting.

I tried another little test on my own. I randomly looked up movie titles on IMDb.com, scrolled down the cast list to near the bottom, and clicked on the name of someone I had never heard of (and who had an obviously small role) – to see what other work they had done. It was amazing! There are hundreds and hundreds of actors I had never heard of – who have made fifty, seventy, even more than a hundred films. Large, legitimate films. Films they were paid to act in.

It didn't take long to realize that Bob Fraser knew what he was talking about regarding the myths and realities of the industry. Once he had my full attention, he went on to explain in simple, practical terms, how to be a successful working actor. A real life money earning professional.

Bob never says 'this is all you need' – he has no magical formula to succeed. The course he lays out requires lots of time, work, dedication, and stick-to-itivness.

You Must Act! is not a presto-chango 'secret formula' path to riches. If you think you can just load it on your computer, skim through parts, and shabang! – the phone is going to start ringing – don't bother to purchase it. You will be disappointed.

If on the other hand, you really have the deep drive to become a working actor and are willing to put in the immense effort required, You Must Act! will show you how to go about it. 

It gives you the tools you need to become a full time, successful and self-supporting actor. And like all tools they require lots of dedicated time and effort. Ever see a shovel in a hardware store that dug a ditch by itself? No way. Same with You Must Act!

I have begun using the many tools laid out in You Must Act! on a daily basis. I have abandoned all of those myths which I assumed were realities, spewed forth by those who have no idea what success really requires. Instead I now see the realities of the world of the professional actor.

By the way, although I'm tempted to say "if only I had read it ten years ago I would be set today," Bob has convinced me that my brain has only so much 'disk space' and using that valuable room to focus on 'if only' – 'why couldn't I have done that' – 'it'll never work for me' ... is not only a waste of time, it takes up space that should be filled with more positive (and real) messages.

I am now, lo and behold, a real world, solvent, money-making actor. I am not where I want to be yet, but now I have a great road map and I know how to get there.   

In You Must Act!, Bob Fraser inspires you to do one major thing ... move ahead ... now!

He doesn't just say it though, he provides plenty of confidence-building STEPS that one can easily read, understand, and apply. Having worked in the industry in many capacities for many years, Bob has taken all that experience and created a course ... that is replete with minor and major steps and exposes the seeming mystery of building your career in acting.

That, my friends, is exactly what we as actors do ... build our careers – often one brick at a time! Bob dispels certain myths and replaces them (that's important!), with truths. These truths, if applied, will enable you to avoid pitfalls and reach your goal(s).

You Must Act! is a course you must have if you take your acting career seriously. Bob is a great believer in human potential – probably the greatest gift that we were given. Unfortunately though, too many things around us would like to stamp out that potential, and keep us bound to our insecurities and fears. You know it and so do I.

Bob would like to see us extricated from those fears and help us to become guided by our potential, instead. Since I began reading this course, I have found myself to be much more confident at and during auditions and, in fact, I have landed three roles in independent movies. This last one I (got) was the lead.

Coincidence? Could be – or it could be that my potential is being unlocked and I am now becoming the captain of my own personal journey.

You've got two choices when it comes to your acting career. You can simply start your trek with the goal of "movie star" in mind, to see where it leads you (kind of like driving across the United States without a map). Or you can open up the "map" of You Must Act! to know exactly where you're heading and what you must do to get there.

As for me? I've never been afraid to stop and ask for directions. It saves time, money and a heap of frustration.

If you can't tell, I'm recommending You Must Act! highly and without equivocation, because it helps the newbie to acting avoid pitfalls and in a major sense, serves not only as your guide, but as your motivator and enthusiastic encourager – IF YOU FOLLOW THROUGH!

You can be given the greatest insight and wisdom in the world, but if you don't follow through, it does nothing for you. Bob is the type of author who does not talk down to you, but comes along side of you and simply shares what he knows. He's learned it because of all the years he has spent in the business of showbiz. He's not just talking out of his hat, but out of his experience and that makes a huge difference.

In a nutshell, You Must Act! bases everything on HOW.

How to pursue your dreams of acting, how to move ahead in the world of acting, while others around you might be sputtering and stopping.

I love this particular statement by Bob: ''... ask yourself ... have those classes, workshops and seminars you've paid for, only added to your confusion? Are you getting conflicting advice from teachers, coaches, casting directors, agents – not to mention other actors?"

There is so much out there that claims to know and teach and profess and guide the actor, yet in the end, much of it seems so confusing – because it often IS. The sad part is that we, as actors, wind up spending lots of money for classes and workshops that ultimately might do little in providing us a solid foundation on which to base our careers.

The reality is that You Must Act! provides STEPS that you CAN follow. It's a roadmap that will guide you. 

I heartily encourage you to purchase (it). I can't imagine that you'll be disappointed. Moreover, I CAN imagine that – within a very short time – you'll start seeing results.