Common Pagan Rituals And Beliefs Essay examples -- essays research pap

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paganism is an ancient type of religion which has quite an inauspicious reputation today. There are many types of paganism, most date back thousands of years, which include Wicca, Witchcraft, Paganism, and a few other lesser known and practiced variations. Yet all of these religions are similar and share common beliefs. Wicca is the most common of these, as it also demonstrates the shared belief of doing good that is common to most forms of paganism. Another common belief, is to gather in small groups, called covens, to practice pagan rites and ceremonies with others. There are many ancient beliefs, archaic rituals, and forgotten traditions that are practiced by pagans. Many of these are also the origins of widely practiced traditions in the Christian-dominated world of today.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A defining characteristic of many pagan religions, especially Wicca, is the worship and closeness to nature. Pagans treat animals kindly and respect all things, living or nonliving, as though they were a person (Roy N. p.). They also share the worship of their nature gods, which increases their respect for all that is around them (Roy N. p.). Pagans are very sensitive people that also have a high regard for personal privacy (Roy N. p.). With this belief of privacy, many pagans have more time to keep in touch with their inner selves and with the nature around them. Wicca, a more popular pagan religion, focuses on the Earth and uses pure white magic to help others (Roy N. p.). In fact, the Wiccan creed is, â€Å"An it harm none, do as thou will,† which agrees with the â€Å"good† philosophy (Beliefs N. p.). Altogether, pagans have a great deal of emphasis on the life and beauty of the nature that thrives around them and are radically different than the mythical rumors of witches that have been given to them over time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another defining characteristic of many pagans is the dedication to knowledge and self exploration (Roy N. p.). In fact it has been said that, â€Å"Witchcraft is the oldest, most irrepressible religion in the world because it stimulates the intellect, promotes a simple, practical way of life, and most importantly, is emotionally satisfying† (Art N. p.). There is a set of beliefs, called the Laws of Magic that help illustrate the beliefs supported by Wicca and other pagan religions. Many of these la... .... The Laws of Magic. Online. Necronami Net. Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.necronami.com/d/paganism-celtic/magic.laws.txt, 30 Nov. 1996. General Beliefs. Online. Necronami Net. Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.necronami.com/d/paganism-celtic/wicca.gen_beliefs.txt, 15 Dec. 1996. Hicks, J. Brad. Ceremony of Initiation. Online. Necronami Net. Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.necronami.com/d/paganism-celtic/initiation.ritual.txt, 15 Dec. 1996. Hunter, Ryan. Handfasting Ceremony. Online. Necronami Net. Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.necronami.com/d/paganism-celtic/handfasting1.ritual.txt, 15 Dec. 1996. Roy, R. Thirteen Questions. Online. Necromnami Net. Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.necronami.com/d/paganism-celtic/13Questions.txt, 30 Nov. 1996. The Ancient Art. Online. Necronami Net. Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.necronami.com/d/paganism-celtic/craft.intro.txt, 30 Nov. 1996. The Sabbats. Online, Teleplex Communications, Inc. Available HTTP:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.teleplex.net/SCNPA/sabbat.html, 8 Dec. 1996.

Meena Bazar Essay

Meena Bazar is one of the largest retail supermarket chain in Bangladesh with International standards, opened in 2002 and operates in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna division. Meena Bazar outlets are carrying almost 12,000-15,000 products for sale & providing convenient shopping experience, easy parking and friendly customer service for its customers. Meena Bazar is a subsidiary of Gemcon Food & Agricultural Products Ltd, producing organic products, dairy items, prepared food & herbal products. Meena Bazar is not only catering such items to its shoppers, but also educating them about their benefits. In order to offer the best possible price to its valuable customers, Meena Bazar procure their produce items directly from the farmers, cutting the middlemen, while ensuring high quality, freshness and continuous availability. Meena Bazar is also known as one of the trustworthy food suppliers of the nation, hence it is committed to deliver its’ best of the very best by expanding its s phere all over Bangladesh. Design a store layout which gives smooth and effective flow Design elegant products which can be flat-packed efficiently Site stores of an appropriate size in the most effective locations Maintain cleanliness and safety of storage area Arrange for fast replenishment of products Monitor and enhance quality of service to customers Continually examine and improve operations practice Ensure that the jobs of all staff encourage their contribution to business success Operations Management at Meena Bazar * Design a store layout which gives smooth and effective flow: Approximately 15 million customers visit Meena bazar’s retail shop each year. New store designs showcase merchandise in an engaging and contemporary fashion, keeping pace with evolving retail trends. 1. Storefront Design 2. Interior Design 3. Lighting Design 4. Sounds and Smells: Total Sensory Marketing The follow grid layout, which gives them some advantages like, Low cost, Customer familiarity, Merchandise exposure, Ease of cleaning, simplified security, Possibility of self-service. * Ensure that the jobs of all staff encourage their contribution to business success In Meena bazaar they actually follow some procedure to ensure that that all staff are giving their best for the business success. * measuring employee performance and holding employees accountable, * providing the communication necessary to align each employee’s actions with the organization’s overall business goals, * pursuing the employee development necessary to ensure success, and * Making a commitment (time, tools, attention, reinforcement, training, and so forth) to keeping employees engaged over the long haul because they fundamentally believe and understand that no other strategy will produce as much success – for both the business and the employees. Recognition and reward, Effective performance feedback, Shared values and guiding principles, relate effectively with employees, Positive relationships with coworkers. * Continually examining and improving operations practice (called operations improvement) At least one new consumer packaged goods product is launched somewhere in the world every two minutes. Retailers know they can increase market share if they can be first in their trading area to introduce a popular new item or do a better job of marketing it than their competitors.† Distribution, Placement, Point of sale, Promotions, Price Changes are important aspects to examine and improve their operations practice. * Monitoring and enhancing quality of service to customers (called quality management) Quality in retailing is a package, consisting of goods quality and service quality in combination. Quality assurance systems aim to maintain a consistent level of quality in the flow of goods, and quality control system aim to halt the progress of faulty products in supply chain. There are some processes that meena bazaar applying in their shop to give the best service to the customer. So, they flow some process to give the full satisfaction to the customers. * Customers are assets of the retail business and the retailer can’t afford to lose even a single customer. * Greet customers with a smile. * Assist them in their shopping. * The sales representatives should help the individuals buy merchandise as per their need and pocket. * The retailer must not oversell his products to the customers. Let them decide on their own. * Give the individual an honest and correct feedback. If any particular outfit is not looking good on anyone, tell him the truth and suggest him some better options. * Never compromise on quality of products. Remember one satisfied customer brings five more individuals to the store. Word of mouth plays an important role in Brand Promotion. * Arrange for fast replenishment of products: High margin items should be placed in high traffic Areas. High demand items should be placed in low traffic areas. Complementary items should be placed near each other. Seasonal needs should be considered. Items needing frequent restocking should be placed near storerooms or cash registers. Larger departments should be placed in lower traffic areas. So they can easily arrange for the fast replenishment of products. * The retailer must ensure to manage inventory to avoid being â€Å"out of stock†. * Every retail chain should have its own warehouse to stock the merchandise. * Take adequate steps to prevent loss of inventory and stock * Maintain cleanliness and safety of storage area The Meena bazaar store always offers a positive ambience to the customers for them to enjoy their shopping and leave with a smile. * The store should not give a cluttered look. * The products should be properly arranged on the shelves according to their sizes and patterns. Make sure products do not fall off the shelves. * There should be no foul smell in the store as it irritates the customers. * The floor, ceiling, carpet, walls and even the mannequins should not have unwanted spots. * Never dump unnecessary packing boxes, hangers or clothes in the dressing room. Keep it clean. * Make sure the customers are well attended. * Don’t allow customers to carry eatables inside the store. * Site stores of an appropriate size in the most effective locations Strengths of the Meena Bazar is Size allows for competitive buying terms, Strong senior management, Flexible formats. Opportunities of the Meena Bazar are Forming or merging a strategic alliance with suppliers, Growth of non-food, Growth of convenience and compact hypermarket formats, Effective use of Clubcard database to increase basket size and Develop additional services. They have their branches in the most effective area like dhanmondi, jatrabari, uttara, banana, kuril and so on in almost all over the country. * Design elegant products which can be flat-packed efficiently Product will be designed in a way which is compact so that it can be attractive and minimization of shipment cost. Category signage helps consumers negotiate throughout the store to find the product categories they are looking for. The size of category signage varies widely from a lettering that is a few feet in height to merely inches. Space Productivity represents how effectively the retailer utilizes its space and is usually measured by sales per square foot of selling space or gross margin dollars per square foot of selling space.

A Newly Proposed Taxation Policy: The Fair Tax Act of 2007

Americans For Fair Taxation is a private, non-profit research and advocacy group that assembled a group of American economists to work on a federal tax code that would be â€Å"simpler,† â€Å"fairer,† and â€Å"more progressive† than before.The objective of the team was to design a new tax system that would be â€Å"revenue-neutral† and capable of truly unleashing the potential of the economy.   The new tax system was also meant to help in the â€Å"â€Å"new wealth creation for every working American.†Ã‚   The result was the H.R. 25: The Fair Tax Act of 2007 (â€Å"Executive Summary,† 2007).The Fair Tax Act of 2007 is today a proposal with the Congress.   As of the last day of the year 2008, the Act is meant to repeal both income taxes as well as payroll taxes.   According to the proposal, no individual’s income will be taxed after the implementation of the new Act.   â€Å"Capital gains taxes† in addition to the â₠¬Å"alternative minimum tax† would also be repealed.The Act includes payroll taxes of individuals as well as employers.   Medicare, federal unemployment taxes, and Social Security, would similarly be repealed when they are a part of the payroll taxes.The Fair Tax Act of 2007 further mentions corporate income taxes, gift and estate taxes, and the self-employment taxes to be repealed, thereby making it easier for Americans to enjoy their earnings and their wealth without paying the price of prosperity in taxes (â€Å"The Fair Tax,† 2007).The Fair Tax has been proposed as a replacement for the above mentioned taxes as of January 1, 2009.   The new tax is actually explained as a â€Å"national retail sales tax on all goods and services sold at retail.†The fact that it is still a tax for the government to generate revenues through, the new tax is meant to be â€Å"revenue-neutral,† which suggests that the new tax would have to be set at a level that is neces sary to generate government revenues the present sources of which would have to be replaced through it (â€Å"The Fair Tax†).The new tax would act as a 23 percent sales tax on all goods and services bought through retailers for personal consumption.   The exports of the United States will not be taxed on the principles of the Fair Tax.Similarly, business purchases of inputs are not to be taxed under the newly proposed taxation policy.   Other items exempted include used or old goods, investments, savings, plus education expenses including tuition fees (â€Å"The Fair Tax†).

Critical Response to Images Covering the Crisis in Libya

Critical Response to Images Covering the Crisis in Libya Photography is one of the most popular â€Å"expressive means† these days. Almost every newspaper article is supported with the relevant image. There are many kinds of photographs which are created according to certain technique and performed with different purposes. Photography in new has a great meaning as it helps readers understand the subject of the article, for example.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Critical Response to Images Covering the Crisis in Libya specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The documentary photography which is often used in news is aimed at recording certain places and events. But the photograph is not only a still image to be view, but according to Barthes (in Camera Lucda): â€Å"The photograph has a dual function. It is (at once) a fetish object and a transformational object (the w o ina) be closer†¦terms). The photography is also the means by which the shadow of the object understood as the real (and/as the mother) falls on the subject† (Kember 214). Thus, each photo is a significant addition to the text, but it can also serve as an individual source of information. Everything used in photography, focus, light, line, space, shade, etc. has specific meaning and function which produce the effect on the audience. In this paper, we are going to provide a critical response to images covering the crisis in Libya. The still images under analysis are from the BBC News: Libyan Crisis (image 4) (Fig. 1) and The New York Times: Detritus of War (image 3) (Fig. 2). These images are not only informational, but also contain certain ideas and tell stories. Every part on each picture is important in terms of the context and idea. In this paper, we are going to analyze the ideas and arguments of both pictures and discuss how the elements of each still image are used to transfer that idea. Main body First of all, it should be mentioned that both pictures are aimed at providing additional information to the articles to which they refer. The Fig. 1 image refers to the article in the BBC News â€Å"Gaddafi not Targeted by Strikes†. It shows one of the protest movements against the UN-backed action. In the picture, we can see several people from the crowd with placates with slogans like â€Å"No Blood for Oil†.Advertising Looking for term paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More People are anxious, their faces are tense. People and placates are on the central focus. The setting of the image is quite difficult to define, as we can see only people, but it is some street. However, the setting is not very important. What is important is the idea: to show what people fight for. In the second picture, from the New York Times (Fig. 2), we can observe only one person and a burning car. The aim of this picture is to show common situations that occur in the st reets in Libya. As opposed to the first picture, it is possible to see the setting and picture is not as emotional as the first one. The position of objects in both pictures is different and has a great meaning for the perception of the image by the audience. Barthes focuses attention on the relationships between object, image and time. He describes them as â€Å"that-has- been†: â€Å"I call photographic referent not the optionally real thing to which an image or sign refers but the necessarily real thing which has been placed before the lens, without which there would be no photograph. In the daily flood of photographs, in the thousand forms of interest they seem to provoke, it may be that the noeme That-has-been is not repressed but experienced with indifference, as a feature that goes without saying† (Barthes 22). Thus, a common thing between these pictures is that both of them provide information about events that took place during the conflict in Libya, and funct ion as additional source of information to the articles. However, they use different settings, focus, details and composition because they provide different ideas: Fig. 1 depicts the â€Å"mood and intentions† of people. Human emotion is in the focus of the picture. The aim of the second picture is just to illustrate the situation, show the fact.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Critical Response to Images Covering the Crisis in Libya specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The second thing in common with the two pictures is that they have descriptions (or captions). According to Barthes, â€Å"the caption helps to choose the correct level of perception, permits to focus not simply the gaze but also understanding of the image† (118). Thus, the first picture Fig. 1 says, â€Å"Small-scale protests against the UN-backed action have continued in various cities around the world†. Thus, the reader under stands the history of the picture and acquires better understanding of its idea. The reader of the second article from the New York Times â€Å"U.S.-Led Assault Nears Goal in Libya† will be interested in evidences supporting the information in the article. Thus, the second image informs that, â€Å"for miles leading south, the roads were littered with burned trucks and civilian cars†. Thus, the reader understands the situation and becomes more informed of the issue. Burrett mentions that â€Å"descriptions are important to readers, because they contain crucial and interesting information that leads them to understand and appreciate images† (35). Thus, we see that description is a very important element of the still image, especially the one that is used in the newspaper article. Furthermore, as it was mentioned earlier in this essay, that every image is aimed at sharing a certain idea. As Bull says: â€Å"What a photograph means does not derive entirely from it s content (although it is essential that content is analyzed). By their very nature photographs are mobile signs whose meaning change across space and time and through virtual space too† (46). Thus, the idea of the photograph will be understood differently by different readers. Consequently, the context of every picture has its cultural implications and helps understand the peculiarities of the nation. In addition, both pictures have an ideological context, which can also be understood from the content, especially, in the first picture which depicts people, â€Å"reading an analog photograph as connected to reality is an ideological function of photographs based on their indexicality† (Sutton 165).Advertising Looking for term paper on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Conclusion In the article â€Å"The Shadow of the Object: Photography and Realism, Sarah Kember mentions the words by Fred Ritchin that â€Å"the viewer must question the photograph at the basic physical level of fact† (8). In this light, the still images are used mostly to inform the reader and show certain facts. However, it cannot be argued that composition, focuses and other means used in both pictures are essential for the understanding of the articles to which they refer. Moreover, apart from their main function to illustrate the information in the article, they contain certain ideas that can be understood by readers and help the audience to create personal opinion on the issues that images depict. Fig. 1. BBC News: Libyan Crisis (image 4) Barthes, Roland. â€Å"Camera Lucida – Reflections on Photography† in The Photography Reader. Ed. Liz Wells. New York: Routledge, 2003. 19 – 30. Barthes, Roland. â€Å"Rhetoric of the Image† in The Photo graphy Reader. Ed. Liz Wells. New York: Routledge, 2003. 114 – 128. Barrett, Terry. Criticizing Photographs: An Introduction to Understanding Images. New York: Mc Graw Hill, 1999. Bull, Stephen. Photography. New York: Taylor Francis, 2009. Damian Sutton, Real Photography, in The State of the Real: Aesthetics in the Digital Age. Eds. Damian Sutton, Susan Brind, and Ray McKenzie. London: I.B. Tauris Co. Ltd., 2007. Kember, Sarah â€Å"The Shadow of the Object: Photography and Realism† in The Photography Reader. Ed. Liz Wells New York: Routledge, 2003. 202 – 217. Images: â€Å"Detritus of War.† Photograph. The New York Times, Web. â€Å"Libyan Crisis.† Photograph. BBC New, 22 Mar 2011. Web.

Take Nothing for Granted

Take Nothing for Granted Take Nothing for Granted Take Nothing for Granted By Mark Nichol Just when you think you know everything, you’re reminded that subtlety and nuance are part of even the most mundane information. It’s been said that facts are inconvenient things, but they’re especially vexing for writers, because there are facts, and then there’s what really happened. I just read today that a fellow named Gustave Whitehead preceded the Wright brothers in heavier-than-air flight by more than two years and stayed aloft longer and at a higher altitude than Orville Wright in his inaugural flight. That’s the conclusion of Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft, the world’s most authoritative resource about aviation, which claims that Whitehead’s flight, and subsequent efforts preceding the 1903 launch of the Wright Flyer, have precedence. However, Whitehead’s claim is still in dispute, and most aviation authorities credit the Wrights, although their achievement is often qualified by references, for example, to â€Å"controlled, powered, and sustained flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft.† (They are also credited with being the first aviators to develop sophisticated flying instruments.) So, what is one to do when one seeks to write, perhaps merely in passing, about the dawn of flight? It is irresponsible, of course, to say that the Wright brothers invented the airplane, and neither did Whitehead. Nor were they, or he, the first to fly: The achievement of the Wright brothers was preceded by glider flights and powered but uncontrolled flights. Lighter-than-air manned (balloon) flight was first accomplished in 1783 dirigible (steerable) flight occurred the next year and historical accounts exist of working hang-glider-like contraptions built and tested (usually with disastrous results) hundreds of years ago. How, precisely, one qualifies such milestones depends on context and on the sophistication of the audience; a history of aviation directed at children will differ in its references from a technical treatise. But it’s the in between that counts for most writers: A newspaper or magazine article, or a trade book, that mentions the advent of manned flight must concisely acknowledge that the Wright brothers were aviation pioneers but do not deserve unqualified credit for priority. You may never have the occasion to mention flight in your writing other than a passing reference to the mode of travel to your recent vacation destination, but this lesson is scalable to any topic: Unequivocal claims of priority are hazardous to one’s credibility. Take care that such discussions are backed up by documentation and accurately expressed. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Has vs. HadWhenever vs. When EverHyphenation in Compound Nouns

How to Manage Freelance Writers A Stress-Free Guide

How to Manage Freelance Writers A Stress-Free Guide The position of â€Å"managing editor†Ã‚  has evolved in a crazy way since the advent of digital publications and blogs. And whether you consider yourself an editor or not, the chances that you do some  managing editor tasks as a content marketer are high. Every marketer is working with content creators. Every marketer is making sure the words and images make sense. You may not consider yourself an editor, but if you manage other content creators, publish content using specific guidelines, or even proofread on a regular basis, you are  an editor †¦ at least in part. But even though many of us are editors in our own ways, we still get questions like, â€Å"What does an editor really do these days?† For me, these kinds of questions bring up irrational feelings of frustration as I think to myself, â€Å"What don’t  I do† But it’s a valid point- we are no longer in the days of traditional print media, where spelling errors are corrected with a big red pen and paragraphs are picked up and put down like weights in the gym. Instead, our jobs are digital and they’re evolving. The myriad tools we have at our fingertips  are at once saviors and curses as we attempt to navigate all the tasks and words competing for our attention. Being an editor comes with a lot of responsibilities, and requires a pretty wide range of skills. Not only do editors need to understand advanced writing techniques, they also need to be a superb manager of people and projects. The writers that create the content for our publications to thrive need leading! Being an editor comes with a lot of responsibilities, and requires a pretty wide range of skills.Now, this can prove to be extremely challenging, especially because most writerly folks tend to be introverted and prefer to work alone. When you’re an editor, and especially when you’re an editor of a digital publication and managing multiple writers, you must learn and master four specific foundational elements to be successful: Business Strategy (notice I didn’t just say marketing strategy!) Project Management Editing Writing Techniques Leadership Relationship Management As you can see, editing writing are only one part of being a successful managing editor. In fact, managing freelance writers starts way before we even hire the writers. Recommended Listening: How to Implement a Guest Blogging Process With Jess Ostroff from Don't Panic Management [PODCAST] Connect Marketing Strategy to  Business Strategy I could spend all day talking about why every piece of marketing needs to be rooted in your overall business strategy, but the short version is this: If you can’t attach your content marketing activities to the bottom line, you’re not going to have any content marketing activities. That means no writers, no editors, no graphic designers, no programmers, and certainly no social media managers to share your content. I’m not trying to scare you, but it’s important to see the forest for the trees here, especially if you want to take your editorial duties to the next level. So, how can you put bottom-line growth in the forefront of your content marketing activities? Start here: Understand Your Audience When working with and speaking to marketers, I often pose a question that looks something like this: â€Å"Are you a fiction writer? Or are you a marketer?† Fiction writers write for themselves. They’re novelists, and they get to pick the subjects and the characters that make them happy. Not the case for marketers! We have to write for our audiences, not ourselves. So, the first thing to be crystal clear about is who is your audience?  What do they need to know? What problems are they looking to solve? How are they getting their information? What format of content do they prefer to consume? Marketers have to write for our audiences, not ourselves.Now, you may need to do some serious digging to develop a clear picture of who your audience is. And I always recommend creating an avatar or persona so that you can put a face and name to the audience, even if it’s fictional. Creating several personas is fine, too. I know many companies target different audiences along the way. But the important thing is to KNOW. And I can’t tell you how many clients and colleagues I come across who really don’t have any idea who their audience is and what they care about. This is a huge problem. Having a deep understanding of your audience allows you to craft your message and hone your story to reach your goals. After all, it’s the audience that ultimately determines your destiny. A little scary when you think about it, right? But more importantly, why does this matter? Why am I talking about audience in a post about managing writers? Tip: If you need help creating personas, try using Xtensio's Free Persona Creator Tool. Because when you deeply understand your audience’s needs, you can clearly communicate that with your writers, who can then create content specifically for your audience, who then, through their behavior, help you reach your goals. It’s a win for everyone, and it’s where every managing editor must begin. Set Measurable Goals Goals come from the top down. They’re determined by the manager, the c-level executive, or even the owner of the business. That’s because they’re related to bottom-line revenue for the entire business, not just the marketing department. Depending on the structure of your company, you may or may not be a part of the decision-making process when it comes to goals. Regardless, it’s important that you or someone on your team provides some historical metrics so that you can develop future goals for your content marketing efforts. Your goals may look similar to these: Increase website pageviews by 50% Increase email newsletter subscriptions by 100% Increase social media referrals by 30% Increase organic traffic by 25% Increase publishing schedule by 20% Pick the goals that you can track over time and don’t be afraid to refine them as you go. Even if you’re not in charge, it’s your job to inform the decision makers with actual data and results. Inform your decision makers with actual data and results.Develop Clear Guidelines Style Guides The great thing about guidelines is that you can always change them. Okay, that sounds a little nuts to say right away. But it’s my favorite part. Because your tools, your resources, and your goals are always changing, it seems reasonable to accept that you can change your guidelines. But I’ve seen a lot of editors become terrified of creating guidelines and style guides because they think they’re writing them in stone. Not the case! I want to mention this up-front so my type A perfectionists don’t get scared away. Guidelines are important. But they’re not permanent. Make them. Use them. Adjust them. Use the feedback loop to always be making improvements. At the very minimum, make sure your guidelines include: Audience information Goals of your publication Expertise you’re looking for Tone Topic ideas Recommended word count Instructions on how to submit posts Any rules or restrictions If you want to have a little more fun with your guidelines page: Make a video to supplement the written ideas Provide incentives for submitting posts Hide an Easter egg Use humor (if it fits with your tone and style) Make the process fun Embed a form (instead of simply providing an email address) Be a human Here are some awesome guidelines pages that I’ve seen recently, from which you can borrow ideas: Hubspot’s Marketing: Note how they share what they will and will not  consider. Also note how clear they are about their process. Four Hour Work Week: Note how Tim keeps a conversational but direct tone, explaining exactly what to consider when submitting, what format he wants posts in, and some helpful tips to keep in mind. Convince Convert: Note how Jay developed a custom video to explain the audience and type of content, plus the submission form is embedded directly on the page. Okay, now you understand the basic business principles that your editorial strategy should adhere to. It’s time to get to the nitty-gritty. Recommended Reading: How to Write a Pitch Email That Will Get Your Guest Post Accepted Pay Attention to Project Management Topics and deadlines and word counts, oh my! Don’t let a long list of to-do’s get in the way of publishing amazing content. Set up a project management system that you can follow throughout your publishing schedule, from communications and deadlines to publish dates and URLs. Recommended Reading: The Complete 16-Step Marketing Project Management Process That Will Get You Organized Use (and Stick To) a Master Editorial Calendar Some of my favorite publications create certain days of the week for certain types of content, but you don’t have to have to create featured content every day to find value in an editorial calendar. There are tons of tools you can use for this (  being my personal favorite, I’m serious!) but you can also start with a simple spreadsheet. Tip: If you're interested in trying , you can sign up for a free 14-day trial. At Don’t Panic, we have a master editorial spreadsheet in Google Drive for all of our clients. On the first tab, it includes a link to the writing guidelines we’ve developed for our writers so that no one has an excuse for not having them. It also includes a key that shows what each color means and where everything is in the process (more on process in the next section). We have a tab for each client and a column in each tab for the writer assigned, the title of the post, any notes about the post from the writer or the client, and various deadlines. There is also a column for status, which is where the color-coding comes into play. When a post is delivered or published, the rows get hidden so that the spreadsheet isn’t cluttered with old work. You can adopt a variation of this spreadsheet for your own writer-tracking purposes. Create a Workflow That Works Even if you’re the only person who manages your editorial process, you need a workflow to stay productive (especially on those days when no amount of coffee can keep you motivated). The best way to do this is to set up an easy, foolproof, step-by-step system that doesn’t require you to think about it every time. Work backwards from publish dates to determine what your process and deadlines will look like. I love to have all posts for the following week edited and scheduled by the Friday before if possible so I don’t have to be panicking about them every day. It’s not always possible, especially if we have timely or sponsored posts to run, but you can corral your writers to meet the deadlines you set out if you plan out your own workflow first. Some  tips for that: Have all posts come in the same way, in the same format, to the same place.  That may mean that you have a form that accepts attachments, a Google Drive folder where everyone uploads their finished pieces, or you use a tool that allows writers to drop their drafts right into your CMS. Make sure deadlines are clear and are followed. Don’t keep writers around who can’t meet deadlines. There are many reasons for this, but for me, the main reason is because late drafts mean that I have to adjust my workflow. I like to set designated times for review and editing, and I can’t do that if I’m missing content. This goes for initial drafts and any re-written pieces. You must set deadlines for everything! Set aside specific time for editing.  Editing in batches is often much more productive than editing in piecemeal. Use a color-coding system.  Perhaps blue means received, yellow means in review, red means awaiting re-write, green means approved, and grey means scheduled. This is especially helpful if you’re working with a team, but even if you’re on your own, it takes the guesswork out of where in the process you are for each piece so you can stay on track. Overcommunicate. Writers need a certain level of herding because they’re often working on a lot of different content at once. Make sure that you’re being abundantly clear about where you’re at in the process and what you need from them. This keeps everyone happy and on track. Are you a blog editor? Here's how to corral your writers. If you have other elements in your process that need to be done, such as graphics and social media messaging, include them in your writer management process even if it means bringing in other designers or social media managers. Having fragmented processes for different teams is ineffective. Create a cohesive process for all of your editorial tasks, even if they involve people outside of your freelance writing team. Overall, the workflow creation is really about knowing yourself. And as the manager, you have a certain level of authority over what the process is. So please think deeply about what will work best for you, roll out the process to your writers, and stick to it if you can. Trouble comes when you’re always reinventing your process and forcing writers to do the same. Set Up a Separate Mailbox If your submission process looks anything like mine, the emails and attachments and questions I get in my email are enough to drive a person mad. And I get it. Writers work hard on their posts, so if you don’t get back to them with approvals right away, they get antsy. But setting up a separate account (such as submissions@ or guestposts@ or editor@) to deal with your articles can help set the expectation among writers (and make you feel a little more sane in the process). You have my permission to set up the process that works for you, and that includes looking at, reviewing, and scheduling content when you have the time and are in the mental space to deal with it. And to make this even easier, consider setting up a separate email box just for your editorial management duties. That will allow you to compartmentalize and batch the work you do with your writers so you don’t get bogged down and pulled away from your other duties. Because I know that if you’re anything like me, you wear many hats and need to focus on different tasks at different times! Recommended Reading: The 101 Marketing Time Management Strategies You Need to Succeed Nail Your Editing Writing Techniques Being a decent writer is really the first thing you need to become an editor, but as you can see it’s not the ONLY thing. And while writing rules change over the course of time, there are several important ones that you should always look out for: Passive voice Apostrophe misuse Unclear/incorrect pronoun usage Fragments Extra/missing commas There are also always those pesky effect/affect issues, problems with semicolons, and the en-/em-dash debate. If you’re not clear on what you should be editing or simply want to brush up on your editorial chops, I recommend browsing Grammar Girl’s posts  or listening to her podcast. also has some editing tips  from the writing perspective that will help guide great content. It behooves you to review your expectations with writers from an editing perspective. It behooves you to review your expectations with writers from an editing perspective.Cut, Cut, and Cut Some More Many editors follow the 10-15% rule, which means that 10-15% of every article is superfluous and can be cut. Consider what pieces of your articles either don’t add value or are superfluous and get rid of them. Writing more for the sake of a word-count requirement is not effective, and generally lowers the quality of the piece. If you’re having trouble getting writers to produce enough about a certain topic, then they either don’t know the material or the topic is too narrow to be covered as an article. If the latter is the issue, try other types of media (like video) to explore that topic instead. #Editing Tip: Cut 10-15% from every article.Understand Leadership Relationship Management Fortunately (or unfortunately for some!), being a managing editor means you have to work on, well, managing people! That means that you have to refine your leadership and relationship skills, whether you like it or not. Managing relationships is a craft that must be fine-tuned over time, but I wanted to share some ideas that you can start implementing immediately to become a better manager. Managing relationships is a craft that must be fine-tuned over timeBe Honest About Approvals and Edits Everyone takes a different approach to being an editor. Some focus mostly on grammar, spelling, and general formatting edits. But some of the best editors are the ones who are really great at making sweeping edits within each piece of content to make it sound intelligent and cohesive. Let your writers know what sort of approach you like to take and how that will affect their final written product. This way, they can be prepared for the changes†¦ and their ego doesn’t run the risk of being bruised! Recommended Reading: How to Save 10 Hours a Month Like Convince Convert With Marketing Project Management Software Provide Ongoing Feedback No one likes to receive criticism, but you can lessen the blow of negative feedback by simply providing some  sort of feedback, both the good and the bad, every time. That way, your writer doesn’t fear hearing from you (which happens if you’re only getting in touch with bad news) and you’re able to put them in the position of receiving and implementing feedback on an ongoing basis. Now I know this puts more of a burden on your as the editor because it means you have to take the time to craft some feedback for each deliverable, but you don’t have to write an expose every time. Even a simple, â€Å"Great article, I loved those creative examples you used!† or, â€Å"Don’t forget to put compelling subheads to break up your text!† or something as basic as, â€Å"You ROCK!† keeps your writers engaged and gets them used to hearing from you as you build the relationship. Good editors give writers positive encouragement.Receive Ongoing Feedback The chances that your current editorial system is perfect are slim†¦ because nothing is perfect! Create a calendar for yourself where you’ll check in with your writers and ask them how it’s going. I recommend asking two simple questions: If you could change anything about our work together, what would it be? What new features, tools, or systems would you implement (if any) and why? These questions allow you to get to the point quickly and open up the dialogue faster than something like, â€Å"How is it going for you?† It also puts context around the ask and encourages writers to think critically about how they’re really feeling so they can be honest. Now, I caution to be careful not to lose sight of the fact that when you ask for feedback, you’ve got to be prepared to hear things you maybe didn’t want to hear or weren’t expecting. You’re in charge, so take each piece of feedback with a grain of salt, but I don’t recommend asking for feedback unless you’re prepared to listen and potentially make changes as a result. Don't ask for feedback unless you're prepared to listen.Provide Incentives for Great Work The worst thing in the world for a manager is losing a great team member. In order to encourage retention among the writers you love, consider finding creative ways to reward them for a job well done. Consider putting a rewards system in place where you celebrate the success of your team when original business goals are met. For example, if you had one breakout article that contributed to a massive increase in pageviews, give that writer something as a thank you. It doesn’t have to be in the form of monetary payment (although everyone loves a little salary bump once in awhile!), but it can be small things like: A â€Å"writer of the month† award A shoutout on social media A Starbucks (or other) gift card A homepage placement If the incentive requires a small monetary compensation, make sure to include that in your editorial budget so you can maintain the rewards program. Nurture the Relationship The hardest thing about being a freelancer is the lack of consistent work. At the same time, good writers have their pick of the crop when it comes to opportunities as the market for great content grows. In addition to providing some sort of small incentive program for your writers, don’t forget about the human element of working with them. Ask them about their day. Say happy birthday. See how their kid is doing after she was out with a cold. A little personal touch goes a long way, especially in what can be a lonely virtual existence as a writer. Recommended Reading: How to Write Great Content: 20 Tips from Famous Writers Pay Your Writers (and Pay Them Well!) Good writing is truly an art form. And the lack of education on clear communications and writing only makes that art form more valuable. The easiest way to encourage your writers to do good work for you is to compensate them fairly for their services. Now, I understand that many publications provide incredible exposure and that outweighs the prospect of a cash payment. However, the largest and smallest publications alike may consider securing a budget for their writers. This helps develop loyalty among writers and keeps them coming back for more, which is really what you want in this day and age where â€Å"writers† are a dime a dozen, but finding great writers is like finding a needle in a haystack. Finding great writers is like finding a needle in a haystack.So, there you have it! You see, managing freelance writers isn’t just about knowing how to edit and set deadlines. It’s about truly understanding business objectives, having a detailed process, and perhaps above all else, developing great, lasting relationship with the people you work with. What has made you successful (or unsuccessful) in managing your writers (and yourself!) throughout the editorial process? I’d love to hear what’s working for you or answer any questions you have.

Slavery Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Slavery - Assignment Example Senator Calhoun justifies the Southern states’ democratic right to own slaves. Senator Calhoun affirms Slavery benefits both the slave owners and the slaves (Niven 49). Slavery benefits both the White slave owners and the African American slaves. In terms of physical, intellectual and moral standards, the Senator states that those living in Africa have not reached any success compared to the African American slaves who were brought to the United States. Senator Calhoun equates the Southern White slave owners as equal in status with the Northern White American. The North American Whites freed their African American Slaves. On the other hand, the South American White Owners decided to hold on to their personal properties, the African American slaves. The Senator goes further by stating that the White Slave owners treat their Southern Slaves far better than societies in other countries treat their paid employees. Consequently, Senator Calhoun boasts that the Southern American States’ White owners treat their African American Slaves better than other societies treat their employees. As a resident of one of the Southern States, Senator Calhoun proudly states that the Southern White Americans treat their slaves far better than the White people from other communities treat their African American employees. Everyone is entitled to one’s opinion. Senator Calhoun is entitled to his preference for the institution of slavery. Senator Calhoun believes that removing the slaves from the Southern slave owners would bring hardship to the White slave owners. With the slaves, the White slave owners of the South will be forced to work in the farms and other labor activities. The senator is creating a false impression that God had destined the African American people to be the slaves of the White Americans. In the same manner, Senator Calhoun insists that it is a god given right for the White Americans to use the forced African