ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ENTERING CONTESTS

ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ENTERING CONTESTS Entering contests is an important component of any working writer’s outreach and promotions plan. Although it may seem that winning a contest is a long shot, that’s not necessarily true. Most contests (but not all) charge an entry fee, so the cost of entering should be weighed. Pick and choose carefully and be sure to match your entry to the focus and intent of the contest. I have entered my work in contests for years and have rarely won. Rarely is not the same as never. One of the few contests I won was a big one. My novel Memories from Cherry Harvest won the Frances Fabri Literary Prize. The award was a standard publishing contract with Counterpoint Press, a generous advance, and a dedicated marketing budget. There was no entry fee for this contest. The Fabri Prize Selection Committee is comprised of Matt McKay at New Harbinger Books, his wife Jude, and Tom Southern at Boaz Publishing. (More information about the Fabri Prize is available at the Boaz website.) Memories from Cherry Harvest appeared in print in June 2012. I spent about 20 years working on this book and I could wallpaper my living room with the rejection notices I have received for it. I have been submitting the manuscript to agents and publishers for 10 years and have been entering it in contests steadily since 2006. My eventual success at getting it into print is a lesson in perseveranc e and it demonstrates the importance of entering contests. There are many types of writing contests. Entering contests with short essays, short fiction, and poetry is an important way to build your credentials, to get your name out into the world, and to contribute to your platform as a recognized working writer. Remember that even if you don’t win, someone read your work, and you never know when that connection might evolve into a larger success for you in a different way than you expected. Also, consider the fact that reading tastes are subjective Memories from Cherry Harvest is not my first book in print. In 2007 I self-pubbed my children’s fantasy adventure The Call to Shakabaz under my own Woza Books imprint. I mention this because I want to point out that entering contests with Shakabaz was part of my marketing plan for the book. Whenever the book won an award, I used it as an occasion to send out press releases and email blasts and to bring the book back into the spotlight. Additionally, many contests have their own promotional mechanisms and that translates into free publicity for the winners. There’s an old Jewish joke that goes something like this:    There was once a good and pious man named Morty who was very poor. His life was difficult. One day he turned his eyes heavenward and pleaded with God, â€Å"I’m a good man, I obey all your laws, so why don’t you help me out here, maybe send some money my way; why don’t you let me win the lottery?† Thunder and lightening pierced the heavens and a booming voice replied, â€Å"Morty, I feel for you, but you gotta meet me halfway- buy a ticket.† Here’s my advice:   You have to work really, really hard to be a successful writer; but remember to buy a ticket.  

An Explanation of the Truman Doctrine

An Explanation of the Truman Doctrine The Truman Doctrine was a key part of the Cold War, both in how this conflict of posturing and puppets began, and how it developed over the years. The doctrine was policy to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures, and announced on March 12th, 1947 by US President Harry Truman, making the doctrine US government policy for decades. The Start of the Truman Doctrine The doctrine was dreamed up in response to crises in Greece and Turkey, nations which Americans believed were in danger of falling into the Soviet sphere of influence. The US and the USSR had been in alliance during the Second World War, but this was to defeat a common enemy in the Germans and the Japanese. When the war ended and Stalin was left in control of Eastern Europe, which he had conquered and intended to subjugate, the US realized the world was left with two superpowers, and one was as bad as the Nazis they had just defeated and far stronger than before. Fear was mixed with paranoia and a little bit of guilt. A conflict was possible, depending on how both sides reacted... and they produced one. While there was no realistic way to free Eastern Europe from Soviet domination, Truman and the US wanted to stop any further countries falling within their control, and the presidents speech promised monetary aid and military advisors to Greece and Turkey to stop them buckling. However, the doctrine was not just aimed at these two, but expanded worldwide as part of the Cold War to cover assistance to all nations threatened by communism and the Soviet Union, involving the US with western Europe, Korea, and Vietnam among others. A major part of the doctrine was the policy of containment. The Truman Doctrine was developed in 1950 by NSC-68 (National Security Council Report 68) which assumed the Soviet Union was trying to spread its power across the whole world, decided that the US should stop this and advocated a more active, military, policy of containment, fully abandoning previous US doctrines like Isolationism. The resulting military budget rose from $13 billion in 1950 to $60 billion in 1951 as the US prepared for the struggle. Good or Bad? What did this mean, in practice? On the one hand, it meant the US involving themselves in every region of the world, and this has been described as a constant battle to keep freedom and democracy alive and well where they are threatened, just as Truman announced. On the other, it is becoming increasingly impossible to look at the Truman doctrine without noticing the terrible governments who were supported, and the highly questionable actions taken by the free west, in order to support opponents of the Soviets.

Cultural Conduct in Other Countries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cultural Conduct in Other Countries - Essay Example The question that rises over here is how important role does a language play in cross border businesses? To run your business successfully in another country it requires a proper understanding of the culture of that country. And to understand the culture of that country, it is required to know and learn the language of that country. Every culture has different parameters and guidelines of thought. And the best way to understand the thought behind these parameters and guidelines is the language (Malt et. al, 1999). Language not only provides knowledge about culture, it also provides knowledge about economic and political situations. Knowledge of other languages has become very essential because now million of people share their ideas, common interests and communicate with each other across the world through internet and going cross border for businesses and study. All these things are possible due to the technological advancements. Here we take the example of America; the trade is gro wing rapidly here. Some business people are learning Spanish and Portuguese for there businesses. And now adays people are getting knowledge of other languages for economic integrations. Many Canadians have ability to speak English and French. And they have adopted these languages for the improvement of their jobs and businesses. So the knowledge of other languages gives us a unique thought and this thought helps us to make concepts and decisions correctly. Social Etiquette: Etiquette is a code of behavior or social behavior within the society, social class or group. Rules of etiquette generally based on social interaction within the society. It may be reflection of ethical codes, fashion and status of society, group or class. When someone is interacting with large social group or variety of people which have same interest, so there are some general rules to interact with them and these rules are socially acceptable. Business etiquette is similar to the social etiquette, but they ar e particularly for coworker’s interaction and vary from business to business (Johnson, 1997). When a businessman expands his business in other countries, he has to understand the language, cultures, taboos and etiquettes because different nations have different cultures and etiquettes. For example, in China if a person takes food item from a common bowl or plate without asking others that mean you are insulting the host. On the other side in America a guest has to eat all food in his plate as a compliment to the quality of food. In Korea and Japan, it is an old tradition for host and guest to fill their alcohol cups and encourage each other to take it, but if anyone doesn’t want to take alcohol for any reason, then it can become difficult for him to escape from it. So for a prospective businessman it is very essential to understand the etiquettes of other country. Because etiquettes provide help to interact with society. Basically etiquettes depend upon the culture. It may vary from culture to culture. If business people have knowledge about other country’s culture, language and etiquettes then they can easily create a good impression. Cultural Values: Cultural values are the ethical or moral values; values that reflect someone’s sense of good and evil or right and wrong. Cultural values are the reflection of attitudes and behavior of society or group. Norms are the behavior of people in a specific situation, and values are the judgment of this situation as good and

Critique Of The Film Avatar Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Critique Of The Film Avatar - Movie Review Example Using the "avatar" technology of a human being mentally projecting via computer-assisted means to assume the form and identity of a genetically grown, alien life form of a Na'vi tribesman, an 18 foot tall indigenous resident of the imaginary exo-planet Pandora. Cameron creates an entire ecology with imaginary plant species, a tribal people with their own native mythology, as well as the personal relationships and political dynamic of the story, to give the science fiction film incredible depth which is rendered in 3-D by the most advanced computer CGI and IMAX technologies. In ‘Avatar’, Sam Worthington plays the character ‘Jake Sully' who is a paraplegic marine who has lost the use of his legs but is sent to the far-away planet of Pandora for an avatar experiment being conducted to communicate with the native population. The plot and conflict revolve around a corporation which wishes to exploit the mineral resources of Pandora, and the scientists led by Sigourney W eaver's character who are studying the Na'vi people and the exo-planet of Pandora from an academic perspective. The corporation is portrayed as greedy and imperialistic, having employed a private mercenary force to clear the area of the 18-foot tall natives.The cinematography of ‘Avatar’ is truly where the innovation in filmmaking is taking place, because this environment is entirely digitally created from CGI technology, with the human movement and characters edited into the computer environment via blue-screen filming.... sted means to assume the form and identity of a genetically grown, alien life form of a Na’vi tribesman, an 18 foot tall indigenous resident of the imaginary exo-planet Pandora. Cameron creates an entire ecology with imaginary plant species, a tribal people with their own native mythology, as well as the personal relationships and political dynamic of the story, to give the science fiction film incredible depth which is rendered in 3-D by the most advanced computer CGI and IMAX technologies. In ‘Avatar’, Sam Worthington plays the character ‘Jake Sully’ who is a paraplegic marine who has lost the use of his legs, but is sent to the far-away planet of Pandora for an avatar experiment being conducted to communicate with the native population. The plot and conflict revolves around a corporation which wishes to exploit the mineral resources of Pandora, and the scientists led by Sigourney Weaver’s character who are studying the Na’vi people an d the exo-planet of Pandora from an academic perspective. The corporation is portrayed as greedy and imperialistic, having employed a private mercenary force to clear the area of the 18-foot tall natives. The teams of scientists in the avatar program entered the bodies of genetically grown Na’vi people and were able to use machines so that their consciousness transferred to the avatar bodies in a type of dream. The director Cameron filmed the actors in a digital blue-screen environment where the computers generated the characters through a very advanced, high-resolution form of animation. In this manner the use of actors to drive the shapes and sound of computer animation through virtual characters and imaginary landscapes built through CGI in production represents the talent of expression that actors such as Zoe Saldana

Pagan and Christian Influences in Beowulf Essay examples -- Epic Poems,

The author of the epic poem Beowulf is unknown, and similarly to the Illiad by Plato its origins remain a mystery. Throughout the poem there are many clues that Beowulf has become a tradition and was passed down orally for centuries, and finally have been translated from the â€Å"old English† that it possibly could have been originally recited as, to the English we know today. In the poem Beowulf a bard recites poetry orally, or in a song, usually telling stories about historical triumphs and adventures. These poets were referred to in this epic poem as "carriers of tales..., traditional singer[s] deeply schooled in the lore[s] of the past" (Beowulf 50). This was common in Germanic culture. Scops would keep folkloric heroes alive in the "oral" tradition. They passed down stories orally from one generation to the next. "The Beowulf poet himself imagines such oral performances by having King Hrothgar's court poet recite a heroic lay at a feast celebrating Beowulf's defeat of Grendel" (Beowulf 29). "[A] thane of the king's household...linked a new theme to a strict meter. The man started to recite with skill, rehearsing Beowulf's triumphs and feats in well-fashioned lines, entwining his words" (Beowulf 50). This poet of Hrothgar's goes on to tell of Sigemund and of Waels' son. This section of the oral poetry is actually in the text, giving an example of the Germanic "oral" tradition. In the same celebration at the mead hall the author illustrates again the "oral" tradition. This time the king's poet performs "with the saga of Finn and his sons, unfolding the tale of the fierce attack in Friesland where Hnaef, king of the Danes, met death" (Beowulf 54). These eighty-nine lines tell a detailed historical story, which is also engrossed i... ... fiend. Whichever one death fells must deem it a just judgment by God" (Beowulf 41). Here Beowulf gives the outcome to God. As mentioned earlier, Grendel met his fate the night Beowulf was waiting for him. This clearly is contradicting since both dogmas are used to describe the same occurrence. In the fight against Grendel's mother "Almighty God would ... turn the tide of his misfortunes" (Beowulf 61). He also says that God decided the victory in the same fight. "It was easy for the Lord, the Ruler of Heaven, to redress the balance once Beowulf got back up on his feet" (Beowulf 66). Beowulf also claims in this fight that God helped him. After the fight with the dragon the poet says "[w]hat God judged right would rule what happened to every man, as it does to this day" (Beowulf 93). How could there be so many discrepancies in this poem if only one poet wrote it?

Christine Taylor Succeed

How did Christine Taylor succeed in evolving the local dog-washing service she developed as a teenager into an international franchise business? Christine Taylor grew up as a child in a physical environment that allowed her to succeed. She worked in a bait and tackle business that was owned by her parents in which the only thing acceptable was hard work. This environment allowed her to study hard in school and create a drive within her to succeed. Through her studies and research, you decided that she wanted her business model to be a franchise with Aussie Pooch Mobile.Christine felt that this will be the best way to grow and expand her business. She also knew that there is a market for her mobile dog wash business but it required bringing on the right people (franchisees), with a good business model that was low in fees and the processes & training offered by APM. She also believed that focused in a niche business and a great promotional strategy will allow Aussie Pooch Mobile to at tract customers as well as new franchisees. Her use of designing the trailers to be a moving billboard will give her great word of mouth advertising.The process and design of her business will enable franchisees to deliver both quality & efficient dog washing service. In planning for future expansion, what strategy should Christine Taylor adopt for APM and why? Australia is a large territory that will have pockets in which the population is very dense. Christine Taylor’s Aussie Pooch Mobile concept will only succeed in geographical areas that are highly populated and modernized. In order for her franchisees to have utilities hook up for water & electricity, she realizes that she must expand to suburban type landscapes.Being in a populated area, this will allow word of mouth advertising that will foster new and repeat customers. Having the potential to make money will attract and recruit new franchisees to buy into APM’s concept. In looking at the charts provided, there is a lot of opportunity for APM to grow and expand successfully. However, they will need to move quickly because there are 19 other companies that offer comparable services that may seize the opportunity of growth first. Christine should first target the two larger populated areas than Queensland which will be New South Wales & Victoria.

A Similar Life Within A Story Eveline by James Joyce

The heartache of losing a loved one is indescribable. Many people live out their lives based off how that one person would want them to live. James Joyces short story, Eveline, is an example of how promises are hard to break. As James Joyce writes his stories, his characters and themes share similarities within his own life, giving them more value and much more meaning behind the importance of the story. To begin with, Eveline is the story of a young teenager facing a dilemma where she has to choose between living with her father, who has beaten her in the past, and escaping with Frank, a sailor which she has been with for some time. This story is one of fifteen stories written by James Joyce in a collection called Dubliners. The†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Eveline† and â€Å"The boarding house† are two stories written by Joyce, where he writes about the effects of the Irish society on younger girls. The heroin Evelyn, portrayed as a young girl burdened by responsibilities, represents the joyless life of the Irish. (The Explicator). Having lived through his childhood up to the end of his university education, Joyce has become aware of the life in Ireland and the ambition of young people to leave Ireland and be what they say, free. In these two stories however, there is a kind of weakness in the two different girls because at the end of the stories, they both cho ose to continue their domestic roles. â€Å"Eveline† and â€Å"The boarding house† offer two portrayals of women whose lives are structured and controlled by the stigma of femininity that are attached to them by the stigma of their patriarchal societies. Each ends up serving a domestic role, one realizing the gendered aspect of their fate, the other not aware of any other option (Ingersoll). In these stories, Joyce writes about the rigid society which he grew in and how it affects these two girls in each case. Another pattern, probably the most significant, is his catholic family background. Eveline comes from a strongly catholic family, her mother was catholic while she was alive, and Harry, her brother, is in the church decorating business. The picture of the priest which hangs on the wall in their house and whom she knew nothing about is alsoShow MoreRelatedEveline1643 Words   |  7 PagesIn â€Å"Eveline,† James Joyce uses the juxtaposition of the ever-ch anging setting and the unchanging stoic character of Eveline in order to exemplify the character’s reluctance and inability to move forward. James Joyce is known for his juxtaposition of light and dark throughout his short stories, specifically in his story â€Å"Araby.† I would argue that Joyce is using the contrast of opposing forces described above between the setting and the character in a similar way as he was light and dark. â€Å"Araby†Read More The Theme of Escape in James Joyce’s Dubliners Essay1073 Words   |  5 PagesThe Theme of Escape in James Joyce’s Dubliners In James Joyce’s Dubliners, the theme of escape tends to be a trend when characters are faced with critical decisions. Joyce’s novel presents a bleak and dark view of Ireland; his intentions by writing this novel are to illustrate people’s reasons to flee Ireland. In the stories â€Å"Eveline, â€Å"Counterparts†, and the â€Å"Dead†, characters are faced with autonomous decisions that shape their lives. This forlorn world casts a gloomy shadow overRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour And Eveline Analysis1817 Words   |  8 PagesKate Choplin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and James Joyce’s â€Å"Eveline† are two short stories that have an unpredicted storyline to it. Everyone doesn’t quite enjoy reading short stories in literature, but in the short story â€Å"The Story of an Hour† Kate Choplin makes a very subtle but strong statement towards women’s rights. In the short â€Å"Eveline† James Joyce is about living your life in a promise. Choplin uses different symbols within the story to represent freedom, the existence of self-assertive, andRead MoreEssay on Male and Female Paralysis in James Joyces Dubliners3585 Words   |  15 Pagesthat each story within James Joyce’s Dubliners contains a theme of paralysis. In fact, Joyce himself wrote, â€Å"My intention was to write a chapter of the moral history of my country and I chose Dublin for the scene because that city seemed to me the centre of paralysis† (Joyce, letter to Grant Richards, 5 May 1906). Contained in this moral history called Dubliners are twelve stories that deal with the paralysis of a central male character and only four that deal with so called paralysis within a centralRead MoreAraby: an Outline Commentary1533 Words   |  7 PagesAraby: An Outline Commentary ‘The Sisters’ and ‘An Encounter’ are about the same length. ‘Araby’ is roughly a hundred lines shorter than these. There is a progression in the three stories. The boy in ‘The Sisters’ is a passive witness, limited in his capacity to act by the weight of the adults about him. The boy of ‘An Encounter’ rebels against this oppression but his reward is the menace of a bizarre and abnormal adult. The boy in ‘Araby’ strives both to act and to realize an actual affectiveRead MoreLecture on Short Story5432 Words   |  22 PagesThe short story Narrative genres, such as the novel or the short story, are born out of the very powerful human need to tell stories, out of our fundamental desire to give shape to experience in order to understand it and share it with the community. Through story telling early communities made sense of natural phenomena, unexpected events, and personal experience. Storytelling enabled them to pass on valuable information and to keep the memory of their ancestors alive down the generations. StorytellingRead More Personal Paralysis in Dubliners by James Joyce Essay1852 Words   |  8 PagesPersonal Paralysis in Dubliners by James Joyce Imagine being paralyzed; unable to move freely. Most people when they think of paralization, it is connected to the physical. However, paralysis takes on more than one meaning and goes way beyond physicality. There are three definitions from Webster online: 1. Complete or partial loss of function especially when involving the motion or sensation in a part of the body 2. Loss of the ability to move 3. A state of powerlessnessRead More Triangular Structure in James Joyces Dubliners1970 Words   |  8 PagesTriangular Structure in James Joyces Dubliners Within the body of literary criticism that surrounds James Joyces Dubliners is a tendency to preclude analysis beyond an Irish level, beyond Joyces own intent to create the uncreated conscience of [his] race. However, in order to place the text within an appropriately expansive context, it seems necessary to examine the implications of the volumes predominant thematic elements within the broader scope of human nature. The psychic dramaRead MoreEssay on James Joyces Dubliners: Two Gallants2403 Words   |  10 Pages    In Two Gallants, the sixth short story in the Dubliners collection, James Joyce is especially careful and crafty in his opening paragraph. Even the most cursory of readings exposes repetition, alliteration, and a clear structure within just these nine lines. The question remains, though, as to what the beginning of Two Gallants contributes to the meaning and impact of Joyces work, both for the isolated story itself and for Dubliners as a whole. The construction, style, and word choiceRead MoreEssay about Gender Roles in Society1016 Words   |  5 PagesGender Roles in Society Suggested roles of all types set the stage for how human beings perceive their life should be. Gender roles are one of the most dangerous roles that society faces today. With all of the controversy applied to male vs. female dominance in households, and in the workplace, there seems to be an argument either way. In the essay, â€Å"Men as Success Objects†, the author Warren Farrell explains this threat of society as a whole. Farrell explains the difference of men and women