Experts and Editors

Experts and Editors Experts and Editors Experts and Editors By Colin In a previous article we looked at generalisation as opposed to specialising in specific subject matter. We looked at the pros and cons of each, and it provoked a lot of feedback from our readers. One question that popped up involved the amount of knowledge one should attain in order to be considered a qualified expert on a topic. There are several routes that may be considered here. Academic Qualifications The first is via education, and the attainment of a recognised qualification. If you, as a freelance writer, followed the route of further education, whether straight from school or as a mature student, you may consider yourself knowledgeable in the theory of your subject. I say knowledgeable because in most cases what you have learned from the books hasn’t been put into practice in any real shape or form. For example, a student who went to university to learn about accounting may gain a Degree from their studies, but as most students find out when they start employment, it is not until they have to apply what they have learnt that they discover much of it wass only needed to pass the exams and get you in the door; the real stuff is learnt on the job. And it is here the term â€Å"expertly qualified† is truly gained. Being awarded a qualification is one thing, but having ten years hands on experience in the industry will truly make you an expert. Vocational Qualifications If your field happens to be in something more vocational, fly fishing for instance, gaining expert status is not as clear cut as it is in the academic world. Expert status could be claimed after many years of reading, studying, and absorbing the sport in every way possible; learning how to tie flies, the mechanics of casting, or the biology of fish. This is something that requires real devotion and a real love for the subject. In this respect, expert status is less arguable because it has been done willingly outside of a person’s need to survive. An editor who has someone like this on their books will do well. One thing all experts must have in common is the ability to write about their topics well, and write about them regularly. So it’s one thing being able to talk about your subject over and over, but writing new and unique articles every week or month requires a different set of abilities. Research In the life of the freelance writer though, nothing is as clear-cut as academic qualifications or vocational activities. In order to survive, the ability to turn your hand to new topics confidently and accurately is a valuable skill that most editors crave. One day you may be writing reviews on some books you have recently read, the next you may be asked to write about something you know nothing about. By the time you have researched the article through interviews, phone calls, gaining real-life experience of your own, cross-checked your information, written the first draft, researched it some more, and handed in the finished article, you may well find you can easily consider yourself an expert in that particular field. Carrying out solid research will not only gain you expert status, but it is also the route to longevity, well-paying writing gigs, and fruitful long term relationships with editors. Working with Editors Another question that popped up involved the question of the relationship between editors and writers, that is, who takes the credit for a book that has been heavily edited, and how much of the editor’s work finds its way into the text? Under normal circumstances the person who writes a book will be credited with the work, and have the copyright and moral rights assigned to them. An editor would not normally get any credit, unless for example, the book was an anthology or an auto-biography in which the editor helped to ghost write the book or play a large part in its writing. How much of an editor’s work finds its way into a book or article would depend on the individual editor’s style, and how much input is required. If a book or article requires a lot of editing, though, a writer should expect to be dropped from the payroll forthwith. It is up to the writer to create the work in the manner in which the editor has specified at the outset; major reworks at the editorial stage are not generally acceptable. There is a long standing argument in publishing about where the best books come from; a good editor or a good writer? The answer lies somewhere between, because a good editor should be able to get the best out of a writer without displacing their style. They should bond together and hit the same wavelength from concept to production. If a change of editor between book number one and the sequel occurs, one may end up with an entirely different book in style and format that may not sell as much as the first, assuming of course, that it did. 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 Freelance Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and Toes15 Great Word GamesUses of the Past Participle

Imagine you are a HR manager employing non-Chinese staff in the Essay

Imagine you are a HR manager employing non-Chinese staff in the People's Republic of China, how would you recruit and prepare - Essay Example Introduction In the recent years, China has been in focus for its astounding growth rate and future potential. The country has recorded high growth rate of up to 13% and the power that triggers this rate of growth is its vast and varied population. Today, there are about 1.3 billion people living in China of which about 38% reside in the coastal areas where most of the industries are located. Of these about 72% of the people fall within the working group and literacy rates among the Chinese is about 96%. Unemployment in China is at 9%. China capitalises on its immense human resource and this is why it attracts such huge foreign flow of capital. Despite such a glorious economy and strength of human capital, China is not free from problems. Its human resources pose the greatest problem despite being its strongest factor. The country is plagued by concerns like foreign exchange risks and financial and currency risks but of these, the human resources top the charts of concerns for China in the present and near future (Lubman, 2010). Figure: top concern for China at present and the coming 3 years (Source: Eusmecentre, 2012) The figure above shows the respective ranking of the topmost problems faced by China at present and also predicts the future ranking of these problems in the country. We observe that Human resource issues like availability of qualified employees are the biggest problem with companies in China, both domestic and international. The study also indicates that HR shall remain the topmost concern for China in the coming years as well. Problem The shortage of qualified staff has created an overheating in the Chinese labour market. There is a widespread lack of experienced and qualified employees. Adding to woes, employee turnover has become a critical problem that arises out of this shortage problem. In terms of statistical data, one out of every three employees runs a high risk of turnover in China. HR managers and executives have a critical concern of retaining their best talents. This number is almost double of what runs in other global markets. China’s employee situation has turned into a poachers den where existence and growth of foreign multinationals has generated a huge demand for talented, experience and qualified staff. In case of employee availability, the demand situation far exceeds the supply scene. The big fight persists among both domestic and foreign companies and this buyers market is plagued by presence of employees who always look for better options (Thomson, 2011). Most Chinese organizations try to combat the situation through an out paying strategy to attract talent into their companies. It has been realised that high pay attracts employees and what also acts as a catalyst to employee retention is strong employee development potential and attractive career paths. In China, candidates are attracted more towards job opportunities that promise a better pay. But with time, as the candidature shifts towards the younger generation, the demand for career opportunities that are differentiated and developmental opportunities tend to attract employees more. The general belief in most companies is that they need to design better pay packages so as to fight of poachers, or in other words, competing companies. However, it is wrong

The Role of the Financial manager SLP Assignment

The Role of the Financial manager SLP - Assignment Example Coupled with the recent developments in the financial performance successes, Apple Inc.’s status as a towering figure among publicly traded companies continues to cement its business. Based on the strong brand presence and financial successes reported continuously at the company, success projections in the near future appear promising due to the sustainability of its business model. The utilization of high-end technologies at Apple Inc. continues to provide a promising future for the company’s growing market. The size of Apple Inc. in the American and global smart technologies segment correspond with the recorded revenue growth hitting $42.1 in the fourth quarter of the just ended trading period (Apple Inc., 2014). Further projections on the company’s future relate to the company’s ratings on management effectiveness standing at 14.96 per cent and 33.61 per cent for return on assets and equity respectively. The sustainability of the software and hardware model at Apple’s products portfolio enables the company to challenge for top honors in the technology market. Apple Inc.’s towering financial power elevates it to the top of the list of American multinationals supporting tens of billions of dollars as stable investment value. Recent income figures in excess of $325 billion supported by quarterly gross margin growth of 38 per cent give an indication of the size of the company (Apple Inc., 2014). In these financial figures, $70.54 billion of gross profit implies that the company posted positive operations in the market that it continues to dominate. According to Yahoo Finance (2014), Apple Inc. trades as AAPL at Nasdaq stock market, with the recent stock market performance standing at a stable price of $109.70 (week opening Nov 10). The price of Apple Inc.’s share a year ago stood at $74.28, which gives an indication of growth by a growth of

Domestic Issue Essay Example for Free

Domestic Issue Essay One of the problems that the United States is currently facing is immigration. Every year, a large number of people immigrate to the country to start a new life. They believe this country will bring them answers and will solve their problems in the instant that they arrive. Many do get successful and live the life they dreamed of, and there are even more immigrants who become unfortunate. Still, the problem lies on the fact that too many immigrants exist in the country leaving less opportunities to the American people. It is a fact that these immigrants are talented and hardworking people. Because of their determination to succeed to help their families, most of them are willing to do anything just to make some money and be accepted in the workforce. Most of them agree even to be paid with the minimum amount because having a legal job is important. Employers prefer to hire these immigrants due to the ease of dealing with them. As a result, many Americans workers lose their opportunities to be hired by these employers. The competition is getting tougher, as the number of immigrants increase each year. Another problem that immigration can bring is the spread of diseases to the country. Immigrants come from all over the world and some of them may be hosts of communicable diseases including the human deficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis, or bird flu. This presents a threat to the health of Americans, and to the whole world. Immigration is not all negative if other aspects are analyzed. It might even be a very good thing for the country if it were not in excess. However, it is still a problem, which the

Apple Computer and Long-Term Success Essay -- Technology, Computers, E

In the 1970s, technologies such as video cassette recorders and personal computers were revolutionizing the industry. Co-founders, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, were drawn to this technology revolution and in 1976 started Apple Computers (Abdelsamad et al., 2008). The combination of their charisma and intellect enabled them to design the Apple I computer. Today, Apple is one of the leading technology companies in the world. However, internal factors such as Apple’s unclear marketing plan, employee work life negligence, and financial-legal issues have negatively affected their performance and sullied their corporate reputation. Apple worked to correct the issues that were detracting from their performance and has had great success in recent years. However, Apple must learn to continually monitor these areas in order to achieve long-term success and retain a competitive advantage. Since Apple’s inception, there have been three significant internal factors that have been detrimental to the company’s performance. One of the factors affecting Apple’s performance was their inability to distinguish themselves in their industry. In addition to the fact that Apple would not allow outside computer manufacturers to use their Mac operating system, their products were easily imitable (Abdelsamad et al., 2008).The combination of these two factors allowed their rivals, Windows and Intel, to dominate the personal computer (PC) market. It was necessary for the company to focus on a particular marketing mix to gain an advantage over their competitors (Wheelen & Hunger, 2012). Another detrimental factor that was affecting Apple’s performance was the negative attention the company received when a trade union was formed at a Chinese factory that ... ....ht ml Kurtenbach, E. (2011, December 20). China probing blast at Apple supplier factory. USA Today Tech. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2011-12-20/apple- factory-explosion/52112678/1 Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., & Wright, P. M. (2007). Fundamentals of human resource management (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Robertson, D. (2006, August 14). Apple pleads for more time to file. Times - United Kingdom. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Schoonmaker, D. (2005). Apple Store Opens Here. Grand Rapids Business Journal, 23(26), B2. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Supplier responsibility. (n.d.). Apple. Retrieved from http://www.apple.com/supplierresponsibility/ . Wheelen, T. L., & Hunger, J. D. (2012). Strategic management and business policy: Toward global sustainability (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Observation Checklist Essay

Philosophy on Education is the belief that the passion to learn, the commitment to succeed, and the motivation to try, is the passage through the core values that a teacher instills to a student, as learning becomes a way of guidance that encourages pupils to improve. It is an educator’s duty to provide an environment that exhibits a multitude of ways for children to engage in the process of learning. When I was a young child, I always wanted to show people the things I have learned through my family, friends, manuals, and teachers. Then, I entered the field of teaching, where I was able to present to an audience of children, various techniques in reading, writing, and arithmetic under the auspices of the head teacher. Let alone, I wanted to help those whom where much more challenge than others. This interest has catapulted me towards the beginning of my career in education. The journey through my past experiences as a teacher assistant foreshadowed my teaching styles. Under the auspices of the certified staff, I was given the opportunity to work in a population that requires an extra bit of patience. In formulating my approach to each class lesson, there was a need to implement hands-on learning as the basis for each work session. An adulating engagement with the student, while promoting encouragement, and confidence in taking tasks has its role in part with the learning process. Once the student becomes self sufficient, then the teaching has effectively accomplish its role. Furthermore, the importance of a teacher making assessments on a student’s capabilities is vital to facilitating education. In the successful grasping of an academic material and its content, being able to have rapport with the students to gain better understanding of their capabilities should intertwine directly with each learning style. Fostering a positive teaching environment requires that the student receives an invitation to participate in a friendly atmosphere. As a proclamation, there should be willingness for each student to express themselves with an utmost pride towards their work and success. In conclusion, my goal as a teacher is to provide to in each and every student with the necessary skills and knowledge so they could succeed on their own. I want to leave a memory of myself as teacher who was not afraid to roll up the sleeves to help another student in any way and influenced others to do the right thing. My colleagues recall me a teacher who regularly participates and who was active to contribute assistance to the school community.

Crime Alerts An Irksome And Flawed System - 1765 Words

Crime Alerts: An Irksome and Flawed System â€Å"University of Iowa officials received a report of a sexual assault that occurred during the early hours of Saturday, March 4, 2017 by a white male at a west side residence hall. No further details are available.†(â€Å"Crime Alert†, DoS) It is not a typical weekend if my email is not bombarded with Crime Alerts from the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety. Normally I brush these messages off and continue to enjoy my weekend, but this time it was different. My floormates in my dorm call me over urgently, â€Å"Maxx, did you see the crime alert in the email? We think it was Christian (Name changed for privacy).† Not for one second did I believe that it was Christian, but my†¦show more content†¦This is a necessary and invaluable policy to have, but after doing in-depth research, there is one main controversy making people believe the system needs to be changed, and that is the identification exploitation within the emails and the effect it has on the community in terms explicit and implicit racial profiling. According to the Daily Aztec news source, which has been an independent news source for San Diego State University since 1913, The Afrikan Student Excellence Council (ASEC) held meetings alongside other cultural groups across campus to discuss racial profiling in the San Diego State University Police department s crime alerts (Lozano). One of their supporters Shellie Stamps, who is the Association of Africana Studies Majors and Minors President said, â€Å"The Main Concern, which was cause for the meeting, was racial profiling† (Lozano). As the meeting went on, students offered testimonies about incidents in which they were victims of the crime alerts, similar to my own scenario. Students said that the â€Å"ambiguity† of the crime alerts targeted African American males which alluded them to be subjected to many uncomfortable situations and very insensitive racial jokes. One of the victims, named Jonathan Cunha, told his story and said, â€Å"Last year IShow MoreRelat edCrime Alerts : An Irksome And Flawed System1941 Words   |  8 Pages Crime Alerts: An Irksome and Flawed System â€Å"University of Iowa officials received a report of a sexual assault that occurred during the early hours of Saturday, March 4, 2017 by a white male at a west side residence hall. No further details are available.† It is not a typical weekend if my email is not bombarded with Crime Alerts from the University of Iowa Department of Public Safety. Normally I brush these messages off and continue to enjoy my weekend, but this time it was different