When Having an Agent is Not a Good Thing

When Having an Agent is Not a Good Thing In 2007, I was a new author basking in the glow of the success of my first self-published book – a collection of short stories, that had won several awards and some serious press. My head was full of ideas for my next book. After completing the manuscript of my literary novel, I started shopping it around. Imagine my delight when several agents showed interest in it. I soon landed an agent at a very reputable New York agency with a proven track record. The young agent I signed up with was enthusiastic at the prospect of selling both my collection and the new novel I was working on. His head was full of ideas, but then came a series of â€Å"but firsts.† The first few rounds of editing were easy until a bombshell dropped. A senior agent at the agency quit and the bulk of that agent’s high profile clients came to the junior agent who suddenly lost all interest in me. He was no longer as responsive as he used to be, and it would take him days to respond to simple requests. After a few months of dodging my requests to seek updates, he hired an intern to work with me on doing the rest of the revisions. In a few days, I received a marked up copy from the intern that involved cutting 30 percent of my manuscript – to the point that pivotal moments in the story no longer made any sense. I put my foot down and refused to do those edits. The intern quickly backed off and the junior agent took charge again. After a few rounds of reasonable revision requests, I was promised that my book would be shopped around, except it never was. I was told it would be presented at book shows and that too never happened. After 18 months of waiting for my agent to fulfill his side of the obligations, I decided it was time to leave. I thanked him graciously and bowed out of the relationship.   Two months after that, I sold my novel to a reputable small traditional publisher In 2014, researchers from Washington and Lee University used an excerpt of Saffron Dreams to show that reading literary fiction like my novel can actually make someone less racist. The study was published in Basic and Applied Social Psychology. Interestingly enough, the passage that was selected for the study was one that my agent’s intern had marked for deletion. I leave the moral of the story to your imagination.

Time Saving 101 Topics to Avoid Reading

Time Saving 101 Topics to Avoid Reading I read a lot of blogs, newsletters, magazines, and websites. As a fast reader and research guru, I can hardly resist to let some resource pass me First and foremost, give yourself credit for knowing what you need and what you dont. Not everyone is an expert and not every piece of expert advice is worth reading. Topics I will immediately discard: 1) Writers block. This is so dang personal that nobody can tell someone else what to do. I happen to be one who believes in either writing through writers block or taking a nap to wake up and start writing refreshed. I dont believe in it much, and I definitely dont want to hear about someone elses. 2) Self-editing. There are so many ways to self-edit, so many angles, so many levels. There isnt one right way. If you understand good writing and appreciate proper grammar, then figure it out. 3) The best way to market. Marketing depends on your extrovert level, your wallet, your tech savvy, your social media appreciation, your genre, your platform, your region, your experience in other arenas. The best way is to analyze your strengths, and the strengths of a handful of successful people you trust and admire, and just do it. 4) Outlining or pantser. I delete those instantly. Each writer has to test both ways and figure it out. 5) Religion or politics. Enough said. 6) Finding time to write. This isnt a secret. You make time, or you dont. You prioritize, or you dont. So many of these topics are the result of someone needing filler so they write about an evergreen subject. Some writers talk about these subjects because they are avoiding their more serious writing. Some want to sound experienced when they are not. Fact is, they are not unique topics. They are washing machine items, constantly spinning around in the tub. How do I know to discard them without reading them? I read the email subject lines, first lines in the first paragraph, and/or titles. Yes, I practice what we hear preached all the timeletting the opening hook dictate whether I read further or not. When I have 300-500 emails per day, I need some sort of gleaning mechanism, and why not that which we teachopening with a bang, or at least with enough meat to suck me in. And if the writer still wants to pick such a mundane topic, then they need to show me they have a new twist that will totally wow me.

Cultural studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cultural studies - Essay Example Representation of males in the advertisements is also related to American symbols. The taste of this cigarette may be heavy. Only men could enjoy such heavy tastes. That is the reason for using male models. The connotation or idea behind the slogan come to Marlboro country has double meanings. They are the western countryside and America itself. This truly resembles American identity (Wang. 1998.). The advertisement of parliament cigarettes contains some symbolic as well as subliminal message. This type of message is transmitted through plainly visible images as well as objects. These messages aim to appeal the basic instincts of customers. Of course these advertisements have multiple meanings. One view of this ad is that the presence of a female holding a cigarette packet, depicts the importance of smoking in the lives of men is in par of woman. Cigarettes and women have some common case of attraction in the perspective of men. The other meaning could be that parliament cigarettes are not as heavy as other cigarettes. This is evident due to presence of woman in the advertisement. The main difference between the two advertisements is that, the first one depicts masculinity. It is totally male oriented advertisement. The advertisement shows hardness of the situation. However the second ad is not too hard and masculine when compared with the first one. The presence of a woman and a formally dressed gentleman clearly gives the idea that it is lighter in its context as well as attractive to all genders (Ad Analysis Parliament Cigarettes). In politics the chances of err and lie committed by people are quite high. Such behaviour is instrumentally as well as epistemically rational in nature. The practices that are followed in liberal democracy are difficult to improve so that the above mentioned problem can be overtaken. The contemporary political philosophy is an unsuccessful attempt to vindicate on moral and symbolic grounds

Kellogg Company Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Kellogg Company - Coursework Example This paper examines business strategy of Kellogg’s Company by taking into account its strategic plan, an evaluation of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and the comparison of the company with other companies in terms of strategic planning. Overview of Kellogg Company Kellogg Company is currently the leading producer of cereal and convenience foods such as cookies, cereal bars, frozen waffles, meat alternatives, pastries, piecrusts, and ice cream cones. The products of Kellogg are manufactured in more than seventeen (70) countries and marketed in more than one hundred and eighty countries (180) around the world (Kellogg Company, 2010). Strategic Planning Strategic planning refers to the process of developing a mission and long-range objectives and how such objectives will be accomplished. Strategic plans are often developed for five years but they are regularly reviewed and revised annually to achieve the laid down objectives for five years (Simerson, 2011:1 35). Strategic planning process entails the developing of mission, analyzing the environment, setting objectives, developing strategies, implementing, and controlling the strategies (Lussier, 2011:128). Strategic planning can help companies to identify products that are suited to the needs, objectives, and resources of the firm and in the development of plans for introduction of new products in the market. Despite the positive contribution of strategic planning in organizational planning, it has some problems. One of the problems associated with strategic planning is the emphasis of quantity instead of quality. Most strategic plans stress on the achievement of quantitative results while ignoring or paying less attention to quality (Botten, 2009). The second problem of strategic planning is the failure or neglect in the analysis of internal and external environment. Another problem that is associated with strategic planning is the implementation of the goals and strategies as outline d in the vision, mission, and goals of organization (2008). Although companies often do strategic planning, its successful implementation is an arduous task. Financial implications are another problem associated with strategic planning. The cost needed to implement strategic plans adds more burden to organizations. Failure by companies to allocate sufficient resources towards the implementation of strategic plans can jeopardize the whole process (Simerson, 2011). Tesco Company was also faced with strategic planning problems. Tesco is one of the largest food retailers in the world with United Kingdom as its dominant market. The company developed a strategic plan and it has yielded results for the firm. Strategic planning has brought fortunes to the company by successfully engaging in branding and effective service delivery to customers (Cavusgil, Knight & Riesenberger, 2008). Through effective strategic planning, Tesco has fostered and established brand identity and awareness through consumer experience and brand extension approaches. Strategic planning has enabled Tesco to compete with other companies in food retail sectors and to adapt to various business environments (Needham, 2009). Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Growth –Share Matrix Due to increase in competition and need for market share expansion, companies

Attributes of Typical Heisman Trophy Winners Essay -- College Football

HEISMAN DILEMMA The Heisman Trophy: symbol of unquestionable superiority among fellow NCAA division 1-A athletes . . . or is it? This unique honor is awarded to the player who the Heisman panel believes is the â€Å"best† player in 1-A. The award can be given to a player of â€Å"any position,† or so the Heisman committee says. There has never been a Heisman candidate who hasn’t been a quarterback, running back, or multi-purpose skill player (for example: someone who plays wide receiver, defensive back, and is a situational running back). Does the Heisman Trophy really determine who the best player (and therefore best NFL prospect) is? I can prove who will win the Heisman this year, but should that person be the Heisman winner? Kirk Herbstreit is currently ESPN’s leading college football journalist, and I consider him the undeniable authority on all matters associated with college football. He created his own Website, Heisman Pundit. This Website contains â€Å"The 10 Heismandments,† which I think accurately capture the unofficial qualifications that the Heisman panel uses to choose the winner. It is my personal belief that the Heismandments are bogus, but if you look through the history of Heisman winners, they really do comply with most (if not all) of the qualifications. The â€Å"Ten Heismandments† are as follows: 1. The winner must be a quarterback, running back, or multi-threat athlete. 2. The winner must be a Junior or a Senior. 3. The winner must put up good numbers in big games on TV. 4. The winner must have some prior recognition. 5. The Winner must be one of the following three: a. a top player on a national title contender team; b. a player who puts up good numbers for a traditional power that has a good r... ... for money; they don’t have their own clothing lines; hell, they aren’t even allowed to do endorsements. They play for the love of the game, for a national title, for a Heisman Trophy, and to get noticed by NFL coaches. Let’s face it. Every football-loving fan in America is going to watch all of the top 5 bowls, regardless of who plays them. To take away from the purity and justice of college football to make a few pennies is an atrocity. Let’s just hope that NCAA officials can realize what they’re doing, and stop before it’s too late. Works Cited Burns, Marty. â€Å"Leinart, Trojans Having a Good Time.† Sports Illustrated. November 2005. Cincinnati Bengals’ Website. 2005. www.bengals.com. Heisman Website. 2005. www.heisman.com. Herbstreit, Kirk. Heisman Pundit. 7 November. 2005. www.heismanpundi.com. Pasquarelli, Len. ESPN Magazine. November 2005.

Fahrenheit 451 Symbolism-the River Essay

In Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, Montag’s escape through the river svmbolizes his salvation, along with several other things. . In several other instances besides the river, water is used to contrast fire and to thus show the difference between good and evil. Also, the forest through which the travels river symbolizes the innocence of mankind before civilization. This is merely a scaratch on the surface of this novel’s seemingly endless symbolism. Fahrenheit tells the story of a fireman named Montag whose job is to set fire to books in order to maintain society’s ignorance. When Montag kills Beatty, the Fire Chief, he decides to run from the world that he has lived his whole life in. His newfound friend Faber, another person on the outskirts of society, tells him that he will be safe if he makes it to the river. This is an illustration of literal salvation. Rivers often represent â€Å"divine emmissaries, life, and the enterance into the afterlife† (Jobes 1341). â€Å"After a long time of floating†¦ [Montag] knew he must never burn again† (Bradbury 141). This shows that the river changes Montag or is at least the cocoon in which he stays while he undergoes a metamorphisis into what is basically a different person. Also, it is interesting that, in the old South as well as in Biblical times, the baptisms of new Christians often would take place in the nearest river or creek. Montag’s journey in the river seems to be a baptism of sorts, as it frees him from the shackles and chains of his former life. The river, however, is only the vessel in which Montag travels to the heart of the forest. The forest is the â€Å"abode of man in his state of innocence, and a Hebrew symbol for kingdom† (Jobes 594). In the novel, the forest and the river are likened to one another at times, such as when Montag describes the forest floor as â€Å"a dry river smelling of hot cloves and warm dust† (Bradbury 144). When Montag several men who, like him, are on the outside of society looking in, they are at the old railroad tracks tht cut through the heart of the forest like a rusty dagger wielded by the filthy hand of industry. It is here that he finds his real redemption. The river is not the only use of water as symbolism in Fahrenheit 451. Water symbolizes â€Å"baptism, cleansing, resurrection, and is a source of both good and evil† (Jobes 167). Water is used on numerous occasions to contrast with fire, wich is representative of â€Å"divine love, fervor, and life, but also divine anger, destuction, and death† (Jobes 571). Usually, they contrast good and evil, and although fire is generally associated with evil, its symbolism begins to change toward the end of the novel When Montag sees the fire the men in the forest are using to warm themselves, he realizes â€Å"he [has] never thought in his life that fire [can] give as well as take† (Bradbury 147). The fire is a metaphor for Montag; he finally realizes that he can change the world for the better instead of for the worse. Ray Bradbury’s novel offers a rich tapestry of symbolism to all those who read it. Bradbury weaves a seemingly endless amount of symbols into his story in a way that is wonderfully eloquent, distinctly American, and easily accessible to the casual reader. His passionate cry against censorship and engaging story has enthralled readers for the past 50 years. He uses symbolism to help get his point across, and thus makes the story work on a deeper level. Through symbolism, Bradbury has found a way to affect the reader in the very core of their being, and he has made this novel one whose jarring imact stays with the reader long after they have turned he final page.

Abortion Reform vs. Repeal Strategies Compared

What was the difference between reform of abortion laws and repeal of abortion laws? The distinction was important to feminists during the 1960s and early 1970s. Many people were working to reform century-old abortion laws throughout the United States, but some activists argued that these attempts at reform disregarded the autonomy of women and supported mens continued control over women. A better goal, the feminist activists insisted, was the repeal of all laws that restricted womens reproductive freedom. A Movement for Abortion Reform Although a few stalwart individuals had spoken out quite early for abortion rights, the widespread call for abortion reform began during the middle of the 20th century. During the late 1950s, the American Law Institute worked to establish a model penal code, which proposed that abortion be legal when: The pregnancy resulted from rape or incestThe pregnancy gravely impaired the physical or mental health of the womanThe child would be born with serious mental or physical defects or deformities A few states reformed their abortion laws based on the ALIs model code, with Colorado leading the way in 1967. In 1964, Dr. Alan Guttmacher of Planned Parenthood founded the Association for the Study of Abortion (ASA).   The organization was a small group -- about twenty active members -- including lawyers and physicians. their intent was to educate on abortion, including publishing educational materials and supporting research on the single issue of abortion. Their position was primarily a reform position at first, looking at how laws could be changed. They eventually shifted to supporting repeal, and helped provide the legal counsel, Sarah Weddington and Linda Coffee, for the  Roe v. Wade  case when it went to the Supreme Court in the 1970s. Many feminists rejected these attempts at abortion reform, not just because they did not go far enough but because they were still based entirely on a concept of women being protected by men and subject to the scrutiny of men. Reform was harmful to women, because it reinforced the idea that women must ask permission from men. Repeal the Abortion Laws Instead, feminists called for repeal of abortion laws. Feminists wanted abortion to be legal because they wanted justice for women based on freedom and individual rights, not a hospital medical boards decision of whether a woman should be granted an abortion. Planned Parenthood began taking a repeal, rather than reform, position in 1969. Groups such as the National Organization for Women began to work for repeal. The National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws was founded in 1969. Known as NARAL, the groups name changed to the National Abortion Rights Action League after the Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry published a position paper about abortion in 1969 called The Right to Abortion: A Psychiatric View. Womens liberation groups such as Redstockings held abortion speak-outs and insisted that womens voices be heard alongside mens. Lucinda Cisler Lucinda Cisler was a key activist who often wrote about the need for repeal of abortion laws. She claimed that public opinion about abortion was distorted because of the framing of the debate. A pollster might ask, Under what circumstances would you favor a woman having an abortion? Lucinda Cisler imagined asking Do you favor freeing a slave when his bondage is (1)injurious to his physical health†¦? and so on. Instead of asking how we can justify abortion, she wrote, we should be asking how we can justify compulsory child bearing. The proponents of change always pictured women as victims -- of rape, or of rubella, or of heart disease or mental illness -- never as possible shapers of their own destinies.- Lucinda Cisler in Unfinished Business: Birth Control and Womens Liberation published in the 1970 anthology Repeal vs. Reform: Finding Justice In addition to defining women as needing to be somehow protected, abortion reform laws took for granted state control of the fetus at some point. Furthermore, activists who challenged old abortion laws now had the added difficulty of challenging additional reformed-but-still-flawed abortion laws, too. Although reform, modernization or liberalization of abortion laws sounded good, feminist activists insisted that repeal of abortion laws was the true justice for women. (edited and new material added by Jone Johnson Lewis)